Tom Thibodeau Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Nets Notes: Thibodeau, Brown, Losses

January 24th, 2016 at 10:27am CST by ChrisCrouse

The Nets own a record of 11-33 this season and although they rank seventh in the Forbes annual NBA team valuations, the team should be considered a failure both on and off the court, Richard Morgan of the New York Post opines. Morgan notes that Brooklyn was the only NBA franchise that didn’t make a profit last season, losing $5.7MM on the year.

Here’s more from Brooklyn:

Tom Thibodeau is likely Brooklyn’s favorite target for its head coaching position next season, Fred Kerber of the New York Post writes. The Nets reportedly have interest in newly unemployed David Blatt as well.
The Nets have lost 10 out of their last 11 games and effort has been a major reason why the team has gone into this tailspin, Kerber adds in the same piece. “All I can do is keep encouraging them to do it the right way. I am not going to change my approach,” interim coach Tony Brown said after the Nets’ blowout loss to the Jazz on Friday. “Some soul searching needs to be done.”
Brown believes the team’s injuries are partly to blame for the team’s losing streak, George Willis of the New York Post writes. “Not having Jarrett [Jack], not having Rondae [Hollis-Jefferson] impacts the game,” Brown said. “We miss Jarrett. We miss his leadership. We miss his intelligence at the end of games, and his playing-making ability.” Willis argues that Brown should be taking a “next man up” approach instead of making excuses. The scribe also believes the team should look to hire a coach who can restore a winning culture once the season ends.

And-Ones: Williams, Love, McLemore

January 21st, 2016 at 10:35pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Shooting guard Elliot Williams, whom the Grizzlies didn’t sign to a second 10-day contract after his first expired on Sunday, has declined multiple offers from overseas teams as he awaits another NBA team to come calling, international journalist David Pick reports (Twitter link). Williams averaged 1.6 points on 20% shooting in nine minutes per contest across five appearances for Memphis. The Grizzlies instead signed center Ryan Hollins to a 10-day contract today, filling the roster spot Williams had been in.

Here’s more from around the league:

The Bulls are a team in disarray, which is a byproduct of parting ways with former coach Tom Thibodeau, Colin McGowan of RealGM writes. Chicago wanted a coach who was more respectful of the chain of command, and it got that in new coach Fred Hoiberg, but the team has looked sluggish on offense and disinterested in defense far too often this season as a result of the switch, McGowan contends.
Kings shooting guard Ben McLemore‘s playing time has suffered due to the offseason additions of Rajon Rondo and Marco Belinelli, and the third-year player is still trying to adjust to his new role, Jason Jones of The Sacramento Bee writes. “I think I’m still trying to find my flow on this team,” McLemore told Jones. “I know what I need to do. I’m just trying to figure it out. Last year I figured it out pretty fast. Now I need to get over this hump and push from there.”
If the Cavaliers are to maximize their potential this season, power forward Kevin Love will need to fully embrace his role as the team’s third star, Kevin Cottrell Jr. of NBA.com writes. Love has struggled with his touches and role being reduced since arriving in Cleveland, something that Chris Bosh, a former teammate of LeBron James, cautioned could become an issue when the trade for Love was first announced, Cottrell notes.
LSU’s Ben Simmons tops the latest mock draft from ESPN’s Chad Ford (Insider subscription required). The combo forward is followed on Ford’s list by Duke’s Brandon Ingram and Croatian big man Dragan Bender, who round out the top three.

Nets Rumors: Johnson, Brown, Thibodeau

January 17th, 2016 at 10:53am CST by Arthur Hill

Free-agent-to-be Joe Johnson has been the closest thing to a bright spot for the Nets, according to Brian Lewis of The New York Post. The veteran forward has been shooting 53% from 3-point range over Brooklyn’s past nine contests and has raised his scoring average from 10.5 points per game to 14.7. It was reported earlier this week that Johnson hasn’t expressed interest in taking a buyout from the Nets, and a salary of nearly $25MM may limit his trade prospects. “I don’t think it’s any different from when it was earlier in the season,” Johnson said. “I’m just playing. Obviously I’m making shots, probably a bit more poised now that I’m not trying to force a shot. I’m just taking what the defense gives me.”

There’s more news out of Brooklyn:

After a week on the job, interim coach Tony Brown is already expressing frustration with the team’s lack of effort, Lewis writes in a separate piece. Brown addressed the problem after Saturday’s game with the Hawks, in which Brooklyn lost by 28 points after being tied midway through the third quarter. “What I told them is I want to see a little bit more fight,’’ the coach said. “When you get into adversity, things are not going your way, it’s easy to not do as much. We’ve got some guys not playing their best basketball, but they have to fight their way out of these situations.”
Tom Thibodeau would probably want a say in personnel if he becomes the next coach of the Nets, opines Sam Smith of Bulls.com. Smith says former NBA coach Jeff Van Gundy has stressed to Thibodeau the importance of having control over personnel, similar to the situation that Stan Van Gundy has with the Pistons or that Doc Rivers has with the Clippers. A report on Friday indicated the Nets are strongly interested in hiring Thibodeau, and Smith writes that the former Bulls coach is eager to land his next job.
More than five years of free spending and short-sighted moves encouraged by owner Mikhail Prokhorov have led to the Nets’ dire situation, writes Tim Bontemps of The Washington Post.

Nets Strongly Interested In Thibodeau As Coach

January 15th, 2016 at 7:14pm CST by Arthur Hill

Jerry Lai / USA TODAY Sports Images

The Nets are strongly interested in Tom Thibodeau to be their next coach, according to Mike Mazzeo and Marc Stein of ESPN. Brooklyn is expected to pursue the former Bulls coach after it names a new GM.

Thibodeau compiled a 255-139 record in five seasons with Chicago before being fired after losing to the Cavaliers in last year’s Eastern semifinals. He led the Bulls to playoff appearances in all five seasons.

The Nets fired coach Lionel Hollins and reassigned GM Billy King in a shakeup last Sunday. It’s uncertain how soon a new GM might be hired, but reports on Wednesday linked former Suns and Raptors GM Bryan Colangelo to the position. Former Hawks GM Danny Ferry has also been rumored to be a candidate.

Other coaches reportedly being considered include Luke Walton, John Calipari, Monty Williams and Chris Mullin. However, Calipari “is not under serious consideration,” tweets Howard Beck of Bleacher Report.

And-Ones: Rose, Lillard, Bazemore, Labissiere

January 12th, 2016 at 12:00pm CST by Chuck Myron

Derrick Rose has said in the past that he wants to play with the Bulls for the rest of his career, and while he raised eyebrows with his comments on media day that indicated he was looking forward to hitting free agency in 2017, he recently told Nick Friedell of ESPNChicago.com he still intends to stay put. The same is true for Damian Lillard, who said Friday that he plans to remain with the Trail Blazers until his playing days are over, calling his relationship with the organization “a hand-and-glove fit” for the way the Blazers have embraced him as a player and a person, as Jason Quick of CSNNW.com notes. Lillard is fresh off signing a five-year extension in the summer, so the matter of his free agency isn’t as pressing as Rose’s, though Lillard’s remarks are nonetheless soothing for Portland, given its history of star defections, Quick posits. See more from around the NBA:

Rose also told Friedell for the same piece that he doesn’t have any contact with Tom Thibodeau and doesn’t even think about his former coach, despite having had a “good relationship” with him, because he’s focused on adjusting to new Bulls coach Fred Hoiberg. He also spoke fondly of Jimmy Butler, despite reports of friction between the two, answering affirmatively when Friedell asked if Butler is the most talented teammate he’s ever had.
The Hawks unsurprisingly view 2016 free agent Al Horford as a building block for the long-term, writes Zach Lowe of ESPN.com, though he’s not the only player the team will have to pay if it wants to retain this summer. Estimates of the starting salary Kent Bazemore will be able to command on his next deal range from the mid-level, which tops out at $5.628MM, to $12MM, according to a dozen league executives to whom Lowe spoke.
The top three, including LSU combo forward Ben Simmons, are unchanged in the latest 2016 draft prospect rankings from Chad Ford of ESPN.com (Insider only), but Marquette big man Henry Ellenson is up to No. 4 from No. 6. Kentucky big man Skal Labissiere, who was Ford’s previous No. 4 and once a serious challenger for the No. 1 pick, has dropped to No. 10.

Central Notes: Parker, Cunningham, Butler

December 9th, 2015 at 7:32pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Bulls swingman Jimmy Butler says the team is dealing with frustration differently under new coach Fred Hoiberg than it did under former coach Tom Thibodeau, Scoop Jackson of ESPN.com relays. “The frustrating moments last year was kinda like, Thibs just being a hard-nosed guy,” Butler told Jackson. “He’s gonna yell, he’s gonna say some curse words, he’s going to let you know. With right here, [Hoiberg] is going to be like, “Hey, guys, you gotta do this, you gotta do that,” and then that’s the end of it.”

“It’s two totally different coaching styles,” Butler continued. “Some works for some guys, some works for others. Some guys on this roster can’t take getting yelled at, some guys on this roster getting yelled at gets them going, you know what I mean? And there’s nothing wrong with that. But at the end of the day, we as players know what we are capable of and what we have to do. We’re all grown men, and we’ve been playing this game for so long a coach shouldn’t have to tell us, ‘Hey, this is what you have to do to win this game.’”

Here’s more from out of the Central Division:

The early season changes in the Bucks starting lineup indicate that the team believes its core players can’t shoot or defend well enough as a unit to remain on the floor for long stretches together, Zach Lowe of ESPN.com writes. Milwaukee envisions 2014 lottery pick Jabari Parker evolving into a stretch four, but the team understands it will take him time to adjust to the NBA, Lowe adds. “Jabari will be a really good stretch four in three years,” coach Jason Kidd said. “Right now, he’s not that. And that’s OK. He’s basically a rookie.“
The Cavaliers have benefited from Jared Cunningham‘s strong perimeter defense when matching up against smaller lineups this season, writes Jason Lloyd of the Akron Beacon Journal. “Jared is a guy that can defend people and we needed his intensity, his one-on-one defending capability,” coach David Blatt said. “If you’re a young player or if you’re a player that doesn’t normally get a lot of minutes or is looking for a chance to play, you go out there and you defend your man and you hold your ground, then you’re going to earn minutes. And he’s playing because he earned minutes because he was able to do those things for us. And I think that’s a very positive thing.”
The Pistons have recalled Spencer Dinwiddie and Darrun Hilliard from their D-League affiliate in Memphis, the team announced. This was the second stint in Grand Rapids this season for both players.

And-Ones: Gasol, D-League, Terry, Cousins

December 4th, 2015 at 10:21pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Bulls big man Pau Gasol, who possesses a player option worth $7,769,520 for 2016/17, has said that he’s leaning toward opting out, but he did note that he would like to remain in Chicago beyond this season, Nick Friedell of ESPN.com relays. Responding to whether or not he’d like to stay with the Bulls, Gasol said, “Yes, of course. But when the time comes we’ll evaluate it. I’ll see how the season went. Where are the team’s interests, where are my interests, what options do I have? But most important is for me and the team to focus on what we have this season to make the best out of it and give ourselves a chance to win the title.”

Gasol was also asked if he missed anything about former head coach Tom Thibodeau and told Friedell, “I appreciated a lot of things that Thibs brought to the table. I think his intensity. Sometimes it could be a little bit overwhelming. I think [I miss most] his intensity and his passion and dedication for the game.” The veteran also noted that he appreciates the freedom and versatility of coach Fred Hoiberg‘s system, the ESPN scribe adds.

Here’s more from around the league:

Jason Terry, who re-signed with the Rockets this past offseason, said he planned to join the Mavericks along with DeAndre Jordan, but Terry’s plans changed when Jordan decided to return to the Clippers, Brad Townsend of The Dallas Morning News relays. “For me it was like a package deal,” Terry said. “If he [Jordan] came, I definitely was coming. Because that automatically made us a contender.” Terry also noted that he was shocked when Jordan reversed course and backed out of his verbal agreement with Dallas, Townsend adds. “When that happened, I kind of pushed the reset button,” Terry said. “Because I didn’t want to start over. I don’t want to be in a rebuilding phase. I don’t know if Dallas, at the time, knew if they were rebuilding or were they retooling. They were trying to see what was out there.“
The Spurs have sent Boban Marjanovic and Ray McCallum to their D-League Affiliate in Austin, the team announced. This is the first D-League assignment of the season for both players.
The Rockets have assigned swingman K.J. McDaniels to the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, their D-League affiliate, the team announced. This is the second D-League trip of the season for McDaniels, as our assignments and recalls tracker illustrates.
Kings coach George Karl believes that despite the rumored difficulties between he and center DeMarcus Cousins, the big man wants to remain in Sacramento, A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE.com tweets.
James Ennis has been assigned by the Grizzlies to their D-League affiliate in Iowa, the team announced.
The Clippers have assigned Branden Dawson to the D-League, and since the team does not have its own affiliate, Dawson will report to the Pistons’ squad in Grand Rapids, Ben Bolch of The Los Angeles Times tweets.

And-Ones: Karl, Rondo, Thibodeau, Dunn

December 1st, 2015 at 10:26pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Kings coach George Karl met last week with Rajon Rondo and DeMarcus Cousins at the players’ request, and all parties describe the interaction as being extremely positive, Marc J. Spears of Yahoo Sports reports. “It was a powerful meeting for all three of us,” Rondo told Spears. “We asked him to just sit with us so we can pick his brain and share our thoughts. What I love about [Karl] is he’s very open. George is not a dictator. ‘What can we do positively? What can we do to improve?’ If you can come into a meeting with no egos and everyone was humble, it just works out for the better.”

Rondo is also trying to impart some of the wisdom he received from former teammate Kevin Garnett to Cousins, Spears adds. When discussing the tirade Cousins unleashed upon Karl a few weeks ago, Rondo told the big man, “There is always a time and place. “[Cousins] saying what he was saying in front of the team. … The concept of what he was saying may not have been wrong, it’s just the delivery. I’ve had a lot of blowups and I’ve learned from them. I told him, ‘You’re wrong on how you did it. Your [message] might be right, but that’s when you go in his office and talk to him.’”

Here’s more from around the league:

Despite Rondo being eligible to become an unrestricted free agent after the season ends, Cousins expects the point guard to re-sign with the Kings and remain in Sacramento, Spears also relays in the same piece. “He ain’t going nowhere. I will kidnap him myself,” Cousins told Spears.
The Rockets must make a run at former Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau this offseason if the franchise hopes to maximize the roster’s potential, opines Chris Mannix of SI.com. Despite the obvious questions regarding how well Thibodeau’s coaching style would mesh with James Harden and Dwight Howard, the team needs a change of direction, especially on the defensive side, Mannix notes.
Providence senior point guard Kris Dunn is solidifying himself as a potential top 10 selection in the 2016 NBA draft, with some scouts noting that Dunn belongs in the top five, Alex Kennedy of Basketball Insiders writes. The biggest knock on Dunn is his age, 21, which potentially lowers his ceiling in relation to some of the younger players who will be available, but Dunn’s maturity level could be seen as a positive by some NBA executives, Kennedy adds. Dunn is currently ranked as the No. 7 prospect overall by Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress.

Dave Joerger On The Hot Seat?

November 7th, 2015 at 6:38pm CST by ChrisCrouse

Grizzlies coach Dave Joerger might occupy the league’s warmest seat among head coaches, sources tell Marc Stein of ESPN.com. Memphis has started the season with a record of 3-3, but it’s the way the team has lost those three games that has people within the organization fearing that owner Robert Pera won’t wait long to make a major change, Stein writes. Sources tell Stein that Pera wants to see guard Jordan Adams get an opportunity to play more, and that he hasn’t forgotten that twice last year the Grizzlies waived Hassan Whiteside, who is off to a tremendous start for the Heat this season.

After the team’s blowout loss to the Warriors last week, Joerger responded with this admission: “There are times when we look a little bit old,” Stein notes. The coach repeated the lament after the loss to the Blazers, a game in which Portland received 23 quality minutes from Ed Davis, a player Joerger didn’t have much use for when he saw a career-low 15.2 minutes per game for Memphis two seasons ago. Stein reads Joerger’s “old” comment as barely concealed criticism of the recent choices from the Memphis front office. The ESPN.com scribe points to the acquisitions of Vince Carter and Matt Barnes as examples of moves that haven’t helped the Grizzlies as much as they might have hoped.

What threatens Joerger more than anything else, according to Stein, are internal questions Pera has raised about Joerger’s leadership in the past and the fact that he nearly fired Joerger once before. Another complication is Pera’s fondness for Tom Thibodeau. Pera has gone after Thibodeau before and might make another go at the ex-Bulls coach before someone else beats him to it, Stein posits. Upper management, and not the team’s basketball operations department, was the catalyst for Jeff Bzdelik‘s ascension to the role of lead assistant this past summer, sources tell Stein.

The Grizzlies have only played six games and the team could easily look like the championship contenders that many thought they would be once we get a larger sample size. The schedule does them no favors, as they finish their five-game road trip with contests against the Jazz tonight and the Clippers on Monday. A pair of poor showings could expedite a shake-up, although that is just my speculation.

Central Notes: Monroe, Butler, Osman, Johnson

October 5th, 2015 at 11:59am CST by Chuck Myron

Bucks GM John Hammond believes the team’s plan for a new arena, which has since cleared all hurdles for public funding, played a role in convincing Greg Monroe to sign with the team, as Hammond told NBA TV’s Dennis Scott and TNT’s David Aldridge, who writes in his Morning Tip column for NBA.com. Monroe cites advice from former Bucks who became his teammates on the Pistons.

“When I signed, it wasn’t all the way done yet, but now, they have a new stadium coming,” Monroe said. “And I saw how the fans were. We played there, been coming there for years now, multiple times a year in the division. I know what kind of fan base they have. And I talked to a couple of my former teammates in Detroit who played here before, and they had nothing but great things to say about the city and the organization. So with all of that combined, I just definitely felt I made the right decision.”

See more from the Central Division:

Jimmy Butler thinks new Bulls coach Fred Hoiberg will improve the team’s floor-spacing, an element Butler thought was “terrible” last season, but Butler, in an interview with Aldridge for the same piece, identifies Hoiberg’s personal touch as the most significant change from former coach Tom Thibodeau.
The Cavs spoke with No. 31 overall pick Cedi Osman about a month ago, but he’s planning to remain overseas with Anadolu Efes, where he has a contract that runs through at least 2017/18, for the next two seasons, as Osman writes for Eurohoops.net. “I’m happy that my rights are owned by the Cleveland Cavaliers and I hope that when I go there, I’ll meet LeBron James!” Osman writes. “I have a lot to learn from him!”
Stanley Johnson was a surprise pick at No. 8 with Justise Winslow still on the board and he struggled in the Pistons‘ open scrimmage Saturday, apart from a highlight-reel play, but he’s otherwise made a strong impression with the team so far, observes Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press.