Celtics coaching search guide: The candidates and probabilities

Celtics coaching search guide: The candidates and probabilities

WWEI By Tyler Devitte


Everyone has a name for President of Basketball Operations Brad Stevens to hire as the Celtics next head coach. That’s still a weird phrase to write -- President of Basketball Operations Brad Stevens.

Here are the 20 names you should know, some background on each man and woman and how I see the likelihood of Stevens hiring each person:

SERIOUSLY CONSIDER THESE NAMES

Sam Cassell (Philadelphia 76ers assistant) - Cassell has certainly paid his dues serving as an assistant since 2009 and under Doc Rivers since 2014.

“He always told me when I played for him in Boston that I could do this,” Cassell said of Rivers in a 2014 Washington Post feature. “I could be good at this, because of my relationship with the players. [Rivers said,] ‘The players will take you seriously, it’s just how you present yourself to them. Once you get a good team, a team that understand how to win, your presence will show even more, Sam.’”

When Cassell left the Wizards for the Clippers in 2014, John Wall credited Sam for his development.

“He was a big part of it,” Wall said. “Definitely helped me with my jump shot. Just being a mentor, somebody who was a point guard who knew the game very well. It was big. I was happy for him. His goal is to become a head coach one day. I think he thought it would come a little quicker being a coach with the Clippers.”

Wall went from not even looking at the rim while on the arc to a respectable 35 percent shooter with Cassell’s guidance.

I have yet to read or hear a bad thing about Cassell. He’s the betting favorite at +300.

David Vanterpool (former Minnesota Timerwolves Associate Head Coach) - Vanterpool is a future star in this league if you trust his former player’s opinions. Players that may be on the trade market or grow unhappy with their situations like Karl-Anthony Towns.

“I want to take the time to recognize the amazing work these assistant coaches have done, especially David Vanterpool,” Towns said during a press conference after the Timberwolves chose Chris Finch over Vanterpool as their next head coach. “Men of color deserve to have a chance to get their opportunity to be a head coach in this league and I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the amazing work he’s done and what he’s meant to this organization since he stepped here.”

“But, like I said, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the amazing work David Vanterpool has put in and as a man who looks like me, I can’t wait to see him get a job where he can flourish and be a head coach and run a team. We’re so honored and blessed to have him here on this coaching staff and get to continue learning from him and soak up all the wisdom and experience he has from playing professionally and also from being a coach.”

That’s a damn strong endorsement from the face of the franchise.

Vanterpool interviewed last offseason for head coach openings with the Chicago Bulls, New Orleans Pelicans and Houston Rockets.

Kenny Atkinson (Former Brooklyn Nets head coach) - Atkinson is a proven player developer with guys like Spencer Dinwiddie and Joe Harris going from fringe roster players to starters. Caris LeVert went from 8 points a game in year one with Kenny to 18.7 by year four. The Nets went from 20 to 28 to 42 wins in his first three years. Atkinson’s fourth year was the first year of the Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving era.

There was no “mandate” from Durant and Irving to GM Sean Marks to fire Atkinson. But they definitely made it known he wasn’t the right guy. The team and Atkinson agreed to mutually part ways before the season ended.

The apparent riff between the stars and Atkinson was over the playing time for their boy DeAndre Jordan. Shams Charania reported “Jordan is said to have believed he would be the full-time starting center after he, Durant and Irving joined the team. When Atkinson made Jarrett Allen the starting center this season, it changed the dynamics.”

Guess who was the starting center in Game 1 of the post-Atkinson era? DeAndre Jordan.

I’m not bothered by Durant and Irving not liking Atkinson. Irving just doesn’t like being coached and Durant is bothered by @Randy2141962 calling him soft on Twitter. Kenny wasn’t afraid to challenge the stars on his roster and play the hot lineup over the big contracts when it mattered. That doesn’t play well on some teams I guess.

Atkinson didn’t play in the NBA but did play in Europe. If you thought Stevens brought no energy, Atkinson is the opposite. He will actively participate in drills in practice, a rarity in the NBA.

“My energy was my key,” Atkinson told The Athletic. "Whenever I did a drill with the guys, I said I’m going to make this as game-like as possible. I want it to feel like they’re in a real game. I’ve always had that philosophy. If I was shooting on someone, I’d rebound and go contest every shot. I think guys appreciated that.”

“I’ve never seen anything like it before,” said Garrett Temple, who played for ten different teams. “Gets into drills, runs the point guard, or the two or three, tries to jump in and do verticality drills,

gets dunked on all the time. But a guy that is so invested, he really enjoys doing things like this. I’ve never seen anything in terms of a coach being in a drill like Kenny is.”

Ime Udoka (Brooklyn Nets assistant) - Former player? Check. NBA Champion as an assistant? Check. Survived coaching Kyrie Irving and still has his mental sanity? Check. What more do we want?

Udoka has been an assistant for the Spurs and Sixers and currently serves on Steve Nash’s staff in Brooklyn. The Knicks interviewed Udoka during their coaching search last year before ultimately choosing Tom Thibodeau.

In a 2018 ESPN story on the rising Udoka, Aldridge praised Udoka for making things easier for him after arriving in San Antonio. "He's a good guy, works hard so I just got close to him then. He's been kind of like the middle man, trying to help me and how I feel [get] across to the coaching staff. He's trying to help me feel more comfortable every year,”

Aldridge added: "He's been the guy that I work with every summer since I've been here. He's been a big part of me getting more comfortable."

Udoka also worked closely with Kawhi Leonard in the summers and helped him develop into a perennial All Star.

THE “IT'S NOT CRAZY” TIER

Earl Watson (former Phoenix Suns head coach) - “Shoutout to Earl. Earl’s my guy,” Jayson Tatum said on the All The Smoke podcast. “I called my fam, my mom and said “I think I want to go to Phoenix. Earl Watson was like “If you come to Phoenix -- you and D-Book (Devin Booker) -- Two light-skinned killers. I’m gonna let y’all rock out.” I’m sitting in the car like, 'Man, this sounds good. I think I want to come here.”

Thankfully, Tatum never followed through on his initial desire to cancel the Celtics workout and the rest is history. But re-visiting this quote from Tatum is important because Tatum’s opinion may be the most valuable of anyone not named Wyc Grousbeck and Steve Pagliuca. Jayson is that good that he now gets to have input in the next head coach. The Tatum stamp of approval is important.

There was zero success for Watson in Phoenix and it’s not really his fault. Those rosters were never built to win. He was just 36 when he took over the Suns. Watson is 41 now. You want a

former player? Watson played 13 seasons and is young enough that the Celtics roster actually had a chance to watch him play.

Quin Snyder (Utah Jazz Head Coach) - Stevens may have to wait a few weeks and prolong the search if Snyder is on their list. The Jazz have a pretty good core but I’m not sure it’s good enough to beat the Nets or Sixers.

Boston can offer him more money than his current contract pays him in Utah. Snyder has been coaching the Jazz for seven seasons and hasn’t broken through yet with success in the postseason. Utah owns a 13-21 record in the playoffs under Snyder.

THE LONGSHOTS -- JUST LIKE WHEN BOSTON HIRED BRAD STEVENS

Jay Wright (Villanova) - Jeff Goodman ran a survey asking 25 NBA executives who they think would most want to hire from the college game. The No. 1 answer? Jay Wright. He may only leave for the Sixers job, a natural transition for him.

Becky Hammon (San Antonio Spurs assistant) - The reason Hammon is in the longshot tier is not because she’s a woman. It’s because of her current position under Gregg Popovich, who just wrapped up his 25th season as San Antonio’s head coach at 72 years old. It feels like Hammon is set up to be Pop’s successor. The culture is already built in if she were to take over for Pop. His contract has two more seasons left. Does she want to wait that long?​

Chris Holtmann (The Ohio State University head coach) - Holtmann finished No. 5 in the survey by Goodman and has risen quickly in the college ranks. An executive told Goodman “I think he has some Brad Stevens in him, which makes sense since he and Brad both coached at Butler. Low-key and knows it’s not about him. Really underrated as an X’s and O’s guy.”

Brad Stevens did mention the next coach would have some similarities to him. Butler University’s success continued after Stevens left with Holtmann running the program.

Juwan Howard (University of Michigan head coach) - Every NBA player knows Howard’s resume. Two-time NBA champion as a player with the Miami Heat but mostly in an unofficial coaching role. Howard joined Erik Spoelstra’s bench after retirement in 2013 and remained there until leaving for his alma mater in 2019. Howard won all the Coach of the Year awards this past season, his second in Ann Arbor, peaking with a No. 2 ranking in the country.

NAMES YOU’VE HEARD BUT I’M PASSING ON

Kara Lawson (Duke women’s head coach) - Kara is Jerod Mayo. Everyone knows she has a future as an NBA head coach. She was the very first name Brian Scalabrine threw out and he even went as far as saying “I think they hire Kara Lawson.” He knows the Celtics love her potential. Just like Bill Belichick loves what Mayo brings to the table.

It’s just too soon. She didn’t even finish her first full season on an NBA staff as Lawson left the Orlando bubble to take the Duke job. Lawson coached just four games at Duke before COVID ended their season. I just can’t fathom the Celtics hiring someone who never played in the NBA and spent just one season on an NBA bench. Her basketball acumen, by all accounts, is elite. There is so much more to coaching than drawing up a SLOB (sideline out of bounds play) or ATO (play designed to be run coming out of a timeout).

Chauncey Billups (Clippers assistant) - I’m saying no to Billups this time around for the same reason as Lawson. Chauncey is wrapping up his first season in coaching. His season could come to a close soon as LA trails Dallas in 3-2. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Stevens schedule an interview with Billups. I can’t think of a reason to hire Billups over Cassell.

Jay Larranaga (Celtics assistant this season) - How do you fix a locker room that needs reinvigorating? You hire anyone but an assistant that was on the most recent staff. I’m not saying Larranaga is a bad coach. But this would be puzzling for many reasons. I can only imagine WEEI callers if they hired Larranaga.

Jerome Allen (Celtics assistant this season) - Read the above section.

Jason Kidd (Lakers assistant) - When Yahoo’s Chris Haynes immediately floated Kidd as a potential candidate for the Celtics, I immediately thought of the fans chanting “Wife Beater” when he played in Boston in a 2003 game. (In January 2001, Kidd was arrested for hitting his now ex-wife Joumana. He pleaded guilty to spousal abuse and was fined $200 and ordered to take anger management training.) Kidd is no longer with Joumana but the memory of that chant in the Garden has to be vivid. How could you forget that?

Getting back to the Celtics coaching search, I am out on Kidd because he doesn't seem to have good relationships with players. Ryen Russillo reported that Jabari Parker and Kidd weren’t even speaking to each other before he was fired. Giannis was reportedly “devastated” by Kidd’s firing. I doubt Bucks ownership and GM John Horst made the firing without asking Giannis.

Mark Jackson (ESPN/ABC co-lead analyst) - Jackson has been black balled from the NBA according to his former player Andre Iguodala. Jackson is a pastor and would often preach to his congregation on a live stream from inside of the Warriors facility.

Iguodala believes “one particular issue from what I heard was his views on gender or marriage or what the bible said on your sexuality.” The Warriors President Rick Welts is an openly gay man. You can see how this relationship fell apart.

There is zero chance anyone hires Jackson in this climate. Zero.

"Part of it was that he couldn't get along with anybody else in the organization," Lacob said. "And look, he did a great job, and I'll always compliment him in many respects, but you can't have 200 people in the organization not like you."

Jeff Van Gundy (ESPN/ABC NBA lead analyst) - He’s been out of the game since before Barack Obama became President. He has a cushy job with ABC on the #1 team with Mike Breen and Jackson. I don’t think he would leave TV for a NBA job unless he was blown away. Van Gundy is absolutely not leaving TV to be the head coach under Brad Stevens, who may not be long for the front office according to Jeff Goodman.

Lloyd Pierce (Former Hawks head coach) - Atlanta was 14-20 when they fired Pierce this season. They are 31-12 since and are in the second round of the playoffs with Nate McMillan running the team. He was 63-120 in Atlanta. Hiring Pierce wouldn’t even be hitting a single.

Mike Kryzewski (Duke) - Coach K is 74 so this is a non-starter. He just announced his retirement from Duke which takes effect after the upcoming season. Anyone surprised K is doing a year long Farewell tour?

Kendrick Perkins (ESPN NBA Analyst) - I would rather the Celtics bring back all 15 players, Brad as the coach and Ainge as the GM than to have Kendrick Perkins as head coach.

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As long as we're just spit-balling, maybe Rondo will retire. Players rave about him and coaches praise him. Young players love him. Even Carlisle speaks well of him. He can yell at the likes of Cousins, Davis, LBJ, and Leonard and they listen.

https://www.yahoo.com/sports/blazers-coach-terry-stotts-part-ways-first-round-exit-023957704.html



Blazers part ways with coach Terry Stotts after first-round exit


Jack Baer

Fri, June 4, 2021, 7:39 PM


The Portland Trail Blazers will look for a new coach after their first-round exit.

The Blazers agreed to part ways with head coach Terry Stotts on Friday, sources told Yahoo Sports senior NBA insider Chris Haynes.


Chris Haynes
@ChrisBHaynes
·
14h
Portland and coach Terry Stotts agreed to part ways, league sources tell
@YahooSports
.

Stotts' exit ends a nine-season tenure in Portland, in which the Blazers reached the playoffs eight times. Five of those playoff berths ended in the first round, though, including the last two trips.

The Blazers' most recent exit came on Thursday, with the team falling to the Denver Nuggets in six games.


Where do Blazers go from here?

Moving on from Stotts resolves one question mark for the Blazers, but they still have plenty to figure out if they want to take the next step.

The good news is they still have an MVP candidate under contract until 2025 in Damian Lillard, though a cryptic Instagram post could be worrying. Trade buzz has raged around Lillard since the Blazers' elimination, though mostly in the form of other teams' fans hoping he'll be available.

The roster around Lillard is much less resolved. Norman Powell, Carmelo Anthony and Enes Kanter are among the players who could hit free agency, and the Blazers' disappointing outcomes since reaching the Western Conference finals in 2019 have raised uncomfortable questions about the futures of core players like CJ McCollum and Jusuf Nurkic.


Damian Lillard will have input on next coach

The Blazers' next coach will have to help answer those questions, and we'll see who the team targets as the coaching search begins.

Haynes reported earlier Friday that Los Angeles Lakers assistant Jason Kidd, who has head coaching experience with the Milwaukee Bucks and Brooklyn Nets, is expected to be a top candidate.

The franchise's centerpiece player also will have a hand in the decision, sources told Haynes.


Chris Haynes
@ChrisBHaynes
Source: Damian Lillard to have major input on the next head coach. Stotts was the only coach he’s played for in his nine seasons in the league. After the way the season ended, it was time for a change.
Chris Haynes
@ChrisBHaynes
Portland and coach Terry Stotts agreed to part ways, league sources tell @YahooSports.
7:40 PM · Jun 4, 2021


Bob
MY NOTE: Terry Stotts, anybody?


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That would be a negative

Now Clifford has been fired at Orlando. Will Vogel be fired at LAL? If LAC looses tonight will Lue be gone? Budenholzer or Nash, depending on who loses Bucks v. Nets round? There will be the usual bevy of coaches available this summer. As they say: It's a lot easier to fire coaches than players.

atcross wrote:Now Clifford has been fired at Orlando. Will Vogel be fired at LAL? If LAC looses tonight will Lue be gone? Budenholzer or Nash, depending on who loses Bucks v. Nets round? There will be the usual bevy of coaches available this summer. As they say: It's a lot easier to fire coaches than players.

Would love if Miami somehow decides to fire Spoelstra, now that would be a great coach hire

Gary Washburn @GwashburnGlobe
about 2 hours ago
#Celtics assistant coach Jerome Allen is expected to interview for the #Blazers head coaching position. He has already interviewed for the #Celtics job.


Bob


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HOW ABOUT COACH BILL BELICHICK?

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https://www.nbcsports.com/boston/celtics/what-qualities-should-next-celtics-next-head-coach-possess?int


What qualities should next C's coach possess?


JUN 4, 2021

BY CHRIS FORSBERG
CELTICS INSIDER



Brad Stevens’ first major task in his new role as president of basketball operations is to hire his own replacement on the sideline.

While Stevens took the self-deprecating route while noting the next coach needs only, “be better than the last guy,” there will undoubtedly be pressure on that person given the talent on the roster and the lofty standard that Stevens typically upheld during his eight years on the bench.

There will plenty of speculation about who the Celtics should interview for the gig and there’s no shortage of names that pop to mind immediately from Kara Lawson to Chauncey Billups to Sam Cassell to Becky Hammon to Lloyd Pierce and many other intriguing options.

But for the purposes of this exercise, we’re simply seeking to identify some of the key qualities that should be important as the Celtics decide who will be their 18th head coach.


Immediate buy-in

When the Celtics hired 36-year-old Stevens in 2013, they did so knowing the team was about to embark on a hefty rebuilding project in the aftermath of trading Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce to the Brooklyn Nets. Boston didn’t necessarily have to worry about whether players on the 2013-14 roster would immediately trust Stevens because most of them were not going to be part of the team’s future.

The Celtics, with two young All-Stars and pressure to get back to the title stage, don’t have quite the same luxury this time around. The new coach has to immediately command the locker room and leave players with the feeling that he or she is the person that can immediately get this thing back on track after an unsatisfying season.


Maybe most importantly, that person has to have buy-in from Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. Getting everyone else to buy in after your superstars are on board will take care of itself. That’s why we think that Stevens and Co. will seek feedback from Tatum and Brown during the hiring process and empower them to have a voice in the process.


A fresh perspective

It’s logical to assume that any hiring manager is going to want to hire someone whose ideas align closely to their own. But one of the unique parts about Stevens getting to hire his own replacement is his knowledge of what exactly this team might need to reinvigorate the core.

While everyone from Danny Ainge to his players went out of their way to suggest that Stevens wasn’t the problem this past season, it’s fair to wonder if Stevens' voice carried as much heft as maybe in past years. Injuries and illness complicated his task but he was never quite able to pull the 2020-21 Celtics from their inconsistent ways.

The next voice doesn’t necessarily have to be a drill sergeant to counter balance Stevens' even-keeled demeanor, but the next coach probably has to have a slightly different approach that might invigorate whoever is back from last year’s team.


Personality over experience

The Celtics just promoted a president of basketball operations whose only front-office experience was offering input to the front-office staff in his role as coach. Celtics owner Wyc Grousbeck has suggested that Stevens was essentially an assistant GM in his former role. But the point here is that the team isn’t going to get overly hung up on the next play-caller having NBA sideline experience.

Ultimately, the team is likely to value personality over resume. Work ethic, communication skills, and that person's overall vision of what’s ahead will likely matter more than necessarily their X and O prowess.


Remember, there are always ways to add some safety nets within a new coach’s staff. When the Celtics brought in Stevens, they tabbed longtime NBA assistant Ron Adams as a lead assistant to give him a veteran sounding board and someone that understood the rigors of an NBA coach.

Look at what the Nets did this past season. Steve Nash’s playing experience undoubtedly aided his transition but he was still a rookie coach and the Nets built him a robust bench that included former head coaches in Mike D’Antoni and Jacque Vaughn.

It’s more important for Boston to find the right leader -- and given the time they spend in front of the microphone, also someone that can serve as a primary voice of the franchise -- and figure out how to build the best support system around that person.


A partner in time

Maybe only the Spurs have been a franchise with more continuity and consistency over the past two decades.

Stevens needs to find someone who he can work hand-in-hand with long-term, especially given how the next coach could be here for the duration of Tatum’s time in green.

Again, Stevens doesn’t necessarily need someone with exactly the same ideas -- in fact, someone with new offensive perspective could greatly benefit this team and maybe invigorate the returning core -- but the long-term vision of how to build this thing out and a desire to be here long term should be important for a team that highly values consistency.


Bob


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https://www.nbcsports.com/boston/celtics/celtics-coaching-rumors-chauncey-billups-draws-blazers-interest


Blazers keen on Celtics HC target Chauncey Billups


20H AGO

BY DARREN HARTWELL
CELTICS

The Boston Celtics need a new head coach, but they won't be searching in a vacuum.

The Portland Trail Blazers and Orlando Magic both parted ways with their head coaches (Terry Stotts and Steve Clifford) in the last 24 hours and likely will consider several of the same coaching candidates expected to be on Boston's radar.

Apparently that's already the case: Blazers guard Damian Lillard told The Athletic's Jason Quick and Shams Charania he likes Jason Kidd and Chauncey Billups as potential replacements for Stotts, and Portland reportedly plans to honor its star's wishes.

"It is believed the Trail Blazers will ultimately decide between Kidd and Billups" to be the team's next head coach, Quick and Charania wrote Saturday.

Kidd and Billups both were reported as expected candidates for the Celtics' job, which opened when Brad Stevens took over for the retiring Danny Ainge as president of basketball operations.

Billups left ESPN last November to join the Los Angeles Clippers as an assistant coach and is a rising star in the coaching world. As a relatively young former player who was drafted by Boston in 1997, the 44-year-old could be a strong fit for a Celtics team seeking a fresh voice after failing to get over the hump with Stevens as head coach.


The 48-year-old Kidd boasts a similar resume but with additional experience as a head coach with the Brooklyn Nets (2013-14) and Milwaukee Bucks (2014-2018).

Celtics fans who would rather have Billups than Kidd and his sub-.500 coaching record (183-190) may be encouraged to hear that Lillard prefers Kidd due to his head coaching experience and status as a fellow Bay Area native, per The Athletic.


Bob
MY NOTE:  I think there'll be some of this with our head coaching search too.  I think Tatum's advice, at the minimum, will be solicited.  Brown's too, probably.  If Brown's advice is not solicited then I'd look for him to be moved, because that'd be a bit of a red flag that he's not going to be playing under that coach.  Furthermore, because Brad is such a communicator and person-centric coach it'd be hard to imagine him leaving Jaylen out of the conversation if he was including Jayson.  He'd see that as snubbing Jaylen, which it would be, and he's too aware of those types of undercurrents to just blow past them.


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https://www.yahoo.com/sports/celtics-coaching-candidates-becky-hammon-150856726.html


Celtics coaching candidates: Becky Hammon, Kara Lawson would be game-changing hires


Chris Forsberg
Mon, June 7, 2021, 8:08 AM



A little more than a month ago -- which, if you trust the Celtics’ transition timeline, would be around the point that Brad Stevens knew he’d soon be hiring his own replacement -- Boston’s new president of basketball operations was asked about the possibility that we could soon see the NBA’s first female head coach.

"I think there’s several very qualified candidates and Becky [Hammon], obviously, is a terrific candidate,” Stevens said before a late-April game against the San Antonio Spurs, where Hammon has served as an assistant since 2014. "I don’t know her well but I know what people think about her and I know how well she’s respected all across the league, by players and the coaches. So I would hope that that time is coming very soon.

“Obviously, we’ve had -- [vice president of player development and organizational growth] Allison [Feaster] is not in a coaching position but she’s incredible in our organization. And Kara Lawson is a star, [she] was here [as an assistant coach from 2019-20], we couldn’t hardly keep her here, obviously.

"So there’s all kinds of good candidates that are now in the league, there’s all kind of good candidates that will be in the league soon and, without question, that day is coming. I’m amongst the hopeful that it’s very soon.”


If, in his first major move in his new role, Stevens determines that Hammon, Lawson, or any other female coach is the right person to lead this Celtics team forward, he has a chance to make a monumental hire. This would be nothing new for a Celtics franchise that has long been ahead of the curve after fielding the NBA’s first all-Black starting five and hiring the first Black head coach in league history.

Stevens will hire the best person for the job but the significance of hiring the first female likely would not be lost on him. This reporter’s mind races back to the 2016 presidential election and the way Stevens beamed while detailing conversations with his young daughter about the possibility of the first female president.


Celtics Coaching Candidates - Becky Hammon


While Stevens admitted he doesn’t know Hammon well, we know what he thinks of Gregg Popovich, and Hammon's experiences in San Antonio have undoubtedly positioned her well for any head coaching opportunity. She already became the NBA’s first active female head coach when she took over for Popovich when he got ejected from a game earlier this season.

Both Hammon and Lawson have decorated resumes from their playing days in both the WNBA and international competition. Hammon was a six-time WNBA All-Star and landed on four All-WNBA teams; Lawson won a WNBA title in 2005 and gold at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing.

Everyone in the Celtics organization, especially Stevens, gushed about Lawson’s impact during her brief time here. That the entire team donned Duke T-shirts for a photo before her departure speaks volumes about the relationships she built in that short time.


Celtics Coaching Candidates - Kara Lawson


“[The Celtics organization] made me feel so welcome,” Lawson said at her introductory press conference at Duke. “People would ask me a lot throughout the year what it was like when you went in the locker room, or around the guys, and it just felt normal. I never felt like I stuck out. I always felt a part of the staff and part of the team.”

Stevens previously noted how he, his wife, Tracy, and Lawson discussed potential future plans on a walk together before she took the Duke job. We’re left wondering if the possibility of being an NBA head coach came up in that conversation.

The only question with Lawson is seemingly whether she could leave the Duke job so soon after arriving. She coached only four games before the team opted out of the season due to safety concerns stemming from COVID-19.

For the Celtics, the question about their next head coach doesn’t come down to gender, it’s simply who is the best basketball mind to lead this core forward. Who can get the most out of the All-Star tandem of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, and get this team back into position to contend for a title after an unsatisfying 2020-21 season.

They might just make a little history in the process of answering that question.


Bob
MY NOTE:  The Celtics made history before when they promoted the first African-American to be an NBA head coach.  His name was Bill Russell.  That worked out pretty well for us, in a lot of ways.  He won championships and he helped turn the city around from the small-town minded, parochial city of "banned in Boston" into a more open-minded and accepting city. Without judging these candidates, nor any others, I wouldn't put it past Wyc, Pags and Brad to put some weight on that factor.


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https://www.yahoo.com/sports/celtics-coaching-candidates-jason-kidd-134538364.html


Celtics coaching candidates: Jason Kidd pulls out of Blazers running


Darren Hartwell
Mon, June 7, 2021, 6:45 AM



The Boston Celtics may have reason to keep an eye on the Portland Trail Blazers' head coach search, and that search took a twist Sunday.

Los Angeles Lakers assistant coach Jason Kidd withdrew his name from consideration for the Blazers' head coach job Sunday.

"Portland's a first-class organization and will have great candidates for its head coaching job, but I've decided not to be one of them," Kidd told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

What does that mean for Boston, which has its own coaching vacancy to fill after Brad Stevens took over for Danny Ainge as president of basketball operations?

Blazers star Damian Lillard recently told The Athletic he preferred Kidd and Los Angeles Clippers assistant Chauncey Billups as potential replacements for Terry Stotts, and The Athletic reported Portland was likely to decide between Kidd and Billups.

Billups also has been linked to the Celtics as a relatively young former player who can bring a fresh perspective to Boston's locker room after eight seasons of Stevens. With Kidd out of the running in Portland, though, Billups certainly seems like a strong candidate for the Blazers opening, especially if ownership wants to keep Lillard happy.

Kidd is rumored to be a candidate for the Celtics vacancy, as well, so Sunday's news keeps him on the table as an option for Boston.

The Blazers have yet to reach out to any coaching candidates, per Wojnarowski, but there will be competition for the job: Portland reportedly is expected to interview Celtics assistant coach Jerome Allen.

With one of their assistants and one of their potential coaching targets reportedly vying for the Blazers opening, the C's should be closely monitoring how things shake out in Portland.


Bob


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https://www.masslive.com/celtics/2021/06/celtics-coaching-search-scott-morrison-interviews-for-position-impact-of-new-openings-around-nba-on-process.html


Celtics coaching search: Scott Morrison interviews for position, impact of new openings around NBA on process


Updated 1:13 PM; Today 1:01 PM


By Brian Robb | brobb@masslive.com



The Celtics search for a new head coach to replace Brad Stevens is now in full swing with a growing list of franchises around the NBA that are also looking to fill a vacancy on their bench after some movement on the coaching carousel over the weekend. A closer look at the latest developments in the Celtics’ coaching search along with how openings and developments around the league may factor into Boston’s search.


Interviews are already underway

According to a league source, Celtics assistant coach Scott Morrison was the latest candidate to interview for Boston’s head coach position on Monday morning, joining a pair of coaches on Stevens staff that are receiving consideration. Jerome Allen has also been interviewed and long-time assistant Jay Larranaga will be in the mix as well before the team starts the interview process with candidates from outside the organization.

Morrison, 43, was the G-League Coach of the Year in 2015 with the Maine Red Claws and has been an assistant on Stevens’ bench since 2017. He’s also worked as an assistant coach with several Canadian national teams in the past decade. Allen, 48, played in the NBA and overseas for a combined 14 years and has been a Celtics assistant since 2015. He also has head coaching experience at Penn. Larranaga, 46, has been with the Celtics organization since 2012 and has been a candidate for numerous head coaching positions around the league during the past three years.

A long list of external names are expected to receive consideration for the position including former Hawks head coach Lloyd Pierce, Lakers assistant Jason Kidd and Brooklyn Nets assistant Ime Udoka.


Movement around the league impacting Celtics?

Two new head coaching positions have opened in the past week in Portland and Orlando as those two teams parted ways respectively with Terry Stotts and Steve Clifford. Portland is a respected job around the league with an All-Star but the Celtics opening remains the most high sought after opening on the market according to league sources. Jason Kidd electing to pull himself out of consideration for the Blazers opening does not appear to be related to his candidacy in Boston.

The Magic opening will likely lead to the hiring of a coach with a player development focus as the franchise begins the start of a rebuilding period following the midseason trades of Nikola Vucevic, Evan Fournier and Aaron Gordon.

Mark Cuban gave a vote of confidence to his head coach Rick Carlisle in a statement to ESPN on Sunday after Dallas was eliminated from the postseason by the LA Clippers in a hard fought seven-game series.

“Let me tell you how I look at coaching,” Cuban said. “You don’t make a change to make a change. Unless you have someone that you know is much, much, much better, the grass is rarely greener on the other side. … He isn’t going anywhere.”

The other potential head coaching opening across the NBA that could surface in the coming days remains in Indiana. First-year head coach Nate Bjorkgren has not received the full backing from the Pacers front office just yet after the Pacers struggled on the court and with internal turmoil

“Nate and I will have a long conversation over many days on what he needs to improve on,” team president Kevin Pritchard told Bob Kravitz of The Athletic last month. “He is our coach as of now, and I’ll have a fair discussion with him.”

The Athletic reported that Stotts could be a candidate for the Pacers job if Bjorkgren is let go. The Celtics have not been tied to Stotts as a potential candidate for the opening as of yet. The same is true for former Magic head coach Steve Clifford.


Bob


.

bobheckler wrote:https://www.masslive.com/celtics/2021/06/celtics-coaching-search-scott-morrison-interviews-for-position-impact-of-new-openings-around-nba-on-process.html


Celtics coaching search: Scott Morrison interviews for position, impact of new openings around NBA on process


Updated 1:13 PM; Today 1:01 PM


By Brian Robb | brobb@masslive.com



The Celtics search for a new head coach to replace Brad Stevens is now in full swing with a growing list of franchises around the NBA that are also looking to fill a vacancy on their bench after some movement on the coaching carousel over the weekend. A closer look at the latest developments in the Celtics’  coaching search along with how openings and developments around the league may factor into Boston’s search.


Interviews are already underway

According to a league source, Celtics assistant coach Scott Morrison was the latest candidate to interview for Boston’s head coach position on Monday morning, joining a pair of coaches on Stevens staff that are receiving consideration. Jerome Allen has also been interviewed and long-time assistant Jay Larranaga will be in the mix as well before the team starts the interview process with candidates from outside the organization.

Morrison, 43, was the G-League Coach of the Year in 2015 with the Maine Red Claws and has been an assistant on Stevens’ bench since 2017. He’s also worked as an assistant coach with several Canadian national teams in the past decade. Allen, 48, played in the NBA and overseas for a combined 14 years and has been a Celtics assistant since 2015. He also has head coaching experience at Penn. Larranaga, 46, has been with the Celtics organization since 2012 and has been a candidate for numerous head coaching positions around the league during the past three years.

A long list of external names are expected to receive consideration for the position including former Hawks head coach Lloyd Pierce, Lakers assistant Jason Kidd and Brooklyn Nets assistant Ime Udoka.


Movement around the league impacting Celtics?

Two new head coaching positions have opened in the past week in Portland and Orlando as those two teams parted ways respectively with Terry Stotts and Steve Clifford. Portland is a respected job around the league with an All-Star but the Celtics opening remains the most high sought after opening on the market according to league sources. Jason Kidd electing to pull himself out of consideration for the Blazers opening does not appear to be related to his candidacy in Boston.

The Magic opening will likely lead to the hiring of a coach with a player development focus as the franchise begins the start of a rebuilding period following the midseason trades of Nikola Vucevic, Evan Fournier and Aaron Gordon.

Mark Cuban gave a vote of confidence to his head coach Rick Carlisle in a statement to ESPN on Sunday after Dallas was eliminated from the postseason by the LA Clippers in a hard fought seven-game series.

“Let me tell you how I look at coaching,” Cuban said. “You don’t make a change to make a change. Unless you have someone that you know is much, much, much better, the grass is rarely greener on the other side. … He isn’t going anywhere.”

The other potential head coaching opening across the NBA that could surface in the coming days remains in Indiana. First-year head coach Nate Bjorkgren has not received the full backing from the Pacers front office just yet after the Pacers struggled on the court and with internal turmoil

“Nate and I will have a long conversation over many days on what he needs to improve on,” team president Kevin Pritchard told Bob Kravitz of The Athletic last month. “He is our coach as of now, and I’ll have a fair discussion with him.”

The Athletic reported that Stotts could be a candidate for the Pacers job if Bjorkgren is let go. The Celtics have not been tied to Stotts as a potential candidate for the opening as of yet. The same is true for former Magic head coach Steve Clifford.


Bob


.

Kidd either (A) already has something else lined up. (Don’t faint if its the Lakers. I’ll OD if they hire him here) (B) Is playing Possum and really is going to take that job but because of what happened in Jersey and what he pulled going to Milwaukee, he doesn’t want it to appear that he got the job because Lillard wanted him and thus subtly pushed Stotts out. Concerned about his rep in other words. Either way, I think he’s a terrible coach and if Boston ever hired him I’d head for the Mystic River Bridge.

Becky Hammons is the dark horse in this race, in my opinion.

1.  The Celtics have a franchise history of being first in social issues.

2.  She's from the Pop tree, and took over as the acting coach when he got himself tossed out of a game, and Pop never does anything accidentally. Pop absolutely adores her, and he knows talent.

3.  Who was the first person to jump on the Brad Stevens bandwagon when he first became a Celtic, and always has great things to say about him?  Pop.

4.  Chauncey has been an assistant coach at LAC since 2020, and the Clippers have been underachievers.  Hammon has been an assistant coach in San Antonio since 2014.  They won the championship in the 2014-2014 season and she was hired in August, right after they won but she was "hanging around" the Spurs practices for a long time before that because she was a San Antonio Spark and was looking to get into coaching.  So she's been around a Championship NBA team and watched them practice and work.


Bob


.

dboss wrote:Kidd must have something up his sleeve.  

He would not be my preferred choice for the same reasons mentioned by ktron.

I definitely want to see a former player get the nod.  

I am still high on them getting Chauncey.

Dboss and Ktron,


https://clutchpoints.com/lakers-news-jason-kidd-reveals-why-damian-lillards-request-turned-him-off-for-blazers-job/



Lakers’ Jason Kidd reveals Damian Lillard’s public request turned him off for Blazers




Just hours after Portland Trail Blazers coach Terry Stotts was let go, All-Star Damian Lillard was vocal on his pick for his replacement: Los Angeles Lakers assistant coach Jason Kidd.

But now the Lakers coach has outright refused the post, explaining how he was put in an ‘uncomfortable’ situation. This comes via a report from ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski:

“Portland’s a first-class organization and will have great candidates for its head coaching job, but I’ve decided not to be one of them,” Kidd told ESPN. “Whoever they choose will have big shoes to fill from Terry (Stotts).”

“Kidd was ultimately uncomfortable with the idea of pursuing the opening after Blazers star Damian Lillard publicly called for his hiring within hours of Stotts’ departure on Friday night. The public nature of Lillard’s endorsement — telling Yahoo Sports that “Jason Kidd is the guy I want” — left Kidd feeling he would put both Lillard and Portland’s process in an awkward circumstance should he pursue the opening.

Quite a shocking turn of events. Jason Kidd’s Lakers were ousted from the first round, just as Damian Lillard’s Blazers were. Had Los Angeles still been in the postseason, a statement of that nature might have just been to stay focused on the task at hand. But with the offseason in full swing for the Hall-of-Famer, it looks like his decision on the matter is firm.

The situation raises a lot of questions. Did Damian Lillard not talk to Kidd about the possibility of coaching the Blazers? Surely had they been in communication right after the Lakers and Blazers’ eliminations, or even before that, they could have figured out the best way to get Kidd the job.

But it’s also possible that Lillard just voiced out his opinion in the moment, assuming that Kidd would be interested in another shot at a head coaching gig. For now, Lillard and the Blazers must look elsewhere.


Bob


.

"Oops!!  My bad!!"

D. Lillard (or his new handle @imadumbassandshouldhavekeptmybigmouthshut!)

db

Jason? You've got to be Kidding me. He does not have the temperament to lead our Celts.

More from DL...

"What the hell...Oh wait a minute. I'm stuck here through a re-build?!!! This is Hell!!! No banner for me. Hi Chuck!! Fancy meeting you here! Is that Patrick over there?! Hey! There's John and Karl!"

db

bobheckler wrote:

dboss wrote:Kidd must have something up his sleeve.  

He would not be my preferred choice for the same reasons mentioned by ktron.

I definitely want to see a former player get the nod.  

I am still high on them getting Chauncey.

Dboss and Ktron,


https://clutchpoints.com/lakers-news-jason-kidd-reveals-why-damian-lillards-request-turned-him-off-for-blazers-job/



Lakers’ Jason Kidd reveals Damian Lillard’s public request turned him off for Blazers




Just hours after Portland Trail Blazers coach Terry Stotts was let go, All-Star Damian Lillard was vocal on his pick for his replacement: Los Angeles Lakers assistant coach Jason Kidd.

But now the Lakers coach has outright refused the post, explaining how he was put in an ‘uncomfortable’ situation. This comes via a report from ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski:

“Portland’s a first-class organization and will have great candidates for its head coaching job, but I’ve decided not to be one of them,” Kidd told ESPN. “Whoever they choose will have big shoes to fill from Terry (Stotts).”

“Kidd was ultimately uncomfortable with the idea of pursuing the opening after Blazers star Damian Lillard publicly called for his hiring within hours of Stotts’ departure on Friday night. The public nature of Lillard’s endorsement — telling Yahoo Sports that “Jason Kidd is the guy I want” — left Kidd feeling he would put both Lillard and Portland’s process in an awkward circumstance should he pursue the opening.

Quite a shocking turn of events. Jason Kidd’s Lakers were ousted from the first round, just as Damian Lillard’s Blazers were. Had Los Angeles still been in the postseason, a statement of that nature might have just been to stay focused on the task at hand. But with the offseason in full swing for the Hall-of-Famer, it looks like his decision on the matter is firm.

The situation raises a lot of questions. Did Damian Lillard not talk to Kidd about the possibility of coaching the Blazers? Surely had they been in communication right after the Lakers and Blazers’ eliminations, or even before that, they could have figured out the best way to get Kidd the job.

But it’s also possible that Lillard just voiced out his opinion in the moment, assuming that Kidd would be interested in another shot at a head coaching gig. For now, Lillard and the Blazers must look elsewhere.


Bob


.

I find it hard to believe that as close as Lillard and Kidd are alleged to be, a conversation was not had prior to Lillard saying that he wanted Kidd. Kidd is a sneaky lil fker and he’s far from a dummy (remember the bump into me so I can spill water and get a free time out?) Jason has got something up and it would not surprise me if he takes Vogels job. I wish him the best and hope he lands a coaching gig far out yonder that way. Like my Grandad used to say “don’t Chu come round here”.

dbrown4 wrote:More from DL...

"What the hell...Oh wait a minute.  I'm stuck here through a re-build?!!!  This is Hell!!!  No banner for me.  Hi Chuck!!  Fancy meeting you here!  Is that Patrick over there?!  Hey!  There's John and Karl!"

db

“Wait. Hold up! Don’t sit there DL, That seat belongs to Reggie. He’s just running a little late.”