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A16 SPORTS
Wednesday 17 May 2023

As NBA coaching changes mount, some lament the lack of job security

By TIM REYNOLDS has been wildly successful
AP Basketball Writer in his coaching career. But
MIAMI (AP) — Miami’s Erik this is the business we’re in.
Spoelstra and Denver’s Mi- … Expectations every year
chael Malone are two of for every team are so high,
the four NBA coaches to and only one team can
have spent at least eight win. It’s sad news for the
years with their current coaching profession.”
team. At least six teams will have
They know how rare that is new coaches next season
especially as the league’s Phoenix, Milwaukee, Toron-
coaching changes mount. to, Detroit and now Phila-
Championship-winning or delphia are looking, and
title-contending coach- Houston has hired Udoka
es aren’t safe in the NBA as the replacement for
these days. In recent days, Stephen Silas. Mazzulla will
2019 NBA champion Nick meet Spoelstra and Miami
Nurse, 2021 champion Mike in the Eastern Conference
Budenholzer, 2021 West- finals starting Wednesday.
ern Conference champion Spoelstra has faced Bos-
and 2022 coach of the year Phoenix Suns coach Monty Williams argues for a call during the second half of Game 5 of the ton three times for the East
Monty Williams and most team’s NBA Western Conference basketball semifinal playoff series against the Denver Nuggets title in four years, going
recently 2008 NBA champi- on Tuesday, May 9, 2023, in Denver. up against three different
on Doc Rivers were all fired. Associated Press coaches — Brad Stevens
Nurse was fired by Toronto, gest current tenure with one profession, coaching is not various reasons after recent in the NBA bubble restart in
Budenholzer by Milwaukee, team. San Antonio’s Gregg the one to get into. I should runs to the finals: Ime Udo- 2020, Udoka last year and
Williams by Phoenix and Popovich has coached the have been a TV reporter.” ka in Boston, Cleveland’s now Mazzulla — and says
Rivers by Philadelphia. Spurs since 1996, Spoelstra Of the last nine coaches David Blatt and then Ty- while the coaches change,
“It’s disturbing,” Spoelstra took over the Heat in 2008, to take a team to the NBA ronn Lue as well, and now organizational stability ex-
said. “Doc’s a Hall of Fam- Steve Kerr became coach Finals, only two Kerr and Williams by the Suns. ists and is crucial.
er. ... There’s only so many in Golden State in 2014 and Spoelstra are still with the Budenholzer’s dismissal left “Joe was in the bubble.
teams that can advance. Malone became coach in franchise that they went to Kerr upset, as he revealed ... He’s been part of some
It’s just a really hard thing to Denver in 2015. the title round with. earlier this month but not- really good teams,” Spoel-
do. Yeah, it’s been a tough “I understand this business,” Three of the last four cham- ed that all coaches under- stra said. “That does have
couple weeks, hearing the said Malone, who’ll lead pionship-winning coaches stand how vulnerable they an impact. Probably more
news of just some really sur- Denver into the Western Budenholzer in 2021, the are. “My first response is than anything in this league
prising firings.” Conference finals starting Los Angeles Lakers’ Frank not necessarily shock, it’s right now, you’re looking
It doesn’t make sense to Tuesday against the Los Vogel in 2020 and Nurse more disappointment be- for some kind of organiza-
Spoelstra, or likely to many Angeles Lakers. “You look in 2019 have since been cause Bud is a fantastic tional stability between the
other coaches. Spoelstra around the coaching land- fired by those clubs. Also no coach,” Kerr said. “He just front office and coaching
has the NBA’s second-lon- scape, if you want a secure longer with their teams for won a championship and staff.” q

Olympic gold-medal figure skater Sarah Hughes running for NY

congressional seat

By KAREN MATTHEWS medal in figure skating at other Democrats seeking to currently studying toward from his campaign and ly-
Associated Press the 2002 Winter Olympics, unseat Long Island Republi- an MBA from Stanford. ing to Congress about his
NEW YORK (AP) — Sarah has filed to run for Congress can Anthony D’Esposito. She made headlines in 2011 finances.
Hughes, who won a gold in New York, joining several Hughes, 38, will make a for- when she dated Andrew D’Esposito and Santos both
mal campaign announce- Giuliani, the son of former flipped seats previously
ment of her campaign for New York City Mayor and held by Democrats, part
New York’s 4th Congressio- Donald Trump adviser Rudy of a strong 2022 showing
nal District “in the next few Giuliani. by New York Republicans
weeks,” spokesperson Max Hughes lives in Manhattan in the suburbs surrounding
Kramer said Tuesday. and is looking for a home New York City.
Hughes was just 16 when within the 4th Congressio- Other candidates who
she scored her upset win nal District in southern and have filed for the Demo-
over teammate Michelle central Nassau County, cratic nomination for the
Kwan at the 2002 Olympics Kramer said. 4th Congressional District
in Salt Lake City. Hughes grew up in Great include Laura Gillen, a for-
She later earned an under- Neck, which is in the adjoin- mer Hempstead town su-
graduate degree from Yale ing district now represent- pervisor who lost narrowly
and a law degree from the ed by Republican George to D’Esposito in 2022; Patri-
University of Pennsylvania. Santos, who pleaded cia Maher, who ran unsuc-
Hughes spent three years not guilty last week to a cessfully against Rep. Peter
Olympic figure skater Sarah Hughes attends the world premiere as an associate at Manhat- 13-count federal indict- King in the 2nd Congres-
of “The Other Guys” at the Ziegfeld Theatre on Monday, Aug. 2,
2010 in New York. tan-based corporate law ment that accused him sional District in 2014; and
Associated Press firm Proskauer Rose and is of duping donors, stealing Lawrence Patrick Henry.q