Ken Berger Says Triano Is More Safe Than Colangelo?

[Apollo]

I think we don't know what a good coach looks like anymore because we've been watching Sam and Jay for nearly a decade. Jay stinks. Some guys developed, yeah. Who's to say they wouldn't have developed more if they were playing for a good coach? Maybe Bargnani would know how to box somebody out or take a charge or swoop in from the weak side?

[hateslosing]

Triano should be judged by the body of work, not just based on this year. What did he do last year? What did he do the year before that when Mitchell was fired because BC had higher expectations and Triano proceeded to hae the team finish up 15 games under .500?

The talent this year sucks but this guy has had plenty of opporuntities to show his coaching abilities. I can assure you no other coach in the NBA would have another year to be the coach of this team with no playoff appearances, no winninng season and the consistent defensive performance we've seen under his tenure.

I agree he's been underwhelming as a head coach, but my argument is that what we need right now is a coach who knows how to develop young players and it seems like Jay has done an excellent job of helping to bring guys like Ed, Demar and Amir along during his time here. I think long term, you and Apollo are right, we will need someone else in order to get to the promised land, but right now we need a guy who is patient, who knows how to develop talent, and is expendable so when it is time to move to our version of Tom Thibideau, he's easy to cut loose.

[Apollo]

They need to learn how to execute on the floor, take over games and become leaders. Do you trust Jay to give them that guidance? They need a complete coach. I'm not asking for a hall of famer but I do expect somebody to come in, develope the young guys, run good plays, call good time outs, make good substitutions and kick some butts that need kicking. I don't know, based on Bryan's track record it's more likely that PJ or Alex is the next guy...

...My money is on PJ at this point...

[hateslosing]

They need to learn how to execute on the floor, take over games and become leaders. Do you trust Jay to give them that guidance? They need a complete coach. I'm not asking for a hall of famer but I do expect somebody to come in, develope the young guys, run good plays, call good time outs, make good substitutions and kick some butts that need kicking. I don't know, based on Bryan's track record it's more likely that PJ or Alex is the next guy...

...My money is on PJ at this point...

I think Jay is as good as anyone to teach them how to execute and I don't think you can teach a guy to be a leader. Leaders tend to be born with the qualities that make them that way and no coach can impart that. I really think that PJ would do no better at this than Jay, it's not like the guy has a good record of developing young guys. I'd like to see Alex given a shot but IMO Triano is the right man for the job, at least as long as we are in this youth movement mode.

[Apollo]

I don't agree with that at all. Leaders are molded all the time in the Army for example. It's called the Officer Program..

[Darien]

The winning record isn't all you can look at. The broke ass plays, the crazy time outs, the people on the floor, the minutes he assigns - unless BC is telling him what to do directly from the tunnel, a lot of his decisions just make no sense. If he were doing the little things right, at least it shows a bit about his abilities. RIght now, it looks like Triano is just guessing at what might work and prays like hell. I don't see any method to his madness anyway.

[rapsfan92]

What a load of crap! It is more then obvious these young guys dont buy into Trianos coaching scheme, and its even more obvious they dont have the respect for him to go out and compete at a high level night in and night out. Triano has no backbone what so ever. He clearly does not address issues that need to be addressed. He is only hurting the young talent on this team. Players like Bayless, and Ed Davis need to play heavy minutes! Not get held back by a jose calderon and an andrea bargnani. We have all seen what Bayless and Davis are capable of doing these last couple games with Calderon and bargnani out. And it is more then obvious they play at a much higher level aswell. Bottom line Jay Triano has to go and Colangelo needs to bring a no non sence players type of coach in to lead this young group and take them to the next level. My first option would be John Calipari. Definatly a players coach, perfect with young players, gets respect from his players and has a tone of backbone! Triano out, Calipari in!

[rapsfan92]

I really don't know what you guys expected Triano to do this season. He has had a team of young players and injured veterans basically all year that was projected to be last in the east. He has given minutes to our young guys without overwhelming them, and all of those players have shown a massive improvement, particularly Ed an DD, who has greatly exceeded most expectations in terms of his offensive development. I don't know if anyone else remembers this, but most of us on this forum were hoping that DD would score 15-17 a game and grad 4-6 rebounds. He is currently at 17 ppg and 3.8 rpg while shoot 47%, which I think exceeds any expectations we had for him this season. His D still needs work but I don't see how in a season where the goal was to improve our young talent, you can fault Triano when our best prospects are making the kind of strides they are.
Could he have done better? Of course, but considering how much they are paying him and what the expectations for this season were, he has managed to keep a very young team motivated and playing hard. I would actually be content if we made no moves in the off season other than drafting a good young player and keeping Triano and BC. This is a rebuild and replacing the front office guys because we did not instantly rebound into a playoff team after losing our star is ridiculous. Let's have an offseason with limited turnover and see how well these guys play with a season together under their belts. Keep in mind that good defense is in large part accomplished by having a group of guys who have played together for a while and know how to cover for one another's styles and deficiencies. Also keep in mind that you could make Phil Jackson the coach of this squad and they still wouldn't make the playoffs.

Do not credit Jay Triano one bit for Derozans play this season. The only thing he has done is give DD the big minutes. But if he wasent handing out big minutes he would just be dumber then he already is. And if anything has held Ed davis back this year by giving bargnani so many minutes. Aswell as Bayless handing out majority of minutes the calderon. You are obviosly Canadian, as am I. But I say that because it is the only reason you would still be defending Jay triano at this point. You have to get your head out of your ass if you really think Triano is a good NBA headcoach, because he is the worst of the worst!

[nubreed000]

Sam got fired when the team was a nearly a quarter of the way into the following season.

That was so freaking stupid. It was after the blowout in Denver or Utah. Complete knee-jerk reaction by Colangelo and if I were a betting man I'd put money on the fact that BC was just looking for an excuse. What was our record then? 2 or 3 games below .500?

[Multipaul]

That was so freaking stupid. It was after the blowout in Denver or Utah. Complete knee-jerk reaction by Colangelo and if I were a betting man I'd put money on the fact that BC was just looking for an excuse. What was our record then? 2 or 3 games below .500?

If you recall, it was after a series of blowouts.

Bryco said after the firing, it "wasnt the # of losses, its the WAY we were losing"

It was also said that Smitch had 'lost' the team entirely. I recall seeing CB even walk away from the huddle during timeouts

[Bendit]

If you recall, it was after a series of blowouts.

Bryco said after the firing, it "wasnt the # of losses, its the WAY we were losing"

It was also said that Smitch had 'lost' the team entirely. I recall seeing CB even walk away from the huddle during timeouts

Digress...congratulations on the ncaa bracket win. That was a touch of genius...or dart throwing or Kemba love...picking UConn..which one was it? Apollo should give you a little something ...a hat maybe! Digress end.

You are right on the BC quote. But CB walking away? wtf. Mitchell made the guy in a way. Must have laced into him about his holding on to the ball!

[rapsfan92]

If you recall, it was after a series of blowouts.

Bryco said after the firing, it "wasnt the # of losses, its the WAY we were losing"

It was also said that Smitch had 'lost' the team entirely. I recall seeing CB even walk away from the huddle during timeouts

They were 8-8 at the time Mitchell got fired. Triano came in and only made them worse! And as I recall Mitchell was never given players like Derozan, Ed davis, amir johnson, weems or barbosa. He had to settle with wing players like anthony parker, jason kapono and joey graham, and had a soft ass big man in chris bosh. Triano has the players Mitchell always wanted when he was coaching in TO. Bottom line, BC made a terrible decision replacing Mitchell with Triano!

[hateslosing]

Do not credit Jay Triano one bit for Derozans play this season. The only thing he has done is give DD the big minutes. But if he wasent handing out big minutes he would just be dumber then he already is. And if anything has held Ed davis back this year by giving bargnani so many minutes. Aswell as Bayless handing out majority of minutes the calderon. You are obviosly Canadian, as am I. But I say that because it is the only reason you would still be defending Jay triano at this point. You have to get your head out of your ass if you really think Triano is a good NBA headcoach, because he is the worst of the worst!

If you really believe that our coaching staff had nothing to do with the improvement seen in our young guys this year....I don't know what to tell you. Triano is better coach than people give him credit for and I would really love to hear your thoughts on what exactly he should have done differently this season. Give Ed more minutes you say? You mean give the rookie returning from major surgery a tonne of minutes that his body may or may not be able to handle?
I am a Canadian but that has little to do with why I like Jay. I think the guy has been saddled with bad roster for three years and has not had a chance to show what he can do. I have always been of the opinion that the only thing you look at for a coach in the first year of a big rebuild is the improvement of the young players, and Jay has done that well. Next season you look at development of players and if the wins go up. I'll admit that Jay is no Sloan, but I think he has yet to have an opportunity to show what he can do.

[Liston]

Maybe Bargnani would know how to box somebody out or take a charge or swoop in from the weak side?

Coach: "Andrea, box out more". Bargnani: "Thanks coach, no one ever told me that".

Boxing out largely about effort and instinct. Sure a coach can say "see your man there? put a body on him", but that should be understood by now, no?

Take a charge? Instinct, timing, positioning. Harder to coach.

Weak side defense is more system orientated (coaching), but also requires effort and bball IQ.