The 2016 Offseason thread

[Sinbad]

Feels like we've taken a step backwards in terms of experience on the coaching staff. Casey always talks about the importance of 'veterans', yet we lost Green and Murmuys (and Stackhouse to the 905) and replaced them with a rookie coach at the end of the bench?

One would have thought that if the Raps see themselves as contenders, then experience should also apply to the coaching staff, perhaps upgrading the assistants to some former head coaches who are in between jobs. Not sure what to make of this.

It does feel like that. Experience on the bench isn't easily replaced, and the Raptors lost a lot. Greer especially. I suspect that the only reason Mutombo got this job was because of his past affiliation with Masai in Denver.

[Deino]

Well whoever MU chooses,i hope he really knows what to do not only in training camp but also able to make swift and necessary adjustments in real game time situations.

One of the beat writers suggested there were rumblings most positions would be filled internally via promotions. No actual report though.

[Deino]

Who?

So we still don't have a replacement for Andy Greer?

I just saw this , part of Blake's article from main page:

Prior to his coaching career, the 36-year-old was a two-time NCAA D-II champion at Metro State, where he’d later work as an assistant coach. He then spent several years in Italy, Brazil, and Greece, before closing out his pro career in the D-League in 2009-10.
The addition of Mutombo is aimed to help ease the loss of Andy Greer at the front of the bench and of Jesse Mermuys from the 905 to the Lakers, which necessitated the loss of Jerry Stackhouse at the NBA level. While some have wondered if the Raptors will bring in a “defensive coordinator” of sorts to replace Greer, that’s unlikely to be the case – Rex Kalamian and Nick Nurse will take on a larger role as head coach Dwane Casey’s leads, Jama Mahlalela is expected to move up to the front row of the bench, and Mutombo and one other addition still to come will join Alex McKechnie in the second row. Casey is a defensive specialist originally, and it’s not as if Greer took the team’s new scheme with him when he left, so the Raptors will hope the new additions and collaborative knowledge can help make up for the loss of a defensive ace like Greer.

[DanH]

Feels like we've taken a step backwards in terms of experience on the coaching staff. Casey always talks about the importance of 'veterans', yet we lost Green and Murmuys (and Stackhouse to the 905) and replaced them with a rookie coach at the end of the bench?

One would have thought that if the Raps see themselves as contenders, then experience should also apply to the coaching staff, perhaps upgrading the assistants to some former head coaches who are in between jobs. Not sure what to make of this.

Hold on now, if we lost Stackhouse to the 905, can we count losing Mermuys from the 905?

I absolutely trust Masai to make the right hires here. Bringing in head coaching personalities probably just muddies the waters in terms of schemes.

[rocwell]

2 weeks till preseason

huehuehuehuehuehue

[Deino]

To all waiting for season to begin this is where Tony Parker and co went to play a basketball game 11000 feet above sea level...lol

Tony Parker hosts basketball game atop glacier in Switzerland


http://www.thescore.com/nba/news/110...in-switzerland

[Cody73]

Hold on now, if we lost Stackhouse to the 905, can we count losing Mermuys from the 905?

I absolutely trust Masai to make the right hires here. Bringing in head coaching personalities probably just muddies the waters in terms of schemes.

Mermuys was hired by the Lakers a assistant. Him & Luke Walton are buddies.

https://www.thestar.com/sports/rapto...ff-report.html

[Demographic Shift]

Feels like we've taken a step backwards in terms of experience on the coaching staff. Casey always talks about the importance of 'veterans', yet we lost Green and Murmuys (and Stackhouse to the 905) and replaced them with a rookie coach at the end of the bench?

One would have thought that if the Raps see themselves as contenders, then experience should also apply to the coaching staff, perhaps upgrading the assistants to some former head coaches who are in between jobs. Not sure what to make of this.

Casey.. Kalamian and Nurse are back.. thats a pretty solid core of experienced voices... and its a ratio of 1 coach to every 5 players...
Daycare has a ratios of 1 teacher to 6 four year olds...
We should be OK...

[DanH]

Mermuys was hired by the Lakers a assistant. Him & Luke Walton are buddies.

https://www.thestar.com/sports/rapto...ff-report.html

Yeah, I know. I'm saying if we are counting Murmuys as a loss (leaving the 905), then we are counting coaches with the 905 as being part of the staff, in which case we shouldn't say we lost Stackhouse too as he's still part of the staff.

[golden]

Yeah, I know. I'm saying if we are counting Murmuys as a loss (leaving the 905), then we are counting coaches with the 905 as being part of the staff, in which case we shouldn't say we lost Stackhouse too as he's still part of the staff.

TBH, losing Murmuys or Stackhouse to the 905 doesn't really concern me all that much - it's minor. However, last season Casey seemed to really benefit from having 2 experienced lead assistants from coaching staffs that were respected around the league - and it appeared that he actually took their inputs and that helped Casey to adapt and change.

Now we've only got one respected assistant (Kamlamian). Nurse is experienced, yes, but he doesn't have that same level of respect around the league, and based on 2 seasons ago he doesn't seem to have much influence on Casey's decision making. Just wondering out loud if we need to bring in another experienced & respected top assistant or former head coach from another program. Seems like the way other top teams are going and was one reason cited for Mark Jackson getting fired in GSW (i.e. not hiring highly-rated assistant coaches).

[DanH]

TBH, losing Murmuys or Stackhouse to the 905 doesn't really concern me all that much - it's minor. However, last season Casey seemed to really benefit from having 2 experienced lead assistants from coaching staffs that were respected around the league - and it appeared that he actually took their inputs and that helped Casey to adapt and change.

Now we've only got one respected assistant (Kamlamian). Nurse is experienced, yes, but he doesn't have that same level of respect around the league, and based on 2 seasons ago he doesn't seem to have much influence on Casey's decision making. Just wondering out loud if we need to bring in another experienced & respected top assistant or former head coach from another program. Seems like the way other top teams are going and was one reason cited for Mark Jackson getting fired in GSW (i.e. not hiring highly-rated assistant coaches).

I think you hire experienced voices when you want a change. I liked the defensive system last year, so why would we bring in a new voice to change it? Offensively not much has changed over the past few years, for the most part.

[rocwell]

Giannis Antetokounmptomtoop have agreed to 4-year, $100M extension

[JamesNaismith]

Giannis Antetokounmptomtoop have agreed to 4-year, $100M extension

He's gonna be a beast; the anti-Bruno.

[Demographic Shift]

TBH, losing Murmuys or Stackhouse to the 905 doesn't really concern me all that much - it's minor. However, last season Casey seemed to really benefit from having 2 experienced lead assistants from coaching staffs that were respected around the league - and it appeared that he actually took their inputs and that helped Casey to adapt and change.

Now we've only got one respected assistant (Kamlamian). Nurse is experienced, yes, but he doesn't have that same level of respect around the league, and based on 2 seasons ago he doesn't seem to have much influence on Casey's decision making. Just wondering out loud if we need to bring in another experienced & respected top assistant or former head coach from another program. Seems like the way other top teams are going and was one reason cited for Mark Jackson getting fired in GSW (i.e. not hiring highly-rated assistant coaches).

I think you hire experienced voices when you want a change. I liked the defensive system last year, so why would we bring in a new voice to change it? Offensively not much has changed over the past few years, for the most part.

FWIW Nick Nurse had been tabbed as a "person of interest" for interviews for head coaching jobs during the off season. I can't give you a specific source or team but I do remember reading about it. So you'd have to say that he does get respect around the league.

In my view only...you can never have enough quality folks on staff. If your going good or going poorly, talent when its available, should always be picked up. Having another experienced voice in the coaching meetings would not hurt.

[golden]

As far as I know, Nurse didn't get a single interview this off-season, and there were lots of vacant coaching jobs. For sure, at least an interview with the Nets might have been expected. I wonder if there's a perception that he got bumped down to second assistant on the Raps bench, after Kamlamian?

Second point, I agree 1000%. In business, sport or any organization - you don't need a situation that requires "change" to bring in great, quality people. You are always on the lookout for them and snatch them up whenever you can and resources allow. Especially experienced ones. Great people always find a way to fit in and create value.

A guy like Casey, who has a tendency to be rigid, would seem to benefit from an experienced voice that he respects as an equal and who is willing to challenge him - although I would bet he doesn't particularly like that situation.