Mike D'Antoni Informs Rockets He Won't Return As Head Coach

Post #1 » by **RealGM Wiretap** » Sun Sep 13, 2020 6:03 pm

Mike D'Antoni will inform ownership of the Houston Rockets that he won't return as head coach next season.

D'Antoni and the Rockets were unable to agree to an extension last offseason.

BigHustle · Post #2 » by **BigHustle** » Sun Sep 13, 2020 6:12 pm

A good move. I don’t think Indy makes sense. PHI would have more appeal but tougher for me to see a JE falling in love with a MDA system.

babyshaq3 · Post #3 » by **babyshaq3** » Sun Sep 13, 2020 6:43 pm

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/29873182/free-agent-mike-dantoni-favors-return-rockets-james-harden-hopes-coach-stays-too

this was just half a day ago.

tigerae · Post #4 » by **tigerae** » Sun Sep 13, 2020 9:09 pm

He's a regular season coach and only with 3pt shooters on the roster. Refuses to make adjustments in the playoffs. Would be a bad move for Philly as he doesn't believe in the post game and would hurt Embiid's and Simmons' game.

Could maybe work on some teams based on their roster, but again, he's not a good playoffs coach, so it depends on if teams want to contend down the line or never make past a certain point.

Cassius · Post #5 » by **Cassius** » Sun Sep 13, 2020 9:11 pm

BigHustle wrote:A good move. I don’t think Indy makes sense. PHI would have more appeal but tougher for me to see a JE falling in love with a MDA system.

I think D'Antoni can coach bigs just fine. If anything, him being hired would ensure that Simmons is sent packing to get Embiid the shooting he deserves. When he had Shaq and Amare, he had the offense humming along just fine, but they ran into a really good Spurs team in the first round and that was that.

gigantes · Post #6 » by **gigantes** » Sun Sep 13, 2020 11:03 pm

I'm not a particular fan of D'Antoni, but feel relieved for him. HOU already had their chance to extend him, and decided not to. Now they're likely locked in to years of being a good treadmill team, but nothing more than that. Plus, the owner's already established himself as one of the league's worst in all kinds of ways. Yech.

So yeah, very good time to walk I would think. Go find a new challenge and see if there's a more unlimited future for one of the league's better coaches.

BlackThought · Post #7 » by **BlackThought** » Mon Sep 14, 2020 12:43 am

tigerae wrote:He's a regular season coach and only with 3pt shooters on the roster. Refuses to make adjustments in the playoffs. Would be a bad move for Philly as he doesn't believe in the post game and would hurt Embiid's and Simmons' game.

Could maybe work on some teams based on their roster, but again, he's not a good playoffs coach, so it depends on if teams want to contend down the line or never make past a certain point.

Not really. D'Antoni likely would've won a chip with the Suns had it not been some bad luck with officiating. The guy is a pioneer to the modern brand of basketball and if paired up with a decent GM would definitely win a championship.

deeps6x · Post #8 » by **deeps6x** » Mon Sep 14, 2020 1:12 am

babyshaq3 wrote:https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/29873182/free-agent-mike-dantoni-favors-return-rockets-james-harden-hopes-coach-stays-too

this was just half a day ago.

I wouldn't be surprised if the Rockets told him they didn't want him back, and he immediately put out the word that he didn't want to go back to the Rockets. Beat them to the public release of this info that they won't be working together anymore, and of course put his spin on it. or not. But I wouldn't be shocked if this is how it went down.

Camping Fan · Post #9 » by **Camping Fan** » Mon Sep 14, 2020 3:53 am

D'antoni is the classical rat leaving a sinking ship. The Rockets can now get a good coach that knows what he is doing

Camping Fan · Post #10 » by **Camping Fan** » Mon Sep 14, 2020 3:56 am

BlackThought wrote:
tigerae wrote:He's a regular season coach and only with 3pt shooters on the roster. Refuses to make adjustments in the playoffs. Would be a bad move for Philly as he doesn't believe in the post game and would hurt Embiid's and Simmons' game.

Could maybe work on some teams based on their roster, but again, he's not a good playoffs coach, so it depends on if teams want to contend down the line or never make past a certain point.

Not really. D'Antoni likely would've won a chip with the Suns had it not been some bad luck with officiating. The guy is a pioneer to the modern brand of basketball and if paired up with a decent GM would definitely win a championship.

Not in this lifetime because his 8 man rotation is weak. There are times you need role players to make big shots. D'antoni doesn't have those

Dr Huge Pecs · Post #11 » by **Dr Huge Pecs** » Mon Sep 14, 2020 8:32 am

Camping Fan wrote:D'antoni is the classical rat leaving a sinking ship. The Rockets can now get a good coach that knows what he is doing

Yeah...rockets were dead in the water. Dantonio kept them afloat...but when stars have the final decision like harden does...coaches tend to disappear.

Good luck, find a cheap yes man .

Dantonio isn't hands on enough but few franchises allow coaches to be anymore. He might do well in indiana where egos tend to be in check...that said he'd be smart to get in some players faces on the regular.

BigTex · Post #12 » by **BigTex** » Mon Sep 14, 2020 8:43 am

Camping Fan wrote:D'antoni is the classical rat leaving a sinking ship. The Rockets can now get a good coach that knows what he is doing

If they get a good coach, all the Rockets will need then is a good new GM, a good new owner, and a roster overhaul. Then they’ll be set. Coaching is — or was — the least of their problems. Who do you think is available that 1) would be an upgrade; and 2) .will want to work for the RocketS?

Tamimi · Post #13 » by **Tamimi** » Mon Sep 14, 2020 2:06 pm

He's an overrated coach: had superstars in PHX, LA and HOU with little success to show for it. I'm surprised teams are still interested in him more than Billy Donovan or Alvin Gentry (amongst others).

Camping Fan · Post #14 » by **Camping Fan** » Mon Sep 14, 2020 2:56 pm

BigTex wrote:
Camping Fan wrote:D'antoni is the classical rat leaving a sinking ship. The Rockets can now get a good coach that knows what he is doing

If they get a good coach, all the Rockets will need then is a good new GM, a good new owner, and a roster overhaul. Then they’ll be set. Coaching is — or was — the least of their problems. Who do you think is available that 1) would be an upgrade; and 2) .will want to work for the RocketS?

They definitely need a better gm as well. The one they have now is miserable... I wonder if Jerry West would consider it

Camping Fan · Post #15 » by **Camping Fan** » Mon Sep 14, 2020 2:59 pm

Dr Huge Pecs wrote:
Camping Fan wrote:D'antoni is the classical rat leaving a sinking ship. The Rockets can now get a good coach that knows what he is doing

Yeah...rockets were dead in the water. Dantonio kept them afloat...but when stars have the final decision like harden does...coaches tend to disappear.

Good luck, find a cheap yes man .

Dantonio isn't hands on enough but few franchises allow coaches to be anymore. He might do well in indiana where egos tend to be in check...that said he'd be smart to get in some players faces on the regular.

D'antoni's weakness has been to small of a rotation... You need A few options

puja21 · Post #16 » by **puja21** » Mon Sep 14, 2020 4:26 pm

Cassius wrote:
BigHustle wrote:A good move. I don’t think Indy makes sense. PHI would have more appeal but tougher for me to see a JE falling in love with a MDA system.

I think D'Antoni can coach bigs just fine. If anything, him being hired would ensure that Simmons is sent packing to get Embiid the shooting he deserves. When he had Shaq and Amare, he had the offense humming along just fine, but they ran into a really good Spurs team in the first round and that was that.

Funny I think the opposite

That D'Antoni would move Simmons to the 5 in his 7 seconds or left, and unload Embiid for shooting, flexibility etc...

Embiid looked awful at times in the bubble. For multiple years in the playoffs he has appeared out of shape at the end of games. His attitude has been bad at times. His talent is capable of being the best player in the league, but he's almost a reconciliation project at this point compared to his potential.

It doesn't matter though. Brand is the awful GM. Committed to keeping both next year, so no chance Veneers considers that job.

Obviously, Indy is the rumor but I think Pelicans and Griffin are a more likely #2 option than Philly and Brand.

PerfectJab · Post #17 » by **PerfectJab** » Mon Sep 14, 2020 5:20 pm

D'antoni is pretty good at knowing when his time is up rather than getting fired. :lol:

delsol650 · Post #18 » by **delsol650** » Mon Sep 14, 2020 10:20 pm

Mark Jackson finally gets his next chance at coaching and beats his buddy JVG to coaching the Rox.... :lol:

jamesnamida · Post #19 » by **jamesnamida** » Mon Sep 14, 2020 10:51 pm

delsol650 wrote:Mark Jackson finally gets his next chance at coaching and beats his buddy JVG to coaching the Rox....

Whatever it takes to for jvg to stay and keep commenting on games is a win
Also mark Jackson loves strippers so he and harden will get along well

tigerae · Post #20 » by **tigerae** » Tue Sep 15, 2020 4:36 am

Camping Fan wrote:
BlackThought wrote:
tigerae wrote:He's a regular season coach and only with 3pt shooters on the roster. Refuses to make adjustments in the playoffs. Would be a bad move for Philly as he doesn't believe in the post game and would hurt Embiid's and Simmons' game.

Could maybe work on some teams based on their roster, but again, he's not a good playoffs coach, so it depends on if teams want to contend down the line or never make past a certain point.

Not really. D'Antoni likely would've won a chip with the Suns had it not been some bad luck with officiating. The guy is a pioneer to the modern brand of basketball and if paired up with a decent GM would definitely win a championship.

Not in this lifetime because his 8 man rotation is weak. There are times you need role players to make big shots. D'antoni doesn't have those

Exactly. Plus, him refusing to make adjustments in Game 6 and Game 7 against the Warriors when they were up 3-2 and up 10+ points at half time in each of those games is exactly what I mean. He kept having Harden playing ISO at the end of the games while the Warriors made adjustments to stop it.

That was the closest he has been to winning and he just kept running the same play, over and over again.