New York Daily News: Skiles in Talks with Bucks

Bucks_Revenge · Post #1 » by **Bucks_Revenge** » Thu Apr 17, 2008 12:00 pm

INDIANAPOLIS - Scott Skiles may not be unemployed long enough to become a candidate to replace Isiah Thomas.

According to a source close to the former Chicago Bulls head coach, Skiles is already in talks with another team - believed to be the Milwaukee Bucks - and could have a deal in place by next week.

Knicks president Donnie Walsh admitted Wednesday that it is in the best interests of the club to resolve Thomas' future quickly because other teams - possibly Milwaukee, Chicago, Charlotte, Memphis and Atlanta - also will be in the market for a new head coach.

"That's right," Walsh said. "There's always built-in pressures in everything you do."

Skiles would be an obvious candidate because he has previous head coaching experience and because Walsh thinks highly of him. Former Knick Mark Jackson also would be strongly considered since Walsh was promoting him last season in Indiana before Larry Bird hired Jim O'Brien to coach the Pacers.

"I'm not endorsing anybody right now," Walsh said before last night's season finale against Indiana. "If it ever got to the point where I'm going to get a coach, then I'll draw up a list at that point."

But when asked specifically about Jackson's qualifications, Walsh said: "Mark played here (in Indy). I loved him as a player. I thought he was a very, very smart player and I thought he was a guy that could be a coach someday."

Walsh's list of coaches is likely to include Celtics assistant coach Tom Thibodeau, whose stock has soared this season, and possibly former Knicks coach Jeff Van Gundy, who is regarded as a long shot to return to New York.

Walsh also is expected to revamp the Knicks' front office and will look to hire a new GM. Billy King, who was fired by the Sixers this season only to see the team qualify for the playoffs, is among the leading candidates, along with ex-Sonics GM Rick Sund, Suns VP of Basketball Operations David Griffin, and Jackson.

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baske ... lling.html

looks like that rumor about Carlisle in talks is all false.

75totheMACCfund · Post #2 » by **75totheMACCfund** » Thu Apr 17, 2008 12:38 pm

I heard Skiles name last night at the game...kind of surprised me.

Captain Erv · Post #3 » by **Captain Erv** » Thu Apr 17, 2008 12:38 pm

Wow, I just can't honestly believe he would take Krystkowiak's job like that.

Post #4 » by **MickeyDavis** » Thu Apr 17, 2008 12:39 pm

Skiles has been mentioned for the past week. He has his pros and cons (as does every other candidate) but he's a definite upgrade.

IrishRainbow · Post #5 » by **IrishRainbow** » Thu Apr 17, 2008 12:42 pm

Just for the record...he was third on my list.

But to nab a #3 with an ACTUAL NBA resume...is still a great improvement over signing the top assistant from Northern Soutwestern Wichita State Community Tech with great leadership skills
If this is to be true...what does this do as far as our backcourt? I would assume that it would 2x the chances that Mo is gone. How much could Scotty help Razor's game, on both ends of the court. I don't recall exactly the type of game plan that he employs...was it a slow defensive type or a more dynamic offensive style? What does a former guard do to help develop around Bogut and Yi, assuming that is the base level foundation for the rebuild. (Yes I know, what exactly did LK do to help in that area...but to be fair, AB did improve this year...Now whether that was with the help of LK or despite him, we won't know...at least until Bogey hits the Aussie late night talk shows.

Post #6 » by **paulpressey25** » Thu Apr 17, 2008 12:42 pm

Be patient guys.....we still don't have an opening yet until Larry K. gets fired this morning.....then the new coach can be introduced.

Rockmaninoff · Post #7 » by **Rockmaninoff** » Thu Apr 17, 2008 12:44 pm

Gotta say, I'm not a big fan of Skiles.

smauss · Post #8 » by **smauss** » Thu Apr 17, 2008 12:48 pm

paulpressey25 wrote:Be patient guys.....we still don't have an opening yet until Larry K. gets fired this morning.....then the new coach can be introduced.

I'm still stickin' with friday for both Press.

Post #9 » by **MickeyDavis** » Thu Apr 17, 2008 12:51 pm

LK will be fired today or tomorrow. I was picking Saturday for the new hire so it would be the big headline in the Sunday paper but now I'm thinking it could be early next week.

Neapolitan Buck · Post #10 » by **Neapolitan Buck** » Thu Apr 17, 2008 12:54 pm

Rockmaninoff wrote:Gotta say, I'm not a big fan of Skiles.

+1

Bucks_Revenge · Post #11 » by **Bucks_Revenge** » Thu Apr 17, 2008 1:00 pm

Neapolitan Buck wrote:
Rockmaninoff wrote:Gotta say, I'm not a big fan of Skiles.

+1

+2

europa · Post #12 » by **europa** » Thu Apr 17, 2008 1:02 pm

Big fan of Skiles here. I'd prefer Van Gundy or Carlisle but Skiles would be a major upgrade in my opinion.

Captain Erv · Post #13 » by **Captain Erv** » Thu Apr 17, 2008 1:06 pm

I'd still prefer Carlisle or Van Gundy. Unfortunately, the Bulls job is probably more appealing to Carlisle and it doesn't sound as if Van Gundy would be interested in coming here. I'm not a huge Skiles fan, but like DTribbs said, it's going to be nice to get an experienced guy in here for once.

slappyg · Post #14 » by **slappyg** » Thu Apr 17, 2008 1:11 pm

I would much rather have Carlisle. Skiles couldn't get it done in Chicago so why bring him in?

Badgerlander · Post #15 » by **Badgerlander** » Thu Apr 17, 2008 1:25 pm

I'm not a real big Skiles fan either, but he is good at teaching fundamentals to young players, maybe our defense will actually improve. His offense seemed to be based on dribble penetration from the wing and when Deng got injured I think they turned into chuckies with no inside offensive players. We don't have anyone who can play the three like Deng(draft?), but we do have Bogut who can score in the post, occasionally. Of course we don't have anyone that can play defense which seems to be his MO. Should be interesting.
Maybe we can get him some really good assistants...

LUKE23 · Post #16 » by **LUKE23** » Thu Apr 17, 2008 1:26 pm

While I wouldn't be irate with Skiles, I wouldn't be elated with him either. He's obviously a smart guy, but has often rubbed his players the wrong way in the past, and the team basically quit on him this season in Chicago.

EastSideBucksFan · Post #17 » by **EastSideBucksFan** » Thu Apr 17, 2008 1:28 pm

Captain Erv wrote:Wow, I just can't honestly believe he would take Krystkowiak's job like that.

Everybody and I mean everybody knows this is a business

I can't believe that some people thinks he would turn down a $20M contract or whatever we are going to give him b/c it wouldn't be "nice" to LK....

pilprin · Post #18 » by **pilprin** » Thu Apr 17, 2008 1:31 pm

Maybe LK stays on the staff?

europa · Post #19 » by **europa** » Thu Apr 17, 2008 1:32 pm

Skiles has a career winning percentage of .528 as a head coach. He has coached two different teams to winning percentages of .570 or higher. His Bulls teams never finished under .500 before he was fired this year and his teams in Phoenix had a winning percentage of .595. If this is the definition of a bad hire for the Milwaukee Bucks then sign me up for a bad hire.

LUKE23 · Post #20 » by **LUKE23** » Thu Apr 17, 2008 1:33 pm

Well, of the five guys mentioned, I'd rank them in terms of wanting them here:

1. Carlisle
2. JVG

3. Skiles

4. LB

5. Fratello

I don't know if anyone else was mentioned, but that is how I'd rank them. Skiles teams do always defend, and he would probably be in the top half of coaches in the league. That's a huge upgrade from the worst coach in the league.