Unbelievable -- Rick Carlisle has been fired

[kelston827]

http://espn.go.com/nba/news/2003/0530/1561275.html

The Hawks should definitely consider Carlisle on their short list.

I'm not in favor of a GM/coach (or Dunleavy for that matter), but I do think there are a lot of quality candidates out there.

My choices:

1. Carlisle

2. Van Gundy

3. Silas

4. Fratello

5. Stotts

I realize the Pistons probably have a hard-on for Larry Brown and they can't miss their opportunity, but there's nothing they could say that could justify firing Carlisle after the job he's done the last two seasons.

[chillzatl]

I like the pistons. They weren't "my team" but I wanted to see them do well as several of the players are clients of my gf. I liked them even more after learning they were going to get Darko. But now I hope the team suffers a massive chemistry collapse. Carlisle deserved much better than this. He took a team that was really limited in what it could do and reached the Eastern Finals. That's not grounds for firing in my book

[TheDude]

i agree..how do you possibly explain this? i hope we get carlisle because he has done an excellent job coaching...gets the most out of his players..hopefully big ben will follow him to the hawks and we'll give the pistons big dog since they need some scoring..

hey, a guy can dream can't he?

[KB21]

If the Hawks retain Billy Knight as GM.

Knight was the Director of Scouting for Indiana when Rick Carlisle was an assistant for Larry Bird.

I think if Billy Knight is given the keys to this franchise, then he will likely go after Carlisle due to the familiarity he has with him.

[chillzatl]

On espn that Dunleavy was close to being offered the job and that if hte Mcdavid buy goes through he will be given the job. I have no problems iwth this. Dunleavy is a good coach.

They also said that the Hawks should hire Pat Croce as team president, which I agree with.

They also said that htey should retain Billy Knight as GM, which I also agree with.

[TheDude]

and i agree with chillzat, although i'd prefer to get carlisle as coach but dunleavy is better than status quo..

[KB21]

Well, I think Dunleavy is a highly overrated coach. I'd rather keep Terry Stotts than hire Dunleavy.

[MoonKnight]

Fratello as my personal top choice for the job. I cannot believe the Pistons would fire this guy after the job he has done. The Pistons overachieved with Carlisle at the helm and I thought he did a heck of a job. Carlisle gets canned while Zeke keeps his job? Very Strange. We need to get this sale through quickly b/c someone will move on Carlisle soon.

[jezmund]

Bigger than any possible trade or GM hiring. Carlisle would be huge for us. If he can take the talent the Pistons had and make them the #1 seed in the East, I can only imagine what he could do with us.

[DJ_Money]

Hire him now. If there's one guy who can teach this team to play halfway decent D, he is the one.

[drzachary]

Having (an angry, bitter) Carlisle as the Hawks' coach would certainly be awesome for those Atl-Detroit matchups.

[cyman3]

hes better than trading REEF and getting a 5th pick.

hes the guy might get this team to start playing solid defense.

our players are a lot more offensively talented than the PISTONS. The pistons couldnt produce offense, their defense was fine.

We can win with our current roster w/ this guy (IMO).

[mdawg]

Apparently, Carlisle is going to Portland, and Cheeks is going to Philadelphia. The 76ers have been given permission to talk with Cheeks.

[Hawks4ever]

and Dunleavy is going to Houston. Gundy will stay in the TV booth