Odds & Ends: Jack, Iguodala, Cavaliers, Suns
With just one Conference Semifinal still ongoing, we won't see any NBA action tonight, as the Knicks and Pacers prepare for tomorrow's Game Six. Even if the Eastern Semifinal extends to a seventh game though, we can look forward to the Western Finals getting underway on Sunday, featuring a Spurs/Grizzlies matchup that few would have predicted last fall. As we get ready for those games, let's check in on a few odds and ends from around the Association:
- Following the Warriors' elimination from the postseason, Jarrett Jack tells Marcus Thompson II of the San Jose Mercury News that he'd love to get a chance to return to the team next season. "Obviously there are other things that go into seeing if that works," Jack said. "We all know this is a business at the end of the day. If I could do it, if I could rearrange it, I would definitely be back at this same locker."
- Christopher Dempsey of the Denver Post takes a look at Ty Lawson's efforts to woo Andre Iguodala back to the Nuggets via social media. Lawson says he's been "telling [Iguodala] all year" that he ought to stay in Denver beyond this season.
- Cavaliers GM Chris Grant suggests to Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio (Twitter link) that the Cavs expect to be bigger players in free agency this summer than in recent years.
- Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic shares the latest news on the Suns' head coaching search, writing that candidates on playoff teams become less likely for Phoenix the longer their respective clubs stay alive.
- Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau is hoping the team can bring back Nazr Mohammed, calling his performance "tremendous," but acknowledged that the big man may receive better offers. Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times has the details.
- The Bobcats can't afford a misfire on draft night this year, says Lang Greene of HoopsWorld.
Woelfel On Sloan, Bucks, Weltman, Redick, Noel
Although he played well in this year's NCAA tournament, Vander Blue was one of the more surprising names on 2013's early entrant list, considering he's widely viewed as a second-round pick at best. But Blue told reporters at this week's draft combine in Chicago that he's confident in his decision, and expects to surprise anyone who doesn't think he'll produce in the NBA.
"Nobody expected [former Marquette teammate] Jimmy [Butler] to be who he is today with the Bulls," said Blue, according to Gery Woelfel of the Racine Journal Times. "Nobody probably expects me to do any good in the NBA. But I know how to go about my business. I’m more than confident."
After discussing Blue's decision to declare for the draft and passing along a few of his quotes, Woelfel's latest column explores a few other topics of note. Here are the highlights:
- Woelfel reiterates that Jerry Sloan still has a desire to return to coaching, but not with the Bucks, as we heard last night.
- In addition to the interviews we heard about yesterday, the Bucks also met with Jamaal Franklin and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, says Woelfel.
- Woelfel hears from NBA officials that Bucks assistant GM Jeff Weltman may have had a verbal agreement in place with Suns president Lon Babby to become the team's GM, but that owner Robert Sarver nixed the deal. Phoenix ultimately ended up hiring Ryan McDonough.
- According to Woelfel, there's a "growing sentiment" that J.J. Redick will sign with a team besides the Bucks this summer.
- Nerlens Noel, the favorite to be the No. 1 pick next month, still hasn't decided on an agent, says Woelfel. One report last month suggested Noel may become Jay-Z's first basketball client.
Draft Combine Updates: Thursday Morning
11:56am: More A.M. updates out of Chicago:
- Nerlens Noel told reporters that he hasn't completed any interviews so far, but that he's "pretty sure" he has one scheduled with the Magic. He's not quite so sure about the Cavaliers (Twitter links).
- Steven Adams and Kelly Olynyk are among the prospects that have met with the Wizards so far and think they'd fit in well in Washington (Twitter links). Mason Plumlee is also on the Wizards' list, tweets J. Michael of CSNWashington.com.
- Olynyk has met with the Bobcats as well, says Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer (Twitter link).
- Gorgui Dieng will work out for the Bucks, who will also interview Rudy Gobert and Plumlee, according to Gery Woelfel of the Racine Journal Times (Twitter links).
- A couple notes from SI.com's Chriss Mannix (via Twitter): Cody Zeller has spoken to the Raptors, Trail Blazers, Rockets, and Celtics, while Mike Muscala only has interviews lined up with the Spurs and Hawks, but will do "nine or 10" workouts later. One of those workouts will be with the Blazers, tweets Jason Quick of the Oregonian.
- Shabazz Muhammad and Deshaun Thomas interviewed with the Timberwolves last night, writes Jerry Zgoda of the Star Tribune.
11:09am: With a number of reporters in attendance at the NBA's predraft camp in Chicago, we're expecting plenty of noteworthy tidbits to trickle in throughout the day. Here's a round-up of the first batch of updates on 2013's draft combine participants:
- According to Jason Lloyd of the Akron Beacon Journal (Twitter link), the Cavaliers aren't on Otto Porter's list of teams he's meeting with this week. That's a bit of a surprise, given the rumblings that he's high on the team's big board, though as Mary Schmitt Boyer of the Plain Dealer tweets, the Cavs drafted a pair of players they didn't interview last year.
- Porter is scheduled to meet with the Wizards, who spoke to Victor Oladipo earlier this week, tweets Michael Lee of the Washington Post. Porter will meet with the Pistons as well, tweets Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press. The Bobcats, Thunder, and Suns have already met with Porter, according to Lee (via Twitter).
- The Pistons are also prepared to meet with Shabazz Muhammad today, according to Keith Langlois of Pistons.com (Twitter link). Muhammad interviewed with the Trail Blazers yesterday and felt it went very well, tweets Chris Haynes of CSNNW.com.
- Nate Wolters and Adonis Thomas were among the prospects who have met with the Lakers so far, says Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld (via Twitter).
- Glen Rice Jr., who played in the D-League this past season, has been interviewed by the Bucks, Celtics, Warriors, Sixers, and Spurs, he confirmed to reporters (all Twitter links).
Western Notes: Allen, Warriors, Suns
A few notes from around the NBA's Western Conference.
- NBA.com's Jeff Caplan writes about Grizzlies guard Tony Allen—who's an unrestricted free agent this summer—and the path it took for him to sign with Memphis as a free agent in 2010.
- The Suns prepare for the NBA draft lottery at the end of May, writes NBA.com's Aaron Seidlitz. It could be a huge day for them, especially as they go forward with a new, young general manager.
- Also related to the Suns, the team's new general manager Ryan McDonough interviewed Lindsey Hunter in Chicago today for the team's head coach position, according to Yahoo! NBA writer Adrian Wojnarowski. The Suns are also looking at several other candidates, including Quin Snyder and Jeff Hornacek.
- Carl Steward of MercuryNews.com writes that Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson need to find their stroke in Game 6 against the Spurs or they'll most likely be eliminated. The article also touches on Jarrett Jack, who's stepped up when those two haven't played well, and enters the offseason as an unrestricted free agent.
Western Notes: Conley, Kings, Adelman, Suns
With Mike Conley playing a significant role in leading the Grizzlies to within one game of the Western Conference Finals, Ramona Shelburne of ESPNLosAngeles.com looks back at Conley's history in Memphis. As Shelburne writes, Conley was almost dealt to the Bucks for Ramon Sessions before Lionel Hollins took over as the Grizzlies' coach and gave Conley a vote of confidence.
"It was more than a rumor," Conley said. "My dad's also my agent and he called me to say I wasn't playing this one game. When they tell you that, you know it's pretty serious."
Conley's place in Memphis is certainly safe these days, and after last night's win, his team has a 3-1 lead on the defending conference champs. As we look forward to seeing whether the Grizzlies can eliminate the Thunder, let's check in on a few other items from around the West….
- Aaron Bruski of NBCSports.com and Scott Howard-Cooper of NBA.com (Sulia link) each provide updates on the Kings saga, with Bruski writing that the aggressive approach employed by the Seattle group in recent weeks isn't going over well with the league. Howard-Cooper, meanwhile, says Vivek Ranadive's influence in India isn't as big a factor in the NBA's decision as has been portrayed.
- New Timberwolves president Flip Saunders tells Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN Twin Cities (Twitter link) he's still confident that Rick Adelman will return to coach the team next season.
- Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic examines the Suns' search for a head coach, which will likely be completed within the next two weeks.
- Tim MacMahon of ESPNDallas.com attempts to debunk the myth that top free agents aren't interested in signing with the Mavericks
Bucks Interview Bickerstaff, Stan Van Gundy
6:21pm: Stan Van Gundy is also in Milwaukee to interview with the Bucks, tweets Gery Woelfel of the Racine Journal-Times.
2:08pm: Yesterday, we heard that ex-Blazers head coach Nate McMillan and current Rockets assistant Kelvin Sampson were the first two candidates to interview for the Bucks' head coach opening. Today, Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports adds another name to the list of interviewees, reporting that J.B. Bickerstaff, Sampson's fellow assistant in Houston, is meeting with the Bucks today.
Although we hadn't heard much buzz about Bickerstaff before this month, the Rockets assistant appears to be drawing plenty of interest lately. Darren Wolfson of ESPN 1500 Twin Cities reported a week ago that Bickerstaff would receive consideration if Flip Saunders eventually decided to bring in his own coach in Minnesota, but it seem as if another team could beat the Timberwolves to him. Bickerstaff also interviewed for the Pistons' head coach position this week, and Wojnarowski reports that he's likely to be among the Suns' candidates as well.
The Bucks, who are reportedly prioritizing "strong-willed" candidates who can control a locker room, are also expected to interview Lakers assistant Steve Clifford in the near future, says Wojnarowski.
Suns Notes: McDonough, Coach, Ownership
The Suns formally introduced new general manager Ryan McDonough at a press conference today, and McDonough addressed a few topics related to the job and the next steps for a Phoenix team coming off a 57-loss season. Here are some of the highlights, courtesy of Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic (all Twitter links):
- McDonough, who was previously working for the Celtics as an assistant GM, indicated that he didn't plan on leaving Boston unless there was a "spectacular opportunity" elsewhere.
- The Suns have a few good young pieces on their roster and are positioned well for "sustainable success," according to McDonough.
- McDonough and owner Robert Sarver have a few of the same candidates in mind for the team's head coaching position. The front office will be targeting someone who can command the team's respect and maximize its talent.
- In constructing the roster and choosing a head coach, McDonough will aim for a balance of offense and defense, rather than prioritizing one over the other.
- Prior to McDonough's press conference, Dan Bickley of the Arizona Republic (link via USA Today) published a piece on the new GM and the Suns' owner. According to Sarver, the Suns are "absolutely not for sale at any price," despite some recent rumblings to the contrary.
Suns Hire Ryan McDonough As GM
The Suns officially have a new general manager, having hired Celtics assistant GM Ryan McDonough to replace Lance Blanks, the team announced today in a press release. The team will formally introduce McDonough at a press conference this Thursday.
"Ryan distinguished himself among an impressive group of candidates for our GM position," said Suns president Lon Babby in a statement. "His natural leadership and communication skills will serve the Suns well. And, his prodigious work ethic and ability to identify talent will enable us to take full advantage of the 10 draft choices, including six in the first round, that we have over the next three years. We welcome his championship pedigree to our organization."
McDonough had been considered one of the frontrunners for the Suns' GM opening along with Bucks assistant GM Jeff Weltman. Various reports, including one earlier today, suggested that Phoenix was also interested in hiring Grant Hill for the position. McDonough's hiring seems to indicate that either the Suns weren't seriously interested in Hill or that the veteran intends to continue his playing career.
McDonough joined the Celtics' front office in 2003, as a 23-year-old special assistant to basketball operations. After working in the team's scouting department and as Boston's director of player personnel, he has served as an assistant GM to Danny Ainge for the last three seasons. McDonough is expected to work with Babby to make a decision on the Suns' head coach.
Pacific Notes: Suns, Hill, Meeks, Clippers
Coming into the 2012/13 season, the Lakers and Clippers were receiving most of the attention out west, but with four Western Conference teams still alive, the only Pacific team still standing is Golden State. Stephen Curry and the Warriors played in perhaps the best game of the 2013 postseason last night in San Antonio, but ultimately couldn't hold off the Spurs, who escaped with a 129-127 victory. As we hold out hope that the rest of the series lives up to the standard set by Game One, let's check out some other notes from around the Pacific….
- ESPN.com's Marc Stein reports (via Twitter) that "rumblings persist" about the Suns holding off on their decision on a new general manager because they're hoping to land Grant Hill for the job. Stein adds in a second tweet that if Hill can't be persuaded to return to Phoenix, the Suns figure to decide between Celtics assistant GM Ryan McDonough and Bucks assistant GM Jeff Weltman. Charles Barkley didn't receive an interview for the position, says Stein (via Twitter).
- Even if the Lakers could save a bit of money by declining Jodie Meeks' 2013/14 option and replacing him with a minimum-salary player, Eric Pincus of the Los Angeles Times (Sulia link) expects the team to bring back Meeks, who could be L.A.'s starting shooting guard on opening night.
- Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times examines the futures of Chris Paul and Vinny Del Negro in L.A., noting that the Clippers and Del Negro discussed an extension a couple times early in the season, but ultimately elected to wait until season's end.
Berger On Malone, 76ers, Hornacek, Nets
Here’s the latest news on coaching and GM vacancies courtesy of CBSSports.com’s Ken Berger..
- It’s too early to identify a front-runner in the Sixers search, but things sound promising for Warriors assistant Mike Malone. Philly execs have contacted the Warriors multiple times about Malone, including several conversations with consultant Jerry West. In fact, the Sixers are consulting players who’ve played under both Malone and Spurs assistant Mike Budenholzer to get a feel for how the two candidates differ, according to one source.
- To the surprise of some rival executives, the Sixers‘ coaching search is being led by GM Tony DiLeo, whose contract expires this summer. With team president Rod Thorn moving into a smaller role and DiLeo’s contract expiring, rival execs expect the Sixers seek out a new decision maker as well. In fact, that process has already begun through back-channel conversations, one person contacted on the Sixers’ behalf told Berger.
- Nets star Deron Williams has been vocal in his support of Jerry Sloan for the job but also has a strong relationship with Jeff Hornacek. In addition to the Sixers, the former Jazz sharpshooter has attracted interest from the Bobcats, Suns, and Bucks, sources told Berger.
- The Suns are in the advanced stages of their GM search and the latest word is that Celtics assistant GM Ryan McDonough‘s is gaining momentum. Bucks assistant GM Jeff Weltman has been viewed as the favorite in some circles, however, and the Suns also have interviewed Spurs exec (and former Knicks GM) Scott Layden.
- The Clippers are expected to can Vinny Del Negro and Hawks are expected to let Larry Drew go, league sources said. The Clippers are said to be “exploring all options,” while the Hawks’ decision on Drew’s future is expected “sooner than later,” sources said. It is widely believed that GM Danny Ferry prefers to install his own head coach in Atlanta.