The Wizards tenure of Scott Brooks

[penbeast0]

I know his schemes are pretty simplistic and his rotations can be maddening but I think he's done a pretty good job at what he was known for when he came in, getting young talent to play to their potential. Beal, and even Wall, quite shooting as many long twos and started shooting more 3's or driving, Porter upped his game, Sato has turned it on to the extent he seems likely to, Bryant has developed at center, even Troy Brown has started playing well.

He does (like most coaches) tend to stick with mediocre vets more than he probably should and playing Markieff Morris and Austin Rivers was incredibly annoying; not thrilled with his playing Jeff Green and Trevor Ariza so much now but maybe that's part of getting the young players to develop by not giving them time unless they are clearly outplaying the vets. The injuries to Wall and Howard weren't his fault.

But has the team really underperformed their talent under Brooks or has the real problem been Ernie Grunfeld and Ted Leonsis and their lack of understanding about how to construct a team? I don't want to turn this into another bash Ernie thread, just how do you really feel Brooks has been as a coach. I would give him a B- . . . good talent development, not particularly good at ego (read John Wall) management, below average X and O guy.

[montestewart]

Late to this party, but so is everyone else.

I haven't been a big fan of any of the coaches under Grunfeld, none horrible, none great, none ever showing that they got appreciably greater or lesser output from the roster than the predecessor or successor. The common element has been painting the roster into an inflexible corner, expecting (or claiming to expect) that roster to go far, then blaming it on anyone but ownership/management.

I agree that young players should have to earn minutes, and giving minutes to veterans who prepare, give effort, and execute can help establish a positive environment of expectations and rewards. It would to me be better if there were more young players fighting for those minutes, fighting for their future with this franchise.

Brooks might actually be a good coach for a rebuilding team with a lot of young players on the roster.

[nate33]

I used to really dislike Brooks' offense back when John Wall was playing. But, without Wall, the offense actually looks really good. (I'm sure part of it is the fact that Bryant can stretch the floor from the 5 spot, and Green is a much better passer than Morris was.) I think Brooks deserves some credit for designing a pretty effective offensive system.

On the other hand, the defense is an absolute train wreck; a laughingstock; a complete joke. I realize that some of it is because our bigs are young, inexperienced, and not particularly defensively inclined in the first place; but nevertheless, the execution on defense is awful. Our team must lead the league in missed rotations and in having two players close out on one shooter. I don't know how much to blame on Brooks, but he probably deserves a lot of blame.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

Brooks sux.

That's all.

[AFM]

Looks like he's officially back, no surprise here.

https://basketball.realgm.com/wiretap/253180/Wizards-Will-Bring-Back-Scott-Brooks-As-Head-Coach-In-19-20

[JWizmentality]

How do you make that decision without hiring your GM first?!?

[pcbothwel]

How do you make that decision without hiring your GM first?!?

Ehhh.
1) Its not certain, nor a quote... so take it with a grain of salt
2) If we are rebuilding, let the President & GM sort out the scouting department and FO structure first. Let Brooks play out this year (Or at least half the year) to lower the cost and give them time to find the right coach.

Because of our current situation, our team is a pretty good situation for a new FO, but not a coach. If we want to be competitive in the coaching market, we need to shore up our direction over the next year.

[nate33]

Looks like he's officially back, no surprise here.

https://basketball.realgm.com/wiretap/253180/Wizards-Will-Bring-Back-Scott-Brooks-As-Head-Coach-In-19-20

Strange.

I'm curious if Aldridge actually means that the Wizards WILL NOT fire Brooks this offseason, or merely that they're not considering firing him at the moment but will re-assess after a new GM is hired.

Overall, I wasn't too enthused about Brooks sticking around to coach the Wall/Beal/Porter/Morris/Gortat core much longer because it looked like he had already imparted all the wisdom he could impart and things looked stagnant and unproductive. But with the team being totally remade (with Beal and Sato as the only rotation players having a tenure longer than 1 season), it's like having a new coach again. It might well be the case that Brooks has things to teach to Parker, Bryant, Brown, Dekker and our new draft pick.

With that in mind, and recognizing the financial aspects of the situation, I'm okay with Brooks starting off next season as head coach. I wouldn't mind seeing a change, but I'm not up-in-arms about it. Let Brooks work with the new team and the new GM for at least half a season or so before we conclude that he must go.

Don't get me wrong. If Carlisle, Budenholzer, Spoelstra, Popovich or Stevens becomes available, I'd fire Brooks in a heartbeat. I'm just saying the coaching situation isn't so bad that Brooks must be dumped immediately in favor of a mystery unknown coach or some mediocre retread.

[penbeast0]

As I said before, I think Brooks is a good developmental coach but not particularly strong in game management terms (and who failed to deal with the Wall attitude issue well). That said, if you are looking for a potentially great GM, YOU ARE IDIOTS to say before you negotiate with the candidates and sign one that they will be stuck with a holdover coach if that could be one of their key demands. #So effing Wizards.

[doclinkin]

As I said before, I think Brooks is a good developmental coach but not particularly strong in game management terms (and who failed to deal with the Wall attitude issue well). That said, if you are looking for a potentially great GM, YOU ARE IDIOTS to say before you negotiate with the candidates and sign one that they will be stuck with a holdover coach if that could be one of their key demands. #So effing Wizards.

Not what he said. In context he was saying for now Sheppard is our GM, Brooks is our coach and he is making NO decisions right now before he goes through a thorough evaluation process. From what he says in the interview he has been pretty hands off and has done everything through the hierarchy so that whatever he has learned about the inner workings of the team has come through Ernie.

Sounds like he is deciding now that was maybe not the best way to run things. But that he wants to do a "best practices" review of how to do things in the future moving forward.

[Ruzious]

Looks like he's officially back, no surprise here.

https://basketball.realgm.com/wiretap/253180/Wizards-Will-Bring-Back-Scott-Brooks-As-Head-Coach-In-19-20

Strange.

I'm curious if Aldridge actually means that the Wizards WILL NOT fire Brooks this offseason, or merely that they're not considering firing him at the moment but will re-assess after a new GM is hired.

Overall, I wasn't too enthused about Brooks sticking around to coach the Wall/Beal/Porter/Morris/Gortat core much longer because it looked like he had already imparted all the wisdom he could impart and things looked stagnant and unproductive. But with the team being totally remade (with Beal and Sato as the only rotation players having a tenure longer than 1 season), it's like having a new coach again. It might well be the case that Brooks has things to teach to Parker, Bryant, Brown, Dekker and our new draft pick.

With that in mind, and recognizing the financial aspects of the situation, I'm okay with Brooks starting off next season as head coach. I wouldn't mind seeing a change, but I'm not up-in-arms about it. Let Brooks work with the new team and the new GM for at least half a season or so before we conclude that he must go.

Don't get me wrong. If Carlisle, Budenholzer, Spoelstra, Popovich or Stevens becomes available, I'd fire Brooks in a heartbeat. I'm just saying the coaching situation isn't so bad that Brooks must be dumped immediately in favor of a mystery unknown coach or some mediocre retread.

And I think there are only so many difference-making coaches out there, tbh. Brooks may not be the solution, but he's not the problem, imo. And realistically, pretty much no chance that Ted replaces him when he has 2 years left on his contract.

[penbeast0]

Despite the dismissal of Ernie Grunfeld, the Washington Wizards will not consider also firing Scott Brooks as head coach for next season.

I don't really care one way or the other about Brooks at this point. The problem I would have is if, as initially reported, Ted publicly states that Brooks will be coaching the Wiz NEXT YEAR and that causes the guy who could be a difference maker AS A GM to choose a situation where he will be able to make his own decisions on such issues. That seemed a stupid thing to do during the evaluation process.

If Ted really means that he will keep Brooks around with Shepard until he hired a new GM and then that person can make the decision, that would be a lot more intelligent thing to say publicly.

[doclinkin]

Despite the dismissal of Ernie Grunfeld, the Washington Wizards will not consider also firing Scott Brooks as head coach for next season.

I don't really care one way or the other about Brooks at this point. The problem I would have is if, as initially reported, Ted publicly states that Brooks will be coaching the Wiz NEXT YEAR and that causes the guy who could be a difference maker AS A GM to choose a situation where he will be able to make his own decisions on such issues. That seemed a stupid thing to do during the evaluation process.

If Ted really means that he will keep Brooks around with Shepard until he hired a new GM and then that person can make the decision, that would be a lot more intelligent thing to say publicly.

Lazy headline writer looking for clicks. The line about Brooks was a toss off single sentence in a longer interview. The context was: we are doing nothing right now, we will take our time and evaluate.

https://www.bulletsforever.com/videos/2019/4/3/18293307/washington-wizards-ted-leonsis-ernie-grunfeld-media-interview

[NatP4]

I haven't many complaints with Brooks this year. The team/roster is just horrifying. He even moved Otto to full time PF and started playing Troy Brown. He stopped using the no PG bull. Played Sato foreal. He’s played Thomas Bryant.

I think he is what he is, a mediocre middle of the pack no impact simpleton

[penbeast0]

Lazy headline writer looking for clicks. The line about Brooks was a toss off single sentence in a longer interview. The context was: we are doing nothing right now, we will take our time and evaluate.

https://www.bulletsforever.com/videos/2019/4/3/18293307/washington-wizards-ted-leonsis-ernie-grunfeld-media-interview

No guarantees but it's a more hopeful outlook anyway. Thanks.

[Coach76]

Brooks is a below average head coach. He came in with a reputation for being a good defensive coach, developing young guys, and being a players' coach. Only the last has been true. His refusal to play Sato, Bryant, and Troy Brown Jr. until he had absolutely no choice was bewildering to say the least. I'd be surprised if he had finally realized that Satoransky is actually a PG. His handling out Otto this season, both encouraging him to take more shots and to not worry about his shots, made no sense. Added to this, he falsely called Otto out for not running the court. His inability to meaningfully reign in Wall's worst instincts is a sign that he is not right coach to move this team beyond the second round. Oh, and he's running Beal into the ground in meaningless games.

[prime1time]

Brooks is a below average head coach. He came in with a reputation for being a good defensive coach, developing young guys, and being a players' coach. Only the last has been true. His refusal to play Sato, Bryant, and Troy Brown Jr. until he had absolutely no choice was bewildering to say the least. I'd be surprised if he had finally realized that Satoransky is actually a PG. His handling out Otto this season, both encouraging him to take more shots and to not worry about his shots, made no sense. Added to this, he falsely called Otto out for not running the court. His inability to meaningfully reign in Wall's worst instincts is a sign that he is not right coach to move this team beyond the second round. Oh, and he's running Beal into the ground in meaningless games.

There's some truth to your post, but also somethings I disagree with.

1st - I don't understand the criticism that he didn't play Sato, Bryant and Troy Brown Jr. soon enough. They need to earn there playing time. What were they doing in practice? If they were legit one of the best players fine? But personally, I have no problem with the way he handled it. People assume that because Troy and Thomas have held their own when they finally got minutes, that they would have been fine playing way earlier? But there is nothing to support this conclusion. All we know is that when Brooks finally gave them the opportunity it worked, and now they are going into the offseason with sky high confidence.

2nd - The Otto Porter Jr. flare up was real. But the situation was way more complex than you made it to be. The Wiz tried for the past two seasons to get Otto more attempts. They never succeeded. That situation was bound to blow up one way or another.

3rd - Criticizing him for not reigning in Wall, while true is simply not fair to Brooks. Before Wall played one game in DC, the Wiz organization rolled out the red caret for him. Like they literally rolled out the Red Carpet for him.

Watch on YouTube

There was literally no chance Brooks was going to be able to "reign John in."

4th - Again, valid criticism but as a fan who closely follows everything about the time, you are oversimplifying a more complex situation. Beal wants to play those minutes because he's chasing All-NBA. I guess you can say that Brooks should have reigned him in, but if you follow the Wiz, you'd know that the whole organization was making a push for the playoffs. Brooks was only carrying out the orders that he was given.

Is Brooks a perfect coach? No. But Brooks does develop talent. Otto Porter Jr., Kelly Oubre, Bradley Beal, Russell Westbrook, Kevin Durant, James Harden, Serge Ibaka and there are probably some players that I'm forgetting. I'm perfectly fine with letting Scott be the coach going forward. You can criticize him for bringing along players slowly but the fact that so many young players that he's coached have ended up improving so much is a testimony to his coaching style.

Watch on YouTube

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/dc-sports-bog/wp/2017/02/28/kevin-durant-says-scott-brooks-deserves-a-lot-of-credit-for-wizards-turnaround/?utm_term=.01395c562895

“He’s a good coach, man. A good coach,” Durant said in an interview with The Post last week, ahead of Tuesday’s game between the Warriors and Wizards at Verizon Center. “He’s one of those guys you would run through a wall for. “Me and Scott talk more about family and life in general, everything, man. We talked about real-life stuff, and you appreciate a coach like that. I feel like every coach I’ve had has been like that, and that makes it really easy to play for them.

https://www.houstonchronicle.com/sports/rockets/article/Scott-Brooks-competitive-nature-translates-well-10597203.php

"Ohh, I loved playing for Scotty Brooks, man," James Harden said. "He helped me grow as a player those first few years. As a rookie, a top-five pick, you think you're going to come in and start. He made me work for everything I had and I appreciate him for that."
Asked how Brooks would feel about seeing Harden in his former position, Harden laughed and said: "He better be nervous. No. He's a great guy, great coach, great to be around. He's hands-on with everything. He's just great."

If OKC resigns Harden, how many championships does that team win? Imagine controlling the ego's that 3 MVP candidates have. And Scott did it perfectly.

[CobraCommander]

Brooks is a below average head coach. He came in with a reputation for being a good defensive coach, developing young guys, and being a players' coach. Only the last has been true. His refusal to play Sato, Bryant, and Troy Brown Jr. until he had absolutely no choice was bewildering to say the least. I'd be surprised if he had finally realized that Satoransky is actually a PG. His handling out Otto this season, both encouraging him to take more shots and to not worry about his shots, made no sense. Added to this, he falsely called Otto out for not running the court. His inability to meaningfully reign in Wall's worst instincts is a sign that he is not right coach to move this team beyond the second round. Oh, and he's running Beal into the ground in meaningless games.

There's some truth to your post, but also somethings I disagree with.

1st - I don't understand the criticism that he didn't play Sato, Bryant and Troy Brown Jr. soon enough. They need to earn there playing time. What were they doing in practice? If they were legit one of the best players fine? But personally, I have no problem with the way he handled it. People assume that because Troy and Thomas have held their own when they finally got minutes, that they would have been fine playing way earlier? But there is nothing to support this conclusion. All we know is that when Brooks finally gave them the opportunity it worked, and now they are going into the offseason with sky high confidence.

2nd - The Otto Porter Jr. flare up was real. But the situation was way more complex than you made it to be. The Wiz tried for the past two seasons to get Otto more attempts. They never succeeded. That situation was bound to blow up one way or another.

3rd - Criticizing him for not reigning in Wall, while true is simply not fair to Brooks. Before Wall played one game in DC, the Wiz organization rolled out the red caret for him. Like they literally rolled out the Red Carpet for him.

Watch on YouTube

There was literally no chance Brooks was going to be able to "reign John in."

4th - Again, valid criticism but as a fan who closely follows everything about the time, you are oversimplifying a more complex situation. Beal wants to play those minutes because he's chasing All-NBA. I guess you can say that Brooks should have reigned him in, but if you follow the Wiz, you'd know that the whole organization was making a push for the playoffs. Brooks was only carrying out the orders that he was given.

Is Brooks a perfect coach? No. But Brooks does develop talent. Otto Porter Jr., Kelly Oubre, Bradley Beal, Russell Westbrook, Kevin Durant, James Harden, Serge Ibaka and there are probably some players that I'm forgetting. I'm perfectly fine with letting Scott be the coach going forward. You can criticize him for bringing along players slowly but the fact that so many young players that he's coached have ended up improving so much is a testimony to his coaching style.

Watch on YouTube

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/dc-sports-bog/wp/2017/02/28/kevin-durant-says-scott-brooks-deserves-a-lot-of-credit-for-wizards-turnaround/?utm_term=.01395c562895

“He’s a good coach, man. A good coach,” Durant said in an interview with The Post last week, ahead of Tuesday’s game between the Warriors and Wizards at Verizon Center. “He’s one of those guys you would run through a wall for. “Me and Scott talk more about family and life in general, everything, man. We talked about real-life stuff, and you appreciate a coach like that. I feel like every coach I’ve had has been like that, and that makes it really easy to play for them.

https://www.houstonchronicle.com/sports/rockets/article/Scott-Brooks-competitive-nature-translates-well-10597203.php

"Ohh, I loved playing for Scotty Brooks, man," James Harden said. "He helped me grow as a player those first few years. As a rookie, a top-five pick, you think you're going to come in and start. He made me work for everything I had and I appreciate him for that."
Asked how Brooks would feel about seeing Harden in his former position, Harden laughed and said: "He better be nervous. No. He's a great guy, great coach, great to be around. He's hands-on with everything. He's just great."

If OKC resigns Harden, how many championships does that team win? Imagine controlling the ego's that 3 MVP candidates have. And Scott did it perfectly.

Ok but I’ll start by saying brooks didn’t rein in Westbrook which cost OKC a ring- didn’t use harden right which may have caused the team to consider trading him and Durant didn’t even give wiz an interview during free agency and yelled at the wiz “y’all trash - take me out the game”when playing Scott Brooks team- soooooo If KD treats friends like that...no wonder why he doesn’t have any-that aren’t on payroll. Scott not getting Wall beal Otto Sato and Kelly to play winning basketball is on him- I think pop would have done better and In pro sports its a zero sum game. Everyone cant be good- so KD said all his coaches talked about family which made it easy to play for them...so doing that isn’t a big deal. KD just said brooks is like all his other coaches.

Either way- win with allstar players wall and beal or get fired...pretty much all there is to say about it.

[CobraCommander]

Brooks is a below average head coach. He came in with a reputation for being a good defensive coach, developing young guys, and being a players' coach. Only the last has been true. His refusal to play Sato, Bryant, and Troy Brown Jr. until he had absolutely no choice was bewildering to say the least. I'd be surprised if he had finally realized that Satoransky is actually a PG. His handling out Otto this season, both encouraging him to take more shots and to not worry about his shots, made no sense. Added to this, he falsely called Otto out for not running the court. His inability to meaningfully reign in Wall's worst instincts is a sign that he is not right coach to move this team beyond the second round. Oh, and he's running Beal into the ground in meaningless games.

The truth from a freaking Celtics fan....this is my life now- Just fire Brooks and get on with it.

[nate33]

Bump!

Reposted from the Houston game thread:

How many more years does Brooks have on is contract? Nice guy and all, but there are a lot of young players on this team. They could use some guidance. This team could use a wise man.

It seems to me that Brooks is demonstrating what he does best: develop players.

Our mistake was hiring Brooks for a win-now veteran team. As a X's and O's guy and manager of veteran egos, Brooks was mediocre at best. But as a player development guy, Brooks is showing his mettle. What we are seeing now is the same guy who developed Westbrook, Harden and Durant. Given our current roster, I'm pretty happy he is our coach.

Brooks's contract is up in 2021. That seems about perfect to me. Let him build this team over the next 2 years and then look for a strategist type to coach the team in 2021-22.


What is the board opinion on Scott Brooks right now? What is he doing right? What is he doing wrong?