Let’s get one thing
straight: I was never in favor of hiring Mike Brown as the coach for the Lakers
last season. His career regular season record is impeccable, of course, but
most of that was on the merit of having LeBron James on his team and playing in
the Eastern Conference. While Brown was and still is an excellent defensive
coach, but there was always much to be desired offensively. The simplicity of
his system was something that doomed his Cavaliers and Lakers come playoff
time, when competition played smarter to the simple isolation based system he
would run with James and Kobe Bryant. This is the main reason he brought in
Eddie Jordan to be his assistant and run with the Princeton Offense.
I’m also not against firing
him now, although firing him 5 games into the season would be the NFL
equivalent of being fired during the 2 minute warning of the first game. It’s
just so unorthodox and almost never seen at any level of professional sports.
That being said, hiring Brown was never a good option for the personnel L.A.
had, but firing him so early might be a mistake by Los Angeles. Seeing as how
this team is relatively new to playing with each other, there was so many
acquisitions during the off season that the team never really had a chance to
“gel”, all while changing to a new offensive system. All of this will reset
when they bring in a new head coach, unless it’s Phil Jackson, who
coincidentally canceled being the key note speaker at the Schwab Advisor
Services IMPACT conference in Chicago next week, the whole squad will have to
learn a completely new offensive system in short time, or risk losing even more
games to start the season.
The coaches who are
available are:
Jerry Sloan: Known for the brutally efficient pick and roll run by John Stockton and Karl Malone, Sloan has had major NBA success, and fell just short of the NBA championship two years in a row, courtesy of Michael Jordan. Steve Nash and Dwight Howard should both be crossing their fingers and hoping Mitch Kupchak brings in Sloan, as Nash and Howard would likely replicate the things done by Stockton and Malone. This, if Phil Jackson isn’t returning, would be my ideal choice to coach this squad.
Jerry Sloan: Known for the brutally efficient pick and roll run by John Stockton and Karl Malone, Sloan has had major NBA success, and fell just short of the NBA championship two years in a row, courtesy of Michael Jordan. Steve Nash and Dwight Howard should both be crossing their fingers and hoping Mitch Kupchak brings in Sloan, as Nash and Howard would likely replicate the things done by Stockton and Malone. This, if Phil Jackson isn’t returning, would be my ideal choice to coach this squad.
·
Nate McMillan: McMillan’s track record is
nowhere near as good as Sloan’s, however he plays a very smooth, team first
style of basketball centered around a good passing shooting guard and either a
dominant finisher in the paint, or an excellent shooter from a big man, all three
of which L.A. has with Bryant, Howard and Pau Gasol. McMillan is also known for
his defensive approach to the game.
·
Brian Shaw: Known user of the Triangle
offense, he was an assistant coach to Phil Jackson, as well as having played
under him during the 2000-2002 ShaKobe three peat. Shaw has no previous
experience working as a head coach, however, the important players on the team
know how to run the Triangle, and can exploit it efficiently.
·
Stan Van Gundy: Out of the question at this
point because of big man Dwight Howard. His offensive system is similar to
Brown’s, except it works from the inside-out, and ensures an open shot either
for Howard, or his 3 point specialists.
If the Lakers don’t get a
coach with a known track record of success, things might get ugly in the City
of Angels. Right now, the best realistic
candidate is Jerry Sloan; however both McMillan and Brian Shaw could
realistically work with the Lakers.
