Monty Williams emerges as favorite for Hornets head coaching job

[SlyPokerDog]

Two NBA assistant coaches have emerged as favorites to become the next head coach of the New Orleans Hornets.

Sources tell NewOrleans.Com/Sports that 38-year old Monty Williams, a former NBA player for 9 seasons, has the inside track for what would be his first head coaching job. Williams has been an assistant coach with the Portland Trailblazers since 2005.

A 6'8" small forward from the University of Notre Dame, Williams was an NBA first-round pick despite a pre-existing heart condition. He was selected by the New York Knicks in the first round (24th overall) of the 1994 NBA Draft. Williams played for the Knicks, San Antonio Spurs, Denver Nuggets, Orlando Magic and Philadelphia 76ers before his playing career ended in 2003.

Boston Celtics assistant coach Tom Thibodeau is also considered a strong option for the position in New Orleans.

Avery Johnson, a hometown favorite and former NBA Coach of the Year, is set to speak with the Atlanta Hawks about their opening for the second time and appears out of the picture with the Hornets.

http://www.neworleans.com/sports/ho...s-favorite-for-hornets-head-coaching-job.html

 

[Wheels]

Dang I was kinda hoping that he would be bumped up the Lead Assistant, and then take over after next year.

 

[BoBoBREWSKI]

DONT GO MONTY!
I'd love to see Paul Allen open up the pocketbook and make Monty the highest paid Asst. Coach in the league.

 

[BrianFromWA]

Out of curiosity BeerBoy and Wheels...why? Has he done something that stands out to you? Has he set up an offense or defense or improved a player?

I'm not saying I'm against Monty---I don't know much about him. "Highest-paid assistant" sounds odd to me, with his resume.

 

[Fez Hammersticks]

I wish they'd take Nate instead!

 

[SlyPokerDog]

Out of curiosity BeerBoy and Wheels...why? Has he done something that stands out to you? Has he set up an offense or defense or improved a player?

I'm not saying I'm against Monty---I don't know much about him. "Highest-paid assistant" sounds odd to me, with his resume.

Monty is a clean black.

 

[hasoos]

Well then we can chalk up a few more losses next year when he knows Nate's every move by the back of his hand. Oh wait nevermind. So does everybody else.

 

[Nikolokolus]

Best of luck to Monty if he gets the job, though it seems odd to me that Thibbodeau doesn't have the edge.

 

[SlyPokerDog]

Best of luck to Monty if he gets the job, though it seems odd to me that Thibbodeau doesn't have the edge.

Defense is overrated in the Big Easy.

 

[Wheels]

Out of curiosity BeerBoy and Wheels...why? Has he done something that stands out to you? Has he set up an offense or defense or improved a player?

I'm not saying I'm against Monty---I don't know much about him. "Highest-paid assistant" sounds odd to me, with his resume.

While I wouldnt go as far as "Highest-paid assistant", I think from what I have heard (which is all I can go by, since I am not around the team by any means) and read... There seems to be reason why he is well thought of around the league. I love the work he has been doing/done with Batum. He played under some pretty damn good coaches to learn under "Williams' resume is loaded with A-list coaches he either played for or has worked under. They include Riley, Van Gundy, Doc Rivers, Don Nelson, Larry Brown, Gregg Popovich and Nate McMillan."

He seems to have the players' ears (from what I have read) and he is another no nonsense type coach.

I read interviews with him talking about things instilled in him as a player, that he has taken with him as a coach. A lot of times many here feel that Nate doesnt show he has his players' backs... then I read comments like this from Monty..

"But Pat Riley set the tone for me in terms of working. Riles was the kinda coach that if you were in the fire with him he had your back. To this day I respect that because he built something in me that nobody can take away."

I cant go overly in depth from work sorry.. but those are just a couple of things that stood out to me while reading an article.

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/basketball/knicks/2010/04/29/2010-04-29_monty_on_the_move.html

 

[hasoos]

Best of luck to Monty if he gets the job, though it seems odd to me that Thibbodeau doesn't have the edge.

They seem to be searching for a coach with experience as a player, from what I have read.

 

[THE HCP]

Don't want him to go!

 

[jlprk]

What a find Monty Williams was.

http://www.nba.com/blazers/news/Trail_Blazers_Name_Monty_Willi-147890-41.html

In mid-2005, John Nash fired Cheeks and made young punk Pritchard temporary coach. Nash hired Nate McMillan, Monty Williams, Maurice Lucas, and Dean Demopoulos. True, he traded the pick that became Deron Williams to get the picks that became Webster, Kleiza, and Freeland. (Getting quantity for 1 pick is a conventional strategy for a bottom team.) He traded Shareef Abdur-Rahim for the #20 pick (Paul Millsap available) but the Nets rescinded the trade.

Without Nash, Monty would still be a Spurs go-fer. (He had been a special assignments Spurs assistant, similar to Kareem being hired to teach Bynum when Bynum's in the mood. An assistant who is on-call, sitting by his phone waiting for the receptionist to tell him to come to work maybe later this week, maybe not.)

And all this was done after the monumental job of cleaning out all those Whitsitt lowlifes. John Nash is the architect of the current coaching staff. All down on your knees.

 

[SlyPokerDog]

What a find Monty Williams was.

http://www.nba.com/blazers/news/Trail_Blazers_Name_Monty_Willi-147890-41.html

In mid-2005, John Nash fired Cheeks and made young punk Pritchard temporary coach. Nash hired Nate McMillan, Monty Williams, Maurice Lucas, and Dean Demopoulos. True, he traded the pick that became Deron Williams to get the picks that became Webster, Kleiza, and Freeland. (Getting quantity for 1 pick is a conventional strategy for a bottom team.) He traded Shareef Abdur-Rahim for the #20 pick (Paul Millsap available) but the Nets rescinded the trade.

Without Nash, Monty would still be a Spurs go-fer. (He had been a special assignments Spurs assistant, similar to Kareem being hired to teach Bynum when Bynum's in the mood. An assistant who is on-call, sitting by his phone waiting for the receptionist to tell him to come to work maybe later this week, maybe not.)

And all this was done after the monumental job of cleaning out all those Whitsitt lowlifes. John Nash is the architect of the current coaching staff. All down on your knees.

Nate hired his assistants, Nash didn't have shit to say about it.

 

[jlprk]

Link? Are you sure that the boss had nothing to do with the hiring? How had Nate heard of Monty Williams? Nate wasn't the one in the habit of communicating with the Spurs. Sounds like the thumping footsteps that a great GM with his ear to the ground would have heard through the grapevine. You just can't recognize the ability we threw away.

 

[THE HCP]

I think Nate picked his asst. KP and Monty were tight from San Antonio.

 

[SlyPokerDog]

Link? Are you sure that the boss had nothing to do with the hiring? How had Nate heard of Monty Williams? Nate wasn't the one in the habit of communicating with the Spurs. Sounds like the thumping footsteps that a great GM with his ear to the ground would have heard through the grapevine. You just can't recognize the ability we threw away.

Link? You're the one claiming that Nate didn't hire his own assistants. You're the one that is actually saying that we go out and recruit Nate to leave Seattle, come to Portland and then we don't let him pick his assistants. Show me a link that proves any of that. Unless a coach is fired mid-season and replaced by an assistant, coaches pick their assistants.

I don't agree with your praise of Nash. It's great that you do. Even serial killers and child rapists have fans so I guess you being the sole torch barer for Nash isn't that odd. But if Nash is as great as you think he is don't you think someone would have hired him to be their GM by now?

 

[tlongII]

My understanding is that new head coaches usually hire their own assistants.

 

[BrianFromWA]

IIRC, Dwayne Casey was Nate's right-hand man in his last couple of years in Seattle, and was the X-and-O's guy for the Allen/Lewis Sonics. Then Dwayne went to MIN (I think), and Nate took the Portland job. I don't know if Nate wanted Casey back or not.
What's Terry Porter's role with the team now?

 

[SlyPokerDog]

IIRC, Dwayne Casey was Nate's right-hand man in his last couple of years in Seattle, and was the X-and-O's guy for the Allen/Lewis Sonics. Then Dwayne went to MIN (I think), and Nate took the Portland job. I don't know if Nate wanted Casey back or not.
What's Terry Porter's role with the team now?

Team Ambassador.

It's an unpaid honorary position since he's still under contract with the Suns.

 

[barfo]

But if Nash is as great as you think he is don't you think someone would have hired him to be their GM by now?

I suspect that after the success he had in Portland that few teams can afford him. I hear that if LeBron doesn't go to the Nets, they'll use the money they would have paid LeBron as a signing bonus when they hire Nash.

barfo

 

[THE HCP]

FUCK Terry Porter!

 

[Draco]

I don't agree with your praise of Nash. It's great that you do. Even serial killers and child rapists have fans so I guess you being the sole torch barer for Nash isn't that odd. But if Nash is as great as you think he is don't you think someone would have hired him to be their GM by now?

I don't think he seriously was praising Nash...