Clippings: NBA coaches are going business casual this season

One of the biggest visual changes of bubble basketball was that coaching staffs were no longer required to wear suits. It was a decision that took into account the climate of Orlando in the summer, giving coaches the opportunity to be a bit more comfortable on the bench in a hotter environment.

As it turns out, the coaches liked their newfound freedom, as they voted more than 2-to-1 in favor of relaxing the dress code for the upcoming season, per a report from ESPN. The league isn’t going as casual as it did in the bubble, as track pants and warm-ups are not legal wardrobe, but polo shirts will be allowed along with dress pants, socks, and shoes. It’s worth noting that coaches have the option of wearing suits if they prefer, but jackets are no longer required on the bench.

This is a move that makes a ton of sense considering the relaxed dress code for players when they’re inactive for a game. Personally, it never seemed fair for the coaches to be held to a higher sartorial standard than the players, which is why I thoroughly enjoyed the wardrobe flexibility and creativity that emerged during the Orlando restart.

One other person who evidently enjoyed picking out the team’s outfits in the bubble was Ty Lue, the “chief wardrobe executive”, according to Max Reza, the Clippers director of team operations. Now, Lue will get to make those decisions on a regular basis.

I would expect certain coaching staffs to continue to dress as they have in the past. Certain people just like dressing up, all of these coaches have a ton of suits in their closets, and they should have the opportunity to wear what they want to work (within reason, of course). But expanding the realm of possibility for coaches feels like a guaranteed win. If player fashion has become so popular among NBA fans, there’s no reason that coaches can’t also get in on the action.

More news for Wednesday:

• James Harden has finally arrived in Houston, but he is reportedly still interested in a trade and has increased his number of potential destinations to two. Would a Paul George for Harden trade make sense?
• The G League is rumored to be considering a shortened season in a bubble, though a few teams are already expected to not participate.
• The NBA threatened to fine teams $100,000 if players sat out of nationally televised games for rest this season, but the league has since backed down somewhat from those claims.
• This is a wonderful look back at the debut of men’s basketball at the Olympics in 1936.
• SLAM profiles the girls’ basketball team at the Salam School, an all-Muslim high school.
• Before this excellent feature from Her Hoop Stats, I had never heard of the WABA, a semi-pro women’s basketball league in the United States.
• Curtis Harris details how the Clippers almost upset the Rockets in the 1993 NBA playoffs. This entire “Almost Upset” series is worth your time.