Heading into the NBA Conference Semifinals, HoopsHype has gathered the latest intel on looming free agency for Pistons guards Malik Beasley and Dennis Schroeder and Cavaliers Sixth Man of the Year finalist Ty Jerome, a new potential Suns coaching candidate, David Adelman’s future as Nuggets coach, a new Pelicans hire, and an NBA Draft update.
Malik Beasley’s free agency outlook
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After taking a one-year deal with Detroit and betting on himself, Pistons guard Malik Beasley is set to cash in this summer during free agency after becoming a locker room leader and finishing second in Sixth Man of the Year voting and total three-pointers made this season (319).
Heading into the offseason, the Pistons and Beasley have mutual interest in agreeing to a new contract, league sources told HoopsHype.
“In my whole nine years in the NBA, I never had this much fun coming to the gym,” Beasley said after the Pistons were eliminated from the playoffs by the Knicks. “I’ve been through a lot of stuff just this year alone. Every day coming in was probably the best thing that happened to me. Coach J.B. (Bickerstaff) and Trajan (Langdon) did an amazing job making sure when you come in here, it’s fun, it’s energetic, and it’s a place where you want to be. It’s definitely a place I want to be.”
Beasley is expected to be coveted by teams with the non-taxpayer mid-level exception this summer after shooting 41.5 percent from beyond the arc over the past two seasons combined with Milwaukee and Detroit while playing in 79 games or more the past four seasons.
Heading into free agency, Detroit has non-Bird rights on Beasley. This means the Pistons can only offer him a maximum starting salary of $7.2 million without using cap space or the non-taxpayer mid-level exception worth $14.1 million. Thus, the more likely path for Detroit to retain Beasley, given his expected market, is for the Pistons to use cap space or the non-tax mid-level exception to sign him for more money.
Ty Jerome: ‘Obviously, I’d love to be back’
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Cleveland Cavaliers guard Ty Jerome had the best regular season of his career at the most opportunistic time ahead of unrestricted free agency.
According to Jerome, being the healthiest he’s been in his career and playing for coach Kenny Atkinson have been key factors in his success.
“Kenny empowers me to be aggressive every time I step on the court and to play my game,” Jerome told HoopsHype. “I’ve got the ultimate green light. He trusts his guards to be yourself with unlimited confidence. When good players are playing with confidence, good stuff usually happens.”
Jerome finished third for Sixth Man of the Year, averaging a career-high 12.5 points while shooting 51.6 percent from the field and 43.9 percent from downtown.
Jerome has elevated his game again in the playoffs, averaging 17.2 points, 5.4 assists, and 3.4 rebounds through Cleveland’s first five playoff games.
While Jerome’s play will mean more competition for his services, Cleveland also faces another challenge to retain the 27-year-old guard.
When All-Star Evan Mobley won Defensive Player of the Year, it triggered a clause in his contract that called for him to increase the first-year salary of his rookie-scale extension from 25 to 30 percent of the salary cap, as ESPN’s Bobby Marks noted.
As a result, Cleveland is now projected to have $219 million in salary for the 2025-26 season and be over the second apron.
Thus, NBA executives are now wondering if Cleveland will be more likely to let Jerome walk in free agency now that the Cavaliers are projected to be over the second apron or if the franchise will make a trade elsewhere on the roster to try and re-sign Jerome and duck the second apron, if possible?
Ultimately, Jerome’s preferred scenario heading into the offseason would be a return to Cleveland.
“I think I have an amazing situation here with a coaching staff that empowers me and a team that empowers me,” Jerome told HoopsHype just before the start of the NBA Playoffs. “Obviously, I’d love to be back. We’ve just got to see how it plays out.”
According to Jerome, who’s played on four NBA teams, this Cavaliers roster is the most special group he’s been around. It’s also been a part of his success and will factor into his free agency decision.
“We all like each other, play for each other, we all pass the ball to each other, and we hang out with each other on the road,” Jerome explained to HoopsHype. “There are very few egos. Obviously, everyone is out for individual success. It’s the NBA. But the ability to put that aside for the team’s greater good is all here with this group. Everyone wants to see each other succeed and empower everyone. That’s really rare. When you have that in the NBA, you don’t want to take it for granted. Yes, people want to get paid for sure, and I’d be lying if I said I didn’t, but when you have that, you don’t want to take it for granted.”
Dennis Schroeder’s free agency outlook
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During Detroit’s first-round series against New York, members of the Pistons spoke well of veteran point guard Dennis Schroeder’s positive impact on the team as a veteran leader and floor general.
Heading into the offseason, Detroit is interested in re-signing Schroeder, league sources told HoopsHype.
The Pistons have early Bird rights on him and his style of play fits Detroit well.
With Cade Cunningham a strong candidate to earn an All-NBA selection and increase his salary for next season, Detroit’s potential cap space would shrink and could likely lead them to operate as a team over the cap.
The Pistons can operate as a team over the cap while retaining Tim Hardaway Jr.’s salary cap hold. The Pistons have Bird rights on Hardaway Jr., who shot 36.8 percent from downtown and started 77 games.
Detroit could also need to use the non-taxpayer mid-level exception to re-sign Malik Beasley. Detroit only has non-Bird rights on Beasley, who’s expected to have significant interest from teams, as noted in the section above.
Phoenix Suns coaching search
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With new Suns general manager Brian Gregory set to address the media for the first time Tuesday, the belief remains that Phoenix will target a first-time NBA head coach to fill their vacancy.
Washington Wizards assistant coach Adam Caporn is among those expected to draw consideration for the vacant head coaching position for the Suns, HoopsHype has learned.
Caporn was recently named head coach of Australia’s men’s national basketball team after serving as an assistant over the program’s last four major tournament campaigns, including winning a bronze medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
Previously, several other potential first-time coaches have been linked to the Suns head coaching vacancy, including multiple coaches on the same teams, including Cleveland assistants Jordan Ott and Johnnie Bryant, Rockets assistants Royal Ivey and Ben Sullivan, and Mavericks assistants Sean Sweeney and Jared Dudley.
Last offseason, Ott was one of two finalists to be Hornets head coach with Charles Lee. He’s recently worked with Cavaliers Defensive Player of the Year Evan Mobley.
Bryant is an associate head coach for the Cavaliers, helping guide the team to the No. 1 seed in the East while reuniting with star Donovan Mitchell, whom he helped develop in Utah. Before Cleveland, Bryant was an associate head coach with the Knicks for four seasons.
Ivey, a former 10-year NBA veteran, is well-liked and relatable with players and recently impressed executives across the league as South Sudan’s head coach in the Olympics.
Sullivan is known around the league for developing shooters and has worked as an assistant coach under Ime Udoka, Joe Mazzulla, Mike Budenholzer twice, and Gregg Popovich.
Sweeney was a finalist for Detroit’s vacancy with JB Bickerstaff this past offseason and has been knocking on the door for his first head coaching job over the years.
One of Dudley’s strongest attributes is his ability to connect with players of all levels, including superstars, role players, and rookies. The former Suns forward has been an assistant coach on Jason Kidd’s staff in Dallas since the 2021-22 season.
As previously reported by HoopsHype, Oklahoma City assistant coach Dave Bliss will also draw consideration from Phoenix. Bliss, the Thunder’s lead assistant coach and defensive coordinator, helped guide the team to a first-round sweep of the Memphis Grizzlies.
Miami Heat associate head coach Chris Quinn, who’s also been linked as a potential candidate in multiple reports, has worked for the organization for 10 years after his seven-year NBA playing career.
Lastly, Phoenix is weighing whether to add candidates with coaching experience, such as Dave Joerger and James Borrego, to its coaching search, per The Stein Line.
Joerger won 50-plus games twice with Memphis in his first two seasons as coach and advanced as far as the Western Conference Semifinals. Since then, he spent three seasons as coach of the Sacramento Kings, three seasons with the Philadelphia 76ers as an assistant coach, and last season as an assistant coach for the Milwaukee Bucks.
Borrego had consecutive seasons in Charlotte where the Hornets won 10 more games than the previous season before he became Pelicans associate head coach.
HoopsHype also mentioned Borrego as a potential candidate on April 16.
David Adelman’s future as Nuggets coach
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Denver Nuggets interim coach David Adelman has continued to strengthen his case to remain head coach beyond this season.
After defeating the Los Angeles Clippers in seven games, Adelman became only the fourth interim coach in NBA history to win a playoff series and got a subtle vote of confidence from three-time MVP Nikola Jokic.
“I think the owner, maybe he wanted to change something, change the energy. And probably he did, you know,” Jokic said. “He got the result that he was looking for.”
Those positive results continued in Game 1 of the Western Conference Semifinals on the road against the Oklahoma City Thunder on a game-winning shot by versatile forward Aaron Gordon.
Last summer, Adelman interviewed for coaching positions with the Los Angeles Lakers, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Charlotte Hornets. Two years ago, Adelman met with the Toronto Raptors for their vacancy.
HoopsHype initially reported on April 16 that Adelman had a real chance to keep the job heading into the playoffs.
Pelicans add to their staff
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The New Orleans Pelicans have added Jason Hervey to the organization, league sources told HoopsHype.
Hervey worked for newly hired Pelicans executive Joe Dumars in Detroit from 2005-09 as a video coordinator and later returned to the Pistons as the director of player development from 2012-14.
Hervey spent the past four seasons as an advanced scout with the Portland Trail Blazers. Beforehand, Hervey was a quality control coach for the Minnesota Timberwolves from 2019-21, an advance scout for the Phoenix Suns from 2016-19, and a personnel scout with the Timberwolves from 2014-16. Between his two Detroit stints, Hervey was head video coordinator and advance scout from 2009-12 for the Washington Wizards.
NBA Draft: 2025 NBA G League Elite Camp list revealed
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A preliminary 2025 NBA G League Elite Camp invite list was revealed over the weekend, as first reported by HoopsHype.
Select standout performers from the camp will also be invited to participate in the 2025 NBA Draft Combine.
On Monday, the list of participants was updated and finalized.
Joson Sanon declined a G League Elite Camp invite, as reported by HoopsHype. The former top-25 recruit averaged 18.8 points in his last five Big 12 games and shot 37 percent on 3-pointers overall as an Arizona State freshman. The 19-year-old St. John’s transfer has draft workouts scheduled with teams in the 30s range.
In addition, Baylor forward Norchad Omier has received an invite to the G League Elite Camp, as reported by HoopsHype. Omier led the Big 12 Conference in rebounding (10.8 per game) and averaged 15.7 points. Omier averaged a double-double five straight seasons. He played for Arkansas State, Miami, and Baylor.
Furthermore, Real Madrid’s Eli John N’Diaye declined an invite, and Iowa’s Payton Sandfort and Kentucky’s Lamont Butler accepted invites to the camp.
Below is the full list of participants:
Jabri Abur-Rahim (Providence)
Brooks Barnhizer (Northwestern)
Tamar Bates (Missouri)
Nate Bittle (Oregon)
Lamont Butler (Kentucky)
Dylan Cardwell (Auburn)
Rueben Chinyelu (Florida)
Thierry Darlan (Delaware Blue Coats)
Johnell Davis (Arkansas)
Jyare Davis (Syracuse)
R.J. Davis (North Carolina)
Dawson Garcia (Minnesota)
Keshon Gilbert (Iowa State)
Caleb Grill (Missouri)
Chucky Hepburn (Louisville)
Chase Hunter (Clemson)
Kobe Johnson (UCLA)
Curtis Jones (Iowa State)
Arthur Kaluma (Texas)
Miles Kelly (Auburn)
Malique Lewis (South East Melbourne)
Caleb Love (Arizona)
Jaland Lowe (Pittsburgh)
Jahmai Mashack (Tennessee)
Chance McMillian (Texas Tech)
Mackenzie Mgbako (Indiana)
Igor Milicic Jr. (Tennessee)
Jacksen Moni (North Dakota State)
Ryan Nembhard (Gonzaga)
Yanic Konan Niederhauser (Penn State)
Isaac Nogues (Rip City Remix)
Lachlan Olbrich (Illawarra)
Norchad Omier (Baylor)
Sean Pedulla (Ole Miss)
Jonathan Pierre (Belmont)
Jaron Pierre Jr. (Jacksonville State)
John Poulakidas (Yale)
Will Richard (Florida)
Kadary Richmond (St. John’s)
Payton Sandfort (Iowa)
Nate Santos (Dayton)
Brandon Stroud (South Florida)
Wade Taylor IV (Texas A&M)
Amari Williams (Kentucky)
Chris Youngblood (Alabama)
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