Raptors Coach Sam Mitchell has been fired. The Toronto Raptors fired coach Sam Mitchell on Wednesday, one day after a 39-point loss to the Denver Nuggets left the team with a losing record, an NBA source said. One source close to the team said the Raptors’ players were informed of Mitchell’s dismissal on Wednesday afternoon. Raptors GM Bryan Colangelo named Jay Triano as the interim coach.
The problem isn't coaching, or even lack of overall talent. The problem has been how that team has been constituted by Bryan Colangelo: you have too many players who do similar things. All that team needed to be successful was a banger/inside presence to complement Bosh's finesse game. Right now Kris Humphries is their best interior scorer, and that is sad. Bosh, Bargniani (sp?), Moon, O'Neal....that team is stacked with soft [yet more or less talented] bigs. Combined with a defensively-deficient backcourt, you have the recipe for a losing season.
I remember either last year, or two years ago, he had some major problems with his players. Like, there was some strife in the locker room where he basically alienated himself from a group of his players, and there was a lot of speculation that he was going to go somewhere else, but then he got the contract extension instead, so all of that kind of died. This really doesn't come as a surprise to me though, since people were picking them as sleeper picks to go to the Eastern Conference Finals. I just don't think they have what it takes to compete with Boston, Detroit, and Cleveland though....they don't have the mental toughness that Detroit has, and they don't have the superstar leadership that Cleveland and Boston have.
Raptors management are Stupid why would they trade Ford for Jermaine Oneal. Do they really think Calderon>>>>>Ford????????????? ___________ Where 22 Happens
Finally! I would have fired Sam Mitchell a couple seasons ago. A 40 point loss finally did the job. I was watching the game yesterday and I said "No ****, I am going to fire your ass." It's so painful to watch the Raptors' defenseless ass. Who's available? Flip Saunders? European coach?
Actually yeah, everything Calderon does is better including Ford's greatest strength which is penetration
It's about damn time! I think Sam Mitchell is by far the worst coach in the NBA. He doesn't have the players' respect and he is as dumb as a doornail. Just an all around terrible coach. I am happy the Raps management finally realized this.
They needed a reason to fire him - a 40 point loss gives it to them. We all know Colangelo likes a more European-styled offense...it's too bad D'antoni is in NY.
Coaching is definitely part of the problem. Sam Mitchell is a borderline nutcase. He's improved some the last couple of years but he's not cut out to be a successful NBA coach. Him getting coach of the year was a joke IMO. Agreed their roster is too soft (I've made fun of them for years, just ask forum member 'ChrisBosh'). JO was supposed to be their banger but they'll be lucky if he plays 50 games. The Pacers won that trade easily. They need a couple of nasty guys who will foul hard, shove people around and draw charges. They also need a player (or a new coach) who will kick the other guys in the rump when they start putting their heads down. I don't watch the Raptors that often, but they show bad body language and give up on games sooner than any other team I can think of.