Celtics coaching search guide: The candidates and probabilities

https://sports.yahoo.com/celtics-head-coach-rumors-look-131708086.html



Celtics head coach rumors: A look at Lloyd Pierce, David Fizdale



Chris Forsberg
Wed, June 9, 2021, 6:17 AM·4 min read



Hiring a coach with previous NBA experience is admittedly not the sexiest option.

It typically means things ended badly for that coach somewhere recently. But Brad Stevens is quick to point out that’s just the nature of the coaching beast and just about everyone not named Gregg Popovich gets fired at some point.

One team’s trash often becomes another team’s treasure. Just look at the Coach of the Year balloting from this past season. Four of the top five finishers are coaches on at least their second stop: Tom Thibodeau, Monty Williams, Doc Rivers, and Nate McMillan.

Recycled coaches have the benefit of experience. They know the rigors of the job and can avoid many of the pitfalls from their initial go-arounds. While first-time head coaches are shiny mystery boxes, they’re also a bit of a dice roll. Teams pretty much know what they’re getting in veteran coaches, especially in terms of personality and coaching style.

Should the Boston Celtics go retread for their next head coach?

There is no shortage of talented coaches who are currently unemployed. The question, of course, is which available leading man would be the best fit for this current iteration of the Celtics. Boston, with a high value on continuity, likely desires a coach who can not only nurture the All-Star tandem of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown throughout whatever title window is available now, but also be someone who can set up roots here.

Good luck trying to find hints about who Stevens might like among retreads because he has routinely gushed about all of his coaching brethren, particularly whenever one is dismissed. Take, for instance, when Atlanta dismissed Lloyd Pierce earlier this season.


Celtics Coaching Candidates - Lloyd Pierce


"Lloyd is an unbelievable coach,” Stevens said in March. "And when I turn on their games -- and they just beat us by 30 [in February] -- but when I turn on games I learn something every time I watch his team play. And then, on top of that, the kind of person he is, the leader he is, the impact he's had on and off the court.

“Obviously, I've communicated a little bit with Lloyd since his firing but I think, like, my two thoughts would be he can do whatever he wants next. He's going to be in high, high demand all around the NBA, and my second thought would be I'm not sure people understand how hard winning is. It's hard to win. It's tough. And to build something long and sustainable takes patience and time, and it's not going to be linear. And so I'm a big fan of Lloyd Pierce.”

You can probably dig up glowing quotes about David Fizdale or Kenny Atkinson. Who the Celtics interview for their vacancy will tell us more about who Stevens truly likes among the coaching fraternity.


Celtics Coaching Candidates - David Fizdale


Pierce’s name is one that will obviously dance in speculation. Tatum and Brown -- along with Kemba Walker and Marcus Smart -- may have unique perspective on his candidacy, too, after Pierce coached them on Team USA at the FIBA championships in 2019.

The question for any team interested in Pierce is why things went sour in Atlanta. The Hawks, with the benefit of better health, surged at the end of the season behind McMillan. Could Pierce inspire Tatum and Brown in a way that maybe he wasn’t able to with Trae Young and Atlanta’s young core?

But so much depends on fit and buy-in. Fizdale couldn’t inspire the Knicks but Thibodeau could. Sometimes it comes down to patience and whether a team is willing to let a coach find their way.

The Celtics have had success with retreads after hiring Doc Rivers following his time in Orlando. Rivers hit some bumps in the road early in his Boston tenure and some were clamoring for his dismissal. The Celtics showed him support and he delivered a title when the roster improved. Now he’s regarded among the coaching elite.

Yes, retreads aren’t always the sexiest but experience matters. Stevens needs only look at his old Indianapolis pal Frank Vogel. After stops in Indy and Orlando, he took over a Lakers team flush with talent and delivered a title in 2020.

There’s a lot of good coaches out there and they shouldn’t be overlooked just because it ended poorly somewhere else.


Bob


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https://www.nbcsports.com/boston/celtics/celtics-coaching-candidates-could-sam-cassell-chauncey-billups-optimize-celtics?int



Would Sam Cassell, Chauncey Billups be the right fit for C's?



JUN 8, 2021

BY CHRIS FORSBERG
CELTICS INSIDER



One of the common questions during Brad Stevens’ tenure as head coach of the Boston Celtics was whether the team could have benefitted from having more former NBA players as part of his staff.

Now, as Stevens prepares to hire Boston’s next coach, the conversation shifts to whether a former NBA standout like Sam Cassell ought to be at the top of the team’ wish list.

There’s a notion that former high-level players can best reach and mold impressionable young players, and that someone with name recognition can promote early buy-in based on their career accomplishments.

While the Celtics haven’t been completely devoid of former NBA experience -- both Walter McCarty and Evan Turner were on staff during Stevens’ tenure -- Boston has never quite had the sort of high-level player that the team’s younger players might have grown up watching.

Cassell wasn’t exactly a superstar but he is a former All-Star (2004) who won three NBA titles during a well-traveled career. He was famous for his clutch shot-making (as well as his signature celebration). Cassell has an obvious Boston connection, too, having wrapped up his career as part of the Celtics’ 2008 title team after signing as a buyout guy.

Cassell jumped directly into the coaching ranks in the aftermath of his playing career, joining the Washington Wizards in 2009. He latched on the staff of former Celtics coach Doc Rivers in 2014 and has been with him for stints with the Los Angeles Clippers and now the Philadelphia 76ers.

NBC Sports Boston analyst Kendrick Perkins has been staunch in his support of his former teammate and believes Cassell is the best candidate to lead this team forward based on Cassell's experiences as a player and coach.


Celtics Coaching Candidates - Sam Cassell

“Brad Stevens, if you want to make your next move your best move, you need to go hire Sam Cassell,” said Perkins. “He won a championship in Boston as a player, he’s a two-time champion as a Rocket. He’s been a long-time assistant, he’s coached superstars, he’s played with superstars.

“You have two young superstars over there in Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum … You need someone in that locker room that these players are going to respect, that they’re going to look up to, that they’re going to soak in knowledge, and a guy that is going to hold them accountable.

"To me, it’s a clear-cut favorite that Sam Cassell should be the coach."

Here’s maybe the biggest selling point with Cassell: During his various coaching stops, he’s been credited with helping develop young stars and get the most out of veterans. Cassell helped John Wall blossom with the Wizards and Ben Simmons made strides this year in Philadelphia. In L.A., Cassell’s presence helped maximize the Chris Paul experience.

Chauncey Billups is another former NBA standout earning heavy buzz as a coaching candidate, including for Portland’s vacancy after the team parted ways with Terry Stotts following a first-round playoff exit.


Celtics Coaching Candidates - Chauncey Billups

The Celtics selected Billups third overall in the 1997 NBA Draft but he spent only 51 games in green and was dealt to Toronto before the end of his rookie season. Billups went on to be a key piece of Detroit’s core, earning Finals MVP during the Pistons’ 2004 title season. Billups was a five-time All-Star and landed on three All-NBA teams during his career.

The Nets rolled the dice on a former player with no NBA head coaching experience when they hired Steve Nash last year. With a strong support staff beside him, including a couple former NBA head coaches, the Nets have thrived this year and are the favorite to win an NBA title.

Stevens’ staffs in Boston have had a lot of bright basketball minds but playing experience was largely limited to overseas accomplishments. Jerome Allen appeared in 117 games over three NBA seasons before finishing his playing days on the international stage. Jay Larranaga spent 12 years starring overseas.

Cassell has positioned himself for a head coaching opportunity based on the past 12 years as an assistant. His playing career only fortifies his resume. The question remains: Is he the coach who can pluck the most out of Boston’s All-Star core and get this team back to the title stage?


Bob


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https://www.yahoo.com/sports/celtics-coaching-rumors-mike-dantoni-122018286.html



Celtics coaching rumors: Mike D'Antoni draws interest from C's


Darren Hartwell
Wed, June 9, 2021, 5:20 AM



Add another name to the Boston Celtics head coach watchlist.

Brooklyn Nets assistant coach Mike D'Antoni has received interest for the Celtics, Portland Trail Blazers and Orlando Magic head coach openings, ESPN's Jordan Schultz reported Tuesday.

D'Antoni is an NBA coaching veteran who took his first head coach job with the Denver Nuggets in 1998. He won NBA Coach of the Year awards in 2005 with the Phoenix Suns and 2017 with the Houston Rockets and also had stints as the New York Knicks' and Los Angeles Lakers' head coach before joining Brooklyn in 2020 as an assistant on Steve Nash's staff.


If the Celtics want D'Antoni, they may have to wait: The Nets will grant interview requests for their assistant after the playoffs, per Schultz, and with a 2-0 series lead over the Milwaukee Bucks, Brooklyn likely won't be eliminated anytime soon.

A number of other coaching candidates have been linked to Boston, including ex-Atlanta Hawks coach Lloyd Pierce, former NBA stars Jason Kidd, Chauncey Billups and Sam Cassell, San Antonio Spurs assistant coach Becky Hammon and ex-Celtics assistant Kara Lawson.

While D'Antoni has an impressive coaching track record, the 70-year-old is by far the oldest member of that group. If the C's are seeking a fresh voice for their young core after Brad Stevens' transition to president of basketball operations, there would seem to be better fits than D'Antoni.


Bob
MY NOTE:  NOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!   First of all, (No D) Antoni does not have an impressive coaching record.  He has the most coaching experience, but that's not the same thing.  In fact, one could argue that, with all his years of experience, he hasn't actually won anything and that is unimpressive.  Kobe couldn't stand him in LA.  Harden loved him in Houston because he didn't make Harden play defense.  Let's hope this is just Brad being his usual thorough self and isn't a serious consideration.  Just one more reason to root for Milwaukee. We need the Bucks to rally and win some games to extend that series so that Brooklyn won't let Antoni interview for the job in time.



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https://www.yahoo.com/sports/m/23c29c64-d226-37c9-8293-d56777cced33/juwan-howard-not-interested-.html


Juwan Howard 'Not Interested' In Even Discussing NBA Head



Clayton Sayfie • TheWolverine
Staff Writer
@CSayf23



Michigan Wolverines head basketball coach Juwan Howard isn't going anywhere.

The former All-American player at Michigan has enjoyed immense success in his two years as the program's head coach, having led his team to the outright Big Ten regular-season title and an Elite Eight appearance in 2020-21. He was named National Coach of the Year by the Associated Press.

While his name has been mentioned by NBA reporters when recent jobs have become open, Howard is not interested in even having conversations with teams in the league, and is perfectly content coaching the Maize and Blue, ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported in a tweet Thursday.

Michigan Wolverines head basketball coach Juwan Howard led his team to a Big Ten title and Elite Eight appearance in his second season on the job.


Michigan Wolverines head basketball coach Juwan Howard led his team to a Big Ten title and Elite Eight appearance in his second season on the job. (USA TODAY Sports Images)

Wojnarowski had tweeted last week that Howard was among candidates expected to be considered for the Portland Trail Blazers' opening, though there was no mutual interest.

Howard is entering the third year of a five-year contract with Michigan that pays him roughly $2 million annually. Many expect him to receive a raise and potential extension this offseason, though there has been no news on that front in some time.

His son, forward Jace Howard, is a freshman on the team, and youngest son, Jett Howard, is a 2022 recruit who will likely end up a Wolverine himself. On top of that, Howard, who interviewed for the Minnesota Timberwolvees' head coaching job before being hired at Michigan in 2019, is loving the Ann Arbor experience.


"I’m in Ann Arbor to stay, baby,” Howard said on the Jalen and Jacoby show in March. “I love Michigan, I love my job and I’m enjoying it and this experience. I’m also looking forward to growing each and every year and developing these young men to become the best versions of themselves as a student-athlete.

“This is a dream job for me. I think my passion last year showed how much I appreciate being in this position.

“The NBA, it’s a beautiful game. They have great coaches there, amazing, talented players, a beautiful brand. But I enjoyed that experience for 25 years, 19 as a player and six as a coach. I’m going to stay and keep growing with Michigan. Go Blue.”

Howard has been hosting recruiting visitors in June, ahead of July's evaluation period. He has not released a statement on recent reports that he is coveted by NBA franchises, instead letting his actions speak much louder.

"I know his heart is in Ann Arbor,” Howard's former teammate at Michigan, Jalen Rose, said on the Rich Eisen Show this week. “I know that he wants to bring a national championship back to the school. We do have the No. 1 recruiting class coming in next year. I know he’s excited, he and his staff, about coaching them.”

“I would tell you to breathe easy, that I anticipate that he’ll still be with us for the foreseeable future and committed to doing all the things he said in his initial press conference.”

It appears Howard is just getting started in Ann Arbor.


Bob


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https://www.nbcsports.com/boston/celtics/celtics-coaching-candidates-darvin-ham-ime-udoka-other-nba-assistants?cid=Yahoo&partner=ya4nbcs



These rising-star assistants are worth Celtics' attention



JUN 10, 2021

BY CHRIS FORSBERG
CELTICS INSIDER



The next great NBA coach is probably already in the league but might not be a household name just yet.

That's why newly minted Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens will bring in a robust collection of current NBA assistants as part of interviews for his former gig.

Having already interviewed internal candidates like Jay Larranaga and Jerome Allen, the Celtics will now look across the league. Some will be familiar names like Chauncey Billups, while others like Brooklyn’s Ime Udoka or Milwaukee’s Darvin Ham have long been on the path to head coaching gigs. ESPN reported Wednesday that the Celtics' lengthy interview list will also include Bucks assistant Charles Lee and Mavericks assistant Jamahl Mosley.


Ham played eight seasons in the NBA for six different teams (with a stop in Spain along the way, too). He was part of Detroit’s 2004 title team before diving into coaching later that decade. Stops with the Lakers, Hawks, and Bucks followed. Ham was a finalist for the vacant Pacers job this past offseason. He’s renowned for his ability to foster relationships with players and shape young talent.


Celtics Coaching Candidates - Darvin Ham

If the name sounds familiar, you probably remember he once did THIS during the NCAA tournament and had the nickname “Ham Slamwich” during his playing days.

But it’s the way others rave about Ham that really make you intrigued by the notion of him leading a team. Here’s what Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer told Texas-based A-J Media about Ham back in 2019:

"It’s hard to put into words everything that Darvin brings, but he’s incredibly important to me, to our players. We want to be tough and there’s nobody tougher than Darvin. He just brings a toughness, a realness, and honesty. The players respect him, his player development with bigs and really everybody. He’s just got a great feel for the sport. He’s special."

Udoka, who played seven NBA seasons, started coaching in 2012 with the Spurs, who won a title in his first season on the bench. After seven years under coach Gregg Popovich, he joined the Sixers for the 2019-20 campaign as Brett Brown’s top assistant. He’s currently part of Steve Nash’s All-Star coaching squad this season.


Celtics Coaching Candidates - Ime Udoka

Trying to whittle down a list of intriguing assistants to interview could be Stevens’ most daunting task. The league is flush with head-coaching potential. David Vanterpool is looking for a new home after Minnesota elected to hire Chris Finch midway through last season. At 36, Lee is the same age as when Stevens got hired in Boston.


Celtics Coaching Candidates - David Vanterpool

Hiring an assistant can be a bit of a dice roll. Just ask the Indiana Pacers, who just dismissed Nate Bjorkgren after one tumultuous season on the bench. Everyone is hunting for the next Nick Nurse or Quin Snyder, and it feels like it’s forever enticing to simply rip a leaf off the coaching tree of Gregg Popovich.

There are a lot of assistants who have put in a lot of long hours to position themselves for a chance to run their own show. The challenge is picking the one that best fits the Celtics’ long-term vision and can best lead this core forward.


Bob


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https://www.masslive.com/celtics/2021/06/celtics-coaching-search-evaluating-the-pros-and-cons-of-bostons-coach-opening-compared-to-the-field.html



Celtics coaching search: Evaluating the pros and cons of Boston’s coach opening compared to the field



Updated 11:39 AM; Today 11:39 AM


By Souichi Terada | sterada@masslive.com



When the Celtics shocked the NBA world just a day after their season ended, they stood as the lone franchise looking for a new head coach. Brad Stevens is the new president of basketball operations while Danny Ainge retired, opening the door for a fresh, new voice on the sideline.

Then other dominoes dropped — signifying competition for the Celtics on the coaching market. Portland and Terry Stotts parted ways after nine seasons; the Magic are headed to a rebuild as Steve Clifford is out; and Indiana fired Nate Bjorkgren after just one season. There could be other openings (Milwaukee) pending the rest of the playoffs.

But the Celtics stand atop the market as the most desirable destination for an up-and-coming coach. Roster complications aside, the C’s still boast two All-Stars under the age of 25, both locked in for the long-term. Boston’s storied basketball history doesn’t hurt either.

That’s compared to the rest of the field. There’s a lot of uncertainty surrounding the Blazers — especially when it comes to Damian Lillard and his future with the franchise. The Magic are headed to a full-scale rebuild, shedding themselves of veterans on their roster. The Pacers are in a strange spot, where they have the talent but it’s unclear how those pieces will mesh and if a rebuild is necessary.

The hiring process appears to be gaining momentum for Stevens and the Celtics. External candidates are starting to trickle, names like Chauncey Billups, Ime Udoka, Darvin Ham and other potential names.

Here’s a look at some of the pros and cons of the Celtics job:


Pro: The future looks bright. There’s no denying the talent of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, both of whom have made linear progressions of improvement throughout their careers. The new coach will have to develop them, but the duo is closer to a finished product than the raw teenage selves they were a few years ago. In a talent and player-driven league, it’s all about getting the best players. The Celtics look like they have that crucial piece to contention, which doubles as the most difficult part.


Con: Some uncertainty surrounding the roster. By the time the Celtics hire a new coach, there’s still a whole summer of free agency and the trade market whirling. The core should remain the same — barring some insane trades, which is a possibility — but there will likely be moves in store this offseason. But the new head coach won’t have to crunch salary cap numbers and limitations; that’s on Stevens and his front office now.


Pro: Building a culture. Stevens roamed the sidelines for eight years for Boston, and while he said he enjoyed the experience, he sounds like he’s also ready for a change. The Celtics appear like they’re looking for a coach with past player experience who can relate to the modern-era NBA stars more. That leans itself more to a player’s coach instead of an Xs-and-Os gurus like Stevens. That’s an opportunity for whoever’s the new head coach to craft the culture as he sees fit, though Stevens will keep a close eye as president.

“I’ve been in that locker room with some of those guys for a long time,” Stevens said June 2. “They’ll get to play for a great coach, with some similarities maybe, but also some great new fresh perspectives. That’s a good thing, so I’m looking forward to finding that person.”


Con: Outside pressure. Depending on how the Celtics’ offseason goes, there’s still going to be plenty of expectations for the team going forward — especially if Tatum and Brown take more steps forward. But if things go awry at the start, the blame will quickly go to the new coach. All the criticism Stevens heard this year — the players are tuning him out, he lost the locker room, etc. — will come back tenfold if the team is mired in mediocrity. And those players-specific concerns double if the Celtics hire a player’s coach. That wades into intangible territory, but something to keep in mind as well.


Bob
MY NOTE:  Unless Frank Vogel gets fired I would say the Boston job is the pick of the litter (maybe it still is even if the Laker job opens up.  They have a good team but LeBron will be 37 on December 30th).  There's always some roster uncertainty, unless you were in the NBA Finals, then you're probably pretty much set to tee it up for next year. And if the head coach feels the "outside pressure" then I don't want him, he doesn't have the necessary temperament for the job. Therefore, I don't see the 'cons' as weighing as heavily as he suggests, but the 'pros' are still there.

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https://us.yahoo.com/sports/report-becky-hammon-interview-multiple-004609644.html



Report: Becky Hammon to interview for multiple NBA head coaching jobs



Mike Gavin
Sun, June 13, 2021, 2:46 AM



Becky Hammon reportedly is set to interview with a very fitting NBA team: the Portland Trail Blazers.

Fitting because Hammon has long been a trailblazer for women in sports as the first full-time female assistant coach in any of the four major North American professional sports.

An assistant coach with the San Antonio Spurs since 2014, Hammon now is looking to make more history as the first full-time female head coach in league history. Hammon reportedly will interview with both the Blazers and the Orlando Magic, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic.

Shams Charania
@ShamsCharania
Spurs assistant Becky Hammon -- who this season became the first woman to serve as head coach in an NBA game -- will soon interview for the Trail Blazers and Orlando Magic head coaching jobs, sources said. https://theathletic.com/news/trail-blazers-coaching-candidates-include-becky-hammon-mike-dantoni-sources/B2R0IkuM9Hh9
Shams Charania
@ShamsCharania
Sources: Among Portland Trail Blazers top head coaching candidates: Clippers assistant Chauncey Billups, Spurs assistant Becky Hammon, Univ. of South Carolina/USA women's coach Dawn Staley, Nets assistant Mike D’Antoni and Spurs executive Brent Barry.

https://theathletic.com/news/trail-blazers-coaching-candidates-include-becky-hammon-mike-dantoni-sources/B2R0IkuM9Hh9
3:05 PM · Jun 12, 2021



Hammon in December 2020 became the first woman to act as NBA head coach in a regular season game after Gregg Popovich was ejected against the Los Angeles Lakers.

Hammon was a six-time All-Star during her 16-year career in the WNBA with the New York Liberty and San Antonio Silver. After retiring, she joined Popovich's staff, becoming a pioneer for all sports. She interviewed for the Milwaukee Bucks' head coach position in 2018 before the team hired Mike Budenholzer.

The 44-year-old Hammon told NBC during an interview in April that she is ready to be an NBA head coach but isn't sure when the opportunity will come.

"People don't like doing something new and different," Hammon said. "It's uncomfortable. It takes massive amount of risk. Somebody's going to have to take a chance ... In some ways I feel like it could be in a year. In other ways, it could be 10 years. I'm not really sure. What I'm sure of is, I'll be ready."

Dawn Staley, the longtime head coach of the South Carolina women's basketball team, is also among the candidates for the Blazers job, along with Los Angeles Clippers assistant Chauncey Billups and Brooklyn Nets assistant Mike D'Antoni.


Bob



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This was seen near the Celtics' practice facility.





Bob


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