Category: NBA News Blog

NBA news blog

Portland G League team names Danny Connors as GM, Pooh Jeter as assistant GM

The Portland G League team has announced Danny Connors has been named General Manager and Eugene “Pooh” Jeter named Assistant General Manager.

Connors becomes the General Manager of the Portland G League team after spending the previous seven seasons with the Trail Blazers organization. He most recently served as the team’s Personnel Analyst since January 2022 where he contributed to the talent evaluation of players at all levels through scouting and analytics. The Yardley, Pennsylvania native joined the team as a Basketball Operations Assistant in 2016 before serving as the team’s High School Scouting Coordinator (2018-21) and Scouting Coordinator (2021-22).

Prior to joining the Trail Blazers, Connors was a graduate assistant for the University of Massachusetts from 2014-16 while earning his Master’s in Sports Management. He also worked as a Basketball Operations Intern for the Philadelphia 76ers in the summer of 2013. Connors holds a degree in Newspaper and Online Journalism from the Newhouse School at Syracuse University, where he worked with former assistant coach Mike Hopkins in an analytics role.

A former standout of the University of Portland, Jeter joins the Portland G League team as the Assistant General Manager after spending the past two seasons with the G League Ignite and averaged 7.4 points (44.2% FG, 44.9% 3-PT, 92.9% FT), 1.6 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 17.3 minutes per game in 28 contests for the Ignite during the 2022-23 season. Jeter spent the 2010-11 NBA season with the Sacramento Kings where he appeared in 62 games and brings a wealth of international experience from a prolific career which includes time in Spain, Israel, China, France, Turkey and the Ukraine.

As a Portland Pilot, Jeter was a three-time All-West Coast Conference point guard (2004-06) and ranks No. 2 all-time in scoring with 1,708 career points. Jeter also ranks fourth in steals (160), three-pointers made (200), free throws made (408) and free throw percentage (.846), while his 346 assists is No. 7 all-time.

Celtics forward Grant Williams undergoes hand surgery

Boston Celtics forward Grant Williams today underwent successful surgery to repair a tear of the radial collateral ligament of the 3rd metacarpo-phalangeal joint on his left hand.

The team says Williams should make a full return to basketball activities in 6-8 weeks.

Per Boston.com, “Williams is a restricted free agent, which means the Celtics can match an offer sheet that Williams could sign with another club. Williams posted career-highs in points (8.1) and minutes (25.9) during the 2022-23 regular season.”

Bucks forward Khris Middleton reportedly had knee surgery after playoffs

Via the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:

Three-time all-star Khris Middleton had a procedure on his right knee shortly after the Milwaukee Bucks’ season ended, league sources told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

He is expected to begin court work in July.

It is the same knee he suffered a torn meniscus in during his junior year at Texas A&M in the fall of 2011, which forced him to miss two months of action and ultimately played a role in falling to Detroit in the second round of the 2012 draft.

Milwaukee Bucks hire Adrian Griffin as their new head coach

The Milwaukee Bucks yesterday hired Adrian Griffin as their new head coach.

Griffin, who becomes the 17th head coach in franchise history, brings 15 seasons of NBA coaching experience to the Bucks, most recently spending the last five seasons as an assistant coach with the Toronto Raptors.

“Adrian is a widely-respected coach and former player, who brings great leadership and experience to our team,” said Bucks general manager Jon Horst. “His championship-level coaching pedigree, character, basketball acumen and ability to connect with and develop players make him the ideal choice to lead our team. He has earned this opportunity.”

“I’m incredibly honored and grateful to Wes, Jamie, Dee, Jimmy and Jon to be named the head coach of the Milwaukee Bucks,” said Griffin. “The Bucks are a championship organization and I’m thrilled to work with an established roster of high character and talented players. I’m excited to be back in Milwaukee and I can’t wait to get started.”

“Adrian is well-regarded throughout the NBA, and we believe that his vast experience working under and playing for successful head coaches makes him the right person to guide our team in competing for championships,” said Bucks co-owners Wes Edens, Jamie Dinan and Dee and Jimmy Haslam. “Following a widespread coaching search, we are extremely impressed by Adrian’s leadership and communication skills and welcome him to the Bucks family.”

Phoenix Suns hire Frank Vogel as their new head coach

The Phoenix Suns have named Frank Vogel as the team’s new head coach.

“We are thrilled to welcome Frank Vogel to the Phoenix Suns as our new head coach,” said Owner Mat Ishbia. “This is an important day for our organization as we continue to build a championship culture on and off the floor. Frank is an accomplished coach who understands how to win an NBA championship, which is our priority. Frank brings incredible character and work ethic, making him the ideal leader to continue to build one of the best organizations in all of sports.”

Per the Arizona Republic, “the 49-year-old Vogel agreed to a five-year, $31-million deal to replace Monty Williams, who was fired after Denver eliminated the Suns in the West semifinals by 25 points in Game 6 in Phoenix.”

“It is an honor to be named head coach of the Phoenix Suns,” said Vogel. “The Suns are a first-class organization, and I am grateful for Mat Ishbia and James Jones to have this opportunity. This is a highly talented team that is committed to winning, and I am excited to get to work.”

“We are excited to announce Frank as our new head coach and I look forward to partnering with him as we elevate our program,” said President of Basketball Operations and General Manager James Jones. “Frank is one of the best coaches in the game, a proven winner and has led some of the league’s toughest defenses over the last decade. He is the right leader and program builder to take our team to the next level.”

Vogel joins the Suns with 11 years of experience as an NBA head coach with the Indiana Pacers, Orlando Magic and Los Angeles Lakers, winning an NBA championship with the Lakers in 2020. In three of his seasons as a head coach, Vogel’s team has led the league in defensive rating and he has five times guided his team to a top-three finish in defensive rating; since he entered the NBA head coaching ranks in 2010-11, no head coach has led the league or ranked in the top three in defense more often than Vogel.

LA Clippers promote Trent Redden to GM, Mark Hughes to Senior VP / Assistant GM

The LA Clippers announced promotions within the team’s front office, with Trent Redden being named General Manager and Mark Hughes being elevated to Senior Vice President/Assistant General Manager.

“For the past six years, Trent and Mark have been trusted evaluators, dependable leaders, and for me, close confidantes. Today, we’re thrilled to reward them,” said Lawrence Frank, Clippers President of Basketball Operations. “A lot of executives have backgrounds in strategy or evaluation. Trent brings expertise and agility in both. Since he joined us, Trent has scoured the globe in search of amateur and pro talent while serving as an integral advisor on every major decision and acquisition we’ve made. He is a respected leader with strong relationships throughout the league, and we’re excited to see him in his new role.”

During Redden’s six seasons as Assistant General Manager, the Clippers have earned four postseason berths, advancing to the Western Conference Finals for the first time in franchise history in 2021. Redden spent the previous 11 years with the Cleveland Cavaliers, winning a NBA championship in 2016. After starting as an intern in Cleveland, Redden rose up the ranks, holding titles of Basketball Operations Manager, Director of College Player Personnel, Assistant General Manager and Senior Vice President of Basketball Operations.

“Mark is a pillar of our organization, with an incredible eye for talent and way with people. He is a natural leader who helps steer our departments and set our trajectory. He will work closely with Trent and take on even more managerial responsibilities.”

Hughes has spent the past six years as Assistant General Manager for the Clippers after 10 seasons with the New York Knicks, where he was a Pro Scout and Director of Player Personnel. A Michigan native, Hughes was head coach of the Grand Rapids Hoops of the CBA, as well as an assistant coach with the Orlando Magic and Sacramento Kings. Hughes played collegiately at the University of Michigan and was co-captain of the team that captured the 1989 NCAA championship. On the professional level, he played for the Detroit Pistons, in addition to overseas stints in France and Italy.

Celtics will reportedly hire Sam Cassell as an assistant coach

Per the Boston Herald:

This summer, the Celtics were hoping to expand their coaching team by hiring an assistant coach with NBA experience. They discovered one just a few days into the off-season.

Sam Cassell, a member of the 2008 Celtics championship squad, will work as an assistant coach for Joe Mazzulla in Boston, according to a story published on Sunday by The Athletic.

Cassell, a three-time champion and 15-year veteran point guard in the NBA, has worked as an assistant coach for the past 14 years, the last nine of which he spent working for Doc Rivers in Philadelphia and Los Angeles.

FULL ARTICLE

Heat win Game 2, tie NBA Finals 1-1 with Nuggets

The Heat tied the NBA Finals and had to overcome a monster 41-point effort from Nikola Jokic to do it. Gabe Vincent scored 23 points, Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo each had 21 and Heat beat the Denver Nuggets 111-108 in Game 2 on Sunday night. “Our guys are competitors,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. “They love these kind of moments.” Evidently. They were down by as many as 15 points, down eight going into the fourth, and those numbers signified they were going to lose. Denver was 11-0 in these playoffs when leading by double digits at any point in a game, and 37-1 this season overall when leading by at least eight going into the fourth. – AP via ESPN.com

The Heat went up 11 early and led 26-23 at the end of the opening period. The Nuggets then went up 15 in the second period before the Heat closed within 57-51 at halftime. The Heat tied it 66-66 midway through the third quarter, but the Nuggets closed out the period on a 6-0 run to take an 83-75 lead into the fourth. – Sun Sentinel

A 3-pointer by Vincent with 10:10 to play then gave the Heat their first lead of the second half, at 86-85, as part of a 15-2 Heat run to open the fourth. “They came out in that fourth quarter with a huge sense of desperation, and we didn’t match that,” the Nuggets’ Malone said. The Heat then moved to their 107-95 lead with 3:39 to play on a Caleb Martin 3-pointer, with Denver trimming the deficit to 109-106 with 1:29 left on a basket by former University of Miami wing Bruce Brown. – Sun Sentinel

Just when you think Jimmy Butler is running on fumes, he summons enough to lift his team late. And Bam Adebayo was superb for the second game in a row. That helped offset 41 points by Nikola Jokic. After scoring a personal playoff-low 14 points in Game 1, Butler was again more of a facilitator than scorer through three quarters, missing all four of his shots in the third to go to the fourth with 13 points on 4-for-13 shooting. But after resting for the first four plus minutes of the fourth quarter, Butler delivered three big baskets — a three-pointer, a three-point play on a driving jumper and foul and a jumper. Butler — who closed with 21 points and 9 assists — has shot 41 percent and averaged 23 points in the past 10 playoff games, compared with 32 points on 55 percent in the first nine games. He shot only 7 for 19 but 5 for 5 on free throws Sunday after not getting to the line in Game 1. And Butler leads the NBA — by far — in clutch points during these playoffs, and he keeps coming through when needed. – Miami Herald

Now, while there will be a lot of discussion about Miami‘s shooting and its unsustainability, the Nuggets did not do themselves any favors in Game 2. Denver’s defensive disposition was poor to start the game. If you kept an eye on this space after Game 1, you’ll remember I complimented Miami’s offensive process despite the team only putting up 93 points. The Heat didn’t radically change their attack Sunday, but they did take advantage of all the open looks Denver gave up. For those who had fears about Nikola Jokic’s ability to hold up defensively in the playoffs, Game 2 gave that group some ammunition. Joker’s drop coverage continued to give up good looks. Bam Adebayo had his second straight 20-point game, and was routinely picking apart the Nuggets on the short roll. While Jimmy Butler could not get going with his own offense, he was able to time and time again collapse the Denver defense and find outside shooters. – SI.com

Rick Adelman wins 2023 Chuck Daly Lifetime Achievement Award from National Basketball Coaches Association

Rick Adelman, a Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Coach, and one of only ten coaches in NBA history to have won more than 1,000 games, is the recipient of the 2023 Chuck Daly Lifetime Achievement Award, the National Basketball Coaches Association announced today.

“Rick Adelman’s NBA coaching career has been highlighted by innovation, integrity, and excellence,” said Indiana Pacers Head Coach and National Basketball Coaches Association President, Rick Carlisle. “His teams always played to their strengths, and Rick always found subtle ways to reinvent NBA basketball to help his players thrive. His quiet, unassuming nature belies his impact as one of the great NBA coaches of all time.”

“I am honored to receive the Chuck Daly Lifetime Achievement Award,” said Rick Adelman. “To be included with the past winners is special. Chuck was a great coach and respected by all those who coached against his teams. To receive an award like this I have to thank all those who helped me along the way, in particular my assistant coaches and front offices. I would also like to thank the players I had through the years. Their effort and cooperation made everything I did possible. Good players make coaching much easier.

“This event makes me think of Michael Goldberg who was a big help to all coaches and especially to me. He was a good friend who I miss. Thanks to the National Basketball Coaches Association, Coach Rick Carlisle, and David Fogel. I also want to thank the Selection Committee for presenting me with this honor. I am grateful to all of those who made this possible, especially my wife Mary Kay and my family. Thank you.”

Rick Adelman coached in the NBA for 29 years, 23 as a Head Coach for five different teams (Portland Trail Blazers, Golden State Warriors, Sacramento Kings, Houston Rockets and Minnesota Timberwolves), amassing a 1,042-749 (.582) career record. He led his teams, known for their free-flowing, read and react motion offenses, to the playoffs sixteen times, to the Conference Finals four times and to the NBA Finals twice.

He played collegiately at Loyola Marymount in Los Angeles and, as a senior in 1967-68, was voted West Coast Athletic Conference Player of the Year. Drafted by the San Diego Rockets in 1968, Adelman played seven seasons in the NBA.

Adelman began his coaching career at Chemeketa Community College in Salem, Oregon in 1977 where he led his teams to a 141-39 record and three conference championships in six years. It was while at Chemeketa in 1983 that he was hired by the legendary Coach Jack Ramsay as an Assistant Coach for the Portland Trail Blazers, a position he held until he was named Head Coach midway through the 1988-89 season.

In his first full season as an NBA Head Coach, 1989-90, Adelman led the Blazers to a 59-23 record, the Western Conference Championship and a trip to the NBA Finals. Two years later the Blazers were once again Western Conference Champions and back in the NBA Finals. Under Adelman, Portland had four straight seasons of 50-plus wins, a record of 291-154 (.684) and were in the playoffs all six seasons.

Adelman coached the Golden State Warriors for the 1995-96 and 1996-97 seasons before assuming the reins in Sacramento in 1998. In eight seasons as Head Coach of the Kings, Adelman had a 395-229 (.683) record, winning 50 games or more in five consecutive seasons and taking the team to the playoffs each year.

In 2007, Adelman was named Head Coach of the Rockets where he led Houston to back-to-back 50-plus win seasons in his first two years and a winning record in all four seasons. Adelman closed out his coaching career with the Minnesota Timberwolves, where his teams improved from 17 to 26 to 31 to 40 wins in his three seasons at the helm.

In 2014, upon his retirement, Adelman ranked ninth all-time in both games coached (1,791) and games won (1,042). Today, he ranks tenth in games won and thirteenth on the all-time playoff wins list with 79. His teams had a total of eleven 50-win seasons and two 60-plus win seasons. Adelman finished runner-up in Coach of the Year voting four times with three different teams (1990-91 with Portland, 2000-01 and 2001-02 with Sacramento and 2008-09 with Houston) and was a three-time All-Star Game Coach.

Adelman was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame as a Coach in 2021. He was inducted into the Loyola Marymount Hall of Fame in 1986 and was named Oregon Sports Person of the Year in both 1990 and 1992. In 2015, the West Coast Conference (formerly the WCAC) inducted him into its Hall of Honor.

“Rick Adelman is widely respected for his teaching, his tough-to-defend motion offenses, and his ability to get players to buy into his philosophy,” said David Fogel, National Basketball Coaches Association Executive Director and General Counsel. “His commitment to the game and his players is reflected in his career accomplishments and makes him a most worthy recipient of this award. Congratulations to Coach Adelman on this prestigious recognition.”

The National Basketball Coaches Association’s Chuck Daly Lifetime Achievement Award honors the memory of Hall of Fame Coach Chuck Daly, who, over an outstanding NBA coaching career, set a standard for integrity, competitive excellence, and tireless promotion of NBA basketball. The award is determined annually by a Selection Committee comprised of some of the most respected coaches and basketball executives in the game, including Bernie Bickerstaff, Billy Cunningham, Joe Dumars, Phil Jackson, Gregg Popovich, Pat Riley, Donnie Walsh and Lenny Wilkens.

Prior recipients are Mike Fratello (2022), Larry Brown (2021), Del Harris (2020), Frank Layden (2019), Doug Moe (2018), Al Attles and Hubie Brown (2017), K.C. Jones and Jerry Sloan (2016), Dick Motta (2015), Bernie Bickerstaff (2014), Bill Fitch (2013), Pat Riley (2012), Lenny Wilkens (2011), Jack Ramsay and Tex Winter (2010), and Tommy Heinsohn (2009).

Detroit Pistons hire Monty Williams as their new head coach

The Detroit Pistons have announced Monty Williams as their new head coach.

Williams, who will be formally introduced at a news conference in Detroit next week, has already initiated the transition and begun scheduling player meetings and staff development.

“I couldn’t be more proud to have Monty joining us at this important time to lead us into the next decade of our future,” said Pistons owner Tom Gores. “He embodies all of the qualities we want in a leader for our Pistons franchise, and most importantly a teacher and mentor for our players. He will have an impact on every aspect of our franchise, on and off the court.

“After spending some time with Monty, it’s clear that he’s found a unique balance between achieving victory at the highest level while at the same time nurturing a culture of growth, development and inspiration,” Gores said. “I’m beyond excited. This is a huge win for us.”

Regarding salary and contract info, here’s the Detroit Free Press:

The Pistons did not announce the terms of Williams’ contract, but the Free Press learned from a team source that it is the richest in NBA history for a coach, worth $78.5 million guaranteed over six seasons. But there is more.

There are team options for a seventh and eighth season, and added incentives that could push the total value of the contract above $100 million. The base salary for the first six years averages out to $12 million per year ($72 million), and there’s additional guaranteed money tied to the seventh season, whether he returns or not, that brings the total guaranteed to $78.5 million. If the Pistons pick up his seventh-year option, his contract will cross $90 million.

Williams agreed to terms after a whirlwind series of discussions with Gores, Pistons General Manager Troy Weaver and other Pistons executives that began over Memorial Day Weekend and culminated on Thursday with a signed agreement.

“A week ago, I was not sure what the future would hold,” Williams said. “But, after talking with Tom and Troy, 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.”