Sixers Intend To Ink Brett Brown To Contract Extension
Brett Brown has one season remaining on his contract, but the Sixers plan on working out a new deal with him long before his pact expires, as Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer relays.
“It happens all the time, but I don’t think it’s the healthiest of situations with coaching going into a season with one-year remaining on their contracts,” GM Bryan Colangelo said. “It impacts so many aspects of what you’re doing.”
“So I’m hopeful for the appropriate time we sit down and have some discussion with respect to his situation, and he realizes just how much we value him as the coach of this program.”
The franchise previously expressed a desire to keep Brown on the sidelines long-term. The former Spurs assistant led Philadelphia to a 52-30 record this past season, helping the team reach the postseason for the first time in six years.
Hawks To Hire Lloyd Pierce As Head Coach
6:10 pm: Pierce has reached an agreement with Atlanta to become the team’s next head coach, the Hawks announce via press release.
“As we set out to find a new head coach for our team, it was critically important to find a dynamic teacher who could connect with and develop our young core while instilling the culture and high standards we feel are necessary in a successful program,” said Hawks GM Travis Schlenk. “Lloyd Pierce checks every box, and we couldn’t be more excited to have him leading the Atlanta Hawks into the future.”
Pierce said that he’s been working toward this moment for a long time, adding that it’s an honor to become the Hawks’ new head coach.
“I have great respect for [Schlenk] and strong belief in his plan to bring a championship to the city of Atlanta. After spending time with ownership, it’s clear they have a deep investment in and commitment to making this a model organization. This opportunity is a perfect fit for me, and I’m eager to get started,” he said.
5:49 pm: The Hawks are closing in on a deal with Lloyd Pierce to make the Sixers’ assistant their new head coach, Jordan Schultz of Yahoo Sports reports (Twitter link) and Marc J. Spears of ESPN.com tweets that the Atlanta will announce Pierce as its head coach on Monday.
The contract will contain three guaranteed years with a team option for the fourth, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.com reports (Twitter link). Pierce had his third meeting with the club today.
Earlier today, we heard that Atlanta was likely to present Pierce a contract offer and on the surface, the pairing makes sense. Pierce has been with the Sixers organization since the 2013/14 campaign, spending several seasons on the sideline as the team went through their long rebuild. The Hawks are in the midst of a similar situation, though it’s unlikely Atlanta’s rebuild carries on for as many seasons as Sam Hinkie’s Process did.
The Hawks mutually parted ways with Mike Budenholzer late last month and we heard rumblings that it had to do with the direction of the franchise. Budenholzer reportedly wants to be with an organization that’s committed to winning and Atlanta appears to be more focused on talent development.
Pierce is open to the challenge of building a team from the ground up and he believes his time in Philadelphia will help him with the Hawks.
“The main reason is just looking at their young players,” Pierce said earlier in the week. “They got four guys in the draft. They got a couple of young players that are on their roster. So what’s most important when you are dealing with young players and young talent, it’s the development and relational side of that. It’s kind of my track record. It’s anybody’s track record of how do you communicate, how do you work with players, how do you develop, what does that mean?”
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Tony Parker Eyes 20 Seasons, Not Married To Spurs
Tony Parker, who will hit unrestricted free agency in July, has a goal of playing 20 seasons in the league and he’ll look to check that accomplishment off his list regardless of whether or not he spends the rest of his career with the Spurs.
“It is not yet sure that I’ll stay with the Spurs,” Parker said (via Michael C. Wright of ESPN.com). “I am open to all proposals. I would like to make my entire career in San Antonio. The sport remains a business, and we will have to make choices. “
Parker previously indicated that he’s alright with coming off the bench for the Spurs should he return to the team. He was the starter for nearly all of his 17-year tenure in San Antonio before Dejounte Murray took over the gig to begin the 2018 calendar year.
The veteran only suited up for 55 games this past season, posting career-worst marks in points (7.7) and assists (3.5) per game. Part of the decline can be attributed to age and part of it may be health. Parker tore his quadriceps tendon during the 2016/17 and Wright notes that it typically takes two years to recover from that kind of ailment.
“I’m almost back to 100 percent,” Parker said. “There are ups and downs, times when we’re not feeling well. It takes time, and this summer it’s going to be important to do some rehabilitation. We’re always better the second season.”
The veteran point guard made $15.4MM this past season, though it’s unlikely to come anywhere close to that annual figure on his next deal. Spurs GM R.C. Buford told Wright that the team will make a decision on Parker when it comes time too.
“I have been 17 years with the Spurs. I would always be nostalgic, but it’s not the end of the world if I change my club,” Parker said. “I say two or three years more [I can play if] I can go somewhere else, I’m 50-50. I do not see myself outside of basketball yet. I want to stay three more years to do the 20 seasons.”
Kobe Bryant and Dirk Nowitzki are the only players in NBA history to play at least 20 seasons with one franchise.
Raptors Notes: Casey, HC Search, Valanciunas
The Raptors made a difficult decision to fire head coach Dwane Casey today, and according to Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca, there were three areas over the years where the club felt that Casey was lacking.
Two of those three areas were related to his in-game adjustments (or lack thereof) and his tendency to stick with a “tried and true” approach rather than attempting new methods. As Grange observes, the Raptors’ new-look offense in 2017/18 was a top-down directive that was implemented with significant input from assistant coach Nick Nurse, rather than something Casey initiated himself.
The third factor in the Raptors’ decision involves stars Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan. According to Grange, the franchise hopes to find a head coach more “determined” to push those two players out of their comfort zones. Grange suggests that there was some frustration within the organization that DeRozan wasn’t held accountable frequently enough for his defensive lapses.
Grange’s piece includes several more interesting tidbits on the Raptors’ decision-making process and what led the team to this point, so it’s worth reading in full. Here’s more out of Toronto:
- During his press conference this afternoon, Raptors president Masai Ujiri denied a report that Casey had requested a contract extension before he was fired (Twitter link via Ryan Wolstat of The Toronto Sun). Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today first reported that Casey had sought an extension, with Grange confirming separately that Casey was seeking a two-year deal.
- Although Ujiri said today that there’s no timetable for the Raptors to hire a new head coach, league sources suggested to Grange that it likely won’t take long for the team to find Casey’s replacement.
- According to Ujiri, the Raptors will consider experienced candidates as well as younger coaches. “We’ll look everywhere,” he said, per Josh Lewenberg of TSN.ca (Twitter link). Current assistants like Nick Nurse and Rex Kalamian remain with the franchise for now, with Ujiri suggesting some of them could get interviews for the head coaching job.
- Earlier this afternoon, we asked you whether firing Casey was the right decision by the Raptors. Place your vote and join the discussion right here.
- On a non-coaching note, Raptors center Jonas Valanciunas has committed to playing for Lithuania during this summer’s FIBA 2019 World Cup qualifiers, according to FIBA.basketball.
Central Notes: Hood, Cavs, Pacers, Maker
While reports in the wake of Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals indicated that Rodney Hood “refused” to enter the game for the Cavaliers, he classified it a little differently in his explanation to reporters, as Nick Schwartz of USA Today details.
“They called my name, they did call my name, but I was like, ‘Just let Jose (Calderon play),'” Hood said. “He was warm and ready to play, so I said, ‘Just let him.’ I should have took it more serious, went in there, got some reps up.”
It may be a matter of semantics whether Hood “refused” to enter the game or just politely passed on the opportunity, but for what it’s worth, the rest of the Cavs don’t seem to be holding a grudge. According to Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com, after he apologized on Thursday, Hood said that his teammates just laughed at him, pointing out that after all the drama the team has been through this season, they didn’t need to blow the Game 4 incident out of proportion.
“Things like that happen in the course of a season,” Kevin Love said. “I mean, I’ve only known Rodney for a short period of time, but I know he’s a great guy. I know he’s here to win. Was that a great decision? Maybe not. But he came in today, said he’s all in and we believe him.”
While we wait to see if Hood regains a spot in the Cavs’ rotation in the Eastern Conference Finals, here are a few more notes from around the Central:
- The Cavaliers were praised after the trade deadline for acquiring young, controllable players like Jordan Clarkson and Larry Nance Jr., but given how little they contributed during the Cavs’ four-game sweep of Toronto, Berry Tramel of The Oklahoman wonders whether that trade was a mistake for Cleveland.
- Sean Deveney of The Sporting News previews the Pacers‘ offseason, observing that president of basketball operations Kevin Pritchard will have a narrow line to walk as he looks to improve Indiana’s roster without handing out or taking on any bad long-term contracts.
- It’s possible that All-Star caliber players like Kawhi Leonard and Kemba Walker will be on the trade market this offseason, prompting J. Michael of The Indianapolis Star to explore whether it would be worth it for the Pacers to pursue any big-time trade candidates.
- Bucks big man Thon Maker intends to suit up for Australia during the FIBA 2019 World Cup qualifiers this summer, as he tells FIBA.basketball.
Poll: Was Firing Casey Right Decision For Raptors?
After dismissing head coach Dwane Casey earlier today, Raptors president Masai Ujiri spoke to reporters this afternoon about the decision, calling it “the hardest thing I’ve done in my life” (Twitter link via Josh Lewenberg of TSN.ca).
While Ujiri acknowledged how difficult it was to part ways with Casey after the head coach’s seven seasons in Toronto, he also indicated that sometimes relationships need to come to an end. “We’ll figure a way to move on,” Ujiri said (Twitter link). “New voice.”
While it’s hard to place the blame for another disappointing postseason performance against Cleveland entirely on Casey, he made several questionable calls during the Raptors’ four-game sweep at the hands of LeBron James and the Cavaliers.
Toronto struggled all series to contain James and his supporting cast, and Casey kept returning to certain defensive matchups that weren’t working, letting the Cavs exploit constant defensive switches. Additionally, an ill-fated decision to bring in Lucas Nogueira during Game 4 for the first time in over two weeks may have been the dagger in the Raptors’ season — Nogueira was a -10 in less than two minutes of action as the Cavs built a big lead they wouldn’t relinquish.
Still, as many observers have pointed out today, firing a head coach for being unable to beat James in the playoffs doesn’t seem fair. After all, no Eastern team has been able to get past a LeBron-led squad in the postseason since 2010, and the Raptors don’t exactly have a superstar capable of matching up with the NBA’s best player.
Casey is coming off a 59-23 regular season, having established a new Raptors record for wins in a season. He hasn’t had fewer than 48 victories in a season since 2012/13, and his club won four playoff series in the last three years. Casey was even recognized by his peers as the National Basketball Coaches Association’s Coach of the Year earlier this week.
It’s a strong résumé, and one that has many NBA fans questioning whether the Raptors can really find a coach who will be an upgrade on Casey.
What do you think? Did the Raptors need to move on from Casey after its latest playoff defeat, or is this the wrong move, and one the team will regret? Vote below in our poll, then jump into the comment section to share your thoughts!
Was firing Dwane Casey the right call by the Raptors?
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No 60% (1,027)
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Yes 40% (679)
Total votes: 1,706
Trade Rumors app users, click here to vote.
Jacob Evans To Remain In 2018 NBA Draft
Cincinnati swingman Jacob Evans, who initially entered the 2018 NBA draft without an agent, will keep his name in this year’s draft pool and go pro, he confirmed to Shams Charania of Yahoo Sports.
“The NBA is a lifelong dream and I am making every day count to make the most of it,” Evans said. “I’m excited about the feedback that I have received in this process so far. I can’t wait to lace up my kicks in Chicago (at the draft combine) and show all of the teams what I can do.”
Evans’ decision doesn’t come as a surprise. Even though he didn’t initially sign with an agent, the junior said when he first announced his decision in early April that he expected to be picked in the first round and wasn’t testing the waters just “to come back to school.” Presumably, Evans wanted to make sure that NBA evaluators agreed with his perception of his own stock before making his decision official.
While Evans isn’t a lock to be selected in the first round this May, he ranks as the No. 24 prospect on Jonathan Givony’s top-100 list at ESPN.com, and came off the board 24th in Givony’s most recent mock draft.
Evans averaged 13.0 PPG, 4.7 RPG, and 3.1 APG with a shooting line of .427/.370/.754 shooting line for the Bearcats in 2017/18. Although his shooting numbers were better in his sophomore year (.473/.418/.732), Evans has intrigued NBA executives with his potential as a two-way wing, Charania notes.
Hawks Likely To Offer Head Coaching Job To Lloyd Pierce
Sixers assistant Lloyd Pierce has emerged as the primary focus of the Hawks’ search for a new head coach, reports ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. According to Wojnarowski, with the 76ers now eliminated from the postseason, Pierce traveled to Atlanta today for a third meeting with Hawks officials. The club is expected to make a formal offer to Pierce soon, Woj adds.
Wojnarowski reported last week that Pierce would meet with Hawks ownership during his second interview with the team. At the time, Woj suggested that there was a “strong chance” Pierce would become Atlanta’s new head coach if that meeting went well.
However, a subsequent report indicated that Pierce was simply one of four finalists for the position, and that it would be premature to elevate him over the other candidates. Those other finalists are Trail Blazers assistant Nate Tibbetts, Hornets assistant Stephen Silas, and Celtics assistant Jay Larranaga. Based on Wojnarowski’s latest report though, it sounds like Pierce is the strong frontrunner.
Pierce, whose NBA coaching career began with roles in Cleveland, Golden State, and Memphis, has been an assistant on Brett Brown‘s staff in Philadelphia since 2013. Pierce’s time the Warriors – while brief – overlapped with Travis Schlenk‘s tenure in Golden State’s front office. Schlenk currently serves as the Hawks’ general manager.
Pierce said earlier this week that he felt optimistic about his chances to replace Mike Budenholzer in Atlanta, as we relayed on Wednesday.
“The main reason is just looking at [the Hawks’] young players,” Pierce said. “They got four guys in the draft. They got a couple of young players that are on their roster. So what’s most important when you are dealing with young players and young talent, it’s the development and relational side of that. It’s kind of my track record.”
Coaching Rumors: Raptors, Casey, Bucks, Knicks
As we relayed in our story on Dwane Casey‘s firing earlier today, it didn’t take long for one outside candidate to be linked to the Raptors‘ head coaching job, with Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer and ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski both reporting that Mike Budenholzer is a name to watch.
Budenholzer’s name continues to surface in relation to the Raptors’ newly-opened coaching position. Sources confirmed to Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca (Twitter link) that Toronto is expected to pursue Budenholzer, while Marc Stein of The New York Times (Twitter link) hears from coaching sources that Raptors president Masai Ujiri has “strong interest” in the former Hawks head coach.
As we wait to see if Budenholzer emerges as the favorite for the Raptors’ job, let’s round up more coaching rumors and notes from around the NBA…
- According to Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today (Twitter link), Casey – who had one year left on his contract – sought an extension from the Raptors before he was let go. Zillgitt speculates that stance may have forced Ujiri’s hand.
- ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link) and Matt Velazquez of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel provide updates on the Bucks‘ coaching search, writing that the first round of interviews should wrap up this week. Milwaukee has interviewed Ettore Messina, Steve Clifford, Mike Budenholzer, Monty Williams, and Joe Prunty so far, and still has meetings lined up with David Blatt and Becky Hammon. GM Jon Horst figures to narrow the team’s list to three or four finalists, at which point team ownership will get involved in the process.
- A source tells Vince Ellis of The Detroit Free Press that Jerry Stackhouse “interviews well” for coaching jobs, but “does rub some people the wrong way.” Stackhouse entered the offseason as a popular rising head coaching candidate, but has yet to gain traction for any open jobs. In fact, despite a mid-April report indicating Stackhouse would meet with the Magic, that interview has yet to happen, per Josh Robbins of The Orlando Sentinel.
- New Knicks head coach David Fizdale is expected to hire Nick Van Exel to join his staff in New York, sources tell Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News. Like Keith Smart, who is also reportedly set to join the Knicks, Van Exel was on Fizdale’s staff in Memphis.
Klay Thompson, Warriors Discussing Extension
The Warriors and Klay Thompson have engaged in discussions about a potential contract extension for the veteran sharpshooter, according to Marcus Thompson II of The Athletic.
Thompson, who signed his current contract in October of 2014, will be eligible to sign a new deal starting in July. If he and the Warriors reach an agreement on an extension, that new contract would go into effect in 2019/20, after his current pact ends. An extension could keep him under team control for up to four additional seasons.
A four-time All-Star, Thompson is coming off a regular season in which he established new career highs in FG% (.488) and 3PT% (.440) to go along with his usual 20+ PPG. He also chipped in 3.8 RPG and 2.5 APG while playing solid defense.
Although the Warriors should be motivated to lock up Thompson before he reaches unrestricted free agency in 2019, it may be in the 28-year-old’s best interest to wait on a new deal. The starting salary on a veteran extension can only be worth up to 120% of his previous salary, meaning Thompson’s extension could start at approximately $22.79MM and be worth up to about $102MM over four years. That’s well below what his maximum salary would be as a free agent.
Still, Thompson has said he cares more about winning and about his happiness than he does about maxing out his earnings, as Marcus Thompson writes. It’s also worth noting that the Warriors – who will have to give Kevin Durant a raise this summer and would need to negotiate a new contract with Draymond Green by 2020 at the latest – almost certainly won’t be able to give all four of their stars max deals, given the luxury-tax ramifications.
As such, Thompson may be willing to accept a modest discount to keep the band together. Two sources tell The Athletic that Thompson and the Dubs have talked about an extension with an average annual salary of about $23MM — that would come in at approximately $92MM over four years, which puts it below the maximum value of a Thompson extension and well below the max value of a potential free agent contract.
Marcus Thompson cautions that there’s no guarantee that Klay will ink a new extension with the Warriors this offseason. The two sides would have to find a deal that works for both of them, and Durant’s new contract could be a factor in determining how much Golden State is willing to offer. Still, the fact that this discussion is already happening bodes well for Thompson’s potential long-term future in the Bay Area.