Nets Reportedly Expected To Pursue Gregg Popovich
With the Nets expected to seek a permanent head coach once their season ends, one long-shot target for the organization appears to be Gregg Popovich, Dan Woike of the Los Angeles Times writes.
While Woike’s report stresses that Popovich departing San Antonio after two decades of excellence is unlikely at best, the Nets figure to take their best shot at landing the legendary head coach. Sources familiar with both the Nets and Spurs expect Brooklyn to explore the possibility, according to Woike.
With the All-Star duo of Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving expected healthy for Brooklyn in 2020/21, a coach of Popovich’s caliber would further legitimize the Nets’ championship aspirations. However, there are many factors not working in Brooklyn’s favor, including Popovich’s lengthy tenure with the Spurs and the fact that he remains under contract for next season.
Popovich, the NBA’s oldest head coach at 71, strongly indicated this week that he would return to the Spurs’ bench for another season in 2020/21.
“Why wouldn’t I?” Popovich asked, per Marc Stein of The New York Times.
“Pop has a job. So, I will say that,” Marks said. “And, obviously, we all know he’s an amazing, amazing coach, and to be quite frank, an even better leader. So, I’ll let Pop continue to coach for the Spurs. He owes it to them and they owe it to him. I’m sure he’s quite happy there.”
Adding a five-time NBA champion coach with the most wins in league history to the sidelines would be a major coup for a Brooklyn team looking for its next leader. At this stage, however, it seems more a case of wishful thinking than a possible reality.
Interim head coach Jacque Vaughn is expected to receive strong consideration for the Nets’ permanent job, with Tyronn Lue, Jason Kidd, Jeff Van Gundy, and Ime Udoka among those who have also been named as possible candidates.
Lue, Kidd Possibilities For Pelicans If Gentry Not Retained
Pelicans head coach Alvin Gentry has just one more year left on his contract, making his future in New Orleans somewhat unclear. In four seasons prior to 2019/20, Gentry has led the Pelicans to just one postseason appearance, a conference semifinals exit at the hands of the Warriors.
If New Orleans decides to move on from Gentry, two candidates the organization may pursue are current Clippers assistant coach Tyronn Lue and current Lakers assistant Jason Kidd, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
As Wojnarowski notes, Pelicans’ executive vice president David Griffin has relationships with both Lue and Kidd from his front office days with the Cavaliers and Suns.
Lue was Cleveland’s head coach during the organization’s championship-winning season in 2016. Griffin spent 17 seasons within the Suns organization, during which time Kidd evolved into one of the NBA’s elites from 1996-01.
NBA Announces Finalists For 2019/20 Awards
The NBA has announced the finalists for several awards as the seeding games on the Orlando campus move forward and the postseason nears. It was announced in July that all awards for the 2019/20 season would be based on games up until March 11, when the coronavirus pandemic shuttered play. Media members made their votes before the seeding games began on July 30.
NBA Most Valuable Player Finalists:
- Giannis Antetokounmpo (Bucks)
- LeBron James (Lakers)
- James Harden (Rockets)
NBA Defensive Player of the Year:
- Giannis Antetokounmpo (Bucks)
- Anthony Davis (Lakers)
- Rudy Gobert (Jazz)
NBA Rookie of the Year:
- Zion Williamson (Pelicans)
- Kendrick Nunn (Heat)
- Ja Morant (Grizzlies)
NBA Most Improved Player:
- Bam Adebayo (Heat)
- Luka Doncic (Mavericks)
- Brandon Ingram (Pelicans)
NBA Sixth Man of the Year:
- Montrezl Harrell (Clippers)
- Dennis Schröder (Thunder)
- Lou Williams (Clippers)
NBA Coach of the Year:
- Mike Budenholzer (Bucks)
- Billy Donovan (Thunder)
- Nick Nurse (Raptors)
The winners for the awards will be announced during the NBA playoffs after the seeding games period concludes on August 14.
Antetokounmpo: Bucks’ Biggest Challenge Is “Ourselves”
The Bucks have split their first four games inside the NBA’s Orlando campus since the seeding games got underway. Milwaukee is looking to build off last season when the eventual NBA champion Raptors bounced the Bucks from the Eastern Conference Finals.
With reigning league MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo in form, the Bucks should have a strong shot at reaching the Finals after coming short last season. As ESPN’s Tim Bontemps writes, Antetokounmpo does not see any single Eastern Conference squad as the ultimate roadblock, viewing the Bucks themselves as the key to determining how long their playoff run will last.
“I think the biggest challenge for us is ourselves,” Antetokounmpo said. “How are we going to play? How hard are we going to play? Are we going to play for one another? Are we going to defend hard? Are we going to be able to rebound the ball? Are we going to be able to make the extra effort? Are we going to dive on the floor?
“It’s all about us. It’s all about us.”
Milwaukee has already shown a resilient attitude, overcoming a 23-point margin against the Heat on Thursday en route to a 130-116 victory. In addition to being an impressive comeback, that win clinched the Bucks the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference.
Moving forward, the Bucks will have teams such as the Heat, Celtics and Raptors on the horizon looking for their own playoff success.
Suns Notes: Playoffs, Layoffs, Ayton, Baynes
The Suns are in the Orlando campus vying for a postseason push, but that possibility remains small. With just a handful of scrimmage games, a lack of key players due to the coronavirus, and a sizeable deficit, Phoenix does not figure to play into the postseason picture.
Duane Rankin of Arizona Central polled several prominent national NBA writers on what they have seen from the Suns and what they expect from their play in Orlando. Most writers agreed on one point: the Devin Booker/Deandre Ayton duo will shine, but the rest of the roster and their contributions remain unknown.
The most reasonable take may have come from The Athletic’s Michael Lee, who sees the Suns’ campus play as a strong build toward the 2020/21 season.
“I think this will bode well for the 2020/21 season more than anything,” Lee said. “They’ll add another draft pick, have a healthy and improving Kelly Oubre, and probably take a more serious approach to the regular season.”
Check out more Suns notes below:
- Amid the sale of the G League Northern Arizona Suns, several employees have been laid off, Rankin writes in a separate piece. While the exact number is not known, nearly 30 employees were reportedly let go, Rankin adds. “We’ve been working on restructuring a number of departments since early this year,” Suns Chief Marketing and Communications Officer, Dean Stoyer told the outlet. “We found that some of the roles were redundant, some roles were outdated and there were some roles impacted for performance reasons.”
- Ayton has been developing a three-point shot throughout his young NBA career but is now feeling comfortable shooting from beyond the arc consistently, ESPN’s Andrew Lopez writes. “I’ve been working on this thing my whole life,” Ayton said. “I could’ve been shooting. It’s just that I’m more comfortable with a system surrounded me to make me shoot the shot.”
- Suns guard Jalen Lecque arrived at the Orlando campus earlier this week but is quarantined while big man Aron Baynes practiced, Suns reporter Gina Mizell relays (Twitter link). Suns coach Monty Williams confirmed that Baynes, who is recovering from COVID-19, will need more time before he’s game-ready, Mizell adds (Twitter link).
Tom Thibodeau Notes: Butler, G League, Knicks
The Knicks officially named Tom Thibodeau the new head coach earlier this week, ending a long search for the next person to hopefully propel New York back into title contention. Thibodeau, a former assistant coach with the Knicks, brings a winning pedigree, evidenced by his strong run as Bulls head coach.
Now that the Knicks’ future is clearer, Thibodeau’s hiring has and will continue to draw analysis and reaction from around the league. Like every coach, Thibodeau has faced his share of criticism while at the head coaching helm with the Bulls and Timberwolves.
Below you can check out some more news and reaction on New York appointing Thibodeau as the one to lead the Knicks into the future.
- Heat All-Star Jimmy Butler, who developed from a bench player into the NBA’s elite, is among those most familiar with Thibodeau. Butler, coached by Thibodeau in Chicago and Minnesota, believes his former coach will help the Knicks. “He’s going to do great. He’s going to turn those young guys into some real players; some superstars, some All-Stars,” Butler said to ESPN’s Nick Friedell (Twitter link). “I know he’s been itching for this. I know he’s been preparing for it. When you talk about Thibs and the big stage, I think they go hand in hand.”
- One policy change under Thibodeau that could change is how the Knicks utilize the G League, Marc Berman of the New York Post writes. During his introductory press conference, Thibodeau said the team would like to have players who are not getting sufficient minutes with the Knicks see more floor time in Westchester with the G League squad. Berman notes that giving underutilized players significant G League minutes was a contentious issue between the former vice president of player development/G-League operations Craig Robinson and GM Scott Perry.
- In an earlier post this week, we relayed some other tidbits on Thibodeau’s hiring, particularly hinting at him being open to changing his coaching style to give ample rest.
Lance Stephenson Was ’99 Percent’ Set For Pacers Signing
NBA veteran Lance Stephenson was “99 percent” set to sign with the Pacers this past March before the coronavirus pandemic shuttered play until the league’s restart in Orlando, Forbes’ Adam Zagoria writes.
Stephenson, 30, was playing in China for the Liaoning Flying Leopards after signing a one-year pact this past August. In March, it appeared that Stephenson was on track to join Indiana for the third time in his career. However, his agent Reggie Brown confirmed to Zagoria that players who had been in international leagues were not eligible for the Orlando campus, negating the possibility of Stephenson’s NBA return after the hiatus.
“We were in serious conversations for a third-time’s-a-charm return to the Pacers,” Brown said. “We were offered buyout money from the team in China from the Pacers and we were 99 percent done. And then the pandemic took place, and the NBA decided that no overseas players would be allowed to participate in the 22-team bubble return. They would only take players who played last season or this season in the NBA and/or the G League.”
With the Leopards, Stephenson enjoyed a successful campaign, averaging 26.7 PPG and 7.4 RPG before the CBA season was suspended amid the coronavirus outbreak in Wuhan, China. Last season, Stephenson suited up for 68 games as a bench piece for the Lakers.
Nets Owner Joe Tsai Not Involved In A-Rod, J-Lo Mets Bid
After Nets owner Joe Tsai was named as one of many high-profile sports figures attached to Alex Rodriguez and Jennifer Lopez’s bid to purchase the Mets, he denied being involved in the process on Saturday.
“Sorry Twitter, it is not true,” Tsai said in a tweet. “I grew up as a Mets fan and I have a lot of respect for Alex and Jennifer. But I’m not involved in bidding for the Mets. Gotta focus on basketball.”
Rodriguez and Lopez have put together a star-studded group as they attempt to acquire the MLB franchise, with multiple NBA names attached to the group. Wizards guard Bradley Beal and Nuggets big man Mason Plumlee — who originally named Tsai as part of the group— are among those involved. Additionally, Pro Football Hall of Famer Brian Urlacher, former Cleveland Browns offensive tackle Joe Thomas, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce and former Cowboys running back DeMarco Murray are part of the bid.
Whether or not Rodriguez and Lopez are successful in their Mets venture remains to be seen. However, it appears it will be without the help of Tsai, who assumed full ownership of the Nets and Barclays Center last August.
J.R. Smith Talks Changes In LeBron James
As the Lakers prepare to contend for a title at the NBA campus in Orlando, J.R. Smith will try to help L.A. after joining the team in early July. Although Smith has not played in over a year, he brings championship experience and an ability to score.
Specifically, Smith’s title pedigree comes from his time as a teammate with LeBron James in Cleveland when the organization captured its first title in 2016. Smith played a crucial role in guiding the Cavaliers to a championship behind James and now, reunited with a different team, the former Sixth Man of the Year sees a change in his former and current teammate.
“Before, he’s always been so focused on his drive and winning and stuff like that, but I feel like that pressure is off his shoulders, and he can just be him,” Smith said, per Spectrum’s Mike Trudell (Twitter link). “He don’t have to try to orchestrate the offense or the defense or what somebody did wrong, he can let the coaches do their job, and I think that’s a true testament to him growing.”
Smith, 34, joins the Lakers in a much different role than the last time he was teammates with James, but with the same goal — winning a championship. The Lakers will need to rely on steady play from their bench and the usual strong performance from James. Smith views an older, more experienced LeBron as more than capable of delegating to others on the team.
“I’ve watched interviews when people try to say he’s not coachable because he knows so much about the game, but he’s probably the most coachable person out there just because he gives you his side or his opinion and he might be right,” Smith said. “More than anything I just think he’s so much more patient in his delivery and how he goes about the process of the game.”
Celtics Notes: Walker, Tatum, Williams
Four months after the season was suspended, Celtics guard Kemba Walker is still dealing with a left knee issue that hampered him right up until play stopped. The veteran guard admitted that frustration with the injury is mounting, ESPN’s Tim Bontemps writes.
“It’s definitely pretty frustrating, just because I’m not a guy who misses many games, especially throughout the course of my career,” Walker said. “I’m not really concerned much, honestly, because I’m trending upwards and I’m getting better and I’m getting closer to a return. So, yeah, I’m fine. And I’ll be back better than ever, I think.”
As we relayed last week, Boston head coach Brad Stevens said the team would take it slowly with Walker as teams resumed practice at the NBA campus in Orlando. Despite being limited by the injury, the 30-year-old feels he can help Boston capture a championship once play resumes and knee troubles are behind him.
“I think we can be pretty tough, for sure,” Walker said. “Since (Jayson Tatum)’s been killing it the way he’s been, I haven’t really been able to help out like I really wanted to, so yeah, I’m definitely looking forward to coming back and making an impact on my teammates and just being readier than I was before the season ended.”
Walker has averaged 21.2 PPG, 4.9 APG and 3.4 RPG for Boston in 50 games this season.
Check out more Celtics notes below:
- Tatum was in the midst of his best season to date before the league shuttered play and the Boston guard is not short on confidence, NBC Sports Boston’s Justin Leger writes. “I know what I’m capable of, what I think I’m capable of, what I’m striving for,” Tatum said. “That’s the edge that I have for myself. I step on the floor, I think I’m the best player every night.” In 59 games this season, Tatum averaged 23.6 PPG, 7.1 RPG and 2.9 APG for the Celtics.
- While Grant Williams made a solid impression in Boston during his rookie season, spotty outside shooting was the one detrimental aspect to his game. However, as practices have resumed, Williams has impressed with his apparent improved stroke from beyond the arc, Chris Forsberg of NBC Sports Boston writes.
- For all the latest Celtics updates, be sure to follow our C’s team page.