Coaching updates from around NBA: Stotts to Bucks, Young paid to stay with Suns

2021 NBA Playoffs - Portland Trail Blazers v Denver Nuggets
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In the 24 hours since the last time we put together a list of coaching updates from around the NBA a lot of things transpired, some expected, some not.

Here’s an update on the NBA coaching carousel.

• As was rumored to be coming, former Trail Blazers coach Terry Stotts will join Adrian Griffin’s staff with the Milwaukee Bucks. This is a smart hire, putting an experienced coach known for creative offense next to the rookie coach on a contending team. With the Bucks getting older and more expensive quickly — 35-year-old Brook Lopez is a free agent this summer — the Bucks don’t have time for a rookie coach to figure things out on the job.

• Kevin Young will stay in Phoenix on Frank Vogel’s staff after new owner Mat Ishbia made him the highest-paid assistant in the league at $2 million a year, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN. Devin Booker reportedly backed Young to get the head coaching job, although how hard Booker pushed is up for debate. Keeping Young on staff — likely in an offensive coordinator role — next to the defensive-minded Vogel could be a good fit.

• Former Hornets coach James Borrego was in the mix for several jobs but has settled in New Orleans, where he will be on Willie Green’s staff. This team is stacked with offensive talent — Zion Williamson, Brandon Ingram, CJ McCollum — if they can just stay on the court.

• There is now just one head coaching vacancy open around the league, the Toronto Raptors, and they are entering the final interview stages, reports Josh Lewenberg of TSN. Among the finalists for the job are Kings assistant coach Jordi Fernandez and highly-respected European coach Sergio Scariolo (the head coach of the Spanish national team and Virtus Bologna of the Italian league).

• The makeover of the Celtics coaching staff could go even deeper than expected because Ben Sullivan, Mike Moser and Garrett Jackson are all leaving Boston to join Ime Udoka‘s staff in Houston, reports Michael Scotto of Hoopshype.

• Former Pacers player Shayne Whittington is now a part of Rick Carlisle’s coaching staff in Indiana.

Coach, front office moves update: Pistons make Williams hiring official, Borrego or Stotts to Bucks bench?

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There are far from settled across the NBA in both the coaching and front office circles, with news still leaking out daily. Here’s an update on things which have come to light in recent days.

• The Detroit Pistons made the hiring of Monty Williams official.

“A week ago, I was not sure what the future would hold,” Williams said in a statement, referencing reports he had planned to take a year away from coaching. “But, after talking with Tom [Gores, team principal owner] and Troy [Weaver, Pistons GM], I was excited hearing their vision for the Pistons going forward. They had a thoughtful plan and I am so appreciative of the emphasis they placed on the personal side of this business. They showed tremendous consideration for me and my family throughout this process.

“They also showed a commitment to success and doing things the right way,” he said. “As we discussed the team and expressed our collective goals, I realized that this would be a great opportunity for me to help a talented young team and build a strong culture here in Detroit. This is obviously a special place with a deep basketball history, and my family and I are looking forward to the opportunity to be a part of this city and organization.”

Williams has a six-year, $78.5 million contract with the team and that reportedly could grow to more than eight years, $100 million if incentives are hit. He was brought in to help build a culture of defense and discipline for a franchise with some nice young players but many questions.

• Kevin Ollie, the former NBA player and UConn coach who was in the mix for the Pistons’ job before Williams was hired, will be on the bench in Brooklyn next season.

• While Adrian Griffin has not officially signed his contract as the new Bucks head coach, he is sitting in on meetings running up to the draft and has essentially started the job, reports Eric Nehm and Shams Charania at The Athletic.

More interestingly, The Athletic reports the Bucks plan to put an experienced, veteran head coach next to the rookie Griffin, and are speaking to former Hornets head coach James Borrego and former Trail Blazers head coach Terry Stotts. Bringing in an experienced staff to put around Griffin is the smart move, with what we saw this season with Joe Mazzulla in Boston as an example of why this is the smart path.

• The Wizards have hired former Hawks head of basketball operations Travis Schlenk to be the right-hand man next to new Wizards president Michael Winger. This is a quality hire. Schlenk was rumored to have questioned Atlanta’s trade for Dejounte Murray to put next to Trae Young — a move ownership wanted — and by mid-season he was pushed out the door. Having Winger and Schlenk in the Washington front office is a lot of brain power, the question remains will they be given true freedom by owner Ted Leonsis to make moves for the long term and not prioritize just making the playoffs? The Wizards have a big offseason coming up with questions about new contracts/extensions for Kyle Kuzma and Kristaps Porzingis.

• Aaron Nelson, the training staff guru hired by the Pelicans away from the Suns in 2019 to help Zion Williamson and others, appears to be out of the mix in a restructured staff, reports Christian Clark at the Times-Picayune. Zion did not have a great relationship with Nelson, but the question is was Nelson the scapegoat for players issues beyond his control? From Clark’s article:

Williamson’s relationship with Nelson became strained during his rookie season. At different points, Williamson refused to work with him…

Brandon Ingram sat out 29 consecutive games with an injury the team described as a left toe contusion. Ingram kicked the back of a Memphis Grizzlies player’s foot in November. Two days after the injury, Pelicans coach Willie Green said Ingram was “day to day.” Days turned into weeks. Weeks turned into months. Ingram did not play again until Jan. 25 — exactly two months after hurting his toe…

Ingram has sometimes seemed unwilling to play through minor discomfort, to the point where some of his teammates have become frustrated with him over the past two years. The Pelicans thought they had solved their player care and performance problem by hiring Nelson. Four years later, Nelson’s time in charge of the department is over.

When the Pelicans have all their stars on the court, this is at the very least, a playoff team in the West and potentially a dangerous one. I’m not going to speculate on the internal dynamics of the Pelicans front office and training team, but after years of injury issues it’s fair to ask if this is a matter of the training staff, or is this on the players themselves?

San Antonio Spurs win NBA Draft Lottery, will be home to Wembanyama

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The San Antonio Spurs have made two No.1 picks in franchise history. First in 1987 when they selected The Admiral David Robinson. Ten years later 1997 they drafted Tim Duncan with the No.1 pick. From there the franchise formed a dynasty that went on to win five championships and make an indelible mark on the NBA.

Now the Spurs could be on top of the NBA for the next decade after winning the 2023 NBA Draft Lottery, and with it the right to draft projected franchise cornerstone player Victor Wembanyama with that top pick.

“This is a player’s league, the players are what drives us all, so I can imagine [how this impacts the franchise],” Peter J. Holt, the Spurs managing partner, said when asked if he could imagine how much this would impact the franchise, reminding everyone they did draft Robinson and Duncan. 

This is also a win for the French star Wembanyama, who goes to a stable organization known for developing talent — and one with a deep connection to France thanks to Spurs legend Tony Parker. Plus, there is no better coach for his first couple of years in the NBA than Gregg Popovich.

Here is how the NBA Draft Lottery shook out.

1. San Antonio Spurs
2. Charlotte Hornets
3. Portland Trail Blazers
4. Houston Rockets
5. Detroit Pistons
6. Orlando Magic
7. Indiana Pacers
8. Washington Wizards
9. Utah Jazz
10. Dallas Mavericks
11. Orlando Magic (via Chicago)
12. Oklahoma City Thunder
13. Toronto Raptors
14. New Orleans Pelicans

Some other notes from how the NBA Draft lottery broke down.

• The Detroit Pistons were the biggest losers of the day, falling as far as they possibly could with the worst regular season record in the league to the No. 5 pick.

• The Charlotte Hornets will pick second, where most teams have either guard Scoot Henderson or wing Brandon Miller next on their boards. With the Hornets already having a dynamic ball handler at the point in LaMelo Ball, will they select Miller and let Henderson slide to Portland (where he would play next to Damian Lillard)?

• Portland may not make that No.3 pick. League sources have told NBC Sports the Trail Blazers want to make a big splash trade to get another star next to Lillard. Packaging the No.3 pick with some of their other young talent such as Shaedon Sharpe and/or Anfernee Simons could land that kind of player.

• Everything from pick No.6 to 14 followed form, which matched how they finished the season.

• The Dallas Mavericks’ late-season tanking was rewarded, nobody leapfrogged them so they get to keep their first-round pick (it was owed to the Knicks but top-10 protected). Don’t be surprised if the Mavericks attempt to trade the pick to bring in more immediate help around Luka Dončić.

• The Chicago Bulls did not jump up into the top four, so their pick at No. 12 belongs to the Orlando Magic (part of the Nikola Vucevic trade).

• Here is what the rest of the first round looks like

15. Atlanta Hawks
16. Utah Jazz (via Minnesota)
17. Los Angeles Lakers
18. Miami Heat
19. Houston Rockets (via Los Angeles Clippers)
20. Golden State Warriors
21. Brooklyn Nets (via Phoenix)
22. Brooklyn Nets
23. Portland Trail Blazers (via New York)
24. Sacramento Kings
25. Memphis Grizzlies
26. Indiana Pacers (via Cleveland)
27. Charlotte Hornets (via Denver)
28. Utah Jazz (via Philadelphia)
29. Indiana Pacers (via Boston)
30. Los Angeles Clippers (via Milwaukee)

• The NBA Draft occurs on June 22 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn.

NBA Draft Lottery odds, what winning could mean for each team

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“10 days before knowing my future team. It’s really a crazy thing”

That was what presumptive No.1 pick Victor Wembanyama Tweeted out 10 days ago. Tuesday night the NBA Draft Lottery will give him his answer, and the fortunes of multiple franchises will be changed forever.

For all the scouting, planning, and development that goes into NBA roster building, sometimes it’s still better to be lucky than good— and this year that luck could set a franchise up for a decade. That is whether they land first and get Wembanyama, second and pick Scoot Henderson, or land farther down the board but get one of a number of players with All-NBA potential but some development work to do.

Here are the lottery odds for all 14 teams involved, and what landing Wembanyama would mean to them.

 
Pistons small icon Detroit Pistons: No.1 14%, top four 52.1%. The Pistons were hoping to compete for a play-in spot last season before Cade Cunningham’s leg injury required surgery and ended his season. This is already a solid young core with former No.1 pick Cunningham plus Jaden Ivey, Jalen Duren, Killian Hayes, Isaiah Stewart — add a top two pick to this roster and the Pistons could be contenders in a handful of years. Even if they end up lower, they will be adding another high level player to a core than can grow into something special.

 
Rockets small icon Houston Rockets: No.1 14%, top four 52.1%. The Rockets are another team about to add a high pick to a young core with potential. A Wembanyama and Alperen Şengün front court could be a force with passing and shooting (for that matter, a Scoot Henderson and Jalen Green pairing would be interesting, that’s a lot of athleticism attacking the rim). Whatever happens in the lottery does not change the Rockets’ plans to use their around $60 million in cap space and win more now, which is going to mean chasing veteran free agents, starting with James Harden.

 
Spurs small icon San Antonio Spurs: No.1 14%, top four 52.1%. Winning the Wembanyama sweepstakes would feel a lot like when the Spurs won the lottery to land Tim Duncan and created a dynasty (or, maybe like when they won and landed David Robinson, which was the true first domino of those dynastic years). There have been whispers that Gregg Popovich would stick around and coach another year or two if the Spurs do land the top pick. San Antonio would roll out a starting lineup with Wembanyama, Keldon Johnson, Devin Vassell and Jeremy Sochan that would be interesting (they wouldn’t win a lot of game that first year, but they would be interesting).

 
Hornets small icon Charlotte Hornets: No.1 12.5%, top four 48.1%. LaMelo Ball with Wembanyama would create arguably the greatest social media/young fan favorite team in the league, and also one that could start winning games quickly as the roster is filled out around them. With the veterans already on this roster (Terry Rozier, the likely untradable Gordon Hayward, P.J. Washington) the Hornets could compete for a play-in spot next season.

 
Blazers small icon Portland Trail Blazers: No.1 10.5%, top four 42.1%. Let’s be positive and not go down the road of Portland’s previous top picks. The Trail Blazers remain intent on making a big trade this summer — not to send Damian Lillard out (like so many fans of other teams seem to expect), but rather to bring another star in next to Lillard to try and win now. Landing Wembanyama would likely mean they trade center Jusuf Nurkic for another quality player and start Wembanyama next to a re-signed Jerami Grant in the front court with Lillard and some added depth on the wing and backcourt. That sounds like a playoff team in year one.

 
Magic small icon Orlando Magic: No.1 9%, top four 37.2%. The Orlando Magic have won the NBA Draft Lottery in consecutive years before, 1992 and 1993, which led to them drafting Shaquille O’Neal and Penny Hardaway. Last year the Magic landed the No.1 pick and selected Paolo Banchero, who went on to win Rookie of the Year. Add Wembanyama to Banchero, Franz Wagner, a now solid point guard in Markelle Fultz plus young stars like Wendell Carter Jr. and this is the best young core in the game (the same might be true if the land the No.2 pick and bring in Scoot Henderson). Also, if he can stay healthy, a frontcourt of Jonathan Isaac and Wembanyama would be a defensive juggernaut.

 
Pacers small icon Indiana Pacers: No.1 6.8%, top four 29.4%. The Pacers would instantly have one of the best and most interesting young cores in the league: Myles Turner at center, Wembanyama at the four (creating a defensive wall up front), with the very good Tyrese Haliburton running the show at the point and a mix of Andrew Nembhard, Bennedict Mathurin and Buddy Hield on the wing. With Rick Carlisle as coach this is a playoff team in year one (they were on their way to that last season until Haliburton got injured) that could build into much, much more.

 
Wizards small icon Washington Wizards: No.1 6.7%, top four 29%. Whoever gets hired as the new GM in Washington would instantly look a lot smarter if Wembanyama is on the roster. If he is, do they re-sign Kristaps Porzingis ($36 million player option) and let coach Wes Unseld play around with a two-big lineup? They likely bring back Kyle Kuzma to create a lineup of a point guard to be named, then Bradley Beal, Kuzma, Wembanyama and Porzingis — that looks like the playoff team ownership wants. If that group can just stay healthy.

 
Jazz small icon Utah Jazz: No.1 4.5%, top four 20.3%. Lauri Markkanen and Wembanyama would instantly create one of the longest, most versatile, and most interesting front courts with Walker Kessler likely at center and those two at the 3/4 in whatever order you wish. While the playoffs would be a year one expectation, there would still need to be a lot of building out of the roster around that front line for the long term. The advantage is Danny Ainge and the Utah front office still have a mountain of draft picks from the Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell trades to use/trade to put all the puzzle pieces together.

 
Mavericks small icon Dallas Mavericks: No.1 3%, top four 13.9%. The bigger concern in the Dallas front office is a team leap frogging them and pushing the Mavericks down to the No.11 pick, in which case the Knicks get their pick as a remnant of the Porzingis trade. Dallas nakedly tanked at the end of the season to get into the top 10. Should they win the lottery things instantly look a lot better for the Mavericks, who will have found their star to go next to Luka Dončić (no matter what happens with the Kyrie Irving free agency). A Dončić and Wembanyama pairing might be the most entertaining duo in the league from Day 1.

 
Bulls small icon Chicago Bulls: No.1 1.8%, top four 8.5%. If the Bulls do not get lucky and land that 8.5% chance to jump into the top four, then this pick goes to the Orlando Magic as part of the Nikola Vucevic trade. If the Bulls do get that lucky and jump to the top spot, they will land the franchise cornerstone player they have not had since Derrick Rose and the thing this roster desperately needs. Considering the size of the Chicago market and the Bulls’ fan base, you know there are a few people in the league office rooting for the Bulls to get lucky.

 
Thunder small icon Oklahoma City Thunder: No.1 1.7%, top four 8%. If the lottery gods smile on OKC they could create an NBA dynasty in the Midwest. The Thunder already have All-NBA First Team guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, secondary shot creator Josh Giddey, promising big man Jalen Williams, Chet Holmgren (who sat out last season injured but was the No.2 pick last year for a reason) — add Wembanyama to that group and the potential is off the charts. Plus GM/president Sam Presti has a truckload of first-round picks in future years to round out the roster.

 
Raptors small icon Toronto Raptors: No.1 1%, top four 4.8%. It’s a crazy longshot, but add Wembanyama (or Henderson) to a roster with the length and athleticism of Scottie Barnes, Pascal Siakam and OG Anunoby, (plus whoever they re-sign from Jakob Poeltl, Fred VanVleet and Gary Trent Jr., all free agents) and you have a playoff team in the short term that could be a real threat in the East in a couple of years. Some new coach is instantly going to look very smart if they win the lottery.

 
Pelicans small icon New Orleans Pelicans: No.1 0.5%, top four 2.4%. It’s a wild longshot but it’s fun to dream of what a Zion Williamson and Wembanyama frontcourt would look like (if it could stay healthy). Pair that with Brandon Ingram, CJ McCollum and Herb Jones and there would be a dangerous and entertaining team in the Big Easy (frankly, there is an entertaining and dangerous team there now if they can just all stay healthy and on the court together for a stretch).

Jaren Jackson Jr., Jrue Holiday headline NBA All-Defensive Teams

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There is a bit of a changing of the guard with the NBA All-Defensive team — half of the 10 players named to the first and second teams are making their inaugural appearance on the team.

Meanwhile, some well-known faces — including the Defensive Player of the Year for each of the last five seasons — are not on the list.

Here are the official NBA All-Defensive Teams, which were announced Tuesday (players’ voting point totals included).

ALL DEFENSIVE FIRST TEAM
G. Jrue Holiday (Bucks), 192
G. Alex Caruso (Bulls), 125
C. Brook Lopez (Bucks), 181
F. Jaren Jackson Jr. (Grizzlies), 195
F. Evan Mobley (Cavaliers), 132

ALL DEFENSIVE SECOND TEAM
G. Derrick White (Celtics), 99
G. Dillon Brooks (Grizzlies), 54
C. Bam Adebayo (Heat), 53
F. Draymond Green (Warriors), 89
F. O.G. Anunoby (Raptors), 81

Others receiving votes: Giannis Antetokounmpo (Bucks) 60, Jaden McDaniels (Timberwolves), 40, Marcus Smart (Celtics) 35, Mikal Bridges (Nets) 33, Nic Clayton (Nets) 25, Jimmy Butler (Heat) 23, Joel Embiid (76ers) 15, Herbert Jones (Pelicans) 15, Anthony Davis (Lakers) 9, Lu Dort (Thunder) 9, Jaylen Brown (Celtics) 4, Matisse Thybulle (Trail Blazers) 4, Anthony Edwards (Timberwolves) 4, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Thunder) 3, Jarrett Allen (Cavaliers) 3, Dejounte Murray (Hawks) 3, Tyrese Haliburton (Pacers) 2, Paul George (Clippers) 2, De'Anthony Melton (76ers) 1, Delon Wright (Wizards) 1, Patrick Beverley (Bulls) 1, Desmond Bane (Grizzlies) 1, Scottie Barnes (Raptors) 1, Kevin Durant (Suns) 1, Aaron Gordon (Nuggets) 1, P.J. Tucker (76ers) 1, Walker Kessler (Jazz) 1.

Here are a few thoughts on the results:

• Marcus Smart, the reigning Defensive Player of the Year, finished fifth in guard voting and did not make the team. If you’re looking for the biggest surprise, that would be it.

• Neither did another DPOY in Antetokounmpo, who finished fifth in forward voting. He had more points than the second team center (Adebayo) or a guard (Brooks), but because the NBA sticks with positions for this award the Greek Freak misses the cut by one.

• Forward was the most challenging position for this award, Jaden McDaniels also deserved a spot on the team, but there could be just four forwards.

• It’s unusual that this year’s Defensive Player of the Year, Jaren Jackson Jr., was not a unanimous First Team choice (three voters had him on the second team, and if there were 100 voters one left him off entirely, although it’s possible only 99 media members voted for this award).

• Making the team means a little extra cash for Holiday and White.

• The five players making their first All-Defensive Team are Mobley, Caruso, White, Anunoby and Brooks.

• The player with the most appearances in this group? Draymond Green, who made his eighth All-Defensive team (four times first team).