Don Newman hired by Washington

[T Park]

Just saw it tweeted by Mike Prada...

[kolko]

Wizards name Don Newman assistant coach.

http://www.nba.com/wizards/wizards-name-don-newman-assistant-coach

[timvp]

http://www.nba.com/wizards/wizards-name-don-newman-assistant-coach

Kinda weird. Did his contract with the Spurs expire or did he get the head assistant coaching job there? It's weird that he went from interviewing for head coaching jobs to taking an assistant job with the Wizards ... unless there's a wink-wink deal that he's the next in line to get the job once Wittman fails again.

[SenorSpur]

Wow! Didn't see this coming.

[King]

http://www.nba.com/wizards/wizards-name-don-newman-assistant-coach

Kinda weird. Did his contract with the Spurs expire or did he get the head assistant coaching job there? It's weird that he went from interviewing for head coaching jobs to taking an assistant job with the Wizards ... unless there's a wink-wink deal that he's the next in line to get the job once Wittman fails again.

That, or he saw the writing on the wall that Bud is the succession plan in SA - better to get established in another organization.

[Vic Petro]

So who moves to the bench, Jacque, Chip, or Chad Forcier?

[timvp]

David Aldridge ‏@daldridgetnt

Didn't get a chance to note earlier: good hire by the Wiz bringing Don Newman in from SA as an assistant. Strong defensive mind.

[RodNIc91]

Is it a big loss to the spurs' staff?

[DesignatedT]

Jacque to the bench!

[yavozerb]

Jacque to the bench!

Question for Jacque is which bench? Orlando or SA

[slick'81]

HUUGE LOSS FOR SA newmans learned alot under pop

[freetiago]

secret to sucess
steal all the spurs staff

getting out of hand
i know guys want to become HC/GMs eventually
but people are probably trying to get jobs in SA because of the fact other teams would hire them since they were part of the Spurs

[spursfan1000]

Good for the wizards

[timvp]

Some random Don Newman thoughts:

1. He was supposedly in a "defensive coordinator" type role the last few years. Given the results, I'm not sure how well he did his job. Then again, he didn't exactly have great tools to work with.

2. His other main job was toughening up the bigmen. It never really worked out when he tried to make Rasho play more physically. When Tiago couldn't postup against Derek Fisher or Thabo Sefolosha in the playoffs, that probably wasn't an indication that he was successful in toughening up Splitter.

3. The best part of this news, IMO, is that Newman won't be coaching summer league. He has coached it in the past and was horrific. He was so bad that it was impossible to get a read on which players where actually good. (In fact, his poor coaching lowered Jackie Butler's stock and indirectly led to the Scola trade.) It's difficult to be a bad coach in summer league but Newman definitely was. For that reason, I've never endorsed the idea of Newman eventually taking over for Pop. If you can't handle summer league, there's no way you're going to be successful in the NBA.

4. If my memory serves me correctly, Pop initially named Don Newman the lead assistant coach after the 2007 season. However, Mike Bud got upset after getting passed over for the job and eventually Pop decided to give the title to Bud since he's been with the team the longest.

5. Newman has turned down a lot of jobs in the past to become a "defensive coordinator" on another team. Most recently, he turned down a job from the Suns. To leave for the Wizards job is just odd unless there's something else going on (his contract with the Spurs ran out, the Wizards promised him the next shot at the head coaching position, etc.).

6. All the players really respect Newman. He's a mean S.O.B. who also knows his Xs and Os. Plus the fact that he played professional football and basketball is impressive to any other athlete.

7. Will the Spurs bring in an assistant coach from the outside? The most likely outcome is the other assistants just going up another rung on the ladder but perhaps Pop uses this as an opportunity to get a new voice.

[Steve-O-Matic]

Newman had been here doing the same thing for 8 years under a glass ceiling, it was time for a change.

[TDMVPDPOY]

spurs = sinking ship, get out while you still can

[timvp]

Newman indeed got the lead assistant coach job with the Wizards, FWIW.

[Vic Petro]

His first project is probably going to be Andre Blatche. Good luck with that, Don.

[Dex]

If Newman was truly the "defensive coordinator" over the last few years, then I say good riddance. :wow

[Mel_13]

Congrats to Coach Newman. About 40% of the NBA with a San Antonio connection on their bench, in their FO, or both.

[Dr. John R. Brinkley]

Everyone knows how to find a coach - just steal from the Spurs. But I'm curious how the Spurs find new assistant coaches. Do they just decide to pick among former gritty/offensively-challenged players dying to get a shot? I would think they have some sort of system/criteria for that but not sure...

[Spurs Brazil]

:tu Coach Newman

[ploto]

Kinda weird. Did his contract with the Spurs expire or did he get the head assistant coaching job there? It's weird that he went from interviewing for head coaching jobs to taking an assistant job with the Wizards ... unless there's a wink-wink deal that he's the next in line to get the job once Wittman fails again.

A couple of articles are calling Newman "former Spurs assistant coach" but I can not tell if they simply mean he was that before he joined the Wizards or that he was no longer with the Spurs.

[slick'81]

If Newman was truly the "defensive coordinator" over the last few years, then I say good riddance. :wow


alot has to do with personnel as well

[racm]

Hard to make good defensive schemes when the big 3 are the best defenders, and Duncan has lost a step due to age, Manu has been set back by injuries and Parker's an adequate defender at best.

Still, congratulations to the guy - even if "poach a Spurs guy" is the MO for small market teams nowadays :depressed

[FuzzyLumpkins]

Some random Don Newman thoughts:

1. He was supposedly in a "defensive coordinator" type role the last few years. Given the results, I'm not sure how well he did his job. Then again, he didn't exactly have great tools to work with.

True that.

[ElNono]

Gonna miss Don... he provided a few laughs when I went to see the Spurs play in Newark..

Good luck in your new job, Don!

[Man In Black]

So what's PJC up to nowadays?

[Floyd Pacquiao]

The team will survive

[Vic Petro]

So what's PJC up to nowadays?

Assisting Avery Johnson in Brooklyn.

[SenorSpur]

With Newman leaving I wonder who is going to restrain Pop from going after the officials?

[Em-City]

the shiny bald-head chap, right?

[davidbowie]

this is a bummer

[xmas1997]

PJ is with AJ? Damn!