I guess you could say it was "rumors" but everybody knows AJ never trusted Devin Harris and rode him very hard. Of the coaches that wanted the job, I think AJ was just about the best hire the Nets could have made. Dwayne Casey would have been a good choice too.
I know Avery was hard on him. I remember reading that Avery was admittedly hard on Devin Harris but he never wanted or pushed for a trade... Then I read that Devin Harris realized that Avery was hard on him but their relationship was more like a father son relationship. Avery pushed him because he wanted him to be better and Devin pushed back because he was young didn't know why Avery was riding him so hard.
What has he shown for you to say he's mediocre? You seem upset because he didn't spend time moving up the ranks? Are you the kind of guy who's upset at young managers in the workplace, too? He's an intelligent guy, he was a good coach on the floor by all accounts, and he did a great job as an assistant. He seems to have all the tools to be a good coach, and he didn't do a bad job in Dallas. I see no reason to think he wouldn't be as good a choice as most of the ones out there.
Avery Johnson is not the type of coach to mold a young team into a winning squad... he's the type of coach that takes a team with pre-assembled veteran talent and then rides them all the way to the playoffs.
I guess I thought it was kind of tacky how he campaigned for a head coaching job and was groomed for that spot from the time he retired. I'm always in favor of hiring a sharp long-time assistant over a smug ex-player who thinks the fact that he WANTS so badly to be a head coach makes him deserving of a shot at it. There were at least half a dozen better, more experienced assistants in the league who deserved a shot over AJ when he landed the Mavs job, but he had sold Nellie on the concept and that was that. Then all he proved was that he could take a very good team and make them not suck. Is that enough to warrant all the "Avery is a great coach" comments I see on this site? Maybe so, but I don't have to agree with it. I don't hate the guy; I just hated to see him leap-frog the coaching talent pool without doing much of anything to earn it, that's all.
I just can't stand his voice. Were I a player, after a while it would grate on my nerves, cause me to grind my teeth, and whatever hair left on my head would drift away in the breeze. At least one good thing will come from this... Avery won't be assaulting my ears from the tube as a commentator.
This I will always agree with. When I sat 5 rows deep for a Mavs/Wizards game a few years ago, it was pretty hilarious how loud Avery was and how well I could hear him. Of course, I was close up. But I didn't hear Eddie Jordan or the players really...just Avery. And it was annoying (of course)
good choice. this guy emphasizes defense, and any young team needs that kind of discipline. and this team will be very talented, though young. it's going to be interesting. he's a good coach though.
Avery Johnson was Sam Cassel before Sam Cassel ... actual coaches on the floor not just point guards. You will see the same happen to Sammy.
Good call. Sam will have a head coaching job before long, and I think most on this board would agree with that idea. And Avery obviously preceded him down a similar path
You based this on one coaching gig? And Phil Jackson doesn't seem to be doing too bad with that formula... For the record, I think Avery is a good coach just for the fact he took what I thought was an underachieving Mavs team with a superstar that disappeared at times when his team needed him to carry them through stretches of the game and made them (and Dirk) tougher and squeezed an NBA Finals appearance from that bunch. I'd say he got more success out of Dirk then Don Nelson did. And since Avery has been gone, the Mavs are back to their usual playoffs fodder self.
I actually blame this on the Mavericks trading Harris for Kidd among the other reasons because Carlisle has done a pretty good job with the roster Cuban gave him. Getting Butler and Haywood should have gotten them to at least the 2nd Round this year but I blame the team's failure on its collective soft psyche (and the fact that they relied heavily on BAREA of all people).
Yes, he squeezed an NBA finals appearance yes... but this team was favored to win the NBA finals at least two times... yet they have failed both and in one year they were upset in the first round by a team coached by... Don Nelson. Of course I'm not saying Don Nelson is a great coach or a good one at that... I am saying: Players are the core of the team, not the coach. The coach fills more of a supporting, guiding role. It's all up to the players to fulfill their roles and whether they succeed or fail, it's really not the coaches that should receive much of the credit (or blame).
Funny you should say that because it was Johnson who decided to switch his starting lineup and rotation the year they got eliminated by Golden State because the stats said it would have worked. Link Of course, I can't discredit Johnson and Winston because it was their collective agreement/decision during that Mavs/Rockets series to get Barry off the court as much as possible that did the Rockets in.
Harris had still very young during that time. I think AJ has grown up a little bit. I think he learned a lot of what not to do after the Mav's situation... As for the best coach, I still think JVG would of been the best coach for that team. It would of been a perfect fit.
