Pacific Notes: Suns, Majerle, Clippers, Del Negro
With the two Los Angeles teams bounced from the first round of the playoffs, the Pacific has one lone representative left in the Warriors. While Golden State figures out how to handle the Spurs, let's take a look at the rest of the division..
- Suns team president Lon Babby now has to hire a GM and a coach for his club after parting ways with GM Lance Blanks. It remains to be seen what they'll do in the front office but according to Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe, former Sun "Thunder" Dan Majerle is interested in the coaching job as well as ex-Suns assistant Elston Turner, who is interviewing for the Bobcats opening.
- The Clippers may take more time in deciding Vinny Del Negro's future, but will "explore all options," a source tells Ken Berger of CBSSports.com (on Twitter).
- Chris Paul's uncertain future is leaving things murky for the Clippers franchise, writes Vincent Bonsignore of the Los Angeles Daily News. As he approaches his 28th birthday, Paul has more to think about than ever in the wake of his club's first round ouster from the playoffs.
Odds & Ends: Celtics, Wolves, Blazers, Hunter
The Celtics made quite an attempt at a comeback, both in the series and in tonight's Game Six, but ultimately the Knicks polished off Boston this evening to set up a second-round date with the Pacers. The loss left some in Boston's locker room wondering about their futures as they spoke with reporters. Coach Doc Rivers isn't entirely sure he'll want to come back for next season, but he anticipates he'll opt to return to the bench when he makes up his mind this summer. Rivers isn't certain Kevin Garnett will come back, either, though that decision is up to KG. For his part, Garnett says he's not ready to make up his mind, but suggests the team's decision on whether to keep Paul Pierce will have heavy influence.
Chris Forsberg of ESPNBoston.com rounds up more comments from the C's as they begin their offseason, and as they ponder their next moves, here's what's happening elsewhere across the NBA:
- Chip Scoggins of the Star Tribune examines Glen Taylor's decision to abandon the idea of selling the Wolves, and points out the owner's cryptic remarks about his plan to keep the team in Minnesota.
- Sources tell Henry Abbott of ESPN.com that the Trail Blazers paid the Wolves $1.5MM to settle their dispute over Martell Webster, and Abbott explains how the outcome can be considered a coup for ousted Wolves GM David Kahn.
- Lindsey Hunter isn't assured of remaining the coach of the Suns, but if he's bounced, he shouldn't count on a soft landing with the Pistons, writes Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press.
- On the eve of Game Seven against the Nets, Sam Smith of Bulls.com answers reader questions about Derrick Rose and the Bulls' offseason plans.
- Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times wonders if soon-to-be free agent Kirk Hinrich's postseason performance has made him too expensive for the Bulls to re-sign.
Pacific Links: Warriors, Kings, Kobe, Hornacek
The Clippers are fighting for their playoff lives tonight against the Grizzlies, but their division rivals aren't far from the spotlight. The playoff triumph of the Warriors, the future of the Kings, an offseason of uncertainty for the Lakers, and a possible coaching vacancy for the Suns are all making headlines out of the Pacific tonight:
- Andrew Bogut's performance as the Warriors' sealed their upset of the Nuggets last night provided vindication for Golden State co-owner Joe Lacob, who signed off on the unpopular swap of Monta Ellis for Bogut last year, as Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports examines.
- The Sacramento bidders for the Kings, led by Vivek Ranadive, have placed half of the purchase price for the team into escrow, tweets Dale Kasler of The Sacramento Bee.
- A group of Sacramento arena opponents have filed suit claiming the city withheld documents that show secret "sweeteners" in the deal with investors that enhance the public contribution to the project, as Kasler and fellow Bee scribe Tony Bizjak write. In a separate piece, Bizjak, Kasler and Ryan Lillis explain the dispute. Aaron Bruski of NBCSports.com hears an attorney involved in the suit has already received the sought-after documents (Twitter link).
- In his NBA PM piece, HoopsWorld's Bill Ingram outlines the reasons why he thinks the idea that the Lakers would amnesty Kobe Bryant is "ludicrous." I don't think the team will do it, either, though I'm not certain the Lakers are as unwilling to save money as Ingram suggests.
- Steve Luhm of The Salt Lake Tribune notes Jazz assistant Jeff Hornacek's candidacy for coaching jobs with the Bobcats and Sixers, and speculates that the former Suns player could draw interest from Phoenix if the new GM there decides to change coaches.
Pacific Notes: Suns, Kings, Lakers, Jamison
As we wait to see if the Warriors can finish off the Nuggets tonight and set up a second-round date with the Spurs, let's check in on a few items out of the Pacific Division….
- Bucks assistant GM Jeff Weltman remains the frontrunner for the Suns' general manager opening, writes Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic. Weltman is one of four candidates to have been interviewed by the team so far, according to Coro. Former Pacers GM David Morway, Spurs assistant GM Scott Layden, and Celtics assistant GM Ryan McDonough are the other interviewees so far.
- Potential Kings investor Chris Kelly tells David Bienick of KCRA in Sacramento that the Sacramento group expects to put half of its offer for the Kings into escrow by Friday. At this point, the group is still working with the NBA rather than the Maloofs, Kelly tells Bienick (Twitter links).
- In his NBA AM piece for HoopsWorld, Derek Page wonders if it's time for the Lakers to start rebuilding.
- After missing his exit interview earlier this week, Antawn Jamison had it today with GM Mitch Kupchak, according to Dave McMenamin of ESPNLosAngeles.com (via Twitter). Jamison seems highly unlikely to return to the Lakers next season.
Amico On Lakers, World Peace, Van Gundy, Scott
Mitch Kupchak has been Lakers GM since 2000, the year the team won the first of its five championships with Kobe Bryant, but this is his most important offseason to date, opines Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio. Just months after it appeared Kupchak might be a candidate for Executive of the Year for his role in building a team primed for a title run, the pressure's on him to clean up the mess of a season gone wrong. Amico goes over the Lakers' to-do list for the summer, and drops news from both L.A. teams and other NBA outposts, as we detail here:
- The Lakers are privately hoping Metta World Peace exercises his early-termination option to get out of his $7.727MM contract for next season, according to Amico. World Peace hasn't given any hints about his intentions, though I'd be surprised if he turns down the money.
- Stan Van Gundy reportedly doesn't want to return to coaching yet, but he may be holding out to see if the Clippers job opens up, Amico hears, adding that Van Gundy has sent signals that he's not interested in the Pistons vacancy.
- Sources tell Amico that Byron Scott may become a candidate to take over as Suns coach if the team doesn't retain interim boss Lindsey Hunter, who appears to be on his way out.
Layden, Weltman, McDonough Suns GM Finalists
8:31pm: Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports adds Celtics assistant GM Ryan McDonough to the list of finalists. McDonough interviewed Tuesday with Babby and owner Robert Sarver, and Weltman will interview Thursday. The Suns want to make a hire quickly so they can decide on a coach and prepare for the draft. Babby made a push to hire Weltman in 2010, when Sarver favored Lance Blanks instead.
5:03pm: Spurs assistant GM Scott Layden and Bucks assistant GM Jeff Weltman are rumored as the finalists for the vacant GM position in Phoenix, according to Gery Woelfel of the Racine Journal Times (Twitter link). Milwaukee gave Weltman approval over the weekend to interview for the Suns job, while this is the first we've heard of Layden in connection with the opening. Chris Broussard of ESPN.com reported Weltman was the frontrunner for the gig last week.
Layden has only been on the job in San Antonio for eight months. He previously held GM jobs with the Knicks and Jazz. Weltman hasn't run a team's front office before, but he's been with Bucks GM John Hammond ever since Hammond came aboard in 2008, and prior to that, Weltman and Hammond worked together with the Pistons.
Whoever gets the Suns job will decide who will coach the team next season. Interim Lindsey Hunter is still Phoenix's head coach, but he appears on shaky footing, and is interviewing with the Pistons for their head coaching vacancy. Suns president of basketball operations Lon Babby is promising a "summer of analytics" for the team, so presumably the next GM will be a devotee of advanced metrics.
Western Notes: Suns, Morrow, Jamison, Smith
The Rockets avoided being the second Western Conference team to be swept out of the first round last night, defeating the Thunder to send the series back to Oklahoma City. While we wait for that series to resume on Wednesday, tonight's schedule features a pair of Western matchups, including a chance for the Warriors to pull off a first round upset and eliminate the Nuggets. Here are a few updates out of the conference as we look forward to the evening's games:
- Ric Bucher of 95.7 The Game (via Sulia) confirms reports that Bucks assistant GM Jeff Weltman is the frontrunner to be the next Suns' general manager, adding that president Lon Babby was eyeing Weltman back before the team hired Lance Blanks. Bucher also echoes another rumor we heard recently, writing that the valuation of the Kings has owner Robert Sarver wondering "if it's time to cash out."
- As he continues his look at the Mavericks' free-agents-to-be, Tim MacMahon of ESPNDallas.com predicts that Anthony Morrow will sign a veteran's minimum contract this summer.
- Antawn Jamison, who underwent wrist surgery today after missing his exit interview yesterday, isn't expected to return to the Lakers next year, writes Eric Pincus of the Los Angeles Times.
- Nolan Smith won't be back with the Trail Blazers next season, but he's looking forward to free agency, as he tells Susan Bible of HoopsWorld.
Bucks OK Weltman To Interview For Suns GM Job
The Bucks have granted assistant GM Jeff Weltman permission to interview for the Suns vacant GM job, reports Charles F. Gardner of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic first identified Weltman as a candidate for the position, and Chris Broussard named him as the frontrunner this week. Weltman was a finalist for the Phoenix job in 2010, when the team instead hired Lance Blanks, who on Monday parted ways with the Suns.
Lon Babby, the Phoenix president of basketball operations, will allow the new GM to make a decision on the team's head coach, Gardner reports. Interim Lindsey Hunter currently holds that job, though he'll interview for the Pistons coaching vacancy amid speculation he could be on the way out.
Babby promises the offseason will be "a summer of analytics" for the franchise. That could mean candidates like Celtics assistant GM Mike Zarren or Rockets executive vice president of basketball operations Sam Hinkie could be considered for the Suns GM job, though that's just my speculation.
Weltman joined the Bucks along with GM John Hammond in 2008. He reportedly was one of several who engaged in preliminary discussions with the Clippers about their GM opening last summer.
Hunter To Interview With Pistons, Still Considered By Suns?
THURSDAY, 5:16pm: Paul Coro of AZ Central confirms that Hunter will be interviewed by the Pistons for their head coaching job, though there remains a possibility that he could return to the Phoenix.
As per Suns president of basketball of operations Lon Babby, Coro writes that Hunter is still seen as a strong candidate to keep his position despite the recent departure of Lance Blanks, the former GM who appointed Hunter as the interim coach this past season.
“From talking to (Babby), I do feel that way…I think he still feels I’m a strong candidate. Although Lance and I were really close, I felt like I was equally respected in the organization by all parts. I was hurt for my friend but I wasn’t concerned about anything.”
WEDNESDAY, 6:45pm: The Suns are likely to grant interim coach Lindsey Hunter his request for permission to interview for the Pistons coaching vacancy, reports Matt Dery of 97.1 The Ticket in Detroit (Twitter link). Hunter appears on shaky footing in Phoenix following the departure of GM Lance Blanks. Suns also recently made a pitch to Mike Brown, who wound up returning to coach the Cavaliers, so Hunter may simply be trying to get out ahead of an impending dismissal.
Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press suggested two days ago that Hunter could become a candidate in Detroit, noting his ties to the organization that include a close relationship with president of basketball operations Joe Dumars, a former teammate of Hunter's during their playing days. Hunter spent the majority of his career as a player with the Pistons, who drafted him 10th overall in 1993. He was a member of their 2004 NBA championship team.
A report surfaced earlier this week naming Nate McMillan the front-runner for the Pistons opening, but McMillan later said he hasn't had contact with any team. Dumars is in charge of the search, but it doesn't sound like he's in any rush to make a decision.
Amico On Jackson, Bobcats, Shaw, Suns, Cavs
Sam Amico's latest notes column for FOX Sports Ohio is chock-full of interesting NBA tidbits, including one rumor suggesting that Michael Jordan is considering offering Phil Jackson a piece of the Bobcats and total control over the team's basketball operations. Amico pumps the brakes on the story a little, writing that a rival GM cautions it's merely a rumor being whispered around the league for now, rather than anything concrete. Still, it certainly makes for an interesting talking point. Here are a few more highlights from Amico's piece:
- If Jackson were to be hired in a front-office role, many people around the NBA believe he'd hire Pacers assistant Brian Shaw as his team's head coach.
- One opposing GM on the Bobcats' coaching opening, which Amico notes has some appeal: "That’s not a dire situation by any stretch. People are railing Michael Jordan, but that team has the youth and assets to make a quick turnaround. A lot of teams oversell that idea. The Bobcats don’t sell it all. But (Jordan) actually has them set up nicely. It’s just about making the right moves from here."
- Expect the Suns to make a serious run at a top free agent, according to Amico, who names Josh Smith and Al Jefferson as potential Phoenix targets.
- The Cavaliers are open to trade talks involving anyone but Kyrie Irving, says Amico, echoing what we heard from ESPN.com's Chris Broussard earlier today. Amico clarifies that the Cavs aren't necessarily actively shopping anyone, but that GM Chris Grant will field calls, since he's more confident in building the team via trade than via free agency.