The Coaching Thread/SF76 Update: Page 54

BringBackKorver · Post #641 » by **BringBackKorver** » Sat May 15, 2010 3:55 am

I'm still staying on the record that I think we'll be a playoff team this year. I know I'm an optimist, but it with all the upheaval in the east around the stars and where they go, we'll end up slipping in. And I'd rather be the 8th seed with a .01% chance of winning the first round matchup than ending up with a pick from 8-14. I'm never going to root for our team to lose, but that's just how I am.

LongLiveHinkie · Post #642 » by **LongLiveHinkie** » Sat May 15, 2010 4:06 am

You are rooting for your team to lose with that mentality though, because the Sixers will never win a championship that way. Which is technically losing.

UptownPhilly · Post #643 » by **UptownPhilly** » Sat May 15, 2010 4:32 am

I'd be fine with this team making the playoffs if our 1st round pick shows signs of being an all star or if we make a trade that gets us that star we need. Otherwise, I agree we'd be better rebuilding.

Kobblehead · Post #644 » by **Kobblehead** » Sat May 15, 2010 4:38 am

That's why I don't really care who we hire as head coach because I don't think he'll be around once we start to contend anyway.

Post #645 » by **Foshan** » Sat May 15, 2010 4:45 am

I agree, and that is why I think trying to get a coach that makes the playoffs this year is a bad idea. Its like the Bucks. (kinda) they have a decent cast, but they REALLY needed one more year in the lottery to get a guy to complement Jennings/Bogut. If they hadn't made the Salmons move, then they easily end up with a PF like Monroe next to Bogut, or possibly a guy like Johnson at the 3. Then they build from there.

Now they are going to be a fringe playoff team for the next (however long Jennings is there/Bogut healthy), but never enough horsepower to advance.

Unless we really think Jrue/Thad/Speights is going to turn it around and be a fringe all-star... we just need more talent/flexibility.

Make some moves, get some financial flexibility and a coach who's going to teach young kids to play, so in a few years we're back in the game.

LongLiveHinkie · Post #646 » by **LongLiveHinkie** » Sat May 15, 2010 4:46 am

I think Sonics set the blueprint for how to build a team. You get top 5 picks a bunch of years and hope at least one of them is a superstar. Then you have a young team with a bunch of young all-star potential players and fill in holes via FA. The Sixers have neither the cap room or picks right now.

sweetlou23 · Post #647 » by **sweetlou23** » Sat May 15, 2010 5:44 am

This just in: Sixers interview Sarah Palin for head coaching position.

I'm just saying... i do not recall any other NBA franchise interviewing so many candidates. At some point we need to make a damned decision. it really seems like this process is mostly for show.

BringBackKorver · Post #648 » by **BringBackKorver** » Sat May 15, 2010 6:30 am

Westbrook36 wrote:I think Sonics set the blueprint for how to build a team. You get top 5 picks a bunch of years and hope at least one of them is a superstar. Then you have a young team with a bunch of young all-star potential players and fill in holes via FA. The Sixers have neither the cap room or picks right now.

How can they be the blueprint if they haven't won anything yet? Yes, they are very talented, but who is to say they find a big man and make the leap to the next level? Presti has done an amazing job with them, but why not look at the Lakers as the blueprint since they are the current champions and have a good chance to repeat?

They got their star outside the top 10 (even though he fudged it a little), they took on a star player on a huge contract from a rebuilding team (after getting a great 2nd round talent in M. Gasol), traded their older star for a 6th man, made another good late pick in Bynum, grabbed a cheap vet PG who fit their system, then developed a young guy in Ariza.

Nothing there says anything about having to tank completely. It just shows that if you make solid picks and solid trades, you will be competitive. That's why I don't support blowing it up, it's still a crap shoot regardless. What happens when we blow it up and end up with the next Darko, Oden, Bowie, or Marvin Williams? Then we just have to tank again, get lucky in the lotto again, and try again? Blowing it up sets us back a minimum of 3 years, whereas staying the course while making solid picks and a couple good trades sets us up to be dangerous in 2012 with Brand's EC.

I just wish somebody would come out and say what direction we're going in. Hopefully this coach gets hired quickly and he can come in strong and show us what he plans to do to turn it around.

Mojo7 · Post #649 » by **Mojo7** » Sat May 15, 2010 8:06 am

Westbrook36 wrote:You are rooting for your team to lose with that mentality though, because the Sixers will never win a championship that way. Which is technically losing.

That depends on what they do in the draft this year and the development of M16, IMO. Say they get Turner, your core moving forward could be Jrue, Turner & Dala. If Collins(or Thibodeau or SMitch or Laimbeer) can get Speights to become at least serviceable defensively and solid on the boards, then you could have a 4-some with scoring, defense and playmaking. Add Thad as a SuperSub, and that team could go places. The biggest missing piece would be a defensive anchor(a la Robin Lopez/Joakim Noah/Varejao/Ben Wallace/Perkins).

corwin · Post #650 » by **corwin** » Sat May 15, 2010 11:16 am

pointguard86 wrote:Doug has a clue and EJ doesn't, that's the main difference. We will see improvements IF Doug's the coach, heck we might even sneak up on other teams and make to the playoffs as a 8th seed.

The team could do better because the East is incredibly weak. I expect Atlanta (losing Johnson), Miami, Charlotte & Boston to tread water or get worse. Sure, Chicago could improve & I think NJ is going to load up with talent. Sort of addition by subtraction in terms of the playoff picture.

Post #651 » by **Foshan** » Sat May 15, 2010 12:23 pm

corwin wrote:
pointguard86 wrote:Doug has a clue and EJ doesn't, that's the main difference. We will see improvements IF Doug's the coach, heck we might even sneak up on other teams and make to the playoffs as a 8th seed.

The team could do better because the East is incredibly weak. I expect Atlanta (losing Johnson), Miami, Charlotte & Boston to tread water or get worse. Sure, Chicago could improve & I think NJ is going to load up with talent. Sort of addition by subtraction in terms of the playoff picture.

I think the East 'shake up' is still going to result in a few strong teams (Orl + who ever signs max guys chi/ny/nj?), I think these teams once they gel mid way through the season will be very dominant teams. The rest will be kinda a mish-mash of starting over/confusion (Hawks/Raptors/heat?)

So, i think the thinking goes, we either try to bring some vets in, and let experienced players try to take advantage of the weakened condition of previous playoff teams and sneak in... or realize we are never going to be able to compete with ORL or the team that signs Bron + (lol Rose/Salmons/Bron/Bosh/Noah!) So if we're not going to be able to compete, lets move guys (Iggy, imo, is going to have his highest value this summer) and rebuild so in a couple years we're in a better spot.

sixerfan1976 · Post #652 » by **sixerfan1976** » Sat May 15, 2010 1:27 pm

its still gonna come down to mitchell vs collins at this point unless we interview woodson which is still up in the air.

Avery johnson we like but he seems to really prefer NO, CHI and NJ over us.

Mitchell and Collins both have us as their #1 destination.

I think the chances of Mitchell are better than the media is letting on....but its about 50/50 right now....as we head into 2nd interviews. Like I said earlier..Dwayne Casey could be brought in as well.

Post #653 » by **The Guilty Party** » Sat May 15, 2010 2:32 pm

Thanks for the update, SF.

ankle420breaker · Post #654 » by **ankle420breaker** » Sat May 15, 2010 2:34 pm

SF, based on what you've heard, would it be safe to assume that Laimbeer isn't in their plans?

Post #655 » by **Foshan** » Sat May 15, 2010 3:42 pm

SF, thanks for the update, though I must say I'm a little bummed.

Kobblehead · Post #656 » by **Kobblehead** » Sat May 15, 2010 3:54 pm

This caught me totally off-guard. I honestly didn't think Collins was seriously considering the job. I figured he met with the team as a favor to the city but he ultimately saw greener pastures elsewhere. But this brings up another question. Are we Collins #1 choice just because we are the team that wants him the most? There's nothing wrong with that, I'm just wondering if other teams see things about Collins that they really don't like.

BringBackKorver · Post #657 » by **BringBackKorver** » Sat May 15, 2010 4:07 pm

Kobblehead wrote:This caught me totally off-guard. I honestly didn't think Collins was seriously considering the job. I figured he met with the team as a favor to the city but he ultimately saw greener pastures elsewhere. But this brings up another question. Are we Collins #1 choice just because we are the team that wants him the most? There's nothing wrong with that, I'm just wondering if other teams see things about Collins that they really don't like.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think Collins' daughter lives in PA somewhere, so that might be a small factor. If it came down to the 2 I really don't know who I'd go with. Ideally we could just find someone who wants to get out and run while actually playing defense (like what Gentry has finally gotten the Suns to do). Maybe Collins adapts his style a bit to our team? I'm just hoping we make a hire before this thread gets to 1,000. At this point it doesn't really matter who comes in.

PhillyFan · Post #658 » by **PhillyFan** » Sat May 15, 2010 4:24 pm

I'm sure Kate Fegan will be just as frustrated with Sam Mitchell as Eddie Jordan at interviews...

Instead of answers like "we are going uptown" you will get tons of "you know, we didn't make shats and didn't rebound. The other team made shats. You gotta make shats in this league to win" x 82 times during the course of the season.

I can be wrong. Sam Mitchell may have improved his Xs and Os during his offtime...but otherwise, he is no better than Eddie Jordan. I will stop watching the sixers altogether if they hire him.

Kobblehead · Post #659 » by **Kobblehead** » Sat May 15, 2010 4:28 pm

Anyone else find it amusing that the last four coaches of the year before this season (Avery Johnson, Sam Mitchell, Byron Scott, Mike Brown) are all/will be unemployed this summer?

PhillyFan · Post #660 » by **PhillyFan** » Sat May 15, 2010 4:39 pm

Kobblehead wrote:Anyone else find it amusing that the last four coaches of the year before this season (Avery Johnson, Sam Mitchell, Byron Scott, Mike Brown) are all/will be unemployed this summer?

Avery Johnson - last I read about his time at Mavericks...he was indeed a hard-nosed coach. However, players eventually couldn't stand the way he pushes them and tuned him out. Personally, I think that's a major reason why teams feel reluctant to give him another chance in fear something similar will happen to their team.

Sam Mitchell - I don't want to turn into Dedicated and keep boasting/bashing one guy over and over again, but I stand my ground against this guy as our next coach.

Bryon Scott - It's fairly hard to judge him since he always had a great point guard to run his offense (Kidd, Paul)...but I didn't think he had a fair chance at New Orleans when the front office was busy shredding salaries and players were getting injured.

Mike Brown - We all know this guy's a joke. He let his assistant coach run a play at clutch time while he walks away in frustration...I didn't save the gif...but I saw it at the Cavs forum.

All in all, it really depends who is performing on the court for a team to succeed...Mike Brown was a great example of riding on Lebron's success. However, a coach who can provide the proper discipline and guidance can certainly help lead a team to the right way.