Storyline: Hornets Coaching Job
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The Charlotte Hornets will act quickly to interview San Antonio Spurs assistant Ettore Messina for their head-coaching opening, as soon as the Spurs season is complete. A source familiar the situation said Messina will interview as early as the middle of next week, if the Spurs are eliminated by the Golden State Warriors by then. Ettore coached the Spurs in Thursday’s loss to the Warriors, as head coach Gregg Popovich mourned the death of his wife, Erin.
The Charlotte Hornets will act quickly to interview San Antonio Spurs assistant Ettore Messina for their head-coaching opening, as soon as the Spurs season is complete. A source familiar the situation said Messina will interview as early as the middle of next week, if the Spurs are eliminated by the Golden State Warriors by then.
Messina, 58, was a highly successful International coach (four European championships) in Italy, Spain and Russia before joining Popovich’s staff in 2016. He has a previous connection to new Hornets general manager Mitch Kupchak, from when Messina served as a consultant to Kupchak’s previous team, the Los Angeles Lakers, in 2012.
Sources have indicated Orlando is hotter on Stackhouse’s trail, and he reportedly has an interview there shortly. Charlotte has expressed interest, too. Knicks GM Scott Perry was in the Pistons’ front office, overlapping for two seasons when Stackhouse played in Detroit.
Charlotte, Orlando to interview Jerry Stackhouse
Shams Charania: Sources: Charlotte and Orlando plan to interview Jerry Stackhouse, coach of Raptors’ G League team, for their head coach openings. Stackhouse also has interview with the Knicks this week.
Spurs grant Hornets permission to interview Ettore Messina
Adrian Wojnarowski: The Charlotte Hornets have received permission to interview San Antonio Spurs assistant Ettore Messina for head coach opening, league sources tell ESPN. GM Mitch Kupchak and Messina worked together with Lakers, when Messina was part of Mike Brown’s coaching staff.
Chris Mannix: An early favorite among Hornets officials: David Fizdale. But Fizdale–who is highly regarded despite how things ended in Memphis–could have better options.
April 21, 2018 | 10:03 pm EDT Update

Jim Eichenhofer: Rajon Rondo, after being asked why he never discussed just trying to make playoffs when he signed w/#Pelicans: “I came here to win a championship. I didn’t come here to beat a team in the first round or the second round. My expectations were high coming in, knowing the talent.”

Scott Kushner: Anthony Davis: “I just wanted to build a legacy in New Orleans. We let people know we are for real.”

Scott Kushner: Jrue Holiday: “I feel like the fans needed results and that’s what they’ve gotten. We come out and play hard every night for them to try to win. Like Anthony said it’s just a part of all of our legacies here to try to build something and continually build on it.”
Jim Eichenhofer: Jrue Holiday on #Pelicans: “With everything we went through this season – from injuries to trades – I think Anthony (Davis) said it best when he said they were sleeping on us. I think everybody counted us out. To be here at this point right now, it feels pretty good.”
Jim Eichenhofer: Via #Pelicans TV stat ace Tommy Cooper: Anthony Davis and Jrue Holiday scored the most pts by a pair of teammates in an #NBA playoff game since 1973, when Boston’s JoJo White and John Havlicek also scored exactly 88 pts

Jim Eichenhofer: Gentry on #Pelicans: “They’re a resilient group. AD is maturing and becoming a better leader and a better player every day. I said at the start of the season Jrue was going to have his best season ever, and he’s really done that.”