Hooped Up

Being an assistant for the Detroit Pistons apparently pays off more the being a head coach. As Michael Curry was named the Pistons next head coach.  This was the second hiring of a former Piston assistant today as Terry Porter was also named coach of the Phoenix Suns.

Read the rest of this entry »

Okay this Doug Collins back in Chicago thing has officially blown over. The Chicago Bulls have annoced they have hired Vinnie Del Negro as their new head coach beating Dwayne Casey out who was also at the top of the Bulls list.

The Bulls have offered their head coaching job to Vinny Del Negro, which the Suns’ assistant general manager is prepared to accept, sources said Monday.

A deal still needs to be finalized, but a news conference officially announcing Del Negro as the 17th coach in franchise history is expected this week.

Del Negro, who has no previous coaching experience, first interviewed for the job on Thursday and quickly shot ahead of Kings assistant Chuck Person and former Minnesota coach Dwane Casey.

Chicago Tribune

I’m glad that the recycling of coaches has slowed down and a few new guys are getting a shot at coaching in the NBA.  Now can the Bulls get Dwayne Wade?

The Phoenix Suns finally have a coach after D’Antoni bolted for the New York Knicks in Terry Porter who signed a three-year deal worth about $7 million.

Terry Porter will be the Phoenix Suns’ next coach, ending the club’s monthlong search for a successor to Mike D’Antoni. Phoenix general manager Steve Kerr said Saturday he had agreed to terms with Porter, who was an assistant with the Detroit Pistons for the past two seasons. The 45-year-old Porter played in the NBA for 17 seasons and teamed with Kerr in San Antonio. 

AP/Globe and Mail 

The Pistons are getting long in the tooth and are looking to retool, and in the east one or two moves can make the difference. 

Flip Saunders was removed as head coach in Detroit on Tuesday, but Joe Dumars claims that he will not be made a scapegoat, and that the players will be held responsible for the team’s failure in the Eastern Conference finals again, Larry Lage of the Associated Press writes.

“There are no sacred cows here,” Dumars said. “You lose that sacred-cow status when you lose three straight years.”

Chicago Tribune

Respect to Jeff Van Gundy, but the Lakers are not a dynasty at all.  If they get past the Celtics that would make a stronger case but the league is way to deep to start calling dynasty out.  Especially with free agents looming like James, Wade and Bosh a string of titles is very unlikely in my eyes.

Former NBA coach and current ABC analyst Jeff Van Gundy believes that the Lakers are about to begin another dynasty, according to The New York Post.

“My pick, I think the Lakers are the most talented team in the league, and they’re missing their third or fourth best player in Bynum,” said Van Gundy on Monday.

“So when they get [Bynum] back next year, I think they can be a dynasty. The Lakers will win it this year over a very good Celtic team.”

New York Post

The coaching musical chair continues, as Flip Saunders got the boot today from the Pistons.

The Detroit Pistons announced on Tuesday that Flip Saunders will not return as the Pistons’ head coach next season, according to a Yahoo.com report.

Saunders, 53, had one year remaining on the four-year contract he signed with Detroit in June 2005.

But Pistons president Joe Dumars decided it was time to cut ties with Saunders, who posted a 176-70 regular-season record in his three seasons with Detroit.

Yahoo

When I see a move like this, I can’t help but think the Bulls are going to tear the current roster up.

Doug Collins will become the next Bulls head coach, according to a source. 

The source said the deal is expected to be announced “sooner rather than later.” 

“I know Doug’s got the itch [to coach again],” a league source said. “I think the Bulls’ youth intrigues Doug more than the Phoenix [Suns] situation. He’s a teacher That’s what he likes to do. 

“He might have been leery about the veterans on the Suns, including Shaq.”

Chicago Sun-Times

The Hawks have finally found their General Manager.

The Hawks have reached an agreement with former Seattle general manager Rick Sund, who will be announced Wednesday afternoon as the team’s new general manager. The hiring of Sund, 56, wraps up a nearly four-week hiring process the Hawks kept under wraps. 

Atlanta Journal-Constitution 

It’s beginning to looking like Brian Shaw might be leaving La-La Land after the playoffs,

Lakers assistant coach Brian Shaw, who has already talked to Chicago about its head-coaching vacancy, continues to draw interest from Phoenix. NBA coaching sources told ESPN.com that the Suns still hope to interview Shaw for the opening created by Mike D’Antoni’s departure to New York.

ESPN.com

Kelvin Sampson has many lives indeed!

Kelvin Sampson wants to restore his reputation and continue his career, and hopes he took a step in that direction by accepting a job as an assistant coach with the Milwaukee Bucks on Monday.

But Sampson will pass on the chance to explain his version of a messy divorce with Indiana University until after an NCAA hearing in mid-June.

“More will come out, and I’ll be more than happy to talk after that,” Sampson said.

SI