Draft Notes: Combine, Peterson, Stojakovic, Momcilovic
Baylor wing Cameron Carr, North Carolina State guard Matt Able and UConn center Tarris Reed Jr. are among the prospects who boosted their stocks at this week’s draft combine, per Jeremy Woo and Jeff Borzello of ESPN.
The stocks of Arizona’s Koa Peat and Vanderbilt’s Tyler Tanner may be trending in the opposite direction after their time in Chicago, Woo writes. Peat struggled during shooting drills, while diminutive but explosive point guard Tanner didn’t play very well in the scrimmages on Tuesday or Wednesday.
Texas wing Dailyn Swain is leaning toward keeping his name in the draft, according to Borzello, but two other early entrants — Florida center Rueben Chinyelu and Louisville commit Flory Bidunga — seem more likely to return to college for their respective senior and junior seasons.
Here’s more on the 2026 NBA draft:
- Projected top-four pick Darryn Peterson expected to receive questions about his health during interviews at the combine, but he said that hasn’t necessarily been the case, writes Sarah Todd of The Deseret News. “Actually, surprisingly, not a lot,” Peterson said when asked if teams were interested in the topic. “I think what I did with ESPN kind of gave people some answers. I haven’t got a lot of questions about it all.” As Todd details, NBA evaluators are certainly keen to learn more about Peterson’s health, but they’ll receive his medical evaluations this week and have spent the interviews learning more about who he is as a person. The Kansas star also clarified that he’s open to playing on or off the ball after saying Sunday that he views himself as a point guard, and said he looks up to NBA stars like Anthony Edwards, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Devin Booker and Donovan Mitchell, Todd adds.
- While junior wing Andrej Stojakovic said this week that he has “both feet in” the draft process, that doesn’t mean he has ruled out a possible return to Illinois, according to Colleen Kane of The Chicago Tribune. The son of former NBA All-Star Peja Stojakovic said he has worked out for the Grizzlies and Celtics so far and plans to use the next couple weeks leading up to the May 27 withdrawal deadline to continue gathering information. “The more I move forward, the more we go closer to that deadline, I’ll know more,” the younger Stojakovic said. “The group around me has done a really good job of evaluating and staying level-headed no matter what kind of feedback we hear. I’m very thankful for the situation I’m in because going back to school is also a really, really good option for me.”
- Iowa State sharpshooter Milan Momcilovic says he’s “still focused on the draft” rather than returning to college, as James Madden of ZagsBlog.com relays. Momcilovic, who plans to transfer if he does return to for a senior college season, suggested a guaranteed contract might be the deciding factor on whether he remains in the draft or withdraws. “If there’s guaranteed contracts, that’ll be good,” Momcilovic said (Twitter video link via Isaac Trotter of CBS Sports). “If it’s the later second round, those are usually two-way contracts, so then I’ll probably go back (to college). I want to go to the NBA, that’s the goal. I want to go this year.”
Timberwolves Notes: Edwards, McDaniels, Lineup, Dillon
Star guard Anthony Edwards didn’t sound concerned after the Timberwolves were blown out in Game 5 of their Western Conference semifinal matchup against the Spurs, writes Anthony Slater of ESPN.com. Minnesota briefly tied the game in the third quarter before San Antonio reeled off a massive run in the third quarter.
“I don’t see nobody in our locker room that’s too worried,” Edwards said. “There’s another basketball game. Come out, put your boots on and get ready to go to war.”
Here’s more on the Timberwolves, who are on the brink of elimination heading into Friday’s Game 6:
- Foul trouble has plagued Jaden McDaniels throughout the series, Slater notes, and Edwards acknowledged that needs to change for the Wolves to be successful. The 2023/24 All-Defensive second-teamer picked up five fouls and played just under 30 minutes in Tuesday’s lopsided loss. “Everything starts with Jaden McDaniels, trying to keep him out of foul trouble,” Edwards said. “He’s so important to the team. It hurts everybody when he gets in foul trouble. Some tough calls being made out there against him. Not too much we can say.”
- Julius Randle and Rudy Gobert have struggled in the second-round series, according to Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic, who wonders if head coach Chris Finch might insert Naz Reid into the starting lineup in place of one of those veterans for the do-or-die Game 6. While a lineup change is a possibility, Minnesota’s primary issue has been committing too many game-plan mistakes against a sharp San Antonio team that has taken full advantage of those miscues, Krawczynski writes. “It’s a little bit everything — not knowing the game plan, executing on offense,” Edwards said. “We know they’re gonna come out to be physical defensively. We know how to go against that. And then us defensively, we know our coverage, what we’re supposed to be doing when they’re in pick-and-roll, and I think we’re just not doing it enough.”
- The Timberwolves have hired Michael Dillon to be their new chief financial officer and chief operating officer, per a team press release. Dillon, who was most recently CFO of the NHL’s Pittsburgh Penguins, also spend eight years with MLB’s Houston Astros.
Southwest Notes: Ujiri, Schmitz, Sweeney, Popovich, Rockets
Christian Clark of The Athletic profiles new Mavericks president of basketball operations and alternate governor Masai Ujiri, writing that the veteran executive got his NBA start as an unpaid scout with Orlando in 2002 prior to landing a paid scouting job with Denver the following year.
Seven years later, Ujiri was named the Nuggets’ general manager, winning the Executive of the Year award in 2012/13 and then leaving for the top front office job in Toronto shortly thereafter. The Raptors made the playoffs in eight of Ujiri’s 12 seasons, winning the title in 2019, before the two sides parted ways last summer.
Ujiri’s first major move in Dallas was hiring Mike Schmitz to be his top lieutenant, with a title of general manager. Schmitz, who was most recently the Trail Blazers’ assistant GM, was also a draft analyst for several years before joining Portland, Clark notes.
“I’ve known him for many, many years,” Ujiri said of Schmitz. “Incredible scout. Incredible leader. Just digs deep into work, data and what you want to know about: really scouting players, team building, all those things, you know? Treating people well. Staff organizing. Managing people. It’s a whole package.”
Here’s more from the Southwest:
- Within a feature story on Spurs associate head coach Sean Sweeney, Jeff McDonald of The San Antonio Express-News (subscriber link) refers to the 41-year-old as the “unsung star” of the team’s playoff run. Sweeney, who has been linked to multiple head coaching vacancies this spring, is known as a defensive guru — the Spurs had the fifth-worst defensive rating in the NBA in 2024/25 but had the third-best mark in 2025/26, McDonald writes. Several members of the team praised Sweeney’s preparedness, competitiveness and basketball acumen, and unanimous Defensive Player of the Year Victor Wembanyama said Sweeney deserved “all of” the credit for San Antonio’s defensive turnaround this season, according to McDonald. “His attention to detail on everything and the way he can explain things to make it make sense for us (is big),” guard Stephon Castle said. “He’s a big reason we’re one of the top defenses in the West.”
- Although he formally stepped down as the Spurs‘ head coach at the end of last season after suffering a stroke in November 2024, Gregg Popovich has quietly been around the team throughout 2025/26, Jared Weiss of The Athletic writes, providing honest feedback and support to several players on the roster. “He’s been a big part of this whole year,” rookie Carter Bryant told The Athletic. “It’s been amazing. Not everybody has the greatest coach of all time just kind of sitting there in their laps. I just try to take it up as much as I can.” Popovich’s technical title is president of basketball operations, but it sounds like he’s been more of a coaching adviser, Weiss adds. “I think that’s one big thing, respecting the game and not taking any of this for granted,” Devin Vassell said. “And just with life, he’s taught me so much stuff off the court, whether it’s family or giving back in the community, he’s always had that at his forefront, and I appreciate him for that.”
- Varun Shankar of The Houston Chronicle (subscription required) shares some Rockets-related chatter from the combine. People around the league don’t expect Amen Thompson to sign a rookie scale max extension this offseason, according to Shankar, who suggests Thompson might receive something like 20-23% of the salary cap instead of the full 25%. Shankar also hears Tari Eason‘s next contract could come in around $22MM annually. Eason will be a restricted free agent this summer if he’s given a qualifying offer, as expected.
Celtics Hiring Isaiah Thomas As Scout
The Celtics have hired Isaiah Thomas as a pro and college scout, according to Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe (subscriber link), who reports that the former Celtics star will be based in the Seattle area, his hometown.
Boston has several other regional and international scouts, Himmelsbach notes. Sources tell The Boston Globe that Thomas has been at the draft combine in Chicago this week, working with Celtics executives as they interview prospects and teach him about the “overall evaluation process.”
Thomas had the best years of his career in Boston, making a pair of All-Star teams and earning second-team All-NBA honors in 2016/17 after finishing fifth in MVP voting. However, his career was derailed by a hip injury in the spring of 2017, and he was traded to Cleveland in the Kyrie Irving later that summer.
Thomas was never able to recapture his previous form after the hip issue, having bounced around the league for several years. The 37-year-old point guard last played in the NBA in 2023/24, when he finished out that season with the Suns.
President of basketball operations Brad Stevens, who was Boston’s head coach at the time, has credited Thomas with helping to establish the culture that has led to considerable success over the past decade, per Himmelsbach.
Thomas never formally retired as a player. In fact, less than sixth months ago he said he was considering continuing his career in Europe after spending part of last season with the Salt Lake City Stars, Utah’s G League affiliate.
And-Ones: Fertitta, WNBA, Cotton, Refs, Diakite
The WNBA’s and NBA’s Board of Governors have approved the sale of the Connecticut Sun to Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta, according to Doug Feinberg of The Associated Press.
While the Sun will finish the current season in Connecticut, the plan for 2027 is for the franchise to relocate to Houston, where the team is expected to be rebranded as the Comets. The original iteration of the Houston Comets competed in the WNBA from 1997-2008 before folding.
According to Alexa Philippou of ESPN (Twitter link), the Comets won’t have a standalone practice facility in Houston. The plan is for the team to practice at Toyota Center, which is in the process of undergoing a $180MM renovation project in order to update its infrastructure. The Comets will share the building with the Rockets.
Here are a few more odds and ends from around the basketball world:
- American-born guard Bryce Cotton, a six-time MVP in Australia’s National Basketball League, will suit up for the Australian national team during July’s World Cup qualifiers after becoming a citizen last September, reports ESPN’s Olgun Uluc. In a separate story for ESPN, Uluc examines how Cotton’s eligibility will impact the Boomers going forward, noting that the team can’t have more than one naturalized player on its roster in the World Cup or Olympics. That means either Cotton or Matisse Thybulle would be an odd man out.
- The National Basketball Players Association announced the findings of its annual referee player survey on Wednesday, dividing the league’s officials into three tiers based on player feedback. The 26 referees in the first tier are considered “elite and top performers,” while the 27 in the second tier are viewed as “solid performers.” The 20 in the third tier fall under the heading “needs improvement.”
- On the heels of a strong EuroLeague season with Baskonia in Spain, former NBA big man Mamadi Diakite is believed be nearing a deal with Dubai Basketball, according to a report from BasketNews.com. Diakite, 29, appeared in a total of 55 NBA regular season games for Milwaukee, Oklahoma City, Cleveland, San Antonio, and New York from 2021-24.
- The NBA announced tentative schedules for the conference finals on Wednesday, as Adam Zagoria of NJ.com relays (via Twitter). The Eastern Conference finals will begin on either Sunday or Tuesday, depending on whether the Cavaliers and Pistons require a Game 7, while the Western finals will tip off on either Monday or Wednesday, pending the results of Friday’s Game 6 between the Spurs and Timberwolves. The Knicks and Thunder await the winners of those conference semifinals.
Central Notes: Turner, Giannis, Bulls, Unseld, Cavs, Pacers
Asked by WNBA star Breanna Stewart during the latest episode of the Game Recognize Game podcast (YouTube link) whether NBA players face in-house fines for minor on- or off-court transgressions, Bucks center Myles Turner said “it depends on the coach.”
“Doc Rivers, he didn’t fine anybody, ever,” Turner said of the Bucks’ former head coach. “So guys were late all the time. Guys were showing up to film whenever they wanted to show up. Guys were missing meetings. It was one of the craziest things I’ve personally experienced.
“But any other team I’ve been on, guys got fined. And there was a sense of order and a sense of understanding. So yeah, you’re late to the plane? Fined. You’re late to treatment? Fined. You’re late to film? Fined. But I personally did not experience that last year for the first time in my career.”
When Stewart followed up to ask which of Turner’s teammates was most likely to show up late to a team activity, the big man singled out two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo.
“Giannis is gonna show up whenever he wants, really,” Turner said. “I think that this kind of just came with the territory of that. And once I kind of saw what was going down, I was like, ‘Hey man, more power to you. (If) they ain’t going to fine you, s–t, do what you do.'”
We have more from around the Central:
- With the Bucks once again fielding inquiries on Antetokounmpo, ESPN’s Bobby Marks takes a closer look at the assets that 10 possible suitors have to offer for the superstar forward.
- Although the Bulls are hiring a new head coach, several of their assistants are expected to return in 2026/27, tweets K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Sports Network. One of those assistants, Wes Unseld Jr., is a candidate to be interviewed for the head coaching vacancy, Johnson adds. Unseld was the Wizards’ head coach for two-and-a-half seasons from 2021-24.
- Head coach Kenny Atkinson was critical of the Cavaliers‘ mental toughness after the team was upset by Indiana in the second round of the playoffs, but the Cavs are starting to rewire that narrative this spring, according to Jason Lloyd of The Athletic and Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com (subscription required). Cleveland has bounced back from a 2-0 deficit to take a 3-2 lead in the Eastern Conference semifinals and overcame Detroit’s nine-point lead with less than three minutes to go in Game 5 on Wednesday. “We just made big plays,” Atkinson said, per Fedor. “I think that stretch says a lot about our progress, mental performance progress, mental toughness progress. Kept at it. These guys, they never get down.”
- It could be a relatively quiet summer in Indiana, according to Yossi Gozlan of The Third Apron (Substack link), who notes within his offseason preview that the Pacers are hovering right below the luxury tax line with 14 players projected to be under contract. The team has some extension candidates and could make some tweaks around the margins, but the front office might not have a ton of work to do this offseason, Gozlan writes.
Pistons Notes: Game 5, Thompson, Robinson, Huerter, TV
Tied at 103 in the final seconds of Wednesday’s matchup with Cleveland, the Pistons thought Ausar Thompson would be heading to the free throw line with a chance to with the game after he was knocked to the floor as he and Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen scrambled for a loose ball. However, no foul was called on Allen, with crew chief Tony Brothers explaining after the game that he and his fellow officials viewed the contact as incidental as both players went after the ball. Pistons head coach J.B. Bickerstaff disagreed.
“He fouled Ausar,” Bickerstaff said, per Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press (subscription required). “It’s clear. He trips him when he’s going for a loose ball. End-of-game situation, that’s tough.”
The no-call sent Game 5 to overtime, where the Cavaliers secured the victory and took control of the series — they’re heading back to Cleveland with a 3-2 lead and a chance to close out the series on Friday.
As disappointing as that last-second officiating decision was, the Pistons have to shoulder the brunt of the blame for the loss, Sankofa writes. Detroit held a nine-point lead with less than three minutes left in the fourth quarter, but they missed their last six shot attempts from the floor in regulation, allowing the Cavs to fight their way back.
“You’ve got that type of lead, man, in the playoffs,” Pistons guard Daniss Jenkins said. “We knew what game this was, how important it was. We can’t lose that win. We’ve gotta be better.”
The Pistons fell behind 3-1 in their first-round series vs. Orlando and won the next three games to advance. Bickerstaff remains confident in his team’s ability to pull off a similar comeback in this series.
“You’re going to have to choke the life out of this team,” he said. “We’re not gonna go down without a fight, we’re not gonna go down without kicking, punching, grabbing, clawing, and that’s just who we are. And we’ve been in this position before. And we were able to work our way through it. I expect our guys to be ready mentally to go out and compete at a high level, and bring this thing back here (for Game 7).”
Here’s more on the Pistons:
- Trajan Langdon and the Pistons’ front office have faced some criticism for not making a move to add a more dangerous No. 2 offensive option to complement Cade Cunningham. Detroit’s lack of reliable scorers besides Cunningham was on display in Game 5, according to Hunter Patterson of The Athletic, who argues that the team’s ceiling is limited until those offensive shortcomings are addressed. As Patterson details, no team has been in more “clutch” games during the playoffs than the Pistons, but they have an offensive rating of just 91.5 in clutch time across those eight contests, with Cunningham (22 points on 7-of-14 shooting) outscoring the rest of the team (21 points on 8-of-26 shooting) in clutch situations.
- The Pistons were missing sharpshooter Duncan Robinson on Wednesday, as Jamal Collier of ESPN writes. Robinson sat out due to a lower back injury after initially being listed as questionable. Veteran wing Kevin Huerter, sidelined since Game 4 of the first round due to a strained left adductor, was active for Detroit but played just three minutes and went scoreless.
- The Pistons have a new local media television rights deal in place with Scripps Sports, the team announced in a press release. Beginning next season, WMYD TV20 Detroit will be the new home for Pistons games, which will be broadcast on free, over-the-air television. “This move is for our fans. They have been huge all season and throughout this playoff run. Their energy and support have lifted our team and helped fuel our resurgence,” Pistons owner Tom Gores said in a statement. “It’s a new era of Pistons basketball and we want to make sure that more people in Detroit and throughout Michigan can be part of the journey.” The Pistons were one of the 13 teams advised by the NBA to seek a new local TV deal with Main Street Sports Group headed for insolvency.
Nets Promote Makar Gevorkian To Assistant GM
The Nets have promoted Makar Gevorkian to assistant general manager, the team announced today in a press release. For the past two seasons, Gevorkian had held the title of vice president of basketball operations alignment and strategic planning.
“Makar’s strategic, forward-thinking mind, along with his comprehensive knowledge of the league’s salary cap structure, have made him a valued voice within our front office and we are excited to elevate him to this well-earned role,” general manager Sean Marks said in a statement.
Gevorkian has been with the Nets since 2020, having initially been hired as a basketball operations assistant. He worked as a salary cap and strategy associate in 2021/22, then was named Brooklyn’s director of salary cap in 2022. He held that position for two years before getting another promotion.
BJ Johnson and Andy Birdsong are also employed as assistant GMs under Marks in Brooklyn.
Hoops Rumors Front Office Subscriber Chat Transcript: 5/14/2026
Hoops Rumors’ Arthur Hill held a live chat today exclusively for Trade Rumors Front Office subscribers. Topics included the Hawks' chances of landing Giannis Antetokounmpo, the Bulls' new front office, the offseason trade market for Paul George, Sean Marks' performance as Nets GM, a potential Jazz trade for the No. 1 pick and more!
2026 NBA Head Coaching Search Tracker
Multiple teams around the NBA are making head coaching changes in advance of the 2026/27 season. In the space below, we’ll provide regular updates on the head coaching searches for each club that has yet to give anyone the permanent title. Some of these searches could extend well into the offseason, so be sure to check back often for the latest updates.
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 5-18-26 (4:52 pm CT)
Active Searches
Chicago Bulls
- Previous coach:
- Billy Donovan (story)
- Potential candidates:
The Bulls parted ways with top front office executives Arturas Karnisovas and Marc Eversley shortly after the regular season ended, but seemed prepared – or even eager – to bring back Donovan. Ultimately though, with the team seemingly entering a rebuilding period, Donovan decided against returning, having reportedly determined that both sides would benefit from a fresh start.
Donovan’s exit puts new executive VP of basketball operations Bryson Graham in position to choose his own head coach in his first year on the job. So far, there haven’t been many rumblings about which candidates he’s got his eye on.
Orlando Magic
- Previous coach:
- Jamahl Mosley (story)
- Reportedly considering:
The Magic entered the season projected to be one of the top three or four teams in the East and instead spent most of the year battling for play-in positioning. Injuries were a factor, but the club’s performance was still disappointing enough that Mosley was on the hot seat for much of the second half. It briefly looked in the first round of the playoffs like he might be able to save his job when Orlando took a 3-1 lead on the top-seeded Pistons, but with Franz Wagner sidelined, the team lost the final three games of that series and Mosley was dismissed less than 24 hours later.
No Magic players under contract for 2026/27 are over 28 years old, but this is still a veteran roster with win-now expectations, so the team’s head coaching hire figures to reflect that. In other words, a candidate with some head coaching experience could have the edge over another first-timer.
Portland Trail Blazers
- Previous coach:
- Tiago Splitter (interim)
- Reportedly considering:
- Splitter (story)
- Nuggets assistant Jared Dudley (story)
- Rockets assistant Ben Sullivan (story)
- Nets assistant Steve Hetzel (story)
- Lakers assistant Greg St. Jean (story)
- Rockets assistant Royal Ivey (story)
- St. Louis University coach Josh Schertz (story)
- Iowa coach Ben McCollum (story)
- Timberwolves assistant Micah Nori (story)
The Trail Blazers may end up technically replacing two head coaches this offseason. While Chauncey Billups was never technically fired, it seems pretty safe to assume his coaching tenure in Portland is over following his October arrest on money laundering and wire fraud conspiracy charges. Splitter did an admirable job upon being promoted from his assistant role, leading the Blazers to their first playoff berth in five years, but he’s reportedly considered unlikely to get the permanent job.
The involvement of new team owner Tom Dundon is a wild-card factor here. At least one report has indicated that Dundon wants to interview upwards of 30 candidates for the job in the hopes of gathering as much intel as possible on the coaching market. There have also been rumors suggesting that Dundon isn’t looking to spend more than about $1.5MM per year, which would make the Blazers’ coach the lowest-paid in the NBA. However, sources connected to the Blazers’ owner and the team have pushed back on those reports.
For what it’s worth, some experienced coaches – including Michael Malone and Tom Thibodeau – reportedly rebuffed the Blazers’ efforts to speak to them when they launched their search while Splitter was still coaching the team in the playoffs.
Completed Searches
Milwaukee Bucks
- New coach:
- Taylor Jenkins (story)
- Previous coach:
- Doc Rivers (story)
- Also reportedly considered:
- Bucks assistant Darvin Ham (story)
When the Bucks announced their split with Rivers, they said he was “stepping down,” and the Hall of Famer later insisted it was “100%” his decision to leave. Still, it sure seemed by the end of the season that both sides were ready for a change, with one report in early April suggesting there had been a “season-long disconnect” between Rivers and his players.
While Milwaukee likely looked at a few more candidates who went unreported, it didn’t take the team long to zero in on Jenkins. He was identified even before the end of the regular season as a top target, and the Bucks reportedly reached a deal with him just 10 days after confirming that Rivers wouldn’t return.
Jenkins’ track record of player development, culture-setting, and competitiveness during his time as Memphis’ head coach was said to appeal to the Bucks, who invested heavily in him. One report said he received a six-year deal, while another said he’ll be paid “well north” of $10MM annually.
New Orleans Pelicans
- New coach:
- Jamahl Mosley (story)
- Previous coach:
- James Borrego (interim)
- Also reportedly considered:
After firing Willie Green early in the 2025/26 season, the Pelicans turned to Borrego, who was the lead assistant on Green’s staff and had previous head coaching stints in Orlando and Charlotte. New Orleans played a little better after the coaching change, but Borrego didn’t exactly lock up the permanent job by leading the club to a 24-46 record, so the front office opened up its search to outside candidates this spring.
While New Orleans reportedly considered candidates like Rondo, Ham, Hetzel, and Sweeney, it seemed as if the Pelicans were just waiting to see whether Mosley would be available. Their interest in Orlando’s head coach was reported way back in November when Green was let go, so when the Magic dismissed Mosley in early May following its first-round playoff exit, the only question was whether or not he’d want to take a year off after spending the past five seasons with the Magic.
As it turned out, Mosley was eager to jump right into a new job and agreed to a five-year contract to become New Orleans’ new head coach. The Pelicans are said to be optimistic that Mosley, who took over a 21-win Magic squad and eventually guided the team to three consecutive playoff appearances, can lead the 26-56 Pelicans on a similar upward trajectory.