Just saw on ESPN that Thad Motta won't be around as basketball coach next year with Ohio St. Really interesting with how late it was announced.

My theory is they know who they want and it is someone in the NBA who made a deep playoff run.

(06-05-2017 01:11 PM)stever20 Wrote:  Just saw on ESPN that Thad Motta won't be around as basketball coach next year with Ohio St. Really interesting with how late it was announced.

OSU did the same thing when they fired Jim Tressel.

(06-05-2017 01:28 PM)arkstfan Wrote:  My theory is they know who they want and it is someone in the NBA who made a deep playoff run.

Brad Stevens???

(06-05-2017 01:39 PM)stever20 Wrote:  

(06-05-2017 01:28 PM)arkstfan Wrote:  My theory is they know who they want and it is someone in the NBA who made a deep playoff run.

Brad Stevens???

I guess Ohio State could aim for him, but Stevens would be *INSANE* to leave the Celtics situation. They have the freaking #1 pick this year (via one of the most lopsided trades in history with the Nets) after having the #1 seed in the Eastern Conference and Stevens has built up a ton of credibility in the league as a top coaching mind. I can't imagine how it would be a good idea for Stevens to leave.

(06-05-2017 01:28 PM)arkstfan Wrote:  My theory is they know who they want and it is someone in the NBA who made a deep playoff run.

On the other hand, as a Bulls fan, if Ohio State wants to take Fred Hoiberg, I'll pitch in to help with the moving expenses.

If I'm looking at a coach where the jury is still out at the NBA level but is clearly elite at the college level, it would be Billy Donovan. (That would also provide some nice symmetry of Ohio State having hired both football and basketball coaches that beat the Buckeyes in national championship games at Florida.)

Hasn't Thad Motta been going through some health issues the past couple of years; this keeping off the recruiting trail.

(06-05-2017 01:53 PM)Tigeer Wrote:  Hasn't Thad Motta been going through some health issues the past couple of years; this keeping off the recruiting trail.

Bad back and has to wear a brace on one of his legs.

Derek Fisher flipped his car and got a DUI, might be him.

Neat neat neat. Bigger question is, how did this thread get a 'NEWS' tag? It's not hyperlinked so it's not part of the title. Did a Mod come in and tag it as NEWS?

Billy Donovan ?

BTW it's Matta not Motta. Do you guys even sports?

This will have a ripple effect screwing over lots of programs below them this season. A school like OSU can replace a coach this late with a good hire but can the school they take from and the school that school takes from and so on. I would say at least half a dozen seasons are screwed now because of this move if it's not an NBA coach.

Though it would be funny if OSU is just hiring former Florida coaches at this point. Kind of like when Michigan had both former WVU coaches at FB and BBall.

Chris Mack, Sean Miller and/or Buzz Williams are my guesses-- although Billy D. would be that splash hire OSU could make.

(06-05-2017 01:45 PM)Frank the Tank Wrote:  

(06-05-2017 01:39 PM)stever20 Wrote:  

(06-05-2017 01:28 PM)arkstfan Wrote:  My theory is they know who they want and it is someone in the NBA who made a deep playoff run.

Brad Stevens???

I guess Ohio State could aim for him, but Stevens would be *INSANE* to leave the Celtics situation. They have the freaking #1 pick this year (via one of the most lopsided trades in history with the Nets) after having the #1 seed in the Eastern Conference and Stevens has built up a ton of credibility in the league as a top coaching mind. I can't imagine how it would be a good idea for Stevens to leave.

...unless he doesn't enjoy coaching in the NBA. He doesn't seem miserable to me, but that's the only reason I could see him leaving.

Doesn't look like they have any coach in mind yet. Matta is staying on to help in the search. Sounds like his nagging health issue played a role.

http://www.sportingnews.com/ncaa-basketb...bgs4urzb37

(06-05-2017 01:11 PM)stever20 Wrote:  Just saw on ESPN that Thad Motta won't be around as basketball coach next year with Ohio St. Really interesting with how late it was announced.

Matta was hired in July

Donovan is the only NBA coach I see as possible, as his situation is hopeless. But it's obvious there are 6 or 7 coaches who are far better than him in the Western conference. (Popovich; Kerr; Fizdale - look at Conley's development, D'Antoni - look at what he did at Houston and the improvement in using Harden; Carlisle - despite a junk roster; Snider - Hayward and Gobert; probably Walton.) I think he sees the writing on the wall, that OKC is not going anywhere and his reputation is not improving.

Brad Stevens is not going anywhere. It is very likely he will have the #1 team in the east. He has the #1 draft pick, which can be turned into a trade for say Paul George, and $10M in cap space before moving anyone to be serious in the free agent market.If he wanted to leave there are 6 or 7 NBA teams that would fire their current head coaches to get him.

If there was one NBA coach I'd target as Ohio State, it would be Erik Spoelstra. He has done an amazing job, even better than Carlisle, with a junk roster. He would be an amazing guy to have and would transform the culture and program, similar to what Stevens did at Butler, but with far more resources. He is young enough that he could be a Coach K in terms of long term quality development. But that said, Spoelstra is clearly a high end NBA talent.

Besides Donovan, I think Doc Rivers is pretty much at the end of being an effective NBA coach. He showed a lack of imagination with the Clippers, and that team is done. Would not shock me to see Blake Griffin bail and go home to play for OKC. But I can't see River's ego being satisfied in college.

Donovan is the only one who makes any sense, and I would not be happy with his selection. If an NBA assistant is in mind, then who knows. You really have to be inside the game to know which ones could be the next Walton or Spoelstra.

Here's the thing. You say that Boston will likely have the #1 team in the east. Is Lebron retiring? I sure don't think so. As long as he's in Cleveland, it doesn't matter what Boston has. They aren't going to trade the #1 pick for a guy who could easily leave after next year for nothing.

I could see a competitor like Stevens not liking the NBA the way it is now- so top heavy.

(06-05-2017 02:38 PM)stever20 Wrote:  Here's the thing. You say that Boston will likely have the #1 team in the east. Is Lebron retiring? I sure don't think so. As long as he's in Cleveland, it doesn't matter what Boston has. They aren't going to trade the #1 pick for a guy who could easily leave after next year for nothing.

I could see a competitor like Stevens not liking the NBA the way it is now- so top heavy.

Just out of curiosity I looked up Stevens' contact and noted he was only making $3.66M a year. OSU could easily pay more (of course the Celtics are likely to match whatever OSU puts up).

I am curious though why Stevens chose to go to Boston. Sometimes coaches leave the college ranks to go pro because they tire out on recruiting 16 and 17 year olds. If this the case my guess is he is not going to even entertain an offer (although he may use it to leverage a renegotiated contract).

(06-05-2017 02:32 PM)Stugray2 Wrote:  Donovan is the only NBA coach I see as possible, as his situation is hopeless. But it's obvious there are 6 or 7 coaches who are far better than him in the Western conference. (Popovich; Kerr; Fizdale - look at Conley's development, D'Antoni - look at what he did at Houston and the improvement in using Harden; Carlisle - despite a junk roster; Snider - Hayward and Gobert; probably Walton.) I think he sees the writing on the wall, that OKC is not going anywhere and his reputation is not improving.

Brad Stevens is not going anywhere. It is very likely he will have the #1 team in the east. He has the #1 draft pick, which can be turned into a trade for say Paul George, and $10M in cap space before moving anyone to be serious in the free agent market.If he wanted to leave there are 6 or 7 NBA teams that woudl fire their current head coaches to get him.

If there was one NBA coach I'd target as Ohio State, it would be Erik Spoelstra. He has done an amazing job, even better than Carlisle, with a junk roster. He would be ana amazing guy to have and would transform the culture and program, similar to what Stevens did at Butler, but with for more resources. He is young enough that he could be a Coach K interms of long term quality development. But that said, Spoelstra is clearly a high end NBA talent.

Besides Donovan, I think Doc Rivers is pretty much at the end of being an effective NBA coach. He showed a lack of imagination with the Clippers, and that team is done. Would not shock me to see Blake Griffin bail and go home to play for OKC. But I can't see River's ego being satisfied in college.

Donovan is the only one who makes any sense, and I would not be happy with his selection. If an NBA assistant is in mind, then who knows. You really have to be inside the game to know which ones could be the next Walton or Spoelstra.

Rivers will stay in the NBA as long as he can to keep his son Austin employed.