2017 Coaching Carousel

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#5,451      
Rick Pitino left the Knicks totally voluntarily in 1989 to coach at Kentucky. Actually it was a huge disappointment for NY fans.

Pitino was a dummy and didn't consult with his agent, would have been better off loosing to the Bulls for the next decade than leaving for Kentucky.

But really, had forgot about that one, which was pretty obvious. Thanks.

Still doesn't change my mind, but I just can't imagine even being the coach of the Westbrook-less Thunder next year would be worse than coming to Illinois. He might jump at another NBA job.
 
#5,452      
The odds of Brad Stevens and Billy Donovan leaving their NBA gigs to return to college voluntarily are slim to none. ESPECIALLY Stevens (to nip the idea he'd go to IU, it's not going to happen). There's just not a precedent for winning NBA coaches to jump back to college. Pitino is probably the only exception, and his Knicks record was worse than Donovan's is, and Stevens' is easily one of the most highly regarded coaches in the NBA right now.
 
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#5,453      

UofIChE06

Pittsburgh
Was mentioned on WSCR in an interview w/ a reporter from OKC. With Durant gone, Westbrook probably taking off in a year, and OKC not good enough to compete for a title even with Westbrook, whispers have started that he may be looking for a way out.

Donovan getting out of OKC isn't all that crazy given they are likely to lose their last superstar and are not a destination for free agents to come form a super team there. That being said I would bet the farm he also doesn't end up at UI. There is just no reason for that to be plausible other than his ties to USA basketball. IU may be a possibility if he wants to get back into the college ranks. He could wait it out for one of the elite jobs because K and Roy won't be around that much longer but it is always better to follow a disappointment or mediocre guy than a legend. Does anyone really doubt he would bring IU up to the level of UK, Duke, UNC, Kansas? It would be terrible as an opposing fan base.
 
#5,454      
Pitino was a dummy and didn't consult with his agent, would have been better off loosing to the Bulls for the next decade than leaving for Kentucky.

But really, had forgot about that one, which was pretty obvious. Thanks.

Still doesn't change my mind, but I just can't imagine even being the coach of the Westbrook-less Thunder next year would be worse than coming to Illinois. He might jump at another NBA job.

I thought Westbrook recently signed an extension with the Thunder?
 
#5,455      
Any ideas on what Monty Williams long term plans are? My fear is that if he comes here and does great, he will bolt for an NBA job whenever he gets the chance. I really want us to make the right hire and have it be someone who will be coaching here for a long time. If he turns out to be Kruger 2.0, we had better have a good hire lined up for whenever he does leave for that NBA job.
 
#5,456      


NC State hasn't officially fired Gottfried yet.. NC State would be smart to wait until the season is over.

I've been generally staying away from this thread, so if this is out there my apologies; but the local radio/news is reporting rumors that the decision to fire Gottfried was made Saturday after the blowout to Wake, won't be announced until end of season & by back channels they have already reached out to Miller.

Personally, I'm not putting a lot of faith into the rumor, because it fits the desired narrative for too many...but it certainly could happen with the way NC State season is going.
 
#5,457      
#5,460      
I thought Westbrook recently signed an extension with the Thunder?

Westbrook has a three year contract. He can opt out in 2019. Donovan is getting paid 6 million per year for three more years after this. He could probably get the best job available any season & probably could get another NBA gig if he wants. Stevens has a young, upcoming team with several first round draft picks the next few years.
 
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#5,461      
Pitino is probably the only exception, and his Knicks record was worse than Donovan's is, and Stevens' is easily one of the most highly regarded coaches in the NBA right now.

When Pitino left in 1989, the Knicks had gone 52-30 and won the Atlantic Division. They were definitely in better shape than Donovan's OCT is right now. (Being a Knicks fan, I can tell you that it was a big disappointment to lose Pitino, not only record-wise, but he had the Knicks playing exciting basketball).

I also disagree that leaving the Knicks for Kentucky was a bad move. In retrospect, it solidified his place in the HOF. Took over a program in shambles at Kentucky and had an amazing turnaround. In the 6 Pitino years that Kentucky was eligible for the NCAA, Pitino led them to 2 E8s, 3 Final Fours, 1 Runner-Up, and 1 National Championship. Pitino failed to make at least the E8 only once (they got to the Round of 32 in 94). I actually believe that the 1996 Kentucky was the best college team I've ever watched, independent of NBA legends or basketball record.
 
#5,463      

It would be a good thing if he did well enough to attract other offers. Heck, we were worried after the first year and a half of Groce that he was going to attract big offers soon.

I know the easy thing to say is that as the AD, you make the right hire, and if that coach leaves after a few years, you turn around and make another "right hire." That's much easier said than done. Guenther made two fantastic hires in Kruger and Self, but then followed that with a bad hire in Weber.
 
#5,464      

EJ33

San Francisco
I don't believe it and he's rarely right, but Jeff Johnson on Feb 11th:

and the rumor out this week is that 'Groce's family' members think he is getting another year...how just how after this 1??? Who knows.
 
#5,467      
222 pages of the same thing. It's like Groundhog Day except Groundhog Day isn't here.

There's too many hype trains at the station. People keep making new hype trains. Other people keep making imaginary hype trains that have no chance of even becoming real hype trains to clog up the hype train station.

The Keatts Hype Train just keeps circling O'Hare waiting for a spot to land. (or union station, whatever, i don't know anything about trains)
 
#5,468      

peace davids

Colorado


I couldn't disagree more.

NC State hasn't officially fired Gottfried yet.. NC State would be smart to wait until the season is over.
The search process has already started..... but doesn't really take off until other teams seasons are over with. Each candidate is currently coaching and will most likely be into the NCAA tournament (except for Money).

No downsides? Firing Groce before the season ends would be the worst thing Whitman could do. It's not even debatable.

If you fire Groce now... each player signed will request and be granted immediately a release from their letter of intents. We would have no head coach for a month while every other school in the country recruits them. Goodbye Tilmon, Frazier, Damonte. You would be looking at a 3-4 year rebuild. PROGRAM SUICIDE. There is a reason you don't see head coaches fired mid-season in college basketball. It does nothing but hurt the program even more.

Walker as the interm? Mike Thomas did something similar when firing Weber after the BTT... He gave Jerrance Howard the interm position for a few weeks. Although no games were played... the players rallied behind Jerrance and created a sticky situation with the new head coach. Players went to Mike Thomas before Groce was hired saying they want Jerrance to be the head coach. After this, there was no way Groce could keep Jerrance with players potentially undermining him because they favor the assistant.

Groce will be fired after the season is over.

Nice post and debate to my argument. I totally see your side and actually agree with a lot of it. Bravo! :clappy:
 
#5,469      
So Monty Williams is going to get hired. He's going to stay for four years, win one B1G title then bolt for the NBA. Then JW will hire Kevin Keatts. Please tell me that he isn't going to bolt for the Louisville job when Pitino retires. :hurl:
 
#5,470      
Nice post and debate to my argument. I totally see your side and actually agree with a lot of it. Bravo! :clappy:

I still think that you fire him after the Rutgers game. Make Walker the interim for the B1G tournament. Hopefully the players, particularly the veterans will rally and play inspired. Who knows, maybe go on a run to win the tournament so they can have that elusive NCAA appearance.
 
#5,471      

Sleepy Floyd

Kicking it with Fat Lever
Champaign
I still think that you fire him after the Rutgers game. Make Walker the interim for the B1G tournament. Hopefully the players, particularly the veterans will rally and play inspired. Who knows, maybe go on a run to win the tournament so they can have that elusive NCAA appearance.

It would undermine the new coach of that scenario plays out.
 
#5,472      
So Monty Williams is going to get hired. He's going to stay for four years, win one B1G title then bolt for the NBA. Then JW will hire Kevin Keatts. Please tell me that he isn't going to bolt for the Louisville job when Pitino retires. :hurl:

After Keatts leaves, Roger Powell will have had a couple of years as HC at some mid major....
 
#5,473      
So Monty Williams is going to get hired. He's going to stay for four years, win one B1G title then bolt for the NBA. Then JW will hire Kevin Keatts. Please tell me that he isn't going to bolt for the Louisville job when Pitino retires. :hurl:

Sounds good to me if the results of two coaches back to back are good enough to get an NBA gig and then the Louisville gig
 
#5,474      

EJ33

San Francisco
So Monty Williams is going to get hired. He's going to stay for four years, win one B1G title then bolt for the NBA. Then JW will hire Kevin Keatts. Please tell me that he isn't going to bolt for the Louisville job when Pitino retires. :hurl:

Sounds like a dream scenario.
 
#5,475      
Sounds like a dream scenario.

Actually a more accurate scenario would be Keatts taking the UI job. Pitino deciding to retire from Louisville right before the season is about to start, and then Keatts bolting for Louisville the night before the season opener.
 
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