I'm pretty much on board with the idea that a D'Antoni team isn't likely to win a championship. But let's face it, barring some serious miracles we're a few years away from worrying about that. What we need to do is add a lot of talent to this team, and I think D'Antoni is the best coach to do that. Wait, what? NBA coaches don't make guys more talented. They mostly just exploit existing talent. That's true. Except a coach with an offense-only system tends to create high scoring players. After all, if the goal is to score 110 points ever night, somebody has to score those points. His system creates a lot of guys with high scoring averages. Of course, these guys aren't truly more talented, but they are perceived as being more talented. People will say, "Yeah, well that guy averages 20ppg in a D'Antoni system," but the fact is that it's still 20ppg, and that guy is perceived as more valuable than a similar talent garnering 14ppg somewhere else. So what better place for D'Antoni than a team that's hit rock bottom? Bring him in for a season or two, watch Aldridge average 26 ppg while several others run up high teen ppg, and then fire him in a few years when we inevitably fail in the playoffs. But when you fire him, also immediately trade some of those other guys who have inflated stats before they fall to earth. People talk about coaches and players in the long term, as though we'll have the same core in 4 years as we do now. Who is on our current roster that was here 4 years ago? Aldridge, Batum.....and that's about it. Most coaches are done in 3 years or less. Assuming we don't land Deron Williams or some other major coups that immediately put us in the upper echelon of NBA teams, let's add D'Antoni, win a lot of regular season games while running up ridiculous scores, and then trade the over-valued guys a year or two from now, get a real championship-worthy coach, and contend.
I'm totally on board with this. My #1 priority is that I enjoy watching the games. Now, granted a lot of people didn't enjoy watching D'Antoni's Knicks when Carmelo was playing, but Carmelo was a ball-stopper. I have a feeling Aldridge wouldn't like having all the throw-it-in-to-Lamarcus-wait-for-it-to-come-back-out-then-throw-it-in-again being phased out, but I certainly would. If he can play more like Amare did in the SSOL Suns, we'd all be happier. If not, trade him for James Harden or something like that.
I'm not a D'Antoni fan, but it might make for an interesting brand of ball. But overall, I'd rather have a coach who might do something better with the team.
D'Antoni would be great. We've got a good big man in Alridge and a few good three point shooters (Babbitt, Batum, Matthews). Add a point guard (Dragich) and a few more pieces and I think D'Antoni would work out well. If the criteria for a new coach is someone who has "won something" then name a coach that has "won something" that is available? In the last 25 years or so there have only been I think 8 championship coaches and I don't see any of those guys coming here. At least one of them has passed away. Carlisle maybe? Phil Jackson?
Do you see a likely avenue where a Greg Popovich or Phil Jackson could coach next year's team to a championship? If so, please make that point. My point is that we aren't going to win anyway, so we might as well get the coach who maximizes the trade potential of whatever roster we have next year. We're not in position to contend. We're not even in position to trade up to become a contender. We're at rock bottom. So let's get a coach that reflects that.
Everyone is so obsessed with winning a championship, but how many teams have won in the last 30 years? 7? Chances are, none of us will see the Blazers win a title in our lifetime, and the refs seem to like to screw us in the playoffs anyway. But I'm content with seeing entertainment, that's what pro sports is all about.
I would not mind D'Antoni. But I am not sure the idea of getting him in for a few years before transitioning to a "better" coach would work. If you go for D'Antoni you need to surround him with his type of players. More than likely we would have to make a lot of changes in personnel when you get rid of him. His type of players probably would not work if you change styles later on.
4 out of the 30 coaches in the NBA have coached with their current teams for more than five years (and one of them is about to get run out this summer-- SVG). Every coach in the NBA is a rental.
yeah, hire the guy who shit the bed in New York with two Olympians on his roster and his job saved for an extra three weeks by a D-league player on an insane roll. Why not hire Mike Woodson or Alvin Gentry? I'm not sure there is a coach who has done less in the playoffs with the talent he had than D'Antoni. Oh, but he runs a fast break. That worked out great this year for the Blazers early on, eh?
I want a coach who can go fast or slow depending upon the situation. He should be known for all-around versatility, not purely slowdown (McMillan) or fast break (D'Antoni). That's right. I want a situational moral relativist.
Monty "last in the NBA in Pace" Williams will be available as soon as Benson takes over the Hornets. Talk about a dud coach.
I wish we could get George Karl. That guy has won everywhere he's gone. Seattle, Milwaukee and Denver.
