
Since the NBA Playoffs last 8 months and the Finals of one season span the course of 4 decades, most teams are already going about their business while the Twittersphere is lighting up with referee death threats from fans of the Dallas Mavericks and the Miami Heat. The first step for the crappy teams is finding a new coach, so of course owners and general managers are sifting through the bargain bins for discounts on previously-used team personnel that couldn’t succeed in other cities but might do better with a little refurbishing.
The Los Angeles Lakers have already hired former Cleveland Cavaliers coach Mike Brown after flirting with and teasing Brian Shaw, as the Lakers haven’t even called him since hiring Brown. The Houston Rockets decided that it was time for Boston Celtics legend Kevin McHale to stop giving away All-Stars and start coaching them (if they ever sign one again) and Knicks coach Mike D’Antoni says that he feels confident with his job security after Donnie Walsh was canned this weekend for not taking a pay cut*. That leaves the Golden State Warriors, possibly the Minnesota Timberwolves, and the Detroit Pistons without coaches, and the Pistons are already at the bin, sifting away.
Pistons president Joe Dumars and his basketball staff have a preliminary list of candidates including former Hawks coach Mike Woodson, Mavs assistant Dwane Casey, former Nets coach Lawrence Frank, Bucks assistant Kelvin Sampson, and ABC/ESPN broadcaster Mark Jackson, league sources told CBSSports.com. Former Pistons star Bill Laimbeer also is expected to receive consideration, as is Hornets assistant Michael Malone. (CBS Sports)
Please, Detroit, not that I care about the Pistons or want to see them return to dominance, but for the betterment of the entertainment value of the NBA – please hire Bill Laimbeer. Hell, he could end up being a fantastic head coach. But at the very least he brings some balls back to a league that had its pair detached years ago. And if I’m willing to support a long-running Bill Simmons argument, then by God I must be serious.
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