- This article from Ramona Shelburne of ESPNLosAngeles.com should quiet some of the panic over Kobe Bryant potentially retiring: “Kobe Bryant set off a mild panic among Los Angeles Lakers fans Friday afternoon when he selected “The Last Chapter” as the slogan that best represents his comeback from a ruptured Achilles tendon. “The Last Chapter” sounds a lot like “The Last Stand,” the quote Phil Jackson gave when he decided to return for his final season with the Lakers in 2010-11 and seemed to imply Bryant was thinking of retiring after next season. Far from it, a source told ESPNLosAngeles.com on Friday. Bryant wants to be “back next season with a vengeance,” the source said. And he wants “two more cracks at it to win seven NBA titles at least.” In other words, it’s highly unlikely next season will be his last.
The buzz continues to grow concerning Doc Rivers potentially leaving Boston, and as Mark Murphy of the Boston Herald writes, Danny Ainge might have to start considering possible replacements: “Now that the NBA’s prime coaching pool is shrinking by the day as Doc Rivers contemplates his Celtics future, Danny Ainge has no choice but to consider a backup plan if his coach of the last nine seasons leaves. Two league sources with direct knowledge of the situation confirmed yesterday that if Rivers does indeed leave, former Clippers coach Vinnie Del Negro will receive serious consideration as his replacement. Clippers management, known to be interested in Rivers now that his reluctance has become public, was denied permission to talk to him earlier this week, according to one of the sources. Celtics management has now denied two teams permission — the Clippers and Nets. Memphis is also said to be interested, though Grizzlies management has not approached Ainge.”- Baxter Holmes of the Boston Globe explains why Rivers is thinking of leaving: “League sources told the Globe that the Los Angeles Clippers would consider Rivers their No. 1 choice if he were able to escape his contract. And those sources also confirmed that Rivers has mutual interest in coaching the Clippers. “If Doc is honest, his dream scenario is him coaching the Clippers with Kevin Garnett and a chance to win the championship,” a league source said. League sources said that Rivers would take a pay cut if he joined the Clippers, perhaps making as much as $4 million. He’s scheduled to make $7 million per year with the Celtics. But if a deal can’t be worked out, one league source indicated that Rivers may well walk away from coaching and return to television broadcasting. At the heart of the issue is that Rivers would be more interested in coaching a team that has a chance to win a championship (the Clippers) than one that is rebuilding.”
- If Rivers isn’t available soon, the Clippers job might be filled. Broderick Turner of the LA Times writes: “After finishing his second day of interviews with the Clippers on Friday, former Memphis Grizzlies Coach Lionel Hollins left a big impression on L.A.’s front office, said several NBA executives who were not authorized to speak publicly on the matter. The Clippers were impressed with Hollins’ basketball IQ, demeanor and his ability to develop players, the executives said. “Everybody thought it went well,” one NBA executive said.”
- George Karl is another big-name coach on the market, somewhat surprisingly as the Nuggets were one of the best teams in a stacked Western Conference and there were some who referred to him as the team’s only true star. Benjamin Hochman of the Denver Post talks to Karl on his firing in Denver: “Upon being fired last week, Nuggets coach George Karl told team president Josh Kroenke, “I think I should tell you, I think it’s very stupid.” The controversial firing of the reigning NBA coach of the year has led to much debate in Denver. On Thursday afternoon, Karl sat down with The Denver Post and discussed an array of topics, including his firing, his future (possibly landing with the Memphis Grizzlies or the Los Angeles Clippers) and the future of the Nuggets, a team he believes could have won 55 games next season, even with Danilo Gallinari out for much of the season due to knee surgery. “I’m not going to stand here and justify my (playoff) record,” Karl said, but he believed the franchise was on an upward tick, “and to blow that away, it leaves you helpless, speechless, powerless, sad, a lot of words.” “
The Denver exodus continues, this time with a guy who just came over last summer. Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports writes: “Denver Nuggets forward Andre Iguodala has decided to opt out of the final year of his contract and enter free agency, Yahoo! Sports has learned. Iguodala, 29, promises to be one of the most desired players on the summer market. His agent, Rob Pelinka, informed Denver CEO Josh Kroenke of the plan in a meeting on Thursday in Los Angeles. “We are fully aware of Andre’s intentions and he’s well aware of how much we want him back,” Kroenke told Yahoo! Sports Friday afternoon. “Andre is a huge priority for our organization.” “- Victor Oladipo is the one name that everyone seems to want in this draft, and as Jerry Zgoda of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune writes, the Wolves are no exception: “On Thursday, he headed to the Washington, D.C. area to see a player the Wolves would have to move from their ninth pick into the top five — or maybe even top two — to get a chance to draft. The Wolves have limited assets to swing such a deal, namely third-year forward Derrick Williams, second-year guard Alexey Shved and the ninth and/or 26th picks in the draft. They also likely will trade one of two veteran guards —Luke Ridnour and J.J. Barea —by draft night. The Wolves’ biggest need is a traditionally sized shooting guard and Saunders has stated more than once that he wants — and expects — to get with that ninth pick a player who can help his team next season. Oladipo, 21, presumably fits both, although he has repeatedly says he won’t trade Williams to move up in the draft.”
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