Pelicans Making ‘Significant’ Changes To Basketball Staff
The Pelicans have begun to make “significant” changes to their basketball operations, coaching, and medical staffs, multiple sources tell Shamit Dua of In The N.O. (Twitter links).
Several staff members have been informed they won’t be brought back for next season, according to Dua, who says a “significant portion” of the basketball operations, coaching, and medical departments were either on expiring contracts or had team options. New Orleans decided to go in a different direction as the team begins “restructuring” and “reorganizing” those three key departments, Dua adds.
In a full story at his Substack, Dua reports that assistant coaches Casey Hill and Corey Brewer were among the “more than a dozen” employees who won’t return in 2026/27.
Jake Fischer of The Stein Line confirms Dua’s report (via Twitter), writing that “sweeping” organizational changes were made on Friday. As Fischer notes, the Pelicans have commenced a search for a new head coach and several positions on the coaching staff will be available once the lead coach has been hired.
Dua hears Nuggets assistant Jared Dudley is a name to watch in the Pelicans’ coaching search (Twitter link).
The Pelicans are entering their second offseason under executive VP of basketball operations Joe Dumars, who was hired last April. There have been rumors that Dumars has taken a hands-off approach as a decision-maker, with senior VP of basketball operations and general manager Troy Weaver believed to be behind last summer’s trades for Jordan Poole and Derik Queen.
Trail Blazers Notes: Avdija, Splitter, Dundon, Henderson
The Trail Blazers claimed a spot in the playoffs because Deni Avdija had his “superstar moment” in the team’s biggest game, writes Bill Oram of The Oregonian. Avdija exploded for 41 points in Tuesday’s play-in win at Phoenix, becoming just the fifth player to reach the 40-point mark in the tournament’s seven-year history. He hit the game-winning shot with 16.1 seconds left to play and drew contact that fouled out Dillon Brooks.
“I feel like he’s unique,” teammate Jrue Holiday said of Avdija. “Nobody does what he does. To be able to damn near have a triple-double, on kind of an off-night for him … is something you love to see in Deni because this is what we expect from him now.”
Oram views the victory as a statement game for not only Avdija, but also for interim head coach Tiago Splitter, who hopes to get the job on a permanent basis; for general manager Joe Cronin, who made some controversial moves that ultimately paid off; and for Jerami Grant, who scored 16 points in 19 minutes off the bench in his return from a calf strain.
Splitter was also impressed by Avdija, who delivered in his first opportunity to lead a team in the postseason.
“I don’t even think he had a great game,” Splitter said, “but he just kept going, kept believing in himself (and) scored a couple buckets at the end.”
There’s more on the Trail Blazers:
- Splitter has earned a new contract after leading Portland to its first playoff appearance in five years, Sean Highkin of The Rose Garden Report contends in a subscriber-only piece. He states that Splitter also delivered under pressure on Tuesday, calming the team during a time out midway through the fourth quarter that helped to reverse the momentum after Phoenix took an 11-point lead.
- There are concerns about whether new team owner Tom Dundon is willing to pay a competitive rate for a head coach, Oram states in another Oregonian story. Oram cites rumors around the league that Dundon wants his coach to earn about $1MM per year, roughly 25% of the typical salary for the position, which is why he’s looking at college coaches and ex-players such as Nuggets assistant Jared Dudley and Rockets assistant Royal Ivey, who might be willing to accept less money to get their first head coaching opportunity.
- Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated addresses the same theme, stating that Dundon is already expressing “sticker shock” at the high costs associated with being an NBA owner. Four sources tell Mannix that Dundon had several staffers check out of their Phoenix hotel rooms at noon ahead of Tuesday night’s game so the team wouldn’t be charged for an extra day. They spent hours in the hotel lobby waiting for the first bus to the arena.
- Scoot Henderson is finally getting a chance to be productive after injuries affected his first three NBA seasons. After missing the first 51 games this season with a torn left hamstring, the third pick in the 2023 draft has played his way into the starting lineup. “I never felt bad for myself,” Henderson said in an interview with Marc J. Spears of Andscape. “Even when [the injury] happened, I’m like, ‘I ain’t going to feel bad for myself.’ I just started laughing. I’m like, ‘All right. I see what’s happening. I see what the man above wants me to go through.’ I accepted it right when it happened. I’m into a different mode now. I’m at the recovery mode. I’m getting back healthy.”
Coaching Rumors: Jenkins, Wizards, Mosley, Pelicans, Kerr, More
There wasn’t a whole lot of NBA head coaching turnover last spring, when several teams retained coaches who had previously had interim tags and only the Suns and Knicks made new hires. There haven’t been many changes since then either, with only New Orleans having made an in-season change, though Portland was also forced to elevate assistant Tiago Splitter after Chauncey Billups was arrested in October.
The expectation is that a relatively quiet 12 months on the coaching market could result in an eventful few weeks once the regular season ends, writes Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link).
“There’s going to be eight to 12 (coaching changes),” one source predicted to Fischer.
With several head coaching jobs expected to open up this spring, Fischer identifies a few candidates to monitor for those openings, naming current assistants Sean Sweeney (Spurs), Micah Nori (Timberwolves), Jared Dudley (Nuggets), Dave Bliss (Thunder), Chris Quinn (Heat), Royal Ivey (Rockets), and Luke Walton (Pistons).
Here are several more coaching-related rumors from Fischer:
- Confirming that Taylor Jenkins is a potential target to watch for the Bucks if they part ways with Doc Rivers, Fischer says there have been “whispers for months” that the Wizards would also have interest in Jenkins if they decide to move on from Brian Keefe. It’s unclear at this point if Washington intends to bring back Keefe for another season as the team aims to take a step toward contention in 2026/27. “It’s very difficult for any young coach to survive a years-long rebuild and (then) oversee a dramatic cultural shift of losing to competing,” one general manager told The Stein Line.
- If the Magic let go of Jamahl Mosley, he’s expected to draw interest from New Orleans, according to Fischer, who says Pelicans general manager Joe Dumars is a fan. James Borrego is also expected to receive consideration for the permanent job in New Orleans, Fischer notes, adding that Bucks assistant Darvin Ham is another candidate to watch if the team conducts a full-fledged search.
- While it’s too early to say what will happen with Steve Kerr, Fischer has heard that the Warriors would ideally like to sign the veteran coach for more than a single season if he decides to return, since team officials would prefer to avoid a “Last Dance scenario,” if possible. Stephen Curry‘s current contract expires in 2027, as does Jimmy Butler‘s. Draymond Green‘s would too if he exercises his 2026/27 player option.
- The Kings are still evaluating Doug Christie‘s performance and are taking into account that injuries decimated his roster this season, Fischer writes. Christie has one more guaranteed year left on his contract (with a 2027/28 team option) and it’s not impossible that he’ll return for next season, Fischer adds.
- Although the Trail Blazers discussed a potential extension for Splitter at one point, per Fischer, the acting head coach’s future is up in the air with new owner Tom Dundon taking over the franchise. Dundon has talked about evaluating every aspect of the organization. That includes its head coach and its front office, according to Fischer, who suggests that changes in the basketball operations department are possible. For what it’s worth, Dundon said recently that general manager Joe Cronin’s job status is “solid.”
Northwest Notes: Dudley, Jazz, Ainge, Thunder
Jared Dudley had a lengthy NBA career. As an assistant coach with the Nuggets, Dudley now finds himself in charge of Denver’s defensive schemes. His main mission is a simple one.
“Coming up with a defense that protects (Nikola Jokic),” he told Bennett Durando of the Denver Post.
Dudley is doing so by having Denver’s guards and wings take on more responsibilities at that end of the floor, so that Jokic can conserve his energy for the offensive side.
“I can’t teach (him) anything offensively. You’re already this. You’ve got that,” Dudley said. “But defensively, I can teach you. I’ve played with different centers. I’ve played with Boban (Marjanovic), who’s bigger than you and slower than you. … I only want him to think about going back to the rim, Point A to Point B. I don’t want him having him to go guard these guards on the wings, in rotations.”
We have more on the Northwest Division:
- How are the Jazz‘s young players faring thus far? Andy Larsen of the Salt Lake Tribune takes a closer look, breaking down the team’s last three draft classes and evaluating each of those players’ performances.
- Austin Ainge is the Jazz‘s new president of basketball operations and Larsen spoke with the Celtics’ top executive, Brad Stevens, about the son of longtime Celtics and Utah executive Danny Ainge. Stevens is confident that Austin will step out of his father’s shadow and build a winner in Utah. “He’s always been a guy that I think has a good sense for putting a team together and what wins, both in the regular season and then certainly in the playoffs,” Stevens said.
- The undefeated Thunder will be playing without several rotation players in Portland tonight. Alex Caruso (rest), Luguentz Dort (right upper trapezius strain) and Chet Holmgren (lower back sprain) are all listed as out, Justin Martinez of The Oklahoman tweets.
Western Notes: THJ, Horford, Kuminga, R. Williams
Although three or four teams reached out to convey their interest in him early in free agency, Tim Hardaway Jr. was drawn to the Nuggets in part because J.J. Barea and Jared Dudley were joining David Adelman‘s coaching staff, as he tells Bennett Durando of The Denver Post. Hardaway played alongside Barea with the Mavericks from 2019-20, while Dudley was a Mavs assistant coach during three of Hardaway’s years in Dallas.
“It gives you more confidence (having Dudley and Barea on staff), just because they understand your style of play,” Hardaway said. “They reiterate that to the rest of the coaching staff. I mean, Jared Dudley was my assistant coach in Dallas for years, so he knows what I can do on and off the floor for the team.”
Hardaway made 77 starts in Detroit last season and hasn’t averaged fewer than 26.8 minutes per game in a season since 2015/16. He also hasn’t earned less than $16MM in a season since ’16/17. This year in Denver, he’s on a minimum-salary contract and will likely be part of the Nuggets’ second unit. However, he’s embracing the opportunity to play for a championship contender and wants to set an example for his younger teammates who may end up playing lesser roles.
“I’ve realized throughout my career, sulking and being upset about something, it’s just being an energy-drainer at that point,” Hardaway told Durando. “So just coming in there, letting those guys understand if they’re having rough days, bad days, (my job is) lifting them up, if I have to take them to dinner, (or) if I have to get the team all out together.”
Here’s more from around the Western Conference:
- Al Horford‘s two-year contract with the Warriors, which is worth the full taxpayer mid-level exception and includes a second-year player option, also features a 15% trade kicker, per Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link). Horford will become trade-eligible on January 1, three months after he officially signed with Golden State.
- Within a look at Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga as an in-season trade candidate, Yossi Gozlan of The Third Apron (subscription required) observes that even though Golden State is right up against a hard cap and will have to account for Kuminga’s trade kicker, the lack of base year compensation restrictions will make it easier to move him during the season than it would have been in a sign-and-trade. For instance, the Warriors wouldn’t have been able to take back Malik Monk in a sign-and-trade with Sacramento without sending out another player, but a straight-up deal involving those two players (plus draft assets) would be cap-legal now.
- Trail Blazers big man Robert Williams still hasn’t been cleared for contact, head coach Chauncey Billups said on Monday, but he has been taking part in non-contact work and the team is “very happy” with the progress he has made (Twitter link via Sean Highkin of Rose Garden Report). Health issues have limited Williams to 26 total outings since he was traded to Portland two years ago.
Mavs Notes: Starters, Kyrie, Smith, Robinson-Earl, Coaches, Lively
The Mavericks made one very significant roster addition over the summer, drafting No. 1 pick Cooper Flagg out of Duke. But the club’s starting five has yet to be determined heading into training camp, per Mike Curtis of The Dallas Morning News (Twitter link).
“This is competition,” head coach Jason Kidd said. “We’re going to look at a lot of combinations.”
Kidd has indicated that everyone aside from All-Star guard Kyrie Irving is expected to fully participate in practice, tweets Christian Clark of The Athletic. For now, free agent signing D’Angelo Russell is expected to start in Irving’s stead.
There’s more out of Dallas:
- Irving continues to improve from the ACL tear he suffered last March. Kidd, however, offered a measured take on his recovery to date, per Tim MacMahon of ESPN. “He is doing quite well, as we can see, but he’s not ahead of schedule, and so let’s not say that,” Kidd said. “That’s unfair to him and to the Mavs because it’s not true. Is he on schedule? It looks like it.” Mavs president of basketball operations Nico Harrison had suggested in July that the star guard was “ahead of schedule” in his rehab process.
- New Mavericks additions Dennis Smith Jr. and Jeremiah Robinson-Earl signed non-guaranteed Exhibit 9 agreements, per Keith Smith of Spotrac (Twitter link). The agreements protect the team in the event that either player sustains an injury in training camp or the preseason and don’t count against the cap unless they carry over to the regular season.
- Kidd weighed in on Dallas losing assistant coaches Sean Sweeney, Jared Dudley, and Alex Jensen to other teams this summer, Curtis tweets. “The guys who left will be missed,” Kidd said. “Sweeney, Duds and Alex… It’s a compliment that we must be doing something right. Not wrong.”
- Third-year Mavericks center Dereck Lively II indicated during his media day session that he has grown this summer, according to Marc Stein of The Stein Line (Twitter link). Lively, who was listed at 7’1″ last season, claims he is currently 7’2″ or 7’3″.
Nuggets Announce Additions To Coaching Staff
The Nuggets confirmed the hiring of Jared Dudley as the top assistant to head coach David Adelman and announced several other additions to their coaching staff in a press release.
As first reported in early July, Dudley accepted the position with Denver over offers from Memphis and Cleveland. He spent the past four seasons as an assistant coach with the Mavericks, joining them after ending his 14-year playing career.
Another former NBA player, J.J. Barea, is joining Adelman’s staff as an assistant coach. He also worked for Dallas after his playing career ended, serving as a player development coach during the 2021/22 season. Barea had been coaching the Guaynabo Mets in his native Puerto Rico before being dismissed in May. His expected hiring was also reported in July.
Mike Moser is coming to Denver after spending the last two seasons as an assistant in Houston and the previous year as a player enhancement coach with Boston. Moser also spent time with the Mavericks and the University of Oregon women’s program, and he has coached overseas in Lithuania, Israel, Kosovo, Qatar, Finland and France.
Chase Buford was hired after serving as an assistant last season at his alma mater, the University of Kansas. He also coached in Australia, winning two NBA titles with the Sydney Kings, and in the G League with the Wisconsin Herd.
Rodney Billups, the younger brother of Portland head coach Chauncey Billups, served as a scout with Brooklyn last season. He also spent three years as an assistant with the Trail Blazers and another season as a scout with Milwaukee.
The Nuggets also announced that Andrew Munson has been promoted to assistant coach and Ben Potts was hired as head video coordinator/player development coach.
Nuggets To Hire Jared Dudley As Top Assistant Coach
Former NBA forward Jared Dudley has agreed to a contract with the Nuggets that will make him the top assistant coach on David Adelman‘s staff, agent Andy Miller tells ESPN’s Shams Charania (Twitter link).
Marc Stein of The Stein Line first reported that Dudley was drawing interest from Memphis, Cleveland and Denver, and also reported over the weekend that the Nuggets were granted permission to Dudley.
A 14-year veteran as a player who won a title with the Lakers in 2020, Dudley has been an assistant with the Mavericks for the past four seasons, including acting in a front-of-bench role in 2024/25.
As Stein notes (via Twitter), all three of Dallas’ top assistants from last season have found new jobs in recent months, with Sean Sweeney joining the division-rival Spurs as associate head coach, Alex Jensen becoming the head coach at the University of Utah, and Dudley heading to Denver. Player development assistant God Shammgod, who has been with the Mavs since 2019, was also hired away by the Magic.
The Mavericks replaced Sweeney with new associate head coach Frank Vogel, a longtime former head coach, while ex-Raptors and Suns coach Jay Triano is the new No. 2 assistant. Stein reported that Dallas is eyeing veteran assistants Phil Handy and Mike Penberthy to join Jason Kidd‘s staff, though Handy is also drawing interest from New York.
According to Adam Mares of ALLCITY (Twitter link), Dudley is well liked and respected by coaches and players around the NBA, including several of the league’s top stars. The former first-round pick turns 40 years old next week.
Stein’s Latest: NAW, Schröder, Jerome, Grimes, Kornet, Nuggets
The Pistons and the Hawks have been described as the two best bets to sign Nickeil Alexander-Walker away from the Timberwolves when free agency gets underway, according to Marc Stein of The Stein Line (Substack link).
Both Detroit and Atlanta have previously been reported as potential suitors for Alexander-Walker, along with teams like the Clippers and Magic. The expectation is that he’ll command offers in the range of the full non-taxpayer mid-level exception, which will start at a projected $14.1MM. He might even end up getting more than that, tweets Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic.
While Minnesota has expressed a desire to retain Alexander-Walker, the club has already committed to Naz Reid on a lucrative new five-year deal and is expected to retain Julius Randle as well. Re-signing Alexander-Walker to a market-value contract would likely send the Wolves’ team salary soaring beyond the second tax apron.
As for the Pistons, there has been consistent reporting this week indicating that their free agent guard Dennis Schröder may end up signing with the Kings. While Schröder didn’t exactly confirm that this weekend during a Twitch stream, he suggested he’s unlikely to return to Detroit.
“I want to stay in Detroit for sure, but Detroit ain’t waiting for me, I can tell you that much,” Schröder said (Twitter video link). “Detroit ain’t waiting for me.”
Here’s more from Stein:
- The Hornets and Grizzlies have been consistently mentioned as teams expected to pursue free agent guard Ty Jerome, according to Stein. Reporting earlier today indicated that Utah also may be in the mix for the Sixth Man of the Year finalist, who is now considered a “lock” to leave the Cavaliers, per Stein.
- Sixers restricted free agent Quentin Grimes is expected to land a starting salary of at least $16MM, Stein reports. Assuming he gets that offer from Philadelphia, it would be enough to outbid any rival suitors that might be willing to give him the full non-taxpayer mid-level exception.
- The Clippers, who are in the market for a center to back up Ivica Zubac, are considered a team to watch for free agent big man Luke Kornet, writes Stein.
- The Nuggets, who are eyeing potential assistant coaches for David Adelman‘s staff, have been granted permission to interview Mavericks assistant Jared Dudley and have also exhibited “strong” interest in former NBA guard J.J. Barea, per Stein (Twitter links). Barea had been coaching the Guaynabo Mets in his native Puerto Rico over the past couple years before being let go last month.
Stein’s Latest: Mavs, D-Lo, Paul, Exum, Sixers, Hawks
Within his latest NBA rumor round-up for The Stein Line (Substack link), Marc Stein reiterates a report he published on Twitter earlier this week, writing that the Mavericks are “increasingly regarded as the favorites” to sign point guard D’Angelo Russell.
Dallas will likely be limited to offering free agents the $5.7MM taxpayer mid-level exception, and Stein suggests Chris Paul will be another Mavs target using that MLE. However, there’s a growing belief that Paul would want to play somewhere closer to his home in Los Angeles if he continues his career, Stein explains.
Meanwhile, while the Mavericks still have interest in re-signing him, there’s a chance that a roster crunch could spell the end of Dante Exum‘s time in Dallas. Assuming Brandon Williams – who is on a non-guaranteed contract – is retained, the Mavs will have 14 players on standard contracts even before adding a free agent point guard.
According to Stein, a handful of EuroLeague teams – including Anadolu Efes, Fenerbahce, and Partizan Belgrade – are interested in trying to lure Exum back overseas. But the former No. 5 overall pick is still focused on trying to stick in the NBA even if there’s no pathway back to the Mavs for him, Stein writes.
Here’s more from Stein:
- Providing updates on a couple of popular Mavericks assistant coaches, Stein says the Nuggets are now among the teams with interest in hiring Jared Dudley away from Dallas, joining Memphis and Cleveland, while the Magic continue to put on a “full-court press” in the hopes of poaching God Shammgod from Jason Kidd‘s staff.
- Despite rumors and speculation in recent weeks suggesting that the Sixers explored the prospect of moving off Paul George‘s contract and trading down from No. 3 in the draft, a league source familiar with the team’s thinking called that “nonsense,” according to Stein. Jake Fischer reported several weeks ago that Philadelphia wasn’t trying to get rid of George using that lottery pick.
- Although they had interest in Masai Ujiri earlier in their front office search, the Hawks aren’t expected to circle back now that the longtime Toronto executive is out of work, Stein says. One source close to the process tells Stein that Atlanta is operating under the assumption that general manager Onsi Saleh will be the team’s head of basketball operations for the foreseeable future.