Will Masai fire Casey ?

[Superjudge]

The in-game blunders are enough to drive you crazy, and it goes beyond last night's failure to foul at the end of the game, or Casey's seemingly refusal to put Jonas back in games where he's been having a large positive impact. There have been countless mucked up inbounds plays, strange rotations, and puzzling timeouts, dating back to his first "pound the rock" season.

However I don't think that a coaching change is going to suddenly transform this team into a legit playoff squad. I will say it one more time - the roster is not particularly talented or well put together. Everyone is largely living up to WHO THEY ARE AS PLAYERS. Lowry is the same on-again/off-again point guard that he's been for his entire time in the league. The book on Gay and DeRozan? Inefficient gunners from the outside. Last night they went 13-37 as a pair and shot seven free throws between them. Fields, Amir, Psycho T are all living up to expectations and making a positive impact, but they're role players, and can't be counted on to win us games on a night to night basis. The rest of the bench is performing the way you'd expect a collection of inexperienced rookies and castoffs to perform. The only player you can make a case for Casey holding back is JV.

The cries from everyone should be to start dismantling this thing and turn over the offense to JV + the rest of the young guys. The person behind the wheel ultimately matters, but not if the car he's trying to drive is fatally flawed.

Perhaps they are seeing precisely the progress they want from JV, so, his minutes are limited so they can...lose.

[mcHAPPY]

Perhaps they are seeing precisely the progress they want from JV, so, his minutes are limited so they can...lose.

You know what, I've been thinking that.

Casey's response post game was so vague. If he was being serious in his responses the man is borderline retarded - for real.

If I may be permitted to put my tin foil hat on:
Is there a directive to lose? What better way to convince the fan base tanking is needed by losing to Charlotte.

[Nilanka]

Perhaps they are seeing precisely the progress they want from JV, so, his minutes are limited so they can...lose.

That seems way too calculated for Casey's feeble mind.

[planetmars]

Does MU get a bonus if they do not make the playoffs?

[Fully]

Perhaps they are seeing precisely the progress they want from JV, so, his minutes are limited so they can...lose.

I have Casey pegged as one of those old school type guys who just can't wrap his head around why anyone would ever consider the concept of "losing on purpose". But after the end of last night's game (honestly, how do you not foul there?), and watching him sit JV through another fourth quarter (after he was publicly blasted for the same thing only a night earlier in a loss)... I have to say that it crossed my mind that Casey may be on board with the whole tanking thing after all.

[Nilanka]

I have Casey pegged as one of those old school type guys who just can't wrap his head around why anyone would ever consider the concept of "losing on purpose". But after the end of last night's game (honestly, how do you not foul there?), and watching him sit JV through another fourth quarter (after he was publicly blasted for the same thing only a night earlier in a loss)... I have to say that it crossed my mind that Casey may be on board with the whole tanking thing after all.

I'm still not convinced Casey's in on it. It's career suicide.

[planetmars]

Maybe MU is just trying to coach the team like high school kids. Losing to Charlotte could be his way of creating a wake up call to the team. Very bizarre coaching at the end of the game.

[Fully]

I'm still not convinced Casey's in on it. It's career suicide.

I'm being slightly facetious, but it really did cross my mind. The last two minutes was basically the antithesis of a team that was trying to win the game.

[Nilanka]

I'm being slightly facetious, but it really did cross my mind. The last two minutes was basically the antithesis of a team that was trying to win the game.

Going as far back as the Brendan Malone days, I still can't come up with as big a gaffe as Casey's last night.

[mcHAPPY]

I'm still not convinced Casey's in on it. It's career suicide.

I think his career as a head coach is done regardless.

He will have no problem getting an assistant job.

Dallas were looking to hire him this past summer.

[isaacthompson]

I think his career as a head coach is done regardless.

Yeah, it's pretty obvious just watching the games. IMO you shouldn't be a head coach if your mindset is so one-dimensional.

[Axel]

Haven't you seen enough youth benched under Casey?

Practice time is great and important but there is no substitute for in game action.

I don't want to enter JV and Ross' 3rd year still talking about their potential. Give them 77 games and you'll know what you have.

You have to remember Nurse is not Casey's guy. Outside of Sterner, the coaching staff was gutted. These coaches were all brought in by Ujiri.

I agree that I want the youth to play more, but I don't think that has to be a coaching decision. Once MU trades away players like Gay, the coach will likely be forced to play the young guys regardless. Gay isn't bringing back a savior in a trade, so Ross is likely to get a bump in minutes once he is gone. Also, less small ball opportunities with Gay gone.

The fact that Nurse isn't Casey's guy actually gives me more confidence. Nurse knows who he works for, and it isn't Casey. Nurse will have no problem working with a guy outside of Casey's instructions, because he knows that as long as he is doing what he was hired for, Casey can't touch him. If Casey tried to make a deal of it, everyone knows who MU is going to turf and who he is going to keep.

I understand why you feel making the move makes sense, I just think that Nurse will be an option regardless. Unless some other team makes a coaching change and tries to hire Nurse, then the Raps can keep him in their back pocket. It's kind of like the Derozan extension, why make the move if you don't have to? If the new look roster doesn't entice an established pedigreed coach, then Nurse is ready to go. If SVG is interested, then Nurse can continue to work as an assistant or not, if we land SVG I honestly don't care what happens to Nurse.

[Nilanka]

Nurse might (and I emphasize 'might') be a decent head coach one day. Maybe Masai is saving that card for when he has a balanced roster to work with, rather than set him up to fail with the current group.

[charlz]

I think they should wait at least a month into the season to do this kind of things. Who knows what's going on in the locker room? Casey probably know things we don't, afterall he's the head coach. Maybe the approach is to make JV take full confidence before throwing him on the court full time. As I see it, JV is still getting better, each and every day and game.

It's only 5 games in.

yes but an easy fix is Gay needs 5 less shots a game and JV needs 5 more.

[KazanTheMan]

I just need SOMETHING to happen, because I'm tired of not knowing what the plan is. I just can't tell if Casey is truly a moron, or if he's being told to subtly tank. Masai, you gotta give us a sign...