Kings' coaching search goes on

[JoMal]

With an eye towards an experienced choice, the Kings and Geoff Petrie have scheduled second consultations, this time with the Maloofs, for two of the eight candidates for which they gave initial interviews.

Those guys are Kurt Rambis and Stan Van Gundy. Also, they are keeping very mum on a third candidate who can't be interviewed just yet - Terry Porter, an assistent with the still active Detroit Pistons.

A decision will have to be made this month, before the NBA draft, if the guy chosen will come in with any credibility. He needs to be involved in the decision on the tenth choice.

My choice would be Porter, but I could live with Rambis. Van Gundy looked a bit like a deer in the headlights in Miami.

[westkoast]

What about Jeff Van Gundy?

Stan Van Gundy was not a bad coach.  If he had a deer in the headlights look on him it is because he saw Pat Riley's semi-truck hauling down the back road.  I felt like he was setup to get booted out.  I'd say he has more experience in that role then Porter or Rambis.

Rambis is a good assistant coach but I don't know exactly how he would be on his own.  He is not the type of guy who deals with egos and players who don't want to give 100% every night.

[JoMal]

Rambis is a good assistant coach but I don't know exactly how he would be on his own.  He is not the type of guy who deals with egos and players who don't want to give 100% every night.

And that is a bad thing? The current Kings players need a guy to blow some bad breath in their faces when they screw up or don't put out the effort, which is why I think Porter and Rambis are more preferable then a little shrimp like Van Gundy.

[Reality]

   Listening to him give *advice* as the ABC talking head.
"What he would do" etc 

[westkoast]

Rambis is a good assistant coach but I don't know exactly how he would be on his own.  He is not the type of guy who deals with egos and players who don't want to give 100% every night.

And that is a bad thing? The current Kings players need a guy to blow some bad breath in their faces when they screw up or don't put out the effort, which is why I think Porter and Rambis are more preferable then a little shrimp like Van Gundy.

It is a bad thing because it is rare to be able to be a coach in this league and not have to deal with ego/effort issues.  That is just what the league has turned into.  Plus he would have Ron Artest on his team.

Van Gundy may be a little shrimp but players who play for him are happy.  He can deal with egos and big players.  Rambis just doesn't strike me as that kind of guy and Porter hasn't really had to deal with that as a coach with the Pistons.

[JoMal]

It will be unlikely that the new coach of the Kings will have to deal with Artest, as the team is looking to move him.

Not that the current Kings' squad has much hope to improve much next season - not unless the dead weight contracts of Kenny Thomas, Sharif Abdur-Rahim, and maybe Miller and Bibby are off the books - the new coach will be dealing with, in my mind, some very unmotivated players, or players whose best years are behind them.