Joe Barrer Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Joe Barrer To Coach Pelicans’ G League Team

August 20th, 2025 at 1:42pm CST by Luke Adams

The Pelicans are naming Joe Barrer the head coach of their G League affiliate, the Birmingham Squadron, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link).

Barrer has worked in the G League for nearly a decade, first as a video coordinator and assistant coach for the Iowa Wolves (known as the Iowa Energy at the time). He spent four seasons as an assistant for the Magic’s G League affiliate from 2017-21 and then was promoted to the team’s head coaching role for two seasons from 2021-23.

Barrer has followed a similar trajectory with the Pelicans, having been an assistant coach with the Squadron for two seasons prior to his promotion to head coach this summer.

The Squadron have been coached for the past three seasons by T.J. Saint, but he left the organization this offseason in order to take a job with the Knicks under Mike Brown.

Eastern Notes: Ntilikina, Kemba, Simmons, Timma, Magic

August 11th, 2021 at 2:43pm CST by Luke Adams

The Knicks have renounced their free agent rights to former lottery pick Frank Ntilikina, according to RealGM’s transactions log.

The move, which was necessary in order for New York to maximize its cap space, doesn’t preclude the team from re-signing Ntilikina. The Knicks no longer have his Bird rights, but could still re-sign him using cap space or an exception (such as the minimum-salary exception). There has been no indication that’s in the cards, however.

Here’s more from around the Eastern Conference:

Kemba Walker‘s new two-year, $18MM contract with the Knicks is fully guaranteed with no options, tweets Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic. Keith Smith of Spotrac, providing the year-by-year breakdown, notes (via Twitter) that the two-year value technically comes in at about $17.89MM.
Checking in on the Ben Simmons sweepstakes, ESPN’s Zach Lowe confirms that the Spurs, Warriors, and Timberwolves are among the teams that have had some talks with the Sixers and reiterates a point that a few other reporters have made — Philadelphia likely wants to wait to see if Damian Lillard becomes available before moving Simmons. For now, the Trail Blazers star hasn’t asked to be dealt and is off the table, Lowe adds.
Josh Robbins of The Athletic takes a closer look at the bid 29-year-old Janis Timma is making to earn a spot on the Magic‘s roster. The 60th pick in the 2013 draft, Timma has spent his professional career in Europe but is part of Orlando’s Summer League squad. “I just want to show that I’m ready to play here and I belong here,” he said.
The Lakeland Magic have hired Joe Barrer as their head coach, according to a press release from the team. Barrer spent the last four seasons as an assistant coach to Stan Heath for Orlando’s G League affiliate. Heath, who led Lakeland to an NBAGL title and earned Coach of the Year honors earlier this year, left for a job at Eastern Michigan.