The Next Coach (SCOTT BROOKS HIRED pg.13)

[CobraCommander]

Forget Tom if he wants to be coach and GM.

"With a determination to have full control of an organization, Tom Thibodeau is aggressively pursuing the job with the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Thibodeau would like to have final say on player personnel, organizational philosophy and hirings. Currently, that is only being offered by the Wolves."

We need someone focused on getting the most out of the guys we have- all 6 of them under contract- starting with Wall and Beal.

[stevemcqueen1]

I've made my peace with Scott Brooks. Feels like he's going to be the hire. It'll be an upgrade over Randy. My hope is that he can coax real growth out of Wall, Beal, and Porter. I think it helps that he won't have to start from scratch here, and that he's got a fully polished center who is actually good to work with.

My other hope is that he can make something special out of Oubre. He seems to have a really good ability to reach and teach young players. And he's not afraid to play them, that's for sure.

I think he can also form a different sort of partnership with Wall than he had with Westbrook. John is more of a classic PG than Westbrook and there is no real tug of war regarding his leadership and role in the offense like there is going on between Westbrook and Durant. Brooks would just run his offense through John.

If/When he's hired, my focus would be to start buttressing the front court to give him a good stable of options to go to, like he had towards the end in OKC.

[80sballboy]

http://www.bulletsforever.com/2016/4/18/11450918/washington-wizards-scott-brooks-pros-cons-head-coach-nba

[Illuminaire]

I'd still like to see a thoughtful analysis of Brooks as a developer of talent - with specific examples of HIS contributions.

Because Durant and Westbrook are exciting. But what about Perry Jones, Lamb, etc...? There were plenty of guys who went nowhere too.

I wouldn't actually blame him for those - but I'm skeptical that he did anything extraordinary with the success stories either.

[Wizardspride]

I'd still like to see a thoughtful analysis of Brooks as a developer of talent - with specific examples of HIS contributions.

Because Durant and Westbrook are exciting. But what about Perry Jones, Lamb, etc...? There were plenty of guys who went nowhere too.

I wouldn't actually blame him for those - but I'm skeptical that he did anything extraordinary with the success stories either.

Serge Ibaka as well.

I'm a firm believer that a coach ( for the most part) "doesn't really develop talent in the NBA."

A good coach just doesn't "stifle it"...and I think that's where Brooks' strength lies.

[Revived]

[tweet]https://twitter.com/WojVerticalNBA/status/720454632431075329[/tweet]

Gortat, Dudley, Kieff and now Hornacek?

Are y'all really trying to compete with Miami to see who can get the most ex Suns?

[stevemcqueen1]

Brooks got a lot out of Steven Adams, Reggie Jackson, and James Harden too.

Almost all of OKC's key players during the Brooks years were draft picks.

Enes Kanter also blossomed once he got to OKC, after being a pretty big disappointment in Utah.

I wouldn't hold Jeremy Lamb and Perry Jones against him. Late round fliers. Nobody was ever going to get anything out of Perry Jones. And Lamb has turned out alright considering he's always had a strong Nick Young streak in him.

It is extremely difficult for any NBA team to successfully develop more than a couple young players at the same time. The vast majority of teams that attempt to do so fail and begin jettisoning many of their recent draft picks for older vets within a year or two. The fact that OKC was able to develop so many draft picks simultaneously and keep a young core together and grow into a contender argues well for Brooks's ability to make it work with a young roster and teach a kindergarten class how to grow into pros.

[ozthegap]

[tweet]https://twitter.com/WojVerticalNBA/status/720454632431075329[/tweet]

Gortat, Dudley, Kieff and now Hornacek?

Are y'all really trying to compete with Miami to see who can get the most ex Suns?

I'm beginning to think some teams like dysfunctional because it gets people talking about the team even though they suck. Why would you think about reuniting Kief and Hornacek when they just had there blowup like yesterday. Or maybe this is EG's grand plan to try to recoup his losses when he traded for Kief without having to lose face. He gets hires Hornacek so Kief has another blowup and demands a trade again. Then you trade him for lose change and say you made the best of a bad situation.

[gambitx777]

You know what I read this and I am sold on Patrick Ewing! let's go!
http://www.sportingnews.com/nba-news/4701819-patrick-ewing-head-coach-hornets-knicks-rockets-wizards

[80sballboy]

They aren't hiring any assistant without head coaching experience. So unless they change course, Ewing is not coming here.

[80sballboy]

[tweet]https://twitter.com/WojVerticalNBA/status/720454632431075329[/tweet]

Gortat, Dudley, Kieff and now Hornacek?

Are y'all really trying to compete with Miami to see who can get the most ex Suns?

I'm beginning to think some teams like dysfunctional because it gets people talking about the team even though they suck. Why would you think about reuniting Kief and Hornacek when they just had there blowup like yesterday. Or maybe this is EG's grand plan to try to recoup his losses when he traded for Kief without having to lose face. He gets hires Hornacek so Kief has another blowup and demands a trade again. Then you trade him for lose change and say you made the best of a bad situation.

I always liked Jeff Hornacek as a player. Heady guy who can shoot lights out but also could run the point. I wonder what he had to do with their collapse after going 48-34 in his first year. I know injuries and trading away Dragic didn't help. Just wonder if they feel that they can't get Brooks and that Durant ain't coming so WTF.

[ozthegap]

You know what I read this and I am sold on Patrick Ewing! let's go!
http://www.sportingnews.com/nba-news/4701819-patrick-ewing-head-coach-hornets-knicks-rockets-wizards

He'd make the most sense for the Kings. He's someone that both rondo and cousins might actually respect. And he could teach cousins a lot. As a fellow big man Vlade might be sympathetic and Kiki isn't really one of these old money owners who won't hire a coach who doesn't fit the mold. Plus no one else really wants that job.

[nate33]

[tweet]https://twitter.com/WojVerticalNBA/status/720454632431075329[/tweet]

Gortat, Dudley, Kieff and now Hornacek?

Are y'all really trying to compete with Miami to see who can get the most ex Suns?

I'm beginning to think some teams like dysfunctional because it gets people talking about the team even though they suck. Why would you think about reuniting Kief and Hornacek when they just had there blowup like yesterday. Or maybe this is EG's grand plan to try to recoup his losses when he traded for Kief without having to lose face. He gets hires Hornacek so Kief has another blowup and demands a trade again. Then you trade him for lose change and say you made the best of a bad situation.

I always liked Jeff Hornacek as a player. Heady guy who can shoot lights out but also could run the point. I wonder what he had to do with their collapse after going 48-34 in his first year. I know injuries and trading away Dragic didn't help. Just wonder if they feel that they can't get Brooks and that Durant ain't coming so WTF.

My gut feel is that Hornacek is a better coach than Brooks. I just don't know enough about the nature of the Hornacek/Morris relationship to know whether signing him is a good idea. I guess if this tweet is right and Hornacek is actually on the Wizards' short list (rather than just being mere speculation) then it stands to reason that Hornacek and Morris get along okay.

[nate33]

You know what I read this and I am sold on Patrick Ewing! let's go!
http://www.sportingnews.com/nba-news/4701819-patrick-ewing-head-coach-hornets-knicks-rockets-wizards

The track record of superstar players as head coaches is pretty poor. Most superstar players are so innately talented physically, and/or have such an instinctive understanding of the game, that they just can't relate to other players who don't have those gifts.

How many great players became good coaches? I can only think of Larry Bird. And Bird always seemed to be more of a hands off administrator who delegated a lot of the work to his assistant coaches. (And if I recall correctly, the great Rick Carlisle was one of those assistants.)

Magic sucked as a coach. Isiah sucked. Elgin Baylor sucked. Wes Unseld and Kevin McHale were both mediocre, but at least they weren't terrible.

[ozthegap]

You know what I read this and I am sold on Patrick Ewing! let's go!
http://www.sportingnews.com/nba-news/4701819-patrick-ewing-head-coach-hornets-knicks-rockets-wizards

The track record of superstar players as head coaches is pretty poor. Most superstar players are so innately talented physically, and/or have such an instinctive understanding of the game, that they just can't relate to other players who don't have those gifts.

How many great players became good coaches? I can only think of Larry Bird. And Bird always seemed to be more of a hands off administrator who delegated a lot of the work to his assistant coaches. (And if I recall correctly, the great Rick Carlisle was one of those assistants.)

Magic sucked as a coach. Isiah sucked. Elgin Baylor sucked. Wes Unseld and Kevin McHale were both mediocre, but at least they weren't terrible.

Idk Jason Kidd has been pretty good so far. I could see Paul Pierce being a good coach.

[jivelikenice]

I'm coming around on Brooks. I have no idea what to expect from a Brooks offense BUT he was able to maximize the talent of young players and get them from good to great. He also developed Ibaka, who was the 24th pick into a high level player. Given the outlook on KD is bleak, the best chance is continued growth from within amongst the likes of Beal, Oubre, Otto, and even Markieff to an extent.

[nate33]

You know what I read this and I am sold on Patrick Ewing! let's go!
http://www.sportingnews.com/nba-news/4701819-patrick-ewing-head-coach-hornets-knicks-rockets-wizards

The track record of superstar players as head coaches is pretty poor. Most superstar players are so innately talented physically, and/or have such an instinctive understanding of the game, that they just can't relate to other players who don't have those gifts.

How many great players became good coaches? I can only think of Larry Bird. And Bird always seemed to be more of a hands off administrator who delegated a lot of the work to his assistant coaches. (And if I recall correctly, the great Rick Carlisle was one of those assistants.)

Magic sucked as a coach. Isiah sucked. Elgin Baylor sucked. Wes Unseld and Kevin McHale were both mediocre, but at least they weren't terrible.

Idk Jason Kidd has been pretty good so far. I could see Paul Pierce being a good coach.

Good one. Kidd is at least in the "mediocre" category alongside Unseld and McHale, and perhaps a bit better. Interestingly, Kidd as a player was much like Bird in that he seemed to succeed more due to his mental understanding or the game and his work ethic rather than due to amazing physical gifts. I don't think Patrick Ewing fits that mold. Physically, he was about as gifted as they come yet never quite lived up to the standards of similar gifted big men from his era (Robinson, Hakeem, Shaq, healthy Zo).

[Kanyewest]

The track record of superstar players as head coaches is pretty poor. Most superstar players are so innately talented physically, and/or have such an instinctive understanding of the game, that they just can't relate to other players who don't have those gifts.

How many great players became good coaches? I can only think of Larry Bird. And Bird always seemed to be more of a hands off administrator who delegated a lot of the work to his assistant coaches. (And if I recall correctly, the great Rick Carlisle was one of those assistants.)

Magic sucked as a coach. Isiah sucked. Elgin Baylor sucked. Wes Unseld and Kevin McHale were both mediocre, but at least they weren't terrible.

Idk Jason Kidd has been pretty good so far. I could see Paul Pierce being a good coach.

Good one. Kidd is at least in the "mediocre" category alongside Unseld and McHale, and perhaps a bit better. Interestingly, Kidd as a player was much like Bird in that he seemed to succeed more due to his mental understanding or the game and his work ethic rather than due to amazing physical gifts. I don't think Patrick Ewing fits that mold. Physically, he was about as gifted as they come yet never quite lived up to the standards of similar gifted big men from his era (Robinson, Hakeem, Shaq, healthy Zo).

Ewing did well enough in his career as he almost came away with a title against Hakeem in a game where John Starks simply didn't have a good game. I don't think that guys like Robinson or Mourning were better than Ewing.

[TheSecretWeapon]

Robinson was better than Ewing by quite a large margin. Don't have time to delve into it today, but Robinson is one of the more underrated players in basketball history.

[keynote]

You know what I read this and I am sold on Patrick Ewing! let's go!
http://www.sportingnews.com/nba-news/4701819-patrick-ewing-head-coach-hornets-knicks-rockets-wizards

The track record of superstar players as head coaches is pretty poor. Most superstar players are so innately talented physically, and/or have such an instinctive understanding of the game, that they just can't relate to other players who don't have those gifts.

How many great players became good coaches? I can only think of Larry Bird. And Bird always seemed to be more of a hands off administrator who delegated a lot of the work to his assistant coaches. (And if I recall correctly, the great Rick Carlisle was one of those assistants.)

Magic sucked as a coach. Isiah sucked. Elgin Baylor sucked. Wes Unseld and Kevin McHale were both mediocre, but at least they weren't terrible.

The one issue I have with this trope is that most superstars get head coaching gigs with little/no coaching experience. They parlay their name and/or connection with their franchise to the top gig. Magic's HC gig was his first coaching gig. Ditto for McHale (who came from the front office). Ditto for Bird. Ditto for Unseld. Ditto for Kidd.

Ewing is one of the only legit superstars I can think of who's been willing to toil as an assistant coach for over a decade. The guy is arguably *three rungs* lower on the org chart than one of his chief rivals during his playing days. That takes humility -- a rare trait amongst superstars.

I don't know if Ewing will end up being a good HC or not. But I think his coaching experience should distinguish him from the guys who got HC gigs on glamor alone.