| It’s Time For Montgomery To Go Authored by Payam Jahromi - April 10, 2006 - 8:23 pm
I’ve waited nearly two years to write a column on Warriors’ coach Mike Montgomery.
When the Warriors gave him a four-year deal before last season, I felt he should be given at least two seasons before being evaluated.
He’s had two seasons, I’ve thought about this carefully, and my assessment is that he needs to go.
I say eat the last two years of his contract (hey, it’s not my money) and get a new coach.
But before I explain why, let me first say that I firmly believe the NBA is a players’ league. Players win and lose games. A great coach can help a team get over a hump, but in the end, a coach is only as good as his talent.
Phil Jackson wouldn’t be a genius without Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen, and later with Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant. Pat Riley wouldn’t have all those rings without Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Greg Popovich wouldn’t be “underrated” without Tim Duncan.
A coach’s job is to get the most out of his roster.
Let’s stay with Jackson for a second. He joined the Lakers before the 1999-00 season and helped them get over the hump. The Lakers were clearly talented enough to win a ring before Jackson – they just didn’t have the right coach to maximize their potential.
That brings me to the Warriors. No, they’re not talented enough to win a ring. But they are talented enough to be one of the top eight teams in the West.
They have weaknesses, sure. But for all those weaknesses, the Warriors do have some very good pieces – good enough to finish 18-10 in the final 28 games last season. And much better than their current 30-46 record – which is sixth-worst in the league.
They don’t have the sixth-worst roster in the NBA.
When a team underachieves, the coach is the first person who deserves blame.
If you don’t feel Montgomery wasn’t the problem at all, let me ask you one question: Do you think the Warriors would be 30-46 if Jerry Sloan was the head coach?
I’m not saying Montgomery doesn’t know basketball, because he does. But at this level, knowing your X’s and O’s isn’t as important as having the respect of the players in the locker room.
I realize that the Sloans and Jacksons of the world don’t fall off trees. But there are plenty of coaches out there who demand respect and would do a better job for this team. Look at what George Karl did for Denver last year. Or how Avery Johnson has changed the Mavericks.
There are better options out there for the Warriors.
Montgomery is a very smart person, and he expects his players to be smart. At Stanford, his players did exactly as they were told and everything worked out.
But in the NBA, you’re dealing with grown men with big egos and millions of dollars on the line. You’re motivating just as much as you’re teaching. The ability to relate to individuals and juggle the different pieces is as important as drawing up a good inbounds play (the one thing Montgomery has down).
Oh, and Monty has plenty of flaws as a coach too – he still hasn’t figured out when to call a timeout; his player rotations are terrible; he doesn’t hold players accountable for not listening to him (unless his name ends with “Pietrus”); he makes the Warriors play a style that doesn’t best suit their talents. You get the point.
Now it’s up to GM Chris Mullin to realize what’s going on and stop the bleeding. Unlike Montgomery, Mullin needs to take a timeout and come up with a new plan.
And a new coach.
If you have any questions or comments you can reach me at pjahromi@sbcglobal.net |
