Everything Dwane Casey

[mcHAPPY]

Fan bases usually hate on their coaches. I've gone on other teams blogs after we've beaten them this season. Bucks fans were angry at Kidd for putting Giannis too late in the 4th after we made our run. Celtics fans were angry Thomas was kept out so long in the 4th. Mavs fans were angry John Jenkins didn't get a run. It's nothing new.

The difference of course is Kidd, Carlisle, and Stevens are really good coaches!

[Wild-ling#1]

What can be asserted without evidence, can be dismissed without evidence....

I can't believe (holding philosophy and law degrees) that I've never heard that! Cool!

(did you coin it?)

[3inthekeon]

Casey was kept due to MLSE and financial reasons. He placated the masses and talks a good game for the general public

Casey makes squat dollarwise and fans have little attachment to most coaches. If head coach was THE issue the past few years, he'd be gone.

He's on the last year of his contract because he's not a very good head coach. He still has his job because he's not a very bad head coach.

[Wild-ling#1]

Casey makes squat dollarwise and fans have little attachment to most coaches. If head coach was THE issue the past few years, he'd be gone.

He's on the last year of his contract because he's not a very good head coach. He still has his job because he's not a very bad head coach.

Interestingly put.

And it occurs to me that the weak form of the argument I'm making would be not that:

"He is helping create a player-friendly, positive environment, while on balance, earning/retaining the players' respect."

But rather that: "He doesn't piss people off enough (or fuck things up enough) to be fired."

[slaw]

The difference of course is Kidd, Carlisle, and Stevens are really good coaches!

Funny, I'm old enough to remember when David Thorpe called Kidd the worst coach in the NBA and everyone went, "well, of course.". Funny how one mediocre season with the Nets and squeaking into the playoffs can change perceptions....

[mcHAPPY]

I agree, and tangentially:

If I had to choose between all leadership or all tactics, I'd pick leadership (obviously every option is both to varying degrees).

That's because, you can hire assistants to devise schemes and scout opponents, but I'm not sure that assistants can take the head coach's role in communicating and motivating his players.

But just like when Bargnani was here and a SG was drafted who couldn't shoot with big men who couldn't do anything but rebound brought in all to balance the lineup with players who cover for the others shortcomings, wouldn't it be nice to start getting competent coaches who have both the interpersonal skills AND the technical coaching abilities?


To your point though, it is a good one.

[Axel]

Casey makes squat dollarwise and fans have little attachment to most coaches. If head coach was THE issue the past few years, he'd be gone.

He's on the last year of his contract because he's not a very good head coach. He still has his job because he's not a very bad head coach.

It's not the direct fan attachment to the coach but rather the "don't rock the boat" approach from MLSE. Team is winning, making money and the coach generally doesn't cause issues in the paper. Safe sound investment strategy.

[mcHAPPY]

Funny, I'm old enough to remember when David Thorpe called Kidd the worst coach in the NBA and everyone went, "well, of course.". Funny how one mediocre season with the Nets and squeaking into the playoffs can change perceptions....

And beating Toronto in the playoffs.

He was a rookie coach. He is still young and improving.

He is much better than Casey.

....oh and then moving to Milwaukee and overseeing that turnaround.

[Nilanka]

I can't believe (holding philosophy and law degrees) that I've never heard that! Cool!

(did you coin it?)

Pretty much every quip uttered by Christopher Hitchens was jaw-dropping

[golden]

Oh, I am completely indifferent about Casey and, as I've said before, was surprised he wasn't fired after the team quit in the playoffs in the middle of a winnable game 2. I just think it's silly that people refuse to give him any credit at all for the successes of the last two seasons but ascribe blame to him for everything that went wrong.

I agree with you on the Masai point, though I am not sure why you think he is doing it in spite of Casey when he could have just as easily fired him at any time in the last two seasons and not batted an eyelash. I wrote earlier this year that this was the first season Masai had flexibility to remake the roster and he added players who fit the mould he mentioned in his introductory press conference of being a tough, physical, old school Eastern Conference team. I don't see the separation between Casey and MU on this point but I'm not privy to their internal management discussions, so I could be wrong.

Obviously, I have no inside information, other than interviews, articles, etc... But a few of them stick out: like Lowry's interview where Masai clearly stepped in between Lowry and Casey and straightened out Lowry for him. When people talk about leadership, to me, holding yourself and others accountable is one of the key character traits that separates true leaders and owners from career "managers". In the case of Lowry, Masai is the one who had to step in between him and Casey and hold him accountable. Another glimpse is the Casey interview where he blames most of last year's defensive slippage on "the loss of Salmons and addition of Lou Williams". WTF? At this point, Casey had a perfect opportunity to demonstrate leadership and hold himself accountable, but he went out of his way to pass the buck. Whereas it was Masai, again, who demonstrated leadership and took the blame for "messing with the chemistry". So, from a leadership backbone POV, I feel like that is really coming from Masai.

Second reason. I wish I could find that Masai interview (it was within the first few months of being hired as Raps GM), where he stated that one of the most important things was that the GM and coach got along with each other. You clearly saw that with the Bulls and Thibs. Even though Thibs was a great coach, who won, and also developed players beyond their initially perceived potential, the GM didn't feel like they could control him. We saw the same thing with Sam Mitchell and Colangelo over the handling of Bargnani - and Smith got axed because of it. Again, no inside insights here, but I think that Masai feels that Casey will ultimately not stand in his way of implementing his vision for the franchise.

Masai rarely says anything negative, but he was openly critical of the defensive slippage last season and said in an interview it should have been better, given that Casey is a "defensive coach". MU brought in Andy Greer and changed Casey's system, which IMO, speaks louder than interviews or opinions. If the problem with the defense last season was only personnel, then we would have kept the scrambling scheme, but there are tangible system changes that are obvious just from watching and being executed by the same players who were here last season - in particular DD, Lowry and Ross now fighting over screens & JV staying back in the lane. That speaks to coaching and selection of the right system to match the players.

[golden]

Interestingly put.

And it occurs to me that the weak form of the argument I'm making would be not that:

"He is helping create a player-friendly, positive environment, while on balance, earning/retaining the players' respect."

But rather that: "He doesn't piss people off enough (or fuck things up enough) to be fired."

Honestly, that strategy can get you pretty far in life or at least be very comfortable.

[Wild-ling#1]

Too true.

But even the "doesn't fuck things up enough" bit of that doesn't square with what Casey's critics are saying. And especially as Kalamian was thought to be ready for a head coaching gig and Thibodeau was available.

[golden]

Too true.

But even the "doesn't fuck things enough enough" bit of that doesn't square with what Casey's critics are saying. And especially as Kalamian was thought to be ready for a head coaching gig and Thibodeau was available.

Kalamian is still a candidate. It's still early and the Raps are 4-0, but we only know ourselves when we face adversity - which will come at some point. How Casey adapts to get out of that adversity will one of the key things to watch. He failed miserably at adapting last season - even mocking the concept that NBA coaches need to make adjustments. His body language and public talk is less arrogant this season, so maybe he's learned his lesson. But still, if the team falters mid-season and Casey can't get them out of the tailspin, then I would expect Kalamian or Nurse to take over - possibly by design of MU.

And even if the regular season is a success, the playoffs will be how Casey is going to be judged. He's going to be on the hot seat all season, regardless of record. Kalamian and Nurse could also be candidates next off-season.

[Wild-ling#1]

Obviously, I have no inside information .... In the case of Lowry, Masai is the one who had to step in between him and Casey and hold him accountable. Another glimpse is the Casey interview where he blames most of last year's defensive slippage on "the loss of Salmons and addition of Lou Williams". WTF? At this point, Casey had a perfect opportunity to demonstrate leadership and hold himself accountable ....
Masai rarely says anything negative, but he was openly critical of the defensive slippage last season and said in an interview it should have been better, given that Casey is a "defensive coach". MU brought in Andy Greer and changed Casey's system, which IMO, speaks louder than interviews or opinions. If the problem with the defense last season was only personnel, then we would have kept the scrambling scheme ....

I read it that Casey wasn't inclined to call out the players on the roster for not heeding his warnings (as regards not committing to defence). But then what is he supposed to say? Suggesting that the players who had departed were more committed to defence than those who remained is a kind of roundabout way of making the point. But basically, I think he was just stuck for an answer. And if the players were at fault (in his view, anyway), really, I can't see as how he really could take the blame (without sending mixed signals).

As for Kyle, I view his intercession as support for Casey. I think that Kyle's ingratitude for being handled very gingerly by Casey, when the players lack of commitment to defence was really the issue last year, was why Jack Armstrong was so very critical of Lowry after the exit interviews. He basically called Lowry a hypocrite and an ingrate ... as well as not a good enough player to get a coach fired (which I'm not sure is necessarily true, objectively - but, again, Masai has backed Casey enough to get him through).

Finally, I think last year was just a year for Masai to see what he really had. The team's performance in 2013 was a surprise to everyone. And Lou was just available. Maybe the scrambling thing was a terrible idea. Maybe it was thought (by Masai, too), a good fit for the personnel available. But with the injuries, and Grevis and Lou playing more than was intended, things went sideways. And now they're gone and the team has re-tooled. Kyle is Kyle, but healthy. Demar is on-side. Jonas is more ready.

And so it seems patience with everyone, including Casey, might be paying off. And if the players show the commitment to well-conceived systems this year, then it's not clear why you would fire Casey. But maybe you might want to bring in someone more innovative, or more demanding, at this point.

[OldSkoolCool]

#1-15 are all playoff coaches and Carlisle, Vogel may miss this year. Clifford, Brown, Gentry, Hollins and Skiles are better. Casey ranks bottom 2-3 and probably #30. Think Knicks, Lakers are worse with Casey

Charlotte is worse. Clifford is pretty bad...although at least his defense is consistent