Comments on: Detroit Pistons Coach Dreams: Rick Adelman

By: Jason

Jason — Wed, 08 Jun 2011 00:15:36 +0000

Appreciate that input, Stephen. Definitely helps hearing from someone who presumably watched many more games, and knows much more about his tendencies in recent years. I think weighing the pros and cons, he’d be a good fit, probably better fit them most – for Detroit. Though, i think the consensus that 1) He wouldn’t be interested, and 2) Pistons shouldn’t overspend on a coach just yet, is quite deserving. It’s unlikely he’ll be the Pistons next coach. I think the Pistons best bet will be Laimbeer, with his history, how CAN’T the Pistons be the team to give him his first shot in the NBA?

By: tarsier

tarsier — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 16:45:28 +0000

I agree that this team has played abysmally. But I still see a roster that could get it right and be better than a .500 team. I don’t expect they will. But I am guessing that you would concede that they have played at pretty near their floor for the last two years. I don’t expect this group of guys to reach their ceiling, but that ceiling is an easy 7 seed with a fighting chance for even maybe a 5 seed. Hence why I say they are not a lock to miss the playoffs.
I also agree with you that a team can rebuild while remaining competitive, but it requires the right kind of roster. Typically one with a youngish superstar but not much of a supporting cast. Like the Lakers after losing Shaq. The Pistons, though, were not in a place to do so.

By: Stephen

Stephen — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 03:35:54 +0000

As a Rockets fan,my impressions of Coach Adelman.
Pros:
His players play hard-or they sit.
Most of his players love playing for him.
His offense can be beautiful,multiple cuts,screens,plenty of spacing,designed to give mediocre offensive players open looks and good offensive players room to operate.
Likes his bigs up high and if he has wings who can post up,will post them all night long.(Last two yrs Rockets haven’t had those kind of players.)
Wants team to run,but if there’s nothing there to be patient in half-court,going thru all the options.
Wants the Second Unit-and he believes in a complete second unit-to really push the tempo.
His staff does a good job developing players who will listen.
Likes to go small,using 2 PGs at once.

Cons:
Players can get in his doghouse and never leave.(Ask Terrance Williams.)
If you aren’t a superstar and you don’t play w/in the system,you sit.
Older stars who aren’t what they were either buy into being role players or he gets rid of them,often rather messily.
If given a choice,plays vets over kids,plays offensive players over defensive ones.
Makes mind-boggling in-games moves.
Has too loose a rein w/players he likes.(Aaron Brooks was getting a ton of minutes his play wasn’t deserving.)
Is waaaay too eager to bring in former players who know his system.(Pro to this con,there aren’t many left outside Houston except Jermaine Taylor. JT was a player Adelman loved but couldn’t give playing time because of Martin and Lee ahead of him.And he needed more D from JT to make up for Budinger. Hire Adelman and I’ll bet he will be in Dumars ear about bringing in Taylor.Taylor is a straight to basket guy,great first step,excellent on break,suprisingly good offensive rebounder and usually good for a hi-light dunk every game or two. Just saying,hire Adelman and don’t be shocked if the Pistons acquire Taylor.)
Does not buddy up w/anybody in management/ownership.

Either ways:
Rockets’ D sucked past couple of yrs and Adelman gets the blame for it.However in Sac he had several top 10 Ds. His defensive schemes really require a lane-filling shot-blocking big and the Rockets didn’t have one(and still don’t,sigh.)
He will play young players,but only if they show they understand and can fit in his offense.
Promising rookies get a few minutes early on,then a couple of stretches,then,if they show an understanding of their role,steady minutes towards end of season.
Stays w/his two units,even if it means bringing out a “hot hand”. While it is very frustrating at times,it does build confidence in second unit and pays off as season goes on.
His offense is designed to give everybody shots,and by taking those shots opening up the floor for top offensive players. He will sit a player faster for not taking shots than he will a player taking good shots but missing them.
Ironic side-note.
After the McGrady divorce in Houston,Adelman said McGrady could still be a pretty good player in the League if he’d play the way McGrady ended up playing in Detroit.

By: rob

rob — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 01:19:55 +0000

My feelings exactly on Woodson. That team had talent and wasnt going to win only 13 games every year. So improving was inevitable. I dont know how Woodson is getting all the credit. And it took him 4 years to get to only 37 wins. 4 years is usually the mark teams in the lottery set for rebuilding back into a champion. It shouldn’t take a coach 4 years kist to rebuild a team back into an 8th seed. Thats the opposite of impressive to me. And he seems to have the same easy going personality that Kuester and Flip had that players like Stuckey would take advantage of. I wouldnt mind if he was just a candidate, but I dont get how he is considered the front runner by most media outlets.

By: rob

rob — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 01:13:19 +0000

This is a great point that nobody really has mentioned. I remember constant feuding between Woodson and Josh Smith and other players too. For a coach thats supposed to be great at working/relating with young players, that didnt come off as the case to me in ATL.

On Adelman, he’s definitely my first choice, but he doesnt sound interested or we should;ve heard about it by now, probably. And though it’d be nice to know Joe at least made a phone call, if he’s not interested I’m not sure how much Joe can really do aside from offering huge money.

I agree with you that you usually only pay a coach a lot of money to win you a championship. Though if the coach is also great a building up teams and developing players that has to be worth something too, right? idk how much that is, but I think it would be a good investment for Gores in the long-term to just pay a little extra now to ensure your team gets back on track ASAP, rather than skimp and have to go through 2-3 more coaches before you find one that can do it, spending more in the process.

By: gmehl1977

gmehl1977 — Mon, 06 Jun 2011 23:04:10 +0000

This is our guy.

By: Quick Darshan

Quick Darshan — Mon, 06 Jun 2011 19:01:06 +0000

Another “Pro” for Adelman is that his Rockets teams played with toughness so he’s not just an offensive coach.

Yes, the Pistons are far from competing (especially since the Heat will probably be better next season), but more than anything the Pistons need to experience success. And that alone is worth paying an extra million or two for.

By: Laser

Laser — Mon, 06 Jun 2011 16:55:02 +0000

there’s something i don’t like about woodson. something doesn’t impress me one lick about what he did with the hawks, i’m not crazy about his demeanor, i’m not convinced he’s ever really accomplished anything by taking over a very young and raw hawks team and bringing them from 13 wins to some consecutive playoff berths, because i think that development with their personnel would have unfolded basically the same way no matter who the coach was. i’m not sure how much i respect his career, and if i don’t respect the coach i doubt the team would have much reason to.

as for JVG, i think we can scratch him off immediately. he may know the game and have experience, but i think his personality is going to rub everyone the wrong way. if the team was 100% behind him and made consistent strides early on, i could see it working. but once the losing started (and i’m sure that wouldn’t take long) i think it would be easy to tune him out. too much of a clown and a loudmouth for me in the highly likely event that the team didn’t buy in 100%. if the team bought in 100% i think he might actually be an ideal candidate, but it’s too big a risk to run.

By: Laser

Laser — Mon, 06 Jun 2011 16:45:37 +0000

the pistons are a “virtual” lock to miss the playoffs as currently constructed. if they can get something nice in a tayshaun sign-and-trade and make some significant moves, that could change. but as it stands, i’d bet a lot of money against the playoffs.

and the roster is abysmal. not completely devoid of talent, but all the pieces are wrong, and all the guys you’d like to move are attached to terrible contracts. the fact that dumars’s Plan A was to give away a future first round pick (i shouldn’t have to tell you how badly needed first round picks are to us right now) and a productive player on a bad contract (but not our worst or even second-worst contract) for nothing is a hell of a condemnation of the team we’ve got.

but most importantly, you and i are on the exact same page when it comes to “playoffs vs. contention.” it’s funny how this team’s stated standards get lower and lower as it becomes clearer that they stink. apparently now we should throw a fiesta if we make the playoffs and get steamrolled by a real basketball team. that gets us nowhere, and the act of simply making the playoffs should mean absolutely nothing to an eastern conference team if you have no chance whatsoever of winning a series. it’s actually a recipe for prolonged mediocrity.

i fully believe that with a sound strategy a team can rebuild while staying competitive. it shouldn’t even be that hard, really. it just doesn’t happen much, because if you’re competitive in the first place, you’re not going to try to fix what ain’t broke. but you’ve got to be competitive in the first place in order to do this, and the pistons aren’t any good. so now it’s time to clear the deck and start from scratch.

By: Patrick Hayes

Patrick Hayes — Mon, 06 Jun 2011 16:36:59 +0000

Agree on Woodson. It always seemed like his players hated him.