So you’re telling me … if you’re a head coach … all things remaining the same and you’re told “you need to make the playoffs next year or you’re fired” you’d rather be coaching the Pelicans than the Blazers, given the exact same rosters were to return? because that’s essentially what Portland and New Orleans have said. Except one of them is a perennial playoff team and the other didn’t even sniff .500 after a week into the season. I would argue more coaches would be enamored with unlocking the potential of a playoff ready (and tested) team than a complete unknown. One that if they played a lick of defense would probably still be playing. And if you’d honestly take the NO job over the Blazers job given that ultimatum, that is hard for me to understand if you value job security at all.
https://pelicandebrief.com/2021/01/20/new-orleans-pelicans-steven-adams-dpoy/ ^ There people who thought this year he was worthy of DPOY consideration. Comparing Adams defensively to Kanter is a little disingenuous.
I understand your reasoning, but would offer another POV. This perennial playoff Blazers team has seemed to plateau. The young Pelican team has more potential for growth. I think the jobs are reasonably equal with all variables considered. They are both in "win or you're gone" situations and the Blazers are currently the better team. The Pels just need to make the playoffs though. Blazers need to do that, get out of the first round, AND not get swept in the second. The bar is a bit higher. It would be more likely to unlock the potential of the Pelicans to accomplish their goals than it will be for the Blazers, as the rosters currently sit. Just my opinion. We can agree to disagree.
"There people" meaning NO's people? That does not sway me. And I was very specific when I mentioned "Pick N Roll" when discussing the similarities to Kanter. Not his defense as a whole. Adams got beat by Dame over and over in the playoff series with OKC to the point where the national media covering the game finally had to bring up how slow Adams was. Don't get me wrong, Adams is a fine backup center, but for this particular discussion, I doubt any coaching candidate is going to be pumped to coach the Killer Kiwi.
Portland people don’t clamor that Nurk should be DPOY. Look at the defensive metrics. We’re really comparing him to Kanter? Yikes.
The larger point isn’t to debate whether Adams is an amazing defensive player. its that the Pelicans roster as a whole, with the untapped potential could possibly be more enticing than a Blazer roster with Lillard, CJ and Nurkic. I personally see the NO roster as more enticing. So the Blazers front office better act quick and aggressively because there’s a possibility even more enticing options (Bucks) become available to the more attractive candidates.
No, they have not. Because they are not as stupid as the NO broadcaster who said it. Look we can all manipulate stats in various ways. Here is one for you Kanter last year made 5 million, averaged 11 rebounds per game with 0.7 block shots (77% from the line) Adams last year made 30 million, averaged 8.9 rebounds with 0.7 blocked shots (And shot 44% from the line) The bottom line: Who cares! No prospective coach is basing their decision on either one of them.
Time to add Don Nelson & Dallas to the list: https://basketball.realgm.com/wiretap/262980/Donnie-Nelson-Mavericks-Agree-To-Part-Ways
as a long time participant of RealGM, I'd say, if anything, those results will turn more away from Portland as more posters vote. Kind of a notable east coast bias to RealGM. up to 42 votes now and all 6 of the new votes went to Boston or New Orleans I happen to agree with the results so far though. I think there is more pressure with the Portland job and a much smaller margin for error
I highly doubt the Blazers would fire the new coach if they made the playoffs and didn’t advance. (Depending on seeding.) My notion was based on this premise. “Make the playoffs or get fired.” Not “make the playoffs, win the first round, and not get swept in the second.” And the potential for growth hasn’t played out on the basketball court for New Orleans. Same record two years in a row. Zion played 50 more games this year. Same record as last year. With that in mind, and the assumption that Neil wouldn’t fire a first year head coach for making the playoffs but not advancing, I’d say your job is much safer in Portland than in New Orleans. However if the bar is “getting out of the first round” and “making the playoffs”, or your fired, then sure it’s a bit more comparable but even then… Zion would have to have a GOD LIKE season for them to even be .500 next year. I’m talking 35/10/6 averages. He played 50 more games with NO difference in winning percentage. People talk about Westbrook as empty stats but at least his teams show noticeable difference in win totals.
if Portland doesn't make it out of the first round a year from now, it probably won't be Olshey making decisions about the coach
Great, now poll coaches and GMs, the people who actually matter. And based on the reasoning of some of those posters, they don’t follow things very closely. One of the first posts, “I'd prefer to go to a team like the Pels where you have a potential all-time great but you'd be allowed a little more time for everything to gel and mess with the roster a bit.” Is that why the last 2 coaches got one season each? Because they’re allowed so much time? Hahahahahahahahahahahahah fucking L O L
