NBA Rumors Round-Up
NBA Rumors: Kerr Expects to Be Knicks Coach
Jeff Hawkins is an award-winning sportswriter with more than four decades in the industry (print and digital media). A freelance writer/stay-at-home dad since 2008, Hawkins started his career with newspaper stints in Michigan, North Carolina, Florida, Upstate New York and Illinois, where he earned the 2004 APSE first-place award for column writing (under 40,000 circulation). As a beat writer, he covered NASCAR Winston Cup events at NHIS (1999-2003), the NHL's Chicago Blackhawks (2003-06) and the NFL's Carolina Panthers (2011-12). Hawkins penned four youth sports books, including a Michael Jordan biography. Hawkins' main hobbies include mountain bike riding, 5k trail runs at the Whitewater Center in Charlotte, N.C., and live music.
All posts by Jeff HawkinsUpdated15 Oct 2021
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According to a source close to the situation, Kerr “absolutely expects” to be offered the job. “And if he’s offered the job, he’s definitely going to do it,” the source told The Post.
Steve Kerr, currently a broadcaster for TNT, has no prior head coaching experience. However, Kerr was the general manager of the Phoenix Suns from 2007 to 2010. He also played for New York Knicks president Phil Jackson on the Chicago Bulls and won three championships under the legendary coach back in the late 1990s.
Kerr’s name emerged almost immediately as a potential successor to Knicks coach Mike Woodson, due to his familiarity with the Triangle Offense. The hiring of Kerr would continue a trend of teams hiring rookie coaches, such as Mark Jackson in Golden State and Jeff Hornacek in Phoenix.
While nothing is official, it seems all but certain that Woodson will not return as the Knicks’ coach next season. The Knicks went 37-45 this season and missed the playoffs. Expect a final decision to be announced early next week.
At the Board of Governors meeting prior to the start of the NBA playoffs, NCAA president Mark Emmert met with NBA owners to discuss an increase to the NBA’s age limit, a policy Adam Silver has spearheaded since taking over as commissioner in February.
NBA commissioner Adam Silver has been outspoken about wanting to increase the age limit for college players to declare for the NBA Draft. The NBA would benefit from an extra year of scouting players and making more informed decisions on who to select with the top picks each year. Mark Emmert and the NCAA would also benefit as the best prospects commonly stay in school for only one year, and jump to the NBA. However, Silver stated that there will not be any changes made for next season, especially without an executive director of the NBPA in place. It seems that an increase in the age limit will inevitably happen at some point in the near future.
Emmert and the NCAA have been in the news recently for the growing concern over college athletics, and the student-athlete model. The NCAA is set to make roughly $1 billion this year, while student-athletes are limited to scholarships and meal plans and prohibited from profiting from their name and likeness. On Friday, Emmert appeared on ESPN Radio’s Mike and Mike and opened up a question & answer session on Twitter. Unfortunately for Emmert, he received more criticism than actual questions.
This issue is not going away any time soon. Perhaps the NBA and NCAA can figure out a way to come to a quick resolution to this issue. Until they do, Emmert and the NCAA are going to receive public backlash like this.
Karl’s successor, Brian Shaw, needed Gallinari this season. Without him, the Nuggets often didn’t have enough scoring firepower and finished 36-46.
Shaw is going to get his man starting next season. Indications are that Gallinari will be ready for training camp. He sat out this season after needing a second ACL surgery in January. But he’s running now. And jumping. And dunking.
“It felt great just to grab that rim,” Gallinari said, smiling.
He’s not doing anything too crazy, but he’s ahead of schedule and said he will be ready when October arrives.
The news that Gallinari is dunking and aiming to return at the beginning of next season is a pleasant surprise for Nuggets fans. Gallinari underwent a second surgery to repair his torn ACL in January. Typically, ACL surgeries require nine months to a year to completely heal.
If healthy, Gallinari will add much needed playmaking and shooting to the Nuggets who heavily relied this season on Ty Lawson to create scoring opportunities for his teammates. Lawson responded by averaging the second most assists per game in the league, but head coach Brian Shaw admitted that Lawson was at times frustrated being the only playmaker for the team.
The Nuggets missed the playoffs this year, but with an additional year under Coach Shaw, and with the potential return of players like Gallinari and JaVale Mcgee, the Nuggets should be in a position to compete at a high level next season.
