New Orleans Pelicans hire Stan Van Gundy

LAhotsauce said
I think this one is the social media/podcast era where players tend to be loose canons more. Jaxson Hayes has his little episode last year about the rookie all star game. Plus there's been more juice to players playing a stronger hand in their own free agency. Even more than when Lebron did it with Clev to Miami a decade ago.

The Shaq thing is just a rumor. SVG "resigned" after a cool start to the 2005 year in Miami. A year after he led them to 59 wins and a trip to the ECF. Then it was a repeat in Orlando. After he guided them to consecutive 59 win seasons, a trip to the finals and ECF.

So again clearly, this man can coach. He can coach his arse off. But then after all that success, something happens and he's let go. As if everyone is cool with his coaching style as long as they are winning. But as soon as the winning cools down just a bit, things seem to sour faster than it should. After he clearly seems like a franchise, 10 year tenure guy.

Yeah, I grant that it's not a slam dunk and that your point should be well taken. It's hard to tell, but with the Heat, that move was all Riley imo. Riley has done well getting good players who play well together in Miami, but his track record in hiring coaches before bringing Spolestra on was spotty at best.

Orlando, that was pretty much Howard saying SVG has to go or he goes. SVG gets canned and then Howard ends up out anyway. That whole thing was poorly handled by the Magic front office. They really haven't been the same since.

So yeah, SVG not having some staying power is concerning, but his coaching ability I think is enough to alleviate that concern to some degree. Time will tell I guess.