Denver Nuggets Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Kenny Smith Talking To Kings About GM Job

June 10th, 2013 at 8:42am CST by Luke Adams

Although the team has already hired its head coach, the Kings are still searching for a candidate to run the team's basketball operations. Sam Amick of USA Today confirms what we've heard in past reports, noting that new owner Vivek Ranadive is interested in putting together a sort of two-tier structure, perhaps pairing a big-name president with a lesser-name (but respected) general manager.

Larry Bird, Mike Dunleavy, Chris Mullin, Chris Wallace, David Morway, and Travis Schlenk are among the candidates that have been mentioned for one role or the other in the Kings' front office, and Amick reports that another interesting name has entered the mix: TNT analyst Kenny Smith. Smith confirmed to Amick that he has been in discussions with Ranadive about a position in Sacramento's front office, and expressed confidence that he could do a good job with the team.

"I've been winning my whole life," Smith said. "I've been blessed to be a winner. So whatever happens, whatever I do, I'm going to win an Emmy next year or I'm going to try to win an NBA championship or I'm going to try to win in cards. I'm a winner. I'm a winner. I've been blessed in my whole life, so I think I have a clear vision."

The Kings also appear likely to interview Nuggets assistant GM Pete D'Alessandro about their GM opening. Although D'Alessandro remains the odds-on favorite to take over Denver's basketball operations, the Nuggets have granted Sacramento permission to speak to him, according to Amick (via Twitter).

Nuggets Notes: Hollins, Shaw, Iguodala

June 8th, 2013 at 7:29pm CST by Spencer Lund

The Nuggets have gone from the NBA's superstar-free darlings who won 57 games this season to a team without a general manager or a head coach in the span of just a couple months. After Masai Ujiri left to take over as the Raptors new general manager, George Karl was fired when both he and Nuggets management agreed he wouldn't be offered an extension after his contract ran out at the end of the 2013/14 season.

The Nuggets have recently acquired permission from the Pacers and Grizzlies to speak with Pacers assistant Brian Shaw, and Grizz head coach Lionel Hollins, reports Benjamin Hochman of the Denver Post. Both Shaw and Hollins have been highly touted objects of interest this offseason with so many head coaching vacancies to fill.

Plus, the Nuggets still have roster issues to clear up before next season while they're figuring out Shaw and Hollins' fit as their new head coach:

It appears Shaw is ahead of Hollins on the Nets' wish list for a head coach. Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News has a source saying the Nets are looking for a "fresh face," and Shaw doesn't have any head coaching experience yet.
Hollins still might re-sign with the Grizzlies as Sam Amick mentioned yesterday, but the Grizz also might promote assistant David Joerger, and they're high on Karl, too. So there's a possibility the Grizzlies and Nuggets switch head coaches this offseason after their teams finished with the 5th and 3rd seeds in a tough Western Conference this past season.
Shaw and Karl are also the top two prospects for the Clippers, which both Marc Stein and Ramona Shelburne of ESPN reported on Thursday, but it appears Shaw is also the Nets' top choice to coach, so he might have to choose between a plethora of offers.
The Nuggets are also looking at filling their vacancy at general manager, but President Josh Kroenke doesn't have a timetable for the head coach or general manager decisions yet.

Kroenke isn't just worrying about hiring a new coach and general manager. He's also looking at bringing Andre Iguodala back next season and beyond, telling the Denver Post's Benjamin Hochman on Friday that "I didn't bring Andre Iguodala to Denver to be here for one year. And that's what I've told him."

Iguodala can walk away from the $16MM he has left on the final year of his contract to look elsewhere for a contending NBA team that will pay for his still-stout perimeter defense.
But when asked by TNT's David Aldridge about his odds for re-signing with the Nuggets, Iguodala replied, "Good question. Need some time to let it sink in."

With no coach, no general manager, and an ambiguous future for Iguodala, the Nuggets' reign as one of the NBA's most entertaining teams with a bright future ahead of them is now in doubt.

Northwest Notes: Nuggets, Karl, Wolves

June 7th, 2013 at 10:22pm CST by Zachary Links

What does a guy have to do to keep his job in Denver? After being named the NBA's Coach of the Year, George Karl was dismissed from the Nuggets and left to find a place for himself on this offseason's coaching carousel. The move did not go without criticism from fans and people inside basketball, and Nugs president Josh Kroenke addressed the media today to explain his decision. Here's highlights from that and more out of the Northwest Division..

Kroneke had to decide between giving Karl the extension he was seeking or letting him go, and he told reporters, including Christopher Dempsey of the Denver Post, that there was only one way to go. "We talked about our future, we talked about our different desires for the organization," said Kroenke. "We both sat down and tried to figure out the best ways for both of us moving forward. My worst-case scenario that I kept coming back to was we're obviously going to start next season without (injured forward Danilo) Gallinari, and it would be a tough situation to put George in knowing that he might want to restructure his contract already."
The Nuggets president added that he doesn't have a timetable for replacing Karl or outgoing General Manager Masai Ujiri, Dempsey writes.
Dwight Howard might be the big name in free agency, but a number of teams would love to get their hands on Wolves standout Nikola Pekovic, writes Bill Ingram of HoopsWorld. While retaining Pekovic and having a healthy club in 2013/14 should go a long way for Minnesota, they would like to accomplish much more this summer.
Cody Zeller told Chris Haynes of CSNNW.com (via Twitter) that it was his agent's idea to work out individually for clubs. The Indiana product auditioned for the Blazers earlier today.
Earlier tonight, we learned that Kevin Durant has opted to change agencies and is expected to join Jay-Z's Roc Nation Sports.

Coach/GM Rumors: Hollins, Karl, Kings, Nuggets

June 7th, 2013 at 1:15pm CST by Luke Adams

According to Sam Amick of USA Today, Lionel Hollins and the Grizzlies spoke yesterday, and the door hasn't closed entirely on the possibility of the head coach remaining in Memphis. However, Hollins has begun to explore his other options, talking by phone to a pair of Clippers executives yesterday and planning to fly to Los Angeles early next week, according to Ronald Tillery of the Memphis Commercial Appeal (via Twitter). Here's the latest on the Grizzlies, the Clippers, and plenty of other teams in the market for a coach or GM:

While a reunion with Hollins or a promotion of assistant David Joerger remain possibilities for the Grizzlies, Memphis has emerged as the early frontrunner for George Karl, says Ken Berger of CBSSports.com.
The Clippers have interest in both Hollins and Karl, but are prioritizing championship experience, a source tells Berger. Brian Shaw fits that bill, as both a player and an assistant coach, and is expected to formally interview with the Clippers on Monday, according to Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times.
The Kings continue to pursue Larry Bird, although it would be a surprise if he was hired, a source tells Berger. If the Kings were able to land a big name like Bird – or perhaps Mike Dunleavy or Chris Mullin – it would be as team president, with the authority to hire a GM.
David Morway is interviewing today for the Kings' GM job, says Berger. It doesn't appear Sacramento will receive permission to speak to Nuggets assistant GM Pete D'Alessandro though, since Denver would like him to continue helping owner Josh Kroenke with the team's coaching search.
D'Alessandro also appears to be the favorite for the Nuggets' open GM job, with a source telling Berger that Denver may not even interview outside candidates.
Earlier today, Kroenke told reporters, including Benjamin Hochman of the Denver Post (Twitter links), that Masai Ujiri would almost certainly have left Denver to accept the Raptors job even if the Nuggets had matched Toronto's offer.

David Fizdale, Melvin Hunt On Sixers’ Radar

June 7th, 2013 at 11:03am CST by Luke Adams

Maurice Cheeks is said to be the frontrunner for the Pistons' head coaching job, and the openings with the Clippers, Nets, and Nuggets appear to be turning into a game of musical chairs featuring Brian Shaw, Lionel Hollins, George Karl, and others. Since Sam Hinkie was hired in Philadelphia though, we haven't heard a whole lot about the Sixers' head coaching targets.

According to ESPN.com's Marc Stein (via Twitter), a pair of assistant coaches are on the 76ers' radar: David Fizdale of the Heat and Melvin Hunt of the Nuggets. Fizdale had been mentioned as a candidate for Detroit earlier in the Pistons' process, and actually was said to be on the Sixers' list before Hinkie was hired as well. Hunt, meanwhile, hasn't received any head coaching buzz since he was named as a potential Cavs candidate back in April.

Besides Fizdale and Hunt, Rockets assistants Kelvin Sampson and Chris Finch have also been cited as possible candidates for the Sixers' job, while Ronald Tillery of the Memphis Commercial Appeal tweeted earlier this week that Philadelphia appears to have interest in Grizzlies assistant Dave Joerger.

Grantland's Zach Lowe also noted yesterday that Hinkie has long been an admirer of George Karl's offensive creativity, but Lowe hears from coaching sources that the new GM may prefer to develop a strong relationship with a first-time head coach of his choosing.

Nuggets Eyeing Hollins, Shaw, McMillan, Gentry

June 6th, 2013 at 6:38pm CST by Luke Adams

6:38pm: Denver has been granted permission to speak with Hollins, a source tells Ronald Tillery of the Memphis Commercial Appeal (Twitter link).

6:20pm: In addition to Hollins and Shaw, league sources say that the Nuggets plan to examine Nate McMillan and Alvin Gentry for their head coaching vacancy as well (Yahoo Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski tweets).

12:37pm: The Nuggets have received permission from the Pacers to interview Shaw, tweets Ken Berger of CBSSports.com. Denver has also lodged a formal request with the Grizzlies to speak with Hollins, Berger adds (via Twitter).

Although Shaw and Hollins are viewed as the Nuggets' top targets, ESPN.com's Marc Stein names Quin Snyder as a potential under-the-radar candidate (Twitter link).

10:42am: Having parted ways with George Karl, the Nuggets are eyeing a pair of the offseason's most frequently mentioned head coaching candidates. According to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports (via Twitter), Denver plans to request permission to speak to Grizzlies head coach Lionel Hollins and Pacers assistant Brian Shaw.

As we've heard this week and reiterated this morning, Shaw appears to be near or at the top of both the Clippers' and Nets' wish list, so he may ultimately end up having to choose between multiple offers. Hollins is also a candidate for both clubs, though it sounds like L.A. has a little more interest in the Grizzlies' coach than Brooklyn does. The Clippers were also linked to Karl even before he became available, so if their interest in him becomes more serious now, it could create an opportunity for the Nuggets to get a better shot at Shaw or Hollins.

If the Nuggets do zero in on Hollins, it's conceivable that Denver and Memphis could essentially trade head coaches, according to ESPN.com's Marc Stein, who says the Grizzlies intend to reach out to Karl (Twitter links).

Given how fresh the Karl news is, no other names have surfaced yet as potential candidates for the Nuggets. But Wojnarowski tweeted this morning that the team is confident in its ability to land an elite coach, considering how much talent is on the roster.

Nuggets Part Ways With George Karl

June 6th, 2013 at 6:10pm CST by Luke Adams

6:10pm: Karl's agent, Warren Legarie, offered his thoughts to ESPN about the Nuggets' decision:

"This was not the ideal situation, obviously George would've preferred to stay on. But I can't praise Josh Kroenke enough for the way in which he handled a really difficult situation. [Kroenke] was always straightforward and honest & very clear about what they were prepared and not prepared to do" (All Twitter links via Ramona Shelburne).

10:11am: 2012/13's NBA Coach of the Year will not return to his team's bench next season, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports. Wojnarowski reports that the Nuggets have parted ways with George Karl, informing him this morning that he won't be retained for the final year of his contract (Twitter links).

Wojnarowski and Ramona Shelburne of ESPNLosAngeles.com had both reported within the last week that Karl's status in Denver was unsettled, since the team didn't seem inclined to pick up his 2014/15 option, which would have left him on an expiring deal next season. According to Wojnarowski (via Twitter), Karl had been pushing for a contract extension, and team ownership wasn't prepared to give him one.

The move is the latest in an incredibly busy offseason for head coaching turnover. 11 NBA teams have now parted ways with the head coach with whom they finished the season, and there could be more changes on the way, including Lionel Hollins in Memphis. Karl had been the third-longest-tenured coach in the NBA, behind only Gregg Popovich and Doc Rivers.

With Karl out of the picture and Masai Ujiri now running the Raptors, the Nuggets will be in the market for both a new coach and general manager in the coming weeks. Wojnarowski tweets that the Nuggets believe they can attract an elite coach, given their roster, and that they preferred to take that chance rather than moving forward with an unhappy Karl.

As for Karl, Chris Mannix of SI.com rightly points out (via Twitter) that his presence on the market figures to change the thinking of some teams still searching for a new head coach. Based on the fact that he had been seeking an extension with the Nuggets, it appears Karl still wants to keep coaching. We've already heard his name linked to the Clippers' search and Grantland's Zach Lowe (Twitter link) wouldn't be surprised if the Sixers called him as well. ESPN.com's Marc Stein reports (via Twitter) that the Grizzlies also intend to reach out to Karl.

Still, Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer cautions (via Twitter) not to rule out the possibility of Karl sitting out the season or coaching overseas, given how much he enjoyed his previous experience in Europe. Personally, I'd think the former is more likely than the latter.

Western Notes: Hollins, Clippers, Iguodala, Love

June 6th, 2013 at 5:45pm CST by Luke Adams

Following up on her report this morning which indicated that negotiations between the Grizzlies and Lionel Hollins had become "dormant," Ramona Shelburne of ESPNLosAngeles.com took to Twitter to add a couple more details.

According to Shelburne, talks between the two sides never really even got to money or terms, since there was a sense that the short-term deal the team wanted was a sign to Hollins that he wasn't really wanted back. Although Hollins wanted to return, coming back on a two-year contract with increased expectations and perhaps a lesser roster was a problematic scenario, says Shelburne.

Here are a few more notes from around the Western Conference:

One source told Shelburne that Hollins was scheduled to speak with the Clippers this afternoon (Twitter link).
Michael Lee of the Washington Post tweets that the Suns have named Pat Connelly – the former Wizards' director of player personnel – as an assistant GM. Ken Berger of CBS Sports added that Phoenix also hired Ronnie Lester – formerly the scouting director of the Lakers – as a scout along with promoting Trevor Bukstein as another assistant GM (Twitter links).
According to Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times, the Clippers' front office loves Brian Shaw as a head coaching candidate, while owner Donald Sterling may prefer George Karl.
Asked by TNT's David Aldridge what effect Karl's ouster in Denver would have on his odds of re-signing with the Nuggets, Andre Iguodala replied, "Good question. Need some time to let it sink in."
Ten years after the Spurs nearly landed Jason Kidd in free agency, Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports looks back on a summer that would have changed the futures of two points guards, one (Kidd) who retired this week, and another (Tony Parker) who is playing in his fourth NBA Finals.
Appearing on ESPN's Sportscenter today (link via ESPN.com), Kevin Love said he had "absolutely" moved past any negativity he felt toward the Timberwolves and is looking forward to seeing what Flip Saunders will do as the team's new head of basketball operations.
John Reid of the New Orleans Times-Picayune wonders if Danny Granger would make sense as a trade target for the Pelicans.

Pacific Notes: Kings, Jent, World Peace, Suns

June 6th, 2013 at 1:22pm CST by Luke Adams

While we look forward to Game One of the 2013 Finals, let's check in on the NBA's Pacific Division, rounding up the latest news and notes:

As they continue to search for their next general manager, the Kings have requested permission to speak to Nuggets assistant GM Pete D'Alessandro, tweets Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports. Denver has yet to grant the Kings permission, which may not be a surprise, considering D'Alessandro is viewed as the frontrunner for the Nuggets' GM job, according to Benjamin Hochman of the Denver Post (via Twitter).
Following up on a report indicating the Kings have spoken to Larry Bird, Ailene Voisin of the Sacramento Bee writes that Bird joining Sacramento's front office is unlikely, but not impossible.
One more Kings note from Wojnarowski, who tweets that Michael Malone has extended a three-year offer to Ohio State's Chris Jent to be the top assistant in Sacramento.
14-year NBA veteran Metta World Peace told TWC SportsNet he hopes to extend his playing career to 20 seasons before retiring, according to Dave McMenamin of ESPNLosAngeles.com (Twitter link).
Suns head coach Jeff Hornacek and GM Ryan McDonough are on the same page as the draft approaches, writes Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic.

George Karl Rumors: Nets, Raptors, Grizzlies

June 6th, 2013 at 12:15pm CST by Luke Adams

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).