Tyrone Corbin could have and should have refused...

[Swaze]

One of the interesting things in this whole coaching fiasco that nobody has really talked about is the decisions made by Tyrone Corbin. Really what I am talking about is a very poor decision to accept the head coaching position. In accepting the job he was put in a no-win situation where he would inevitably end up looking like a weak puppet to the front office. This will no doubt kill his chances of ever being hired as a head coach again.

Until today I kinda felt sorry for Corbin as most of this mess is out of his control and he seems like a good guy.......but then I remembered that HE CHOSE to put himself in this position. He should have told the team NO knowing what was going to happen.

He should have known that taking this job was going to make him look weak and that he was going to lose a bunch of games with the front office outlining his game-plans that won't work with this roster.

In accepting the head coaching position he screwed himself and also screwed the team. After his exit from Utah, Corbin could not afford to look bad in his next head coaching job but sure enough he walks right into an even worse situation. I highly doubt he will ever be considered for a head-coaching job again. Head coaches won't trust him either as an assistant as he's the guy who takes your job because he'll do what the front office wants.

I also mentioned that he screwed the team because if he doesn't accept the interim head coaching position and eventually head-coaching position 1 of 3 things happens.

1.) They keep Michael Malone if Corbin as the lead assistant is not willing to take over. I think this is kind of doubtful but who knows if Corbin is not there to undercut Malone maybe they don't fire him....yet

2.) They fire Malone anyways and hire George Karl because they have almost no choice. That sure sounds a lot better right now.

3.) They fire Malone but still want "their way" so Vivek sticks Chris Mullin with the job. Maybe that's terrible but at least gets it over with and gets us one step closer to making it through the next disaster.

 

[KingMilz]

Maybe he thought since he stepped up and was being a professional maybe the players could do the same thing, sadly he should have known that he inherited a bunch of guys who quit when the going get's tough that was his mistake. In life you got to take risks, who knows if he ever would have got another shot as a NBA head coach so he had to take on the challenge head on.

This is on the players and the lack of pride/professionalism. I just don't think the players have even given him a chance to succeed like they did with Malone.

 

[swisshh]

Corbin is just another guy who needs work to pay bills. I don't have anything against him for taking the work. Yes, his Utah job didn't end well, but there was no danger in taking the assistant job here. In fact, with the way the team started out, he could have taken some credit. Ownership screwed up the situation and left the team to Tyrone. he took the job, but he didn't have much reason to say no. Everyone has to pay bills. If he loses this job, nobody will hold it against him. The narrative will be about management and not him.

 

[NowImLost]

Maybe he thought since he stepped up and was being a professional maybe the players could do the same thing, sadly he should have known that he inherited a bunch of guys who quit when the going get's tough that was his mistake. In life you got to take risks, who knows if he ever would have got another shot as a NBA head coach so he had to take on the challenge head on.

This is on the players and the lack of pride/professionalism. I just don't think the players have even given him a chance to succeed like they did with Malone.

Amen brother.
Everyone here is crying and torching the front office. They are to blame as well, don't get me wrong, but the front office isn't on the court playing basketball, catch my drift.

 

[kingjatt]

I dont blame Corbin at all for taking the job, he was not going to get another HC job for a long while if ever so he took the pay raise and was willing to give it a shot.It was fair that he took the position, theres plenty of worthy assistants who have been waiting and never have gotten a shot at the big chair. (i.e Patrick Ewing)

Also about him not getting another assistant coach spot, most teams have a secure head coach who is intrusted by his front office enough to not have to worry about a strong assistant undercutting him. (just look at Alvin Gentry with kerr in GS). Coaches and Front offices are smart enough to not judge Corbin based on the stupidity of our FO. Corbin has developed reletionships around the NBA so he knows he can be an assistant anywhere (no matter how he may look now) when he is eventually let go. Kieth FREAKING Smart is an assistant with the Heat.

Also, at the time, we were a pretty good team when DMC was healthy and he was coming back the next game. It looked like a pretty good situation from his point of view all things considered.

If Corbin didnt take it someone else would have, I believe Malone was gone regardless. The front office wanted 3.0 data points Jazz basketball implemented ASAP.

Karl has not been, nor will he be in serious consideration for the head coach spot while PDA is around. The man has 21 winning seasons under his belt and will not cave to PDA or Viveks silly rookie ideas. Heck they would have had a better shot at convincing Malone to try there silly ideas than they would Karl.

To blame Corbin for trying to better his career is wrong. The real blame, as always, should be focused completely on PDA/Mullin and Vivek for firing Malone to perserve their own egos as well as having no backup plan.

 

[Amit149]

Maybe he thought since he stepped up and was being a professional maybe the players could do the same thing, sadly he should have known that he inherited a bunch of guys who quit when the going get's tough that was his mistake. In life you got to take risks, who knows if he ever would have got another shot as a NBA head coach so he had to take on the challenge head on.

This is on the players and the lack of pride/professionalism. I just don't think the players have even given him a chance to succeed like they did with Malone.

I get your point about the players not stepping up, i really do. but while you blame others on not seeing the whole picture and putting all the blame on FO you make the same mistake and not look at the whole picture yourself.

Sure players need to be professionals, but they are also human- and in case of most basketball players and a lot of our core (including our franchise player) young guys. you can't put them in a situation with no stability and expect them to play the same. you can't just change their roles drastically (JT) for no apparent reason. and you can't expect players that have known nothing but losing and turmoil to play their best.Rondo is considered a great competitor, he doesn't let kids beat him at connect four!, yet he admitted of not playing defense sincre KG and Pierce left. this things have an affect.

People talk all the time about "losing habits" and "winning culture"- and in my eyes this is what it comes down to. this team has been bad for years, most Kings players were still in School the last time this team was relevant. and then this season started- and all of us, fans and players, saw something good starting. i for one never thought we would make the playoffs- but still something was different... we were starting to build a "winning culture" and i know this is a vague term, but that sense of pride you said was lacking? we all felt it just a few weeks ago. and then the FO decided to break that up- and that's the problem:

A team filled with players that knew nothing but bad habits was finally starting to get better- and as a "reward" the FO decided to break that up. and they did it in order to implement... well nothing thus far. wouldn't you be upset if you were in the players shoes? don't you think you would've regressed to your old habits?

that is my problem with the FO- you don't do that to a team, and if you do- you better have a plan ready to go.

 

[chief bromden]

According to how the FO was pursuing a lead assistant with the promise of head coaching, Corbin chose into this when he signed his deal to become an assistant. This was his, and the FO's, plan all along.

 

[Iced Espresso]

Corbin is just another guy who needs work to pay bills. I don't have anything against him for taking the work. Yes, his Utah job didn't end well, but there was no danger in taking the assistant job here. In fact, with the way the team started out, he could have taken some credit. Ownership screwed up the situation and left the team to Tyrone. he took the job, but he didn't have much reason to say no. Everyone has to pay bills. If he loses this job, nobody will hold it against him. The narrative will be about management and not him.

At the end of the season, he will probably find an assistant job somewhere also if he likes.

Really win win for Corbin.

 

[kingsboi]

I don't see how this issue really involved Corbin, he was head coaching for numerous years in Utah and I'm sure his goal was to coach again. Albeit he probably should have passed that opportunity up because I think deep down he too knows that he is not the long term coach here so it's all hindsight at this point.

 

[Iced Espresso]

I don't see how this issue really involved Corbin, he was head coaching for numerous years in Utah and I'm sure his goal was to coach again. Albeit he probably should have passed that opportunity up because I think deep down he too knows that he is not the long term coach here so it's all hindsight at this point.

No way in hell he thinks he lasts longer than this year.

Now that he has the guaranteed check he probably hopes they fire him.

He's no dummy, he can see the mess too.

Screw that, I doubt he'd accept the coaching gig next season even if offered.

 

[Bricklayer]

At the end of the season, he will probably find an assistant job somewhere also if he likes.

Really win win for Corbin.

I don't know, I think there is an argument it might have been in Corbin's self interest to decline. He failed out of Utah, but maybe, just maybe he could have gotten a second look somewhere else. A real look. One of those retread looks. Stress he made the playoffs once etc. But if this doesn't turn here, then he goes fail Utah, fail Sacto...does he actually get a third bite at the apple? Taking over an almost openly hostile team in front of hostile fans doesn't seem like much of a rebound gig to me.

 

[Chubbs]

Maybe he thought since he stepped up and was being a professional maybe the players could do the same thing, sadly he should have known that he inherited a bunch of guys who quit when the going get's tough that was his mistake. In life you got to take risks, who knows if he ever would have got another shot as a NBA head coach so he had to take on the challenge head on.

This is on the players and the lack of pride/professionalism. I just don't think the players have even given him a chance to succeed like they did with Malone.

Can I suggest a dislike button added just for this guy?

Look, this crosses a line, and frankly I don't care at this point. You view the players as unfeeling robots who should be unaffected by circumstances, players who should be able to take all the sandbagging attempts by the FO in stride and play exactly like they did before, if not better.

That's not reality. If you're going to spend the rest of the season bashing the "unprofessional" players while ignoring the circumstances, well, I guess that's what the block button is for.

 

[sdballer]

One of the interesting things in this whole coaching fiasco that nobody has really talked about is the decisions made by Tyrone Corbin. Really what I am talking about is a very poor decision to accept the head coaching position. In accepting the job he was put in a no-win situation where he would inevitably end up looking like a weak puppet to the front office. This will no doubt kill his chances of ever being hired as a head coach again.

Until today I kinda felt sorry for Corbin as most of this mess is out of his control and he seems like a good guy.......but then I remembered that HE CHOSE to put himself in this position. He should have told the team NO knowing what was going to happen.

He should have known that taking this job was going to make him look weak and that he was going to lose a bunch of games with the front office outlining his game-plans that won't work with this roster.

In accepting the head coaching position he screwed himself and also screwed the team. After his exit from Utah, Corbin could not afford to look bad in his next head coaching job but sure enough he walks right into an even worse situation. I highly doubt he will ever be considered for a head-coaching job again. Head coaches won't trust him either as an assistant as he's the guy who takes your job because he'll do what the front office wants.

I also mentioned that he screwed the team because if he doesn't accept the interim head coaching position and eventually head-coaching position 1 of 3 things happens.

1.) They keep Michael Malone if Corbin as the lead assistant is not willing to take over. I think this is kind of doubtful but who knows if Corbin is not there to undercut Malone maybe they don't fire him....yet

2.) They fire Malone anyways and hire George Karl because they have almost no choice. That sure sounds a lot better right now.

3.) They fire Malone but still want "their way" so Vivek sticks Chris Mullin with the job. Maybe that's terrible but at least gets it over with and gets us one step closer to making it through the next disaster.

Basically what I get from your posts is that Malone needs to be accountable for not coaching better, the players need to be accountable for not rising above this challenge, the fans need to be accountable for not being more patient to the vision we don't see, and Coach Corbin needs to be accountable for getting a promotion.

The only people you don't seem to believe should be held accountable are the front office who created this cluster f in the first place. What a strange perspective.

 

[Krunker]

I don't blame Corbin for taking the job, but do blame him for not showing much so far as a Kings head coach.

 

[Swaze]

Basically what I get from your posts is that Malone needs to be accountable for not coaching better, the players need to be accountable for not rising above this challenge, the fans need to be accountable for not being more patient to the vision we don't see, and Coach Corbin needs to be accountable for getting a promotion.

The only people you don't seem to believe should be held accountable are the front office who created this cluster f in the first place. What a strange perspective.

Really that's what you gather from my posts? If so you are either an idiot or you can't read.

I don't agree with the Malone firing and have said such in several posts. The Front Office fired a coach that overall was doing a good job and that was working well with what he had. Malone wasn't a perfect coach but obviously a good fit with this roster.

Pete and Vivek are looking for a puppet and are more interested in re-invented the wheel and doing things their way then just winning and doing what works. I never said they have a plan or vision (clearly they don't) and I didn't say the fans need to be patient.

I did say that Pete has done a good job with most of his signings and trades........and guess what he has. You guys want to give Malone all the credit for the good start and the team coming together (and Malone obviously deserves most of the credit) but Pete is the guy that put the roster together of guys that meshed well and were actually starting to resemble a team. Pete's disastrous firing and handling of Michael Malone will obviously overshadow the work he has done with the roster.

The players don't need to overcome any challenges they just need to do their jobs and act like professionals. If you honestly think dogging it in games and not giving effort is acceptable than you support losers. I don't care about the excuses and reasons why....... there is no nobility in being lazy and not trying. Once you are on that court all the crap that the front office has created.

Finally Tyrone Corbin didn't receive a promotion. He received a "hey do you want to get paid more and do exactly what we say for the next 4 months?" Considering there is a 99% chance he won't be the coach next season, that's not a promotion.......he's a placeholder and nothing more. He was put in a position to fail, he's doing just that, and most likely he's ensuring that he'll never get another head coaching job again.

So I hope his "promotion" was worth it because it's probably the last time he ever sits in the head coaching chair again.

 

[Geoff]

Really that's what you gather from my posts? If so you are either an idiot or you can't read.

I don't agree with the Malone firing and have said such in several posts. The Front Office fired a coach that overall was doing a good job and that was working well with what he had. Malone wasn't a perfect coach but obviously a good fit with this roster.

Fair enough.

Pete and Vivek are looking for a puppet and are more interested in re-invented the wheel and doing things their way then just winning and doing what works. I never said they have a plan or vision (clearly they don't) and I didn't say the fans need to be patient.

Ok.

I did say that Pete has done a good job with most of his signings and trades........and guess what he has. You guys want to give Malone all the credit for the good start and the team coming together (and Malone obviously deserves most of the credit) but Pete is the guy that put the roster together of guys that meshed well and were actually starting to resemble a team. Pete's disastrous firing and handling of Michael Malone will obviously overshadow the work he has done with the roster.

This is where your argument breaks down. The guys meshing well and resembling a team is due to Malone, not Pete. If it were due to Pete, then the mess we see now wouldn't be happening. It's fairly obvious that Pete has a Polly-Ann view of the talent he's assembled, and they were OVERACHIEVING when Malone was coach.

The players don't need to overcome any challenges they just need to do their jobs and act like professionals. If you honestly think dogging it in games and not giving effort is acceptable than you support losers. I don't care about the excuses and reasons why....... there is no nobility in being lazy and not trying. Once you are on that court all the crap that the front office has created.

The job includes following the coach's strategy and directions. There's a reason why losing teams fire the coaches, not the players. NBA basketball isn't pickup basketball where talent overcomes all. Talent plust strategy plus coaching plus intangibles equals victory. The Sacto Talent is only at a certain level, the strategy and coaching just took a major hit, and the intangibles have been completely destroyed due to front office meddling.

Finally Tyrone Corbin didn't receive a promotion. He received a "hey do you want to get paid more and do exactly what we say for the next 4 months?" Considering there is a 99% chance he won't be the coach next season, that's not a promotion.......he's a placeholder and nothing more. He was put in a position to fail, he's doing just that, and most likely he's ensuring that he'll never get another head coaching job again.

So I hope his "promotion" was worth it because it's probably the last time he ever sits in the head coaching chair again.

To decline would have been career suicide...it's on the front office, not on him.

 

[Swaze]

To decline would have been career suicide...it's on the front office, not on him.

Isn't taking the job also career suicide? The evidence right now sure points to it.

Isn't somewhat stabbing the head coach (Malone) in the back career suicide?

Reason I say he stabbed Malone in the back is that it has been reported that Alvin Gentry turned down the lead assistant job because the Kings front office told him their plans and that they were planning to fire Malone at some point. The Kings told Gentry that he'd be the lead assistant and soon to become head coach. Alvin Gentry being a classy guy turned them down. It was the ethical thing to do and if you know anything about Alvin Gentry it's not surprising because he's just a super honest guy. Likewise Jeff Van Gundy won't even talk to teams if their head coach still has his job.

Now by all accounts Tyrone Corbin seems to be a good guy but he did accept the lead assistant job this summer, knowing what Pete's "evil plan" entailed. He knew they were planning to fire Malone on the first slip up and he knew he was next in line. Now some would say good for him you gotta take opportunity when it is handed to you. I would say he better hope other head coaches forget how he got this job because next time around the next head coach might not be so eager to hire Corbin as lead assistant knowing he may have a deal with the FO to take your job.

 

[Spike]

By what account did Corbin "know" he was going to take Malone's job? He was Malone's suggestion for the position. It's quite possible Malone believed the right move would keep him employed, especially if the lead assistant is a lesser coach. I don't think Malone knew he would be canned 1/4 of the way into the season so that Corbin would take over, and I don't think Corbin believed he would take over 1/4 into the season, considering how the team was doing. That wouldn't make any sense.

Someone like Gentry, on the other hand, was being brought in by PDA with the sole purpose of replacing Malone, and he refused. There were probably quite a few other candidates who were in the same boat.

The way the team reacted, and the way he tried to 180 this team tells me Corbin really didn't see this coming. If he did know, then he rightly deserves the insubordination, and God help him.

 

[BenThePizzaGuy]

I feel as sorry for Tyrone Corbin as I did for Kenny Natt.

Two people thrown into a mess and basically are ridiculed by the incompetent front office who will later fire the coach. It's basically a finger to the face of Corbin and Natt because they are nothing more than scapegoats. This is like bullying. The Maloofs and Petrie were big and powerful and put Natt out there for poopoos and giggles when Reggie Theus was probably the better option. Now it's Ranadive and D'alessandro who are the big and powerful bullies embarrassing poor Corbin when they 100% know that Michael Malone was better off as the head coach and Corbin the top assistant.

For Corbin's sake he deserves to become an assistant coach again because he is a very good coach. He contributed a lot when he was Malone's right hand man and for years under Jerry Sloan in Utah. Natt's image became tainted after taking the head coaching position for what was ultimately a 17 win team.

 

[Warhawk]

Now by all accounts Tyrone Corbin seems to be a good guy but he did accept the lead assistant job this summer, knowing what Pete's "evil plan" entailed. He knew they were planning to fire Malone on the first slip up and he knew he was next in line.

I would say that this is a pretty big assumption on your part, especially the first sentence (knowing Pete's plan). Nobody knows if this was relayed to Corbin or not.

 

[Spike]

I would say that this is a pretty big assumption on your part, especially the first sentence (knowing Pete's plan). Nobody knows if this was relayed to Corbin or not.

Correct. We only know that it was relayed to Gentry, who then told Malone about it.

...I wonder why there was a disconnect between the head coach and the front office?