One of the two biggest pieces has been put into place, with Kevin Durant donning a Sonics uniform next season. So who will be coaching him? I have heard the Rick Carlisle rumours and to be honest, I'm a fan. But can he run the sort of uptempo style that is going to be implemented to get the best out of Durant? His Detroit and Indiana teams played tough, gritty, patient basketball. Who do you see as coach?
The Sonics need a coach that can teach the young guys. I have mad respect for Rick Carlisle but I don't think he can coach a young team. Dwayne Casey seems to be the best candidate right now.
I forgot all about Dwayne, would love a homecoming for him. As a candidate from left field - Marc Iavaroni?
Dwane would be a good choice, I wouldn't mind Iavaroni either, he's well versed in the fast paced mentality and Durant could thrive under him.
Hiring Iavaroni would be committing to a Phoenix Suns model, which is possible with Rashard but I'd hate to see it.
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">League sources said Tuesday night that Phoenix vice president David Griffin and assistant coach Marc Iavoroni, who are considered the leading candidates for the GM and coaching job in Memphis, will consider the Sonics after the lottery shakeup. The Grizzlies entered the lottery in second place and fell to fourth. "I'm pretty certain that we're going to hire the GM before we do anything else," Wilkens said. "We just want to be thorough. There have been formal talks, very good talks." Having the No. 2 pick takes pressure off Wilkens to find a GM before the draft. The Suns have said they will not release employees under contract until after the draft, while San Antonio assistant GM Sam Presti, believed to be interested in the Seattle job, can't speak with teams until the Spurs are out of the playoffs.</div> http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/spor...388_soni23.html
Don Newman, 2nd assistant for San Antonio is my favorite candidate. He is new, tough, and adaptable. He coached Ray Allen in Milwaukee and has a legitimate presence about him in the locker room. One of the most respected assistant coaches in the NBA. Here is his bio: <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post"> Don Newman College - Idaho Named an assistant coach on June 28, 2004 … brings 20 years of coaching experience to the Spurs staff … spent five seasons as an assistant coach at Washington State (during which time he obtained his master’s in education) … named the head coach at Sacramento State in 1992 … after five full seasons as the Hornets’ head coach joined the basketball staff at Arizona State in May of 1997 … in October of 1997 named the interim head coach … led the Sun Devils to a 18-14 record and a trip to the NIT Tournament … served as an assistant at Oregon during the 1998-99 campaign … made his jump to the NBA in the summer of 1999 being named an assistant with Milwaukee … after four seasons with the Bucks joined the New Jersey Nets in August of 2003 as an assistant coach … played three seasons of basketball at University of Idaho after spending his freshman year at LSU … drafted by two NBA teams: selected by Indiana in the fourth round of the 1979 Draft (as a junior eligible selection) and by Boston in the third round of the 1980 Draft … was the Celtics final cut in 1980 … played three seasons in the CBA (for the Montana Golden Nuggets where George Karl was his head coach) … played seven seasons in the CFL … was also in training camp with both the Seattle Seahawks and the New York Jets … after his playing days were over received his bachelor’s in physical education from Idaho in 1987 … while working on his degree served as both high school basketball and football coach … has two daughters - Chandi and Devan - who are both students at Oregon.</div> Link
I just read since Seattle jumped up to #2, the Suns VP David Griffin would consider the GM spot and Suns assistant coach Marc Iavaroni could possibly land the Seattle coaching seat. Marc probably should've been hired last year, and if not for Toronto's success, Colangelo would've brought him in to replace Mitchell. I honestly don't know if Iavaroni would bring an up-tempo coaching scheme, that's Mike D'Antoni's system which he learned from years coaching in Italy and in international competition... I don't think Marc has that background. So I don't know what to expect in terms of scheme, but while he's been in Phoenix he has done a very good job developing the players' skills; something he'd probably do less of as a Head Coach, but he did do a very good job as an assistant and I hate to see him go, but he does deserve it.
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">The Seattle SuperSonics have called the San Antonio Spurs to make inquiries about assistant coaches P.J. Carlesimo and Don Newman, according to a league source. Carlesimo has been Gregg Popovich’s assistant for the past five seasons, though he has head-coaching experience in Portland and Golden State. He is regarded as a talented coach, though his career always will be tainted by the Latrell Sprewell choking incident. Newman never has been an NBA head coach, though he has had head-coaching stints in college, at Sacramento State and Arizona State, and was an assistant at Washington State and Oregon.</div> Link Make it happen, captain. Don Newman got some shit with him.
I like that we're talking to guys in winning organizations. I'd love to get some Spurs personnel running this team.
Iavaroni off the board... <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- The Memphis Grizzlies, looking for a coach who can help the team work its way up from the bottom of the NBA, have set a "major announcement" for Thursday amid newspaper reports they are hiring Phoenix Suns assistant Marc Iavaroni.</div> <a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2887293" target="_blank"> Source</a>
Looks like the shortlist is Casey, Carlesimo and Carlisle, and can't say I'd be unhappy with any of those. Would love to see Dwane back though.
What direction does Presti go in? If he follows the Spurs model I bet he wants Carlisle who coaches a defense first, fixed offensive approach closer to that of Pop. If that is true though then Presti will start trading. Ridnour, Allen and Durant are not fits for that system. Oden, Lewis and Watson make more sense with Allen and Luke going somewhere else. He may, in contrast, decide to pursue a new scheme and follow the Mavs/Suns uptempo models where Carlisle is not the best choice but Allen, Ridnour and Durant are good fits. If you can turn either Durant or Lewis into a Shaun Marion style power forward (meaning more rebounds) then you can have Wilcox at the five or Swift or whoever fits best chemistry wise. The question is who should coach that team? Maybe he chucks it all and goes his own way... Whatever, it will be a roller coaster ride. I feel like I am slowly clicking up a steep climb ready to crest a hill start roaring off.
Dwayne Casey is the only choice as far as I'm concerned. Carlisle and Carlesimo are fine coaches, but not for a young team.
Looks like Don Newman is completely off of the board now. <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">That leaves little time to determine who the next coach will be unless, of course, Bennett already has made up his mind and the interview process is a formality. Danny More, the agent for San Antonio Spurs assistant coach Don Newman, said that if Bennett does not choose Carlesimo then he considers the Sonics organization in even worse disarray than already has been reported. “If they don’t hire P.J., then why all this talk about San Antonio being a premier organization?” More said. “Why would you hire a 30-year-old kid from the Spurs if he is not going to hire somebody else from the Spurs? That just doesn’t make any sense.” More is unhappy that after Spurs coach Gregg Popovich and general manager R.C. Buford endorsed Carlesimo and Newman as coaching candidates, Newman, a former assistant coach at Washington State, never was included in the interview process. “R.C. Buford endorsed both guys,” More said. “Pop endorsed both guys. Sit them both down, go head-to-head and let the best man win.” More said that if Carlesimo gets the job in Seattle, Newman will not come to the Sonics as his assistant coach.</div> Link Newman's agent is exactly right. If he is being endorsed by Presti's former superiors the least Presti could do is include him in the interview process. Personally I think that he is the best fit but I'm obviously not running this franchise. Scott Brooks has also been placed on the short list of candidates. We are the only team in the league with a vacant head coaching position and despite the fact that Presti has only been in office for a couple of weeks I feel like he is more interested in satisfying Clay than he is putting his own stamp on the franchise. If anyone is wondering why I am so high on Newman this should answer that question. Link
One good thing Sam Presti has done was bring in Detroit's Scott Perry as Assistant GM. Like Don Newman, Perry has a pretty good idea how to assess talent. Link Too bad all of this praise has never led to any sort of consistent minutes or production from the former Sonic. I hope that this coaching search can be finished soon b/c it doesn't make any sense to go into contract negotiations with any free agents with them not having any idea who they are going to play for. I like Dwane Casey and all, but I would like to have a coach that demands respect the moment that he walks into the door. All of the candidates, w/ the exception of the bypassed Newman, do not seem to have that type of presence about them. I will continuously wonder what it would take to bring Chuck Daly out of retirement. Next best choice...Bernie Bickerstaff.
