2018 June | Hoops Rumors

Kings, Grizzlies Reportedly Interested In Porter

By Arthur Hill | at June 5, 2018 5:00 pm

Teams hoping to see Michael Porter Jr. slip in the draft may be in for a disappointment. A pair of reports indicate the Kings, who hold the second pick, and the Grizzlies, who have No. 4, plan to take a long look at the Missouri star.

Both teams will have representatives on hand Friday when Porter participates in Priority Sports’ pro day in Chicago. It will be his first time playing in a public setting since declaring for the draft, and it will allow teams to judge the condition of his surgically repaired back.

Sacramento has shown “significant interest” in Porter over the past year, league sources tell Jeremy Woo of Sports Illustrated. A strong workout could move him up the Kings’ draft board, but maybe not all the way to No. 2. Woo speculates that Sacramento could be willing to trade down in hopes of landing Porter with a later pick.

Memphis was among several teams that met with Porter at last month’s Draft Combine, and the organization believes he can provide scoring and versatility, writes Michael Wallace of NBA.com. Grizzlies GM Chris Wallace looks forward to receiving Porter’s medical records and seeing him in action.

“He’ll be evaluated, and I’ll be up there in Chicago – several of us will – to see his pro day,” Wallace said. “And we’ll go from there.”

Porter has made progress with the condition of his back in the past two weeks, according to Woo, who adds that there is cause for long-term optimism. Porter has insisted that it won’t be a lingering problem, saying at the combine, “It was a very minimally invasive surgery. They just had to fix the discs, take about 10 percent off that nerve.”

One of the top recruits in the nation coming out of high school, Porter was injured in the first half of Missouri’s season opener. He returned for SEC and NCAA tournament games, but was used in a limited role. Although ESPN’s Jonathan Givony has him going to the Cavaliers at No. 8 in his latest mock draft, Porter’s physical condition makes it difficult to predict when he’ll come off the board.

13 comments 2018 NBA Draft Memphis Grizzlies Newsstand Sacramento Kings Michael Porter Jr.

Five Key Offseason Questions: Los Angeles Lakers

By Luke Adams | at June 5, 2018 3:59 pm

Incredibly, prior to their recent playoff drought, the Lakers had never missed the postseason for more than two consecutive years. The current streak is now up to five straight non-playoff seasons. While this stretch of futility is certainly a source of angst for Lakers fans and many in the organization, the team has taken the right approach to roster-building since new president of basketball operations Magic Johnson and general manager Rob Pelinka took the reins in 2017.

Rather than trying to force their way back into contention by signing non-stars to lucrative free agent contracts, as the franchise did with Timofey Mozgov and Luol Deng back in 2016, the current Lakers management group has focused on developing the team’s young players, complementing those prospects with veterans on short-term deals.

The Lakers being the Lakers, it’s only a matter of time before the club once again makes a splash in the free agent market. When that happens though, the team will set it sights on the very best available players, and may not be willing to settle for second- or third-tier options.

Here are five key questions facing the franchise this summer:

1. Can the Lakers land a top free agent or two?

It’s no secret that the Lakers will head into the 2018 offseason looking to secure commitments from at least one – and potentially two – of the elite free agents on the market. Kevin Durant and Nikola Jokic are viewed as slam dunks to return to their respective teams, Chris Paul is a virtual lock to re-sign in Houston, and DeMarcus Cousins‘ Achilles recovery clouds his outlook.

That leaves two primary targets for Los Angeles: LeBron James and Paul George. While James would be the dream addition, George appears to be the more realistic one. A Los Angeles native, George has reportedly been thinking about joining the Lakers for some time, and a first-round exit in Oklahoma City this spring didn’t exactly increase the Thunder’s chances of bringing him back.

If the Lakers could strike a deal with George, it would make James’ decision very interesting. LeBron will have a number of appealing options to consider, including possibly going to Houston or Philadelphia, but heading to Hollywood might be the best move for his brand. Adding James and George to a promising young core that includes Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram, and Kyle Kuzma would make the Lakers a very attractive destination for role-playing veterans looking to join a contender.

2. What’s Plan B if the Lakers miss out on their primary targets?

While the Lakers could make compelling pitches to George and James, there’s no guarantee that either player will decide to head west. The franchise needs to be prepared to quickly change course if it becomes clear that those top free agents aren’t coming.

Using all their cap room to sign lesser free agents to long-term deals would be a mistake, and one that the Lakers can’t afford to repeat after committing approximately $136MM to Mozgov and Deng in 2016. Johnson and Pelinka recognize that, which is why we’ve heard whispers all year that the Lakers would be happy to preserve their cap flexibility for 2019.

Kawhi Leonard, Klay Thompson, Kyrie Irving, Jimmy Butler, Kemba Walker, and Kevin Love are among the players who can become unrestricted free agents in 2019, so the Lakers could have plenty of options a year from now. For what it’s worth, Leonard, Thompson, and Love were all born in Los Angeles.

While waiting until 2019 to spend big on long-term deals is a viable route for the Lakers, they’ll need to get to the salary floor in 2018/19 somehow. That could mean signing or acquiring more players on one-year contracts, like they did with Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Brook Lopez last summer. Exploring trade options makes sense too — someone like Leonard could be available now, a year before he reaches free agency, so the Lakers will want to kick the tires and find out the Spurs’ asking price.

3. Is Julius Randle a part of the Lakers’ young core?

One wild card impacting the Lakers’ free agent plans is Randle, who looked early last season like a player who might be moved at the trade deadline. The former seventh overall pick broke out in a big way once he was inserted into the starting lineup in late December, averaging 18.6 PPG, 9.1 RPG, and 3.1 APG in his last 49 games. Now, he looks like a potential keeper for Los Angeles.

Still, simply re-signing Randle isn’t necessarily the obvious move for the Lakers, whose path to two maximum-salary free agents spots would be complicated by the big man’s $12.45MM cap hold. If a team like the Mavericks swoops in and signs Randle to an aggressive offer sheet early in free agency, the Lakers will be under pressure to get decisions from George and/or James before determining how to handle Randle.

If Randle does sign an offer sheet with another team, the 48-hour window for the Lakers to match wouldn’t start until July 6, so the team will have some breathing room at the start of the new league year to get its affairs in order. Additionally, signing two max free agents and keeping Randle around isn’t technically impossible. But a lucrative new contract for the 23-year-old would have a ripple effect on the Lakers’ free agent plans in 2018 and possibly 2019 too, so it’ll be a crucial decision.

4. Is this the time to waive and stretch Luol Deng?

The Lakers may not be willing to attach a first-round pick or a young player to Deng’s contract to move him, preferring to save their assets by simply cutting him. Waiving and stretching Deng this offseason would reduce his 2018/19 cap hit from $18MM to just $7.36MM. Of course, it would also extend his cap charges for a few extra years — rather than coming off the books in 2020, he’d remain on L.A.’s cap until 2023 if he’s waived and stretched before September 1.

Ultimately, the decision on what to do with Deng figures to come down to how the rest of the Lakers’ offseason plays out. If L.A. doesn’t need that extra $10MM+ in cap space, there’s no reason for the team to rush into a roster move with the veteran forward.

In a scenario where the Lakers strike out on top free agents, waiting until September to make a call on Deng would make sense. If he’s still on the roster beyond August 31, Deng’s full 2018/19 salary would remain on the Lakers’ cap at its current $18MM figure, but the team could stretch his 2019/20 salary ($18.81MM) across three seasons, creating a little extra flexibility for 2019.

5. Can the Lakers nab another late-first-round steal?

No. 2 overall pick Ball dominated the offseason conversation in Los Angeles a year ago, arriving in the NBA from UCLA and promptly leading the Lakers’ Summer League squad to a championship. Once the regular season started though, it was 27th overall pick Kuzma who was the team’s most impressive rookie, posting 16.1 PPG and 6.3 RPG with a .450/.366/.707 shooting line for the year.

The second-half play of No. 30 pick Josh Hart shouldn’t be overlooked either. From the start of February through the end of the season, Hart averaged 14.1 PPG and 7.3 RPG on .506/.440/.766 shooting.

Most teams’ success rate on late first-round picks isn’t particularly high, but it looks like the Lakers went two for two in 2017. This time around, the team won’t have its own lottery pick, but holds Cleveland’s selection (No. 25), giving the front office another chance to strike gold late in the first round.

It’s hard to say who will be available at that point, but the Lakers have been linked frequently to Mitchell Robinson, who is something of a mystery man after not playing a single college game. Whether he’s the Lakers’ guy or the team goes in another direction, that player will be worth keeping an eye on after the early success of Kuzma and Hart.

Here’s where things currently stand for the Lakers financially:

Guaranteed Salary

Luol Deng ($18,000,000)
Lonzo Ball ($7,461,960)
Brandon Ingram ($5,757,120)
Kyle Kuzma ($1,689,840)
Josh Hart ($1,655,160)
Total: $34,564,080

Player Options

None

Team Options

None

Non-Guaranteed Salary

Tyler Ennis ($1,656,092)¹
Ivica Zubac ($1,544,951)²
Thomas Bryant ($1,378,242)³
Total: $4,579,285

Restricted Free Agents

Julius Randle ($5,564,134 qualifying offer / $12,447,726 cap hold): Bird rights
Travis Wear ($1,699,698 qualifying offer / $1,699,698 cap hold): Non-Bird rights
Andre Ingram ($1,537,872 qualifying offer / $1,537,872 cap hold): Non-Bird rights
Total: $15,685,296

Unrestricted Free Agents / Other Cap Holds

Brook Lopez ($33,963,525): Bird rights
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope ($21,295,073): Non-Bird rights
Channing Frye ($14,099,733): Bird rights
Isaiah Thomas ($11,896,651): Bird rights
No. 25 overall pick ($1,746,957)
Total: $83,001,939

Projected Salary Cap: $101,000,000

Projected Cap Room: $48,084,682

A handful of wild cards will impact how much cap room the Lakers have – or need – this summer. For our projection, we’ve assumed they keep all five players on guaranteed contracts along with cap holds for Randle, their first-round pick, and five empty roster spots. That results in a total team salary of $52,915,318.
If landing two star free agents looks like a realistic possibility, Los Angeles could create the room necessary for a pair of max contracts. For instance, by waiving and stretching Deng, renouncing Randle, and trading their first-round pick, the Lakers could create $70,423,432 in space. Ultimately, their approach to the offseason may be dictated by how their conversations with those top free agents go.

Footnotes:

Ennis’ salary becomes fully guaranteed after July 5.
Zubac’s salary becomes fully guaranteed after June 30.
Bryant’s salary becomes fully guaranteed after July 5.

Note: Rookie scale cap holds are estimates based on salary cap projections and could increase or decrease depending on where the cap lands.

Salary information from Basketball Insiders was used in the creation of this post. Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

17 comments Five Key Offseason Questions Hoops Rumors Originals Los Angeles Lakers

Southwest Notes: Paul, Parker, Grizzlies, Mavs

By Luke Adams | at June 5, 2018 3:07 pm

Heading into last summer’s free agent period, it looked as if Chris Paul was poised to opt out of his contract and sign a new max deal. When he picked up his player option instead as part of a trade to Houston, there was a belief that CP3 and the Rockets had an understanding about what his next contract would look like. ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski suggested as much during a recent podcast, as Shane Mickle of ClutchPoints.com notes.

“When the Rockets made that deal for Chris Paul, knowing they would re-sign him, they made a conscious decision that they were going to have to live with [a] $46-47MM salary when he’s not nearly the player anymore in his late 30s, but, ‘We’re going to make a run at it now, we want to win a championship now. We’ll deal with it [Paul’s contract] later,'” Wojnarowski said, according to Mickle.

“We’ll see how that plays out in their contract talks [with Paul] here in free agency,” Wojnarowski continued. “Chris Paul didn’t turn down $200MM from the Clippers because he thought that somehow the Rockets were gonna talk him into saving them luxury tax money. I don’t imagine it playing out that way.”

While it sounds like Wojnarowski expects Paul to look to maximize his earnings, the Rockets are headed way into tax territory if both CP3 and Clint Capela sign lucrative new deals. It will be interesting to see whether GM Daryl Morey and the Houston front office can convince the veteran point guard to take any sort of discount in order to help accommodate other roster reinforcements.

Here’s more from around the Southwest:

It’s hard to imagine Tony Parker playing anywhere besides San Antonio, but the Spurs point guard will be an unrestricted free agent this summer, prompting Frank Urbina of HoopsHype to explore a few potential landing spots.
Ronald Tillery of The Memphis Commercial Appeal identifies five prospects the Grizzlies could consider with the No. 32 overall pick as they look to replicate the success of last year’s Dillon Brooks selection.
Appearing on ESPN Radio 103.3 FM in Dallas, Mavericks forward Dirk Nowitzki talked about his recovery from ankle surgery and the team’s No. 5 overall pick, as The Dallas Morning News relays. “You’re not going to carry a team on your back and carry them to the playoffs at age 19,” Nowitzki said of the Mavs’ incoming rookie. “When you draft somebody that young, you’re looking for somebody who’s obviously already good and can contribute a bit. But you draft for upside when somebody’s 19. So we’ll see what’s there.”
While the Mavericks are unlikely to land a superstar free agent this July, there are a number of second-tier targets that are more realistic. Eddie Sefko of The Dallas Morning News lists five of them, including restricted free agents Julius Randle and Aaron Gordon.

1 comment 2018 NBA Draft Dallas Mavericks Houston Rockets Memphis Grizzlies San Antonio Spurs Chris Paul Tony Parker

Draft Workouts: Walker, Knicks, Kings, Lakers

By Luke Adams | at June 5, 2018 2:09 pm

Potential lottery pick Lonnie Walker IV has workouts on tap with the Bulls and Knicks, according to Adam Zagoria of ZagsBlog.com. Zagoria tweets that Walker’s audition for Chicago is scheduled for Wednesday, while his workout with New York will happen “down the road.” Walker previously worked out for Charlotte.

Both the Bulls and Knicks hold top-10 picks and could go in a number of different directions, depending on who’s available, so it’s no surprise that both clubs have been active in terms of pre-draft workouts. Trae Young, Kevin Knox, Mikal Bridges, and Wendell Carter Jr. are among the other prospects earning a look from both Eastern clubs.

Here are more updates on various pre-draft workouts from around the NBA:

Ian Begley of ESPN.com adds a few more names to the Knicks‘ workout list, reporting that Allonzo Trier (Arizona), Jeffrey Carroll (Oklahoma State), and Kendrick Nunn (Oakland) are all getting a look from the club (Twitter links).
The Kings will bring in six more prospects for a pre-draft workout on Wednesday, as James Ham of NBC Sports California relays (via Twitter). Kendrick Nunn (Oakland), Allerik Freeman (North Carolina State), Elijah Stewart (USC), Hamidou Diallo (Kentucky), Kenrich Williams (TCU), and Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk (Kansas) will work out for the team.
Kansas prospect Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk is also auditioning for a Pacific team today, with the Lakers announcing in a press release that he’s one of six players working out for the club. The other five are Khadeen Carrington (Seton Hall), Gyorgy Goloman (UCLA), William Lee (UAB), William McDowell-White (Australia), and Anfernee Simons (IMG Academy).
While Kentucky’s Kevin Knox was the headliner, Rob Gray (Houston), Kevin Hervey (UT-Arlington), Alize Johnson (Missouri State), Theo Pinson (UNC), and Landry Shamet (Wichita State) also worked out for the Magic today, according to Josh Robbins of The Orlando Sentinel.

6 comments 2018 NBA Draft Chicago Bulls Los Angeles Lakers New York Knicks Orlando Magic Sacramento Kings Alize Johnson Allerik Freeman Allonzo Trier Anfernee Simons Elijah Stewart Gyorgy Goloman Hamidou Diallo Jeffrey Carroll Kendrick Nunn Kenrich Williams Kevin Hervey Khadeen Carrington Landry Shamet Lonnie Walker Rob Gray Svi Mykhailiuk Theo Pinson William Lee William McDowell-White

Latest On Pistons’ Head Coaching Search

By Luke Adams | at June 5, 2018 1:13 pm

The Pistons are still considering former Raptors head coach Dwane Casey, Michigan coach John Beilein, and Spurs assistant Ime Udoka for their head coaching vacancy, as we heard on Monday. When we asked Hoops Rumors readers this morning about who would become the next head coach in Detroit, we passed along a note on Casey from Vince Ellis of The Detroit Free Press, who said the ex-Raptors coach exceeded expectations and was “impressive” in his interview.

Ellis has more updates on the Pistons’ search for a new head coach, so let’s dive in…

Casey wasn’t the only candidate who had a very strong interview. Ellis tweets that Udoka also impressed the Pistons’ search team and emerged as a serious option for the club.
According to Ellis, Udoka will meet with Pistons owner Tom Gores on Wednesday in Los Angeles, while Casey will meet with Gores today. Beilein previously met with Gores prior to last months’ Memorial Day weekend, so a second sit-down with ownership has been deemed unnecessary, per Ellis, who clarifies that the Michigan coach is definitely still in the running.
A source tells Ellis that the Pistons will likely fill their head coaching opening before they hire a new head of basketball operations. While that would mean the new GM wouldn’t get a say on the coaching hire, the Pistons have a strong group leading the coaching search, with special advisor Ed Stefanski, vice chairman Arn Tellem, and ownership representative Bob Wentworth involved.
Rod Beard of The Detroit News says (via Twitter) that he’s getting “more and more indications” that Casey is the frontrunner for the Pistons’ job. Our readers seem to agree — Casey has received nearly 69% of the votes in this morning’s poll on which candidate will become Detroit’s next head coach.

1 comment Detroit Pistons Newsstand San Antonio Spurs Dwane Casey Ime Udoka John Beilein

Cavs, Knicks, Bulls Working Out Kevin Knox

By Luke Adams | at June 5, 2018 12:55 pm

Potential lottery pick Kevin Knox worked out for the Magic today and confirmed that Orlando isn’t the only Eastern lottery team he’s auditioning for in the weeks leading up to the draft. According to Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel (Twitter link), Knox worked out last week for the Cavaliers, and will visit the Knicks over the weekend. He’ll also earn a look from the Bulls next Tuesday.

The four teams working out Knox have picks ranging from Nos. 6 to 9, which is probably the high end of the former Kentucky Wildcat’s range. Knox ranks 15th on Jonathan Givony’s big board at ESPN.com, and while he has boosted his stock leading up to the draft, he isn’t a lock to be drafted in the lottery.

Knox could eventually add more workouts to his pre-draft schedule, but if he doesn’t, interested teams will get an opportunity to see him at his upcoming pro day, which is expected take place prior to his Knicks workout, per Robbins. The Hornets, who hold the No. 11 pick, are among the teams likely to attend that pro day, tweets Rick Bonnell of The Charlotte Observer.

A 6’9″ forward, Knox enjoyed a productive 2017/18 season at Kentucky, averaging 15.6 PPG and 5.4 RPG. His efficiency was somewhat lacking (.445 FG%), but that can be attributed – at least in part – to playing out of position, as Givony notes.

10 comments 2018 NBA Draft Charlotte Hornets Chicago Bulls Cleveland Cavaliers New York Knicks Orlando Magic Kevin Knox

Raptors Interview Sarunas Jasikevicius For HC Job

By Luke Adams | at June 5, 2018 11:29 am

The Raptors have interviewed Zalgiris head coach Sarunas Jasikevicius for their open head coaching job, league sources tell ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link). A former NBA player, Jasikevicius spoke to Toronto president of basketball operations Masai Ujiri about the Raps’ vacancy, Wojnarowski adds.

Although he spent most of his playing career in Europe, Jasikevicius appeared in a total of 138 NBA regular season games for the Pacers and Warriors from 2005 to 2007. He played for European clubs before and after his NBA stint, finishing his career in 2014 with Lithuania’s Zalgiris.

Upon retiring, Jasikevicius immediately transitioned into an assistant coaching role for his Lithuanian team. During the 2015/16, he was named the interim head coach before eventually being promoted to the permanent role in January of 2016. Zalgiris made a surprise run to the EuroLeague Final Four this year, winning the third-place game over CSKA Moscow last month.

Jasikevicius’ name hadn’t come up at all during NBA head coaching searches this spring, so the Raptors are deviating from the league’s usual list of coaching candidates by considering the 42-year-old Lithuanian.

As our tracker shows, Toronto’s search for Dwane Casey‘s replacement had primarily focused on in-house candidates and Spurs assistants, with Jerry Stackhouse, Nick Nurse, Rex Kalamian, Ettore Messina, and Ime Udoka receiving consideration. Jasikevicius is an intriguing new name to add to that group.

0 comments Newsstand Toronto Raptors Sarunas Jasikevicius

Northwest Notes: Blazers, Jazz, Wolves, Nuggets

By Luke Adams | at June 5, 2018 10:38 am

While most NBA teams are focusing on workouts for 2018 draft prospects these days, this is also a time of year when clubs take a closer look at veteran free agents, bringing them in for auditions of their own. The Trail Blazers are doing just that at a mini-camp this week, as Alex Kennedy of HoopsHype details (Twitter link).

According to Kennedy, former Sixers, Rockets, and Nets swingman K.J. McDaniels is among the players earning a look from the Trail Blazers, along with Casper Ware, Kadeem Jack, Isaiah Cousins, Kyle Randall, and a number of others. A handful of current Portland players, including Zach Collins and Caleb Swanigan, participated in those sessions alongside the free agents on Monday, Kennedy notes.

Here’s more from around the Northwest division:

Former Duke guard Grayson Allen, who worked out for Utah on Monday, is “very much in consideration” for the Jazz with their No. 21 pick, writes Tony Jones of The Salt Lake Tribune. The Jazz say that Aaron Holiday, Jalen Brunson, and Khyri Thomas, who have also auditioned for the team, are options for that first-round selection as well, Jones adds.
Britt Robson of The Athletic (subscription required) identifies six potential – and realistic – free agent targets for the Timberwolves, who are need of another shooter or two. Virtually all of Robson’s suggestions, including Joe Harris, Wayne Ellington, and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, fit that bill.
The Nuggets will work out Troy Brown Jr. (Oregon), Matt Farrell (Notre Dame), Josh Okogie (Georgia Tech), Zhaire Smith (Texas Tech), Khyri Thomas (Creighton), and Gary Trent Jr. (Duke) on Wednesday, according to the club. Farrell had originally been scheduled to audition on Tuesday, but he was bumped a day back, with Jalen Brunson (Villanova) and Justin Tillman (VCU) joining Tuesday’s session.

0 comments 2018 NBA Draft Denver Nuggets Minnesota Timberwolves Portland Trail Blazers Utah Jazz Aaron Holiday Casper Ware Gary Trent Jr.Grayson Allen Isaiah Cousins Jalen Brunson Josh Okogie Justin Tillman K.J. McDaniels Kadeem Jack Khyri Thomas Kyle Randall Matt Farrell Troy Brown Zhaire Smith

Trae Young To Work Out For Hawks, Bulls

By Luke Adams | at June 5, 2018 9:41 am

Having worked out for the Knicks today, Oklahoma guard Trae Young will visit the Magic next, then has two more auditions with Eastern Conference lottery teams on his schedule, per Adam Zagoria of ZagsBlog.com. As Zagoria tweets, Young will work out for the Hawks and Bulls.

According to Zagoria (via Twitter), those four workouts are currently the only ones Young has lined up. It’s possible that more clubs could be added to that list between now and draft day (June 21), but that’s unlikely, tweets Marc Berman of The New York Post.

The Hawks (No. 3), Magic (No. 6), Bulls (No. 7), and Knicks (No. 9) all have top-10 picks, suggesting Young is unlikely to fall further than that.

While it would be a surprise to see him go as high as No. 3, Young has generated plenty of interest from multiple teams in the top 10. The Magic have been linked to the 6’2″ guard in several mock drafts, the Bulls are said to be “enamored” with him, and Berman has suggested that the Knicks probably wouldn’t pass on him if he slips to No. 9.

Young led the NCAA with 27.4 PPG in 2017/18, en route to a first-team All-American season. He also ranked first in APG (8.7), adding 3.9 RPG and 1.7 SPG.

18 comments 2018 NBA Draft Atlanta Hawks Chicago Bulls Newsstand Trae Young

Poll: Who Will Be Pistons’ Next Head Coach?

By Luke Adams | at June 5, 2018 8:44 am

The Pistons haven’t yet installed a new head of basketball operations, but the franchise has a well-respected group of executives and consultants running its search for a new head coach. Newly-hired special advisor Ed Stefanski is leading that search, with former NBA head coaches Bernie Bickerstaff and Jim Lynam reportedly sitting in on interviews and helping out with the process.

The search for a new head coach appears to have led Detroit to three primary candidates, per a Monday report from ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. According to Woj, the Pistons would like to further discuss the position with former Raptors head coach Dwane Casey, University of Michigan coach John Beilein, and Spurs assistant Ime Udoka.

Casey, a Coach of the Year candidate, was immediately linked to the Pistons after being let go by the Raptors. While his playoff struggles have been well documented, Casey had an excellent regular season track record in Toronto, and was “impressive” in his first interview with the Pistons, a source tells Vince Ellis of The Detroit Free Press. According to Ellis, Casey came prepared with “detailed notes and video clips” and exceeded expectations.

Beilein, meanwhile, has a reputation as a coach who is strong in terms of player development and offensive schemes, Ellis notes. He has been the Wolverines’ head coach since 2007, leading the team to appearances in title games in both 2013 and 2018. Assuming his interest in the Pistons’ job is as real as it appears, Beilein’s résumé local ties make him an intriguing candidate, though his age (65) may work against him.

If the Pistons are seeking a younger coach who could potentially remain on the team’s sidelines for the next decade, the 40-year-old Udoka may be a stronger candidate. While Udoka has no head coaching experience, he has interviewed for multiple openings this spring, and comes from one of the best pipelines for future NBA coaches. His fellow Spurs assistant James Borrego was hired by the Hornets last month, while many former Gregg Popovich assistants – including Brett Brown and Mike Budenholzer – currently hold jobs around the NBA.

What do you think? Will one of these three candidates end up with the Pistons’ head coaching job, or will another candidate emerge and ultimately claim the job? If it ends up being Casey, Beilein, or Udoka, which coach will be the Pistons’ pick?

Vote in our poll, then jump into the comment section to weigh in on Detroit’s head coaching search.

Who will be the Pistons' next head coach?

Dwane Casey 70% (673)
John Beilein 13% (129)
Someone else 9% (86)
Ime Udoka 8% (77)

Total votes: 965

Trade Rumors app users, click here to vote.

3 comments Detroit Pistons Hoops Rumors Originals Hoops Rumors Polls

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Month: June 2018