I don't think Deron would be that opposed to Sloan coaching him in Brooklyn. I think he'd rather have Sloan than Phil. The PG position really isn't that important in the triangle offense. I think Deron would be more frustrated in the triangle than the street ball crap they were running under Avery.
Johnson may or may not be a ok coach, but it is a little (very) odd to win coach of the month and then get fired right after that. What was happening in November? The payers were outplaying Avery's "bad" coaching to make him look good? I don't think coaches have a huge impact. Clearly they have some, but it seems to me to be more about managing egos, playing time, motivating players, etc. Whether or not Avery does that well, if Deron Williams is what many here thought he was before the trade (the best or 2nd best PG in the league), he'd be playing better. Kobe still plays like Kobe regardless of the coach, even if PJ was the best fit for that team. What's obvious here is that Avery is an ok coach. Not great, but a guy 2 wins away from the championship, with not the most complete finals team ever, and ultimately losing to some of the craziest superstar calls during a series you might ever see, isn't a bad coach. But what's also obvious is that Deron Williams has been and is overrated. Even if he improves under a new coach, superstars don't just pick and choose when they play well. They play well pretty much universally. Williams is no superstar. From being considered one of the top 1-2, there's probably a decent list of PGs you'd put him behind now (CP3, Rose, Irving, Rondo, Westbrook, Parker... is DWill even in this top group anymore?)
D-Will better "put up or shut up" from now on. I don't want to hear another word from him. He needs to let his play on the court do the talking. If the Nets continue bumbling along, D-Will deserves all the grief coming his way. He never should have went public. That said, AJ had an almost magical 2-year run with the Mavs before Dirk and the others finally couldn't stand him anymore and Cuban fired him after the 3 year. He has serious relationship problems with players (especially PGs) and isn't fit to be an NBA head coach. Will be interesting to see if the Nets are as clueless as the Lakers when hiring a replacement.
Avery Johnson's sun tweeted that its not his dad's fault that players were mising open shots. I dont have twitter but i saw the tweet on another forum. I think his name is avery johnson jr.
What is Stan Van Gundy doing these days? I bet you coaching Deron Williams would seem like Christmas all over again to him after putting up with Jameer Nelson all those years.
I think D-Will is the best PG in the game. With that said great players find a way to get it done regardless of what sets the coach draws up and Williams usually does so I agree the wrist injury must be pretty bad. The Nets team has a lot of underperforming big name players with huge contracts that are equally long lasting and NONE of them are going to get any better. Nasty NASTY situation. Joe Johnson is 31 already and making 19M this year, next year he makes 21M, the year after that 23M and in his final year he'll be making 25M. The guy peaked like 5 years ago and he's been on the decline ever since then. Probably the top 3 Worst contracts in the NBA all time. They have 60 MIL tied up in Lopez for the next 4 years and another 40 Mil in Gerald Wallace for the next 4 years as well. Wallace has also peaked like 5 years ago and he's been declining ever since.
Yeah, everyone was praising Billy King as this great GM, but the team he constructed is burdened with big contracts on average players. And let's not forget that he traded Damian Lillard for Gerald Wallace, and despite playing in Brooklyn, was unable to land Dwight.
So... I am picturing this: <iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/1IIov6kM6ms" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> I think I am being racist against the people of Russia.
yep, my former boss has kids that went to the same small private school up there, John Cooper. She spoke very highly of him, said he was very friendly and incredibly nice.
To be honest I think a lot of the superstars nowadays are turning into coach killers, you had CP3, Deron, DH and Melo turning into divas. I think it has a lot to do with ego, Avery Johnson belonged into Jerry Sloan house of "my way or the high way" which just demanded absolute obedience from the players. That might fly with nice stars like Harden or KD but it won't work with guys like Deron who feel like they know more than the coach. Anyway I'm not sure how good Johnson was to be honest. He was the protege of Nelly but when he took the reigns of the Dallas team he tried to turn them into Spurs 2.0. Worked for a while but hten everything fell apart once they got collapsed in the finals. I don't think he was ever able to do anything on the Nets though.
That's about as appealing as being dragged before Cersei Lannister. But yeah, the DNP-CD of Humphreys smacked of desperation and doesn't inspire confidence in your players.
Wonder where Avery will end up next? I bet he focuses too much on Defense for Brooklyn right now. They want a run n gun head coach similar to that guy that gets upset because he has to explain he "used thirty minutes of practice to focus on D!" Man too bad he's off the market! It'll be interesting to see PJ Carlesimo back coaching. I always liked him. Let's hope no one well cue many of his antics, and cue the "choke video" go wrong in Brooklyn. The Nets will always be the Nets, and to think they had JKidd leading them to the finals every year back when the East was weak. Oh the NETS.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Talked to a player who said there was no indication Avery was gone after last night's loss. He was blindsided by the news.</p>— Stefan Bondy (@NYDNInterNets) <a href="https://twitter.com/NYDNInterNets/status/284366904527818753" data-datetime="2012-12-27T18:35:27+00:00">December 27, 2012</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Prokhorov, 11/3, on AJ:: "great w/ the players who need discipline, & on the other side, he established excellent relations w/ the stars"</p>— David Aldridge (@daldridgetnt) <a href="https://twitter.com/daldridgetnt/status/284367221302636544" data-datetime="2012-12-27T18:36:43+00:00">December 27, 2012</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>I'm sorry are best players couldn't make open shots. Yeah that's my dads fault totally...</p>— Avery Johnson Jr. (@itsaveryjohnson) <a href="https://twitter.com/itsaveryjohnson/status/284366766560391168" data-datetime="2012-12-27T18:34:55+00:00">December 27, 2012</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Not a big Avery fan, but Nets' ownership had/has unrealistic expectations for this team. Not shocking, in big picture, they are 14-14.</p>— Zach Lowe (@ZachLowe_NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/ZachLowe_NBA/status/284373969061158912" data-datetime="2012-12-27T19:03:32+00:00">December 27, 2012</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Smart people around the league, including in BKN, projected the Nets at somewhere around 45-48 wins. They only just below that pace now.</p>— Zach Lowe (@ZachLowe_NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/ZachLowe_NBA/status/284374156106141696" data-datetime="2012-12-27T19:04:16+00:00">December 27, 2012</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>I do believe they can find a better coach than Avery, but this is not a championship team right now -- or really all that close.</p>— Zach Lowe (@ZachLowe_NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/ZachLowe_NBA/status/284374346284290048" data-datetime="2012-12-27T19:05:02+00:00">December 27, 2012</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Even bigger picture: Prokhorov's 5-year title plan/semi-guarantee, and unlimited budget, make BKN one of league's biggest wild cards.</p>— Zach Lowe (@ZachLowe_NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/ZachLowe_NBA/status/284376038996336640" data-datetime="2012-12-27T19:11:45+00:00">December 27, 2012</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Nets are 21st in points allowed per possession. Exactly zero people should be surprised they have a below-average defense with this roster.</p>— Zach Lowe (@ZachLowe_NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/ZachLowe_NBA/status/284376804238708736" data-datetime="2012-12-27T19:14:48+00:00">December 27, 2012</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>I wondered about Snyder b/c he's asst at CSKA Moscow, Prokhorov's old team. Was finalist for Magic job, on Lakers/Sixers bench last few yrs.</p>— David Aldridge (@daldridgetnt) <a href="https://twitter.com/daldridgetnt/status/284378673434484736" data-datetime="2012-12-27T19:22:13+00:00">December 27, 2012</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Stan Van Gundy has no interest in Brooklyn job</p>— Brian K. Schmitz (@MagicInsider) <a href="https://twitter.com/MagicInsider/status/284379330371522560" data-datetime="2012-12-27T19:24:50+00:00">December 27, 2012</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>FWIW, no contact that I am aware of by Nets to Magic re: Stan Van. SVG does have offset language in contract.</p>— David Aldridge (@daldridgetnt) <a href="https://twitter.com/daldridgetnt/status/284380049292021760" data-datetime="2012-12-27T19:27:41+00:00">December 27, 2012</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Going to be tough for the Nets to make big improvements. Better offensive system will help, but this is not a title winning roster</p>— Chris Mannix (@ChrisMannixSI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ChrisMannixSI/status/284380570719514624" data-datetime="2012-12-27T19:29:46+00:00">December 27, 2012</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>While front office had discussions w/ ownership on Johnson's future, GM Billy King made ultimate choice to fire him now, sources tell Y!</p>— Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojYahooNBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/WojYahooNBA/status/284382855688237056" data-datetime="2012-12-27T19:38:51+00:00">December 27, 2012</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Avery got fired? He was just coach of the month wasn't he? That's like a player get Player of the Month then gets traded the next month <a href="https://twitter.com/search/%23NBA">#NBA</a></p>— LeBron James (@KingJames) <a href="https://twitter.com/KingJames/status/284386298943393792" data-datetime="2012-12-27T19:52:31+00:00">December 27, 2012</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>According to NBA coaching source, Nets launching broad search that will include call to Phil Jackson to gauge Phil's interest in Brooklyn</p>— Marc Stein (@ESPNSteinLine) <a href="https://twitter.com/ESPNSteinLine/status/284387432844115969" data-datetime="2012-12-27T19:57:02+00:00">December 27, 2012</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>RT @<a href="https://twitter.com/nydninternets">nydninternets</a>: Nets GM Billy King has an old friend currently coaching at SMU (CANNOT RULE OUT LARRY BROWN, EITHER)</p>— Marc Stein (@ESPNSteinLine) <a href="https://twitter.com/ESPNSteinLine/status/284387650406846465" data-datetime="2012-12-27T19:57:54+00:00">December 27, 2012</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Re: Phil 2 Nets: anything's possible. But have heard nothing to suggest PJ has changed wish 4 organizational control rather than coaching.</p>— David Aldridge (@daldridgetnt) <a href="https://twitter.com/daldridgetnt/status/284388185717489666" data-datetime="2012-12-27T20:00:01+00:00">December 27, 2012</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> http://www.cbssports.com/nba/blog/k...stic-expectations-from-prokhorov-doomed-avery
What's obvious here is that Avery is an ok coach. Not great, but a guy 2 wins away from the championship, with not the most complete finals team ever, and ultimately losing to some of the craziest superstar calls during a series you might ever see, isn't a bad coach. Baloney. The Dallas team had an outstanding regular season- 67 wins, right? That's about as complete a team as you can get. And the biased superstar calls being a factor, although certainly a few went Wade's way that he didn't deserve, were greatly exaggerated. Dallas lost that series for 2 reasons: lack of defense and asphxiation.
