Craig Robinson, who served as the Knicks’ vice president of player development and general manager of the G League’s Westchester Knicks since 2017, has accepted a position as executive director for the National Association of Basketball Coaches. Robinson was not expected to remain with the Knicks, having been brought on by Steve Mills, who was dismissed earlier this year. The contracts of Robinson and most of the front-office personnel are expiring shortly.
G League Rumors
Since the G League season was officially ended during the league’s stoppage of play and NBA team rosters were expanded for the remaining seeding games and playoffs, Bol has joined the Nuggets in the bubble and has been practicing with the team. “He (Bol) only practiced with us in Denver a few times during the season,” Malone said Saturday. “To see him out there playing and doing things that a lot of people can’t do, it’s really remarkable. I have to remind myself how young he is. He is extremely talented and skilled.”
Donatas Urbonas: Zalgiris Kaunas started interviewing candidates for the head coach position. G league coach of the year Martin Schiller is targeted by Zalgiris as their primary candidate, I’m told. If Schiller refuses, Ertugrul Erdogan most likely will be offered to take the job.
Former Phoenix Shadow Mountain basketball coach Mike Bibby hopes to be coaching in the NBA or in the G League next year. For now, he still has a passion to play. From July 19-29, he’ll take part in the pay-per-view The 5 Tournament Pro Basketball Invitational, leading Sacramento among the six teams of former pro players who will be playing 3-on-3. “It’s about competition, respecting the game,” Bibby said. “Just go out and respect the game. Whenever I get on the court, I want to win.
Bibby said he’s been working through a program to prepare himself for coaching in the NBA or the NBA G League next year. “There is so much stuff that you learn,” said Bibby, who led Shadow Mountain to four consecutive state basketball championships and five in his six years as the head coach. “You’re always learning new things. It’s very comprehensive. I’m really hoping I will be coaching in the NBA or maybe in the G League.”
At long last, Jonathan Kuminga will announce his future plans. The 6-foot-8 native of the Democratic Republic of Congo will announce his next step on July 16 at 2 p.m., he announced on Twitter.
Kuminga, who did his work to reclassify to the Class of 2020 from 2021, recently listed Auburn, Duke, Kentucky, Texas Tech and the G League as his options. Multiple sources have said he is likely to sign with the G League for as much as $500,0000. He is the projected No. 4 pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, per ESPN.com.
Citing economic challenges caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, the Northern Arizona Suns will leave Prescott Valley for a location closer to the Phoenix metropolitan area.
The Phoenix Suns’ G League affiliate will vacate the Findlay Toyota Center for at least one season. “Sadly, when the 2020-21 G League season tips off, the team will be playing at a location, to be determined, in the Phoenix metro area, allowing us to share efficiencies and resources with the rest of the Suns organization,” Suns Public Affairs Advisor Maria Baier said in a statement. The Suns did not announce whether the move would be permanent or where the G League club would play the upcoming season.
Sarah K. Spencer: Tori Miller has been promoted to general manager of the College Park Skyhawks, per source. Miller will be the first female GM in G League history. She was previously @CPSkyhawks assistant GM.
Pelicans sign Sindarius Thornwell
The New Orleans Pelicans today announced that the team has signed free agent guard Sindarius Thornwell as a substitute player for the remainder of the 2019-20 season. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed. Thornwell, 6-4, 215, most recently played for the Rio Grande Valley Vipers of the NBA G League, appearing in 40 games (26 starts) while averaging 9.2 points, 5.3 rebounds, 4.6 assists and 1.4 steals in 29.0 minutes per contest.
Candace Buckner: Pops Mensah-Bonsu will not return as the Capital City Go-Go GM Mensah-Bonsu, who starred at George Washington Univ. before playing in the NBA & spending the last two years w/ the #Wizards G League, tells @PostSports: “I wanted to pursue some other things at this moment in time”
Bobby Marks: Suggestion would be to expand rosters to 20 like training camp. This would benefit players that finished the season in the G-League and protect teams if there are free agent defections.
Tim Reynolds: Heat guard Duncan Robinson points out between the G League and his year at Williams College, “I’m well-equipped to play in empty gyms.” #swagger
Steve Gansey is remaining coach of the Mad Ants at least through Nov. 1. Gansey, 34, the head coach since 2015, reached an agreement with the NBA’s Indiana Pacers, who own and operate the G League’s Mad Ants. His contract was to expire Wednesday.
Gansey’s short-term plan is to scout players from afar with the hope he and the Pacers can reach an agreement for next season, a conversation that may not happen until after the NBA playoffs in October. “I can look at some other G League players and players who were on (two-way contracts) this year,” Gansey said. “You know, there are guys who have played overseas and I can do some scouting on some of these college guys and guys who are going to enter the draft here pretty soon.”
Charlotte Hornets President of Basketball Operations & General Manager Mitch Kupchak announced today that the Greensboro Swarm, the team’s G League affiliate, will not extend the contract of Head Coach Joe Wolf. Wolf, who served as the second coach in Swarm history, was hired on Sept. 10, 2018.
The Knicks, sources say, have expressed reservations about participating, in part because they have a roster with several soon-to-be free agents who might decline to take part (as many as eight players potentially). If accommodations could be made to help a team like the Knicks fill its roster by way of G League players, however, then that could be an X-factor of sorts.
The NBA G-League named Salt Lake City Stars head coach Martin Schiller Coach of the Year. Schiller led the Stars to a franchise-best 30 wins before the season was canceled due to the coronavirus. Schiller was joined by the Stars Vice President of Basketball Operations Bart Taylor who was named G-League Executive of the Year.
Cade Cunningham staying at Oklahoma State
Shams Charania: Potential No. 1 pick Cade Cunningham has decided to stay at Oklahoma State despite postseason ban.
Jeff Goodman: I’m told Cade Cunningham never seriously considered the G-League program. He turned down $500K plus months ago, did it again despite fact Oklahoma State isn’t likely to be able to play in NCAA tournament. Cowboys still appealing NCAA decision.
Andrew Greif: The Clippers will observe Juneteenth with a paid company holiday tomorrow for employees of the Clippers, their G League affiliate in Ontario and the Forum. In addition, the Clippers have created a petition to make Juneteenth a national holiday. https://www.change.org/p/karen-bass-make-juneteenth-a-national-holiday-420eda23-4630-443e-9f09-1825d8918553
The Grand Rapids Drive are in the market for a new coach since Donnie Tyndall is on the move. Chipola College officials announced Thursday that Tyndall was named the school’s men’s basketball coach during Tuesday’s college board of trustees meeting. Tyndall coached the Drive to a 25-18 record in his first year at the helm before the season was suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Jonathan Kuminga and his camp are exploring professional options for the 2020-21 season, including the NBA G League and potentially playing in the Australian NBL. The 6-foot-8 forward recently graduated from The Patrick School (N.J.) and thus accelerated his clock to be eligible for the 2021 NBA Draft. He’s currently projected as the No. 4 pick in 2021, per ESPN.com. Kuminga recently told ESPN’s Paul Biancardi on a podcast his ultimate goal was “To get to the NBA, play at the highest level and go out there and compete.”
Knicks front office executive Allan Houston, who has worked closely with the development staff at Westchester, says it’s not as easy as people think to make the transition from the G-League to Madison Square Garden. “One thing you have to remember, too, is most of the players in the G-League are there on a different path” Houston said when asked on the Knicks Community Podcast if the team should call up more players from Westchester. “I’m not sure it’s as simple and as likely as people think to just go from the G-League to the NBA. It’s a tough battle. There’s a learning curve.”
Shams Charania: Players who have signed an NBA/G League deal this year or a previous year are expected to be available to sign in restarted season — making Jamal Crawford or JR Smith eligible, sources tell @TheAthleticNBA @Stadium.
Bleacher Report NBA: Former G League guard Isaiah Briscoe became an owner of a bodega in his hometown of Newark, New Jersey (via @ZayBriscoe)
Tim Reynolds: Eric Glass on the G League cancellation: “I understand … but it still hurts. We all wanted to finish the run that we were on and bring the playoffs back to the Sanford Pentagon. The support from our Sioux Falls community made my first experience as a head coach unforgettable.”
Jonathan Kuminga, previously the top prospect in the class of 2021, has graduated high school and will reclassify to the class of 2020, according to multiple reports. Kuminga participated in The Patrick School’s 2020 online graduation ceremony, and the Twitter account HOOPGATE posted video confirming that he was a member of the graduating class.
Adam Zagoria: Mike Boynton on Cade Cunningham
NBA G League President Shareef Abdur-Rahim today announced that the remainder of the 2019-20 NBA G League season, which was suspended March 12, has been canceled. The NBA G League’s regular season was scheduled to conclude on March 28.
“While canceling the remainder of our season weighs heavily on us, we recognize that it is the most appropriate action to take for our league,” said Abdur-Rahim. “I extend my sincere gratitude to NBA G League players and coaches for giving their all to their teams and fans this season. And to our fans, I thank you and look forward to resuming play for the 2020-21 season.”
Doug Smith: Bless their Mississauga-based hearts. Raptors905 joins Hand Up Toronto to provide food to families in need based in the Region of Peel. Each Friday in June, 20 pound bags of grocery care packages dealt out of Paramount Fine Foods Centre for families in need.
G League canceling season
Shams Charania: The NBA G League is canceling the remainder of its season, sources tell @The Athletic @Stadium.
Adam Johnson: Still no news about the G League season all but likely being cancelled. The last correspondence to teams regarding shutdown/Covid? April 30th according to multiple league sources.
Shams Charania: Brian Shaw has agreed to become the head coach of the new NBA G League elite pro team headlined by Jalen Green, sources tell @The Athletic @Stadium.
