I'd like to add that he's the only one out of the three front runners not demanding $6-$8 million a year .
I can't see why anyone would choose Dunleavy over Brown. At least Brown's teams do not underachieve. Brown's had his headcases, and still almost won it all. I like Dunleavy, but not as my top choice. I am intrigued by Net's assistant Eddie Jordan. Rumor has it that he is the mastermind behind the Net's success (X's and O's as well as his player's loyalties). Jason Kidd loves this guy's system, and it shows. Can he do the same for Francis, or better yet lure a pro like Jason Kidd? Jordan learned the O from Pete Carril when he was an assistant w/the Kings, so Jordan would also be familiar w/how to use a passing big man in the pivot (high or low). Nellie's recent interest in the Rox job is also interesting. We all know how much he coveted Yao, he is a proven coach and innovator, and just as importantly, he would be an instant 1000% upgrade on evaluating talent compared to what the Rockets currently have. My top 3: Larry Brown Don Nelson Eddie Jordan (and Don Nelson & Eddie Jordan are steadily creeping up on Larry Brown)
I worked with Brown in San Antonio, he is an arrogant ass, and a womanizer. Now, all that being said, I like his basketball coaching style.....but I think his vagabound status nixes it for me. Dunleavy is my guy. DD
The more and more I think about it the more I think it will turn out like this: LB - LA Clippers Silas - Cleveland Dunleavy - Atlanta JEFF VAN GUNDY - HOUSTON ROCKETS! Don't know why but I just got a feeling that is what will happen. I want Dunleavy but Les wants a big name and if he can't get Brown, Dunleavy isn't as big a name as JVG.
Paul Silas - Hornets - 208 Wins - 155 Losses - .573% and probably willing to take less than $6-8 million a year. Silas is my choice.
It is a shame EJ's name isn't bigger. He might prove to be the very best choice. It must be noted, however, that good coaching requires great ability to assume the command position both with the team and the public/media. Is he up to that responsibility? I have no clue. LB would be great. JVG, too. Doc Rivers would be a great hire. Dunleavy? Let him drive McDavid's Atlanta cars.
I persoanlly like Silas as well. However, he's not considered among the top tier choice. I guess Les is more of a name brand shopper.
Van Gundy, Larry Brown, MIkeDunleavy, Fratello... bah Sucks . Their tems don´t score more than 95 points, The kincks of Van gundy haven´t scored 90 points per game. Look the eastern conference semifinals: Philly at detriot, do you want the same rockets??? Their ofensive game is more than so poor. PLay only defense can be ok on the east but no against dallas, sacramento or san antonio. Rockets need a coach younger than Brown and no VAn gundy please. For me the best is adelman, mo cheeks wuold be great. Others are Jerry Sloan and Saunders. Knowing thats imposible, maybe kenny smith could be good but he haven´t experience. But, we want the next decade: - Aamrrategui Blues (in spain the game of all first coaches) - or a funny team and sure a more effective offensive game Maybe brown in Philly don´t have talent to play offensive game but here ... there are no excuses Larry beard coach now!! ----------------------------------- sorry i don´t speak english very well yet, but i think it´s understandable. rockets chamipons 2006-20...
As far as coaching skills go, I would agree that Larry Brown is the #1 choice of all available coaches. And actually, MD is my second choice. I would love to see LB here myself. But I agree with DaDakota in that LB's track record of moving from team to team is not encouraging. Fact is, staying in Philly for 6 years was a record for LB. That's the only bit that gives me such mixed feelings.
why Dunleavy? I think he really sucked before, and will suck in Houston if he comes here. But I guess Dunleavy may end up in Houston, it turns out he may be Houston's only choice, since other two may just turn down the offer.
man MD must've done pretty bad in milwaukee. if i wasn't on a 56k computer i'd go see what his records were. but he did take LAL to the finals in 91 (lost to chicago) and for all intents and purposes, the WCF has been the finals for 5 years running and he took his most talented team to game 7 in the finals against the eventual champ lakers. if the nba didn't have the refs all over kobe and shaq's you know what's, he wins that series, or if his team doesn't miss 13 straight shots in blowing a 15 point 4th quarter lead, he wins that series and eventually the title. so it's not as if he's w/o success. and as someone else mentioned, no one we're after has won a title, and that's why they are actually available, so not winning a title is a poor criterion to use. i like MD, maybe more than larry. larry already likes to come and go every few years, now factor in that he's getting old and we may be looking for another coach 3 years down the road. that's no good. plus i don't want him freewheeling with trades and blowing this team up and mixing it around all over the place just to see if something will eventually work. i want some consistency. plus, why does "dr." jack say our team D will improve. we're already 8th in ppg and 5th in opp fg%. not exactly bad there. and i'm pretty sure "the Mao" would improve from his 1st tentative, get used to the nba year to his 2nd even if i was the coach. MD just strikes me as right for the job. seems like a cool guy, would be here for the long haul, has had success mixed with failure but done well when given talent and portland played the best D of any team i saw against LAL during their run. i won't be mad really if larry comes here, i'm just not sure he's right for the job.
Isn't Nellie a big name? Or perhaps Nellie would be too much of a threat to Dawson. Now that I think of it: Nellie for GM & Eddie Jordan for head coach.
Sir. Jerry Sloan, Flip Saunders, Rick Adelman, and Maurice Cheeks are all currently head coaches of other teams...so too bad! Kenny Smith is a possibility. Playing only defense is OK but not OKay against Sacramento, Dallas, or San Antonio? We beat the Kings and Spurs this year....with no system at all. We should do better...and defense is what we need to win against Dallas. Defense first. But offense is important as well........I wish we could get Sloan, Saunders, or Adelman.
I think that Brown's former players are of a similar opinion. You can't knock his win/loss record though. One of my fears is that Brown will come in and get trade happy. This is not necessarily a bad thing, except if he blows up the team and quits. Here, the Rocks would be back to rebuilding, which I think we could all agree sux. The current team should be at a peak in about 4 years when Steve is 30, Ming is 27, and Eddie is 25. When Brown comes in, he will be underpressure to go deep into the playoffs by the end of his second year. Brown may trade or barely play our younger players in order to reach that goal.
When you think of these candidates, what's the most characteristics sticking out? Larry Brown, been to the NBA final, proven winner, well respected JVG, been to the final, tough, protect players, Pat Riley's assistant MD, blow 15 points lead in the 4th quarter against the Lakers in Game 7 WCF 2000 Silas, winning in regular seasons with veteran players in eastern conference with a team that is projected to be in ECF year after year, never won much in playoffs, nice guy Now you tell me, which one would you feel comfortable to take the Rox all the way to the NBA final?
SLA, Dallas make you 100 points sure. Now you can talk about defense. But if you play first defense and then you score 95 points you lose. So: first on west is ofense and after defense. We will see the NBA finals
I won't lie, the big reason why I want Dunleavy is that he's a Rocket. But I believe that all you need is a coach who's competent. I don't want Larry Brown getting all the credit when this Rocket team INEVITABLY improves. Like Marc Stein or whoever said, this team will likely be in the playoffs no matter who is coaching. Why not let that coach be a Rocket who doesn't want all your money and wants you to kiss his ass all the time?
Which of Dunleavy's teams underachieved? Certainly not the Portalnd team that was a basket (or call) away from winning the championship and has since only gotten worse, despite comparable talent levels? I agree with you here. But I see about a 2.5% chance that Les hires a current assistant. Agree to an extent, but for some reasion I just don't see Nelson meshing well with our team.
The front runners have all been to the NBA Finals and lost. Rudy T has won 2 Championships and a career (511-397 for .563%). Yet we all feel that it's time for RT to step down. So should past performance truly be the acid test for which the Rox will use to find their new head coach? No, I think not. If we were to do that, then maybe we should keep Rudy. The point is what do these coaches have to offer NOW that matters. Just like evaluating a player, talent alone is not enough to go by to build a championship team. Chemistry is perhaps just as important as the talent or ability. Which of these guys can best take charge of building a championship team? Training and inspiring our young players, teaching them a winning system, and building their trust and loyalty is fundamental to this cause. The right guy must not only be capable, he must be also be respectable and patient enough to get the job done. This person needs to be around long enough to see that the work is thorough and complete. The final product should be a Championship to Houston.
