Coaching Predictions

[KB21]

Cleveland - Jeff Van Gundy - This is already a done deal, apparently. I'm betting Van Gundy will have final say on all personnel decisions.

Toronto - Kevin O'Neil - Former college coach who was a flop at Tennessee.

New Orleans - Tim Floyd - Why? I don't know, but it seems that Floyd is the Hornets top choice.

Houston - Kenny Smith - He will get his break into the coaching arena this year.

Philadelphia - Mark Woodson - If Larry Brown steps down, I feel they will keep this in house and hire assistant Mark Woodson, though I wouldn't rule out the possibility of Mo Cheeks coming back.

Washington - Paul Silas - Very good veteran coach for what will be a very young basketball team next season.

Atlanta - Mike Fratello - David McDavid knows he will have to reach out to the fans on his coaching hire. First choice Doc Rivers isn't available, so the Hawks dip back into their history and re-hire the best coach the franchise has had.

[thescout10]

I agree with you KB21 Fratello looks to be the top choice. He brought alot of passion and good seasons to the Hawk's when he was the coach. Defense is impoirtant to Fratello and I am not sure the Hawks have the personel to improve in that area.G Robinson stinks defensively, Ratliff while he can block shots against big centers is ate up, SAR is questionable etc etc... defense is a key to winning and winning championships. We have to start some where so Fratello should be the choice.

[Diesel]

Theo vs. Tree Rollins? Theo is a bit more active, tree was bigger, both were shot blockers.

JT vs Doc Rivers? Both were guys who could score. BUt Doc developed into a great PG. He had the mind of a PG, good coaching, and ability. JT doesn't have the mind of a PG. He has those other things, but I don't think JT is the student of the game that Doc was. By that same token, Doc is not the scorer that JT is.

SAR vs. Kevin Willis. Offensively, Shareef is better. Defensively Willis is better. Rebounding.. Shareef is better. Strange huh? Earl in his career, Willis was not a good rebounder. He had small hands is what they said... I believe he just didn't want it bad enough. Offensively, SAR IS A Guy who can carry the team.

Grob vs. Dominique. Both guys want to be the scorer. Both guys sucked on defense. Both guys refused to pass the ball in the flow of the offense. The difference is that Nique was well recieved because he could take over a game. Everyone remembers the Nique vs. Bird playoff moment. Or the Nique vs. Jordan... Or the Nique vs. Isiah. I remember 2 series nobody talks about:

Nique vs. English. I think English would always get the best of Nique. Neither played a drop of defense. Which makes it funny that they are both coaches now. Then there was Nique vs. Bernard King. I remember the night they were matched up, I think King played for the bullets at the time. Nique scored about 50 on him and made it look easy. The difference is that NIQUE was the Hawks own conqueror. A role nobody has taken since. It was not the Hawks vs. the Pistons.... It was Nique vs. the Pistons. or the Celtics. Grob or SAR have not shown that they can step up and be the Face of the Hawks. That's something that Atlanta begs for... IS that Charisma. That's why I say we should go after Ricky Davis. He's brash. He has the Charisma. Being flanked by Big Dog and SAR, he'll score 50 a few times. BUT mainly, his attitude would carry over to the fans. Fans want that guy who will pose after he dunks. Fans wants that guy who will pump the crowd up before he takes his guy one on one. I believe that Fratello would take that guy and like he did with Nique, mold a good team around him.

Get Fratello.

Trade Nazr to Denver, White to Cleveland, Davis to us.

Then make Davis the face of the team.

[KB21]

No one really knows what's going on now, but all of the speculation points towards Mike Dunleavy.