Kings’ McNair Revamping Front Office, Hires Wilcox As Assistant GM
OCTOBER 14: The Kings have officially issued a press release confirming the new hires and titles detailed below. In addition to his director of basketball operations role, Johnson will also serve as the new general manager for the Stockton Kings, Sacramento’s G League affiliate.
According to the team, Wilcox will assist McNair in front office duties such as “roster construction, strategy and player evaluation,” Jabour will be responsible for overseeing the scouting department, and Johnson will lead Stockton’s front office in addition to contributing to aspects of the Kings’ basketball operations.
“I am excited to have Wes, Phil and Paul join the front office,” McNair said in a statement. “Wes’ background as an executive in the league combined with Phil’s veteran leadership through the scouting ranks and Paul’s proven experience in evaluating talent will be strong additions to the basketball operations group. Their diverse skill sets and unique perspectives will add valuable knowledge and innovative thinking as we focus on executing our vision of building a winning culture in Sacramento.”
OCTOBER 13: Less than a month after being hired, new Kings general manager Monte McNair is making major changes to the team’s front office, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter link).
The Kings are hiring Wes Wilcox as an assistant general manager, Phil Jabour as vice president of player personnel, and Paul Johnson as director of basketball operations, sources tell Wojnarowski.
Wilcox is the most noteworthy name among Sacramento’s new additions, having previously served as Atlanta’s general manager from 2015-17. He interviewed for the Bulls’ top basketball operations job and was a finalist for the Kings’ job this summer before the team opted to hire McNair. Prior to his stint in the Hawks’ front office, Wilcox worked for the Heat and Pelicans and spent several years with the Cavaliers.
Jabour arrives in Sacramento after having worked as the Sixers‘ director of scouting last season. He also previously held positions in the scouting departments in Orlando and Houston, overlapping with McNair during his time with the Rockets.
Johnson, meanwhile, was named the assistant GM of the Oklahoma City Blue, the Thunder‘s G League affiliate, just two weeks ago. However, his new director of basketball operations role in Sacramento represents a promotion.
McNair had been expected to fortify the Kings’ front office after the team parted ways with several executives this offseason. In addition to the departure of former GM Vlade Divac, assistant GM Peja Stojakovic resigned and G League GM Anthony McClish was let go. Sacramento is reportedly expected to retain assistant GM and salary cap expert Ken Catanella.
Clippers Interview Sam Cassell For Head Coaching Job
The Clippers interviewed assistant coach Sam Cassell on Tuesday for their open head coaching job, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter link).
Cassell, a former NBA player who won two titles with the Rockets and a third with the Celtics, transitioned into coaching after he retired in 2009. He spent five seasons on the Wizards’ staff as an assistant and has worked since 2014 under Doc Rivers in Los Angeles. Rivers endorsed his longtime assistant as a deserving NBA head coaching candidate last month before he parted ways with the Clippers.
“Sam Cassell should be a head coach, period,” Rivers said at the time.
Cassell is the second Clippers assistant to have interviewed for the team’s coaching vacancy so far, joining Tyronn Lue. The club has also reportedly met with Mike Brown, Darvin Ham, and Wes Unseld Jr. and is said to have interest in Jeff Van Gundy. It’s not clear how many other candidates the Clippers may interview before making a decision.
Cassell was also said to be drawing some interest from the Rockets, but it doesn’t appear that he has interviewed with Houston to this point. If he doesn’t receive a head coaching job this fall, it will be interesting to see whether Cassell remains in his assistant role with the Clippers, follows Rivers to Philadelphia, or ends up on another team’s coaching staff.
Uncertainty Surrounds NBA G League’s 2020/21 Season
It remains unclear when the NBA’s 2020/21 season will begin and what form it will take, and that uncertainty applies doubly to the coming G League season. As Marc Berman of The New York Post writes, there’s no guarantee a standard NBAGL season will take place in ’20/21.
According to Berman, multiple scenarios have been discussed for a potential G League season, including the idea of not holding one at all and simply expanding NBA rosters instead.
As John Hollinger of The Athletic noted earlier this week and as Berman reiterates, one option for the NBAGL could be to put together multiple short-term “bubbles” and hold a handful of week-long events similar to the annual G League Showcase.
If the league attempts a more standard season, it would likely have to institute a regionalized schedule to reduce travel, sources tell Berman. Unlike NBA teams, who have private planes, G League clubs generally fly commercial or travel by bus, increasing the coronavirus-related risk associated with moving around the country.
The 2020/21 season was supposed to be an eventful one for the G League, which had intended to introduce an expansion team in Mexico City and a new “Select Team” made up of some veterans and top prospects who opted not to attend college. It’s unclear what the plan would be for those clubs – and the other 28 – if a season can’t be held.
[RELATED: G League Mulling Fall Tournament Featuring Select Team]
The NBA and NBPA figure to address this issue during their Collective Bargaining Agreement negotiations, since it will have an impact on NBA rosters too. Teams often send young players on their 15-man roster to the G League on assignments and also carry a pair of players on two-way contracts who can be transferred back and forth between the NBA and NBAGL. If no G League season takes place, the rules for those two-way deals will have to be tweaked.
Mavs Expected To Make Heavy Push For Giannis
The Mavericks are gearing up to pursue Giannis Antetokounmpo if the two-time MVP hits the free agent market next year, according to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst (video link).
During a segment on “The Jump,” Windhorst said Dallas will keep a low profile this offseason in order to maximize cap space and make a spirited run at the Bucks’ superstar. Milwaukee intends to put a five-year, super-max extension on the table for their franchise player this fall but Antetokounmpo has not tipped his hand on what he’ll do.
“They want to keep their books clean for 2021 when they’re going to chase Giannis,” Windhorst said of the Mavs. “They’ve got to worry about Tim Hardaway because he’s got a ($19MM) player option but I wouldn’t expect them to add any major free agents (this offseason). They’re going to wait.”
Windhorst was careful to point out that Mavs aren’t considered frontrunners for Antetokoumpo’s services — only that they’ll go all out to land him. Dallas’ interest has been noted recently by other media members, so it’s not surprising that the club will make every effort to create another super-team.
Hardaway will be an unrestricted free agent in 2021 if he exercises his option this year. Dallas should have enough wiggle room to offer Antetokounmpo a max deal and can clear more space by moving some contracts.
The idea, naturally, is to have him join forces with two other stars, Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis. However, Porzingis injury issues are a concern. He underwent another knee surgery, this time on his right knee, last week.
“They want to have a third star,” Windhorst said. “Porzingis has to prove he can be healthy to be that third star.”
Chris Finch Considered Frontrunner For Pacers Job
Pelicans assistant Chris Finch is considered the frontrunner for the Pacers coaching job, Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer tweets. This is the first indication which way Indiana’s front office is leaning as it searches for Nate McMillan‘s replacement.
We’ve heard about about a number of candidates, including former head coaches Mike D’Antoni, Mike Brown, and Dave Joerger as well as top assistants around the league, including Darvin Ham, Ime Udoka, and David Vanterpool. ESPN analyst and 2004 Finals MVP Chauncey Billups also reportedly received an interview.
Joerger had been considered a strong contender for the job.
As Scott Agness of VigilantSports.com tweeted earlier this week, Heat assistants Chris Quinn and Dan Craig are next in line for interviews, O’Connor confirms.
Finch has also been mentioned as a candidate for the Rockets’ head coaching job. After the Pelicans parted ways with Alvin Gentry following the seeding games in Orlando, VP of basketball operations David Griffin spoke highly of Finch and indicated that he wanted to retain him, while acknowledging the assistant would draw interest from other teams as a head coaching prospect.
Stan Van Gundy, Tyronn Lue Among Pelicans’ Finalists
Stan Van Gundy and Tyronn Lue are expected to be among the finalists for the Pelicans‘ head coaching job, reports ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
According to Wojnarowski, Van Gundy is meeting with New Orleans team officials today, while Lue has a meeting set for later this week. The Pelicans are expected to identify a group of four finalists to replace Alvin Gentry, per Woj.
So far this year, we’ve heard Jeff Van Gundy linked to multiple NBA head coaching jobs – including the Clippers’ and Rockets’ openings – but there hadn’t been a whole lot of chatter about the possibility of his brother returning to the sidelines.
Stan Van Gundy previously served as the head coach for the Heat, Magic, and Pistons, enjoying his most successful run in Orlando, where he led the Magic to a 259-135 (.657) record over five seasons and made the NBA Finals in 2009.
Van Gundy had a shakier experience in Detroit from 2014-18, compiling a 152-176 (.463) record. However, he held a dual role with the Pistons, also working as the team’s president of basketball operations. Presumably, he wouldn’t be nearly as involved in personnel decisions if he were to be hired by New Orleans, freeing him up to focus on coaching.
As for Lue, he has long been viewed as a potential favorite for the Pelicans’ job, given his connection to executive VP of basketball operations David Griffin — the two men worked together in Cleveland. Lue is also very much in the mix for the Clippers‘ and Rockets‘ jobs, so it’s possible he’ll end up having to choose between two or more offers.
Tyronn Lue Gaining Momentum For Rockets’ Job?
Having met with Rockets ownership and management on Monday, Tyronn Lue is gaining momentum as a candidate to replace Mike D’Antoni in Houston, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski and Tim MacMahon report.
As Wojnarowski and MacMahon explain, the Rockets may look to offer Lue a contract before his other suitors – including the Clippers – complete their respective coaching searches. However, Houston isn’t expected to make a move on Lue before meeting with Jeff Van Gundy on Wednesday, since JVG also remains a strong candidate for the position.
According to ESPN, Lue – who was identified as an early frontrunner to replace Doc Rivers in Los Angeles – has support from “prominent players” on both the Rockets’ and Clippers’ rosters. Presumably, that’s a reference to some combination of James Harden, Russell Westbrook, Kawhi Leonard, and Paul George.
Still, it remains to be seen whether Lue will ultimately be the top choice for both teams. Van Gundy figures to be a “prominent” factor in the Rockets’ and Clippers’ searches as well, according to Wojnarowski and MacMahon, who say that JVG is well regarded by Rockets ownership and management and likes the idea of coaching in his “adopted home city” of Houston. Previous reports linked Van Gundy to the Clippers’ vacancy too, though it’s not clear if L.A. has scheduled an interview with him yet.
Lue is also believed to be a top candidate for the Pelicans’ head coaching job.
Rockets To Interview Jeff Van Gundy On Wednesday
The Rockets will interview ABC/ESPN analyst Jeff Van Gundy on Wednesday for their open head coaching job, reports Marc Stein of The New York Times (Twitter link). Van Gundy has been linked to the vacancy for some time and was expected to meet with the team once his broadcasting duties wrapped up for the season.
Van Gundy has extensive NBA head coaching experience, having led the Knicks from 1996-2001 and the Rockets from 2003-07. He had a 248-172 (.590) record in New York and led the team to the NBA Finals in 1999, then posted a 182-146 (.555) mark during his four years in Houston.
While Van Gundy has worked as a broadcaster for more than a decade, he does have some recent head coaching experience, having led a USA Basketball team made up of G-Leaguers during the qualifiers for the 2019 World Cup.
It remains to be seen just how serious the Rockets and Van Gundy are about a potential reunion. There has been some speculation that he may be the club’s frontrunner to replace Mike D’Antoni.
It’s worth noting that Daryl Morey had just been promoted to his general manager role by the franchise in 2007 when the club parted ways with JVG. However, that move was believed to be spearheaded by former Rockets owner Les Alexander, with Morey said to be interested in re-hiring Van Gundy back in 2016.
So far, the Rockets have interviewed Tyronn Lue, Kenny Atkinson, Stephen Silas, David Vanterpool, and Wes Unseld Jr. for their head coaching position. A report on Monday indicated that team officials had also met with Rockets player development coach John Lucas about the job, though Stein says today (via Twitter) that Lucas’ formal interview is expected to take place after Van Gundy’s.
It’s not clear yet whether or not the Rockets will expand their pool of candidates beyond the seven currently being linked to the opening.
Brett Brown Steps Down As Australia’s Head Coach
After losing his NBA position earlier this year, former Sixers head coach Brett Brown has now elected to step down from his international coaching job as well. Brown has resigned from his role as Australia’s head coach and won’t lead the Boomers at the rescheduled Tokyo Olympics, the program announced today in a press release.
“Whilst I have a deep and long-standing passion for Australian Basketball, I am currently unable to commit to coaching the Boomers at next year’s Olympic Games,” Brown said in a statement. “The uncertainties around the direction of my professional future unfortunately mean that I cannot commit to the time and preparation that this job deserves and requires. The difficulties around traveling internationally with my family during the pandemic have also contributed to my decision.”
Basketball Australia CEO Jerril Rechter said in a statement that the program is “naturally disappointed” that Brown will no longer be coaching the team, but understands his decision.
Brown initially finalized a deal to coach the Australian national team last November, after the club had clinched a spot in the Tokyo Olympics with its fourth-place finish at the 2019 World Cup. Those Olympics had originally been scheduled to begin on July 24, 2020. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the new start date for the Tokyo games is July 23, 2021.
Aron Baynes, Matthew Dellavedova, Joe Ingles, and Patty Mills are among the notable players expected to represent Australia in Japan next summer, as long as they’re able to work around the revamped NBA schedule. The selection of Brown as the Boomers’ head coach led to speculation that Sixers star Ben Simmons may elect to participate as well — it’s not clear if Brown’s resignation will influence Simmons’ decision one way or the other.
Draft Prospects Can Start Making Visits On Friday
The NBA will allow teams to begin conducting in-person meetings with this year’s draft prospects on Friday, Shams Charania of The Athletic tweets.
Meetings can be held during a month-long period from October 16 to November 16. That will allow teams to see prospects up to two days before the draft is held on November 18.
However, teams will be limited to a max of 10 in-person meetings. A player can visit the same team twice but that would cut into the amount of players that team could bring in.
A maximum of three executives from each team will be allowed to meet the prospect, Charania details in a separate tweet. The draft prospect will be allowed to bring in a maximum of three guests, which could include representatives, trainers or family members.
Additionally, within 72 hours of each visit, all individuals involved must have a negative coronavirus test.
Some other restrictions regarding in-person evaluations and interviews have been relaxed, Jonathan Givony of ESPN reports. For example, teams can provide players with team-identified practice gear as long as combined retail value does not exceed $500.
The visits can last up to 4 1/2 hours and prospects can arrange to have multiple teams evaluate an on-court workout simultaneously. These workouts will count against each team’s 10-visit limit.
COVID-19 concerns will be evident at each workout. Team personnel must undergo a daily temperature check within two hours of interacting with any player, self-monitor for symptoms, wear a mask or shield, refrain from physical interactions such as shaking hands, and maintain social distancing of six feet or more, Givony adds.
In a typical year, teams will bring in dozens of prospects, usually four to eight at a time. Under the limitations described above, players will be much more selective about where they visit and teams will have to prioritize which prospects they want to evaluate. That could make it more difficult for second-tier prospects to arrange visits and make a favorable impression on front office executives, scouts and coaches.