Idea to help us and screw with the Lakers at the same time

[stb]

We all know that Kareem Adbul-Jabbar is not happy with the Lakers...so why not hire him to mentor our team? 
Who wouldn't want to learn from the all-time leading scorer and 6 time MVP? 

[syfy9]

You might as well bring in Magic Johnson and Wilt Chamberlain while your at it.

[Fred Roberts]

Fine by me. Not many were more skilled in the paint than Kareem.

[Marcus13]

Im all for it

[nickagneta]

We wouldn't have to build a statue of him would we?

[Fafnir]

There is no evidence that he's an amazing coach.

Coaching and teaching greatness in others is an entirely different skillset from being a great player yourself.

[erisred]

Why not just have KG take JJ in for a month or two this summer and train him up? But do we have evidence that KG can train up a player?

As for Jabbar, well, I don't care who he played for, if he can teach...but can he teach?

You know some people can do, but they can't teach, some people can't do, but they can teach, and a very few people can both do and teach.  The Celtics need someone to teach/coach the 4/5 positions. That someone needs to be good at training 4/5's, not necessarily someone good at playing 4/5.

[shookones99]

There is no evidence that he's an amazing coach.

Coaching and teaching greatness in others is an entirely different skillset from being a great player yourself.

Well didn't Kareem coach Andrew Bynum for his first few years?  Bynum's definitely got some good skills on offense that he didn't have when he first came into the league.  Although I seem to remember them having a rough ending to that relationship. 

I want Clifford Ray back.  Wasn't he originally let go for health reasons?  He had a bad foot or something that was limiting his ability to coach?  That was like 2 years ago.  His foots gotta be better by now.

[nickagneta]

There is no evidence that he's an amazing coach.

Coaching and teaching greatness in others is an entirely different skillset from being a great player yourself.

Which is why I never get the argument about bringing in young players and that they would learn and get better from KG, Pierce and Ray.

Being around them hasn't seemed to make Big Baby any more mature. It didn't make Giddens or Walker or Erden or Harangody or Mikki Moore any better as players.

Sometimes a smart kid can learn through osmosis, just being around them, stuff like that but that kid has to got to want to learn and have the work ethic that the Big Three have. It doesn't magically happen and the Big Three don't get paid to coach and develop players.

Sorry for the tangent....had to vent.

[GreenFaith1819]

If that opportunity presented itself I'm sure Kareem could help out. I think he would help more than hurt.

But like a few others have mentioned here if I had a choice I'd rather just bring back Clifford Ray.

[Fafnir]

There is no evidence that he's an amazing coach.

Coaching and teaching greatness in others is an entirely different skillset from being a great player yourself.

Which is why I never get the argument about bringing in young players and that they would learn and get better from KG, Pierce and Ray.

Being around them hasn't seemed to make Big Baby any more mature. It didn't make Giddens or Walker or Erden or Harangody or Mikki Moore any better as players.

Sometimes a smart kid can learn through osmosis, just being around them, stuff like that but that kid has to got to want to learn and have the work ethic that the Big Three have. It doesn't magically happen and the Big Three don't get paid to coach and develop players.

Sorry for the tangent....had to vent.

Yeah, conversely though you do hear from players that some veterans help them learn.

Everyone has said KG is willing to teach and talk to a young guy, once. If the young player blows him off, KG won't give him the time of day anymore. That works for KG, but you can't do that as a coach.

Pierce has said good things about Ray teaching him how to eat as he got older to maintain his frame and stay fit. But that doesn't mean young guys are going to stop eating pancakes and pasta because Ray eats healthy.

You have to have a willing teacher and student, or two willing co-workers (Ray & Pierce being similar in stature)

[Fafnir]

There is no evidence that he's an amazing coach.

Coaching and teaching greatness in others is an entirely different skillset from being a great player yourself.

Well didn't Kareem coach Andrew Bynum for his first few years?  Bynum's definitely got some good skills on offense that he didn't have when he first came into the league.  Although I seem to remember them having a rough ending to that relationship. 

I want Clifford Ray back.  Wasn't he originally let go for health reasons?  He had a bad foot or something that was limiting his ability to coach?  That was like 2 years ago.  His foots gotta be better by now.

He coached Bynum for two years I believe, but its hard to say he really helped him much. Bynum had already shown the the signs he was going to be a high level player on both ends of the court by that point.

Meanwhile his attitude and effort have remained inconsistent.

[Yogi]

Forget coaching, the pattern from the last few years indicates he'll be our starting center next season.

[ballin]

There is no evidence that he's an amazing coach.

Coaching and teaching greatness in others is an entirely different skillset from being a great player yourself.

Which is why I never get the argument about bringing in young players and that they would learn and get better from KG, Pierce and Ray.

Being around them hasn't seemed to make Big Baby any more mature. It didn't make Giddens or Walker or Erden or Harangody or Mikki Moore any better as players.

Sometimes a smart kid can learn through osmosis, just being around them, stuff like that but that kid has to got to want to learn and have the work ethic that the Big Three have. It doesn't magically happen and the Big Three don't get paid to coach and develop players.

Sorry for the tangent....had to vent.

I have to agree. The idea that young players can become better individually simply based on who they play with is totally overblown and in most cases simply not true. Unless the young guy makes a conscious effort to learn from the vet AND the vet reciprocates, there's likely not going to be any improvement that could be attributed to the veteran.

And even assuming that the veteran tries to help the young guy out, there's only so much advice he can give. For example, Ray Allen can't simply tell Rondo how to be a better jump shooter. There's no replacement for Rondo just going out there and shooting thousands of jump shots

[BballTim]

There is no evidence that he's an amazing coach.

Coaching and teaching greatness in others is an entirely different skillset from being a great player yourself.

Which is why I never get the argument about bringing in young players and that they would learn and get better from KG, Pierce and Ray.

Being around them hasn't seemed to make Big Baby any more mature. It didn't make Giddens or Walker or Erden or Harangody or Mikki Moore any better as players.

Sometimes a smart kid can learn through osmosis, just being around them, stuff like that but that kid has to got to want to learn and have the work ethic that the Big Three have. It doesn't magically happen and the Big Three don't get paid to coach and develop players.

Sorry for the tangent....had to vent.

  Somewhat related, but some opposing coaches used to bring younger players by the Garden hours before game time and have them watch Bird working out, explaining to them that *that's* the kind of work they should be doing, and if a player as good as Bird worked that hard on improving his game there was no excuse for them not to.