- John N. Mitchell of the Philadelphia Inquirer has an update on one coaching search and perhaps another: “The 76ers are considering talking to Denver assistant Melvin Hunt about their coaching job, but they might have to fend off the Nuggets. Denver is believed to be interested in promoting Hunt to replace George Karl, who was fired last week, league sources said Monday. “The Sixers have not formally made contact to begin the process, but there has been some talk through the back channels,” a source said.”
- Chad Ford of ESPN.com did a chat about the draft recently, and it’s full of interesting stuff so click through by all means. Here’s Ford’s take on the #1 pick: “Cavs sources say they are still a couple weeks away from making up their minds. Still haven’t gotten all the answers they need on the medical either. That’s a big one. If they get uncomfortable with the medical, Porter could be the guy. Obviously, they could also trade this pick — however the interest isn’t particularly high.”
Another take on Noel potentially falling comes from Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer: “Might former Kentucky center Nerlens Noel still be available when the Charlotte Bobcats pick fourth on June 27? A player-personnel executive connected to a lottery team thinks that’s a real possibility, despite Noel often being listed as the first or second pick in various mock drafts. This executive, speaking on condition of anonymity because he’s not authorized to give pre-draft interviews, predicts the first three picks will be some order of Nevada-Las Vegas forward Anthony Bennett, Kansas shooting guard Ben McLemore and Georgetown forward Otto Porter, Jr. That means the Bobcats might have access to Noel, a shotblocker who suffered a torn Anterior Cruciate Ligament during his only college season. Noel can’t work out for teams leading up to the draft. He said at the draft combine in Chicago last month that he likely wouldn’t be ready to play before late December or January. Why is Noel no longer a top-three lock? Uncertainty, the source said, related to the knee injury. He hasn’t signed with an agent, which has made it more difficult to gather information on his rehabilitation. Some teams might be skittish about using such a high pick on him.”- There was a problem connecting to Twitter.
- Dario Saric continues to be something of an enigma. The latest, from Scott Howard-Cooper of NBA.com: “All indications are that Croation small forward Dario Saric will withdraw from the draft before the June 17 deadline for international players. While his agent, Robert Jablan, told BourbonStreetShots.com that the decision has been made, some teams are understandably wondering if this is an attempt to secure a promise. After all, Saric previously went from signaling he would stay in Europe to applying for the draft and now has turned around again about five weeks later despite no change in his standing with his stock still somewhere around the teens. One executive said chances are “about 99.9” Saric will jump out of the pool, meaning the NBA is not yet closing the door on 2013. Another said “It sure sounds like it,” when asked whether Saric is staying in Croatia. They’re waiting for 100 percent by June 17.”
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- There’s been a good deal of buzz over Jason Kidd taking over as head coach in Brooklyn since he retired after the season. Mike Vaccaro of the New York Post makes the case: “If you believe Kidd is coaching material, what is the point of ensuring he follows the how-to handbook? If you think he’ll have the goods in a year or two, why wouldn’t you think he already has the goods? And if you’re the Nets, and Phil Jackson doesn’t want the job, and Jeff Van Gundy seems lukewarm about the job, and you clearly haven’t identified your ideal candidate because if you had you would’ve hired him already … Well, why not? Why not take a flier on a maybe? Especially this maybe? “If you showed me 1,000 players who tell me they want to coach in the NBA,” a basketball executive said yesterday, “I’d tell you 995 of them should probably look for another line of work. And of the five that are left, four of them are gonna have to put in all the grunt work that every other coach has to put in: spend some time as a scout, as an assistant, interview for jobs you have no shot at, wait for your big break … “And this is the one out of a thousand I’d say, ‘This might just work.’ ” “
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- Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports corroborates: “Jason Kidd has emerged as the strong frontrunner to become the Brooklyn Nets head coach and could be hired before the end of the week, league sources told Yahoo! Sports. Nets ownership has told league associates that it wants a “fresh face,” as coach, and the hiring of Kidd would give them a star quality that comes with significant risk for a franchise with a mandate to compete for championships in the short term. Talks on a possible contract for Kidd are under way, sources said. Nets general manager Billy King is still planning a formal interview with Indiana Pacers associate head coach Brian Shaw on Wednesday in New York. Shaw is meeting with Clippers officials on Tuesday.”
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