http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2006/writers/chris_mannix/03/21/hot.seat/1.html

The end is near
Next year unlikely to come for select coaches, GMs

In professional sports, says the old adage, coaches are hired to be fired. Same thing for general managers. Think about it: When was the last time a coach or a GM took his team to the promised land before riding off into the sunset, golden reputation in hand? More often it's a case of them slinking away, cowering in defeat.

It's like that in the NBA, where basketball-types have to single-space their resumes in order to keep up with the changes. No matter who you are, the hot seat underneath you begins to burn your first day on the job. And this season, no seat is hotter than whatever one Knicks president Isiah Thomas plops down in.

Thomas has failed in his quest to return the Knicks to prominence. He's failed to make them viable. Heck, he can't even keep them out of the opening acts of the late-night talk shows. Recently, Knicks owner James Dolan gave Thomas the dreaded "vote of confidence," vowing that neither Thomas nor coach Larry Brown (who carries much more credibility than the perpetually failing Thomas) would get the ax for the shameful product the Knicks have turned out this season.

One doesn't need a long memory to recall that this isn't Thomas' first foray into disaster: He bankrupted the CBA in 2001 and couldn't coach his Pacers past the Celtics in the playoffs -- not the 1986 Celtics, mind you, but the flawed 2003 version. The man has a track record that isn't worthy of a vote of confidence.

Is Dolan's rhetoric to be believed? Hardly. Dolan is a businessman above all else, and with the Knicks hemorrhaging wins -- and, as a result, their popularity and fan base -- don't expect the Cablevision boss to stand pat for much longer. Thomas will get another half-season -- probably until around the All-Star break in '07 -- to get this team headed in the right direction. If he can't, well, let's just say there won't be any shortage of candidates waiting to hop into Isiah's Bunsen burner.

But Thomas isn't the only one feeling the heat. By our count, there are at least five NBA coaches or general mangers who might not make it to next year's opening night. Let's take a look at who they are.

Sam Mitchell, Toronto Raptors coach

Common practice is that a new boss likes to work with his own people. Bryan Colangelo is the Raptors' new boss; Mitchell isn't one of his people. It's hard not to like the hard-nosed Mitchell, who stood up to Rafer Alston and had the courage to bench his best scorer (Jalen Rose) at the cost of wins in order to develop his younger talent. But with 16 games to go Mitchell is on his way to a second straight 30-win season, and in the NBA, two seasons is all you get. If Mitchell is sent packing, look for Colangelo to replace him with a more nontraditional coach, someone who thinks outside the box, like the Suns Mike D'Antoni, the reigning Coach of the Year whom Colangelo hired in '03.


Rick Adelman, Sacramento Kings coach

Adelman's seat has cooled recently, as the arrival of Ron Artest has transformed the Kings from a team that can't play into the team no one wants to play. But the Maloof brothers openly pined for Phil Jackson last year and may be inclined to turn this new, more defensive-oriented roster over to a more disciplined coach. Eric Musselman or Jim O'Brien could be solid fits.

Mike Montgomery, Golden State Warriors coach

He's fired. Gone. Out. No other way to put it. Montgomery is a brilliant college coach who turned Stanford into a national power, but as a pro he's let his superstar (Baron Davis) walk all over him while stalling the progress that had begun, albeit slowly, under Musselman. The Warriors'
roster is too good for them to be this bad. Expect owner Chris Cohan to recognize this. And expect Montgomery, a la Tim Floyd, to head back to the amateur ranks.

Billy Knight, Atlanta Hawks GM

You can't fire coach Mike Woodson -- at least not if you have any shred of conscience. Not when you give him a roster like that. Yes, Joe Johnson is better than we all thought. But Marvin Williams continues to struggle while Chris Paul is clearing space in his trophy case for the Rookie of the Year award. Where is the effort? Why are Reggie Evans, Vladimir Radmanovic and
Chris Wilcox being dealt at yard sales while Esteban Batista plays seven minutes a night? The Hawks' owners -- whoever they are -- need to act fast with Knight before he pulls an Al Harrington-for-Stephon Marbury out of his hat. Because you know that's coming.

Doc Rivers, Boston Celtics coach

Rivers is another very likable guy whose loyalty and motivating skills are second to none. But his schemes are questionable and he has yet to find a way to make Boston -- which can score with anybody -- a respectable defensive unit. His salary ($10 million remaining over the next two seasons) warrants a return next season, but for how long? Boston had success dipping into the assistant ranks before (O'Brien). If Rivers can't get the job done, they should try it again. Tony Brown showed some creative thinking when he took over for Rivers against Indiana, while other qualified coaches with Celtics pedigrees (Lester Connor, John Kuester) would relish a chance to bring Boston back to glory.

[Edited by - djsunyc on 03-21-2006 4:00 PM]

It's scary to think of all the damage that Isiah is going to inflict on the Knicks in his desperate attempt to keep his job this summer and before the trade deadline if he's given until next years all star break.

This is why I said he had to go well before the all star break. He wasn't relieved of his duties and what happened? He trades for Jalen Rose and Steve Francis. God knows what garbage he'll get this summer if given the chance.