<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">He insists he hasn't done that yet, but there was talk Thursday that Jackson, despite his recent contact with the Lakers, considers the Knicks his No. 1 choice if he returns to the NBA next season. And if not him, there's Flip Saunders, perhaps Larry Brown, maybe even current Seattle coach Nate McMillan, who's on the final year of his contract and whom Thomas (when asked about Sunday's game against the Sonics) called "one of the young bright minds in the game."</div> <font size="1">Full Story courtesy of Steve Adamek and North Jersey.com. </font> There is also continuted speculation that we are interested in Phil Jackson, although I still believe this is just reporters putting two and two together and getting five. IMO he'll go to New York or Minnesota, however where he does end up could really cause a bit of a stir in terms of where other coaches go. This is probably the worst time for Nate to come out of contract. He is one of the hottest properties in the coaching game with the work he's done with the Supes this season, and the fact he's relatively young. New York, Minnesota, the Lakers and possibly even Cleveland, Atlanta and Charlotte will be looking for a coach this offseason, and there are probably more.
Not happening, I doubt it. I read in the post Isiah said Nate has a great young mind or something like that. Now this whole thing was blown straight out of proportion. Anything you say in NY happens like that. If you say for example, Dwyane Wade is a great player next day...Isiah interested in Wade??? I think this is NY hoopla and you guys don't have to worry about us taking Nate especially after the Sonics surprising season.
Of course it's only media speculation, I'm just saying it's food for thought when you consider Nate is out of contract this offseason.
Yeah, I don't see why he wouldn't want to resign and why we wouldn't resign him. I'm not worried about losing Nate.
There is growing speculation the Knicks want Ray Allen too, obviously they would have to do this through a sign and trade and it would involve something like JC and Kurt Thomas. Can't really see it happening though, Isiah seems to have his finger in every major pie this offseason anyway.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Supersonic:</div><div class="quote_post">There is growing speculation the Knicks want Ray Allen too, obviously they would have to do this through a sign and trade and it would involve something like JC and Kurt Thomas. Can't really see it happening though, Isiah seems to have his finger in every major pie this offseason anyway.</div> I don't think Nate is a risk. Sund and WallySchultz would have to have found a superior stash of hallucinagenics to not know they have to offer him a new contract. I bet he takes any reasonable offer from the sonics. He has a family that has been here forever now, and I think he loves the Sonics and Seattle. Ray is bound to be desired by the Knicks, but I doubt that he is interested. I think he wants to go to a team that needs a shooter to complete the puzzle or is ready to invest in some other pieces around Ray to try and win big. New York has no leeway in salary for FA and they would have to use the last of their trade bait to get Ray. He wouldn't be a "last piece" so I don't see him going for that. Besides...Crawford and Thomas may make the salary, but they don't give any useful pieces to the Sonics. Worry about Denver, Minnesota, Cleveland, Indiana and Sacramento going after Ray.
I'm going to disgust some people here and say that I don't think Nate is a very good coach. I believe the reason he's been so successful is that he's had time to learn how to utilize the players he has on the roster. But so far, he hasn't proven himself to know how to motivate a team or as somebody who knows the Xs and Os of the game of basketball. Don't get me wrong, I love him, but when was the last time Nate McMillan made a great coaching move besides shifting around playing time?
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Casual:</div><div class="quote_post">I'm going to disgust some people here and say that I don't think Nate is a very good coach. I believe the reason he's been so successful is that he's had time to learn how to utilize the players he has on the roster. But so far, he hasn't proven himself to know how to motivate a team or as somebody who knows the Xs and Os of the game of basketball. Don't get me wrong, I love him, but when was the last time Nate McMillan made a great coaching move besides shifting around playing time?</div> I don't agree with you often Casual, but I think you have raised a good question. How good of a coach is Nate McMillian? This season more than any season I've watched the Sonics, we don't run any type of sets. Our offense consists of either a pick and roll or a dump into the post for Lewis or James. We haven't played any defense outside of man to man or a soft three two zone. We don't really make adjustments when teams take away what we are trying to do. It seems moreso than anything that we are just free lancing as a team. Defensively Nate has gotten guys like Ridnour and Lewis to really commit to defending. It's nothing tactical, I just think that he has emphasized enough to the point where the players know what he expects from them defensively. The core of this team has been together for the past two seasons. Guys like Allen, Vlad, Lewis, Murray, James, and Evans and Pot have played together for two seasons and a half. I think that our players understand each other's strength and understand what their roles are. If there is one thing that Nate has done he has gotten each of the players to accept their role. Whether or not he could do that when we put together a team of different people and different personalities is another thing. Our only offseason move has been bringing in Danny Fortson, and although volatile, he has never been more unmanageable than he has this season. I attribute that to Nate not being able to communicate what he wants to people he hasn't been around with for an extended period of time. Last year he wasn't on the same page with Allen. He has fluxuated repeatedly with his expectations of Ronald Murray. This season there have been documented blow ups with Fortson. Next year when our roster will be turned upside down, will he be able to convince our newcomers to accept their roles when Nate doesn't do a good job of clearly defining them. From an X and O perspective I don't think Nate brings much to the table. What he does do well is repetitiously convey his expectations. I think this year's team has grown with Nate and now has been able to figure out what Nate's wants from them defensively. I don't know that Nate can convey what he really wants to a bunch of veteran free agents that have already developed their own habits or rookies who don't understand what it takes to be successful at this level.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Iron Shiek:</div><div class="quote_post">We don't really make adjustments when teams take away what we are trying to do.</div> I've noticed that and I don't understand why we do that. If someone is trying to shut down something that we are doing, and it works, why not change our strategy?
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Seattle.:</div><div class="quote_post">I've noticed that and I don't understand why we do that. If someone is trying to shut down something that we are doing, and it works, why not change our strategy?</div> I will disagree. I haven't seen the last four games, but throughout the early part of the season Nate was excellent at utilizing the bench to counter what the other team was doing. He tinkered frequently with offense and defense, but he doesn't do fancy tricks, he sticks with fundamental basketball that plays to the strengths of the team. He uses the pick and roll, posts with shooters spread, runs shooters off multiple screens to free up guards for shots or penetration layups or kick out 3's. He pulls Reggie and puts Nick and Danny in when he wants offensive put backs or post scoring off the pick and roll. If the shooters get clogged he posts Lew or JJ, and if they crowd the paint he puts Vlade in to stretch out the defense. Since February, though, I have been concerned that he does not sub out when the team on the floor neglects to play defense. He keeps letting them make mistakes. He acts like Jerry Sloan and follows an almost rigid substitution pattern, but he doesn't have Stockton and Malone. Defense starts at the point and leans heavily on the post. He can't trust Ray and Lew to lead defensively.
