WildWolf2813 wrote:I don't think Flip wants his job security in question. McHale's the one guy that would threaten it
I don't think he threatens that, since Flip is a team owner now. Now, having a lot of say in draftees might be another story.
Flip's ownership stake in the team's is minuscule and gives him no clout at all. Flip's power in the organization comes from Flip's ability to manipulate Glen Taylor. A number of years ago I think McHale would have said F-you. Now I think he'd just laugh. I don't know the specifics, but I've heard that Flip was back-stabbing McHale before McHale fired Flip - or at least MCHale thought Flip was undermining him by doing end-runs around McHale to Glen. In any event, the two are no longer friends.
Just because he's a provincial rube? Other than that, I don't see any reason to even give the job a second thought. He has Harden and Howard. A savvy GM at his side who's entrenched in Houston (now) and even a few young players with more promise than most of the Wolves young guys. Houston won 56 games and made the WCF in a season filled with injuries. Houston is where Minnesota has been only one fleeting season in its entire history.
[Note: I read the first option incorrectly at first... I thought it read that McHale could be coach AND GM... which would never be offered, obviously. I think he would at least think about that option for a bit, probably...]
What's ironic is that McHale is as old school as they come, yet he's totally embraced the advanced stats philosophy of (generally) avoiding mid-range/long 2 pointers. They probably make a good pairing - Morey being the stats geek and McHale being the hands-on, gut-feel type. As long as they give each other some rope in executing their respective plans, it seems to work.
(all of that being said, I still think Houston is a little sloppy at times. Howard, Josh Smith, Corey Brewer, and even Harden at times, can all play an undisciplined brand of basketball for stretches. They are vulnerable).
Q12543 wrote:What's ironic is that McHale is as old school as they come, yet he's totally embraced the advanced stats philosophy of (generally) avoiding mid-range/long 2 pointers. They probably make a good pairing - Morey being the stats geek and McHale being the hands-on, gut-feel type. As long as they give each other some rope in executing their respective plans, it seems to work.
(all of that being said, I still think Houston is a little sloppy at times. Howard, Josh Smith, Corey Brewer, and even Harden at times, can all play an undisciplined brand of basketball for stretches. They are vulnerable).
We've discussed the McHale/Morey pairing before. It is very interesting to see it shake out as well as it has... unlike Hollins in Memphis.
Do you think McHale's history as a GM comes into play there? He knows what Morey has to deal with from his stint with the Wolves. And that perspective can probably smooth over some of the rougher patches, right?
Abe, I suppose you are right that McHale has an appreciation for Morey's position. On the other hand, Morey approaches the role so much differently than McHale did. So he can probably appreciate the decisions that need to be made; not so sure he can grasp the actual execution of how Morey goes about the job.
What is funny is that McHale was considered a bit of a lazy, country club GM who would disappear to his cabin for long stretches and appeared to be less-than-rigorous in his scouting and player analysis methods. Yet here he is, in the midst of a major grind as a hands-on coach, with way more travel and day-to-day pressures. I wonder if his brief stint with Minnesota on the bench helped him discover his true calling (?).
Q12543 wrote:Abe, I suppose you are right that McHale has an appreciation for Morey's position. On the other hand, Morey approaches the role so much differently than McHale did. So he can probably appreciate the decisions that need to be made; not so sure he can grasp the actual execution of how Morey goes about the job.
What is funny is that McHale was considered a bit of a lazy, country club GM who would disappear to his cabin for long stretches and appeared to be less-than-rigorous in his scouting and player analysis methods. Yet here he is, in the midst of a major grind as a hands-on coach, with way more travel and day-to-day pressures. I wonder if his brief stint with Minnesota on the bench helped him discover his true calling (?).
Maybe. To be honest, I wish he stuck with broadcasting. I thought he was great at it.
Q12543 wrote:Abe, I suppose you are right that McHale has an appreciation for Morey's position. On the other hand, Morey approaches the role so much differently than McHale did. So he can probably appreciate the decisions that need to be made; not so sure he can grasp the actual execution of how Morey goes about the job.
What is funny is that McHale was considered a bit of a lazy, country club GM who would disappear to his cabin for long stretches and appeared to be less-than-rigorous in his scouting and player analysis methods. Yet here he is, in the midst of a major grind as a hands-on coach, with way more travel and day-to-day pressures. I wonder if his brief stint with Minnesota on the bench helped him discover his true calling (?).
Maybe. To be honest, I wish he stuck with broadcasting. I thought he was great at it.
McHale is a terrific basketball mind and he is amusing. It would be fun to see him and Barkley going back and forth in studio.
While McHale and Morey are a bit of an odd couple McHale is not conventional either. He considers guys basketball players (that part is his old school but it's kinda new school now) and uses guys to their strengths. One particular example that sticks with me was when he took over the Wolves mid season and immediately either started or utilized Craig Smith a ton with positive results. McHale is a players coach and yet I am sure he is demanding but I remember specifically Hoiberg said he was the best communicator he had ever been around. I think some of that sloppy play is because McHale lets guys do their thing and it isn't always pretty but you take the good with the bad. Morey gives McHale 3 point shooters and McHale is like hey this guy shoots 3's so let him shoot 3's. I know Bud struggled early on playing for McHale but then ended up getting into the rotation and finding his place before they traded him. If you can't play for a guy like McHale that's probably not a good sign. Morey and McHale probably get along because McHale doesn't give a rip about where you were drafted how old you are or aren't but if you can play you play. Morey finds guys he thinks can play and McHale and his staff seems to be able to develop them and give them an opportunity. I haven't seen Terry play this well at the PG position in at least a decade. Some of that has to be coaching.
They had a rough summer and rebounded as well as they could and then they were able to add a couple nice pieces and Josh Smith feel into their lap later. They are doing what they are doing without their starting PG and bigman DM. Somehow they won a series playing old guys at PG again CP3. Kinda amazing.
Q12543 wrote:Abe, I suppose you are right that McHale has an appreciation for Morey's position. On the other hand, Morey approaches the role so much differently than McHale did. So he can probably appreciate the decisions that need to be made; not so sure he can grasp the actual execution of how Morey goes about the job.
What is funny is that McHale was considered a bit of a lazy, country club GM who would disappear to his cabin for long stretches and appeared to be less-than-rigorous in his scouting and player analysis methods. Yet here he is, in the midst of a major grind as a hands-on coach, with way more travel and day-to-day pressures. I wonder if his brief stint with Minnesota on the bench helped him discover his true calling (?).
Maybe. To be honest, I wish he stuck with broadcasting. I thought he was great at it.
McHale is a terrific basketball mind and he is amusing. It would be fun to see him and Barkley going back and forth in studio.
While McHale and Morey are a bit of an odd couple McHale is not conventional either. He considers guys basketball players (that part is his old school but it's kinda new school now) and uses guys to their strengths. One particular example that sticks with me was when he took over the Wolves mid season and immediately either started or utilized Craig Smith a ton with positive results. McHale is a players coach and yet I am sure he is demanding but I remember specifically Hoiberg said he was the best communicator he had ever been around. I think some of that sloppy play is because McHale lets guys do their thing and it isn't always pretty but you take the good with the bad. Morey gives McHale 3 point shooters and McHale is like hey this guy shoots 3's so let him shoot 3's. I know Bud struggled early on playing for McHale but then ended up getting into the rotation and finding his place before they traded him. If you can't play for a guy like McHale that's probably not a good sign. Morey and McHale probably get along because McHale doesn't give a rip about where you were drafted how old you are or aren't but if you can play you play. Morey finds guys he thinks can play and McHale and his staff seems to be able to develop them and give them an opportunity. I haven't seen Terry play this well at the PG position in at least a decade. Some of that has to be coaching.
They had a rough summer and rebounded as well as they could and then they were able to add a couple nice pieces and Josh Smith feel into their lap later. They are doing what they are doing without their starting PG and bigman DM. Somehow they won a series playing old guys at PG again CP3. Kinda amazing.
Jason Terry was incredible in the 2011 Finals with the ball in his hands. And I think Houston fits in with what several other teams have done recently... using an all-world GUARD to initiate the offense. Kobe Bryant. Dwyane Wade. James Harden. Et al.
Heck, go back to Jordan. Or, even add the position-less LeBron James into the mix. Those guys are adept as passers when they need to be and create the lion's share of the offense for the club in the absence of a dominant PG.
Q12543 wrote:Abe, I suppose you are right that McHale has an appreciation for Morey's position. On the other hand, Morey approaches the role so much differently than McHale did. So he can probably appreciate the decisions that need to be made; not so sure he can grasp the actual execution of how Morey goes about the job.
What is funny is that McHale was considered a bit of a lazy, country club GM who would disappear to his cabin for long stretches and appeared to be less-than-rigorous in his scouting and player analysis methods. Yet here he is, in the midst of a major grind as a hands-on coach, with way more travel and day-to-day pressures. I wonder if his brief stint with Minnesota on the bench helped him discover his true calling (?).
Maybe. To be honest, I wish he stuck with broadcasting. I thought he was great at it.
McHale is a terrific basketball mind and he is amusing. It would be fun to see him and Barkley going back and forth in studio.
While McHale and Morey are a bit of an odd couple McHale is not conventional either. He considers guys basketball players (that part is his old school but it's kinda new school now) and uses guys to their strengths. One particular example that sticks with me was when he took over the Wolves mid season and immediately either started or utilized Craig Smith a ton with positive results. McHale is a players coach and yet I am sure he is demanding but I remember specifically Hoiberg said he was the best communicator he had ever been around. I think some of that sloppy play is because McHale lets guys do their thing and it isn't always pretty but you take the good with the bad. Morey gives McHale 3 point shooters and McHale is like hey this guy shoots 3's so let him shoot 3's. I know Bud struggled early on playing for McHale but then ended up getting into the rotation and finding his place before they traded him. If you can't play for a guy like McHale that's probably not a good sign. Morey and McHale probably get along because McHale doesn't give a rip about where you were drafted how old you are or aren't but if you can play you play. Morey finds guys he thinks can play and McHale and his staff seems to be able to develop them and give them an opportunity. I haven't seen Terry play this well at the PG position in at least a decade. Some of that has to be coaching.
They had a rough summer and rebounded as well as they could and then they were able to add a couple nice pieces and Josh Smith feel into their lap later. They are doing what they are doing without their starting PG and bigman DM. Somehow they won a series playing old guys at PG again CP3. Kinda amazing.
Jason Terry was incredible in the 2011 Finals with the ball in his hands. And I think Houston fits in with what several other teams have done recently... using an all-world GUARD to initiate the offense. Kobe Bryant. Dwyane Wade. James Harden. Et al.
Heck, go back to Jordan. Or, even add the position-less LeBron James into the mix. Those guys are adept as passers when they need to be and create the lion's share of the offense for the club in the absence of a dominant PG.
D'Angelo Russell, your table is ready!
(and Zach LaVine too, who is more of a long-shot for b-ball IQ reasons, but certainly it appears Flip has visions of grandeur that are in this mold of a player).
