Monthly Archives: May 2010

Tom Thibodeau, Avery Johnson to talk with Nets about coaching job

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Rod Thorn will officially begin his coaching search with the first
interview this weekend, but the real question is how flexible the Nets
president might be about his candidates’ timetables, and how competitive
he might have to get when these coaches already have concrete offers.

Tom Thibodeau is the one Thorn will watch most closely: The Boston
assistant coach — who is everybody’s flavor of the month since the
Celtics’ postseason resurgence — is on the verge of being offered a job
from the New Orleans Hornets. Continue reading “Tom Thibodeau, Avery Johnson to talk with Nets about coaching job” »

Carlos Boozer finds the Bulls' 'really good, really young' club a

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Playing in Karl Malone’s shadow in Utah didn’t bother Carlos Boozer the
past six seasons.

The soon-to-be unrestricted free agent apparently wouldn’t be fazed by
continuing to do that — or by following in Michael Jordan’s footsteps in
Chicago, either.

Boozer even believes other big-name free agents might look at it as "an
attractive thing to have that history, where M.J. played, where
(Scottie) Pippen played for those six championships," the power forward
said during an interview on Windy City-based ESPN 1000’s "The Waddle
& Silvy Show" on Wednesday. Continue reading “Carlos Boozer finds the Bulls' 'really good, really young' club a” »

Agent: LeBron James is searching for a sidekick

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The King is in the process of assembling his court.

In an unprecedented move, LeBron James, Chris Bosh, Joe Johnson and
Dwyane Wade — all All-Stars and potential free agents as of July 1 —
plan to assemble and map out their futures, according to a story first
published by the Chicago Tribune.

Bill Duffy, the agent for Pistons forward Tayshuan Prince, likened it to
Batman searching for Robin with the ultimate goal being gaining an NBA
title. Continue reading “Agent: LeBron James is searching for a sidekick” »

Sixers not on course to be able to sign top player in 2011

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Reports that the Sixers could have enough money to sign a max-level free
agent in 2011 are inaccurate.

While Samuel Dalembert ($12.2 million), Jason Kapono ($6.6 million) and
Willie Green ($4 million) would clear $22.8 million from the salary cap
next June, but that wouldn’t be enough to try to sign an elite player
unless they trade a long-term contract for a player whose deal expires
next summer or renounce the contracts of Thaddeus Young and Jason Smith.

Continue reading “Sixers not on course to be able to sign top player in 2011” »

Wade questions Bulls' loyalty

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Perception can turn into harsh reality, and the Bulls’ image as
unfriendly to former stars could adversely affect the team’s ability to
land a premier free agent.

The Cavaliers’ LeBron James, the Heat’s Dwyane Wade and the Hawks’ Joe
Johnson plan to discuss their respective plans with each other before
making a decision once free agency begins July 1, Wade told the Tribune
on Wednesday. Continue reading “Wade questions Bulls' loyalty” »

LeBron could play role in Knicks' hunt for GM

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LeBron James won’t handpick the Knicks next coach if he signs with them,
because Mike D’Antoni is going nowhere. Not even for Phil Jackson. But
James could have a say in a prominent late-summer general manager
hiring.

According to two sources, Knicks team president Donnie Walsh plans to
start compiling a list of general manager candidates in late July/early
August after the free-agent frenzy is over. Continue reading “LeBron could play role in Knicks' hunt for GM” »

Bulls gauge Jackson's interest

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The Chicago Bulls have reached out to Phil Jackson through back channels
to gauge his interest in returning to the franchise he won six NBA
titles with, according to two sources with knowledge of the situation.

There has been no direct contact between Bulls officials and Jackson,
according to the sources, but people close to both parties have spoken
and come away with the belief that Jackson would be open to a potential
reunion in Chicago next season. Continue reading “Bulls gauge Jackson's interest” »

Star first, coach second

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The Clippers are considering holding off on hiring a coach until after
July 1 to offer a superstar free agent a voice in the process, part of a
recruiting pitch to lure him to Los Angeles, NBA.com has learned.

The team is known to be preparing a bid for LeBron James, among others.

The Clippers are declining comment on the search for a replacement for
Mike Dunleavy, who resigned Feb. 4 to focus solely on front-office
duties and then was fired as GM. The team decided not to offer the
coaching job to Kim Hughes, who took over for Dunleavy and coached the
Clippers through the rest of the season. Continue reading “Star first, coach second” »

If he reads this, LeBron James might decide to stay put

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Like many of us from time to time, LeBron James must decide where he is
going to work next. This has created a smattering of interest. ESPN, for
instance, has created a Web page called the “LeBron Tracker,” which
includes a countdown-to-free-agency clock; when it hits zero, I assume
James will drop out of the sky onto Times Square.

Actually, best I can tell from reading the New York papers, James is
going to sign with the Knicks and the Nets.

Here is a rundown of the most likely places LeBron will land:

• Cavaliers: James has reached the proverbial fork in the road. If he
follows the same route to The Q, they’ll name the highway after him. But
if he takes the interstate out of town, he’d better take all his
belongings because nobody’s letting him come back home. Continue reading “If he reads this, LeBron James might decide to stay put” »

Cavaliers will enter coaching search with plenty of big name hopes

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No NBA team makes a coaching change without considering who will be the
next coach. Some plans are more feasible than others, of course.

After firing Mike Brown after five seasons on Sunday, the Cavs have
thrust themselves into a complex and uncertain coaching search. For one,
they are one of six teams now looking for a head coach. Also without a
firm handle on the future of free agent LeBron James, the team will
certainly be limited in how it can pitch its job to the top-flight
coaches they may look to attract.

Usually, teams want new coaches in place before the draft and the start
of free agency. But with the cir*****stances, the team may not be able to
make a decision until after James does. That might not be until July. Continue reading “Cavaliers will enter coaching search with plenty of big name hopes” »