What would it take for Nate to be fired?

Don't get me wrong: I don't mean this rhetorically as a way of saying "Jesus, fire him already!" I certainly don't think he deserves it at this juncture. There are plenty of instances of teams sucking mightily in preseason and having great proper seasons. And it's not like we've had all our players (we haven't had ANY healthy Rudy, for one thing). And I don't even mind the pronouncements that seem to drive many here crazy, such as Joel and Blake starting.

But...

Supposing we look as bad in the early going as we have in the preseason, and it looks like we're in genuine danger of missing the playoffs (particularly if other supposedly "borderline" teams like Houston, New Orleans and even the Clippers start strong). Would Nate be fired during the season? After the season? Not at all? What's the impression of his status in the organization?

(Serial Nate-bashers like Mediocre Man need not answer. Same with people like MIXUM where we know what you're going to say before you say it. That's why you don't need actually to say it. I'm looking for a reasoned response.)

Part of the problem is, who would we replace him with? This team needs a coach that you could see winning a championship. Are there any out there? Ettore Messina (sp?) perhaps? My dream would be Larry Brown, if only because he pwns Phil Jackson, but so far he hasn't quit on the Bobcats.

 

More than a few pre season losses.

 

The team's stars going to KP and telling him they can't work with Nate.

That's what is going to need to happen - and quite frankly, I doubt it will anytime soon.

 

I am pretty certain that if we did not make the playoffs this year that Nate would be in serious jeopardy of losing his job. With as much talent as the Blazers have, it's his responsibility to get them coached correctly and gelling correctly during the season. Last year I was a big opponent (along side MM) of Nate. I hate his rotations and I hate his offense. I also do not like his reasons for not playing obvious talent like J-Bay, letting them rot on our bench. So far we seen improvement in our record, but how much is a direct result of our coaching vs a direct result of our star players getting better like all star players do?

 

Coaches have a life-span with any team. At some point they get tuned out. I don't think Nate is hated by his players, but if they won't play hard for him or learn to play the really good defense it takes to move to the elite level, then I believe KP and Nate will mutually agree to part ways. I believe that is at least part of the reason that Nate is on 1 year contracts.

 

He's a long ways, away from the organizaton coming to that conclusion. Even if they played .500 for the entire season, he wouldn't be let go until the end of the season IMO.

Nate has a full year. And really, he sould. Unless things go completely to hell then maybe he should be replaced on a interim basis by KP or Monty Williams.

 

Ever heard of a guy named Jerry Sloan?

 

This board becoming the GM.

 

OK smart ass, because you chose to challenge a statistician, why don't you tell us the average life span of an NBA coach these days? I don't want to do the work, but I bet my instincts are correct.

Jerry Sloan is an outlier and there have been a few other long-term coaches in the past 50 years, but exceptions do not make the rule.

 

Other than telling KP to go fuck himself, or giving Paul Allen a mean spirited titty-twister I can't think of a reasoned reason he'd be fired this year.

I think he's currently in the top 1/5 of head coaches as far as job security.

 

Nah I was just joking with ya. There are several guys which I do consider "ultra elite" coaches in the league who are at another level and can coach anywhere they want, for as long as they want. Sloan, Popovich. Jackson. Even Larry Brown to an extent. Then there are the rest. They are the guys that get punked every year by all the guys I listed above, both during the regular season, and in the playoffs.

That is why it is my opinion, that whenever an elite coach is available, you snag them, even if you have to fire your coach right then.

 

During the season? It would take a full scale locker-room rebellion, with Roybe demanding he be fired (and presumably replaced by Monty).

After the season? Isn't he on a 1 year contract? They wouldn't have to "fire" him - just let him leave for a "new oportunity" elsewhere. (or to spend more time with his family, or whatever) At that point, the threshold is much lower. How low could depend on who is available.

 

The PR factor is too strong. He is unfireable, here until he quits.

The Blazers put all their chips in the PR pot and they can't pull them out now without a huge backlash.

Nate has demonstrated his coaching is the epitomy of their "good role model, cleancut kids, honest hard-working devotion to team play", image they have promised the fans. The team has survived and is winning again. Nate is the guy who actually made it happen. And he's black.

He's not going anywhere.

 

That wont mean shit to the fans if we do not make the play offs with our roster of LMA/Roy/Oden.

 

Nate will be fired if the team fails to make it to the playoffs ... or say we're in mid December and the team is still looking as discombobulated as they are and (still) completely regressing on the defensive end of the court. The funny thing is, I don't even think most of it will be Nate's fault; if things go as badly as we fear they might -- based on what we've seen so far in preseason -- at that point I think KP ought to take a long hard look in the mirror as well for assembling the roster the way he has.

 

There is certainly a large amount of questioning starting to occur already. I think even most people who are of teh opinion that nate is truly one of the great coaches in the league are scratching their heads about Oden not starting. Yeha yeah yeah I know wit till opening night and see who trots out there.

How many years in a row has Nate has changed starting lineup within 5 games though?

 

06-07 Joel got hurt after 2 games and Magloir took over starting but that doesn't count.

 

He did it in 05-06 also switching from Charles Smith after 2 games to Sergei Monia