Pelicans To Pick Up Option on Gentry’s Contract
The Pelicans have told coach Alvin Gentry they will pick up their team option on his contract for next season, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN tweets. Gentry was given the good news prior to the team’s sweep of the Trail Blazers in the opening round of the playoffs, Wojnarowski adds.
Gentry’s job status was tenuous at best coming into the season. The team’s brass didn’t decide until mid-May last year to bring him back as the head coach. When the Pelicans got off to a slow start, the heat ramped up on Gentry.
Thanks to a banner season from MVP candidate Anthony Davis, the Pelicans turned things around and qualified for the playoffs despite the season-ending injury to DeMarcus Cousins. After finishing 22 and 14 games below .500 during Gentry’s first two seasons as head coach, the Pelicans had a 48-34 record. Then, behind Davis and the guard duo of Jrue Holiday and Rajon Rondo, the Pelicans stunned the third-seeded Blazers to advance to the Western Conference semifinals.
Gentry was the Warriors’ top assistant prior to signing a four-year, $13.7MM contract with the Pelicans in May 2015. He had previous stints as the head coach of the Pistons, Clippers and Suns.
Suns Speak To Kidd, Del Negro About HC Job
The Suns continue to conduct a wide-ranging search for their new head coach, with Scott Bordow of The Arizona Republic reporting that the team has spoken to Jason Kidd and Vinny Del Negro about the job.
Kidd, who was fired by the Bucks earlier this year, was linked to the Suns earlier this month, and Bordow suggests that the former Brooklyn and Milwaukee coach has “openly campaigned” for the job. Kidd’s coaching résumé is a mixed bag — he led the Nets and Bucks to three playoff appearances in four years, but had a 183-190 overall record and didn’t always see eye-to-eye with management.
As for Del Negro, this is the first time we’ve heard his name connected to any coaching openings this spring. His history with the Suns likely contributed to the team’s decision to talk to him about the position — Del Negro played for the Suns in 2001, and was part of the team’s front office before he transitioned to coaching. In five seasons coaching the Bulls and Clippers, Del Negro compiled a 210-184 record, with a 10-19 postseason mark.
It’s not clear how seriously the Suns are considering Kidd or Del Negro, but the two former NBA head coaches join a group of candidates that includes David Fizdale, Igor Kokoskov, Frank Vogel, Steve Clifford, David Blatt, James Borrego, and Kevin McHale, per our tracker.
Northwest Notes: Wolves, Jazz, Blazers, Barton
Speaking to WCCO 830’s Chad Hartman, Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor said his team can afford to pay Karl-Anthony Towns and Jimmy Butler the max, despite already having a maximum-salary extension for Andrew Wiggins on the books. However, in order to fill out the rest of the roster with complementary pieces, the Wolves may have to convince some veteran free agents to accept below-market deals.
As Jerry Zgoda of The Star Tribune details, title contenders like the Warriors, Cavaliers, and Rockets can often convince vets looking for championships to sign minimum-salary deals. Taylor is hoping the Wolves will be able to make a similar pitch, pointing to a star like Butler and a coach like Tom Thibodeau as potentially instrumental recruiters. “That really helps when you have that clout within the league,” Taylor said.
Here’s more from around the Northwest division:
- Jazz head coach Quin Snyder is happy to see assistant Igor Kokoskov receive consideration for the Suns‘ coaching job, per Eric Woodyard of The Deseret News. “I’ve told him for a number of years that I think he’s a head coach in the NBA,” Snyder said. “It’s taken him some time to see himself that way because he’s just been focused on doing his job.”
- Trail Blazers president of basketball operations Neil Olshey has pushed back against the idea that “sweeping changes” are needed in Portland after the team was swept out of the playoffs. John Canzano of The Oregonian makes a case for why those sort of “sweeping changes” may be necessary.
- Frank Urbina of HoopsHype offers up four potential destinations for Will Barton in free agency. Barton has spent the last three and a half seasons with the Nuggets and has expressed interest in sticking with the team, but Urbina also views the Suns, Pacers, and Sixers as viable suitors for the veteran swingman.
Wesley Matthews Plans To Exercise Option
Wesley Matthews intends to pick up the player option on the final year of his contract, writes Dwain Price of Mavs.com. Doing so would keep Matthews under Mavericks control for one more season, putting him on track to reach unrestricted free agency in 2019.
[RELATED: NBA Player Option Decisions for 2018/19]
According to comments relayed by Price and Eddie Sefko of The Dallas Morning News, Matthews didn’t explicitly say he’ll pick up that option, but he talked repeatedly about his plans to remain in Dallas, and Price indicates that he’ll opt into his deal to make that happen.
“I don’t really know,” Matthews said when he was asked about the deadline for his player option decision, per Sefko. “I guess I ought to check on that. But I don’t plan on being anywhere else.”
Matthews, 31, appeared in 63 games for the Mavs in 2017/18, averaging 12.7 PPG, 3.1 RPG, and 2.7 APG with a .406/.381/.822 shooting line. His season was cut short by a fractured fibula — he sustained the injury on March 10 and didn’t return before season’s end. However, Matthews confirmed over the weekend that he has been medically cleared to resume full basketball activities, joking that he was about to “go try and find a pickup game.”
If and when Matthews formally exercises his option, he’ll be on Dallas’ books for $18,622,514 next season. That would make him the team’s second-highest player behind Harrison Barnes, assuming the Mavs don’t make a bigger splash in free agency or on the trade market.
Community Shootaround: Can Budenholzer Return To Hawks?
Mike Budenholzer has interviewed for two of the NBA’s open head coaching positions so far this offseason, meeting with the Suns and Knicks about their vacancies. Budenholzer withdrew from consideration for the Phoenix job, but is reportedly interested in landing in New York.
The only problem? Budenholzer already has a coaching job, with two years and about $13-14MM remaining on his contract with the Hawks. While Atlanta has been willing to let Budenholzer interview for other jobs, the team has maintained that it’s open to bringing back its head coach for the 2018/19 season.
Michael Cunningham of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution is skeptical, writing today that he finds it hard to believe that Budenholzer could remain the Hawks’ head coach going forward. As Cunningham outlines, Budenholzer wasn’t thrilled to lose personnel decision-making power to GM Travis Schlenk a year ago, and isn’t all that interested in working through a long rebuilding process in Atlanta.
A person familiar with Budenholzer’s plans tells Cunningham that the head coach would be ready to return to Atlanta if he doesn’t get another job, and the Hawks have maintained that they could be on board with that scenario too. But Cunningham views that scenario as untenable, since it’d be hard for Hawks players to commit to a lame-duck coach who may have his eye on other jobs.
The best-case scenario for both Budenholzer and the Hawks would for him to find another situation he likes, and for that team to offer Atlanta a fair compensation package to let him out of his current contract. That way, Budenholzer could move on to a more favorable situation and Atlanta’s new management group could hand-pick a new head coach after having gotten out from under Budenholzer’s contract.
If Budenholzer doesn’t get an offer though, or if a team that wants him isn’t willing to give the Hawks compensation to let him go, the situation could get messy. It wouldn’t be unprecedented if Budenholzer ultimately remains in Atlanta – Dave Joerger signed an extension with the Grizzlies in 2014 after they let him interview with the Timberwolves – but it wouldn’t be ideal either.
What do you think? Can the Hawks bring Budenholzer back? Will they have the opportunity to make that decision, or will he be offered a job by another team? Jump into the comment section below to share your thoughts!
Ettore Messina To Remain Spurs’ Coach For Game 5
Top Spurs assistant Ettore Messina will continue to serve as the club’s interim head coach for Game 5 of its series against the Warriors on Tuesday, the team announced today. It will be Messina’s third game as head coach this series.
Messina is filling in for Gregg Popovich, who is away from the team mourning the death of his wife Erin. The Spurs will give Popovich as much time as needs, so it’s not clear if we’ll see him again on the sidelines this season.
The Spurs currently trail the Warriors 3-1, with Messina having helped lead the team to a victory at home in Game 4. In order to further extend the series, San Antonio will need to pick up a victory in Oakland, which will be no easy task — the Dubs haven’t lost a home playoff game since Game 7 of the 2016 NBA Finals, having won 11 in a row since then.
Messina is on the Hornets’ list of candidates to interview for the head coaching job in Charlotte. If the Spurs had been swept, Messina likely would’ve met with the Hornets within the next few days, but that interview will remain on hold until San Antonio’s season is over.
Southwest Notes: Ginobili, Spurs, Pelicans, Nowitzki
While the Warriors would have liked to close out the Spurs on Sunday afternoon and start preparing for the second round, head coach Steve Kerr admitted that it’s hard not to enjoy watching Manu Ginobili continue to have success at age 40. As Michael C. Wright of ESPN.com details, Kerr said after Sunday’s game that he’d like to see Ginobili continue his playing career.
“I think he should come back two more years,” Kerr said. “I smiled when he made that corner three right in front of us at the end of the game. It was just so typical Manu: [40] years old and 16 points, and hits the clinching three. He’s Manu. That’s what he does. I know he’s old because he was my teammate, and I’m old as dirt. So, if I played with him, he must be old.”
While Ginobili will have a decision to make this offseason on whether or not to keep playing, for now he can look ahead to Game 5 — the Spurs will aim to pull out another win over the Dubs on Tuesday to further extend the series.
Here’s more from around the Southwest:
- The Spurs‘ offseason hasn’t started yet, but it figures to be an eventful one, as Jeff McDonald of The San Antonio Express-News writes. In addition to figuring out whether Ginobili will be back, the team will also have to address the futures of longtime San Antonio mainstays Tony Parker and Kawhi Leonard. Parker will be an unrestricted free agent, while Leonard’s long-term future with the franchise has been called into question due to reported tension between his camp and the Spurs.
- No team has been more impressive so far in the postseason than the Pelicans, prompting Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer to explore how DeMarcus Cousins may or may not fit into the equation in New Orleans next season and beyond. Cousins, recovering from an Achilles injury, is an unrestricted free agent this summer.
- Dirk Nowitzki, who intends to return in 2018/19 for his 21st season with the Mavericks, provided an update over the weekend on his surgically repaired left ankle. Nowitzki will have the stitches removed today as his rehab progresses. Dwain Price of Mavs.com has the details.
Poll Results: 2018 All-NBA Teams
In an NBA season packed with incredible performances and remarkable statistical achievements, we wanted to let you make the call on which 15 players are most deserving of All-NBA recognition.
Last Monday, we opened voting for the All-NBA First Team. We moved on to the Second Team on Wednesday, and then opened the polls for the Third Team on Friday. The results of all those polls are in, so let’s check them out.
- Guard: James Harden (Rockets)
- Guard: Russell Westbrook (Thunder)
- Forward: LeBron James (Cavaliers)
- Forward: Giannis Antetokounmpo (Bucks)
- Note: Antetokounmpo was the third-leading vote-getter at forward behind Anthony Davis, who won the voting at center.
- Center: Anthony Davis (Pelicans)
- Guard: Damian Lillard (Trail Blazers)
- Guard: Stephen Curry (Warriors)
- Forward: Kevin Durant (Warriors)
- Forward: LaMarcus Aldridge (Spurs)
- Center: Joel Embiid (Sixers)
- Guard: Devin Booker (Suns)
- Guard: Victor Oladipo (Pacers)
- Forward: Ben Simmons (Sixers)
- Forward: Paul George (Thunder)
- Center: Karl-Anthony Towns (Timberwolves)
Your top vote-getters in the final round of polling that didn’t quite earn spots on the Third Team: DeMar DeRozan (Raptors), Kyrie Irving (Celtics), Jimmy Butler (Timberwolves), Al Horford (Celtics), and Nikola Jokic (Nuggets).
My personal All-NBA choices would look pretty similar to yours, albeit with a few small changes. Booker was an out-of-left-field choice for the Third Team here, and I’d expect DeRozan or Irving to take his place in the actual voting. I’d want to make room for Oladipo on the Second Team, likely at Curry’s expense — Curry was phenomenal, but only appeared in 51 games, which hurts his case. Rudy Gobert also didn’t play a full season, appearing in just 56 games, but his defense was so game-changing for the Jazz that I’d be tempted to put him on the Third Team in place of Towns.
What do you think? Do you disagree strongly with any of these choices? Do you expect major discrepancies when the official All-NBA teams are announced? Let us know in the comments section!
Draft Updates: Bonga, Uchendu, Adams, Osmani
The deadline for early entrants to declare for the 2018 NBA draft was on Sunday night at 11:59 pm ET, which means that this year’s list of early entrants should be set. We’ve been tracking those decisions right here, but the official list may look slightly different than ours — underclassmen who originally announced that they’ll test the waters may have a change of heart, and there could be some early entrants who entered the draft without formally announcing their decisions.
While we wait for an official list of early entrants for the 2018 NBA draft, let’s round up a few of the weekend’s final decisions…
- German forward Isaac Bonga declared for the draft, a source told Jonathan Givony of ESPN. Bonga, who currently ranks 57th on ESPN’s big board of 2018 prospects, is playing for the Fraport Skyliners in Frankfurt. He was born in 1999, so if he decides to pull out of this year’s draft, he’d have two more chances to declare as an early entrant.
- Brazilian center Michael Uchendu is entering the 2018 draft, Givony reports (via Twitter). Uchendu, born in 1998, is currently playing for Bauru in Brazil.
- UConn point guard Jalen Adams won’t test the draft waters this year, telling ESPN’s Jeff Goodman (Twitter link) that he’s returning to school for his senior season. Adams averaged 18.1 PPG, 4.7 APG, and 4.2 RPG for the Huskies in his junior year. His teammates Terry Larrier and Christian Vital declared for the draft, though Vital isn’t hiring an agent.
- Albanian big man Erxhan Osmani has entered the 2018 NBA draft, per Givony (Twitter link). Playing for Turkish squad Bandirma, Osmani has averaged 13.8 PPG and a team-high 8.8 RPG in 24 contests.
Damian Lillard On Blazers’ Season, McCollum Pairing
Fresh off a series sweep at the hands of the Pelicans, the Blazers are looking ahead to an offseason of uncertainty. Many have already suggested that the backcourt pairing of Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum need to be broken up since it represents the team’s best option to improve. However, Lillard doesn’t see it like that.
“I don’t agree with it,” Lillard said breaking up the Blazers’ backcourt (via Ashish Mathur of Pro Hoops Digest). “I think it’s that simple. I think it’s the easiest thing to say. I don’t agree with it, though. I’m not the guy making decisions.”
The point guard went on to call the Blazers “a great organization” while giving praise to his team and coach Terry Stotts, who reportedly may be on his way out of Portland. “I think everyone has done a great job. Coach Stotts has done a great job since Day 1. We’ve been in the playoffs five years straight.”
The Blazers unexpectedly captured the third seed in a loaded Western Conference with a record of 49-33. Despite the success in the regular season, Lillard understands that adjustment