Steve Kerr On Warriors, Knicks, Jackson
Steve Kerr is stepping out from behind the microphone as an announcer and venturing into new territory as an NBA rookie head coach with the Warriors this season. Golden State wasn’t his only suitor this summer, and Kerr was the heavy favorite to land the Knicks coaching position before deciding to pick up the clipboard in Oakland. Kerr sat down with Scott Howard-Cooper of NBA.com for an interview, and here are some of the highlights…
On why he doesn’t want to return to a front office role:
“I like being on the court. I enjoyed the job, but you’re never on the court as a GM. You’re always upstairs and talking to agents. It’s a more-corporate position. I’d rather dress like this (T-shirt, shorts) every day to practice, to be honest with you. I like working with players and I like the game itself.”
On what the Knicks-Warriors decision came down to for him:
“New York was very intriguing, especially my relationship with Phil [Jackson] and the opportunity he was presenting me, and the Knicks, the franchise itself and the history. But it would have been a really, really difficult situation in terms of the family and being all the way across the country. I just felt better suited to work with these guys here, this younger roster with a more established core. It just felt more comfortable.”
On the differences between Golden State’s and New York’s rosters:
“The fact that the Knicks were in the East and were a year away from cap room was really intriguing. I think the Knicks are a playoff team right now and I think they’re going to get better and I think a year from now they’ll have a chance to make a real splash in free agency. The basketball situation, particularly being aligned with Phil, was very intriguing actually. It much more came down to lifestyle and family and the established roster here. On the flip side, we’re in the West. (He laughs) That was a negative. But can’t do much about that.”
On how close he was to coaching the Knicks:
“I came close. It was very difficult to turn down. Agonizing. I actually at one point told Phil I was going to come, without knowing anything about contracts and without really talking in detail about certain circumstances. At one point I told him, “I’m coming,” but the caveat that we need to hash the rest of this out. And that’s when the Golden State job opened up and that’s when they were able to contact me and I was able to explore it. The timing was weird.”
On if Phil Jackson was disappointed in Kerr heading to the Warriors:
“He [Jackson] understood. In fact, he said, ‘If you had come here and regretted it, it would have been the worst thing for both of us.’ That’s why Phil’s Phil. He understands people. In hindsight, it probably would have been best not committing, not saying anything, just saying, Look, I need to talk to Golden State. But the timing was an issue on both ends. It was very tricky. Anyway, it all worked out. I think the Knicks ended up with a great coach and Derek (Fisher) and Phil will do well together and I’m happy to be here with (general manager) Bob (Myers) and the team.”
Eastern Notes: Anthony, Nets Sale, Heat
Carmelo Anthony said that the players and the league should prepare themselves for another lockout in 2017, and if it indeed comes to that, he doesn’t think the owners can complain about losing money this time around, writes Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com. “I think we have to prepare for a work stoppage,” Anthony said. “And that’s the worst-case scenario at this point in time. So I think guys should start preparing for that now. I don’t think you really have to focus and think about it at this stage. But just keep in the back of your mind that it is a [possibility].”
Here’s more from the east:
- The Nets are currently reviewing “multiple” proposals from the Guggenheim Group despite the reports that the potential sale of the franchise was in jeopardy, Mitch Abramson of The New York Daily News reports. A source with knowledge of the negotiations told Abramson, “Negotiations are taking a cooling off period since they’ve been played out in the media but there have been proposals to the Nets and they’re still being considered. Because of the amount of media attention, there’s a calming off period that’s going on but interest still remains by both parties and yes there was a proposal – multiple proposals – that were given to the Nets that are still being considered.”
- With the 2014 draft class having been hyped as one of the best in years, the focus will now be on how the rookies perform under the spotlight of the NBA regular season. Joel Brigham of Basketball Insiders runs down five “under-the-radar” rookies to watch for, including Nikola Mirotic (Bulls); Cleanthony Early (Knicks); and K.J. McDaniels (Sixers).
- When the Heat face off with LeBron James and the Cavs in Rio tomorrow, the main focus for Miami will be on speeding up the rebuilding process, not on James being in a different uniform, Tales Azzoni of The Associated Press writes. “We are trying to understand that we are behind the eight ball because we’ve got 13 new guys,” Dwyane Wade said. “We’ve only been together for 10 days on the basketball floor. We’ve got to all understand that we’ve got to have patience, because the last two years just happened, we had the same team and it just happened. But now this is not that kind of team, so we all have to have patience and understand that it’s a process.”
Poll: Who Will Win The Southwest Division?
The 2014/15 NBA regular season doesn’t officially begin until Tuesday October 28th, when the will Spurs raise another Championship banner to the rafters, and host the rival Mavericks. This is the time of year when most fans can still have hope, and every team is still undefeated. It’s also the time of year for predictions to start rolling in on how the upcoming season will play out. Today we’ll be seeing who you folks think will win the Southwest Division. Let’s take a quick look at the possible contenders…
Note: All projected starters taken from the respective team pages at ESPN.com.
Houston Rockets
The Rockets had as difficult an offseason as any team in the league. GM Daryl Morey attempted to add a third star to the roster but came up short in his overtures to Chris Bosh and Carmelo Anthony. But it’s not so much who they didn’t get that will make it difficult to equal last season’s 54-28 mark, but rather who the team lost.
In his attempt to clear cap room to sign Bosh, Morey dealt away Jeremy Lin and Omer Asik. While it can be argued that neither of those two were performing up to their contracts, both provided Houston with some needed depth, and if Howard has any injury woes this season, Asik will be especially missed.
The franchise also chose not to match the offer sheet that Chandler Parsons inked with the rival Mavericks. Acquring Trevor Ariza will ease the sting of that loss somewhat, as both players’ statistical production was remarkably similar last year. Ariza did shoot three-pointers at a higher percentage than Parsons (40.7% for Ariza, 37% for Parsons), and he is also a better defender, and Houston has certainly had room for improvement on defense. But Parsons has a higher upside than Ariza, and also had his numbers impacted by being the third option behind Harden and Howard.
Some regression in the won-loss column is likely for the Rockets this season, especially competing in this difficult division. It also doesn’t help that the Mavs improved as much as they did, and the Pelicans will continue to grow along with Anthony Davis‘ game. With Harden and Howard, the Rockets are top-heavy with talent, but it’s their depth and supporting cast that may let the team down this season.
Projected Starters:
- PG: Patrick Beverley
- SG: James Harden
- SF: Trevor Ariza
- PF: Terrence Jones
- C: Dwight Howard
New Orleans Pelicans
Though the Pelicans finished at the bottom of the division last season, this is definitely a franchise on the rise. If they played in the Eastern Conference they would have an excellent shot at snagging a playoff spot, but in the brutal Western Conference they look to be a year away from breaking through.
Losing Jrue Holiday for all but 34 games certainly put a dent in any chance that New Orleans had at competing for the division crown in 2013/14. Plus, Eric Gordon continued his injury woes, missing 18 contests, and he still hasn’t approached the production he had while with the Clippers. A full season of Holiday and Gordon would go a long way for New Orleans’ chances this coming year.
The brightest spot for Pelicans fans is the presence of Anthony Davis. Davis had an excellent season last year, averaging 20.8 PPG and 10 RPG. But those numbers appear to be just the beginning, and if he can stay healthy, Davis has a chance to climb into the best player in the league discussion. He also had a strong FIBA World Cup, and should carry that momentum into the season. Davis should also benefit from the defensive presence of Omer Asik, which will allow him to focus more energy on scoring. Bad news for stretch-fours tasked with trying to slow down the “Uni-brow.”
My take on the Pelicans is that they’ll show improvement, but not necessarily in the win column this year. The team will be better overall, but the west is just too stacked. New Orleans really should figure out a way to switch to the Eastern Conference. But watch out for them in 2015/16.
Projected Starters:
- PG: Jrue Holiday
- SG: Eric Gordon
- SF: Tyreke Evans
- PF: Anthony Davis
- C: Omer Asik
San Antonio Spurs
The defending champs return with their aging core still intact for another season. Is this the year that “Father Time” and injuries finally catch up with the Spurs? One would have to think they are due for a decline and/or a string of injuries, but the same could have been said for any of the last few seasons. San Antonio has managed to remain one of the best, if not the best, organizations in the league.
The rest of the teams in the division probably need to hope that San Antonio experiences some bad luck. Otherwise, there isn’t much reason to think that the Spurs won’t be at or near the top of the Southwest for another year. Their style of ball doesn’t rely on freakish athleticism, just basketball IQ, which this roster has plenty of.
The two primary factors for the Spurs this year will be the health of Manu Ginobili, who is still recovering from a leg injury he suffered during last year’s playoffs, and the continued development of Kawhi Leonard. Leonard is the future of this franchise, but he also needs to show that his stellar playoff performances weren’t an aberration. He has a wealth of talent, and if Leonard can continue to progress, he may just keep the “old guard” around for a bit longer as San Antonio’s championship window will remain open.
Projected Starters:
- PG: Tony Parker
- SG: Danny Green
- SF: Kawhi Leonard
- PF: Tim Duncan
- C: Tiago Splitter
Dallas Mavericks
No team in the division did more to improve themselves this summer than the Mavs. While I still believe that three years, $46.08MM was an overpay for Chandler Parsons, I can’t deny that he will help this team out quite a bit. With Dirk Nowitzki in his decline phase, Parsons has a chance to get a lot of touches, and he can shine in the Dallas offense. What remains to be seen is how much Parsons benefited from Houston’s offensive system, and if he will feel the pressure trying to justify that large of a contract.
Another major addition is Tyson Chandler making his return to the Lone Star state. Now, this isn’t the same Chandler who departed Dallas as a champion, but he’s still a major upgrade at center. Chandler seems revitalized by his return to Dallas, and this should translate into a strong season from the big man. If he can remain on the court, he’ll anchor the defense, which will need all the help it can get.
The Mavs won 49 games last season, which they will have a chance to improve upon thanks to their new performers. One concern is that despite adding Jameer Nelson, the team isn’t as strong as it needs to be at the point guard position. They will miss Jose Calderon more than they realize, but the Mavs will be a big factor in the divisional race just the same.
Projected Starters:
- PG: Jameer Nelson
- SG: Monta Ellis
- SF: Chandler Parsons
- PF: Dirk Nowitzki
- C: Tyson Chandler
Memphis Grizzlies
The two biggest questions facing the Grizzlies this year are whether Marc Gasol can stay healthy and if this team will be able to create enough offense to be contenders. Gasol missed 23 games last season, and he is the team’s most important player. He needs to remain on the court for the team to make any noise.
As for the offense, Memphis averaged 96.2 PPG, good for only 26th in the league last year. The addition of Vince Carter should help, but he’s more of a part-time contributor at this stage of his career and isn’t a game-changer.
There’s no reason to believe that Memphis won’t be in the playoff hunt this year. They play defense well and control the pace of the game to mask their offensive deficiencies. But with Dallas improved, and New Orleans improving, getting to 50 wins again might be a tough task in this division.
Projected Starters:
- PG: Mike Conley
- SG: Courtney Lee
- SF: Tayshaun Prince
- PF: Zach Randolph
- C: Marc Gasol
And-Ones: Calipari, Kentucky, D-League
Some 90 NBA team employees attended the first day of a weekend combine that University of Kentucky coach John Calipari has arranged for league personnel to observe the team’s prospect-laden roster, notes Adam Zagoria of SNY.tv note (Twitter link). It originally seemed as though Calipari would keep NBA scouts and executives away from his team for most, if not all, of the season following the combine. But, the coach said today that he would only bar access for the next two or three weeks, and he suggested that he may even let a few NBA types in during that window, as Zagoria and SNY.tv colleague Josh Newman relay (Twitter links). As many NBA eyes as possible will focus in on Lexington this year with nine players in the DraftExpress top 50 on the Wildcats roster this year, so while we wait to see how they all perform, here’s more from around the NBA:
- The D-League’s Fort Wayne Mad Ants have reached out to the GMs of the 13 NBA teams with which they’re affiliated to discuss how to manage the odd setup this year, as Mad Ants coach Conner Henry tells Keith Schlosser of Ridiculous Upside.
- Kentucky’s weekend combine is more about advertising for Calipari than for the scouts to take a special look at the Wildcats’ players, Sean Deveney of The Sporting News opines. Scouts get access to practices anyway, but with the cameras rolling Calipari has another chip to use as a recruiter, Deveney notes. “I don’t think any of our people there are necessarily going to learn anything we would not learn in the usual ways,” one NBA GM said. “And I don’t think any of these kids are going to dramatically affect their stock one way or the other.”
- One player whom scouts at Kentucky’s combine are sure to pay extra attention to is freshman big man Karl-Anthony Towns, notes Deveney. “I think you have to watch the way that Towns moves,” one league source told Deveney. “He’s a unique commodity. He is a 7-footer, but he doesn’t play like it, he doesn’t have a lot of thickness and strength. But he isn’t a guy you look at as a project — he is already an NBA-style big man. He can shoot from the perimeter, he is way ahead of the curve on that. He can pass, he sees the floor. These are all the things that we complain about when we see young college kids going to the NBA, that they don’t have these dimensions. This guy has already got that.”
Chuck Myron contributed to this post.
Western Notes: Diaw, ‘Melo, Cuban, Blazers
Boris Diaw‘s contract with the Spurs has some creative additions included in it, Amin Elhassan of ESPN.com notes (Insider subscription required). Diaw’s deal begins at $7.5MM and decreases by $500K during the second and third years, ensuring San Antonio is paying the premium up front, when Diaw’s performance will be at its peak, notes Elhassan. The contract also includes up to $500K in annual bonuses if Diaw meets certain weight requirements throughout the season. Lastly, Elhassan notes that the final year of the deal has a guarantee date of July 15, 2017. This will give the Spurs flexibility to cut Diaw should his performance no longer befit his pay, and the later guarantee date means the Spurs can enter 2017 free agency without needing to make a decision on Diaw’s status. Diaw’s third year is partially guaranteed, notes Elhassan, and has a guarantee date of June 30th, 2016.
Here’s the latest from around the league:
- Carmelo Anthony visited with the Mavs shortly after they acquired former teammate Tyson Chandler, but Chandler tells Michael Lee of The Washington Post that he wasn’t aggressive in his attempts to recruit ‘Melo to Dallas. “It wasn’t strong,” Chandler said. “I didn’t ever think he was coming. I didn’t think Carmelo was ever leaving New York. I talked to him because it wouldn’t be right if I didn’t. But I never thought he was going anywhere. I thought if anywhere he was going it was to the Lakers. But when the Lakers didn’t have a strong enough roster to tempt him.”
- Darius Morris and Diante Garrett joined the Blazers this summer with the understanding that they’d have legitimate chances to making the opening-night roster even though they aren’t among the 15 on the team with fully guaranteed deals, The Oregonian’s Joe Freeman writes. The team would probably waive Victor Claver‘s guaranteed contract if it elected to keep Morris or Garrett, Freeman speculates. Garrett’s $30K partial guarantee gives him a slight edge over Morris, who has no guaranteed money.
- Mark Cuban raised the idea of eliminating guaranteed money from contracts in response to Kevin Durant‘s suggestion that the league abolish maximum salaries, but Durant isn’t on board with the Mavs owner’s idea, observes Tim MacMahon of ESPNDallas.com.
Chuck Myron contributed to this post.
Pelicans Waive Vernon Macklin
FRIDAY, 8:03am: The move is official, the team announced.
THURSDAY, 7:10pm: The Pelicans have indeed placed Macklin on waivers, according to the RealGM transactions log, though the team has yet to make an official announcement.
5:01pm: The Pelicans are waiving Vernon Macklin, Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders reports (Twitter link). Macklin was in training camp on a minimum salary, non-guaranteed deal. This move will leave New Orleans with 18 players on their preseason roster, with 12 players’ contracts being fully guaranteed, and three others possessing partial guarantees.
Macklin faced tough competition trying to secure a regular season roster spot in a crowded Pelicans frontcourt. He was competing for backup minutes with Patric Young, Luke Babbitt, and Darius Miller. Young has a much higher upside than Macklin, and has been showing flashes of talent during training camp, which could have led to the Pelicans deeming Macklin expendable.
The 27-year-old big man out of Florida played in the summer league with the Magic this year, averaging 5.4 PPG and 3.6 RPG in 15.6 minutes per contest. He saw just 5.9 minutes per game in 30 contests during the 2011/12 season with the Pistons, who selected him 52nd overall in 2011.
Eastern Notes: DeRozan, Hornets, Stuckey
DeMar DeRozan may be one of the earliest beneficiaries of the NBA’s new television deal, as Eric Koreen of the National Post points out. DeRozan, who signed what is widely considered a team-friendly $38MM extension in 2012 with the Raptors, can opt out of his contract in the summer of 2016. Koreen adds that even if DeRozan cannot negotiate a maximum-value contract or extension, he is at least likely to double his current $10.1MM salary.
Here’s the latest from the Eastern Conference:
- Hornets head coach Steve Clifford said that the team’s primary focus heading into the offseason was to add three-point shooting, Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer writes. Charlotte inked Lance Stephenson and Marvin Williams to try and fill that need this summer.
- Rodney Stuckey grew tired of the losing culture with the Pistons, Mark Montieth of NBA.com writes. “I don’t like losing,” Stuckey said. “Sometimes in Detroit, we’d be close in a game and be losing and people would be OK with it because it was a close game and we played hard. But we still lost. I don’t accept that. I want to win. That’s where a lot of the conflict came from. I’m a competitor, man. I don’t like losing. I don’t come out here just to get a sweat and lose and be happy. That’s not me. I try to compete each and every night and let the chips fall.” Now that he’s with the Pacers Stuckey has the chance to enter a more stable environment, and even with the loss of Paul George for the season, Stuckey should have the opportunity to play for a winning team, Montieth opines.
- In addition to his mentoring role on the Sixers, Luc Mbah a Moute is looking to improve his game, writes Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer. Pompey suggests Philadelphia could benefit by re-signing Mbah a Moute, who is set to become a free agent after the season, because of his relationship with new teammate Joel Embiid. But for now the forward is keeping his focus on the court. ”My main focus is this season and having a great season as a team and individually.” Mbah a Moute said. “When it comes to the end of the season, we will look to see where we are and make those decisions.”
Chris Crouse contributed to this post.
And-Ones: Butler, Caven, Jefferson, Macklin
Jimmy Butler is focusing on basketball rather than becoming a restricted free agent next summer, writes Nick Friedell of ESPNChicago.com. Friedell adds that Butler may seek more than the $9.7MM annual salary that former Bulls teammate Luol Deng received this offseason from the Heat. When the topic of the new TV deal was broached, Butler deflected the question, saying, “I don’t know nothing about a TV deal. I just know that it’s my contract year, and I got to play well and I want to help us win. That’s all that I know.” Butler will be one of the first players to sign a deal in the new cap era, Friedell notes.
Here’s more from around the league:
- The contracts of D.J. Mbenga (Knicks), Jason Kapono (Warriors), and Yuki Togashi (Mavs) are all non-guaranteed, minimum salary camp deals, Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders reports (Twitter link). Kapono’s deal is for one season, Pincus notes on Golden State’s salary page.
- One of Europe’s top prospects, Joonas Caven, a 6’11” big man from Finland, will enter the NBA D-League Draft this year, according to his agent K.C. Callero, Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress reports (Twitter link). Caven is targeting the 2015 NBA Draft and the D-League will act as a showcase for his talents, notes Carchia.
- The Pelicans waived Vernon Macklin so that he could pursue an opportunity to play in Europe, John Reid of The Times-Picayune reports (Twitter link).
- One of the newest members of the Mavs, Richard Jefferson, accepted a veteran’s minimum deal this offseason, but that doesn’t mean he is willing to settle for a minimal role, writes Tim MacMahon of ESPNDallas.com. MacMahon adds that Jefferson understands that he won’t be a starter but he is determined to find his niche on the team. “I like to believe myself to be an everyday contributor,” said Jefferson. “Whether it works out that way remains to be seen, but my job is just to stay ready.“
Chris Crouse contributed to this post.
Northwest Notes: Nuggets, Jackson, McGary
The NFL is likely to give Nuggets owner Stan Kroenke, who also owns the St. Louis Rams, a 12-month extension on the December 31st deadline by which he must transfer ownership of the Nuggets to his son, Josh, reports Daniel Kaplan of Sports Business Daily (hat tip to Nicki Jhabvala of The Denver Post). Josh Kroenke serves as team president for the Nuggets and is already the team’s representative on the league’s Board of Governors.
Here’s more from the Northwest Division:
- Alonzo Gee and Marcus Williams are playing well and making it tough for the Nuggets to decide whom to carry on opening night, coach Brian Shaw admits, according to Chris Dempsey of The Denver Post. Gee and Williams have non-guaranteed contracts while 15 others have at least partial guarantees on their deals. Dempsey suggests that Gee and Williams are battling Quincy Miller, one of three Nuggets with a partial guarantee, for the final regular season roster spot.
- Thunder rookie Mitch McGary is expected to miss at least five to seven weeks with a fracture in his left foot, Darnell Mayberry of The Oklahoman reports (Twitter link).
- With Reggie Jackson set to become a restricted free agent next summer, the situation reminds many of when the Thunder traded James Harden to the Rockets rather than commit to a max contract. Jeff Caplan of NBA.com believes Eric Bledsoe‘s situation is a better comparison, seeing as neither player had Harden’s track record of performance prior to hitting restricted free agency.
Chuck Myron contributed to this post.
Eastern Notes: LeBron, Caldwell-Pope, Brand
LeBron James and the Heat organization didn’t always see eye to eye, but he doesn’t harbor bitterness toward the team even though he’s entirely comfortable with his choice to head back to the Cavs, writes Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com. His departure from Miami this summer surprised the Heat organization and left his old teammates feeling stung, but it’s a stretch to say there’s true animosity between them and the four-time MVP, as Windhorst explains. Chris Bosh backtracked an earlier claim that he hadn’t spoken to James since he left for Cleveland and said today that they did talk briefly in August, Windhorst notes in a separate piece.
Here’s more from the east:
- Pistons guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope has signed with Rich Paul of Klutch Sports, Brian Windhorst reports (Twitter link). Caldwell-Pope was formerly represented by Thad Foucher of The Wasserman Media Group.
- Veteran forward Elton Brand is entering his 16th season, but he’s not ready to say that this will be his last in the league, Chris Vivlamore of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports (Twitter link). Brand re-signed with the Hawks this summer for one year, $2MM after averaging 5.7 PPG and 4.9 RPG last season. Brand also told Vivlamore (Twitter link) that he talked to “five or six” teams before deciding to return to Atlanta.
- Sixers signees Malcolm Lee and Drew Gordon are on four-year deals that pay the minimum salary each year, reports Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders (Twitter link). They have partial guarantees of $50K and $40K, respectively, for this season, but their money is otherwise non-guaranteed. The Sixers also put a team option on the final season of each of their contracts.
Chuck Myron contributed to this post.