Former Heat coach Van Gundy fired
Erik Spoelstra becomes more of a rarity with each coaching firing.
Former Heat coach Stan Van Gundy and the Pistons parted ways Monday, pushing the number to eight teams that have fired their coach since the start of last season. More than half of the teams have changed coaches in the last two years and more could come as the playoffs progress. This despite no coaching changes from the end of the 2016-17 season to the start of 2017-18.
Since Spoelstra’s first season as the Heat coach in 200809, there have been 131 coaching changes in the league, including interim coaches, and the five remaining openings that will be filled in the coming weeks.
Spoelstra, 47, just completed his 10th season in Miami. The Nets have had nine different coaches and Kings have had eight during that span.
Only San Antonio and Dallas have not changed coaches since Spoelstra’s first season. The Spurs’ Gregg Popovich is the lone head coach who has been with his current team longer than Spoelstra. Spoelstra was hired April 28, 2008, 11 days before the Mavericks put Rick Carlisle in charge. Popovich has been coaching the Spurs since Dec. 10, 1996.
Spoelstra has credited his longevity to the organization’s stability. Owner Micky Arison and president Pat Riley have run the organization for the last 28 years.
“I’m in one of the most fortunate situations in the league,” Spoelstra once said. “No matter what’s going on with our team I’m always able to quickly get back to a sense of gratitude. I see how unique this organization (is) and my bosses are compared to the rest of the league.”
Van Gundy, who worked for the Heat for 11 seasons, including a little more than two years as a head coach when Spoelstra was on his staff, had been the Pistons’ head of basketball operations and head coach. If Van Gundy fills one of the four other openings, it would be his fourth head coaching job, and third since Spoelstra took over in Miami. Van Gundy was the Magic head coach from the 2007-08 season until the 2011-12 season.
Heat heading to Sacramento summer league: The Heat will get a jump start on summer league by heading to Sacramento before the entire league meets in Las Vegas for the premier summer league event. The Heat will join Sacramento, Golden State and the Los Angeles Lakers at the newly formed Sacramento summer league, which will take place at the Golden 1 Center before all 30 teams gather in Las Vegas. The Heat will arrive in Sacramento June 28 for four days of practice before playing games on July 2, 3 and 5.
Sacramento will replace the Orlando Summer League, which shut down after last season. The Heat were a regular participant in Orlando.
The Las Vegas Summer League is set for July 6-17 at the Thomas & Mack Center and Cox Pavilion on UNLV’s campus. Each team will play at least five games and up to eight.
The Heat send their draft picks, undrafted free agents and younger players to summer leagues.