2013 Coaching Candidates / Offseason Head Coach Thread

[N8Frog]

I do think it really depends on the direction the Bucks decide to go, assuming they actually pick a direction.

Ideally I hope Kohl makes a decision on Hammond by the end of January. I wish he would now, but it's not happening. But it would be nice to either give Hammond security of a few years or have a new GM to make decisions pre the trade deadline.

And if the organization knows Skiles is leaving after the season, I think you can leave him be and make a decision on Hammond. I guess the problem will be that we're going to be floating around .500 and in a spot where we won't be bad enough to fire people nor good enough to justify extensions. But it would be nice to just make a decision on him. If Kohl likes the team, re-up him. If he is skeptical at this point, move on.

[JimmyTheKid]

I'd give Kelvin Sampson a go here. Don't see anything special there at all, but he quite possibly could be a decent hire.

Sam Cassell I could also live with.

Yeah these would be my 1 and 2 targets.

[Nebula1]

I do think it really depends on the direction the Bucks decide to go, assuming they actually pick a direction.

Ideally I hope Kohl makes a decision on Hammond by the end of January. I wish he would now, but it's not happening. But it would be nice to either give Hammond security of a few years or have a new GM to make decisions pre the trade deadline.

And if the organization knows Skiles is leaving after the season, I think you can leave him be and make a decision on Hammond. I guess the problem will be that we're going to be floating around .500 and in a spot where we won't be bad enough to fire people nor good enough to justify extensions. But it would be nice to just make a decision on him. If Kohl likes the team, re-up him. If he is skeptical at this point, move on.

I agree with that, but there is the variable of a team sale.

I would like Hammond to stay, Skiles to go and a new owner willing to tank. I think Hammond would be great if allowed to strip it down and continue to draft well.

[N8Frog]

I guess I'm not really going to factor in the team sale until it is more clear that Kohl is actively trying to sell. Kohl really hasn't commented on it at all and besides a minor blurb here and there, there isn't much to go on that the sale is going to happen by next spring when we ultimately would decide what to do with our GM and Coach. So unless Kohl is actively selling without publicizing it, which may be, I just don't foresee a sale going down in the next year.

[RiotPunch]

I'd want one of Budenholzer or Sampson, probably

[LUKE23]

Sloan is the only real difference maker out there, IMO. Not sure we can land him. If it isn't him, then it doesn't really matter to me as long as it isn't a complete moron. Would probably want a guy who will play the youth regardless of W-L but not sure Kohl would go that route.

[JimmyTheKid]

I would like Hammond to stay, Skiles to go and a new owner willing to tank. I think Hammond would be great if allowed to strip it down and continue to draft well.

I think the "tank" boat has sailed. Two years ago was the ideal time to tank. Bogut's elbow was obviously still hurt bad from the push in the back by Amare. It was the perfect opportunity to shut him down, tank, and have a shot at a top 5 pick. They could justify a tank to the fan base (not that many of us needed justification) because Bogut wasn't fully healed. What do they do instead? Blow their load all over the Gooden signing, the Salmons extension, and forced Bogut to play with one arm. Awesome.

They could have easily done the same thing last year with Bogut's ankle injury. What do they do instead? Make a win now trade for the 8th seed. So bad. So shortsighted. So Bucks.

Now, barring injury, I see no way this group could be bad enough to tank. Even if you drop all the vets (Dunleavy, Daniels, Udrih, Gooden, Ellis, Pryzbilla, Dalembert), go with Jennings, Lamb, Harris, Udoh, Sanders, Henson, and a group of young fillers, I think the core is just too talented to be bad enough to land a top 5 pick.

[N8Frog]

Sloan is the only real difference maker out there, IMO. Not sure we can land him.

I didn't realize that Sloan only had 1 losing season in his 20+ years in Utah. That's really impressive, wow. My biggest concern with him is his age (70). I guess if his health is good, then maybe, but that's getting up there. I do agree that he is probably the one difference maker available that may realistically come here.

[SkilesTheLimit]

Sammy would be fun as hell to watch coach and talk with the media.

If I'm trying to win games and get to the next level, Sam would not be my choice. I don't trust him diagramming a play with 0:05 left in a game down 2 points in a must-win situation. Don't think he's intelligent enough.

I would go with Kelvin Sampson. He's the perfect blend of players coach and great basketball mind. He communicates well and has his player's trust and support. I do think he'd also be a tough coach and get the most out of his young players.

I say no to a 70 year old Jerry Sloan and to retreads like VanGundy, Avery Johnson, Saunders, etc. One "retread" type I wouldn't mind would be McMillan.

[SupremeHustle]

Sloan is the only real difference maker out there, IMO.

Disagree. Randy Whitman could get us a top 5 pick.

[ReasonablySober]

Sloan is the only real difference maker out there, IMO.

Disagree. Randy Whitman could get us a top 5 pick.

Like where your head's at.

[averageposter]

I think there are plenty of candidates on the list I'd be OK with. I see the usual talk about whether a new guy is going to move the needle on this team as constructed and while its a legitimate point I still feel like this season should have started with this change. The Bucks are going to head into next year needing to make decisions on Jennings, now all the talk is centered on the idea of matching whatever it is that he gets offered. While I feel like he's a marginally better player now than he was as a rookie, I wonder if someone, anyone else would have changed the way he plays the position even a little. Seems like that would be good information to have given the overall situation of lame duck coach and gm. I have only seen him under Skiles and only at the helm of offenses I generally didn't like.

I also wonder if having Skiles as long as they have if whatever bonus he gives to teaching or developing young defensive players remains after he's gone. Can the Bucks err on the side of offensive minded coach while hoping the defensive habits demanded under Skiles remain? Personally since they are a fairly young team as currently constructed I think a younger highly regarded former player like Shaw is where I'd go all things considered.

[Baddy Chuck]

Sampson would be my #1.

[eagle13]

I suspect Cassell knows a little about Xs & Os having to run the offenses as a PG.
Shaw is a good prospect.
Sampson.
I like McMillan
I loved Moncrief as a player. As coach?? Why not?
Need more talent to interest Sloan.

[JayMKE]

Cassell or Sampson would be great. Jerry Sloan aint happening.

Whoever we get, I want a guy who is more of a player's coach. A guy players really want to play for, being one of if not the most undesirable markets in the NBA we don't need a surly coach making things worse.