Ettore Messina To Coach Spurs In Game 3
The Spurs have announced that top assistant coach Ettore Messina will coach the club on Thursday night for Game 3 of San Antonio’s first-round series vs. the Warriors, taking Gregg Popovich‘s spot on the bench.
Popovich will be away from the Spurs after his wife Erin passed away on Wednesday. The team will surely give him as much time as he needs to mourn and to be with his family, so it’s not yet clear whether he’ll be back on the sidelines for Game 4 on Sunday.
Messina, long considered a top candidate to become a permanent NBA head coach, has reportedly received interest from the Hornets, who are on the lookout for Steve Clifford‘s replacement. The Spurs granted Charlotte permission to interview Messina, but that meeting figures to take place later, with the veteran Euroleague coach focused on getting San Antonio into the win column against Golden State on Thursday.
Donte DiVincenzo To Test NBA Draft Waters
The star of the 2018 NCAA National Championship is considering going pro, as Villanova guard Donte DiVincenzo confirmed today he’ll test the NBA draft waters. According to a press release from the Wildcats, DiVincenzo won’t hire an agent, retaining his remaining NCAA eligibility if he decides to withdraw before next month’s deadline.
[RELATED: 2018 NBA Draft Early Entrants List]
A redshirt sophomore, DiVincenzo enjoyed a breakout season for Villanova in 2017/18, recording 13.4 PPG, 4.8 RPG, and 3.5 APG with a .481/.401/.710 shooting line for the eventual champs. He capped the year by racking up 31 points on 10-of-15 shooting off the bench in the Wildcats’ title game win over Michigan.
DiVincenzo is the 33rd-ranked prospect on Jonathan Givony’s big board at ESPN.com. However, the Villanova guard didn’t show up on Givony’s most recent two-round mock draft.
Villanova underclassmen Mikal Bridges and Jalen Brunson have already declared for the 2018 NBA draft and won’t return to school. DiVincenzo now joins teammate Omari Spellman among potential Wildcats early entrants who are testing the waters. The school announced today that two more underclassmen – Phil Booth and Eric Paschall – will return for their senior years.
Draft Updates: Govindy, Pansa, Faye, Seaborn
The list of international prospects declaring for the 2018 NBA draft as early entrants continues to grow. As ESPN’s Jonathan Givony reports (via Twitter), three 1997-born big men currently playing in France are entering this year’s draft pool, per their agency Comsport. Those players are Melvyn Govindy, Jean-Marc Pansa, and Ibrahima Fall Faye. They’ll have until June 11 to decide whether to remain in the 2018 draft or withdraw their names. If they pull out of this year’s event, they’ll be draft-eligible in 2019.
Here are a few more draft notes:
- Givony has updates on two more international early entrants declaring for the draft, reporting that Turkish forward Muhaymin Mustafa and Congolese center Viny Okouo have both made themselves eligible (Twitter link). While Okouo was born in 1997, Mustafa was born in 1999, which means he’d have two more chances to enter the draft early if he withdraws his name this year.
- Slovenian shooting guard Blaz Mesicek has elected to enter the draft as an early entrant, per agent Misko Raznatovic (Twitter link). The 1997-born prospect has averaged 9.7 PPG and shot 40.8% on three-pointers in 26 games for Brindisi in the Italian League.
- Monmouth junior guard Micah Seaborn announced in a post on Instagram that he has opted to enter the NBA draft without hiring an agent. Seaborn established new career highs in 2017/18 with 13.7 PPG and a .436/.442/.887 shooting line.
- Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders breaks down the 2018 NBA draft class in tiers, with a three-player top tier of “potential future All-Stars” leading the way.
Timberwolves’ Justin Patton Undergoes Foot Surgery
Timberwolves rookie center Justin Patton is done for the season, with the team announcing overnight in a press release that Patton has undergone surgery on his left foot. He will be out indefinitely, according to the Wolves.
It’s the second time Patton has had surgery on the same foot within the last year. Shortly after he was drafted by the Wolves last summer, the rookie underwent a procedure to repair a broken fifth metatarsal in his left foot. The latest surgery is designed to encourage further healing of that same fracture, per the Timberwolves’ announcement.
According to Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic (Twitter link), Minnesota is hopeful that Patton will be ready to go for the start of training camp in the fall. Still, as Krawczynski observes, the nagging foot issues are a concern, since similar foot problems have felled promising NBA big men in the past.
The 16th overall pick in last year’s draft, Patton appeared in just one game for the Wolves during the 2017/18 season, playing four minutes during an April 1 loss to Utah. He did see action in 38 G League games, however, posting 12.7 PPG, 5.5 RPG, and 1.4 BPG in 23.1 minutes per contest.
The Wolves will have to decide this offseason whether to exercise or decline Patton’s $3,117,240 option for the 2019/20 season. Third-year options for players on rookie scale contracts are rarely declined, so I don’t expect the team to turn this one down. Still, the 20-year-old will be under some pressure to make it back from this foot surgery and show some potential on the court in Minnesota next season.
Knicks Notes: Coaching Search, O’Quinn, Noah
The Knicks aren’t afraid to take their time as they look for their next coach, according to Frank Isola of The New York Daily News. Today was Mark Jackson‘s turn to interview with team president Steve Mills and GM Scott Perry in Los Angeles, one day after Jerry Stackhouse. News broke tonight that TNT analyst Kenny Smith will be interviewed Friday. Sessions are also scheduled for David Fizdale, Mike Woodson and David Blatt, and Isola states that more candidates could emerge.
Fizdale had an interview today with the Suns and seems to have emerged as the most popular coach on the market. He has a connection with James Jones, a former Heat player who now works in the Phoenix front office and is reportedly a strong advocate for Fizdale. The Knicks are attracted to Fizdale because he has experience with a winning organization in Miami and he has a strong connection to LeBron James, whom the Knicks haven’t given up hope of someday acquiring, Isola adds.
There’s more tonight from New York:
- Jackson’s aversion to analytics may doom his chances with the Knicks, writes Gary Peterson of The San Jose Mercury News. Jackson had a reputation as an old-school coach with the Warriors and was often dismissive of modern techniques. “The [Golden State] analytics staff encountered more resistance than they anticipated,” said Erik Malinowski, author of a book on the building of the Warriors.
- Backup center Kyle O’Quinn isn’t ready to make a decision on his player option, relays Jordan Lauterbach of Newsday. O’Quinn, who recently changed agents, will earn $4.26MM if he decides to opt in for next season. “I came into the season, I don’t want to say without a role, but knowing that anything can happen,” he said. “Whether it be trade talks or things like that, I think I handled it well by putting myself in a solid position where I could display what I could do.”
- The Knicks should resist the temptation to stretch Joakim Noah‘s contract over the next five seasons, advises Bobby Marks of ESPN. Marks points to Deron Williams in Brooklyn and Josh Smith in Detroit as instances where teams have regretted compromising their long-term flexibility. Marks also recommends delaying an extension for Kristaps Porzingis to create more cap room for next summer.
Southwest Notes: Parsons, Holiday, Mbah a Moute, Ginobili
Chandler Parsons has given the Grizzlies a few reasons for optimism, writes Michael Wallace of NBA.com. Parsons continued to battle knee problems in the second season of a four-year, $94MM contract, but he appeared in 36 games, two more than a year ago, and may have reached 50 if the team hadn’t fallen out of contention so quickly, Wallace adds.
Former coach David Fizdale switched Parsons to power forward and reduced his playing time early in the season, but that changed when J.B. Bickerstaff took over, and Parsons was able to spread the floor and use his playmaking skills. He also shot a career-best .421 from 3-point range.
“I had moments this year where I felt good and felt like myself, and I had moments where the soreness and stiffness were just too much,” Parsons said. “I want to play. I want to be healthy. And I’m doing everything in my power to get there.”
There’s more from the Southwest Division:
- In taking a 2-0 series lead over Portland, the Pelicans are getting the production they were counting on from Jrue Holiday when they re-signed him to a five-year, $126MM deal last summer, notes Mark Schwarz of ESPN. Holiday had 33 points and nine assists Tuesday as New Orleans won its second straight road game. “I may be a bit biased, but if you can tell me a better two-way player in the league right now, I’m willing to listen,” Pelicans coach Alvin Gentry said. “But what we ask him to do and the things we ask him to do offensively, he was just great tonight.”
- Rockets forward Luc Mbah a Moute is healing quickly after dislocating his shoulder late in the season, relays Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle. Mbah a Moute hinted that he might be able to play against Minnesota if the first-round series lasts long enough. “I wouldn’t say ‘no.’ But I also want to be smart and do the right thing,” he said. “It’s feeling better. Continue to do the rehab, get the strength back and see what happens.”
- LeBron James isn’t the only NBA player being targeted by billboards, writes Tom Orsborn of The San Antonio Express-News. An “Uno Mas Manu” billboard has been posted near downtown San Antonio, urging Manu Ginobili to return for another season. “I don’t know why, ‘One more?’” he joked. “What’s up? I was thinking about signing a five-year deal, and now they are throwing me down. Very disappointing.” Ginobili, 41, recently said he will take some time this offseason before deciding whether to play a 17th season.
Kenny Smith To Interview With Knicks
Kenny Smith is the latest addition to the Knicks’ coaching search, according to an ESPN report. The TNT analyst, who has no NBA coaching experience, will reportedly interview with the team Friday. Smith played in the league for 10 seasons and joined Turner Sports in 1998.
The Knicks have already held interviews with Mark Jackson and Jerry Stackhouse and plan to bring in David Fizdale later this week. That will be followed next week by a session with David Blatt.
They have also received permission from the Clippers to talk to assistant coach Mike Woodson, but he’s not in the top tier of candidates, according to ESPN.
Wife Of Spurs Coach Gregg Popovich Dies
The Spurs have announced that head coach Gregg Popovich’s wife, Erin, died today. They had been married for 40 years and had two children and two grandchildren.
“We mourn the loss of Erin,” Spurs GM RC Buford said. “She was a strong, wonderful, kind, intelligent woman who provided love, support and humor to all of us.”
Erin Popovich had been battling an extended illness, tweets Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.
There’s no immediate word on how her death will affect coach Popovich’s availability for the rest of the playoffs, but assistant Ettore Messina is the most likely choice to take over while he’s gone, according to Tom Orsborn of The San Antonio Express-News. Game 3 of the Spurs’ series with the Warriors is tomorrow night.
Community Shootaround: Best Available Coaching Job
After getting through the 2017 offseason with no coaching changes, this year is providing much more action. We started a Head Coaching Search Tracker this week to help you keep up with all the latest developments on the coaching carousel.
Three teams currently have vacancies and three others are operating with interim coaches at the helm. Many of the top candidates are interviewing with multiple franchises, which raises the question of which is the best job currently available:
- The Hornets expected to be a perennial playoff team when they assembled their current roster, but they have missed the postseason for two straight years. Charlotte could be as much as $20MM over the cap next season with its current roster, so an overhaul is likely, but it’s hard to say who will be heading out. The Hornets have some talent with Kemba Walker, Nicolas Batum, Dwight Howard, Marvin Williams and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, but their financial situation will limit their flexibility for at least another year unless some bold moves are taken.
- Despite having a string of lottery picks, the Magic haven’t shown signs of growing into a contender. Aaron Gordon is probably the best player on the roster, but he’s headed into restricted free agency, so his future in Orlando isn’t certain. Last year’s top choice, Jonathan Isaac, was limited to 27 games by injuries. The Magic have the fifth-best shot at the No. 1 pick in the lottery, but the franchise is likely looking at a long rebuilding process.
- The Knicks are trying to escape a dysfunctional era that brought down Jeff Hornacek after just two seasons. New York’s major assets are Kristaps Porzingis, who isn’t expected back until at least December after tearing his ACL, and Tim Hardaway Jr. Enes Kanter can opt out of an $18.6MM salary, so he may not be back next season. New York is ninth entering the lottery and won’t have significant cap room until next summer, so it’s another situation where the front office will have to be patient.
- The Grizzlies strung together seven straight playoff appearances before an injury to Mike Conley brought down this season right after it started. Management is confident that Conley and Marc Gasol can still be the core of a playoff team, especially if Chandler Parsons can come back healthier and a decent lottery pick is added. Those three contracts will eat up a huge amount of Memphis’ cap room for at least the next two season, so any improvement is going to have to come from within.
- The Suns feel like they’re headed in the right direction with Devin Booker and T.J. Warren joined by the returning Brandon Knight and promising rookie Josh Jackson. Phoenix could have more than $30MM in cap room if it renounces Alex Len and Elfrid Payton, which could make the team a force in the free agent market. The Suns have the best lottery odds and no burdensome long-term contracts other than the expected extension for Booker.
- The Bucks are the only playoff team on the list after firing Jason Kidd midway through the season. They have an MVP candidate in Giannis Antetokounmpo signed through the 2020/21 season, with an impressive collection of young talent surrounding him in Eric Bledsoe, Khris Middleton, Jabari Parker and Thon Maker. Milwaukee is capped out this summer and Parker will be a restricted free agent, but the financial situation eases significantly heading into the future.
We want to get your opinion. If you were a candidate for all six of these jobs, which one gives you the best chance to succeed? Please jump into the comments section below and give us your feedback.
Mavericks Notes: Matthews, Randle, Carlisle, Draft Pick
Wesley Matthews expects to get full medical clearance when he undergoes an MRI tomorrow, relays Eddie Sefko of The Dallas Morning News. Matthews is recovering from a stress fracture in his right fibula that forced him to miss the final 16 games of the season. Except for a torn Achilles in 2014/15, this is the only time Matthews has missed an extended stretch because of injury.
“By the end of the week, I should be good to go,” he said.
Matthews has to decide soon whether to exercise an $18.6MM player option for next season. He offered a clue today when asked about participating in community events over the summer, saying, “Yeah, I mean, I’m going to be here, so I’d love to.”
There’s more today out of Dallas:
- The Mavericks should aggressively target Lakers forward Julius Randle in free agency, writes NBC5’s Newy Scruggs in The Dallas Morning News. Randle, who grew up in Texas, is coming off his best NBA season, averaging 16.1 points and 8.0 rebounds in 82 games. Dallas will have at least $20MM in cap room, and possibly much more depending on what happens with Matthews and several non-guaranteed contracts. Randle is a restricted free agent, but the Lakers will be seeking bigger names, so he could be available if the Mavericks strike quickly.
- Expect Rick Carlisle to remain the coach in Dallas for at least another three to four seasons, Scruggs adds in the same piece. Many Mavericks fans have turned on Carlisle as the losses piled up, Scruggs notes, but GMs still consider him one of the best coaches in the league.
- Don’t bet on the Mavericks trading their first-round pick, Sefko states in a separate story. Dallas goes into next month’s lottery with the third-best odds at the No. 1 choice after winning a tiebreaker with Atlanta. The Mavs seem committed to taking their time in rebuilding, Sefko adds, and are seeking another cornerstone player to go with last year’s top pick, Dennis Smith Jr.