05-08-2008, 08:48 PM
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#1 (permalink)
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Moderator
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 5,507
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JS reporter asks - Did Hammand hire too soon?
Quote:
The process of hiring assistant coaches has taken the Bucks longer than it took them to hire Skiles as head coach, but part of that is due to the fact that the team is putting together contracts for four assistant coaches at the same time.
Hammond moved quickly on the head-coaching front as Larry Krystkowiak was fired on April 17 - the day after the team's final game of the season - and Skiles was hired just four days later.
But now, with Avery Johnson being fired as the Dallas Mavericks coach and Mike D'Antoni's days apparently numbered in Phoenix, some are wondering if Hammond didn't jump the gun and act too quickly in hiring Skiles.
Hammond says no.
"It wouldn't matter what candidate would be available because this is the NBA," said Hammond. "This is professional sports in general and you know within the season these kinds of things are going to occur. It's not like we're sitting here going 'Oh my gosh, can you believe this guy became available or this guy became available?'
"You knew it was going to happen, that there were going to be some potential candidates becoming available. It's part of the business. That was not a factor for us. The issue for us was is the man that we think is best for this job, if he's available now, let's pursue it. And that's exactly what we did."
On the other hand, by acting quickly it's possible that the Bucks nudged aside the New York Knicks, who also had an interest in hiring Skiles.
"That's speculation," said Hammond when asked about the possibility of beating the Knicks to the punch on Skiles.
"But I do believe this. There's no doubt in my mind that Scott Skiles was going to be coaching in the NBA next year. So whether it be in New York or with another team, I think he was going to be a viable candidate for many teams and was going to have an opportunity. So with all that being said, the fact that he is here with us now, we could not be more pleased."
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It would've been interesting to see D'Antoni coach the Bucks just to see if they could average 120 points a game.
http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=748819
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JS reporter asks - Did Hammand hire too soon?
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