[WOJ] Wizards and Head Coach Scott Brooks Part Ways.....

[DCZards]

I have no problem with Hammon. My only reservation is that as a new head coach, can she handle Beal and Westbrook’s ego? She comes from the popovich lineage, so there might be some butting of heads there.

She’d have instant credibility. She worked closely with Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili at the beginning of her time as an assistant. Also was a guard herself.

But yeah the ego of our stars is a problem and a residue of Ernie’s management. The Spurs don’t play that game.

The ego of the stars of any team is likely to be an impediment for hiring Hammon (or any woman) as a HC. I think the best bet for Hammon is to be promoted to head coach of a team (like the Spurs) that she has served as an assistant coach for and has developed a bond and trust with the players.

[DCZards]

Give me a great, male head coach. F the bull****.

To hell with trying to "make history", don't make ish awkward for the guys on the court I root for some social nonsense.

Personally: I could give a crap about making history. I think that part would work against her and be a distraction from her actual work. People thinking she ONLY got the job because she is a woman. Here's where I am with this: Greg Popovich is not trying to lose. That organization doesn't hire people to make history or any of that. It hires the most competent and most prepared and hardest working. If Popovich has kept her as his right hand man, so to speak, then I trust his judgement far better than I would trust, well you, or any other pantload with a Y chromosome.

That said, awkward? That part is the actual Bullshxt. The players who have worked with her go out of their way to say good things about her ability, AFTER they have retired and moved on from the team. Any player who thinks it is 'awkward' to have that kind of bonafides on the coaching staff is a fxxckin moron.

Kudos to Pop for hiring Hammon. But I’m not one of those who thinks Becky is some sort of coaching savant simply because she’s worked with and for Pop and the Spurs. There are a lot of assistant coaches outside of the Spurs organization who are just as qualified--and deserving of an opportunity--as Becky.

[80sballboy]

Oh it’s true Zards. I spoke with him at a hookah bar in DuPont. He said he wanted John to take more mids lol. Right out the horses mouth.

I have no doubt that Cassell was trying to help Wall improve his shooting. Isn’t that what a coach should do?

His advice to Wall, Beal & Singleton to mimic his game wasn't very helpful and probably stunted Wall and limited Singleton's chance of sticking. Wall & Beal were running 1 & 2 in the league by a wide margin in jacking midrange jumpers long after Cassell left. Something they had no business doing.

Cassell was a disaster. Maybe he's improved and smartened up the last few years but I'm not trying to find out.

That was awhile ago. The game has changed, but I have no problem letting guys like Chris Paul do what they do best and that's shoot mid-range shots. It has worked out ok for him until the Rona.

Sam is no idiot. I assume he would give different advice today. But he probably will never get a head coaching job unless it's on an interim basis and he takes over for somebody who is fired ala Nate McMillan.

[doclinkin]

Give me a great, male head coach. F the bull****.

To hell with trying to "make history", don't make ish awkward for the guys on the court I root for some social nonsense.

Personally: I could give a crap about making history. I think that part would work against her and be a distraction from her actual work. People thinking she ONLY got the job because she is a woman. Here's where I am with this: Greg Popovich is not trying to lose. That organization doesn't hire people to make history or any of that. It hires the most competent and most prepared and hardest working. If Popovich has kept her as his right hand man, so to speak, then I trust his judgement far better than I would trust, well you, or any other pantload with a Y chromosome.

That said, awkward? That part is the actual Bullshxt. The players who have worked with her go out of their way to say good things about her ability, AFTER they have retired and moved on from the team. Any player who thinks it is 'awkward' to have that kind of bonafides on the coaching staff is a fxxckin moron.

Kudos to Pop for hiring Hammon. But I’m not one of those who thinks Becky is some sort of coaching savant simply because she’s worked with and for Pop and the Spurs. There are a lot of assistant coaches outside of the Spurs organization who are just as qualified--and deserving of an opportunity--as Becky.

Consider that the Spurs have the highest all-time winning percentage of all NBA franchises.
Then consider the coaches that have come from that organization, assistants and players who credit that organization for preparing them for success long term:

Steve Kerr
Quin Snyder
Mike Budenholzer
Mike D'Antoni
Doc Rivers
Avery Johnson

Again, I don't grant Pop kudos for hiring Hammon. Who cares? Kudos for what?

What does matter is the opinion of HOF players who have worked with coach Hammon, and have been vocal about her skill and smarts. Ditto Pop. That organization has an eye for talent, clearly. It would not be because of some kind of magic osmosis that Hammon picked up knowledge from Popovich, but Popovich is the general and commander in chief of an organization that has shown relentless excellence even in difficult circumstances. And he picked her. Not because she is a woman, or even despite it. Just because he trusts her implicitly.

Betting on Popovich's judgment seems only smart to me. Ditto the opinion of HOF players who saw her come up through the organization.

I won't be surprised when new Celtics GM Brad Stevens steals her away from the Spurs organization, and she kicks our ass all over while we trot out yet another middle of the road okay humdrum coach who doesn't have the same innovation and situational smarts that the Spurs organization incubates and inculcates in their staff.

[wall_glizzy]

The distaste for Sam Cassell on here is weird - you guys do know that he's one of the most highly-regarded assistants in the league, and right up there with Billups as the next in line for a head coaching job? That said, pretty sure the Celtics are about to hire him, so it's a moot point.

[doclinkin]

I have no problem with Hammon. My only reservation is that as a new head coach, can she handle Beal and Westbrook’s ego? She comes from the popovich lineage, so there might be some butting of heads there.

She’d have instant credibility. She worked closely with Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili at the beginning of her time as an assistant. Also was a guard herself.

But yeah the ego of our stars is a problem and a residue of Ernie’s management. The Spurs don’t play that game.

The ego of the stars of any team is likely to be an impediment for hiring Hammon (or any woman) as a HC.

Let's check the stars and see if they agree:

Sunday’s game with the Timberwolves marked the third one Spurs assistant coach Becky Hammon has missed since entering the NBA’s COVID-19 health and safety protocols.

That’s three games too many for Spurs forward DeMar DeRozan.

“It’s a big loss,” DeRozan said. “The chemistry we have with Becky makes it a lot lighter compared to Pop (Spurs coach Gregg Popovich). Having her around is definitely fun. Just talking to her, hearing her break down plays, defenses, just hearing her from the sideline — you definitely miss that.”

Popovich and Rudy Gay shared their first-hand accounts of working with Hammon.

"She has the ability as far as innate knowledge of the game, a feel for the game, a work ethic," he said. "She’s gained the respect of all of our players, including guys that are no longer here, like Manu (Ginobili) and Tim (Duncan) and Tony (Parker), so all that’s in place.”

Spurs forward Rudy Gay shares a similar viewpoint when it comes to Hammon.

"Becky’s a real one, man," Gay said.
"She knows basketball," Gay said. "Obviously, she’s played it, and she’s been successful at it. But as far as being a coach, she comes out here, and she coaches. She shows that there’s no gender in coaching.”

He mentioned how Hammon has helped him in numerous ways, specifically coming back from a career threatening-injury as she had to do the same during her WNBA career.

It seems to me players who know the game will trust someone who puts them in position to succeed. I just want the smartest hardest working person we can find. So we can for once out-coach our opponents and develop our players and fix our team culture. Personally I expect a coach like Hammon would swiftly win over whatever stars played for this team.

I actually think the stars on this team are better poised to accept a competent coach than any place other than San Antonio. Consider they already had WNBA star Kristi Tolliver as an assistant coach, in the WNBA offseasons.

Then consider the players and their relationship to women in basketball: Beal, who attends WNBA games and is friendly with their players, and like Hammon is a devout Christian, and who credits his mom (former college standout baller) as his best and toughest coach since she taught him his jumper.

And Russ, who met his wife when she was also attending UCLA on a basketball scholarship, a 3 time all American, who went on to earn masters degrees in psychology, start businesses, etc. Russ clearly respects his wife's mindset and attitude and toughness. No doubt he would do the same for a skilled female coach.

If these two buy in then who else would complain?

Ultimately though anyone who loves and understands the game will respect the skill and smarts of someone else who has the same mindset. Especially a 7 time allstar who was too slow and too short to be in the game so she won with her savvy and cunning. If any Wizards player hit these shots, as the shortest player on the court, they'd instantly become crowd favorites:

Watch on YouTube

[DCZards]

I don’t doubt that Hammon has the potential to be a good (maybe even great) NBA head coach. But there are other candidates for the Zards job who I am sure we can find current and former NBA players saying glowing things about.

For example, Dame Lillard and CJ McCullough rave about how David Vanterpool has helped them develop their games.

I’m not going to put Becky on a pedestal.

[TGW]

Donnie Nelson has parted ways with the Mavs.

Maybe the Wizards can get a new coach AND a new GM.

[doclinkin]

I don’t doubt that Hammon has the potential to be a good (maybe even great) NBA head coach. But there are other candidates for the Zards job who I am sure we can find current and former NBA players saying glowing things about.

For example, Dame Lillard and CJ McCullough rave about how David Vanterpool has helped them develop their games.

I’m not going to put Becky on a pedestal.

Rare that I disagree with you Zards.

NBA Coaching has three components: preparation, game management, player relations. Other aspects of importance include: front office savvy, media relations, referee respect.

If I'm picking a coach I am looking at all of the above. A guy like Dave Joerger was solid in all the coaching aspects, but clearly sucks at dealing with any front office since he has bounced around despite success. International coach David Blatt similarly flamed out in the NBA because while he is a genius in preparation and game management, he is lousy with player relations and flames out with management.

To me the only knock against Hammon that I can find, is bassackwards takes like this one, that dudes' egos can't take being coached by a woman. Shxt, they can if they win. If you ask the stars you're talking about, not a single damn one has anything negative to say about Hammon. Clearly she is good at the player relations part.

You can hear former players freely trash coaches they played for all the time. Nobody trashes Becky Hammon. The opposite: players close ranks to promote and defend and show respect for her. They protect her with loyalty and praise. And what they praise most is her preparation and understanding of the game. Her game management and her in-game reads, her plays called in from the sidelines. That is all of the above in coaching criteria. Prep. BBIQ and in game adjustments. Player loyalty.

It's not me putting her on a pedestal. It is Hall of Famers who played for the historically most competent organization in the league. One that has produced more successful coaches and front office executives than any other franchise.

I literally do not care that Becky Hammon likely has a v@gina. It doesn't seem to get in the way of her ability to do the thing I want her to do: coach her ass off and embarrass the opponents with her smarts. Find me any coach who has that skill and I will advocate for them. Just don't get me the kind of coach whose only qualification is the fact they have a **** instead. Give me someone hard-working, innovative, and able to rally the players around them.

I like Sarunas Jasikevisius who has won everywhere he has coached. I like Jay Wright who is innovative and has loyal players. I like Tony Bennet who can coach up to the all-defense team the chair that defended Yi Jianlian. I like Becky Hammon because people who know a shxt-ton more about basketball than me go out of their way to say she is the real deal, and she's got next.

And the only answer to that? "Yeah but dudes don't like a lady coach". Cool. Right. Except the ones who played for her. Seems a stupid take to me.

But let's look at the rest of your answer, that you can find a good quote from anybody about anybody since Dame etc may rave about Vanterpool, for instance. Alright, here's the control test: show me all the good quotes from Manu, Tim, Parker etc. about Spurs assistant Will Hardy, who is also talked about as a coaching candidate. He may be a fine head coach, but leadership often carries a spark. Hammon starts with that spark, that's all.

[queridiculo]

I have no problem with Hammon. My only reservation is that as a new head coach, can she handle Beal and Westbrook’s ego? She comes from the popovich lineage, so there might be some butting of heads there.

She’d have instant credibility. She worked closely with Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili at the beginning of her time as an assistant. Also was a guard herself.

But yeah the ego of our stars is a problem and a residue of Ernie’s management. The Spurs don’t play that game.

The ego of the stars of any team is likely to be an impediment for hiring Hammon (or any woman) as a HC. I think the best bet for Hammon is to be promoted to head coach of a team (like the Spurs) that she has served as an assistant coach for and has developed a bond and trust with the players.

Bradley Beal credits his mom for his shooting every chance he gets, and once it gets down to Xs and Os there's no pretending.

Players buy in depending on whether coaches demonstrate competence, I very much doubt that gender factors at all.

[dlts20]

I don't know if I should be happy that Brooks is gone or sad that they were actually negotiating a new contract and Brooks opted to not take the offer. Honestly, I think it's the latter for me and I have less confidence today in Tommy than I did yesterday.

That's the 1st thing that I thought but maybe Tommy offered him something he knew that he would refuse

Not a lot of experienced corporate types on this board I guess. Here's what I wrote a while ago, & you can be sure that it's reasonably close to the truth:

For clarity -- there was no negotiation about a new contract in which, alas, the 2 sides were not able to agree on terms.

Nothing of that kind took place. What happened was they told him he wasn't coming back, & then they all had a conversation about how to make it look best for all concerned. Duh.

Actually that's all I do and what I have my degree in but ok

[payitforward]

Give me a great, male head coach. F the bull****.

To hell with trying to "make history", don't make ish awkward for the guys on the court I root for some social nonsense.

Yeah, & stop being critical of people's remarks just because they're ignorant. As long as they use the F word, etc. you know they must be really insightful.

& one thing is for sure, if Becky Hammon has been working with Spurs players for six years, if Tim Duncan has talked about how terrific she is, & if the Spurs players overall say enthusiastic things about her abilities as a coach, that proves it's "bull****" compared to the power of that important word, "male."

Sheesh....

[payitforward]

That's the 1st thing that I thought but maybe Tommy offered him something he knew that he would refuse

Not a lot of experienced corporate types on this board I guess.

Actually that's all I do and what I have my degree in but ok

Actually I was sorta agreeing with you -- disagreeing with MDStar's post:

I don't know if I should be happy that Brooks is gone or sad that they were actually negotiating a new contract and Brooks opted to not take the offer. Honestly, I think it's the latter for me and I have less confidence today in Tommy than I did yesterday.

"something he knew he would refuse" isn't "actually negotiating a new contract...."

I could have been clearer I guess... Make more sense now?

[payitforward]

Give me a great, male head coach. F the bull****.

To hell with trying to "make history", don't make ish awkward for the guys on the court I root for some social nonsense.

I'm old enough that I remember a time when the word in that first sentence would have been "white" not "male."

[Ruzious]

Give me a great, male head coach. F the bull****.

To hell with trying to "make history", don't make ish awkward for the guys on the court I root for some social nonsense.

I'm going to assume you were kidding. But that would have been a good Archie Bunker impression - updated with the slang.

[payitforward]

Vanterpool is also an excellent candidate! I'd be happy if they hired him, just as I'd be happy if they hired Hammon.

I remember a lot of people being extremely happy when we hired Scott Brooks. I also remember thinking, "Why...?"

[payitforward]

The distaste for Sam Cassell on here is weird - you guys do know that he's one of the most highly-regarded assistants in the league, and right up there with Billups as the next in line for a head coaching job? That said, pretty sure the Celtics are about to hire him, so it's a moot point.

Good to bring it up!

I don't know if it's "distaste" exactly -- I think some people just remember when he worked here & are convinced (for good reasons? for no reason?) that he wanted Wall to shoot mid-range jumpers.

But, even if he did, & even if that was a mistake, no big deal....

Most all of this is irrational stuff -- for people with our amount of information, I mean. You could praise Cassell all day & I'm still going to prefer Billups. Why? I have no idea!!

[Ruzious]

Vanterpool is also an excellent candidate! I'd be happy if they hired him, just as I'd be happy if they hired Hammon.

I remember a lot of people being extremely happy when we hired Scott Brooks. I also remember thinking, "Why...?"

Does anyone remember Vanterpool playing with the Wiz back in 2000/2001? Both our PG's (Stickland and Whitney) were injured, and I think we were down to using the immortal one (Laron Profit) at the point. They then signed this guy I never heard of before - David Vanterpool - and he made an impression on me because he actually played like a PG and had the team playing watchable ball in an otherwise dismal season - not that he was good by any stretch, and he certainly wasn't a talented player. And that was his only NBA season. But it's players like that - point guards who end up playing despite not having the talent - that seem to end up as good coaches. They have to learn everything to have a chance. Scott Skiles is the prototype. If there ever was a good PG with no visible means to become a success, it was him. So, I'd love to see Vanterpool become a successful head coach.

[DCZards]

To be clear, doc, I would NEVER doubt a person’s ability simply because they’re a woman. I was only pointing out that Hammon would face unique challenges as an NBA head coach because she is a woman.

That’s a reality I know very well as a Black man. There’s a reason Black folks were always told by their families and ancestors that they need to be “twice as good.”

My main pushback with you is this notion that Hammon is going to be a good coach because she’s part of the SA network and has earned the respect and admiration of HOF players who played for that franchise.

The Spurs no doubt stand out as an NBA organization. That’s indisputable. However, imo, you have a tendency to give SA more love than they deserve. You seem to see everybody and everything that comes out of SA as almost otherworldly. I don’t.

Bottom line: I think Becky Hammon should be on the shortlist for the Zards job...I just don’t think it’s a slam dunk.

[doclinkin]

To be clear, doc, I would NEVER doubt a person’s ability simply because they’re a woman. I was only pointing out that Hammon would face unique challenges as an NBA head coach because she is a woman.

That’s a reality I know very well as a Black man. There’s a reason Black folks were always told by their families and ancestors that they need to be “twice as good.”

My main pushback with you is this notion that Hammon is going to be a good coach because she’s part of the SA network and has earned the respect and admiration of HOF players who played for that franchise.

The Spurs no doubt stand out as an NBA organization. That’s indisputable. However, imo, you have a tendency to give SA more love than they deserve. You seem to see everybody and everything that comes out of SA as almost otherworldly. I don’t.

Bottom line: I think Becky Hammon should be on the shortlist for the Zards job...I just don’t think it’s a slam dunk.

Fair to say it's not a slam dunk and there might be hurdles for her that other coaches don't have. So far it seems she has leapt many of those hurdles in her rise through the profession. And the opinion of the players who are quoted are guys I like and respect. Players who I'd be proud to have on my team, or on the bench as coaches themselves.

I will say I give the Spurs credit as an organization simply because they have earned it as the winningest franchise in the league, who make smart decisions on personnel and who because of their longstanding competence are actually at a disadvantage since they are not picking in the lottery, where the real franchise changing players are found. Kawhi and Giannis and Jokic aside.

If you are looking to a team for an example, to me the Spurs with their lifetime winning record upwards of 60%, they are the team to look at. When I am looking at the metagame to figure out what the countermove will be, commonly I see the Spurs have already begun to do that. (Vs Pace and Space longball, they doubled down on rebounders and mid-range scorers to maximize the possession game and play in the unguarded spaces. Prior to that they were an early proponent of face-up Bigs at the free throw line and above. In an era of star-offense, they have tradtionally spread the ball around and used player motion to set up easy shots. They use smart Bigs as facilitators and court generals. Elevating guys like Boris Diaw as passers and decisionmakers and point Bigs. They were the first to promote the role of the 3&D specialists who camped in the corner while the NBA was messing around with the distance of the 3pt line).

So. That is why I look to the Spurs for strategic thinking. They have a smart staff. Proven by how many former players and assistants go on to solid coaching and front office records.

I actually think Spurs assistant Mitch Johnson is probably a secret weapon for them, and if Hammon moves on he will likely be in the pipeline for the top job.

I just hear how fanatic Hammon's players are in her defense and think, well, hell, if she asked Tim to come work out our Bigs and teach them some things, would he do it? If Pau Gasol had anything he could teach Hachimura about being a face-up Big, would he come here to help? Or free agents who are interested in coming here, any who have been through the Spurs organization seem like would be eager to work with her again. Yeah you might get pushback from ignorant players before they get here. Or I dunno, misguided player wives even. But for X's and O's and player relations, it seems to me she has all the right kind of players on her side. And I expect player families too if you listen to DeJounte Murray, it sounds like Hammon reaches out to check on players wives and families to see if they are alright or need anything.