[WOJ] Wizards and Head Coach Scott Brooks Part Ways.....

[NatP4]

I think we'll chase Sam Cassell since he has a history with us and should be cheap. We'll see.

That would not be good. He was the one who endorsed Wall taking more mid-range jumpshots when he was an assistant here.

I'm not sure that's true...and even if it is that was at least 7 years ago. I wouldn't hold that against Sam, especially if he was simply trying to help a young Wall develop his all-around game.

Cassell should definitely be on the short-list for the Zards HC job.

It is true and widely covered/reported.

Cassell would pretty much be the worst case scenario hire, and one of the only potential downgrades from Brooks out there.

[doclinkin]

It's hard to believe that she can have succeeded in the Spurs organization & not be pretty good at the least. Transplanting some Spurs DNA into this organization would be a major plus.

It would also be a great move for Ted to be the one who hired the first woman coach in NBA history. Meanwhile, this might be the moment for Hammon -- she's interviewing for the Portland & Orlando jobs & has been rumored for Boston as well.

If I were Tommy, I'd be in Ted's office right now, saying "Look, let's make history -- & if it doesn't work out, I'll take the blame."

Also seems like something Laurene Powell Jobs would support.

Ooh yeah, that's a good point. Doubtless she has other things on her mind than a head coaching search, but even to have tangential pride and interest in the hire is something that may come with a little more willingness on the team to open up the coffers to buy the world's most effective urinal cakes.

[payitforward]

Honestly, I don't think LPJ has that kind of relationship w/ Monumental. She's an investor. I guess if she saw something as "good for business" it might catch her attention, but she's not involved in managing the company.

[badinage]

Read on Twitter

?s=20

My interpretation:
He wants to make a run at Coach Bud.

Yep. Mine too.

And you gotta love his talk right now: “This is show business. Not show friends.”

[TGW]

I think we'll chase Sam Cassell since he has a history with us and should be cheap. We'll see.

That would not be good. He was the one who endorsed Wall taking more mid-range jumpshots when he was an assistant here.

I'm not sure that's true...and even if it is that was at least 7 years ago. I wouldn't hold that against Sam, especially if he was simply trying to help a young Wall develop his all-around game.

Cassell should definitely be on the short-list for the Zards HC job.

Oh it’s true Zards. I spoke with him at a hookah bar in DuPont. He said he wanted John to take more mids lol. Right out the horses mouth.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

For the record, I'm not suggesting she isn't a good coach because she is a woman.

I think she may be a better coach because she is a woman. Leastways: In my edit I noted that I think she might feel additional pressure and fire under her to be a good coach because she is a woman. The first of anything has to better than the competition. The Jackie Robinson' of the world have to be HOF caliber or else they are failures. Given that she is one of the only women in this position in any sport, she clearly has to be an exceptional candidate. Axiomatically: she must an exceptional candidate because she has been an exception.

In all likelihood she’s going to be better than Brooks.

She’s a Pisces. They’re usually great teachers.

She’s been an NBA assistant since 2014. The fact that she’s part of the Popovich coaching tree means she already is in the fraternity. She knows great coaching and is probably better than others who’ve been promoted to head coach positions already.

As arbitrary as the naming of Scott Brooks as head coach was because they thought Kevin Durant would be coming on board; I don’t have any problem with Becky Hammond as coach. She is highly qualified.

Why not?

[DCZards]

That would not be good. He was the one who endorsed Wall taking more mid-range jumpshots when he was an assistant here.

I'm not sure that's true...and even if it is that was at least 7 years ago. I wouldn't hold that against Sam, especially if he was simply trying to help a young Wall develop his all-around game.

Cassell should definitely be on the short-list for the Zards HC job.

Oh it’s true Zards. I spoke with him at a hookah bar in DuPont. He said he wanted John to take more mids lol. Right out the horses mouth.

I have no doubt that Cassell was trying to help Wall improve his shooting. Isn’t that what a coach should do?

[DCZards]

I have no interest in getting a college coach. Been there, done that with Leonard Hamilton. Why would Jay Wright have any interest in leaving being the king of Philadelphia to going to a dumpster fire of a franchise. Boston Celtics would be a different story.

I’m not a fan of hiring a college coach with zero NBA coaching experience. Most of them have flamed out pretty quickly—Jim Beilein being the most recent example.

There’s a big difference between coaching 18 and 19 yr old kids and coaching 30 year old men with million $ bank accounts.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

Another reason this is fortuitous timing: I can't recall the last time there were this many intriguing possibilities on the market:

Budenholzer -- only a matter of time before he gets the axe. He's my choice because he got a ton out of Atlanta and Milwaukee, dramatically and immediately elevating them. They were smart, organized teams who played like teams. His playoff record is bad, but winning 55+ or even 60 games a year is something we haven't had in FOUR decades.

Stotts, let's not forget him; they passed their peak with him, but his offenses were very, very good for a long time. And they went pretty damn far without superior talent other than Dame.

Van Gundy. Who I don't want; but he's not a bum.

Atkinson, who put the Nets in position to become the Fakers / AAU team they are today.

Hammon, who is Pop's righthand woman; she's organized, works hard, and is a winner; she'll be fanatically prepared from the jump. And -- though it might be a distraction in year one -- it would put this franchise in the public eye in a brilliant way: the first pro team of any kind to hire a woman to coach it.

Jason Kidd. Chauncey Billups. Sam Cassell. Don't want any of them, although maybe Billups would be good. But all are interesting candidates.

Jay Wright, a college king.

Wes Unseld Jr.

Kara Lawson (!!)

Ime Udoka, who has the Spurs pedigree and who's name keeps coming up the past few years. I'm curious about him.

Jamahl Mosley, who runs the Dallas D for Carlisle.

Steve Clifford. Not an inspired choice, but he did seem to do his homework.

Hammon would be my pick simply because it’s time. No more mediocrity and eighth place finishes. The franchise automatically takes a marketing leap.

Lawson is the coach I would prefer even over Hammon.

Your don’t want any of them looks a lot like mine!

[miller31time]

Hammon was also an exceptional WNBA player. She started out her career as a 3pt specialist and, every year, added new facets to her game to the point where she was one of the most versatile offensive weapons in the league, despite being a foot shorter than almost everybody else on the court.

Not that this will make her a great coach but it certainly lets you know the kind of mentality she has.

[TGW]

I have no problem with Hammon. My only reservation is that as a new head coach, can she handle Beal and Westbrook’s ego? She comes from the popovich lineage, so there might be some butting of heads there.

[Dat2U]

I'm not sure that's true...and even if it is that was at least 7 years ago. I wouldn't hold that against Sam, especially if he was simply trying to help a young Wall develop his all-around game.

Cassell should definitely be on the short-list for the Zards HC job.

Oh it’s true Zards. I spoke with him at a hookah bar in DuPont. He said he wanted John to take more mids lol. Right out the horses mouth.

I have no doubt that Cassell was trying to help Wall improve his shooting. Isn’t that what a coach should do?

His advice to Wall, Beal & Singleton to mimic his game wasn't very helpful and probably stunted Wall and limited Singleton's chance of sticking. Wall & Beal were running 1 & 2 in the league by a wide margin in jacking midrange jumpers long after Cassell left. Something they had no business doing.

Cassell was a disaster. Maybe he's improved and smartened up the last few years but I'm not trying to find out.

[tontoz]

[SUPERBALLMAN]

Great news today thank you!!

The guy I want #1 choice for me.... Avery Johnson. IMO he is everything this team needs right now.

After him I think Cassell makes a lot of sense, and I'd be happy if he's the choice.

But the guy I want is AVERY JOHNSON!

[CntOutSmrtCrazy]

Great news today thank you!!

The guy I want #1 choice for me.... Avery Johnson. IMO he is everything this team needs right now.

After him I think Cassell makes a lot of sense, and I'd be happy if he's the choice.

But the guy I want is AVERY JOHNSON!

Whaaaat? You have to be just pleasure trolling out of euphoria right now I'm guessing. You get a pass for today.

[DANNYLANDOVER]

1. I can’t believe there were actual negotiations for a new contract. Even if the contract was minuscule, even if he was forced to give up control of his choice of assistants, the fact that there were even negotiations is mind-boggling and something you would never see with competitive franchises.

2. The fact that Brooks turned down literally any offer is hilarious.

3. Let’s not celebrate until we see who the new hire is. Just because Brooks sucked doesn’t mean his replacement won’t suck more. This franchise, historically, makes the wrong choice 99/100 times when it comes to…..anything. So let’s proceed with caution.

Took the words right out of my mouth!

[AWIZZINGBULLET]

Give me a great, male head coach. F the bull****.

To hell with trying to "make history", don't make ish awkward for the guys on the court I root for some social nonsense.

[FAH1223]

I have no problem with Hammon. My only reservation is that as a new head coach, can she handle Beal and Westbrook’s ego? She comes from the popovich lineage, so there might be some butting of heads there.

She’d have instant credibility. She worked closely with Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili at the beginning of her time as an assistant. Also was a guard herself.

But yeah the ego of our stars is a problem and a residue of Ernie’s management. The Spurs don’t play that game.

[doclinkin]

Give me a great, male head coach. F the bull****.

To hell with trying to "make history", don't make ish awkward for the guys on the court I root for some social nonsense.

Personally: I could give a crap about making history. I think that part would work against her and be a distraction from her actual work. People thinking she ONLY got the job because she is a woman. Here's where I am with this: Greg Popovich is not trying to lose. That organization doesn't hire people to make history or any of that. It hires the most competent and most prepared and hardest working. If Popovich has kept her as his right hand man, so to speak, then I trust his judgement far better than I would trust, well you, or any other pantload with a Y chromosome.

That said, awkward? That part is the actual Bullshxt. The players who have worked with her go out of their way to say good things about her ability, AFTER they have retired and moved on from the team. Any player who thinks it is 'awkward' to have that kind of bonafides on the coaching staff is a fxxckin moron.

[doclinkin]

I have no problem with Hammon. My only reservation is that as a new head coach, can she handle Beal and Westbrook’s ego? She comes from the popovich lineage, so there might be some butting of heads there.

Beal is no problem. Beal and Hammon both are devout christian people of faith. Beal is commonly seen at WNBA games. And like I said in the "Next Head Coach" thread, Beal said the toughest coach he ever had was his mom. She taught him his form on his jumpshot, and even now takes him apart if he had a bad game.

Russ. Russ has an ego. True. But he has an ego no matter who his coach is. I fully expect he would have no problems with Hammon being female considering Russ' wife was a three-time all american who as recruited on a basketball scholarship to UCLA where he met her. And if Russ buys in, then who else is gonna challenge her on this team?