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Blazers Sign Terry Stotts To Multiyear Deal

May 15th, 2014 at 11:35pm CST by Chuck Myron

11:35pm: Portland picked up its 2014/15 option on Stotts and added two years to the deal, the last of which is a team option for the 2016/17 season, reports Joe Freeman of The Oregonian. That conflicts with Wojnarowski’s initial report that the team would decline next year’s option in favor of an entirely new contract.

5:08pm: The Blazers have signed Stotts to a multiyear contract extension, according to a team release. No terms of the deal have been released.

2:14pm: The Blazers have held off on exercising the 2014/15 option on their contract with coach Terry Stotts, but they’re close to an agreement on a new multiyear contract that will wipe out the option season, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports. GM Neil Olshey opposes the idea of negotiating during the season, but as Portland made strides this year, concern grew among the Blazers staff and seemingly with Stotts himself as his fate for next season remained unresolved. There was speculation that his future would hinge on the team’s success in the playoffs, but an appearance in the second round left little doubt that Stotts would be sticking around, as Marc Stein of ESPN.com wrote earlier today.

Stotts had a rough start in Portland after the Blazers hired him two years ago, inheriting a team that had taken a step back, and he managed just a 33-49 record in 2012/13. The Blazers used a strong start to surge to 54-28 this season, earning the fifth seed in the Western Conference playoffs and a first-round date with the Rockets, whom they dispatched in six games before falling to San Antonio in round two. The resurgence helped solidify the team’s shaky relationship with LaMarcus Aldridge, who’s considering an extension with the club as he nears his 2015 free agency.

The client of coaching super-agent Warren LeGarie has also overseen the development of Damian Lillard, who won Rookie of the Year last season and took a step forward in year two, with his series-clinching three-pointer against Houston a defining moment. This past season was by far the best in Stotts’ six-year head coaching career, as it was the first time he’d piloted a team to a winning record.

Pistons Hire Stan Van Gundy As Coach, President

May 14th, 2014 at 10:10am CST by Chuck Myron

The Pistons have officially hired Stan Van Gundy as head coach and president of basketball operations, the team announced. The deal is for $35MM over five years. Van Gundy had previously been considered the leading candidate for the Warriors’ head coaching position, though talks stalled when Golden State proved unwilling to grant him full autonomy over all basketball decisions. Van Gundy’s deal with Detroit is also significantly more lucrative than the reported $25-$30MM that the Warriors were willing to offer.

“Stan is a proven winner in our league. He instills his teams with passion, purpose and toughness. He is a great teacher who will help our players grow and develop,” Pistons owner Tom Gores said in a statement. “Stan is more than just a great coach, he’s a great leader. What I’m most excited about is how Stan can help us shape the franchise and instill what it means to be the best. He’s also a great communicator. My time with Stan has me convinced that he will bring our players, team and community to a very proud place.”

The Pistons reached out to Van Gundy about their coaching vacancy several weeks ago, but those talks ended after Van Gundy requested some degree of player personnel control. Detroit evidently had a change of heart as they warmed to the idea of hiring someone as both coach and primary front office executive.

Gores became determined to do whatever it took to land the former Heat and Magic coach, and while he outbid the Warriors, the opportunity to lead the Pistons basketball operations department was most appealing to Van Gundy. That led him to turn down the Warriors, even though they have a superior roster and they’re the team he’d grown up rooting for. Golden State’s front office is crowded with GM Bob Myers, adviser Jerry West and assistant general managers Kirk Lacob, son of co-owner Joe Lacob, and Travis Schlenk, a one-time candidate for the Pistons top front office job. Joe Lacob also takes a hands-on role.

“It is an honor to be chosen to help Tom Gores build the Pistons into a team that competes for championships,” Van Gundy said in the Pistons statement. “Tom’s vision of building for the future, while seeking immediate improvement is a challenge that I embrace. We will work to put a team on the floor that reflects the franchise’s rich tradition and embodies the toughness and work ethic of fans in the Detroit area.”

Van Gundy said earlier this year that he was highly unlikely to coach, but it appears as though the opportunity to take on player personnel duties for the first time in his career was too attractive to pass up. He spoke recently of his desire to have a strong working relationship with the front office in whatever coaching job he would take, and with the Pistons, he won’t have to worry about anyone other than owner Tom Gores looking over his shoulder. Former Magic GM Otis Smith is one of the candidates Van Gundy is considering as an assistant front office executive.

Van Gundy takes the reigns from assistant GM George David and director of basketball operations Ken Catanella, who’d been running the front office on an interim basis after longtime president of basketball operations Joe Dumars stepped aside last month. Today’s hiring also displaces interim coach John Loyer, who took over when the Pistons fired Maurice Cheeks in February. David, Catanella and Loyer were all candidates to have their interim tags removed.

Van Gundy’s name has come up frequently in regard to coaching vacancies ever since the Magic fired him in 2012. He took the Magic to the Finals in 2009 and won 50 games five times in his seven full seasons as an NBA head coach. He publicly feuded with then-Magic star Dwight Howard, but the two have since repaired their relationship.

In additon to Schlenk, the Pistons were also rumored to be considering former Raptors and Suns GM Bryan Colangelo and Celtics assistant GM Mike Zarren, who had appeared to be the front-runners for the job. Cavs GM David Griffin, NBA senior vice president of basketball operations Kiki Vandeweghe and Magic assistant GM Scott Perry were also candidates to replace Dumars, who remains with the organization in an advisory capacity. The Pistons were reportedly considering Michigan State coach Tom Izzo for their coaching job. Gores had retained Phil Norment and Bob Wentworth, partners in his private equity investment firm, to conduct the search for a new top basketball executive.

Ryan Raroque contributed to this post. Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press tweeted the news that Van Gundy and the Pistons had a signed contract. Marc Stein of ESPN.com reported that Van Gundy and the Pistons had reached an agreement in principle, Vincent Goodwill of The Detroit News was the first to report they were close to a deal, and Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports originally had the story that the Pistons were pitching Van Gundy on the dual executive/coach role. Wojnarowski noted that the sides were working on a five-year, $35MM arrangement. He also tweeted that Van Gundy is considering Otis Smith for an assistant executive role, while Ellis clarified that Smith is one of several candidates for that position. Mitch Lawrence of the New York Daily News reported the initial talks between Van Gundy and the Pistons. Jeff Zillgitt and Sam Amick of USA Today and Diamond Leung of the Bay Area News Group provided additional detail.

Cavs Fire Mike Brown, Name Griffin Full-Time GM

May 12th, 2014 at 2:20pm CST by Chuck Myron

The Cavs have fired coach Mike Brown and removed the interim tag from GM David Griffin‘s title, the team announced. Griffin appeared close to appointment as the team’s GM this weekend, just as doubts about Brown’s future lingered. It’s the second time that the Cavs have parted ways with Brown in the past four years. They hired him for a second stint last summer, but he didn’t last after compiling a 33-49 record in a season in which owner Dan Gilbert expected to make the playoffs.

“This is a very tough business. It pains all of us here that we needed to make the difficult decision of releasing Mike Brown,” Gilbert said in the team’s statement. “Mike worked hard over this last season to move our team in the right direction. Although, there was some progress from our finish over the few prior seasons, we believe we need to head in a different direction. We wish Mike and his family nothing but the best.”

Brown rejoined the Cavs last year on a five-year deal worth between $20-25MM, but it appears the team will have to shell out much of that money for a coach who won’t be on their sidelines. Gilbert was reportedly looking for feedback from the players and the front office staff on Brown as he made his decision about whether to retain the coach, and another report indicated that the players were in Brown’s corner, with Dion Waiters his loudest supporter. Brown was hired under former GM Chris Grant, whom Gilbert axed in February. Griffin has been serving in his place ever since.

The team responded well to the switch from Grant to Griffin, winning six in a row immediately after the change and going 17-16 overall. Griffin acquired Spencer Hawes at the trade deadline, and he meshed well with the team, giving it an outside shooter to balance the floor on the offensive end. Isiah Thomas and George Karl were among those who campaigned for the top front office job, and Gilbert considered other candidates, but Griffin gave the impression he’d be retained in a season-ending press conference last month.

“Our ownership group is looking forward to David Griffin leading the basketball side of our business. We interviewed several strong candidates for the GM position including Griff,” Gilbert said. “We chose David as our GM because we believe he is the best person to lead our franchise at this critical time and into the future. David brings over two decades of experience. He knows the ins and outs of this league as well as anyone and is also an outstanding talent evaluator.”

Griffin joined the Cavs as vice president of basketball operations in 2010, serving under Grant. He’d spent the previous 17 years with the Suns, rising from intern to senior vice president of basketball operations, a role in which he assisted Steve Kerr, now the primary coaching candidate for the Knicks.

NBA Taps Richard Parsons As Clips Interim CEO

May 9th, 2014 at 2:20pm CST by Chuck Myron

2:20pm: The NBA has officially installed Parsons as interim CEO of the Clippers, the league announced.

“I believe the hiring of Dick Parsons will bring extraordinary leadership and immediate stability to the Clippers organization,” commissioner Adam Silver said. “Dick’s credentials as a proven chief executive speak for themselves and I am extremely grateful he accepted this responsibility.”

Parsons will control the business side of the team, leaving Doc Rivers to continue to lead the basketball operations department.

12:53pm: The NBA has chosen former Citicorp chairman and Time Warner chief Richard Parsons to run the Clippers, TNT’s David Aldridge reports (Twitter link). Team president Andy Roeser is on an indefinite leave of absence while the club has been searching for someone to lead in the team in the wake of owner Donald Sterling’s lifetime ban. Roeser was in charge immediately after the NBA meted out its punishment of Sterling, but the league said it wanted a “clean slate” for whomever would manage the team next. Parsons will run the team while the league seeks new ownership.

Parsons was the CEO of Time Warner from 2002 to 2007 and was Citigroup chairman from 2009 until 2012, when he retired. He nonetheless continues to serve on the board of directors for Madison Square Garden and other organizations. He was a member of President Barack Obama’s transition team in 2008 and a senior White House aide to President Gerald Ford.

The Clippers have remained in flux as Donald Sterling’s wife, Shelly, has sought to maintain 50% ownership of the club. The league reportedly hadn’t envisioned her desire to remain in the picture when it banned her husband and made plans to strip the team from his ownership. She also asserted that she was involved in the search for the new CEO, but it’s unclear whether that was the case. Donald Sterling is widely expected to mount a legal effort to stop the NBA from seizing control of the Clippers or forcing him to sell.

Warriors Fire Mark Jackson

May 6th, 2014 at 2:07pm CST by Chuck Myron

The Warriors have officially announced that they’ve fired coach Mark Jackson. Sam Amick of USA Today was the first to report the news (on Twitter). Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports noted that it was the team’s decision to fire him, meaning Jackson didn’t quit instead (Twitter link). The move was widely expected, and comes on the heels of a meeting between Jackson, co-owner Joe Lacob, and other Warriors executives within the last few hours.

“Mark Jackson has had a big impact on the improvement of our team and the success that we’ve had over the last couple of years,” Lacob said. “Nonetheless, we must make some difficult decisions in our day-to-day operations of the club and this would certainly qualify as one of those examples. We wish Mark the best of luck in his future endeavors and thank him for his contributions over the last three years.”

Reports in recent weeks cast significant doubt about Jackson’s future with the team, and his chances of remaining in Golden State seemed to grow progressively bleaker after a report of dysfunction surrounding Jackson surfaced when the team reassigned former assistant coach Brian Scalabrine. The team also recently fired assistant coach Darren Erman, who was reportedly recording conversations among the coaching staff.

The tension between Jackson and his bosses appeared to be mutual and to extend to issues beyond basketball. The Warriors organization seemed to present a united front against the coach, with the exception of the players, who offered nearly universal support. A key fracture may have been Jackson’s lack of a relationship with assistant GM Kirk Lacob, the son of the co-owner, after the two engaged in a recent spat. Jackson’s attitude, unwillingness to move to the Bay Area and even his religion have drawn mention in various reports as reasons why Warriors management seemed anxious to let the coach go.

Jackson compiled a 121-109 record over three seasons as Warriors head coach, his first experience on an NBA bench after having worked as a broadcaster following his playing career. The Warriors improved their regular season record each of the last two years, but the Warriors still reportedly took issue with coach’s on-court style, which relied heavily on isolations. Golden State failed to reach the second round of the playoffs this season, as it did last year, and that may have sealed the coach’s fate.

Photo Courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Raptors, Dwane Casey Agree To Three-Year Deal

May 6th, 2014 at 9:12am CST by Zachary Links

TUESDAY, 9:12am: The Raptors formally announced their agreement with Casey, in a press release. Oddly, the release states that the team and the coach have merely agreed in principle, so it appears the contract isn’t yet finalized. Still, the move indicates that they’re at least on track to put pen to paper, with Casey and GM Masai Ujiri scheduled to address the media later this morning.

“From day one last summer Dwane has done an excellent job both on-and-off the court,” Ujiri said as part of the team’s statement. “There’s been growth from each player on the roster and the team’s identity of toughness and a desire to always compete has clearly been established. We’re very excited to continue to grow and develop this team with Dwane as our head coach.”

MONDAY, 6:27pm: Casey will earn just under $4MM per year in his new three-year deal, a source tells David Aldridge of TNT (on Twitter).

5:33pm: The Raptors and Dwane Casey have reached agreement on a new three-year deal, sources tell Doug Smith of the Toronto Star (on Twitter).

Casey’s contract expired at the end of this season but a new agreement was widely anticipated. Just last week, Raptors CEO Tim Leiweke told SportsNet 590 The Fan that he wasn’t worried about Casey or free agent Kyle Lowry going anywhere this summer. “Why wouldn’t you want to be here?” Leiweke asked rhetorically. With their coach reportedly locked in through 2016/17, the Raptors’ next task will be to strike a new deal with their star point guard.

All of the buzz in the Atlantic Division this summer went to the Nets and (to a lesser extent) the Knicks, but it was the Raptors who came out on top with a 48-34 record in the regular season. Ultimately, the Nets bested the Raptors in a wild seven game series, but the Raptors took a significant step forward this year and reinvigorated a dormant Toronto fan base.

Between his three years at the helm in Toronto and his one-and-a-half seasons with the Wolves, Casey owns a career 159-193 (.451) record.

Magic Pick Up Options On Hennigan, Vaughn

May 2nd, 2014 at 10:00am CST by Chuck Myron

10:00am: The team has officially announced the moves on its website.

“Rob and Jacque have worked extremely hard in establishing a culture which embodies teamwork, hard work, hunger for success and humility,” Martins said in the team’s statement. “With their strategic direction and leadership we feel we are headed in the right direction which will allow us to achieve our goals of contending in a long term sustainable fashion.”

9:30am: The Magic have decided to exercise their 2015/16 team options on GM Rob Hennigan and coach Jacque Vaughn, reports Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel (Twitter link). Both came aboard during the 2012 offseason, when Hennigan made the Dwight Howard trade his first signature move. That kicked off a rebuilding project that’s seen the Magic win just 20 games in 2012/13 and 23 games this past season, but today’s moves signal that the DeVos family, who own the team, and CEO Alex Martins are satisfied with the team’s course.

Hennigan was just 30 years old when the team hired him away from the Thunder, where he’d spent four seasons, the last two as Oklahoma City’s assistant GM. He netted Nikola Vucevic, Maurice Harkless and Arron Afflalo, among others, in the Howard trade, and those three have played key roles for the Magic the past two seasons. Orlando has three first-round picks coming its way as a result of the Howard trade. Hennigan used the team’s own 2013 first-rounder to take Victor Oladipo second overall this past June, and the guard turned in a productive rookie season even as he adjusted to the team’s experiment of using him at point guard.

Hennigan also scored with his acquisition of Tobias Harris in the J.J. Redick trade this past summer. Still, the GM has had his share of disappointments, too, trading Josh McRoberts for Hakim Warrick in 2013 and failing to find takers for the expensive contracts of veterans Hedo Turkoglu, Glen Davis and Al Harrington, all of whom the Magic waived.

Vaughn, another useful presence who’s still just 39, joined the team after serving as an assistant coach with the Spurs, the organization that gave Hennigan his start in the NBA. The team ranked near the bottom in both offensive and defensive efficiency in Vaughn’s first season, but the Magic made strides defensively this year, finishing 13th in points allowed per possession, according to NBA.com.

Mike D’Antoni Resigns As Lakers Coach

April 30th, 2014 at 8:55pm CST by Eddie Scarito

8:55pm: Mike Bresnahan of The Los Angeles Times (Twitter link) reports that D’Antoni will receive an undisclosed portion of the $4MM he was set to earn next season as part of his resignation.

8:21pm: Mike D’Antoni has resigned as coach of the Lakers, reports Ramona Shelburne of ESPNLosAngeles.com (Twitter link). D’Antoni had been having discussions with GM Mitch Kupchak over the phone in regards to his future, writes Mark Medina of The Los Angeles Daily News. These talks were also scheduled to continue on Thursday, prior to his resignation. Although no timetable has been established, the search for a replacement will begin immediately.

The Lakers have confirmed the news on their website. Kupchak said, “Given the circumstances, I don’t know that anybody could have done a better job than Mike did the past two seasons. On behalf of the Lakers, we thank Mike for the work ethic, professionalism and positive attitude that he brought to the team every day. We wish him the best of luck.”

Medina reports (Twitter link) that D’Antoni’s agent Warren Legarie said D’Antoni hit an “insurmountable impasse” with Lakers refusing to provide assurances they will exercise his team option for the 2015/2016 season. D’Antoni had concerns about having a “lame duck” status next season.

D’Antoni, who was hired by the Lakers to replace Mike Brown on November 12, 2012, had a 67-87 record in his two seasons with the team. He previously was head coach of the Nuggets, Suns and Knicks, and has a career record of 455-426.

Jazz, Tyrone Corbin Officially Part Ways

April 21st, 2014 at 3:00pm CST by Chuck Myron

The Jazz have decided to part ways with coach Tyrone Corbin, the team announced. He was on an expiring contract this season, as rumors of his cloudy future with the team swirled after the Jazz decided to embark on a rebuilding project this past summer. Utah went 25-57, finishing in last place in the Western Conference this year.

Corbin took over in the middle of the 2010/11 season after longtime coach Jerry Sloan stepped down. The Jazz made Corbin only their fourth head coach since the franchise moved to Utah for the 1979/80 season. The team went 8-20 the rest of the way that year, but Corbin guided the team to winning records the following two seasons. Utah appeared in the playoffs only once during Corbin’s tenure, and they were swept by the Spurs in the opening round in 2012.

Jazz small forward Gordon Hayward, a restricted free agent this summer, praised the job Corbin did this season, after a summer in which the team let Al Jefferson, Paul Millsap, Mo Williams and others sign elsewhere. The Jazz sacrificed their cap flexibility this past offseason to acquire draft picks attached to player-friendly contracts in a trade with Golden State, leaving the team with a mix of untested young players and mediocre veterans.

Richard Jefferson, at 33, started 78 games and received the third-most minutes on the team this season, and Marvin Williams saw significant playing time for Corbin, too. That led center Enes Kanter, up for a rookie scale extension this summer, to make a public call last week for the team to feature more of its young players on the floor together.

The Jazz also parted ways with Corbin’s assistant coaches, according to Aaron Falk of The Salt Lake Tribune (Twitter link). It’s unclear if the team’s player development staff will return, Falk adds (on Twitter).

Mitch Lawrence of the New York Daily News reported Friday that Corbin was out as coach, (Twitter links), though the team and Corbin’s agent denied the report to Jody Genessy of the Deseret News. Photo Courtesy of USA Today Sports Images. Eddie Scarito contributed to this post.

Rick Adelman Announces Retirement

April 21st, 2014 at 10:05am CST by Chuck Myron

Rick Adelman announced his retirement from coaching at a press conference today, the Timberwolves confirm (Twitter link). A parting of ways has been widely expected, and fellow Star Tribune scribe Sid Hartman wrote last week that there was “no chance” that Adelman would return. That followed a pair of reports last month that cast serious doubt on the coach’s future. The team and Adelman had a mutual option for 2014/15, and either side had the ability to walk away from the contract. He’ll remain with the team as a consultant, the team also says (on Twitter).

Tom Izzo, Fred Hoiberg and Stan Van Gundy are the team’s targets to coach next season, as Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports reported last week, though all three seem difficult targets. Hoiberg appeared unlikely to accept an offer from the team even before Iowa State gave him a raise, and report from February indicated Van Gundy probably won’t coach anywhere next season. Izzo vehemently denied rumors that he’d coach the Pistons. A more attainable replacement for Adelman could be Suns assistant coach Jerry Sichting, whom Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio identifies as a “name to really watch” in connection to the Wolves job (Twitter link). Wolves President of basketball operations Flip Saunders reportedly would like to take over as coach, but owner Glen Taylor prefers that two different people handle the top front office job and the head coaching gig.

Adelman, 67, is stepping away with the eighth-most wins in NBA history, having compiled a 1,042-749 record in 23 seasons. He arrived in Minnesota for the 2011/12 season after a three-year stint with the Rockets, but he failed to lift the Wolves into the playoffs during his tenure. He enjoyed much greater success elsewhere, leading the Trail Blazers to two Finals appearances in his first four seasons as an NBA coach and nearly guiding the Kings to the Finals in 2002, when they lost a seven-game heartbreaker in the conference finals.

Those Kings teams cemented Adelman’s reputation as an offensive wizard, but Zgoda suggested last month that if he hadn’t retired from the Wolves, the team would have declined to pick up his option for next season. In any case, the health of Adelman’s wife likely weighed heavily in his decision. He missed 11 games to tend to her during the 2012/13 season, when she was suffering from seizures, and Adelman missed time to deal with unspecified personal issues this season.

Jerry Zgoda of the Star Tribune was the first to report the news, via Twitter. Sam Amick of USA Today confirmed the report (Twitter link). Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

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