Indiana is not bringing him back; Portland needs new blood. I guess he was lead assistant there; although not entirely loyal to his head coach, said he wouldn't take much of OBrien's coaching with him if he became a head coach. Also he went with a different game plan when OBrien was oiut for a game (and won handily). http://blogs.indystar.com/pacersinsider/archives/2010/06/conner_to_retur.html
Is Lester Conner the right choice for an assistant? Hellifiknow. This no knock on you, but this thread just sort of reminded me of something I've been thinking for awhile. Portland desperately needs another sports team (baseball probably?). Doesn't it seem like we need something else to talk about during the basketball off-season besides who should be the third assistant coach, who our second round draft pick will be, and whether or not Blaze should be replaced with a different mascot?
Well, yeh we do need another sports team but I doubt if we are gonna get one, so are there any Beaver fans out there who can give some feedback on Conner?
I'm a Beavers fan and I have no recollection of the guy, but just reading over that story and about how he threw Jim O'Brien under the bus, is that really what this team needs out of an assistant? He sounds like a head case.
Gary Payton! (I'm only half being facetious: I noticed last summer that he was the one getting Terrence Williams ready for the draft. But do he and Nate get on?)
Maybe. He was hanging around the PF last October when training camp was going on ... does that mean they "get along?"
Mods - can you create a Asst. Coach type thread and combine all the threads on this topic? I want to see Dwane Casey, Terry Porter, or Byron Scott get our top Asst. Coach job.
As a player, he was kind of a poor man's Gary Payton. Very solid, worked hard, played smart, took pride in hustling on defense. Can he coach? Beats me. I don't know if he is a headcase, but having an assistant who was willing to stand up to Nate and offer a different POV (instead of an amen chorus) might be useful.
