And the new assistant coach is...

by Mike Prada on Jul 24, 2007 2:26 PM EDT in Coaching

Press release is there. I'll have more later, but today's a busy day at work. For now, this is the reaction thread.

Ayers has been a head coach before with the Philadelphia 76ers, and while he wasn't very successful, he does have some quality experience. As a backup option, he doesn't seem that bad to me. He's definitely a defensive guy, having been an assistant for the Larry Brown/Allen Iverson teams that consistently finished in the top 5 in defensive efficiency.

More later, but this is your reaction thread.

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Ummm.....

I'm struck with an overwhelming feeling of... meh. Seems good enough to me, not a knock me out of my socks signing, but bad either. I'm not sure if he had as much to do with the defense of those Sixers teams as Larry Brown did, but it is good to have a defensive minded coach on the roster (finally).

by mamemimo on Jul 24, 2007 2:55 PM EDT reply actions

No edit button.

That's supposed to say "...but NOT bad either..."

by mamemimo on Jul 24, 2007 2:55 PM EDT up reply actions

I'm OK With It

I agree that it's hard to rate the guy by his 76ers experience alone, but I found the following information comforting:

Having joined the Magic as an assistant coach on June 10, 2005, Ayers saw the Magic cut the opposition's scoring from 101.8 points per game in the season prior to his hire, to 96.0 ppg in his first season in Orlando and 94.0 ppg last year.

That's a good indication of his effect on the defense of a team. If he can cut the Wizards' opponents' scoring by 5.8 ppg this season, he will have been a major success.

"It's OK for the Bullets to trade baskets, as long as they can score on their end." -- Words of wisdom from Phil Chenier

by cuppettcj on Jul 24, 2007 3:32 PM EDT up reply actions

Orlando's Defensive Efficiency rankings

(Because they're more accurate than raw points).

From Basketball Reference.

2004/05: 18th
2005/06: 22nd
2006/07: 7th

Interesting that they only improved in Ayers' last year. Perhaps he didn't have as big a role as it seemed.

You know you'll get devoured by Cheaney, Wallace, and Juwan Howard.

by Mike Prada on Jul 24, 2007 3:42 PM EDT up reply actions

Or Maybe

... it takes a full season to learn his defensive system. Not good if we're expecting an immediate improvement this season.

"It's OK for the Bullets to trade baskets, as long as they can score on their end." -- Words of wisdom from Phil Chenier

by cuppettcj on Jul 24, 2007 4:27 PM EDT up reply actions

I'll take a look at this a little more

But yeah, it could definitely be either one.

Interesting note. During the one year Ayers was a head coach for part of the time, the Sixers were 10th in defensive efficiency. Their problem was the offense, not the defense.

http://basketball-reference.com/teams/PHI/2004.html

You know you'll get devoured by Cheaney, Wallace, and Juwan Howard.

by Mike Prada on Jul 24, 2007 4:30 PM EDT up reply actions

How often are your socks knocked off...

...by the hiring of an assistant coach. I remember Ayers and he seems fine to me.

www.dcprosportsreport.com

by Spence on Jul 24, 2007 3:28 PM EDT reply actions

Touche.

by mamemimo on Jul 24, 2007 4:03 PM EDT up reply actions

Usually, yes

But I do think this it's significant here. Remember, the relationship between Ernie, Eddie, and Eddie's assistants is murky at best, so we very likely could be looking at our future coach if things go wrong. Combine that with our desperate need for a defensive assistant, and this hire could make a dent on the team's style (key word, "could").

It's more significant than your run of the mill assistant coach style.

You know you'll get devoured by Cheaney, Wallace, and Juwan Howard.

by Mike Prada on Jul 24, 2007 5:44 PM EDT up reply actions

Eh ...

It's better than hiring Bill Berry.

by miestersean on Jul 24, 2007 3:41 PM EDT reply actions

WHY DIDNT THEY JUST HIRE

me?

by kdp922 on Jul 24, 2007 8:33 PM EDT reply actions

He is just an asst. coach...

and he is not even the lead asst coach...his impact will not be major and no one should think it would be. He is not going to come in and teach some new defensive scheme that has not been seen in the NBA before. This is basketball, and there is just so much you can do with schemes to improve your team's defensive play. The most important thing the Wizards need to do is sell playing D to the Big 3...if those 3 guys start playing defense (everyone in the NBA has the physical ability to play decent defense....it is mostly a mental mindset) then the rest of the team will fall into place. That is something EJ has to get done, not some asst coach that is just coming aboard. He (Ayers) will provide individual help to players that ask, but if the team does not buy into playing D, one guy playing defense can only do so much if the rest of the team does not give effort. If EJ does not sell the Big 3 on playing decent defense this year, he will not be around long...JMTC

by LoneWiz54 on Jul 25, 2007 7:03 AM EDT reply actions

I Somewhat Disagree

When you say that anyone in the NBA can play decent defense, I agree with that. But I don't think it's simply a matter of getting in the right "mental mindset".

Remember the first Portland game? Gilbert said he played tight because Eddie was stressing defense so much that he was afraid he'd miss a defensive assignment. Furthermore, in almost every press conference Eddie would talk about the importance of playing better defense. My point is that defense has always been a priority for Eddie, yet he seems incapable of actually coaching it.

I think defense in the NBA is a whole lot more than just each player telling himself, "I'm going to play tough defense this possession!" It's about assignments. It's knowing who to cover and when. It's knowing when to leave your man to double-team, when not to double-team, and where to position yourself on the court. Coaching, in my opinion, is the single most important factor when it comes to defense.

If Gregg Popovich became the Head Coach of the Wizards, I promise you the Wizards would instantly get better on defense. It wouldn't be because he knows how to motivate players nearly as much as it would be because he knows how to coach defense. Every player who plays under him knows what his assignment is and knows where to be on the court at any given time. His defensive system works, and I think it would work to some degree no matter which team he was coaching.

"It's OK for the Bullets to trade baskets, as long as they can score on their end." -- Words of wisdom from Phil Chenier

by cuppettcj on Jul 25, 2007 9:47 AM EDT up reply actions

When I say everyone in the NBA can play

defense, I mean that physically everyone has the tools to play defense at a certain level, just like they have the basketball tools to play in the NBA on a certain level. You wrote

<<Remember the first Portland game? Gilbert said he played tight because Eddie was stressing defense so much that he was afraid he'd miss a defensive assignment. Furthermore, in almost every press conference Eddie would talk about the importance of playing better defense. My point is that defense has always been a priority for Eddie, yet he seems incapable of actually coaching it.>>

That is what I mean. GA knows how to play defense, it is just not a priority to him right now because EJ does not make it a priority. Just him saying it is a priority is not enough..if he benched GA for not playing defense like he benches Haywood for not playing to his standards then maybe the mindset of the team about defense would change. Of course if he did that he would not be coaching this team for very long also : ) EJ has to change the mindset of the Big 3 about defense for this team's defense to improve. Those 3 are the leaders, they get the most playing time and they are some of the worst defensive players on the team. Yes I agree matchups also play a part, but Wizards defensive matchups will always be mis-matched because team is undersized and not athletic..but hopefully that changes this year with the rookies coming aboard.

by LoneWiz54 on Jul 25, 2007 10:00 AM EDT up reply actions

Gil Does Need to Improve

I agree that Gilbert in particular needs to improve his mindset. When he said that he wants to improve his defensive play this off-season, he was basically admitting that he wasn't giving 100% on the defensive end.

I don't think that's the case for most of the Wizards. I think most of Wizards tried hard on defense, but their system just didn't work. My biggest complaint wasn't guys letting opponents drive past them, it was failing to rotate to the open man after a double-team, leaving an NBA shooter wide open time and time again. It was painful to watch how many wide open jump shots the Wizards gave up. They must have led the league in wide open shots allowed.

I think if Eddie were smart, he'd realize his limitations (Michael Ruffin syle!) and defer defensive coaching to someone who actually knows how to coach defense. Kind of like how Joe Gibbs defers to his coordinators for the Redskins. If Eddie sticks to what he does best (coaching the Princeton offense) and defers to Randy Ayers for defense, I think the Wizards could significantly improve this season.

"It's OK for the Bullets to trade baskets, as long as they can score on their end." -- Words of wisdom from Phil Chenier

by cuppettcj on Jul 25, 2007 10:18 AM EDT up reply actions

I agree...But not only does EJ

need to defer on defense, he also needs to learn

how to rotate players, when to rotate them for offense and defense.
Develop young Bigs...if he does not let the young Bigs play through their mistakes during the season, Wizards will never advance any further in the playoffs than they have recently.

If Ruffin is on the roster next season...

by LoneWiz54 on Jul 25, 2007 12:07 PM EDT reply actions

Michael Ruffin

Don't worry, even though I admired Michael Ruffin's spirited play, even I agree that there is no room for him now that the Wizards have seriously upgraded their bench. There are only two roster spots left for the Wizards to fill, and Andray Blatche, Dominic McGuire, and another center are still needed to be signed. All the Ruffin-haters need not worry about seeing him in a Wizards uniform next season.

"It's OK for the Bullets to trade baskets, as long as they can score on their end." -- Words of wisdom from Phil Chenier

by cuppettcj on Jul 25, 2007 12:14 PM EDT up reply actions

As long as

EJ can't figure out how to get Gil and Caron some rest, I don't want them focusing on defense.
If their minutes weren't over 40 minutes every game then I'd say yes, but it is almost impossible to give max offensive effort and not rest on defense. There are only a couple lead players in the league that are in shape enough to play lead on offense and give heavy effort on defense.

Get Gil some rest and his defense will improve.

by kdp922 on Jul 25, 2007 12:55 PM EDT reply actions

That Will Happen

As I have said before, Ernie has made a huge commitment to upgrading the bench this off-season. The Wizards now have solid, talented backups at every position. I expect Eddie to use his bench a lot more often this upcoming season.

"It's OK for the Bullets to trade baskets, as long as they can score on their end." -- Words of wisdom from Phil Chenier

by cuppettcj on Jul 25, 2007 1:04 PM EDT up reply actions

We can hope...

...but I think EJ will resort to his crutch of playing the Big 3 as much as possible. Except for the short period when he takes everyone out and our play comes to a grinding halt.

by mamemimo on Jul 25, 2007 2:18 PM EDT up reply actions

Every position?

Um, what about the black hole that we in DC commonly refer to as the Center?

by sierradave on Jul 25, 2007 2:19 PM EDT up reply actions

The statement remains true

We have talented backups at center...just no good starters.

You know you'll get devoured by Cheaney, Wallace, and Juwan Howard.

by Mike Prada on Jul 25, 2007 2:20 PM EDT up reply actions

I'll buy this.

Etan and Brendan aren't bad as backups. They're just overpayed and overplayed.

by mamemimo on Jul 25, 2007 4:13 PM EDT up reply actions

Center TBD

I expect Ernie will only trade Brendan or Etan if he can acquire a talented center to take his place through trade or free agency. Hopefully, the center we have left after we dump either Brendan or Etan will be the backup.

"It's OK for the Bullets to trade baskets, as long as they can score on their end." -- Words of wisdom from Phil Chenier

by cuppettcj on Jul 25, 2007 4:50 PM EDT up reply actions

Cap room?

I still think Ernie will dump either of them for cap room.

by mamemimo on Jul 25, 2007 4:53 PM EDT up reply actions

Yes, But Cap Room to Use

My point is that he would dump them for luxury tax room only if he can use that room to sign another center. I seriously doubt he would go into the season with only one true center on the roster. That would be suicide.

"It's OK for the Bullets to trade baskets, as long as they can score on their end." -- Words of wisdom from Phil Chenier

by cuppettcj on Jul 25, 2007 5:27 PM EDT reply actions