Steve Nash the next Nets coach

[Lipoli390]

I finally watched Stephen A's take. Full disclosure, I'm a big fan of Stephen A Smith. He's smart and articulate. I find him entertaining and I generally agree with his takes.

Here's my issue on his comment about the Nash hire. Smith acknowledged that the Nets' two African American star players obviously approved the selection of Nash. Then Stephen rattled off a list of potential black head coaching candidates and asked rhetorically whether any of those guys were considered. Those are questions that Stephen A should have asked for real and gotten answers to before characterizing the Nash selection as an example of white privilege. He's definitively plugged in enough to get those answers.

I have a problem with the selection of Nash if none of the black candidates Stephen mentioned (or any others) were considered. But my guess is that at least some of them were, although I could certainly be wrong. The point is that it is irresponsible for a professional journalist (or anyone for that matter) to throw out racially incendiary characterizations without first investigating the basic facts relevant to any such characterization. Smith listed the questions that he obviously considered relevant to his characterization, but apparently didn't seek to find the answers before reaching his conclusion and telling it to the world his view that Nash was the beneficiary of white privileged. For all we know, he was the candidate among many, including black candidates, who the team's two African American stars preferred.

[AbeVigodaLive]

I finally watched Stephen A's take. Full disclosure, I'm a big fan of Stephen A Smith. He's smart and articulate. I find him entertaining and I generally agree with his takes.

Here's my issue on his comment about the Nash hire. Smith acknowledged that the Nets' two African American star players obviously approved the selection of Nash. Then Stephen rattled off a list of potential black head coaching candidates and asked rhetorically whether any of those guys were considered. Those are questions that Stephen A should have asked for real and gotten answers to before characterizing the Nash selection as an example of white privilege. He's definitively plugged in enough to get those answers.

I have a problem with the selection of Nash if none of the black candidates Stephen mentioned (or any others) were considered. But my guess is that at least some of them were, although I could certainly be wrong. The point is that it is irresponsible for a professional journalist (or anyone for that matter) to throw out racially incendiary characterizations without first investigating the basic facts relevant to any such characterization. Smith listed the questions that he obviously considered relevant to his characterization, but apparently didn't seek to find the answers before reaching his conclusion and telling it to the world his view that Nash was the beneficiary of white privileged. For all we know, he was the candidate among many, including black candidates, who the team's two African American stars preferred.

Yes.

If anything is super duper obvious in this entire discussion about Nets coaching...

Kyrie and Durant did not want Kenny Atkinson to be their coach.
Kyrie and Durant wanted Steve Nash to be their coach.

They chose the coach.



[Note: Remember that those guys are the ones who brought Deandre Jordan there too. And Atkinson didn't play Jordan as much... so... he was fired.]

[Monster]

To me it's pretty simple. The only thing that surprises me about Steve Nash being picked to be an NBA head coach or GM or whatever...is that he actually wanted the job. Multiple teams wanted him to work for them in the past but he was always seemingly resisting. Idk if he will do a good job or not or if the Nets job is a good one for him but he has some pretty unique aspects about him that you won't find in many people in basketball. His name recognition alone is pretty huge not just in terms of basketball but for other things as well. He is plenty qualified relatively speaking. I mean he spent much more time working with NBA teams post playing career getting ready for this than Mark Jackson ever did. It's an interesting selection of coach just because it's a team that has championship aspirations and new head coaches aren't usually thought to be good for that but...let's see who has won the last few titles...Steve Kerr, Nick Nurse and whoever was coaching the Cavs. I guess maybe it can work. Lol personally if the Nets don't win it probably will have something to do with something other than coaching. They need someone to manage things over there...and hopefully stay healthy.

[Lipoli390]

To me it's pretty simple. The only thing that surprises me about Steve Nash being picked to be an NBA head coach or GM or whatever...is that he actually wanted the job. Multiple teams wanted him to work for them in the past but he was always seemingly resisting. Idk if he will do a good job or not or if the Nets job is a good one for him but he has some pretty unique aspects about him that you won't find in many people in basketball. His name recognition alone is pretty huge not just in terms of basketball but for other things as well. He is plenty qualified relatively speaking. I mean he spent much more time working with NBA teams post playing career getting ready for this than Mark Jackson ever did. It's an interesting selection of coach just because it's a team that has championship aspirations and new head coaches aren't usually thought to be good for that but...let's see who has won the last few titles...Steve Kerr, Nick Nurse and whoever was coaching the Cavs. I guess maybe it can work. Lol personally if the Nets don't win it probably will have something to do with something other than coaching. They need someone to manage things over there...and hopefully stay healthy.

Good points, Monster. As you said, the Nets' fate won't turn on their choice of head coach, although I'll add: provided their two stars approve of the choice, which in this case they did. Health will be a key for the Nets. Irving has a hard time staying healthy and Durant is coming off of an Achilles tear. All I'll say is that I wouldn't go to Vegas and put any money down on the Nets winning the NBA championship next season.

[BizarroJerry [enjin:6592520]]

Didn't know Donovan was fired in okc. He'll be picked up before we can react I'm sure. Is he country club material?

[AbeVigodaLive]

Oh. Oh...

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/30018058/see-brooklyn-nets-having-head-coach

"I don't really see us having a head coach," said Kyrie Irving. "KD could be a head coach, I could be a head coach [some days]."

Durant followed up by agreeing with Irving, calling it a "collaborative effort" and naming assistant and former interim head coach Jacque Vaughn as someone who could fill the role any given day.

Irving added... "We don't need someone to come in with their coaching philosophy and change everything we're doing."

[Monster]

Oh. Oh...

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/30018058/see-brooklyn-nets-having-head-coach

"I don't really see us having a head coach," said Kyrie Irving. "KD could be a head coach, I could be a head coach [some days]."

Durant followed up by agreeing with Irving, calling it a "collaborative effort" and naming assistant and former interim head coach Jacque Vaughn as someone who could fill the role any given day.

Irving added... "We don't need someone to come in with their coaching philosophy and change everything we're doing."

Interesting...

Check out this quote from that article from Kyrie.

"One thing I've always been comfortable with, I felt like I was the best option on every team I played for down the stretch," Irving said. "This is the first time in my career I've looked down and be like, 'That motherf---er can make that shot too.' And he'll probably do it a lot easier.

[khans2k5 [enjin:6608728]]

Kyrie is a bitch and I'm ready for his career to be over. He's so fucking overrated. He was carried by Lebron and now he'll be carried by KD. Imagine having such a big ego that you ok hiring a Hall of Fame PG as your HC only to then completely eliminate his role on the team by saying everyone but him is gonna be the HC. If I was Nash I would get the fuck out now. Let Kyrie rot on a middling team losing early in the playoffs because he has no ability to make his team better like his Cleveland days before Lebron saved his ass.

[Camden [enjin:6601484]]

Oh. Oh...

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/30018058/see-brooklyn-nets-having-head-coach

"I don't really see us having a head coach," said Kyrie Irving. "KD could be a head coach, I could be a head coach [some days]."

Durant followed up by agreeing with Irving, calling it a "collaborative effort" and naming assistant and former interim head coach Jacque Vaughn as someone who could fill the role any given day.

Irving added... "We don't need someone to come in with their coaching philosophy and change everything we're doing."

Clown behavior from Kyrie Irving. "I don't really see us having a head coach." Huh? Then again, this is the same moron who believes the earth is flat so reality doesn't come easily to him.

Also, that's shade towards LeBron James with his comment about always being the best option, right? Pretty wild for a guy that never made the playoffs prior to LeBron to throw comments like that out there. Get a grip.

[Q12543 [enjin:6621299]]

I do think guys like Phil Jackson, Steve Kerr, and Tyronn Lue end up being more group facilitators and team psychologist more than the traditional top-down head coach. Those title runs seemingly followed a collaborative model.

I think the issue with Irving and Durant is whether they are coachable under ANY model. Someone who suffocates them (like a Thibs) definitely wouldn't work, but if you use more of the light-touch facilitator approach, does the team eventually descend into chaos?

It should be fun watching Brooklyn this season!