KAT and the new coach.

[AbeVigodaLive]

http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/25708484/wolves-players-stunned-firing-tom-thibodeau

If we take KAT for his word, he didn't see this coming. And Johnny Athletic reported that the move wasn't because of a power struggle Thibs lost with KAT. So let's say that KAT was genuinely shocked by this.

Should we be worried?

Towns said he told assistant coaches just last week that he felt the organization was gaining some much-needed "stability" and that he was finally feeling comfortable within his team's schemes.

The very best NBA players are often consulted when a coach gets fired. Heck, they may be responsible for it. Just how much say should KAT have in coaching hiring/firing decisions.

Personally, I'm ok if KAT didn't know THIS time. But I sure hope the Wolves at least took the temperature of their budding superstar. I'm pretty sure they knew KAT wasn't going to be wailing over the decision. But how much say should he have in the next hire?

I think he MUST be involved in one way or another... at least as a voice in the room if nothing else. As you've heard from me 3,933 times, it's a player's league. A superstar players league. And like it or not... the Wolves are courting KAT every day... even with him on a long-term deal. It's just the way it is.

Even more obvious... the team will only be good... if KAT is great. Give him what he needs to be a great player. Whether that's a system designed for him. A coach who adores him. A coach who challenges him. A coach who he can be best friends with. Et al. I don't know what would help KAT become a superstar. He may not even know... but he sure as hell knows more about it than Glen Taylor does.

I'm 100% certain about that.

Should KAT have a say in choosing the next head coach?

[Wolvesfan21]

KAT, Wiggins and RoCo should be involved in any new coach hiring. Maybe even some others. But anyone on a long term deal that is vital to the success going forward should have some input. Players talk to other players so they would have good inside info on guys like Hoiberg through LaVine for instance. It only makes sense to involve your best player/s.

[Q12543 [enjin:6621299]]

KAT is pretty good about being politically correct....may be too good at times, so I wouldn't be surprised if he's jumping for joy. The fact he even mentioned that Ryan would further make the Wolves new school was an indirect shot at Thibs, so even he let a couple of comments slip.

I do think one of the reasons for his more buoyant mood of late is that with having one or both of Rose/Teague out, he's gotten a lot more touches. We'll see what happens when both guys are healthy and on the floor together with KAT.

As for having a say in the future coach, he should absolutely have a say. I'm not sure he literally is part of the interview panel, but he should definitely be consulted. If he has skin in the game in hiring the new coach, he's more likely to back that coach in the locker room.

[AbeVigodaLive]

Ugh.

This is the type of stuff I'm constantly ragging on from the media and modern NBA fans. It's a chicken/egg thing. Do we have an insatiable appetite for this crap... or is it because it's crammed down our throats constantly?

https://www.theringer.com/nba/2019/1/8/18173171/karl-anthony-towns-ben-simmons-pre-agents

Basketball often seems secondary when discussing today's NBA. At least when it comes to what sells and what makes money for those who are in the NBA business.


[Note: For reals though... after reading that... I'm HOPING KAT sneaks on to an All NBA team. It's literally the only advantage the Wolves have down the line.]

[Monster]

I listened to all of Towns comments from yesterday. I thought his joke about jinxing the continuity actually seemed like one of the more real things he has ever said...in a Towns way. Like Q said he talked up Ryan bringing a much more modern game so...

As for Towns being consulted in this instance...there was plenty of reporting last season during the offseason etc that Towns and Thibs weee not on the same page. I'd have doubts that somehow they were all good at this point and Towns was all in on Thibs or something. My guess is to much more of an extent than laatvseason Thibs had Towns in on his more inner circle of players he communicated with. People wanted the Wolves to play through Towns more after the trade but they were certainly playing through him more than they ever had in the Thibs era. Meanwhile Rose taking a ton of shots...Towns raves about him so I doubt that actually bothered him like it has some fans.

Still does anyone really think this team needed to consult Towns about this move? I think they likely had a pretty good idea he would be ok with it. Don't forget Thibs unceremoniously dumped his buddy Vince Legarza for no apparent reason. He is working for the Jazz now. Should Towns have some input into the next coaching hire? Sure. I bet he had communicated in some ways his input to Glen in the past. Thibs based on what we know hadn't done anything THAT significant (although I think there was real progress) to resolve the problems with him. Thibs and Towns aren't exactly peas in a pod in the way they look at a team. Towns likes the family type everyone all together. Thibs wants everyone all together...but just do the work do your job it's a business. They don't really align in that way and Glen is a relationship guy. That's not Thibs. Being nice guys that are buddies with everyone isn't the answer but it feels like to me that this franchise could make that more of a focus (not hard to do lol) and make it a strength while also having good basketball people up and down the organization.

[khans2k5 [enjin:6608728]]

Players should not pick their coaches. They are bad at it. Name one good coach LeBron has picked. He didn't pick Spo. That was Riley giving Spo a chance and Wade keeping Riley in the front office so he wouldn't have to go through Riley practices. Players don't know this stuff at a level that results in good choices. If it were up to Giannis that job would have never opened up in the first place and look at them now. They don't make objective decisions when it comes to coaching and thus should just be given a heads up and not a real say.

[AbeVigodaLive]

Players should not pick their coaches. They are bad at it. Name one good coach LeBron has picked. He didn't pick Spo. That was Riley giving Spo a chance and Wade keeping Riley in the front office so he wouldn't have to go through Riley practices. Players don't know this stuff at a level that results in good choices. If it were up to Giannis that job would have never opened up in the first place and look at them now. They don't make objective decisions when it comes to coaching and thus should just be given a heads up and not a real say.

I don't disagree with a lot of this.

The Wolves are then left with Taylor picking the next guy. That doesn't make me any more comfortable with the decision.

At all.

[thedoper]

I think Wiggins' hesitations to answer Britt Robson's questions on whether certain players were consulted about the firing led me to believe that Towns and Wiggins were aware of the firing beforehand. Towns is very well trained and would never want to be labeled a coach killer, but I think there is a 100% probability he was complicit with firing Thibs and approved of Saunders as the temporary replacement. I also think Towns will be consulted on the next hire.

[Wolvesfan21]

Players should not pick their coaches. They are bad at it. Name one good coach LeBron has picked. He didn't pick Spo. That was Riley giving Spo a chance and Wade keeping Riley in the front office so he wouldn't have to go through Riley practices. Players don't know this stuff at a level that results in good choices. If it were up to Giannis that job would have never opened up in the first place and look at them now. They don't make objective decisions when it comes to coaching and thus should just be given a heads up and not a real say.

Shaq says he picked the Zen Master in LA, or approved of it before they went on to win a few titles. Then in Miami he said he approved of Riley as HC also and of course won one there. Who knows how much say he had but I think there are likely as many cases as it working out as not.

On the other hand, is Glen good at hiring Head coaches? lol

[Q12543 [enjin:6621299]]

There is also a big difference between "being consulted on" and being the actual decision maker or having veto power.