Should Tony DiLeo be back as coach of the 76ers?
There are good reasons he should not. Sure, his record was 32-27 after taking over from Mo Cheeks. But that record also reflects the fact that Elton Brand went down a couple of games into DiLeo’s tenure so we don’t really know if he’d have been able to incorporate Brand into the lineup any better than Cheeks.
Then there’s the reactions of the players themselves when asked about DiLeo. Veteran Theo Ratliff was the first and harshest critic, saying after the debacle of Game 6 that the coach didn’t hold players accountable and that the lackadaisical approach led to basketball of the same sort.
The next day, Andre Iguodala gave a lukewarm endorsement, but didn’t dismiss the idea that the Sixers might need a coach who was tougher than DiLeo is perceived to be.
Donyell Marshall damned with faint praise, saying DiLeo did the best he could under the circumstances and called him the best interim coach this season.
DiLeo, who is an organization wonk, might know the game as well as anyone, but the question for Ed Stefanski now is can he inspire and/or drive the players to be better. Judging from the players words the answer to that is no.
If DiLeo is out, who is in. There are reports, starting Monday from long-time Chicago columnist Sam Smith, that Doug Collins, the former Sixers All-Star, would be interested in the job. Collins, a fomer player and current broadcaster, has coached three teams in the NBA – Chicago, Detroit and Washington. He has an overall winning percentage above .500, but in the playoffs his teams have gone 15-23.
There are other possibilities. Everyone throws around Avery Johnson, Eddie Jordan and Jeff Van Gundy. And in Philadelphia Villanova coach Jay Wright gets mentioned. There are drawbacks to the first three and Wright would have to be foolish to take on the NBA, a place where successful college coaches so often go to fail. here’s a reason only one coach has ever won the NCAA and NBA titles. It’s a players league and coaches used to having everything their way soon lose their teams.
Maybe, for once, the Sixers could think outside the box and hire someone who’s not a retread. One possibility they should explore if they decide to send DiLeo back to the front office is Tom Thibodeau. The longtime NBA assistant, currently in Boston, is known as a defensive whiz and the Sixers surely could use that.
Whatever happens, Stefanski would do well to take his time on this one and get the right guy, at least for now. I don’t buy the sizzle factor. I don’t think fans go to see the coach. But the Sixers need to get this right.