Billy Donovan of Florida. I think he's ready for the NBA. He's pretty good at D but he doesn't neglect the O. I also really like how his game plans change radically depending on the opponent -- and yet they work.
Assuming the NY writers are onto something and JVG were to head to noo yawk cittty then I would start my search with Rick Adelman, possibly Musselman or even Thibodeau. I'd look into Nate MacMillan's availability, at least consider Super Mario, and Iavaroni (or D'Antoni's #1 assistant). I would spend 0% of my time and energy looking into college coaches, Paul Silas, Doug Collins, or Larry Brown.
I know he's been quote several times as saying that he didn't want to come back and he told me personally when I met him earlier this year at a game, no hesitation, he's done.
We agree on that, a college coach would be wasted effort but it's redunant since JVG isn't going anywhere and next year, a lot of people will be changing thier tune or acting as if they never said this or that....
Brown is a jerk. Any coach that lost control of his players, feuded with them in the press and had the record he had this year would have been fired before the season ended. He is overrated and if he really had the Knicks interest at heart he would resign and waive his right for the remainder of the $ left on his contract but I bet knowing LB that he quits in the offseason and gets the whole $50M.
We definitely don't want an old college coach who is set in his ways. But Billy Donovan is only 40, and he has already been a winner on two colleges. (Marshall, and now Florida) I alluded to Donovan's ability to radically change his game plan depending on the opponent. The fact that it works shows that he has a deep understanding of the game. JVG has never shown an ability to build a championship team. The past few seasons should have proven it, if it needed proving after his Knicks career. I doubt he will suddenly change. The risk with keeping JVG on is that he will be just good enough to get us through one or two rounds of the playoffs, but never good enough to actually win a championship. And we would waste years and years -- the prime of Yao's and T-Mac's lives -- to learn it.
Just curious, but how many players were brought in by Red to his dynastic C's and how many players were brought into these Rox by the monastic JVG?
And another point. My opinion of JVG is supported by my calculations in another thread. The Bald One is famous for his defence, and maybe that is why you love him, Grendal. But the hard fact is that his defence is actually no better than Rudy's. <a href="http://bbs.clutchfans.net/showpost.php?p=2283839&postcount=20">See for yourself</a>. JVG's reputation is undeserved. .
2007, 2009, 2011 first round picks. Oh, after reading OldManRock's post, I have to clarify that I meant to say those are the picks that the Knicks should give us, not the other way round.
The Rudy T / CD "legacy" is championships. They left this team directly or indirectly with 2 top 10 players. With a healthy McGrady, all but maybe a handful of teams would trade rosters based on those two guys alone.
Talking about Billy Donovan, he's pretty much a JVG version 2. A hard worker and X's and O's guy, he played for JVG at Providence and then invited JVG to be honorary coach at Florida during their training camp in 2001. A lot of his stuff comes from the JVG enyclopedia.
JVG can go, won't bother me. We need a coach who: a) maximes his players production b) can make adjustments on the fly c) is more than competant on both ends of the floor--i don't mind a defensive minded coach, but we still need to score. and Vice -Versa d) keeps the criticism BEHIND CLOSED DOORS e) puts himself and his rep last. Here's an idea for coach. Big Mouth Charlie Rosen--it's obvious he knows what he's talking about. He give's offensive and defensive rundowns/strategies for every team in the league. But there's no way in hell he'd do it, something tells me he isn't willing to walk the walk. I'd love to see him crash and burn. In reality a fan of the Motivator as coach, and X&O guys for offense and defense. Pretty much what we saw from the Larry Bird Pacer days and also what Dallas seems to be employing now.
Did NYK get compensated when the Rox landed JVG. It's payback time, baby. If the Knicks can take JHO, they get JVG for free.
