Author: Inside Hoops

InsideHoops.com has been a world leader in NBA basketball coverage for over 20 years. Read our blog, but also be sure to read our main website on www.insidehoops.com

Portland G League team hires Hannah Grauert as team President

The Portland G League team, the official NBA G League affiliate of the Portland Trail Blazers, has announced Hannah Grauert as the franchise’s President.

Grauert comes to the role with a ten-year history of working with the Portland Trail Blazers and the NBA, and most recently from roles in event planning and innovation at Nike and Microsoft.

“We are thrilled at Hannah’s return to our organization and are excited to see her lead our G League team in her new role as President,” said Dewayne Hankins, Portland Trail Blazers President of Business Operations. “Hannah’s innovative nature and dedication to our community combined with an expansive knowledge in project and event management are vital as we head into a new chapter of Rip City basketball.”

Grauert joined the Trail Blazers in 2007 as a Ticket Operations Coordinator and in her 10 seasons with the Trail Blazers, she touched almost every aspect of the business, from fan development and community programming to leading the youth basketball program. Grauert managed elaborate consumer-focused events as well as the creation of communication and brand plans to launch the innovative Community Player Ticket Program.

“From the start, Rip City has always held a special place in my heart as I grew up around the Trail Blazers and developed my early career here,” said Hannah Grauert, Portland G League President. “Returning to the excitement of fans and stepping into the role of President is an absolute honor and I look forward to leading this team to success as we enter a new era of development and expand basketball in our Portland community.”

Brooklyn Nets hire Kevin Ollie, Will Weaver, Jay Hernandez and Ronnie Burrell as assistant coaches, Corey Vinson as assistant coach/player development

The Brooklyn Nets have named Kevin Ollie, Will Weaver, Jay Hernandez and Ronnie Burrell as assistant coaches and Corey Vinson as assistant coach/player development. They join assistant coach/director of player development Adam Caporn and assistant coaches Trevor Hendry and Ryan Forehan-Kelly on Head Coach Jacque Vaughn’s staff.

Ollie joins Brooklyn’s staff from Overtime Elite, where he served as head of coaching and basketball development for two seasons (2021-23). Prior to his stint with Overtime Elite, Ollie spent six years (2012-18) as the head coach of the men’s basketball program at the University of Connecticut. After leading UConn to a 20-10 record in his first season at the helm in 2012-13 when the program was ineligible to participate in postseason competition, Ollie directed the Huskies to a 32-8 record in his second season in 2013-14. UConn earned a seven seed in the 2014 NCAA Tournament and became the second-lowest seed to win a national championship when he directed the Huskies to their fourth of five titles in program history. Before he became the head coach at UConn, the Los Angeles native was an assistant coach with the Huskies for two years (2010-12), helping lead the team to a national championship in 2011.

Weaver rejoins the Nets organization after spending two seasons (2016-18) as special assistant to the head coach and one season (2018-19) as the head coach of Brooklyn’s NBA G League affiliate, the Long Island Nets. Weaver led Long Island to a 33-17 regular season record, tied for the best record in the NBA G League, and guided the LI Nets to an Eastern Conference Championship before the team fell short against the Rio Grande Valley Vipers in the NBA G League Finals. Weaver became the first head coach in franchise history to earn NBA G League Coach of the Year honors.

Hernandez joins the Nets after spending the past five seasons (2018-23) with the Charlotte Hornets as assistant coach/director of player development. In addition to his responsibilities with Charlotte, Hernandez led the Hornets’ NBA G League affiliate, the Greensboro Swarm, in the NBA G League bubble in 2021. Hernandez landed in Charlotte after working four seasons (2014-18) as assistant coach/player development with the Orlando Magic.

Burrell joins Brooklyn’s staff after spending the 2022-23 season as head coach of the Nets’ NBA G League affiliate, the Long Island Nets. Burrell led Long Island to a 23-9 overall record in the regular season, tied for the second-best record in the NBA G League. The team finished with the best record in the Eastern Conference and clinched its third playoff berth in franchise history, with Burrell joining Weaver as the only coaches in franchise history to earn NBA G League Coach of the Year honors. He had previously spent two seasons in the Nets organization, first as a player development and video assistant with Brooklyn in 2018-19 and then as an assistant coach with Long Island in 2019-20.

Vinson arrives in Brooklyn after working in the Phoenix Suns organization for three seasons (2020-23). He started with the Suns as assistant video coordinator with player development responsibilities before being promoted to player development coach/video coordinator. He spent his final season in Phoenix as a player development coach.

Warriors forward Draymond Green will reportedly decline his contract option

Via SF Gate:

The first domino has fallen in the Golden State Warriors’ murky offseason: Draymond Green will decline his $27.5 million player option and officially become a free agent, according to a report from NBA insider Shams Charania.

The move does not mean Green’s days as a Warrior are over. The two sides can still work out a new deal that could keep the four-time all-star with Golden State. Green has indicated that he wants to stay with the only professional team he’s ever known, telling reporters in May that he “wants to be a Warrior for the rest of my life.”

On the Kings and upcoming free agency

Via the Sacramento Bee:

All eyes in Sacramento will be on the forward positions as the Kings hurtle closer to the 2023 NBA draft and the start of free agency.

Harrison Barnes is an unrestricted free agent this summer. So is Trey Lyles. Keegan Murray will return after a stellar rookie season, but there’s no telling who will man the other forward spot as Sacramento seeks even greater heights after reaching the playoffs as the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference.

The Kings hold the draft rights to EuroLeague MVP and Olympiacos star Sasha Vezenkov, but they can’t sign him until after Thursday’s draft. The Kings have signaled their intention to bring Vezenkov to Sacramento if they can agree to a contract, but barring a major trade Sacramento will need more reinforcements in the event that Barnes or Lyles are not retained.

Murray and Kessler Edwards are the only forwards the Kings have under contract next season.

New Warriors GM Mike Dunleavy Jr. faces big decisions in draft, free agency

Via the San Jose Mercury News:

Dunleavy and his team will have to take a hard look at the roster and make a plan for where to go from here. Their first major test will be the NBA Draft, where they hold the No. 19 pick.

Other questions facing the Warriors are whether they can retain Draymond Green and find ways to capitalize on Stephen Curry’s prime by bolstering their roster, despite having little flexibility.

The Warriors are handicapped in their current financial situation.

If Green exercises his $27.6 million player option for next season — a decision he has to make by June 29 — the Warriors will be projected to dish out more than $205 million in salaries alone. That’s well above the tax line, and with a repeater penalty also in play, Golden State could be paying a whopping $250 million in luxury tax, according to The Athletic.

Recent NBA player Tony Snell diagnosed with autism

Via Boston.com:

Tony Snell has always “felt different,” but he couldn’t pinpoint why.

When his son, Karter, was diagnosed with autism, the 2022-23 Maine Celtic guard Snell’s mind started racing.

Snell, 31, built up the courage to get tested himself. He wasn’t surprised to learn that he was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder.

“I was just relieved. Like, ‘Oh, this is why I am the way I am,’” Snell told TODAY’s Craig Melvin. “It just made my whole life, everything about my life, make so much sense. It was like a clarity, like, putting some 3-D glasses on.”

Michael Jordan has reached an agreement to sell his majority ownership stake in the Charlotte Hornets

Hornets Sports & Entertainment (HSE) announced today that Chairman Michael Jordan has reached an agreement to sell his majority stake in the Charlotte Hornets to a group (“the Buyer Group”) led by Gabe Plotkin and Rick Schnall.

Plotkin, who acquired a minority stake in the Hornets in 2019, has been an alternate governor on the NBA Board of Governors since 2019 and is the founder and chief investment officer of Tallwoods Capital LLC. Schnall is co-president of Clayton, Dubilier & Rice LLC, where he has worked for 27 years, and has been a significant minority owner of the Atlanta Hawks and an alternate governor on the NBA Board of Governors since 2015. Schnall is in the process of selling his investment in the Hawks, which is expected to be completed in the next several weeks.

The Buyer Group will also include Chris Shumway, Dan Sundheim, Ian Loring, Dyal HomeCourt Partners, North Carolina natives recording artist J. Cole and country music singer-songwriter Eric Church, and several local Charlotte investors, including Amy Levine Dawson and Damian Mills.

As part of the transaction, Jordan will retain a minority ownership share of the team. The transaction is subject to the approval of the NBA Board of Governors. Along with the Hornets, HSE ownership includes the Greensboro Swarm (NBA G League) and Hornets Venom GT (NBA 2K League), as well as managing and operating Spectrum Center, each of which is included as part of the sale.

Grizzlies guard Ja Morant suspended 25 games by the NBA

The NBA announced today that Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant has been suspended 25 games without pay for conduct detrimental to the league.

PER THE LEAGUE:

Morant posed with a firearm in a car during a live-streamed video on May 13, less than two months after he was suspended eight games without pay for the live streaming of a video on March 4 in which he displayed a firearm while in an intoxicated state at a Denver area nightclub.

The league office found that, on May 13, Morant intentionally and prominently displayed a gun while in a car with several other individuals as they were leaving a social gathering in Memphis. Morant wielded the firearm while knowing that he was being recorded and that the recording was being live streamed on Instagram Live, despite having made commitments to the NBA and public statements that he would not repeat the conduct for which he was previously disciplined. On May 16, Morant issued a statement taking full accountability for his actions.

Morant’s suspension begins immediately and will remain in effect through the first 25 games of the 2023-24 NBA regular season for which he is otherwise eligible and able to play. He will also be required to meet certain conditions before he returns to play and will be ineligible to participate in any public league or team activities, including preseason games, during the course of his suspension.

“Ja Morant’s decision to once again wield a firearm on social media is alarming and disconcerting given his similar conduct in March for which he was already suspended eight games,” said NBA Commissioner Adam Silver. “The potential for other young people to emulate Ja’s conduct is particularly concerning. Under these circumstances, we believe a suspension of 25 games is appropriate and makes clear that engaging in reckless and irresponsible behavior with guns will not be tolerated.

“For Ja, basketball needs to take a back seat at this time. Prior to his return to play, he will be required to formulate and fulfill a program with the league that directly addresses the circumstances that led him to repeat this destructive behavior.”

Golden State Warriors promote Mike Dunleavy Jr. to general manager

The Warriors have promoted Mike Dunleavy Jr. to general manager.

Warriors President of Basketball Operations / General Manager Bob Myers previously announced that he will step down from his role effective June 30.

Dunleavy Jr., 42, enters his sixth season in the Warriors front office, serving as vice president, basketball operations for the past two seasons after two years as assistant general manager. He originally joined the front office in 2018-19 as a pro scout following a 15-year playing career in the NBA that included four-plus seasons with the Warriors (2002-07).

Per the San Francisco Chronicle, “now officially anointed, Dunleavy has major moves to make. Trade rumors about Jonathan Kuminga are swirling, the NBA draft is next week, and Draymond Green’s deadline for his player option is June 29. (At his departure press conference, Myers joked that he would help Dunleavy with Green if the need arose.)”

“We think Mike is the perfect fit to lead our basketball operations department,” said Warriors Co-Executive Chairman & CEO Joe Lacob. “He has a wealth of basketball knowledge, stemming from his family upbringing, a 15-year NBA playing career and five seasons serving under Bob Myers in our front office. He’s young and energetic, has established numerous relationships around the league and communicates well with players and coaches—all important traits in this business. Mike’s ready for this challenge and responsibility.”

Dunleavy Jr. was selected by the Warriors with the third overall pick in the 2002 NBA Draft and posted career averages of 11.2 points, 4.3 rebounds and 2.2 assists in 27.7 minutes over 986 regular season games with the Warriors, Indiana Pacers, Milwaukee Bucks, Chicago Bulls, Cleveland Cavaliers and Atlanta Hawks.

Prior to the NBA, Dunleavy Jr. spent three seasons playing under legendary coach Mike Krzyzewski at Duke University, where he was named Second Team All-American as a junior in 2001-02 and helped the Blue Devils to a national title in 2000-01. Duke posted a record of 95-13 (.880) in his three collegiate seasons, with Dunleavy Jr. compiling career averages of 13.2 points, 5.8 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.60 steals in 104 games.

Denver Nuggets 2023 NBA championship parade highlights

Denver Nuggets 2023 NBA championship parade highlights: