Juwan Howard Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Michigan, Juwan Howard To Discuss Head Coaching Job

May 18th, 2019 at 10:52am CST by Luke Adams

After receiving consideration for multiple NBA head coaching jobs this offseason, Heat assistant Juwan Howard now appears to be in the running for a job at his alma mater. Multiple sources tell Josh Henschke of The Michigan Insider that Howard and Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel have a meeting lined up for Tuesday to discuss the Wolverines’ head coaching vacancy.

Michigan has been on the lookout for a new head coach since John Beilein – who had held the position since 2007 – accepted the Cavaliers’ job earlier this month. Howard’s name has frequently come up since Beilein’s departure, with former Fab Five teammate Jalen Rose among those who have endorsed him for the role.

Jordan Schultz of ESPN first reported on Friday (via Twitter) that Howard had spoken with Turnkey Sports, the firm leading the Wolverines’ search. Howard was informed that Manuel was “very interested” in speaking with him, according to Schultz.

Earlier this spring, Howard met with the Cavaliers and Lakers about their head coaching openings. He’s also reportedly on the Timberwolves’ list of candidates after they opened a search beyond interim coach Ryan Saunders.

Wolves Begin Head Coaching Search; Saunders Still ‘Prominent’ Candidate

May 14th, 2019 at 7:58am CST by Luke Adams

Having settled into his new role in Minnesota, Timberwolves president of basketball operations Gersson Rosas has decided to launch a search for the club’s head coaching position, reports ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

Interim coach Ryan Saunders, who had widely been viewed as a strong bet to keep the job, will remain a “prominent” candidate, according to Wojnarowski, but the team will interview outside candidates as well. League sources tell Woj that Heat assistant Juwan Howard and Trail Blazers assistant David Vanterpool are among those will meet with the Wolves about the position.

Howard and Vanterpool have been popular targets so far this spring for teams making head coaching changes. Howard interviewed with the Lakers and Cavaliers, while Vanterpool has met with the Cavs and Suns.

Wojnarowski reports that Howard is expected to meet with Rosas during this week’s draft combine, while Vanterpool will likely connect with Rosas later in the week.

As for Saunders, he has made a strong impression on team ownership since taking over for Tom Thibodeau on Minnesota’s bench during the 2018/19 season, according to Wojnarowski. Saunders has also impressed Rosas, having met with him for “a dozen or so hours” since the former Rockets exec was hired. Nonetheless, the Wolves want to consider all their options before simply handing the reins to Saunders on a permanent basis.

Cavaliers Notes: Beilein, Howard, Gansey

May 13th, 2019 at 11:19am CST by Luke Adams

The Cavaliers‘ head coaching search came to an end today and reached a surprising resolution, as longtime University of Michigan head coach John Beilein will make the jump to the NBA, having agreed to a five-year deal with Cleveland.

While we hadn’t heard word of the Cavs’ interest in Beilein before today, he interviewed with the club early last week in Ann Arbor and then spoke to owner Dan Gilbert face-to-face on Friday, according to Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com. As Fedor explains, the two sides agreed to keep those talks quiet out of respect for the university.

Meanwhile, Joe Vardon of The Athletic suggests (via Twitter) that Gilbert’s involvement in the process with Beilein was a good sign that the Cavaliers were serious about the Wolverines’ coach. According to Vardon, at least four other head coaching candidates who interviewed for the job didn’t meet with the Cavs’ owner.

Here’s more on the Cavs’ hiring on Beilein:

According to Fedor, it wouldn’t be a surprise if one of the candidates the Cavaliers interviewed for their head coaching position becomes Beilein’s associate head coach. Vince Ellis of The Detroit Free Press notes (via Twitter) that Juwan Howard, who met with the Cavs, was viewed as a candidate to become Beilein’s lead assistant if he had ended up with the Pistons last spring.
A source who spoke to Fedor pointed to Beilein’s ability to develop and mold young players as a key reason why the Cavaliers are hiring him. “He takes players right out of high school and turns them into lottery picks,” the source told Fedor, who cites Tim Hardaway Jr. as one Michigan player who wasn’t a highly sought-after recruit but ended up being drafted in the first round.
Cavaliers assistant GM Mike Gansey, who played for Beilein at West Virginia 15 years ago, was always a fan of the coach’s abilities as a player development specialist and an offensive tactician, sources tell Mitch Lawrence of Sporting News (Twitter link).
The Cavs like Beilein’s offensive system, which is predicated on outside shooting, ball movement, and constant motion, writes Sam Amico of AmicoHoops.net. As Amico outlines, the team views that system as one that can succeed even without star players.

Coaching Updates: Williams, Lakers, Suns, Cavs

April 25th, 2019 at 2:49pm CST by Luke Adams

The Lakers sent a big contingent of executives to Philadelphia today for their second interview with head coaching candidate Monty Williams, reports Bill Oram of The Athletic (via Twitter). According to Oram, in addition to GM Rob Pelinka and owner Jeanie Buss, the meeting will also include Lakers executives Joey Buss, Jesse Buss, Kurt Rambis, Linda Rambis, and COO Tim Harris.

Williams won’t be the first candidate to meet with such a big group. According to Tania Ganguli of The Los Angeles Times (via Twitter), the same Lakers executives met with Juwan Howard on Tuesday and Tyronn Lue on Wednesday. It was Howard’s first interview and Lue’s second for L.A.’s head coaching job.

As Oram observes (via Twitter), it’s somewhat interesting to see the younger Buss siblings, Jesse and Joey, involved in the process. While they’ve been part of the Lakers’ organization for years, their contributions have been limited to the scouting department and the G League affiliate — they’d been largely left out of major basketball operations decisions until now.

Here are a few more coaching-related updates from around the NBA:

The Lakers aren’t the only team with interest in Monty Williams. According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, Suns officials are traveling to Toronto to meet with the Sixers assistant on Friday before Philadelphia opens its series against the Raptors on Saturday. Phoenix received permission earlier this week to interview Williams, who has been identified as the team’s top candidate to replace Igor Kokoskov. The Suns may try to preempt a Lakers offer, Wojnarowski writes.
The Cavaliers and J.B. Bickerstaff are working to set up a meeting for next week, sources tell Joe Vardon of The Athletic. Bickerstaff said on Wednesday that he’s “definitely interested” in Cleveland’s head coaching job. Vardon also confirms that Juwan Howard and Jamahl Mosley are the only candidates who have formally interviewed with the Cavs so far.
The Cavaliers remain interested in Nuggets assistant Jordi Fernandez, but have yet to officially line up an interview, league sources tell Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com (Twitter link). Denver remains alive in the playoffs, so the Cavs will have to work around the Nuggets’ schedule.

Lakers To Interview Juwan Howard

April 19th, 2019 at 9:45pm CST by Arthur Hill

APRIL 19, 9:45pm: The Lakers will meet with Howard on Tuesday, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

APRIL 14, 2:28pm: Members of the Lakers’ front office will travel to meet with Williams sometime after Game 2 of the Sixers’ playoff series, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link).

APRIL 14, 2:14pm: The Lakers have received permission to talk to Heat assistant Juwan Howard about their head coaching vacancy, tweets ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne. An interview will probably take place next week, she adds.

Howard is the third name to appear in the Lakers’ coaching search since they parted ways with Luke Walton on Friday. L.A. also plans to discuss the job with former Cavaliers coach Tyronn Lue next week and has gotten permission from the Sixers to interview assistant coach Monty Williams.

Earlier today, we told you that Howard and Jamahl Mosley will interview to replace Larry Drew in Cleveland

Stein’s Latest: Lakers, Sixers, Myers

April 16th, 2019 at 8:26pm CST by ChrisCrouse

Lakers GM Rob Pelinka appears to be gaining more power inside of the team’s front office, Marc Stein of the New York Times writes in his weekly newsletter. The former agent is reportedly running Los Angeles’ search for a new head coach.

It’s curious that the team is searching for a coach before settling on an official head of basketball operations. Many organizations set up their front office structures prior to hiring a coach.

Stein provides more on the situation and passes along some additional nuggets in this week’s edition of the newsletter. Here are the highlights from his piece:

There’s chatter within league circles that Sixers assistant coach Monty Williams’ candidacy for the Lakers‘ gig is as strong in part because some within the front office fear giving the job to Tyronn Lue would hand too much control to LeBron James. Williams met with Pelinka to discuss the position earlier today. Lue and Juwan Howard are among the other candidates rumored to be in contention for the position.
The Sixers attempted to pry Warriors team president Bob Myers away from Golden State last offseason before deciding to promote Elton Brand to the role, Stein reports. Philadelphia also attempted to bring Rockets GM Daryl Morey to its front office.
Morey’s recent contract extension from the Rockets is estimated to pay the executive in the neighborhood of $8MM annually, Stein hears. Magic Johnson‘s salary as the Lakers’ team president was estimated to be $10MM per year and Stein argues that Los Angeles could feasibly offer a candidate double that salary if they wanted to lure a prized rival executive.
Stein writes that there is both “shock and relief” within the league that the Lakers haven’t attempted to poach a decorated rival executive, such as Myers, Spurs GM R.C. Buford, or Thunder GM Sam Presti.

Cavs To Interview Juwan Howard, Jamahl Mosley, Others

April 14th, 2019 at 12:55pm CST by Arthur Hill

1:32pm: The Cavs also plan to interview Utah’s Alex Jensen and Portland’s David Vanterpool when their teams are done with the playoffs, Wojnarowski adds (Twitter link).

12:55pm: Heat assistant Juwan Howard and Mavericks assistant Jamahl Mosley will be the first two candidates to interview for the Cavaliers‘ head coaching job, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN. Both interviews are expected this week.

Cavs GM Koby Altman plans to go through a long list of candidates before hiring a replacement for Larry Drew, Woj adds. The team will start with assistant coaches on teams that didn’t reach the playoffs.

Howard has been part of Erik Spoelstra’s staff in Miami since retiring from the NBA in 2013. Mosley was an assistant in Cleveland for four seasons before leaving for Denver in 2014.

Lakers Notes: Free Agency, Rondo, Caruso, Howard

April 7th, 2019 at 2:31pm CST by JD Shaw

The Lakers could steal one of the Warriors’ three star free agents on the open market this summer, adding to a group that’s primarily been centered around LeBron James, Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report writes.

Golden State is currently fixated on making a lengthy playoff run this spring, but the futures of Kevin Durant, Klay Thompson and DeMarcus Cousins have quietly loomed over the franchise throughout the season. Thompson and Cousins are set to enter unrestricted free agency on July 1, while Durant holds a player option worth $31.5MM.

“I’ve never played fantasy basketball,” James told Bleacher Report’s Howard Beck last week. “But I will be as active as I need to be for this franchise to get better. That’s why I came here. I came here to win. And obviously, we need to get better, as far as our personnel. We have an opportunity to get better. And there’s a lot of talent out there, and a lot of guys that can help our franchise. So I’ll be as active as I need to be for us to get better and go from there.”

The buzz among various NBA executives, scouts and media members suggests that Durant is ready to leave Golden State, according to Pincus. Thompson could remain on the team if he’s offered a max deal, while both Cousins and the Warriors have already agreed that a return is unlikely (albeit not impossible).

The Lakers will look to be aggressive in free agency with an estimated $34MM in cap space. The team also has several young assets that can be included in a trade, should the club look to revive negotiations with New Orleans on star forward Anthony Davis. The idea of having arguably the two best basketball players on the planet could be an appealing factor for Durant if he considers joining the Lakers, as he’s already known to be close friends with James.

There’s more today out of Los Angeles:

Rajon Rondo has built equity in the Lakers’ locker room ahead of his upcoming free agency, Kyle Goon of the Orange County Register writes. Rondo, who has already stated his intentions of wanting to return next season, has helped the team’s younger players in the locker room and during games as a veteran leader this year. “He’s been a bright spot as far as what we’re building and what we’re trying to do,” coach Luke Walton said. “One of our top priorities with a lot of young guys was to continue to grow them as quickly as possible. And his leadership and the way his teammates look at him and toward him has been great.”
Bryan Kalbrosky of HoopsHype explains why Alex Caruso deserves to be brought back by the Lakers next season. Caruso, 25, provided a spark off the bench against the Clippers on Friday, adding 32 points, 10 rebounds and 5 assists in 38 well-rounded minutes.
Juwan Howard has been mentioned as a possible candidate for the Lakers’ head coaching job if Luke Walton is dismissed, as Andy Kamenetzky writes for The Athletic. Howard has maintained a strong relationship with LeBron James and Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka, with the former NBA player spending his past six seasons as an assistant coach in Miami.

Lakers Would Consider Juwan Howard As Head Coach Candidate

April 5th, 2019 at 3:56pm CST by Luke Adams

If the Lakers elect to move on from head coach Luke Walton at season’s end, Heat assistant Juwan Howard would be among the candidates they consider, reports Marc Stein of The New York Times (via Twitter).

Still, while Howard would be an option for the Lakers, he shouldn’t be considered the frontrunner, according to Stein. At least one betting site set odds earlier this week on who will coach the Lakers to start 2019/20, and Howard was listed as the favorite at 4-to-1, followed by Walton and Tyronn Lue at 7-to-1.

A longtime NBA big man who won titles with the Heat as a player alongside LeBron James in 2012 and 2013, Howard transitioned to Miami’s coaching staff when he retired after the ’13 championship. He has served as an assistant to Erik Spoelstra since then and drew some interest last spring from a couple teams seeking a head coach — Howard reportedly interviewed with the Knicks and Pistons before they hired David Fizdale and Dwane Casey, respectively.

Although nothing is official yet, Walton is widely expected to be replaced once the Lakers’ season comes to an end. In recent weeks, Lue, Jason Kidd, and even Rick Carlisle have been cited as potential candidates for Los Angeles in the event that the club makes a change.

Pistons Part Ways With GM Jeff Bower

June 1st, 2018 at 3:42pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Pistons have decided to cut ties with GM Jeff Bower, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski tweets.

Bower was hired to be Stan Van Gundy’s right-hand man when he took charge four summers ago. Owner Tom Gores fired Van Gundy last month and is currently conducting a search for a coach and front-office executive.

Ed Stefanski was hired last week as a senior advisor in charge of overhauling the team’s basketball operations. Van Gundy served as both head coach and president of basketball operations but Gores now wants separation between the two jobs.

Bower had continued his duties after Van Gundy’s departure but his contract was expiring at the end of June and Gores had to make a decision whether to retain him or move on.

Searches to fill the coaching and front office vacancies are ongoing.

On the coaching front, the team has lined up or already interviewed TNT analyst Kenny Smith, Heat assistant Juwan Howard, Spurs assistant Ime Udoka, Michigan coach John Beilein and former Raptors head coach Dwane Casey.

Nets assistant Trajan Langdon , TNT analyst Brent Barry, Hawks executive Malik Rose, Grizzlies assistant Tayshaun Prince and ESPN analyst Chauncey Billups are among the candidates for the front-office job.