Who Is Available as an NBA Coach?

[old skool]

I realize that the Bucks have a coach under contract for next season. Still, if they WERE to make a change, what coach is available?

There is the Geezer List.
Larry Brown
Hubie Brown
Lenny Wilkins
Del H_____

The problem there is too many miles on the odometer, and neither seems to be inclined to groom a successor. H______ would never step on his son's toes.


There is the Proven Veteran List.
Mike Fratello
Rick Carlisle
Doug Collins
Jeff Van Gundy
Scott Skiles
Paul Silas

Fratello has never done much better than his talent, but who else has? Carlisle seems to wear out the franchise and grind his players. The results are positive, but it seems like the players can only take it for a while. Van Gundy also wears his players down. Collins is way too intense. Skiles looks to be the best of the bunch, but probably won't take a job until he stops getting checks from the Bulls - which is a couple of years down the road. Silas has a great pedigree and knows front court play, but the modern player seems to tune him out.


The One Team And Done List
Terry Porter
Jeff Bedzelik
Bill Cartwright
Lon Kruger

Its difficult to get enthused about a coach that has always had losing teams. Isn't that the Bucks current problem? But Porter is the one guy on this list that I would consider, as he has much more experience now than he did in his first go around.

Who am I missing? The list is pretty limited. I would hate to see the next Bucks coach be an assistant promoted to head coach for the first time. I would really, really hate to see a college coach hired - that NEVER works.

Hopefully the new GM has more answers, and more of a plan for putting a coaching STAFF in place. A staff that includes one or more veteran coaches with head coach experience.

oLd sKool

[fam3381]

Thanks for putting together a list, OS. I'm certain there are guys we're not thinking of, but off the top of my head I can't think of any.

I think we can cross off Porter, Collins and Del right off the bat:
- Collins doesn't seem to want anything to do with us, and for that we can probably be thankful.
- Larry wanted to bring Del in as an assistant to help LK, but Herb apparently nixed it.
- Kohl re-hiring Porter makes no sense on about 5,345 levels. Porter might one day be a solid NBA coach, but in Milwaukee? Not happening.

At this point I'd be at least open-minded to LB, though Carlisle, JVG and Skiles would be at the top of my list probably. All are guys who have won games at least semi-recently.

I'm not sure Fratello has much left in the tank or whether he'd even want to bother getting back into coaching. Silas always seemed to be mentioned in our previous coaching searches (by us mostly), not sure if he was a real candidate or not. Not really interested in any of the one/done candidates.

I agree college coaches aren't the way to go...it's amazing how many times NBA teams have thrown money at college coaches only to see them crash/burn. I'm curious to see if the Knicks might actually give Calipari another shot (though at least he has some NBA experience). We need a guy that our moron players might actually respect, so I think it's gotta be a guy with an established NBA track record.

[europa]

Van Gundy would be my top choice, followed by Skiles. Unfortunately there are issues involving both of them and Kohl would could preclude them from having any interest in the job.

GAD brought up Rudy Tomjanovich in another thread but I haven't heard anything about him in ages. I'm not even sure if he wants to be a head coach again.

[th87]

Maybe Bill Laimbeer is ready to coach dudes now?

[bigkurty]

At this point I'd be at least open-minded to LB, though Carlisle, JVG and Skiles would be at the top of my list probably.

We need a guy that our moron players might actually respect, so I think it's gotta be a guy with an established NBA track record.

I am in total agreement with these two statements. Those 4 coaches are the only ones I have any faith in having success here and if you are going to pay a coach say 2-3 million to be crappy to average, why not pay a coach 5-7 million to be good to excellent? You will make the money back with ease if the team starts winning.

My rankings of them are
Carlisle
JVG
Skiles
LB

[EastSideBucksFan]

I really, really, want to get someone proven in here.


Scott Skiles and Rick Carlisle are my top two candidates

JVG would be great, but probably won't come here

I don't see why Larry Brown would want to come here



IF, and I mean, IF we can't get anyone proven in here. I would be okay with giving Patrick Ewing a shot....if he would come here.

He wants a head coaching job and has recently made comments about if the Knicks HC job opens up, he would be interested.

Not sure if he'd be interested in coming to the Bucks, but perhaps he could make a positive impact on our big men.

[TheMadMongoose]

Van Gundy would be my top choice, followed by Skiles..

Agreed. It would be nice if we could land one of these guys.

[fam3381]

IF, and I mean, IF we can't get anyone proven in here. I would be okay with giving Patrick Ewing a shot....if he would come here.

Really? He always struck me as something of a moron. David Thorpe (I know, he's a tool) did have a pretty funny comment about Ewing in a chat:

When I go to Magic games, I get there 3 hours early to watch the players prepare. I see all the Magic assistants putting players through their paces, save one. Guess which guy sits on the first row chairs and talks to the dancers?

http://sports.aol.com/fanhouse/2008/03/ ... coach-umm/

[TheTrivium]

Personally, with the choices we have Id rather just retain LK, that way we actually have some continuity for a change, not only that, let him install that Triangle offense, he wanted to do. I wish we just had kept Terry Porter, he was a good coach, that had a good system, but we canned him after that year we had all of them injuries.

[trwi7]

Personally, with the choices we have Id rather just retain LK

You can't be serious. Continuity is cool but when you're keeping crap you're not going to do very well.

[zizek]

He is from the failed former Bucks formula, but I think Sam Cassell might be a good coach.

[TheTrivium]

-= original quote snipped =-



You can't be serious. Continuity is cool but when you're keeping crap you're not going to do very well.

Well Id like to get rid of Mo and Redd for an extra Gatorade cooler if that makes you feel any better.

[dunhill]

I think everyone is selling Laimbeer short. Basketball is Basketball. Men's or Women's. He is at worst no worse than an NCAA Div 1 coach, I take him over the big name NCAA coaches at the very least. WNBA consists of professional players unlike NCAA. Laimbeer now I've watched maybe 2 dozen WNBA games (As an ex-pat I follow Lauren Jackson's progress closely). What did the Detroit teams have? They were tough.He didn't have the greatest talent at first but he groomed the team. Something the Bucks are lacking. As a player renowned for being tough/making the most of his talent (ok he was dirty) and a succesful NBA player (unlike LK) he does have some credibility.

But then again Isaiah Thomas played nothing like he coaches. JVG isn't coming, Ewing hasn't coached at any level AFAIK other than assistant coach/big man coach. Skiles would be good as well, but I'd still prefer Laimbeer. Paul Silas is ok but a lot of his success from what I remember was during his time on some fairly loaded Charlotte teams.

[th87]

I'd send out Mo and Redd and bring in Hubie Brown, honestly.

This team desperately needs a "father figure" type leader that they can respect. Someone who knows how to play the right way. Without the egos of Redd and Mo, we are left with impressionable young guys, eager to take in the knowledge of someone who's been around.

The result is a hard-working, fundamentally sound core. It's a perfect skeleton for the future, when Brown decides to retire.

[BucksRuleAll22]

The teams needs a coach that will have the respect of the whole team. Thats it bc this team is filled with a bunch of talented lazy punks.

[ReddManBogieMan]

We need a GM that is in cadence with the coach over the type of player wanted for their system. This way it sets a tone from the top down that either you buy into the system or the Gm will ship your A$$ outta town.
I am for giving LK another shot next year, as long as he is given some input on who he wants to stay and who he doesn't want (MO,Cv). This is a must regardless of who is the coach. I think LK could do just as good of a job or better than the diluted pool of coaches that there is to draw from. One coach that I like that nobody mentions, and likely is a long shot to leave his current situation is Rick Pitino. He's got experience in the NBA as a Head coach and has an outstanding record as a coach in NCAA. If we couldn't get Pitino I would rather just leave the coaching situation as is, and if need be and Larry can't turn it around next year, than do a major shake-up.

[trwi7]

We need a GM that is in cadence with the coach over the type of player wanted for their system. This way it sets a tone from the top down that either you buy into the system or the Gm will ship your A$$ outta town.

And you really think that Kohl is going to give the GM any power? Well, it's fun to dream I guess.

[th87]

RICK PITINO???

As in, one of the worst NBA coaches ever?

[ReddManBogieMan]

-= original quote snipped =-



And you really think that Kohl is going to give the GM any power? Well, it's fun to dream I guess.

It's also going to be fun to put you on my ignore list, so I don't have to view your verbal diarrhea every time I visit this site.

What a great feature!

Same for you th87 or whatever your name is

[th87]

I bet you similarly ignore your teachers too - hence your pathetic existence.