Trail Blazers hire McMillan

[Porter]

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) -- Nate McMillan is leaving the Seattle SuperSonics to coach the Portland Trail Blazers.

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This is a complete shock to me considering hes been a Sonic forever. WHY THE JAIL BLAZERS. Heads are going to roll in Portland, that means you Miles.

[realmofotalk]

Nate must think he took Ray Allen and Co. as far into the playoffs as he could. Now that Ray is re-signed, Nate bolted like Lou Piniella did with the M's.

[realmofotalk]

By the way, you got the night off, Porter?

[Porter]

Yeah i have the night off. Im pretty miffed about the McMillian signing to the Jail Blazers.

[RockSports17]

I expected it. If Sonics and McMillian wanted to stay together, they would've gotten some type of deal done in the season. It was time for them to part, and McMillian w/ the Blazers is a good fit. I don't think the Trail Blazers are really the Jail Blazers anymore. I think that organization has stepped up, and really cleaned up their look.

[ATLien]

In other coaching news, Milwaukee hired Terry Stotts to be their head coach. Milwaukee also announced they have reached an agreement to re-sign Michael Redd.

[RockSports17]

I'm surprised by the hiring of Stotts by Bucks. Hopefully it works out for them, but there were a few better choices out there for the Bucks at head coach.

[ATLien]

I'm surprised by the hiring of Stotts by Bucks. Hopefully it works out for them, but there were a few better choices out there for the Bucks at head coach.

They were hoping to be able to go after Flip Saunders, but they had to settle for Stotts. I like Stotts as a coach, personally. He was the one George Karl thought they should have replaced him with after he was fired, and Stotts led the lowly Atlanta Hawks to a .500 record when he took over them team mid-season. He shares their philosophy of a fast break offense, which is what fits their personnel. They severelyoverpaid for Michael Redd, though. A max player he is not.

[awefullspellare]

They needed to keep him though or that team is going nowhere. I don't mind them doing it. Redd-Ford-Bogut-Mason is a pretty good 4 players. I think they have a shot at the playoffs.

I don't like McMilan going to the Blazers. I wouldn't want to mess with them although they aren't as bad as they were for a while.

[griffeyfan3]

y in the hell would nate leave a good team and go to a bAD team ? we may never know

[ATLien]

$$$.

They were talking about it on PTI today, and made a great point. If Nate takes less money and shows some loyalty to Seattle, they will probably fire him in the not so distant future anyways because that is the current trend in the league. It's a good move for him to take the money and secure his future. It's a shame Seattle wouldn't pony up, though, because that was such a great situation for Nate with him being there for his whole career as a player and then the team has a solid foundation with Ray, Shard, Vlad, Swift, and now Petro. I can't blame Nate on bit. Take the money before they knock you to the curb.

[RockSports17]

I don't consider Blazers a bad team. They're talented, they just need leadership. Hopefully Nate can provide that and help the young kids out.

As for Stotts. I'm not a huge Stotts fan, Id be surprised to see him lead Bucks to anything more than a 1st or 2nd round exit. I don't see Stotts being the right coach to lead Bucks into the championship. There was a better candidate out there named Eric Musselman. This guy is young and energetic and any team that hires him as HC will be very lucky to have him.

[Porter]

I hope the Sonics go after Paul Silas. Thats just me. Stotts used to be an assistant to Karl. Hes pretty good but that suprised me too. Nate has been an sonic for the last 20 years he needed a change of scenery.

[RockSports17]

I respect Silas, but Silas and the Sonics? I just can't picture it. I predict some respected experienced assistant to be hired by the Sonics. I don't see a big name coach going there.

[ATLien]

Sonics just won 50+ games, re-signed their superstar, and always have great drafts. If they can't get a big name coach, it won't be because they aren't good enough, it will be because of their owners. They lowballed Nate.