Welcome to Around the Realm, where we look at the top news stories from around the league. If I missed any notable stories, feel free to discuss in the comments!
The league calendar still isn’t set
The league and the NBPA continue to negotiate the start date for the new season. The league wants December 22nd and the players want MLK Day. Woj reports that the impasse continues but time is running out.
Sources: On the chances of getting an agreement for a Dec. 22 start to season — with training camps presumably needing to start within a month — Commissioner Adam Silver told teams today: "We're running out of time." https://t.co/07J7KKMy2y
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) November 2, 2020
The NBPA's engaged with conversations with players on the issue of the start date of the season — December or January — and also continues to negotiate with the league on a number of financial amendments to the CBA needing resolution for start of 2020-2021 season, per sources.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) November 2, 2020
My personal read on this, particularly with the tone of that last Woj tweet, is that both sides are getting close to a deal. That tweet sounds like when Woj says two teams are discussing a trade and then a few minutes later he tweets that the trade is done. We’ll see.
Elton Brand gets a monetary vote of confidence
76ers GM Elton Brand has signed a multiyear contract extension, sources tell @TheAthleticNBA @Stadium.
Daryl Morey’s five-year deal to be new 76ers President of Basketball Ops. is now official and he will be introduced on Monday afternoon.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) November 1, 2020
When the Philadelphia 76ers hired Daryl Morey as their new President of Basketball, Elton Brand’s days seemed numbers. Perhaps as a show of support, the Sixers gave Brand a multiyear extension. I guess the plan is for him to stick around and report to Morey for a while longer.
The Bulls are filling out their coaching staff
We got two new names moving to Chicago to join new Bulls coach Billy Donovan: Josh Longstaff and Mo Cheeks.
Oklahoma City assistant Maurice Cheeks is joining Billy Donovan’s staff as an assistant coach with the Chicago Bulls, sources tell @TheAthleticNBA @Stadium.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) November 2, 2020
The Bulls are hiring Bucks assistant Josh Longstaff for Billy Donovan’s coaching staff, sources tell ESPN. For Longstaff, it is an opportunity to elevate to a front-of-the-bench assistant.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) November 2, 2020
This one is really only of interest because it made me realize Oklahoma City still hadn’t hired a new coach yet. By my count they are the last remaining team without a head coach, and I don’t recall any news about them even interviewing candidates. Sam Presti is a highly regarded GM and I imagine he’s doing some sort of work behind the scenes, but they don’t have a coach and the draft is in less than three weeks.
The Brand extension is a little surprising, but to me it signals that he will basically be mentored by Morey to be better. Maybe the Sixers realize now they put him in a tough position to succeed and putting a better mind above him will help in the long run.
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