Top 5 Coaching Options For The Nets
Patrick Ewing hasn’t wore a New York Knicks uniform in about a decade, but he still gets more love than any Knick on the current roster every time he returns home as an assistant coach for the Magic. When he was shown on the Jumbotron during last night’s Knicks/Magic game, the fans gave him a standing ovation. Last night, Ewing told reporters that he wouldn’t mind coming home. Well, Jersey anyway.
After Lawrence Frank was given his walking papers yesterday, the news was a hot topic at the Garden. Ewing, who has been a Magic assistant coach since 2007, has expressed his desire numerous times in the media to be a head coach (particularly when the Knicks’ coaching job opened up in the summer of 2008). Last night he was asked whether he’d be open to returning to the New York area to fill the league’s latest coaching vacancy.
“Of course,” Ewing told the New York Post. “I would be back home. I still live in New Jersey. I just want an opportunity. Yes, I would love to coach the Nets.”
Ewing is just one of several names that have been thrown in the past 24 hours. Right now, it has been heavily rumored that Nets GM, Kiki Vandeweghe, could be the New Jersey’s next head coach. Here are my top five options for the Nets’ coaching gig.
1. Kiki Vandeweghe: There has been plenty of speculation that Kiki would be follow the footsteps of Isiah Thomas, Don Nelson and Kevin McHale to move from the front office to the sidelines. Kiki does not have coaching experience but is a good GM and is credited with turning around the Nuggets several years back. Vandeweghe has great people skills and I think he’d get respect from his players.
2. Patrick Ewing: Like I mentioned earlier, Ewing could be a good option for Jersey. He’s from the area and has spent the last few seasons learning from Stan Van Gundy. Ewing has been credited with helping Dwight Howard with his footwork and his knowledge (especially at the center position) would be great for the Nets’ young big man, Brook Lopez. Ewing has also been to Finals both as a player and as a coach. He has also been coached by two great coaches in Pat Riley and John Thompson at Georgetown.
3. Mark Jackson: Jackson’s name was strongly thrown around when the Knicks were looking for a coach in ‘08. Now that there is an opportunity in Jersey, this could be a good fit for Jackson. He was a great point guard in his day (he is third in the history of the league in assists) and would be a valuable mentor for their star point guard Devin Harris. However, like Ewing, he does not have head coaching experience, but there is no question Jackson has all the tools to be a great coach some day.
4. Sam Mitchell: The former Raptors coach was the NBA Coach of the Year in 2007. He was able to resurrect Toronto from the bottom after Vince Carter left town. Maybe he can work his Magic again for the post-Carter Nets. Mitchell is a tough coach who will challenge players like Devin Harris and Brook Lopez. But on the flip side, Rafer Alston is on the team, and we all remember what happened last time the two were paired together.
5. Reggie Theus: Theus is a coach that players like to play for. He is a former player and a personable guy. It took him just one year to bring New Mexico State from a losing program to a team that played in the NCAA Tournament. He had some success his first year coaching the Kings leading them to a 38-44 record in 2007-08, but was let go the following season after a 6-18 start. Theus, if given the chance can get your team wins. And in Jersey, that quality is in high demand right now.
Who do you think the Nets should hire?
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November 30th, 2009 at 12:57 pm
rangerjohn says:
how about reuniting harris and avery lol
November 30th, 2009 at 12:59 pm
That's what's up says:
Jon Gruden
November 30th, 2009 at 12:59 pm
Seany T says:
Will Ferell’s character from Semi Pro should be the nets new head coach. He’d bring some excitement back to New Jersey with his madcap halftime shows….
Whoever they hire isn’t gonna turn it around, they were wrong to fire Frank while the’re re-building. I don’t think many coaches could have done much better with a young squad and the injuries they had.
November 30th, 2009 at 1:10 pm
control says:
“Mitchell is a tough coach who will challenge players like Devin Harris and Brook Lopez”
That should be “Mitchell is a tough coach who will beat up players like Devin Harris and Brook Lopez”. Guy is a pretty damn tough motherfucker, he would probably have done a better job with Toronto if he was actually being an enforcer on the court instead a coach throwing around his own players (who just folded, cause they soft).
November 30th, 2009 at 1:11 pm
control says:
Does Earwig sweat as much on the sidelines as he used to on the court? For some reason Chewing just don’t look like the head coach type to me, he just looks stupid as fuck.
November 30th, 2009 at 1:15 pm
Kermit The Washington says:
Avery Johnson isn’t ever going to coach again, is he…he used to be in the discussion on these types of posts, but not anymore. How come?
November 30th, 2009 at 1:17 pm
POPPI GEE says:
John Thompson III, Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith?
I would love to see any of them coaching.
Still the I have to go with Patrick or Mark for the Nets.
Can’t get experience till it’s given. They need to give one of them the job.
November 30th, 2009 at 1:31 pm
hahns says:
lol i love rangerjohn’s idea
im a huge knicks fan, but im not like how ewing is thrusting himself into every coaching position available. why does he think hes entitled to an NBA head coaching job? if he wants to coach so badly, go to college….
November 30th, 2009 at 3:01 pm
ProphetGK says:
Hire MJ to teach T-Will and Courtney Lee how to be H.O.Fs…
November 30th, 2009 at 3:12 pm
Headkicker B says:
Kiki should HAVE to coach them. He built this less-than-talented team, now he should have the misery of trying to get these lame ducks to win some games.
November 30th, 2009 at 4:01 pm
Amar says:
mark jackson does not have the right attitude to be a head coach. he still thinks like a player. and like in his playing days, he still thinks he is the best player on the court at all times.
November 30th, 2009 at 4:26 pm
IG says:
Sam Cassell. Makes sense to me. He is currently an assistant on the Celtics.
November 30th, 2009 at 4:35 pm
Heckler says:
darrell armstrong will also get some consideration.
is jeff van gundy an upgrade over lawrence frank? i’m not sure about that either. but van gundy is going to get some consideration.
new jersey has too many variables right now. moving to brooklyn is unknown. if the russian mofo gets to buy the team is unknown. ownership unknown. and management is unknown. i think kiki and rod thorn are both in the last years of their contracts.
here is the solution:
Hire Mark Jackson as coach on the cheap. the franchise needs to save money anyway. and action jackson will be the cheapest coach on the market.
Hire Chris Mullin to be the GM. yep. talk about a reunion—chris mullin and mark jackson doing it again like they did at St Johns University.
it’ll be just perfect for when the team moves to brooklyn. dont sleep on the Nets. in 2yrs, their going to have the BEST nucleaus of young talent (devin harris, brook lopez, courtney lee, yi jianlian, terrance williams, chris douglas-roberts etc)
not to mention, they will be under the cap going into next summer with the ability to sign a 2nd tier FA to some big dollars to attract them.
November 30th, 2009 at 4:38 pm
Heckler says:
@ Amar (#11)—
Mark Jackson will make a decent coach. he was a nothing piece of shit athlete that actually made teammates better. THIRD ALLTIME IN THE NBA IN ASSISTS!!
and he never played 15yrs with a proven scorer like Magic (Kareem) or John Stockton (Karl Malone). that lets you know, that as a point guard, the man had a high bball IQ and knows how to play.
i dunno if he is cocky or not, but why should you mind a coach with a lil cockiness?
November 30th, 2009 at 4:49 pm
GMaGoof says:
Reggie Latenes?? Showed up to practices that he called as a head coach late!!? He was tuned out quick. I’m surprised you did not include Bill Lambier on this list? OOps you have a toke listed already, nevermind.
November 30th, 2009 at 5:29 pm
Diggity Dave says:
Ewing is overdue. Cassell still has to put in time.
November 30th, 2009 at 6:14 pm
yoda says:
@IG
sam is with wizards
November 30th, 2009 at 6:28 pm
chief youngblood says:
keith van horn
November 30th, 2009 at 7:20 pm
bballinca says:
Byron Scott!
November 30th, 2009 at 11:36 pm
Ian says:
control he cant do worse