Editor's note: Look for Monte Poole's 'Dunks, Dimes and Treys' every Friday right here on CSNBayArea.com
Welcome to our weekly session in which we talk Warriors and the NBA in general. We score, we pass and we commit a few turnovers. Sometimes, we just shout from our seat on the bench.
Turning every stone, peeping behind every curtain: In their quest to fill out Steve Kerr's coaching staff, the Warriors are in the midst of perhaps the most comprehensive search in league history.
David Blatt, the International legend, is atop the list. Alvin Gentry, a veteran NBA coach, is on Blatt's shoulder. If one becomes the head coach in Cleveland – both reportedly are in the mix – the other quite likely lands with the Warriors.
Meanwhile, the Warriors also are sniffing around Spurs shooting guru Chip Engelland and two-decade NBA assistant Ron Adams (now with the Celtics), whom I first encountered when he was head coach at Fresno State in the late '80s.
[RELATED: Report: Celtics assistant to meet with Kerr, Warriors]
And don't dismiss the possible recruitment of Luc Longley, Kerr's former teammates with the Bulls. Big Luc is coaching in his native Australia, where Kerr will spend a few days doing more than having beers with Andrew Bogut.
It appears the cash Joe Lacob & Co. saved by dropping the pier arena plan is being redirected to the coaching staff. Have to like a group that invests in the product.
Gazing into the future: Lacob, Kerr and general manager Bob Myers all knew how good the Spurs are. They're even more impressed by watching their dismantling of the Heat. Myers has made no attempt to hide his desire to make the Warriors the Pacific Division Spurs. If Step 1 is committed ownership, Step 2 is selfless talent and Step 3 is assembling a wonderful coaching staff.
Just a thought: If a player were composed of equal parts Kawhi Leonard and Boris Diaw, wouldn't that player be a lot like Draymond Green?
No, no, no: I realize that he could be a terrific stretch four. And that he can score as well as almost anybody in the league not named Kevin Durant. But all those Warriors fans fantasizing about Carmelo Anthony should know it's never going to happen. Nor should it. That would be a poor fit in numerous ways.
Good man down: Rod Higgins, the former Warriors forward and front office executive, is out as president of basketball operations in Charlotte. Rod is classy and smart and has, for a very long time, been tight with Bobcats owner Michael Jordan. I don't expect much dirt in this divorce, which was announced just after midnight Friday morning.
The Return of Fezzy Fel: The Warriors have not set their roster for the Las Vegas Summer League (July 11-21), but count on center Festus Ezeli to be on it. He looked good in May, looks better in June. He's certain to be joined by guard Nemanja Nedovic and center Ognjen Kuzmic – as a well as a surprise or two – as Kerr gets his trial run on the bench.
[RELATED: Report: Ezeli cleared for action]
Another Mark Jackson update: The latest is that the former Warriors coach has been contacted by the Cavaliers, who seemingly have reached out to everyone from Al Attles to Bob Knight to Kevin Loughery. The only way the Rev. Jackson considers that job is if he can haul his entire church – and his congregation – all the way from SoCal to Ohio.
Hmm . . . maybe I overrated the champs: At the beginning of the NBA Finals, I predicted the Spurs would win in seven games, mostly because their depth would be too much for the aging Heat to handle. Down 3-1 going back to San Antonio, Miami needs multiple miracles to take it to seven.
