head coach

Sixers Players Will Not Influence Coaching Search

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The Philadelphia 76ers parted ways with head coach Doc Rivers on May 16. Rivers had been in charge at the Wells Fargo Center for three seasons and was well-liked by many players. However, he also failed to get the Sixers past the second round of the playoffs every season, despite improving in wins year after year. After the blowout loss to Boston that ended the Sixers’ season, Rivers fell to 16-33 in Game 7 scenarios.

The departure came as a shock to many members of the Sixers organization, especially MVP Joel Embiid. Embiid had an incredibly close relationship with Rivers and was not aware that the coach would not be returning next season. However, it appears that is the exact culture GM Daryl Morey is attempting to build in Philly.

Morey Says Coaching Search Will Be “Careful”

CAMDEN, NEW JERSEY – FEBRUARY 15: President of basketball operations Daryl Morey responds during a press conference at the Seventy Sixers Practice Facility on February 15, 2022 in Camden, New Jersey. (Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)

Conducting his exit interview before the offseason, Morey spoke at length about the search for a new head coach. The Sixers are expected to speak with Mike Budenholzer, Nick Nurse, and Frank Vogel amongst a number of other candidates. Other local media has also proposed a number of other candidates. Philly Inquirer columnist Mike Jensen argued that the Sixers should speak with University of South Carolina women’s head coach, and Philly native, Dawn Staley. The Sixers join the Bucks, Pistons, Raptors, and Rockets in hunting for a new head coach.

However, Morey warned the assembled media that a decision will not come soon. “We’re taking a careful process with the coach,” Morey said Wednesday. “We do not think it will move quickly. We have to be careful with the process word but it is true.” Despite this, Morey was also very firm that the decision would be made by the front office, not the players. “It’s my job to help convince him the new coach is someone he’ll have a great relationship with, as well,” Morey said of Embiid. Furthermore, Morey was confident in his ability to lead the Sixers to that ever-elusive title. “Frankly, I feel like I’m the best guy to lead the 76ers and ownership believes that,” he said. Who do you think the Sixers should hire? Let us know in the comments.

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Phoenix Suns Fire Monty Williams

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The Phoenix Suns have fired head coach Monty Williams after four seasons. The move comes after the Suns were eliminated from the NBA playoffs by the Denver Nuggets. After reaching the NBA Finals in 2021, the Suns have been eliminated in the second round of the playoffs in back-to-back seasons. 2023 was meant to be the Suns’ year. They went all-in to acquire Kevin Durant in a blockbuster trade with the Nets. However, he and Devin Booker were unable to carry the team past the Nuggets.

The move was expected by many NBA experts and is potentially the first of many in the Suns’ offseason. Furthermore, previous reporting indicated that the team could be set to “aggressively” shop veteran Chris Paul and young star DeAndre Ayton. However, big moves during the season could limit what the Suns are able to do.

Suns Ownership Putting Stamp On Tenure

PHOENIX, ARIZONA – MAY 11: Head coach Monty Williams of the Phoenix Suns reacts during the second quarter against the Denver Nuggets in game six of the Western Conference Semifinal Playoffs at Footprint Center on May 11, 2023 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

Monty Williams’ job was never truly safe. A holdover from the tenure of the previous owner, there was every chance that new owner Mat Ishiba could choose to replace Williams. Additionally, this appears to be the case, with sources suggesting that Ishiba, who never warmed to Williams, quickly made the decision after the Suns’ Game 6 loss. Furthermore, Ishiba also reportedly had GM James Jones, an ally and advocate of Williams, deliver the news.

The Suns become of the more intriguing teams in the head coach market. They join the Milwaukee Bucks as a team with title contention status who made the decision to move on from their head coach. However, a difficult challenge lies ahead for whoever they hire. The Suns traded away for future first-round picks to acquire Kevin Durant. Furthermore, bloated contracts and new regulations imposed by the CBA will further stymie the team’s efforts to retool or rebuild. With Williams only being notified on Saturday, no names have been linked with the job. However, the Suns will have an elite pool to choose from.

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Raptors Fire Nick Nurse After Five Seasons

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Nick Nurse briefly turned the Toronto Raptors into one of the NBA’s hottest brands. Serving with the team since 2013, Nurse took over as head coach in 2018. Despite going 59-23 the previous season, long-time head coach Dwayne Casey was fired after being swept in the Conference Semifinals by Cleveland. Nurse took Toronto all the way to a title in his first season, while also bringing to Kawhi Leonard to Canada.

However, Nurse has never been able to replicate that first-year success. Leonard left for LA in the offseason, meaning the Raptors traded a first-round pick for a championship. That 2019 first-rounder became Keldon Johnson, the Spurs’ leading scorer this past season. After winning 53 games the next season, the Raptors have completely dropped off. They won just 27 games in the 20/21 season and finished with a .500 record in the most recent season. As for the postseason, they lost in the first round in the 21/22 campaign and were outclassed by the Bulls in this year’s Play-In tournament.

Raptors Look To “Reset”

On April 21, the Raptors fired Nurse as head coach. Nurse had one year left on his contract and had met with Team President Masai Ujiri numerous times to discuss the plan going forward. However, it appears that Ujiri had other plans. In a statement, Ujiri said that the decision to move on from Nurse was “an opportunity for us to reset, to refocus, to put into place the personnel and the players who will help us reach our goal of winning our next championship.”

So what’s next for the Raptors, and for Nurse? Sources who spoke to ESPN said that former Boston Celtics head coach Ime Udoka is a serious contender to take the Toronto job. Udoka has been a free agent since the Celtics suspended and later fired him for conduct violations. Meanwhile, Nurse may not have to wait long for his next role, as sources say that he is a prominent candidate for the vacant position with the Rockets. However, the move ends an era for the Raptors and the team will now look to find a new direction. The team holds a lottery pick in the upcoming draft.

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Celtics Cut Ties With Ime Udoka, Name Joe Mazzulla As Head Coach

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The Boston Celtics announced that Ime Udoka is no longer a franchise member and promoted interim Joe Mazzulla to head coach. As readers likely recall, the Boston team suspended the former head coach for having inappropriate relations with a team staffer. Moreover, the news quickly captured the pop culture world given his former relationship with Nia Long. Furthermore, the Celtics’ president of basketball operations Brad Stevens issued a statement addressing the team’s next chapter.

Boston, MA – February 15: From left to right, Boston Celtics SG Jaylen Brown, interim head coach Joe Mazzulla, owner Wyc Grousbeck, and SF Jayson Tatum pose for a photo before the game. The Celtics beat the Detroit Pistons, 127-109. (Photo by Erin Clark/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)

“As he has shown, Joe is a very talented coach and leader,” he remarked. “He has a unique ability to galvanize a room around a mission. We are thankful for the work he has done to help get us to this point, and excited that he has agreed to lead us into the future.” As reported, the Celtics suspended Udoka for a year with no pay due to his consensual but improper and highly publicized scandal. In fact, it also destroyed his chances at stepping in as head coach for the Brooklyn Nets. While many believed that the official removal would come after the suspension term’s end, they took a big step in charting their future.

Moreover, Mazzulla worked hard to push the Boston team to the best record in the league (42-17). In addition, he formed trusting relationships with the players and might score their potential first championship since 2008. However, things weren’t always that easy for the longtime coach and his new team. Many Celtics players felt frustrated at poor transparency regarding Udoka’s removal, since he almost won them a title last June. Marcus Smart told The Boston Globe, “Obviously, we wish he was here. We have no control over that. I guess it was deemed that whatever happened was enough for him not to be the coach here, but I guess not enough for him [not] to be a coach anywhere else, obviously.”

Meanwhile, Mazzulla spoke with professionalism and dedication about being in the middle of a rift between players and the organization. “I just have a job to do,” he expressed. “Just focus on that. The guys are bought in. They trust me for the position that I’m in. And I just can’t take that trust for granted. I’ve just got to do my job, whatever we’ve got to do to win. And it will figure itself out.” As always, come back to HNHH for the latest NBA news and more updates on the Boston Celtics.

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