Minnesota Sports Forum

I agree with the guys saying not now. The best time to make a change, especially for coach, is after the season.

1) That's when legit guys like JVG would consider taking over. No serious coach wants to take over midseason when there's really no time to install an offense and get to know the team overall, especially if there's no clear long-term front office plan. It is also kind of a douchey move, and I don't think I'd want a coach who would do that.

2) Sam is already an interim coach, and one who has a very very close relationship with KG, the most important person in Wolves history, the possible face of an ownership group that could keep the team in the state, and an important player on the floor, and arguably the most influential player on the bench and the locker room right now. Firing Sam for a rent-a-coach in an obviously non-playoff season would almost certainly alienate a crucial part of this franchise. The possible benefit in terms of player development for half a season is just not worth it at all.

3) In general, coaching changes don't work. It's been proven time and again. It's best to find a good coach and stick with them long term. Sam is not that guy and was never expected to be that guy. He's an interim coach who has a history with this team who stepped in after a tragedy. He'll probably be done after this season when the exit can be managed gracefully. Firing him midseason is a pretty classless move in this scenario and moves us a step closer to being like the Kings in terms of respectability. Again, it's just not worth it for half a season.

4) Firing Sam isn't going to fix half the problems with this team. Is he a great coach? It doesn't seem like it, no. But he's not half as bad as a lot of guys here make him out to be. He's a high character guy who the players respect, and that counts for something with young guys. And more importantly, many of the problems we're facing have a lot to do with the players right now. Will firing Sam give us a legitimate backup PG? Will it make our perimeter defenders start stopping penetration? Will it make our guys communicate on D, play better help defense, and close out on three point shooters? Will it make LaVine a better decision-maker? Rubio a better shooter? Wiggins a better ball-handler with a heart who does things other than score? Will it magically transform Bjelica into the player he was at the beginning of the season? Will it make our guys better three point shooters? Will it return Pek's health so we have a legitimate big body (seriously, as well as they've played, Dieng and Towns have had a ton of trouble defensively against really big opposing centers). Will it somehow turn Martin back into the player he was before this year somehow? We're really young, and while we have a ton of potential, it's still just that, and these players have too many flaws in their games right now for an interim coach to make difference significant enough to justify a petty, desperate move.

Go with Sam to the end of the season. In the meantime, start looking for a long-term front office guy. And when the season is over, then start an official coaching search.

I am kind of interested in Qs idea about Jim Pete, actually. I wish I knew the guy a little better, but he definitely seems like the kind of guy who does his homework, is a professional, isn't too full of himself (from what I can tell), and knows what it takes on the floor to win. At any rate, if I were Glen, I'd definitely be consulting with him on what he thinks this team needs moving forward. If he could really back up our impression and could put together a competent team, I could even get excited for him. I could imagine him going after a Spurs assistant or somebody from the WNBA who could actually be really good but nobody knows about them. The issue there is, he probably wouldn't quit his day job in the middle of the season, I imagine, so naming him new POBO would probably have to wait until after the season.

Excellent post Drew. I didn't really think of the KG angle to a mid-season firing of Mitchell, but that's a good insight.

Of course another angle is if somehow Glen entrusts everything to Milt and then Milt decides to move in a different direction after the season is over. Remember, Milt and Mitchell have connections to Flip, but not each other. It was Flip's death that essentially brought them together. That's a possibility too, isn't it? After all, Milt's hands are kind of clean here so far. I think the question is does he have the strategic vision and moxie to run a modern day basketball operation. Folks like Lip have ruled this out, but are we really that sure?

As for J-Pete, don't forget that Kerr made the jump from the broadcast booth to GM of the Phoenix Suns and he did that when he was much younger than Petersen is now.

Okay then, so almost nobody is behind canning Sam before the 82nd and final game of this season. Who on the other hand would be for following Philadelphia's lead (that hurt to type!) and bringing in an experienced coach to MENTOR Sam for the remaining portion of the season in similar fashion to d'antoni is doing there? And before you correct me, I do understand he was very likely told the job would be his next season, or that there is more in it for him in some way than just a few months of advising.

I'm just really not excited about the young guys spending almost 50 more games running around in a disorganized manner, attempting to run an outmoded offense that defenses long ago learned to shut down. I think it's just human nature that once you realize you're just chasing your own tail and there is nothing you can do to stop to give up.

TheSP wrote:Okay then, so almost nobody is behind canning Sam before the 82nd and final game of this season. Who on the other hand would be for following Philadelphia's lead (that hurt to type!) and bringing in an experienced coach to MENTOR Sam for the remaining portion of the season in similar fashion to d'antoni is doing there? And before you correct me, I do understand he was very likely told the job would be his next season, or that there is more in it for him in some way than just a few months of advising.

I'm just really not excited about the young guys spending almost 50 more games running around in a disorganized manner, attempting to run an outmoded offense that defenses long ago learned to shut down. I think it's just human nature that once you realize you're just chasing your own tail and there is nothing you can do to stop to give up.

"Hey, we know you're a former COY and you're only coaching because we were desperate after the other guy died... but do you mind if we embarrass you and undermine your authority by treating you like an intern?"

Wiggins, LaVine, Rubio, Dieng and others have already been through a 66-loss season. If they quit... F them. They aren't the alleged superstars we thought they were.

Regardless of schemes, these kids have to look inward to improve. As Q or somebody noted, Rambis sure as hell didn't help Love become a better basketball player.

I would remove Sam today. Addition by subtraction. I'd ask Adelman to coach through the end of this season, and then make permanent decisions on POBO and HC at the end of the season.

Drew you make some great points. I don't think its any guarantee that another interim coach like Adelman will further the development of our young guys if he's here for half a season. But I sure see many negatives of such a move which Drew touched on. It also paints us as a directionless organization, undermines the concept of loyalty which we are asking our players to buy into, may create a divisive lockerroom and sends the wrong message to our players (if you don't play well that's ok, we'll just fire the coach). Further, what if the interim coach is using that stint as a lever to get a long term gig. Also, the players would have to play under 4 coaches in 3 years (Flip, Sam, Interim and New) and that has its own set of problems. I just don't like this idea at all and I think Sam is at least doing an adequate job of stressing defense (even if the results have been inconsistent) and given the situation he was thrown in (little time to prepare and without his own coaching staff) it would be classless

AbeVigodaLive wrote:

TheSP wrote:Okay then, so almost nobody is behind canning Sam before the 82nd and final game of this season. Who on the other hand would be for following Philadelphia's lead (that hurt to type!) and bringing in an experienced coach to MENTOR Sam for the remaining portion of the season in similar fashion to d'antoni is doing there? And before you correct me, I do understand he was very likely told the job would be his next season, or that there is more in it for him in some way than just a few months of advising.

I'm just really not excited about the young guys spending almost 50 more games running around in a disorganized manner, attempting to run an outmoded offense that defenses long ago learned to shut down. I think it's just human nature that once you realize you're just chasing your own tail and there is nothing you can do to stop to give up.

"Hey, we know you're a former COY and you're only coaching because we were desperate after the other guy died... but do you mind if we embarrass you and undermine your authority by treating you like an intern?"

Wiggins, LaVine, Rubio, Dieng and others have already been through a 66-loss season. If they quit... F them. They aren't the alleged superstars we thought they were.

Regardless of schemes, these kids have to look inward to improve. As Q or somebody noted, Rambis sure as hell didn't help Love become a better basketball player.

I don't totally disagree with anything you're saying, I just cannot stand the thought of these players not developing like they should in their early years. Yes Love advanced his game, and these guys should be able to do that also, but unlike Love these guys are IMO severely lacking in basic team basketball fundamentals which they aren't going to improve upon without an improved basketball coach, this is where my patience wears thin.

I like the idea of a Jim Peterson becoming POBO. He seems to get it. His takes on the team and what they are doing/not doing after pretty spot on. He knows the game... But would that translate? I don't know, but having retreads coming thru the league aren't helping. New blood/new ideas help more than name recognition in MN.

No to Jim Pete, he doesn't know the game. His takes are wrong half the time. He doesn't understand basic defensive rotations. He is a complete ass in person as well. On the other hand, if it gets him out of the booth, maybe!

Firing a coach who's team is regressing isn't "classless", and reputations mean nothing if you aren't winning. If we find a good coach (brooks), then the POBO should have no problem with him. If he does, find another POBO. The odds of landing a good coach in the off season is near zero. There will be better offers available to him.

sjm34 wrote:No to Jim Pete, he doesn't know the game. His takes are wrong half the time. He doesn't understand basic defensive rotations. He is a complete ass in person as well. On the other hand, if it gets him out of the booth, maybe!

Firing a coach who's team is regressing isn't "classless", and reputations mean nothing if you aren't winning. If we find a good coach (brooks), then the POBO should have no problem with him. If he does, find another POBO. The odds of landing a good coach in the off season is near zero. There will be better offers available to him.

Great post SJM. I agree and this makes perfect sense to me. Sometimes you just have to forego conventional wisdom and use your brain. Which is what you have done here.