Poll: Which Game 7 Loser Will Advance In 2015?
A thrilling weekend of Game 7’s has given way to exit interviews and thoughts about the future for the five teams that lost deciding games in the first round of the playoffs. Some of those teams, like the Hawks and Mavs, can take encouragement that a seven-game series means they’re farther along than they probably thought they were. Others, like the Warriors and Grizzlies, probably didn’t envision sitting at home for the second round when they laid out their plans for the season.
Regardless of where the Hawks, Raptors, Mavs, Grizzlies and Warriors began the season, they’re all in similar positions now. Each team has reason to believe it can be better next year.
Atlanta is on target to have a healthy Al Horford for next season, with close to $15MM in potential cap space this summer. Toronto appears to be a team on the rise, with young talents like DeMar DeRozan, Terrence Ross and Jonas Valanciunas and seemingly the inside track to re-sign Kyle Lowry. Dirk Nowitzki remains an elite talent for Dallas, which can clear enough cap room to once more pursue another major star, or at least recruit free agents who can upgrade the team’s defense. The Grizzlies might have advanced beyond the first round if Marc Gasol had been healthy all season and they’d earned a higher seed, and the Memphis front office showed a knack for acquiring useful rotation players on the cheap this year. Golden State is another team on the come, and the series against the Clippers might have been drastically different if Andrew Bogut hadn’t been injured.
All five teams enter the offseason poised to make improvements that can take them beyond the first round next season. Let us know which club you think has the greatest chance to achieve that goal in 2014/15, and feel free to elaborate on your choice in the comments.
Which Game 7 Loser Has The Best Chance To Win A Round In 2015?
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Toronto Raptors 34% (494)
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Golden State Warriors 28% (409)
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Atlanta Hawks 15% (217)
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Dallas Mavericks 14% (201)
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Memphis Grizzlies 9% (126)
Total votes: 1,447
Warriors Rumors: Curry, O’Neal, Jackson
Marcus Thompson II of the Mercury News laid out a plan for how the Warriors can join the NBA elite. Even though they have four starters making $10MM or more and Klay Thompson is due an extension, they’ll have to find a way to put another star alongside Stephen Curry, Thompson writes. That could be easier said than done since the player they’d be most willing to move, David Lee, will earn $30.5MM over the next two years. Here’s more out of Oakland..
- Warriors center Jermaine O’Neal is expected to take his time in deciding whether to keep playing or retire, tweets Marc J. Spears of Yahoo Sports. The veteran still loves the game but badly wants to spend time with his family, Spears writes. O’Neal averaged 7.9 points and 5.5 rebounds in 20.1 minutes per game for Golden State this season.
- Rusty Simmons of the San Francisco Chronicle has more from O’Neal on his difficult decision.
- Tim Kawakami of the Bay Area News Group takes a look at the contract situations of several key Warriors, sizing up the sway that each of them has with the front office and examining how the fate of Mark Jackson plays into their futures. Of note, Kawakami says that if Jackson returns, Steve Blake probably won’t.
- The Warriors are confident they’ll have enough room under the luxury tax threshold to sign a player for the full value of the mid-level exception this summer, according to Marc Stein of ESPN.com.
Chuck Myron contributed to this post.
Warriors Interested In Stan Van Gundy
Mark Jackson appears to be on his way out of Golden State, since rumors have suggested he would be unlikely to return barring a long playoff run, and the Warriors find themselves out of the playoffs after the first round. Marc Stein of ESPN.com reiterates the team’s interest in Knicks target Steve Kerr, but the ESPN scribe believes Kerr is destined for New York, just as Fred Hoiberg, in whom the Warriors also hold interest, would be difficult to pry from Iowa State. That leaves the Warriors poised to make a run at former Heat and Magic coach Stan Van Gundy, Stein writes.
Van Gundy is still interested in coaching, but he’s primarily focused on spending time with his family, whom he says he’s given veto power over his decision to return to an NBA bench. He’s been linked to the Lakers, Timberwolves and Pistons of late, but he reportedly doesn’t want any of those jobs. The Pistons reached out to him recently, but talks apparently didn’t progress too far because he wanted some degree of control over player personnel. That kind of sway would probably be tough to come by in Golden State, where GM Bob Myers, adviser Jerry West and co-owner Joe Lacob all have varying levels of input into the team’s roster construction.
The divide between Jackson and Warriors management goes beyond the removal of former assistant coaches Brian Scalabrine and Darren Erman, Stein writes. The Warriors prefer someone whose personality is a better fit with the front office than Jackson’s is, according to Stein, who suggests that the team might put a premium on experience as it looks for its next coach.
The outspoken Van Gundy’s dry sense of humor scores points with media and in broadcasting, but his honesty can spark firestorms, such as when he told reporters that Dwight Howard wanted him out as coach of the Magic. Anyone other than Jackson would be a tough sell to the players, who’ve shown nearly universal support for their embattled coach. Still, Van Gundy and Howard have reconciled, and Van Gundy has never compiled a losing record in parts of eight seasons as an NBA head coach, so there’s reason to believe he’d be successful in Golden State.
And-Ones: Lowry, Noah, Warriors, Celtics
Shortly after losing to the Nets in Game 7, Raptors guard Kyle Lowry gave a quote in the locker room that could be a hint towards his offseason plans. “This is only the start for us and the Raptors organization,” said the soon-to-be unrestricted free agent, according to Josh Lewenberg of TSN (on Twitter). Here’s tonight’s look around the Association..
- Joakim Noah is reportedly trying to recruit Carmelo Anthony to the Bulls and he’s no stranger to that game, notes Alex Kennedy of Basketball Insiders. The big man took free agent Carlos Boozer out to dinner during his visit to Chicago and helped lure him in during the 2010 offseason.
- Determining coach Mark Jackson‘s future with the Warriors won’t be an easy call, writes Tim Kawakami of the Mercury News.
- In his final individual report card for the Celtics‘ season, Chris Forsberg of ESPNBoston.com. evaluates the players that didn’t end the season in green and white: Jordan Crawford, Courtney Lee, Keith Bogans, MarShon Brooks, and Vander Blue.
- Sports Illustrated legal analyst Michael McCann told colleague Chris Mannix (on Twitter) that if Clippers owner Donald Sterling files a lawsuit, “it will not be resolved by the start of the season.”
Western Notes: Jackson, Curry, Sterling
With the Warriors being eliminated from the playoffs last night, speculation about coach Mark Jackson‘s job status has begun. In regards to his future, Jackson said, “I don’t get caught up in it. I have total confidence and total faith that I will be fine even if I’m a full time pastor,” tweets Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports.
More from the west:
- Stephen Curry weighed in on Jackson, saying, “I love coach more than anybody. For his job us under scrutiny and question is unfair. It would certainly be a shock to me,” tweets Spears.
- Curry also said, “He [Jackson] deserves to be our coach next year,” notes Spears (Twitter link).
- A league source told Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports (Twitter link) that Jackson doesn’t have one Golden State front office ally who’ll make a case to ownership to keep him. “He’s on an island,” the source said.
- The Donald Sterling situation proves that no words are private anymore, writes Mitch Albom of The Detroit Free Press. Albom’s article examines the legality of the recording as well as what this means for NBA owners in the future.
Pacific Notes: Clippers, Jackson, Kings Arena
Earlier this evening, we passed along a report that the NBA will be appointing a CEO to run the Clippers while the league works to strip banned owner Donald Sterling of the team. Here’s more from the west coast:
- Current team president Andy Roeser, who has been running the Clippers in the wake of Sterling’s punishment, will remain in place for the time being per a tweet from Sam Amick of USA Today.
- No timetable has been released for the league’s process, and the Clippers haven’t been informed of all the details the CEO installation will entail, per a tweet from Mark Medina of Los Angeles Daily News.
- Mark Jackson acknowledged that he’ll be “fighting for his life” tonight when the Warriors face the Clippers in a game seven matchup, writes Tim Kawakami of Mercury News. Rumors have suggested Jackson might be on his way out of Golden State, but a win tonight would certainly stand to help his cause.
- Sacramento city officials have postponed the city council vote on the new downtown Kings arena because they have been unable to finalize an agreement, reports Dale Kasler of the Sacramento Bee.
Charlie Adams contributed to this post.
Lawrence On D’Antoni, Gasol, Calipari, Sterling
Mike D’Antoni walked away from the Lakers due in part because the team is likely to attempt to re-sign Pau Gasol this summer, reports Mitch Lawrence of the New York Daily News. A source tells Lawrence that D’Antoni knew that Gasol and Kobe Bryant didn’t want to play for him, so he made the decision to resign from the team on Wednesday. Let’s have a look at some more interesting notes from Lawrence’s piece:
- Kurt Rambis and Byron Scott are two of the most viable candidates for the Lakers’ coaching job, hears Lawrence. We reported on Thursday that both Rambis and Scott are set to interview with the team.
- Despite rumored interest, Lawrence says there’s no chance John Calipari will become the next head coach for the Lakers. The team reportedly has “zero interest” in hiring Calipari.
- Stan Van Gundy was contacted about taking over the head coaching role for the Pistons, but talks didn’t get far because he wanted some level of control over the team’s personnel decisions, writes Lawrence.
- Lawrence hears that once Adam Silver meets with Donald Sterling, Silver is expected to tell Sterling that the league will battle him in court to see that the franchise is sold, no matter the resistance Sterling puts up.
- Knicks assistant GM Allan Houston and director of player personnel Mark Warkentien aren’t worried about their jobs, since the duo has contracts with owner Jim Dolan and not the Knicks specifically, says Lawrence. As a result, the pair will be able to retain their positions, even if Phil Jackson doesn’t want them around.
- The Cavs and Bucks still haven’t decided whether or not they’ll keep their general managers beyond this season, reveals Lawrence. Both Central Division teams failed to meet preseason expectations and finished well below .500.
- It’s likely Mark Jackson will be fired by the Warriors, suggests Lawrence, who adds the coach might have a hard time landing another job with an NBA team because of the perceived dysfunction in Golden State’s organization during his tenure.
- The Thunder could potentially see a first-round playoff exit tonight, but Lawrence says Scott Brooks‘ position is safe in Oklahoma City.
And-Ones: Parsons, Bulls, Kerr, Noah
The Rockets have a difficult decision to make with Chandler Parsons this summer. They could exercise their team option for $964,750, but that would make him an unrestricted free agent in 2015. If they decline the option, Parsons becomes a restricted free agent this summer which would surely result in a hefty pay increase for the third-year forward, or the team could lose him if they choose not to match any offers he receives. Brian Schmitz of The Orlando Sentinel believes the Magic should explore acquiring Parsons, who might be available thanks to the Rockets cap situation. Parsons averaged 16.6 PPG, 5.5 RPG, and 4.0 APG this season.
More from around the league:
- Dan McGrath of The Chicago Sun-Times believes there is only so far the Bulls can go without top-tier talent, and opines that the team needs to go after Carmelo Anthony this summer to have a shot at contending.
- Joakim Noah underwent successful arthroscopic surgery on his left knee and faces 8-12 weeks of rehab, reports Ken Berger of CBSSports.com (Twitter link).
- Steve Kerr is likely making his final broadcast for TNT on Saturday night when he announces Game 7 of the Grizzlies-Thunder series, writes Marc Berman of The New York Post. According to an NBA source, Kerr likely will make his final decision on accepting the Knicks head coaching job soon after the weekend, notes Berman. The only thing that could hold up the decision, according to the article, is if the Warriors lose their first-round series and coach Mark Jackson is fired. Kerr would be a favorite for that position if it were available.
Latest On Warriors, Mark Jackson
Golden State coach Mark Jackson‘s job is probably on the line Saturday in Game 7 against the Clippers, just as it was in Thursday’s Game 6, which the Warriors won to avoid elimination. Warriors co-owner Joe Lacob, whose desire to quickly contend and fondness for other coaches is reportedly the impetus behind many of the rumors surrounding Jackson, insisted to Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports that he’s yet to make up his mind about the team’s coach.
“Honest to God, that’s the media that is doing all this,” Lacob said. “There is nothing going on until after the season. I refuse to let anyone talk about that. We don’t talk about it. We haven’t had that discussion. Everybody in the entire organization is reviewed after the season and we make decisions.”
Warriors players have rallied around Jackson ever since a report in March indicated that he had sought openings on rival teams and presided over dysfunction in the locker room. Jackson this week strongly denied a story that he asked Warriors adviser Jerry West not to attend practices, the latest tempest to arise in Golden State. Jermaine O’Neal is among Jackson’s most outspoken supporters, but the 18th-year veteran gets the sense a coaching change is about to happen, as Sam Amick of USA Today reports.
“You get the feel that no matter what happens, our coach won’t be our coach next year,” Warriors O’Neal said. “You just get that feel. But we are willing to give all we’ve got for this group, for that coach, and hopefully whatever that will and whatever we’ve given is good enough to take us as far as we should go.”
Jackson has one more season left on his contract, and though he briefly engaged in contract extension talks with the Warriors last summer, the two sides made little progress. It seemed Jackson’s bosses were the target of some of the coach’s remarks after the game Thursday, Amick observes.
“I know there are people that want to speed up the [growth] process,” Jackson said. “[But] this is who we are. Part of the process is going through things, learning how to be consistent. I’m proud of my guys. It’s been an incredible, incredible ride. Now against a three‑seed with two of the top 10 players in the world and a future Hall of Fame coach [Doc Rivers], we are going to Game 7 in spite of all the sideline music. And I like my chances, because I’ve got a group of guys that want to do whatever it takes to win.”
Coaching Rumors: Kerr, Messina, D’Antoni
There are four head coaching vacancies in the NBA, or five, if you count the Pistons, for whom John Loyer finished the season as interim coach. Others may follow once the first round of the playoffs concludes in a few days, so the coaching market is in full gear. Here’s the latest:
- Steve Kerr won’t use other openings as leverage against the Knicks and team president Phil Jackson, sources tell Ken Berger of CBSSports.com. Lute Olson, Kerr’s former college coach, rejects the notion that Kerr prefers a West Coast job and thinks he’s more than likely to accept an offer from the Knicks, as Olson tells Marc Berman of the New York Post.
- Sources tell Nikos Varlas of Eurohoops.net that Ettore Messina has already told CSKA Moscow that he’ll leave this summer, but Varlas hears Messina is more likely to wind up as a Spurs assistant than an NBA head coach next season. Messina has drawn mention as a candidate for head coaching jobs with the Lakers and Jazz this year.
- Mike D’Antoni is still interested in coaching, a source tells Mike Bresnahan of the Los Angeles Times. Bresnahan writes that the portion of next year’s $4MM salary that the Lakers agreed to pay him even though he resigned is less than $2MM, but Ramona Shelburne of ESPN.com hears that it’s more than that (Twitter link).
- Reports have indicated that Mark Jackson and the Warriors never engaged in extension talks, but Tim Kawakami of the Bay Area News Group hears that they briefly discussed the subject this past summer. Jackson is set to enter the final year of his contract next season, though it’s unlikely he’ll return for 2014/15 barring a long playoff run.