As the Trail Blazers continue their search for a new head coach, one notable candidate is reportedly receiving serious consideration. The Blazers have requested permission from the Clippers to interview assistant coach Jeff Van Gundy, according to NBA insider Chris Haynes, who reports (via Twitter) that Van Gundy has emerged as a finalist for the job.
Van Gundy has been the lead assistant with the Clippers for the past two seasons and has extensive head coaching experience, initially with the Knicks (1995-2001) and then the Rockets (2003-07). He compiled a 430-318 record (.575) with those two teams and made a trip to the 1999 NBA Finals with the Knicks. Only five current coaches have more career playoff wins than Van Gundy: Erik Spoelstra, Steve Kerr, Rick Carlisle, Mike Brown, and Tyronn Lue.
Prior to joining the Clippers, Van Gundy spent 16 years as a broadcaster with ESPN, often alongside Mark Jackson, whom Van Gundy coached as an assistant with the Knicks and in Jackson’s final season with the Rockets.
While Tiago Splitter served as the team’s interim head coach following the arrest of Chauncey Billups as part of a federal investigation into illegal gambling, reports have indicated that new owner Tom Dundon‘s preference was to go in a different, possibly cheaper, direction.
Timberwolves’ assistant Micah Nori is one of several coaches who have also been identified as potential candidates for the position.
How is Van Gundy going to be cheaper than Splitter?
Probably because no other team is going to offer him a contract lol
The problem with all this is the idea Dundon is looking cheap is almost entirely fabricated clickbait.
So why would they decide to move on from Splitter who had more success than expected under difficult circumstances and who the players seem to love?
Is your argument that JVG is a better option? Because that’s far less believable than believing Dundon is cheap.
His comment is about reports that the owner is looking to hire a head coach who makes well under the average coaching salary feeding a narrative that he is cheap. Van Gundy would be a far more expensive hire than Splitter or do you think Splitter commands a higher salary because he guided them to a 7 seed and 1st round playoff exit in a year where half the league was trying to lose?
I’m not even convinced Van Gundy is actually in the mix. It could easily be a plant so Dundon can claim he considered hiring someone with more experience at a higher cost but ultimately chose to go in a different direction. This is a league of leaks and narratives, after all.
Let me ask you this. Dundon says he is all about putting the team’s dollars toward winning. Okay. Well, how exactly was implementing rather inconsequential cost-cutting measures during the playoffs supposed to achieve that? Do you really believe that was about saving every penny for the future benefit of the team? It doesn’t make any sense and doesn’t deserve any benefit of the doubt.
Then there’s the fact that he was conducting head coaching interviews during the playoffs. Hurting team morale through his cheap actions. No decent owner nor human being would do this. It’s disrespectful and creates a poor atmosphere for the people you claim to be prioritizing (ie, the players and fans).
You want to cut costs and make changes to the organization? Fine. Make those cuts after you would have sufficient time to assess the organization and the people working within in. Implement your changes starting next season. You don’t do it in-season, and you don’t initiate mass layoffs a short period after owning the team.
The way he’s operated thus far, it wouldn’t surprise me if he has some sort of personality disorder, to not see any issue with his conduct thus far even in the context of saving money.
Why are we supposed to disregard reports about Dundon wanting a cheap coach, when dundon has already proven that he is cheap and basically said it himself
Dundon is openly “cheap”, though he doesn’t use that word. I’m gonna butcher this saying, but if it looks like a horse, smells like a horse, and has horse tracks, it’s probably a horse, not a zebra.
What?
So that recent story about Portland laying off 70 back office staff was just fake news?
Jefferino Hot Dog Buddy Time!
Loved Van Gundy when he was coach of the Knicks. There’s a reason he hasn’t been a head coach in almost 20 years though.
Would be really funny if he pulls Mark Jackson as an assistant.
That would be funny, but no NBA team would allow that. Mark Jackson is done.
I don’t know if Jackson would have been able to develop Curry into an MVP or Draymond into a DPOY but if he had the prime warriors roster he would’ve still won the finals
With KD maybe. He’ll I could’ve done that. Not the other two championships though. Kerr was the final piece though. He unleashed Curry and unlocked Green
I’d always hope JVG would get another opportunity but is Portland really worth it.
He did and choked in Houston.
I like McCain not sure why they gave up on him so soon
What an idiot. You got the coach everyone wants except for you. Some of the coaches you want are not that cheap.
Great move if it happens
Told you all ( so far)
Dear god why would anyone want JVG as coach
Jeff Van Gundy? Geez, is Patrick Ewing available too?