Friday, the Philadelphia 76ers named JP Clark the new head coach of the organization's G League affiliate, the Delaware Blue Coats. That report comes courtesy of Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.
The former Flagler Saint also worked as an assistant player development coach for the Celtics from 2012 to 2013. From there, he joined the Los Angeles Clippers. He started with the latter as an "assistant players' skills coach" in the summer of 2013. In 2018, he became an assistant coach on Doc Rivers' staff. He worked in that role until October of 2020.
Now, Clark gets to prove himself as the new bench boss for a program he is intimately familiar with.
JP Clark is replacing another former Celtic
Clark takes over at the helm of the Blue Coats for Mike Longabardi. The latter recently joined Sixers head coach Nick Nurse's staff. He will serve as an assistant coach in Philadelphia.
Nurse brought Longabardi on board when he replaced Doc Rivers as the 76ers' bench boss. The latter has over 20 years of experience as an NBA assistant coach. That includes six in Boston.
Longabardi was with the Celtics from 2007 to 2013. That, of course, means he was on the staff when they won banner 17 in 2008. He became Boston's defensive coordinator in 2009. That promotion came on the heels of the Chicago Bulls' hiring of Tom Thibodeau as their new head coach.
Now, Longabardi is tasked with helping Nurse, one of the NBA's top defensive masterminds, get the most out of a team featuring an intriguing blend of veterans and youth.
Joel Embiid and Paul George are trying to prove that they can remain healthy and they're still able to perform at a high level. If so, the 76ers should exceed expectations in a wide-open Eastern Conference, even if that doesn't catapult them into contention.
The organization is also beginning to usher in a youth movement. Tyrese Maxey is already a franchise cornerstone. They drafted VJ Edgecombe third overall in this year's NBA Draft. The latter could pair with the former to create a fast, explosive backcourt that can deliver at both ends for years to come.
There's also 2024 first-round pick Jared McCain. The former Duke Blue Devil's NBA career was off to a promising start before a season-ending knee injury.
It will be fascinating to see if Embiid and George can stay healthy and how well they mesh with Philadelphia's youth movement.