Scott Brooks agrees to coach Wizards

[Wishbone]

Brooks would have had a better chance of hooking back up with Durant if he took the Houston job.

 

[WiggyRuss]

Brooks would have had a better chance of hooking back up with Durant if he took the Houston job.

??? how you figure that?

you think Houston is a durant option?

 

[Wishbone]

??? how you figure that?

you think Houston is a durant option?

Harden is in Houston and Durant played at Texas.

 

[tducey]

Yeah, they could have done better, Brooks is definitely not the best coach in the world.

 

[lakersrule]

Why Wizards fans shouldn't count on Scott Brooks to lure Kevin Durant

 

[ChrisWebber]

Luke. That's about it at this point and he's not exactly proven. Might even be worth kicking the tires on Blatt for a team with a young roster. Although, he may be better served spending a couple of seasons as an assistant.

I hope the Kings hire Luke. Although, he needs more seasoning as an assistant.

 

[tlance]

Harden is in Houston and Durant played at Texas.

I have seen nothing to indicate that Durant had any desire to reunite with Harden. Why would he leave Westbrook for Harden? Also, he spent exactly 1 year in Texas. We are not talking about life long ties here. He is far more connected to OKC and DC.

 

[ChrisGar15]

Yeah, they could have done better, Brooks is definitely not the best coach in the world.

Durant said that "Brooks is a great coach."

 

[mr.hockey4242]

It think this probably makes them a co-frontrunner.

I thought Golden State or Miami had the inside track.
I still am predicting the Heat ever so slightly.

But, he was a little kid going to that arena cheering for the Wizards and dreaming of playing for them.
Coming home like Lebron did with his old coach might be to tough to pass by...

He will retire from basketball and live in DC forever. That is his home and he really loves it there.

I don't follow this enough but do the Heat actually have that legit of a chance to get KD?

And are the Thunder screwed?

 

[Hornsstampede2.0]

I don't think the THUNDER are screwed. They will be in the mix at least for 2016-17.

But, it will be tough to turn down South Beach and its cosmopolitan tax haven lifestyle that almost perfectly fits the NBA life. And they also win.
They seemingly always get what they want..... they have resources other teams don't.

Russell Westbrook is skipping town in 2017 for California, so it is tough for Durant.

The best case for OKC is to convince him to sign a 1 year deal and hope to somehow convince Westbrook.

 

[Wishbone]

I think if KD stays then Westbrook stays. KD loves OKC and said he would love to stay with the same team. I could see the Thunder swapping Westbrook for Blake Griffin(both would get to go home) but that's about it.

 

[wildturkey]

I have seen nothing to indicate that Durant had any desire to reunite with Harden. Why would he leave Westbrook for Harden? Also, he spent exactly 1 year in Texas. We are not talking about life long ties here. He is far more connected to OKC and DC.

It's just speculation because he and Harden are good friends. He's a lot closer to Harden than he is to Westbrook but that's all there is.

 

[Rockinkuwait]

Harden is in Houston and Durant played at Texas.

He played there but was in Texas what? 6 to 8 months of his life?

And yeah, Durant is friends with Harden, but not sure that makes him sold there. I have a lot of friends I am sure I wouldn't want to work with. Does Harden have the drive, the defensive play that he wants?

And it's to tough to say "he loves OKC" Almost every player supposedly loves the town of the team that drafted him. I get that he loves it there because he's beloved, but he does realize wherever he chooses to go he will be.

The question he will need to ask himself I think is "is OKC better than where they were 5 years ago".

 

[trojanfan12]

The question he will need to ask himself I think is "is OKC better than where they were 5 years ago".

^^^THIS^^^

IF (big if), KD decides to leave OKC, that will be the reason. They managed to get to the finals once, but haven't been able to get back. I think whichever team he chooses will have to show that they can pay him AND are willing to pay to get the players necessary to win a title.

 

[tnapucco]

...no KD.
...easily leading the SE conference.
...just schooled the Cavs.

I don't know...I'm still not convinced.

 

[tlance]

...no KD.
...easily leading the SE conference.
...just schooled the Cavs.

I don't know...I'm still not convinced.

Brooks is doing better than I expected, but let's face it. Outside of a terrible 2016, The WIzards are exactly where they have always been. They are a second round playoff team without a ton of resources to improve that.

 

[wildturkey]

Brooks is doing better than I expected, but let's face it. Outside of a terrible 2016, The WIzards are exactly where they have always been. They are a second round playoff team without a ton of resources to improve that.

Just when you think the heat may finally be too hot and Grunfeld will lose his job, the Wiz have a season like this. It's clockwork

 

[SoCalWizFan]

Brooks is doing better than I expected, but let's face it. Outside of a terrible 2016, The WIzards are exactly where they have always been. They are a second round playoff team without a ton of resources to improve that.

Cmon. I thought that you were going to just come out & say you were flat out wrong. Jeez - do you give this guy any credit at all? You painted him as possibly one of the worst coaches in the NBA. If that were true then I would have to believe that the Wizards record would be much worse. You must be one of the hardest people on the planet to please.

All the Wizards can really do now is just keep trying to improve. If they win a round or two in the playoffs & lose a competitive round then that will be progress. They will then need to figure out a way to get better and take the next step. I understand that they don't have picks to accomplish this but in today's NBA there are always ways to improve (if not next season then maybe after that).

I don't expect them to do much more than that this season, and I will be happy enough w/ that. I will take what I can get given last season & the general lack of success for DC teams over the last 15-20 years.

You make it sound like anybody would have them at their current level. Disagree. For starters Wall & Beal are playing better together now more so than at any time. I would have to give at least some of the credit for this to Brooks.

 

[tlance]

Cmon. I thought that you were going to just come out & say you were flat out wrong. Jeez - do you give this guy any credit at all? You painted him as possibly one of the worst coaches in the NBA. If that were true then I would have to believe that the Wizards record would be much worse. You must be one of the hardest people on the planet to please.

All the Wizards can really do now is just keep trying to improve. If they win a round or two in the playoffs & lose a competitive round then that will be progress. They will then need to figure out a way to get better and take the next step. I understand that they don't have picks to accomplish this but in today's NBA there are always ways to improve (if not next season then maybe after that).

I don't expect them to do much more than that this season, and I will be happy enough w/ that. I will take what I can get given last season & the general lack of success for DC teams over the last 15-20 years.

You make it sound like anybody would have them at their current level. Disagree. For starters Wall & Beal are playing better together now more so than at any time. I would have to give at least some of the credit for this to Brooks.

I do give credit to Brooks for Beal and Wall getting back on the same page. He has done well there.

Also, it is entirely possible the Westbrook is completely uncoachable and that OKC's past failures were not on Brooks as much as I thought.

But, tell me what I said above that is wrong? I praised the Wizards for actually taking a shot on the Brooks hire because it enhanced their chance to land Durant. Anything short of a monster FA signing leaves them on the outside looking in when discussing elite teams. And no, a I am not happy if they strive for anything less than being elite. I am okay with falling short as long as they have the correct goal in mind.

55 wins and a second round playoff exit is not an end goal I am okay with, yet it seems to be what the Wizards/Bullets franchise has built toward over the last 30 years.

Now, if Brooks can get them past the second round, I will say I was wrong. Last year was more about utter dysfunction surrounding Whitman than this year is about Brooks, IMO.

 

[SoCalWizFan]

I do give credit to Brooks for Beal and Wall getting back on the same page. He has done well there.

Also, it is entirely possible the Westbrook is completely uncoachable and that OKC's past failures were not on Brooks as much as I thought.

But, tell me what I said above that is wrong? I praised the Wizards for actually taking a shot on the Brooks hire because it enhanced their chance to land Durant. Anything short of a monster FA signing leaves them on the outside looking in when discussing elite teams. And no, a I am not happy if they strive for anything less than being elite. I am okay with falling short as long as they have the correct goal in mind.

55 wins and a second round playoff exit is not an end goal I am okay with, yet it seems to be what the Wizards/Bullets franchise has built toward over the last 30 years.

Now, if Brooks can get them past the second round, I will say I was wrong. Last year was more about utter dysfunction surrounding Whitman than this year is about Brooks, IMO.

Fair enough & I think that they do actually have a shot at getting past the 2nd rd. Also - I believe that they are positioned much better than that team a few years ago that was ousted by the Hawks. That team relied a lot more on some aging vets. This team is a lot younger overall & possibly they can make some changes in the next few years to get them to the next level - I would not totally discount that in today's NBA (granted it will be tougher than for a few other teams).

You also basically only gave a backhand compliment to Brooks. You only praised them for obtaining him to increase their odds of getting Durant. How about the fact that their record and play is much improved. It is very convenient for you to simply dismiss last season & measure Brooks only in terms of improvement over the 14-15 season - flawed logic. So coaching had nothing to do with improvements from last season? Even if you compare things to that 14-15 season they are going to have a better record (in spite of a bad start) & are playing better overall.

I am guessing that you would be all over Brooks if the Wizards had a poor season so why in the heck can't you give him credit for a good season? Also - I am not so sure that the current Wizards organization is not thinking title - just not perhaps for this season - we will see. Being a Caps fan I have learned to be patient with these things - as tough as that can become sometimes. Go Wiz.