Nets To Hire Mike D’Antoni, Ime Udoka As Assistants
A pair of notable coaches are joining Steve Nash‘s staff in Brooklyn as assistants, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, who reports (via Twitter) that Mike D’Antoni and Ime Udoka are finalizing deals with the Nets.
D’Antoni, who parted ways with the Rockets following the team’s elimination from the postseason in September, ranks 20th among head coaches on the NBA’s all-time list of wins. In addition to coaching the Rockets, he has been on the sidelines for the Lakers, Knicks, Nuggets, and – most notably – the Suns, where he lead two-time MVP Nash to back-to-back appearances in the Western Finals.
By joining the Nets, D’Antoni will reunite with Nash and provide the sort of veteran experience that the first-time head coach could use on his staff.
As for Udoka, he has never been an NBA head coach, but he has proven his bona fides as an assistant, serving on Gregg Popovich‘s staff in San Antonio for seven years before joining the Sixers for the 2019/20 season.
There was a time when it looked like Udoka would receive a shot at a head coaching job this year — he was linked to the Nets, Bulls, Pacers, Knicks, and 76ers jobs, but was passed over in each instance. Now he’ll get the opportunity to work under Nash in Brooklyn, as the Nets – led by a healthy Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving – look to make a deep playoff run in 2021.
Nash’s staff will also include former Nets head coach Jacque Vaughn, who was retained as an assistant after missing out on the permanent coaching job. When word broke that the Nets were retaining Vaughn, Wojnarowski reported that he would be the highest-paid assistant in the NBA — it’s not clear if that’s still the case, but it’s probably safe to assume Brooklyn spared no expense bringing in D’Antoni and Udoka.
Devon Hall Signs With German Team
OCTOBER 30: Brose Bamberg has published a tweet formally welcoming Hall to the team.
OCTOBER 29: Thunder guard Devon Hall is in the process of signing with German club Brose Bamberg, a source tells Emiliano Carchia of Sportando.
Hall, a 2018 second-round pick who was on a two-way deal with the Thunder early in the 2019/20 season, was waived last December, but remained with the team’s G League affiliate, the Oklahoma City Blue. In 30 total NBAGL games (31.4 MPG) this season, he averaged 15.6 PPG, 5.7 RPG, and 4.1 APG on .455/.360/.860 shooting.
Hall then rejoined the Thunder for the NBA’s summer restart, signing as a substitute player after the club had promoted Luguentz Dort to its 15-man roster. He played in six of Oklahoma City’s eight seeding games, though he was inactive for the playoffs. In total, he appeared in 11 NBA games as a rookie, averaging 1.8 PPG and 1.2 APG.
Two players who finished the 2019/20 season under contract with the Thunder have now lined up deals with teams in Europe — Hall follows the lead of Kevin Hervey, who signed with Russian club Lokomotiv Kuban last month.
Atlantic Notes: Hayward, Sixers, Knicks, Nets
Given Gordon Hayward‘s close, long-standing relationship with Celtics head coach Brad Stevens, the veteran forward finds himself in a tricky situation this fall, writes Sean Deveney of Forbes. Hayward may be able to secure a lucrative, longer-term deal if he opts out of his contract with Boston, but in that scenario he’d reward the team’s trust and patience in him by walking away without allowing Stevens and the Celtics to get anything in return.
On the other hand, if Hayward opts into the final year of his contract, the Celtics could turn around and explore the trade market for him, perhaps ultimately sending him to a destination that he wouldn’t have chosen as a free agent. The Celtics and Hayward have “a more personal stake in this than just basketball and money,” according to Deveney, who suggests that history will complicate both sides’ decisions.
Here’s more from around the Atlantic:
- Within his story on the Sixers‘ hiring of Daryl Morey, Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer says executives around the NBA would be shocked if the team breaks up the Joel Embiid/Ben Simmons duo during the coming offseason or the 2020/21 season. That lines up with what Elton Brand said publicly over the summer, and it sounds like Morey’s arrival won’t change that.
- The Knicks, who recently worked out Kira Lewis Jr., are seriously considering the former Alabama guard, according to Marc Berman of The New York Post. However, Berman says it’s not clear whether Lewis would receive serious consideration at No. 8 or if he’s only an option in the event of a trade down.
- Alex Schiffer and John Hollinger of The Athletic team up to evaluate a few hypothetical trades involving the Nets, including separate proposals in which Brooklyn acquires John Collins, Buddy Hield, and Jrue Holiday, among others.
Draft Rumors: Lewis, Hayes, Nesmith, Okongwu, More
Alabama’s Kira Lewis Jr. is generating some buzz among teams in the top half of the first round, according to Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report, who hears that Lewis has worked out in person for the Magic, Knicks, Pistons, and Bulls within the last week. A previous report indicated that Lewis has had multiple virtual interviews with Phoenix as well.
Pre-draft workouts don’t necessarily count for much in a typical year, when teams bring in dozens of prospects for a closer look for the sake of due diligence. However, Wasserman contends that it’s fair to “read into” those workouts in 2020. Since teams are only permitted to conduct in-person visits with up to 10 players, they generally aren’t wasting their time by meeting with players who aren’t of legitimate interest.
Here’s more on the draft from Wasserman:
- In addition to the Pistons and Knicks, point guard Killian Hayes is also receiving interest from the Hawks and Kings, per Wasserman.
- Sources tell Wasserman that Vanderbilt sharpshooter Aaron Nesmith is drawing interest from late-lottery teams, including the Suns.
- Florida State big man Patrick Williams is among the prospects in play for the Pistons at No. 7, Wasserman writes.
- Serbian forward Aleksej Pokusevski has become a popular draft sleeper and could even come off the board before the 20s, league sources tell Wasserman.
- The Lakers, Bucks, and Sixers are among the teams displaying interest in Stanford’s Tyrell Terry, according to Wasserman.
- There are whispers that Oregon point guard Payton Pritchard has received a promise from a team. While Wasserman has been unable to confirm that promise, he says that Pritchard has many fans in NBA front offices and may be a first-round pick.
- Wasserman’s latest update to his big board at Bleacher Report has Onyeka Okongwu in the top three. A source tells Wasserman that the Wizards are hoping Okongwu falls to them at No. 9 and may look to trade their pick if he’s not available.
Rockets Notes: Harden, Silas, Alston
With Daryl Morey poised to join the Sixers as their new president of basketball operations, there has been plenty of speculation within the last 24 hours about the possibility of Morey getting back in touch with the Rockets to inquire about the possibility about acquiring his longtime superstar James Harden.
While Tim MacMahon of ESPN (Twitter link) says he wouldn’t be surprised if Morey contacts the Rockets this offseason with a proposal involving Harden, he stresses that Houston’s answer will be a “firm no.” MacMahon reiterated this point during an appearance on Brian Windhorst’s Hoop Collective podcast, as RealGM relays.
“I’ve already been told – with a few expletives included – by somebody with the Rockets: ‘No, Daryl, James Harden for Ben Simmons is not happening. Don’t ask,'” MacMahon said.
Here’s more on the Rockets:
- When the Rockets launched their head coaching search, they weren’t necessarily looking for a specific type of coach — they were simply looking for “talent,” according to Kelly Iko and Tim Cato of The Athletic. That’s why the team’s list of rumored targets was made up of a wide variety of candidates, including multiple former head coaches and several – like Stephen Silas – who would be first-timers. Ultimately, the club was won over by Silas’ meticulousness, his thoughtful and detailed answers, and the way he carried himself, per Iko and Cato.
- Former NBA guard Rafer Alston is seriously interested in coaching at the NBA level and is specifically hoping to join the Rockets’ staff, he tells Iko (Twitter link).
- Mavericks head coach Rick Carlisle is losing one of his top assistants in Silas, but he lauded the Rockets for making a “great hire,” as MacMahon tweets. “Stephen did a great job for us here in Dallas helping us get back to the playoffs,” Carlisle said. “(I’m) thrilled for him and his family.”
- In case you missed it within our story on Silas’ hiring from Wednesday, the Rockets have reportedly talked to Jeff Hornacek and Nate McMillan about the possibility of joining their coaching staff as assistants.
Timberwolves Met With LaMelo Ball
The Timberwolves, who hold the No. 1 overall selection in this year’s draft, met with potential top pick LaMelo Ball on Tuesday in Southern California, according to Jonathan Givony of ESPN.
While the meeting provided the Timberwolves – including president of basketball operations Gersson Rosas and head coach Ryan Saunders – an opportunity to interview Ball in person, no basketball activities were conducted as part of the visit, a source tells Givony.
[RELATED: Wolves’ Gupta On Draft: “We’re Ready To Pick”]
Ball confirmed earlier this month that he conducted virtual interviews earlier this year with the Warriors and Knicks. However, his Tuesday meeting with the Timberwolves is the first time he has met with a club in person, per Givony.
According to Givony, Ball is also tentatively scheduled to interview in person with the Warriors early next week, and will likely meet with the Hornets and Bulls as well. Those clubs hold the second, third, and fourth overall picks in the 2020 draft.
The NBA recently allowed teams to conduct in-person visits with draft-eligible prospects, after having prohibited such meetings for most of the year due to the coronavirus pandemic. Teams are allowed to conduct a total of 10 meetings.
Although a number of clubs are getting a chance to work out prospects during those meetings, it’s not unusual for presumed top picks like Ball to decline to work out, Givony notes. Still, the Wolves and the other teams at the top of the draft are probably disappointed not to get an in-person look at Ball, since he hasn’t played in a competitive game since November 30, 2019, having been sidelined with a foot injury for much of Australia’s NBL season.
And-Ones: McMillan, T. Lewis, J. Jones, Free Agency
After initially planning to sit out the 2020/21 season following his dismissal from the Pacers, Nate McMillan has had an apparent change of heart, writes Scott Agness of Fieldhouse Files. Sources tell Agness that McMillan is hoping to be on an NBA coaching staff next season and has already heard from several teams.
While we don’t know all the clubs McMillan has talked to, it’s safe to assume Houston is one. After word broke on Wednesday that the Rockets were hiring Stephen Silas as their head coach, a report indicated that the team was looking to add a couple former head coaches – including McMillan – to Silas’ new staff.
Here are more odds and ends from around the basketball world:
- In international basketball news, former Salt Lake City Stars guard Trey Lewis is signing with Israeli team Maccabi Rishon, per JD Shaw of Hoops Rumors (Twitter link), while former Capital City Go Go wing Jalen Jones is joining Italy’s Pallacanestro Varese, as Emiliano Carchia of Sportando relays. Lewis was in camp with the Jazz in 2018, while Jones appeared in 32 NBA games with three teams from 2017-19.
- Earlier this week, the NBA sent teams its proposed game presentation protocols for 2020/21, assuming that few – or no – fans are permitted in arenas, per Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link). Those protocols would include enhanced theatrical lighting and pre-recorded arena noise (possibly from NBA 2K).
- In an Insider-only article for ESPN.com, Bobby Marks estimates the starting salaries for this year’s free agents, including Fred VanVleet ($18-20MM), Joe Harris ($14-16MM), and Danilo Gallinari ($14-16MM), among many others.
- With an apparent divide between the NBA and NBPA on whether to start the season on December 22 and January 18, Ethan Strauss of The Athletic wonders if a staggered start that allows some well-rested teams to headline the Christmas Day slate might be a good compromise.
Malik Beasley Faces Two Felony Charges
Timberwolves swingman Malik Beasley faces a pair of felony charges related to his late-September arrest, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic, who tweets that Beasley is being charged with fifth-degree drug possession and threats of violence.
As Darren Wolfson of 5 Eyewitness News relays, the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office issued a press release detailing the charges against Beasley and providing more details about the September 26 incident. According to the release, a family alleged that Beasley pointed an assault rifle at them when they were on the road outside his home:
“They stated they were on a Parade of Homes tour with their 13-year-old, when they pulled up to the roped-off residence, assumed it was closed, and decided to look for another home to view, the complaint says. The victims at the time were on the shoulder of the road in front of the roped-off house.
“The complaint continues, saying that the victims heard a tapping on the (vehicle’s) window and saw Beasley pointing the firearm at them, telling them to get off his property. The victims got back onto the road and saw Beasley pointing the rifle at them as they drove off.”
After obtaining a search warrant for Beasley’s home, officers found three firearms – including one matching the description of the assault rifle – and more than 835 grams of marijuana, according to the statement from the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office.
Paul Walsh of The Star Tribune provided some additional details on the charges and allegations against Beasley.
“We are cooperating with the law enforcement investigation and will carefully review the discovery and charges in the coming days,” Beasley’s lawyers, Steve Haney and Ryan Pacyga, said in a joint statement, per Charania.
Beasley, who was traded from Denver to Minnesota at the February trade deadline, finished strong, averaging a career-best 20.7 PPG and shooting 42.6% on three-pointers in 14 games with the Timberwolves. He’ll be a restricted free agent this offseason and the team has suggested it plans to re-sign him, as executive VP Sachin Gupta reiterated on Wednesday.
“Essentially we’re not going to be a real big player in terms of cap room,” Gupta said when asked about the team’s cap situation, per Chris Hine of The Star Tribune. “But we do have plenty of room below the tax. We’ve got our own free agents with Malik and Juancho (Hernangomez) so with the Bird rights we’ll be able to re-sign those guys, and now with a No. 1 pick, that’s a bigger salary slot than maybe we would’ve expected prior to the lottery. … But we still feel good about having plenty of room below the tax to bring those guys back and also add in free agency as well.”
Knicks Open To Using Cap Room To Take On Unwanted Contracts
As one of a small handful of NBA teams projected to have significant cap room this fall, the Knicks are in position to make a splash on the free agent market. However, the club is also open to using its cap space to take on other teams’ unwanted contracts in trades, according to Ian Begley of SNY.tv.
Since the Knicks have so many players with options or non-guaranteed salaries for 2020/21, it remains to be seen exactly how much cap space they’ll have. Begley suggests the number could exceed $60MM, but that seems unrealistic to me. Something in the $25-40MM range should be doable though, and that would give New York more flexibility this fall than all but one or two other franchises.
Teams willing to accommodate other clubs’ “salary dumps” are generally rewarded with draft picks or young players. Last summer, for instance, the Clippers got a first-round pick for taking on Maurice Harkless; the Grizzlies got one for absorbing Andre Iguodala‘s $17MM+ salary; and the Hawks got a pair of first-rounders for taking Allen Crabbe and sending Taurean Prince to Brooklyn.
The Knicks didn’t take advantage of those opportunities in 2019, opting instead to use their space on second- and third-tier free agent signings. However, Leon Rose has since replaced Steve Mills as the head of basketball operations. And in 2020, there may be even more opportunities for Rose and the Knicks to take on undesirable contracts — if the tax line remains unchanged at $132.6MM, several clubs that didn’t expect to be taxpayers will be near or over that threshold and may be looking to shed salary.
In addition to their own future first-round picks, the Knicks also control the Clippers’ 2020 pick and a pair of future Mavs’ first-rounders. Accommodating a salary dump or two would allow New York to continue stockpiling draft assets and could give the team extra ammunition to eventually put together a trade package for a star.
Bucks, Pacers Have Reportedly Discussed Victor Oladipo
The Pacers have talked to the Bucks about a trade involving Victor Oladipo, league sources tell Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer. However, O’Connor cautions that at this point a deal seems unlikely.
Oladipo, who is entering a contract year, has become a frequent subject of trade speculation in recent months, since it’s unclear whether he’ll remain in Indiana beyond his current contract. A report earlier this week suggested the two-time All-Star likes playing with the Pacers and would be happy to sign a big new deal with the team, but an earlier story had indicated he may be “looking to move on” from Indiana.
The Bucks, meanwhile, will be seeking out roster upgrades this offseason as they attempt to boost their title chances following a disappointing second-round playoff exit and convince Giannis Antetokounmpo to sign a long-term contract with the franchise. Chris Paul has been mentioned as one possible target for Milwaukee, though a September report stated that the club is “highly unlikely” to aggressively pursue the veteran point guard.
While Oladipo would be an intriguing addition to an already formidable Bucks defense, his offsensive game didn’t look quite right in 2019/20 as he returned from the quad tendon injury that sidelined him for a full year. If he could recapture his form from the previous two seasons – when he averaged 21.7 PPG and 4.6 APG on .461/.362/.780 shooting – he may be just the sort of play-maker, scorer, and shooter that Milwaukee needs in its backcourt.
Any Bucks offer for Oladipo would probably have to start with point guard Eric Bledsoe for salary-matching purposes and would likely see the Pacers’ 2020 first-round pick returned to Indiana. I imagine the Pacers would seek another future first-round pick or other additional assets for Oladipo, while the Bucks may be reluctant to go all-in on a player who didn’t look fully healthy in ’19/20.
The Pacers and Bucks, two Central rivals, did come together last year to complete a sign-and-trade involving Malcolm Brogdon, so respective heads of basketball operations Kevin Pritchard and Jon Horst have worked with one another before.