We could hire Jeff Van Gundy as an assistant coach? I'd like to discuss his coaching ability. I wasn't into basketball when he was coaching but I like his philosophies as a sports analyst and he's expressed his desire to return to coaching. (Even in the assistant position)
Did he say that? I can't see any scenario where he would actually return as an assistant coach ... I think JVG would only return to the NBA as a head coach, but stranger things have happened.
I wish I could find proof. I'm under the impression he still has a lot of respect for the Rockets organization but I also know he was one of the commentators that showed his disapproval with Howard during his Laker year
http://nypost.com/2013/12/02/mike-woodson-on-hot-seat-could-jeff-van-gundy-be-next/ Van Gundy likely would be interested in the Knicks position. In late June, Van Gundy gave a massive mea culpa for quitting on Dolan — remarks that appeared to sit well with Dolan and may have served as an olive branch. On ESPN Radio, Van Gundy called it “a stupid decision’’ to quit. “It’s something I regret to this day,’’ Van Gundy said. “I live with it every day and I regret it. And I let my emotions come into it. And I was just emotionally spent. I made a bad decision and I quit….I had a great job with the Knicks.’’ One coach who once worked with Van Gundy said the former Knicks/Rockets coach has never desired taking over for a club in midseason, feeling it’s a tough go. I could only find stuff related to the posted article. Mostly Woodson out, JVG in, looks like rumors only. It's also 4 months old.
Definitely wouldn't mind JVG. Defense would be more instilled and it would be hard to completely handcuff this group of offensive players. We wouldn't be as good scoring, but completely handcuff? Nah. We'd average 100 minimum and probably allow ~8 less points. An extra +2 point diff would add 5 wins easily.
Coincidentally, I was reading up on JVG a few days ago during the Heat game. I saw this on his wiki page, but I'm not sure how much you can take it for without the actual podcast and/or his precise quote. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeff_Van_Gundy
Yes, Gundy as assistant coach, Mike Breen as team doctor and Doris Burke as team chef. With McHale as the head coach we can soon have all the espn color commentators.
It all depends on how he handles it. If he's able to take the second spot with grace then hell yes. I don't see him as an egotistic person so I really think it would work out between him and McHale.
I don't think there is any chance Van Gundy would come back as an assistant. I love JVG though, and he seems to like Houston, so how about this question instead: What are the chances the Rockets let Drexler go, and then JVG starts calling home Rockets games when he is not calling national games -- the way Bill Walton used to do for the Clippers. Listen up Comcast -- I know some people who would be willing to change cable providers in order to here 30+ Rockets games called by JVG.
I don't ever see JVG returning as an assistant, plain and simple. There will be tons of teams wanting him to be the head coach and I don't think he would ever accept anything less unless its to a surefire championship team lol. As a head coach though, there has to be some sort of strong offensive ideology or coach in place on the team. I like how the Rocket are playing now, being uptempo and getting easy baskets. I felt like when JVG coached T-Mac even Steve Francis, he wasted their explosive talents. Of course, the front office didn't help either by signing older players but JVG wanted them to walk the ball up and play half court. Defenses are too good now and it would waste Harden's and Howard's talents if we were to adopt that style of play again. But JVG defenses were some of the best, no denying that.
Not a knock on his coaching ability BTW. Just love hearing him commentate and he's certainly not going to coach here in the immediate future.
A new title would have to be created for him. "Assistant coach" is not worthy of someone who is a near-HOF coach. Like, the way the title "Chief Yahoo" was created at Yahoo. It'd be nice to have him for defensive consultation. Part-time will do, without requirement that he quit his ESPN job. Fix the defensive problems with the Rockets, tutor McHale and Sampson as needed. The main thing is to systematize his knowledge into the Rockets "corporate knowledge", to borrow a term from the Spurs. As to compensation, I do not believe he would accept much less than the full rate for coach. Am guessing $2 to 5 million a year would do.
I really like this idea! But, the Rockets aren't that big of a market, like LA or NYC, for JVG to leave his ESPN spot. Maybe when he gets older and decides he wants to stay home more than travel. If that ever happens, CSN would be dumb not to explore bring him in. Maybe that would be when Bill retires as well. I love when JVG calls games. I would watch the Bucks and Bobcats play a 7 games series, just to hear him and his opinions hahaha
Mostly educated guesses based on stats... lol The league average for PF is 100. The Rockets roster on paper is above average overall offensively IMO. So if this "above average" roster was held back a significantly (at worse) due to coaching., they'd fall to average at worst... league average. Defensively, we're currently 17th in PA (101.7)... 17th of 30 teams. Average. We were 3rd, 4th, 3rd, 5th our 4 seasons with JVG with similar defensive roster on paper overall. Remember, Battier played 1 season with JVG (crazy how that happened considering HE was reason for the trade) and Chuck Wagon only 2. Current PA... 3rd is 94.7ppg and 4th is 97.1. I think we'd be somewhere in between. Rockets 2 losses this season by 1 point and 2 other OT losses. 4 more wins right there.
Like a few have mentioned, I really don't see him wanting to come back in an assistant role. I've always liked him, and I hope he succeeds wherever here goes, if he does decide to leave broadcasting.
