Did Mr D ok all the signings and trades?

I thought I read he did.

to my knowledge, Joe has never had any interference from above regarding player/personnel decisions. Coaching? Absolutely.

Well that was one heck of a waffle from the time we hired Flip.


Not really. It should have read "firing."

Although I am glad spoiled fans got to see the difference between flip saunders and a coach that actually was bad....

Man, I thought there was some player move that JoeD had to get approved or something and it didn't work out.

Lets roll with your recollection for now.

I believe Joe said once that if there was ever a player out there that he thought would put us over the luxury tax but give us a great chance to win a title, that he had that emergency authority from Davidson to make that move.

He was under orders to spend responsibly, but he was never restricted from acquiring any quality players because of it.

we would have payed Hill the full MLE for 2-3 seasons, that would have put us over the luxtax, but he decided to go to Phoenix for the minimum...

In Phoenix Hill was a starter. Here he was a backup to Tay.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/writers/chris_mannix/07/06/wallace.celtics/?eref=sihp


Pistons' coaching search gaining steam

The Pistons are expected to hire a new coach in the next 48 hours, according to league sources. Former Mavericks coach Avery Johnson (http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/basketball/nba/players/168) has been considered the front-runner since Detroit fired Michael Curry (http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/basketball/nba/players/915) last month, but sources said the Pistons could be slowly moving away from Johnson -- who reportedly is looking for a say in personnel decisions and could ask for a contract worth $5 million per season -- and toward Cavaliers assistant coach John Kuester.
Kuester, a former college head coach who has worked in the NBA as an assistant with the Celtics, 76ers, Pistons, Nets, Magic and Cavs since 1990, has become a hot name after serving as Cleveland's offensive coordinator last season. Kuester has a strong relationship with Pistons president Joe Dumars from his years coaching on Larry Brown's staff in Detroit. That relationship extends to several key Pistons players, including Richard Hamilton (http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/basketball/nba/players/3330) and Tayshaun Prince (http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/basketball/nba/players/3621).

Kuester really? if that happens Joe D will just go for the cheaper version, so he can fire him again in 2 seasons... i am sick and tired of changing coaches every 1 or 2 years, we're not contending the next 2, give a coach a chance to grow with the team and still Avery is the best choice here!

Kuester really? if that happens Joe D will just go for the cheaper version, so he can fire him again in 2 seasons... i am sick and tired of changing coaches every 1 or 2 years, we're not contending the next 2, give a coach a chance to grow with the team and still Avery is the best choice here!
as a coach? yea. Worth the partial GM status? No imo. It's ar from over, so we'll see. Either way Cleveland's offense is nothing special, so getting their offensive assistant strikes me as lame. I'd rather go after the Celtics defensive assistant.

So it's come full circle.

The Cavs copied everything Pistons, and now it's vice versa.

Will our players use pretend cameras in the intros this year?

Avery is nothing special.

Avery out as Pistons candidate, Kuester leader: http://bit.ly/vzkUG

Are we really going to go with another first time coach after what just happened?

Oh, and all thoughts about Laimbeer ever becoming the coach of the Pistons should be put to rest. If Joe is willing to hire a 1st-timer and he doesn't get it now, then when would he?

Has either Kuester or Thibodeau had any head coaching experience at any level?

Thibodeau coached some small school (Salem State or something like that). Not sure about Kuester.

I guess I prefer Kuester, under the assumption that all that time spent with LB was well spent.

Has either Kuester or Thibodeau had any head coaching experience at any level?


I don't care. Both guys are very good at what they do.

I'd prefer Thibodeau, personally. He's well known as the NBA's defensive guru.

:stein:


Pistons prepared to go 2 years w/option for Year 3. So Avery won't be their next coach. http://bit.ly/10Vgak

:stein:


right, why commit to a quality coach long term, when you gonna fire him in 2 years anyway...

I think its more than he isnt going to make the same mistake of hiring a new head coach that cant get it done.

I think Dumars gave curry too many years and too much money, and he knew it.

I don't care. Both guys are very good at what they do.

I'd prefer Thibodeau, personally. He's well known as the NBA's defensive guru.

I agree %100.

But he's going to make the same mistake that he just admitted to. Hiring a guy that hasn't done this before.

I think you misunderstood him.

By "experienced,' I'm pretty sure he meant years of service on the bench, head coach or not.

Curry had what, one year as an assistant?

You can't compare him to Keuster or Thibodeau, two guys that have played major parts in championships.

I think Dumars gave curry too many years and too much money, and he knew it.

FWIW, I suggested that he was overpaid at the time and was roundly disagreed with here.

But he's going to make the same mistake that he just admitted to. Hiring a guy that hasn't done this before.

Not really. Both those guys have extensive experience. Curry was an assistant for what? 1-2 years? He was over his head.

I know Kuester runs the offense most of the time in Cleveland. I remember the announcers commenting on that in the playoffs. He was running the huddle during time outs down the stretch. I think the Boston assistant is highly regarded too.

FWIW, I suggested that he was overpaid at the time and was roundly disagreed with here.

I'm pretty sure I would have agreed with you. Curry deserved small potatoes money as his first HC job.

Thibodeau is the NBA's top defensive guru. A few teams wanted him this summer and he told them no thanks. He's the mastermind behind Boston's defense.

Keuster was basically our offensive coordinator when we won the title in 2004. He's a larry brown deciple, but on the offensive side of the ball. He's very good at working with guards. Chauncey adn Rip became a dynamic duo under his system, and he's done wonders with Mo Williams and delonte west in Cleveland.

can we get 2 headcoaches, Kuester for offense, Thibo for defense :) ?

I think you misunderstood him.

By "experienced,' I'm pretty sure he meant years of service on the bench, head coach or not.





"I think I probably put too much on him as a first-year head coach. I don't expect anything less than for me to have to take responsibility for that."

What is there to misunderstand?

Who here can't imagine him saying the exact same thing 2 years from now if we goes with another first timer?

The article from a few pages ago said that Keuster had college head coaching experience before coming to the NBA as an assistant in 1990.

How hard is it to coordinate the Cavs offense.


Okay, I want Z to stand down low and float around a bit. Verajao will set a moving pick whenever he gets a chance. I want both of my guards hanging out around the 3pt arc. Get the ball in LeBron's hands and everyone stay out of his way. Be ready for a pass if he doesn't get the whistle.

the Cavs offense really got a bit better with Keuster last season, before that it was really just Lebron + other guys watching

Thibodeau is the NBA's top defensive guru. A few teams wanted him this summer and he told them no thanks. He's the mastermind behind Boston's top-ranked defense.

Doesn't make him a good head coach. There are countless examples of guys that just couldn't make the leap and were better as "coordinators". As far as we know, he may have been turned down for just as many jobs (or more) that you claim that he turned down himself.

I'm not saying we can't/won't be successful, I'm just saying that we're not the right team to let him earn his chops with right now, IMO. Been there, done that.

it got a lot better.

Cleveland went from 24th in ppg to 13th.
They went from 28th in team %FG to 6th.
They went from 16th in 3-point %FG to 2nd.

Doesn't make him a good head coach. There are countless examples of guys that just couldn't make the leap and were better as "coordinators". As far as we know, he may have been turned down for just as many jobs (or more) that you claim that he turned down himself.

I'm not saying we can't/won't be successful, I'm just saying that we're not the right team to let him earn his chops with right now, IMO. Been there, done that.


Actually, this is the perfect team for an experienced assistant. I can't think of a better one.

Thibodeau is the NBA's top defensive guru. A few teams wanted him this summer and he told them no thanks. He's the mastermind behind Boston's top-ranked defense.
Just like the Cavs offense, the Celtics defense isn't all that ridiculously hard to coach. You have Paul Pierce, who is an underrated defender, KG, Perkins, and Rondo, quick and long like a PG version of Tay. The only guy in their starting lineup that he needs to worry about is Allen.

Yes, this is more difficult than the Cavs offense, but not much. How often were you hearing his name before they got all of those pieces?

laimbeer.....that is all

Actually, this is the perfect team for an experienced assistant. I can't think of a better one.

Keep trying to convince yourself of that.

Give me a seasoned pro with a solid head coaching track record, thank you.

Let someone else give these guys OTJ training. We just did that.

Keep trying to convince yourself of that.

Give me a seasoned pro with a solid head coaching track record, thank you.

Let someone else give these guys OTJ training. We just did that.


We gave OTJ training to an idiot that hadn't even shown he could coach as an assistant. Both of these guys have played major roles in CHAMPIONSHIPS. The two scenarios aren't remotely comparable.

laimbeer.....that is all
Laimbeer falls in the same boat as curry...hasnt proven he can make a coaching impact in the NBA.

Just like the Cavs offense, the Celtics defense isn't all that ridiculously hard to coach. You have Paul Pierce, who is an underrated defender, KG, Perkins, and Rondo, quick and long like a PG version of Tay. The only guy in their starting lineup that he needs to worry about is Allen.

Yes, this is more difficult than the Cavs offense, but not much. How often were you hearing his name before they got all of those pieces?

What defenses did he coach prior?

Cleveland went from 24th in ppg to 13th.
They went from 28th in team %FG to 6th.
They went from 16th in 3-point %FG to 2nd.
They went from Larry Hughes to Mo Williams?

Cavs offense got better because they added an "allstar" in Mo Williams?

Thibodeau didn't join the celtics until their title run. The hired him SPECIFICALLY to design a defense.

Keep trying to convince yourself of that.

Give me a seasoned pro with a solid head coaching track record, thank you.

Let someone else give these guys OTJ training. We just did that.

Where are you going to find a seasoned HC with a good track record?

We got one of those (Flip) and that didn't work. Outside Avery or JVG there are no other options.

We gave OTJ training to an idiot that hadn't even shown he could coach as an assistant. Both of these guys have played major roles in CHAMPIONSHIPS.

Chuck Nevitt was involved in CHAMPIONSHIPS too.


The two scenarios aren't remotely comparable.

First time NBA head coach vs. First time NBA head coach.

Seems pretty comparable to me.

They went from Larry Hughes to Mo Williams?

Did they make those jumps AFTER he got there, or was he there before and they just randomly made the jump?

Then compare that offense to the Bucks offense with Mo Williams. I doubt Mo was very efficient with the Bucks

Chuck Nevitt was involved in CHAMPIONSHIPS too.

I said MAJOR ROLE, dumbass. Keuster designed a championship offense and Thibodeau designed a championship defense. What the fuck did Curry do as an assistant?


First time NBA head coach vs. First time NBA head coach.

Seems pretty comparable to me.
...just like blake griffin is comparable to Jonas Jerebko because they're both rookies, right?

Then compare that offense to the Bucks offense with Mo Williams. I doubt Mo was very efficient with the Bucks
Those are completely different scenarios. Mo didn't have LeBron James on his team in Milwaukee. He was asked to carry the team and run the offense. In Cleveland, he's the #2 option and doesn't even run the offense half the time. The ball is usually in Lebron's hands.

then i want Thibodeau! its not like this team will struggle to score a lot...

Those are completely different scenarios. Mo didn't have LeBron James on his team in Milwaukee. He was asked to carry the team and run the offense. In Cleveland, he's the #2 option and doesn't even run the offense half the time. The ball is usually in Lebron's hands.

Certainly he didn't have Lebron, but he was still the #2 option after Redd (actually 3rd in points to Ruben Patterson). Charlie V and Bogut were solid offensive players too. He didn't have offensive nobodies like Varajao and Big Ben to worry about (he had Skinner and Gadz, but they played a lot less).

What defenses did he coach prior?
Houston.

i can be happy with this hire. definitely.

Happy?

I understand what's happening - I just don't agree with it.

I'll let you know if I'm happy when I see the wins.

He's better than Curry, that much I know.