Flip's Agenda - #1. New Coach

[mjs34]

our current system isn't getting us in the PO's. Maybe we should thinking about making a change before we don't have any players to run a system, But I know that isn't Flip's way!

[longstrangetrip [enjin:6600564]]

http://www.startribune.com/sports/wolves/256109911.html

Reusse's take on the Wolves' search. He likes Flip as GM, doesn't want him as coach, and advocates for Sam Mitchell as coach...I agree with all three. Sam isn't going to be the guy, but I like the choice much more than Sam Cassell.

Zgoda and many on this board still think Flip will be the guy. Maybe they're right, but I'm not seeing it. Reusse points out that just a couple weeks ago Glen Taylor said publicly that he was not in favor of Flip coaching the team. Glen may seem like an "aw shucks" country boy, but the one thing billionaires have in greater quantity than greenbacks is ego. He's not likely to change his mind so quickly. Plus, Glen may not know basketball, but he does know how to make money, and he knows Flip isn't going to bring people through the turnstyles. Glen wants somebody who will put more fannies in the seats.

[Phenom]

I think Flip came here with the idea that he would succeed Adelman as head coach and I think he will now turn his attention to persuading Glen Taylor to let him do it. Since Flip seems masterfully capable of manipulating Glen, I fully expect to see Flip coaching this team next season. That would be very unfortunate, but that's how I see things unfolding.

On the other hand, Flip hasn't been a bad head coach in his tenure with various teams, including the Wolves. When he's had talented teams, those teams have won a lot of regular season games commensurate with their talent. When he's had bad teams, those teams have finished near the bottom. And even when coaching good teams, he's never been a particularly successful playoff coach. In other words, Flip doesn't seem to get his teams to overachieve and his style doesn't tend to succeed in playoff basketball. Nor do his teams play particularly well defensively. Yet, Flip's teams don't tend to underachieve either. In other words, he's no Kurt Rambis.

Hope I'm wrong about Flip's intentions. But assuming it's not Flip, a bigger concern I have is that Flip will shy away from hiring a strong personality like one of the Van Gundys, Hollins or George Karl. I get the sense listening to Flip over the years and talking to people that he doesn't like being challenged or questioned. So I could see him hiring a weak head coach likeTerry Porter. If that's the alternative, I'd rather have Flip as our head coach.

Bottom line for me, is that (like most others here) I want a head coach with a proven NBA track record of success getting his teams to play excellent defense and win playoff games. My order of preference would be Stan VanGundy, Jeff VanGundy and Hollins. If we can't get any of those three, I'd opt for George Karl. I'm assuming Thibs isn't available. If we can't get any of those guys, then I'd probably prefer Flip. Not thrilled at that idea, but he's proven he can coach effectively at the NBA level.

Didn't your source tell you Flip would not be taking over? What happened to that? I really want to believe that still.

[Lipoli390]

Phenom -- My source was wrong. But I do know a few things for sure.

1. Fred really wants to coach in the NBA and would ideally like to coach the Wolves.
2. Fred doesn't like the recruiting part of his current job -- unlike guys like Calipari
3. Fred and his family really liked living in the Twin Cities
4. Fred's parents have a lake cabin in Minnesota and Fred's family spends a lot of time up there in the summer
5. Fred is very tight with Glen Taylor

I have no doubt that Flip wants to be our next head coach. He'll have to convince Glen Taylor to let him do it. Given Flip's successful track record manipulating Glen, I suspect that Flip will ultimately succeed. Flip's quick and definitive dismissal of Hoiberg as a possible candidate was no surprise since the last thing Flip wants around here is someone who has his own close independent relationship with Glen. So Flip's criteria for the next coach include an NBA coaching track record, which of course Freddie doesn't have. Flip will eventually argue to Glen that he is better than any of the available candidates. Then Flip will "relinquish" his role as President of Basketball Operations knowing that he has his lacky from the Wizards in charge of the front office.

That's my prediction -- unless Glen Taylor surprises me and sticks to his guns. As I mentioned earlier, I can think of a lot worse selections than Flip. I actually think he's much better suited to the head coaching position than the top executive position of basketball operations. But this franchise needs to break out of its old habits and hire someone from outside the club - someone who can excite the fan base and take this team to another level. In my view, that's not Flip. But in Flip's view, with his ego, I'm sure he disagrees.

[bleedspeed]

If Fred wants the job he doesn't need to wait for Flip. He needs to just go to Glen. Sell Glen on it and then Glen will ask Flip why not. I am sure the comments on Fred are a smoke screen. Why make Fred's life any more complex until he is the coach of choice. After this epic search.

[Lipoli390]

If Fred wants the job he doesn't need to wait for Flip. He needs to just go to Glen. Sell Glen on it and then Glen will ask Flip why not. I am sure the comments on Fred are a smoke screen. Why make Fred's life any more complex until he is the coach of choice. After this epic search.

Bleed -- Fred's not going to go over Flip's head to get the job, knowing that Flip will be his boss once he's here.

[Camden [enjin:6601484]]

Just throwing another name into the pool: Chauncey Billups.

He's in that Jason Kidd mold. Always was a coach on the court during playing days. His body can't handle playing anymore, but his mind is still top notch. No coaching experience, but none with Kidd either and once his team got healthy/comfortable, they were amongst the best in the NBA after January.

My guy is still SVG, but the Billups idea is somewhat growing on me. I think he'd be able to help Ricky even further along with his progression. He's played for Flip twice (MIN, DET). I think he commands big time respect too. Completely changed the demeanor of the Nuggets once he arrived there. Took them to the WCF. Let's not forget about him being the Finals MVP in 2004 either, so he knows what it takes from a player's standpoint to win it all.

A former All-Star, All-NBA defender, champion and one of the best shooters in NBA history. It's at least something to think about.

The glaring issue is lack of coaching experience, though. For what this team needs right now, he's likely not the best possible fit, but Billups will end up as a very good coach somewhere.

[longstrangetrip [enjin:6600564]]

Phenom -- My source was wrong. But I do know a few things for sure.

1. Fred really wants to coach in the NBA and would ideally like to coach the Wolves.
2. Fred doesn't like the recruiting part of his current job -- unlike guys like Calipari
3. Fred and his family really liked living in the Twin Cities
4. Fred's parents have a lake cabin in Minnesota and Fred's family spends a lot of time up there in the summer
5. Fred is very tight with Glen Taylor

I have no doubt that Flip wants to be our next head coach. He'll have to convince Glen Taylor to let him do it. Given Flip's successful track record manipulating Glen, I suspect that Flip will ultimately succeed. Flip's quick and definitive dismissal of Hoiberg as a possible candidate was no surprise since the last thing Flip wants around here is someone who has his own close independent relationship with Glen. So Flip's criteria for the next coach include an NBA coaching track record, which of course Freddie doesn't have. Flip will eventually argue to Glen that he is better than any of the available candidates. Then Flip will "relinquish" his role as President of Basketball Operations knowing that he has his lacky from the Wizards in charge of the front office.

That's my prediction -- unless Glen Taylor surprises me and sticks to his guns. As I mentioned earlier, I can think of a lot worse selections than Flip. I actually think he's much better suited to the head coaching position than the top executive position of basketball operations. But this franchise needs to break out of its old habits and hire someone from outside the club - someone who can excite the fan base and take this team to another level. In my view, that's not Flip. But in Flip's view, with his ego, I'm sure he disagrees.

I don't think this post could be any more right on...good analysis Lip. I agree with your conclusions that Fred would accept an offer to coach the Wolves, and that he is not Flip's first choice...either because he covets the job himself, or because he truly believes the Wolves need a coach with significant NBA experience. I'm glad you added the bullet point about Fred not liking recruiting...I've been hypothesizing that for some time here, but I was just speaking logically...I didn't really know. But having heard Fred speak a few times at my breakfast club, he seems so family oriented that I can't imagine him enjoying spending his summers in a sweaty gym watching AAU games when he could be hanging with his family at the cabin. Taking more money to coach an NBA team with summers off seems like a no brainer to me.

One area you and I disagree on is Flip's intelligence. I know you don't find him to be very bright, but I think he really is. In another thread you question the wisdom of his not sharing his coaching thoughts with Love, but I think Flip is throwing out a classic smokescreen. He's smart enough to know that he will be judged, either as a GM or a coach, by whether Love stays or not. If he remains PBO and Love leaves, Flip will be vilified as the guy who couldn't convince him to stay, and who couldn't garner an attractive enough package in return. And if he is the coach and Kevin leaves, Flip will be vilified for the Wolves inevitably plummeting to a worse record. In either role, he needs Love here more than anyone, and he needs to know that the new coach has Love's stamp of approval to maximize the chances of his staying.

Despite what Flip said yesterday, I think he is meeting with Kevin frequently to gauge his thoughts about the new coach and his future plans. I think Flip's goal is to get Kevin to say that he will stay if Flip is the coach...that way Flip gets the two things he wants: the coaching job and Love staying. But if Love indicates a preference for another coach, like an SVG or a Hoiberg, I think he holds enough power here that Flip will go in that direction, since Flip doesn't want his legacy to be "The Guy who Couldn't Get Love to Stay".

[bleedspeed]

If Fred wants the job he doesn't need to wait for Flip. He needs to just go to Glen. Sell Glen on it and then Glen will ask Flip why not. I am sure the comments on Fred are a smoke screen. Why make Fred's life any more complex until he is the coach of choice. After this epic search.

Bleed -- Fred's not going to go over Flip's head to get the job, knowing that Flip will be his boss once he's here.

Maybe if Glen wants him does it really matter what Flip says. This is the guy that made McHale fire Flip. I am guessing all Fred would have to do is say is I am interested and he is a final canidate. I can't see Flip selling Taylor on Cassell of Fred.

[longstrangetrip [enjin:6600564]]

Anyone listen to Flip on Mike and Mike this morning? Definitely a different tone than he set yesterday when asked about his interest in coaching. Today he said "There's been a lot of talk about that, but I don't see it happening". Sounded pretty definitive, and made me wonder what had changed in a day. It's not totally unlikely that he met with Glen after yesterday's presser, and Glen told him that he was not a candidate for the coaching position. Just conjecture on my part, but it was interesting to me how differently he was speaking today.