Suns Hire Jeff Hornacek
TUESDAY, 10:15am: The Suns have officially hired Hornacek as their new head coach, the team announced today in a press release.
"We are thrilled to introduce Jeff Hornacek as the new head coach of the Phoenix Suns," GM Ryan McDonough said in a statement. "Jeff has all of the qualities we were looking for in a head coach—he is a leader, a teacher and a student of the game. Jeff's name has been high on our list ever since my first interview with the Suns. His successes as a player and as an assistant coach, along with his deep ties to this franchise and this community, give us confidence that he will do great things as the next head coach of the Phoenix Suns."
SUNDAY, 4:56pm: Hornacek's deal will give him three years guaranteed with a club option for year four, sources tell Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports (via Twitter).
3:53pm: Jeff Hornacek has agreed to become the next coach of the Suns, according to Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic. Phoenix made Hornacek an offer over the weekend and the two sides spent today hammering out an agreement. The 50-year-old will now become the 16th coach in club history.
While Hornacek is widely known for his time spent with the Jazz, the former guard played for the Suns in his first six NBA seasons. Hornacek met with Suns owner Robert Sarver, president Lon Babby, and new GM Ryan McDonough this week and apparently made a strong impression. Phoenix chose Hornacek over Rockets assistant J.B. Bickerstaff who also got to meet with the Suns decision makers.
The Suns had plans to also interview fellow Rockets assistant Kelvin Sampson, Lakers assistant Steve Clifford, and appeared to have interest in Quin Snyder. However, all three will now have to look elsewhere.
The hiring means that the club will part ways with interim coach Lindsey Hunter, who is said to be in the mix for the Pistons job. Hunter will vie with Nate McMillan, Mike Budenholzer, J.B. Bickerstaff, and Darrell Walker for the gig.
Odds & Ends: Howard, Rockets, Clifford, Heat
Here's tonight's look around the Association as the three-day weekend comes to a close..
- Sources around Dwight Howard say that he is high on the Rockets, but those are the same sources who said that he would fight hard to go to the Nets, Bill Ingram of HoopsWorld notes. If he does end up in Houston, Ingram believes he'll be disappointed to learn that the offense will still run through James Harden.
- While nothing is sure with Howard, Ingram (via Twitter) sees him winding up with the Rockets when all is said and done.
- Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer (on Twitter) likes the Bobcats' hire of Steve Clifford. Clifford has done everything in the league and seems ready for the job, which Bonnell couldn't say for Mike Dunlap.
- Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today writes that Chris Andersen has been a perfect addition for the Heat.
Reactions To Bobcats Hiring Steve Clifford
Earlier tonight, the Bobcats announced that they have found their man in Lakers assistant Steve Clifford. Whether you like the hire or think that Charlotte should have pursued one of the other candidates like Kelvin Sampson or Alvin Gentry, everyone can agree that Clifford has his work cut out for him. Here's the latest reactions on Charlotte's decision..
- Bill Ingram of HoopsWorld (on Twitter) opines that Clifford is a cheap hire who won't mind losing for two years. He believes that Clifford will wind up being replaced when the team eventually starts winning.
- Clifford's departure from the Lakers marks another shift in which Mike D'Antoni's coaching staff has drastically altered since the end of the season, writes Mark Medina of the L.A. Daily News (Sulia link). Assistant Eddie Jordan took the Rutgers job before the NBA playoffs started while D'Antoni let Bernie Bickerstaff and Chuck Person go soon after the Lakers' first-round playoff exit. Lakers players development coach Phil Handy left as well to join Mike Brown's staff in Cleveland.
- Jeff Van Gundy is a big fan of the hire, telling Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer (via Twitter) that Clifford was a no-brainer in the same way that Tom Thibodeau was in Chicago. "This guy has It. When he gets his opportunity, he'll knock it out of the park," said the former coach and co-worker of Clifford (link).
- Quentin Richardson congratulated Clifford via Twitter.
Kings Searching For New President
New Kings owner Vivek Ranadive has begun the process of finding a replacement for President Geoff Petrie, according to two people with knowledge of the situation. Sam Amick of USA Today reports that Ranadive is considering Spurs President R.C. Buford, Warriors assistant GM Travis Schlenk, and Grizzlies GM Chris Wallace.
Former Pacers general manager David Morway may also receive consideration and Ranadive is believed to be open to other names. The former Warriors minority owner is also consulting with his Warriors colleagues on the search. That includes Jerry West, a Warriors consultant who worked with Wallace in Memphis and Schlenk at Golden State.
Buford would be a major get for the Kings but he is unlikely to have interest in his job given the success that he has had in San Antonio. Wallace, meanwhile, would surely consider the job considering his minimized role in Memphis.
Pacific Notes: Clippers, Pack, Kings, Evans
After a 25-57 season, the Suns decided earlier today to move on from interim coach Lindsey Hunter and instead hire Jeff Hornacek. The Suns may not be ready for the playoffs next year, but they hope to take a few strides towards success in 2013/14. Here's more out of the Pacific Division..
- In today's column, Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe writes that Robert Pack is someone to watch in the Clippers' coaching search. The longtime NBA guard was a key assistant on Vinny Del Negro’s staff in L.A.
- HoopsWorld's Derek Page ranks the Kings' Tyreke Evans as one of the top two shooting guards available on the free agent market, along with Gerald Henderson. It's important to note that Page lists Monta Ellis and J.R. Smith in a separate category for players who can exercise contract options for next season.
- The new owners of the Kings have to decide quickly on what to do with their team and staff, writes Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee.
Sixers Notes: Hinkie, Malone, Coaching Search
While the Suns have found their next head coach in Jeff Hornacek and the Bucks are entering round two of the interview process, we've heard relatively little about the 76ers coaching search. That's because newly minted GM Sam Hinkie is reportedly focused on staffing and structuring the front office rather than finding the club's next coach. Here's the latest out of Philly..
- The approach the Sixers plan to take next season will affect the desirability of their open head coaching position, writes Ric Bucher of 95.7 The Game (Sulia link). If the Sixers intend to cut their payroll and shoot for a high lottery pick in the loaded 2014 draft, coaching candidates, and would-be first-time head coaches in particular, could shy away from a losing situation for 2013/14. That could be particularly true for Michael Malone, who's drawing interest from the Clippers and Kings as well as Philadelphia.
- Phil Sheridan of the Philadelphia Inquirer is skeptical of Hinkie's statistics-heavy approach to basketball. Much of Sheridan's opinion appears to be based on the idea that analytics on Wall Street haven't necessarily panned out for the global economy. It's certainly worth noting that the methods of Rockets GM Daryl Morey have been rather successful on the whole, earning him a brand new contract extension this year.
Hoops Links: Seattle, Cavs, Terry, Deng
On this date in 1999, Raptors star Vince Carter took home the 1998/99 Rookie of the Year trophy with 95.8% of the votes. The high-flyer averaged 18.3 points, 5.7 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 1.54 blocked shots, and 1.1 steals per game while shooting 45% from the field. Carter won the hearts of Toronto fans and was beloved north of the border. Today? Not so much.
Got a fantastic basketball blog piece that you want featured on Hoops Rumors? Send your submissions to HoopsLinks@gmail.com. Here's this week's look around the web..
- Kingdome Of Seattle Sports has 25 thoughts on the NBA-Seattle situation.
- Singh Sports News gives advice for the Cavs, Magic, Wizards, and other lottery teams.
- Yahoo Sports talks Jason Terry and the season that should have been.
- Blog A Bull says there's no reason for Chicago to trade Luol Deng.
- Hardwood Paroxysm breaks down the Tim Duncan/Manu Ginobili pick-and-roll.
- Celtics Life looks at centers in the draft that could interest the C's.
- Bright Side Of The Sun delivers a blast from the past.
- Pounding The Rock previews the Silver Stars' upcoming season.
- 3SOB held a debate on Tayshaun Prince.
- Bucksketball delves into the Monta Ellis/Larry Sanders dispute in their latest podcast.
If you have a suggestion for this feature, Zach can be reached here.
Hoops Rumors Originals: 5/20/13 – 5/26/13
Here's this week's look back at the original reporting and analysis from the Hoops Rumors staff..
- I spoke with Bryan Colangelo about his new role with the Raptors organization.
- The Bucks have a handful of valuable assets on their roster, even if they lose a couple of their free agent guards, Luke Adams writes.
- Chuck Myron feels that Otto Porter is best suited for a team with patience.
- The Bulls seem poised to bring the band back together next year, Chuck writes.
- I joined Todd Brommelkamp and Tyler Ryder of KGYM ESPN Radio to talk about Dwight Howard and the NBA Draft.
- Here's the list of 2013 draft picks by team.
- Hoops Rumors readers like the Pacers' chances of advancing over the Grizzlies'.
- Jarrett Jack will hit the open market this summer and he may get more elsewhere than from the Warriors, Chuck writes.
- I rounded up the best of the basketball blogosphere in this week's edition of Hoops Links.
- Chuck says that the Hawks might have to wait another year before making their free agent splash.
- Nearly 70% of Hoops Rumors readers see Nerlens Noel being the No. 1 pick over Ben McLemore, Trey Burke, and Otto Porter.
Bucks Down To Three Coaching Finalists
The Bucks' coaching search is now down to three finalists - Hawks coach Larry Drew, Rockets assistant Kelvin Sampson, and Lakers assistant Steve Clifford, sources tell Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports. Clifford will visit Milwaukee again on Tuesday, and Sampson and Drew on Wednesday for their second interviews, according to league sources.
Bucks GM John Hammond has a stronger history with Sampson thanks to the two years he spent on the Milwaukee staff under Scott Skiles. However, Hammond has been increasingly impressed by Clifford, who comes strongly recommended by the Bulls' Tom Thibodeau and Stan and Jeff Van Gundy.
Sampson had a strong run as the Rockets' interim coach while Kevin McHale had to leave the team and showed that he can handle the pro game. In three seasons in Atlanta, Drew has a 128-102 record and took the club to the playoffs all three years, including the conference semifinals in 2010-11. Drew's contract expires on June 30 with the Hawks, and he's expected to be replaced as coach soon.
While Sampson and Clifford are also strong candidates in Charlotte, each is eager for the opportunity with the Bucks, according to league sources. Milwaukee made the playoffs this season and has a much better overall roster than the Bobcats/Hornets.
Week In Review: 5/20/13 – 5/26/13
Are you ready for another Dwightmare summer? Dwight Howard is a free agent and he reportedly finds himself torn between the Lakers and Rockets. Meanwhile, D12 is also said to like the Mavericks and the Hawks are planning to make a run at him. It's not all about Dwight, however. Here's the rest of the big stories from this past week..
- The Cavs won the draft lottery and will have a tough choice on their hands between Nerlens Noel and Otto Porter. The Magic, who figure to go for a guard, pick No. 2 and the Wizards sit at No. 3. Washington fans are estatic about the outcome as they were slated to pick eighth.
- The Clippers decided to part ways with coach Vinny Del Negro. Michael Malone, Alvin Gentry, and Byron Scott have been mentioned as potential replacements.
- There are mixed reports on Dwight Howard's interest in the Warriors, with some saying that his camp has never given Golden State any indication that he has interest.
- The Raptors officially moved GM Bryan Colangelo to a non-basketball role, kickstarting a search for their next decision maker. Team officials flew out to Colorado on Friday to meet with Nuggets GM Masai Ujiri, who is believed to be their No. 1 target. Ujiri might stay in Denver if the Nuggets can match the Raps' offer.
- Alvin Gentry has a standing invitation to join the Lakers staff, but he is more interested in the Clippers head coaching job.
- Jeff Hornacek has an offer to become the next head coach of the Suns.
- The Nets have yet to approach a coaching candidate outside of Phil Jackson, but they did inquire on Doc Rivers. The C's quickly denied them. One report has Scott Skiles as the frontrunner for the gig.
- Rivers is likely to return to Boston.
- Pablo Prigioni wants to stay in the NBA, but his wife might want to return to Spain.
- Andris Biedrins will opt in for 2013/14.
- The Cavaliers and Pistons may be among the teams with some interest in trading for Luol Deng.
- Stan Van Gundy will not coach in 2013/14.
- Phil Jackson was all in on Chris Hansen's bid to bring the Kings to Seattle.
- Coach K will coach in the 2016 Olympics but Mike D'Antoni and Nate McMillan won't.
- The All-NBA teams were announced.
- Kostas Papanikolaou's agent expects a trade.
- The Bucks interviewed Michael Curry.
- James Jones intends to return to the Heat.
- Rumors are swirling that the Clippers will go after David West.
- The Bobcats are changing their name to the Hornets. Charlotte residents are looking forward to watching their team lose in purple and teal.