Wizards Notes: Nored, Coaching Search, Beal, Workouts
The Wizards recently conducted a second interview with Ronald Nored for their head coaching job, league sources tell Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports (Twitter link).
A report last week indicated that Nored was close to leaving his position as a Hornets assistant for a role on Rick Carlisle‘s staff in Indiana. Haynes’ report today suggests Nored may still be in the running for Washington’s top job — presumably, if he isn’t hired by the Wizards, the 31-year-old will pivot to finalizing a deal with the Pacers.
Here’s more on the Wizards:
- Besides Nored, the Wizards’ top head coaching candidates are believed to be Wes Unseld Jr., Charles Lee, Darvin Ham, and Jamahl Mosley (who may be hired by the Magic). Fred Katz of The Athletic takes an in-depth look at those four contenders for the job to assess what they could bring to the organization.
- Before the Wizards finalize their head coaching hire, general manager Tommy Sheppard will meet with Bradley Beal and Russell Westbrook to get their feedback on the finalists, writes Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington.
- Within the same NBC Sports Washington story, Beal says he appreciated the five years he spent playing for Scott Brooks. “When I first got the news (Brooks wouldn’t return), it was tough,” Beal said. “Scotty was great. This is my second coach I’ve played for and even when I talked to him afterwards, (I said) how grateful I was towards him. He helped change my game and evolved my game to what it is now.”
- The Wizards are working out a pair of guards today, according to Hughes, who tweets that Arizona State’s Josh Christopher and Illinois’ Ayo Dosunmu are visiting the team. Christopher and Dosunmu rank 33rd and 34th, respectively, on ESPN’s big board for the 2021 draft, so it seems like a long shot that the Wizards would select either with the No. 15 pick.
Nicolò Melli Signs Three-Year Deal With Olimpia Milano
As expected, veteran forward Nicolò Melli has officially reached a deal with Olimipa Milano. The Italian club announced today in a press release that Melli has signed a three-year contract with his former team.
Melli, 30, played for Olimpia Milano from 2010-15 and has spent time with a handful of other European clubs since beginning his pro career in 2007. He made his NBA debut in 2019 with the Pelicans and has since appeared in a total of 105 games (15.3 MPG) for New Orleans and Dallas, averaging 5.0 PPG, 2.9 RPG, and 1.2 APG on .392/.316/.745 shooting.
Melli was involved in the March trade that sent J.J. Redick from the Pelicans to the Mavericks and played a part-time role for Dallas down the stretch. However, the 6’9″ Italian, who is expected to play for Italy in the Olympics later this month, will return to his home country for the 2021/22 season and beyond.
“Nicolò has always been at the center of our thoughts,” Olimpia Milano GM Christos Stavropoulos said in a statement. “He is the right player, in his prime, a player we were looking for as the emblem of the team player on top of having unquestionable skills. To be able to bring him back, after six years and a great career abroad, is reason for us to be extremely proud. This is a happy day for all of us.”
Melli had been eligible for restricted free agency with Dallas. If the Mavs want to retain their matching rights in the event that the forward eventually returns to the NBA, they’ll have to issue a qualifying offer.
Emiliano Carchia of Sportando reported earlier this week that Melli was on track to rejoin Olimpia Milano. Carchia also said the team was close to a deal with veteran shooting guard Troy Daniels, but there has been no official announcement yet on that one.
And-Ones: Teodosic, Bennett, Cunningham, Macon, Brown
Former NBA guard Milos Teodosic has reached a contract extension agreement with Virtus Bologna through the 2022/23 season, according to a team press release. Teodosic played 60 games with the Clippers from 2017-19. He was waived in February of his final season and signed with the Italian club during the summer of 2019.
We have more from around the basketball world:
- Cangrejeros de Santurce in Puerto Rico has terminated Anthony Bennett’s contract and replaced him with Dante Cunningham, Dario Skerletic of Sportando relays. Cunningham had a stint in China after appearing in 715 NBA games from 2009-19. Bennett, the top pick of the 2013 draft, hasn’t played in the NBA since the 2016/17 season.
- Former NBA guard Daryl Macon is expected to sign with Panathinaikos BC, Greek journalist George Zakkas tweets. Macon played for Galatasaray Istanbul and AEK Athens this past season. He began the 2019/20 season on a two-way deal with the Heat and was waived that January. He also played for Dallas.
- Larry Brown has been named the recipient of this year’s Chuck Daly Lifetime Achievement Award, the National Basketball Coaches Association announced on Thursday via a league press release. Brown was a head coach for 42 years at the college and pro level, winning the NBA title with the Pistons in 2004 and NCAA championship with Kansas in 1988. He’s the only coach to lead eight different NBA teams to the playoffs.
Central Notes: Love, Cunningham, Pistons’ Top Pick, Grant
Kevin Love was a controversial selection to Team USA and he’s eager to prove he can still be a high-level player for both the country and the Cavaliers, Chris Fedor of the Cleveland Plain Dealer writes. Love appeared in just 25 games this season and hasn’t played in more than 60 games in any of the last five seasons.
“I’m very vocal about that in the public saying I wasn’t where I wanted to be, mostly for my team, my coaching staff and for the Cavs in general. For me to come here, I feel like I have a lot to prove, but I feel that way coming into every season,” Love said. “Obviously it’s been unlucky, unfortunate and there’s been injuries that have happened — you’ve seen this whole year that happened with guys — so for me, when I have something to prove it always blends for better basketball for me. Being around these guys I think it helps elevate my mindset and my game in a big way.”
We have from around the Central Division:
- The Cavaliers are “definitely looking into” the possibility of trading with the Pistons for the No. 1 pick and drafting Cade Cunningham but the cost would be high, Fedor reports in a separate story. It’s speculated that the package Cleveland would have to give up would exceed what the 76ers traded in 2017 for the top pick. Philadelphia took Markelle Fultz after giving up the No. 3 pick and a 2018 first-rounder that had some protections attached. Cleveland might have to give up the No. 3 overall pick, an unprotected future first-rounder, and perhaps a good young player to entice Detroit.
- Along those same lines, The Athletic’s James Edwards III takes a look at eight potential trade scenarios for the Pistons involving the top pick. His hypothetical offers include the Thunder trading the No. 6 pick and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, as well as the Raptors dealing the No. 4 pick and OG Anunoby for the No. 1 pick, Mason Plumlee and Cory Joseph.
- Jerami Grant was the final selection for Team USA and the Pistons forward sees his role as providing energy when he plays, Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press tweets. “I’m going to be playing a lot of defense, hitting open shots, being aggressive when I get the opportunity,” he said.
Suns Notes: Kaminsky, Craig, Nader, Bridges, Crowder, Ayton
Torrey Craig, Frank Kaminsky and Abdel Nader could all pick up minutes during the remainder of the Finals in the aftermath of Dario Saric‘s knee injury, according to Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic. Saric suffered a torn ACL during the opening quarter of Game 1. Kaminsky played four minutes in Game 1 while Craig received 16 minutes of floor time. “Frank gives us quality size and playmaking ability,” coach Monty Williams said. “He’s smart.”
We have more on the Western Conference champions:
- Mikal Bridges has developed into one of the league’s top 3-and-D wings, Jovan Buha of The Athletic writes. Bridges makes the team’s pick-and-roll offense lethal due to his cutting, screening and spot-up shooting. His ability to guard multiple positions is another underrated aspect of the team’s success, Buha adds. Bridges is eligible for a rookie scale extension this offseason.
- Jae Crowder is another one of those top-level role players and ESPN’s Zach Lowe takes an in-depth look at the forward, who is appearing in his second straight Finals. Crowder has played an average of 31.7 MPG in the postseason despite modest offensive numbers. He scored just one point in Game 1 but was on the floor for 33 minutes. “You don’t even know what position Jae is,” Williams said. “But you know this: It becomes really hard to take him off the floor.”
- Williams isn’t sure what Deandre Ayton‘s ceiling is but the coach wants his young center to focus on the present, Mark Medina of USA Today tweets. “It’s important to embrace where he is and embrace the work that he has to do today,” Williams said.
Mosley Emerges As Top Candidate For Magic Head Coaching Job
Mavericks assistant Jamahl Mosley has emerged as the strong frontrunner for the Magic’s head coaching job, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.
Negotiations are ongoing between the 42-year-old Mosley and Orlando’s brass, but his reputation in developing players, building relationships and holding them accountable has made him the top choice for the rebuilding Magic, Wojnarowski adds.
Orlando had narrowed its list to Mosley and Wes Unseld Jr., who remains a strong candidate to get the Wizards’ head coaching job. Mosley is also a finalist for that job and was expected to meet with Washington for a second interview on Friday.
Mosley spent the past seven years as an assistant under Rick Carlisle. He also spent four years apiece with the Cavaliers and Nuggets prior to joining Dallas’ staff. He’s currently an assistant coach on the U.S. Select team.
Mosley was expected to leave Dallas after being passed over for the team’s head coaching job in favor of Jason Kidd.
2021 NBA Offseason Preview: Boston Celtics
Having made the Eastern Conference Finals in 2017, 2018, and 2020, the Celtics entered the 2020/21 season looking to make it at least that far again. But things never quite gelled for this year’s iteration of the C’s, as injuries, COVID-19 issues, and inconsistent on-court production were all major factors in a disappointing year.
The Celtics still made the playoffs, but it took a play-in win to get there after the team finished with an underwhelming .500 record (36-36). And Boston’s postseason run was short-lived, as the club was unceremoniously dispatched by Brooklyn in the first round.
Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown still look like capable cornerstones on a future title contender, but the Celtics will need to find a way to surround them with more reliable complementary pieces. That task will fall to Brad Stevens, who made the move from the sidelines to the front office after longtime president of basketball operations Danny Ainge stepped down.
In his first month on the job, Stevens wasted no time in completing a pair of major moves, hiring Ime Udoka to replace him as Boston’s head coach and sending Kemba Walker and a first-round pick to Oklahoma City for Al Horford and Moses Brown in a trade that will create some added financial flexibility for the franchise over the next two seasons.
The Celtics’ Offseason Plan:
Moving Walker’s oversized contract should help the Celtics avoid a significant tax bill in 2021/22, but replacing him with Horford doesn’t really move the needle for the team on the court. More roster moves will be necessary to make Boston a legitimate contender.
Besides the contracts for Tatum, Brown, and Marcus Smart, all of which are good values, the Celtics’ guaranteed salaries fall into two groups: veteran big men who are probably overpaid (Horford and Tristan Thompson, earning a combined $37MM), and inexpensive role players still on their rookie deals (Romeo Langford, Robert Williams, Aaron Nesmith, Grant Williams, Payton Pritchard, and Carsen Edwards).
If the Celtics hope to increase their ceiling, they’ll need to either cobble together a reliable rotation from those pieces or use them to trade for rotation players. It may be time to start moving on from some of those former first-round picks who haven’t developed like the team has hoped. Two or three of those players could be keepers – Pritchard had an especially promising rookie season – but Boston should be willing to deal several of the others — having not drafted them himself, Stevens may not feel as attached to them as Ainge did.
Meanwhile, Horford’s contract is only partially guaranteed beyond this season and Thompson’s deal is expiring, so both players are movable, even if they don’t have positive value. The Celtics also have a handful of trade exceptions that could be useful, including one worth $11MM.
In free agency, figuring out a new deal with Evan Fournier figures to be a top priority. If you take into account the two second-round picks the Celtics sent the Hornets last offseason to generate the massive trade exception later used to take on Fournier, the cost to acquire him essentially worked out to four second-rounders. The organization won’t want to let him walk for nothing after paying that price.
The Celtics also figure to discuss contract extensions with Smart and Robert Williams, both of whom are entering the final year of their contracts. Smart, who should have a bigger role with Walker gone, may have more leverage to negotiate a lucrative new deal than Williams, who could find himself battling for minutes in a crowded frontcourt. Of course, if Stevens wants to take another big swing on the trade market for a point guard, Smart may have to be included in Boston’s offer.
Salary Cap Situation
Note: Our salary cap projections are based on a presumed 3% increase, which would result in a $112.4MM cap for 2021/22.
Guaranteed Salary
- Jayson Tatum ($28,103,500) 1
- Al Horford ($27,000,000)
- Jaylen Brown ($25,312,500)
- Marcus Smart ($14,339,285)
- Tristan Thompson ($9,720,900)
- Romeo Langford ($3,804,360)
- Robert Williams ($3,661,976)
- Aaron Nesmith ($3,631,200)
- Grant Williams ($2,617,800)
- Payton Pritchard ($2,137,440)
- Carsen Edwards ($1,782,621)
- Guerschon Yabusele ($1,039,080) — Waived via stretch provision.
- Moses Brown ($500,000) — Partial guarantee. Non-guaranteed portion noted below.
- Demetrius Jackson ($92,857) — Waived via stretch provision.
- Total: $123,743,519
Player Options
- None
Team Options
- None
Non-Guaranteed Salary
- Jabari Parker ($2,283,034) 2
- Moses Brown ($1,201,593)
- Total: $3,484,627
Restricted Free Agents
- None
Two-Way Free Agents
Draft Picks
- No. 45 overall pick (no cap hold)
Extension-Eligible Players
- Robert Williams (rookie scale)
- Carsen Edwards (veteran)
- Al Horford (veteran)
- Marcus Smart (veteran)
Unrestricted Free Agents / Other Cap Holds
Evan Fournier ($26,175,000): Bird rights
- Luke Kornet ($2,925,000): Early Bird rights
- Semi Ojeleye ($1,669,178): Bird rights
- Total: $30,769,178
Offseason Cap Outlook
The Celtics will certainly be over the cap this summer. Whether or not they go over the luxury tax line depends on whether Fournier returns and whether the team cuts costs in trades. If we assume Fournier re-signs at a reasonable rate (perhaps $15MM), Boston would need to shed some salary elsewhere to stay out of the tax.
Without Fournier, the Celtics may have enough breathing room to use the entire non-taxpayer mid-level exception. But my bet for now is that Fournier will be back and that the team will be limited to the taxpayer MLE.
Cap Exceptions Available
- Taxpayer mid-level exception: $5,890,000 4
- Trade exception: $11,050,000
- Trade exception: $6,879,100
- Trade exception: $5,000,000
- Trade exception: $4,767,000
- Trade exception: $370,564
- Trade exception: $343,873
Footnotes
- This is a projected value. Tatum’s salary will be 25% of the 2021/22 salary cap.
- Parker’s salary becomes partially guaranteed ($100K) after July 31.
- Because they have been on two-way contracts with the Celtics for two seasons, Fall and Waters are eligible for standard minimum-salary qualifying offers.
- This is a projected value. If the Celtics stay far enough below the tax apron, they could have access to the full mid-level exception ($9.5MM) and the bi-annual exception ($3.7MM).
Salary and cap information from Basketball Insiders, RealGM, and ESPN was used in the creation of this post.
Hawks Retain Nate McMillan As Permanent Head Coach
JULY 8: The Hawks have officially announced McMillan’s new long-term deal with the team.
“The incredible job Nate did after taking over this season made this an easy decision,” Schlenk said in a statement. “We were able to see how gifted a tactician, motivator and leader he is first-hand and the high level of respect and trust he earned from our players made securing him as our head coach our top priority.”
JULY 5: The Hawks have an agreement in place with Nate McMillan that will make him the team’s permanent head coach, president of basketball operations Travis Schlenk told reporters today (Twitter link via Chris Kirschner of The Athletic). McMillan’s new contract will be a four-year deal, reports ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link).
Schlenk said the two sides are “drawing up” the contract, so an official announcement should come soon (Twitter link via Michael Scotto of HoopsHype). According to Schlenk, the Hawks and McMillan reached a deal in principle on the morning after the squad advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals (Twitter link via Marc Stein).
McMillan began the 2020/21 season as an assistant on Lloyd Pierce‘s staff. However, after Atlanta got off to a 14-20 start, Pierce was let go and McMillan took over as the interim head coach. The Hawks finished the season on a 27-11 run and then beat the Knicks and Sixers in the first two rounds of the playoffs before pushing the Bucks to six games in the Eastern Finals.
Although they entered the year with playoff aspirations, even the Hawks weren’t counting on getting to within two wins of the NBA Finals. McMillan helped Atlanta exceed expectations in both the regular season and the postseason, all but guaranteeing the team would attempt to keep him around on a permanent basis.
There were rumors that the veteran coach – who previously led the Pacers, Trail Blazers, and SuperSonics – might draw interest from other suitors, but it appears he never seriously considered moving elsewhere. Schlenk said today that the Hawks offered McMillan the permanent job before the regular season ended (Twitter link via Kirschner).
McMillan has an overall regular season record of 688-599 (.535) during his NBA coaching career. That puts him 20th overall on the all-time list of coaching victories, and fourth among active head coaches, behind only Gregg Popovich, Doc Rivers, and Rick Carlisle.
Southeast Notes: Wizards, Hunt, Hornets, Herro
Having concluded their first round of head coaching interviews, the Wizards are conducting follow-up meetings this week. According to Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today (Twitter link), the team’s second interview with Wes Unseld Jr. was scheduled to take place today, while Jamahl Mosley is on tap for Friday.
A pair of Milwaukee assistants – Charles Lee and Darvin Ham – were also identified as finalists for the Wizards’ head coaching job. It’s unclear whether they’ve already met a second time with Washington or if those meetings are still to come. Both Lee and Ham, of course, remain active in the NBA Finals, which presumably complicates the scheduling of interviews.
Here’s more from around the Southeast:
- Melvin Hunt, who was the Hawks‘ lead assistant under Lloyd Pierce, won’t return to Atlanta next season as part of Nate McMillan‘s staff, according to a report from Chris Kirschner and David Aldridge of The Athletic (Twitter link).
- The Hornets brought in D.J. Funderburk, Justin Gorham, A.J. Lawson, Alonzo Verge Jr., Duane Washington Jr., and Bryce Wills for pre-draft workouts on Wednesday, according to the team (Twitter link).
- Heat guard Tyler Herro views this summer as a prime opportunity to continue growing his game and to develop a stronger relationship with head coach Erik Spoelstra, as Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald details. Herro’s first NBA offseason following his rookie season a year ago lasted just over two months, as the Heat faced a quick turnaround following their trip to the NBA Finals.
- Fred Katz of The Athletic spoke to a “well-respected” NBA scout about the pros and cons of eight of the prospects the Wizards may be evaluating as possible targets with the No. 15 pick.
Southwest Notes: Mavs, Sweeney, THJ, SVG, Grizzlies, Rockets
The Mavericks are in advanced talks to hire Sean Sweeney as an assistant coach on Jason Kidd‘s new staff, according to veteran NBA reporter Marc Stein (Twitter link).
Sweeney, who has been on Dwane Casey‘s staff in Detroit since 2018, was said last month to be in talks with the Pistons on a new deal. However, as Stein points out, Sweeney worked on Kidd’s staff during his time in Brooklyn and Milwaukee. Once Kidd was hired by the Mavericks, it seems Sweeney’s focus shifted to a reunion with the veteran coach.
Here’s more from around the Southwest:
- Tim Hardaway Jr. will make the final decision on his destination in free agency this summer, but his father would vote for him to remain in Dallas. As Brad Townsend of The Dallas Morning News tweets, Tim Hardaway Sr. said on the 1 Star Recruits Podcast that he thinks the Mavericks are “a very good fit for my son” and that the decision to hire Kidd was a good one.
- Appearing on the Dan LeBatard Show with Stugotz, former Pelicans head coach Stan Van Gundy spoke more about his exit from the organization, suggesting that he was more focused on what was happening on the court, while executive VP of basketball operations David Griffin was more concerned with “the atmosphere around the team and the happiness of people.” Christian Clark of NOLA.com has the full quote from Van Gundy.
- Evan Barnes of The Memphis Commercial Appeal evaluates whether the Grizzlies could – and should – make a strong play for Bradley Beal should the All-Star guard become available in a trade before his current contract ends.
- Within his latest mailbag, Kelly Iko of The Athletic discusses the No. 2 pick, Eric Gordon‘s trade value, and several more Rockets-related topics.