Odds & Ends: Brewer, Shaw, Larkin
Despite his limited role in Oklahoma City, Ronnie Brewer sounded open about a possible return to the Thunder: "I'm still very young and still have a lot of basketball left in me so if it's here or somewhere else I'll continue to play basketball. This is a great organization and (has) great players, great coaches, great fans. So hopefully I can continue to play here” (Darnell Mayberry of the Oklahoman reports). Here are more of tonight's miscellaneous notes:
- Though George Karl's coaching style may fit well with GM Sam Hinkie's focus on analytics, Grantland's Zach Lowe says that one name to look out for with regard to the 76ers' head coaching vacancy is Chris Finch, who is currently an assistant to Kevin McHale with the Rockets and the head coach of Great Britain's national team. Lowe gets the sense that Hinkie is looking to build a strong relationship with a first-time NBA coach, and Finch – who also served as a coach for the Rio Grande Valley Vipers – was reportedly able to develop a good working relationship with Houston team brass while handling his responsibilities in the NBDL.
- As far as the Nets' coaching search goes, Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News cites a source who says that Brooklyn is seeking a "fresh face," which may indicate that Brian Shaw is ahead of Lionel Hollins on their wish list.
- When it comes to Kris Humphries and the Nets, Roderick Boone of Newsday tweets that both parties would welcome a trade.
- Shane Larkin looked very impressive in his workout with the Jazz today, according to Mike Sorensen of the Deseret News. Steve Luhm of The Salt Lake Tribune writes that center prospect Jason Washburn made an impression during his visit with Utah as well.
- Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee says that one name to look out for as a possible assistant coach for Michael Malone's staff is Roy Rogers, who worked as an assistant for Lawrence Frank on the Pistons last season and is credited for playing a vital role in Andre Drummond's development.
- Marcus Thompson II of Mercury News notes that Klay Thompson and Harrison Barnes of the Warriors will participate in Team USA's minicamp in July.
- Sean Deveney of the Sporting News opines that the era of retread coaches in the NBA is over.
- Gene Wang of The Washington Post briefly profiles Khalif Wyatt following the 6'4" guard's workout with the Wizards earlier today.
Draft Workout Updates: Thursday
We're now just three weeks away from the 2013 draft, so teams are busy bringing in prospects to meet with them and work them out, while we do our best to keep tabs on as many of those workouts as we can. Here's the latest:
- Tom Housenick of The Morning Call reported that C.J. McCollum will visit Portland at some point for a workout before June 20th.
- Chris Haynes of CSNNW tweets that Trevor Mbakwe will visit the Trail Blazers tomorrow.
- The Kings released a list of players who have worked out for them via their team website, noting that guards Will Cherry, Travis Releford, Brandon Triche, forward Chris Evans, and centers Rudy Gobert and Aziz N'Diaye took part in workouts this past Monday. Former Michigan star Trey Burke is scheduled to come in tomorrow.
- The Wizards plan to bring in C.J. Aiken, Junior Cadougan, Ella Ellis, Lamont Jones, A.J. Matthews, and Mike Muscala in for Friday workouts, as per the team's official website.
- Jody Genessy of the Deseret News tweets that Steven Adams, Jack Cooley, Richard Howell, Kenny Kadji, Dennis Schroeder, and Peyton Siva are all scheduled for a pre-draft workout with the Jazz on Friday.
Earlier updates:
- Mason Plumlee, Shabazz Muhammad, Kelly Olynyk, Norvel Pelle, and Scott Wood worked out for the Sixers today, tweets Tyler R. Tynes of the Philadelphia Inquirer.
- Plumlee will also work out for the Trail Blazers on June 19th and for the Pistons on June 21st, agent Mark Bartelstein tells Chris Haynes of CSNNW.com and Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press (Twitter link).
- Michael Lee of the Washington Post reports that Otto Porter will work out for the Wizards on June 14th.
- The Timberwolves expect to bring in C.J. McCollum for a workout, says Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN Twin Cities (via Twitter).
- Working out for the Suns today, according to Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld (via Twitter): McCollum, Trey Burke, Michael Carter-Williams, Mouhammadou Jaiteh, Shane Larkin, Zeke Marshall, and Korie Lucious.
- Gorgui Dieng's agent confirms that his client will work out for both the Nets and Knicks, as Jared Zwerling of ESPNNewYork.com details.
- The Grizzlies announced in a press release that James Southerland, Will Clyburn, B.J. Young, Dewayne Dedmon, Colton Iverson, and Sherwood Brown will work out for the club tomorrow.
- The Knicks will work out the following prospects tomorrow, per the team's Twitter feed: Ricky Ledo, Tahj Tate, Adonis Thomas, Christian Watford, Tony Mitchell, and Grant Jerrett.
- Jeff Withey worked out for the Bulls yesterday, according to Aggrey Sam of CSNChicago.com (via Twitter).
George Karl Rumors: Nets, Raptors, Grizzlies
In a surprising turn of events, the Nuggets informed George Karl earlier today that they wouldn't be retaining him for the final year of his contract, parting ways with the reigning Coach of the Year and beginning a search for a new head coach. While we've already heard that Lionel Hollins and Brian Shaw are among Denver's likely targets to replace Karl, there are also a number of reports surfacing on Karl's ouster from Denver and what his future might hold. Let's round them up….
- Don't expect the Nets to be an aggressive suitor for Karl, according to Tim Bontemps of the New York Post, who hears from a source that Brooklyn doesn't have much interest.
- Karl also appears unlikely to follow Masai Ujiri to Toronto. Grantland's Zach Lowe tweets that Karl isn't a candidate to replace Dwane Casey this summer, and Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports adds (via Twitter) that even if the Raptors' job opens up next summer, Karl isn't expected to be a candidate.
- The Pistons also won't pursue Karl, since they're already close to making a hire, tweets A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE.com.
- As we heard earlier today, the Grizzlies have some interest in Karl. According to Ronald Tillery of the Memphis Commercial Appeal (via Twitter), if the Grizz can't work out a new deal with Lionel Hollins, they'll shift their focus to Karl, Dave Joerger, and Alvin Gentry.
- We've heard the Clippers mentioned as a suitor for Karl multiple times, and L.A. does indeed have "strong interest" in him, says Ramona Shelburne of ESPNLosAngeles.com (via Twitter).
- Mannix estimates that, based on his last couple contracts, Karl's price tag figures to be about $4-5MM annually for three or four years, with the potential to climb higher if there's a bidding war (Twitter links).
- Karl's desire for an extension and the Nuggets' unwillingness to give him one was cited as the primary reason the two sides parted ways, but Chris Tomasson of FOX Sports Florida hears there were a few other differences in opinion as well. Among them, according to Tomasson: Management placed the blame on Karl for losing the Golden State series; management wanted JaVale McGee to play more after he received a big four-year contract; and management would have liked to see young players such as Evan Fournier played more often and veterans like Andre Miller played less, even if it cost the team a few of its 57 regular-season wins (all four Twitter links).
Latest On Lionel Hollins, Grizzlies, Clippers, Nets
Even though a reunion appears unlikely, the Memphis Commercial Appeal reported earlier this week that Lionel Hollins and the Grizzlies had continued to talk about a possible extension for the head coach. That no longer appears to be the case, however, according to Ramona Shelburne of ESPNLosAngeles.com, who hears that discussions between the two sides have gone "dormant" over the last few days.
According to ESPN.com's Marc Stein (cited in Shelburne's article), the Nets initially asked for permission to speak to Hollins last week, at which point they were told the Grizzlies wanted to keep negotiating with their head coach before allowing him to speak to other teams. Now that talks between Hollins and the Grizz have stalled, Memphis has granted the Clippers permission to speak to Hollins and also informed the Nets that Brooklyn has the clearance to interview him, says Shelburne.
Given the strong interest the Nets have in Brian Shaw, it's not clear if the team will circle back to Hollins, but it appears that option is available. As for the Clippers, they may also prefer to hire Shaw, but Shelburne writes that Hollins remains a strong candidate for L.A. since he's a veteran coach with an extensive track record, while Shaw has never had a head coaching job.
George Karl has also been mentioned as a potential candidate for the Clippers, but both Shelburne and Benjamin Hochman of the Denver Post report that L.A. has yet to ask Denver for permission to speak to Karl. It seems to me as if the Clippers' potential interest in Karl won't evolve into anything serious.
Odds & Ends: Hollins, Nets, Allen, Raptors, Pacers
Game One of the NBA Finals will be ending about 24 hours from now, and while the Spurs will provide more evidence for the rest-versus-rust debate, many expect them to find their rhythm before long. The majority of Hoops Rumors readers who voted in today's poll say San Antonio will beat the Heat. While we wait to see if they're right, here's more from around the NBA:
- The Grizzlies rebuffed the Nets when they asked for permission to interview Lionel Hollins the day after the Western Conference Finals ended, but Memphis would likely grant that permission now if Brooklyn inquired again, TNT's David Aldridge hears (Twitter link).
- Ray Allen feels his return to the Finals with the Heat provides a measure of vindication for his decision to sign with Miami last summer, observes Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe.
- Mike Ganter of the Toronto Sun looks at what Tim Leiweke and Masai Ujiri have done and said since arriving in town and concludes that the Raptors will soon be rebuilding.
- Mike Wells of the Indianapolis Star, writing for USA Today, details five key questions the Pacers must answer this summer.
- The shakeup continues for the Kings, as Jerry Reynolds will step down as the team's director of player development, he tells Chris Riva of KCRA-TV.
- The Knicks worked out Deshaun Thomas today and will get another look at him Friday, reports Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio (Twitter link), who also notes that Cody Zeller will work out Thursday for the Suns. Thomas will also work out later this month for the Timberwolves, tweets Jerry Zgoda of the Star Tribune, apparently clearing up earlier confusion involving Adonis Thomas.
- The Sixers auditioned Steven Adams, Colton Iverson, Alex Oriakhi, Mouhammadou Jaiteh and Jamelle Hagins today, tweets Jake L. Fischer of SLAM Online.
- Ray McCallum, who will work out sometime this month for the Pistons, has also worked out with the Spurs, Rockets and Pacers, notes Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press.
Coaching Rumors: Hollins, Nets, Clippers, Shaw
As I noted yesterday when examining the longest-tenured coaches in the NBA, four teams – the Pistons, 76ers, Nets, and Clippers – are still in the market for a new head coach, while a couple other positions could open up later in the offseason. In addition to those head coaching openings, plenty of assistants are being hired, or moving from one NBA team to another. Here are today's rumors on those head coaching searches and the assistant coaching carousel:
- Although the Clippers have asked and received permission to speak to Lionel Hollins, the Nets' initial request to speak to Hollins was turned down, according to Ronald Tillery of the Memphis Commercial Appeal (Twitter links). Tillery adds that Brooklyn has yet to make another request since being denied on the day after the Grizzlies' season ended.
- No teams have requested permission yet to speak to Grizzlies assistant Dave Joerger, but the Sixers are believed to have interest, tweets Tillery.
- A report yesterday indicated that the Nets and Sixers were among the teams that have contacted Larry Brown about their head coaching openings. Brown threw cold water on that report today though, according to John N. Mitchell of the Philadelphia Inquirer, saying he's happy at SMU. CSNPhilly.com, meanwhile, reports that Brown would likely have interest in returning to the NBA if it meant running a franchise. I'd be surprised if anything came of this.
Earlier updates:
- Less than 24 hours after ESPN.com's Marc Stein and Chris Broussard reported that Brian Shaw was a "serious target" for the Nets, Ramona Shelburne of ESPNLosAngeles.com reports that Shaw also appears to be the Clippers' top choice at this point. Since no official interviews have been conducted yet, the situation remains fluid, but the Clippers are intrigued by Shaw's youth, championship experience, and developmental skills, according to Shelburne.
- Talks between Jeff Van Gundy and the Clippers have cooled, and the team has yet to ask permission to speak to Nuggets coach George Karl, though he remains a possible target. Lionel Hollins, Byron Scott, and Alvin Gentry also remain under consideration for Los Angeles, says Shelburne.
- Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times provides the same list of contenders for the Clippers' job, though he's even more bearish on the likelihood of the team hiring Van Gundy, writing that he's essentially "out of the running." Shaw, meanwhile is gaining momentum for the position, according to Turner.
- Although the Pistons' search appears to have been narrowed down to Nate McMillan and Maurice Cheeks, there's no guarantee a decision happens this week, sources tell David Mayo of MLive.com.
- Following up on a report from Frank Isola of the New York Daily News last week which suggested Patrick Ewing could be hired as an assistant in Charlotte, Chris Haynes of CSNNW.com says Ewing is interviewing for the Bobcats' lead assistant job today. The former Knicks big man has also received interest from the Kings, writes Haynes.
- Newly-hired Kings head coach Michael Malone is also talking to Ohio State assistant Chris Jent about joining his staff in Sacramento, tweets Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports.
- Yet another Lakers assistant coach appears to be on his way out of L.A., as Darvin Ham will talk to the Bobcats and Hawks about a spot on their respective staffs, according to Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News.
Nets Seriously Considering Brian Shaw
WEDNESDAY, 10:01am: The Nets have received permission from the Pacers to speak to Shaw, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports. According to Wojnarowski, Brooklyn will interview Shaw soon and a formal offer could come shortly that meeting.
TUESDAY, 2:11pm: Now that his Pacers are out of the playoffs, assistant coach Brian Shaw is free to talk to teams interested in hiring him as a head coach. At the moment, four teams, the Nets, Clippers, Pistons, and 76ers, are without a head coach, and Shaw has been linked at one time or another to all four clubs. However, the team that is most interested in Shaw may be the Nets.
ESPN.com's Marc Stein and Chris Broussard report that Shaw is a "serious target" for the Nets' coaching opening. Mike Wells of the Indianapolis Star also reported earlier today (via Twitter) that GM Billy King has been doing a lot of background checking on the Pacers assistant. According to Stein and Broussard, Brooklyn will request permission to interview Shaw now that Indiana is out of the postseason.
Sam Hinkie's list of targets for the Sixers head coaching job remains mostly unknown, and the Pistons are said to be focusing on Maurice Cheeks and Nate McMillan, but the Nets and Clippers appear to have plenty of overlap in their respective wish lists. As of last week, Shaw and Jeff Van Gundy were believed to be atop the Clippers' list, and there may also be mutual interest between the team and Lionel Hollins, or at least Hollins' reps. The Nets, meanwhile, have contacted Van Gundy about their open position, and have asked permission to speak to Hollins as well, according to the ESPN.com report.
Although the eliminations of the Grizzlies and Pacers open the door for candidates like Hollins and Shaw to talk to teams, the Nets remain in no rush to complete their search, according to Mike Mazzeo of ESPNNewYork.com.
Nets, Sixers Have Contacted Larry Brown
The Nets, Sixers and a third team have all contacted Larry Brown about their coaching vacancies, reports Adam Zagoria of SNY, citing a source close to Brown. Reports of interest in Brown, currently the head coach at SMU, is nothing new this offseason, but this is the first we've heard that he has actually been contacted. The Clippers are the only other team, outside of Brooklyn, Philly and the Pistons, to still have an opening, but it is unclear if they are the third team. Brown has coached all four franchises.
“If one of those teams offered him I think he would [take it] but I don’t think they’re going to offer him,” the source said. Brown has been constantly linked to the Nets and has a good relationship with general manager Billy King from their days in Philly, but their top choice seems to be Brian Shaw. Meanwhile, the Sixers hire of GM Sam Hinkie was supposed to eliminate any chances of Brown's return to Philly, so the source close to Brown is probably right that his return to the NBA is a long shot.
Lionel Hollins, Grizzlies Continue To Talk
Multiple recent reports have indicated the outlook for Lionel Hollins with the Grizzlies isn't good, with Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports suggesting over the weekend that Hollins is likely done in Memphis. But as Hollins repeatedly expresses his desire to return to the team he led to the Western Finals, the Grizzlies and their head coach continue to discuss an extension, according to Ronald Tillery of the Memphis Commercial Appeal (subscription required).
Tillery reports that if the Grizzlies make Hollins an offer, it would likely be for a shorter term, rather than for four years. It's also not clear if Memphis will be able to match the financial commitment that other suitors could be willing to make to Hollins. We heard yesterday that the Nets have requested permission to speak to Hollins, and that the coach's representatives have reached out to the Clippers, who have some interest.
While the Clippers have been fairly stingy on coaching contracts in recent years, their willingness to target bigger names this offseason could signal an inclination to spend more. As for Brooklyn, money is likely no object to owner Mikhail Prokhorov, so if the Nets wanted to make a run at Hollins, they'd be difficult to outbid. It sounds like the Nets may be more focused on Brian Shaw, however, as Mike Wells of the Indianapolis Star reports (via Twitter) that GM Billy King has been doing a lot of background checking on the Pacers assistant.
In spite of Hollins' adamant public stance that he wants to return to the Grizzlies, it would be a surprise if he reached an agreement to remain in Memphis, given the difference in philosophies between Hollins and the club's front office.
Knicks Notes: Kidd, Selby, Draft
Knicks fans got a bit of surprising news earlier today when Jason Kidd announced that he is retiring. The future Hall of Famer still had two seasons and $6.18MM remaining on his three-year contract with the Knicks and despite his shooting woes to close out the Knicks' season, he had a strong 2012/13 campaign on the whole. Here's more on Kidd and other notes out of MSG..
- The NBA will miss Kidd’s presence on the court, but don’t be surprised if he surfaces in the NBA next season as a coach, writes Bill Ingram of HoopsWorld. I could certainly see Kidd taking a run at coaching, but it may not be right away.
- Jared Zwerling of ESPNNewYork.com (viaTwitter) says to keep an eye on Josh Selby in free agency. The guard's priority is figuring out his summer league and then signing with a team, though its not known if the Knicks have interest yet. For what it's worth, Selby and Carmelo Anthony are friends from their days in Baltimore and are still close. Anthony was hoping the Knicks would draft Selby in 2011, but he went to the Grizzlies in the second round instead.
- Point guard prospect Nate Wolters out of South Dakota State will be working out for the Knicks, Zwerling tweets. Wolters is a projected late first/early second round pick.
- Nets GM Billy King issued a statement on Kidd's retirement. "[Kidd] was the captain of the Nets during their most successful period in the NBA, and is considered the greatest player in the Nets' NBA history. On behalf of the entire Brooklyn Nets organization, we congratulate him on his Hall of Fame career," King said, according to the AP. With all due respect for Kidd, Drazen Petrovic is considered by some to be the greatest Nets player in their NBA history.