Hoops

Sydney Kings, where to now?

Not really. You can only judge him on the things he did, and he wasn't the one that injured Shawn or Damo or stuck himself with a budget of $5 to field an entire team in Sydney.

The Breakers weren't coached by Rob Beveridge, and are thus pretty irrelevant when considering Beveridge's coaching ability.

Hardly. Perth belted them in NZ in 2011, and it took Braswell hitting two or three terrible shots to send it to a third. Perth handled NZ easily throughout the regular season last year, and with Damo would presumably have won the grand final.

Any chance of luring one of the former NBL players now coaching in US college (as per other thread), someone like John Rillie?

His record at Sydney is pretty irrelevant, given the roster available to him. Beyond that, four years at the Wildcats for first, fourth, second, and second, almost made the grand final despite losing Shawn Redhage mid-season, lost Damian Martin in one grand final and had him at well less than 100% in another...if a few things completely out of his control go the other way, he'd have three titles in four years.

"I think YOU people underestimate the value of a great coach and on court leader"
This is really only true if the players and/or coach are the issue. From the sound of it, the problem at the Kings is in the front office, which the coach can't really do anything about.

<blockquote>But aren't the Kings deluding themselves even mentioning Goorj? No one in the NBL can afford him and I think they are daydreaming so best to forget about any stop gaps and hire someone for the long term.</blockquote> Yes, they are. Hopefully it's all just talk, as if they're stupid enough to think that they can afford him but willing to put an inexperienced head coach in in the meantime with NO guarantee that Goorj would even consider it, my team is in worse shape than I thought... <blockquote>Sigh. I don't think you people understand that culture can't just be bought/brought in overnight.</blockquote> <dramatic sighs> I think YOU people underestimate the value of a great coach and on court leader... That would improve things greatly, but there ARE the problems still of the ownership meddling and lack of decent management. Hopefully a decent coach (and his stipulations that he has final say on his roster) would alleviate this need to fiddle, but fixing the management problem is another issue that is much much harder...

Sigh. I don't think you people understand that culture can't just be bought/brought in overnight.

Why would Martin even consider moving from Perth? He can move for 'family' reasons after his career if he wants. Sydney has such a poor culture it would be crazy for someone ingrained in the Perth culture to even contemplate leaving. I love how you Syd fans assume that someone will always want to move back 'home' to Sydney.

He can move for "family reasons" whenever he feels like it, not on YOUR reasoning, actually... He might have stronger family ties than some and with little family members coming along and maybe wanting to settle down and have a family of his own in the next few seasons (as some of his teammates are now doing) then he COULD think that now is a good time to move... I'm not saying that it's a lock, or even a good chance, I'm saying that it's a selling point and needs to be approached that way...

Wilson Sting... you are getting a bit defensive about this. Damian and Bevo could completely change the Kings culture almost overnight (if they choose to come).

Exactly... they're the top two recruits in my opinion for their off court work as well as on court... All it needs is for the management to trust that Bevo knows what he's doing and actually spend money on the things that help an organisation, instead of throwing money at an ex-NBA "star". I'm all for exciting players being in the NBL, but as has been discussed many times previously, there are a lot of flashy players out there for those that are willing to look...

Why would Martin even consider moving from Perth? He can move for 'family' reasons after his career if he wants. Sydney has such a poor culture it would be crazy for someone ingrained in the Perth culture to even contemplate leaving. I love how you Syd fans assume that someone will always want to move back 'home' to Sydney.

Bevo to Kings - i'm not saying it again...

Damien Cotter to be announced as coach shortly I am hearing...

I appreciate the need to move quickly, but unless the top ten candidates have said no, then this is not the right way to go about forming a winning culture. Nothing against the quality of junior coach that he is, but he's a junior coach.

The Kings should be throwing the bank at Bevo and Damo (only one being subject to a salary cap) and see the rest of the team fill in behind them. If they're just hiring Cotter because they think that they can get Gorj down the track and just want someone to fill in for a season, (this "caretaker coach" bullshit article was REALLY worrying and I hope taken completely out of context!) then that just shows the problem with this organisation isn't Hammer, it isn't the players, it's the management and the rot is coming all the way from the top down...

Quality players want to play for a quality coach, no argument. We've had two coaches since the return that have been inexperienced at NBL level, look where it's gotten us.

Just like every man and his dog screaming it from the rooftops that you don't sack your ONLY PG, this decision will also be widely and frequently ridiculed and come back to bite them in the arse when they can't get a decent team together and once again don't win more games then they lose and more punters walk out the door...

Bevo to Kings!!

@bowtie - I think he's currently coaching at his basketball academy.

The Kings would be disappointed with their season. They offered so much and at times delivered so little.

When you compare them against other teams:

v Perth: probably as much talent? But were well and truly whipped 0-4 losing by an average of 17 ppg
v Adelaide: 3-1 with all aces. Definitely the bogey side of the Sixers
v Melbourne: 3-1 Once again, had them covered
v 'Gong: 0-4 losing by an average of 10. Gordie out foxing Hammer.
(6-10 against the top 4 teams)

v Cairns: 3-1
v Breakers: 1-3
v Crocs: 2-2
(6-6 against the bottom teams)