jalfa
Starter
ah, keeping him available as an option for other teams with headcoaching vacancies, so that they won't steal one of our preferred choices. gotcha.
Head coach & GM options
- Thread starter funkykingston
- Start date
ah, keeping him available as an option for other teams with headcoaching vacancies, so that they won't steal one of our preferred choices. gotcha.
t-rex
Bench
Sloan Vs. Cousins
Can this work? Sloan is too old to babysit nor would he have the patience. It should be Sloan or Cousins. I could see Sloan here but not with Cousins on the roster. I would like to see Sloan come in and hire John Stockton to work with our guards. A consistent rotation and solid defense would be a welcome change.
HereWeBoogie
Hall of Famer
im just excited that this is even a conversation.
Kings are staying, Maloofs are gone, new owners have money to spend, new GM, new coach. wow can this season start today!?
Kings are staying, Maloofs are gone, new owners have money to spend, new GM, new coach. wow can this season start today!?
Jerry Sloan is tough but he knows what he's doing. I suspect the structure he would bring to the team might actually be good for Cousins. DMC would have a defined role. He would know exactly what is expected of him, as would everyone else on the team. There would be no random substitutions, or game minute variances that totally defy logic.
Jerry Sloan is a strict disciplinarian but he is fair. It could be the perfect matchup...or it could blow up in our faces.
IfAt1st
Starter
Sloan has been my choice since the day things blew up in Utah early 2011.
Many people think DMC is crazy, or a loose cannon, or whatever.
I'm telling you, I believe the kid just NEEDS a serious, competitive approach that has a chance of winning in this league, and he'll behave fine.
It's this chicken-****, no-talent, incompetent stuff that drives him up the wall and makes it impossible for him to behave. Inside, he's screaming to incite change in a dysfunctional organization, even if he has to take the blame for it.
I'd do the same thing if I were him, and I'd similarly be demonized for it.
I'd rather have a passionate "unstable" guy who is not OK with the crap we've all had to put up for these many years, than have a tabula rasa like Tyreke.
I'm confident DMC would completely respect (and appreciate) Jerry Sloan's proven, no-****, honest, consistent handling of a team. They'd yell and get excited and then be right back on the same page the next play. Sloan wouldn't hang Cousins out to dry, swinging in the breeze the way this organization (and players) have. He'd get this team to come togehter, work together, run the damn plays and put forth effort every damn night.
How do I know this so clearly?
Because I watched the man, and that's what he did every damn year in Utah, even taking no-name teams filled with roleplayers into the playoffs.
This Kings team has WAY more talent than Sloan ever had post-Stockton/Malone, and that's without adding one body (and there's no way new management is going to let that years-old huge hole at SF go by without filling it with an NBA-quality, starting SF).
Many people think DMC is crazy, or a loose cannon, or whatever.
I'm telling you, I believe the kid just NEEDS a serious, competitive approach that has a chance of winning in this league, and he'll behave fine.
It's this chicken-****, no-talent, incompetent stuff that drives him up the wall and makes it impossible for him to behave. Inside, he's screaming to incite change in a dysfunctional organization, even if he has to take the blame for it.
I'd do the same thing if I were him, and I'd similarly be demonized for it.
I'd rather have a passionate "unstable" guy who is not OK with the crap we've all had to put up for these many years, than have a tabula rasa like Tyreke.
I'm confident DMC would completely respect (and appreciate) Jerry Sloan's proven, no-****, honest, consistent handling of a team. They'd yell and get excited and then be right back on the same page the next play. Sloan wouldn't hang Cousins out to dry, swinging in the breeze the way this organization (and players) have. He'd get this team to come togehter, work together, run the damn plays and put forth effort every damn night.
How do I know this so clearly?
Because I watched the man, and that's what he did every damn year in Utah, even taking no-name teams filled with roleplayers into the playoffs.
This Kings team has WAY more talent than Sloan ever had post-Stockton/Malone, and that's without adding one body (and there's no way new management is going to let that years-old huge hole at SF go by without filling it with an NBA-quality, starting SF).
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Darth Divac
Bench
Jeff Green?
rainmaker
Hall of Famer
Wow. Good post. I don't usually agree with you that often but this entire post is pretty spot on.
Just have to look back to the days with Cuz in college, playing for a respected coach but one who's a yeller and a disciplinarian. Sure they got into it at times, but there was respect for one another, and Cal has come out a number of times and said part of the issue was Cuz is incredibly smart and asked questions.
You know who else used to ask questions and could be difficult at times? Mitch Richmond. The most talented players can be tough to coach at times because they're so damn confident in themselves and really want to win. But, that also goes on in corporate offices around the world. It's not limited to locker room. When there's a lot at stake people will butt heads, but as long as the respect factor is there there's usually no problems.
People who act like Cuz couldn't get along with Sloan I don't think understand what goes on in locker rooms and within teams. A big part of Cuz acting out imo is he's sick and tired of this amateurish organization. He wants to win and sees stupidity all around him, from the Maloofs to our FO to our coach. Cuz isn't dumb, he knows this organization isn't set up to win, which should change in two weeks. And I agree, I'd rather have a guy who ruffles feathers because he doesn't accept losing compared to someone perfectly content with just earning a paycheck. That's not a leader. Now Cuz isn't a great leader at all, but you can see some of it as he's not afraid to speak up. Hopefully maturity helps round that out.
But the list is long of players who can be difficult to coach, question their coaches at times and have opinions. Do people think Malone and Stockton were simply yes men? No way, they had egos, and the great coaches manage egos. They did keep it in the locker room, but, so did Cuz until Westphal blasted him publicly, then our FO publicly said he should seek out therapy. It was our organization which went public and didn't keep issues in house first, not Cuz, and once they did that Cuz probably figured, F this, you're not holding me to a higher standard than you hold yourselves. And at his age, I would have done the same.
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HndsmCelt
Hall of Famer
I have supported the idea Sloan myself. While I acknowledge the possibility that he and Cousins might have issues, if roles are clear and goals are clear and the rest of the team is held to the same standard of performance and accountability I think Sloan could be the best thing that ever happened to DMC. Over his years Sloan had many players on his team some with tempers, but he only one that walked away complaining was D. Will and I'd say in the end his career has NOT been enhanced since his days in Utah. But consider the other guys on our team; imagine Evans being used by Sloan, or Cole Aldrich... great goodly moogly that big boy already bears the mark of Sloan! And if any of you cant visualize pick and rolls with DMC and Evans I don't think anything I can say will ever convince you how powerful this team could be under Sloan.
Elektrik
Starter
Jackson will not come here to coach this group of misfits and mal-contents. He only coaches teams that have a bonafide superstar. IE Jordan, Kobe.....Cousins? Nahhh....Not to mention big cities.
HndsmCelt
Hall of Famer
Um Jackson has agreed to GM Detroit.
Padrino
All-Star
p-jax might not come here to coach this team, but he's expressed considerable interest in taking on a front office position in a potential rebuilding situation. the sacramento kings, under new ownership willing to spend, with a clean slate, seem to offer much of what he's looking for. now, he might not want the job for other reasons, and it might not be the best hire to begin with, considering his lack of GM experience, but it's certainly an option that merits attention from both parties...
Not exactly. From what I've read, Jackson has been hired in an advisory capacity at this point to help Joe Dumars find the next coach for the Pistons.
Exactly. He's still on the market for a full-time front office job somewhere and we're a couple weeks away from being able to make any personnel changes anyway.
HndsmCelt
Hall of Famer
I guess that is what I get for only reading the headline.
MassachusettsKingsFan
All-Star
I almost forgot he was fired, but Lawrence Frank has always been a coach I had some respect for.
The Pistons had a terrible roster for the two years he was there. I'd take our roster over theirs without question, and he got them to 29 wins. Not great, obviously, but I think he can coach.
Not on the top of my list, but I wouldn't be upset with him either.
The Pistons had a terrible roster for the two years he was there. I'd take our roster over theirs without question, and he got them to 29 wins. Not great, obviously, but I think he can coach.
Not on the top of my list, but I wouldn't be upset with him either.
bajaden
Hall of Famer
I'm a huge fan of Sloan. Long term, he's not my favorite choice, but for as long as he wanted to coach, I'd be on board. As pointed out, Cousins and Calapari got along just fine, and as far as them having their moments, those moments amounted to Cousins sitting and Calapari telling him what he did wrong. I watched Kentucky play at least 20 some odd games that year, and I don't once remember Cousins talking back to Calapari. He wasn't always happy when he got jerked because of a mistake, but he took it fine. Cousins in that last interview, said he had no trouble with discipline, he had trouble with BS. As long as your straight with him, and tell him the truth, he'll listen. But throw him under the bus, and you lose him.
Sloan, like Pops, is a straight shooter. He'll tell everyone upfront what he expects of them. After the group of coaches we've had the last few years, he'd probably seem like god to these guys.
Sloan, like Pops, is a straight shooter. He'll tell everyone upfront what he expects of them. After the group of coaches we've had the last few years, he'd probably seem like god to these guys.
This is probably the most important quality we can look for in a coach imo. We need someone with a successful resume where our guys won't have any room to question and we'll be held accountable for their actions on and off the court.
I also think Cousins and Sloan would be a fine fit. After all, if Cousins won't listen to one of the GOAT coaches, then he's not going to listen to anybody. Sloan is someone who commands respect, but is also a very willing teacher.
I think it would be worth it just from a name value perspective. Whether P-Jax would be a good GM or not, he brings considerable name recognition to the Kings and makes us an interesting team in the eyes of the national media.
bajaden
Hall of Famer
I agree! If you want to attract big time freeagents, then you have to attach your name to guys like Jackson. Besides, if you let him put together the team he wants, he just might want to coach that team down the road a bit.
LPKingsFan
All-Star
Sounds like NJ might be in the market for a new coach, too. I'm worried that if this ownership transfer is drawn out we'll be drawing from the dregs of the coaching candidates.
I'm pretty certain there are no rules to prohibit a potential ownership group from talking with potential coaches. And, according to a couple of mysterious tweets yesterday by ? (I can't remember because I saw them just before I shut down for the night but it's someone fairly reliable), Vivek has already got some major talent in mind. I think there are several good coaches out there who would love to get in at the beginning with our new owners, especially if they're intrigued by Cousins, Evans, etc.
Bricklayer
Don't Make Me Use The Bat
I have no idea what you are worried about. Not only do we already have a great coach if we choose to retain him, but I think this is an excellent year for sleeper coaching candidates. There are some highly qualified coaches out there with NBA experience who I think might be ready to make the jump, and there are all types of different possibilities.
For instance a top college coach:
Head Coach Cal State Northridge:
Top Assistant Coach:
Arizona State Assistant Coach:
Top International Coach:
Head Coach Indian National Team (great tie in with Vivek!)
Retired legend who has coached teams all the way to the Finals before:
Retiree
Do not fear, we've got options aplenty even if every team fires this coach this summer.
HereWeStay
Bench
playoffs here we come, we should have made the playoffs two years in a row but we have dumb coaches and training staff
ParniValjak
All-Star
Sounds like Phil Jackson to me!
If you were Phil Jackson and you had an offer to coach the Brooklyn Nyets or the Sacramento Kings, who do you take?
Both teams would have great ownership groups, both team will be in new arenas. One made the play offs this year and the other was a lottery team but with a couple of pieces that just happen to fit your triangle offence.
I might be more inclined to guess Jerry Sloan. I've always seen Phil Jackson as a guy who was successful in coaching a team with one or two superstars and making the role players fit around them. Since I really don't think we can style Cousins and 'Reke as superstars (certainly not as of today), I don't know if PJ is the best fit. Sloan always seemed to get the absolute best out of his teams regardless of the personnel. Not that I'd turn my nose up at Jackson or anything.
LPKingsFan
All-Star
Yeah, that sounds like Phil Jackson to me, too. Unless (since Koz is in GS and has the inside scoop) they're trying to coax West back to a full time front office role.
But yeah, Brooklyn is capped out (as Ziller aptly summed up on SBNation) while here he'd have a relatively blank slate but some interesting pieces to work with. Plus, he'd be closer to Jeannie Buss in LA.
LPKingsFan
All-Star
That's a good point. I assumed it was front office (which Jackson seems interested in, not coaching) but since Koz mentioned pre-game intros, maybe it is about coaching. In which case, the "biggest name" out there would be Sloan in my mind.
That said, it still somewhat sounds like someone invested in the team, too ("in between Vivek and the $1 million guys), which makes me think more along front office lines. Very curious.
