Jerry Sloan: Return to the Bench a Bad Idea for Legendary Coach
While there was absolutely nothing shocking about the Orlando Magic firing lame-duck head coach Stan Van Gundy, the search for his replacement may yield a few surprises of its own.
The legendary Jerry Sloan—formerly of the Utah Jazz—has expressed interest in filling the Magic's coaching vacancy (via FOX Sports Florida's Chris Tomasson):
"“You don’t know what direction that they’re going to go,’’ said Sloan, who coached Malone and star point guard John Stockton with Utah from 1988-2003, leading the Jazz to the NBA Finals in 1997 and 1998. “You have to see what happens with their staff. I’d have to weigh the pluses and minuses. But I’d be interested in listening.’’
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Sloan also has interest in the Charlotte Bobcats gig, telling Tomasson, "It’s not always about starting at the top.’’
Of course, there's something remarkably refreshing about Sloan's attitude. In an age when most coaches with his gravitas would turn their noses up at anything short of an All-Star laden roster, the 70-year-old paragon of his craft simply wants to get back in the game.
There's no doubt this man loves to win, but he loves to win when it really counts even more—not when the victories are served up on a platter lined with superstars.
But as admirable as Sloan's principled approach to the game may be, he doesn't deserve the fallout that would surely come from such an experiment.
The Magic's chances of retaining Dwight Howard for the long term are still anything but certain, even with the change in team leadership. Sloan would oversee a monumental distraction that dwarfs what he faced with star point guard Deron Williams' exit from Utah.
Sloan doesn't need that anymore than Stan Van Gundy did.
Even if Howard stayed in Orlando for the foreseeable future, you can count on the fact that his drama would stay right there with him. When the team comes up short in the postseason, Howard will speculate about greener pastures.
When the front office fails to land the kind of talent Dwight prefers, there will always be another shakeup around the corner.
Sloan would be coaching a sideshow more than an actual team.
It goes without saying the Bobcats would be an equally painful experience, albeit a nightmare of a different genre.
Charlotte suffered through an almost unimaginably bad season this year, and the first-overall selection in June's draft probably wouldn't change that—at least not any time soon.
If Sloan really wants to return to the bench, he should wait for a better opportunity. Even if he needn't start "at the top," there's no reason he should have to start quite so close to the bottom.
