More Offseason Analysis: Coaching changes, news | Free Agency | Draft
Los Angeles Clippers head coach Doc Rivers wants to hire Sam Cassell away from the Washington Wizards, per Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports:
Clippers working on arrangement w/ Wizards to hire Sam Cassell for Doc Rivers' coaching staff, but no deal in place yet, sources tell Yahoo.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojYahooNBA) July 19, 2014
Cassell, who has served as an assistant coach in Washington since 2009, is under contract, so the Clippers would have to send something to the Wizards in compensation. He just finished coaching Washington's summer league team in Las Vegas.
Going to Los Angeles would be a reunion for Cassell on two levels. He played for the Clippers from 2005 to 2008, and he played his last NBA minutes with the Boston Celtics under Rivers.
It's funny timing, as Cassell reportedly was part of the reason why Paul Pierce left the Clippers to sign with the Wizards in free agency. He called Pierce after a summer league game to talk his former teammate into joining the existing talent in Washington, according to the Washington Post's Michael Lee.
With Tyronn Lue in Cleveland, Alvin Gentry in Golden State and Kevin Eastman in the Clippers front office, Rivers is overhauling his coaching staff for next season. He's already added ex-Knicks head coach Mike Woodson and has pursued Lawrence Frank, who previously served on his staff in Boston.
