Westphal handshake agreement?

[bajaden]

I think alot of people are forgetting that Westphal was an assistant for the Suns for several years and was a key part to their rise to greatness in the early 90's. At that point he was given the Suns head coaching job where he helped the team achieve what I believe was a franchise record number of wins at 62 as well as a Finals appearance...(where he lost to Jordan's Bulls...but who didn't back then?) His next two seasons with the Suns they won 56 and 59 games. In his 4th season he was fired after a 14 and 19 season. He then took a job with a mediocre Sonics where he went 25-25 in his first season and went 45-37 in his second season. He was fired in his third season as coach of the Sonics after a 6-9 start (which honestly doesn't warrant a firing in my opinion). He was replaced by Nate McMillan which didn't make the Sonics any better until his final season with them in 04-05 where they suddenly became a good team. The point I'm trying to make with this is that Westphal has been all over the board... he's been a good player, he's been an assistant coach on a average team as they rose to greatness, he's coached a great team, he's made it to the finals. He isn't some rookie coach that alot of people seem to be assuming he is...he has alot of experience and has been mostly successful. I consider him a much better candidate than alot of those other names being thrown out there.

When Barkley was on Grant and Mike's show the other day, he praised Westphal and thought he would be a good fit for the Kings. He said that Westphal had the misfortune to run into Gary Payton in Seattle, along with Vin Baker who was an up and down emotional player. So for what its worth, Barkley thought he was a good coach.

 

[bajaden]

Westphal coached Pepperdine until he was fired in 2006 and was an assistant with the Mavs. I agree with you though, he has basically only had success when he had great players (both in the NBA and Pepperdine) so I don't think he's our guy. If it's coming down to Westphal, Thibodeau, and Rambis, I guess I go with Thibodeau as kind of an unknown...

I don't know of any head coach that won an NBA championship without great players. The closest team of recent history might be the Warrior team coached by Attles. But they did have Rick Barry. Look how good Addleman was with the Warriors. Phil Jackson has been blessed with great players every where he's gone.

So I don't think its quite fair to discredit his record, because he had great players, while still holding him to the standard of Jackson, Riley, Pop's and Sloan etc. Who also had great players on their team.

 

[bajaden]

Thats about every succesful coach in the NBA history, its the one sport where the head coach is the least important. Very very very few coaches have a took a no talent team and won.

I disagree with you on one point. And simply because I played baseball. Just my personal opinion, but to me a baseball manager is at his best when he stays out of the way and just lets the team play. The key to a good baseball manager is someone who's able to make decisions that won't lose the game for you. But for the most part he a spectator. The same can't be said of a basketball coach. He's constantly making decisions thoughout the game. Calling plays, rotating players in and out of the game. Calling time outs at the right time, and, saving them for the right time.

To me, a good basketball coach is more proactive. A bad basketball coach is more reactive. Nellie, love him or hate him, or both, is a proactive coach. He' always trying to do something the get the other team to react to him. To get the other team to play to his strengths instead of their own. He's been fairly sucessful doing that. But he is a coach that can take a decent team and make them look better than they are.

 

[DoDiGaG0]

I would rather have JVG, but if he isn't interested in the job, Westphal will do just fine. I like him a hell of a lot more than Eddie Jordan. Westphals career record is impressive, and he is a great teacher of the game, but we would need a top assisstant to come in and teach some defense.

I was a huge JVG advocate but his complaining/tone while talking during the Semi's and Conference Finals has made me not wish him on anyone.

 

[rainmaker]

I was a huge JVG advocate but his complaining/tone while talking during the Semi's and Conference Finals has made me not wish him on anyone.

As a boradcaster part of his job is to be entertaining. Yes, sometimes he is a little over the top, but you can't define an nba head coach by how he sounds while broadcasting a game. His resume carries a lot more weight than how he has been percieved while broadcasting through out the playoffs.

 

[gunks]

Cautious optimism is how I'm viewing this.

We're still going to suck regardless next season. If he can at least keep us competitive (something Theus was able to do, Natt was horrible at), then that's a step in the right direction.

Seems like this guy has the most impressive resume of the bunch.

 

[Dustinlikestodance]

I would rather have JVG, but if he isn't interested in the job, Westphal will do just fine. I like him a hell of a lot more than Eddie Jordan. Westphals career record is impressive, and he is a great teacher of the game, but we would need a top assisstant to come in and teach some defense.

So get Ettore Messina as an assistant . He's already said he's open to the possibility of being an assistant for a while in the NBA to learn the ropes.