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[Observations] Coaching Carousel
A quick look at this year's coaching changes

Since one new NBA coach is apparently already drawing criticism, there may not be much time left to look at the this year's coaching changes. 10 teams switched head coaches since last year, and as usual, there was a lot of recycling. All but two vacancies went to guys with previous head coaching experience in the league (much to Rick Barry's dismay).

To me, these guys fit into four categories:

Elite - Top shelf reputations add credibility, sell tickets.

Phil Jackson
Larry Brown

Solid - Respected personalities with demonstrated success.

Flip Saunders
Nate McMillan
Maurice Cheeks

Unproven - Casey and Brown are getting their first gigs; Stotts has been given a mulligan for his stint in Atlanta.

Dwane Casey
Mike Brown
Terry Stotts

Dennis Scott and Nick Anderson apologize.

Huh? - Is that the best they could do?

Bob Weiss
Brian Hill

Weiss has been in the league for a whopping 38 years (as a player and a coach). His career head coaching record coming into this season was 212-291, including exactly 2 postseason wins. His last head coaching job was 12 years ago. That's not exactly the kind of resume that inspires the fan base or the players.

Hill was ousted as the Magic head coach by an Anfernee Hardaway-led player revolt back in 1997. (In retrospect, that was probably Penny's last act as an NBA star.) The firing was unfair--Hill probably deserved at least another year on the job after riding Shaq and Penny to the Finals in 1995. But do you really want your head coach selection to be based on "righting a wrong?"

Tags : Coaches, NBA, NBA Observations

Comments[0] Posted by jgurney on November 10, 2005 7:43:05 AM PST

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