Mike Krzyzewski Rumors | Hoops Rumors

And-Ones: Calipari, Izzo, Miller, Wizards

June 9th, 2014 at 10:56pm CST by Zachary Links

John Calipari wasn’t the only star college coach the Cavs reached out to, reveals Jason Lloyd of the Beacon Journal, who hears Kevin Ollie, Fred Hoiberg, Billy Donovan and Mike Krzyzewski all were contacted by Cleveland. Lloyd’s source adds that the Cavs offered Tom Izzo a coaching position that also would have given him total control of the franchise’s basketball operations, much like the role that the team proposed to Coach Cal. Here’s more from around the league:

The Cavs have contacted around 11 candidates in an attempt to fill their coaching vacancy, writes Lloyd in the same piece.
The decision on whether or not to bring back Andre Miller will probably be an easy one for the Wizards, opines J. Michael of CSNWashington.com. Washington holds a $4.6MM option on his deal for 2014/15 or could buy him out for $2MM.
Former Marquette University forward Jamil Wilson, who had to cancel workouts with the Bucks and Pistons due to a sprained ankle, is expected to audition for the Wizards on Tuesday, tweets Gery Woelfel of the Journal Sentinel.
Tim Bontemps of the New York Post looked back at the performance of Nets‘ midseason acquisition Marcus Thornton. Thornton turned into a key rotation player for Brooklyn down the stretch of the season and will earn ~$8.58MM in his walk year.
The Thunder are the NBA’s smartest spenders as they have gotten more success out of less money than anyone else in the league, writes Glenn Davis of USA Today. OKC owns a 271-123 record over the last five seasons combined all while having payrolls that ranked in the bottom half of the league on average.
Sean Meagher of The Oregonian wonders if the Trail Blazers should hold on to Wesley Matthews, a free agent after the 2014/15 season. Matthews is coming off of the best season of his career as a pro and is entering the final year of his five-year, $33MM deal.
Former UNC standout Sean May will attend mini-camps with the Spurs and Warriors this month, according to HoopsHype (via Twitter).
The Clippers will bring in Jordan Clarkson, Nick Johnson, Deonte Burton, and Sean Kilpatrick for workouts, reports Dan Woike of the Orange County Register.
The Celtics could eye offense in this month’s draft, as Chris Forsberg of ESPNBoston.com explains.

Charlie Adams contributed to this post.

Lakers Intend To ‘Make A Splash’ With New Coach

May 1st, 2014 at 3:18pm CST by Chuck Myron

3:18pm: The Bulls are likely to deny the Lakers permission to speak with Thibodeau, according to USA Today’s Jeff Zillgitt (Twitter link).

1:43pm: The Lakers will ask the Bulls for permission to interview Tom Thibodeau, reports Dave McMenamin of ESPNLosAngeles.com (on Twitter).

1:08pm: The Lakers will interview George Karl, Jeff Van Gundy, Byron Scott, Kurt Rambis, Ollie and Calipari, tweets Mike Bresnahan of the Los Angeles Times.

11:44am: The Lakers are going after marquee names and want to “make a splash” with their coaching search, with Connecticut’s Kevin Ollie and Kentucky’s John Calipari at the forefront, report Marc Stein and Ramona Shelburne of ESPN.com. They apparently plan to reach out to Calipari even though he denied interest in the vacancy this morning. The Lakers nonetheless intend to hold back and focus on the draft and free agency while they gauge the coaching market, Stein and Shelburne write.

The Lakers are also considering the notion of holding off on a decision in case a high-profile free agent signals he wants to join the team, sources tell the ESPN scribes. In that case, the free agent would be able to influence the team’s choice of coaches.

Stein and Shelburne say the Lakers are also considering Derek Fisher, for whom the job reportedly holds “tremendous appeal.” Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports, who passed along the news of Fisher’s interest earlier, wrote that Kobe Bryant would not be the decision-maker for the team, but the Lakers are expected to consult with their 35-year-old star, according to Stein and Shelburne.

The Lakers plan to interview Mike Dunleavy Sr., who held the head coaching job for the team in the 1990s. Stein and Shelburne also mention the team’s interest in a number of candidates Shelburne listed earlier today. While the team is going after the two coaches from this year’s title game, Stein and Shelburne say the Lakers don’t have plans to reach out to Duke’s Mike Krzyzewski, whom they’ve targeted when the position has come open in the past.

Western Notes: Beasley, Grizzlies, Harden

July 27th, 2013 at 7:24pm CST by Spencer Lund

Michael Beasley is entering the final fully guaranteed year of his contract, and he's in danger of seeing his NBA career come to an early end, as Jeff Caplan of NBA.com examines.

Caplan spoke with 33-year-old Suns GM Ryan McDonough about the their rebuilding efforts designed to add hardworking athletes who can run their up-tempo offense, led by their newest addition in the back-court, Eric Bledsoe.

But when asked if the 24-year-old Beasley–who averaged career lows across-the-board last season in Phoenix–would be a part of the Suns' rebuilding efforts, McDonough's message was loud and clear for the maladroit former No. 2 overall pick:

"I guess what I’ll say generally about that is we’re going to treat everybody the same,” McDonough explained.

“There won’t be any special treatment for anybody on the roster and as Jeff [Hornacek] and I told all the guys coming in, we don’t care how much money you’re making, where you were drafted, how long you’ve been in the league, what, if anything, you’ve been promised in the past. We’re going into this as an open competition, and when training camp comes, guys who buy in and play the right way and play hard will play, and those who don’t, won’t.”

Beasley signed a three-year $18MM contract with the Suns in July of 2012, but the 2014-15 season is only guaranteed for $3MM. According to Mark Deeks at ShamSports.com, the final year becomes fully guaranteed for $6.25MM if the Suns don't waive him on, or before, 5 p.m. Mountain Time on the second day after the team's final gaeme of the 2013-14 season, including playoffs, or June 15th.

Here's what else is happening around the Western Conference on Saturday night…

Mike Krzyzewski's decision to remain as coach of Team USA has swayed Clippers point guard Chris Paul, who tells Jeff Goodman of ESPN.com that he's leaning toward playing in the 2016 Olympics.
Mike Miller is set to sign his deal with the Grizzlies on Tuesday, reports Ron Higgins of the Memphis Commercial Appeal.
James Harden reflects on the growing spotlight with his Rockets team while he’s in the Philippines, writes Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle.
Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News on the battle for Los Angeles when Dwight Howard returns to LA with the Rockets to go against some of his former Lakers teammates on November 7th next season.

Odds & Ends: Team USA, Clippers, Ledo

July 24th, 2013 at 9:00pm CST by Michael Pina

A few random notes from around the NBA.

ESPN.com's Marc Stein writes about Team USA and its long time head coach Mike Krzyzewski, who was wary of staying on to coach the team through the 2016 Olympics but now appears committed to the task.
Grantland.com's Zach Lowe has further information on rookie guard Ricky Ledo's contract with the Mavericks. It's a four-year deal, with the last two years non-guaranteed, Lowe tweets.
According to Mark Deeks of ShamSports.com, John Lucas III's contract with the Jazz is a two-year deal, with the second year being completely non-guaranteed. The first year is for $1.6MM.
Also from Deeks, in a tweet, the Clippers currently have the highest total committed future salary in the NBA. The Mavericks have the lowest.

Central Links: Bulls, Cavs, McMillan

July 13th, 2013 at 7:56pm CST by Spencer Lund

The Chicago Tribune's K.C. Johnson spent some time with Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau today, and the coach provided him some insights into the the team's offseason plans–including the signing of the Bucks' Mike Dunleavy.

Of Dunleavy, Thibs said that he complements Derrick Rose and Carlos Boozer "extremely well," and "he moves well with the ball. We think he's a great fit" (Twitter link). Speaking of Rose, whom Thibodeau gushed about last month, the Bulls coach continued to praise his star's progress to Johnson via Twitter. According to Thibs, the summer has given Rose even more time to build his confidence and his leg strength, finally adding "He looks great."

Johnson's conversation with Thibodeau failed to touch on the relationship between Bulls general manager Gar Forman (Twitter link) and former assistant Ron Adams, who the Celtics may be looking to add to their bench.

Here's what else is happening around the Central division tonight…

Racine Journal Times columnist Gery Woelfel relays the same Thibodeau thoughts on Dunleavy and adds, via Twitter, that the Bulls got a strong endorsement for Dunleavy from his former college coach, Mike Krzyzewski.
The Cavs appeared to have an excess of front court players after drafting Anthony Bennett with the number one pick and signing Andrew Bynum. That's the roster question the Cleveland Plain Dealer's Mary Schmitt Boyer answers in her Saturday night mailbag.
Cavs GM Chris Grant says he's been high on free agent signee Jarrett Jack ever since the guard came out of college. That's when Grant, then a member of the Hawks’ front office, was part of an unsuccessful effort to trade up to select Jack. Bob Finnan of the News-Herald provides details via Sulia.
Jodie Valade of the Cleveland Plain Dealer opines that the Cavs’ recent draft picks and free agent signings allow them more flexibility and options.
Bob Kravitz of the Indianapolis Star suggests the Pacers’ biggest off-season move may have been hiring Nate McMillan as an assistant coach.

Pacific Notes: Howard, Gasol, Kobe, Kings

June 3rd, 2013 at 8:46pm CST by Zachary Links

Dwight Howard is keeping mum on what his plans might be after July 1st, but if you’re one for reading between the lines, yesterday’s comments to T.J. Simers of the Los Angeles Times could carry some weight. The prized free agent referred to his time with Lakers coach Mike D’Antoni in the past tense. “He’s a great person and I’m glad we had the opportunity to be together,” Howard said. Here’s more out of the Pacific Division..

Pau Gasol said he hasn’t talked to Dwight Howard this offseason and won’t try to convince him to return, tweets Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News. “He has to make the decision,” Gasol said. Gasol wants Howard back like everyone else on the Lakers but he wants to give him space out of respect for him.
Kings basketball president Geoff Petrie is still playing a key role with the team even as he knows he’s in his final month with the franchise, writes Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee (Sulia link). Until the Kings hire a new GM, Petrie and his staff are running all the preparations and research leading up to the NBA Draft on June 27.
Until Kings ownership settles on a new general manager, new coach Michael Malone is leaning on Petrie, Jones writes. “I just told (Petrie) how much I appreciate him sticking around because he knows the draft a lot better than I do,” Malone said. “He’s been studying these guys … And he also can offer great insights to the current players on our roster as to what their strengths, weaknesses are and personalities. But I’m still going to keep an open mind and form my opinion on these guys.”
Kobe Bryant doesn’t envision Mike Krzyzewski talking him into playing in the 2016 Olympics, tweets Dave McMenamin of ESPNLA.com.
With Jason Kidd retiring, Steve Nash is now the NBA’s oldest player under contract for next season, notes Eric Pincus of the Los Angeles Times.

Mike Krzyzewski To Coach 2016 U.S. Olympic Team

May 22nd, 2013 at 11:37am CST by Luke Adams

After initially indicating that 2012 would be the last time he coached the USA Men's Basketball team in Olympic play, Mike Krzyzewski will return for the 2016 games in Rio, according to Pete Thamel of SI.com. Thamel reports that an official announcement is expected within the next 48 hours.

We heard over the weekend that Krzyzewski had changed course and decided not to rule out the possibility of continuing on as USA Basketball's head coach. When we asked whether Krzyzewski or another coach was the best candidate for the job, a third of you picked the longtime Duke coach, who beat out Gregg Popovich (27.68%) and Phil Jackson (22.62%).

As Thamel notes, Krzyzewski has a 62-1 record as Team USA's head coach, having earned gold medals at the 2008 Beijing Olympics as well as the 2012 London Olympics. USA Basketball chairman Jerry Colangelo had remained confident that he could convince Krzyzewski to return for the '16 games, and was steadfast about not pursuing other coaching candidates until Coach K officially told him no.

While Krzyzewski will return, Thamel says his Team USA staff may not return entirely intact. In London, Coach K's assistants included Jim Boeheim, Mike D'Antoni, and Nate McMillan.

Poll: Who Should Coach USA Basketball?

May 18th, 2013 at 6:32pm CST by Spencer Lund

Mike Krzyzewski isn't ruling out returning as the coach of USA Basketball through the 2016 Olympics, Pete Thamel at SI.com reports. "There's a chance," Krzyzewski says, "That's correct." USA Men's Basketball chairman, Jerry Colangelo, said "Give it another week and we should be resolved."

The Men's Basketball national team will be meeting for a mini-camp this summer from July 22-25, but they're still not decided on a coach, unless Krzyzewski comes back to coach again after winning the gold medal at this past summer's Summer Olympics. So, do you want Coach K back, or would you prefer one of these other candidates?

Latest On Cavs’ Coaching Search

April 23rd, 2013 at 8:52am CST by Luke Adams

While the Cavaliers' coaching search involved reaching out to Phil Jackson, it appears unlikely that the 11-time champion will be interested in Cleveland's rebuilding project, as Bob Finnan of the News-Herald writes. Finnan has plenty of other details on the team's search to replace Byron Scott on the bench though, so let's dive in and check out the highlights….

One prominent agent told Finnan that the Cavs have a "fixation" on Mike Brown. According to Finnan, Danny Ferry and the Hawks could have interest in Brown if they let go of Larry Drew, so Cleveland is hoping to move quickly on the former Lakers coach.
In addition to contacting Jackson, the Cavs may have also reached out to Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski, who isn't interested, says Finnan.
Nate McMillan, who is rumored to be in the mix for the Pistons' opening, doesn't appear to be high on the Cavs' list. Finnan notes that it may be because McMillan is too similar to Scott.
The Cavs haven't inquired on Flip Saunders, who is open to a return to the NBA.

Stein On Hawks, Bucks, Josh Smith, Spurs, Blair

March 1st, 2013 at 8:33pm CST by Chuck Myron

It's more than a week after the trade deadline, but the stream of rumors is far from an end. In his Weekend Dime, Marc Stein of ESPN.com puts a bow on last week's proceedings, and provides some scuttlebutt related to tonight's buyout deadline as well. Here's what Stein has to share:

The Hawks wanted to trade Josh Smith at the deadline, and expected they'd get a deal done. But when the Bucks refused to part with Monta Ellis, Atlanta's main target, or Ersan Ilyasova, Plan B for the Hawks, GM Danny Ferry and company walked away from a package that would have featured Beno Udrih's expiring contract and Luc Mbah a Moute, who has two years and $8.97MM remaining on his deal this season.
DeJuan Blair has been seeking a buyout from his expiring $1.054MM contract with the Spurs, but San Antonio is reluctant to grant his wish, fearing he'd sign with another playoff team. If he's not bought out before tonight's 11pm deadline, Blair would be ineligible for the postseason if he signs elsewhere this season. Stein says it's clear that neither Blair nor the Spurs wish to continue their working relationship in 2013/14, so perhaps Blair could be a buyout candidate after tonight, but that's just my speculation.
The Spurs were seeking a first-round pick in offers for Blair at the trade deadline, but like everyone seeking that kind of return, they were rebuffed, as Stein notes the increasing value of those picks and the rookie-scale contracts that come with them.
According to Stein, industry standard dictates that prospective owners in the midst of a pending sale may designate two or three players they wish the team to keep, freeing current management to trade anyone else on the roster. That makes it easier to understand why the Kings shed salary, including last June's No. 5 overall pick Thomas Robinson, at the deadline, even though we heard the Chris Hansen/Howard Ballmer group from Seattle was consulted before the move was made.
Stein sizes up the competing chances of Gregg Popovich and Doc Rivers to become the next coach of Team USA, while adding that USA Basketball executive director Jerry Colangelo wants to wait until he hears from Mike Krzyzewski after the college season to definitely rule out the Coach K's return.
The ESPN.com scribe also checks in with new Bucks shooting guard J.J. Redick, who felt like he was going to stay with the Magic right up until they traded him.