Southwest Notes: Granger, Grizzlies, Spurs
The Southwest Division, where four out of five teams could make the playoffs, is abuzz today. The Rockets and Spurs are jostling at the top of the Western standings, and have both been linked to Danny Granger, who could be the biggest buyout prize this year. The Mavs are also rumored to be in on Granger, and they’re bumping shoulders at the bottom of playoff contention with the Grizzlies, who claimed Beno Udrih off waivers today. Here’s some more from what should remain one of the more interesting divisions this year:
- Ramona Shelburne of ESPN Los Angeles seconded earlier reports that the Spurs, Rockets, and Mavs all have a shot at Granger (Twitter link).
- Grizzlies coach Dave Joerger told reporters before tonight’s game, including Ronald Tillery of The Commercial Appeal, that he won’t address newly acquired Udrih until tomorrow (Twitter link).
- The Grizzlies are a game and a half out of the playoffs this season after former coach Lionel Hollins took them to the Western Conference Finals last year, but CEO Jason Levien has no regrets about hiring new coach Dave Joerger. Levien made his comments in an appearance on Sports 56 WHBQ radio in Memphis, as Ronald Tillery of The Commercial Appeal notes (Twitter link). “I feel better about the decision today than I did in June or July,” Levien said. “He’s been terrific.”
- The Grizzlies have assigned Jamaal Franklin D-League, the team announced. The 41st pick in the draft this past June hasn’t started in any of his three appearances with the Fort Wayne Mad Ants, an affiliate Memphis shares with five other NBA teams.
- Spurs coach Gregg Popovich tells Jeff McDonald of San Antonio Express-News that the team hasn’t yet been active in the buyout market, but is ready when the opportunity arrives: “Like everyone else we’re looking at all the names. If we see there’s a body there we think can help us we’ll try to do it, but we haven’t done anything to this point.” The Spurs are reportedly one of the front-runners for Danny Granger’s services once the short-timer Sixers guard clears waivers.
- Metta World Peace is one player in the buyout market the Spurs are not interested in, according to Jeff McDonald of San Antonio Express-News (Twitter link). The former Ron Artest was reportedly interested in San Antonio as a landing spot, but the interest apparently isn’t mutual.
Chuck Myron contributed to this post.
Southwest Rumors: Grizzlies, Asik, Dalembert
Sean Deveney of The Sporting News reveals the details behind the Grizzlies‘ bizarre parting with assistant coach Barry Hecker in the middle of last season’s playoffs. Hecker butted heads with former head coach Lionel Hollins as well as Dave Joerger, who was then a fellow assistant, and he alleges that Joerger was after Hollins’ job as early as two years ago. There’s more on the Grizzlies coaching situation among the latest news from the Southwest Division:
- The Grizzlies front office is beginning to wonder if they made the right hire with their decision to promote Joerger, as Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports notes in his weekly power rankings. Joerger’s job is nonetheless safe, Spears adds.
- An executive tells Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio not to rule out the Celtics and Bucks as possible destinations for Rockets center Omer Asik. Other recent reports have also linked those teams to Asik.
- The Mavericks planned to make Samuel Dalembert their starting center when they signed him to a two-year deal this past offseason, but he’s in danger of falling out of the rotation, observes Tim McMahon of ESPNDallas.com.
- The Spurs recalled Aron Baynes and Nando De Colo from the D-League today, the team announced. De Colo had 32 points, eight rebounds and six assists while Baynes put up 21 points and 11 rebounds for the Austin Toros last night, hours after the Spurs sent them down along with Malcolm Thomas.
Joerger On Grizzlies’ Chances Next Season
After interviewing high-profile head coaching candidates George Karl, Ed Pickney and Alvin Gentry for their vacant head coaching position, the Grizzlies promoted long-time assistant Dave Joerger to be their new head coach.
The team had parted ways with their most successful head coach in franchise history, Lionel Hollins, after disagreements with management – including ESPN stats guru John Hollinger - over the future of the team.
Joerger hasn't ever coached at the NBA level, and now he's expected to lead the Grizzlies in their hunt for an NBA title. His first season as coach will come only an offseason removed from the team's farthest playoff run in franchise history last year when they appeared in the Western Conference Finals.
The Commecial Appeal's Ronald Tillery relates what Joerger told MVP season ticket holders at the FedEx Forum early this morning about his new team's chances next season and what it's like to finally coach an NBA team of his own:
On the biggest difference in being a head coach rather than an assistant this summer:
“The head coaching part of it I’ve gone through. Mentally, you’re always working on the next year,” Joerger admitted. “What’s different is all of the other things that come with it. The stakes are a lot bigger. There’s more media. It’s a bigger organization. Your time gets stretched more than any other time I’ve been a head coach and certainly as an assistant coach.”
On offseason improvements to stay up with other teams in the West:
“I feel like we addressed some of our team needs,” the new coach said. “We’ve added championship experience. We’ve added IQ. We’ve added shooting. We’re trying to grow from within. Those are all very positive. You better be ready to play in the West. Houston got better. Golden State got better. Minnesota got better. And the Clippers have definitely improved themselves. I also feel like we’ve kept up.”
On the Grizzlies' offensive struggles last season:
“We do some things really well offensively, Joerger challenged. "I don’t want to lose those things. I want to add to them. On the front end of it, I want to add more pace. I want to add more ball movement. With the ball movement comes a continuation of offense. The ball can’t stop. When there’s eight seconds on the clock, the ball can’t just come out (and get stuck in isolation). We have to keep going. I’m trying to push the basketball. Other guys are going to have to be able to make decisions with the basketball at times. The ball needs to move.”
On rotational differences compared to Lionel Hollins' approach last season:
“I like our roster. I’m hoping we’ve created depth,” said Joerger. “I’m hoping Jerryd Bayless, Quincy Pondexter, Ed Davis and Kosta Koufos keep growing. If they do that and have a good year this year, then we have some really nice depth. We need those guys to make shots. They’ve got to play. And I’m looking forward to having that. I know what Mike Miller is going to give us from the perimeter. Hopefully, those other guys have a big year. I want the bench to be successful. It’s a long season and the West is a gauntlet.”
Odds & Ends: Bynum, Ginobili, Heat, Joerger
It's already been a busy day of news and rumors, and things don't figure to slow down anytime soon. With the draft fast approaching and free agency to follow shortly thereafter, the NBA's roster-movement season is in full swing. As we try not to let anything slip through the cracks, let's round up a few Tuesday odds and ends from around the Association:
- Free-agent-to-be Andrew Bynum has completed rehab on his knee and is set to resume basketball workouts next week, writes Dan Gelston of the Associated Press. Agent David Lee indicated there's "not a concern in the world" that Bynum will be ready for training camp, and said he expects to meet with a couple teams when free agency opens next week.
- While it appeared during the playoffs that Manu Ginobili would consider retiring this offseason, the longtime Spur wrote in Argentinian newspaper La Nacion that he can't imagine not continuing his playing career. Mike Monroe and Jeff McDonald of the San Antonio Express-News have the details.
- Asked about the opt-out clauses the Heat's Big Three have in their contracts for 2014, Dwyane Wade echoed LeBron James' comments, indicating that it wasn't something he'd seriously considered or discussed yet (link via Joseph Goodman of the Miami Herald).
- Dave Joerger's contract as head coach of the Grizzlies will have at least three guaranteed years, and could end up being for four years, tweets Ronald Tillery of the Memphis Commercial Appeal.
- If Channing Frye were unable to play for the Suns again next season after missing last year due to a heart condition, the team would receive salary-cap relief, but Frye tells Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic that he's "extremely hopeful and optimistic" about his future and plans to return to action in 2013/14.
- In his latest mailbag for the South Florida Sun Sentinel, Ira Winderman addresses the possibility of Ray Allen opting out and the Heat signing Greg Oden.
- Pelicans GM Dell Demps has met with draft prospects Ben McLemore, Anthony Bennett, and Victor Oladipo, Demps confirmed today to Jimmy Smith of the New Orleans Times-Picayune.
- Glen Rice Jr., who is working out for the Bucks for a second time, and Allen Crabbe headline Milwaukee's list of workout participants today (Twitter links via the team's official PR account).
- Agent Marc Cornstein spoke to Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News about Metta World Peace's decision to opt in for 2013/14.
Grizzlies Hire Dave Joerger
The Grizzlies have promoted team assisstant Dave Joerger to head coach, according to Kevin Arnovitz of ESPN.com (via Twitter). Joerger has long been considered to be the leading candidate for the job, despite several big names coming through Memphis in recent weeks.
George Karl, Ed Pinckney, and Alvin Gentry all interviewed with the Grizzlies as they looked to fill their vacancy. The Grizzlies parted ways with coach Lionel Hollins earlier this month after months of reported struggles between him and team management. The club's revamped front office, which includes stats guru John Hollinger, had a very different take on roster building than the 59-year-old.
Joerger was the early favorite to take the Memphis job, but he also had interest from the Sixers. Joerger shouldn't expect a Christmas card from Hollins, who has made comments that seem to hint at a behind-the-scenes rift between the two.
Latest On Grizzlies’ Coaching Search
Yesterday, we heard from Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports that the Grizzlies are expected to complete their search for a head coach by the end of this week. Whether that means the team will have simply finished conducting interviews or whether Memphis will have made a hire remains to be seen, but the process does appear to be accelerating, with multiple candidates being interviewed for a second time this week. Here's the latest on the hunt to replace Lionel Hollins:
- Bulls assistant Ed Pinckney will interview for the second time with the Grizzlies today, according to Aggrey Sam of CSNChicago.com.
- Ronald Tillery of the Memphis Commercial Appeal reports (Twitter link) that Grizzlies assistant Dave Joerger will also receive a second interview today, while Alvin Gentry's second meeting with the club is scheduled for tomorrow. Tillery wrote yesterday that Joerger remained the favorite for the opening, but that Gentry was very much in the mix.
- One name that may be falling out of the running is former Nuggets coach George Karl. Memphis conducted a formal interview with Karl this week, but sources tell CSNChicago.com that he's behind Joerger, Gentry, and Pinckney in the process.
- The Grizzlies will likely mull over their coaching decision through the weekend, according to Tillery.
Latest On Grizzlies Coaching Search
Former Nuggets coach George Karl will meet with Memphis brass tomorrow, followed by Dave Joerger on Tuesday, a source tells Ken Berger of CBSSports.com (via Twitter). They're certainly not the only two people vying for the job, however. The Grizzlies met with former Suns coach Alvin Gentry about their head coaching vacancy yesterday and came away extremely impressed, the source says (link).
The Grizzlies granted Lionel Hollins permission to speak with other teams earlier this month and it wasn't a surprise earlier this week when they officially let him go. Former Hollins assistant Joerger was said to be a frontrunner for the job, but he may have his work cut out for him after Gentry's strong showing and the legendary Karl in the mix.
Dave Joerger Strong Favorite To Replace Hollins
The Grizzlies announced earlier tonight that Lionel Hollins would not be offered a new contract, with CEO Jason Levien saying in a statement: "We have begun to identify our next head coach, who we feel can best move us forward." According to ESPN.com's Marc Stein, there's a good chance that next head coach is current assistant Dave Joerger.
This isn't the first time we've heard Joerger mentioned as a candidate to take over Hollins' job in Memphis, but Stein puts it in the strongest terms yet, tweeting that Joerger has been considered for weeks to be the "overwhelming favorite" for the job. Ronald Tillery of the Memphis Commercial Appeal tweets a similar sentiment, saying it shouldn't be a surprise if Joerger is at the team's draft workout on Wednesday and is named the new head coach shortly thereafter.
If the Grizzlies don't end up promoting Joerger to replace Hollins, other candidates expected to receive consideration are ex-Nuggets coach George Karl and former Suns coach Alvin Gentry.
Grizzlies Part Ways With Lionel Hollins
7:00pm: The Grizzlies have confirmed in a press release that Hollins won't receive a new contract and that the team will begin searching for a new head coach.
"After a thorough internal process, which included conversations with Lionel and his representatives, we decided as an organization to move in a different direction," said CEO Jason Levien in a statement.
5:38pm: Lionel Hollins is out as the Grizzlies' head coach, according to Ronald Tillery of the Memphis Commercial Appeal, who reports (via Twitter) that the team won't extend Hollins' contract.
With Hollins' contract set to expire at the end of June and an oft-mentioned "difference in philosophies" between the head coach and Memphis' new management, the team was expected to make a change this offseason. However, Hollins has repeatedly expressed a desire to return to the Grizzlies, and the two sides had been discussing the possibility of a new contract.
With Hollins now officially on the market, he becomes a more viable potential candidate for other teams searching for a head coach, such as the Clippers, Nets, and Nuggets. As for the Grizzlies, they reportedly have interest in former Nuggets coach George Karl, and could also promote assistant Dave Joerger to the head coaching role.
Lawrence On Messina, Nets, Pacers
Mitch Lawrence of the Daily News has tons of interesting bits in his latest column and we have the highlights..
- There has been talk about the Nets looking for a “fresh face" rather than going with an established coach and Italian coach Ettore Messina would fit the bill, along with Pacers assisstant Brian Shaw. A group of Russian Nets executives who report to Mikhail Prokhorov is quite familiar with Messina, which could help his candidacy. Communication also won't be an issue for Messina as he speaks English fluently. “Players will find that Ettore has the technical mind to do the job, he can do the X’s and O’s, so strategically, it would not be hard for him at all,’’ said Spurs GM R.C. Buford.
- The Pacers know they need outside shooting help and would love to add Kyle Korver or J.J. Redick. Both players, of course, will be free agents on July 1. The club's other free agents, Tyler Hansbrough and D.J. Augustin, are expendable, which can give them some extra breathing space this offseason.
- David Stern plans to step down from the competition committee – which has the power to make rules changes – once he's done being commissioner. Lawrence's bet, however, is that he’ll still be used by the committee as a consultant.
- Lionel Hollins wants to paint Grizzlies assistant Dave Joerger like the bad guy if he doesn’t get a new deal in Memphis, but people in the NBA feel that he hasn’t done anything to bounce Hollins and get the job for himself. The Memphis front office doesn’t want Hollins back unless it’s on the cheap and he starts buying into the club's statistical analysis.
- New Raptors GM Masai Ujiri wants to hire Bucks assistant GM Jeff Weltman to be his top assistant. Weltman and former Knick president Scott Layden were up for the Suns gig that went to Ryan McDonough.