Warriors Notes: Kerr, Hoiberg, Jackson, Curry
The Warriors will take their time finding a new coach, as Tim Kawakami of the Bay Area News Group hears, and he sees it as an indication that the team won’t land Steve Kerr if the TNT broadcaster is anxious to take a job soon (Twitter links). There’s more on Golden State’s coaching search as well as the future of their ex-coach amid the latest on the Warriors:
- Kerr, Fred Hoiberg, Stan Van Gundy and Kevin Ollie are in the first tier of Warriors coaching candidates, Kawakami believes (Twitter link).
- Ousted Warriors coach Mark Jackson says he’d like to coach again and cited the “great jobs available” at present in an interview Wednesday on ESPN New York 98.7 FM, as Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com notes. Jackson, who played for the Knicks, said New York hasn’t contacted him about its vacancy. The former point guard is reportedly a candidate for the Lakers job.
- The deadline trade that sent Kent Bazemore to the Lakers angered Stephen Curry, who yelled “It’s a business!” as he ran past a press conference in which GM Bob Myers was announcing the deal, according to Bleacher Report’s Ric Bucher.
Western Notes: Draft, Clippers, Warriors
With the 2014 NBA Draft approaching, college coaches and player agents are relieved that Clippers owner Donald Sterling received a lifetime ban, writes Adam Zagoria of SNY.tv. A number of coaches Zagoria spoke to said there wouldn’t be an issue for any players the Clippers draft now that Sterling is gone.
More from the west:
- The Jazz announced that they will hold pre-draft workouts tomorrow for Joe Jackson, Justin Cobbs, Fuquan Edwin, Cameron Clark, Travis Bader, and Josh Huestis (Twitter links).
- Bryce Cotton is going to work out for the Jazz and the Kings this week, per a tweet from PL Sports Management. The point guard is currently ranked 62nd on Chad Ford of ESPN.com‘s Big Board.
- The Warriors are intrigued by both Lionel Hollins and Mike D’Antoni for their vacant head coaching position, reports Sam Amick of USA Today (Twitter link).
- Golden State hasn’t reached out to either Steve Kerr or Jeff Van Gundy yet for their coaching position, reports Zagoria (Twitter link).
- On the possibility of re-signing with the Grizzlies, Mike Miller said, “as long as everything is done fairly, I’m definitely going to be back here,” tweets Rob Fischer of Sports 56 WHBQ. Miller is an unrestricted free agent.
Coaching Rumors: Jackson, Kerr, Karl, Izzo
Mark Jackson addressed the circumstances regarding his former Warriors assistant coaches Brian Scalabrine and Darren Erman in an interview with the NBA’s Sirius XM radio station earlier today (hat tip to Ben Golliver of SI.com). Of Scalabrine, Jackson said, “The one that was demoted [Scalabrine], I would have had handled it six weeks, a month, two months earlier. The things that took place from his side, I would have nipped it in the bud initially. That’s my fault for allowing it to go on. I’m pretty much a guy, just like ministry, I try to show you a different way of handling it. Hope that seeing me handle your disrespect, you’ll come around and realize this isn’t the way to handle it. Fortunately for me, it works for a lot of folks, there are some folks that just won’t get it and you have to handle them differently. I would do that differently.”
In regards to Erman, Jackson said, “As far as assistants, you have to pick people who are loyal and dedicated. It’s inexcusable what the second assistant [Erman] did. That cannot be tolerated. For folks to say, two situations, it’s obviously documented that they both were 100 percent wrong. The only fault I got is hiring those guys. I would use wisdom in who is around me.”
More from around the league:
- Steve Kerr is only focusing on the Knicks and Warriors and isn’t thinking about the Jazz, who reportedly have interest, or other openings, according to Bleacher Report’s Howard Beck, who also reiterates his earlier report that Kerr prefers to stay close to his home on the West Coast.
- George Karl said he felt bad about what happened to Jackson with the Warriors, tweets Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio. Karl said he’s interested in any other team with an opening, and mentioned the Pistons and Knicks specifically, according to Amico’s tweet.
- Karl was roommates with Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak in college, and though he hasn’t heard from the team yet, he expects to, reports Amico (Twitter link).
- The Timberwolves first choice to become their next head coach is Tom Izzo, tweets Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN Twin Cities. The team is waiting for a definitive no from Izzo before looking at other candidates, reports Wolfson.
Chuck Myron contributed to this post.
Lakers Eye Jackson; Warriors Targets Emerge
2:24pm: The Warriors haven’t reached out to Stan Van Gundy yet, Wojnarowski tweets. Van Gundy has support in “several corners” of the Warriors organization, Wojnarowski notes, but the lack of contact with him suggests the team views Kerr as its top priority for now, having already spoken with him, as we passed along below.
12:47pm: Sources tell Kawakami that Kerr isn’t necessarily the team’s top choice, though that could change, given the compressed time frame as Kerr reportedly nears a decision on where he’d like to coach (Twitter links).
WEDNESDAY, 12:05pm: Kerr appears to be the team’s No. 1 option, according to Kawakami, who believes Pacers assistant Nate McMillan is also on the Warriors short list of candidates that they’d consider if Kerr chooses to coach elsewhere.
TUESDAY, 5:39pm: The Warriors have already contacted Kerr about the job, tweets Frank Isola of the New York Daily News.
4:36pm: ESPN’s Chris Broussard suggests the Thunder as a possible destination for Jackson if Oklahoma City lets go of coach Scott Brooks (video link).
4:02pm: Kerr is indeed interested in the Warriors job, as Marcus Thompson of the Bay Area News Group hears (Twitter link).
3:58pm: The Warriors likely have interest in University of Connecticut head coach Kevin Ollie and Clippers assistant Alvin Gentry, according to Tim Kawakami of the Bay Area News Group, who hears the Warriors aren’t in a rush to pick their next coach.
3:34pm: Mike D’Antoni and Mike Dunleavy Sr. are interested in the Warriors job, USA Today’s Sam Amick reports.
3:21pm: The Warriors have Steve Kerr and Stan Van Gundy at the top of their list to replace the fired Mark Jackson, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports, who also names Fred Hoiberg as a candidate. The team will consider asking the Bulls for permission to speak with Tom Thibodeau, Wojnarowski adds. Jackson, meanwhile, is a candidate for the Lakers coaching vacancy, tweets Dave McMenamin of ESPNLosAngeles.com.
Kerr, who’s zeroing in on the Knicks job, is tight with Warriors co-owner Joe Lacob and his son, assistant GM Kirk Lacob, but whether Golden State truly considers him a candidate is unclear, tweets Tim Kawakami of the Bay Area News Group. Kerr prefers to move along toward the Knicks job, but he will give the Warriors some thought, according to Wojnarowski.
The Warriors are likely to reach out to former Grizzlies coach Lionel Hollins, too, reports Ramona Shelburne of ESPNLosAngeles.com (on Twitter).
Steve Kerr Likely To Pick Coaching Gig By Friday
Steve Kerr is likely to choose the team he’ll coach next season by Friday, a source close to Kerr tells Frank Isola of the New York Daily News. We heard earlier tonight that Monday marked when Kerr was expected to begin dialogue with Phil Jackson and the Knicks about a coaching role, but talks had yet to commence between the two sides. The Warriors appear to be New York’s primary competition, but Marc Stein of ESPN.com reports that the Jazz have attempted to wedge their way into the race for the former Bulls sharpshooter (Twitter link).
Sources tell Isola that Kerr is concerned about Knicks owner James Dolan‘s hands-on management style, and that Kerr would have no interest in taking the role if it wasn’t for Jackson’s presence within the organization. Reports have claimed New York remains the front-runner for Kerr’s services, but taking a gig with the Lakers or Warriors would allow Kerr to keep living on the West Coast. Plus, Golden State’s young roster is undoubtedly appealing to the soon-to-be first-time coach. Stein nonetheless says the Knicks still have an overwhelming lead on the other teams attempting to land Kerr (on Twitter). That’s why the Lakers haven’t viewed Kerr as a candidate for their open coaching job.
If the Knicks miss out on Kerr, Isola says the recently fired Mark Jackson shouldn’t be completely ruled out as a candidate for the position, but it’s more likely the Zen Master chooses to hire someone close to him. Isola points to Bill Cartwright, who has already interviewed with New York about a possible role within the organization.
Phil Jackson was reported to have told Carmelo Anthony that he expects to hire Kerr. Earlier reports indicated the Lakers didn’t consider Kerr to be a realistic candidate for their coaching vacancy, but Isola labels him as the top candidate for Los Angeles, New York, and Golden State. In fact, the Warriors, who have been linked to Stan Van Gundy, would reportedly prefer to land Kerr, even though the current TNT analyst has never coached at the NBA level.
Coaching Rumors: Jackson, Warriors, Kerr
The Warriors cut ties with Mark Jackson today, and rumors have already started swirling about potential fits for the now vacant coaching spot in Golden State. Yannis Koutroupis of Basketball Insiders rounds up the situation and discusses possible candidates and also suggests a few teams that might be wise to seek out Jackson’s services. Here’s the latest on Jackson, Kerr, and the Lakers coaching search:
- Brian Scalabrine was also dismissed from Warriors, reports Matt Steinmetz of CSN Bay Area (via Twitter). Scalabrine had been an assistant coach with Golden State under Jackson before a mid-season demotion sent him to their D-League affiliate, the Santa Cruz Warriors.
- Kerr was expected to begin talks with the Knicks about a coaching role yesterday, but there have still been no contact between the two sides, a source tells Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports. There’s a strong chance Kerr has a conversation with the Warriors about taking on the head coaching role in Golden State, but his preference remains New York, says Wojnarowski (Twitter links).
Earlier updates:
- The Knicks haven’t called Jackson about their head coaching position, tweets Frank Isola of the New York Daily News.
- It’s very unlikely the Timberwolves have any interest in bringing Jackson aboard, passes along Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN Twin Cities (on Twitter).
- The Pistons should consider hiring Jackson in Detroit, even though it wouldn’t be a cheap acquisition, writes Vincent Goodwill of the Detroit News. Goodwill points to Jackson’s ability to earn his players’ respect as a particularly valuable trait.
- Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com discusses the likelihood that Steve Kerr chooses to take on head coaching duties for the Warriors rather than the Knicks. Both teams are reportedly interested in Kerr, but Begley concludes that Phil Jackson‘s presence in New York will give the Knicks an edge in their pursuit.
- Kerr’s college coach, Lute Olson, also sees the Knicks as the front-runner to land Kerr, even after Jackson’s dismissal in Golden State, reports Adam Zagoria of SNY.tv.
- Lakers management is taking a slow approach to its coaching search, but Kobe Bryant and Byron Scott have talked in the past few weeks, notes Chris Broussard of ESPN during an interview on the Mike & Mike Show (Audio link).
Chuck Myron contributed to this post.
Eastern Links: Grunfeld, Kerr, Vasquez, Ariza
Ernie Grunfeld‘s contract with the Wizards was believed to run only through this season, but Mike Wise of The Washington Post reports that it covers next season, too. That Grunfeld is on target to return to the team for 2014/15 is no surprise, given Washington’s revival this year, and perhaps Grunfeld may still have the opportunity to parlay the success into an extension. Still, it looks he won’t be hitting the open market this summer. Here’s more from the Eastern Conference:
- Steve Kerr was the only voter to have Tim Hardaway Jr. atop his Rookie of the Year ballot. It’s seemingly further indication that Kerr is on his way to the Knicks, and a source tells Marc Berman of the New York Post that the would-be coach sees re-signing Carmelo Anthony as “vital” to the team’s future, as Berman writes.
- Greivis Vasquez is set for restricted free agency this summer, but he apparently has no intention of leaving the Raptors, as he told reporters today, including Cathal Kelly of The Globe and Mail (Twitter link). “I want to be back. I truly want to be back … It will truly be heartbreaking if I’m not back,” Vasquez said.
- Trevor Ariza would like to re-sign with the Wizards in free agency this summer and says that returning to the West Coast to be closer to family wouldn’t be his top priority, but the small forward tells Michael Lee of The Washington Post that he’ll go “wherever I’m wanted.”
- Elton Brand remains uncertain about retirement, though Chris Vivlamore of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution gets the sense that the 15th-year veteran still thinks he can play (Twitter link).
- Fellow Hawks big man Mike Scott, a restricted free agent, probably earned a raise as he established himself as a key part of Atlanta’s rotation this year, and he says he would like to come back to the team, Vivlamore tweets.
And-Ones: Parsons, Bulls, Kerr, Noah
The Rockets have a difficult decision to make with Chandler Parsons this summer. They could exercise their team option for $964,750, but that would make him an unrestricted free agent in 2015. If they decline the option, Parsons becomes a restricted free agent this summer which would surely result in a hefty pay increase for the third-year forward, or the team could lose him if they choose not to match any offers he receives. Brian Schmitz of The Orlando Sentinel believes the Magic should explore acquiring Parsons, who might be available thanks to the Rockets cap situation. Parsons averaged 16.6 PPG, 5.5 RPG, and 4.0 APG this season.
More from around the league:
- Dan McGrath of The Chicago Sun-Times believes there is only so far the Bulls can go without top-tier talent, and opines that the team needs to go after Carmelo Anthony this summer to have a shot at contending.
- Joakim Noah underwent successful arthroscopic surgery on his left knee and faces 8-12 weeks of rehab, reports Ken Berger of CBSSports.com (Twitter link).
- Steve Kerr is likely making his final broadcast for TNT on Saturday night when he announces Game 7 of the Grizzlies-Thunder series, writes Marc Berman of The New York Post. According to an NBA source, Kerr likely will make his final decision on accepting the Knicks head coaching job soon after the weekend, notes Berman. The only thing that could hold up the decision, according to the article, is if the Warriors lose their first-round series and coach Mark Jackson is fired. Kerr would be a favorite for that position if it were available.
Phil Jackson Tells ‘Melo He Expects To Hire Kerr
Knicks president Phil Jackson told Carmelo Anthony that he fully expects to hire Steve Kerr as the team’s coach, according to Chris Herring of The Wall Street Journal. Herring hears that the newly minted executive never mentioned the idea of anyone else coaching the team during his meeting with the soon-to-be free agent this week. Jackson plans to be “visible and available” on the sidelines during training camp, as he told Anthony in an attempt to dispel any concerns the Knicks star might have had about Kerr’s inexperience as a coach, Herring writes.
The Lakers don’t view Kerr as a candidate for their coaching vacancy, believing he’s too far along with the Knicks, reports Marc Berman of the New York Post. The Knicks have been wanting to close on a deal with Kerr shortly after the first round of the playoffs concludes this weekend, but Kerr reportedly doesn’t want to go so fast. The TNT broadcaster met with Jackson this past weekend, but he said that he and Jackson still had plenty more to discuss.
Multiple reports suggested that Kerr would prefer to work for a team on the West Coast, but more recently Lute Olson, Kerr’s college coach, said that he didn’t believe that was the case. Sources told Ken Berger of CBSSports.com this week that Kerr doesn’t intend to use other openings as leverage against the Knicks, or vice versa, and will either accept or reject the Knicks job on its own merits, given his loyalty to Jackson, who coached him on the Bulls in the 1990s.
Jackson also spoke with Anthony about his plans for free agency this summer, and Herring hears that Anthony wasn’t upset by Jackson’s recent remark that he hoped ‘Melo would be “true to his word” about accepting a discount to re-sign with the team. Still, the meeting suggests that Jackson is nonetheless planning a strong recruiting effort to keep the high-scoring forward in New York, Herring writes.
Coaching Rumors: Kerr, Messina, D’Antoni
There are four head coaching vacancies in the NBA, or five, if you count the Pistons, for whom John Loyer finished the season as interim coach. Others may follow once the first round of the playoffs concludes in a few days, so the coaching market is in full gear. Here’s the latest:
- Steve Kerr won’t use other openings as leverage against the Knicks and team president Phil Jackson, sources tell Ken Berger of CBSSports.com. Lute Olson, Kerr’s former college coach, rejects the notion that Kerr prefers a West Coast job and thinks he’s more than likely to accept an offer from the Knicks, as Olson tells Marc Berman of the New York Post.
- Sources tell Nikos Varlas of Eurohoops.net that Ettore Messina has already told CSKA Moscow that he’ll leave this summer, but Varlas hears Messina is more likely to wind up as a Spurs assistant than an NBA head coach next season. Messina has drawn mention as a candidate for head coaching jobs with the Lakers and Jazz this year.
- Mike D’Antoni is still interested in coaching, a source tells Mike Bresnahan of the Los Angeles Times. Bresnahan writes that the portion of next year’s $4MM salary that the Lakers agreed to pay him even though he resigned is less than $2MM, but Ramona Shelburne of ESPN.com hears that it’s more than that (Twitter link).
- Reports have indicated that Mark Jackson and the Warriors never engaged in extension talks, but Tim Kawakami of the Bay Area News Group hears that they briefly discussed the subject this past summer. Jackson is set to enter the final year of his contract next season, though it’s unlikely he’ll return for 2014/15 barring a long playoff run.