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Wizards Reach Deal With Saunders - 4yr/19mil

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What is your position on the hiring of Flip Saunders

I love it!
29
35%
Solid, unspectacular move
39
47%
Nothing special but could be worse
12
14%
Not a fan
3
4%
 
Total votes: 83

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Wizards Reach Deal With Saunders - 4yr/19mil 

Post#1 » by miller31time » Tue Apr 14, 2009 12:20 am

Wizards reach deal with Saunders
By Adrian Wojnarowski, Yahoo! Sports

Flip Saunders has reached a verbal agreement on a four-year, $18 million contract to become coach of the Washington Wizards, league sources told Yahoo! Sports on Monday.

While terms have been agreed upon, sources says, the deal won’t be finalized until Saunders returns a signed contract to Washington. Nevertheless, the two sides have completed most all of the negotiations.

Saunders was telling associates on Monday that he is accepting the job, and team officials are planning to introduce him at a news conference early next week.

Wizards GM Ernie Grunfeld and assistant GM Tommy Sheppard have been courting Saunders for several months, and sources say that the framework of an agreement has been in place since the All-Star break. They wanted badly for a veteran coach to take over the Wizards, who have the worst record in the Eastern Conference at 19-61. Nevertheless, the return of Gilbert Arenas to rejoin Caron Butler and Antawn Jamison – coupled with the possibility of the No. 1 overall pick in June’s draft – makes the Wizards an attractive job. If Arenas can return to past form, the Wizards should make a swift return to the playoffs next year.

In his 13 seasons as coach of the Minnesota Timberwolves and Detroit Pistons, Saunders won 50 games seven times and advanced four times to the conference finals. After taking the Pistons to three straight Eastern Conference finals, Saunders was fired at the end of last season. He has a career record of 587-396 (.597).

Saunders will replace interim coach Ed Tapscott, who is expected to return to the Wizards’ front office. Former Washington coach Eddie Jordan, who was fired in December, has emerged as the top candidate with the Sacramento Kings.


http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=y ... &type=lgns

EDIT: Deal finalized and another million was tacked on (4yrs/19mil)
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Re: Wizards Reach Deal With Saunders - 4yr/18mil 

Post#2 » by Rafael122 » Tue Apr 14, 2009 12:24 am

A lot of coin. They must be expecting Eddie to get the job in Sacramento. Good hiring.
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Re: Wizards Reach Deal With Saunders - 4yr/18mil 

Post#3 » by eltacoman » Tue Apr 14, 2009 12:27 am

:D nice early start
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Re: Wizards Reach Deal With Saunders - 4yr/18mil 

Post#4 » by Dat2U » Tue Apr 14, 2009 12:27 am

Well I'm not overly excited about it but at least we should be better organized than in the past. Saunders represents a slight upgrade over Eddie Jordan and a clear upgrade over Ed Tapscott. Where we may see the biggest benefit is rest of the coaching staff. The current assistants under E-Tap & previously Mike O'Koren left alot to be desired. I'm happy to see Sam Cassell come over. Hopefully we'll add a top notch defensive assistant as well.
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Re: Wizards Reach Deal With Saunders - 4yr/18mil 

Post#5 » by Donkey McDonkerton » Tue Apr 14, 2009 12:33 am

I'm happy, Flip is a pretty big upgrade over EJ.
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Re: Wizards Reach Deal With Saunders - 4yr/18mil 

Post#6 » by magicfan4life05 » Tue Apr 14, 2009 12:34 am

Solid move IMO.

Like Miller mentioned on Gen board, I would've liked to see Tom Thibodeau coach the Wizards, but I still think Saunders will do a great job.
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Re: Wizards Reach Deal With Saunders - 4yr/18mil 

Post#7 » by closg00 » Tue Apr 14, 2009 12:42 am

Dat2U wrote:Well I'm not overly excited about it but at least we should be better organized than in the past. Saunders represents a slight upgrade over Eddie Jordan and a clear upgrade over Ed Tapscott. Where we may see the biggest benefit is rest of the coaching staff. The current assistants under E-Tap & previously Mike O'Koren left alot to be desired. I'm happy to see Sam Cassell come over. Hopefully we'll add a top notch defensive assistant as well.

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Re: Wizards Reach Deal With Saunders - 4yr/18mil 

Post#8 » by Dat2U » Tue Apr 14, 2009 12:47 am

Donkey McDonkerton wrote:I'm happy, Flip is a pretty big upgrade over EJ.


Your probably right. I was just trying to give EJ some credit. EJ was very average. But of course being "average" was something we hadn't had in years so it seemed pretty good to some. Saunders is one of the better coaches in the league, I just worry tremendously about the lack of success in the playoffs and how his teams tend to choke. But we should enjoy regular season play under Flip, if healthy I suspect we'll do pretty well.
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Re: Wizards Reach Deal With Saunders - 4yr/18mil 

Post#9 » by Halcyon » Tue Apr 14, 2009 12:50 am

Solid hire, I'm just interested in he fills out the rest of his staff, along with good ol' Mr. Alien.
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Re: Wizards Reach Deal With Saunders - 4yr/18mil 

Post#10 » by newslowsad » Tue Apr 14, 2009 12:52 am

Best Wiz news in ages.
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Re: Wizards Reach Deal With Saunders - 4yr/18mil 

Post#11 » by Tyrone Messby » Tue Apr 14, 2009 1:02 am

Solid hire. I agree. Can't wait to see who else he brings on board.
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Re: Wizards Reach Deal With Saunders - 4yr/18mil 

Post#12 » by PDXKnight » Tue Apr 14, 2009 1:13 am

I love this move for the Wiz. It's a low risk (being that you're going through a transition period with your coach anyways) potentially high reward move. Even in the worst case scenario, I see this move making the Wiz a much more competitive team next season.
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Re: Wizards Reach Deal With Saunders - 4yr/18mil 

Post#13 » by Chuck Everett » Tue Apr 14, 2009 1:23 am

This is an outstanding hire. Flip has been to the conference finals four times in his career and each time he has lost, it's been to (Kobe/Shaq, D-Wade/Shaq, Lebron and Boston's Big 3). I know people try to diss his accomplishments, but the teams he has lost to typically have the best players in basketball on them. No shame in losing in those situations.

I think he's really going to do a solid job with the Wizards and the fact that he is a great regular season coach means the Wizards (if healthy) should win over 50 games and get a decent seed in the playoffs. With Turkoglu soon to be gone from Orlando, the Southeast division is up for grabs. I am eagerly anticipating next season from Washington. Hopefully Arenas has less time for blogging and more time for balling.
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Re: Wizards Reach Deal With Saunders - 4yr/18mil 

Post#14 » by mhd » Tue Apr 14, 2009 1:28 am

No more Jarvis Hayes at PF and uneccessary benching of Haywood for no reason.
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Re: Wizards Reach Deal With Saunders - 4yr/18mil 

Post#15 » by queridiculo » Tue Apr 14, 2009 1:30 am

Not liking the move at all to be quite honest. Saunders is a good guy, but he inherits a team that's in need of some serious humility, and I don't see Saunders being the guy that can tear these guys down and build them back up.

The Wizards have too many players that think their **** doesn't stink. Not a good foundation to build a championship winning team on.
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Re: Wizards Reach Deal With Saunders - 4yr/18mil 

Post#16 » by JWizmentality » Tue Apr 14, 2009 1:31 am

Not what I was hoping for,but at least he's not a nobody and proven. I take it! No complaints.
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Re: Wizards Reach Deal With Saunders - 4yr/18mil 

Post#17 » by Chuck Everett » Tue Apr 14, 2009 1:35 am

A 60-loss season doesn't give the players humility? Then obviously trades need to happen.
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Re: Wizards Reach Deal With Saunders - 4yr/18mil 

Post#18 » by spaceman_E » Tue Apr 14, 2009 1:36 am

I am officially in favor of this move. He is a proven winner and I don't think he will bog down our offense at all while getting our D up to average. I foresee a lot of wins next year and great success in the playoffs. Of course this hinges on some ping pong balls and the wizardry of mr. grunfeld.
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Re: Wizards Reach Deal With Saunders - 4yr/18mil 

Post#19 » by fishercob » Tue Apr 14, 2009 1:40 am

Good hire. Well done, Ernie.
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Re: Wizards Reach Deal With Saunders - 4yr/18mil 

Post#20 » by AgentOvechkin08 » Tue Apr 14, 2009 1:41 am

If we get Griffin, you can book a 50+ win season...even if gil was only at 75%

old gil (or close to it) + Griffin + Saunders= past 1st round of playoffs
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maybe the Nats, in like 10 years

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