HoopsHype.com Rumors

They may meet next week after the Combine, but so far the Suns have not requested to interview Houston assistant J.B. Bickerstaff. Phoenix, like a few teams, is still in search of a new head coach. 1500 ESPN

Houston Rockets, Phoenix Suns, Coaching, JB Bickerstaff 

Los Angeles Lakers assistant coach Steve Clifford is interviewing with the Milwaukee Bucks for their head-coaching job on Monday, league sources told Yahoo! Sports. Milwaukee has interviewed Nate McMillan and Houston Rockets assistants Kelvin Sampson and J.B. Bickerstaff for its head-coaching job. Yahoo! Sports

Los Angeles Lakers, Nate McMillan, Kelvin Sampson, JB Bickerstaff, Steve Clifford, Milwuakee Bucks 

Houston Rockets assistant J.B. Bickerstaff is interviewing Friday for the Bucks head coaching job, a source confirmed. Bickerstaff's interview comes one day after another Rockets assistant, former Bucks assistant Kelvin Sampson, had an extended interview with Bucks officials. Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel

Houston Rockets, Milwaukee Bucks, Coaching, Kelvin Sampson, JB Bickerstaff 

Houston Rockets assistant coach J.B. Bickerstaff is interviewing with Milwaukee Bucks officials on Friday for the franchise's head coaching job, league sources told Yahoo! Sports. This is Bickerstaff's second interview for a head-coaching job this week. He met with Detroit general manager Joe Dumars on Tuesday. Yahoo! Sports

Detroit Pistons, Houston Rockets, Milwaukee Bucks, Coaching, Joe Dumars, JB Bickerstaff 

Bickerstaff, 34, is likely to be among the coaching considerations for new Phoenix Suns general manager Ryan McDonough, league sources said. Yahoo! Sports

Houston Rockets, Phoenix Suns, Coaching, JB Bickerstaff, Ryan McDonough 

Mark Berman: NBA sources told FOX 26 Sports the Detroit Pistons contacted the Rockets and requested permission to interview ass't coach J.B. Bickerstaff. Twitter @MarkBermanFox26

Detroit Pistons, Houston Rockets, Coaching, JB Bickerstaff 

Houston Rockets assistant coach J.B. Bickerstaff will interview for the Detroit Pistons' head coaching job on Wednesday, league sources told Yahoo! Sports. Yahoo! Sports

Detroit Pistons, Houston Rockets, Coaching, JB Bickerstaff 

The Pistons, according to NBA coaching sources, are adding Houston Rockets assistant J.B. Bickerstaff to the list of candidates they're considering to replace the ousted Lawrence Frank. ESPN.com

Detroit Pistons, Houston Rockets, Coaching, JB Bickerstaff 

If and when Saunders has to hire a head coach, those close to him point to a few names. Among those: Michigan State coach Tom Izzo and Houston assistant J.B. Bickerstaff. That likely won't happen for at least a year, as Taylor told 1500ESPN.com on Tuesday that Adelman's return appears "very favorable." 1500 ESPN

Houston Rockets, Minnesota Timberwolves, Coaching, Tom Izzo, Owners, Flip Saunders, Glen Taylor, Rick Adelman, JB Bickerstaff 

Update on JB Bickerstaff and the Timberwolves: should Rick Adelman's family concerns convince him to step down, JB would not be on the Timberwolves' list of successors. Bridges were apparently burned when Bickerstaff elected to follow Kevin McHale to Houston. Sulia

Minnesota Timberwolves, Coaching, Rick Adelman, JB Bickerstaff 

So what might Flip Saunders be waiting for if the Timberwolves aren't going to change GMs and he turned down the U. of Minnesota? One, he is enjoying his TV work for ESPN, I'm told. Two, the family issues with which current Timberwolves coach Rick Adelman is dealing could prompt him to step down sometime in the future. I'm not sure where they go if that happens, but I have to think both Flip and JB Bickerstaff in Houston -- one of the young assistants earmarked to be hired as a head coach someday and a former Timberwolves assistant -- would be on their list. Sulia

Minnesota Timberwolves, Coaching, NCAA, Flip Saunders, Rick Adelman, JB Bickerstaff 

White met extensively with Rockets general manager Daryl Morey assistant coach J.B. Bickerstaff and assistant strength and conditioning coach Dave Macha last Wednesday, and again with Morey on Thursday. Houston Chronicle

Houston Rockets, Daryl Morey, JB Bickerstaff, Royce White, Dave Macha 

The Houston Rockets have officially announced the additions of four assistants to Kevin McHale's staff, including former college coach Kelvin Sampson. McHale was hired June 1 to replace Rick Adelman. J.B. Bickerstaff, Chris Finch and Brett Gunning will join the staff, along with Sampson, who will serve as McHale's lead assistant. Sampson has worked as an assistant with the Milwaukee Bucks for the past three seasons. Bickerstaff, the son of former NBA head coach Bernie Bickerstaff, has been an assistant in Minnesota since 2007. ESPN.com

Houston Rockets, Coaching, Kelvin Sampson, Chris Finch, JB Bickerstaff, Brett Gunning 

The Rockets made Kevin McHale's coaching staff selections official on Friday, with Kelvin Sampson named his lead assistant. J.B. Bickerstaff was hired as an assistant coach with Rockets director of player development Brett Gunning promoted to an assistant coach position. Chris Finch had been promoted from the head coaching position with the Rockets NBA Development League team and worked with the Rockets prior to the draft and with players following the draft. Sampson had been an assistant with the Bucks for three seasons and Bickerstaff had been an assistant with the Timberwolves for four seasons, including during McHale's second stint as Timberwolves coach. "I'm thrilled to have these men on my coaching staff," McHale said in a statement. "We are fortunate to have a very qualified and well-respected group of coaches on staff who will be committed to winning and helping our players reach their full potential. Houston Chronicle

Houston Rockets, Coaching, Kelvin Sampson, Chris Finch, JB Bickerstaff, Brett Gunning 

Fellow coaching veteran Bernie Bickerstaff, who worked as an assistant in Portland last season, is the only candidate that the Wolves have publicly acknowledged. But the Wolves' interest in Bickerstaff was largely tied to the prospect of Minnesota keeping hold of his son, J.B. Bickerstaff, to groom him for a possible promotion to coach, sources said. J.B. Bickerstaff since has committed to join Kevin McHale's new staff in Houston, along with another reported Wolves target, Milwaukee Bucks assistant coach Kelvin Sampson. It remains to be seen how much the Wolves are willing to spend on a replacement after Rambis was fired with two years left on his contract. If money is not an obstacle -- as Wolves president of basketball operations David Kahn insisted earlier this week -- Minnesota also is expected to gauge the interest of former Rockets coach Rick Adelman. ESPN.com

Minnesota Timberwolves, Coaching, Bernie Bickerstaff, Don Nelson, JB Bickerstaff 

Rockets coach Kevin McHale filled out much of his coaching staff on Tuesday, reaching agreement in principle with Bucks assistant coach Kelvin Sampson to be lead assistant and with J.B. Bickerstaff to join Chris Finch as assistant coaches, a person with knowledge of the decision said on Tuesday. Sampson, the former Oklahoma and Indiana coach who was one of the first coaches interviewed for the Rockets’ head coaching position, was expected to be a considered for the head coaching job with the Pistons and Bucks. Sampson declined to comment on the decision or his interest in the assistant coaching position on Tuesday, but he did say he learned a great deal about the Rockets’ organization in his 14-hour interview for the head coaching position, comparing it to taking the ACT and SAT back-to-back. Houston Chronicle

Houston Rockets, Coaching, Kevin McHale, Kelvin Sampson, Chris Finch, JB Bickerstaff 

Rockets coach Kevin McHale filled out much of his coaching staff on Tuesday, reaching agreement in principle with Bucks assistant coach Kelvin Sampson to be lead assistant and with J.B. Bickerstaff to join Chris Finch as assistant coaches, a person with knowledge of the decision said on Tuesday. Sampson, the former Oklahoma and Indiana coach who was one of the first coaches interviewed for the Rockets’ head coaching position, was expected to be a considered for the head coaching job with the Pistons and Bucks. Houston Chronicle

Houston Rockets, Coaching, Kevin McHale, Kelvin Sampson, Chris Finch, JB Bickerstaff 

Sampson declined to comment on the decision or his interest in the assistant coaching position on Tuesday, but he did say he learned a great deal about the Rockets’ organization in his 14-hour interview for the head coaching position, comparing it to taking the ACT and SAT back-to-back. “When you go through something like that, you learn a lot about the organization and about yourself too,” Sampson said. “It was good. It was an interesting process. Those guys have a very good idea what they’re looking for. A huge part of being head coach in NBA is being prepared. Part of the process is preparation.” Houston Chronicle

Houston Rockets, Coaching, Kevin McHale, Kelvin Sampson, Chris Finch, JB Bickerstaff 

Marc J. Spears: Wolves assistant coach J.B. Bickerstaff has accepted a similar position with the Rockets. Agreed to accept job prior to Kurt Rambis' firing. Twitter

Houston Rockets, Coaching, Kevin McHale, Kelvin Sampson, Chris Finch, JB Bickerstaff 

Jon Krawczynski: Confirmed from 2 sources JB Bickerstaff has accepted a position with Rockets. I'd be surprised if Wolves don't try to change his mind. Twitter

Houston Rockets, Coaching, Kevin McHale, Kelvin Sampson, Chris Finch, JB Bickerstaff