Firing Byron Scott
It’s hard to see how firing Byron Scott is supposed to solve the New Orleans Hornets’ problems. Looking at them over the summer, they were getting ready to go to war with Chris Paul, the best point guard in the league and arguably the best overall player. He was backed up by Emeka Okafor, who’s very good and a totally plausible second-best guy on a good team. David West is fine. Posey was fine, too, but a bit past his prime. But Peja’s no good anymore. And yet he’s playing 25 minutes per game because who else is going to play? Devin Brown? Darius Songaila? When Okafor comes out, he’s backed up by Hilton Armstrong.
There’s just way too many terrible players on this team. Paul, Okafor, and a bunch of average guys could make the playoffs. But these are not average guys. Morris Peterson is shooting .341 from the field and .269 from three point land.
58 Responses to “Firing Byron Scott”
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November 12th, 2009 at 3:18 pm
Emeka Okafor has never been “very good” nor has he ever shown himself to be a “plausible second-best guy.”
November 12th, 2009 at 3:31 pm
I guess it sort of depends on who the first-best guy on the team is. Okafor could be the second-best guy on the Cavs; he’s actually a pretty good fit for them if you don’t consider his ridiculous salary. He could be the second-best guy on the Lakers, though they would probably become worse than they are now.
This is kind of an interesting question, actually. How many teams would be improved by replacing their second-best guy with Emeka Okafor?
November 12th, 2009 at 3:41 pm
I gave up on caring about the NBA. Until they clean up the officiating, it’s a mess.
November 12th, 2009 at 3:42 pm
How ’bout Chris Paul and LeBron James both playing next year for D’Antoni in KnickerBockerLand. Sounds pretty good, doesn’t it?
November 12th, 2009 at 3:48 pm
Being a Bobcats fan, I can tell you that Okafor is certainly not a very good option to be the 2nd best on a team. However, he is a huge upgrade from Tyson Chandler who, put simply, can’t put a ball in the hoop.
It definitely isn’t Byron Scott’s fault though. That roster is loaded with poor decisions (namely Peja, Posey, Peterson). He’ll find a job elsewhere, at least.
November 12th, 2009 at 3:55 pm
I think it says something about the letdown that is David West’s game over these past couple years that you consider Okafor their second best player. But anyway, your team is in pretty big trouble if Okafor’s your second best guy. He’s an above-average starting center in a league where that’s a very scarce commodity, but that’s about all you can say for him.
The larger point is correct – this is a VERY bad team after the top 3 guys. Devin Brown and Mo Peet would be the centerpieces of my All-He’s-Still-in-the-NBA? team, and Peja is headed there too.
November 12th, 2009 at 3:57 pm
Byron – come back to New Jersey!
Anyway, I like the part where the GM is taking on the head coaching job. He’s the guy who acquired all those crappy contracts, let him coach them.
Seriously, Peja, Posey, Peterson, and Songaila are making a combined $30 million this year. You can’t win when that much money is squandered.
November 12th, 2009 at 3:57 pm
Emeka Okafor is not at all a good player.
November 12th, 2009 at 3:58 pm
I like the move. It seemed like that team quit on Scott last year. Remember, they were the 2 seed in a loaded West just the year before last, and somehow losing Jannero Pargo and Tyson Chandler while adding James Posey and Okafor has led them to slip this substantially? That doesn’t seem to add up.
I’ll blame it on Scott. And NBA coaches are disposable anyway. Unless they’re Phil Jackson, Popovich or Jerry Sloan, you just have to get a few good years out of them and dump them.
November 12th, 2009 at 3:59 pm
It’s funny, BTW, that just a couple of years ago when the Hornets signed Posey everyone thought it was such a great signing, given what he had done in helping the Celtics. Turns out you shouldn’t make decisions based on one playoff run!
November 12th, 2009 at 4:00 pm
Deep thought: remember how the Nets started blatantly tanking games to get Scott fired, then proved they were tanking by rattling off like 13 straight wins as soon as Lawrence Frank took over?
I haven’t seen a lot of the Hornets this year, but does it look to anyone like they quit on him?
November 12th, 2009 at 4:01 pm
Leaving out the Okafor as #2 question, there is something missing from this post. The Hornets have a crappy roster because their owner is currently the worst owner in the NBA. He has no interest in having good players on his team. No wonder Paul is testy these days.
November 12th, 2009 at 4:01 pm
Turns out you shouldn’t make decisions based on one playoff run!
I used to call this the Tyronn Lue theory, but I think the Jerome James theory or Tim Thomas theory is just as apt.
November 12th, 2009 at 4:08 pm
Ape Man: Okafor would not even start for the Lakers. He might be the 6th best player on the Lakers, behind Kobe, Pau, Odom, Bynum, Artest. He is undersized, but rebounds well, and plays nice defense. His offensive game is very limited, and he never should have been given his contract.
As for Byron Scott, I am a big fan of his (Lakers, obviously), but it was pretty apparent that his team had tuned him out. They were not playing hard for him, and by reports, Chris Paul did not want to play for him anymore. Coaches only matter when they are very good (Phil Jackson, Popovich, Riley), or when the team just stops playing for them (Dunleavy, Scott).
The Hornets do not have enough talent to compete in the West. Their draft picks have not panned out, which seems to be an indictment of their philosophy to draft big upside athletes. High risk, high reward. But, of course, their real problem was the bad contracts given to Peja and Posey.
November 12th, 2009 at 4:15 pm
The Hornets have a crappy roster because their owner is currently the worst owner in the NBA. He has no interest in having good players on his team.
How do you figure?
It’s not like he is reluctant to shell out money – the team is over the luxury tax threshold already!
The problem is that the GM has spent a lot of money on players who aren’t worth it – like Peja (at $13+ million this season).
November 12th, 2009 at 4:25 pm
Just to pile on the Okafor-is-not-good bandwagon, look at teams in the West with players who you would not trade straight up for Emeka Okafor:
Lakers: Kobe, Pau, Odom
Nuggets: Billups, Melo, Nene
Spurs: Duncan, Parker, Ginobili (possibly Jefferson)
Mavs: Nowitzki, Howard, Jason Terry
Jazz: Deron Williams, Paul Milsap
Blazers: Roy, Aldridge (Oden?)
Suns: Nash, Amare, (Leandro Barbosa?)
Seriously, the fact that Okafor can be considered their second best player is basically a proxy for them being nothing close to a contending team in the West.
November 12th, 2009 at 4:28 pm
The Hornets’ roster sucks, but saying Chris Paul is “arguably” the best overall player in the league is like saying Rush Limbaugh is “arguably” the most insightful commentator in today’s politics.
Mike
November 12th, 2009 at 4:29 pm
In professional sports, you can’t fire the players so to make a statement, you fire the coach.
I think its a little early to write off the Hornets. There is some talent there. David West is the second best player – not Okafur, but Okafur is pretty good when he’s not injured which is often. They’re weak at off guard (I’m not A Peterson fan) and their bench is iffy. Peja has been declining for years but there’s still a little gas left in the tank.
No way in hell they get out of the first round, but the playoffs are still a (remote)possibility.
November 12th, 2009 at 4:33 pm
Chris Paul, the best point guard in the league and arguably the best overall player
Hilarious. Love to see the argument that Paul is the best overall player. It’s long been clear that you know very little about NBA basketball, but this statement may take the cake.
November 12th, 2009 at 4:39 pm
My understanding is that Chris Paul didn’t get along well with Byron Scott. That alone was good enough reason to fire him. I’m not saying players should always get their way over coaches, but a great player is worth upwards of 25 wins. It’s harder to calculate what a coach is worth, but, generally speaking, there is little evidence that the marginal difference between an average coach and a great one is more than a few wins. So if you’re choosing between the star player and the average coach, it’s a no-brainer.
November 12th, 2009 at 4:40 pm
You’ve never heard anyone argue that Chris Paul is the best player in the NBA? What are you, posting from inside a coma?
November 12th, 2009 at 4:46 pm
“Chris Paul, … arguably the best overall player.”
Confirmed: you know nothing about basketball.
November 12th, 2009 at 4:47 pm
Emeka Okafor, who’s very good and a totally plausible second-best guy on a good team. David West is fine.
To pile on here, the mistake Matt is making is switching the names. David West is very good and a totally plausible second-best guy on a good team… just like he was two years ago! Emeka Okafor is no better than “fine”.
November 12th, 2009 at 4:48 pm
Chris Paul is better then Lebron James and Kobe Bryant? Cut me a break.
November 12th, 2009 at 4:54 pm
“Turns out you shouldn’t make decisions based on one playoff run!”
Jerome James begs to differ.
Also, Matt’s not saying that Paul’s the best player in the NBA. He’s saying that he’s part of the conversation (with Wade, maybe Howard, maybe Kobe milling about beneath LeBron). That’s just obvious.
November 12th, 2009 at 4:55 pm
It has the advantage of letting the fans focus all their hate on one person.
November 12th, 2009 at 4:57 pm
They ought to trade Peja for Steven Jackson. The Warriors would likely jump at the chance to swap Jax for an expiring contract, even if the deal is extremely lopsided talent-wise.
November 12th, 2009 at 5:04 pm
Turns out you shouldn’t make decisions based on one playoff run!
I used to call this the Tyronn Lue theory, but I think the Jerome James theory or Tim Thomas theory is just as apt.
You could say the same for Trevor Ariza. We’ll have to see how that goes.
November 12th, 2009 at 5:05 pm
cube,
I’d remove the ? on Oden and Barborasa, and likely add at least one player from every team:-)
Seriously Matt way overrated Okafer
November 12th, 2009 at 5:08 pm
The Hornets should have Chris Paul taken away from them by the NBA, and the owners should be fined and flogged for wasting his talent. And no one has mentioned that Scott’s replacement is likely to be….Tim Floyd!! There has got to be some way to punish management and ownership when they behave like this.
Where’s Ike Diogu? He doesn’t address the gaping holes at the wing positions, but he’s better than the rest of the team 4 through 12.
There are also probably 30-40 rookies and cheap free agents that could have been making *some* kind of contribution to the Hornets this year, and New Orleans has none of them.
November 12th, 2009 at 5:15 pm
The Warriors would likely jump at the chance to swap Jax for an expiring contract
Peja is NOT an expiring contract. He’s got another year left at $14+ million (actually a player option, but there’s no way Peja doesn’t exercise it).
November 12th, 2009 at 5:17 pm
It doesn’t matter if you consider David West or Okafor the Hornets’ second-best player. Neither one is good enough. Every contending team in the league has a 2nd-best player who’s better than either of those guys, with the possible exception of the Cavs, and that’s just further proof of LeBron’s awesomeness.
Okafor is a slightly above average center. The game against the Suns last night illustrates his weakness. He’s a good shot-blocker, but he’s undersized and he’s not a particularly good interior defender when he doesn’t block the shot. Amare got tons of wide-open dunks in the half court. I don’t think that happens with Chandler in the middle.
On the other hand, Okafor is better offensively, so the trade was basically a wash, talent-wise. I’d give Okafor the slight edge because he’s better on defense than Chandler is on offense, if that makes any sense.
Last night the ESPN doofi were talking about why the Hornets are worse defensively than they were last year, and Mark Jackson said something like, “effort, desire, they don’t want it as bad.” Um, maybe it’s because they got rid of their best defensive player?
David West is a nice player, but he’s not a good rebounder for a big guy and he doesn’t really defend much. He shoots well from mid-range, but as Matthew pointed out the other day, 2-point jumpers aren’t very good shots. If you can’t score inside and you don’t have 3-point range, the best you’re going to be is David West.
Chris Paul is definitely part of “the conversation” about the best player in the NBA. The top 4 is clearly LeBron, Wade, Paul and Kobe (in that order, in my opinion, although the last 3 could really be in any order), with Howard at the top of the second tier.
November 12th, 2009 at 5:18 pm
My understanding is that Chris Paul didn’t get along well with Byron Scott.
Hmmmm, Byron Scott didn’t get along with his point guard who was the best player on the team? Seems like I’ve heard that story before.
November 12th, 2009 at 5:25 pm
@too many steves
I know it’s fashionable to underrate big guys because they don’t do awesome things like little guys, but doesn’t Howard belong in there like Paul? Sure, he was surrounded by good talent in last year’s playoff run, but his utter dominance on the inside allowed them to run successfully with ‘Shard at PF. His incredible beastliness day in and day out just changes the way the Magic can play, in the same way Paul changes the way his team can play.
November 12th, 2009 at 5:27 pm
PER, Win shares and Adjusted +/- all rank LBJ, D-Wade and CP3 as the top players in the league. If stats are your thing.
November 12th, 2009 at 5:32 pm
Or you could say that out of the set of guys who are genuine superstars at the moment – and Howard is a genuine superstar – he’s the least impressive and hollowest member of the bunch.
November 12th, 2009 at 5:33 pm
I don’t see how firing Scott is NOT the solution. Mo Pete is shooting 34%/27%, which means he is not playing within the right system (that’s a 9 year veteran with average of 42% and 37% 3FG; he shot 39% 3pt the last 2 years). Also, the team plays no defense. If Houston manages to play defense with below average player (who would you not trade for Okafor on the Houston roster?), why can’t the Hornets? And that’s the coach’s responsibility.
Similarly, Don Nelson should have been fired 8 games ago. He has more talent, and does less with it.
November 12th, 2009 at 5:46 pm
35: Obviously that’s a pretty big deal, but I think the big boys don’t get the love that they should if you just look at stats. Win shares and adjusted +/- theoretically are looking at replacement level players, but I think finding a ‘replacement level’ PF and C is harder than for a guard. I think the average starting C is probably paid more than the average starting SG. I could be mistaken, but I would argue that gives big men slightly more value.
Arguing at it from a more subjective standpoint, aside from MJ, only Centers have established that if they are good enough, they will win a title eventually (Ewing being the cutoff of good enough). This is not true of other position players, it seems.
November 12th, 2009 at 5:56 pm
I know it’s fashionable to underrate big guys because they don’t do awesome things like little guys, but doesn’t Howard belong in there like Paul?
On a good day, Howard is right there with the top 4 guys. But he’s just not there yet as a consistent performer. I have no doubt he’ll be up there in a couple of years, but his game still has some real limitations on both ends.
That said, he’s still probably one of the 5 best players in the game, so it’s not like I think he sucks or something.
November 12th, 2009 at 6:12 pm
Yes, Paul belongs in the discussion of the best player in the NBA. Of course, many fools like to argue that Deron Williams is Paul’s equal so it isn’t surprising that he doesn’t get the recognition he deserves. Somehow he manages to be one of the best and most underrated players in the league.
For the record, this season he is shooting .622 and .655(!) respectively from the field and on 3 pointers. Combine that with his 4:1 assist to turnover ratio and he is by far the most efficient offensive player in the league. He isn’t the greatest on the ball defender, but he still contributes to the defense with his ball-hawking.
November 12th, 2009 at 6:20 pm
On a good day, Howard is right there with the top 4 guys. But he’s just not there yet as a consistent performer.
As last night’s game proves. I mean, 3 shots in the game? Really???
November 12th, 2009 at 7:02 pm
“Chris Paul is definitely part of “the conversation” about the best player in the NBA. The top 4 is clearly LeBron, Wade, Paul and Kobe”
That’s like having a conversation about the most beautiful women on Earth, when the only 4 females left on the planet are Scarlett Johanssen, Jennifer Aniston, Megan Fox and Rachel Dratch.
Mike
November 12th, 2009 at 7:07 pm
First of all, David West > Emeka Okafor
As your number 2 and 3 players they are somewhat subpar, but as everyone knows the real problem with the Hornets lies with everyone outside of CP3, West and Okafor. The rest of the team is made up of above average role players (Stojakavich, maybe Posey), average role-players (Peterson, Brown, Armstrong) and a bunch of guys who shouldn’t be getting many minutes (e.g. Songaila, Marks, Julian Wright). Not a lot of talent there. Bobby Brown is an interesting case; he could turn into a solid rotation guy.
November 12th, 2009 at 8:30 pm
Chris Paul, the best point guard in the league and arguably the best overall player.
You should write for Slate!
November 12th, 2009 at 8:36 pm
aside from MJ, only Centers have established that if they are good enough, they will win a title eventually (Ewing being the cutoff of good enough). This is not true of other position players, it seems.
I don’t know about this. It’s rare to find a center who won a title without an elite guard or wing forward playing with him — Olajuwon being the notable exception. Shaq always had Kobe or Wade. Duncan has Ginobili and Parker. Kareem had Robertson then Magic. Moses Malone had Erving. Russell had Cousy and Havlicek. Wilt had Jerry West. Ewing and Robinson never had squat.
Also, Larry Bird won 3 titles with Robert Parish, who’s only an above-average center, so I say he falls into the MJ category.
November 12th, 2009 at 9:24 pm
Okafor would be OK as maybe the 4th best player on a championship team. If he’s your second banana, you are going nowhere. He’s a solid defensive player who makes a solid FG% and doesn’t really hurt you (except when he’s shooting FTs). Okafor had 8.2 win-shares last year which is about the same as Anderson Varejao. That’s only OK.
November 12th, 2009 at 10:48 pm
Ok, look…I’ve watched these guys live lots, and I’ve watched them practice. They quit on Scott. This is just a fact. Spring 2008 to Spring 2009 was unrecognizable.
The people who say “you dont know anything about basketball” when putting Paul in the conversation for best player are the kind of assholes who think saying things like that makes them look smart. His supporting cast is awful, especially for his skill set.
Off they go on a little run. If they can get a decent 2 or 3 soon (unlikely) then they’re a threat. Otherwise, it’s 7-10.
November 12th, 2009 at 11:06 pm
All the pompous Chris Paul bashers in here should take a look at the guy’s stats this season. His PER is about 9 points higher than Dwayne Wade’s. I’m guessing that these people aren’t aware he’s shooting 62% from the field and 66% on threes. Yes, Chris Paul might be the best player in the league right now. And yet “MBunge” thinks that Dwayne Wade: Chris Paul:: Megan Fox: Rachel Dratch.
“average role-players (Peterson, Brown, Armstrong)”
Does “average” mean “should not being playing on any good team”? Devin Brown barely cracked the rotation with Utah and that was several years ago. Peterson just recently stopped being a guy you want on the court and Armstrong is a disaster.
November 12th, 2009 at 11:55 pm
I’m not a CP3 hater and I don’t think Matt’s statement was that ridiculous, just poorly worded. (When you say someone is “arguably” X, you are usually implying that YOU think he is X, but in this case I think Matt was just saying that you COULD argue it.)
That said, making any sort of judgment based on statistical measures of two weeks’ work is preposterous. .655 on threes? Wow!!! He’s the greatest player ever!
November 13th, 2009 at 1:12 am
“That said, making any sort of judgment based on statistical measures of two weeks’ work is preposterous. .655 on threes? Wow!!! He’s the greatest player ever!”
Sure, though after 8 games, stats are already starting to be in the realm of the normal. But Paul didn’t just arrive in the league and he didn’t just start playing at an elite level. His PER last year was something like third in the league, higher than Kobe’s. It’s a torrid start for an already amazing player.
November 13th, 2009 at 9:31 am
Free Ike Diogu! Seriously. Any time he gets the chance to play he’s great. Maybe Bower will take the chance.
November 13th, 2009 at 10:50 am
45: Obviously it helps to have more than one good player on your squad, but there are a lot more hall of fame non centers with no rings than hall of fame centers without. And it’s no coincidence in my opinion that Shaq, Wilt and Kareem all won titles with multiple teams.
November 13th, 2009 at 11:20 am
“His PER last year was something like third in the league, higher than Kobe’s.”
All glory be to the almighty PER! Truly, thou art the Alpha and the Omega of judging basketball greatness! We shall trust not our eyes nor common sense, but only have faith in thee! Almighty PER, lead us not into thinking that Kobe, LeBron and Wade are obviously better than Paul! We shall trust not that every frickin’ GM in the NBA would take those 3 before The One annointed by your divine hand! In the holy name of PER, let us pray!
Mike
PS – I think Rachel Dratch is cute as the dickins and think Paul is probably the best PG in the league. But just as Kobe is not really close to being Jordan, Paul isn’t really close to being best player in the NBA.
November 13th, 2009 at 2:22 pm
This move is not about Chris Paul nor Byron Scott, both of whom have proven themselves at the highest level. it’s about the owner moving the GM to coach, so he can with complete justification fire him at the end of the season. (The Kevin McHale strategy.) The owner is actually doing Scott a favor, although now that Phil’s health is improving, his chances of taking over the Lakers any time soon (which is what Scott really wants) look doubtful.
http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-lakers-fyi13-2009nov13,0,5578575.story
November 13th, 2009 at 4:07 pm
B.Scott and K.Bryant are buds from Bryant’s rookie season, when they were teammates. If Jackson retires after this season, Scott is the heir apparent, along with Brian Shaw.
November 13th, 2009 at 4:09 pm
Almighty PER, lead us not into thinking that Kobe, LeBron and Wade are obviously better than Paul! We shall trust not that every frickin’ GM in the NBA would take those 3 before The One annointed by your divine hand!
If there’s a GM in the league who would take Kobe above Chris Paul, they ought to be fired. Of course, that’s mainly because Paul is young and Kobe is old. Still, they’re not that far apart in present value.
November 13th, 2009 at 4:38 pm
MBunge,
All hail your unimpeachable opinion based on no facts! I’m sure you’ve watched Chris Paul play over the past three years just as much as you’ve watched the LBJ, Wade, Kobe triumvirate to form these insights. Actually it sounds like you’re just spouting off third rate common sense hackery. Try watching Chris Paul play sometime. The guy brings it as hard as any player in the league each and every night and has the skills to match the drive. And of course his statistics are off the charts by any measure.
November 14th, 2009 at 3:06 pm
If you saw the Hornets game the night before they fired him — or the playoff debacle against the Nuggets last spring, you’d see the team’s fundamental problem. When Chris Paul gets trapped bringing the ball upcourt and has to pass it to a teammate, they suddenly lose any pretense at having an offense.