NBA's Off-Season Winners and Losers

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NBA's Off-Season Winners and Losers


By JOHN HOLLINGER
September 21, 2006



Losers:

SACRAMENTO KINGS: I understood the part about not wanting Bonzi Wells back. I wouldn't want him back either, especially with his insane contract demands, surly attitude, and a waiting replacement in Kevin Martin.
The part I don't get is why they used his salary slot to sign a mediocrity like John Salmons. Five years at nearly the full midlevel exception for a guy who could barely stay in Philly's rotation? And by doing so the Kings gave up a chance to sign-and-trade Wells and get something more lucrative in return. As an added demerit, I though the firing of Rick Adelman was rash: He still had the players' respect and was winning games.



http://www.nysun.com/article/40103?page_no=3
 
Rick didnt have the players respect. They just liked him cause he'd let them get away with ANYTHING on the court.
 
Rick didnt have the players respect. They just liked him cause he'd let them get away with ANYTHING on the court.

Yep, this couldn't be more true...the 'inmates running the asylum' analogy, if you will. This worked with the Vlade Webb group just fine, but I think that mindset was wearing thin with this current bunch, but who knows what happens when the cameras stop rolling.
 
Yep, this couldn't be more true...the 'inmates running the asylum' analogy, if you will. This worked with the Vlade Webb group just fine, but I think that mindset was wearing thin with this current bunch, but who knows what happens when the cameras stop rolling.
How was it wearing thin? They were playing very well the second half of the season, and the headcases that led the team wanted Adelman around (at least publicly). I'd be surprised if Adelman didn't have Artest's and Wells' respect, and he most likely had the respect of most of the other players on the team as well.
 
If players don't respect a coach with the kind of record Adelamn has, I think that says more about those players than Adelman as a coach.
 
the only one player there who had a legit reason to tune rick out was mike (maybe brad), because he and rick have been playing together for so long that it becomes inevitable.

for everyone else, if adelman is as much of a players coach as everyone says, then i can see how it would happen. still not cool, but understandable.
 
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Until i witness how Salmons performs (or not) in a Kings uniform i am going to reserve judgement.

I accept his career stats dont jump out at you as suggesting he is NBA ledgend material, but if we've signed him to do a role (back up Mike) and he does that well so that Mike is indeed more effective (especially towards the end of games) then maybe we win more matches and forgive Salmons his high salary.

Of course if he proves a waste of space then he is just an expensive bench warmer and i will be as disappointed as any of us. But lets see how it pans out.

Good luck John.
 
Jerryaki: I agree about Mike. Sometimes people do tune out when they've already heard what the other person is saying a hundred times. Works both ways. Not desirable, but tends to be human nature.

As to understandable...I guess I don't understand people who are immature. ;) I honestly don't know how pro coaches put up with some of the players. Some seem to have to spend more time massaging (egos); listening (to whining); juggling (egos again) and watching (pouting/sulking), than actually coaching. ;)
 
Jerryaki: I agree about Mike. Sometimes people do tune out when they've already heard what the other person is saying a hundred times. Works both ways. Not desirable, but tends to be human nature.

As to understandable...I guess I don't understand people who are immature. ;) I honestly don't know how pro coaches put up with some of the players. Some seem to have to spend more time massaging (egos); listening (to whining); juggling (egos again) and watching (pouting/sulking), than actually coaching. ;)

Not some, ALL.

That is what people who constantly try to apply high school or college coaching tenets to the NBA don't understand. The basketball knowledge is only part of it -- its a personnel management position. The trick isn't teaching adults who have played the game their entire lives how to play basketball, its in getting the best players, and correspondingly largest egos, to play together and play hard every night.
 
I honestly don't know how pro coaches put up with some of the players.

ditto. if i had the acumen to be a coach and then these players don't respond to my directions, i'd probably flip out. hats off to riley for having reined in so many egos this year to take them all the way (having dwade probably didn't hurt).
 
Not some, ALL.

That is what people who constantly try to apply high school or college coaching tenets to the NBA don't understand. The basketball knowledge is only part of it -- its a personnel management position. The trick isn't teaching adults who have played the game their entire lives how to play basketball, its in getting the best players, and correspondingly largest egos, to play together and play hard every night.


Yes - the very reason that Larry Brown has only been successful with a certain type of personel and more importantly a certain type of low-ego players.
 
Not some, ALL.

That is what people who constantly try to apply high school or college coaching tenets to the NBA don't understand. The basketball knowledge is only part of it -- its a personnel management position. The trick isn't teaching adults who have played the game their entire lives how to play basketball, its in getting the best players, and correspondingly largest egos, to play together and play hard every night.
I guess I was being bashful about being that blunt. :p I think people underestimate just how good Adelman is at the people/ego managing part of coaching.
 
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