The Sixers are officially looking for a head coach again. Sigh
Stefanski said in his press conference that they will go over all the notes and information from the previous search and build a list of candidates. Hopefully they will use a different set of criteria and better judgment this time as well.
That tells us one important thing: It’s another full-blown interviewing process.
They aren’t just targeting one or two guys and going hard after them. They are going to explore all options from college coaches to assistants who have never been head coaches to experienced NBA guys.
I expect they will take their time even more than last time because they must get this right! And that’s for more reasons than one.
They still owe Jordan $6M over the next two seasons, and Stefanski needs to get this right to save his job. If this hire doesn’t work out, Stefanski must be fired. We can’t keep putting these players, particularly the young guys, through multiple systems and coaching philosophies.
Let’s get to it.
(Note: Long, more of a resource than a read-all-the-way-through)
Coaching Candidates Interviewed Last Year That are Worth Another Look
Tom Thibodeau – I still think this dude needs to get a shot at a head coaching job. No one can be 100% certain he will be the next great coach or not, but he’s worked under some strong head coaches, players really seem to like him and buy into his defensive approach, and he has the bench experience on playoff teams and a champion. I wouldn’t be upset if the Sixers were the team to give him a shot. You can read more about Tom Thibodeau here.
- Jeff Van Gundy’s endorsement of Thibodeau
- Ass backwards reason why Thibodeau hasn’t gotten a head coaching job yet
Dwane Casey – I dug up a lot of information on Casey last year. Currently he is the Clippers’ top choice. Casey was one of the few candidates to get a second interview with the Sixers last year so I have to imagine they very interested. If they still are, they will need to step on the gas in contacting him and bringing him back before the Clippers lock him up. I found this little tidbit:
Candidates for the Clippers vacant head coaching job include Mavs assistant Dwane Casey, current ESPN analyst Mark Jackson, and possibly ex-Hornets coach Byron Scott.
Baron Davis recently said that he’d be open to a reunion with Scott, who has otherwise expressed “serious hesitations about the prospect of entering Clipper-land.” For now, it still feels like Casey is the front-runner, though Philadelphia is also interested in him. ~ Source
Experienced Head Coaching Candidates
Avery Johnson – I don’t even know if Johnson is a viable candidate for the Sixers. Specifically, he has been very open about not wanting to go through a full-blown interview process. If you want him, you just need to make an offer. If you haven’t already, check out his comments about the Sixers talking on 950 ESPN. I know a lot of people want him, and after the Eddie Jordan debacle, I have come down on my not wanting him. I’d be fine if he was brought in. I’ve heard rumors the Hornets are going to make a run at him. I don’t think we can compete with Chris Paul and the Hornets for Johnson if that is indeed the case.
Word is Johnson’s 1st choice is to coach the Hornets if and when that position officially opens.
Jeff Van Gundy – Jeff was on 950 ESPN during the Sixers’ coaching search last year. The interview sucked overall, but Van Gundy did say he would accept a phone call from Ed if it came. He seems to like Stefanski as a GM (why?) and said they have a good relationship. I like Van Gundy as an option and hope he gets a call.
Byron Scott – I honestly don’t know why Scott got fired by the Hornets after just 9 games. Chris Paul liked him, and he has the experience of leading the Nets to two NBA Finals in a row. He is a good coach. I can only assume it had more to do with philosophical differences than anything else. He didn’t play Darren Collison or Marcus Thornton much in the beginning of the season, and it’s been rumored that management told him to play those rooks. Either way, he certainly is a capable head coach in this league. It is concerning that he’s been fired twice after having some success the previous years. Interesting question is did Stefanski agree with his firing from New Jersey when he worked under Rod Thorn?
Lawrence Frank – Byron Scott’s successor in New Jersey, took the job on an interim level and earned his keep. I think Frank is a good young coach that got a raw deal in Jersey because his team was beat up to start the season, extremely young and simply not ready to win. He will get another chance to be a head coach, and I wouldn’t be surprised if he got a call from Stefanski. Question is, would Stefanski throw himself under more scrutiny by hiring another coach he is familiar with from his Nets days?
Doug Collins – He indirectly (through his agent and those “anonymous sources”) expressed interest in coaching the Sixers. It was rumored that the two jobs he was looking at last year were the Sixers and Bulls. I like Doug. He is an insightful and astute analyst. I think he is a solid coach. But you have to question his coaching results a bit: .539 winning percentage in 8 seasons, 13-23 in the playoffs, never really lasts long in any one place.
Mike Fratello – Solid coach with a .549 winning percentage in 17 seasons. But his lack of playoff success is a big knock on him. Granted his best teams were in the Bird and Jordan era. I think he still wants to coach, as he was rumored to be interested in the Sacramento job last year.
Larry Brown – He is only on the list because of the rumors (that he has strongly refuted). He isn’t available at the moment so talking about him is pointless until that changes.
For those of you that want Larry back, I understand why. He is one of, if not the best, basketball strategist. One of the best in-game maestros you can have. But don’t let that completely blind you to the dark side:
Two sources close to the situation, however, insist that there is naturally more to Jordan’s apparent willingness to let Brown go back to the 76ers than mere benevolence regarding Brown’s family situation.
Brown is famously opinionated/meddlesome on personnel matters and that, sources say, is wearing thin in Charlotte as it has everywhere else. One source says Brown has been making and taking calls on potential trades all season, which is supposed to be the domain of MJ’s long-trusted deputy in the front office Rod Higgins.
“They are just tired of it,” says the source, who cited the example of the trade that sent Flip Murray, Acie Law and a first-round pick to Chicago for Tyrus Thomas as one of the most recent irritations, since Brown is said to have pushed for the deal initially but now frequently laments Murray’s departure because of the impact it had lessening Charlotte’s depth on the wings. ~ Mark Stein
Sam Mitchell – Former head coach of the Toronto Raptors. Lead them to a 156-189 record and two first round playoff exits before being fired early in the 2009 season. He coached them in 5 seasons. Rumored to be on the Sixers big list.
Current Assistants and Up and Comers
Elston Turner – Another assistant I am intrigued by. He was the lead assistant and chief strategist under Ric Adelman for 6 years in Sacramento and now in Houston. Has learned and implemented Adelman’s read-and-react offense. Dude was a sick defender as a player I hear as well. Played with MJ for two years in Chicago. He interviewed for the Suns’ position before it was eventually given to Terry Porter.
Mike Budenholzer – Lead assistant under Greg Popovich. Do I need to say anymore? His name has been circulated around for a while for head coaching positions, and it’s only a matter of time before he lands somewhere. If Pop is high on him, I will take his word that this guy knows his stuff and can be a strong head coach in the NBA.
Phil Johnson – Utah’s lead assistant and Jerry Sloan’s right-hand man for a very long time. He actually has 9 years head coaching experience with a .435 winning percentage. He hasn’t been a head coach since 1987. He won coach-of-the-year in the 74-75 season and has been named NBA’s top assistant coach three times. Does he want to be a head coach again? If so, could he be lured away from Utah?
Tyrone Corbin – Everyone probably knows him from his 15 years playing the game. But he is in his 5th season as the 2nd assistant on Jerry Sloan’s bench. He has been interviewing for head coaching positions (Suns, Bulls and Thunder) but has yet to get a bigger gig. He has been praised for his development of front court players (Boozer, Okur and Millsap) in Utah. Word is he hasn’t gotten a head coaching position because he is only a 2nd assistant and not a lead assistant (the guy directly above). He turned down a lead assistant job with the Pistons two off-seasons ago. He’s been endorsed by Doug Collins and Reggie Miller as an up-and-coming coaching star.
Mark Jackson – I didn’t feel like creating a category just for Jackson so he goes here with the guys who are looking to become head coaches. I guess it’s worth a call, see what he has to say. Jackson wouldn’t be my choice at all, but the idea is that he could translate his playing experience and analyst career into being a solid head coach. Jackson needs to get on the bench as an assistant first if he really wants to be a head coach some day.
Monty Williams – Ex-Sixers and current Portland assistant coach that is rumored to be interviewed by the Sixers.
College Coach
Jay Wright – He was interviewed last year and opted out. I am sure Stefanski will do his “due diligence” and give Wright another call, and he will opt out again. He has no reason to leave Nova right now.
If there is a guy I didn’t mention you want me to add above and to the survey let me know in the comments.
I will be updating this post with the most recent developments. How we’ve interviewed, eliminated and who has opted out.
Pick Your Sixers Head Coach
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I voted for Dwane(no y) Casey. Not because he is my first choice but I think he is the best fit for the team.
My choices in order:
Tom Thibodeau
Jeff Van Gundy
Dwane Casey
Bryon Scott
Elston Turner
Mike Budenholzer.
I don’t think Thibodeau will leave the Celtics, especially if Rivers does indeed retire. Thibodeau is the likely replacement.
I can’t see Van Gundy coming here, I don’t know why, I just don’t. I think he probably would want a roster in a better situation than the poorly constructed Sixers are in.
Dwane Casey would be fantastic here. I think he got a raw deal in Minnesota but I think he will take the money and the Clippers job. I don’t blame him. They have a better roster and more money. And it’s L.A.
I could see Scott being the next coach but again, the possibility of E.S hiring another one of his former coaches might scare off too many people to the point that E.S might not want to pull the trigger.
Ultimately I think we might land Elston Turner and honestly, I would be good with that.
I want no part of Larry Brown, or Avery Johnson, and for that matter Jay Wright. Let him stay at Nova, he is good for them.
I don’t fully understand why people are so scared of Larry Brown. Aside from the Knicks episode, he’s been a great coach with many successful rebuilding projects and his teams always seem to win.
Did anyone else watching the flyers game last night see Ed Snyder celebrating with his family after they won? It really pissed me off. Most owners (or chairman’s) don’t have the luxury of completely fucking up one organization and turning around and celebrating the playoffs for their other organization (which isn’t quite as fucked as the sixers, but isn’t too far behind). That team too played below expectations.
And how the hell can you let players show up late for meetings and practices and not fine them? When i read that Dalembert was perpetually late and not being reprimanded for it, i was even more confused about what took them so long to fire this guy. People don’t want larry brown around, but i want some damn discipline. Eddie Jordan was the worst candidate for this job. And he should have been fired mid-season, cept they over paid him. The players had no respect for him from day 1.
There is no chance the sixers hire the right guy. Let’s be real.
Who wants to deal with the mess that is the sixers right now?
If i owned the sixers, i’d be looking down the barrel of a shotgun right now, because they’ve screwed the pooch on every single personel decision since Croce left town. I wouldn’t be seen in public, let alone the same building, rooting for my ‘other’ team.
David Thorpe once mentioned Dave Joerger as an assistant-deseriving-of-a-head-coaching-job. A quick internte review of his resume explains why: an historically successful coach in the D-leagues; several championships and coach-of-the-year awards in the D, the IBA, and CBA; a winning coaching average in the minors; etc. Occasionally wrote of True Hoops and seems well-bred for spotting, mentoring, and developing young talent. Seems to me like a successful, hungry, up-and-comer.
I hadn’t even thought of hiring a D-League type of coach, but that might actually be a really good idea, considering that we basically have a D-League squad, with a ton of young players. I’m going to have to look into that Dave Joerger guy some more.
I’ve heard a lot of interviews and rumors mentioning that Jeff Van Gundy will likely wind up in New Jersey, who will have a very bright future. I think Dwayne Casey didn’t deserve to be fired, but let’s be honest, this is a guy that didn’t exactly light the world on fire with his stint in Minnesota, and is still very unproven. It could be his time to shine given his extensive assistant coaching experience + one and a half years of head coaching…but too many question marks for me.
The 3 important things we need in our next coach:
1. Discipline, can crack the whip, hold people accountable
2. Someone that can teach the game to younger players
3. Someone that effectively communicates with players, aka: makes sure everyone knows their role, their job, keeps things in house, get everyone on the same damn page, open and direct in confronting players with problems arise.
To me this leaves the following options, I will be happy if we land any of these four. They are listed in my order of preference:
-Avery Johnson
-Jeff Van Gundy
-Lawrence Frank
-Byron Scott
…with Avery, I think people are underestimating how much he has learned in his time off from coaching; coaches need time to improve as much as players, and after the entire NBA world slammed him for his overcontrolling style, I’m sure Avery has done more then his share of evaluating his own performance in his three years with Dallas, and learning what he needs to improve on for the next go around.
My #1 choice to coach if he was still around: Hubie Brown. A true teacher, incredible communicator, very creative, and willing to change his system to fit the current crop of players and talent level, as opposed to an Obie or EJ forcing their style on someone regardless.
I voted for E.Turner; Adelman has adapted to different rosters and won and Turner WAS a great defender and knows what it takes. Hobbes, Joerger is interesting, didn!t P.Jackson come from the D league? Can E.S. take that risk though?
Phil Jackson, George Karl, Flip Saunders, Eric Musselman…all those guys spent time as D-leaguers, apparently. I would imagine that quite a few of the better assistants around the league also spent time as head coaches in developmental leagues, and Joerger is now an assistant with Memphis, which notched an additional 16 wins this season since bringing him in (not saying one caused the other, just pointing it out).
Hold up I think you guys are reaching. The D League (formerly the NBDL) started in 2001. So some of these well tenured coaches were head coaches in the NBA long before the D League even existed.
You are confusing the NBDL with the CBA.
For example … Phil Jackson got his coaching start in the CBA and some Puerto Rican professional league before getting the assistant coaching job with the Bulls in 1987.
No one is afraid of Brown, just want to move forward. My honest opinion is that we should have stuck it out with Cheeks. Look at Atlanta, they hung in the with Woodson, and they continued to improve, add a few players and now they’re a third seed, and as Boston ages, Lebron leaves Cleveland they’re in a good position to be a contender next year. are we still paying Doug Moe?
Simple question.
Why is Stefanski being allowed to pick a new coach?
Dave T: it took you a long season of painful, woeful performances and the firing of Eddie Joran to finally get re-interested in the Sixers eh?
I’m with Tony. I dont get why management hasnt fired Ed yet. If he’s job is not secure and he”s soon outta the door, why let him pick the next head coach. Obviously they dont view it as a very important decision as they have left him to make it. Clearly the head coach of a young, aspiring and undisciplined team is no big deal.
‘manager, teacher, motivator’ – wasnt that the same stuff (only paraphrased) he said earlier before hiring EJ? dont get it at all.
Guess this may mean his job is actually secure.
Tony - I wish I knew.
Although Mark Stein did report this:
Jake - Larry Brown the coach is great. It’s Larry Brown the GM/personnel guy that causes people concern. He needs to have a strong GM to keep him in check and make sure he knows the hierarchy of decision-making. You can’t have the coach taking and making GM calls the GM should be dealing with willy nilly on his own without first consulting with management. That is why people are “afraid” of Brown. They are afraid he would come in and do three things:
When a team’s 4 highest paid players are obdurate, look-at-me actors or subversive, no-clue malcontents then Operation Recovery must include excise of the GM who secured 3 of them with proud injudiciousness (including binding, bloated, hamstringing contracts).
Egos shrink (or are shrunken) to fit through a locker room door on healthy, progressive teams – or they’re given a new address. Stefanski’s biggest fault this past season was inaction in the face of observable mutiny.
Brand, Iguodala, Dalembert, Williams – big names & head games & losing approaches. Their clowning - some of it straightfaced, some of it blatant - did Jordan no favors. Sixers turnabout will coincide with their eventual Philadelphia displacement.
K.C. Jones is only 78. Can be found doing color commentary for Hartford Univ.
Al Attles is only 74. Can be found at every Warriors home game.
Both played hellacious defense. Both coached NBA champions.
Fight ageism. Let’s bring this pair back to the limelight of the Sixers bench! They’ll keep young Larry Brown in line.
The way I see it, there is approximately 20 valid coaching candidates for the vacancy, of those 20 candidates 1, maybe 2, can come in here and successfully turn things around, the others will flop. So who do I want making the decision on our next head coach? Well that’s a tough decision, but what isn’t a tough decision is who I don’t want making the call, and that’s Ed Stefanski. No way, do I want this guy making the call. Now, I know Ed’s a smart guy and all, however, his track record as a decision maker has convinced me that he isn’t the correct person to make this hire. When I analyze his track record it’s truly abysmal, with the exception of the draft – which is really DiLeo’s and Witte’s bailiwick – nothing has worked out, everything has gone south.
So, in the spirit of first thing first, (GM before Coach), let me offer 3 candidates for our next GM; because I, certainly, don’t believe Stefanski’s future with the team is a foregone conclusion. First Tom Penn, former VP of Basketball Operations for the Blazers – he’s a lawyer who has a reputation for being one of the brightest young minds in the league, was offered the T-wolves GM job but declined it, and received a promotion to stay in Portland. Penn is acknowledged as a true salary cap guru. Second, Kevin Pritchard - the guy who converted the Jail Blazers into the Trail Blazers, the most dynamic up and coming team in the league. We may be the benefactor of some good luck here. It appears that there has been a falling out between these two and Paul Allen. Penn was terminated by Allen a few weeks ago, which upset Pritchard, who subsequently let his feelings on the firing be known to the press. Now, according to rumors, Allen didn’t take kindly to his remarks, and it appears that Pritchard will either quit, or be fired, after the playoffs. If this comes to fruition, we may be in position to land one or both of them. Either one would be a great hire, both would be outstanding.
Third, the other day I read a quote from Larry Brown saying that Charlotte will be his last coaching stop. I believe him, so if he comes back to Philly it will be as President and GM and possibly part owner, not as the head coach. Now, I could be wrong, but I think he wants to be with his family very badly, and after all these years of being on the road so much, I can see where the GM job is appealing to him. Nobody knows the league any better than Larry. He’s a basketball genius, a hall of famer, his track record speaks for itself.
In closing just let me say that I feel much more comfortable having any of the names I mentioned above guide our future, as oppose to Ed Stefanski. In my opinion he had a fair shot and couldn’t get it done, now it’s time for both parties to move on.
Larry Brown? Absolutely not. I think you might be merging his track record as a coach with his track record in making personnel decisions.
Specifically, I question whether he can build a successful franchise with longevity and not just one hit wonder type teams (i.e. 2001 Sixers). And when the going gets tough will he just quit? Also, I think you underestimate how much travel NBA GMs actually do.
Tom Penn, yeah. Kevin Pritchard leaving I think is a bit premature.
A lot of that story in Portland actually has to do with Paul Allen’s advisors/sports management team, not Paul Allen himself. The rumor was that these “advisors/sports management team” he has around him didn’t like Tom Penn after an alledged phantom offer to become Minnesota’s GM that he used to get a raise and promotion with the Trailblazers. They also blame him (and Penn) for Greg Oden (essentially hindsight judgment passing based on something no one could ever foresee). These people may want more control and are trying to force Pritchard and crew out. The first phase of their plan was getting Penn fired. Not sure if they actually intend to fire Pritchard though. That would be ridiculously stupid.
Now, Pritchard may very well want to leave, but he has always had a strong relationship with Paul Allen and pretty much complete autonomy do run the team as he sees fit. And he’s done a hell of a job and I think Allen knows that, but clearly could be jaded by some bad apples in his Vulcan sports management company.
Dannie, I understand your trepidation about Larry, your concerns are held by many, as Mark Stein’s comment suggest. However, I believe Larry the GM will have a different perspective than Larry the coach. As a coach his perspective is short term, win now, worry about tomorrow later. As a GM his concerns are both short and long term. So I don’t expect that he’ll be too quick to pull the trigger on a trade that gives away young talent unless he feels he’s bringing more talent back over the long haul. It’s this belief that gives me confidence that he’ll do a good job. I believe Larry Brown is great evaluator of talent, and he’ll know who to trade, who to keep, and who to trade for. I know when he was here he traded away several late first round picks which didn’t thrill me or anyone else. But when you stop and think about it, how else was he going to improve the team, he had AI and a bunch a journeymen with no trade value, his options were limited. And in regards to him quitting, I don’t think he’ll quit as long as he’s successful and has his health, but, if he does quit, then he quits, we’ll just hire someone else like we’ve done before, it’s better than firing him and paying his salary year after year, like we usually do. In the end, regardless of what we think, if Snider and Luukko decide Larry’s the guy then Larry will be our GM. All I’m saying is I’m OK with it, in fact, I’m more than OK with it.
“A lot of that story in Portland actually has to do with Paul Allen’s advisors, not Paul Allen himself.”, – Dannie
Yea I’ve heard that too. Some management team located in Seattle I believe he calls it Vulcan (how weird is that?), or something like that. Anyway, there’s no way I believe Paul Allen is not totally involved in this whole mess, When it comes to his teams and his money, he micro manages everything. I believe the moral of this story is you don’t cross Paul Allen and live to talk about it.
Oh my god please shoot me if another person mentions even the POSSIBILITY of Larry Brown having ANYTHING to do with our GM position. The guy is a terrible evaluator of talent for the long term chemistry of a team. Period. He makes more knee jerk decisions then anyone else in the league, usually catering to defensive needs and dissatisfactions for the moment, only to turn around and go, “Oh wait a minute…maybe building a team of 5 George Lynch’s DOES need more offense!” and trading for offensive castaways from other teams that are overrated or don’t fit.
I swear I will cut ties with my Sixers fan dome if LB comes back in a GM or assistant GM decision. Jesus christ please let’s not have that happen. Now I wouldn’t mind having him on board in SOME sort of advisory position…as a guy to give feedback, advice, tips, a guy to bounce things off of…but not in any way to be THE guy with clout to make true, lasting decisions.
JKay – Yeah I tried my best to keep watching and posting on Recliner with the Sixers, but I just gave up the last 20 games of the season. I still watched every other game maybe, just to see how Jrue and Sweet Lou were doing, if Brand showed glimpses of being a basketball player every now and then, and of course the total masochism of the love-hate relationship I have with Iguodala (who makes me want to punch more holes in the wall then most players in the L)….but there’s only so much you can post about harping on the same crappy team haha.
Good to be back though, and I am really looking forward to draft discussions, which should be interesting. Cole Aldrich is my pick…not a guy that will ever blow anyone away, but starting quality centers are hard to find in the NBA, and I think the timing works out perfectly with Whiney Dalembert coming off the books in 10-11, gives us a starting caliber replacement who I see as able to get us an 11 pts, 9-10 rbd, 2 blks a game type of center…that unlike Sammy, has consistency, has been well coached, has college experience, and brings a positive attitude to the table.
Although if something nutty happened and Demarcus Cousins slips, or we wind up with the 3rd pick, I’m all about rolling the dice for the man with the questionable attitude from Kentucky that also happens to have probably the most legitimate back to the basket footwork for a 19 year old freshman in probably 7-8 years.
If anyone keeps up with Ryan Russilo’s NBA-today podcast on ESPN…I think it was amusing that the Sixers were a total punching bag and laughingstock to him. He’s given some great, simple, to the point breakdowns of how and why we are such a dysfunctional team, and while he wouldn’t mention us often, he would certainly take his digs when he could. Granted, at least we’re not the Warriors or Knicks, but it kinda shows where your team is at when you are in the top 5 teams that national coverage ridicules.
As an idea, Larry Brown back to Sixers is like Fregosi back to Phils, Ryan back to Eagles or Keenan back to Flyers. History should be preserved, not served as fit currency on the condition of desperation.
LB is the wrong throwback. Just hire Jimmy Lynam and be done with it!
This wayward team needs somebody who has zero interest in befriending players, who believes in rubbing talent the wrong way until results are achieved. While it’s widely accepted that old school coaching methods don’t work with the “evolved” mentalities of this new era, with strong backing of both ownership and the front office, I think it’s the 76ers ticket out of the woods. I, therefore, nominate the ever-grousing Robert Knight of Army, Indiana & Texas Tech as the best next-coach candidate. Open the Comcast treasury until he’s convinced he could win another title in Philadelphia. Then sit back and be royally entertained during games and Post-Game Live.
How bout Rick Pitino or John Calipari ??? Drive the Brinks Truck down to Kentucky and take one of these fellas home with ya!
Pitino or Calipari? Boston, NY & NJ advises against them.
Aside from carrying depth and flexibility in tactics and instruction, so much depends on one’s emotional IQ/social intelligence and leadership ability, particularly so when directing a young squad that’s infested with veteran prima donnas (Sixers).
There’s a lot of feverish, all-night-napkin-scribbling hoopheads but very few outstanding and durable NBA head coaches. Enthusiasm and willingness is great but it takes a special man to lead players in the wilderness (Sixers) to a sustained level of success. That individual may be out there but it’s not obvious to me given the names being bandied about. Of the lot, I still like Avery Johnson as drill sargeant & commander-in-chief as he appears to walk with no-nonsense cogency.
In-house favorite: Chris Ford.
I wonder if Turner isn!t getting an interview because of the read-n-react offense. These players can!t survive in any structured system?
Who said he wasn’t getting an interview? I haven’t heard his name tossed around much but that doesn’t mean he won’t get an interview. And considering there are a lot more experienced coaches available I think teams are looking to snap up those guys before going to the perceived 2nd tier guys who are top assistants.
As long as they bring in a coach with a defensive track record and a more disciplinarian type style I am cool.
Doug Collins seems “intigued” by the idea of coaching the Sixers.
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=5157587
Rob - Do you read the posts? You often post things that have been addressed already.
Per Tom Moore:
Sixers confirmed Stefanski met with Avery Johnson on Monday in Houston.
“We had an informative meeting and open dialogue with Avery today regarding our head coaching position,” Stefanski said in a release. “His reputation as a motivator and accomplishments as a head coach in the NBA are well-known and I certainly want to thank him for taking the time to meet with us.”
——————-
My take:
Ed Stefanski interview of Avery Johnson in the world of no B.S.:
ES: Hi Avery, thanks for flying in. We realize you have no interest in our coaching job, but this way I can at least tell people we are putting in due diligence and going after the big names.
AJ: No problem. Now I can tell the Hornets that they are in a bidding war… How much should I tell them the Sixers are offering for my services?
ES: Well we were going to offer you 2M per year and all you can eat fries and dogs and an autograph session with the Dance team…. but why don’t you tell them 7M per, that way we both look good.
AJ: Sounds like a plan… so how long do we have to talk in order to convince people this was not a sham?
ES: I’m sure this has been enough- its the Sixers, not like the owners or fans are paying much attention anyway. BTW, do you want to catch the Flyers game? Because otherwise I don’t think you will get to see Mr. Snider.
AJ: No thanks. I have to get back to New Orleans to meet with my real estate agent. But thanks for having me out and best of luck finding a coach.
Tk: Haha nice call man, your little one act was an enjoyable read.
Charles on TNT: “It’s gonna take a long longer than 5 hours to convince Doug Collins to take that [the Sixers] job.”
I will just stunned if we get any big name coach to come here. Unfortunately, I think we are going to have to resort to a well groomed assistant that will get his first head coaching stint with us. No legit vet in their right mind will come to us. Although one name I have yet to see linked with us is Lawrence Frank, which mystifies me a bit.
Even though none are my top choices, I have a feeling our coaching candidates will come down to three choices:
-Tom Thibedoix
-Dwayne Casey
-Mike Budenholzer
How in the world does us not being connected to Lawrence Frank mystify you a bit? He didn’t play basketball.. and he can’t coach basketball. He couldn’t win with Vincer Carter, Jason Kidd and Richard Jefferson what makes you think heel be able to win with us? Also what is it about Dwayne Casey that is attractive to teams… I just dont know. In a perfect world Avery johnson is by far my number one choice but its obvious he doesnt wanna come here.
Chuck: If you look over those Jersey teams carefully, season by season, usually one of their “big 3″ was injured for at least a quarter of the season, then one would get healthy and another would go down. Let’s not forget their frontcourt has been god awful since losing Kenyon Martin, and that we are talking about Vince Carter here, not exactly a a clutch playoff performer.
More to the point though…umm…can’t coach? Have you heard the guy talk? He’s one of the best minds in the game right now, given his age. Dude is to the point, matter of fact, knows his X’s and O’s, great at relating to his players, and will stand up to anyone and hold them accountable. You have a big 3 of an aging PG that was getting injured every year, a heartless “star”, and an overrated small forward who only excels in a running game…with no frontcourt? He did a nice job in Jersey.
I think he’s a winner that needs a chance to shine. Can’t speak enough about the guy and his bball intelligence, and ability to deal with egos on a team.
…for what it’s worth, literally EVERY single player, coach, GM and front office personnel person I have EVER heard speak about Frank, not only has positive things to say, but simply glow about the guy. He’s widely respected around the League.
Dannie, his name wasn!t mentioned in the Daily News article and he should be brought in soon , his team is not in the playoffs, before the playoffs are over. Casey not being interviewed I understand, they know what he brings after 2 interviews last year. I hope I am wrong.
Alright well you can go for the hire of another Nets coach who in my opinion if anything is a pushover who didn’t get any respect from VC which is exactly what we dont need.
Here are my rankings of candidates ( I love Van Gundy but he is already out)
1. Avery Johnson- I am normally against the hiring of a coach who has been recently fired from another team but this dude is not your typical “retread”. He comes off as a fiery coach who demands the most out of his players. I particularly like him for defense first approach and I just think he is a name that would bring at least some energy back to the sixers which is DESPERATELY needed. I mean cmon guys lets be real… the guy took the Mavs with Dirk to the finals and would have won had the officiating not been so laughably awful….. look what has happened to the Mavs in the postseason since.
2. Mike Budenholzer – Like I said I am not big on hiring former coaches and when it comes to assistants this guy would be my number one choice.
3. Elston Turner- I was actually going to put him as my number 2 option because I love Rick Adleman as a coach and I have seen this man interviewed and have always been impressed. However with that being said it is more of a read and react type offense (sound familiar?) I am pretty sure the players and organization dont want to go through that philosophy again.
4. Byron Scott- I really feel like he got a raw deal in New Orleans and I think he could do a good job here given his experience and impressive track record. I think the players would instantly respect him and he wouldn’t put up with the B.S. eddie jordan allowed -aka he would discipline the players.
Intriguing but not sure- Mark Jackson- I really like this guy and believe he could become a very good NBA coach one day. However the lack of experience has me a bit nervous and im not sure thats the type of guy we need right now. However I love his personality and I think he could be very effective at relating to the players… he was also a decent pg hehe
Doug Collins- I like Doug in general especially as a tv guy and I think he has a pretty impressive track record and would instantly make this team better. However he defined the term “retread” and I am just not big on that.
Guys I don’t want/like
Larry Brown
Larry Brown
Larry Brown
Larry Brown…. and….
Lawrence Frank
Philadelphia Daily News, Bob Cooney, 5/4/10: According to a source, Stefanski & DiLeo met with Collins in Scottsdale, AZ and then flew to LA to talk with point guard Jrue Holiday and his family before heading to Houston for a meeting with Johnson.
———————————————
What was the LA junket about? Stefanski needs to go – yesterday. Thinks he’s got a chip in Jrue to bail him out of his 2 1/2 year Blundership; is overplaying that piece, miscalculating again. The kid asserted himself with flawed flair in a half season of what was essentially garbage ball (how many teams got themselves ‘up’ to play the Sixers?). And now he’s the designated One [just like Iguodala and then Brand 2 years before], and to be answered to or coddled like a college recruit? Did they get the Holidays’ opinion on the search so far or their permission to continue? Is it any wonder why players show and underperform with hugely distorted egos? What a joke the Sixers’ organization has become. Why do Stefanski and DiLeo [20 year
soldier, but see results] remain empowered at a time when 76ers are at a precipice on their account (bleeding fans by the minute), and genuine culture change is the most pressing need? It’s truly baffling.
Our friend Comcast must not care.
So I take it you will not be happy to learn that Jrue will be representing the Sixers at the Lottery on May 18th?
I do not think anyone has tried to pass Jrue of as some soret of franchise player or savior. Just a promising young PG (one of many in the NBA) who is just about the only clear positive this team has going right now. Heck, Jason Smith was in some ways the “face of the Sixers” last summer with all of his PR visits.
Are you kidding me? Too much too soon, tk76. Jrue Holiday, the designated smiley face emoticon of the Sixers. Yet watch him run an offense and weep 1 of 4 possessions. And that 40% 3 shooting isn’t likely last. Also, his weakside defense often lives up to its name. But he is a wonder, they tell me with their fingers crossed. Obviously loves being a preordained “star.”
You’re right about Smith. He may not have gone home last summer. The Kodak Kid.
Chuck: I’m not saying Lawrence Frank is my first choice. I’m just saying I feel he should be in the top 5 names teams develop when brainstorming their coaching candidates. He flat out knows the game, and believes in communicating to his team what each player’s role is. I’d say we’ve been a bit lacking in that department the past half decade.
I have been a staunch advocate of Avery Johnson as the right hire for our team since he was fired by Dallas, and before we mistakenly went for EJ. He’s a tough, no nonsense guy that will not hesitate to discipline players. He takes a my way or the highway approach, and our team is starved for that because he would be the first semblance of leadership and cajones our team has seen since Larry Brown was here.
I like what you said about Mark Jackson…dude’s got NBA head coach DNA all over him, but just as I feel Vinny Del Negro was a ridiculous hire for Chicago, I feel anyone with NO COACHING EXPERIENCE would be a giant mistake. Mark seems to want the best of both worlds…sit comfortably as a media presence without putting the due time in to earn the head coaching spot. If he was the lead assistant for two years next to a vet coach, he’d probably be an automatic as a top 3 head coaching candidate. You couldn’t ask for a more mentally tough leader that would hold people accountable, he seems very honest and forthright in his opinions of what needs to be done to win, and I think it’s likely that his selfless approach to the PG position would result in his team’s learning to make the extra pass.
I’m really pumped for the Draft Lottery coming up on May 18th…let’s all cross our fingers and hope the ping pong balls fall our way into getting a top 3 pick.
Yeah Dave T…. it looks like you and me are on the same exact page… Avery Johnson is in a tier all by himself as my number one guy for the job. You are exactly right he is a no nonsense guy and that is exactly what we need…. I see no downside in hiring him. HOWEVER I dont think hes interested in us.
HANDICAPPING ”THE WEAKNESS STAKES”
Racetrack – Wachovia Center Main Corridor
Length: interminable
Condition: dry
Organizational Weather Condition: stormy
Jockeys: Ed Snider, Peter Lukko, Ed Stefanski, Tony Dileo, Courtney Witte, Gene Shue, Jimmy Lynam, John Nash, Chris Ford, Randy Ayers, Ghost Of Mo Cheeks, Mike O’Koren, Aaron McKie, Sonny Hill
Prize: Sam Dalembert, Hip-Hop & “Guys Night Out”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Field:
Mark Jackson – scratched
Jeff Van Gundy – scratched
Monty Williams: 5,000,000-1
Bill Laimbeer: 3,000,000-1
Dwane Casey: 1,000,000-1
Sam Mitchell: 500,000-1
Avery Johnson: 400,000-1
Doug Collins: 200,000-1
Vinny Del Negro: 150,000-1
Byron Scott: 100,000-1
Lawrence Frank: 75,000-1
Tom Thibodeau: 50,000-1
Mike Budenholzer: 30,000-1
Mike Dunleavy: 25,000-1
Larry Brown: 2-1
JVG Thibodeau endorsement:
http://www.nj.com/nets/index.ssf/2010/05/jeff_van_gundy_wont_talk_about.html
JJG - Who would be your choice for the Sixers head coach. Or rank your top 3-5 guys.
Part of me would like to have an experienced guy come in here like Johnson, Van Gundy, Scott or Collins. But, I wonder if this roster is ready for that level of coach and if it’s not I only see them being fired if not immediately successful.
Whereas a guy like Thibodeau would probably have lower expectations as a first time head coach and could be held onto long enough for the ship to be righted (i.e. roster to be corrected) and could become the next top head coach.
I think you should match the coach with the direction you are going with the roster.
Dannie: Like you, I like Thibodeau, especially after reading JVG’s comments. TT’s level of intensity is a plus in my book; a sense of urgency, increased focus and teamwork is very much needed in team’s play. His strong defensive reputation and positive comments about working well with young bigs add appeal. History with winning Celtics recommends. A debit on his resume is his John Lucas partnership (but everybody starts somewhere). Regarding intensity: it’s absolutely essential in a purposeful leader (especially with a team like Sixers that tends to go in 7 directions).
Budenholzer I know zilch about, but his name bears interest as a long- time Popovich associate.
Of the “big names” Avery Johnson would be my aim. But something tells me that he & Stefanski are oil & water. From what I glean, Johnson doesn’t have much interest; apparently wants hometown NO. Crackles; would drive players hard, would rid team of frauds (to the extent that it’s possible).
Collins – liked him with youthful energy (Bulls days), like him as a commentator; would probably fuel some improvement but he wouldn’t be my choice at this time. Sixers are in need of new eyes, new thrust, non-family member.
I don’t have a good read on Scott but he’s got some winning in his blood.
JVG isn’t interested but, like his bro, he can coach it up.
Agree that roster intentions of organization (of which we’re in the dark)
are a key factor in pending selection.
Right now, I believe the 76ers need an abrasive rather a finisher. Long way to go; a lot of rehabbing work to do.
But I suspect the powers that be see/’hope for’ a quick about-face via a few changes. Thus Larry Brown lurks as a strong consideration – my speculation.