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Latest On Clippers’ Coaching Search

June 12th, 2013 at 2:55pm CST by Luke Adams

2:55pm: Because Hollins was attending an NBA competition committee meeting in San Antonio today, his interview with the Clippers will be pushed back to Thursday and Friday, reports Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times. McMillan had been scheduled to meet with the team on Thursday, but that interview was cancelled and may not be rescheduled, given the club's "lukewarm" interest in McMillan, says Turner.

Hollins, meanwhile, expects to interview with the Nuggets on Saturday after meeting with the Clippers.

10:11am: As the Nets appear to be closing in on Jason Kidd, a coaching candidate with no previous experience, the Clippers continue to interview previous head coaches for their own opening. According to ESPN.com's Marc Stein (via Twitter), owner Donald Sterling is seeking a candidate with head coaching experience and is a fan of Lionel Hollins, who will meet with the team today.

Stein reports (via Twitter) that Hollins remains "firmly in the mix" for the Clippers' job, and that today's sitdown with the team will be the third time the former Grizzlies coach has spoken to the club. In addition to Hollins, the team has also met with Byron Scott and Brian Shaw, with Shaw still a "strong contender" for the job, says Stein.

Although we heard earlier in the week that the Clippers will also interview Nate McMillan tomorrow, it sounds as if he may not be as strong a candidate for the position as the other contenders. Ramona Shelburne of ESPNLosAngeles.com reported last night that George Karl is still in play for the job as well, though it's unclear if the team has scheduled a meeting with the ex-Nuggets coach.

Reports have yet to indicate whether there's a specific timeline for a Clippers hire, but I would guess that after this week's interviews, the team will at least narrow its search to a smaller list of finalists.

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Doc Rivers Still Weighing Decision On Future

June 12th, 2013 at 12:19pm CST by Luke Adams

As four playoff clubs continue to search for their next head coach, one more playoff team's coaching situation for 2013/14 remains unsettled. Celtics head coach Doc Rivers has yet to commit to returning to the team's bench next season, and a source tells ESPN.com's Chris Broussard that Rivers may be contemplating a change.

"Doc loves coaching," the source told Broussard. "He loves coaching in Boston. But he feels it may be time for a change."

As Broussard and A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE.com write, both possibilities – staying or leaving – remain very much in play for Rivers, who is said to be "torn up" about the decision, according to Blakely. A report earlier this week suggested that Rivers was wary of being part of another rebuilding effort in Boston, but Broussard notes that the coach's close relationship with Celtics GM Danny Ainge would make it difficult for the coach to walk away from the team.

Earlier in the offseason, teams like the Nets and Clippers asked the Celtics for permission to speak to Rivers, who still has three years remaining on his contract. Those clubs were turned down by Ainge, though Broussard says that if Doc expressed a desire to explore opportunities, Ainge would likely allow him to do so. A source with knowledge of the Clippers' thinking tells Broussard that Rivers would almost certainly be the team's top choice if he were to become available.

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Odds & Ends: Spurs, Nets, Pekovic, Muhammad

June 11th, 2013 at 11:04pm CST by Chuck Myron

The Spurs blew out the Heat tonight, behind 51 combined points from Danny Green and Gary Neal. Though Green and Neal are American-born success stories, many of the Spurs' accomplishments have been built around players from overseas, as Seth Wickersham of ESPN The Magazine examines.  Foreign players are "fundamentally harder working than most American kids," Gregg Popovich says. GM R.C. Buford is similarly high on imports, as no team in the league has more players from outside the U.S. than the Spurs do. We'll see if San Antonio's global approach sparks copycats in the years to come, but in the meantime, here's the night's news from the Association:

  • The Nets, reportedly deciding between Brian Shaw and Jason Kidd for their next coach, want to make their choice by the end of the week, writes Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News. The Nets can give Shaw, also in the hunt for the Clippers job, the more lucrative offer, Bondy adds, speculating that Shaw's interview may be little more than a courtesy, given how high Brooklyn is on Kidd.
  • Timberwolves president Flip Saunders had to cut short his meeting with Nikola Pekovic in Italy this past weekend, but the team still "badly" wants to re-sign their restricted free agent center, tweets Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN Twin Cities. 
  • Shabazz Muhammad will work out for the Blazers, The Oregonian's Mike Tokito notes via Twitter.
  • Peyton Siva highlights a group of second-round hopefuls set to work out Thursday for the Grizzlies, reports Chris Vernon of  92.9 FM ESPN in Memphis (Twitter link). Julian Gamble, Jason Jones, Murphy Holloway, Jordan Aboudou and Romero Osby will also participate.
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Coaching Notes: Scott, Karl, Clippers, Suns

June 11th, 2013 at 9:31pm CST by Chuck Myron

An NBA-record 12 coaching jobs are changing hands this offseason, with almost half the jobs still open. Five teams are still searching for a coach, though David Joerger appears the strong front-runner for the Grizzlies. It looks like Jason Kidd has the edge for the Nets job, but Brian Shaw remains in the mix. It's more unsettled for the Nuggets, Clippers and Sixers, and as we await more clarity on those vacancies, here's the latest coaching news:

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Nets Deciding Between Jason Kidd, Brian Shaw

June 11th, 2013 at 8:29pm CST by Luke Adams

8:29pm: The Nets have narrowed their search to just Kidd and Shaw, reports Brian Mahoney of The Associated Press.

7:49pm: TNT's David Aldridge bats down rumors that Kidd and the Nets have already begun contract negotiations, and reiterates that the team will interview Shaw on Wednesday (Twitter link).

5:10pm: The Nets were "very impressed" with Kidd after yesterday's interview, sources tell Howard Beck of The New York Times, who adds that there's no indication the team will turn to Lionel Hollins, whom they've yet to contact (Twitter links).

2:45pm: Despite Kidd's apparent lead, Shaw still has a shot at the job and will interview as planned tomorrow, reports Sam Amick of USA Today (via Twitter).

2:04pm: Jason Kidd has emerged as the strong frontrunner for the Nets' open head coaching job, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports. For now, the club still has a Wednesday interview scheduled with Brian Shaw, who had previously been considered the top candidate for the position, but it's unclear if that meeting will happen, says Wojnarowski.

According to Wojnarowski, talks for a potential contract with Kidd are already underway, and the longtime All-Star point guard could be hired by the end of the week. Kidd represents the sort of "fresh face" the franchise is seeking, and would give the Nets a hire with some starpower as well, as Wojnarowski points out.

If Kidd does land the job, it would be a pretty incredible turnaround, considering that a week and a half ago it still seemed as if he was set to play for the Knicks in 2013/14. Kidd announced his retirement as a player last Monday, and almost immediately rumors begin to swirl connecting him to Brooklyn's coaching opening.

Yesterday, we heard that Kidd was being seriously considered by the Nets, while this morning, over half of you voted in favor of Brooklyn hiring Kidd over a more experienced candidate like Shaw or Lionel Hollins. For his part, Shaw is interviewing with the Clippers today and considers that job his priority, according to Wojnarowski.

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Coaching Updates: Clippers, Jent, Snyder, Kidd

June 10th, 2013 at 5:57pm CST by Luke Adams

It's already been a busy day when it comes to NBA coaching news and rumors, with the Pistons officially reaching an agreement with Maurice Cheeks, the Grizzlies parting ways with Lionel Hollins, and Jason Kidd emerging as a serious candidate for the Nets. Here are a few more of the latest updates relating to potential head coaches and assistants:

  • The Clippers interviewed Brian Shaw today, and have meetings lined up with Byron Scott on Tuesday, Hollins on Wednesday, and Nate McMillan on Thursday, reports Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times (via Twitter). Ramona Shelburne and Chris Broussard of ESPN.com note that many of those candidates have already spoken to the Clippers at length on the phone, but these are the first in-person meetings scheduled by the team.
  • The Kings have officially hired Chris Jent as an assistant coach, tweets Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee. We heard last week that Michael Malone had made Jent a three-year offer to become his top assistant in Sacramento.
  • Just hours after we heard that Quin Snyder had left CSKA Moscow to return stateside for an NBA job, Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports tweets that the Hawks have hired Snyder as an assistant on Mike Budenholzer's staff.
  • Josh Newman of SNYNets.com spoke to Jeff Van Gundy about whether or not Kidd would make a good head coach for the Nets.
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Pacific Notes: Lakers, Clippers, Karl, Kings

June 10th, 2013 at 1:49pm CST by Zachary Links

It was reported earlier this year that Chauncey Billups would retire if he didn't re-sign with the Clippers, but the veteran guard made it very clear today that he's definitely returning next season and will consider other clubs.  When asked if he would consider taking his talents to South Beach, the 36-year-old answered in the affirmative and indicated that he is "wide open" to possibilities this summer.  Here's more out of the Pacific..

  • Eric Pincus of the Los Angeles Times explains the decisions facing the Lakers on possible qualifying offers for the team's four potential restricted free agents.  Pincus' educated guess has Robert Sacre and Darius Morris back next season, Andrew Goudelock as a maybe, and Devin Ebanks seeking employment elsewhere.
  • Brian Shaw is rumored to be the Clippers' top head coaching candidate, but Jovan Buha of ESPNLosAngeles.com doesn't rank the Pacers assistant among his choices for the top three best fits for the L.A. job.  The three best candidates in terms of potential and fit are George Karl, Jeff Van Gundy, and Lionel Hollins, Buha writes.
  • A bankruptcy judge approved the sale of 7% of the Kings to new majority owner Vivek Ranadive, turning back a last-minute bid by limited partner Bob Cook to buy the share back, writes Dale Kasler of the Sacramento Bee.  The purchase of the share, formerly owned by Cook, means Ranadive and his partners will now control 72% of the club.  

Luke Adams contributed to this post.

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Chauncey Billups Has Interest In Joining Heat

June 10th, 2013 at 11:16am CST by Luke Adams

Although injuries have kept him out of action for the majority of the last two seasons, Chauncey Billups still isn't considering retirement. Echoing what he said two months ago, Billups tells Chris Tomasson of FOX Sports Florida that he's "definitely coming back this year," though it's not clear yet where the veteran guard will land.

One April report suggested that Billups was likely to re-sign with the Clippers or retire, but the 36-year-old's comments to Tomasson didn't suggest that Los Angeles has the inside track on his free agency.

"I’m wide open," Billups said. "Free agent means free."

Asked about the Heat, Billups told Tomasson that he would "of course" have interest in joining the defending champs, suggesting that he "absolutely" could be an asset in Miami. Having made $4MM this past season, Billups is likely in line for a pay cut. If he were willing to play for the minimum salary, the reigning Teammate of the Year would almost certainly draw interest from a number of contending teams eager to bring aboard veteran leadership.

While Billups hasn't played a whole lot in the last couple seasons, he was still reasonably effective when he saw the court for the Clippers, averaging 11.5 PPG and recording a 15.6 PER in 42 regular-season games with the team. When he eventually decides to end his playing career, Billups has interest in a front office role with an NBA team, as he tells Shams Charania of RealGM.com.

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Pacific Notes: Clippers, Van Gundy, Paul, Suns

June 7th, 2013 at 6:21pm CST by Zachary Links

Here’s a look at the latest out of the Pacific Division..

  • Rob Mahoney of Sports Illustrated ran down the remaining coaching vacancies and the best fit for each one, including the Clippers.  In Mahoney’s estimation, Jeff Van Gundy is the best fit for the other L.A. job as he can unlock the defensive potential resting in the club’s frontcourt.  George Karl has also been linked to the opening and Mahoney feels that he would be a solid alternative if something can’t be worked out with JVG.
  • Bill Ingram of HoopsWorld explains how the Clippers can hang on to Chris Paul this summer.  While the Clippers are the odds-on-favorites to sign CP3, they can help lock things up with the right coaching hire.  Brian Shaw would be one quality candidate, but Ingram feels that Karl would give them the best chance of retaining their star guard.
  • The Suns might consider a backcourt upgrade in the draft later this month, writes Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic.  The Suns, of course, hold the No. 5 pick in the draft.
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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.
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