SI: D'Antoni accepts offer to coach Knicks

[Susan]

I don't give a **** that JR didn't like him. If he wants to make basketball decisions over Paxson then he should be the god damn GM.

[JimmyJammer]

I am not surprised and upset at all by all of this. Didn't Reinsdorf recently say in an interview that the new coach will have to adhere to the bulls tradition of a defensive team? Reinsdorf may not be a basketball juggernaut, but at least he understands that defense wins you playoffs games, and offense wins you regular season games. I am not even sure if Paxson was so high on him in the first place, since he more or less thinks like his buddy, Steve Kerr.

I am not sure how much Paxson values Mark Jackson, but I would be interested in giving him a good look. I would try to surround him with guys like Bernie Bickerstaff or Paul Silas. Paxson recently mentioned that he is looking for a guy with a new vibe, so Mark Jackson might be that guy. Besides, Larry Bird recently said that Mark Jackson will make a terrific coach. Bird proceeded by saying that Mark Jackson used to call most of the plays for him when he was coaching. So, who am I to question Bird's ideas?

I don't think Avery johnson can duplicate what he he did with the Mavericks with our roster, as it stands. Hence, paying top dollars for a guy like Avery Johnson might not even be worth it.

In conclusion, I expect Pax, as he said he would do, to take his time and wait it out for other candidates like Michael Curry/Flip Saunders and Thibodeau. I think this is his best option right now.

[enigmatics]

well I'm getting upset seeing it repeated over and over how many flaws D'Antoni had. Is this etched on a stone tablet someplace? Just because a bunch of red assed Phoenix fans and an arrogant Suns management are blaming the coach doesn't make this the 11th Commandment

Wow. Could you be anymore bitter?

[DuckIII]

after all the smoke clears, I would not be surprised to learn that the biggest reason MD went to NY was that they gave him free reign to run his program as is, while the accomplished Bulls management thought they could tell him a thing or 2 about winning basketball and insisted on changing him for the better

Um, should they not have?

"Mike, feel free to completely ignore defense as our next head coach!"

Or
"Mike, we are intrigued by your offensive philosophies and think they blend well with our roster, but you'll need to commit more focus on defense if you want this job."

They better damn well have said the latter. If they didn't, they weren't doing their jobs.

[DuckIII]

well I'm getting upset seeing it repeated over and over how many flaws D'Antoni had.

Why? Because they interfere with the lynching of Bulls' management?

[enigmatics]

-= original quote snipped =-



A lot of us aren't. But we're hiding in our basements to avoid becoming casualties of the rioting.

Phoenix is a good place to hide ......tons of Bulls fans here hahah.

[InSportsHell]

Three reasons Pringles went to New York:

1) More money.

2) More money.

3) More money.

That's my guess. I was worried about his character when he didn't want to coach the Suns but wouldn't quit unless he had guaranteed big bucks lined up. Shows lack of confidence and, well, $.

I'm with you, to a point. Why else would a coach go to a situation like the Knicks?(!rhetorical question!)

Maybe he feels that given their terrible last few seasons, all he needs to do is get them respectable again. Then he can ride off into the sunset as the hero of the story while padding his bank account to the tune of $24 million. He has to believe he's in a win-win situation, and he may be right, if he and Walsh can withstand the next 3 or so years.

Is it possible that Walsh could hold a fire sale, and get rid of most of their really bad contracts for shorter bad contracts? That would atleast speed up the process of making them into a more exciting team to watch, while moving towards bringing in the type of players D'Antoni prefers.

[League Circles]

I don't give a **** that JR didn't like him. If he wants to make basketball decisions over Paxson then he should be the god damn GM.

Given that MD is a gamble, in the sense that he has an unorthodox style that has not ever won a title in the modern NBA but instead has repeatedly been more style and reg. season wins over substance, I think Pax was honest with JR about his doubts to protect himself if it didn't go well.

This, IMO, was probably the first time Pax has told JR that he wanted to do something and was willing to do it, while still saying he had reservations. What i mean is, when Pax wanted to sign Wallace, Tyson, Eddy, Noc, Kirk, Joe Smith, he probably either did so without speaking to JR, OR, he told JR, this is what I want and what I think is best, without qualifications.

So JR is told by Pax that he wants to, but that it may not be perfect, and may not work out. I think Pax may have had similar concerns when he signed Wallace, in the sense that he was sure he wanted to do it, but also had reservations due to BE's age. I doubt he shared those concern's with JR at the time, and perhaps JR has indirectly made Pax regret not voicing his concerns at the time.

So JR decides to chat himself with MD, and see how he likes his vibe. MD probably acted slightly arrogant and not thrilled to be meeting with JR. JR's probably jsut like, "screw this." This guy hasn't accomplished a whole lot, differs greatly from what we've found is ultiamtely successful in this league, and will likely force us, through a bidding war, to pay at least 6 mil a year for him. Hey Pax, screw this guy, let's look elsewhere.

I can't say I blame him.

[JeremyB0001]

Three reasons Pringles went to New York:

1) More money.

Do you think we even made an offer though? I guess Reinsdorf could've made a pathetic one during his meeting with D'Antoni.

[The ROY]

I'm a BIT upset but c'mon man. He coaches 3-allstars and doesn't care about defense. Besides the fact that we can run and we're athletic, he isn't all that GREAT of a fit for us IMO. Let's not forget the fact that we're HORRIBLE finishers on the fastbreak. He also doesn't want to develop players so how does he really fit with the youngest team in the NBA?

It's ok ya'll...chill

Oh and I'm willing to bet $100 to anyone on this board that Derrick Rose becomes a NY Knick. This is all David Stern's master plan to make his hometown relevent to the NBA again.

Walsh
D'Antoni
Rose

Yep, put money on it

[magicfan4life05]

wow...


I really wanted to see him going to you guys

wasnt he supposed to meet with the bulls owner? does anyone know what happened?

[JeremyB0001]

I certainly hate the idea of Reinsdorf making basketball decisions if people are suggesting that's what might've went on here.

I'm with you, to a point. Why else would a coach go to a situation like the Knicks?(!rhetorical question!)

Even though it's a rhetorical question, I'm going to repeat the possible explanation that D'Antoni preferred to go to a team pursuing him hard than one that couldn't make up its mind whether it wanted to hire him or not.

well I'm getting upset seeing it repeated over and over how many flaws D'Antoni had. Is this etched on a stone tablet someplace? Just because a bunch of red assed Phoenix fans and an arrogant Suns management are blaming the coach doesn't make this the 11th Commandment

I think it's important to note his flaws in the event that some might view his as infinitely better than anyone else we can hire. He might've had fewer flaws that other candidates but there were definitely some serious reasons for concern as with all the candidates.

[ice9]

One of the most frustrating things is our constant inability to make a move to get someone that wants to be here. Gasol, Kobe, and now MD. Obviously, not all of these can be blamed on management/ownership, but its just frustrating that nothing ever gets accomplished. With MD and Carlisle off the board, our options are getting kindof narrow. Tibs (unproven as a head coach, he could end up being Mike Brown-esque, worst case) or Avery (another coach that cant make a ****in adjustment). I don't want more of the same crap, MD was definitely a fresh fit, and he would've raised the teams morale a ton.

[fleet]

Um, should they not have?

"Mike, feel free to completely ignore defense as our next head coach!"

right, I expect Mike D'Antoni to agree with you he completely ignores defense

Or
"Mike, we are intrigued by your offensive philosophies and think they blend well with our roster, but you'll need to commit more focus on defense if you want this job."

They better damn well have said the latter. If they didn't, they weren't doing their jobs.

spoken very eloquently by Steve Kerr, who just might be a lousy scapegoating GM, and perhaps John Paxson, who just might be a mediocre GM. How do we know MD is not 100% right in the way he coached that particular roster, and has this base covered for different players anyways? Or how do we Know Mike isn't just way ahead of his time? How do we not give him slack because best perimeter defenders Joe Johnson and Shawn Marion were subtracted from his roster for Shaq, who pretty well was mediocre to be generous, and Diaw, who is outclassed by those by a lot. Not to mention the Kurt Thomas jettison for dollars

I had questions myself, but some of the rotation criticism are just silly with that decimated for money bench, and I see all this coming down on a guy who pretty much had the Spurs where he wanted them last year until Amare and Diaw got suspended

Why? Because they interfere with the lynching of Bulls' management?

sure, partly. Bet you didn't expect an affirmative did you?

#1 the Bulls management doesn't deserve interference there. They have earned no benefit of the doubt after their performances over these last few seasons.
#2, I hate when things are taken as facts when there is no basis to take things as fact without more critical thinking, which I see piss poor amounts of

[Johnston797]

NYC destroyed LB's rep in one years time. He's a Hall of Famer and Championhip coach. D'Antoni is none of those things..

LB helped destroy his own reputation.

Larry Brown's stint in NY will end up totally helping Walsh and D'Antoni because they will want to tear down the roster just like Brown was proposing. Dolan is already all softened up and IT is nowhere to protect his aweful roster.

[TB#1]

I'm fine with The Chip to NYC. I was interested in the Bulls/D'Antoni match, but wasn't overwhelmed.

However, the offer he accepted from New York was totally acceptable and within reason -- not an over the top, drunk-sailor random overpayment. It was totally in line with Mike's worth.

[magicfan4life05]

does anyone know what happened in that meeting with d'antoni and the bulls owner?

[Chi Dynasty12]

Wow... so many missed oppurtunities by Paxson. This really let me down.

[Magilla_Gorilla]

does anyone know what happened in that meeting with d'antoni and the bulls owner?

The Sun Times is reporting that they met Friday, and that after the meeting Reinsdorf was not prepared to offer Dan Tony a contract.




So whoever coaches the Bulls next better hope to god that he has a better record next season than the Knicks.

[TB#1]

Wow... so many missed oppurtunities by Paxson. This really let me down.

Well, this is what I'm trying to understand. There is a lot of profanity laden anger being expressed over not "landing" The Chip, but before all the media hullabaloo about the Bulls interviewing him, the discussion about Porn Stache Mike as a potential Bulls coach was lukewarm, at best.