Category: NBA News Blog

NBA news blog

Heat reportedly may pursue Jerami Grant this offseason

A role player who will likely receive increased attention in free agency this NBA offseason is Nuggets forward Jerami Grant. Here’s the Miami Herald reporting that the Heat may choose to pursue him:

Add Jerami Grant to the list of players expected to interest the Heat this offseason. Grant is expected to opt out of his $9.3 million player option with Denver, but it would be a coup if Miami could land him with its $9.3 million mid-level exception.

Grant, a 6-8 swing forward, averaged 12.0 points, 3.5 rebounds and 26 minutes and shot 38.9 percent on threes in 71 regular season games, including 24 starts. He averaged 11.6 points during Denver’s postseason run, starting 16 games and coming off the bench in three others.

Detroit, Dallas and Phoenix reportedly are expected to have interest.

Grant is 26 years old, so this is a pivotal time in his career as he continues to grow as a player were he to change teams and enter a new situation.

Indiana Pacers hire Nate Bjorkgren as head coach

The Indiana Pacers have hired Nate Bjorkgren as their new head coach.

Bjorkgren (pronounced BEE-ork-gren) served as assistant coach of the Toronto Raptors during the past two seasons (2018-20), and helped the Raptors win their first NBA championship during the 2018-19 season. He also served as player development coordinator and assistant coach of the Phoenix Suns for two seasons from 2015-17 before joining the Raptors as an advance scout during the 2017-18 season.

Per the Indianapolis Star, “Bjorkgren replaces Nate McMillan, who was fired after four seasons in charge and three first-round sweeps.”

“We are very pleased and excited to have Nate as our new coach,” said President of Basketball Operations Kevin Pritchard. “This was an extensive and thorough search, and when we reached the conclusion, we felt strongly Nate is the right coach for us at the right time. He comes from a winning background, has experienced championship success, is innovative and his communication skills along with his positivity are tremendous. We all look forward to a long, successful partnership in helping the Pacers move forward.”

Prior to his tenure as an NBA assistant, Bjorkgren served as a head coach in the NBA G League for four seasons and compiled a 126-74 record (.630) with the Bakersfield Jam (2014-15), Iowa Energy (2013-14), Santa Cruz Warriors (2012-13) and Dakota Wizards (2011-12). He served as an assistant coach under current Raptors head coach Nick Nurse for Iowa from 2007-11 and helped the Energy win the 2010-11 NBA G League championship.

“I am honored to take on the role as head coach of the Indiana Pacers,” said Bjorkgren. “This is something I have prepared for during my career. I want to thank Kevin, Chad (Buchanan), Kelly (Krauskopf), Larry Bird, Donnie Walsh and Herb and Steve Simon for this opportunity. I also want to thank Nick Nurse for giving me my first professional coaching job 14 years ago.

“I’m looking forward to working with this great team to achieve our goal as NBA champions.”

Bjorkgren is a native of Storm Lake, Iowa. He played basketball collegiately at the University of South Dakota and Buena Vista University in Iowa.

Kobe Bryant honored with display at Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture

Honors for the late Kobe Bryant will continue to roll out for a long time. The latest comes by way of Washington, D.C. Here’s the Los Angeles Times:

For the transformative effect he had on the sport of basketball and on American culture more broadly, the late Kobe Bryant will be remembered with a new display at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington.

The display — featuring a Lakers jersey that Bryant wore during the 2008 NBA Finals — was installed in the museum on the National Mall last week and will be revealed to the public for the first time Monday, said Damion Thomas, the museum’s sports curator.

“We wanted to be able to share his impact,” Thomas said. “It really is about the cultural significance of basketball as an expression of the African American fight for greater rights.”

The display, which also features other jerseys and basketball items of historic significance, further cements Bryant’s presence at the museum, which already featured his image in its Sports Gallery. Bryant and his wife, Vanessa, also helped to build the museum with a $1-million donation from their foundation.

NBA scout Brent ‘BJ’ Johnson dies in bike accident

There was a tragic accident Thursday that took the life of one of the most popular scouts in the NBA. Per the Houston Chronicle:

Longtime Rockets personnel scout Brent “B.J.” Johnson, a well-known and popular fixture throughout basketball, died Thursday evening following a bicycle accident in Houston. Johnson was 65.

“He was riding his bike and hit a culvert,” Johnson’s wife Claudette said. “There was construction. They are thinking he fell forward and broke his neck because there was no blood.”

Johnson was one of the longest-tenured members of the Rockets organization.

Everyone who knew Johnson has very kind words about him. He’ll be greatly missed.

Utah Jazz add Sergi Oliva to coaching staff

The Utah Jazz added Sergi Oliva to their coaching staff today.

Oliva joins the Jazz after spending the past six seasons with the Philadelphia 76ers, most recently as Vice President of Strategy.

A native of Gelida, Catalonia, he first joined the 76ers in 2014 as a Basketball Operations Analyst after he’d earned multiple degrees from Polytechnic University of Catalonia, including a PhD in Computational Complexity and both master’s and bachelor’s degrees in Computer Science.

Oliva spent 12 years previously as a head coach at the youth and senior amateur levels in Catalonia. He is also a regular collaborator of the Catalan Basketball Federation (FCBQ), particularly as a lecturer in their coaching certification courses.

Daryl Morey, Houston Rockets parting ways

The Houston Rockets will be in search of a new general manager. Statements from the team:

Daryl Morey: “After returning from Orlando and reflecting on what has been an amazing 14 years with the Houston Rockets, and after discussing my thoughts with family and close friends, I’ve decided I’ll be stepping away from the Rockets organization effective November 1st. Tilman and I have had many conversations since I returned, and his unwavering support and counsel during our time together has been critical to our success. It has been the most gratifying experience of my professional life to lead the Rockets basketball organization, and I look forward to working with Tilman and the management team on the transition. I am very confident that the future – for the Rockets, and for our incredible fans – is in great hands, and that the Rockets will continue to perform at the highest level.”

Rockets Owner Tilman J. Fertitta: “On behalf of the entire Rockets organization, I would like to thank Daryl Morey for his hard work and dedication over the past 14 seasons. Daryl is a brilliant innovator who helped the Rockets become a perennial contender. I have truly enjoyed working with Daryl and couldn’t have asked for a better general manager to have at the start of my ownership. I wish him and his family all the best.”

Sixers will reportedly add Dave Joerger to their coaching staff

NBA coaching news is coming out fast and furious today. Here’s Philly Voice with some Sixers news:

Dave Joerger will join Doc Rivers’ staff as an assistant coach for the Sixers, a team source confirmed on Thursday afternoon. ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski was the first to report the news.

At 46, Joerger already has an abundance of coaching experience under his belt. Fresh out of college, he took a GM job with the Dakota Wizards that eventually led to a prolific minor league basketball run. Joerger won five championships in the minor leagues and had 18 different players called up to the NBA during a four year stretch from 2003-2007.

Rivers has a big job ahead of him, in trying to maximize the Sixers’ talent. Seeing which assistants he adds is of interest. The Sixers are one of the only playoff teams in the league that on the one hand certainly look like they should be a playoff team again in 2020-21, but on the other can definitely use some changes, either in the form of roster moves or coaching decisions that shake up the current structure.

Clippers will reportedly name Tyronn Lue new head coach

The Clippers were one of the best teams in the NBA this past regular season, but fell short in the playoffs, getting sent home in the second round. Head coach Doc Rivers, well-respected a good coach but doubted as a great one, was soon out of a job. And now the Clippers have quickly found a replacement, per reports. Here’s the OC Register with the latest:

After a couple of weeks of careful consideration, the Clippers on Thursday closed the deal with former assistant Tyronn Lue to replace his former boss Doc Rivers as the team’s head coach, as reported by ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski and confirmed by a league source. Wojnarowski reported Lue agreed to a five-year contract.

Lue’s coaching staff reportedly will include five-time All-Star Chauncy Billups and former NBA head coach Larry Drew, according to the Athletic’s Shams Charania.

Lue, a 43-year-old native Missourian, who played point guard for 11 NBA seasons, this past year served as an assistant under Rivers after spending parts of four seasons as the head coach in Cleveland, where he directed LeBron James-led teams to an NBA title and two other Finals appearances.

The Clippers should be one of the league’s best teams again next season. This is a great opportunity, and a coveted job. Congrats to Lue for reportedly landing it.

Chauncey Billups will reportedly become a coach, either with Clippers or Pacers

Chauncey Billups will be moving from the broadcast booth to NBA coaching sidelines. The only question is on which team he’ll be a part of. Here’s the Indianapolis Star with the latest:

Chauncey Billups accepted an assistant coach position with the L.A. Clippers on Thursday, but that doesn’t take him out of the running to be head coach of the Indiana Pacers.

A league source with direct knowledge of the situation told IndyStar that Billups, who has been a TV analyst for the Clippers, will join them on the bench “if he doesn’t get the Indy job.” He’s still a candidate to replace Nate McMillan, who was fired in August after a first-round playoff exit.

Since the Lakers won the 2020 NBA championship last week, the latest NBA news has been all about coaching jobs.

New Raptors uniforms revealed for 2020-21 NBA season

The Toronto Raptors have unveiled three of the five uniforms the team will wear in the 2020-21 NBA season.

The now-familiar “north” pointing chevron remains a key element of the latest editions – it was first introduced on the jersey side panel in 2015-16 as part of the team’s rebrand.

The new Association and Icon Edition jerseys – white and red – both feature a chevron across the chest.

The new uniforms are reminiscent of the red Earned Edition jerseys worn for much of the 2019 postseason season and which the team sported on court the evening they captured the franchise’s first NBA Championship.

“Uniforms do matter to players. Our team made the choice to wear the Earned jerseys during the 2019 Finals, for example,” Raptors President Masai Ujiri said. “We want to give our players – and our fans – jerseys they’re proud to wear not just because they say Raptors on the front, not just because they’re a symbol of our city and country, but because they also look great. I think that’s what we’ve achieved with these.”

The Statement Edition jersey – black with red accents – tips the hat to the Raptors’ original “dinosaur” uniforms by running dark grey jagged pinstripes through the design. It will also be the only one of the five uniforms that has the Jordan Brand Jumpman logo on the right shoulder, replacing the Nike swoosh.

The concept was a collaborative effort between MLSE’s in-house design team and Nike. The new threads are comprised of recycled PET bottles, a combination of Alpha Yarns and recycled polyester. Each uniform represents approximately 20 recycled bottles.

“As we began to think about the decade ahead, we aimed to create uniforms that not only reflected our franchise’s historic accomplishment in 2019 but also inspired the pursuit of our next championship,” MLSE Chief Marketing Officer Shannon Hosford said. “Our goal was to continue to evolve our ‘We The North’ Raptors brand identity highlighting our key chevron design, which is synonymous with the North and our championship, while also providing our fans with some added swagger while they show their support.”

The NBA and Nike eliminated traditional “home” and “road” uniform designations prior to the 2017-18 season and created four core uniforms for each team classified as “editions” – Association, Icon, Statement and City. Home teams pick which of their uniforms will be worn at all home games and visiting teams choose a contrasting uniform within their own assortment.

Prior to the 2018-19 campaign, the NBA and Nike added the Earned Edition uniform as a fifth option for all 16 teams that made the playoffs from the previous season. The uniforms are colour variations of each team’s Statement or City Edition jerseys.