Walton fired by Lakers; Kings make offer (merged)

Will Luke Walton Be The Next Head Coach Of The Sacramento Kings?


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#61
I realize they had the greatest regular season in history and could coach themselves or whatever but he did get 5 more wins and 1 less loss than Kerr did so theoretically he out-coached Kerr. And that stretch did include a huge Christmas day game against the Cavs. I still can't believe that was the year they didn't win the title.

If we only interview Walton & Messina I am ok if we choose either one.
 
#62
I realize they had the greatest regular season in history and could coach themselves or whatever but he did get 5 more wins and 1 less loss than Kerr did so theoretically he out-coached Kerr. And that stretch did include a huge Christmas day game against the Cavs. I still can't believe that was the year they didn't win the title.

If we only interview Walton & Messina I am ok if we choose either one.
Not to mention, for all the talk of how “they coached themselves” they hadn’t won at that rate before that start nor have they since despite stacking the deck even higher in their favor. There is something to be said about how they played for Walton
 
#64
You know why I'm giddy? For the simple reason we will NOT be bored and this could well mean another smack in the face to the LA LeBrons. While some say it was no big deal for him to do so well with the Warriors, I think it showed that Walton's ego isn't so big that he tries to fix something that isn't broken. I suspect Luke will get along greatly with our kids. He's been around the best in the game all his life - he knows NBA players and the NBA life. He's not a stupid man.

And just think...we can get Bill to do a "Luke I am your father" ... or just use the clip from Star Wars as his intro.

I'm loving this possibility.
I get this. Also, love that you use my LA LeBron’s nickname. ;)
 
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Capt. Factorial

trifolium contra tempestatem subrigere certum est
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#65
I also don't know what to think about Walton and his coaching ability, but I think people are discounting what he did with the Warriors. They were absolutely dominating teams, setting a record for best start to a season. Sure, the Warriors were great, but the idea that a rock could have coached them (from a different poster) is hyperbole at its finest. The job that he did with the Warriors as an interim was impressive.
Well, I suppose saying a rock could have coached them is a bit of hyperbole...but it might not be that much.

Consider that this was a team that won 67 games and the championship the year before. This team returned TWELVE players including all of the top 9 in minutes from the championship team. That's a total of 92% of the floor time from the champs returning. And those 12 guys played 95% of the minutes in the season Walton coached. He was flat out handed a championship team with effectively no turnover who had already played with each other for a full year (at least).

I can just imagine myself, not at all a basketball coach, being thrown into that interim situation. I'd say, "OK guys, you know what you're doing. Now go out there and do what you've been doing and win the game!", and I'd never ever draw up a play (because I can't), and I'd try to manage minutes and substitutions as best I could. Even if I led that team to lose every game that Walton got them to win by 6 or fewer, they're still a .721 team.

The job that the Warriors did with Walton as an interim coach was indeed impressive. I just don't know how much of it can be attributed to Walton.
 
#66
Such a predictable move by the Kings with Vivek's fingerprints all over it. Vlade can say what he wants being in control, but the one that signs the checks gets what he wants.

They probably fired DJ because everyone knew Walton was going to get fired/resign. Getting Walton will complete Vivek's long obsession with becoming a Warriors knockoff.
I've seen this sentiment a handful of times, and it is a judgment lacking perspective. Vlade has known Luke for, at least, almost 20 years. They played together during Vlade's second stint in LA. They have nearly identical demeanors and basketball philosophies...maybe even life philosophies, I don't know. Anyway, Luke would be a Vlade decision, 100%. Messina too, for that matter.
 
#67
I'm not gonna complain about this.. He is in fact way more chill than Dave, especially I think he's got a chance to develop good rapport with guys like De'Aaron and Buddy, his chances of connecting with those 2 are very high. More than anything I'm sure this is a win for the lockerroom.

He brigns the energy of a new upstart talented coach to a new upstart talented team.. PLUS it's great that he's had a chance to get his feet wet with the Lakers already.

This only juices up the rivalry further and if we can keep beating them it's huge. The vision is real. We're on our way.
 
#68
Well, I suppose saying a rock could have coached them is a bit of hyperbole...but it might not be that much.

Consider that this was a team that won 67 games and the championship the year before. This team returned TWELVE players including all of the top 9 in minutes from the championship team. That's a total of 92% of the floor time from the champs returning. And those 12 guys played 95% of the minutes in the season Walton coached. He was flat out handed a championship team with effectively no turnover who had already played with each other for a full year (at least).

I can just imagine myself, not at all a basketball coach, being thrown into that interim situation. I'd say, "OK guys, you know what you're doing. Now go out there and do what you've been doing and win the game!", and I'd never ever draw up a play (because I can't), and I'd try to manage minutes and substitutions as best I could. Even if I led that team to lose every game that Walton got them to win by 6 or fewer, they're still a .721 team.

The job that the Warriors did with Walton as an interim coach was indeed impressive. I just don't know how much of it can be attributed to Walton.
I will simply ask: is Draymond ever easy to manage? Is that ever a simple task?
 
#70
I'm curious how many free agents would rather play for Luke than Joerger. With no 1st round draft pick this year, we need to make Sac as an attractive destination as possible. I also love the fact he coached the Lakers and quite possible has a bone to pick with that organization.
 
#72
I'm perusing some Lakers boards. Overall, nobody seems to really care that he got fired, aside from a few choosing a stance for or against moving on. The main complaints seem to be about his rotations and in game adjustments. Nothing really detailed on his offensive or defensive schemes in the various "Luke fired" threads I've been lurking in.
No fan of any team typically likes a coaches rotations. Adelman had rotations that frustrated us all the time....
 
#74
Randle was pretty damn good his last season with the Lakers which was what made Magic's decision to just let him walk even more puzzling.

Zubac had his moments this season and people were legitimately pissed when the Lakers offloaded him to open up time for Java and Chandler in the rotation. And also considering the perfect storm of Lebron getting his first significant injury in a decade and Magic/Pelinka pretty much giving a perfect example of how not to build a roster, it's hard to say much of anything that happened in LA is Walton's fault in particular.

I'm ambivalent either way but you seriously seem to be placing Joerger on a pedestal that quite frankly I'm not sure he deserves to be on.
I literally never mentioned the former coach of the kings in that post.
 
#75
The job that the Warriors did with Walton as an interim coach was indeed impressive. I just don't know how much of it can be attributed to Walton.
I see it similarly to how I view most of Phil Jackson’s coaching successes with CHI and LA — which was largely about managing and balancing out egos and vastly differing personalities. Tex Winter was the architect of the famed triangle offense those teams ran. Phil was the guy that could get them to play together and manage the egos. I think that’s pretty much what Walton did — albeit not to the same degree — in Golden State.
 
#79
Messina, or a hard nosed college coach. But by my nature I feel hardass coaches get the most out of talent

But then it’s a bit unappetizing to get a coach fresh off a stint that didn’t work out and is not generally perceived well by that fanbase forums
 
#80
Messina, or a hard nosed college coach. But by my nature I feel hardass coaches get the most out of talent

But then it’s a bit unappetizing to get a coach fresh off a stint that didn’t work out and is not generally perceived well by that fanbase forums
I generally don't like retreads either, but I think Walton an exception. He's still young and should grow with the right team nicely.
 
#81
Ok, I'd like to know more about what Luke can bring other than Bill Walton:

1. What type of offense does he run?
2. What type of defense does he run?
3. Is he flexible?
4. Do players respect him?
5. Is he creative ?
1. Nothing besides run-and-gun, which is perfect for us but his half-court sets won't be better than Joerger's.
2. One of his main calling cards actually. He apparently coaches defense quite well.
3. Probably not but can't be worse than Dave "status quo" Joerger.
4. Lame-duck in L.A. Joerger was a toxic jackass. So take your pick honestly.
5. Not really, no.

Pretty lateral move. Walton won't make talent sink I feel a la Mark Jackson, but he won't put you over the top. Joerger's probably the same way, but I feel things won't grow toxic at least with Walton.
 
#83
Nope, no one said a thing except for Bagley's dad thanking Jesus.
Bagley's dad is pompous Lavar wannabe.

With all the big egos and crybaby divas in the NBA right now I could actually see Marvin himself becoming one of them down the road. I trust that Fox, Buddy, and Giles will continue to be great humble guys down the road but I'm slightly concerned that Marvin may not turn out that way.
 
#85
1. Nothing besides run-and-gun, which is perfect for us but his half-court sets won't be better than Joerger's.
2. One of his main calling cards actually. He apparently coaches defense quite well.
3. Probably not but can't be worse than Dave "status quo" Joerger.
4. Lame-duck in L.A. Joerger was a toxic jackass. So take your pick honestly.
5. Not really, no.

Pretty lateral move. Walton won't make talent sink I feel a la Mark Jackson, but he won't put you over the top. Joerger's probably the same way, but I feel things won't grow toxic at least with Walton.
This is why I don't get this move.
 
#86
I don't know Luke's rep as a players' coach or not but a lot of people have gone to bat for him after he got canned. I know he is likely a genuinely nice dude just from having hung out with his brother at his dad's basketball camp 30 odd years ago. He had a ~10 year career, learned from some of the best coaches ever. I think we could do a lot lot worse. I think the critique that he doesn't have a great offensive mind may not be fair given the amount of roster turnover he dealt with in his 3 seasons. "The guy" on his teams practically changed twice a season if you consider LeBron missing so much time.
 
#87
There are reasons why we have sucked for 13+ years. It’s decisions like these. Replace a coach that won more games then any other in the last 13 years with a coach that couldn’t win with the Goat.
 
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