Sam Cassell to join Celtics coaching staff
- Thread starter RedOctober3829
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What is his coaching history? The Athletic’s Jared Weiss called him one of the hottest assistants in the league.
A name with some Celtic blood and a championship pedigree. A serious man. And in the event Miss Mazz can't fulfill the duties of...
Nice, feels like a potentially great addition. A guy who had a great career and has won here is ideal.
Mazzulla better have eyes in the back of his head cuz if things take a downward swing, you know who's getting his job.
On one hand they badly needed an experienced mind on Mazzulla's staff. On the other hand, I almost feel this may be counterproductive, in this case, as I'd rather have a older guy on the back-end of his career that isn't interested in being a head coach anymore. Cassell has been a known commodity for head coaching jobs, and the first 3-4 game losing streak the Celts have people will be screaming to dump Joe for Sam.
My suspicion is that it won't even take one loss. There are a lot of people out there fairly certain Mazzulla isn't equipped for this seat. I won't be shocked if they show up here in this thread now.
In 2015, Paul Pierce stated that he felt he, Garnett and Cassell were the real "Big 3" of the Celtics 2008 championship team.
Cassell is a nice hire, he's a former player but has significant coaching experience now, he's never really gotten any HC traction though.
5 years on the Flip Saunders staff in WAS, then the last 9 year with Doc Rivers
5 years on the Flip Saunders staff in WAS, then the last 9 year with Doc Rivers
I have no idea what his reputation is in terms of Xs and Os or player development, but if nothing else he was intimately involved in game planning against the Cs and is also very familiar with Joel Embiid's strengths and weaknesses. I also remember him being awesome as a player-coach in 09
I know his rep was that he was very good at helping young PGs develop, John Wall credited him with helping a lot, Cassell did a lot of work with Maxey in PHI.
Wasn't there a rumbling he was being considered in Philly once they let Doc go? Maybe that's his representation, but his profile seems to have elevated a little. At any rate, good experienced hire. I would like to see them bring in more (like the rest of this board). Any idea what CJM's own network looks like?
Yeah, I meant more he hasn't every really been a finalist, he got a few interviews over the years, but he seems to always fall out in the first round, I know he interviewed with Washington a few years ago, and he was on the long list for HOU this cycle.
I think I'd rather have Cassell as HC with Mazzulla as his assistant, but of course that is an impossibility now.
The only (non-taunting) celebration the NBA has ever banned and really meant it. Can't wait to see what swagger he can add to the rotation.
This is my hope as well. Experienced staff, plus a full offseason to work together should significantly upgrade the coaching.
Seems like a good to great hire on the surface.
Does he ever get head coaching looks?
15 year NBA point guard and then a lot of assistant experience. Is it a semi-red flag if he hasn't yet? Wonder why (or maybe he has and I just haven't noticed?).
Does he ever get head coaching looks?
15 year NBA point guard and then a lot of assistant experience. Is it a semi-red flag if he hasn't yet? Wonder why (or maybe he has and I just haven't noticed?).
Yes he's been interviewed for several HC jobs. He was one of the candidates when IME was initially hired with the Celtics.
Sam was recently interviewed for the Rockets job
https://www.hoopsrumors.com/2023/04/rockets-to-interview-sam-cassell-for-head-coaching-job.html
I will go to my grave swearing that if Sam Cassell didn't come in to save a rattled Rondo in G 1&2 of the Cleveland series we don't make it to The Finals. He's the type of hire we're looking for to make Joe's live a whole lot easier with an actual staff in place who knows what the hell they are doing.
It's funny looking back at those game logs, that was my recollection as well. What I didn't remember is that after going 8-20 for 22 points in games 1 and 2, he was 0-13 for 5 points in games 3-5, then didn't play at all in games 6 and 7 (or games 1 and 2 against Detroit).
Yeah those old out of shape creaky veteran legs either work on a given night or they don't. PJ Brown went through similar in those playoffs as many older players do.
I think Cassell is here for a one-year tuneup before moving to a head coaching job. He can see the talent the Celtics have and that there were deficiciences an assistent coach could fix and get credit for. This is a bit like Ime spending a year in Philly and then in Brooklyn before the Celtics hired him. That is not to say that people won't call for Mazzulla's firing if the Celtics slump, but that would have happened anyway. What I wonder about is how well Jow knows Casell and whether they will work well together.
That was probably more about their fraught relationship with Ray Allen at the time.
He was one of the candidates. He is known for coaching guards and worked with Maxey and Harden last season.
I suspect he is here in part to wash the Doc stink off of him.
I think they have, at least to some extent, mended fences within the past year or so.
As a coach, obv not a clue as to how well he works although for an ex-player of his stature to not really advance deep into the interview process after so long on the bench doesn't bode well for his upside.
I will say that when he played as a super high-IQ point guard he was often seen as a mentor and seemed to enjoy sharing his passion for the intricacies of the PG position with others. While I'm not particularly high on JD Davison he is probably the one player who will benefit the most from Cassell's presence. In their first session together Davison will learn more about entry angles, footwork and utilizing screeners than he likely did in one year with Ime's second row assistants.
Additionally, he might be good at playing bad cop, but apparently he was the most popular guy with the players on the Sixers, so he can create those relationships.
Love it.
And exactly what this team lacks at nut cutting time. I think the Js can learn to close out, but sustaining championship intensity for a whole series (or better a whole playoff run) is a an ability that takes years to develop, with brutal losses along the way. I’m overjoyed they added Cassel and I think his experience as a player will help get them over the hurdle.
The only (non-taunting) celebration the NBA has ever banned and really meant it. Can't wait to see what swagger he can add to the rotation.
Philly Athletic writer Rich Hoffman had this to say about Sam:
Guard development is what Cassell has been known for at all coaching his stops. John Wall credited Cassell for helping grow his game in Washington, while Bradley Beal reportedly wanted Cassell to return to the Wizards as head coach a few years ago. Tyrese Maxey’s first three seasons have gone well for a player selected with the 21st pick in the draft.
And from the same article, quoting Doc:
“He’s got an incredible basketball mind,” Rivers said. “And I wish people could just see the mind. When we have our little (coaching) meetings, when we have our offensive meetings and our defensive meetings, Sam is the only one who goes to both because he’s that valuable.”
https://theathletic.com/4539891/2023/05/22/sixers-coaching-candidates/?source=emp_shared_article
Guard development is what Cassell has been known for at all coaching his stops. John Wall credited Cassell for helping grow his game in Washington, while Bradley Beal reportedly wanted Cassell to return to the Wizards as head coach a few years ago. Tyrese Maxey’s first three seasons have gone well for a player selected with the 21st pick in the draft.
And from the same article, quoting Doc:
“He’s got an incredible basketball mind,” Rivers said. “And I wish people could just see the mind. When we have our little (coaching) meetings, when we have our offensive meetings and our defensive meetings, Sam is the only one who goes to both because he’s that valuable.”
https://theathletic.com/4539891/2023/05/22/sixers-coaching-candidates/?source=emp_shared_article
Think this nails it. Cassell gets to be the “bench coach” for a different coach than Doc and spread his wings a bit more. I would suspect Cassell is only here for a year or two before he gets his own head coaching job
