Would/Should Lakers Stick w/ MDA Over D12?

[Big Red Slugs]

Seems apparent that Dwight Howard would not pick Mike D'Antoni as his coach, if it were up to him. Just two weeks ago, Chris Broussard reported during a game that the main factor in Howard's decision this summer would be playing for a team that suited his style of play, i.e. inside-out. Just last week, Howard's girlfriend was tweeting how she "officially can't stand D'Antoni." So, while Howard has not come out directly and said, "I will not sign with the Lakers if Mike D'Antoni is here," I don't think it's too hard to figure out where Howard stands on the issue.

But is it up to him?

During Mitch Kupchak's exit interview the other day, he was asked whether or not he got the sense that Howard liked Mike D'Antoni as the Lakers coach. Kupchak's response was essentially that it didn't matter whether Howard liked D'Antoni or not.

“I think Dwight likes winning and he likes performing at a high level. I think he’s fine with Mike D’Antoni, but I’m not really concerned if a player likes a coach. So I don’t ask that question. Our coaches are evaluated on wins and losses. That’s how we evaluate the team so I’ve never came out and asked a player, ‘Do you like this guy?’ That’s really not relevant to me.”

Then a reporter asked, hypothetically, whether a free agent would have any say in the Lakers coaching staff, and his response was:

“This organization has a precedent with that kind of a situation and I think we learned our lesson.”

Add on top of all this, there are reports coming out today that Mike D'Antoni is already hunting for an assistant coach for his staff with the Lakers next season, which would not be congruent with the Lakers retaining any sort of flexibility in the that department.

"With the Lakers in full-on evaluation mode after getting swept in the first round by the Spurs, coach Mike D’Antoni is actively exploring his long-standing desire to add a defensive-minded assistant. D’Antoni’s first choice is believed to be McMillan. But with the fellow Team USA assistant expected to land a head coaching job, coaching sources believe D’Antoni will get the green light to add former Suns coach Alvin Gentry to his staff for next season."

Report: D'Antoni wants to add McMillan or Gentry to staff

Note: I like how the above author pointed out that both McMillan and Gentry are overrated in the defensive coaching department anyway.

Which leads me to wonder several things:

(1) Would/Should the Lakers actually allow Howard to walk if he says he simply does not want to play for Mike D'Antoni?

(2) What is this precedent Mitch is referring to? Magic ousted a coach and Dr. B covered for him. Before the Lakers selected Mike Brown, Mitch made it known that Kobe would be consulted.

(3) Is it possible that the Lakers simply aren't sold on building around Howard, that they have a take-it-or-leave-it approach with him this summer? And, again, is that a wise game of chicken?

 

[Thumper]

1. No they shouldn't allow him to walk. And he won't. He should re-sign. And D'Antoni is the coach. Where ever else he goes- he will have to take THIRTY MILLION DOLLARS LESS. (Money talks- Bullshit walks)

2. You don't want playerS calling the shots, obviously. Owners, GM's and Coaches need to do what they do- let the players just play. But okay, a player like Kobe transcends others. He gets consulted. D12 lacks the mental maturity to call such shots.

3. The Reality is that D12 actually may walk- we cannot stop him. The view is that it would be CRAZY if he walks- almost literally- 30 Mil. $ less to go to a lesser franchise... but he might! So the Lakers have to prepare for it both ways, (until D12 mans up and tells them not to worry) It's not a game of chicken. It's like Dwight playing Russian roulette by himself. We can't really stop him from playing with that gun if that's what he wants to do.

 

[Kold]

(1) Would/Should the Lakers actually allow Howard to walk if he says he simply does not want to play for Mike D'Antoni?


No chance at all, and I know you feel the same.

(2) What is this precedent Mitch is referring to? Magic ousted a coach and Dr. B covered for him. Before the Lakers selected Mike Brown, Mitch made it known that Kobe would be consulted.

There is no precendent(well imo), I think Mitch is just "saying the right things here".

(3) Is it possible that the Lakers simply aren't sold on building around Howard, that they have a take-it-or-leave-it approach with him this summer? And, again, is that a wise game of chicken?

I'm of the thinking that they 100% want Howard back. I said this back in the middle of the season, you have to have that young piece there to attract whomever you would like to attract in the future. Dwight could be that guy.

 

[OutlawImmortal]

I tend to agree with Kold. They might just be trying to drive the price a little bit down, with good reason.

 

[lakersrule]

(1) Would/Should the Lakers actually allow Howard to walk if he says he simply does not want to play for Mike D'Antoni?

That might set a dangerous precedent if Howard thinks he has that type of power within the organization. That being said, I'm sold on Howard being the cornerstone of the franchise for years to come. He should be 100% ready to once again dominate the league next season. If it simply comes down to a choice between Howard and MDA, I'm going with Howard every day of the week.

(2) What is this precedent Mitch is referring to? Magic ousted a coach and Dr. B covered for him. Before the Lakers selected Mike Brown, Mitch made it known that Kobe would be consulted.

I'm not sure what Mitch was refering to. I don't think Kobe had any say in the Mike Brown hiring. If I remember correctly, Kobe gave support to B. Shaw. Kobe said he was onboard with the hiring after the fact, but there wasn't any indication that he had any say in the hiring.

(3) Is it possible that the Lakers simply aren't sold on building around Howard, that they have a take-it-or-leave-it approach with him this summer? And, again, is that a wise game of chicken?

They are sold. At least that's the impression I got from Mitch during Tuesday's presser. I think Mitch is being careful though not to say anything which might come off negative to Howard. Mitch made his pitch to Howard during his exit interview and knows there is nothing else that he can really do until Howard makes his decision. Well, except fire MDA if that's what Howard wants!!

 

[Big Red Slugs]

I tend to agree with Kold. They might just be trying to drive the price a little bit down, with good reason.

Not sure I understand the driving the price down part . . .

 

[Big Red Slugs]

That might set a dangerous precedent if Howard thinks he has that type of power within the organization.

Great point, hadn't thought about it like that. But, really, that precedent has been well-established in professional sports for a while already. It's what drives a truly great coach like Jerry Sloan out of Utah, although that was largely Sloan taking himself out of the equation altogether.

I'm not sure what Mitch was refering to. I don't think Kobe had any say in the Mike Brown hiring. If I remember correctly, Kobe gave support to B. Shaw. Kobe said he was onboard with the hiring after the fact, but there wasn't any indication that he had any say in the hiring.

You're right. Misremembered. Thanks. So, yeah, still no clue what precedent he's referring to. Doesn't change the fact that Howard is a FA, unlike Kobe was at the time, and I would imagine they cut D'Antoni before letting Howard walk.

They are sold. At least that's the impression I got from Mitch during Tuesday's presser. I think Mitch is being careful though not to say anything which might come off negative to Howard. Mitch made his pitch to Howard during his exit interview and knows there is nothing else that he can really do until Howard makes his decision. Well, except fire MDA if that's what Howard wants!!

I've been saying for months that the Lakers were setting up the public image pressure on Howard, by supporting D'Antoni so much publicly that everyone will know it was Howard that called for D'Antoni's head if it came to that this summer, thus making Howard out to be a major coach killer, something Howard would want to avoid. I thought even back then this was a dangerous game of chicken the Lakers are playing with Howard. And I'm almost certain that if it came down to it, Howard would require the Lakers to cover for him, something they are increasingly unable to do, after all the support and now getting ready to hire assistants for D'Antoni. Keep in mind, the Lakers have to have known all along that Howard doesn't prefer D'Antoni, yet they kept propping D'Antoni nonetheless. Why?

Looks like a dangerous game of chicken to me.

 

[trojanfan12]

(1) Would/Should the Lakers actually allow Howard to walk if he says he simply does not want to play for Mike D'Antoni?

No!! If the choice is D'Antoni or Dwight, you pick Dwight!! I like D'Antoni, but there are a lot more coaches that are as good or better than D'Antoni, but very few players that are as good or better than Dwight!!

(2) What is this precedent Mitch is referring to? Magic ousted a coach and Dr. B covered for him. Before the Lakers selected Mike Brown, Mitch made it known that Kobe would be consulted.

Funny thing is, at least 2 of the times, it worked out pretty well. Magic wanting Westhead out and Kobe wanting Phil the second time.

(3) Is it possible that the Lakers simply aren't sold on building around Howard, that they have a take-it-or-leave-it approach with him this summer? And, again, is that a wise game of chicken?

I think they're sold!! I think that Mitch is saying what he has to say to publically show that management is in charge. Dwight obviously will want a say in who he plays for, but he doesn't want to get a rep as a "coach killer". So Mitch has to say that D'Antoni is the coach and that they won't concern themselves with who Dwight wants as coach.

If Dwight's agent quietly lets them know that he will not sign if D'Antoni is coach, then D'Antoni will be let go for the reasons that most don't think he should have been fired in the first place to keep Dwight from being blamed.

 

[Retroram52]

I am not sure who favors Don'tknowi (I have a reasonable guess) but if Howard does return, I think the Lakers future interests would be better served if they just admit they made a mistake and bring in B. Shaw. I know everyone would be in favor of B. Shaw including Kobe and I am sure D12 would after he spends some coach-player time with him. It seems obvious to everyone except Short boy that Don'tknowi is not the guy to run the team. Yet, if they are encouraging him to re-work his staff then I suppose Short boy and others have made their decision.

 

[OutlawImmortal]

Not sure I understand the driving the price down part . . .

I guess what I'm trying to say is, is he really worth a max deal?

 

[Retroram52]

Outlaw. Isn't the difference in money in Max deals from the Lakers compared to other teams the reason that Dwight is supposedly going to choose the Lakers over others? That seems to be the major driving force. If another contributing factor is who is going to coach, I am not sure D12 has clarified that has another reason he wants to stay. I guess will know in a month or two.

 

[OutlawImmortal]

Outlaw. Isn't the difference in money in Max deals from the Lakers compared to other teams the reason that Dwight is supposedly going to choose the Lakers over others? That seems to be the major driving force. If another contributing factor is who is going to coach, I am not sure D12 has clarified that has another reason he wants to stay. I guess will know in a month or two.

Yeah, not sure why I said it like that lol, doesn't seem very plausible Dwight would take any less than the max. Hard to look at the Miami guys and what their pay cuts opened up for that team and not be a little envious. It'd be nice to have an Ariza again or a Ray Allen coming off the bench.

 

[RedRum]

No!! If the choice is D'Antoni or Dwight, you pick Dwight!! I like D'Antoni, but there are a lot more coaches that are as good or better than D'Antoni, but very few players that are as good or better than Dwight!!

Nobody paid money this year or will pay money next year to go see a coach coach ...its all about the star power and DH12 and Kobe and a few other Superstars have that power over a coach...

Nobody wants to also put up with losing seasons either even if they have SuperStar in the team.

Keep Dwight for sure.

 

[Retroram52]

Yea I get that Redrum, but if the star player is grumbling about the coach to other team members and the team starts losing like this year (in conjunction with a host of injuries even though not much was said about the coach publically by the players), I don't think many folks want to see that either.

 

[Big Red Slugs]

You guys are all saying what I suspected myself, that there's no way the Lakers stick with MDA over D12 if it came down to it.

That's why I'm having such a hard time figuring out WTF the Lakers organization is doing right now. They have to know, as well as we all do, that Howard does not like playing for Mike D'Antoni and does not want to play for him next season. Toss in the fact that Pau has openly said he has no desire at all to play in Mike D'Antoni's system, not even the 'revamped' form of it, and the fact that Kobe has been hashtagging "#zen" constantly for months as well as tweeting Phil directly and immediately after being critical of D'Antoni via twitter just last week, plus the fans letting their displeasure be known . . . I mean, WTF?

I'm not saying Phil is the only direction to go, but Mike D'Antoni is clearly the wrong direction to go, not only to the fans but our three best players as well. Again, WTF? I seriously can't figure it out.

 

[Retroram52]

Coupled with that. Phil is now headed to Detroit to assume a FO consultant role for the Pistons. The story was on ESPN last evening and apparently Phil and the owner are friends.

In the piece, Phil stated because of his prostate cancer and the rigors of coaching, he is not interested in coaching much anymore. He is however interested in ownership and FO positions. So, he won't be around the Lakers as much except to spend time with his main squeeze, Jeanie.

We all no Short boy is the driving force behind this franchise dysfunction and we have already discussed the ramifications of it. I still think B. Shaw will be the next coach but it does little good to then encourage Don'tknowi to re-work his staff if they are also planning on get rid of him. Pretty dysfunctional if you ask me.

 

[Kold]

There's only 1 thing wrong with Brian Shaw becoming a candidate to be the next coach......he will NOT come back to coach this team after the way they did him after they hired Mike Brown. I mean, as the story has it, KOBE was the guy that broke the news to him. They didn't even officially tell B-Shaw themselves that they went another direction until a couple of weeks after they hired Brown. Just looking back on the S.I interview Shaw gave after he took the job at Indiana, furthermore cements the fact that he, and Phil will always be a pipe dream for us....unless Jim Buss has a MAJOR change of heart, or is ousted by Jeanie. Even 2 yrs later, it's a good read.

Brian Shaw recounts shady fallout with Lakers' brass - Ian Thomsen - SI.com

 

[Kold]

Oh and yeah, it's looking like Dantoni is gonna be coach......I'm not sure if Dwight wants to be seen as a coach killer again, although he'd gain MAJOR points with Lakernation. At this point, I guess the best we can hope for is that Dantoni continues to adjust his gameplan......my main worry(amongst many), is that he can't control egos when things go haywire, and with a team like this, that's necessary.

 

[Retroram52]

You may be right Kold. That freakin' Short boy is just effing this whole thing up. If B. Shaw eschews the Lakers, we are pretty much stuck with Don'tknowi and I believe the same results will happen next year. One definition of insanity is to continue to do the same things and expect different results. I fear that we will be in the same predicament a year from now-No closer to a championship and everyone will a year older.

 

[Thumper]

That's why I'm having such a hard time figuring out WTF the Lakers organization is doing right now. They have to know, as well as we all do, that Howard does not like playing for Mike D'Antoni and does not want to play for him next season. Toss in the fact that Pau has openly said he has no desire at all to play in Mike D'Antoni's system, not even the 'revamped' form of it, and the fact that Kobe has been hashtagging "#zen" constantly for months as well as tweeting Phil directly and immediately after being critical of D'Antoni via twitter just last week, plus the fans letting their displeasure be known . . . I mean, WTF?

The problem you are having is making so many false and insupportable statements.

1. You have nothing to show that D12 doesn't want D'Antoni.

2. You have nothing to show that Pau doesn't want D'Antoni.

3. You have nothing to show that Kobe doesn't want D'Antoni.

All three things- you invented in your own mind. Hence, you cannot understand. becasue your imagination makes no sense.

I'm not saying Phil is the only direction to go, but Mike D'Antoni is clearly the wrong direction to go, not only to the fans but our three best players as well. Again, WTF? I seriously can't figure it out.

Same problem as before- your screwed up imagination leads to a screwed up understanding. Garbage in = garbage out.