Warriors Notes: Looney, Curry, Durant, Coaches
The better Kevon Looney plays, the less likely it is the Warriors will be able to afford him when he becomes a free agent this summer, writes Anthony Slater of The Athletic. Golden State declined Looney’s option after two injury-plagued years related to a pair of hip surgeries. He responded by playing 66 games during the regular season and leading all Warriors centers with 147 playoff minutes.
Golden State could have locked up Looney for $2.3MM for 2018/19, but that wasn’t an easy decision when it had to be made in October. Not only was his career beset by injuries, but he was buried in a deep big man rotation that included promising rookie Jordan Bell.
“Our financial commitments [next year and beyond] are high,” GM Bob Myers said. “That factored in. Had we been in a different financial situation in the aggregate, maybe we make a different decision.”
There’s more today from Golden State:
- Stephen Curry‘s time as a reserve will last just one game, according to an ESPN report. Returning from an MCL sprain, Curry scored 28 points off the bench Tuesday, and he will be in the starting lineup when the series resumes Friday. “Oh yeah, yeah, he’ll start Game 3,” coach Steve Kerr said in an interview on 95.7 The Game. “You don’t keep a guy like that on the bench for long. … He’ll be in the starting lineup.”
- Kevin Durant is hoping for easier looks from 3-point range with Curry back on the court, relays Mark Medina of The San Jose Mercury News. Durant averaged 27.9 points in six playoff games without Curry, but shot just 28% from long distance. “When you get a chance to work with one of the best to ever play, it sharpens you as well,” Durant said. “Steel sharpens steel. He makes me better and I make him better.”
- Kerr won’t stand in the way if any of his assistants has a shot at a head coaching job, relays Medina adds in a separate story. Jarron Collins is a candidate in Atlanta, while Mike Brown is among the many who have interviewed with the Knicks. “Selfishly I hope guys stay but we always want them to move on with their careers and get these great opportunities,” Kerr said in the same radio interview. “So we’ll see what happens.” Alvin Gentry of the Pelicans and Luke Walton of the Lakers were both Golden State assistants before landing their current jobs.
Bucks Talk To Jim Cleamons
In addition to the names we passed along earlier today, the Bucks have spoken to former Mavericks head coach Jim Cleamons, posts Marc J. Spears on ESPN Now. Cleamons, who served as an assistant in Milwaukee in 2013/14, had an “informal phone conversation” this morning with GM Jon Horst.
Cleamons, 68, is a long-time assistant who briefly served as a head coach in Dallas in the late 1990s, compiling a 28-70 record. He was an assistant with the Bulls during Michael Jordan’s time there, and Jordan is considering him for the head coaching spot with the Hornets, according to Spears. Cleamons is also a candidate for a college coaching job with Chicago State.
Cleamons, who played nine NBA seasons, won an NBA title with the Lakers and nine as an assistant in L.A. and Chicago. He also served as an assistant with the Hornets and Knicks
Hawks Interview Jay Larranaga
Celtics assistant Jay Larranaga recently interviewed for the head coaching position with the Hawks, tweets ESPN’s Chris Forsberg. We passed along Atlanta’s interest in Larranaga earlier this week, and it appears the organization was able to quickly work out the details of an interview.
The field of candidates has become crowded after the Hawks parted ways with Mike Budenholzer last week. Nate Tibbetts, David Fizdale, Jarron Collins, Darvin Ham and Stephen Silas have all either interviewed or have interviews scheduled. Atlanta is also rumored to have interest in Spurs assistants Ime Udoka and James Borrego.
In addition to his playoff duties with the Celtics, Larranaga has been busy on the interview circuit, Forsberg adds. He met with the Knicks and reportedly made a strong impression during his interview with the Hornets.
Keep up with all the latest coaching developments with our 2018 NBA Head Coaching Search Tracker.
Woodson Willing To Serve As Assistant To Fizdale With Knicks
Mike Woodson is among 11 candidates who interviewed for the Knicks’ head coaching job, but he would be happy as an assistant if David Fizdale is hired, relays Marc Berman of The New York Post.
Fizdale is reportedly among the favorites, along with Mike Budenholzer and David Blatt, as the Knicks get closer to a decision. Woodson is currently the top assistant with the Clippers, but Doc Rivers isn’t certain to return next season and Woodson said he would listen if offered a similar post under Fizdale in New York.
“I love David. I gave him his first job on the bench — I know he worked one season before in Golden State,” he said. “We’re very close. I’m sure he would call.’’
Fizdale, who is set to interview with the Magic, has also talked to the Hornets and Hawks, along with the Suns, who will fill their vacancy with Igor Kokoskov. Fizdale spent four seasons as Woodson’s assistant in Atlanta and they share an agent, so they have a good working relationship.
If Fizdale does come to New York, he may not have access to all the assistants he had in Memphis, which decided to keep interim coach J.B. Bickerstaff, Berman adds. That group is made up of Keith Smart, Bob Bender, Nick Van Exel, Greg Buckner and Adam Mazarei. Heat assistant Juwan Howard, who worked with Fizdale in Miami and interviewed for the Knicks’ opening as well, could be a candidate for Fizdale’s staff.
Woodson called his interview with Knicks president Steve Mills and GM Scott Perry a “great meeting,” adding that “everyone’s just waiting.”
Ernie Grunfeld Receives Extension From Wizards
Without any fanfare, the Wizards recently extended the contract of team president Ernie Grunfeld, according to Candace Buckner of The Washington Post.
Majority owner Ted Leonsis refused to disclose the terms of the extension, but it will keep Grunfeld with the organization at least through the end of the 2018/19 season. He ranks fourth in the league in tenure, Buckner notes, trailing only Miami’s Pat Riley, San Antonio’s R.C. Buford and Boston’s Danny Ainge.
Unlike those others, Grunfeld has been able to hold onto his job without a stellar track record. The Wizards have eight playoff appearances during his 15 seasons and haven’t advanced past the second round. Washington was the eighth seed this season and was eliminated by Toronto in six games.
Buckner outlines the huge task ahead of Grunfeld this offseason as he tries to restructure a team with pressing cap concerns. The Wizards topped the luxury tax for the first time this season after matching an offer sheet to Otto Porter and are already hovering near next year’s tax line with $124MM in committed salary, not including their No. 15 draft pick.
Hornets Get Permission To Interview Jim Boylen
The Bulls have granted permission to the Hornets to interview associate head coach Jim Boylen, reports K.C. Johnson of The Chicago Tribune.
Boylen joins a growing list of candidates in Charlotte that includes Jerry Stackhouse, Ettore Messina, David Fizdale, Ime Udoka, David Vanterpool and James Borrego.
A long-time assistant, the 53-year-old Boylen has served as Fred Hoiberg’s top assistant in Chicago since 2015. His coaching career began on Rudy Tomjanovich’s staff in Houston in 1992. Boylen left for the college ranks in 2005 and spent four years as head coach at the University of Utah before returning to the NBA in 2011.
Keep all with all the latest news on the coaching front with our 2018 NBA Head Coaching Search Tracker.
Names Emerge In Bucks’ Coaching Search
A few early candidates have been identified as the Bucks begin their search for a new head coach, tweets ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
He names five former head coaches — Steve Clifford, Mike Budenholzer, Monty Williams, David Fizdale and David Blatt — that Milwaukee would like to interview, adding that a few more could be in the mix.
Because they made the playoffs, the Bucks got a late start in their pursuit of a new coach and are facing competition for several names on the list. Fizdale, considered one of the finalists for the Knicks’ job, has an interview scheduled with the Magic this week. He has also interviewed with the the Hornets and Hawks, as well as the Suns, who will fill their vacancy with Igor Kokoskov.
Budenholzer, who recently parted ways with the Hawks, is also believed to be a Knicks finalist, along with Blatt, who coached the Cavaliers to the NBA Finals in 2015. Budenholzer inteviewed for the Suns’ job, as did Clifford, who was fired as head coach of the Hornets after the season ended. Williams, a former head coach with the Pelicans, serves as VP of basketball operations for the Spurs.
The Bucks may be the most desirable destination for potential coaches, boasting a playoff-caliber roster that includes MVP candidate Giannis Antetokounmpo. Interim coach Joe Prunty, who led the team to a 21-16 record after taking over for Jason Kidd at midseason, will get consideration, but the franchise may be hoping to attract a bigger name to make a splash as it moves into a new arena this fall.
Knicks Rumors: Howard, Blatt, Leonard, Mudiay
Juwan Howard, the latest name to emerge in the Knicks’ coaching search, has a powerful connection in the team’s front office, notes Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News. GM Scott Perry is a former assistant at the University of Michigan, and his first year with the Wolverines was Howard’s last season there.
Howard will be the 10th candidate to talk to Perry and team president Steve Mills, who were in Europe this week to interview former Cavaliers coach David Blatt and to scout Luka Doncic, along with other prospects. Despite the long list of interviewees, Bondy hears that the Knicks’ next coach may be someone not yet mentioned by the media.
There’s more news from New York:
- Howard has a long list of former teammates with coaching experience who could potentially fill out his staff if he gets the Knicks job, notes Bryan Kalbrosky of HoopsHype. The list includes Adrian Griffin, Nick Van Exel, David Vanterpool, James Posey, Darvin Ham, Jamaal Magloire, God Shammgod, Rafer Alston and John Lucas III.
- If the Spurs make Kawhi Leonard available in trade the summer, the Knicks should go all in, even if it costs them Kristaps Porzingis and this year’s first-rounder, contends Tommy Beer of Forbes. Leonard’s scoring ability, defensive prowess and record of big-game performances make him a player that a franchise can be built around, Beer argues. He adds that the Knicks are hoping to construct a contender by surrounding Porzingis with top-level free agents, but their recent record in free agency casts doubt on that plan. He cautions that New York should make the deal with the Spurs only if team doctors determine that Leonard’s quad injury won’t be a long-term issue and he agrees to a four-year extension.
- One-time Knicks coach Larry Brown remains optimistic about Emmanuel Mudiay‘s prospects in New York, relays Marc Berman of The New York Post. Brown tried to recruit Mudiay to SMU before he opted for China, and he believes the 22-year-old can excel by getting into top physical condition. “I don’t think Emmanuel has ever been in the greatest shape of his life,” Brown said. “That position you have to be an elite athlete and in unbelievable shape. I don’t know until he got to the NBA if he has ever been coached the way he needed to be coached.” Mudiay was placed in the league’s concussion protocol after hitting his head late in the season and was just cleared for basketball activities last week.
Weekly Mailbag: 4/23/18 – 4/29/18
We have an opportunity for you to hit us up with your questions in this, our weekly mailbag feature. Have a question regarding player movement, the salary cap or the NBA draft? Drop us a line at HoopsRumorsMailbag@Gmail.com.
When will Carmelo Anthony learn he’s not a superstar? — Sam, via Twitter
Often the player is the last to know, and from the tone of Anthony’s exit interview yesterday, it’s clear the message hasn’t gotten through. His first clue should have been the Knicks’ strong desire to ship him out of town, followed by a summer with little trade interest until the Thunder swooped in at the last minute. Anthony’s scoring average dipped below 20 points per game for the first time in his career, and he was held out for long stretches in the playoff loss to Utah. The Thunder would love for the 33-year-old to use his early termination option on next season’s $28MM salary, but there’s little chance he would get an offer anywhere close to that in free agency. He and Oklahoma City management seem to have very different ideas of his role for next year, so don’t be surprised if buyout talks take place at some point.
What are the realistic landing spots for Kahwi Leonard should the Spurs actually lose their minds and decide to trade him? — Clinfton Lewis, via Twitter
The Spurs’ first choice is to hold onto Leonard, but if they do move him, it’s unlikely it will be to a Western Conference rival, as Mark Heisler of The Orange County Register noted recently. Looking eastward, the Celtics are always among the favorites for a big deal because of their collection of young talent and draft picks. The Sixers could offer a package centered around Dario Saric and Markelle Fultz. The Heat may be willing to part with Goran Dragic and have enough other assets to get a deal done. If Leonard goes on the market, San Antonio will have plenty of offers to choose from, even if they’re limited to just one conference.
With the passing of his wife, it really hit not only Gregg Popovich and his family, but the rest of the NBA family as well. Do you think Popovich will be coaching next season? That’s a tough situation to overcome. — Deven Parikh, via Twitter
This will be one of the underrated subplots of the summer. Popovich, who will serve as the Olympics coach in 2020, could decide to take a break from the NBA and focus his energies on USA Basketball. He appeared exasperated by the long-running drama with Leonard, and the tragic death of his wife surely took a supreme emotional toll. The Spurs could look much different next season with much of the veteran core gone, and it would be understandable if Popovich decides to step away as well.
Hawks To Interview Nate Tibbetts, Jarron Collins
The Hawks have interviews set today with a pair of Western Conference assistants, tweets Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN. Nate Tibbetts of the Trail Blazers and Jarron Collins of the Warriors will both interview for Atlanta’s head coaching spot, which was opened when the organization parted ways with Mike Budenholzer this week.
The Hawks’ interest in Tibbetts has been known since Friday when Portland granted permission for an interview, but Collins’ candidacy is new, notes Michael Cunningham of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Darvin Ham, who has been an assistant to Budenholzer for the past five seasons, will interview tomorrow.
Other identified candidates are David Fizdale, who interviewed Saturday, as well as Stephen Silas, James Borrego and Ime Udoka.
Collins, who played 10 NBA seasons, spent two years as a scout with the Clippers before joining Golden State as a player development coach in 2014/15. He was promoted to an assistant the following year.