Check out the news that highlighted the day in the NBA, including Vlade Divac’s decision to fire Dave Joerger, the Phoenix Suns announced James Jones as their new general manager and the NBA sellout record.
Divac fires Joerger after 39-win season | ESPN
Even though he led the team to a 39-win season, Dave Joerger is no longer the Sacramento Kings head coach.
“After evaluating the season, I determined that we need to move in a different direction in order to take us to the next level,” Divac said in a statement. “On behalf of the entire Kings organization, I want to thank Dave for his contributions to our team and I wish him all the best.”
Kings fired coach Dave Joerger, league source tells ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) April 11, 2019
Suns take off the interim tag, give Jones GM job | ESPN
The Phoenix Suns announced that they are giving James Jones a permanent general manager role after the former shooting guard was an interim GM this year and was in the Suns’ front office for the past two seasons.
“[Jones] is instilling the same championship culture and standard that he experienced on multiple occasions as a player,” Suns owner Robert Sarver said in a statement. “I have the utmost confidence in James as the leader of our basketball operations moving forward, and we are aligned in the ultimate goal of one day bringing an NBA championship to Phoenix.”
Phoenix has named James Jones as its next general manager.
— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) April 11, 2019
NBA sets record with 760 sellouts during 2018-19 season | Associated Press
The NBA set a record after selling out 760 games this regular season, including Dwyane Wade’s last game for the Miami Heat in a road loss to the Brooklyn Nets. The sellout total surpassed the previous record of 741 sellouts last year. The NBA said the final attendance of 21,964,447 is fourth highest.
The NBA announces they set an all-time record for total sellouts for the fifth consecutive year (760 games sold-out) this season, while achieving 95% or more of arena capacity.
— Chris Grenham (@chrisgrenham) April 11, 2019
Markkanen has been cleared to resume full basketball-related activities | NBA.com
The Chicago Bulls announced that Lauri Markkanen is cleared to return to basketball activities after missing the last two weeks of the campaign because of a heart problem. After extensive examinations by cardiologists at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, Markkanen was released with excellent results. The Finnish international averaged 18.7 points and 9.0 rebounds in his second year in the NBA.
UPDATE: The Bulls announced today that after completing thorough examinations from cardiologists at both Rush University Medical Center and Johns Hopkins University, Lauri Markkanen has been cleared to resume full basketball related activities.
MORE: https://t.co/SfqcTgBEyP pic.twitter.com/6hRh0cj3wR
— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) April 11, 2019
Celtics: Smart out 4-6 weeks partially torn oblique muscle | Associated Press
Marcus Smart has been diagnosed with a partial tear to his left oblique abdominal muscle and will miss four to six weeks, the Boston Celtics announced. The Celtics will face Indiana in the first round of the playoffs and Smart will miss that round and also the second round if Boston progresses.
Marcus Smart has suffered a torn oblique on left side and could be sidelined for the first two rounds of the playoffs, league source tells ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) April 10, 2019
