Let the Players Decide Udoka’s Fate?

[ozgod]

My big concern is that perhaps most of the players are holding down the fort until their coach comes back. Or perhaps they’re just better under Mazz and he’s who they want. Hopefully the latter. But what if it’s the former? How do you really know unless you share the facts with the players and let them say their piece before making a final decision?

If the facts are as bad as some have given the impression, I’m hoping if they just share the facts with the players, they’ll all agree it’s time to move on from Udoka and then we can do so, and put this all behind us on our way to Banner 18.

We’re number one in the league with an interim coach. Can we really keep this up with a suspended coach and interim coach? Is it not best to fire Udoka when we are number one given that Udoka only landed us at number two last year?

When you work for a company, do you know if your boss will be there permanently or if he will resign, be fired, be promoted or moved elsewhere in the organization? Would it affect your deliverables? The players know two facts: 1) Joe is their coach; and 2) they are trying to get back to the finals and go two games further than they did last season. Those are the only things that should matter.

I'm guessing your post is a response to either Gary Washburn's drum beating that the Cs should take away the interim tag from Joe Mazz and make him permanent, to take any uncertainty away, or to Smart's comments about how quick Ime got a job when the Nets were considering him. I agree they should take the interim tag away and make him permanent. But why do the players need to be asked, or told what Ime did? I'm sure they were asked before Joe Mazz was appointed, knowing that there was a reasonably good chance it would become permanent. That's Brad's job.

The inmates don't run the asylum. Everyone has their lane they stay in that they are good at. Brad's job is to make sure the players have what they need to succeed at their job, which is to try and bring home Banner 18. Now you're asking them to do part of Brad's job and decide Ime's fate?

If the title to your post had been "Move on from Ime and make Joe Mazz the permanent coach and let the players know so everyone has clarity" then I would have agreed with you 100%. They should do that. The only reason they probably haven't is because of legal reasons. But to let the players decide? Setting aside the fact that they may be unable to disclose Ime's specific offenses for (again) legal reasons, that's taking player power much too far.

Incidentally, regarding Smart's comments, I think he was more upset about Ime going to a division competitor so quickly than actually getting another job. I would be upset too 

[Vermont Green]

I don't see how it would work to have the players pick the coach.  I doubt they even want to pick the coach.

The team is doing really great under Mazzulla.  They did really great under Udoka.  The success this season is a continuation of the success last season under Udoka.  I bet even Mazzulla would give some credit to Udoka.  I don't know who the better coach is.  But for now, if it ain't broken, don't fix it. Let's just see how the season goes in it entirety and then have the front office decide who the coach should be going forward.

[footey]

I don't see how it would work to have the players pick the coach.  I doubt they even want to pick the coach.

The team is doing really great under Mazzulla.  They did really great under Udoka.  The success this season is a continuation of the success last season under Udoka.  I bet even Mazzulla would give some credit to Udoka.  I don't know who the better coach is.  But for now, if it ain't broken, don't fix it. Let's just see how the season goes in it entirety and then have the front office decide who the coach should be going forward.

Well, they sort of did pick Udoka, or strongly endorse him to Brad. And it was a great decision at the time. Not now.

[BitterJim]

That's not their job to decide that. That's why Brad gets paid the big bucks and that's why Wyc has the big bucks. The players job is to play, not figure out who they want to have as their coach. What would be the benefit compared to the downside to having them get involved in personnel decisions and decide who they want to coach them? If some vote for Ime to become coach again and some don't and the result goes one way, whoever voted the other way will be wondering which of their teammates voted the other way. Disaster in the making.

If you are an employee in a company do you get to choose who you want as your boss?

I don't see there being a coaching issue. Gary Washburn keeps bringing it up but I think everyone knows that Ime is done with the Cs, he's not coming back. They just don't want to have to run into legal issues by terminating him now.

Honestly Greenly I prefer some of your more out-there trade proposals to this suggestion 

Not only would a split vote be a problem, but even a 15-0 vote in favor of Mazzulla would be a huge insult to him. Why would management even consider that vote if they're happy with Mazzulla? And even if there was a good reason, would you believe it if you were Joe?

[ETNCeltics]

Why not share the facts with the players behind the scenes and let them vote by secret ballot on whether to have Udoka serve out the annual suspension and return to his role, or see if they instead vote to replace Udoka with Mazz?

It is early, but it feels like perhaps our coaching situation could be somewhat akin to when the Patriots moved from Bledsoe to Brady? Mazz has been impressive!

BS should talk to JT & JB about what he's doing, but what the players as a whole think is irrelevant. Management has to make the call, the coach is an extension of the GM & ownership, not an extension of the players. The players pick a coach and you'll eventually wind up with a dysfunctional mess of an organization.

[Big333223]

I think the Brooklyn story put this to bed.

The Celtics were fine with letting him walk, all reporting was saying Brooklyn wanted Udoka, Brooklyn did a little more digging, and Brooklyn hired Jacque Vaughn. There was some weirdness amongst the players when it looked like Udoka was just going to get another job but now that a second team has passed on him, I think that probably solidified the organization's decision to the players to some degree.

As in, the players might not still have the details but at least another team came to the same conclusion.