Sad News : A key player Dejan Milojevic is death

The Golden State Warriors last week dealt with the death of assistant coach Dejan Milojević. Head coach Steve Kerr tried his best to put into words what the team has gone through.

Milojević died at the age of 46 after suffering a medical emergency while the Warriors were having a private dinner in Salt Lake City, Utah. The NBA postponed the Golden State’s next two games following the tragic incident.

Kerr was asked about what the past week has been like for Warriors players and coaches alike. The 58-year-old head coach called it the “saddest thing” he’s ever experienced in the NBA

Kerr added that he was able to speak to Milojević’s two kids. While Kerr didn’t reveal what he told them, the Warriors coach said he empathized with them given that he also lost his father at a young age.

Milojević joined the Warriors in 2021 and was a part of the coaching staff that won a title in 2022. The 6-foot-7 Serb was a multi-time champion as a player in Europe.

He also coached several players that went on to get drafted in the NBA — including countryman Nikola Jokic.

This article first appeared on Larry Brown Sports and was syndicated with permission.

The big men were feeling it on Monday. On the same night 76ers center Joel Embiid set a career and franchise record with 70 points, Timberwolves power forward Karl-Anthony Towns also set a career-high with 62 points, albeit in a surprising 128-125 loss to the Hornets. As StatMuse pointed out on social media, it had been a long time since two players scored at least 60 points on the same night. ESPN research producer Matt Williams shared it was on Apr. 9, 1978. Per NBA History, it’s only the fourth time it’s ever happened. Towns’ full offensive game was on display as he became the first player in NBA history to have at least 10 two-point field goals, 10 threes and 10 free throws in a game. He started the game 8-of-8 from downtown, including this 31-footer in the second quarter. The No. 1 overall pick of the 2015 NBA Draft had 58 points through three quarters but was quiet down the stretch, shooting 2-of-10 from the field in the fourth. The result left a bitter taste in the Timberwolves’ mouth, with his 62 points being the most in a loss since Suns guard Devin Booker scored 70 against the Celtics in 2017

The Montreal Canadiens have placed forward Mitchell Stephens on waivers and loaned defenseman Justin Barron to the AHL’s Laval Rockets. Stephens started the season in Laval, clearing waivers ahead of the season’s start. He scored 12 points in 16 AHL games before joining Montreal on Dec. 1. Meanwhile, Barron is slated for his first stint with Laval, after playing in 41 of Montreal’s 46 games this season. The 22-year-old defenseman has managed 12 points in that stretch, a step down from the 15 points he recorded in 39 games with Montreal last season. Barron also recorded 16 points in 25 AHL games last year. While Stephens has already cleared waivers once this season, his depth has proven valuable throughout his eight-year professional career. Stephens was originally drafted 33rd overall in the 2015 NHL Draft, just a few picks before the Carolina Hurricanes drafted Sebastian Aho. He made his professional debut in the following year, playing five AHL games at the end of the 2015-16 season. He returned to juniors in the following season, but played his first full pro season in 2017-18, scoring 41 points in 70 games with the AHL’s Syracuse Crunch. That year’s scoring remains Stephens’ career-high, although he matched it in 68 games during Laval’s 2022-23 season. The 26-year-old forward has only played in 95 career NHL games, recording 16 points and 22 penalty minutes. He’s also recorded 219 career AHL games and 137 points.

The Titans rolled out an offensive line with four new Week 1 starters this season; they look set to make at least one major change ahead of the 2024 campaign. Benched during his Tennessee debut, Andre Dillard should be expected to return to free agency soon. The Titans are likely to move on from the former first-round pick, Turron Davenport of ESPN.com notes. The team had relocated Nicholas Petit-Frere from right to left tackle shortly after his gambling suspension ended early, but his season-ending injury paused that experiment. Stopgap RT Chris Hubbard is also unsigned for 2024, creating questions. In addition to ranking Dillard 73rd overall among tackles, Pro Football Focus slotted rookie Jaelyn Duncan (five starts) last at the position. Dillard signed a three-year, $29M deal to become Tennessee’s Taylor Lewan replacement at left tackle. Amid a cost-cutting spree last year, the Titans cut both Lewan and center Ben Jones. They also let four-year right guard starter Nate Davis sign with the Bears. The team brought in low-cost starters Hubbard and Daniel Brunskill but gave Dillard a midlevel accord despite his failure to commandeer an Eagles starting job. After Dillard gave up 12 sacks in just 297 pass-blocking snaps, the Washington State alum should not be expected to factor into Tennessee’s 2024 O-line plans. Due to the Titans adding void years to Dillard’s deal to lower the 2023 cap hit, a post-June 1 cut might be the best way to go here. Should Tennessee release Dillard without that designation, it would cost nearly $8M in dead money. Cutting Dillard with a post-June 1 designation would save the team $6.5M this year. GM Ran Carthon mentioned the idea of Peter Skoronski moving from guard to left tackle, his primary college position, as a potential solution. That would create a guard need — during an offseason when Brunskill and center Aaron Brewer are also unsigned — but sliding last year’s No. 11 overall pick to the highest-profile O-line post would be a rather important move through a big-picture lens. Skoronski being moved to LT would likely prompt the Titans to slide Petit-Frere back to the right side. Petit-Frere worked as the team’s primary RT starter throughout his rookie season, seeing a gambling suspension and a November shoulder injury stall his progress. For now, Skoronski and Petit-Frere appear to be the only locked-in starters for the Titans moving forward. For a second straight year, the team has many questions to answer along its offensive front.

Expected to be the hottest free agent on the head-coaching market, Bill Belichick has interviewed with just one team since parting ways with the New England Patriots. The Atlanta Falcons have spoken with Belichick twice regarding their head-coaching vacancy, but the team may now be pumping the brakes in its pursuit of Belichick, according to Peter King of NBC Sports. “The Falcons must be thinking, ‘If we hold Belichick in high regard, why does no other team?’” King wrote. “He’s had no other interviews, at least not any we know of. It’s weird. Maybe teams sniffing around coaches don’t think hiring a soon-to-be 72-year-old guy regardless of resume is such a good idea.” ESPN’s Adam Schefter echoed the same sentiment during his appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show” on Monday morning. “Why would there not be more teams that are interested in Bill Belichick?” Schefter said. “It’s just odd to me. It was odd with Brady [when only two teams were interested in him when he was a free agent], it’s odd with Belichick.” Multiple reports over the last week-and-a-half indicated that Belichick to Atlanta was all but a done deal. However, the team has cast a wide net in its search for Arthur Smith’s replacement, interviewing 12 candidates in addition to Belichick including: Baltimore Ravens defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald Baltimore Ravens assistant head coach Anthony Weaver Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator Joe Brady Carolina Panthers defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero Cincinnati Bengals offensive coordinator Brian Callahan Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson Detroit Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn Houston Texans offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik Los Angeles Rams defensive coordinator Raheem Morris Michigan Wolverines head coach Jim Harbaugh Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator Brian Johnson San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator Steve Wilks Atlanta is also scheduled to interview former Tennessee Titans head coach Mike Vrabel on Wednesday, per ABC TV’s Zach Klein. “I believe we’ve all assumed Belichick was going to get a high-quality job, or at least, in the case of the Falcons, a decent job,” King added. “Now the question is: Will he get one at all? Seems the Falcons are open to opening up this search after two meetings with the six-time Super Bowl champion head coach.”

The Pittsburgh Steelers had a bit of a frustrating end to their 2023 season. After what appeared to be a strong preseason performance by the offense, the Steelers seemed unable to get anything going during the regular season. They were fortunate that their defense was able to keep them in enough games for the team to finish the regular season 10-7. They even rallied at the end of the season to win their final three games, with quarterback Mason Rudolph starring as the unlikely hero. Unfortunately, they were not able to win in the postseason, losing the Wild Card game to the Buffalo Bills. Now they are thrust into the offseason earlier than they wanted and will have to start facing those difficult postseason decisions. Those decisions include who to keep and who to let go. Two reporters from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Chris Carter and Steelers insider Ray Fittipaldo, discuss who they believe will stay and who will go. On a recent episode of Carter’s show, The North Shore Drive Podcast, he asked Fittipaldo about some of the more questionable veterans on the roster, including Chukwuma Okorafor and Patrick Peterson. Will The Steelers Let Go Of Okorafor And Peterson? The first player Carter brings up is Okorafor, who was benched this past season for disciplinary reasons, but stayed on the bench because rookie Broderick Jones outplayed him. It is more than just having Jones perform better, Carter reminded listeners that Okorafor is a $11.8 million cap hit. Carter doesn’t see the Steelers taking that kind of hit for backup offensive linemen and noted that they would free up about $8.75 million. That makes this a no-brainer for the Steelers. Fittipaldo agrees and Carter asked him what other moves he expects the Steelers to make to clear up cap space for 2024. “I think another one and you know it’s a big name, is defensive back Patrick Peterson. You look at his cap hit Chris and it’s almost $10 million for 2024, a $9.7 million cap hit. The way they structured that contract, easily they can get out of it. There’s a big roster bonus due in March and then you know his salary as well. I think they can save an upwards of about $6 million if they make that move.” Fittipaldo said that he really appreciates what Peterson brought to the team this year. While his on-field performance might not have been as consistent as fans would have liked, he was a tremendous help to rookie Joey Porter Jr. Peterson provided that veteran leadership that Porter needed his first season. “He was good in the locker room, he’s a good team guy, but he’s not a starting outside corner anymore,” said Fittipaldo. “His exposure to safety, to me it was okay and in one regard, he made some plays, but tackling in open space was an issue for him. I didn’t really like that out of him and I think if you’re going to be a safety in the Steelers’ defense, you have to be a better tackler. The best scenario for him, if he wants to continue to keep playing, is to play free safety, kind of a classic center fielder and the Steelers already have that in Minkah Fitzpatrick.” He said that fans and other analysts are tossing out other names, like Cameron Heyward, but he sees that as a different kind of discussion. Heyward and Peterson are not on the same plane as far as usefulness to the team. Carter agrees that it makes the decision to let Peterson go an easy one, according to Fittipaldo he is, “as good as gone.” Carter added that he really liked Peterson’s initial versatility moving to safety. He felt that at first, he was not allowing receptions, but then opponents began to target him. He added that during those final four games of the season, Peterson was targeted six times and did not allow a single reception. But then in the playoff game against the Bills, they targeted him twice and he gave up two catches for about 43 yards, including a touchdown. So when you consider the team can save about $6.8 million in cap space, Carter agrees that it just makes sense to part with Peterson. The Steelers will have some big decisions to make during the offseason, including who to keep and who to let go. Like all NFL teams, they have to balance talent and cap space, looking at their most pressing needs. With the two rookies Porter and Jones stepping up, it seems like the services of Peterson and Okorafor won’t be needed any longer.

Last week, Nick Dunlap was hustling around the University of Alabama campus trying to make it to his classes on time. A few days later, he’s now a PGA Tour champion. Dunlap, a 20-year-old sophomore at Alabama, won The American Express over the weekend to become the first amateur to win a PGA Tour event in 33 years. The last amateur to accomplish that feat was Phil Mickelson at the 1991 Northern Telecom Open. Unfortunately for Dunlap, he doesn’t receive a dime of the $1.5M winner’s prize because he’s not a professional golfer. That sum goes to Christiaan Bezuidenhout, who finished in solo second place at PGA West. Bezuidenhout earned $600K more than he would’ve if any non-amateur golfer had won the tournament. Missing out on a seven-figure prize he rightfully earned is a bummer for Dunlap, but the win does come with a few perks. The talented youngster is now exempt on the PGA Tour through 2026. He also has the option to turn pro at any point this season, which would allow him to play in signature events and earn prize money as a member of the PGA Tour. Remember, those signature events are limited-field, no-cut tournaments with purses of at least $20M. Dunlap would have the chance to make back that $1.5M and more if he decides to turn pro now. But it’s not that easy of a decision. Dunlap’s goals, at least before this week, were to become the No. 1 amateur in the world and win a national championship with his Alabama teammates. Those opportunities would fade away if he goes pro, but joining the PGA Tour would unlock his ultimate goal of winning majors and becoming a top-ranked player in the world. It won’t be an easy decision for Dunlap, but the $1.5M hole in his bank account might shape his thinking.