Wednesday, July 06, 2005
BLAZING A NEW TRAIL WITH MAC 10
For David's take on the Nate McMillan deal, click here or go one post down
Longtime Sonics icon Nate McMillan is leaving Seattle to head on down I-5 to coach the Portland Trail Blazers. Are you kidding me?
In the past few months, I've thought that Ray Allen was going to be the guy to leave Seattle, not Nate McMillan. Not Mac 10, the longtime icon who's loved by every Sonics fan known to man. Not him.
But you know what?
This is what happens when your front office includes Wally Walker.
Remember 1998, when George Karl was forced out? Granted, this is a little different, considering the history that McMillan and the Sonics have with each other. But now that this news has hit the wire about McMillan going to Portland, I'm shocked.
I guess the thought of McMillan actually leaving Seattle started to circulate among some Sonics fans last week, when the team told the coach that he had a midweek deadline to decide where he was going to coach. Sorry, I don't care if you have to get moving along with the offseason, you just don't treat McMillan that way.
One may look at McMillan's career coaching record of 212-183 and think, "that's not too impressive". However, consider the season the Sonics had in 2004-2005. The Sonics won 52 games and the Northwest Division title when nobody expected them to do anything. Not even the most diehard of Sonics fans expected a season like 2004-2005 to take place. But it happened.
From the moment he stepped into the NBA, McMillan has always been a class act. With the off-the-court events that have haunted the Blazers franchise for the past decade, hiring McMillan has to be considered a step in the right direction.
The Blazers are a young team. They've missed the playoffs the last two seasons after 21 consecutive postseason appearances (1983-2003). But there is some talent in Portland, starting with power forward Zach Randolph, who suffered through an injury-plagued 2004-2005 season. Similar to Luke Ridnour, McMillan will enjoy working with 20-year old point guard Sebastian Telfair. Telfair was the Blazers' first round pick last year from New York City and has the skills to be a special player in the NBA. And let's not forget about former Seattle Prep star Martell Webster, the 6th selection in the NBA Draft last week. I have a feeling that McMillan was very intrigued by the idea of coaching Webster.
Will the Blazers be an instant playoff team under McMillan? Probably not. But that's fine. As I said earlier, the Blazers are a young team. They will be better off with McMillan than they would be without him.
So what's next for the Sonics? Ray Allen will be back (he can't sign until July 22), but must now look for a new head coach. Who's out there?
---Flip Saunders, former Minnesota head coach
I think he's headed to Milwaukee.
---Eric Musselman, Memphis assistant coach
He may be the Grizzlies' head coach sooner rather than later. I don't see Mike Fratello lasting in Memphis too much longer. It will likely take just one bad streak early in the 2005-2006 season for Fratello to get the heave-ho.
---Marc Iavaroni, Phoenix assistant coach
Iavaroni was in the running for the Portland job before the Blazers decided to hire McMillan. Look for his name to pop up with the Sonics' head coaching search.
As a Blazers fan, I'm excited about McMillan coming to Portland. However, I do feel bad for the Sonics fans (my friend and co-writer David being one of them). Sonics fans, don't blame McMillan for leaving town. If the Sonics had a competent front office, we wouldn't be having this discussion right now. That's why I think the coaching job McMillan did in 2004-2005 was so damn impressive. He won despite the lack of competence of the front office. Maybe now, he'll finally get some respect from his bosses. Sadly for Sonics fans, those bosses are in the state of Oregon.
UPDATE: Cheer up, Sonics fans. There's always Misty May's ass to look at. (NSFW)
Longtime Sonics icon Nate McMillan is leaving Seattle to head on down I-5 to coach the Portland Trail Blazers. Are you kidding me?
In the past few months, I've thought that Ray Allen was going to be the guy to leave Seattle, not Nate McMillan. Not Mac 10, the longtime icon who's loved by every Sonics fan known to man. Not him.
But you know what?
This is what happens when your front office includes Wally Walker.
Remember 1998, when George Karl was forced out? Granted, this is a little different, considering the history that McMillan and the Sonics have with each other. But now that this news has hit the wire about McMillan going to Portland, I'm shocked.
I guess the thought of McMillan actually leaving Seattle started to circulate among some Sonics fans last week, when the team told the coach that he had a midweek deadline to decide where he was going to coach. Sorry, I don't care if you have to get moving along with the offseason, you just don't treat McMillan that way.
One may look at McMillan's career coaching record of 212-183 and think, "that's not too impressive". However, consider the season the Sonics had in 2004-2005. The Sonics won 52 games and the Northwest Division title when nobody expected them to do anything. Not even the most diehard of Sonics fans expected a season like 2004-2005 to take place. But it happened.
From the moment he stepped into the NBA, McMillan has always been a class act. With the off-the-court events that have haunted the Blazers franchise for the past decade, hiring McMillan has to be considered a step in the right direction.
The Blazers are a young team. They've missed the playoffs the last two seasons after 21 consecutive postseason appearances (1983-2003). But there is some talent in Portland, starting with power forward Zach Randolph, who suffered through an injury-plagued 2004-2005 season. Similar to Luke Ridnour, McMillan will enjoy working with 20-year old point guard Sebastian Telfair. Telfair was the Blazers' first round pick last year from New York City and has the skills to be a special player in the NBA. And let's not forget about former Seattle Prep star Martell Webster, the 6th selection in the NBA Draft last week. I have a feeling that McMillan was very intrigued by the idea of coaching Webster.
Will the Blazers be an instant playoff team under McMillan? Probably not. But that's fine. As I said earlier, the Blazers are a young team. They will be better off with McMillan than they would be without him.
So what's next for the Sonics? Ray Allen will be back (he can't sign until July 22), but must now look for a new head coach. Who's out there?
---Flip Saunders, former Minnesota head coach
I think he's headed to Milwaukee.
---Eric Musselman, Memphis assistant coach
He may be the Grizzlies' head coach sooner rather than later. I don't see Mike Fratello lasting in Memphis too much longer. It will likely take just one bad streak early in the 2005-2006 season for Fratello to get the heave-ho.
---Marc Iavaroni, Phoenix assistant coach
Iavaroni was in the running for the Portland job before the Blazers decided to hire McMillan. Look for his name to pop up with the Sonics' head coaching search.
As a Blazers fan, I'm excited about McMillan coming to Portland. However, I do feel bad for the Sonics fans (my friend and co-writer David being one of them). Sonics fans, don't blame McMillan for leaving town. If the Sonics had a competent front office, we wouldn't be having this discussion right now. That's why I think the coaching job McMillan did in 2004-2005 was so damn impressive. He won despite the lack of competence of the front office. Maybe now, he'll finally get some respect from his bosses. Sadly for Sonics fans, those bosses are in the state of Oregon.
UPDATE: Cheer up, Sonics fans. There's always Misty May's ass to look at. (NSFW)
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