Eddie Jordan's New Coaching Job

[montestewart]

Stefanski was a suckered GM?

[closg00]

Oops Fish. It's a given that many are just killing-time with silly threads until we have some games to discuss . Kudos to those of you (Hoopalotta and others) who arent wasting too-much time here like I am

[pancakes3]

my gradeschool grammar is shaky but isn't it a participle, which in fact is a modifier?

a rolling stone gathers no moss.
he is one happening dude.

the suckered gms are paying EJ

[montestewart]

The suckered and suckering sucker suckily sucked.

I'm going with that.

[Nivek]

You suck.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

I know you're trying to be funny, but I don't like that "suckered" characterization. I had my issues with Eddie, but he was a good guy and a good offensive coach who worked hard. He had a blind spot on the defensive side of the game, which hamstrung him as a head coach.

Interestingly, the Eddie Jordan story kinda encapsulates how bad basketball analysis is. Eddie became a head coaching candidate primarily because of the success of the New Jersey Nets. The popular narrative at the time was that New Jersey went to the Finals and was winning because of the innovative Princeton offense taught by Eddie and run by Jason Kidd. It's true that New Jersey ran the Princeton. It's true that Eddie was the offensive coordinator -- it was his system. It's true that Kidd ran the system.

What's not true is that the offense was the primary reason they won. The Nets went to the Finals because they played GREAT defense. Their offense was below average. Now, Eddie's system may have had the Nets playing better offensively than they would have otherwise. But credit should have gone to their defense (run by Mike O'Koren), not to Eddie and the offense.

Of course, then Eddie came to DC (with O'Koren as his D-coordinator) and ran one of the league's very best offenses. Didn't hurt that he had an elite offensive weapon in Arenas -- one of the game's most efficient high-usage players. And, the defense -- run by O'Koren -- sucked.

Great post, Kevin.

Eddie Jordan was also a GREAT player's coach. He is well-respected as a mentor/father-figure by pretty much all the guys who played for him when he was Wizards coach (7 years). Even a guy he had issues with, Brendan Haywood respected him after his run as coach. What I loved about Eddie Jordan is that he kept team problems in-house. He didn't manipulate the media to throw players under the bus. EJ was all class.

To Higga, I posted when he left as Wizard coach, (or, was it immediately after Philly fired him--I am not sure), that I thought EJ would do well coaching high school. I didn't mean that as a slam to him, either. Young people need good people to emulate. EJ is a good man.

I think EJ kept the Wizards in games they had no business winning. IMO he did his best coaching the season DeShawn and Roger Mason Jr were the starting guards. (EDITED--Antonio Daniels was the starting PG that season IIRC). They made the playoffs essentially without Arenas. They won games I thought they had no business winning, often enough that it was no fluke. Eddie has a talent in motivating players. His offensive system got guys like Butler and Jamison big contracts. He allowed guys like Songaila and Ruffin to have much NBA career success. Jordan had a long, successful run with the Wizards. His teams had MAJOR injury problems and a lack of athleticism and size at the F position. Despite that, he was successful enough with the Wizards that another team hired him. So what if he failed in Philly?

I think he will be very happy coaching youth basketball, and I am happy to see EJ in a mentor role.

[verbal8]

I know you're trying to be funny, but I don't like that "suckered" characterization. I had my issues with Eddie, but he was a good guy and a good offensive coach who worked hard. He had a blind spot on the defensive side of the game, which hamstrung him as a head coach.

Interestingly, the Eddie Jordan story kinda encapsulates how bad basketball analysis is. Eddie became a head coaching candidate primarily because of the success of the New Jersey Nets. The popular narrative at the time was that New Jersey went to the Finals and was winning because of the innovative Princeton offense taught by Eddie and run by Jason Kidd. It's true that New Jersey ran the Princeton. It's true that Eddie was the offensive coordinator -- it was his system. It's true that Kidd ran the system.

What's not true is that the offense was the primary reason they won. The Nets went to the Finals because they played GREAT defense. Their offense was below average. Now, Eddie's system may have had the Nets playing better offensively than they would have otherwise. But credit should have gone to their defense (run by Mike O'Koren), not to Eddie and the offense.

Of course, then Eddie came to DC (with O'Koren as his D-coordinator) and ran one of the league's very best offenses. Didn't hurt that he had an elite offensive weapon in Arenas -- one of the game's most efficient high-usage players. And, the defense -- run by O'Koren -- sucked.

Great post, Kevin.

Eddie Jordan was also a GREAT player's coach. He is well-respected as a mentor/father-figure by pretty much all the guys who played for him when he was Wizards coach (7 years). Even a guy he had issues with, Brendan Haywood respected him after his run as coach. What I loved about Eddie Jordan is that he kept team problems in-house. He didn't manipulate the media to throw players under the bus. EJ was all class.

To Higga, I posted when he left as Wizard coach, (or, was it immediately after Philly fired him--I am not sure), that I thought EJ would do well coaching high school. I didn't mean that as a slam to him, either. Young people need good people to emulate. EJ is a good man.

I think EJ kept the Wizards in games they had no business winning. IMO he did his best coaching the season DeShawn and Roger Mason Jr were the starting guards. They made the playoffs essentially without Arenas. They won games I thought they had no business winning, often enough that it was no fluke. Eddie has a talent in motivating players. His offensive system got guys like Butler and Jamison big contracts. He allowed guys like Songaila and Ruffin to have much NBA career success. Jordan had a long, successful run with the Wizards. His teams had MAJOR injury problems and a lack of athleticism and size at the F position. Despite that, he was successful enough with the Wizards that another team hired him. So what if he failed in Philly?

I think he will be very happy coaching youth basketball, and I am happy to see EJ in a mentor role.

I think EJ will do great with his HS team and I think he would even be a great college coach. I think at the NBA level his defensive approach is flawed, but I think at a lower level of competition it could be good enough to get the job done.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

I didn't include college coach because I don't know where EJ stands on academics or on the politics involved with being a college coach. They have to deal with a LOT of NCAA guidelines. Successful coaches have to keep players' grades up, as well as recruit.

verbal, I do agree if all he had to do was basketball, EJ would be a good college coach.

[Nivek]

I agree with verbal that Eddie would make a terrific college coach. He'd be great on the recruiting trail because he's genuine and he's a good guy. He's a good teacher, and the talent level is lower so it's easier to have a good enough defense.

But I think he'd probably be happier coaching high school, and (like CCJ) I don't mean that as an insult.

[dobrojim]

agree with both Kev and CCJ

one quible with CCJ - EJ's coaching didn't enable AJ and Caron to
get big deals. The NBA bias Kev has discussed re paying primarily for
PPG and a few other stats took care of both players.

ps - @CCJ, proud of you for NOT mentioning Flip when you
talked about EJ. You HAD to be biting your tongue as you
were typing...don't go there, don't go there, it's not about Flip.

[cwb3]

He cannot rely upon any "savvy veterans" in this new gig!
Still, sort of happy for him in a way, doing what he loves in a low pressure environment.

[fugop]

Eddie should have taken the Rutgers head coaching position. He would have been good for Rutgers, and -- based on pure speculation -- he probably would have enjoyed it.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

agree with both Kev and CCJ

one quible with CCJ - EJ's coaching didn't enable AJ and Caron to
get big deals. The NBA bias Kev has discussed re paying primarily for
PPG and a few other stats took care of both players.

ps - @CCJ, proud of you for NOT mentioning Flip when you
talked about EJ. You HAD to be biting your tongue as you
were typing...don't go there, don't go there, it's not about Flip.

You're right, jim. No quibble from me at all.

I actually met Antawn Jamison at Pete Newell's BEFORE he was a Wizard. Antawn appeared to be going at it so hard over the summer I was afraid he would hurt himself before signing his first big deal--the one he signed as a Warrior. I kidded with Jamison that I was worried for him and that I thought he should sign his deal before he got injured. jim, scorers do get paid and AJ was a big time scorer, once having back-to-back 51 point games as a Warrior.

The one thing Eddie Jordan DID do for Caron and Antawn is play them big minutes. More minutes leads to more FGAs, FTAs, and points. Those enable guys to get bigger deals because they inflate scoring. I always thought Jamison especially needed to play less minutes and Caron a few less as well. That way, they could have been fresher in the playoffs against Cleveland in the fourth, when rebounding numbers for the Wizards suffered. Also, defenders on the Wizards and backups could have gotten more experience. When I thought of Eddie helping Caron and Antawn get big contracts what I really should have said he got them big roles that might have caused them to be overvalued, as dobrojim brings up, due to their scoring figures.

Good catch, jim.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

My final thought about EJs tenure as Wizards coach is that If Tom Thibodeau had replaced Mike O'Koren, I believe EJ would still be coach and the Wizards would be a tough team (but not one with Wall).

Things worked out the way the were meant to IMO.

Thibs is a great head coach. He waited a lot of years as an assistant, but was very fortunate to end up winning a championship as an assistant with the Celtics. EJ was loyal to his assistants and went out with them. His call. In the end, he got paid and so did Thibodeau.

My hope is that if things don't work out with Flip this season, the Wizards will do WHAT I AM SURE THEY SHOULD DO:

Hire Dave Joerger away from the Memphis Grizzlies as the next Wizards coach. He'll be like Thidodeau--an immediate success.

To Flip Saunders and anyone who like him as coach, I hope Saunders proves me wrong and has a GREAT season. That would mean I'm happy as a fan because Flip and the team have achieved progress. it would mean Grunfeld was spot-on with his picks and Ted Leonsis is the man as a great owner.

(I think Ted will be the man if he hires Joerger. No-brainer if Flip doesn't work out.)

[penbeast0]

I didn't include college coach because I don't know where EJ stands on academics or on the politics involved with being a college coach. They have to deal with a LOT of NCAA guidelines. Successful coaches have to keep players' grades up, as well as recruit.

verbal, I do agree if all he had to do was basketball, EJ would be a good college coach.

And there's no keeping players' grades up as well as recruiting in HS? (ok, officially there isn't but for top programs . . . get real).