Sam Mitchell Could Be Johnson's Top Aide
by Net Income on Jun 15, 2010 4:55 PM EDT
in 2010 Coaching Search
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ESPN's Marc Stein is reporting former Raptors coach Sam Mitchell will be interviewed this week by the Nets as a potential top assistant to Avery Johnson, who wants at least one former head coach on the bench with him in New Jersey. Mitchell, NBA Coach of the Year in 2007, has been out of work since being fired by Toronto in 2008.
"Being an assistant would be fine," Mitchell told the Toronto Sun recently. "But I want to make sure it’s in a good place -- a team that not only has a chance to win, but to be with someone who brings something different to me, where I can actually learn something."
The hire, if it comes about, would put two coaches of the year on the Nets bench next season, a season after someone with no head coaching experience, Kiki Vandeweghe, ran the team for most of the season. Rod Thorn told reporters Tuesday he would have no problem recommending anyone from the previous staff but that it would be up to Johnson. He added they're just starting to interview potential candidates, among them Joe Prunty of the Blazers.
- Nets interested in Mitchell for assistant gig - Marc Stein - ESPN
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As I said before
This would be a very shrewd move by Thorn and Avery. Mitchell is another former player with head coaching experience who would demand respect from some of the Nets’ young players who might have a tendency to revolt. I’d like the coaching staff to consist of Avery, Mitchell, and Mario Elie (although he is currently employed by the Kings). I would also like the Nets to retain Roy Rogers unless they can snaq Hakeem to work with Brook and LeBron (wink-wink) on their respective post games.
NOOOOO!!! This move is equivalent to hiring Byron Scott or Mike Brown. Mitchell and Scott
want to command respect but don’t get it because they don’t know what they’re doing…Brown is worse, he doesn’t command respect and he is clueless…
I don't know about this move...
….this is the guy who almost got into a fist fight with Rafer Alston and I think VC had problems with him too.
We need some balance on the coaching staff because Avery is going to have a firm hand.
OTOH, this team was so dainty and soft last year that maybe the whole coaching staff should be hard asses, and training camp should be run football style.
"No one stands on the top of the world. Not you, not me, not even gods. But the unbearable vacancy of the throne in the sky is over. From now on...I will be sitting on it."
Vince QUIT on Sam
of course he had problems with him. Sam Mitchell is a solid hard-nosed coach and Vince is not a true competitor.
by IsaacNJN on Jun 15, 2010 8:31 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
I would much rather have
a guy who does the Xs and Os as the head assistant. Mitchell ain’t that guy. Fratello or yes, Lawrence Frank, would be a great first assistant. Mitchell does have a rep of getting into physical confrontations with his players. And in the case of the normally docile Vince Carter, found a way to fire up Vince so much so that VC threw him onto a table and was about to throttle him. No thanks.
No way
Avery needs a drill seargeant when he needs to ease up .
by Hollywoodnet on Jun 15, 2010 6:18 PM EDT up reply actions
Makes some sense.
Avery can be the good cop; Mitchell the bad cop;
Still, I hope Nets have some idea how LeBron would feel about Mitchell.
Nets could afford to wait a few weeks and get LeBron’s input into an assistant coach.
Either way though, Avery hinted to make LeBron into a better jump shooter (if he were coaching him).
Who gives a damn about what Lebron thinks about anyone on our coaching staff?
Having a mentality like that is why Cleveland made all of those moves to please him and ended up being screwed in the end.
No catering to Lebron James. If he wants to come and play with us, cool, if not, cool.
"No one stands on the top of the world. Not you, not me, not even gods. But the unbearable vacancy of the throne in the sky is over. From now on...I will be sitting on it."
by MrDollarBills on Jun 16, 2010 2:23 PM EDT up reply actions
This is Great Sam as the co coach
We got a bunch of young kids that need to be molded . Cdr and Twill lopez Clee 3 draft picks If Avery is Bad Cop Sam Mitchell is Worse Cop. That’s what this young team needs .
(scratching my head)
how do you hire a coach with the highest win % in coaching history, and then turn around and consider hiring a coach with one of the worst coaching % (.273) im baffled by this decision. at first i was like to former coy winners but then after examining the win percentages im not too sure … i would keep mitchell on a short leash just to make sure he doesnt ruin what little chemistry we have .
What chemistry?
'The Crossover' - a Nets and Knicks podcast. http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=268817312
Absolutely it is.
His record: 156/189 for a winning percentage of 45.2%.
Obviously that’s not a great number, but he hardly had great Raptors teams at his disposal. I didn’t think he deserved to be fired when he was, and I think he’d be a very good hire on Coach Johnson’s staff.
'The Crossover' - a Nets and Knicks podcast. http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=268817312
We thought Coach Frank was dealt with somewhat un-fairly...
Spare a thought for Coach Mitchell who was fired after starting a season with a 8-9 record.
'The Crossover' - a Nets and Knicks podcast. http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=268817312
Ex-head coach
I guess we need an experienced former head coach, in case Avery is not available.
Oh well …
Where is David Robinson these days?
Think Avery would like to have former teammate David Robinson as the big-man coach?
Ya guys can't be serious
2 coaches of the year winners . And you don’t want that. Lol. Bring kiki and frank back.
by Hollywoodnet on Jun 15, 2010 6:34 PM EDT via mobile reply actions
Interesting
I think Avery is already seeing himself getting ralled up and thrown out some games and may need someone realiable?
Bad idea
LF’s ego would make that impossible. He would act like this is his former team, and he would want things to go the way he used to do them, which, we all know by now, did not work.
And so said the old man!
We got that Motivator/in your face personel with Avery.. now we need X & Os coach.
" I'm really excited to take the worst team in the league and turn it to be the best in the league." --Mikhail Prokhorov.
Why not both?
How does signing Mitchell prevent the Nets from also getting an X’s and O’s guy?
by No Sleep Till Brooklyn on Jun 15, 2010 9:49 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
I find it funny 2
Two coaches of the year. We instantly have one of the best personals in basketball coaching this team. Young players will learn and develop and free agents will see that this organization has an extremly stable head and tons of talent. I hope we sign sam mitchell.
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