While the rest of the NBA world (and some real world outlets) are focused on the Donald Sterling fiasco, the Golden State Warriors had their own to deal with. It involved two ex-Celtics, Brian Scalabrine and Darren Erman. Scal was banished to the D-League and Erman was fired. According to ESPN’s Chris Broussard, we now know why:
When Golden State Warriors assistant coach Darren Erman was fired earlier this month, the reason given was a “violation of company policy.”
It turns out that Erman’s violation was secretly recording conversations between the team’s coaches and players, according to sources with knowledge of the situation.
Sources said Erman, who was coach Mark Jackson’s second assistant, would record coaches’ meetings, meetings between the coaches and players, and informal discussions among coaches that took place in the team’s coaches room — all without the participants’ knowledge.
“He was taping everything,” one source said. “Taping pregame speeches wouldn’t have been that bad, but he was taping guys just sitting around talking in the coaches’ office.”
Sometimes Erman would be present during the tapings. Other times, he would leave the room and leave his phone behind to record conversations the other coaches were having.
It is unclear what Erman did with the recordings. The sources weren’t sure whether he shared them with the club’s owners or front-office executives.
Oof, that’s some pretty strange stuff. WTF is going on in this league right now?!?! Can’t we just all enjoy an incredible first round of NBA playoff basketball? Is that too much to ask? Anyway, all this Erman stuff didn’t seem to bother Danny Ainge, as Woj reports that the Celtics have hired him back:
The Boston Celtics have hired ex-Golden State Warriors assistant coach Darren Erman as director of NBA scouting, Celtics general manager Danny Ainge told Yahoo Sports on Tuesday.
Erman had been the architect of a top-three NBA defense as an assistant coach with the Golden State Warriors until his termination three weeks ago.
In the aftermath of his departure from the Warriors, which league sources say stemmed from a single taped conversation of Warriors coaches who had been working to undermine his game preparation and relationships with players, Erman accepted the job to return to Boston, where his NBA coaching career began in 2007.
“Darren worked with us for four years and he was one of the hardest working, most competent and intelligent members of our organization,” Ainge told Yahoo Sports. “We welcome him back.”
I’m curious if Erman ever hung out with Sterling’s girlfriend and got any ideas? I’m kidding, but really, this is some wacky stuff going on right now. It will get crazier at 2pm with Adam Silver’s press conference.
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