More Details On Doc Rivers’ Departure From Clippers
Although the Clippers‘ official press release on Doc Rivers‘ exit from the franchise suggested that the split was a mutual decision, people with knowledge of the situation told Dan Woike and Broderick Turner of The Los Angeles Times that Rivers was “surprised to learn” the club wanted to move on.
[RELATED: Doc Rivers Out As Clippers’ Head Coach]
While the coaching change may have come as a surprise, it didn’t come out of nowhere, according to Jovan Buha of The Athletic, who reports that a divide occurred as a result of an “accumulation of philosophical differences” over the years and especially in recent weeks.
According to Buha, Rivers and team owner Steve Ballmer had multiple “candid” discussions following the team’s second-round playoff exit, exploring where things went wrong and comparing their visions of the organization’s future. They ultimately decided that they had differing visions of the path forward, resulting in what Buha refers to as a mutual decision to go their separate ways.
Rivers’ view, per Buha, was that the Clippers’ roster had some flaws and that he had tried the make the best of a less-than-ideal situation. The franchise, meanwhile, viewed the second-round collapse as “inexcusable” and considered Rivers culpable for many of the club’s shortcomings despite the unfavorable and unusual circumstances dictated by the coronavirus pandemic and the Orlando bubble.
Here’s more on the Clippers’ split with Rivers:
- Rivers’ insistence on sticking with a struggling Montrezl Harrell over Ivica Zubac at key moments in the postseason and his reluctance to develop or empower young players during his Clippers tenure were among the factors the team considered when it made its change, according to Buha. Harrell’s energy and effort on the defensive end of the court was questioned both inside and outside the locker room, Buha adds.
- There was a sense that the Clippers played with a “distinct lack of joy and on-court chemistry” this season and that Rivers had a hard time balancing his treatment of new stars Kawhi Leonard and Paul George with that of Clips veterans like Harrell, Lou Williams, and Patrick Beverley, Buha writes. The perception of preferential treatment for Leonard and George was an ongoing issue for multiple Clippers players all year.
- The decision to part ways with Rivers was ultimately Ballmer’s, but the Clippers owner called a few key players, including Leonard and George – to get their opinions, sources told Ramona Shelburne and Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN. None of the feedback Ballmer received changed his mind about the need for a change, and Rivers didn’t feel comfortable staying with the team without Ballmer’s full sport, per ESPN’s duo.
- The Clippers didn’t have a specific replacement in mind when they decided to part with Rivers, and there’s an expectation that the search for a new coach could take several weeks, according to Buha, who says there’s no clear-cut top candidate yet.
- Michael Scotto of HoopsHype spoke to some executives around the NBA about the Rivers news and the most logical candidates to replace him on the Clippers’ bench.
Thunder Promote Rob Hennigan, Will Dawkins, Others
Following the spring departure of vice president of basketball operations Troy Weaver, the Thunder have announced a series of promotions within their front office, including the filling of Weaver’s old role. Those promotions are as follows:
- Rob Hennigan to VP of basketball operations
- Will Dawkins to VP of basketball operations
- Jesse Gould to VP of strategy and analytics
- Wynn Sullivan to VP of strategy and design
- Brandon Barnett to director of player personnel
- Nazr Mohammed to pro personnel evaluator and GM of the Oklahoma City Blue
- Paul Johnson to assistant GM of the OKC Blue
The Thunder also confirmed the previously-reported hiring of former Rivals.com analyst Corey Evans as an amateur scout.
“We are proud of the continued evolution of our Executive Team and the promotions of many long-tenured Thunder team members,” executive VP of basketball operations Sam Presti said in a statement. “These individuals have demonstrated a consistent commitment to our vision for Thunder basketball on and off the floor, and we are grateful for their contributions. The continued leadership development of our entire staff is essential to our focus of sustaining an elite basketball infrastructure.”
The promotions of Hennigan and Dawkins are most notable, as they appear poised to take on more senior positions in the front office following Weaver’s exit. Hennigan is in his second stint with the franchise, having left Oklahoma City to become Orlando’s GM for five years from 2012-17, while Dawkins has risen through OKC’s basketball operations department for over a decade after starting as an intern in 2008.
Mohammed’s new role is also worth noting. The former NBA center first joined Oklahoma City’s front office in December 2017 and has gone through an “extensive post-playing transition program for former players” during his three years as an executive, per today’s announcement from the team.
Rockets Notes: Butler, Coaching Search, Lue, JVG, Cassell
Before he committed to the Heat during last year’s free agency period, Jimmy Butler was a prime target for the Rockets, who attempted to go all-in for him on two separate occasions, as Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle details.
Houston’s first run at Butler came during the 2018/19 league year, when he was being shopped by the Timberwolves. At the time, the Rockets were willing to offer a package that included four first-round picks, but Minnesota ultimately preferred a Philadelphia offer headlined by two affordable veterans who were ready to contribute immediately (Robert Covington and Dario Saric).
Still convinced that Butler could be the player that helped push the team over the top, Rockets GM Daryl Morey was prepared to renew his push for him during 2019’s free agent period. According to Feigen, the club was lining up trades to move Clint Capela and Eric Gordon in order to create the cap flexibility necessary to land Butler. However, despite the fact that he’s from the Houston area and is close with James Harden, Butler decided early in free agency that he wanted to head to Miami, closing the door on the Rockets’ pursuit.
Here’s more on the Rockets, with a focus on their head coaching search:
- While the Rockets have interest in Doc Rivers, they’re also preparing to schedule meetings with several other candidates for their head coaching job. According to Feigen, Houston had planned to begin scheduling those interviews by this Wednesday and Thursday, and the club’s list of candidates is expected to include Tyronn Lue, Jeff Van Gundy, Kenny Atkinson, Wes Unseld Jr., Stephen Silas, and perhaps Sam Cassell.
- Lue and Van Gundy were the first two candidates identified as possibilities for the Clippers, but it sounds like both coaches are high on Houston’s list as well. According to Marc Stein of The New York Times (Twitter links), Morey wanted to hire Van Gundy in 2016 and owner Tilman Fertitta is believed to be a JVG fan, while Lue has also “received support” for the Rockets’ job.
- Kelly Iko of The Athletic explores whether Lue or Cassell would be good fits as the Rockets’ head coach, expressing a belief that Cassell may actually check a lot of the boxes on Houston’s list.
And-Ones: Olympics, Playoff Pay, Coronavirus, J. Young
With the start and end dates for the 2020/21 NBA season still very much up in the air, USA Basketball managing director Jerry Colangelo is having a hard time planning for next year’s Olympics in Tokyo, as Chris Sheridan of BasketballNews.com writes. Colangelo tells Sheridan that Lakers forward LeBron James and other U.S. stars have conveyed interest in participating in those Olympics, but haven’t been able to commit to anything due to the uncertainty of the schedule.
“I was told the NBA season would start in December, and then it was Christmas, and then after January 1, and that keeps pushing the schedule for me,” Colangelo said. “The NBA season typically takes 170 or 171 days to complete, so that creates a conflict on paper.”
The Tokyo Olympics are scheduled to begin on July 23, with qualifying tournaments for the final four spots in the men’s tournament set to tip off on June 29. If the ’20/21 season runs deep into the summer again, it will compromise the availability of NBA players for Team USA and other countries, but Colangelo remains hopeful that many of those players will be able to participate.
“If the (NBA) season conflicts with the Olympics, I might have 14 non-playoff teams to choose from, but then other players will become available as the NBA playoffs progress,” Colangelo told Sheridan. “The problem is that the ICO has a rule mandating an early submission of a 12-man roster. But with a pandemic, the hope would be that you’ve got to set aside outdated rules. I assume people will be reasonable and come up with some kind of a program that works.”
Here are more odds and ends from around the basketball world:
- The winner of the NBA Finals between the Lakers and Heat will earn $5,791,041 of this year’s league-wide playoff pool money, notes Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press. The losing team will divvy up a $4,399,686 share.
- The NBA, which is hoping to play games in teams’ home arenas during the 2020/21 season, sent a 32-page manual to clubs outlining the cleaning and disinfecting protocols to “reset” those arenas, sources tell Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link).
- Former Pacers guard Joe Young is returning to the Chinese Basketball Association for the 2020/21 season, signing a deal with the Beijing Royal Fighers, as Nicola Lupo of Sportando relays. After spending three seasons in Indiana from 2015-18, Young has played for the Nanjing Monkey King in China for the last two years.
Doc Rivers Out As Clippers’ Head Coach
Doc Rivers won’t return next season as head coach of the Clippers, reports ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (via Twitter). The team confirmed the move in a press release, announcing that Clippers owner Steve Ballmer and Rivers reached a mutual decision that the head coach will step down.
Rivers has issued a statement on his Twitter account confirming his exit and thanking “Clipper Nation” for its support.
“When I took this job, my goals were to make this a winning basketball program, a free agent destination, and bring a championship to this organization,” Rivers wrote. “While I was able to accomplish most of my goals, I won’t be able to see them all through. Though it was a disappointing ending to our season, you are right there and I know what this team is capable of accomplishing with your support.”
Rivers, who previously coached in Orlando and Boston, had been the Clippers’ head coach since the 2013/14 season, compiling a 356-208 (.631) record during his seven seasons in Los Angeles. He oversaw multiple iterations of the roster during that stint, starting with a group led by Chris Paul and Blake Griffin, which ultimately transformed into this year’s team led by Kawhi Leonard and Paul George.
During his tenure, Rivers took on responsibilities beyond those of a typical head coach, helping to guide the organization through the transition in ownership from Donald Sterling to Ballmer, then running the basketball operations department until Lawrence Frank was promoted to president of basketball ops in 2017.
The Clippers made the postseason in six of the seven years with Rivers at the helm, falling short of the playoffs just once in 2018. However, the team never advanced past the second round, having been eliminated in the Western Conference Semifinals in 2014, 2015, and 2020. This year’s loss was especially devastating, as the Clips were considered a frontrunner for the title and held a 3-1 lead over Denver before losing their final three games of the season.
Despite that end-of-season collapse, Rivers’ exit comes as a surprise, since he’s well-liked and respected by players around the league, and possesses a championship résumé. He also had two years left on his contract, per Wojnarowski (Twitter link), and his presence in Los Angeles was believed to be a major factor in Leonard’s desire to sign with the Clippers last summer.
Rivers was the NBA’s fifth longest-tenured coach, behind only Gregg Popovich (Spurs), Erik Spoelstra (Heat), Rick Carlisle (Mavericks), and Terry Stotts (Trail Blazers).
It’s unclear what’s next for Rivers, but if he’s interested in pursuing another head coaching job immediately, the teams still in the process of hiring new head coaches should sit up and take notice. The Sixers, Rockets, Pelicans, Pacers, and Thunder make up that group.
As for the Clippers, it will be fascinating to see who replaces Rivers on the team’s bench for the 2020/21 campaign. Assistants Tyronn Lue and Sam Cassell have been linked to other coaching vacancies and may be candidates for promotions, but the franchise figures to be deliberate in its search — with Leonard and George eligible for free agency in 2021, it will be imperative for the Clips to find a head coach capable of connecting with those stars and leading the roster to title contention next season.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Pacers’ Oladipo, Turner Viewed As Offseason Trade Candidates?
Pacers guard Victor Oladipo is “looking to move on” from Indiana this offseason, sources tell Jared Weiss of The Athletic, who writes that Pacers big man Myles Turner is “possibly in the same boat.”
Weiss is a Celtics beat writer and his update on Oladipo and Turner is buried within a piece about Boston’s future and upcoming roster decisions. However, J. Michael of The Indianapolis Star confirms Weiss’ intel, tweeting that – based on conversations he has had – Oladipo and Turner are the two Pacers most likely to be moved before the 2020/21 season begins.
There has been some smoke on the Oladipo front for several months now. A report in the spring indicated that opposing teams were monitoring his situation in Indiana as he prepared to enter a contract year in 2020/21. A series of subsequent stories in July named the Heat as a probable suitor and indicated that the two-time All-Star intends to reach free agency in 2021 rather than signing an early extension with the Pacers.
An Indianapolis Star report at that time suggested that Oladipo’s top two priorities in free agency will be maximizing his earnings and putting himself in position to win championships. Whichever team holds Oladipo’s Bird rights when he reaches free agency will have the ability to offer him the most money and years, so if he’s not confident in the Pacers’ ability to compete for titles over the next several years, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him start pushing for a deal to a preferred destination.
Following the Pacers’ elimination from the postseason in August, Oladipo didn’t suggest in his public comments that he was seeking an exit ramp out of Indiana, but he also didn’t strongly commit to the franchise. His situation will be worth watching closely going forward, especially since the Pacers showed in 2017 with Paul George that they’re not afraid to trade a disgruntled star a year ahead of his free agency.
As for Turner, he has been the subject of trade rumors in the past, since there have long been questions about his positional overlap with fellow big man Domantas Sabonis. Both players are on reasonably team-friendly deals, with Turner locked up through 2023 and Sabonis under contract through 2024. However, Sabonis may have emerged as the Pacers’ preferred long-term building block in 2019/20, as he earned an All-Star berth for the first time.
Indiana has long denied that it wants to break up the Turner/Sabonis frontcourt duo, but many executives around the NBA remain convinced it will happen at some point, and T.J. Warren‘s success as the team’s de facto power forward this summer will only fuel those trade rumors. Moving Turner could help the Pacers acquire a player – or player(s) – who would fit better with their core.
Draft Rumors: Hayes, J. Smith, Ball, Edwards, Krejci
With the NBA’s virtual combine underway, a handful of this year’s top draft-eligible prospects are speaking with reporters today on conference calls and are revealing some information about their pre-draft meetings.
French point guard Killian Hayes, for instance, confirmed that he has interviewed with the Spurs, Wizards, Knicks, Bulls, and Warriors, adding that his agent has told him to expect to come off the board between No. 2 and No. 10 on draft night (Twitter link via Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic).
Maryland big man Jalen Smith told reporters, including Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington (Twitter links), that he has met with the Wizards, Spurs, Raptors, Nets, Suns, and Bulls, among other teams. Smith ranks No. 20 on ESPN’s big board.
Potential No. 1 pick LaMelo Ball was more evasive when asked about his meetings, refusing to name any teams he has talked to except for the Knicks, as K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago tweets. That meeting occurred prior to the lottery, per Steve Popper of Newsday (Twitter link).
While it’s possible Ball has had other meetings with top teams that he declined to mention, Darren Wolfson of 5 Eyewitness News (Twitter link) hears that the guard’s interview with the Timberwolves is still to come. Minnesota, of course, holds the top pick in the draft.
Here’s more on the draft:
- There’s a belief around the NBA that the Timberwolves may make an effort to trade down from No. 1, but if they keep that pick, multiple sources believe they’ll select LaMelo Ball rather than Anthony Edwards, says Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report.
- According to Wasserman, there’s some concern among scouts and executives about Edwards’ professionalism, drive, and desire to win. While the Georgia wing still figures to come off the board early, the likelihood of him falling to No. 3 appears to have increased, Wasserman notes.
- One scout who spoke to Bleacher Report said his team will be putting more stock this year into prospects’ basketball IQ and other intangibles, and Wasserman believes other clubs around the NBA could take a similar approach. Tyrese Haliburton and Isaac Okoro are among the players who could benefit from that trend, Wasserman adds.
- Czech guard Vit Krejci, who is playing for Zaragoza in Spain, has suffered a left ACL injury that will require surgery and is expected to sideline him for the rest of the season, according to the team (hat tip to Sportando). Krejci had declared for the 2020 NBA draft as an early entrant, but could still withdraw his name before the league’s November deadline.
Andre Iguodala Talks Heat, Warriors, Future, More
The Warriors‘ streak of five consecutive appearances in the NBA Finals has come to an end, but Andre Iguodala – now a member of the Heat – is set to extend his streak of Finals appearances to six in a row.
Having spent six years in Golden State and claiming three championships during that time, Iguodala is now part of another winning organization that is vying for its own third title in the last 10 years. Speaking to Sam Amick of The Athletic, the veteran forward suggested that it’s tricky to compare the Heat and Warriors – who operate on different philosophies – and declare that one franchise is “better” than the other.
“It’s just that you can take two different roads to success,” Iguodala said. “At the end of the day, the principles are still the same. You come in, you work hard, the talent is going to take you to the top. That’s sports in general. The most talented teams are going to get there at the end and are probably going to have the best shot.
“Then however you figure out how to bring together everyone, whether it’s through yoga or meditation (with the Warriors) or here where it’s a little bit of a different type of mindset, where it’s that we’re going to get through this pain together and that’s going to get us to the next level,” Iguodala continued. “It’s just different ways of taking that talent to the next level, and both have had success in the ways that they’ve gone about it. There’s a deep appreciation for both.”
Iguodala’s conversation with Amick touched on several other topics, including his role with the NBPA, how he’s coping with life in the Orlando bubble, and what his plans are once his playing days are over. The Q&A is worth checking out in full if you’re an Athletic subscriber, but here are a few of Iguodala’s most interesting comments:
On his perception of the way the game of basketball has evolved:
“As you see in the bubble, there’s more fouls called than ever. They want high scores. I think more guys are put in a box. It’s catch-and-shoot threes, or catch-and-drive real hard to the basket and dunk finish. The little nuances of the game, gamesmanship, it’s not as appreciated or it’s not as sought after or valued as much.
I know a lot of guys in the league, like a Jrue Holiday or an Eric Gordon, they have so much to their game, but the way the game is played now, they’ve taken that out of their games because they said, ‘All right, we want you to shoot 3s. We want you to defend, put your head down and drive.’ And those are two prime examples, where guys are like, ‘Man, this guy was a monster to deal with,’ but the way the game has changed you’re limiting a lot of guys. That’s just the evolution of the game and where it’s going. I think it’ll come back eventually, but like I said, seeing those things I know my value because of my IQ or even at the next level, if I can get to a front office or head a team.”
On whether he’d have interest in coaching after he retires as a player:
“No. No coaching. I won’t rule it out, but I doubt it. I’ve got little kids, and I want to be present for them. But yeah, like I said, there’s so many opportunities, and that’s probably the hardest thing for me, is to decide which one I’m going to go into or could I still be able to juggle these things when I’m done playing. Can I have a role here, or a role here and a role there? That’s a really hard thing to do when you retire because there’s always that saying: Once you’re out the league, they forget about you. You hear about that a lot.
“But I’ve established myself in other things that I have going on, and I’m really looking forward to those things, and I’m still bringing those things into the basketball world as well, bringing a large cohort of players who I’ve grown with and who I have a relationship with, bringing them aboard with me as well in the tech space.”
On whether he’s serious about playing in the NBA until he’s 40:
(Note: Iguodala, 36, has previously spoken about just wanting to play one or two more years, but said earlier in the Q&A Amick that he could easily play until he’s 40.)
“Nah, I won’t play until I’m 40.”
Celtics Notes: Tatum, Draft, Brown, Offseason
The Celtics entered the Eastern Conference Finals as slight favorites to beat Miami, but for the third time in four years, Boston couldn’t get over the hump and advance to the NBA Finals after becoming one of the last two teams standing in the East.
As Bobby Marks details in an Insider-only piece for ESPN.com, the next steps for the Celtics this offseason will be to lock up Jayson Tatum to a maximum-salary rookie extension and to determine how best to upgrade the roster around Tatum and their other core pieces.
According to Marks, determining what to do with their three first-round picks this year also represents a key decision for the Celtics. A year ago, the team used three picks in the top 33 and got mixed results from the trio of Romeo Langford, Grant Williams, and Carsen Edwards. With three of the top 30 selections in the 2020 draft, Boston will have to decide whether to draft three players again, attempt to trade up, or look to turn one or two of those picks into future assets.
Here’s more on the Celtics:
- Asked after Sunday’s loss about the possibility of a rookie scale extension, Tatum deflected the question, indicating that he hasn’t seriously considered the idea yet. “I was just focused on this season,” Tatum said, per Tim Bontemps of ESPN. “The front office and my agent gotta talk about it. But I’m not thinking about that right now. We just lost a series. Just thinking about the guys in the locker room and the games. That’s what I’m thinking about. Stuff like that, going to happen, if it happens, (is) not really my concern.”
- Once his extension goes into effect in 2020/21, Jaylen Brown‘s first-year cap hit will be $23.73MM, notes ESPN’s Bobby Marks (Twitter link). That figure includes a $22.99MM base salary and $744K in likely incentives. Brown can earn further incentives in future seasons on that deal if he achieves certain individual accolades.
- Despite the disappointing end to their playoff run, the 2019/20 season should only serve to fortify the Celtics’ direction going forward, according to Jared Weiss of The Athletic, who says the club still has a very promising future.
Pistons Announce Front Office Additions, Promotions
The Pistons have announced a series of additions to their basketball operations department, confirming a pair of hires that had been previously reported. Here are those new additions and their titles, per the team:
- Harold Ellis, pro personnel evaluator
- Ryan West, pro personnel evaluator
- Britta Brown, senior director of basketball administration
- Tony Leotti, senior director of strategy and systems
- Michael Lindo, director of player and family engagement
The hirings of Ellis and West in the scouting department were first reported last month by The Athletic. Ellis was previously the director of player personnel for the Knicks, while West – the son of NBA legend Jerry West – held the same role with the Lakers up until 2019.
According to the Pistons, Brown will oversee team operations and logistics, assisting in day-to-day management of the department; Leotti will assist the team with salary cap oversight and overall strategy; and Lindo will assist Pistons players and their families off the court.
Detroit also announced a handful of promotions, including Gregg Polinsky to senior director of player personnel, Dan Rosenbaum to senior director of analytics, and Eric Tellem (the son of Pistons vice chairman Arn Tellem) to director of pro scouting.
The front office changes are among the first moves made by new general manager Troy Weaver, who was hired by the Pistons to run the basketball operations department earlier this year.