The official word - Natt is gone...

[GeorgeofSacramento]

OK, so who wins the office pool here?

KINGS DECIDE NOT TO PICK UP OPTION ON KENNY NATT’S CONTRACT
Thursday, April 23, 2009 SACRAMENTO, CA ---- Sacramento Kings President of Basketball Operations Geoff Petrie announced today that the team has decided not to pick up the option on Kenny Natt’s contract for next season, thus relieving him of his coaching duties. In a related move, assistant coaches Rex Kalamian, Jason Hamm, Randy Brown and Bubba Burrage were also relieved of their existing coaching responsibilities.


from:
http://www.nba.com/kings/news/Press_Release_042309.html

 

[DocHolliday]

On Twitter Petrie is quoted as saying when asked about Shareef "He's going to remain with the organization. What form that's going to take, we'll see how that plays out."

Petrie also said when asked about a time table, "Really hard thing to determine.I think some of the people we may want to talk to are probably working right now. There are certainly some other people who are not

 

[Bricklayer]

Petrie also said when asked about a time table, "Really hard thing to determine.I think some of the people we may want to talk to are probably working right now. There are certainly some other people who are not

In other words Shaw and Thibodeau I'm guessing. If we are goign to wait for THEM to done, could be a while (although sans Garnett Thibodeau could be available in only a week or two).

 

[=LarryLegend=]

In other words Shaw and Thibodeau I'm guessing. If we are goign to wait for THEM to done, could be a while (although sans Garnett Thibodeau could be available in only a week or two).

ahhh....i hope its to see if Byron Scott is fired.

 

[Kings Faithful]

Bye Jason Hamm and Rex Kalamian... I liked you both...

 

[VF21]

I honestly believe Petrie has NOT made a decision and is, with the Maloof's blessing, going to do it right this time...

 

[Krunker]

So long Kenny, thanks for getting us a top 4 draft pick.

 

[gunks]

Damn, I was hoping we'd get one more year of Natt for the race to John Wall next season.

Oh well, I guess we'll be getting another 10-12 range pick instead of top 4.

 

[rainmaker]

Damn, I was hoping we'd get one more year of Natt for the race to John Wall next season.

I don't. One more year of Natt would hurt the development of Jt, Hawes, and whoever we get in the draft. I understand wanting to get a top pick next year, but I don't want to sacrifice the development of our young players. Another year like this one, with terrible coaching, no leadership, and really not even being competitive, will only hurt our young guys in the long run. This is when they need to LEARN, and we need an experienced coach to come in here and TEACH. No one like Muss, Theus, or Natt.

 

[One and Done]

ahhh....i hope its to see if Byron Scott is fired.

That would be killer...Byron might want to get out while he's ahead: N'awlins missed its window by not fortifying its bench (ala Suns) and now the team might get KO'd...and they're trying to shed salary at the cost of W's.

Hey Byron, how bout another project?

 

[Showtime]

That would be killer...Byron might want to get out while he's ahead: N'awlins missed its window by not fortifying its bench (ala Suns) and now the team might get KO'd...and they're trying to shed salary at the cost of W's.

Hey Byron, how bout another project?

Lord NO. I'm a hornet fan and follow the team. The reason why the hornets are shallow is Scott.

His hard nosed, "my way or the highway" attitude, combined with playing favorites and not really teaching younger players leads to the worst possible coach for a developing team with a ton of youth.

JR Smith, Brandon Bass, Julian Wright. All very talented players who never got time on the court due to BS's tight leash and just not liking them.

JR came to the team out of HS, and even though he had some attitude issues, Scott was never understanding of that situation and didn't want to deal with him.

Brandon Bass played well in practice, but got yanked whenever he made a mistake and was never given enough time on the court to develop (sound familiar?). He got a coach who valued his talent, and now he's a key bench player for Dallas. What makes it worse is that Byron favors Armstrong, who has ZERO talent and ability. NOLA needs another big, and he's in a Dallas uni.

Julian Wright is an energetic, long, athletic forward who produces whenever he's in the game. But again, he makes some mistakes that young guys make, and Scott won't give him time on the court. He can't break the rotation because BS doesn't develop youth. I imagine he will leave ASAP and blow up.

Scott plays favorites. Scott thinks everybody should know everything about the game already when they make the league. Scott won't play guys who he doesn't like and is quick to yank the young guys who make mistakes. Thanks to him, the hornets have let quality talent go, and now are dealing with depth issues that will probably result in a first round exit.

Not to mention he can't coach offense or defense. He has the most talented PG in the game and has one of the most vanilla offenses in the game. His in-game adjustments are non-existent, and he's a horrible game planner. No, he has NO game plan.

 

[Widowmaker2k]

Well, I wish Kenny fair winds and following seas.

 

[kennadog]

I wish Kenny Natt all the best. He may not be head coach material, but he sure got handed the dirty end of the stick here in mid-season. A little like trying to empty the septic tank with no tools. "How the he** am I supposed to get this job done?"

 

[VF21]

I, too, wish Kenny Natt the best of luck in his future endeavors. And I'll add another saying:

When you're up to your arse in alligators, it's hard to remember your original objective was to drain the swamp.




Natt was busy most of the season trying to keep the alligators at bay; he couldn't possibly have been placed in a worse situation. I do think, however, that he knew going in he was not going to be around very long.

 

[PurpleHaze]

What, no appreciation of Kenny Natt post? At least Reggie Theus received his here. I guess when you compare the records, Natt's 11-47 and Reggie's 44-62 it's no surprise

 

[Circa_1985_Fan]

I honestly believe Petrie has NOT made a decision and is, with the Maloof's blessing, going to do it right this time...

Which is a far cry from what we're used to the last 3 seasons of the Maloofs doing us wrong...BUT...I'm sure we'll be hearing about the Ole' Whiz stuff sooner than later.

 

[Circa_1985_Fan]

I, too, wish Kenny Natt the best of luck in his future endeavors. And I'll add another saying:

When you're up to your arse in alligators, it's hard to remember your original objective was to drain the swamp.




Natt was busy most of the season trying to keep the alligators at bay; he couldn't possibly have been placed in a worse situation. I do think, however, that he knew going in he was not going to be around very long.

I doubt he'll be unemployed for too long, he's too good of a coach...he just wasnt right for us.

 

[Oprostaj]

A little like trying to empty the septic tank with no tools.

Greatest analogy for this team/season ever. Anybody else find it weird that a coach with such a great pedigree could have such little influence??

 

[kingsnation]

When you had a team/situation like ours? No.

 

[Bricklayer]

Enough wiht this Natt was a good coach or great pedigree stuff. He brought Sloan doughnuts for a decade. That doesn't automatically make you, well much of anything as it turns out. He wasn't considered a high level head coach candidate before he caem to Sacto, and he certainly never will be one again unless he stumbled into another intermin thing with his coach being fired midyear. But this was, and is, a 2nd tier, 2nd assitant clipboard holder level guy, not an impact guy who could have been expected to make a difference given our issues.

 

[Sptsjunkie]

Enough wiht this Natt was a good coach or great pedigree stuff. He brought Sloan doughnuts for a decade. That doesn't automatically make you, well much of anything as it turns out. He wasn't considered a high level head coach candidate before he caem to Sacto, and he certainly never will be one again unless he stumbled into another intermin thing with his coach being fired midyear. But this was, and is, a 2nd tier, 2nd assitant clipboard holder level guy, not an impact guy who could have been expected to make a difference given our issues.

Ding Ding Ding Ding Ding. Tell him what he's won. Well said.

 

[BibbyFAN10]

Enough wiht this Natt was a good coach or great pedigree stuff. He brought Sloan doughnuts for a decade. That doesn't automatically make you, well much of anything as it turns out. He wasn't considered a high level head coach candidate before he caem to Sacto, and he certainly never will be one again unless he stumbled into another intermin thing with his coach being fired midyear. But this was, and is, a 2nd tier, 2nd assitant clipboard holder level guy, not an impact guy who could have been expected to make a difference given our issues.

Agreed

 

[CruzDude]

I kinda realized that hiring (and firing) a coach is kinda like getting married. The hormones rage, great looking potential spouse, lots of fun, leader qualities, with it personality, etc. Then you climb in bed for awhile, great sex for awhile then realize she had 3 or 4 kids and is not enamored with kids and wants you to take care of them. That doesn't work and you get divorced. The kids continue to grow in spite of it all but not as well as they could with a more mature and experienced "dad" (coach).

Don't get me wrong I liked Kenny Natt and his pedigree but it became obvious he was not the kind of coach the Kings needed given all their baggage, youth and lack of personality. Theus was kinda like marrying the head cheerleader, the best looking girl in school, but more concerned with her looks than your marriage.

There will be an ex-head coach in this time around and we will all be glad for it.

 

[Circa_1985_Fan]

Enough wiht this Natt was a good coach or great pedigree stuff. He brought Sloan doughnuts for a decade. That doesn't automatically make you, well much of anything as it turns out. He wasn't considered a high level head coach candidate before he caem to Sacto, and he certainly never will be one again unless he stumbled into another intermin thing with his coach being fired midyear. But this was, and is, a 2nd tier, 2nd assitant clipboard holder level guy, not an impact guy who could have been expected to make a difference given our issues.

And I'm sure Mr. Sloan would be glad to have him get his doughnuts again in the near future...

 

[PurpleHaze]

I kinda realized that hiring (and firing) a coach is kinda like getting married. The hormones rage, great looking potential spouse, lots of fun, leader qualities, with it personality, etc. Then you climb in bed for awhile, great sex for awhile then realize she had 3 or 4 kids and is not enamored with kids and wants you to take care of them. That doesn't work and you get divorced. The kids continue to grow in spite of it all but not as well as they could with a more mature and experienced "dad" (coach).

Don't get me wrong I liked Kenny Natt and his pedigree but it became obvious he was not the kind of coach the Kings needed given all their baggage, youth and lack of personality. Theus was kinda like marrying the head cheerleader, the best looking girl in school, but more concerned with her looks than your marriage.

There will be an ex-head coach in this time around and we will all be glad for it.

Funny! I guess that means we need to find a coach with no excessive baggage and whose butt ugly. Hmmm... Jeff Van Gundy? Has some baggage like his current big 5 yr ESPN contract, not exactly model looks and his last coaching gig left because said he was burned out. Eddie Jordan? Has baggage too and definitely likes to style good looks not unlike dapper loser Sam Mitchell. Mike Fratello? Apparently, no one like "the Csar," who carries act around like one. Lawrence Frank? Geez, with his baby face, looks younger than Spencer Hawes which might not exactly inspire needed confidence in a young Kings team. Tom Thibodeau? No excess baggage, not as ugly as JVG by far, for decades has waited for an expected promotion but still... the Kings better get this latest marriage right or face another quick annulment or worse a terrible, exasperating, expensive divorce.

 

[Circa_1985_Fan]

The one thing very positive thing I did get from the Petrie press conference was that he stated the need for someone with obvious NBA experience, someone that's been around awhile...which would exclude Ole Whiz, in my mind...HOPEFULLY!

 

[bajaden]

I wish Kenny Natt all the best. He may not be head coach material, but he sure got handed the dirty end of the stick here in mid-season. A little like trying to empty the septic tank with no tools. "How the he** am I supposed to get this job done?"

Well said! I wish Natt well. He was in a lose, lose situation here. Hopefully the rest of the league will see that, and it won't damage his chances of landing a coaching job elsewhere.

 

[bajaden]

After reading all the quotes in the paper and listening to Petrie on the Grant and Mike show, it appears that Petrie has regained control over the coaching decision. He used the words, " Extremely important" twice when refering to the need for a coach with head coaching experience and someone who has had sucess as a head coach. And he qualified it as meaning, NBA head coaching experience.

Petrie is usually very evasive on these types of things, but on this he seemed pretty adamant. This would seem to exclude all college coaches and NBA assistant coaches that haven't been head coaches at some point in time. It sort of narrows the current list.

Grant did mention that Eddie Jordan is still going to be paid by the Wiz next year, so he would come cheap, at least for one year of his contract. Hopefully, money won't enter into the decision.

 

[HighTopKicks]

Must have NBA Head coaching experience, is just another knee jerk reaction like the firing of Reggie Theus. After Theus was ousted, the rats came out with criticisms and innuendos, trying to blame the entire Kings roster mess on Reggie. When the truth was that the FO over estimated the quality of the team. And, no coach could have gotten any better results out of our roster, with key players out because of drugs & injuries.

Theus still has the 2nd best winning percentage of all the coaches here in Sac. And, Eric Musselman is tied for the 3rd best winning percentage. So, to start pointing fingers at the coaches or even the Maloof's, is wrong. It was GP who put the players together, and it was his job to make the Maloofs understand that going from Theus to Natt was going to make the situation worse.

Now, we're going 180 degree's in the opposite direction. We're going to drag in some old retread NBA coach with a losing record, in an effort not to repeat a preceived mistake from the past. And, by doing so, we might be eliminating some of the biggest potential winners in the NBA assistant ranks & in the European ranks.

I can only hope, that all this hyperbole is a ruse to disguise GP's real intentions. I hope GP realizes that he's just as much to blame as Theus maybe even more so.

 

[bajaden]

Must have NBA Head coaching experience, is just another knee jerk reaction like the firing of Reggie Theus. After Theus was ousted, the rats came out with criticisms and innuendos, trying to blame the entire Kings roster mess on Reggie. When the truth was that the FO over estimated the quality of the team. And, no coach could have gotten any better results out of our roster, with key players out because of drugs & injuries.

Theus still has the 2nd best winning percentage of all the coaches here in Sac. And, Eric Musselman is tied for the 3rd best winning percentage. So, to start pointing fingers at the coaches or even the Maloof's, is wrong. It was GP who put the players together, and it was his job to make the Maloofs understand that going from Theus to Natt was going to make the situation worse.

Now, we're going 180 degree's in the opposite direction. We're going to drag in some old retread NBA coach with a losing record, in an effort not to repeat a preceived mistake from the past. And, by doing so, we might be eliminating some of the biggest potential winners in the NBA assistant ranks & in the European ranks.

I can only hope, that all this hyperbole is a ruse to disguise GP's real intentions. I hope GP realizes that he's just as much to blame as Theus maybe even more so.

It appears obvious that Petrie didn't pick Musclehead or Reggie. Musselman deserved to be fired. Reggie's firing appears to have more to do with his second in command than it did him. I don't know all the details, and we'll probably never know. Personally I thought did an OK job of coaching, but I was disappointed in his developing of the young players. We could argue the merits of how and when rookies should get playing time, but thats another thread.

As far as the players put in place, again we'll never know how much influence the Maloffs had in the decision making. But its pretty obvious that they had a lot to do with the Artest/Peja trade. So one can assume that their medling didn't stop there.

Petrie is in the last year of his contract and I think he's more in the drivers seat than the Maloffs are. He would have no problem getting another job in the NBA. Despite what any of us may think about him, he's highly respected around the league and by the players. I could be wrong, but it seems he's drawn a line in the sand. Personally I think thats good for the team, and in the long run for the Maloffs. He did a pretty good job the first time around when no one was interfering.

The Maloffs, who I like, and think are good owners, should get out of the way and just let Petrie do his job. If he fails, then so be it. But at least quit muddying up the waters so that we as fans can at least see where to point the finger of blame.

Thomas Jefferson said: " A good employer is someone who is smart enough to hire a good man for the job, and wise enough to let him do it. "