Sources: Jvg not interested in Rockets because of relationship with owner

man JVG would be a god send. it would help so much to improve the likeability of our team (which is by far the most hated in the NBA)

 

Its not like JVG was living under a rock in exile away from any sort of basketball while he was away from coaching.

As a ESPN commentator, he was as close to the game as anyone not employed by a NBA team. In fact, he might be even closer than most since he has to stay up with all the teams in the league at all times to know what to talk about during games, gets to interview/talk with any player and is open to meet with coaches and personnel around the league. He isn't restricted like other coaches/GM are usually. I'm not worried about him not knowing the new style of play the NBA has moved to.

Of course, I do think that he will have to adjust because it has been a while since he was on the sidelines. But I think it will be more about managing player egos and team chemistry. I think players in the NBA today are different than what JVG is probably used to coaching in the past. I think JVG is a little more old school in how close opposing players are on the court and wants guys to be ultra-competitive when in between the lines so he might expect more of that than the usual buddy-buddy type stuff we see in today's NBA.

My concern is how receptive Harden will be to JVG if he comes. I think JVG would be great for Harden and Harden will know that and play well in return, but if/when things go bad, I am interested to see how Harden responds. I don't think it will be like the JVG-Francis relationship, where it was pretty much doomed from the get-go but its definitely putting together an old school coach with a new school player, hoping it will stick and be beneficial long-term.

 

Hahaha. Brilliant.

 

I don't know how true this is but I'm guessing that for old-school coaches like JVG, watching McHale get unceremoniously dumped so early in the season must rub them the wrong way.

If the conditions are right, I'm sure he'd mull over any offer from the Rockets. But as it's been reported, I'd bet the Timberwolves job is the one that he really covets.

 

His buddy Tom already got the TWolves job. Other jobs are filling up fast. Rockets or ??? ... spend his 10th year away?

 

It really is a perfect storm for him. He lives in Houston, he's already done raising his kids, he's not getting any younger, and the Rockets wouldn't be a total rebuild.

He's gone after two other jobs since he left coaching. New Orleans last year, and Minnesota now. Both teams feature young cores with foundational players you can build around. The Rockets have that as well... Have more recent success, and like I said he lives here.

Still has to work out from the ownership side of things. I have no worries about him and Morey getting along.

 

Why would JVG want to come to a team that he has no control over? I mean, he doesn't have to be president of the team but he knows that if Harden decides to not play defense (as per usual), JVG wouldn't be able to sit him, or hold him accountable. Les and Morey aren't going to back up JVG.

 

They do? I don't see that personally. Harden's still young of course, but he is what he is at this point of his career. And the rest of the roster is up in the air.

JVG seems to want to take over that team that's just beginning its journey and has the core player(s) in place. The question is, do those teams want him?

 

There are some coaches who mainly want to coach... He also said he wanted to have a good working relationship with the GM, which he does have in Morey.

Poppovich doesn't have unilateral control of the Spurs. Phil didn't control the Bulls or Lakers totally. The only recent head coach to win it all who also had the final say in all basketball decisions was Riley in 2006? And that's only after he got rid of SVG.

Lastly, I don't think anybody would stand in his way to sitting Harden. The key is that with him on board, the chances that Harden decides to just take possessions and games off would hopefully be a thing of the past.

 

When he's motivated, he's one of the 2 to 3 best players in the NBA... And he's still young with virtually zero injury history.

The key is that not all coaches out there have a shot at putting him in the right place from a mental standpoint. I don't think JVG's afraid of that... And I'm sure Harden would respond well to the hard-nose approach (initially... But if things go south, he'll revert back to the same ol same ol).

 

Wade & Shaq got rid of SVG

 

Greg Popovich absolutely has final say on all basketball related matters.

 

Actually, I think he would command respect.

 

Jeff Van Gundy will command respect,, and maybe get that, but it will be a pseudo type of respect for him as coach. An overrated coach, especially on these forums on the moment.

 

Yeah I saw that right after I put up my post. My bet is that he waits one more year for the "perfect" job to appear.

BTW I read this in Marc Stein's article on Thib's hiring.

Guess Stein forgot JBB is still coaching the Rockets. Ouch.

 

JVg has class, don't forget it!

 

Perfect point right here...JVG wants cohesion (being on the same page) with any GM or "upper management". Wanting to have great standing with management as far as which players to bring in, having constant communication with one another, to identify which system would maximize his players' skill set, and allowing that said coach to coach "his way".

Pops and RC Buford (Pops named Buford as GM so he could just coach). Perfect example of cohesion that resulted in 5 titles over 17 years (and maybe a 6th this season). You also mentioned Phil and the Lakers, he and Dr. Buss (alongside Jerry West/Mitch Kupchak) had a cohesive relationship that also resulted in 5 titles as well. Riley has that cohesion with Spoelstra; Riley hand-picked Spo as his successor as HC and Riley allows Spo to freely coach the team, knowing if any egos tried to undermine Spo (see LeBron), Riley will shut that **** down quickly. Because Riley is judge, jury, and executioner in Miami.

Yes, Riley named himself as coach after, IMO, Shaq being the primary reason for SVG getting the ax in Miami. Wade was just in his 3rd season at that time, and he didn't have any stroke to call those shots. No "coach/Pres./GM" all-in-one role will win it anytime soon, IMO.

The only thing I disagree with is Pops not having unilateral control in SA. He and Buford have that relationship, but Pops does have total control of the Spurs. Everyone knows what Pops is all about and things have been smooth for them for the last 20 years.

 

I'm not questioning Harden's talent, but rather if he would be considered a "young" core player. Given that he's turning 27 this August, I'd say he's entering his prime, and he is what he is.

By comparison, McGrady was 25 when he first joined the Rockets. And of course, the team already had Yao Ming. Unless Morey is able to work some off-season magic, I don't think the Rockets will seem like that great a situation to JVG.

 

Who exiled him from coaching basketball?

oh. yeah, Les.

 

JVG would really ruin Harden's career. He doesn't see the value in the Spurs sitting their top players at the end of the season, or the Warriors resting some guys prior to the playoffs.

I don't want an old-minded coach, I can't stand another cycle of failure. Why would you repeat something that has already failed in similar circumstances? He couldn't get through to T-Mac and clearly Harden is right now at risk of ending up a T-Mac if the right individual isn't coaching him.

We need a much smarter offense, and JVG without question is not the right coach to do that. If you want an offense in the top 10, then you better start by hiring a top 10 offensive coach - which JVG is not.

I know JVG is one of the best known commodities as a coaching option, but there is a reason he hasn't coached for 10 years. He's the type of coach who prepares a team for the eventual championship coach. However, we don't have that kind of time. We need someone who has a chance of winning it all, JVG is not that guy.

If we hire JVG, we will fire him after realizing again that his defense negates his offense. You will not get fast break points with a team so blindly committed to 5 players holding ground and securing the defensive rebound. You will not be good in the half court by yelling at your players to move off the ball. You will not improve as a team just because you increase the minutes of your best players. His system is broken and he has never shown that he knows how to fix it so that the defense and offense feed on each other.

I love JVG, but not as much as the Rockets. Just like we knew McHale was going to be gone without a ring, we know JVG would leave here without a ring. Barring a miracle in both cases of course. Let's pick someone who at least leaves the possibility of a ring open. Someone who hasn't tried, someone who has ideas about how to improve on the best offenses and defenses RELATIVE TO WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE NBA rather than based on some old school mumbo jumbo tradition.