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Bucks Hire Larry Drew

May 31st, 2013 at 5:55pm CST by Zachary Links

5:55pm: Drew's deal will cover four years and is worth $10MM, sources tell ESPN's Chris Broussard.

4:29pm: The Bucks have hired Larry Drew to be their next coach, GM John Hammond tells Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports (via Twitter). Drew was one of three finalists for the gig but the Bobcats' hiring of Steve Clifford left it as a two-horse race between Drew and Kelvin Sampson.

In three seasons as the Hawks' head coach, Drew compiled a 128-102 record and took the club to the playoffs all three years, including the conference semifinals in 2010-11. Drew's contract was set to expire on June 30th, but he has long been expected to be replaced as coach. Atlanta recently found their new man in Spurs assistant Mike Budenholzer.

"After a thorough search and interview process, it was clear to us that Larry's track record in Atlanta, along with his experience as an assistant coach and player, make him the right choice to lead our club," Hammond said in a statement. "We look forward to what he will bring this franchise and we welcome him and his family to Milwaukee."

Drew's deal will give him a guaranteed three years with a team option for year four, according to Wojnarowski (Twitter link), as well as Charles F. Gardner of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Before he wound up with the Bucks, there appeared to have been mutual interest between Drew and the Pistons, who are still searching for their next head coach.

Chuck Myron contributed to this post.

Odds & Ends: Jackson, Drew, Allen, Hollins

May 30th, 2013 at 7:45pm CST by Ryan Raroque

Although Phil Jackson recently criticized Mike D'Antoni and seemed skeptical about the thought of Dwight Howard wanting to re-sign with the Lakers, the eleven-time NBA champion coach appeared to backtrack on those comments during an appearance on the Willard and Thompson Show on 710 ESPN Radio in Los Angeles (Mark Medina of the L.A. Daily News). Also, Jackson reiterated that he has no plans of coaching again and explained how he's still somewhat connected with his former team: "I’m playing a role regardless whether I’m hired and on the staff and part of the payroll, I’m here to be a sounding board and personal companion to my fiance, who’s the chief operating officer I guess you would say of the Lakers. As they ferry their way through these contract problems they have and the whole mess they have right now in the organization, I’m listening. There’s not a whole lot I’m doing. But my role right now is to be attentive and supportive.”

Here are more of tonight's miscellaneous news and notes:

The Pistons and former Hawks coach Larry Drew appear to have some mutual interest in an interview for Drew, sources tell Vincent Goodwill of the Detroit News. Drew is believed to be one of two finalists for the Bucks' coaching opening, along with Rockets assistant Kelvin Sampson.
Chris Tomasson of FOX Sports Florida tweets that Heat guard Ray Allen hasn't thought about whether or not he'll pick up his $3.23MM player option this summer.
Marc J. Spears of Yahoo tweets that the Nets, Clippers, and Bucks have not contacted the Grizzlies for permission to talk to Lionel Hollins as of yet. Coincidentally, we relayed a report yesterday which indicated that the 59-year-old coach doesn't expect to be granted permission to speak with other teams before his contract expires on June 30.
In light of the rumblings that the Nuggets might not match the Raptors' five-year, $15MM offer to Masai Ujiri, SBNation’s Tom Ziller makes the argument that coaches and general managers should be paid more.
Ben Couch of BrooklynNets.com reviews Gerald Wallace’s season in Brooklyn. Just over a month ago, Wallace had alarmingly admitted that he didn’t “have a clue” as to what his role on the team was, but as of today the veteran forward seemed to be encouraged about what his future holds with the Nets: "All in all I think this was kind of a down year for me, but I feel comfortable and excited about the way I finished the season," Wallace says."I'm going into the summer knowing the things I can do to get better."
Marcus Thompson of Mercury News reported that Warriors big man David Lee had surgery to repair a torn right hip flexor today and is expected to begin rehab within the next two weeks.
According to Benjamin Hochman of The Denver Post, Nuggets forward Danilo Gallinari had a slight setback in rehab and won't have surgery on his ACL for another two weeks. Consequently, an expected return date of January 1 has now changed to late January or February.

Draft Notes: Noel, Jones, Franklin, Mitchell

May 30th, 2013 at 6:37pm CST by Ryan Raroque

Andy Katz of ESPN noted earlier that Nerlens Noel will visit with the Magic this Sunday, and is yet to schedule a meeting with the Cavaliers. The potential number one pick is up six pounds (from 206 to 212) since the Chicago Pre-Draft Camp two weeks ago, and isn’t expected to visit any other teams beyond Orlando and Cleveland unless a team trades up to the first or second draft slots or there is a strong sense that a deal gets done (All Twitter links). We’ll keep you posted on anything draft related tonight below:

The Wizards are slated to bring in Archie Goodwin, Peyton Siva, Mike Muscala, James Southerland, Will Clyburn, Adonis Thomas, Khalif Wyatt, and Romero Osby for workouts starting on Monday. Otto Porter, Victor Oladipo, and Ben McLemore may be among the next wave of prospects to work out for the team during the following week.
SNYtv’s Josh Newman passes along that Iona standout Lamont Jones is set to work out for the Nets on June 20. Jones is the second confirmed prospect set to work out for Brooklyn, who will also take a look at San Diego State product Jamaal Franklin at a date yet to be determined (Twitter links).
Joe Freeman of The Oregonian reports that the Trail Blazers brought in six draft hopefuls in for predraft workouts today, among them being a projected first-rounder in Tony Mitchell. Joining the North Texas big man were second round prospects Richard Howell, Dexter Strickland, Adonis Thomas, BJ Young, and James Ennis. Freeman profiled each of today’s visitors in a separate piece.
Hoopworld’s Alex Kennedy presents his list of 10 possible steals in this year’s draft.
Although the Pistons GM Joe Dumars acknowledged that the team’s preference would be to draft a viable wing player, he wouldn’t rule out the possibility of drafting the best available big man by the time Detroit is on the clock with the eighth pick (Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press).
According to this article from NBA.com, the Timberwolves hosted Tim Hardaway Jr., Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Ricky Ledo, Allen Crabbe, Mouphtaou Yarou, and Gregory Echenique for workouts today.

Eastern Notes: Celtics, Bobcats, Pistons

May 29th, 2013 at 8:26pm CST by Michael Pina

A few notes from around the NBA's Eastern Conference:

The Celtics have a plethora of questions to answer this summer, with their most pertinent being what to do with Paul Pierce. ESPNBoston.com's Chris Forsberg looks at all of them, then gauges what the team's plan of attack should be.
Bobcats new head coach Steve Clifford is pleased with his new roster, even though it's the same group that struggled heavily the past two years, writes Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer.
The Pistons are still searching for a head coach to fill the void that was created after Lawrence Frank's recent firing, writes DetroitNews.com's Vincent Goodwill.

Coaching Rumors: Pistons, Hollins, Kings, 76ers

May 29th, 2013 at 9:54am CST by Luke Adams

A handful of the NBA's head coaching vacancies have been filled this week, with the Suns, Bobcats, and Hawks all deciding on new head coaches. Still, plenty of jobs remain open, including higher-profile positions in Los Angeles and Brooklyn. Let's round up the latest rumblings on the Association's coaching carousel….

Sam Amick of USA Today follows up on his earlier report (linked below), tweeting that the reason the Kings may move quickly to hire Malone is a fear he'll be gone if they wait. Malone is expected to interview with the Clippers soon, according to Amick (via Twitter). Amick adds that the Kings have yet to contact Chris Mullin about the team's GM position.

Earlier updates:

The Pistons have interviewed Bulls assistant Adrian Griffin for their head coaching opening, reports CSNNW.com's Chris Haynes. While Nate McMillan and Maurice Cheeks are viewed as the favorites in Detroit, Griffin's extensive phone interview with GM Joe Dumars was "impressive," a source tells Haynes. The Bulls assistant also interviewed for the Suns job before Phoenix hired Jeff Hornacek.
Although the Nets are among the teams hoping to speak to Lionel Hollins, the Grizzlies coach told reporters, including Tim Bontemps of the New York Post, that he's not sure Memphis will grant rival suitors permission to talk to him before his contract expires on June 30th.
Marcus Thompson of the Bay Area News Group backs up Peter Vecsey's report that Michael Malone appears likely to be hired as the Kings' next head coach. Sam Amick of USA Today is hearing the same thing, noting that the team could bring Malone aboard before hiring a general manager, which would be an unorthodox approach.
Amick also passes along an update on the Kings' search for a new head of basketball operations, reporting that the team has interviewed Warriors assistant GM Travis Schlenk and will likely interview Grizzlies GM Chris Wallace later this week. The Thunder denied Sacramento permission to speak to OKC's assistant GM Troy Weaver, while Spurs GM R.C. Buford isn't expected to have interest in the Kings job, according to Amick.
The 76ers continue to move slowly in their coaching search, and have yet to formally interview a candidate for the job, says John N. Mitchell of the Philadelphia Inquirer.

Odds & Ends: Aldridge, Howard, Mavs, Hollins

May 28th, 2013 at 10:06pm CST by Zachary Links

Blazers big man LaMarcus Aldridge sat down with Leo Sepkowitz of Slam Online for a wide-ranging Q&A session earlier this week. Seven years after the 2006 draft, Aldridge has proven to be the only player taken in the top five that didn't fall short of expectations. Does the 27-year-old hold a grudge against the Bulls for passing him up? "I used to, but I don’t think I do anymore. I think someone named a stat that I average more points and rebounds against them and Dallas than anyone else. So people say that whenever I play them I have something to prove, but I don’t think I do anymore. But if the stats say I do, then I guess I do." Here's more from around the Association..

Tim MacMahon of ESPNDallas.com is stacking up the Mavericks, Lakers, and Rockets in different facets as they pursue Dwight Howard. Today, MacMahon weighs the allure of playing alongside Kobe Bryant vs. Dirk Nowitzki vs. James Harden. With age being a key factor, MacMahon gives the edge to Houston and Harden.
Vincent Goodwill of the Detroit News (on Twitter) believes the process is too far down the line for the Pistons to bring Lionel Hollins in for an interview. Hollins hopes to remain with the Grizzlies but a number of other teams are said to be interested in him.
Kansas center Jeff Withey is set to workout for the T'Wolves on June 13th, according to Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN (on Twitter). Our own Chuck Myron profiled Withey who recently worked out for the Celtics. Minnesota's only pick in the draft is at No. 9, which means that they'll have to find their way into the mid-to-late portion of the first round to make the KU product a possibility.
Scouts representing the Celtics, Mavs, Thunder, and Grizzlies were in Varese, Italy to watch the game between Cimberio and Montepaschi, according to Emiliano Carchia of Sportando (via Twitter).

Update On NBA Coaching Searches

May 27th, 2013 at 12:00pm CST by Luke Adams

Nearly a third of the NBA's teams have actively sought out a new head coach since the regular season ended last month, and it's possible that we could see even more clubs decide to make a change in the coming weeks. The Kings' new ownership group may fully overhaul the front office and coaching staff, while the Raptors' new head of basketball operations could decide to replace Dwane Casey.

A pair of teams have hired new coaches, but most of the clubs making a change are still pursuing and interviewing candidates. Here's an update on the NBA's offseason coaching carousel:

Atlanta Hawks
Out: Larry Drew
In: TBD
Larry Drew technically remains under contract with the Hawks, but according to Chris Vivlamore of the Atlanta Journal Constitution (Twitter link), he hasn't been in touch with the team recently and is proceeding as if he won't be back. Stan Van Gundy had initially been linked to the Hawks' opening, but says he won't coach next season. That could be good news for Spurs assistant Mike Budenholzer, who is viewed by some insiders as the favorite for the Atlanta job. CSKA Moscow head coach Ettore Messina is also reportedly being considered.

Brooklyn Nets
Out: P.J. Carlesimo
In: TBD
The Nets seem to be thoroughly researching potential candidates before reaching out to them, with a recent report suggesting that Phil Jackson was the only target approached by the team so far. Part of the reason for the deliberate pace may be the fact that two names viewed as likely top candidates, Brian Shaw and Lionel Hollins, remain active in the postseason.

Charlotte Bobcats
Out: Mike Dunlap
In: TBD
When the Bobcats were seeking a a new head coach a year ago, their search was expansive and lasted several weeks. A year later, it appears that will be the case again. Kelvin Sampson, Alvin Gentry, and Elston Turner are among the candidates that have been interviewed by Charlotte so far, but the frontrunner may be Quin Snyder, who interviewed for the position last year as well. Chris Broussard reported last week that Snyder may be the preferred choice of Bobcats GM Rich Cho.

Cleveland Cavaliers
Out: Byron Scott
In: Mike Brown
The Cavs moved quickly to lock up Mike Brown, hiring him within a week of officially firing Byron Scott.

Detroit Pistons
Out: Lawrence Frank
In: TBD
When Jackson was brought in as a pro-bono consultant for the Pistons' coaching search, it raised questions about whose voice would dominate the process: Jackson's or GM Joe Dumars'. If the Zen Master has more sway, the team may push hard for Shaw, a former Jackson assistant. Dumars is believed to favor Maurice Cheeks or Nate McMillan. Budenholzer, Lindsey Hunter, Darrell Walker, and J.B Bickerstaff have also reportedly met with the Pistons.

Los Angeles Clippers
Out: Vinny Del Negro
In: TBD
According to Ken Berger of CBSSports.com, the Clippers are shooting for the big names before fully getting their search underway. That list would include Van Gundy, Hollins, and Shaw, at the very least. The Clips have also been linked on several occasions to Gentry, Scott, and Michael Malone, and are said to be high on McMillan.

Milwaukee Bucks
Out: Jim Boylan
In: TBD
The latest report on the Bucks indicates the team has narrowed its focus to three finalists: Drew, Sampson, and Steve Clifford. All three are scheduled for second interviews with Milwaukee on Tuesday or Wednesday, so it wouldn't be a surprise if the team made a decision by the end of the week.

Philadelphia 76ers
Out: Doug Collins
In: TBD
Several names, including Shaw, Sampson, and Michael Curry initially surfaced in the Sixers' search, but GM Tony DiLeo has since been replaced by Sam Hinkie. At the moment, Hinkie seems more focused on structuring the front office than naming a new coach, so it's unclear what the timetable is for a Sixers hire, or which candidates Hinkie is considering.

Phoenix Suns
Out: Lindsey Hunter
In: Jeff Hornacek
The Suns and Jeff Hornacek reached an agreement yesterday, ending Phoenix's search.

Broussard On Coaching Searches, Wolves, Lottery

May 24th, 2013 at 10:03am CST by Luke Adams

We briefly touched on the latest Insider-only offering from ESPN.com's Chris Broussard last night, but let's take a more in-depth look at Brousard's newest tidbits today:

NBA executives are curious to see who the Pistons hire as a head coach, since it may indicate whether advisor Phil Jackson or GM Joe Dumars has more sway in Detroit. Dumars is believed to favor Nate McMillan or Maurice Cheeks, while Jackson's pick would likely be Brian Shaw.
Had Chris Hansen's purchase of the Kings gone through, Jackson would have run the team's front office in Seattle, and intended to hire Shaw as head coach, says Broussard.
The Nets have yet to approach any coaching candidates besides Jackson, who told the team he wasn't interested in coaching. Brooklyn is currently conducting "rigorous checks" on potential candidates, and is seeking someone tough and firm who is able to get the most out of the talent on the roster.
The Clippers are high on McMillan, according to Broussard.
Sources tell Broussard that Bobcats GM Rich Cho is interested in hiring Quin Snyder to replace Mike Dunlap.
"Many league insiders" believe Spurs assistant Mike Budenholzer is the favorite to land the Hawks' job, says Broussard.
While Celtics GM Danny Ainge has privately told teams he won't grant them permission to speak to Doc Rivers, Broussard says if Rivers really wanted a change of scenery, Ainge would probably allow him to explore other options. There's no indication that's the case though.
Although Flip Saunders will run the Timberwolves' basketball operations, he's looking to hire a general manager, and is currently performing background checks on possible candidates. A hire likely won't happen until after the draft, according to Broussard.
Rival lottery teams aren't necessarily jealous that the Cavaliers landed the first overall pick. Said one GM: "I'd rather be two, three or four in this draft than one."
Another executive from a lottery team on the process: "We didn't want to win this year's lottery. Next year's the one to win. Then after that, you want to be out of the lottery."

Latest On Pistons Coaching Search

May 23rd, 2013 at 2:20pm CST by Luke Adams

After interviewing Maurice Cheeks yesterday, it appears the Pistons are done bringing in coaching candidates, reports Vince Goodwill of the Detroit News. According to Goodwill, Detroit's front office appears likely to decide on a new head coach "relatively soon."

In addition to Cheeks, the Pistons have interviewed a list of candidates that is believed to include Nate McMillan, Lindsey Hunter, Mike Budenholzer, J.B. Bickerstaff, and Darrell Walker. One report suggested the team also planned to interview Brian Shaw, but the Pacers reportedly aren't allowing Shaw to formally meet with any clubs until after Indiana's playoff run ends.

According to Goodwill, the Pistons likely won't wait for the Eastern Conference finals to finish to formally interview Shaw or Heat assistant David Fizdale, though that won't necessarily preclude the club from talking to one or both candidates via phone.

Goodwill also notes that there could have been mutual interest between the Pistons and Larry Drew. Drew, who technically remains under contract with the Hawks for a few more weeks, impressed the Pistons by taking a roster with nine expiring contracts to the playoffs, says Goodwill.

As for Phil Jackon's involvement in the process, Goodwill speculates that the advisory role may have merely been a way for Jackson to get his name back out there, as opposed to an attempt to push one of his preferred candidates to Detroit or strong-arm his way into the Pistons' front office.

"He was in town for a couple days, we spent time together in those couple days," Pistons GM Joe Dumars said of the Zen Master. "We've had a couple conversations since he left town."

Eastern Rumors: Deng, Hollins, Bucks, Raptors

May 22nd, 2013 at 9:03am CST by Luke Adams

A day after an Eastern Conference team (the Cavs) won the 2013 draft lottery, the Eastern Finals will finally get underway tonight in Miami, as the Pacers look to upset the defending-champion Heat. While we look forward to that game, let's check in on a few updates from around the East….

Within his piece on the Bulls' free agent options, Aggrey Sam of CSNChicago.com reports that the Cavaliers and Pistons may be among the teams with some interest in trading for Luol Deng.
In exploring why the Bucks' coaching search might be moving slowly, Gery Woelfel of the Racine Journal Times notes that some NBA officials believe Milwaukee is waiting to talk to Grizzlies coach Lionel Hollins. Although Hollins will draw interest from teams with stronger rosters, NBA insiders claim he could still be interested in the Bucks job, since he enjoyed his previous stint in Milwaukee and formed a good rapport with team management, says Woelfel.
The Raptors expect to hear back from the Nuggets today on whether or not they'll receive permision to speak with Denver GM Masai Ujiri, tweets Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports.
Wojnarowski adds in a second tweet that Celtics assistant Tyronn Lue and Rio Grande Valley Vipers head coach Nick Nurse are candidates for an assistant coaching role with the Raptors.
Pistons GM Joe Dumars told reporters, including David Mayo of MLive.com, that he's happy with the eighth pick in the draft and won't rule out selecting a big man, even though a perimeter player may be more likely.
Expect the Celtics to draft the best player available if they keep their 16th overall pick, rather than focusing on a specific area of need, writes Steve Bulpett of the Boston Herald.