Mike Yam: What are some of the changes you expect to make this offseason?
We made a big trade and we knew that would be a disruption.
Players we gave up could create their own play. Probably had too many that could create their own play when we had Artest. Thought we were good at one point, but not great. Got back players that fit in, but not enough players to create their own plays. Players they have now have a chance to be really good with more playmakers. Really hurt by Marquis Daniels injury. Believes Larry's 3 year rule is probably correct. Today's announcement is the start of putting the last 3 years behind them and now get a new coach and put together a much better team.
Kenny Smith: Do you get better through draft or free agency? What's the time frame - long term or short term?
I've been here 21 years. Now Bird will be taking over the reigns of the basketball for the most part. If they can put together a trade that will make them better immediately they'll do it. See what's out there and what we can do. If you give up a major player for great draft picks, then you're saying it will take longer. Going in, they want to win right away because there aren't any dynasties in the east. Had a chance to win a championship in the brawl year, but trouble afterwards, mainly due to player issues. We want to put it behind us. We've traded two players involved in those things. Move forward.
Yam: Build around Jermaine O'neal?
If that's our best option. If we can get players that fit in with what we've got now and can make us much better, then we'll do that. If there is a better option in another direction, that's the way we'll go.
Yam: So there's a possibility Jermaine isn't with the team if there are better deals?
I'm not going to sit here and say we're going to trade Jermaine O'Neal. There's nobody we wouldn't trade if the end result is making the team better and that's been true forever.
Kenny: In the East there is the possibility to move from 9-10 to 2-3 very quickly, so that might make some encourage by the changes, rather than discouraged.
We've got 12 players coming back. Sometimes when you're really starting over it's going to take you some years and you can't get in that mix. We've got enough good players here that if we put some good players around them we can make a dramatic improvement and get back pretty quickly. On the other hand, if there's a trade that's going to get you a draft choice that could be good for you in the future, then you may have to do that and you're not in the mix right away, but you would be in the future.
Yam: Character issues? Would you still make those deals if those guys didn't have off the court issues?
I'm not sure. Both guys had gotten to the point where they weren't happy here and in my mind it wasn't good for them to be here. It was a combination of both things as to why we moved them. But they're both good players and good guys. There's a misnomer about them. They're young guys and they made their mistakes public. Guys need to grow up and learn what stage they're on, but it doesn't mean they have bad character. I'm happy Jack is in GS and doing well. I think he will do well, as will Al. Ronnie, I hope he does well if he stays in Sacramento, or wherever he ends up.
Kenny: Do you look at character when you're picking players or do you just look at guys who fit in from a basketball standpoint and we can help them down the road if he has off the court issues?
I've always wanted guys that were "pros". In my first 15 years we I had great pros. All of the sudden you're getting younger guys and you can see the warts. You see that the kid doesn't get it, but you're optimistic that you can help him if you put him in the right environment. Sometimes that works and sometimes it doesn't. If you're asking me what'd I'd be looking for now, I'm looking for pros. Guys that understand what this is all about, how to do it. Basically know what the position is. With younger guys it takes a while to get to that point. I don't condemn anybody. It's a growing process in the league, and sometimes you can make big mistakes on the way to growing up. We all do.
There's a tendency to condemn guys as having no character if they get in trouble, but I think if I applied that to myself I could've been accused of having no character at different times in my life. We all make mistakes. Unfortunately some of these guys make them in public.
Yam: Is there a timeline to finding the next coach?
No. If you get the right guy right away, boom, you've got a fit. But with the playoffs going on, you want to wait and see who might be available.
Kenny: How many people are on that list?
All levels are on the list. Assistants. Ex-players that want to coach. There are all kinds of lists.
Yam: Any idea what characteristics are you looking for?
Want a guy who understands what the NBA is, what it takes to win in the NBA on both the offensive and defensive sides of the court. A guy that has the full capacity to manage a pro locker room and to make it very clear from the very beginning that this is what we're about, this is what we put up with and what we don't put up with. Want a good manager, a guy that knows how to coach and a guy that has a real good feel for the NBA, because this is a different league than other leagues.
Jabber Jabber Jabber
Kenny: All I'm going to say is "Brandon Wright"......
We made a big trade and we knew that would be a disruption.
Players we gave up could create their own play. Probably had too many that could create their own play when we had Artest. Thought we were good at one point, but not great. Got back players that fit in, but not enough players to create their own plays. Players they have now have a chance to be really good with more playmakers. Really hurt by Marquis Daniels injury. Believes Larry's 3 year rule is probably correct. Today's announcement is the start of putting the last 3 years behind them and now get a new coach and put together a much better team.
Kenny Smith: Do you get better through draft or free agency? What's the time frame - long term or short term?
I've been here 21 years. Now Bird will be taking over the reigns of the basketball for the most part. If they can put together a trade that will make them better immediately they'll do it. See what's out there and what we can do. If you give up a major player for great draft picks, then you're saying it will take longer. Going in, they want to win right away because there aren't any dynasties in the east. Had a chance to win a championship in the brawl year, but trouble afterwards, mainly due to player issues. We want to put it behind us. We've traded two players involved in those things. Move forward.
Yam: Build around Jermaine O'neal?
If that's our best option. If we can get players that fit in with what we've got now and can make us much better, then we'll do that. If there is a better option in another direction, that's the way we'll go.
Yam: So there's a possibility Jermaine isn't with the team if there are better deals?
I'm not going to sit here and say we're going to trade Jermaine O'Neal. There's nobody we wouldn't trade if the end result is making the team better and that's been true forever.
Kenny: In the East there is the possibility to move from 9-10 to 2-3 very quickly, so that might make some encourage by the changes, rather than discouraged.
We've got 12 players coming back. Sometimes when you're really starting over it's going to take you some years and you can't get in that mix. We've got enough good players here that if we put some good players around them we can make a dramatic improvement and get back pretty quickly. On the other hand, if there's a trade that's going to get you a draft choice that could be good for you in the future, then you may have to do that and you're not in the mix right away, but you would be in the future.
Yam: Character issues? Would you still make those deals if those guys didn't have off the court issues?
I'm not sure. Both guys had gotten to the point where they weren't happy here and in my mind it wasn't good for them to be here. It was a combination of both things as to why we moved them. But they're both good players and good guys. There's a misnomer about them. They're young guys and they made their mistakes public. Guys need to grow up and learn what stage they're on, but it doesn't mean they have bad character. I'm happy Jack is in GS and doing well. I think he will do well, as will Al. Ronnie, I hope he does well if he stays in Sacramento, or wherever he ends up.
Kenny: Do you look at character when you're picking players or do you just look at guys who fit in from a basketball standpoint and we can help them down the road if he has off the court issues?
I've always wanted guys that were "pros". In my first 15 years we I had great pros. All of the sudden you're getting younger guys and you can see the warts. You see that the kid doesn't get it, but you're optimistic that you can help him if you put him in the right environment. Sometimes that works and sometimes it doesn't. If you're asking me what'd I'd be looking for now, I'm looking for pros. Guys that understand what this is all about, how to do it. Basically know what the position is. With younger guys it takes a while to get to that point. I don't condemn anybody. It's a growing process in the league, and sometimes you can make big mistakes on the way to growing up. We all do.
There's a tendency to condemn guys as having no character if they get in trouble, but I think if I applied that to myself I could've been accused of having no character at different times in my life. We all make mistakes. Unfortunately some of these guys make them in public.
Yam: Is there a timeline to finding the next coach?
No. If you get the right guy right away, boom, you've got a fit. But with the playoffs going on, you want to wait and see who might be available.
Kenny: How many people are on that list?
All levels are on the list. Assistants. Ex-players that want to coach. There are all kinds of lists.
Yam: Any idea what characteristics are you looking for?
Want a guy who understands what the NBA is, what it takes to win in the NBA on both the offensive and defensive sides of the court. A guy that has the full capacity to manage a pro locker room and to make it very clear from the very beginning that this is what we're about, this is what we put up with and what we don't put up with. Want a good manager, a guy that knows how to coach and a guy that has a real good feel for the NBA, because this is a different league than other leagues.
Jabber Jabber Jabber
Kenny: All I'm going to say is "Brandon Wright"......
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