Ex-Coach Luke Walton Discussion

I think that's true, but Luke has to have some measure of recognition for us doing pretty well.

 

C'mon LJ, of course not. There is not one poster here who has said Luke should be above criticism. I'm a Luke supporter, but my issue is not when posters like you criticize him. There are things that deserve criticism about his coaching. For instance I agree with you that Hart should be starting. I just have a different conclusion about that decision than you. You see it as evidence that Luke's head is up his own rear, and I see it as evidence that Magic has ordered Luke to start both BI and Kuz. We just have a legit difference of perspective.

My issue is when all the blame / credit is entirely one sided. Just in the few posts above this one there is this double argument against Luke once again presented:

You: Luke is a bad coach because he only won 36 games last year

Khmrp: Luke is a bad coach because even though we are 14-9 this year it's only because of LeBron.

If we lose Luke is bad. If we win Luke is bad.

The whole point (if there is a "point") of referencing coaches like Pop, or Kerr or Stevens is to highlight a double standard. The Spurs are in 14th place and have been getting blown out regularly, but no one is blaming Pop. Yes, of course, Pop has won multiple rings but he has never won a ring without Tim Duncan. PJ never won a ring without either MJ or Kobe. The point is that it takes tremendous talent to win in this league. For the first time, Luke has at least some talent to work with this year and lo and behold the team is winning. What's Luke's record since we acquired Tyson Chandler and filled our big bench hole for interior D? It's 10-3 since that signing.

Luke is a young coach who is learning on the job. He makes mistakes. But he has already done some very good things IMO. He has established a healthy team culture. He has the team playing hard. They are playing D. The young players are developing and improving. And we are winning.

 

Like I said, there are members of this forum that are too far gone. Nothing Luke ever has or will do will be good enough and when you have that going on...it's frustrating for the regular fan who can look at Luke objectively.

I'm frustrated that he hasn't tried starting Hart at the 2 and brought Ingram off the bench. He has played Ingram more with the bench recently though because stats and the naked eye show that Ingram has performed better when not on the floor with Lebron for whatever reason.

But then I look at some of the things we have been terrible at as a team like turnovers (sloppy outlet passes and unforced errors) and missing FTs. A rationale mind and would know that the players have to be better in that area and Luke can't control what the players do there in games. We've seen pictures from practice of the guys practicing free throws but THE players can't execute it during games.

 

100% and it should be noted that the rumor is Luke was the one asking for help at center during the meeting where Magic yelled at him. So Luke might have even been the impetus to acquire Tyson Chandler in the first place.

 

Great post, TIME. My response was because some folks here seem to be defending Luke by saying that other teams fans are whining about guys like Pop and Kerr and Brad Stevens. I don't see what that has to do with Luke and that's what my post is about. I'm not sure what that whole grass is greener thing is about in this context. Luke is not in the conversation with the first two of those coaches. Brad Stevens? Maybe but I think Stevens has had a pretty brilliant track record so far - something that Walton has not.

I never said Luke's coaching record of 36 wins last year makes him a bad coach. What I said is what has Luke done as a HC to be put into equivalency with the three guys I just mentioned? 36 wins isn't going to cut it. Nor is babysitting a championship team.

I just haven't seen a lot to make me think he's a good coach, especially for a Lebron led team with a time limit on it. I thought he was a great hire for the kids when we had no shot at a championship. And he proved to be a hell of a lot better in that department than Byron Scott. So big props for getting us back in the winning direction as you said and for helping the young guys to become pros and improve.

I'll also give him credit for better team defense and for monitoring Lebron's minutes well. But I have serious issues about his lineups and his lack of a coherent offense. His rotations are maddening and they were to me for the early part of last year as well. I think if he had better understanding of his personnel last year and Randle's strengths we would have won more games instead of screwing around. I'm seeing a lot of the same kind of screwing around this year.

Granted, I do have to take the FO thing into serious consideration as you mentioned. It is extremely difficult to determine whether Kuz starting instead of Hart is Walton's call or the FO's. However, I would think that regardless Walton would have ultimate decision on that as he is the coach. I guess we can't know either way for sure.

And I feel like I've been consistent and fair in how I've treated what I've seen from Luke. Many times in this thread I've said I'd wait until 20 games in to give him a critique. I did so.

 

I mean it's consistent with this comment from Rob recently:

 

I'll say this and leave it here. Give Luke LeBron / KD / AD + fillers OR LeBron / AD OR KD + more fillers and watch what he can accomplish. He proved when he took over for Kerr a couple of years ago that he can successfully manage talent.

 

Mike Brown also had a minor talent named KD on the roster who wasn't there when Luke was. YOU could have coached a team with Steph / KD / Klay / Draymond to some success.

 

We shall see TIME. I see nice comments from Jeannie and Rob. I don't see them coming from Magic and I believe he's not a big fan of Walton yet either. Personally I think Luke's got to prove it this year. Even if he does make the playoffs, I'm not convinced Magic is going to leave him the keys to the Lamborghini if the FO lands those guys.

But as ever, it's all TBD. Let's see if Walton can install a good offensive system and solid rotations. Hopefully the defensive improvement continues, too. It all comes down to accomplishment at the end of the season though. If Magic is doubting Luke, believe he'll be gone. He wasn't his hire.

 

Man, I wish Luke did a better job instilling the right team culture we want...