When Mo Cheeks lost his job today, the Sixers reportedly named Tony DiLeo as the "permanent interim," or the head coach for the rest of the season. Similar distinctions were made in every other NBA sacking this season -- there will be no midseason hirings of Flip Saunders or Avery Johnson, apparently. DiLeo, as we mentioned earlier, hasn't been so much as an NBA assistant coach in a decade. His only head coaching experience is at the European club level. He is a front office guy now, and front office guys don't typically have major success coaching NBA teams.
As Kevin Pelton notes, the season's young. Philadelphia, while disappointing, isn't out of it as is the case in Washington (who also put a front office guy -- Ed Tapscott -- in charge). The Sixers are only 1.5 games out of the playoffs, in fact. Unless DiLeo has some secret coaching skills brewing under the surface, Philadelphia is basically ignoring a playoff possibility in favor of player evaluation. (On DiLeo's repressed skills: the man was an assistant under some awful Sixer coaches. To my knowledge, he wasn't highly sought out by other teams nor did he get a look by Sixers brass as a candidate. That doesn't speak well to the presence of secret coaching skills.)
Andre Miller is a free agent this summer. If the Sixers don't want press full tilt for the postseason -- and not hiring a coach would indicate this -- then Miller is superfluous. As a point guard, he'll be valued on the market this winter (no matter how mediocre his play has been). It seems a lot more likely with this move that Miller could be gone before long, with Louis Williams getting a try-out at the lead guard position.
(The Sixers, by the way, have Jim Lynam on staff. Lynam has coached more than 700 NBA games. His record isn't spectacular. But he is, y'know, a coach. Jeff Ruland is also an assistant with Philly. He recently served as a head coach in the NCAA, the D-League and has a few NBA assistant coach seasons.)
Comments (Page 1 of 1)
While shipping 'Miller' out of town, send the bum 'Dalembert' with him.
Xavier, who on earth would take Sam's contract?
Stephen, I have no idea. Hopefully the Sixers will find some team just as stupid as they were for giving it to him in the first place. But, then again, that was one of "Billy King's" brilliant moves. Stephen, honestly, they could give him away for all I care, just as long as I don't have to watch him play anymore. Or lack thereof.
Yeah, I'm just hoping they bench Sammy and Willie.
Stephen, I see you and I both dislike the same players. I concur, Willie can go as well. I'm afraid it's going to be awhile before this team is any good.
I'm not neccessarily against the firing of Cheeks, as the team is under achieving,but the Sixers made a lot of moves this off-season with the idea that they were now a playoff contender. Replacing him with a front office guy whose coaching experience was in Europe before they tore down the wall does not make a whole lotta sense. They have an ex head coach on staff in Jimmy Lynam and Chris Ford is also in the organization. This seems to be saying "back to the drawing board"