Whats your take on Keith Smart?

[lwc]

I chose option #1 and I want to clarify what I mean by that. He has shown me enough, so far, to grant him next season as well. If that is in his contract that's great.

Another reason I say that he gets at the very least next season is because, sadly, we all know that the Maloofs are not going to spend good money anymore to get a great coach. When they were willing to spend money, the Kings were one of, if not the best team in the NBA with the highest paid coach. They will not over-pay for someone like Adelman or Slone to come here and we know it. Keith Smart made Golden State better and in the short time he has had, with little practice time, the Kings look better as well.

The most important note about Smart is that he has cooled DMC down and he is playing even better. Thornton has been hot and cold and you never know what you get from Salmons and Thompson, especially Salmons.

I honestly believe the Kings are 1 piece away from being a legit playoff team. I thought they had it this year in Salmons and Hayes for veteran leadership, defense and rebounding. Turns out Chuck got hurt and MORE out of shape and Salmons defense is affected by his offense. (If he isn't scoring, he isn't trying on D)

 

[macadocious]

I think Smart has done an amazing job with this team. This team could have easily folded their tents. Smart not only got them to believe in him, but believe in themselves. He has not had enough time to work on very many specifics with players. Only in the last couple weeks has he even been able to put in an offense. His players connect with him, he is still figuring some things out on the fly, but he has to. He can't work it out in practice.

It's like coaching my kids team. I do more coaching on the court running up and down during the game, than I do in practice. This is why he is constantly yelling from the sidelines. He is trying to point out situations so they recognize them right then and their. The down side to this is, sometimes it really stops the game flow. Especially in last second shot attempts at the end of quarters.

I don't see us getting anyone better. I was a big Sloan proponent, but there is no guarantee he would be able to do any better. Also, his grizzled attitude and they way he walked away from Utah make me question his ability to work with a team this young.

 

[Hadlowe]

I don't see us getting anyone better. I was a big Sloan proponent, but there is no guarantee he would be able to do any better. Also, his grizzled attitude and they way he walked away from Utah make me question his ability to work with a team this young.

To be fair, it was more the Jazz walking away than Sloan. They backed Williams over the coach, and then lost both.

 

[IfAt1st]

Let's be real here:
Sloan is a Hall of Fame coach - he's an upgrade over Keith Smart.

He has no crap on him from the Utah exit AFAIK - Deron Williams just showed how much of a douche he was.

And let's not answer for the man - he is open to smaller market coaching now, as shown on his recent interview.

What the Kings need more than anything is a system that the players can learn and reliably execute in the NBA - and that's Sloan's specialty. To turn our nose up at Sloan simply because the Kings currently have Smart would be a galactically stupid idea, IMO.

 

[Telemachus]

Let's be real here:
Sloan is a Hall of Fame coach - he's an upgrade over Keith Smart.

He has no crap on him from the Utah exit AFAIK - Deron Williams just showed how much of a douche he was.

And let's not answer for the man - he is open to smaller market coaching now, as shown on his recent interview.

What the Kings need more than anything is a system that the players can learn and reliably execute in the NBA - and that's Sloan's specialty. To turn our nose up at Sloan simply because the Kings currently have Smart would be a galactically stupid idea, IMO.

You forgot the part where Sloan is turing 70 next month. I'm not saying I wouldn't be very interested in him coming to the Kings, but would have to question how much longer he will be able to coach.

 

[IfAt1st]

Let's be real, AGAIN -
if he lasts 2 years, that's much longer than the recent Kings coach average tenure lately.

2 years is an eternity in a sports franchise.
It's the entire (near) future of the Kings right there.
If the Kings aren't competitive after this season + 2 more years, than this group is never going to be competitive.

We're not looking for Sloan to last 5 years as the head coach, here.
Anyone that is is just looking for an excuse to overlook him.

 

[VF21]

Maybe I'm in the minority here, but I keep thinking that the next generation of good/great coaches has to come from somewhere. If Keith Smart is able to turn this group of young players into a TEAM, why can't he be one of those of the new group? Jerry Sloan has had his day in the sun and I'm pretty sure he's not real hungry to step back, especially at the ripe old age of 70.

So, let's really be real. Just like I replaced my Commodore 64, a computer I really and truly loved, with newer technology, I think it's time to start looking forward instead of always looking to those whose time has passed.

Of course, I personally am exempt from the "time has passed" proviso.

 

[Bricklayer]

People always gravitate to the old familiar names that they know. Its the same thing thing as the sad All Star picks where a guy was great once, or for that matter with Petrie picking up Salmons. The unknown = scary.

But the thing is that every Sloan, Brown or Van Gundy was Keith Smart once in his career.

 

[IfAt1st]

The FACT remains - Sloan has proved his ability to get a team of no-name, low-talents that nobody predicted to do anything into the playoffs for years.

He's also proven he can coach talented players and make them VERY competitive and go far in the playoffs.

Smart hasn't even proven he can learn a basic NBA substitution pattern.

I am sick and tired of the Kings organization and fanbase thinking they can get young-and-inexperienced right on the cusp of greatness and save money. They have wasted years and years by believing against reality that the next hire is the one that will become great under their employ.

Guess what? That has PROVEN not to work for how many years? Let's give up this fantasy already.

Let's give old-and-proven-experienced a TRY..... you know, just for laughs.

 

[Bricklayer]

The FACT remains - Sloan has proved his ability to get a team of no-name, low-talents that nobody predicted to do anything into the playoffs for years.

He's also proven he can coach talented players and make them VERY competitive and go far in the playoffs.

Smart hasn't even proven he can learn a basic NBA substitution pattern.

I am sick and tired of the Kings organization and fanbase thinking they can get young-and-inexperienced right on the cusp of greatness and save money. They have wasted years and years by believing against reality that the next hire is the one that will become great under their employ.

Guess what? That has PROVEN not to work for how many years? Let's give up this fantasy already.

Let's give old-and-proven-experienced a TRY..... you know, just for laughs.

Smart is not Muss, not Theus, not Natt or Westphal. Smart hasn't proven or not proven anything other than that he improved Golden State by 10 games and has dramatically improved us. And Sloan, for all his being a great coach, has actually notably never proven himself in our situation. He's never had players like Reke and Cousins, at the positons they play, which is worth noting given that he has a system he carries with him. His big experience with a pain in the *** player actually drove him into retirment. And he would cost major bucks, for a 70 yr old that due to health, or just being in a new location and finding its not as easy or as much fun, or just wanting to walk away, or whatever, might not last more than few years.

If Smart fails all those guys are in play. But Smart seems to have the team's ear, and its improving almost week by week. Any old warhorse coaches need to be put on hold until we see how it plays out wiht Smart. The very WORST thing you could do is find a coach the team likes and respects and starts to win for, then fish out $8mil to bring in some old short timer who the team may resent for getting their guy fired.

 

[Rookie]

I like Sloan but have to agree with Brick. Smart is doing a good job and personally I don't even know if RA could of done any better. I mentioned RA because I'm a big fan of his but to control this team after PW was not an easy task. Kudos for Smart for getting this team playing like they have been playing for the last two weeks.

 

[Italics]

MAJOR LOL @ the video I just saw of Keith Smart for giving himself credit for Lin's success.

Face the music "Smart" - You didn't see Lin's potential and he got no play time under you. Now you look like a fool to everyone outside of Sacramento.

 

[UK_King]

I don't get people dumping on smart, he didn't fancy lin... so what? It's like a draft. Someone passed on Michael Jordan OMGGG!? They SUCK! Tonnes of decent players are overlooked by hundreds of different people, Thats sport.

Maybe Hassan Whiteside is the next Dwight Howard, and he'll blow up when he's traded.. I won't be coming back on here giving it the big one about Westphal and Smart though.