Del Harris' name has now been mentioned as the...

[capstone21]

next coach for Atlanta.

I did not even consider him but he is a good coach who players like.

What do people think of him being the next Hawks coach?

[KB21]

I never really gave it much thought, but he wouldn't be a bad move at all. He's had just two losing seasons in 13 as a head coach. He's done a good job with young players in the past, a la Kobe Bryant, Eddie Jones, and a young Moses Malone. He's a teacher, which is something the Hawks are looking for.

I think it would be a good hire.

[Diesel]

I don't know. Is he a good manager of the talent? He had Van Exel, Kobe, Shaq, Elden, Jones, Fox, and Ceballos and couldn't get past the 2nd round of the playoffs. It's an interesting proposition though... What style does he coach?

I remember also he coached Milwaukee.... took them to the playoffs a few times....

He did a lot with an aging Milwaukee team. I think he had who.... Ricky pierce and Jack Sikma. They beat us in the playoffs one year, but I don't know if he was coaching. It was heart breaking. Sidney Moncreif.

I think that the fact that he's a good X's and O guy is good. I think he's uptempo based on his Milwaukee days but back then who wasn't uptempo. My question is why not Fratello?

[KB21]

Del didn't have all of those players at the same time in LA. He took over the Lakers during their transition years, and he showed that he is not adverse to playing young players. Nick Van Excel and Eddie Jones developed under Del Harris, and Cedric Ceballos also developed as a player under Del Harris.

The only time Del had the quartet of Shaq, Kobe, Eddie Jones, and Nick Van Excel was when Kobe was a 17 year old rookie. The Lakers won 62 games in Del's last full season in LA.

Mike Fratello would be my top choice as well, as he has won in both the up tempo style and the slow down style. I think too many are thinking that he is a grind it out coach based on his Cleveland days and forget about his Atlanta days.

[Wretch]

...and it was a 4 game sweep by Utah, followed by a rocky start the following season, before he was let go. They had every one of those players too, except for Ceballos - who I'm not sure about. Additionally, Kobe was not a rookie. He was in his second season just beginning to break out. They traded all of that talent away, brought in Glen Rice and Phil Jackson and suddenly, BOOM.

Del's a good coach for a young team though. He'll teach and he'll let them get out there and make mistakes. I just don't know about his defensive intentions...

I think Fratello is every bit the coach that Harris is, I know he can adapt to any situation, and I know he could teach team defense. I pray that they are not judging him on that bogged down team up in Cleveland. I wouldn't want him to come in and do that with our young guys; but I'm sure he would adapt to whatever the owners want.

I'm happy with either situation though. Either is an upgrade from Stotts and I prefer them both to Byron Scott.

[Plainview1981]

Van Exel was a cancer on that team from the way it seemed. I think he hurt that team ALOT.

[DominiqueWilkins]

I'm a bit iffy about Del Harris, but I do know the players do respect him on the Mavs. Del Harris has coached alot of talent at different times in his career, and he wasn't the best at his job, but has came away with 500 plus wins. The one down fall in his win/loss record our the L's as they are right behind his wins.

Reminds me of Lenny Wilkins.

Del Harris wouldn't be my top pick by all means.

[Diesel]

To freshen your memory... Del's last year, the Lakers won over 50 games. They put 4 players into the allstar game....

Shaq, Kobe, Eddie, and NVE.

The Proof

Quote:

---

Coach Del Harris has power with O'Neal and forward Elden Campbell, speed with Bryant, Jones, Van Exel and forward Robert Horry. He has perimeter shooting with Fox, Horry and Van Exel, and slashers in Horry and Jones.

---

Quote:

---

"The first year we had Cedric [Ceballos], Eddie and me as newcomers. The next year we had Magic [Johnson] return. Last year we added Shaq. This time the heart of the team is intact. We're a year older and a few mistakes wiser."

---

So one year under Del, they didn't have Fox... The Next year they did...

Here's the roster, the year the didn't have Fox:

1. o'neal,shaquille

2 jones,eddie

3 vanexel,nick

4 campbell,elden

5 ceballos,cedric

6 horry,robert

7 bryant,kobe

8 kersey,jerome

9 scott,byron

10 knight,travis

11 blount,corie

12 mccloud,george

13 fisher,derek

14 rooks,sean

15 robinson,rumeal

16 krystkowiak,larr

17 kleine,joe

[Plainview1981]

Talentwise that should win the championship and honestly

run of several of them. However, it doesn't always work

out that way. If the Spurs beat the Lakers this year that

is all the more proof.

[JTFan31]

Also we have to remember that back then Kobe wasn't the Kobe he is now. I dont think he was even starting back then.

[Diesel]

That year, Kobe was good enough to be voted to the Allstar team....

Kobe played 26 mpg, averaged 16, 3, and 3.

[Weez]

not a big thing...but those aren't all-star numbers. Unless he came out of the gates on fire and then faded down the stretch, 16, 3, 3 is not all-star. Still a year away from vintage Kobe....he had to be able to drink first.

[JTFan31]

definitely those werent allstar numbers, or else JT should of been an all-star. Kobe became of age the year after, his 3rd year in the league.

[cyman3]

yea, 16/3/3 cant get u in the allstar game.

gotta be like 20, 6, 6...

[Diesel]

Those were allstar numbers for a player who played 26 mpg. He did recieve criticism because GP was slighted... Interesting huh?

[Weez]

hard to be considered an all-star, esp in the backcourt, if you're only averaging 26 mpg. throw in the fact that he likely developed as the season went, and I'd bet that his numbers were lower than that come the end of Jan ~ aka all-star voting time...and yeah, no all-star that year. year 3...turned 21, and the lights went on....