Poll: Best NBA Head Coaching Hire So Far
Despite some speculation earlier this year that financial constraints imposed by the coronavirus pandemic would discourage NBA teams from making head coaching changes, that hasn’t been the case at all over the last few months. A total of nine clubs – nearly a third of the league – have parted ways with coaches so far, and four of those clubs have since hired replacements.
[RELATED: 2020 NBA Head Coaching Search Tracker]
Those four head coaching hires are as follows:
- New York Knicks: Tom Thibodeau (replacing Mike Miller)
- Brooklyn Nets: Steve Nash (replacing Jacque Vaughn)
- Chicago Bulls: Billy Donovan (replacing Jim Boylen)
- Philadelphia 76ers: Doc Rivers (replacing Brett Brown)
Thibodeau’s Bulls squads made the playoffs every year and the Timberwolves went into win-now mode when he arrived, so he didn’t necessarily seem like an obvious fit for the rebuilding Knicks. But his demanding coaching style could help get the most of New York’s young players as the team looks to return to the postseason, and he certainly won’t be intimidated by a large market.
As for the Nets, the expectation was that they’d bring in a veteran coach with a championship résumé to lead a team with title aspirations. Instead, their choice is a first-time head coach only a few years removed from retiring as a player. Nash has a preexisting relationship with Durant and his impressive accomplishments as a player should help earn him the respect of the Nets’ other veterans, but there may be a learning curve as the former two-time MVP adjusts to his first coaching job.
Donovan parted ways with the Thunder in large part because he wasn’t enthused by the idea of a rebuilding or retooling period, so it was a bit of a surprise to see him join a Bulls team coming off consecutive 22-win seasons. But it’s not as if he doesn’t have experience developing young players, having spent two decades coaching the Florida Gators. And if the Bulls take forward strides in the next year or two, Donovan’s playoff coaching experience should come in handy before long.
Finally, the Sixers hired Rivers on Thursday, pivoting to the former Clippers coach after having previously narrowed their field to Mike D’Antoni and Tyronn Lue. For a team trying to get over the hump in the playoffs, Rivers is an interesting choice — he wasn’t able to get over that hump in Los Angeles over the last seven years. And for Rivers, joining another team that features a superstar duo and some chemistry issues is a risk.
Still, despite some disappointing postseason losses, Rivers has consistently led his teams to winning records for more than a decade and he should command the respect of Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons.
What do you think? Which of these four coaching hires do you like the best for these teams, given their respective situations, their goals, and the other options that were available to them?
Vote in our poll, then head to the comment section below to share your thoughts!
Which team made the best coaching hire?
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Chicago Bulls (Billy Donovan) 47% (1,092)
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Philadelphia 76ers (Doc Rivers) 26% (612)
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New York Knicks (Tom Thibodeau) 16% (367)
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Brooklyn Nets (Steve Nash) 10% (242)
Total votes: 2,313
Trade Rumors app users, click here to vote.
Nets Eyeing Brian Keefe For Nash's Staff?
- Some people with the Nets view Oklahoma City assistant Brian Keefe as a good fit for Steve Nash‘s staff in Brooklyn, writes Ian Begley of SNY.tv. Keefe was in OKC with Kevin Durant from 2007-15 and returned to the team last year, but isn’t a lock to be back with the Thunder after the club’s head coaching change.
Atlantic Notes: Kemba, Tatum, Nets, Knicks
Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge doesn’t expect Kemba Walker to require offseason surgery to address his left knee issues, but said today that the point guard was “definitely not himself” during the playoffs, tweets Chris Forsberg of NBC Sports Boston. According to Ainge, the club will construct a plan for Walker going forward to try to avoid having that happen again.
“In fairness to Kemba, he doesn’t want to say (that he wasn’t himself). He doesn’t say that to our coaches. He doesn’t say that to you, the media. He doesn’t say that to me. I haven’t heard one excuse from him,” Ainge said, per Tim Bontemps of ESPN. “But watching the games, even the games we won, even the games where he played well, I could tell he wasn’t the same physically as he was in October, November, December. So we’re going to try to get that Kemba back.”
While Walker still made some big plays for the Celtics en route to the team’s appearance in the Eastern Conference Finals, his postseason numbers reflect that he wasn’t at his best. He made just 31.0% of his three-point attempts in 17 playoff contests after knocking down 38.1% during the season.
Here’s more from around the Atlantic:
- Ainge didn’t sound worried about being able to lock up Celtics forward Jayson Tatum to a long-term contract extension sooner rather than later. “Jayson knows how much we like him,” Ainge said, according to Bontemps. “We have a good relationship. Jayson likes it here, so I’m confident that we’ll be able to work something out this summer — this offseason, I should say.”
- Appearing on Kevin Durant‘s podcast this week, Nets teammates Durant and Kyrie Irving denied playing a role in Kenny Atkinson‘s dismissal and made some unusual comments about the club’s new head coaching situation. Brian Lewis of The New York Post has the details.
- Alex Schiffer and William Guillory of The Athletic explore whether a Jrue Holiday trade between the Pelicans and Nets might make sense, as well as what such a deal would look like. The two Athletic writers conclude that it’s probably not a great match.
- Marc Berman of The New York Post takes a closer look at Tyrese Haliburton as a possible Knicks draft target, while Kira Lewis‘ trainer Cory Underwood talks to Ian Begley of SNY.tv about the Alabama guard’s potential fit with the Knicks.
Draft Notes: Achiuwa, Jones, Hampton, Terry
Potential top-10 selection Precious Achiuwa has interviewed with a number of lottery teams, Alex Kennedy of HoopsHype tweets. Achiuwa, a power forward who averaged 15.8 PPG and 10.8 MPG as a Memphis freshman last season, has talked to the Kings, Wizards, Knicks, Nets, Cavaliers, Suns, Spurs, Pistons and Thunder, among others. He’s currently listed at No. 10 overall on ESPN’s list of this year’s top 100 prospects.
We have more on the draft:
- Duke point guard Tre Jones has spoken with the Bucks, Suns, Thunder and Timberwolves, among others, according to Kennedy (Twitter link). Jones had an interview lined up with the Bulls, but it was postponed due to their coaching change. Jones anticipates he’ll be a mid- to late-first round pick. He’s currently listed at No. 34 overall by ESPN.
- Combo guard RJ Hampton, who played last season in Australia’s NBL, has talked to the Wizards, Kings, Thunder, Pistons, Suns, Trail Blazers, Knicks and Bulls, Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington tweets. He posted modest stats in 15 NBL games before suffering a hip flexor injury and returning the U.S. Hampton is currently ranked No. 13 by ESPN and Hughes speculates he could be a late lottery steal like Michael Porter Jr., who sat out for a year after getting drafted by the Nuggets.
- Stanford point guard Tyrell Terry has interviewed with the Suns, Thunder, 76ers, Raptors, Knicks, Nets, Warriors, Timberwolves and Bulls, Kennedy tweets. He’s pegged at No. 42 in ESPN’s rankings. He averaged 14.6 PPG, 4.5 RPG and 3.2 APG as a freshman.
2020 NBA Offseason Preview: Brooklyn Nets
Hoops Rumors is previewing the 2020 offseason for all 30 NBA teams. We’re looking at the key questions facing each club, as well as the roster decisions they’ll have to make this fall. Today, we’re focusing on the Brooklyn Nets.
Salary Cap Outlook
With $133MM in guaranteed money already on their books for 2020/21, not including cap holds for free agents or their first-round draft pick, the Nets are assured of being over the cap and will almost certainly be over the tax line too.
If they want to sign any outside free agents, the Nets will be limited to the taxpayer mid-level exception ($5.72MM) and minimum-salary deals.
Our full salary cap preview for the Nets can be found right here.
Roster Decisions To Watch
Options:
- Garrett Temple, team option: $5,005,350
Non-Guaranteed Contracts:
- Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot ($1,824,003)
Two-Way Contracts:
- Chris Chiozza (expiring)
- Jeremiah Martin (expires in 2021)
Free Agents:
- Joe Harris (Bird)
- Tyler Johnson (Non-Bird)
- Wilson Chandler (Non-Bird)
- Jamal Crawford (N/A)
- Note: Crawford won’t have any form of Bird rights because he was signed as a substitute player.
- Justin Anderson (N/A)
- Note: Anderson won’t have any form of Bird rights because he was signed as a substitute player.
- Lance Thomas (N/A)
- Note: Thomas won’t have any form of Bird rights because he was signed as a substitute player.
- Donta Hall (N/A)
- Note: Hall won’t have any form of Bird rights because he was signed as a substitute player.
2020 Draft Assets
First Round:
- No. 19 overall pick
Second Round:
- No. 55 overall pick
The Nets traded away their own 2020 first-rounder (No. 17) in last summer’s Allen Crabbe salary dump and gave up their second-rounder (No. 47) way back in 2014 in a deal involving Andrei Kirilenko.
However, Brooklyn received Philadelphia’s first-round pick, via the Clippers, last June, in a trade that allowed L.A. to trade up to No. 27 for Mfiondu Kabengele. The Nets also acquired Denver’s second-rounder when they accommodated a Kenneth Faried/Darrell Arthur salary dump during the summer of 2018.
Three Key Offseason Questions
1. So, are the Nets going to trade for a third star?
The idea that the Nets need to acquire a third impact player to complement Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving has been floating around for much of the last year, with some midseason comments from Irving about the team’s roster only fueling that speculation.
Brooklyn has little to no salary cap flexibility, so the idea would be to turn to the trade market, consolidating some of the club’s depth to land a star, with Spencer Dinwiddie, Jarrett Allen, and perhaps even Caris LeVert serving as possible trade chips.
It’s an intriguing concept, but it’s not without its pitfalls. For one, it remains unclear which star players will actually be available on the trade market this offseason. If the Wizards don’t want to trade Bradley Beal, the Nets can’t exactly force them to make a deal. While we can usually count on at least one disgruntled NBA star at a time to be pushing for a trade, Victor Oladipo currently looks like one of the only candidates to potentially take that path this fall, and Oladipo’s recent injury history compromises his appeal.
It’s also unclear how much the Nets would even benefit from adding another ball-dominant impact player. Durant and Irving will want to take on a good deal of the play-making and scoring responsibilities in Brooklyn, so adding a third player who will need 17 or 18 shots per game may create more problems than it solves.
Complicating matters further is the fact that Durant and Irving are coming off major injuries, and Kyrie especially has a history of nagging health issues. Does it really make sense for the Nets to make a blockbuster deal that would sacrifice their depth and leave them vulnerable if any of their stars have to miss time next season?
I’d personally be surprised if the Nets shake up their roster in a major way this offseason before seeing what they have with Durant and Irving both back in their lineup. LeVert is a rising star himself on a reasonably team-friendly contract and should be given an opportunity to show his value on a healthy Nets roster rather than being traded for a player who wouldn’t necessarily represent a significant upgrade, such as Oladipo.
That doesn’t mean that Brooklyn shouldn’t explore the trade market. There are some star players who don’t need the ball a ton and could be pretty nice fits alongside Durant and Irving — they’d would be worth going after if they become available. For instance, I was intrigued by the possibility of a Rudy Gobert pursuit back when his relationship with Donovan Mitchell was described as being on the rocks.
But acquiring a third star isn’t a must for Brooklyn this offseason. Most of the NBA’s top teams in 2019/20 got by just fine with two All-Star caliber players, and the Nets have two of the best on their way back from the injured list.
2. Will the Nets re-sign Joe Harris?
If the Nets don’t end up making a major trade, re-signing Harris could be the team’s most important roster move this offseason. Regardless of the team’s plans on the trade market, it should be a priority. The over-the-cap Nets don’t have many avenues to add outside talent anymore — taking advantage of Bird rights to re-sign their own key rotation players is crucial.
There will be no rules restricting Brooklyn’s ability to make an aggressive offer to retain Harris, so it will simply be a matter of how far the team is willing to go into tax territory to make it happen.
The 29-year-old is still in his prime and has been one of the NBA’s best shooters in recent years, knocking down 43.9% of his 1,150 three-point attempts over the last three seasons. That kind of outside shooting reliability is rare and it’s coveted by NBA teams, so the Nets will face stiff competition from rival suitors for Harris.
Fortunately for Brooklyn, there are almost no contending teams projected to have cap room, and those that do – such as the Heat – likely won’t be prioritizing shooters. If Harris’ best outside offers are for the mid-level, the Nets should have no problem topping them.
However, the possibility of a non-playoff team with cap room – such as the Hawks or Knicks – making a run at Harris shouldn’t be ruled out. Despite ostensibly still being in rebuilding mode, both clubs will be looking to get back into the Eastern Conference playoff picture sooner rather than later and should have plenty of money to spend this offseason.
A three-year offer in the range of $15MM+ annually wouldn’t seriously hamper either the Hawks’ or Knicks’ ability to spend on other positions and would put a lot of pressure on the Nets. Since Brooklyn projects to be a taxpayer even before re-signing Harris, investing $15MM per year in him would cost the club substantially more in tax penalties.
I don’t think the Nets will let Harris walk for nothing, so it might be a win-win for teams like Atlanta and New York to pursue him — even if they can’t lure him out of Brooklyn, they could potentially hinder a conference rival’s financial flexibility going forward by pushing his price tag higher.
3. What effect will Durant’s and Irving’s returns have on the Nets’ chemistry?
It may not be a question that can be definitively answered this offseason, but it’s safe to assume the Nets and new head coach Steve Nash will spend plenty of time considering how to balance the treatment of new stars Durant and Irving with the Nets’ existing vets.
The Nets will likely view the 2019/20 Clippers as a cautionary tale. The Clips had one of the NBA’s most talented rosters, but had trouble gelling and establishing positive chemistry over the course of the season. The preferential treatment that Kawhi Leonard and Paul George received was reportedly a source of frustration for some of the Clippers’ incumbent players, and the club’s inability to get on the same page played a part in its early playoff exit.
In Durant and Irving, the Nets will be led by two of the NBA’s most mercurial stars, and it remains to be seen what kind of leader Nash will be. On top of that, players like LeVert, Dinwiddie, and Allen may have to accept more modest roles in 2020/21 than they had for the injury-plagued ’19/20 squad. There are plenty of possible red flags here for Brooklyn, especially if the team experiences some growing pains to start the season.
Again, there’s no way to iron out every potential chemistry issue before next season begins, but the Nets’ front office and coaching staff should be doing all it can during the offseason to prepare to avoid the mistakes of this year’s Clippers.
Information from Basketball Insiders and ESPN was used in the creation of this post. Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
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.
Examining Whether Nets' Offseason Plans Hinge On Dinwiddie's Fate
- Billy Reinhardt of NetsDaily examines whether the Nets’ offseason plans hinge on the fate of Spencer Dinwiddie, who could be traded in a package for a third star or kept as the lead ball-handler off the bench next season. Dinwiddie stepped up his play this season and has stated his willingness to surrender offensive opportunities for Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant, averaging a career-high 20.6 points and 6.8 assists per game on the season.
Vince Carter: Nets’ Third Star Can Be DeAndre Jordan
The Nets will enter the 2020/21 season with increased expectations as Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving are expected to return healthy, led by new head coach Steve Nash.
There has been plenty of speculation about the possibility of the Nets bolstering their already formidable (when healthy) lineup with another All-Star caliber player. After a strong showing in the Orlando campus, Caris LeVert made his case to take on the role of consistent third scoring option.
Former Nets All-Star Vince Carter sees things differently, suggesting that Brooklyn’s other high-profile free agent signing from the summer of 2019 can be that third impact player, Kristian Winfield of the New York Daily News writes.
“You’ve gotta be careful. It’s a slippery slope when you’re putting guys together,” Carter said. “I feel like you could have a third star in somebody like DeAndre Jordan who can shine. He’s not somebody who’s gonna get a lot of touches, but what does he do? He puts a lot of pressure on the defense going to the rim.”
Brooklyn inked Jordan to a four-year, $40MM pact, but the former All-Star only started six games as promising youngster Jarrett Allen got the nod. Jordan has historically been a rebounding machine and an intimidating presence under the rim as a defender. However, at 32 years old, it’s fair to wonder if he can play up to the same level as his days with the Clippers.
Carter feels that Jordan’s mere presence opens up looks for the Nets’ best non-Durant options and that not having a third ball-dominant scorer would work better for Brooklyn.
“I just feel like you have to find the right pieces if you’re gonna go get a third scorer,” Carter said. “If you’re gonna go get three guys who really demand the ball, that gets tough after a while. One if not two guys of your big three tend to become unhappy sometimes. If they buy into that, then it’s a possibility. If they don’t, then a big three doesn’t work.
“I feel like a guy like DeAndre Jordan, somebody like that putting pressure on the rim,” Carter continued. “It’s not enough basketballs out there if you put three big names out there on the floor, so it takes a lot to think about.”
Should Nets Focus On Adding Defender Rather Than Third Star?
- Brian Lewis of The New York Post questions whether the Nets really need to make a trade for a third star, suggesting that the missing piece for the roster may instead be a tough wing defender who could be signed using the mid-level exception. Lewis points to veteran forward Andre Roberson as one possibility, assuming he’s fully healthy.
Atlantic Notes: Powell, Knicks, Harris, Brown
Raptors shooting guard Norman Powell had his best year ever in 2019/20 at age 26, prompting Eric Koreen of The Athletic to wonder whether or not this offseason may be the perfect time to trade Powell. He is set to earn $10.9MM in 2020/21, and has an $11.6MM player option for 2021/22.
Koreen posits that Powell may be able to command more money on the open market were he to opt out of the final year of his deal. If the Raptors re-sign guard Fred VanVleet, who figures to be one of the premiere free agents in 2020, Koreen opines that flipping Powell’s contract ahead of a free agent-heavy 2021 offseason may make the most sense for Toronto’s future team-building.
There’s more out of the Atlantic Division:
- Following a two-day hotel quarantine, the Knicks started their first in-market group workouts under new head coach Tom Thibodeau today at their Westchester Country training facility, according to Steve Popper of Newsday. Popper reports that nearly all Knicks players, including everyone on a team option for next season, participated in individual workouts last week.
- Unrestricted Nets free agent wing Joe Harris, one of the best three-point shooters in the league, will not be wanting for suitors during the offseason, Brian Lewis of the New York Post reports. Teams with cap space Lewis anticipates having interest include the Knicks, Hawks, Hornets and Timberwolves, though Harris might also be targeted as part of a sign-and-trade deal for an over-the-cap club, such as the Warriors or Sixers. Both Golden State and Philadelphia project to be taxpayers, which would complicate any sign-and-trade deal.
- Celtics small forward Jaylen Brown has quietly ascended during the NBA’s Disney World restart to become one of the key leaders for Boston, Marcus Thompson of The Athletic writes in an extensive profile.