Reggie Theus

[KingsFan4Life_2323]

Should we have fired him when we did?
Would this team be in a better position right now if he were the head coach during the entire duration of last season?

My short answers to those questions are:

No
Yes, because the team actually had direction and and identity under him. We looked lost out there under Natt, to be honest with you.

Lastly, what would our final season record have been under Theus?

I, personally, really liked Theus because we had direction and an identity under him. While our identity was not entirely known to us, I definitely saw glimpses of it during the games. I thought, with another season under his belt, that Reggie Theus could have definitely etched his place as one of the better young/new coaches in the NBA. Now, I am not saying he would have been the next Phil Jackson or Gregg Popovich, but he had a lot of similarities in that he always tried to get the best out of his players every night.

Any thoughts?

 

[sidney]

Should we have fired him when we did?
Would this team be in a better position right now if he were the head coach during the entire duration of last season?

My short answers to those questions are:

No
Yes, because the team actually had direction and and identity under him. We looked lost out there under Natt, to be honest with you.

Lastly, what would our final season record have been under Theus?

I, personally, really liked Theus because we had direction and an identity under him. While our identity was not entirely known to us, I definitely saw glimpses of it during the games. I thought, with another season under his belt, that Reggie Theus could have definitely etched his place as one of the better young/new coaches in the NBA. Now, I am not saying he would have been the next Phil Jackson or Gregg Popovich, but he had a lot of similarities in that he always tried to get the best out of his players every night.

Any thoughts?

Reggie, is that you?

 

[kennadog]

You left out one option. We should never have hired Theus in the first place. Really bad choice.

 

[reid1boys]

Give Theus the Bull's roster or Spurs rosters of the coaches you just mentioned, and I suspect Theus has many NBA titles under his belt.

Ever wonder why the Zen master waited for his opening in LA or why did he immediately retire after that Bulls team imploded.

How many titles did the Zen master win in Chicago when Jordan walked away?


NO COACH in the NBA wins without some superstars.

Cleveland sucks and LeBron comes along, now they are elite. Was it the coach?

Coaching in NBA is way overrated.


popovich wasnt doing so well and then Duncan landed in his lap. Next year he was a freaking genius and one of the best coaches in NBA histroy.

Laughable

 

[bajaden]

No!!!

 

[Bricklayer]

Um, no.

Theus is off doing what he should have done in the first place, playing assistant to Kurt Rambis in Minny (on maybe the most colorful young coaching staff in the league) to build up experience and some sort of NBA coaching credibility. Its some much needed humble pie for him, and maybe, just maybe, somewhere down the line he'll get another shot. As it was, his massive ego was writing checks his paper thin resume could not pay, and it was good riddance.

 

[fnordius]

I think Westphal's an improvement, so then the question comes down to: on which day should they have fired Theus? And I don't think it matters too much. The day they chose was okay with me.

 

[Kingster]

We shouldn't have hired him to begin with. He didn't have the experience to qualify as a head coaching candidate, much less a head coach in the NBA. What a stupid decision. The Maloofs have certainly eaten a lot of humbe pie. It seems that with the hiring of Westphal they've learned something.

 

[USNAVY15]

When you think about it, we might have won more games, but had a lower or higher draft pick. When you look at how this draft played out, i can't imagine a better scenario than adding 4 players who are all NBA caliber. Sure, we keep theus and we draft that Davidson kid. But honestly, that kid is going to have a mental breakdown after seeing artest 4 times a year then westbrook 4x and Paul 4x and Baron Davis 4x and Deron williams 4x....Evans has a chance to turn the tables and make people worried about facing him 4x a year.

 

[reid1boys]

Pick any coach you want and hire him. The kings would have still been weak. No coach can make up for lack of talent.

 

[rainmaker]

We probably would have won 5-10 more games if Theus was around the entire year, and Kevin is healthy. But that would have made this season far worse. We wouldn't have gotten Tyreke, and the kings might not have fully comitted to the rebuild if we had won 25-30 games.

Last season was about as bad as it gets, but it helped jump start the rebuilding process and got us the #4.

 

[VF21]

Um, no.

Theus is off doing what he should have done in the first place, playing assistant to Kurt Rambis in Minny (on maybe the most colorful young coaching staff in the league) to build up experience and some sort of NBA coaching credibility. Its some much needed humble pie for him, and maybe, just maybe, somewhere down the line he'll get another shot. As it was, his massive ego was writing checks his paper thin resume could not pay, and it was good riddance.

Quite possibly the best summation of the Theus experience I've seen.

 

[Aenadin]

retained him as head coach? i dont think so...

hired westphal and demoted him to one of the assistants? probably....

 

[VF21]

You don't demote a head coach to an assistant position.

 

[Aenadin]

really? thought there was some rule that they can... nevertheless i still like our coaching staff right now.. mario elie on board

 

[Bricklayer]

really? thought there was some rule that they can...

Oh, I don't think there's a rule against it. Its just rarely done. I think the reasons for that are probably pretty obvious -- ego, a voice there undermining the authority of the new coach + resisting change etc. There's probably a clause in head coaching contracts saying you cannot force the coach into an assistant role in order for him to get paid the remainder of his contract, but I'm sure he could accept the position if you offered it to him. The question is just why would you want to? And why would a new coach want to have his predecessor there as an assistant probably looking to get the head spot back? Hardly a trustworthy lieutenant.

 

[VF21]

Oh, I don't think there's a rule against it. Its just rarely done. I think the reasons for that are probably pretty obvious -- ego, a voice there undermining the authority of the new coach + resisting change etc. There's probably a clause in head coaching contracts saying you cannot force the coach into an assistant role in order for him to get paid the remainder of his contract, but I'm sure he could accept the position if you offered it to him. The question is just why would you want to? And why would a new coach want to have his predecessor there as an assistant probably looking to get the head spot back? Hardly a trustworthy lieutenant.

Exactly. Thank you for expanding on my response. You've outlined pretty much everything I was thinking...

 

[One and Done]

You know what, I like what Theus did his first year here: he took a cast of overpaid, underachieving roleplayers and made them play hard. We had a "scrappy" reputation and were very well prepared for each matchup.

In his second year, he started out with an injured cast and an overly complicated triangle-offshoot, "strong." I believe he & Chuck Person constructed this system to compensate for personnel weaknesses - passing, toughness etc. But it didn't work. At all.

IMO, Reggie was not the main problem, it was - and has always been - the personnel. We probably would have won 5-10 more games had Reggie stayed, but where would that lead us - probably a #8-12 draft pick...

His knocks as having an ego are well documented, but I thought he did a good job while he was here. Can't say the same for an E. Musselman...

 

[KingsFan4Life_2323]

you Know What, I Like What Theus Did His First Year Here: He Took A Cast Of Overpaid, Underachieving Roleplayers And Made Them Play Hard. We Had A "scrappy" Reputation And Were Very Well Prepared For Each Matchup.

In His Second Year, He Started Out With An Injured Cast And An Overly Complicated Triangle-offshoot, "strong." I Believe He & Chuck Person Constructed This System To Compensate For Personnel Weaknesses - Passing, Toughness Etc. But It Didn't Work. At All.

Imo, Reggie Was Not The Main Problem, It Was - And Has Always Been - The Personnel. We Probably Would Have Won 5-10 More Games Had Reggie Stayed, But Where Would That Lead Us - Probably A #8-12 Draft Pick...

His Knocks As Having An Ego Are Well Documented, But I Thought He Did A Good Job While He Was Here. Can't Say The Same For An E. Musselman...

Thank You! I couldn't have said that any better!

 

[Merdiesel]

The biggest mistake was firing Adelman. Thats been the biggest disaster for this team.

 

[VF21]

The biggest mistake was firing Adelman. Thats been the biggest disaster for this team.

Clarification: They didn't fire Rick Adelman. They simply allowed his contract to expire. That made it even worse in my mind. Not the Maloofs greatest moment, and I'm generally supportive of Joe, Gavin and the rest of the Maloofs. They made a bad mistake and tried to correct it by making even more... Hopefully they've smelled the coffee and will let Geoff Petrie do his job without their meddling.

 

[Big Cuz 15]

hopefully They've Smelled The Coffee And Will Let Geoff Petrie Do His Job Without Their Meddling.

+1!