Category: NBA News Blog

NBA news blog

Cleveland Cavaliers promote Greg Buckner to associate head coach

The Cleveland Cavaliers have promoted Greg Buckner to associate head coach, Cavaliers Head Coach J.B. Bickerstaff announced today from Cleveland Clinic Courts.

Buckner was hired as an assistant coach with the Cavaliers in September of 2020, after previously working on the staffs of the Memphis Grizzlies (2016-19) and Houston Rockets (2014-16) alongside Bickerstaff. Prior to being elevated to assistant coach with the Rockets, Buckner served three seasons as a player development coach (2011-14). This past season, he was part of a coaching staff that helped guide Cleveland to the NBA’s fifth-best defensive rating (108.9) and doubled their win total from a season ago with a 44-38 record. The Cavaliers also allowed just 105.7 points per game, the fifth-lowest in the NBA, and held teams under 100 points on 26 occasions.

As a player, Buckner was selected with the 53rd overall pick in the 1998 NBA Draft by the Dallas Mavericks, appearing in 570 games over 10 seasons with Dallas, Philadelphia, Denver, Minnesota and Memphis. In 2008, Buckner was traded from Minnesota to Memphis as part of a deal that sent Kevin Love to the Timberwolves.

A standout performer at Clemson University, Buckner became the first Tiger to ever lead his team in scoring over four straight seasons (1994-98) and guided the program to three NCAA Tournament bids. The Hopkinsville, Kentucky native started all 122 games of his career without missing a single contest, setting the school record for consecutive starts. Inducted into the Clemson Athletic Hall of Fame in 2005, Buckner remains the lone Tiger to ever win ACC Rookie of the Year (1994-95). Buckner’s number 21 jersey is one of 11 retired by the Clemson men’s basketball program, which also includes Cavaliers legend Larry Nance.

Memphis Grizzlies sign head coach Taylor Jenkins to contract extension

The Memphis Grizzlies have signed head coach Taylor Jenkins to a multi-year contract extension.

“Taylor has done an outstanding job leading our team and this extension is well-deserved,” said Grizzlies EVP of Basketball Operations and General Manager Zachary Z. Kleiman. “The year-over-year progress under Taylor speaks for itself, but his growth-oriented, selfless and competitive approach has been a driving force in the establishment of a sustainable culture. We have full confidence that Taylor will steer us to Memphis’ first championship.”

Last season, his third season as head coach, Jenkins guided the Grizzlies to a 56-26 record, the second-best record in the NBA and tied for the best single-season record in franchise history. Memphis earned the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference Playoffs, a franchise best, and advanced to the Western Conference Semifinals for the first time since 2015. The Grizzlies also captured the Southwest Division championship during the regular season, the first division title in franchise history.

Per the Memphis Commercial Appeal, “the Grizzlies had the second youngest roster in the NBA and have already taking steps to keeping their core in tact. Jaren Jackson Jr. signed a contract extension in October 2021, and all signs point to Ja Morant joining him in July.

Jenkins finished second in the voting for the 2021-22 NBA Coach of the Year award and received Western Conference Coach of the Month honors for December 2021. The Grizzlies were one of two NBA teams (Phoenix Suns) to rank inside the Top 6 in both offensive rating (114.3) and defensive rating (108.9) during the season, accomplishing the feat with the second-youngest roster in the league.

More from the Commercial Appeal: “Jenkins has brought an up-tempo style of basketball to Memphis with a focus on the defensive tenacity that fans have seen since the Grit and Grind days. The Grizzlies led the NBA in steals, blocks, rebounding and transition points this season.”

Memphis also led the NBA last season in rebounds (49.2), offensive rebounds (14.1), steals (9.8), blocks (6.5), points in the paint (57.6), second chance points (18.7) and fast break points (17.7), setting franchise records in every category except blocks. The Grizzlies became the first team to lead the NBA in rebounds, steals and blocks since steals and blocks became official statistics in 1973-74.

In addition, the Grizzlies won a franchise-record 11 consecutive games from Dec. 26-Jan. 13 and set franchise records for road wins (26), Western Conference wins (36) and Southwest Division wins (11) last season.

Hired as head coach on June 11, 2019, Jenkins has compiled a career regular season record of 128-99 (.564) and has guided Memphis to the NBA Playoffs in each of the last two seasons. The Grizzlies have established a new franchise record for scoring average in each of Jenkins’ three seasons on the sidelines, averaging 115.6 points in 2021-22.

2022-23 Orlando Magic preseason schedule

The Orlando Magic will open the 2022 NBA preseason at Memphis on Monday, October 3. After three road contests, Orlando then hosts its first preseason game at Amway Center on Tuesday, October 11 vs. Memphis. Tip-off is 7 p.m.

Single-game tickets for the 2022 preseason go on sale on Thursday, June 23.

2022 ORLANDO MAGIC PRESEASON GAME SCHEDULE

HOME GAMES AT AMWAY CENTER IN ALL CAPS

Date Opponent Time (ET)

Oct. 3 @ Memphis 8 p.m.

Oct. 6 @ San Antonio 8:30 p.m.

Oct. 7 @ Dallas 8:30 p.m.

Oct. 11 MEMPHIS 7 p.m.

Oct. 14 CLEVELAND 7 p.m.

LeBron James wants an NBA team in Las Vegas

A growing number of people, including many fans as well as those in the business of basketball, would be happy to see a Las Vegas-based NBA team in the future. Well, add LeBron James to that list. Via ESPN.com:

LeBron James, whose net worth was recently valuated north of $1 billion by Forbes, has made it known for years that he plans to own an NBA team when he is finished playing.

Now that vision has a location.

“I want a team in Vegas,” James said in a clip from the latest episode of his talk show, “The Shop,” that will debut Friday. “I want the team in Vegas.”

James, who is already a part-owner of Liverpool FC and the Boston Red Sox, said last season that his “goal is to own an NBA franchise,” adding, “and it will be sooner than later.”

The guess continues to be that if the NBA does add expansion teams again someday, Vegas and Seattle are the favorites to land squads.

The latest on the Utah Jazz coaching search

The Utah Jazz need a new head coach. Here’s the latest on that search from ESPN.com:

The Utah Jazz have received permission to interview several assistant coaches in their search for Quin Snyder’s replacement, sources told ESPN on Tuesday.

The list includes New York Knicks associate head coach Johnnie Bryant, Milwaukee Bucks assistant coach Charles Lee, and Boston Celtics assistant coaches Will Hardy and Joe Mazzulla, sources said.

Utah also intends to interview Jazz assistant coach Alex Jensen and former Portland Trail Blazers head coach Terry Stotts, sources said.

Timberwolves reportedly adding Matt Lloyd to front office

Via the St. Paul Pioneer Press:

Tim Connelly has his first major hire since taking over the Timberwolves’ basketball operations department in place.

Minnesota is set to hire Matt Lloyd as senior vice president of basketball operations, a move first reported by ESPN.

Lloyd has worked for the Orlando Magic since 2012.

Prior to last season, Lloyd was promoted to vice president of basketball operations in Orlando.

The Timberwolves finished last season with a 46-36 record, good for 7th best in the Western conference. They qualified for the playoffs via the league’s play-in tournament, and fell in six games to the Memphis Grizzlies in the first round.

Now official: Lakers hire Darvin Ham as new head coach

The Los Angeles Lakers have signed Darvin Ham to a multi-year contract as head coach, it was announced today by Vice President, Basketball Operations and General Manager Rob Pelinka.

“When someone begins his NBA coaching career at the G League level and goes all the way through playing an integral role on the front bench of an NBA Championship team, it really speaks to a certain strength of character. Our players and fans will immediately identify with Darvin’s no-nonsense and hard-working approach, which we feel will bring toughness and a competitive edge to all we do,” said Pelinka. “When you add that to Darvin’s sophisticated grasp of in-game strategy and deep knowledge of the game of basketball, we have the ideal coach for this next chapter in Lakers history. We could not be more honored and proud to name Darvin Ham as our new head coach.”

Ham, 48, will be the 28th head coach in franchise history and the 24th of the Los Angeles era.

Ham enjoyed an eight-year NBA playing career (1996-98, 1999-2005), suiting up with Detroit, Atlanta, Milwaukee, Washington, Indiana and Denver. He was a member of the 2004 championship team with the Pistons.

Per the Orange County Register, “by now the broad strokes of Ham’s career are familiar to most Lakers fans: Ham was a journeyman player who won a championship with the Detroit Pistons in 2004, followed by a long tenure as an assistant with the Lakers, Atlanta and Milwaukee. He’s coming from the Bucks, with whom he won a championship in 2021 under Mike Budenholzer. Ham’s previous experience with the Lakers – a two-year stint under Mike Brown – mattered in the hiring process. On Friday morning as they officially acknowledged the hire, the Lakers re-shared a 10-year-old Twitter post of Ham working out with Kobe Bryant.”

Per ESPN.com, “Ham will be tasked with turning around a Lakers team that went 33-49 this season and missed the playoffs, leading to Frank Vogel’s firing… The Lakers also interviewed Golden State Warriors assistant Kenny Atkinson, Bucks assistant Charles Lee, Toronto Raptors assistant Adrian Griffin, former Portland Trail Blazers coach Terry Stotts and former Warriors coach and current ESPN broadcaster Mark Jackson, sources told ESPN.”

After his successful playing career, Ham began coaching in 2008 as an assistant coach with the New Mexico Thunderbirds of the NBA Developmental League before taking over as general manager and head coach of the team in 2010. In 2011, Ham joined the Lakers as an assistant coach, spending two seasons with Los Angeles. He would then spend five seasons as an assistant with the Atlanta Hawks (2013-18) and joined the Milwaukee Bucks as an assistant coach in 2018, helping the Bucks to the 2021 NBA Championship.

A native of Saginaw, Michigan, Ham graduated from Texas Tech and played internationally in Spain, the Philippines and Puerto Rico.

Jaylen Brown reportedly signing with Kanye West’s Donda Sports

Some sports marketing news, via ESPN.com:

Boston Celtics star Jaylen Brown said he believes joining up with Kayne West’s marketing firm is the start of a “beautiful collaboration.”

It became public this week that the Celtics forward was the first NBA player to sign with Donda Sports, a fledgling marketing company that is part of West’s larger clothing line. Los Angeles Rams star Aaron Donald recently said he’d joined the firm.

With the NBA Finals set to begin, Donda Sports would be smart to issue a press release on this, sooner rather than later.

Los Angeles Lakers 2022-23 preseason game schedule

The Los Angeles Lakers 2022-23 preseason schedule was announced today.

The Lakers will open preseason on Monday, October 3 in Los Angeles at Crypto.com Arena versus the Sacramento Kings. Los Angeles will then head to Las Vegas for back-to-back games against the Phoenix Suns and Minnesota Timberwolves. The Lakers will play their final three preseason games on a California swing against the Golden State Warriors at Chase Center, at home versus the Minnesota Timberwolves, and on the road at Golden 1 Center versus the Sacramento Kings.

2022-23 LAKERS PRESEASON SCHEDULE
All Times Local

October 3: vs. Sacramento, in Los Angeles at Crypto.com Arena, 7:30 p.m.

October 5: vs. Phoenix, in Las Vegas at T-Mobile Arena, 7:00 p.m.

October 6: vs. Minnesota, in Las Vegas at T-Mobile Arena, 7:00 p.m.

October 9: at Golden State, in San Francisco at Chase Center, TBA

October 12: vs. Minnesota, in Los Angeles at Crypto.com Arena, 7:00 p.m.

October 14: at Sacramento, Sacramento at Golden 1 Center, 7:00 p.m.