Western Notes: Jackson, Curry, Sterling
With the Warriors being eliminated from the playoffs last night, speculation about coach Mark Jackson‘s job status has begun. In regards to his future, Jackson said, “I don’t get caught up in it. I have total confidence and total faith that I will be fine even if I’m a full time pastor,” tweets Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports.
More from the west:
- Stephen Curry weighed in on Jackson, saying, “I love coach more than anybody. For his job us under scrutiny and question is unfair. It would certainly be a shock to me,” tweets Spears.
- Curry also said, “He [Jackson] deserves to be our coach next year,” notes Spears (Twitter link).
- A league source told Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports (Twitter link) that Jackson doesn’t have one Golden State front office ally who’ll make a case to ownership to keep him. “He’s on an island,” the source said.
- The Donald Sterling situation proves that no words are private anymore, writes Mitch Albom of The Detroit Free Press. Albom’s article examines the legality of the recording as well as what this means for NBA owners in the future.
Western Notes: Sterling, Owners, Lakers
Donald Sterling has kept a low profile since NBA commissioner Adam Silver banned him for life and fined him $2.5MM on Tuesday. Sterling broke his silence in an interview with DuJour.com, saying, “I wish I had just paid her [V. Stiviano] off.” Stiviano, in an interview with ABC’s Barbara Walters, characterized Sterling’s current state of mind as “confused,” adding, “I think he feels very alone, not truly supported by those around him. Tormented, emotionally traumatized” (link via ESPN.com).
More from out west:
- On Friday morning, Clippers coach Doc Rivers met with team employees who were still upset and angry several days after Sterling was banned for life from the NBA, writes Greg Beachum of The Associated Press. According to the article, Rivers said employees on the team’s business side considered not working for the franchise after Sterling’s racist comments were exposed. Rivers also was quoted as saying, “What I witnessed today, you realize this thing has touched a lot of people. The people that didn’t do anything are being harmed by this, and I wish we could find the right solution, and I don’t have it.”
- Bernard James, the player representative for the Mavericks, hopes the NBA forces Sterling to sell the team, but he also thinks the owners are on a “slippery slope,” writes Dwain Price of The Fort Worth Star-Telegram. James said, “I’m sure morally, most of them don’t agree with what Sterling said. But them voting for him to lose his team is hard for a lot of owners. And a lot of them are scared that maybe if I (the owner) do something, or I mess up or say something, or be caught on video doing something I shouldn’t be doing, if it comes to a vote they could take my team. And this would set a precedent for it.’’
- The Lakers search for a new head coach just adds to the uncertainty about the franchise’s future, writes Mark Lamport-Stokes of The New York Times. This is in addition to 12 of the 15 players on the roster expected to become free agents this summer, notes Lamport-Stokes.
And-Ones: Parsons, Bulls, Kerr, Noah
The Rockets have a difficult decision to make with Chandler Parsons this summer. They could exercise their team option for $964,750, but that would make him an unrestricted free agent in 2015. If they decline the option, Parsons becomes a restricted free agent this summer which would surely result in a hefty pay increase for the third-year forward, or the team could lose him if they choose not to match any offers he receives. Brian Schmitz of The Orlando Sentinel believes the Magic should explore acquiring Parsons, who might be available thanks to the Rockets cap situation. Parsons averaged 16.6 PPG, 5.5 RPG, and 4.0 APG this season.
More from around the league:
- Dan McGrath of The Chicago Sun-Times believes there is only so far the Bulls can go without top-tier talent, and opines that the team needs to go after Carmelo Anthony this summer to have a shot at contending.
- Joakim Noah underwent successful arthroscopic surgery on his left knee and faces 8-12 weeks of rehab, reports Ken Berger of CBSSports.com (Twitter link).
- Steve Kerr is likely making his final broadcast for TNT on Saturday night when he announces Game 7 of the Grizzlies-Thunder series, writes Marc Berman of The New York Post. According to an NBA source, Kerr likely will make his final decision on accepting the Knicks head coaching job soon after the weekend, notes Berman. The only thing that could hold up the decision, according to the article, is if the Warriors lose their first-round series and coach Mark Jackson is fired. Kerr would be a favorite for that position if it were available.
Poll: Best Lakers Coaching Candidate?
The resignation of Lakers head coach Mike D’Antoni this week has opened up a floodgate of rumors as to who the team will target as their next coach. D’Antoni, who was hired by the Lakers to replace Mike Brown on November 12, 2012, had a 67-87 record in his two seasons with the team. The primary reason for his resignation was the Lakers refusal to provide assurances they would exercise his team option for the 2015/2016 season. D’Antoni had concerns about having a “lame duck” status next season.
The Lakers are going after marquee names and want to “make a splash” with their next coaching hire, with Connecticut’s Kevin Ollie and Kentucky’s John Calipari at the forefront, reported Marc Stein and Ramona Shelburne of ESPN.com. The team still plans to reach out to Calipari even though he denied interest in the vacancy on Thursday. The Lakers intend to hold back and focus on the draft and free agency while they gauge the coaching market, Stein and Shelburne write.
The Lakers are also considering holding off on a decision in case a high-profile free agent indicates he wants to join the team, sources told Stein and Shelburne. In that instance, the free agent would be able to influence the team’s choice of coaches.
There are plenty of other names that have been mentioned to be possible targets for the team. Here’s a quick rundown of the main candidates that the Lakers might take a look at:
- Kevin Ollie: Ollie is open to hearing from the Lakers, but is very committed to UConn, a person familiar with Ollie’s thinking said, writes Mark Medina of Los Angeles Daily News. Ollie is a hot name amongst NBA teams right now, and beyond his ability as a coach, he reportedly has a strong relationship with Kevin Durant, and that could be a boon in attempting to lure Durant to Los Angeles when he becomes a free agent in 2016. In two seasons at UConn, Ollie’s record is 52-18, including winning the NCAA Championship this past season.
- George Karl: Karl has been out of coaching since the 2012/13 season. He was let go by the Nuggets after winning Coach of the Year honors that year. He would certainly qualify as a big name coach and would most likely meet with the approval of Kobe Bryant. Karl’s lifetime record is 1131-756.
- Jeff Van Gundy: Van Gundy hasn’t coached since the 2006/07 season when he led the Rockets to a 52-30 record. His career numbers are 430-318. It isn’t known if Van Gundy is interested in the job as he has made it known that he is happy as a broadcaster.
- John Calipari: Calipari has already stated via his own Twitter account that he wasn’t interested in the position and would be staying at Kenucky. “Before it starts, I’m totally committed to helping this group of young men reach their dreams,” Calipari wrote. “I wouldn’t and couldn’t leave this group!” But Nina Mandell of USA Today Sports noted earlier that Calipari accepted the Kentucky job after proclaiming his plans to stay put at Memphis. Calipari previously coached the Nets for 2+ seasons and had an overall record of 72-112.
- Byron Scott: Scott, in an interview with Time Warner Cable Sports Net, confirmed a report that he’s interested in the job (video link). He’s also a favorite of the Buss family, Bleacher Report’s Kevin Ding noted. In 13 seasons as a head coach, Scott has a record of 416-521. He last coached the Cavaliers during the 2012/13 season, leading the team to a 24-58 record before being fired.
- Kurt Rambis: Rambis wouldn’t necessarily be the “big splash” that the team was reportedly looking to make, but his ties to the organization and desire to become a head coach again make him someone that will get some consideration. Rambis coached the Lakers during the 1998/99 season, and had a record of 24-13. He also coached the Timberwolves from 2009/10 to 2010/11. His lifetime record as a coach is 56-145.
- Steve Kerr: Ben Higgins of San Diego’s Channel 10 News (Twitter link) reported that Kerr said he would be interested in speaking to the team about the now vacant position. Kerr has repeatedly been liked to the Knicks since Phil Jackson was hired. Multiple reports suggested that Kerr would prefer to work for a team on the West Coast, but more recently Lute Olson, Kerr’s college coach, said that he didn’t believe that was the case. Marc Berman of the New York Post noted that the Lakers don’t view Kerr as a candidate for their coaching vacancy, believing he’s too far along in his negotiations with New York.
- Derek Fisher: Stein and Shelburne have noted that the Lakers are also considering Fisher, for whom the job reportedly holds “tremendous appeal.” Fisher has made it known that he is interested in pursuing position as an NBA front-office executive after he retires, but Fisher has previously stated that he had no interest in coaching, so it’s unknown if he would have a change of heart.
Chuck Myron contributed to this post.
And-Ones: O’Neal, Sterling, Jackson
Jonathan Abrams of Grantland examines the resurgence of Jermaine O’Neal with the Warriors. O’Neal feels like his years with the Celtics were lost seasons, per the article. O’Neal said, “Those two years [in Boston] were very difficult for me, because not only did I feel like I was wearing down physically, I was wearing down mentally. That was the first time in my life I felt myself starting to break away a little bit.”
More from around the league:
- With Clippers owner Donald Sterling’s recent lifetime ban being announced, the legal battle will now begin. In an article by Mark Medina of The Los Angeles Daily News, legal and business experts from USC analyze the situation involving the possibility of the league forcing Sterling to sell the team.
- Tim Kawakami of the Bay Area News Group examines some of the issues that have arisen between the Warriors front office and coach Mark Jackson.
- Nine NBA teams — the Spurs, Clippers, Bucks, Heat, Lakers, Hawks, Bobcats, Suns, and Rockets — sent personnel to Spain recently to scout point guard Guillem Vives and center Walter Tavares, reports David Sardinero of Kia en Zona (translation by Jorge Sierra of HoopsHype). Both will be in this year’s draft.
- Chad Ford of ESPN.com (Insider subscription required) has released his most recent Big Board rankings for the upcoming NBA Draft.
- The Bobcats announced (Twitter link) that Josh McRoberts’ surgery to remove bone spurs from his left big toe was successful. Roberts won’t be able to do any basketball related activity for a minimum of four weeks.
- Mike Bianchi of The Orlando Sentinel examines if Magic owner Rich DeVos might be the next one Adam Silver will target for inappropriate comments. DeVos is alleged to have made anti-gay comments in the past.
Lakers Notes: D’Antoni, Kerr, Coaching Search
With the big news of the resignation of Lakers coach Mike D’Antoni, the rumors are already beginning as to who his replacement will be. Ben Higgins of San Diego’s Channel 10 News (Twitter link) is reporting that Steve Kerr said he would be interested in speaking to the team about the now vacant position.
More from Los Angeles:
- Stan Van Gundy is not expected to pursue the Lakers head coaching position, reports Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports (Twitter link).
- Former Lakers great James Worthy will represent the team during the May 20th NBA Draft lottery, reports Mike Bresnahan of The Los Angeles Times.
- The Lakers will most likely look to hire either a high-salaried big-name coach or an NBA assistant with upside, tweets Bresnahan.
- A potential coaching candidate that team management and Kobe Bryant share a fondness for is Ettore Messina, reports Adrian Wojnarowksi of Yahoo! Sports (Twitter link). Messina impressed them while working as an assistant under former coach Mike Brown, Wojnarowski notes.
- Wojnarowski also tweets that another possibility could be UConn coach Kevin Ollie.
- Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio (Twitter link) reports that Byron Scott has strong interest in the Lakers head coaching position, and that he is on the team’s radar as a potential candidate.
Mike D’Antoni Resigns As Lakers Coach
8:55pm: Mike Bresnahan of The Los Angeles Times (Twitter link) reports that D’Antoni will receive an undisclosed portion of the $4MM he was set to earn next season as part of his resignation.
8:21pm: Mike D’Antoni has resigned as coach of the Lakers, reports Ramona Shelburne of ESPNLosAngeles.com (Twitter link). D’Antoni had been having discussions with GM Mitch Kupchak over the phone in regards to his future, writes Mark Medina of The Los Angeles Daily News. These talks were also scheduled to continue on Thursday, prior to his resignation. Although no timetable has been established, the search for a replacement will begin immediately.
The Lakers have confirmed the news on their website. Kupchak said, “Given the circumstances, I don’t know that anybody could have done a better job than Mike did the past two seasons. On behalf of the Lakers, we thank Mike for the work ethic, professionalism and positive attitude that he brought to the team every day. We wish him the best of luck.”
Medina reports (Twitter link) that D’Antoni’s agent Warren Legarie said D’Antoni hit an “insurmountable impasse” with Lakers refusing to provide assurances they will exercise his team option for the 2015/2016 season. D’Antoni had concerns about having a “lame duck” status next season.
D’Antoni, who was hired by the Lakers to replace Mike Brown on November 12, 2012, had a 67-87 record in his two seasons with the team. He previously was head coach of the Nuggets, Suns and Knicks, and has a career record of 455-426.
Bulls Notes: Rose, Boozer, Offseason
Tom Thibodeau said that Derrick Rose has begun taking contact in practice, reports Nick Friedell of ESPNChicago.com. Thibodeau noted that there is no doubt that Rose will return to his old form. According to the article, Thibodeau said, “It was good. He’s right on schedule. So this is the next phase now. The rehab part went well. The non-contact stuff went well. So now this is the next step which is good.” The Bulls are optimistic that Rose will be able to participate in Team USA’s training camp this summer in advance of the World Cup of Basketball in Spain, per Friedell.
More from the windy city:
- It was rumored earlier that the Bulls would likely attempt to trade Carlos Boozer this summer. Boozer weighed in, saying, “I would love to be back in a Bulls uniform. We have a team that I don’t feel has reached our potential, mostly due to injuries,” tweets K.C. Johnson of The Chicago Tribune.
- Johnson also notes that Boozer told him that Bulls management said that they haven’t decided on his future, and they lauded him for his professionalism while dealing with reduced playing time (Twitter link).
- In a separate article, Johnson examines Boozer’s future more in depth.
- The team will only look to re-sign one of either D.J. Augustin or Kirk Hinrich, writes Johnson. Both players are unrestricted free agents.
- The Associated Press looks at Rose’s recovery progress, the Bulls’ offseason ahead, and what roster moves the team might make.
Bobcats Notes: Free Agents, McRoberts, Hornets
Bobcats head coach Steve Clifford believes that three factors decide where free agents will sign, writes Rick Bonnell of The Charlotte Observer. Clifford said they were, “Money, of course… Who you play with… And can I win?” Charlotte, Clifford notes, comes out well in all those areas. The team could have up to $19MM in salary-cap space this summer, a good locker room atmosphere, and their improvement from 21 victories in 2012/13 to 43 this season shows a franchise on the upswing, per the article.
More out of Charlotte:
- Clifford doubled down on his support for the return of soon-to-be free agent Josh McRoberts, saying the team needs him back, Bonnell notes (on Twitter).
- Bonnell also tweets that president of basketball operations Rod Higgins said that improving the team’s perimeter shooting will be a priority this offseason.
- We won’t be referring to the team as the Bobcats for much longer, tweets Bonnell. The nickname change back to the Hornets will become official in a “couple of weeks,” Bobcats spokesman Mike Cristaldi said, per Bonnell.
Prospect Profile: Jerami Grant
Syracuse sophomore forward Jerami Grant, the son of former NBA forward Harvey Grant, announced his intention to enter the 2014 NBA Draft. Grant said, “After extensive discussions with my family and coaches, I have decided to pursue my dream of playing professional basketball and enter the 2014 NBA Draft. I am so thankful to coach [Jim] Boeheim and the rest of the Orange coaching staff for guiding me throughout my college career, and am grateful to my teammates for two incredible seasons. I am excited to start my journey in the NBA, but I also look forward to finishing my college degree. I cannot thank my coaches, teammates and the entire Orange community enough for all of their support.”
Draft experts see Grant as a mid-to-late first round pick. In current mock drafts, DraftExpress has him going 19th, CBSSports.com puts him 16th, NBA Draft.net ranks him 20th, and Bleacher Report places him 19th, and Chad Ford of ESPN.com ranks Grant 21st on his Big Board.
Grant started 20 of 32 games for the Orange during his second season. He averaged 12.1 PPG, 6.8 RPG, 1.4 APG, and 0.8 SPG in 31.4 minutes per game. His slash line was .496/.000/.674. His career numbers were 7.5 PPG, 4.7 RPG, and 0.9 APG in 21.9 minutes per contest. His career slash line was .486/.300/.641.
At this stage of his development Grant is unpolished as a player but has a high upside athletically. One of the first issues affecting his draft stock is that he doesn’t have a clearly defined NBA position, and can be categorized as a tweener. His size (6’8″) and defensive skills suggest his best fit is as a small forward, but his ball-handling and shooting touch limit him offensively. Without a solid post game and possessing a slender frame, it is unknown if he can hold up as an undersized everyday power forward. Grant does have a 7’2″ wingspan, which could help compensate for his size defensively.
“I like his size and length and athletic ability,” a player personnel director for a team in the NBA’s Western Conference said to Mike Waters of The Post-Standard. “He needs to show that he can handle the ball on the perimeter and shoot the ball on the perimeter.” Another NBA executive said that Grant should improve his overall game with another year at Syracuse. “I personally think he should stay in school,” an assistant GM for a Western Conference team said to Waters. “He’s got a lot of upside but he’s got a lot of skill development to do. I think he could really improve his draft status by staying in school.”
Offensively, Grant’s value right now is limited to scoring around the rim and in transition. According to DraftExpress, he did most of his damage inside, where his leaping ability and touch helped him be a consistent finisher. Grant also runs the floor well, moves without the ball, and plays off his teammates. He crashes the glass aggressively, and showed excellent ability to attack the rim. Grant shot 57% at the rim in the half court and 68% in transition according to Synergy Sports Technology, which ranked him third among small forward prospects in the top 100.
Outside shooting is the biggest hole in Grant’s game at this stage in his development. He is extremely inconsistent from mid-range to the three-point line. He does not have a soft touch or a great mechanical release on his jump shot. Grant also hasn’t developed a reliable post arsenal or the advance ball-handling ability to help him create his own shot regularly one-on-one against quality defenders.
As a play-maker Grant is a team oriented player who is a willing passer and has shown flashes of being good at finding teammates in good positions to score. He is merely an average ball-handler, though. In the open court Grant can rebound the ball and push it up-court, but he has a lose handle that can be susceptible to turnovers. This season he averaged 1.2 turnovers per game.
Defensively, Grant is very active and avoids overplaying jumpers when closing out on his man. While not statistically a great shot blocker, he does not chase after blocks by leaving his position as many young defenders tend to. Grant has shown the ability to defend multiple positions, and in addition to his skills as a transition scorer, his immediate impact in the league will be felt on the defensive end. His game in this area has been compared to Shawn Marion‘s.
For a young player with limitations, one positive that can be said is that Grant is aware of them, and he doesn’t try and do things outside his skill set. Chad Ford noted this and compared Grant to Detroit’s Josh Smith, saying, “What if [Josh] Smith had just been content doing the things he does well instead of launching ill-advised long 2s and 3s all game? Hawks fans probably stay up late at night wondering that. Well, Grant might be your answer. Like Smith, he’s a freak athlete who has versatile skills. Unlike Smith, he knows he’s not a great 3-point shooter and has taken just five all season.”
Grant is an intriguing prospect from an athletic standpoint. He has more question marks than teams would generally like in a first round selection, but he does have a high upside. Besides Marion, his game has been compared to those of Darius Miles and Anthony Randolph. I don’t see him as a starter, but if he can make the jump from Syracuse’s 2-3 zone to the more man-to-man oriented NBA, he could be valuable off the bench as a defender and a high-energy transition scorer. I definitely see a team selecting him in the first round, but I wouldn’t use a top 20 pick on a tweener with limited offensive skills. I see him going somewhere in the mid-20s.