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Per Ivan's latest post:

Interesting chatter in the media room tonight among media types: Eddie Jordan won't get the Philly job and Wes Unseld Jr. might be in the process of being groomed as the next coach of the Wiz kids. Also, Etan Thomas is darn near impossible to trade because he has a full year left on his deal AND has a nasty trade kicker (that was put in by Milwaukee as a poison pill but Ernie Grunfeld matched anyway.)

Also, what...Etan Thomas is hard to trade? I never would have known!

If that happens, I will find a new team.

I'm serious.

It would not surprise me if they pulled this move and had Unseld Jr. coach for one year. The 4 million? that EFJ gets for nothing next year (Thanks Ernie) has to be made up somehow. This organization is cheap enough to put Unseld Jr. in as coach next year since he's already on the payroll anyway.

If he's like his Dad, I wouldn't have a problem with him as coach. Wes never had talent when he coached here (those teams were the least talented in the nba), yet those teams always played tough and as hard as possible. This team actually has talent.

I have nothing against Wes Jr. and in different circumstances I could go along with his hiring even if relatively unproven, however, IMO the only way this team is going to change its mentality is to bring in an outside voice. I just don't see the players responding defensively to a voice that they are already accustomed to. The team needs a fresh start.

mhd wrote:If he's like his Dad, I wouldn't have a problem with him as coach. Wes never had talent when he coached here (those teams were the least talented in the nba), yet those teams always played tough and as hard as possible. This team actually has talent.

I agree that Wes Unseld Jr. seems to be a bright guy and he surely knows the game since he's been around basketball all of his life.

My problem with hiring him is that it would basically be more of the same. He'd be another guy trapped in the same paradigm as the two Eddies before him. He'd still have a team centered around offense and not defense. He'd still run a variation of the Princeton Offense which requires highly skilled big men (who tend to be soft and poor defensively). He'd have the same long-term relationships and show the same "respect" to the veterans, which would cloud his judgment when it comes to making the proper rotations. He wouldn't challenge Arenas to be a complete player on both ends of the court and become a team leader and not a lead jokester.

Wes Unseld Jr. might indeed be a capable head coach. I just wouldn't want to see him coaching here unless there was a compete roster overhaul first.

nate33 wrote:

mhd wrote:If he's like his Dad, I wouldn't have a problem with him as coach. Wes never had talent when he coached here (those teams were the least talented in the nba), yet those teams always played tough and as hard as possible. This team actually has talent.

I agree that Wes Unseld Jr. seems to be a bright guy and he surely knows the game since he's been around basketball all of his life.

My problem with hiring him is that it would basically be more of the same. He'd be another guy trapped in the same paradigm as the two Eddies before him. He'd still have a team centered around offense and not defense. He'd still run a variation of the Princeton Offense which requires highly skilled big men (who tend to be soft and poor defensively). He'd have the same long-term relationships and show the same "respect" to the veterans, which would cloud his judgment when it comes to making the proper rotations. He wouldn't challenge Arenas to be a complete player on both ends of the court and become a team leader and not a lead jokester.

Wes Unseld Jr. might indeed be a capable head coach. I just wouldn't want to see him coaching here unless there was a compete roster overhaul first.

I agree completely. Although I didn't believe EJ was the sole reason for the Wizards problems, if the Wizard's management want to see a change, they need a new voice.

This season has been an abomination. Seriously. And now this. What a joke of a franchise.

jimij wrote:I have nothing against Wes Jr. and in different circumstances I could go along with his hiring even if relatively unproven, however, IMO the only way this team is going to change its mentality is to bring in an outside voice. I just don't see the players responding defensively to a voice that they are already accustomed to. The team needs a fresh start.

100% Agree.

I admit I don't know anything about him as a coach really. He could be a really good one, for all I know. But, fair or not, I absolutely do not want our next coach to be anyone with any ties to the organization at all. We badly need a fresh perspective. I would strongly be against this move for that reason alone.

That just wouldn't make any sense. First of all, if they were going to hire Wes Jr, why wouldn't they have offered it already? Not like he would have turned down the job. Second of all, Ernie Grunfeld is going to hire his own guy (or quit his job), and there is no way that that is Wes Jr.

Ivan Carter is probably just trying to push everyone's buttons, and doing a pretty good job of it.

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voice of reason, i hope.

Has Wes Jr ever done anything at the managerial/coaching level outside of the Wiz organization? Forget his father, he would really have to prove himself elsewhere to be a credible candidate of any stripe. It would be a complete joke. What player would really respect him?

Talk about nepotism.

If memory serves me correctly, late in 4th of the Detroit game, the Wiz came out of a timeout and ran a nice play where Dixon hit a streaking DS9 for a lay-up that put the Wiz up 6 with about 2 minutes to go (IIRC). Later during the post game, Taps said that Wes Jr. was actually responsible for that play. Typically, they run it as a set play, but Junior thought they'd be able to execute it effectively from the side out. I've also seen other snippets where Taps has credited lil’ Wes for calling plays.

So, while I don't know a whole lot about his resume, it does appear from the little I’ve seen/read, that WUJr has a future in coaching.

However, with that said, you can also put me in the camp of not wanting that to happen here (at least not next year). I'd like to see a fresh outside voice as the new coach of this team. I don't want someone that is currently with the organization to take over the helm as I don't think the player's would be challenged by someone they've "grown up with".

I’m still torn on whether I think that person should be a retread or a head coaching novice but do know that I’d prefer that they have no previous ties to this team/ current players.

I think the Wizards--and Ivan--are doing Wes Jr a little favor just by getting his name out there a little more. I'd be shocked if EG brought in someone with such a strong independent tie to Pollin, after having to wait out Eddie Jordan. EG's going to bring in a guy that reports to EG, and EG alone.

That said, when New Guy comes in next year, he's going to bring in his own set of cronies. Which means that Wes Jr will have two options: 1) retreat to a cushy FO job with the Wizards, or 2) leave the nest and find an assistant position with another team. Having his name floated as a "credible" HC candidate can only improves Jr's chances at staying in the coaching ranks somewhere else.

Who knows whether or not Junior would be a good coach, but I do know that this team needs an outside voice. If he's good at calling plays, maybe keep him as an assistant?

Do not hire anybody who was tutored by Eddie Jordan.

I repeat, do not hire anybody who was tutored by Eddie Jordan.