Finding the right head coach and adding some stability to the coaching staff is priority #1 for the Sixers.
Not Andre Miller. Not trading Samuel Dalembert. Not smacking some sense into Lou Wiliams like Rafer Alston did to Eddie House. Not locking Andre Iguodala, Thad, Lou and Willie Green in a gym for 3 months with Tom Nordland, Dave Hopla, Mark Price, Herb Magee, Rick Torbett, a few balls, chairs and a few rebounders.
While all those things are very important among others, solidifying the leadership must be done before all of that because the head coach needs to be involved in the decisions that shape the roster and develop the players.
This will be the first post in a series of posts. How many will be determined by how quickly Stefanski makes a decision on Tony Dileo’s future and the head coaching position. Word is they are planning to talk in the next few days, the latest early next week.
With that in mind this post will be about what type of coach we really want. I will follow this up with some thoughts on Tony Dileo in another post tomorrow. And if word comes out Dileo will not be back on the bench, I will bang out some posts on potential candidates.
Let me start by saying this….
The players individually aren’t horrible – at all, but they aren’t great either. I think this team, when healthy, is better than 41 wins, and I think the team this season and last without Brand could be stretched beyond 41 wins as well. Which leads me down a path straight to the system both offensively and defensively in which they play, the in-game coaching tactics and player management. Right now those things aren’t maximizing what each player does well individually or collectively.
If Stefanski thinks the right players are in place for the most part (I don’t, but that’s for another post) then he MUST bring in a coach with a strong and proven offensive OR defensive system (depending on how he wants to play) in which he can plug the current players and be successful. Pair that head coach with a lead assistant to pick up the side of the ball the head coach is not as strong in.
If Stefanski doesn’t think these players are a good enough team to be a legit contender and he has a plan to bring an elite player to Philly, then he MUST bring in a coach that can get the most out of that elite player (no Iguodala does not count for me, neither does Thad – sorry) and effectively incorporate him into a team-oriented system (i.e. what Phil Jackson and Tex Winters did with Jordan, Shaq and Kobe). This route seems to be the most common championship path if you look at past champions (Detroit was an exception; not sure it’s a great model).
I personally don’t think the roster needs a complete blow up, but I think it needs much more than simple tweaking to get to championship level. But that isn’t the focus right now, nor do I see it as the most likely reality. So let’s just work under the assumption the Sixers will probably only make minor tweaks and the head coach needs to maximize what we got.
Characteristics of the Sixers’ Next Head Coach
Personality and Style
There has been much discussion on the type of coach the Sixers need to hire. I think the general consensus is we need a tougher, harder coach when it comes to personality and style, having come off a couple Mister Softees (Dileo, Cheeks). I tend to agree with that with one very important caveat. No single coaching style is effective.
What I mean is you can’t just coach all players one way. Different players respond to different stimuli. A good coach understands that and is able to pinpoint what internally motivates a player and taps into it individually while maintaining a mantra that the end result is about TEAM. So I agree the dominant personality or style of the next head coach should be that of a tougher brand, but that guy must also have the capacity to adapt his tactics to maximize each individual player’s potential within the team concept.
Prestige
In a perfect world it would be great to have a coach with championship (winning) head coaching experience. But those guys aren’t often free agents. Instead we look for some sort of track record in a few (tangible) areas:
- Straight-up head coaching experience (years) with a winning record
- Good playoff record but hasn’t gotten over the hump completely
- Even more assistant coaching experience (years) if never a head coach
- Worked under high level coaches
- Ability to improve team defense
- Ability to improve team offense
- Ability to overachieve with lesser talent (more on this below)
And that’s if we are only talking about NBA candidates. Translating potential college coaches success to the NBA level I don’t even want to get into.
Defense
I have a TON of thoughts on defense because I love it. Loved to play it, think about it and would love to coach it with young kids at some point. I could run through scenario after scenario with you about what I see as the Sixers’ issues. To keep it relatively short…
I don’t see the type of defense necessary to be consistently good from the Sixers. They can be good sometimes, some games, against some types of opponents. But the way they play defense now lacks repeatability which is why the team can compete for 5 games against a superior opponent then get blown out of the building in a do-or-die playoff game.
I see the Sixers’ defense (collectively) being 100% about limiting possessions through creating turnovers, which can be turned into easy points. That’s fine and certainly something every team wants to do. Where I find them lacking is their ability to play sound defense possession after possession when teams are smart with the ball and just running their stuff. The Sixers aren’t very good in that area. They haphazardly scramble. Sometimes it works, but much of the time their rotations look like crap and open shots are the result. That is something that needs to be taught, not just emphasized, in order help our players develop defensive instinct necessary to compete against good teams.
There are great players that just get it. Outside of Iguodala I don’t think we have any of those players so they must be hand held and schooled on what to do, even at this level (sad).
All that really means is the ideal coaching situation should either be a defensive head coach, not only with a good philosophy or system but the ability to actually teach and not just manage. You pair him with a lead assistant that can implement an offense. Or you get a motivational, players’ coach (doesn’t at all mean he has to be soft) that can get guys to do what he needs them to do and pair him with a lead assistant that can implement and teach a strong defensive system (i.e. Doc Rivers with Tom Thibodeau).
Offense
For me personally the best offense is a framework, not a rigid and patterned structure. My college coach always preached to not be a robot, be a “player.” We had some quick hitters with different wrinkles, but mostly we ran motion. Being a player means you know the ins and outs of your offense but are very adept at reading, reacting and deviating from the set to maximize openings and mismatches. Conversely robots run very patterned flex type offenses.
The Sixers’ problem: they did neither. Tell me if I am wrong, but did it look like there was much direction, rhyme or reason out there offensively for the Sixers? They certainly didn’t have a solid framework to work in offensively like the triangle offense or Princeton-style offense (this is a framework not a patterned offense; don’t be confused). And they didn’t have anything in the form of a patterned offense (aside from the Willie Green pin down) or quick hitters in the half court or on in-bound situations.
So if the optimum head coach is defensive-minded, the lead assistant should complement him by being able to implement and teach an offensive framework based on the talent we have.
Specific to the Sixers: Ability to Overachieve
This is important for me only because I just don’t believe the organization is in position to make dramatic roster moves to significantly upgrade the talent. So the incoming coach will have to maximize and even stretch what we have. That means he has to be very good at pushing guys’ limits, developing players’ games, assigning roles and, maybe most importantly, creating line-ups that have tremendous chemistry and run like a well-oiled machine throughout games.
I am sure I missed some things so help me out in the comments with your thoughts on the head coach.
Two Additional Organizational Assets
The Sixers need to hire a full-time shooting coach as a player development assistant. Aaron McKie and Jeff Ruland are cool, but this team needs serious shooting expertise on the staff. Just sending players to work with Mark Price over the summer and having a check-up once during the season isn’t good enough, especially when dealing with weak and immature shooters to begin with. Have a guy on staff working with these guys all the time. I don’t know if you guys know who Dave Hopla is, but he is one of, if not the best, shooter in the world. He’s worked with Kobe, Ray Allen and Gilbert Arenas. He is currently the assistant coach for player development for the Wizards and was a shooting consultant for the Toronto Raptors as well. We all know Mark Price is on the Hawks’ payroll. This isn’t a new concept; Sixers get with the program.
Sixers need to invest in a basketball person (knows the game, watches the game) with strong analytical ability to break down statistics and games to aid in evaluating players on the roster as well as potential free agents and college players, evaluating the team as a whole and scouting opponents. Some teams (Houston, Denver, Boston) are already at advanced stages of this in their organization. No reason the Sixers shouldn’t jump on the bandwagon either.
That’s all I got. As usual I turn it over to you to blow up the comments with your thoughts.
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Hey all I am going to say about Stefanski is that it was his vision for Willie Greene to be starting after Cheeks was fired so no, I have zero confidence in him doing any of the above things that Dannie so eloquently suggested for us to become a first class team. Hopefully Stefanski knows what the hell he is going to do with Dileo by now, lets hope that he doesn’t drop the ball just as he did at the trading deadline when he sat on his ass and did nothing to help us.
Personally I will be surprised if gets rid of Dileo aka the Quiet Mouse. When I was there for that Jersey debacle and the team basically just never showed up except for there trick shots in the lay up line, Dileo didn’t say a word. I truly wanted to go into the huddle in the 3rd quarter and rip into these guys, Dileo did nothing. Lou F’n Williams calls himself a leader on this team, what a Joke. That guys our leader, plays no defense and doesn’t give a shit about anything else except getting his shots and he calls himself a leader. As a Die hard lifelong sixers fans I have to admit that rooting for this team, with the individuals that are on it was one of the toughest experiences of my life. What a bunch of thieves, losers, and selfish (insert every curse possible) pathetic imposter’s of basketball players.
Get a real coach in here who will hold people accountable.
Trade Lou at all costs.
Yes I know that cutting Sammy is a pipe dream but how about someone gets in his face for once.
Dannie, could we hire the guy in the picture, he was pretty good. I too don!t like to much structure offensively. L.Brown and D.Moes!s motion offense from the old Denver Nuggets was a treat to watch. My dream scenerio is Thibodeax as head coach and although he would hire his own staff I wouldn!t mind P.Carrill being brought in, if interested. Your point of overachieving could be brought about by more movement, screening and passing offensively, but again, spot up shooters have to be added for this to work. Defensively, I have the utmost confidence in Thebodeax to put a system in that works and hopefully having E.S. acquire players that can maximize his system. Other than Iggy, all these guys need to be broken down and rebuilt but they have the athletism, so that is something to work with.I think a guy like Thebodeax would enjoy the challenge of molding this group into what the Celtics became last year, especially with a healthy Elton to anchor them.
Greek-
Saying ES “sat on his ass and did nothing to help us” may be accurate but I choose to believe he tried his hardest to make a move that would help but found no takers. I really hope you’re wrong, otherwise, we’re in worse shape than we think.
I mentioned on an earlier post that I would give Bill Laimbeer a call. He has everything Dannie stated in his “wish list”. I admit I don’t watch the WNBA a ton, but two titles in three – four years at any level should be appreciated.
I don’t think if they brought Dantoni or Nelson to the team, with it’s current roster, could be a legit 105 ppg team. The focus should be defense first, offense second, with this team even more.
With their athleticism, if they we’re to be taught properly, and were motivated to really be a tough lock down defensive team, they still COULD be.
If Stefanski goes and tries to find an offensive minded coach, he better start thinking of ways to construct a team that can score the basketball consistently from different areas on the court. Right now I don’t see that happening. It would take a lot of work, and with this teams contracts and “movable” pieces, I think it would take years of rebuilding.
I think this team is still seeing the effects of the “Iverson ideology” , build a “defensive” team around a 30ppg scorer. Problem is, there is no Iverson, there is no Kobe, there is no Wade etc. The plan is for Brand to be that star, it’ll take a while to see if that plan comes to fruition.
Chuck Daly, dead at 68. Class act and great coach. I’m glad he passed through Philly along his coaching trail. May he rest in peace.
Correction: 78 (left coaching at 68).
One of Daly’s reflections on the NBA:
“It’s a players’ league. They allow you to coach them or they don’t. Once they stop allowing you to coach, you’re on your way out.”
suede, Brand hasn’t anchored anything for over 2 years EXCEPT spots in recovery/training rooms and the Sixers’ roster flexibility. I think it’s folly to bank on him. What’s so impressive about his (now rumored)game? Wide guy, can shoot a J, bang a little; has lost quickness/spring (and maybe all-important confidence); a 33 yr-old undersized power forward. Don’t see what others see in him. I see another Ed Stefanski ‘crazy dollars’ mistake.
jjg- I know his game doesn’t impress you in terms of dunks and other highlight reels, but Brand is exactly the type of player you need in a half-court offense. I wouldn’t brush him aside, just yet. And remember, he was playing under Cheeks, who just went through the motions with the roster he had without utilizing it.
First, let’s see what the verdict will be next week regarding DiLeo?
The real problem is communication on the floor on both ends (defense especially). I remember when Brand played, he was communicating to his teammates. It is a matter of learning when to trust your teammates and not overhelp on the defensive end, which is why opponents are open from beyond the arc.
Now, offensively, we need guys that can move without the ball. The Sixers were 24th in assists last season. Even without Brand, there was a lot of sticking with the ball and guys would stand around waiting for the ball (Willie, Lou).
In Free Agency, guys like Eddie House (player option), Trevor Ariza, Flip Murray, and Anthony Parker are available. I hope we can get those kind of guys. Stefanski last season did a great job of getting depth without going over the bank by giving them the minimum. That’s what most role players earn and should earn. And if it doesn’t work out, it is only for a one-year deal. And I wouldn’t get on Stefanski’s goat about acquistions, but more for the type of coach he would want!!
And Iggy could be right, this will be an interesting offseason. Just a couple of tweaks (more mentally) and we could be a 4th seed. Really, I think the Sixers need to be more mentally focused than anything else!
GO SIXERS!!
Checking in with a few comments. Haven’t read in a while, good conversation in the previous two Sixers posts. Have little bits and pieces I wanna comment on, I’ll try not to repeat anything:
* Jason Smith can be a starting center in this league. It’s a guards’ league now. Dave T mentioned OKC going after Thabeet or Jordan Hill, that’s the wrong move – they should go after one of the elite point guards in the draft and move Westbrook to the 2. I think the top 5 picks should be point guards. Big guys don’t matter as much as they did before, unless they’re surreally good. Look at this 2nd round, and the first round for that matter – who were the MVPs of the teams that moved on? None of them were big guys.
Pair Jason Smith with Elton, and Elton takes care of the rebounding and post defense. Jason Smith will get out of his way and set up shop outside shooting jumpers. BTW, Jason Smith does a decent job of blocking shots.
Also, think of you you want to divide up your salary cap: I want most of it in our elite point guard and our guards, and for our frontline to not get too much.
* on the brief “what’s wrong with the NBA” discussion between jjg and Dan… I think the marketing of the NBA sucks. The advertising doesn’t make good on its promises of flashy, stylized heroes. I think it’s a case of certain people having gotten too comfortable in their jobs and don’t really care for innovating anymore.
Avery Johnson
Pros:
-Took over a Mavs team that was a perennial 2nd round playoff team, and got them over the hump in his first year. Went neck to neck with the Spurs all year, lost the finals largely to fluke referreeing. Had the Mavs playing incredible ball (67 wins) the next year, and were dominant/unstoppable in the regular season.
-Took a team that was TERRIBLE defensively and improved them to mediocre at best, and “pretty good” when necessary. Specifically, really improved their help rotations when the opposition would drive the ball in the paint. Demanded that they HUSTLE, even if as individual defenders they were outmatched. Preached a defense that did not gamble, and was more concerned with contesting shots and lowering the % chance of a shot made, rather then gunning for steals.
-Huge X & O’s guy offensively. Changed Nelson’s loosey goose unstructured offense to one predicated on catering to player’s strengths. Avery successfully created excellent floor spacing in the halfcourt offense, did not have his Mavs settle for jacking up as many contested jumpers as did Nellie’s Mavs, and ran creative isolation plays for many of his players. Prime example: getting Jerry Stackhouse, a constant low FG% shooter that always shot too much, to play better team ball, take shots in the flow of the offense, and get him the ball where he was comfortable making shots. Also understood how to play Jason Terry, that he was a combo guard and should not be forced to play the role of strictly a shoot first PG, and allowed Terry’s versatile game to blossom.
-Personality is THE type our Sixers need. Demanding and sets high expectations. Doesn’t let players off the hook…expects excellence, hustle, heart, and the player’s attention. As a former PG that excellend more on bball IQ then sheer athleticism, understands the need for good communication, heady play, and true TEAM basketball on the offensive and defensive end.
-Experience and background…a disciple of Popovich, which IMO gives anyone an automatic leg up on the majority of other candidates. Played with two of the best big men of the era in David Robinson and Tim Duncan, and ran a mostly halfcourt offense with them during his playing days. aka: he understands the importance of interior players, and knows how to use them (paging Elton Brand). On the Mavs team, proved he could coach a different style…fused the run n gun style of Nellie with a more strict halfcourt offense predicated on good screening, making the extra pass, and allowing for an open (key word: open) shot jumpshooting system.
-I feel Avery would inject some MUCH needed life into this team, get players like Iguodala, Thad and Brand in line to reach their potential, and get us some much needed direction and leadership. He has the kind of X&O skills on offense to set up an offensive system that could get our players in actual spots where they are capable of scoring. I love how he mixed the Mavs running, open floor game with a successful halfcourt offense, and how he had Dirk keep his outside in game, while demanding he improve his interior play as well.
-Has now had a full year and a half out of any kind of technical coaching job. I believe that when a coach takes time off, it gives him time to reflect on his weaknesses and mistakes, and make note of how he can improve. Having the view from a broadcast job and the national NBA landscape as a media member I also think is something to be taken seriously; Avery, for all his skill is a young guy and has lots of room to improve, I think the time off and allowing time to see the league as a whole from a fan/media point of view will in turn help his coaching and player management out.
Cons:
-Years of head coaching experience. Head coach only for three years, and was not technically an assistant for very long under Nellie (although you could argue that he was basically a player coach for both the Spurs and Mavs).
-His 67 win regular season juggernaut Mavs team lost in arguably the greatest 1st round upset in NBA history to Golden State. He let himself be outmanipulated by his mentor, and he changed his coaching style to match that of the opposition instead of continuing what they had been doing all year. Ouch.
-His 3rd season with the Mavericks spun out of control. Whereas the George Karl led Seattle teams of 94-96 recovered from a 1st round upset to make the Western Conference Finals and then NBA finals the next two years, Avery’s Mavs team after their 1st round collapse never mentally recovered, and I do think this is a big reflection on the coach
-While “demanding” is a good trait personality-wise, it is a negative when on-court you are too controlling and dictating every shot attempt to the point where your players do not have enough freedom. Very telling that Jason Kidd was extremely unhappy playing under Avery Johnson, and that Avery never let loose his reigns enough to trust one of the best PG’s of all time.
-The Mavs offense, while they did make the extra pass and played unselfishly, had a shockingly low assist count for a 67 win team. This is because the offense was purposefully built around the team to shoot jumpers. Clearly, this is not a strength of the Sixers, and Avery would have to have a much different offensive system.
-By all accounts, his controlling methods and full throttle demeanor had divided the lockeroom and peaved off enough star players that a year after they basically had two years straight of a championship caliber teams, Cuban was forced to make a change to appease the high level of complaints from Dirk, Kidd, and others.
How I’d rank who I want our head coach to be:
1. Avery Johnson
2. Eddie Jordan
3. Doug Collins
4. Paul Silas
5. Mark Jackson / Tom Thibodeou (if we shocked people and went with a rookie. Very, very doubtful, and not ideal).
Guys I want no part of:
-Jeff Van Gundy
-Mike Fratello
-PJ Carlesimo
-Terry Porter
-Any other “recycled” coach that has proven to be nothing but mediocre in years past.
Dre, I hope that I am wrong as well but when I see the knicks get rid of the salaries of Jamal Crawford and Zach Randolph that gets me to questioning how bright Stefanski really is. He did nothing to help us after the season started.
On the last thread someone called Jason Smith soft, I firmly disagree. All that he was lacking was physical strength last season. I love the way the kid plays, like Thad he has a passion for the game.
JJG, I hear you bro. Chuck Daly will be missed,
Dave T, great writing. Although I want no part of Paul Silas coming in here unless it’s to punch Sammy in the face on an off day.
Nice post, Dave T. An interesting read. Kate Fagan of Inquirer (who seems pretty tuned in) has Johnson handicapped in Sunday’s edition
beneath Collins and Jordan, citing his outsider status and Stefanski’s possible hesitance for such a hire on the basis of trust/x factors.
I say lay out the pro welcome mat for Bobby Knight and a final
coaching hurrah. He’s won 2 championships already in South Philly. He could take Sam fishing and hunting this summer before camp in order to probe Sam’s psychology and learn Sam’s philosophy of the game. A match made in Heaven. And then he’d get a load of Lou’s game to up his classic intensity.
Thanks, The Greek, on Daly; I liked him a lot; sounds like you did too. And thanks for the good laugh on the Silas/Sam line. Your emotional frankness is refreshing. Rooting for ‘08-’09 Sixers WAS root canal, by the way.
Dave T……Good post. Why don’t you want any part of Jeff Van Gundy? I think he’d do a lot for us on the defensive side of the ball. His top assistant would have to take care of the offense and I think he knows that.
I remember watching a Rockets game he broadcast last year. I’m pretty sure it was during their winning streak. Anyway, Mike Breen was speaking well of Van Gundy about how he laid the foundation of that Rockets team and how Adelman benifitted from everything Van Gundy already had in place. Van Gundy wouldn’t take any credit. He said that if he was still coaching the Rockets they would not be as good as they were. He admitted that Adelman is a much better offensive coach than he is and that the Rockets took off because Adelman was doing a better job than he did.
That stuck with me. The guy knows his weak spots. Not only that, he openly admits to them. This leads me to believe that he would make sure to have a really good assistant to run the offense. Could work, no?
Is it just me or is anyone sick of the officials blowing calls in the playoffs? The Sixers are still hurting from that.
I hope the Sixers hire Van Gundy just so he stops broadcasting the games on ESPN/ABC!
Joey, I couldn’t agree more. I hate listening to him broadcast games.
I too would like to see Avery Johnson on the sidelines. The secret that really wasn’t a secret got let out of the bag the day the season ended. Players weren’t held accountable. That will suddenly change the second Johnson is hired. His voice is annoying, but make no mistake, he is a very smart person/coach.
Jumpin, I just meant defensively anchoring the team, he seems to know where to be and will have Sam!s back ,unlike his teammates who didn!t know when to “help the helper” if Sam bailed them out. We seemed alot better defensively when he played. Chuck will be missed, B.Cunningham knew what assistants to hire, didn!t he. I thought J.Mcmahon was a great talent evaluator. Zack, the Thabeet and J.Hill lovefest ,to me, is a joke. Neither should be a top 5 pick but according to DRAFTEXPRESS they are. Can you say Sammy #2 and M.Moore#2.
suede, He probably still has the instincts (and that nasally Coach K voice ranting in his subconscious); I wonder if he can still get to spots as need be. Didn’t notice a vast difference in Sixers D when he played; maybe I missed it.
Jack McMahon was a strong assistant, knew talent – - found Cheeks & Toney in the deep South bushes.
The Real Rob, I’m not a “highlight reel, dunk” fanatic; Brand gets no disparagement from me for any lack of style, rather it’s a lack of ‘whole game’ production and impact – so far; points are points, any way ya rack ‘em up.
What’s with these flagrant foul calls? During the Laker game, They were gushing over Steve Javie the other night. There never seems to be any consistancy to me when he’s refereeing a game. Maybe it’s me.
Jumpin, K.Fagen mentioned an interesting name today, C.Ford. He ,to me, would be a typical E.S. type of choice. 1] he works in the organization 2]probably comes at a good price 3] unlike Tony, he has a bit of an attitude, something this team could use.
suede, Tired, poor blood – Geritol choice. Number 42 was a lanky, scrappy guard out of Atlantic City - in the late-60s! Since he made the NBA’s 1st 3-pt shot, he could inspire but I highly doubt it at this stage.
You’re right though, seems like a Stefanski-lean sort. Imo we need a strong Vitamin-water coach; somebody who can roll with today’s “stylings” and get after it (like Ford did).
John Giannini is as good a coach or better than Jay Wright, yet the media doesn’t slobber over him. Has coached with Lou Henson at Illinois (Final Four ‘89), and had successful head jobs at Rowan, Maine & LaSalle. I like him over North Penn HS’s Wright, but he’s not local or a PR hound and flies under the radar for the most part.
JJG - I like John Giannini. I am reading a book by him called Court Sense: Winning Basketball’s Mental Game
Stefanski has said, and keeps saying, that he has taken no step in any direction.
That’s a quote from Fagan’s article. What a joke this guy is, I bet he is windsurfing on some beach somewhere where the weather is beautiful and the women are half naked. Dude probably has a pina colada in one hand and lotion for his bald head on the other. By the way that line above might also apply to what the hell he was doing during the trade deadline.
Come on the blog Ed, talk to the hard care Sixers fans who are wondering what the hell is going on with our team.
Dannie, I didn’t know he had written a book; will have to check that out. Thanks. His national championship at Rowan is one credit that recommends him. I like his approach to the game and his style. Is accumulating some talent at LaSalle. Next season could be good for the Explorers.
The Greek, Stefanski’s an ol’ Drexel Hill schoolyard knee-scraper, not a windsurfing sort in my estimation. And his looking-good-in-Jantzen days are long past.
The time lapse since Abomination Day doesn’t bode well for Dileo’s head coaching reign. He might not even want the job and its high-profile demands and attendant scrutiny after his boys turncoated him following Game 6. A big news week ahead for Sixers, I think.
Chris Ford can coach. He’s the second-best coach the franchise has had since Jim Lynam (behind Larry Brown). His downfall was he tried to make Iverson follow the rules. He wasn’t going to win that one.
Tom, when I saw his name mentioned I thought of how management didn!t back him with A.I., and would they with L.Will. . Is he a serious candidate ? He wouldn!t be at the top of my list but I would like him over Deleo.
Ford can coach? Another local hero media myth. (V for Villanova!)
His 3 non-Celtics teams were a combined 101-188, .349 winning percentage. His teams haven’t won 36 games since ‘97-98 (11 years ago). He hasn’t led a team to the playoffs since ‘94-’95 (14 years ago). His 1st 2 (autopilot) coaching years included guys named Bird, McHale, Parrish and Reggie Lewis. His 5 yr. Celts win totals descended each year but the last: 56, 51, 48, 32, 35 (didn’t save his job). No success at all in his last 5 years directing Milwaukee, LA Clippers and Phila (12-18). Ford could play, knows the game, earned his stripes; clearly pans out as an average coach at best though. Career record: 323-376, .462 Playoffs: 13-16, .448. To call Ford a better coach than Moe, Carter, Lucas, Davis, and Ayers is damning with faint praise; those comparitive coaches were woeful. O’Brien and Cheeks both achieved better Sixer winning percentages than Ford did in his brief stint. If ES travels down Big 5 memory lane to pluck his next coach, it would be another big mistake imo.
Ewing? Abdul-Jabbar? English? McAdoo? Dantley? Barry? All are waiting in the wings, a phone call away:
http://www.boston.com/sports/basketball/articles/2009/05/10/ewing_baffled_by_non_call/?page=2
How come Asst. Coaches from winning clubs in baskeball don’t garner the same accolades like in the NFL.
I would look at coach Pop’s guys in San Antonio. He should have one hell of a coaching tree branching all over the league.
Sixers confirmed Stefanski and DiLeo are meeting this afternoon.
Great those 2 knuckleheads are probably trying to figure out how properly utilize Willie Greene and get him an all star birth. Maybe they will call in Sammy for a little karaoke time.
Will get back later this afternoon with what I can find out, though I have a feeling no decision about DiLeo’s coaching status will be announced yet.
This afternoon will probably confirm Stefanski and Dileo “unmeet” on status quo. (But then why did I just think of Laurel & Hardy?) Outcome of get-together and related organizational spin should prove interesting.
I’m not sure if this was already brought up about Avery:
An interesting interview (10+ minutes.)
This is what he said 5/5 on 950AM:
http://www.950espn.com/Audio/tabid/183/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/3625/Avery-Johnson-talks-Sixers-Basketball.aspx
Avery basically said:
-Some good parts. Iguodala and Lou specifically highlighted. Thd and Speights barely mentioned.
-Iguodala can not play SG. Must play SF and maybe some PF.
-Louis Willliams can be good player, and should be the starting PG. Can potentially be the PG for a winner. Aver took credit for developing Devon Harris.
-WG should be a back-up, not a starter.
-Sam must be consistent, and he does not know if that is possible.
-Some teams lack great leaders, and those teams need leadership from the coach. Hopefully some player becomes more of a leader.
-Right now the team lacks a leader. Not Miller (too old and quiet and has never won anything.) Maybe Iguodala some day.
-Did not talk about Thad or Speights at all when talking about the good parts.
-His rules: trust the coach/system and know when to party. Big on discipline.
Correction, did briefly mention Young and Speights as good young players.
But overall a disturbing view of the Sixers. Either Avery Johnson knows very little about the Sixers (possible given never on TV) or what he knows is off base. Especially his fascination with Lou.
I’m disappointed that Johnson completely overlooked Ratliff’s leadership. And Miller’s too. Both strong messengers, one loud, one by silent example. Variations on deck scurrying.
tk76: this is coming from the #1 Lou Williams hater in ALL the land. Greek’s distaste for Sammy pales in comparism to mine for Lou. That said, Lou Williams is any one’s logical choice for a fix to the club’s problem at guard/pg. he has most of the tools you would want. shows ability to be a good shooter is he can take good shots. athletic enough to defend well like Harris did in Dallas, till he left anyway. To any coach, you cant give up on that. its like a bird in the hand is worth 21 prospects in the draft. work with what you know you got already. Just bcos Lou had one UGLY season does not mean he cannot still become the answer for this team. think Avery was measured in his praise, trying not too annoint him and yet not to discount him for the future plans of the team. good call. IMO
lol JKAY, I truly got a good laugh at that but dude I don’t think that it’s possible for someone to hate a player more then I do Sammy. True story, the other day at work I was daydreaming of a cage match between myself and Sammy!
LW “can be a good player” … he’s making 25 million at present contract terms; imagine what he’ll get if/when Avery develops the 4 yr. veteran into a contributing player. If you buy in to what he said, comment (by implication) damns either ES decision-making and/or NBA salary structure. LW can be gone without Sixers missing a beat.
jjg: agreed. and once his gone you are less one more player. no better! is the sixers’ main problem Salary or Talent?
jkay: Sixers’ main problem? From Comcast’s and Ed Snider’s perspective: salary. From ‘09-’10 head coach’s perspective: talent. From a fan’s perspective: efficacy (are they worth a personal investment of time and money anymore?) In other words, the Show
AND the show. Sixers are in deep doo-doo with present state of
economy combined with recent spate of numbskull GM decisions and a lack of strong coaching leadership. Product is adrift, with no sighting of shoreline; sad state.