Northwest Notes: Nuggets, G League, Sefolosha
After missing the playoffs by one game for the second consecutive season, Nuggets head coach Michael Malone and president of basketball operations Tim Connelly are tired of going home after the regular season ends. Yet, as reported by Gina Mizell of The Denver Post, there’s reason for optimism, with Connelly declaring that “this is the most confident I’ve felt in our core group since I’ve been here.”
The first order of business for the Nuggets is locking up budding superstar Nikola Jokic to a long-term contract. Jokic actually has a team option worth $1.6MM for next season, but because he was a second-round pick and has been in the league for three or fewer seasons, he becomes a restricted free agent if Denver declines his option, allowing the Nuggets to match any offer from another team.
Both of the Nuggets other young potential stars – Jamal Murray and Gary Harris – are already locked in for next season, meaning the next order of business is re-signing sixth man Will Barton. “We’re hopeful we can get something done,” Connelly said. “(Barton is) our guy. We love him. I think if he’s back in a Denver jersey, it’s good for both him and the team.”
Barton added, “We’re building something real special here. I love playing with Jok and Jamal and Gary. The guys we have in the locker room, I like being around. The coaching staff has really come a long way with trusting me and me trusting them. Just the whole (Nuggets) organization, I feel like we’re headed in the right direction.”
There’s more out of the Northwest Division:
- In more after-season content from the Nuggets, Christopher Dempsey of Nuggets.com relays some of Connelly’s positive thoughts on the Nuggets’ season. “Certainly, when you’re on the outside, looking-in you have to address some needs,” Connelly said. “I think there will be some pretty interesting financial decisions we’ll make this offseason. But standing in front of (the media) now, I finally can say with full confidence that we have a core that can be really good for a long time. They all want to be here, and they are all about the right things.”
- The Trail Blazers are closing in on setting up a G League team in Beaverton, OR, reports Adam Johnson of Two Ways and 10 Days. There have been suggestions of Seattle as a prime location for a Portland G League team, but it seems the Blazers are looking to bring a potential afilliate closer to home. Nike, the NBA’s new uniform supplier, is headquartered in the Portland suburb.
- Jazz swingman Thabo Sefolosha may be out of the lineup with injury, but that doesn’t mean he isn’t playing a role against his former team, the Thunder, reports Eric Woodyard of the Deseret News. “I try to just help when I see something like offensively, defensively, something that we can do a little differently,” Sefolosha said. “Just whatever I see, I like to communicate, whether it’s with the coaches or with the players, so I try to stay involved as much as I can.”
Zhaire Smith To Enter 2018 NBA Draft; Hire Agent
Texas Tech freshman Zhaire Smith is expected to sign with an agent and remain in the 2018 NBA Draft, reports Michael Scotto of The Athletic. Smith, 18, averaged 11.3 PPG and 5.0 RPG this season for the Red Raiders.
We had previously relayed that Smith was testing the NBA Draft waters without hiring an agent, but the decision to forgo the remainder of his college eligibility makes sense given his potential to be picked in the lottery and the money he stands to make.
ESPN’s Jonathan Givony currently ranks him 17th overall on his Top 100 Prospects, and a rookie salary for the 17th overall selection in this summer’s draft could be as high as $2.46MM.
Suns Plan To Interview Frank Vogel
The Suns plan to interview former Magic head coach Frank Vogel, reports John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 FM.
Fired by Orlando last week (link), Vogel compiled a record of 54-110 (.329) during his two seasons with the Magic. The Suns obviously hope that they could recreate the success Vogel had in Indiana, where he posted a record of 250-181 (.580) with five playoff appearances during six years as head coach of the Pacers.
Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reported earlier tonight that Hawks’ head coach Mike Budenholzer met with the Suns today and yesterday with an imminent deal possible, but Scott Bordow of The Arizona Republic relays that GM Ryan McDonough was planning on interviewing multiple candidates, so it’ll be an interesting story to keep an eye on.
Mike Budenholzer Interviews With Suns
APRIL 17th, 7:45pm: Wojnarowski is now reporting that Budenholzer met with Suns management and ownership today and yesterday, and a sense is expected to emerge soon whether there is a pathway to Budenholzer becoming the Suns’ next head coach.
APRIL 14th, 9:06am: The Hawks granted Mike Budenholzer permission to interview with the Suns for their head coaching vacancy, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reports. Budenholzer, the Hawks’ current head coach, still has two years and $13MM+ left on his contract.
A native of Holbrook, Arizona, Budenholzer plans to meet with Suns officials early next week.
Budenholzer, 48, has been Atlanta’s head coach since 2013, leading the team to a 213-197 record in that span. He won Coach of the Year for the 2014/15 season, a year in which the Hawks went 60-22 and went to the Eastern Conference finals.
This season, the Hawks entered a rebuilding stage by cutting payroll and gathering young assets under general manager Travis Schlenk. The team went just 24-58, coming in last place in the Eastern Conference.
Budenholzer is among several candidates the Suns plan to interview, Wojnarowski notes. Interim head coach Jay Triano, who took over after the dismissal of Earl Watson, will also be considered. The Suns finished in last place in the Western Conference, going 21-61, the worst record in the league.
Central Notes: Oladipo, Parker, Korver, Bulls
Despite Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN tweeting that Pacers guard Victor Oladipo was not the primary object of Cleveland owner Dan Gilbert’s frustration over the failed trade that sent Paul George to Oklahoma City last summer, Oladipo implied that Gilbert’s comments add some extra motivation for Indiana in its first round series against Cleveland, writes Dave McMenamin of ESPN.
“You could say it added fuel to the fire, I guess you could say,” Oladipo said after the Pacers win in Game 1. “But that was so long ago. It came up recently, obviously, because we were playing the Cavs in the series, but I’m aware of what he said. Can’t control his opinion. All I’m focused on is myself and becoming the best Victor Oladipo possible.”
As for the series itself, many observers declared Oladipo to be the best player on the floor during Game 1, even with LeBron James on the other sideline. Oladipo credits his team’s effort – something seemingly often lacking for Cleveland – for his and the Pacers’ success this season.
“We’ve been playing like this all year,” he said of the Pacers. “Been playing hard on both ends all year. It just hasn’t been magnified. So it’s the playoffs now, we’ve been doing this all year. Now everybody sees, so it’s like, it’s kind of shocking to everybody, I guess you could say. But we’ve been playing hard. We’ve been playing our butts off on both ends of the floor all year.”
There’s more from the Central Division:
- The Bucks almost pulled out a victory against Boston in Game 1, but forward Jabari Parker wasn’t much of a factor in his first career playoff game, going 1-for-5 with two points in just 15 minutes of action. Per Nick Friedell of ESPN, Milwaukee is confident Parker will bounce back in Game 2.
- It’s been a tough last couple of months for Cavaliers sharpshooter Kyle Korver, writes Joe Vardon of The Plain Dealer. Korver tragically lost his younger brother Kirk due to complications from a sudden illness in March, then missed additional games with a right foot injury upon his return to the team. The 37-year-old veteran is ready for Game 2 though, saying “I feel like it’s been a very complicated month in my mind, but I feel like I’m in a good spot right now and I’m ready to play.”
- Vincent Goodwill and Mark Strotman of NBC Sports Chicago take a stab at grading the 2017/18 Bulls backcourt and frontcourt in two separate articles. Lauri Markkanen and Bobby Portis, both frontcourt players, received the best grades on the team.
Draft Notes: Noua, Moore, Spellman, Silva
French forward Amine Noua is declaring for the 2018 NBA Draft, reports Jonathan Givony of ESPN. Noua, 21, stands 6’8” tall and has been a staple of the French national teams since he was 16 years old, averaging 19 PPG during the 2014 FIBA Under-17 World Cup. He currently plays for ASVEL Basket of LNB Pro A, which is owned by French basketball legend and current Spurs point guard Tony Parker.
Noua is currently ranked as the No. 78 prospect by Givony, but has been heavily scouted all season by NBA teams with draft picks in the second round, with many international talent evaluators considering Noua to be one of the better draft-and-stash options in this year’s draft. Noua was born in 1997, meaning he will have one more opportunity to go through the NBA draft process in 2019 should he elect to withdraw his name at the early-entry deadline on June 11.
In other draft-related news:
- Wake Forest junior big man Doral Moore has declared for the draft and will hire an agent, thereby forgoing his senior year, he tweeted this afternoon. The 7’1” Moore averaged 11.1 PPG and 9.4 RPG this past season, while also setting a single-season school record by shooting 68.9 percent from the field.
- Villanova freshman forward Omari Spellman will enter the 2018 NBA Draft, but will not hire an agent, per an official release from the university. Spellman was named the Big East Freshman of the Year this season after averaging 10.9 points and 8.0 rebounds per game for the national champion Wildcats.
- South Carolina junior forward Chris Silva announced today that he plans to submit his name for the 2018 NBA Draft, but will not hire an agent, per an official release from USC. Silva led the Gamecocks in points (14.3 per game) and rebounds (8.0 per game) this season, and was named First Team All-SEC.
Southwest Notes: Leonard, Spurs, Grizzlies, Green
The future regarding Kawhi Leonard and his tenure with the Spurs is tenuous at the moment. The Spurs have commented very little on the apparent discord, while Leonard has failed to provide any explanation whatsoever. Reportedly, team doctors have cleared Leonard to play, while Leonard’s independent doctors have evidently not.
And while his Spurs teammates appear to be perplexed by his decision not to play, Vincent Goodwill of Bleacher Report opines that Leonard is making an intelligent business decision by waiting until he feels completely ready to step on the court. Per Goodwill, one need not look any further back than to last season, when Isaiah Thomas courageously played through a significant hip injury and the death of his sister, only to see his opportunity for a maximum contract become a pipe dream, at best.
As one anonymous Western Conference executive put it, “Look at Isaiah’s situation. Are you kidding me? Cost that guy a whole bunch of money by coming out trying to play.” Reportedly, long-tenured medical personnel for the Celtics who treated Thomas advised him his hip couldn’t get worse by playing, creating an atmosphere where players aren’t simply taking the word of team doctors anymore (e.g. Leonard and the Spurs). “A lot of these guys are starting to have their own workout people, medical people,” an Eastern Conference executive said. “They’re paying these guys, and a lot of times these guys have a different opinion than the team.”
As has been well-documented, Leonard can be offered a Designated Veteran Extension this summer, but given the state of the relationship between him and the Spurs right now, it remains to be seen whether an extension is still likely.
There is more news out of the Southwest Division:
- In a related story, Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press opines that the Spurs are at least partly to blame for the Leonard situation, writing that secrecy and unwillingness to answer certain questions has long been a characteristic of the Spurs’ organization, meaning it’s hard to blame Leonard, having never played for another franchise, for remaining so tight-lipped throughout the entire ordeal.
- While neither the Grizzlies nor any other team – outside of Dallas – was ever formally punished by the league office for apparent tanking, several franchises, including Memphis, received a direct message from the NBA against tanking, reports Ronald Tillery of The Commercial Appeal. Per NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, “We had conversations with several teams with what the product was they were putting on the floor. I’ll leave it at that.”
- Michael Wallace of Grind City Media delves into the Grizzlies offseason outlook, starting with power forward JaMychal Green. Green, due $7.87MM next season, averaged career highs in points (10.3), rebounds (8.4) and assists (1.4) per game this season. Per Wallace, Green remains a bargain for Memphis, but he must continue to develop his ability to make plays and operate in space moving forward.
Following Specific Players On Hoops Rumors
Hoops Rumors lets you keep up with your favorite NBA teams as they plot their next moves, and we also provide ways to easily follow the latest on all of your favorite players, along with the free agents and trade candidates from around the league.
You can get news about players wherever you go with our Trade Rumors app, available for iOS and Android devices. The app is free and allows you to add a feed for any player and set up notifications that will alert you whenever we write about him. It’s the easiest way to keep tabs on specific players.
If you’re using the desktop or mobile version of our site, there are other ways to follow your favorite player(s). Every player we’ve written about has his own rumors page. You can find any player by using our search box, by clicking his tag at the bottom of a post in which he’s discussed, or by simply typing his name in your address bar after hoopsrumors.com, substituting dashes for spaces. For example, LeBron James‘s page is hoopsrumors.com/lebron-james.
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In addition to players and teams, there are a number of other subjects you can track by clicking on the tags that we use at the bottom of posts. For example, you can keep tabs on our 2018 draft stories right here. Items about the NBA G League can be found on this page. You can simply scan our top stories here. Again, you can set up a feed with any of these pages by adding /feed to the end of the URL.
2018 NBA Head Coaching Search Tracker
After a period of virtually unprecedented stability in the NBA’s head coaching ranks, the coaching carousel started spinning again during the 2017/18 league year. Three teams made in-season coaching changes, installing interim replacements, and six more clubs have parted ways with their head coaches since the regular season ended.
In the space below, we’ll provide daily updates on the head coaching searches for each club that has yet to give anyone the permanent title. Some of these searches could extend well into the spring, so be sure to check back each day for the latest updates.
Updated 6-12-18 (10:32am CT)
Active Searches:
None
Completed Searches:
Atlanta Hawks
- Out: Mike Budenholzer (story)
- In: Lloyd Pierce (story)
- After initially giving Budenholzer permission to interview with other teams seeking a new head coach, the Hawks and Budenholzer reached an agreement to mutually part ways, leaving Atlanta on the lookout for a new coach of its own. After three meetings with him, the Hawks made Pierce their man.
- Interviewed: Nate Tibbetts (story), Stephen Silas (story), Jay Larranaga (story), Jarron Collins (story), Darvin Ham (story), David Fizdale (hired by Knicks)
Charlotte Hornets
- Out: Steve Clifford (story)
- In: James Borrego (story)
- In addition to firing Clifford, the Hornets made a change in their front office this offseason, hiring Mitch Kupchak as their new president of basketball operations and general manager. Kupchak led the search for a new head coach, and Borrego was the team’s choice.
- Interviewed: Jay Larranaga (story; second interview), Jerry Stackhouse (story), Ettore Messina (story), David Fizdale (story), Ime Udoka (story), David Vanterpool (story), Jim Boylen (story), Nick Nurse (story)
Detroit Pistons
- Out: Stan Van Gundy (story)
- In: Dwane Casey (story)
- The Pistons were said to like Ime Udoka, John Beilein, and Kenny Smith, but Casey always appeared to be the frontrunner. The team finalized a deal with him before hiring a new general manager.
- Interviewed or will interview: Kenny Smith (story), Juwan Howard (story), Ime Udoka (story), John Beilein (story), Jason Kidd (story), Nick Nurse (story)
- Rumored target before he was hired by another team: Mike Budenholzer (story)
Memphis Grizzlies
- Out: David Fizdale (in-season change)
- In: J.B. Bickerstaff (story)
- J.B. Bickerstaff, who finished the 2017/18 season as the Grizzlies’ interim head coach, was elevated to the permanent role after Robert Pera retained control of the franchise. Bickerstaff and the Grizzlies agreed to a new three-year contract that includes a team option in year three.
Milwaukee Bucks
- Out: Jason Kidd (in-season change); Joe Prunty (interim coach)
- In: Mike Budenholzer (story)
- Even before he parted ways with the Hawks, Budenholzer was rumored to have interest in the Bucks’ head coaching job. The Bucks considered other candidates – including finalist Ettore Messina – and Budenholzer received interest from other teams, but the two sides ultimately came together, agreeing to a four-year deal.
- Interviewed: Joe Prunty (story), Ettore Messina (story), Steve Clifford (story), Monty Williams (story), David Blatt (story), Becky Hammon (story), Jay Larranaga (story)
- Informal conversation: Jim Cleamons (story)
- Had planned to interview: James Borrego (story)
New York Knicks
- Out: Jeff Hornacek (story)
- In: David Fizdale (story)
- The Knicks cast a wide net as they searched for a new head coach, meeting with current and former head coaches, assistants, and even a TV analyst with no previous coaching experience. In total, they interviewed 11 candidates, ultimately landing on Fizdale, who agreed to a four-year contract with the club.
- Interviewed: Jerry Stackhouse (story), Mark Jackson (story), Mike Woodson (story), Kenny Smith (story), Mike Budenholzer (story), David Blatt (story; second meeting), James Borrego (story), Jay Larranaga (story), Juwan Howard (story), Mike Brown (story)
Orlando Magic
- Out: Frank Vogel (story)
- In: Steve Clifford (story)
- The Magic said after firing Vogel that they planned to take their time with their search, and they made good on that promise, taking nearly seven weeks to pick a replacement. Ultimately, it was Clifford, a former Orlando assistant on Stan Van Gundy‘s staff, who emerged as the choice, reaching a four-year deal to join the Magic.
- Interviewed: David Vanterpool (story), Ime Udoka (story), Kelvin Sampson (story), David Fizdale (story; hired by Knicks)
Phoenix Suns
- Out: Earl Watson (in-season change); Jay Triano (interim coach)
- In: Igor Kokoskov (story)
- The Suns talked about conducting a “wide-ranging” head coaching search, and they delivered on that promise, talking to at least at least 10 candidates. Ultimately, they decided on Jazz assistant Igor Kokoskov, who becomes the first European-born NBA head coach.
- Interviewed: David Fizdale (story), Frank Vogel (story), Steve Clifford (story), Vinny Del Negro (story), James Borrego (story), Nick Nurse (story), Chris Finch (story), Jason Kidd (story), Mike Budenholzer (interviewed; withdrew from consideration)
Toronto Raptors
- Out: Dwane Casey (story)
- In: Nick Nurse (story)
- Setting a franchise record for wins in a season (59) and winning the Coaches Association’s Coach of the Year award didn’t save Casey’s job, with the Raptors dismissing him in what Masai Ujiri called “a very difficult but necessary step.” Nurse, a top assistant who was credited for revamping Toronto’s offense last season, received a promotion to the top job.
- Interviewed: Rex Kalamian (story), Jerry Stackhouse (story), Ettore Messina (story), Ime Udoka (story), Sarunas Jasikevicius (story), Mike Budenholzer (story; hired by Bucks)
Injury Updates: Hayward, Embiid, George, Anderson
Celtics forward Gordon Hayward is ready for the next step in his rehab process, writes Abby Chin of NBC Sports Boston.
President of basketball operations Danny Ainge announced this morning that Hayward is going to Indianapolis to work with a top specialist in running mechanics. The goal of the visit is to help him improve his form as he continues to recover from a fractured left ankle. The Celtics and Hayward both have prior experience with the specialist.
Ainge added that Hayward continues to make encouraging progress from the brutal opening-night injury that wiped out his first season in Boston. Hayward was shown jogging on the court with Celtics trainer Jason Smeathers in a recent video.
There’s more injury-related news to pass along:
- Sixers coach Brett Brown told reporters a “unified effort” is being conducted to determine when Joel Embiid can return to the court, tweets Ian Begley of ESPN. The team, Embiid’s representatives and the doctor who performed his facial surgery are working together to monitor his progress. Begley adds that Embiid, who had the operation March 31, still hasn’t been medically cleared for full contact and doesn’t have a target date to start playing again. Embiid will go through a scripted practice today, his first since suffering a fracture of the orbital bone, relays Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer (Twitter link). Embiid wrote on Instagram Monday that he is “sick and tired of being babied” regarding the injury.
- Paul George was held out of contact in today’s practice because of a right hip contusion, according to Tony Jones of The Salt Lake Tribune (Twitter link). George will receive further evaluation after Wednesday’s shootaround.
- Rockets forward Ryan Anderson is on the practice court today for the first time since spraining his ankle, tweets Jerry Zgoda of The Star-Tribune. Anderson, who missed the final four games of the regular season and the playoff opener against the Timberwolves, said the ankle remains swollen and he’ll see how it responds before deciding if he can play tomorrow. “It’s one more shooter that you would have on the floor,” coach Mike D’Antoni said to Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle about getting Anderson back. “If a couple guys aren’t going well, we have another guy to go to. It gives us a lot better chance.”
- Raptors guard Fred VanVleet has been downgraded to doubtful for tonight’s game with the Wizards, reports Jared Greenburg of NBA TV (Twitter link). VanVleet has been experiencing soreness in his shoulder since a collision in the team’s final regular season game, but X-rays taken this week were negative.