Category: NBA News Blog

NBA news blog

Orlando Magic and head coach Steve Clifford agree to part ways

The Orlando Magic and Head Coach Steve Clifford have mutually agreed to part ways, President of Basketball Operations Jeff Weltman announced today.

“We would like to thank Steve for his contributions to the Orlando Magic,” said Weltman. “We appreciate the many sacrifices he has made as our head coach and understand the timeline of our new path does not align with his goals as a head coach in our league.”

Said Clifford, “I would like to thank the DeVos family, Magic leadership and the entire staff, and certainly wish everyone well. It’s been an honor and privilege to coach this team in this community.”

– Via the Magic

Trail Blazers and head coach Terry Stotts agree to part ways

The Portland Trail Blazers and Terry Stotts have mutually agreed to part ways, it was announced today by Neil Olshey, president of basketball operations.

“I have the utmost respect for Terry and what he has accomplished these past nine seasons,” said Olshey. “This was a difficult decision on both a personal and professional level but it’s in the best interest of the franchise to move in another direction. Terry will always hold a special place in the Trail Blazer family and the Portland community. We relied on the integrity, professionalism and consistency he brought to the job every day and we wish he and Jan nothing but the best.”

Stotts completed his ninth season as head coach of the Trail Blazers in 2020-21 after guiding Portland to a 42-30 record and an eighth consecutive postseason appearance.

A 27-year coaching veteran, Portland introduced Stotts as the franchise’s 14th head coach on August 7, 2012. He is the second-winningest coach in franchise history after Jack Ramsay. Overall, Stotts holds a career coaching record of 517- 486 (.515) and a 402-318 (.558) mark with Portland.

“We are all grateful for Terry’s contributions and his nine years with the Trail Blazers,” said Jody Allen, chair of the Trail Blazers. “I appreciate his steadfast dedication to the players, the game, and the broader Portland community. We wish him the best in his future endeavors.”

Jrue Holiday wins 2020-21 NBA Sportsmanship Award

Milwaukee Bucks guard Jrue Holiday has received the Joe Dumars Trophy as the winner of the 2020-21 NBA Sportsmanship Award.

The annual award is designed to honor a player who best represents the ideals of sportsmanship on the court.

Each NBA team nominated one of its players for the NBA Sportsmanship Award. From the list of 30 team nominees, a panel of league executives selected one finalist from each of the NBA’s six divisions. Current NBA players selected the winner from the list of six finalists, with nearly 350 players submitting their votes through confidential balloting conducted by the league office.

In addition to Holiday (Central Division), the finalists were Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo (Southeast), Sacramento Kings forward Harrison Barnes (Pacific), Minnesota Timberwolves guard Josh Okogie (Northwest), Boston Celtics guard Kemba Walker (Atlantic) and San Antonio Spurs guard Derrick White (Southwest).

Holiday received 130 of 343 first-place votes and earned 2,752 total points in balloting of NBA players. Walker, a two-time winner of the NBA Sportsmanship Award, finished in second place with 2,474 points. The six finalists were awarded 11 points for each first-place vote, nine points for each second-place vote, seven points for each third-place vote, five points for each fourth-place vote, three points for each fifth-place vote and one point for each sixth-place vote.

A 12-year NBA veteran, Holiday has won the NBA Sportsmanship Award for the first time. Last season, he won the 2019-20 Twyman-Stokes Teammate of the Year Award in recognition of his selfless play, on- and off-court leadership as a mentor and role model to other NBA players, and commitment and dedication to team.

Holiday, 30, was selected as an NBA All-Star in the 2012-13 season and named to the NBA All-Defensive Team in 2017-18 and 2018-19. This season, he averaged 17.7 points, 6.1 assists and 4.5 rebounds in 59 games for the Bucks, who acquired him from the New Orleans Pelicans as part of a four-team trade on Nov. 24, 2020. Holiday was a co-winner, along with Dallas Mavericks guard Josh Richardson, of the January NBA Cares Community Assist Award presented by Kaiser Permanente in recognition of his efforts to provide support for those impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The NBA Sportsmanship Award is named in honor of Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer Joe Dumars, a six-time NBA All-Star and two-time NBA champion. Dumars played 14 NBA seasons and won the inaugural Sportsmanship Award in the 1995-96 season.

Pistons name John Beilein as senior advisor, player development

The Detroit Pistons on Wednesday, June 2 named John Beilein as senior advisor/player development.

In this role, Beilein will work closely with the team’s coaching staff and development coaches to analyze, implement and execute player skill development programs.

“There is nothing more important to our franchise right now than the growth and development of our players,” said Pistons owner Tom Gores. “Having spent time with John, we all know he is one of the best teachers in the game of basketball at any level. Dwane’s decision and desire to bring him on board underscores our commitment to helping this young Pistons team maximize its potential. John will be a real asset to the organization and we are fortunate to have him join us.”

Beilein spent 12 seasons (2007-19) as head coach at the University of Michigan where he compiled a 278-150 (.650) record with the Wolverines and led them to nine NCAA Tournament appearances including five trips to the Sweet 16, two to the Final Four and National Championship Game appearances in 2013 and 2018. Under Beilein’s leadership, Michigan won two Big Ten regular season and two Big Ten Tournament titles. Following Michigan, he served as head coach of the Cleveland Cavaliers for part of the 2019-20 season.

“John has been one of the best fundamental teachers in the college game for years,” said Dwane Casey, head coach of the Detroit Pistons. “With the age of our core group I wanted to add to our excellent developmental staff. John is a basketball lifer with a passion to help young players get better, especially in the area of shooting. We have an excellent group of young development coaches who have done a good job with our young core. John will add to and enrich the development staff’s quest to get our youth brigade to the next level.”

Overall, Beilein owns an 829-468 (.639) record as a collegiate head coach and recorded 23 seasons with 20-plus wins. He’s finished with a winning record in 35 college seasons and guided his teams to 20 career postseason appearances. Beilein’s other collegiate coaching stops include Erie CC, Nazareth (NY), Le Moyne, Canisius, Richmond and West Virginia.

Brad Stevens replaces Danny Ainge as Celtics’ President of Basketball Operations; team will find new head coach

Danny Ainge – the only Celtic in the team’s 74-year history to win championships both as a player and as a general manager – announced today that he is retiring from his role as President of Basketball Operations.

Brad Stevens, who has served as the team’s head coach for the last eight seasons, has been promoted to the team’s President of Basketball Operations.

Ainge will continue to work with the team on transition planning through the upcoming off-season.

A search for a new head coach will begin immediately.

“Helping guide this organization has been the thrill of a lifetime, and having worked side-by-side with him since he’s been here, I know we couldn’t be in better hands than with Brad guiding the team going forward,” said Ainge. “I’m grateful to ownership, all of my Celtics colleagues, and the best fans in basketball for being part of the journey.”

“Danny has made all the difference over the past 18 years – our record of winning percentage and playoff victories is near the top of the league during that time. He has always been a relentless competitor and a winner. Red Auerbach told us Danny is ‘lucky,’ and he was right, but a lot of the luck came from his intense drive and his incredible basketball insights,” said Wyc Grousbeck, Celtics Co-Owner and Governor. “Turning to Brad is a natural next step, since we have built a partnership over the past eight years, and he is a special basketball mind. We want him to lead us into the next great era of Celtics basketball.”

In his 18 years guiding the team, Ainge’s teams made 15 playoff appearances, seven Eastern Conference Finals, two NBA Finals, and brought the team a championship in 2008, the franchise’s 17th and first in 22 years. Ainge was the first, and to this point, only general manager hired by the current Celtics ownership group, led by Wyc Grousbeck and Steve Pagliuca. Since the 2007-08 season, the Celtics have won more playoff games than any team in the NBA.

“I have loved every day I have worked with Danny and we have really benefited from his relentless pursuit of excellence and high integrity approach to the game. Danny built a team that brought us our 17th championship, and leaves us with a great foundation of talent for us to build upon, including of course bringing Brad Stevens into the organization,” said Steve Pagliuca, Celtics Co-Owner and Alternate Governor. “To replace someone of Danny’s stature, we know we need a great talent evaluator, a great leader, and a great communicator, and Brad possesses all of those qualities in abundance.”

Stevens was hired by Ainge in 2013, and has led the team to a 354-282 record, including seven consecutive playoffs and three Eastern Conference Finals appearances. Stevens joined the Celtics after coaching Butler University where he became the only coach in school history to lead a team to the NCAA Division I national championship game, which he did twice.

“I’m grateful to ownership and to Danny for trusting me with this opportunity,” said Stevens. “I’m excited to tackle this new role, starting with a wide ranging and comprehensive search for our next head coach. I love the Celtics, and know the great honor and responsibility that comes with this job. I will give it everything I have to help us be in position to consistently compete for championships.”

Ainge has overseen dozens of transactions, but his best-known roster moves include the off-season of 2007, which resulted in acquiring future Hall of Famers Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen to join with Celtics cornerstone Paul Pierce and Ainge draft picks Rajon Rondo and Kendrick Perkins. That group played in two NBA Finals in three years from 2008-2010.

In 2013, Ainge rapidly rebuilt the franchise in a series of moves, none more notable than trading Garnett and Pierce in a deal that netted lottery picks that were used to select current Celtics All Stars Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. That was also the summer Ainge and ownership hired Stevens.

Heat shooting guard Duncan Robinson set to enter free agency

Miami Heat shooting guard Duncan Robinson will be a restricted free agent this summer. Will his time on the squad extend to future seasons? Via the Miami Herald:

“Just trying to get all the information possible so I can make the best decision possible,” Robinson said Monday afternoon when asked to look ahead at free agency, as the Heat held exit interviews at AmericanAirlines Arena after it was swept out of the first round of the playoffs. “In terms of the different factors that contribute, all of them do to some extent. First and foremost, the fit. A place where I can really feel comfortable. Winning is obviously a priority for me, as well. Then of course, it’s also a business and there’s an opportunity to make money to take care of the people I love the most. That’s also a priority, as well. Any place that can offer all of those is a destination that I would be excited about.”

The Heat will have the right to match any offer Robinson receives from other teams, assuming Miami extends a qualifying offer as expected. His 2021-22 cap hit for the Heat will be modest (about $4.7 million), but his salary easily could top $15 million per season after playing on a $1.7 million salary this past season…

“Obviously, I’ve had an incredible experience here and love this organization for many different reasons. So yeah, we’ll see,” Robinson said of the Heat. “For the most part, I haven’t really shifted my focus toward that just yet. But the next weeks, months, it will be mostly just about gathering information and trying to make the best decision possible.”

Former Utah Jazz center Mark Eaton has died

A big loss was suffered today. Via the Salt Lake Tribune:

Utah Jazz All-Star and two-time Defensive Player of the Year Mark Eaton has died, the Jazz confirmed to The Salt Lake Tribune on Saturday morning. He was 64.

KUTV reports that Eaton’s death came after he went for a bike ride in Summit County around 8 p.m. MT, and didn’t return home. It is not immediately clear if that was due to a medical episode or some other sort of accident.

From the Utah Jazz: “The Utah Jazz are profoundly saddened at the unexpected passing of Mark Eaton, who was an enduring figure in our franchise history and had a significant impact in the community after his basketball career. Mark played his entire 11-year NBA career with the Jazz and his number was retired as an NBA All-Star and two-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year. His presence continued around the organization as a friend and ambassador while giving back as a businessman and volunteer to his adopted hometown in Utah. We extend our deepest condolences to his wife Teri and their extended family. Mark will be greatly missed by all of us with the Jazz.”

Eaton played his entire NBA career (1982-93) with the Utah Jazz. The 7-4 center out of UCLA was drafted by the Jazz in the fourth round of the 1984 NBA Draft. In his 11 NBA seasons, he appeared in 875 games, totaling 5,216 points, 6,939 rebounds and 3,064 blocked shots (fourth-most in NBA history). He led the league in blocks in 1984, ’85, ’87, and ’88.

Eaton was a two-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year (1985 and 1989), a 1989 NBA All-Star and was named to five All-Defensive teams (three First Team and two Second Team honors). One of the best defensive players in NBA history, Eaton holds the NBA record for most blocks in a season (456) and career average blocked shots per game (3.50).

After Eaton retired from the game in 1993, he only further established himself as a member of the Salt Lake community. Eaton owned two restaurants, Tuscany’s and Franck’s in Holladay. He also became an author and a motivational speaker.

Eaton’s #53 jersey was retired by the Utah Jazz during the 1995-96 season.

Hawks forward/center John Collins wins inaugural Sekou Smith Award

The Atlanta Hawks tonight announced forward/center John Collins as the recipient of the inaugural Sekou Smith Award, which annually honors the player on the team’s roster who best represents themselves and the franchise with professionalism and integrity in their interactions with the media.

Several members of Smith’s family were in attendance at tonight’s game to take part in a pregame presentation. Collins was selected via a vote from a select local media panel.

In addition to the award, the Hawks will name the media workroom at State Farm Arena after Smith, redesigning the space to honor his memory. The Sekou Smith Press Room will formally open to media for the 2021-22 NBA season.

The team will also launch an annual Hawks-NBA Summer League internship in Smith’s name. Each summer, a journalism or multi-media student from a Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) school will be selected to serve as the Hawks’ beat writer for NBA Summer League, and their work will appear on the team’s digital team properties, providing valuable experience and clips. In addition to covering associated travel costs, the Hawks will provide a stipend to the intern. The SWAC is comprised of historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) including Jackson State University, Smith’s alma mater.

Smith served as the AJC’s Hawks beat writer from 2005-09 before joining NBA Digital as a multimedia reporter and analyst. He also spent time at The Clarion-Ledger in Jackson, MS and the Indianapolis Star, where he covered the Indiana Pacers as the team’s beat writer.

Hawks at Knicks Game 5 in MSG has sold out

The New York Knicks today announced that Game 5 of their 2021 NBA playoffs series against the Atlanta Hawks, scheduled for June 2, has sold out.

This follows Game 1, when the Knicks welcomed more than 15,000 fans and Game 2, when they expanded their seating for fully-vaccinated fans and increased capacity to more than 16,000.

Per the Knicks, the two games mark the largest indoor crowds to gather in New York since the start of the pandemic.

Also per the team, “given the enthusiastic response to vaccination requirements, the team also announced that, should they advance past round one, tickets will be sold exclusively to fully-vaccinated individuals.”

“The energy our Knicks fans have brought to the playoffs has been incredible – proving there’s nothing more exciting than Knicks basketball at The Garden,” said David Hopkinson, EVP, MSG Sports and President, Team Business Operations. “It’s moments like this that show us what’s possible if everyone gets vaccinated – we’ll all be able to get back to doing what we love— and that definitely includes being together to cheer on the Knicks at Madison Square Garden.”

More from the team: “During the first round of the playoffs, fully-vaccinated fans are making up more than 90% of those in attendance at The Garden. Following New York State guidelines, fully-vaccinated sections do not require social distancing and individuals do not need to wear masks when seated. Children under the age of 16 are permitted to sit in a vaccinated section if they provide proof of a negative antigen or PCR COVID-19 test, or full vaccination. Unvaccinated children must wear masks while seated in a vaccinated section, except while actively eating or drinking. Non-vaccinated fans have continued to sit in socially distanced seating and maintain mask requirements except while actively eating or drinking. For entry, all fans must present valid proof of either full vaccination or a negative COVID-19 antigen or PCR test, along with an appropriate ID matching their documentation.”

Sacramento Kings basketball staff promotions

The Sacramento Kings announced staff updates within the basketball operations department ahead of the 2021-22 NBA regular season, including the promotions of Paul Johnson to Vice President of Player Development (in addition to his current role as Stockton Kings General Manager), Jonah Herscu to Sacramento Kings Assistant Coach, Rahsaan Gethers to Director of Media Relations, Penny Chatzis to Director of Team Player Development, Robbie Lemons to Director of Basketball Operations and Akachi Okugo to Stockton Kings Assistant Coach.

“Today we are announcing a number of promotions within the Kings basketball operations department,” said Kings General Manager Monte McNair. “Over the course of our first and unique season together, many in the department deserve recognition for their contributions. I am pleased to congratulate Paul, Jonah, Rahsaan, Penny, Robbie and Akachi on their promotions.”

Johnson joined the organization in 2020 as Director of Basketball Operations and General Manager of Sacramento’s G League affiliate Stockton Kings, where he has led Stockton’s front office with involvement in multiple aspects of Kings basketball operations. With more than eight years of experience in the NBA, Johnson served as the Assistant General Manager of the G League’s Oklahoma City Blue prior to his arrival in Sacramento. Additionally, Johnson was Pro Evaluation Coordinator for the Oklahoma City Thunder and a Referee Operations Analyst with the NBA. Johnson played collegiate basketball at La Salle University in the Atlantic 10 Conference where he served as team captain.

Herscu has served as Advance Scout with Sacramento for the past two seasons since joining the Kings in 2019. Previously, Jonah spent three seasons as an advance scout and player development assistant (2018-19) with the Los Angeles Lakers, along with assistant video coordinator (2016-18). Herscu carries 13 seasons of professional experience having worked in the NBA, NBA G League and WNBA as either an assistant coach or video coordinator. Herscu began his career with the Fort Wayne Mad Ants in 2013, and was also an assistant coach for the WNBA’s Chicago Sky. Additionally, he has served in the video department for the Chicago Bulls.

Gethers has served eight seasons with the Kings. He has most recently worked with current Kings Director of Media Relations Alexander Sigua on basketball communications strategies, arranging interviews and attending to media. He has also been responsible for producing all sports information for all games, practices and offseason publications. The Colorado native started as a game night staff member of the Nuggets media department for three seasons, prior to becoming an intern with Denver. Gethers is a 2008 graduate of the University of Arizona.

Chatzis has served four seasons with the Kings, most recently as Executive Assistant to Kings General Manager Monte McNair and as Player Services Administrator. Chatzis supports all areas of basketball administration and proactively manages the day-to-day needs of the Kings front office. Penny has also been responsible for overseeing Player Services and Player Relations, which includes the onboarding of players into the organization, while also assisting with community integration. Chatzis also supports the management of player community appearances.

Lemons has served for five seasons with the Kings, starting his career as Scouting Coordinator and Basketball Operations Coordinator. In a hybrid role, Lemons has provided support to several branches of basketball operations, including the analytics, scouting and strategy departments. Before joining the Kings, Lemons graduated with honors from Stanford University in 2015 with a BA in Economics and a MA in Public Policy. He played on Stanford’s basketball team (2010-14) and was awarded First Team Pac-12 All Academic Selection and the Pac-12 Leadership Award.

Okugo previously served for four seasons in player development with Sacramento and Stockton. Prior to that, he served for two seasons as an assistant player development coach. A graduate of California State University, San Marcos, Okugo was a member of the men’s basketball team and ranks second in school history for three-point field goals made. Okugo also played at Grand Canyon University, and earned First Team All-State of California honors at Yuba City Community College. He received Most Valuable Player honors in the Bay Valley Conference.