Southwest Notes: Zion, Rivers, Mavs, Hardy
Pelicans rookie Zion Williamson continues to grapple with a $100MM civil suit from attorneys representing his former marketing manager Gina Ford and her company Prime Sports Marketing, per Mark Schlabach of ESPN. Per Schlabach, the suit alleges that Williamson’s parents may have been given “improper benefits” preceding or during Williamson’s blockbuster one-season Duke tenure.
However, Williamson got some positive news on the case this week, as a Florida state appeals court has granted him a full stay. This will allow the star forward to avoid answering questions about the suit until the resolution of a federal case covering the same issues.
Here’s more from around the Southwest Division:
- Rockets backup guard Austin Rivers spoke with The Athletic’s Kelly Iko at length about a variety of issues, including the league’s Orlando restart. “They’re saying we’ll be in Orlando for at least a period of time, anywhere between 30 to 40 days without seeing our family,” Rivers said. “And I don’t want to do it. Nobody wants to do it, but we all have to sacrifice if you want to have the season, resume and that’s what we have to do.” Rivers inked a veteran’s minimum contract with Houston in the hopes of winning a title, despite apparently fielding heftier offers from non-contenders.
- Mavericks owner Mark Cuban has indicated that team stars Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis are set to return to Dallas within the week, according to Marc Stein of the New York Times (Twitter link). Doncic, a second-year guard, has been having a breakout season in Dallas. Voted an All-Star starter in the competitive West, Doncic is averaging 28.7 PPG, 9.3 RPG, and 8.7 APG on the 40-27 Mavericks.
- In case you missed it earlier today, Spurs assistant Will Hardy reportedly ranks among the coaching candidates who will interview for the Knicks’ head job. The 32-year-old Hardy has been with the Spurs in some capacity since 2010, when he got his start with the team as a basketball operations intern. He became an assistant coach in 2016.
Northwest Notes: Hood, Craig, Timberwolves, Jazz
After tearing his left Achilles on December 6, Trail Blazers wing Rodney Hood began pondering his life after the league and joined a small support group of fellow NBA players currently on or recently off the rehab trail from the injury, according to ESPN’s Eric Woodyard.
“I reach out to Kevin Durant or Wesley Matthews, DeMarcus Cousins,” Hood said. “The guys who have been through it, and I just get confident more and more every day.”
With the encouragement of his wife Richa, a fellow Duke alum, Hood re-enrolled in school to complete his undergraduate degree: “I want to do something special… And getting a degree from Duke is special, especially coming from where I come from.” Prior to his injury, the 6’8″ southpaw sported a slash line of 11.0 PPG/3.4 RPG/1.5 APG across 21 games in 2019. He connected on 50.6% of his shots from the floor, a whopping 49.3% on 3.4 three-point attempts, and 77.8% from the charity stripe.
Here’s more from around the Northwest Division:
- Nuggets forward and 2020 restricted free agent Torrey Craig could parlay his play in Orlando into a big contract when the NBA resumes its season this summer, according to The Athletic’s Nick Kosmider. Craig, a two-way threat in spot minutes on a deep Denver squad whose counting stats belie his skills, is currently a steal as he wraps up a two-year, $4MM contract.
- Due to the financial impact caused by COVID-19 closures, Glen Taylor and the ownership group behind the Timberwolves, Lynx, and Iowa Wolves has laid off 18 members of their full-time staff and reduced pay for employees making $70K or more, per a statement cited by The Athletic’s Jon Krawczynski (Twitter link). ESPN echoes the news.
- Jazz All-Star Donovan Mitchell has been conducting workouts with teammates Royce O’Neale, Jordan Clarkson, Rayjon Tucker and Miye Oni at the Sports Academy in Newbury Park, California, according to Sarah Todd of the Deseret News. Mitchell, 23, has been having a breakout season in Utah, setting career highs in scoring, rebounding, field goal percentage and three-point percentage. The Jazz are 41-23, the No. 4 seed in the West, thanks especially to the sterling offense of Mitchell and the stellar defense of center Rudy Gobert.
2020 NBA Head Coaching Search Tracker
During a typical NBA league year, there’s a pretty clear-cut period in the spring when the league’s various head coaching searches take place. A team parting ways with a coach generally makes that decision when the team’s season ends, then hires a replacement sometime before the draft and free agency.
That coaching-search window in 2020 lasted a little longer than that due to the fact that only 22 of 30 teams participated in the summer restart. A team like the Knicks, which wasn’t part of the return to play, launched its head coaching search in June and finalized it in July. However, the Thunder, who participated in the restart, didn’t finalize their coaching search until November.
Keeping that in mind, we created a space to track this offseason’s head coaching searches, whether they took place in June, November, or sometime in between. In the space below, we’ll provide frequent updates on the head coaching searches for each club that has yet to give anyone the permanent title, as well as noting other situations worth keeping an eye on.
You’ll be able to access this page anytime under the “Hoops Rumors Features” menu on the right sidebar on our desktop site, or on the “Features” page in our mobile menu.
Updated 11-11-20 (9:26am CT)
Active Searches:
None
Completed Searches:
Brooklyn Nets
- New coach:
- Steve Nash (story)
- Previous coach:
- Jacque Vaughn (interim)
- Also reportedly considered:
Vaughn, who took over for Kenny Atkinson in August, was considered for the job on a permanent basis, but there was a belief that the Nets were seeking a more accomplished veteran coach to lead a roster headed by Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving.
In Nash, Brooklyn didn’t exactly get a head coach with a lengthy résumé — the former two-time MVP has no previous coaching experience, even as an assistant. However, he has a good relationship with Durant after spending time as a Warriors consultant, and figures to command the respect of the Nets’ stars and veterans based on his success as a player.
Nash reportedly signed a four-year contract.
Chicago Bulls
- New coach:
- Billy Donovan (story)
- Previous coach:
- Jim Boylen (story)
- Also reportedly considered:
- Sixers assistant Ime Udoka (story)
- Former Nets coach Kenny Atkinson (story)
- Nuggets assistant Wes Unseld Jr. (story)
- Bucks assistant Darvin Ham (story)
- Mavericks assistant Stephen Silas (story)
- Mavericks assistant Jamahl Mosley (story)
- Timberwolves associate head coach David Vanterpool (story)
- Heat assistant Dan Craig (story)
- Bulls assistant Chris Fleming (story)
- Bulls assistant Roy Rogers (story)
- Raptors assistant Adrian Griffin (story)
It always seemed unlikely that new Bulls executives Arturas Karnisovas and Marc Eversley would keep Boylen in his current role, given his underwhelming results over the last two seasons and the fact that most front offices prefer to bring in their own head coach. They eventually relieved Boylen of his duties on August 14, hiring Donovan five-and-a-half weeks later.
While Chicago considered a wide range of candidates, including many current assistant coaches, the front office reportedly “aggressively pursued” Donovan, believing he was the best candidate on the market and the right fit to lead the Bulls’ promising young roster. He reportedly received a four-year contract worth approximately $24MM.
Houston Rockets
- New coach:
- Stephen Silas (story)
- Previous coach:
- Mike D’Antoni (story)
- Rumored candidates or targets:
- Rockets player development coach John Lucas (story)
- Former Knicks/Rockets coach Jeff Van Gundy (story)
- Former Nets coach Kenny Atkinson (story)
- Timberwolves associate head coach David Vanterpool (story)
- Nuggets assistant Wes Unseld Jr. (story)
- Clippers assistant Tyronn Lue (story)
- Clippers assistant Sam Cassell (story)
D’Antoni and the Rockets were unable to reach an agreement on a contract extension last offseason, resulting in him entering the final year of his current deal without any assurances beyond 2019/20. After the team was eliminated in the second round of the postseason, D’Antoni announced that he wouldn’t be returning to Houston, leaving the Rockets to seek a new head coach.
After a search process that saw them narrow their finalists to Silas, Van Gundy, and Lucas, the Rockets opted for the first-timer in Silas rather than a veteran with previous head coaching experience.
Indiana Pacers
- New coach:
- Nate Bjorkgren (story)
- Previous coach:
- Nate McMillan (story)
- Also reportedly considered:
- Pelicans assistant Chris Finch (story)
- Former Rockets head coach Mike D’Antoni (story)
- Former NBA guard Chauncey Billups (story)
- Heat assistant Dan Craig (story)
- Heat assistant Chris Quinn (story)
- Timberwolves associate head coach David Vanterpool (story)
- Nets associate head coach Jacque Vaughn (story)
- Trail Blazers associate head coach Nate Tibbetts (story)
- Spurs assistant Becky Hammon (story)
- Spurs assistant Will Hardy (story)
- Mavericks assistant Jamahl Mosley (story)
- Mavericks assistant Stephen Silas (story)
- Bucks assistant Darvin Ham (story)
- Bucks assistant Charles Lee (story)
- Sixers assistant Ime Udoka (story)
- Magic assistant Pat Delany (story)
- Warriors assistant Mike Brown (story)
- Former Kings and Grizzlies coach Dave Joerger (story)
While there were some whispers about McMillan’s job security early in August, it seemed as if the Pacers had put those rumors to rest by working out a one-year contract extension with their head coach a few days later. However, after being swept out of the first round by the Heat, Indiana changed course, announcing that McMillan had been relieved of his duties.
The Pacers spoke to a long list of candidates as they sought McMillan’s replacement, conducting one of the NBA’s most in-depth coaching searches of the year. They ultimately landed on an under-the-radar choice in Bjorkgren, a Raptors assistant who doesn’t have any previous head coaching experience.
Los Angeles Clippers
The Clippers’ season ended in brutal fashion — less than a week after taking a 3-1 lead over Denver in the Western Conference Semifinals and being dubbed championship frontrunners by oddsmakers, they had blown that 3-1 lead and were out of the playoffs. Still, Rivers’ exit came as something of a surprise, given his championship résumé and his history with the franchise.
With Kawhi Leonard and Paul George eligible to reach free agency in 2021, the Clippers faced a ton of pressure to find the right win-now coach to lead the team next season and opted for an in-house option with championship experience. Lue, who received a five-year contract from the team, won a title during his first year as Cleveland’s head coach in 2016 and will try to do it again in Los Angeles after spending the 2019/20 season as Rivers’ lead assistant.
New Orleans Pelicans
An underwhelming finish to the 2019/20 season helped seal Gentry’s fate. He led the Pelicans to the postseason just once in five seasons and only had a single year remaining on his contract when he was dismissed on August 15.
The Pelicans’ coaching search ultimately led them to Van Gundy, whom the club trusts to teach and develop its young players, including potential franchise player Zion Williamson. Van Gundy, who will be coaching his fourth NBA team, received a four-year contract.
New York Knicks
- New coach:
- Tom Thibodeau (story)
- Previous coach:
- Mike Miller (interim)
- Also interviewed:
- Miller (story)
- Former Nets coach Kenny Atkinson (story)
- Former Knicks coach Mike Woodson (story)
- Sixers assistant Ime Udoka (story)
- Magic assistant Pat Delany (story)
- Bulls assistant Chris Fleming (story)
- Spurs assistant Will Hardy (story)
- Mavericks assistant Jamahl Mosley (story)
- Warriors associate head coach Mike Brown (story)
- Lakers assistant Jason Kidd (story)
Thibodeau was long cited as the presumed frontrunner in the Knicks’ head coaching search, but the team conducted a wide-ranging search rather than simply handing him the job. Atkinson generated some buzz during the process, with Miller and Kidd receiving serious consideration as well. In the end, however, the Knicks went with Thibodeau, agreeing to a five-year contract to make him their new head coach.
Oklahoma City Thunder
- New coach:
- Mark Daigneault (story)
- Previous coach:
- Billy Donovan (story)
- Rumored candidates or targets:
The Thunder’s split with Donovan was, by all accounts, an amicable one. Donovan’s contract with the club expired in 2020 and with a potential rebuild looming, the two sides decided they didn’t ultimately see eye-to-eye on what the next few years would look like in Oklahoma City.
The club sought a first-time coach who would be comfortable going through a rebuilding process and found Donovan’s replacement in house in Daigneault. Having served as the head coach of the Oklahoma City Blue in the G League for five years and as a member on Donovan’s staff for a single season, the 35-year-old will get his first shot at an NBA head coaching job.
Philadelphia 76ers
Brown was let go by the Sixers approximately 24 hours after Philadelphia’s quick and disappointing playoff exit. He spent seven years with the franchise, but his time as head coach had run its course.
Having been in the market for a coach capable of challenging and commanding the respect of their star players, the Sixers zeroed in on D’Antoni and Lue before shifting their focus to Rivers when he left Los Angeles. They finalized an agreement with Rivers just 72 hours after word broke that he had parted ways with the Clippers.
Zach Collins Cleared To Resume Full Basketball Activities
Trail Blazers big man Zach Collins, who missed most of the 2019/20 season after undergoing shoulder surgery in November, was given a “final clean bill of health” last week and has been cleared to resume full basketball activities, writes Joe Freeman of The Oregonian. That means he’ll be able to participate in group workouts and scrimmages when teams get the green light to conduct them.
Having initially aimed to return before the end of March, Collins has long been considered a good bet to get back on the court when Portland’s season resumes in July. However, he acknowledged that officially being cleared after months of rehab represented a major step, as Freeman details.
“When my doc came in and said my shoulder feels like a normal shoulder, that I was good to go, it was like a weight was lifted,” Collins said. “I tell people all the time that he whole rehab process isn’t difficult. It’s just very long and boring. The worst part is not being on the road with the team, not being around them every day, feeling disconnected. It’s weird. Odd. So, mentally, it’s a big struggle. I’m just super excited to be back and know that I can do everything again.”
The Blazers aren’t assured of playing more than eight games when the season resumes in Orlando. Currently 3.5 games back of Memphis for the No. 8 seed in the West, Portland is in position to force a play-in tournament with the Grizzlies for that final playoff spot. But in order to do so, the club will have to hold off the Kings, Pelicans, Spurs, and Suns while keeping pace with Memphis.
Still, with Collins and Jusuf Nurkic expected to be back next month, the Blazers will be close to full strength for the first time in months, increasing the club’s confidence in its ability to make some noise in Orlando.
“We’re healthy,” Collins said, per Freeman. “Well, we’re not fully healthy — we don’t have Rodney (Hood) — but we have Nurk and me and a lot of guys that had to step up and play more minutes than expected during the season. Put all that together, combined with guys coming back and the time off and everybody’s body being ready and recovered, and I think we have as good a shot as anyone.”
And-Ones: NBA Layoffs, Larkin, N’Diaye, Weber
The NBA has laid off a number of its behind-the-scenes employees this week, according to reports from Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News and Marc Stein of The New York Times (Twitter links). Alex Silverman of Morning Consult suggests that approximately 100 employees were affected. League spokesperson Mike Bass confirmed the layoffs, though he declined to specify how many employees were let go.
“We are restructuring certain functions at the league office to better align with changes in our business, particularly around digital media, and be well-positioned for future growth,” Bass said in a statement.
While Silverman’s report indicates that the cutbacks are related to the coronavirus pandemic, Bondy says it’s unclear what role the pandemic played, if any. The league’s events staff, ticketing staff and team business staff were affected by the layoffs, Bondy adds.
Here are more odds and ends from around the basketball world:
- Former first-rounder Shane Larkin, who last played in the NBA in 2018, has agreed to a two-year, $7.7MM contract extension with Turkish team Anadolu Efes, according to Semih Tuna of Eurohoops.net. The deal includes an NBA opt-out for 2021, though Larkin recently said he’d only consider a return stateside if he were offered a favorable role.
- Former NBA big man Makhtar N’Diaye has agreed to be the new general manager of Senegal’s national men’s basketball team, reports Marc J. Spears of The Undefeated (Twitter link). N’Diaye only appeared in four games back in 1999, but made history as the first player from Senegal to play in the NBA.
- Veteran guard Briante Weber, who suited up for five NBA teams between 2015-18, has signed with Canada’s Hamilton Honey Badgers, the team announced in a press release (hat tip to Sportando). Weber, 27, was a G League All-Star in 2017 and made the NBAGL’s All-Defensive Team twice, but never carved out a regular rotation role with an NBA team for any extended stretch.
Coaches’ Union Expresses Concerns With NBA’s Medical Review Process
The National Basketball Coaches Association has conveyed to the league its concerns with a series of new medical standards and guidelines for the resumed season in Orlando, according to ESPN’s Zach Lowe and Adrian Wojnarowski.
As Lowe and Wojnarowski outline, the NBA’s medical review process for coaches and other staffers will involve a team doctor reviewing a lengthy questionnaire on potential risk factors that will be completed by each individual. If the team doctor designates a staffer as “higher-risk,” that individual must receive clearance from relevant specialist physicians.
Even if the staffer receives that clearance, the NBA can flag the person to undergo an additional review with a league-appointed doctor and could prohibit them from going to Orlando if it’s determined that they “would present a direct threat to his or her health,” per ESPN.
According to Lowe and Wojnarowski, NBCA executive director Dave Fogel and president Rick Carlisle expressed concerns about the NBA having the power to prohibit coaches from doing their jobs, noting that being left out of this summer’s restart could “severely jeopardize” those coaches’ future employment opportunities. Three head coaches – Gregg Popovich, Mike D’Antoni, and Alvin Gentry – are at least 65 years old, as are several assistants around the league.
As ESPN’s report notes, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission recently stated that employers could stop employees from going to a workplace if their attendance “poses a direct threat to (the employee’s) health that cannot be eliminated or reduced by reasonable accommodation.”
The NBA’s policy mimics that “direct threat” language, likely in an effort to avoid a potential legal battle, though legal experts consulted by ESPN believe the league would have a hard time proving that “direct threat” standard, given all the measures being taken to increase safety in the Orlando bubble.
“We feel the medical review process is designed to flag only those individuals who pose significant threats of substantial harm to themselves that cannot be reduced or eliminated by the NBA’s considerable steps to create a healthy and safe atmosphere in Orlando,” the NBCA said in a statement, per ESPN. “Adam (Silver) and the NBA have created a situation in Orlando that is likely far safer than in our coaches’ home markets. Absent a significant threat, we believe a coach should be able to understand and assume their individual risks, waive liability, and coach in Orlando.”
D’Antoni and Gentry are represented by the same agent, Warren LeGarie, who told ESPN: “I hope there is a basketball solution to this issue rather than a legal one.”
Restart Notes: Howard, Lillard, Ranadive, Korver
In a statement sent to Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium, Lakers center Dwight Howard said that the players’ coalition expressing concerns with the NBA’s Orlando restart plan isn’t looking to derail the resumption of the season.
“Our main objective is to raise awareness and gain transparency on the things that concern us collectively,” Howard said. “Many of our fellow players are afraid to voice their concerns and are continuing to follow along with what they believe they have to.
“… In a time like this where we are fighting for equal rights, it would be contradictory if we told our own players to not play and do as we say,” Howard continued. “We are not here to dictate, nor do we have the power to do so. We want to make sure communication is taking place openly without fear. … If any one of us chooses to sit, it has nothing to do with another player’s right to play. Not once has any of us told one of our fellow brethren not to go to the Orlando Bubble Experiment and we stressed that in our meetings.”
A report earlier this week indicated that Kyrie Irving, who has been one of the leaders of the coalition voicing concerns about the NBA’s restart, has encouraged his Nets teammates not to go to Orlando. Howard’s statement suggests that’s not the case. The veteran big man added that he and other members of the players’ coalition are “in full support of our brothers whether we decide to enter or not enter the Orlando bubble.”
Here’s more on the NBA’s resumption:
- Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard said earlier this week that Irving and Howard “have a point” and that he doesn’t feel “100 percent comfortable” about resuming the season this summer, but that he’s willing to take the risk because of the impact that players’ salvaged salaries can have on their communities. “I can only speak for myself — but I think it goes for other guys as well — we are the financial support for our families and for a lot of our community,” Lillard said, per Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN. “We bring a lot of that financial responsibility to support black businesses in black communities. So it makes a lot of sense for us (to return), from that standpoint.”
- Even as the positive test rate and total number of COVID-19 cases in Florida continue to increase, Kings owner Vivek Ranadive said this week during a CNBC appearance that he’s confident in the NBA’s return-to-play plan, as Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee writes. “Statistically, it’s actually going to be safer to be in a bubble in Orlando than to stay home and go to a grocery store, so this has been very well thought through and I feel very confident that we will be in Orlando in a few weeks,” Ranadive said.
- Bucks forward Kyle Korver said this week during a conversation with Richard Jefferson (video link) that he’d be willing to sit out the restart if his black teammates and friends felt it was the best way to bring about change, as Joe Coles of The Deseret News details.
- The NBPA issued a press release on Wednesday that discussed a series of social-justice issues and initiatives and noted that the union is considering ideas for how players “can effectively continue their advocacy on the national stage occasioned by the games” in Orlando this summer.
Knicks To Interview Spurs’ Will Hardy
The Knicks have received permission to interview Spurs assistant Will Hardy for their head coaching position, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter link).
Hardy, who has been with the Spurs since 2010, was initially hired as a basketball operations intern before becoming a video coordinator for the team. He was named an assistant coach in 2016 and was promoted to the front of the bench a year ago, following the departures of Ettore Messina and Ime Udoka. The 32-year-old Hardy is “well-regarded” within the Spurs’ organization, per Wojnarowski.
With Hardy joining the Knicks’ list of potential coaching candidates, we’re now up to at least eight who are expected to interview. Tom Thibodeau, Kenny Atkinson, and interim coach Mike Miller have long been considered candidates, with Mike Woodson joining the mix a couple weeks ago. On Wednesday, reports indicated that Udoka, Pat Delany, and Chris Fleming are also expected to interview for the job.
Although Ian Begley of SNY.tv has said that the Knicks will likely speak to eight-to-10 candidates during their head coaching search, he doesn’t rule out the possibility that the list of interviewees will continue to grow. Jason Kidd and Mark Jackson have fans within the organization, according to Begley, who says there’s also some interest in meeting with former Cavs and Lakers coach Mike Brown. Spurs assistant Becky Hammon has been identified as a name to keep an eye on as well, as Begley confirms.
Thibodeau has been viewed as the frontrunner for the job for several weeks, and Atkinson also has legitimate support within the organization. However, it’s possible one of the assistants the Knicks are interviewing will make a lasting impression on the club during the interview process.
New York is expected to conclude its search sometime before the season resumes in Orlando at the end of July, says Begley.
Celtics’ Tremont Waters Named NBAGL Rookie Of The Year
Celtics two-way player Tremont Waters has been named the NBA G League Rookie of the Year for the 2019/20 season, the league announced today in a press release.
The 51st overall pick in the 2019 draft, Waters didn’t receive the attention from media and fans that fellow Celtics two-way player Tacko Fall did, but the former LSU guard thrived in his first professional season.
In addition to appearing in 10 games for Boston, Waters was Maine’s starting point guard for 36 games, averaging 18.0 PPG, 7.3 APG, 3.2 RPG, and 2.0 SPG with a shooting line of .429/.354/.780 in 33.8 minutes per contest. He helped lead the Red Claws to a 28-14 record, good for third in the NBAGL’s Eastern Conference.
Previous NBA G League Rookies of the Year don’t necessarily have a lengthy track record of eventual NBA success, but several recent recipients of the award have become rotation players at the NBA level, including Quinn Cook, Abdel Nader, Tim Frazier, and especially Robert Covington.
Waters beat out Jarrell Brantley and Devontae Cacok, who finished second and third, respectively, in the NBAGL Rookie of the Year vote. Brantley plays for the Salt Lake City Stars, the Jazz‘s affiliate, while Cacok is a member of the South Bay Lakers.
Pistons Hire Thunder’s Troy Weaver As General Manager
The Pistons have officially hired Thunder executive Troy Weaver as their new general manager, announcing the move today in a press release.
The club confirmed in the announcement that Weaver will be formally introduced in a video press conference next week. Meanwhile, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, who first reported that the two sides were finalizing an agreement, says that Weaver’s deal will be for four years (Twitter links).
“Troy is an outstanding executive with an exceptional track record for identifying and developing talent,” team owner Tom Gores said in a statement. “In talking with Troy, he’s got both the skill and temperament to lead, and the confidence and creativity to work collaboratively with others. We’re excited for him to take the reins as General Manager of the Pistons at this important moment. Ed and the team have done excellent work creating flexibility with our roster and establishing a clear direction. Troy comes aboard to help take us to the next level.”
Weaver, who had been with the Thunder for more than a decade following a stint with the Jazz, most recently held the title of vice president of basketball operations after previously serving as the team’s VP/assistant GM. He was Sam Presti‘s top lieutenant in Oklahoma City and had been a candidate for other top basketball operations jobs around the NBA in recent years.
Weaver was reportedly in the running for the Wizards’ general manager opening a year ago before the team decided to remain in-house, promoting Tommy Sheppard. Weaver also received interest from the Bulls this spring, but reportedly turned down a second interview because he had heard Chicago was zeroing in on Arturas Karnisovas.
We heard way back in May of 2018 that the Pistons were interested in pursuing Weaver, though nothing came of it at the time — the club instead hired Ed Stefanski as a senior advisor, making him the de facto head of basketball operations. Now, Weaver is on track to work alongside Stefanski in Detroit’s front office.
There has been speculation that Stefanski could eventually shift to a background role with the franchise, which could put Weaver in line to assume control of the basketball operations department. For now, the expectation is that Weaver will work closely with Stefanski and head coach Dwane Casey on personnel matters, with Stefanski retaining final say.
The Pistons’ GM search also saw the team seriously consider Clippers assistant GM Mark Hughes and Nets assistant GM Jeff Peterson, though Weaver was viewed as the organization’s top choice. His “strong history of personnel decisions” helped win him the job, according to Wojnarowski, who notes that Weaver becomes the fourth Thunder executive under Presti to leave Oklahoma City for a GM job with another club — Rich Cho, Rob Hennigan, and Michael Winger also did so.
Having recently lost assistant GM Malik Rose to the NBA’s league office, the Pistons may still make one or two more additions to their front office. Nets director of player personnel J.R. Holden and Warriors assistant GM Mike Dunleavy were rumored to be on the club’s radar for non-GM roles.