Kings’ Curry, Anderson Opt Out
Seth Curry and James Anderson have both opted out of their contracts with the Kings for next season, tweets Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders. The action means both players will become restricted free agents this summer.
Curry, a third-year point guard, could have made $1,015,696 next season after signing a two-year deal last July. He appeared in 44 games for the Kings, making nine starts, while averaging 6.8 points per night and shooting 45% from 3-point range.
Anderson, a sixth-year swingman, would have received $1,139,123 next season on a minimum-salary deal. He started 15 of the 51 games he played, averaging 3.5 points per contest.
Suns To Hire Jay Triano As Associate Head Coach
Trail Blazers assistant Jay Triano will become associate head coach with the Suns, tweets Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical. Triano, who has three seasons of head coaching experience and 10 years as an assistant, will join the staff of Earl Watson, who was formally hired last month after serving as an interim coach for 33 games.
Triano, who doubles as head coach of the Canadian national team, went 87-142 in nearly three full seasons as coach of the Raptors before being dismissed in 2011. He was the first Canadian-born coach in league history.
The 57-year-old Triano has been an assistant in Portland since 2012. He will be expected to help turn around a Suns team that hasn’t reached the playoffs since 2009/10.
Pacers Hire Nate McMillan As Head Coach
12:38pm: McMillan signed a three-year contract with the Pacers, league sources tell Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical (Twitter link). There are no options included in the deal.
11:55am: In advance of their formal news conference today, the Pacers have confirmed in a press release that Nate McMillan has been hired as the team’s new head coach. McMillan, who has been an assistant with the team since 2013, replaces Frank Vogel, who was let go on May 5th.
Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical first reported on Saturday that the Pacers were putting the final touches on a deal to promote McMillan to the head coaching job. According to Wojnarowski, Pacers officials offered McMillan the job during his interview late last week.
“I truly believe Nate is the right coach for us at this time,” Pacers President of Basketball Operations Larry Bird said in a statement on Monday. “When I heard he was interested, I got in touch with him, met with him and in our conversation I came away with all the confidence in the world in Nate to lead our franchise to where we want to go. His experience as a player, head coach and assistant coach in the NBA are valuable assets for us.”
This will be the third NBA head coaching job for McMillan, who spent nearly five seasons as the coach in Seattle and six and a half with Portland. He has a 478-452 career record, along with five playoff appearances.
The Pacers considered several former NBA coaches and current assistants before deciding on the 51-year-old McMillan. He was also reported to be a finalist for the Kings job that went to Dave Joerger and was listed as a possible candidate for the Wizards’ opening before they hired Scott Brooks.
Scott Skiles Resigns As Magic Coach
Scott Skiles has stepped down as coach of the Magic, reports Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel (Twitter link). The team confirmed the move via Twitter and a press release.
Skiles has been unhappy for a few months, Robbins hears. (All Twitter links). A disconnect existed between Skiles and GM Rob Hennigan, and they had a few disagreements on personnel and the team’s mindset, Robbins adds. Hennigan and the front office support Elfrid Payton as the point guard of the future and Skiles doesn’t, but that’s just one of multiple issues between the coach and his boss, Robbins says.
The coach blurted out to Hennigan in mid-January that he thought it was a mistake to take the job, but he quickly retracted the statement, as Justin Termine of SiriusXM NBA Radio hears (All Twitter links). The damage was nonetheless done, as Hennigan remained upset, according to Termine. Skiles also told assistant coach Adrian Griffin that he was having second thoughts, and Griffin went to management about it, Termine reports (Twitter link).
The news is nonetheless a shock, coming just one year into his tenure on the team’s bench. Magic players are surprised and haven’t been told the reason why, according to Alex Kennedy of Basketball Insiders (on Twitter). Soon-to-be free agent Evan Fournier profanely expressed his shock in a tweet.
Skiles, 52, is an Indiana native, and the Pacers head coaching job came open a week ago, though it’s unknown at this point if he has interest in that position. He drew praise as the team started 19-13, but the Magic fell off sharply from there, finishing 35-47 and out of the playoffs for fourth straight year. Orlando was 23-29 when it traded Tobias Harris and Channing Frye at the February deadline in future-focused swaps that weakened the roster for the stretch run.
“After much thought and careful consideration, I and I alone, have come to the conclusion that I am not the right head coach for this team,” Skiles in a statement released through the team. “Therefore, effective immediately, I resign my position as head coach of the Orlando Magic. I realize this type of decision can cause much speculation. The reality though is in the first sentence. It is simple and true. Any other rumors are pure conjecture.”
“I sincerely apologize for any unintended consequences that may adversely affect anyone associated with this decision,” Skiles continued. “The Magic are a world-class organization that employs world-class people. I wish them nothing but great success. I will always be thankful, especially to the DeVos family, for the opportunity.”
The coach has a reputation for wearing out his welcome in short order, but each of his three previous head coaching stints lasted significantly longer than his time in Orlando. He coached the Suns for parts of three seasons and the Bulls and the Bucks for parts of five seasons apiece. His all-time record is 478-480 in the regular season and 18-24 in the playoffs.
“While we understand it was a challenging season, we reluctantly have accepted Scott’s resignation,” Hennigan said in the team’s statement. “We appreciate Scott instilling a culture of accountability and certainly wish him and his family well.”
His resignation means the Magic are one of five NBA teams on the market for a head coach. The Pacers, Grizzlies, Rockets and Knicks are the others, though interim head coach Kurt Rambis is still working for New York. Orlando interviewed Clippers assistant Mike Woodson and former Warriors head coach Mark Jackson before hiring Skiles last year, as well as Fred Hoiberg, who later took the Bulls head coaching job, Robbins notes.
Kings Hire Dave Joerger As Coach
3:30pm: The hiring is official, the team announced.
“I am thrilled to welcome Dave to the Sacramento Kings,” Divac said. “He is a strong and passionate leader with a proven track record of producing results. Dave shares our focus on creating a long-term culture of winning and I look forward to a bright future ahead for the Kings with his leadership on the court.”
1:22pm: The Kings and Dave Joerger have struck agreement on a four-year deal worth $16MM that will make him the team’s head coach, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical (Twitter links). The fourth season will be a team option, Wojnarowski adds. Sacramento had hoped to come to terms today on that very contract structure, as Wojnarowski reported just minutes ago. Marc Stein of ESPN.com first reported the framework of a four-year arrangement with a team option, and Wojnarowski first reported that Sacramento had Joerger atop its wish list in the wake of the Grizzlies’ decision to fire him Saturday.
Joerger and the Kings moved quickly, as the coach met with GM Vlade Divac on Sunday and did the same with owner Vivek Ranadive today, Wojnarowski notes. The Kings had reportedly been telling other candidates that they’d wait to speak again with three finalists in the coming days, but apparently the prospect of securing Joerger proved too tempting. The ex-Memphis coach had planned to wait to hear from the Rockets, with whom he reportedly held mutual interest, but it’s unclear if Joerger and Houston ever touched base.
The 42-year-old Joerger is expected to bring Grizzlies assistant Elston Turner with him to Sacramento and is likely to hire veteran NBA and college assistant Bill Bayno for the staff, too, according to Wojnarowski. Turner is one of a lengthy list of names attached to the Kings job over the past few weeks, though it wasn’t clear whether he was indeed a head coaching candidate or merely an assistant coaching option all along.
Sacramento conducted by far the most wide-ranging coaching search in the league this year with Kevin McHale, Frank Vogel, Tom Thibodeau, Scott Brooks, Kenny Atkinson, Luke Walton, Sam Mitchell, Vinny Del Negro, Mike Woodson, David Blatt, Mark Jackson, Ettore Messina, James Borrego, Henry Bibby, Patrick Ewing, Mark Jackson, Nate McMillan, Jeff Hornacek, Corliss Williamson, Jay Larranaga, Brian Shaw, Ime Udoka, Jeff Van Gundy and Monty Williams all drawing Sacramento’s eye at one point or another, according to previous reports.
Joerger carries a 147-99 regular season record and a 9-13 postseason mark to Sacramento from his time with Memphis, but he’ll be hard-pressed to duplicate that sort of success for the Kings, who haven’t made the postseason since 2006. He’ll be Sacramento’s ninth coach since the team fired Rick Adelman after that playoff run, and the sixth who’ll try to get the most out of talented but fiery superstar DeMarcus Cousins, assuming the Kings don’t trade the big man this summer. Divac is reportedly willing to gauge the market for Cousins in the months ahead.
Is Joerger the right choice for the Kings? Leave a comment to share your thoughts.
Grizzlies Fire Dave Joerger
The Grizzlies parted ways with head coach Dave Joerger this morning, Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical reports (Twitter links). Joerger had asked Memphis for permission to speak with other teams regarding their coaching vacancies and Memphis decided to cut its ties with him, Wojnarowski adds. Memphis is still on the hook for Joerger’s $2MM salary for 2016/17, the scribe notes, adding that the coach’s deal included a team option for the 2017/18 season. The Grizzlies intend to pursue former Pacers coach Frank Vogel, according to Wojnarowski (Twitter link).
Sacramento had been pushing hard to gain permission from the Grizzlies to speak with Joerger regarding its coaching vacancy, Wojnarowski relays (via Twitter), and Joerger is now at the top of the Kings’ wish list as they seek a replacement for George Karl. Joerger had requested permission to speak with the Kings and Rockets about their coaching vacancies, as Wojnarowski writes in a full-length post. Sacramento’s willingness to give him a long-range deal with annual salaries likely around $4MM made the Kings attractive to Joerger despite their reputation for dysfunction, Wojnarowski notes.
Memphis confirmed that Joerger was let go in an official announcement. “After careful consideration, I concluded that a change was needed to foster the strong culture required to achieve sustainable, long-term success for this organization, the city and our fans,” said GM Chris Wallace. “On behalf of the Grizzlies organization I would like to thank Dave for his work and time in Memphis. We wish Dave and his family all the best and success as he moves forward in his career.”
The trust between Joerger and the front office had eroded over the past several months, Wojnarowski notes, and tensions escalated between the coach and team management. The organization was frustrated with Joerger publicly making disparaging comments about the roster and his own limited role in player personnel, a league source told the Vertical scribe. Joerger had reportedly grown increasingly belligerent to many within the organization, believing the team was setting him up to fail in 2016/17, Wojnarowski adds.
The Grizzlies are quite high on Joerger’s coaching ability, but they failed to see eye-to-eye on personnel matters, with Joerger believing the team didn’t take his opinions seriously and the team convinced otherwise, as Wojnarowski details. Joerger was pushing for either a long-term deal from the Grizzlies or a way out, and that’s what led to his dismissal, according to Wojnarowski.
In three seasons as the Grizzlies’ head coach, Joerger’s record was 147-99 (.598), including a mark of 9-13 in the playoffs. Memphis reached the conference semifinals in 2015, losing to the eventual champion Warriors. The coach arguably did his best work this season, leading a patchwork roster that had been decimated by injuries to a record of 42-40 and the seventh playoff seed in the Western Conference.
Pacers Dismiss Frank Vogel
The Pacers are letting go of coach Frank Vogel, as president of basketball operations Larry Bird revealed in a press conference streamed via the team’s website. Vogel’s contract had already expired, as The Vertical’s Adrian Wojnarowski first reported and as Bird confirmed, saying he wouldn’t give him a new deal.
“I’ve decided that it’s time for a new voice around here,” Bird said, as the team’s Twitter account relays (Twitter link). “… This is one of the toughest things I’ve done.”
Bird said he won’t replace Vogel with Kevin McHale, his former teammate and the subject of much speculation as a candidate for the Pacers coaching job. McHale earlier withdrew from the running as a candidate for the Kings job, as Marc Stein of ESPN.com reported.
“I would not do that to Kevin, to have him work for me,” Bird said, as TNT’s David Aldridge relays via Twitter. “That’s not fair. I respect him too much.”
Bird reiterated that he wants more scoring and that his expectations for the Pacers this season were higher than most, The Vertical’s Chris Mannix notes (Twitter link). It appeared a philosophical difference had emerged earlier this season when Bird spoke of his desire for more of an up-tempo attack and Vogel’s fondness for a traditional lineup with two big men. Bird said today that he started thinking about making a coaching change around the All-Star break but felt Vogel deserved a chance to finish the season, Aldridge tweets. Vogel tried to talk Bird out of parting ways with him this morning, Bird said, as Mannix relays (Twitter link), though Bird added that he didn’t meet with Vogel face-to-face, only speaking to him on the phone.
“We’re Hoosiers, we treat people — other than today, we usually treat people pretty good,” Bird said, as Aldridge relays (on Twitter).
Vogel would get a positive recommendation from Bird, the executive said, indicating that he simply believes coaches have a limited shelf life with any team, as Candace Buckner of the Indianapolis Star and Mannix note (Twitter links). However, Bird said he doesn’t believe Vogel lost the locker room, Mannix adds.
The Pacers went 250-181 in parts of six seasons under Vogel, who inherited the head coaching job, his first in the NBA, when the Pacers fired Jim O’Brien in January 2011. That record doesn’t include Vogel’s 31-30 postseason mark. Indiana made back-to-back conference finals under Vogel’s watch in 2013 and 2014. The Rockets have reportedly wanted to interview him, just as they did before they hired McHale in 2011, and opportunities are available on the Knicks and Kings, too.
Dirk Nowitzki To Opt Out, Plans To Re-Sign
Dirk Nowitzki will opt out of his contract and become a free agent this summer, though he still plans to remain with the Mavericks, as he said today on the “Bob and Dan” show on KTCK-AM in Dallas, notes Tim MacMahon of ESPN.com (Twitter link and ESPN Now link). That confirms an earlier report from Dwain Price of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram but runs counter to Nowitzki’s previous statements indicating that he would remain under contract.
Nowitzki spoke to the radio hosts about his desire to work with owner Mark Cuban and president of basketball operations Donnie Nelson to improve the team, though it’s uncertain what sort of salary Nowitzki will insist upon. The option is worth slightly more than $8.692MM, which would have been a major bargain for Dallas, particularly given the escalating salary cap. It’s conceivable that Nowitzki will take a further discount, given his loyalty to the team, though it remains to be seen.
The star power forward, who turns 38 this June, hinted subtly in March that remaining with the Mavericks beyond this season wasn’t a foregone conclusion, suggesting he would evaluate his options if Dallas were to pivot into full-scale rebuilding. Still, he’s otherwise given every indication he intends to remain with the Mavs, the only team he’s played for during his 18 NBA seasons.
Chandler Parsons has said that he intends to opt out, confirming what had been the general assumption, notes Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News, and Deron Williams plans to do so as well, as sources told MacMahon last week. Their options, plus Nowitzki’s, are collectively worth more than $30.3MM, so Dallas would have only about $29MM in guaranteed salary commitments against a projected $92MM cap if all three players decline their options as expected.
The Mavericks nonetheless want to re-sign all three, so their cap holds would occupy more than $38.9MM until they either sign new deals or Dallas renounces them. MacMahon reported that Parsons is in line to receive max offers, which will likely come close to $22MM for next season, exceeding the value of his $19,969,950 cap hold. Williams also appears due for a raise, so just how much cap space the Mavs will have is up in the air. Still, the opt-out from Nowitzki ultimately allows him and the Mavs greater flexibility, helping explain his choice to become a free agent. The deadline for all three Mavs to formally decide on their options is June 22nd.
Lakers Hire Luke Walton
The Lakers have hired Luke Walton to become their next head coach, the team announced. Kevin Ding of Bleacher Report was the first to report the news (Twitter link). The length and terms of the arrangement are unknown at this time. Walton will begin his new duties at the conclusion of the Warriors season.
Los Angeles formally interviewed Walton on Thursday in Oakland and called off other scheduled interviews after their meeting with the Golden State assistant, as Ramona Shelburne of ESPN.com hears (ESPN Now link). Reports indicated the team had planned to interview David Blatt, had mutual interest with Jeff Van Gundy and saw Ettore Messina as an intriguing alternative if they didn’t land Walton. Roy Williams, John Calipari, Jay Wright, Tom Izzo, Jeff Hornacek, Doug Collins and Kevin Ollie were others the Lakers reportedly eyed.
“We’re excited to bring Luke back to Los Angeles, where we feel he’s going to start an outstanding coaching career,” GM Mitch Kupchak said in the team’s statement. “He’s one of the brightest young coaching minds in the game and we feel fortunate that he’ll be leading the on-court future of our team.”
Despite his relative lack of coaching experience, Walton was in high demand around the league among teams with coaching vacancies. The Kings, Rockets and Knicks were all reportedly interested in the Warriors assistant after he posted a 39-4 record as acting head coach in Steve Kerr‘s absence, including a 24-0 start, the best beginning to a campaign in NBA history.
Walton, 36, becomes the 26th head coach in Lakers history. The son of NBA legend Bill Walton, Luke spent 10 years in the NBA as a player, notching averages of 4.7 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2.3 assists in 564 regular season games with the Lakers and Cavaliers. The younger Walton was a member of championship teams with the Lakers in 2009 and 2010. After his playing career, Walton served as a player development coach for the D-League Los Angeles D-Fenders during the 2013/14 season before moving on to the Warriors for 2014/15. He was also an assistant coach at the University of Memphis during the 2011 lockout.
Deron Williams To Opt Out; Mavs Want Him Back
Deron Williams plans to turn down his player option worth more than $5.621MM and hit free agency to seek a multiyear contract this summer, sources told Tim MacMahon of ESPN.com (ESPN Now link). The Mavericks and the point guard have mutual interest in doing a new deal, according to MacMahon.
The 11-year veteran who turns 32 in June likely needs offseason surgery to address a sports hernia. The Jeff Schwartz client said in the aftermath of the Mavs’ playoff ouster this week that he’d love to return to Dallas, and coach Rick Carlisle said he’d also like to see him return. President of basketball operations Donnie Nelson pointed to what he saw as a renewed sense of enthusiasm in Williams’ play this season, the first for Williams with the Mavericks.
Dallas will have a clearer shot at opening enough cap room to sign a player for the middle-tier maximum salary of an estimated $26MM with Williams’ option out of the way, as we noted earlier this week, but re-signing Williams would probably come at a cost greater than the value of his option (Twitter link). MacMahon thinks the market will afford Williams a decent raise on the close to $5.379MM salary he took home this year. Tim Bontemps of The Washington Post sees Williams ending up with at least twice as much as his option would have given him (Twitter link).
Much of the free agent money around the league last summer had already been committed by the time Williams worked his buyout from the Nets and signed with the Mavericks in mid-July. He averaged 14.1 points, 5.8 assists and 2.3 turnovers in 32.4 minutes per game this season, production not too far removed from what he put up in his final season with Brooklyn.
Is Williams the right point guard for the Mavericks? Leave a comment to share your thoughts.