Tag: Adrian Wojnarowski

Notre Dame alumnus gets biggest coaching deal in NBA history

What a boatload of cash.

After being unceremoniously let go as Phoenix Suns coach, it seemed like only a matter of time before [autotag]Monty Williams[/autotag] landed on his feet. He’s landed and then some. Sources have informed Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN that the Notre Dame alumnus is agreeing to a six-year, $78 million contract to coach the Detroit Pistons. It’s the largest deal ever for an NBA coach.

During this year’s playoffs, Williams coached a team with two future Hall of Famers in Kevin Durant and Chris Paul as well as one of the NBA’s best young stars in Deandre Ayton. Now, he’ll head to the Motor City to lead a team with nowhere to go but up. The Pistons finished with the NBA’s worst record in 2022-23 but didn’t even receive a top-four pick in the draft lottery.

While Williams has his work cut out for him, he does have a few building blocks. Among them are 2021 top overall pick Cade Cunningham and Jaden Ivey, son of Irish women’s coach [autotag]Niele Ivey[/autotag]. Here’s hoping he gets the Pistons back to respectability before too long. The pressure certainly is on with all the money he’s about to make.

Contact/Follow us @IrishWireND on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Notre Dame news, notes, and opinions.

Follow Geoffrey on Twitter: @gfclark89

ESPN analyst reports that Brandon Miller has received high praise from NBA teams

Brandon Miller receiving overwhelmingly positive feedback ahead of the 2023 NBA draft

Alabama basketball fans have known for a while how good Brandon Miller is. Now, the NBA world is getting to see it too.

The 2023 NBA draft lottery took place on Tuesday night and the road to the draft is starting to heat up. Although the draft itself isn’t until the end of June, teams are checking in on prospects and doing their due diligence. Miller is widely viewed as the second or third-best prospect in the class and will likely end up with the Charlotte Hornets or the Portland Trail Blazers.

ESPN’s senior NBA insider, Adrian Wojnarowski, reported that the feedback he has received from NBA franchises has been overwhelmingly positive regarding Miller. Wojnarowski reports, “Not only did they not find anything that they would consider disqualifying to select Brandon Miller, they are finding a young man who they say is mature, focused, whose character and his habits are actually an asset.”

It will be really exciting to see which team selects Brandon Miller, because they will have a special player that can not only make plays on the court, but serve as a leader in the locker room.

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Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama news, notes and opinion. You can also follow Sam Murphy on Twitter @SamMurphy02.

ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski called Victor Wembanyama the ‘greatest prospect in the history of team sports’

And, yes, that’s as ridiculous as it sounds

They say comparison is the thief of joy but, apparently, nobody got that message to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

Victor Wembanyama is absolutely the consensus No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft and the best prospect available. Both of those are pretty noteworthy things that, if you’re a member of the media covering the draft, you could say and have people easily recognize how impressive the dude is supposed to be.

Woj couldn’t just stop there though. Nope. He had to take things a massive step further.

Instead of saying all that, Woj called Wembanyama the “greatest prospect in the history of team sports.” Seriously. Yes. That’s exactly what he said.

“This is the most highly anticipated player to ever enter the NBA. And this is, maybe not only the greatest prospect in NBA history, maybe the greatest prospect in the history of team sports.” 

And, well, look. Wembanyama is an absolute phenom. We all fully expect him to be great — there’s no denying that. But, honestly, folks. Who in the world does this hyperbole serve?

This does nothing but put pressure on Wembanyama in a completely unnecessary way.

Sorry, Woj. It’s great when you break news. But this is just a little too much. Good luck to Wemby, though. Hope you crush it in San Antonio.

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Woj: Rockets still loom as serious suitor for James Harden in free agency

ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reports that the Houston Rockets still loom as a serious suitor for James Harden in free agency.

The Philadelphia 76ers have more serious matters to attend to at the moment: They are locked in a 2-2 series with the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference semifinals. Whenever their season ends, they will have to focus on James Harden and free agency.

Before Harden delivered 42 points on 16-for-23 shooting in a pivotal Game 4 overtime win on Sunday, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported the Houston Rockets are still in on The Beard. With the free agency period looming, the Rockets are interested in a reunion with their former leader:

The Houston Rockets loom as a real suitor in free agency this summer. James Harden did a 1 + 1 deal. He can opt out of that and then I think for this Philly organization, they’ve got to look at James Harden at 33 years old. Listen, he had an All-Star caliber season for them and where does he fit in, in terms of years on a contract, money on a contract, and is this just perhaps a leverage play for James Harden? There are a lot of things that are attractive to Houston for him. It is essentially home, family, there’s familiarity with that organization, and that community, they’ve got $60 million in cap space. They want to be improved next season.

Harden and the Sixers are focused on trying to get past the Celtics and move on with their playoff run, but these Rockets-Harden rumors continue to be a focal point. It will be interesting to see what happens with The Beard when free agency rolls around in July.

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Report: Thunder sign Jared Butler to two-way deal

The Thunder have reportedly signed Jared Butler to their vacant two-way spot.

The Oklahoma City Thunder have filled in their vacant two-way spot.

The Thunder signed guard Jared Butler to a two-way deal, per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

The second-year-player has spent this season with the G League’s Grand Rapid Golds — the affiliate of the Denver Nuggets. With the addition, the Thunder’s two two-way spots are occupied by Olivier Sarr and Butler.

Butler spent three college seasons at Baylor from 2018 to 2021.

Butler was drafted in the second round (40th) of the 2021 NBA draft by the Utah Jazz, with whom he spent last season between the NBA and G League. He was waived prior to the start of this season.

In 42 career games, Butler averaged 3.8 points on 40.4% shooting.

The two-way spots were held by Eugene Omoruyi and Lindy Waters III for most of the season before both signed standard NBA deals. The former was recently waived, and the latter recently promoted to the 15-man roster.

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Report: Two-way player Eugene Omoruyi converted to full-time NBA deal

The signing opens up a two-way spot on the Thunder roster.

The Oklahoma City Thunder continue to shuffle their roster. They have converted two-way player Eugene Omoruyi to a full-time contract, per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

With an open roster spot due to the release of Justin Jackson, the Thunder decided to use their spot to reward Omoruyi with a full-time deal. The deal runs through the 2023-24 season.

This opens a two-way spot on the roster. Lindy Waters III has one of the two-way contract spots.

In 21 games with the Thunder, Omoruyi is averaging five points and 2.3 rebounds. The 25-year-old is in the second season of his NBA career after spending last season with the Dallas Mavericks.

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Woj: The Brooklyn Nets will be active during the NBA trading deadline

ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported earlier this week that he expects Brooklyn to be active as we get closer to the NBA trading deadline.

Over the course of this season, there have been plenty of rumors about the Brooklyn Nets and what they might do to make the team better. For example, there are a good amount of rumors linking the Nets to Atlanta Hawks forward John Collins.

There hasn’t been any official word on moves that Brooklyn are actively trying to do, but there are insiders predicting that the Nets will be active in the trading/buyout market as they try to make their team as strong as possible for their championship run.

ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski recently made an appearance on the network’s NBA Countdown show that Brooklyn is expected to try to make some moves as we get closer to the trade deadline so that they can either get more depth or possibly a good player or two. Here’s more of what he had to say:

“Let’s start with the NBA trade deadline that about a month away right now. Brooklyn, like a lot of other contenders out there in both conferences, see a marketplace right now that is more of a buyer’s than a seller’s market. Not enough teams have made the decision that they’re gonna be sellers. Brooklyn’s gonna be active, I think they’re gonna look to upgrade particularly in the frontcourt.”

Brooklyn’s next game is Thursday as they host the Boston Celtics.

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Report: Brooklyn Nets fire coach Steve Nash after 2-5 start

After a tough start to the regular season, the Brooklyn Nets have decided to terminate head coach Steve Nash.

Following a disappointing start to the regular season, the Brooklyn Nets have parted ways with head coach Steve Nash.

According to ESPN insider Adrian Wojnarowski, the decision to split was mutual. The former two-time MVP served in his first coaching position for the Nets franchise, hoping to take the star duo of Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving to the NBA Finals.

Durant actually had problems with the entire Nets organization over the offseason, including demanding that Nash be terminated. The sharpshooting forward tried to force Brooklyn to let Nash or himself go over the summer. It seems ultimately he got his wish.

Wojnarowski reports Jacque Vaughn will be the team’s acting coach beginning with Tuesday’s matchup. Among the options to replace Nash are suspended Boston Celtics coach Ime Udoka and former Utah Jazz coach Quin Snyder.

Nash finished his first season with 48 wins and was sixth in Coach of the Year voting. Many believed he would capitalize on that momentum and really craft a game plan for the Nets team.

With an array of drama from both Durant, Irving and the front office, one can assume Nash is relieved to have all of the weight taken off of his shoulders.

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Woj: Thunder bring in assistant coach Chip Engelland

The former Spurs assistant is regarded as one of the best shooting coaches in the NBA.

Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault added to his staff with the addition of long-time San Antonio Spurs assistant coach Chip Engelland, per ESPN insider Adrian Wojnarowski.

Engelland is regarded as one of the best shooting coaches in the league and is credited with Kawhi Leonard and Tony Parker developing their jump shots.

Engelland arrives to a Thunder team where their backcourt of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Josh Giddey are not the best shooting backcourt to say the least — Gilgeous-Alexander is a league average shooter while Giddey is a non-existent shooter.

Thunder general manager Sam Presti was able to lure Engelland in due to their previous relationship in San Antonio. The move was met with applause as the Thunder nab one of the best shooting coaches in the league for a team that needs help with shooting the ball.

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Thunder sign Kenrich Williams to four-year, $27.2 million deal

Kenny Hustle is here to stay.

The Oklahoma City Thunder have extended forward Kenrich Williams to a four-year, $27.2 million deal, per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

The deal is set to begin in the 2023-23 season. Williams is currently set to make $2 million for the 2022-23 season.

Williams was set to enter unrestricted free agency next summer if a new deal was no agreed upon, now the 27-year-old is locked up with the Thunder for the foreseeable future.

The Thunder acquired Williams in the Steven Adams trade as a throw-in piece and has emerged as a solid veteran role player who is a respectable outside shooter.

The team continuously talked highly on Williams throughout his first two seasons with the Thunder and said he is a locker room leader. Williams stated multiple times last season that he’d like to retire with the Thunder and this extension makes that dream that much closer to achieve.

In two seasons with the Thunder, Williams has averaged 7.7 points, 4.3 rebounds and 2.3 assists while shooting 39.1 percent on over two three-point attempts per game in 115 contests.

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