Category: NBA Teams

NBA teams blog

Dallas Mavericks name Nico Harrison new general manager

The Dallas Mavericks have named Nico Harrison as the team’s general manager.

“We are very excited to bring Nico Harrison to Dallas and have him join our organization,” said Mark Cuban. “Nico brings a wealth of basketball knowledge along with both executive and leadership skills. He has proven to have a unique eye for talent on and off the court. I’m looking forward to watching Nico lead the Mavs to new heights.”

Harrison joins the Mavericks after spending the last 19 years at Nike, where he most recently held the title of vice president of North America basketball operations. In his role, Harrison supervised Nike’s basketball brand managers and worked closely with many of the brand’s star players, including Hall of Famers Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan.

“It’s a true honor to be the general manager of the Mavericks; an iconic franchise with a rich history not only within the NBA, but across sports,” said Harrison. “I’m grateful for this rare opportunity and want to thank Mark and the rest of the organization for putting their trust in me to move the team to the next level.”

Prior to joining Nike in 2002, Harrison played professional basketball in Belgium for over seven years.

Harrison spent his final three college seasons at Montana State University after transferring from Army West Point. He was a three-time, first team All-Big Sky selection and eclipsed 1,000 points in his three years at MSU. As a senior in 1995-96, Harrison led the Bobcats to a berth in the NCAA Tournament.

The Spokane, Washington, native was also named an Academic All-American and a two-time winner of the Arthur Ashe Jr. Scholar-Athlete Award during his career at MSU. He was inducted into the Bobcat Athletics Hall of Fame in 2015.

Dallas Mavericks name Jason Kidd new head coach

The Dallas Mavericks have named Jason Kidd the franchise’s 10th head coach.

Kidd, who was inducted to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2018, begins his third stint in Dallas after spending eight of his 19 seasons as a player with the team and helping the Mavericks to the 2011 NBA title.

Kidd joins the Mavericks after most recently serving two seasons as an assistant coach with the Los Angeles Lakers, where he was part of the franchise’s 2020 NBA championship season.

“We are excited to welcome J-Kidd and his family back to Dallas,” Mavericks owner Mark Cuban said. “He possesses a winning mentality that carried him through a Hall of Fame career as a player and has helped him successfully transition to the NBA’s coaching ranks. We are eager for him to get to work and lead our franchise and talented young players into the future.”

Kidd’s coaching career began in 2013 when he helmed the Brooklyn Nets for one season. He is the third person since the NBA-ABA merger (1976) to become a head coach in the season after he retired as a player. As a rookie head coach, Kidd earned a pair of Eastern Conference Coach of the Month awards (January and March), leading the Nets to 44-38 record and an appearance in the Eastern Conference Semifinals.

On July 1, 2014, Kidd became the head coach of the Milwaukee Bucks in a transaction that sent two second round draft picks to Brooklyn (2015, 2019). He became the first coach in NBA history to lead two teams to the postseason in his first two seasons after helping the Bucks to a 41-41 record and improving on their 15-win season from a year earlier. Kidd finished third in NBA Coach of the Year voting following the 2014-15 season.

In three-plus seasons with Milwaukee, Kidd amassed a 139-152 record and appeared in the playoffs twice before parting ways with the franchise midway through the 2017-18 season.

“Dallas has meant so much to me as a player and I want to thank Mark Cuban for the opportunity to return as a head coach,” Kidd said. “I am excited to get to work with this young, hungry and incredibly talented team and to continue to build a winning legacy for the Mavericks organization.”

Kidd was drafted second overall by the Mavericks in 1994 NBA Draft and spent two-and-a-half seasons in Dallas before being traded to Phoenix during the 1996-97 campaign. He shared Rookie of the Year honors with Grant Hill after averaging 11.7 points, 5.4 rebounds and 7.7 assists in his first season.

Kidd returned to Dallas from New Jersey in an eight-player trade in February 2008. Following the trade, Kidd teamed up with former Mavericks superstar Dirk Nowitzki and together they led the Mavericks to the 2011 NBA title, defeating Miami 4-2 to bring the Larry O’Brien Trophy to DFW.

The 10-time NBA All-Star averaged 12.6 points, 6.3 rebounds, 8.7 assists and 1.9 steals in 1,391 games (1,350 starts) with Dallas, Phoenix, New Jersey and New York. In 500 games with Dallas (all starts), he averaged 10.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, 8.4 assists 1.9 steals and 34.6 minutes. Kidd’s 12,091 career assists and 2,684 career steals are the second-most in NBA history behind John Stockton. His 107 career triple-doubles represent the fourth-most in NBA history.

Kidd played two seasons at the University of California. The Oakland, California, native led the Golden Bears to consecutive appearances in the NCAA Tournament and, as a sophomore, was an All-American and the Pac-10 Player of the Year. He also won two Olympic gold medals as a member of Team USA (2000, 2008).

Trail Blazers name Chauncey Billups new head coach

The Portland Trail Blazers have named Chauncey Billups as the team’s head coach, it was announced today by president of basketball operations Neil Olshey. Billups becomes the 15th head coach to lead the Trail Blazers.

“Chauncey is a proven leader with an elite basketball IQ that has won everywhere he has been,” said Olshey. “He is prepared for the challenge of developing the Championship habits and strategic approach we need to achieve the expectations and goals for our franchise.”

Billups joins the Trail Blazers after spending the 2020-21 season as an assistant coach with the Los Angeles Clippers. As a part of head coach Tyronn Lue’s staff, Billups helped coach the Clippers to a regular season record of 47-25 (.653) and a playoff run that currently has the Clippers in the Western Conference Finals. Billups is a proven leader, a mentor with the ability to grow and develop players and has a knowledge of the game that is unparalleled.

“I’m very excited and humbled to be the next coach of the Trail Blazers,” said Billups. “Portland is a special place and a unique franchise. As a player I always loved playing here because the passion and knowledge of the fans brought out the very best in me as a competitor. Now I’m looking forward to being on the other side of that energy and engaging with the Portland community on a whole other level.”

“I want to thank Jody Allen, Bert Kolde and Neil Olshey for their trust and for giving me this incredible opportunity,” continued Billups. “And, most importantly, I want to say to the fans that I know what this team means to you, and I promise to pour every ounce into continuing to make you proud of what the Trail Blazers stand for.”

Billups, 44, played 17 seasons in the NBA for Boston, Toronto, Denver, Minnesota, Detroit, New York and the Clippers. In 2004 he was named the NBA Finals MVP after leading Detroit to an NBA Championship. A five-time All-Star, Billups was named All-NBA Second Team in 2006 and All-NBA Third Team in 2007 and 2009. He also received NBA All-Defensive Second Team honors in 2005 and 2006. In addition to his playing accolades, Billups was awarded the J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award in 2008, the NBA Sportsmanship Award in 2009, and the inaugural Twyman-Stokes Teammate of the Year Award in 2013. Billups’ No. 1 jersey was retired by the Pistons in 2016. For his career, Billups averaged 15.2 points, 2.9 rebounds and 5.4 assists in 1,043 games.

“Chauncey is a proven and consistent winner with NBA championship experience as an All-NBA player,” said Jody Allen, Portland Trail Blazers Chair. “He has demonstrated throughout his career, first as a player, and currently as an Assistant Coach a unique ability to lead. We are very happy to welcome him to Portland.”

Boston Celtics name Ime Udoka new head coach

The Boston Celtics have named seven-year NBA veteran Ime Udoka the franchise’s next head coach, making him the 18th head coach in the organization’s 75-year history.

“I would like to welcome Ime, Nia, Kez, and Massai to the Boston Celtics. Among the many outstanding qualities that Ime brings to the table are his character, humility, and competitiveness. He has a relentless work ethic and a vast array of experiences as a player and coach,” said Celtics President of Basketball Operations Brad Stevens. “He’s a leader that is warm and demanding, and we are so excited that he has chosen to join us in pursuit of Banner 18.”

Udoka joins the Celtics franchise after spending the last nine NBA seasons as an assistant coach between San Antonio (2012-13 to 2018-19), Philadelphia (2019-20), and Brooklyn (2020-21). Teams that Udoka has served as an assistant coach on have qualified for the playoffs in all nine seasons, with one of those years resulting in an NBA championship (Spurs, 2014).

In addition to his coaching experience in the NBA, Udoka was also an assistant coach for Gregg Popovich and the USA Basketball Men’s National Team in 2018.

“It’s an honor to be a part of the historic Celtics franchise. Coaching this talented roster and working alongside Brad makes it an ideal situation,” said Udoka. “I’d like to thank Wyc, Steve, and Brad for entrusting me with this opportunity. I look forward to getting started right away.”

Udoka played 12 years of professional basketball, including seven seasons in the NBA from 2003-04 to 2010-11. He averaged 5.2 points on 41.7% shooting (35.6% 3-PT), 2.9 rebounds, 1.0 assist and 18.1 minutes in 316 career games with San Antonio, Portland, Sacramento, New York, and the Los Angeles Lakers. Udoka also represented Nigeria in international competition throughout his playing career, earning bronze medals in 2005 and 2011 at the African Championships.

“Ime stands out as a person of integrity, accomplishment, energy, and insight,” said Celtics Co-Owner and Governor Wyc Grousbeck. “He has worked with some of the best and is ready to take the next step forward. I look forward to having him as our head coach.”

“Ime’s passion for basketball and coaching is extraordinary,” said Celtics Co-Owner and Alternate Governor Steve Pagliuca. “He is respected by players and coaches throughout the league for his empathy, humility, and deep knowledge of the game. We are thrilled that he will be coming to Boston to lead our team.”

A native of Portland, OR, Udoka, 43, began his collegiate career at Utah State University Eastern (1995-97) before transferring to the University of San Francisco (1997-98) and finishing up at Portland State (1999-00).

Should the Heat pursue Spencer Dinwiddie in free agency?

Here’s the Sun Sentinel answering one of their reader’s questions, on if Nets free agent guard Spencer Dinwiddie would be a good addition to the Miami Heat:

I believe he would be an excellent fit . . . if fully healthy. Among the reasons Spencer Dinwiddie might fall to the Heat’s price point in free agency would be the fact that he is coming back from a partially torn ACL. Still, he is confident enough to the point that he elected to bypass his $12.3 million player option from the Nets. For the Heat, the question becomes whether they can afford another risk on a player with such a recent injury, after coming up short in their move with Victor Oladipo. At least with Oladipo, the Heat have the direct medical reports. When signing an outside player, it’s even riskier. But yes, Spencer can play on the ball and off the ball, which helps in the Heat’s system with Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo. And at 6-5, there is decent size, as well. But if Dinwiddie, then no Kyle Lowry. So it also could come down to how that sits with Butler, or if Kyle will opt to sign elsewhere. Basically, Spencer could be one of many moving parts for the Heat this offseason, including potentially in a sign-and-trade.

Celtics set to announce their new head coach

Here’s the Boston Herald on the next head coach of the Boston Celtics:

The Celtics will introduce Ime Udoka on Monday as the 18th head coach in franchise history — thus far they’ve had one coach for every title — and perhaps the former Brooklyn assistant’s greatest initial advantage is one of familiarity.

Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown and Marcus Smart, who were all reportedly consulted on the choice by Brad Stevens, got to know Udoka during the 2019 World Cup, where the 43-year-old coach served on the support staff of his former mentor, Gregg Popovich.

It’s hardly a coincidence that Udoka emerged from his time as a Spur, including twice as a player and then an assistant coach, with a reputation for defensive strategy.

When the Nets confounded the Celtics in this year’s first round by blanketing Tatum with a defensive swarm while also cutting off his passing lanes, Udoka was the architect. Even the Nets’ staunchest supporters reasoned that the star-studded roster was good enough scoring the ball that playing defense would be a minor consideration on the way to the title.

Suns now one win away from reaching the 2021 NBA Finals

The Phoenix Suns are now one win away from reaching the 2021 NBA Final. Here’s Arizona Sports on it:

The Suns survived a game from the Dark Ages, from a bygone era when defenses ruled the earth. Rarely have style points mattered less.

They fought their emotions. They haggled with referees. They scored 84 points in a playoff game and somehow awaken on the doorstep of the NBA Finals.

Their victory in Game 4 of the Western Conference Finals was a masterpiece of winning ugly. No apologies necessary.

“That was a slugfest,” Suns head coach Monty Williams said. “That’s what playoff basketball is all about.”

What a bizarre triumph. What a strange game. Devin Booker ditched his mask after missing a layup. Chris Paul lost a shoe. Abdel Nader took Torrey Craig’s minutes, playing for the first time since mid-March. The two teams combined to miss 111 shots. They played four full minutes in the fourth quarter where neither team made a field goal.

It remains unclear when Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard may return to action. At this point, there is no reason to think it’ll be for tomorrow’s Game 5.

A look how how the Miami Heat use their G League affiliate team

Here’s the Sun Sentinel on how the Miami Heat have made use of their G League affiliate squad, the Sioux Falls Skyforce:

The Heat have taken a mixed approach with their two two-way slots since the inception of the program in 2017-18, sometimes with an eye toward added depth to the NBA roster, other times for full developmental-league immersion.

The Heat in 2017-18 opened with Matt Williams Jr. and Derrick Walton Jr. as their two-way players, before replacing Williams in that role with Derrick Jones Jr.

In 2018-19, the Heat’s two-way players were Duncan Robinson and Yante Maten.

In 2019-20, when the G League shut down for the season in March due to the pandemic, the Heat opened the season with Daryl Macon and Chris Silva as their two-way players, before moving on to Gabe Vincent and Kyle Alexander.

This past season, Vincent and Max Strus held the team’s two-way slots.

On the Nuggets the night they were eliminated from playoffs

Here’s the Denver Post on a scene after the Nuggets were escorted out of the playoffs:

On the sad night the Nuggets were swept from the NBA Playoffs, center Nikola Jokic and coach Michael Malone sat down together and poured out a beer to kill the pain.

“We wind up hanging out for like two hours after that game. Talking about the season, talking about the summer, talking about his horses, talking about everything,” Malone recalled Friday. With the gratitude of a coach blessed with a good gig, he described a conversation with the league MVP and his boss in the wake of a 125-118 home loss to Phoenix that ended a ballyhooed Denver season in frustration.

Franchise owner Josh Kroenke joined Malone and his star player.

“(He) was there with me (and) Nikola … for two hours,” Malone added. “When I went home that night, I said, ‘Man, we got a really unique setup here.’ We’re all disappointed, we lost, no one was happy. … But to have an owner and an MVP who are just so down to earth and committed to doing whatever it takes to be better and find ways to win a championship, those two hours were so important.”

Losing guard Jamal Murray to injury was a huge blow for the Nuggets. It wasn’t a surprise to see their postseason hopes cut short.

Murray, Jokic, Aaron Gordon and Michael Porter Jr. are all under contract at least through next season, while Will Barton has a player option this offseason. Paul Millsap and JaVale McGee are free agents.

Down 3-1 in WCF, Clippers coach Tyronn Lue says to take it one game at a time

The Suns lead the Clippers 3-1 in the Western Conference Finals, and L.A. remains without the services of forward Kawhi Leonard, which puts a massive amount of pressure on Paul George, Reggie Jackson and the rest of the squad. It’s a tough situation for the Clippers. Via the Los Angeles Times:

Coach Tyronn Lue said he isn’t fazed by the latest either, a 3-1 hole sealed in the Western Conference finals after an 84-80 loss to the Phoenix Suns on Saturday at Staples Center.

Lue is the only coach whose team has overcome a 3-1 deficit in a best-of-seven NBA Finals, a title path in which two of the final three victories came on the road, which would be the same scenario required for the Clippers to advance.

“Just focus on Monday’s game, that’s it,” Lue said. “Not focus on winning three games. Got to take it one game at a time, and that’s got to be our mind-set. We beat Utah and won four games in a row. So it’s very doable.

“We’ve just got to make sure we’re locked in and understand what we’re doing offensively. I think we’ve got to be more locked in offensively to beat this team.”