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Re: Meet our new coach next year: Billy Donovan
Posted: Fri Apr 03, 2015 10:03 am
by longstrangetrip [enjin:6600564]
A couple other things, Abe. You mention that Donovan turned down the job once, but that was before last year's losing season...Donovan's first. A losing season will make a coach reevaluate what he is doing.
Secondly, you question whether a new coach will want to replace a coach who is staying at PBO and has his own ideas. It could be a valid point, and certainly something any new coach has to consider. But Donovan seems to be a strong character, who knows he can listen to what Flip suggests but still go his own way...much like Rick Adelman did. Flip may sit Donovan down and say "Billy, this 3-point bit is a passing fad...it's not going to last. You need to stay with the time-tested "long two" offense". But do you think a coach with Donovan's pedigree and success is going to listen?
Donovan is likely to want some security given the Flip role, but I think 5 years guaranteed at $5 million per would get this done.
Re: Meet our new coach next year: Billy Donovan
Posted: Fri Apr 03, 2015 10:06 am
by longstrangetrip [enjin:6600564]
AbeVigodaLive wrote:longstrangetrip wrote:Hmm...I guess I must have missed the part where I said working in the same town with Richard Pitino was "the deciding factor" in Donovan's decision. I just threw it out there as an interesting tidbit in case Donovan is presented with an opportunity to coach the Wolves. Personally, I know that if I were thinking about uprooting my family (Donovan has 4 kids) and moving to another city, knowing someone in that town would certainly make the transition easier.
But clearly more important will be the job itself and the money. Taylor is cheap with draft picks when he chooses to sell them, but I have never found him to be cheap in any of his other dealings. Not once have I heard him tell his PBO he can't make a move because it would be too expensive, unlike the baseball team that plays next door. So, I would expect Glen to cough up the $5 million other first year coaches like Fisher and Kerr got, a nice bump over the $4 million he's getting in Florida. The real issue is the quality of the job. Moving to a team that hasn't made the playoffs in 11 years is a tough sell. But on the other hand, having young talent like Wiggins, LaVine, Rubio and Towns/Okafor to build around has to be enticing.
Last week one of the Wolves' minority owners told me Glen and ownership were pleased with the job Flip is doing, and Glen reiterated again today in Hartman's column that Flip can coach as long as he wants. But he also reiterated that he would like PBO and coach to be two different guys, so I think this story has some legs.
I found the mention of it as any type of factor to be worthy of a chuckle.
That would have been a more accurate way of stating your point. I still maintain relationships matter to some people, but perhaps not as much to others. Not sure which camp Donovan is in...only know it would matter to me.
Re: Meet our new coach next year: Billy Donovan
Posted: Fri Apr 03, 2015 10:17 am
by khans2k5 [enjin:6608728]
Being a crappy team is actually a better situation for a college coach to make the transition. He can't really do any worse than we already are. He gets to work with Flip to shape the roster how he wants because most of the team is expendable. The fact that we are this bad gives him extra years of security to turn it around because he won't be in a high pressure situation to make the playoffs next year or get fired. Just like Stevens in Boston, going to a bad team is probably a better situation to make the transition because of the security and opportunity to rebuild how you need it to be successful over the long haul that good teams don't offer as much.
Re: Meet our new coach next year: Billy Donovan
Posted: Fri Apr 03, 2015 10:44 am
by longstrangetrip [enjin:6600564]
khans2k5 wrote:Being a crappy team is actually a better situation for a college coach to make the transition. He can't really do any worse than we already are. He gets to work with Flip to shape the roster how he wants because most of the team is expendable. The fact that we are this bad gives him extra years of security to turn it around because he won't be in a high pressure situation to make the playoffs next year or get fired. Just like Stevens in Boston, going to a bad team is probably a better situation to make the transition because of the security and opportunity to rebuild how you need it to be successful over the long haul that good teams don't offer as much.
I agree with your take, Khans. Expectations would be low for anyone taking over the Wolves next year, coming off an 18-19 win season. Anyone that could win 40 next year, and then make the playoffs the following year, would be considered a genius and a hero...and an astute coach like Donovan knows that is possible here.
Re: Meet our new coach next year: Billy Donovan
Posted: Fri Apr 03, 2015 10:51 am
by AbeVigodaLive
But why would Flip (one of the most powerful men in the NBA) give up some of that after only one year and hire a strong character?
Flip has it made in the shade right now. He's making all the calls. I can see him giving up some of that (on-the-court) but why risk anything more with a coach who overpower him as the proverbial brains of the organization?
Re: Meet our new coach next year: Billy Donovan
Posted: Fri Apr 03, 2015 10:54 am
by khans2k5 [enjin:6608728]
AbeVigodaLive wrote:But why would Flip (one of the most powerful men in the NBA) give up some of that after only one year and hire a strong character?
Flip has it made in the shade right now. He's making all the calls. I can see him giving up some of that (on-the-court) but why risk anything more with a coach who overpower him as the proverbial brains of the organization?
Because he's not an evil overlord looking to run things his way or take the highway. He worked fine with Adelman who is a HOF coach. Why would he not make his life easier being PBO and letting someone else do the daily grind of coaching?
Re: Meet our new coach next year: Billy Donovan
Posted: Fri Apr 03, 2015 11:00 am
by AbeVigodaLive
khans2k5 wrote:AbeVigodaLive wrote:But why would Flip (one of the most powerful men in the NBA) give up some of that after only one year and hire a strong character?
Flip has it made in the shade right now. He's making all the calls. I can see him giving up some of that (on-the-court) but why risk anything more with a coach who overpower him as the proverbial brains of the organization?
Because he's not an evil overlord looking to run things his way or take the highway. He worked fine with Adelman who is a HOF coach. Why would he not make his life easier being PBO and letting someone else do the daily grind of coaching?
I'm not saying he won't step back from coaching. But why would he want a strong personality or marquee name who would only end up being a threat to his status as grand poobah when he can still go with a bobo or somebody more subservient and get most of the acclaim himself.
These guys have egos. That's how Saunders got to where he is as a very powerful man in the NBA... one of the select few in his position(s). I don't think he's going to want to jeopardize that until he has to... and if a guy like Donovan comes in here one year after Flip went 17 - 65 and the team wins...
... sorry, but despite the injuries this season... Donovan is getting the lion's share of the credit. Someday, Flip may have to go that route. Nothing in the history of Saunders/Taylor suggests that the franchise is ready for that right now.
Re: Meet our new coach next year: Billy Donovan
Posted: Fri Apr 03, 2015 11:04 am
by longstrangetrip [enjin:6600564]
AbeVigodaLive wrote:But why would Flip (one of the most powerful men in the NBA) give up some of that after only one year and hire a strong character?
Flip has it made in the shade right now. He's making all the calls. I can see him giving up some of that (on-the-court) but why risk anything more with a coach who overpower him as the proverbial brains of the organization?
I don't think that Flip gives up the coaching reins willingly, so I agree that is an issue. I don't think Flip wants to have his last year be a sub-20 win year. But Glen eventually gets to call the shots, and if he wants Donovan or Hoiberg, he will make it happen. He was clear to Flip last year that he didn't want Flip wearing both hats, and that's likely why Flip had to make the offer to Joerger (and perhaps Donovan). But after getting turned down and having only recycled coaches like Karl left out there, it was easy for Flip to convince Glen to let him coach...at least for one season. This will be interesting to watch play out, but I'm betting on the guy who writes the checks.
Re: Meet our new coach next year: Billy Donovan
Posted: Fri Apr 03, 2015 11:36 am
by BizarroJerry [enjin:6592520]
I'm a big Billy fan too. I'd be ok with this. Even though he might change his mind after he takes the job (like he did with Orlando)
Re: Meet our new coach next year: Billy Donovan
Posted: Fri Apr 03, 2015 11:40 am
by bleedspeed
I would rather have Hoiberg then Billy. I still have no idea how Hoiberg can put together a good team that is playing in Ames. It is a lot easier to do that at Florida.