Coach Malone

[macadocious]

I figured we could us a thread to talk about Coach Malone and what he has done well and what he hasn't.

Overall I think he has done an above average job, especially with an ever changing roster and mismatched parts. I really hope once this shake out is over he can get some normalcy in his rotations.

The one complaint I have, and I have had this with almost every coach we've had since Adleman, is that I hate when we have 5 bench players out there at the same time. I think it is a bad idea, I think (again once we have more defined rolls) that we always need to have 2 starters on the floor. I think that substitutions should be staggered more. I don't get the every possession bringing in a new guy.

The only time I can see having an entire bench on the floor is either more a specific matchup or, if we have a "bench mob" sort of crew that brings a different energy and can be a cohesive unit.

 

[HereWeBoogie]

i think its very clear that Malone has made strides with the players. he has had some weird times where he rode the bench players like Salmons and Patterson in the 4th but maybe that was showcasing for Toronto?
pretty crazy to see a team finally running plays and with a system. such a huge difference over the past few coaches

 

[Uncia03]

I'll be more concerned regarding all 5 bench players out on the court at the same time as soon as we have a roster that we like and games we're desperately trying to win.
What I mean by that is, if you want to trade guys you don't want, then you usually have to play them. As it looks as if PDA is looking to trade pretty much all of our roster it means that Malone has to find minutes where they can get out on the floor, and since going into the season the matra has been 'it's not about winning games it's about changing culture' it doesn't put the pressure on Malone to have a tight rotation with the sole purpose of winning.

I'm looking for one more trade, probably with Thornton involved, and then after that I will be expecting tighter rotations, and by nature if you have a 9-man rotation then you'll always have at least 1 starter on the floor.

So basically, until we get to the point where PDA is finished with most of his overhaul I'm not going to fault Malone for the line-ups he puts out there.

 

[TyFreak Evans]

I think Malone is doing a phenomenal job with the roster he has before him. Having 5 bench players on the floor, as has been discussed, is seen by me as more of an audition for PDA in terms of trades. I don't mind this approach as long as it yields us a stable roster in the future. Plus, one can see this as more of a "How can 5 bench players come together and play as a unit" just in case 2-3 of our regular starters go down with injuries...

Malone, for what it's worth, looks like he is gonna be a tremendous head coach for this team going forward...

 

[MizzouKing]

I think what impresses me most is the masterful job he's done in winning the hearts and minds of the star players. It's reflected in the comments of DMC and IT after the Dallas game, that loyalty and confidence that 'Coach will put us where we need to be to be successful and that's how we play here.' I can only imagine the balancing act it takes to win loyalty respect from immature millionaires, especially when you're at the end of a coaching carousel that featured characters ranging from psuedo tough-love types (Westphal) to the eager buddy (Smart). Somehow Malone has gotten this respect while challenging them to be greater, being straight with them about where they're at, and making some unpopular calls. I see Malone as an "Authentic Leader"...someone who knows themself, is competent and straightforward, while being willing to make the tough calls. Those types of leaders are few and far between, but it's clear to me that he was an excellent choice for the head coach of this team.

As a rookie head coach he'll continue to goof up and make bad calls from time to time, but on balance I think he's done a helluva job so far.

MizzouKing

 

[Kingster]

I'd give Malone a 9 out of a possible 10. The only reason I give him the 9 instead of 10 is the fact that so far he hasn't been able to stop the Cousins' point guard phenomenon. If Malone gives Cousins the cure for his point guard fetish, he goes to 10 in my book. My guess is that Malone has bigger fish to fry when it comes to Cousins' the point guard. He only has so much capital and needs to expend it on those things at the top of the list. Maybe down the line if Cousins can hear it from somebody else - DA, Vivek, Shaq, Rudy Gay - then he'll finally resign himself to position of center.