Assistant Coach Discussion: McMillan And Brooks

He has a contractual obligation. LOL

 

I have no real thoughts on what his actual performance will be one way or another. He is a complete unknown.

Nothing about this coaching process or the rumored staff excite me.

We will see.

 

I don’t quite get why that keeps them from being able to announce it. Don’t want a distraction?

 

Yeah, I get that. I think it's solid, IMO.

I'm not overly emotional about it. Joe Mazzula (isn't that great, IMO) and Jason Kidd (2 previous failed coaching stints) are coaching the Finals.

They also have great players on their roster and in Dallas' case those players haven't played together all that long; matter of fact, the main pieces, Lively (rookie), Irving, Washington, Gafford are all new, right? They also floundered last year. I can't sit here and think to myself, "Oh, they've been together a long time and have built a relationship and camaraderie with each other on the court ala GS during their dynastic years.

We have to see what Reddick's "roster ideology," (borrowed that phrase) is and how he uses those pieces inside games and if his coaching knowledge translates to actual NBA games. I understand the concern, though. Particularly in this city. But as you said, we shall see...

 

Silver doesn't want anything attention from the NBA Finals is my best guess. Lakers have the largest fanbase and when you announce an ESPN broadcaster who's calling the games as head coach for the Laker brand, that will get a lot of the attention that the NBA wants for the Finals, IMO.

It will be announced after Dallas wins (**** Boston) and it's concluded.

IMO.

 

Maybe it could be considered tampering, or at least close enough to tampering that the league wouldn’t like it, for the current head coach of a team to be publicly discussing two other teams on national TV for hours?

Although apparently Mark Jackson was in a similar situation and allowed to continue finish commentating a Finals series after it was announced the Warriors had hired him

 

Hasn't been announced because Finals are priority one for ESPN and Silver. They'll announce it during the Finals. Then they get to show off their impressive newly announced Lakers head coach for the remaining games. Looks good for them, they get an additional media bump, get the first exclusive with him while he's announcing the game and they'll probably position for Woj to make the announcement in pre-game.

My guess is game 2, if not then game 4. Game 1 has enough juice. Game 3 home court flips, that has enough juice as well.


What's hilarious to me is when JVG got fired the reason that ran in the NY Post was:

Since then they've lost Doc and now (likely) JJ to HC gigs. Jeff still not a coach, although it looks like he'll join Boston's front row of assistants next year.

 

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5540372/2024/06/04/jj-redick-lakers-head-coach/

 

https://twitter.com/SixthManJake/status/1798174637270155742

 

lol, they're trying to franken-coach it to appease everyone on the forum:

experienced hc: brooks
highly regarded assistant also with hc experience: borrego
wild card/potential: redick
laker ties: st jean
former player known for high iq, laker ties, relationship with stars: rondo

assuming this is true, where's my man phil handy?

 

I actually think Phil will be back.

 

Yeah I can get behind that. It's weird but Lakers are really huge and it's an unnecessary distraction.
I'm pretty sure it will be JJ at this point too.

Just saw episode 9 and pretty much have followed his podcast the last 2 years, he seems to love the 5 out and having shooters at all times. Really curious to see how AD fits in this. And for sure we aren't getting a strong 5 and play AD at the 4.

I think Prince re-signs with JJ. Vando really have to up his 3 game to be relevant in our rotation

 

As Reddick is a complete unknown, I don't mind the move to hire him nearly as much as I hate the whole "process" the Lakers have done. It is pretty comical how bad this "search" was.

 

I think he'll adopt a lot of the 4 out stuff he learned from Stan and just tinker to account for AD's midrange game that Dwight didn't have.

The need for shooters makes me wonder if he's going to sell DLO in staying. Based on who we have and who we can get, DLO is likely vital for a JJ offense.

 

Video form of the Shams piece

 

I’m surprised he and Jared Dudley aren’t listed as Assistant choices too. I wish they would add Adleman from Denver too but oh well. Scotty and what’s his face from NOP will be good enough for now.

 

Also, I love how back and forth some people are going between this being THE WORST to a likelihood he becomes the next Steve Kerr.

Whatever at this rate. I think it could work, but we’ll wait and see. I don’t expect it to be AMAZING, but I’ll believe in the process for now……

 

I would think moving from assistant to assistant gig may not be all that attractive. What's the attraction of leaving Malone to work with JJ?
Just the larger market and more exposure? I suppose that can be counter to family stability, etc depending on what his family situation might be.
But why does Dudley move? He went with Kidd and they are in the Finals. If you bring along other top assistants who want to be the bride instead of the bridesmaid, are you setting yourself up for coup later? To be undermined if they don't agree with you? Sometimes hiring strong lifelong assistants may be the better choice.

But then again, hiring a guys like Scott Skiles could make sense. A guy who was a head coach, but doesn't necessarily want to be anymore.

 

Not a lot of people following soccer here.
JJ could be next Xavi Alonso.

He set this season a European record of 51 games in a row without loss across all competitions

Xavi coach Real Madrid Under-14s. In 2019, he went back to another of his previous clubs, becoming head coach of Real Sociedad B, in Spain’s third tier. He duly guided them to promotion to the Segunda División, although they were relegated in his final season.

In October 2022 he took over Bayer Leverkusen, who at that time were second from bottom after eight Bundesliga games. By the end of the season, Alonso’s Leverkusen had finished sixth — qualifying for the Europa League — and reached the semi finals of that same competition. By the winter break of the 2023/24 season, Leverkusen were top, the only one of 96 clubs in Europe’s top five leagues to remain unbeaten. In fact, they didn't lost any games in German bundesliga ,won championship and Cup and only lost once for whole season in Europe League finals

 

I tend to agree with this. First, there has to be some reason why these guys will move even if it just boils down to more money.

I also think that having a bunch of guys under you who are also interested in the head job creates some interesting dynamics, particularly if you also interviewed for the head job. If there is no prior relationship between those guys, you do wonder how long they will be okay with being a sidekick. If one of the assistant coaches is the guy who is really running things, its not hard to see the players gravitating toward that guy. I think we saw a bit of that with Darvin and Phil this year. That's also a part of what happened with Ty Lue back in Cleveland.

Again, we will see. JJ will have to earn the respect of the players and the staff but you could be spot on here with the thought that a guy like Skiles might make sense here.