Although Penny Hardaway has reportedly emerged as a legitimate candidate for the Magic‘s head coaching job, Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report says Kenny Atkinson‘s name continues to be the one most frequently linked to the Orlando job.
As Fischer notes – and as has been reported elsewhere – the Magic are believed to be seeking a candidate who has previous head coaching experience. While Hardaway holds the top job at the University of Memphis, he lacks the NBA experience that Atkinson has. Sources tell Fischer that former Blazers coach Terry Stotts also remains a strong option for Orlando.
Here are a few more coaching-related notes and rumors:
- The Pelicans‘ search is expected to continue until at least later this week, with current New Orleans assistant Fred Vinson still to be interviewed, says Fischer. However, Jacque Vaughn appears to be the frontrunner for that job, sources tell Bleacher Report. ESPN’s Brian Windhorst said last week that Vaughn’s candidacy was gaining traction.
- Trail Blazers officials were caught off guard by Damian Lillard‘s public support for Jason Kidd early in the team’s coaching search, and several staffers were surprised the All-NBA guard didn’t name former Portland assistant David Vanterpool as his preferred candidate, according to Fischer. Lillard advocated for Vanterpool to be named Minnesota’s coach following Ryan Saunders‘ dismissal earlier in the year.
- Spurs assistant Becky Hammon impressed the Trail Blazers during the interview process, but the background intel the team got on Hammon “was not nearly as complimentary pertaining to various aspects of day-to-day coaching responsibilities,” Fischer writes. While team owner Jody Allen liked Hammon, there were doubts about whether she was best suited to navigate “delicate waters” with Lillard, Fischer adds.
- Fischer says that the Wizards‘ coaching search will be “lengthy and thorough,” which suggests that Washington may end up being the last team to fill its head coaching opening.
Trade Dame! Fire OLSHEY & Billups! #Boycott Portland- a lot of people will think I’m crazy and immature- but a ton of people feel the same way as I do. Dame it’s time to go- we will get a haul for him & will set us up for success, but as long as Billups is the coach I hope they fail & lose every game! Fire Billups & OLSHEY
Fire Billups for allegations that never became criminal charges from 24 years ago!? Go away dude..
Lets not be a fool. Dame is running the team and he doesnt want to get traded. He will never be as happy elsewhere.
We would throw him some love in Philly
Would Simmons and picks/pick swaps’ deal like the Nets worked out with the Rockets and others for Harden do it? As a Nets’ fan, I’m not anxious to see Dame on another team in our division, but the Sixers frustration with Simmons is obvious. He’s clearly an extremely talented player but his free throw and outside shooting is a liability that could cut his career short.
Unless the Sixers want to sign Lowry and recreate Ben as a Draymond Green 4,I don’t know how they can bring him back. But Green is willing to shoot 3s where Ben isn’t. He definitely hurt his trade value to where some rumors have him going for D’angelo Russell or Kuzma+Caldwell-Pope.
I think they would have to add to the deal to get Dame, but McCollum might be a reasonable target.
Some combo of that, Simmons, Maxey, Shake/Thybulle would be the package. Whether that’s enough is a question but it’s not a deal you insta-no
The league is so obsessed with pick hoarding right now, I’d always rather have the players over picks. If I was Houston for example I would have quickly taken the Philly deal over the Nets.
Better love than batteries lol
Ah yes, a player DEFINITELY would NEVER want to win a title for the hometown team he grew up supporting – NEVER!!!!!
What a clown comment, you dont know him, he probably will be happier somewhere that knew how to create a winning team around him.
Dame does whatever he wants to do in Portland and he is complacent with the situation. He doesnt have what it takes to go all the way, will always have excuses, injuries, etc. You can always count on him to have 1 or 2 good series, but that’s it! All the recent news is just noise.
Hilarious…..you call the previous poster a clown for inferring what Dame would want since he doesn’t know him, but then you proceed to infer what will make Dame happier since you obviously don’t know him either.
Are you driving the clown car today???
If Penny goes to Orlando, Wiseman will be the first player he targets. I don’t see toooo much matching up between GSW and ORL, but for sure there are multi-team deals that could make this happen. Maybe Detroit gets in the mix with the #1 pick/Cade going to GSW?
Wow Becky didnt get hired? How?
Kenny Atkinson should get one of these jobs. I think he did pretty good in Brooklyn.
Come on ORL, pick Penny & move on!!!
More ranting on this topic in Portland.
Here (article^) it’s released via reporter, the alleged flaws of Hammon, following naturally from six years of public pushing for Becky reaching a pitch. OLSHEY’s pick of Billups is thus defended.
At least now, future employers cannot claim they just did not know like I presume Olshey is claiming.
Many (most?) of these guys consider her just to bolster their cred by saying the magic words, her name. Virtue signaling. But her supporters also say her name. Confusing. But why say? She is unknown.
GMs tell a reporter, I have the woman on my list, I’m clean. Olshey went farther, naming her as a finalist, despite that not being a required thing, so to say he’s the first to call her that. Supposedly he called her to Portland twice before reading the spy report, which shifts blame to Lillard being hard to handle as it is read to us. Lillard cannot be happy about this turn.
Hammon is not “in line” for the Spurs job either. I have no idea of her as a coach. I’m neutral to Spurs and Blazers but never liked Olshey or Popovich.