The search for a new coach results in Ryan Saunders (pg 11)

[packforfreedom]

wow the hate is real

[Domejandro]

Ryan Saunders did a respectable job last season and showed an immense amount of professionalism given the context of the situation. The sentiment against him comes across like doubling down on disliking him, more than fully analyzing the situation, if I am being honest.

[KGdaBom]

Ryan Saunders did a respectable job last season and showed an immense amount of professionalism given the context of the situation. The sentiment against him comes across like doubling down on disliking him, more than fully analyzing the situation, if I am being honest.

Dome I'm not the only one, but I am certainly the most vocal anti Ryan guy. I believe I have evaluated the situation. Word is KAT in particular and most all the players like him. His coaching experience is half a very unsuccessful season as interim HC and a bunch of seasons as a 4th assistant on mostly losing teams. We had candidates who were lead assistants and Associate HC for mostly successful teams. If he applied for a HC job with any other team his application would go straight into the garbage can. Nobody else would want him, but he's supposed to be good enough for us because we are the Wolves, we suck and we don't deserve anything good.

[minimus]

wow the hate is real

Surreal.

[packforfreedom]

Saunders did a good job considering he inherited a dysfunctional, badly contructed team and dealt with injuries to almost all of our guards at some point. I'd like a longterm approach with a young coach 1000x better than just another 'big' name.

[minimus]

I feel like the power that be strongly wanted Ryan to get the job and Rosas' hands were tied. He probably wants his own coach appointed but didn't want to ruffle feathers right away. My guess is he will take Ryan on and if things go poorly, Ryan is out there door with a short leash. That way Rosas can say "Hey, we tried it your way." to Glenn and and the players while still bringing in his own guy within the first 18 months of his new job.

The biggest downside to this is that we could spend another season with a coach that isn't right for us and we will have to bring in yet another coach for guys like KAT who have had a carousel already. It is what it is.

First, it is your assumption, feeling. You have no facts about candidates and interviews, their visions etc. My feelings is that Rosas does not look for these weak excuses "hey, we tried". He is here to build a modern, successful franchise. He set goals high, if he needed another coach who is better fit than Ryan, I am sure he could sign him. Second, it is about the best fit, not the best coach available (see Thibs situation). Like Rosas said many times it is a marriage between owner, POBO, HC and players. Third, every coach in this league is on a short leash. Casey was fired after he was named Coach of the Year.

[Klomp]

His coaching experience is half a very unsuccessful season as interim HC and a bunch of seasons as a 4th assistant on mostly losing teams.

Where do you get this? What team has ever published their assistant coaches list as first, second and so on?

[KGdaBom]

His coaching experience is half a very unsuccessful season as interim HC and a bunch of seasons as a 4th assistant on mostly losing teams.

Where do you get this? What team has ever published their assistant coaches list as first, second and so on?

The assistant coaches have a pecking order. I don't think they go by 1-2-3-4 per se. Usually the right hand man to the head coach is called the Lead Assistant or more recently called Associate head coach. I have read that Ryan was typically about 4th in the pecking order. Ryan was never the right hand man or the assistant that the head coach went to first.

[Dewey]

haha holy moly ... I wonder where Thibs ranks then compared to Saunders since he was a successful veteran coach yet was no better than Ryan with a full roster, full off-season, and full staff... ?

I would assume the POBO has a bucket of coaches he would like to talk with, but that dont mean he dislikes Saunders. He needs to have the right coach one way or another.

[KGdaBom]

Saunders did a good job considering he inherited a dysfunctional, badly contructed team and dealt with injuries to almost all of our guards at some point. I'd like a longterm approach with a young coach 1000x better than just another 'big' name.

The other candidates weren't big names to me. I never heard of them except for Ham because I remembered him being a sensational dunker in his playing days. These candidates were all good candidates with excellent track records that Ryan simply couldn't hold a candle to.

[theGreatRC]

Just a reminder, Ryan had 0 games with Cov in the lineup, Teague, Rose & Tyus were ALL injured at a point in the season to where we had Bayless starting (and playing well) with Terell as backup.

We also had Cam Reynolds Josh Okogie & KBD playing rotation minutes (3 rookies & one of them being straight from d league mid season.)

We also had Wigg or KAT out for a few games during Ryan's gig as well. (not much, but games missed are games missed)

Ryan also incorporated Loul Deng as a key rotation player after him literally being benched by the Lakers & Wolves for almost 1 1/2 seasons.

Ryan was thrust into this position suddenly and we are judging him based on what he had to do with no preparation that a head coach normally gets an off season & training camp to do.

[SmokeyPaw]

Well Rosas hasnt quit over this. He left Dallas when he felt he didnt have enough authority, so he's nit shy. Seems he's at least ok enough with Ryan.

[Worm Guts]

Well Rosas hasnt quit over this. He left Dallas when he felt he didnt have enough authority, so he's nit shy. Seems he's at least ok enough with Ryan.

I guess I have a hard time believing he would have interviewed other prospects if he was being forced to choose Ryan by Taylor. If Rosas was pressured, I'm thinking it was more that he didn't want to get off on the wrong foot with KAT.

[DaKid]

Well Rosas hasnt quit over this. He left Dallas when he felt he didnt have enough authority, so he's nit shy. Seems he's at least ok enough with Ryan.

I guess I have a hard time believing he would have interviewed other prospects if he was being forced to choose Ryan by Taylor. If Rosas was pressured, I'm thinking it was more that he didn't want to get off on the wrong foot with KAT.

Maybe Towns had input on the head coach decision but I doubt Rosas felt pressured by it one way or the other. After all, the teams success will dictate his future and KAT is just starting a long contract and thus isn't going anywhere whether he likes a coach initially or not.

[mplsfonz23]

Saunders has an impossible task ahead.

Who do you think could get this team turned around with the crap talent and contracts on here?
Bet not even Pop could get more than 30 wins out of what is coming back. IMHO.

[Worm Guts]

Well Rosas hasnt quit over this. He left Dallas when he felt he didnt have enough authority, so he's nit shy. Seems he's at least ok enough with Ryan.

I guess I have a hard time believing he would have interviewed other prospects if he was being forced to choose Ryan by Taylor. If Rosas was pressured, I'm thinking it was more that he didn't want to get off on the wrong foot with KAT.

Maybe Towns had input on the head coach decision but I doubt Rosas felt pressured by it one way or the other. After all, the teams success will dictate his future and KAT is just starting a long contract and thus isn't going anywhere whether he likes a coach initially or not.

I think KAT's opinion is going to have some influence. Taylor probably wanted Saunders as well. It doesn't mean Rosas wouldn't have chose somebody else if he felt strongly, but he also probably doesn't want to start off on the wrong foot. I definitely think Rosas had the freedom to choose somebody else though.

[Calinks]

I feel like the power that be strongly wanted Ryan to get the job and Rosas' hands were tied. He probably wants his own coach appointed but didn't want to ruffle feathers right away. My guess is he will take Ryan on and if things go poorly, Ryan is out there door with a short leash. That way Rosas can say "Hey, we tried it your way." to Glenn and and the players while still bringing in his own guy within the first 18 months of his new job.

The biggest downside to this is that we could spend another season with a coach that isn't right for us and we will have to bring in yet another coach for guys like KAT who have had a carousel already. It is what it is.

First, it is your assumption, feeling. You have no facts about candidates and interviews, their visions etc. My feelings is that Rosas does not look for these weak excuses "hey, we tried". He is here to build a modern, successful franchise. He set goals high, if he needed another coach who is better fit than Ryan, I am sure he could sign him. Second, it is about the best fit, not the best coach available (see Thibs situation). Like Rosas said many times it is a marriage between owner, POBO, HC and players. Third, every coach in this league is on a short leash. Casey was fired after he was named Coach of the Year.

Yep its all speculation on my part I wont say anything different. I think Rosas knows that there is a strong pull for him to retain Ryan and he conducted his search to see if there were any stand outs but mostly, probably, just to show the world that he has free will in this situation (which he does). I also think Rosas is smart enough to know that dumping Ryan for another coach (that maybe doesn't stand out head and shoulders above Ryan at this point) who could fail would jeopardize Rosas' job security if that coach does'n't pan out. Keeping Ryan is the safer career move.

I'm not saying Ryan can't do the job. I'm not hating on him either. It's also possible that Rosas really feels like Ryan is the best candidate suited. If I had to bet I think Rosas is just going along with what the owner and players want while still looking out for improving the team. Ryan is probably not his main presence but Ryans is probably not seen as a terrible choice either so he will live with it and play it safe this year.

If Ryan does well then all is well and the team will move forward with him for the duration. If not, Rosas can move on from him and wont have the ire of players or Taylor for not giving Ryan a shot. It's the safest/best play if you don't have a sure fire home run candidate IMO. For what its worth I hope Ryan runs with this and eliminates any questions this upcoming season. Time will tell.

[yawner]

Saunders has an impossible task ahead.

Who do you think could get this team turned around with the crap talent and contracts on here?
Bet not even Pop could get more than 30 wins out of what is coming back. IMHO.

The Wolves got 36 wins after a hellish season. If the team is properly coached, I see them winning more 45 games.

[Worm Guts]

Saunders has an impossible task ahead.

Who do you think could get this team turned around with the crap talent and contracts on here?
Bet not even Pop could get more than 30 wins out of what is coming back. IMHO.

The Wolves got 36 wins after a hellish season. If the team is properly coached, I see them winning more 45 games.

It really depends on how the offseason goes. There's a few rotation players who might not be back.

[yawner]

Saunders has an impossible task ahead.

Who do you think could get this team turned around with the crap talent and contracts on here?
Bet not even Pop could get more than 30 wins out of what is coming back. IMHO.

The Wolves got 36 wins after a hellish season. If the team is properly coached, I see them winning more 45 games.

It really depends on how the offseason goes. There's a few rotation players who might not be back.

As you say, Gibson and Rose won´t probably be back. But with the game focusing on Towns, with a short leash on Wiggins, with Covington playing from game 1, with logic rotations... I see a better, no toxic, fun to watch team. I might be wrong, devastating injuries could happen, etc. But there´s talent on the team. A good coach is what´s needed.