Mark Jackson is much like Nate McMillan. Good coach (and definitely should be in the league). I view him more as a second/third tier level coach. I think if Jackson was coaching this current version of the Blazers - defense would be MUCH improved... with an extra 1-2 games won.
Out of the available options from the OP I like Udoka out of the rising stars category, both Kidd and Joerger would be fine with me from the former head coach pool. One former head coach that I love for this team would be Brian Shaw. Shaw didn't get much of a chance in Denver and the biggest complaint was that he was too demanding. I think this team needs that. The best part about it is that he has the longest relationship with Dame of anyone in the NBA. So I think Dame would lead the team to be open to Shaw's propensity for accountability.
Besides his strong religious views that most would feel go beyond just being a Christian, which is fine whatever, he said and did some things at GS that are enough that he hasn’t gotten another job yet. There’s a reason for that. Or reasons. When his assistant secretly recorded him over the course of several weeks because he was so alarmed and thought it was such a weird environment, that speaks volumes. That same assistant immediately got another job. And then another job. He recorded the head coach and was NOT blackballed but the HC was/is? That tells you what was recorded or going on was pretty damning against MJax. He didn’t get along well with management as well and GS management isn’t hard to get along with. Maybe I’m biased but the fact that Jackson got run out of GS tells me all I need to know.
Yeah, I think Jackson is a decent coach in terms of getting young players to buy into a defensive mentality, but he creates a toxic environment due to his own paranoia and desire for power and he's unimaginative as a coach anyway.
He would be at best a lateral move from Stotts. At worst he would be a step back (as scary as that is.)
My list has Becky and Udoka at the top, and that’s based on who they’ve coached under and a gut feeling about how they handle players. Joerger seems like a good fit for what this team actually needs, but I know nothing about his relationship with players, which I think should be valued, to a certain degree. For example, I don’t think they should hire someone like Vanterpool just because Dame likes him. But if he checks other boxes, it also can’t hurt.
Udoka would be solid and make a lot of sense. I’d be fine with Hammon I guess Joerger I think is a good coach. Reminds me a little of Thibs - does he wear out welcome I like Juwan Howard but he seems happy at Michigan. He doesn’t F around and wouldn’t let guys get away with some of the shit we see I just don’t like J Kidd so I’d vote no on that
I want somebody with a strong personality; treats all his players the same. Believes defense is as important as offense and preferably has an assistant lined up to come in with him who has strong defensive credentials. A guy with a strong enough ego that he will delegate some in-game responsibilities to an assistant. Prefer a guy without NBA head-coaching experience; therefore as a fan don't have the contacts to have the slightest idea who this might be.
If Udoka was such a great head coach prospect why hasnt he gotten a HC job? I like the idea but like many other assistants the just never seem to break through? Pat Ewing tried and tried. I also like the idea of Jason Kidd and its possible he could attract FA's? or scare them away?
Ewing didn’t get a job because he was lazy, per a former asst GM with the Magic where he coached....udoka is still relatively young. He will get a job really soon.
Defense and running the offense through Nurk is all I want to hear. Also the development of Little and his importance to the present and future.
