Welcome back to the Coaching Carousel series. We are diving into the faces we might see on the sidelines for the 2020-21 season.
Make sure you let us know what you think at @theoutlethoops
It's difficult to gauge the thought on retaining Mike Miller for the next season or beyond that. He is a relative newcomer to the NBA scene but has plenty of experience in the game. Similar to Thibs, we will look at what could make him an option.
Miller has been on the sidelines for 30 years now, getting his first taste as an assistant at Western Illinois and not spending one year out of work since then. Fast forward... Miller received an opportunity to be the Head Coach of our Westchester Knicks in 2015.
His time spent with WCK was filled with player development and ultimately winning Coach of the Year honors in 2018. With the recognition he received, he was also promoted to an assistant in 2019 with the big club under David Fizdale.
Upon the firing of Fizdale, Miller stepped in and immediately made a difference picking up some wins and getting the Knicks out of the basement of the league. For example, The Knicks have gone from 30th in the league to top 20 in field-goal percentage (19th overall) and had a HUGE jump from 28th to second (SECOND, PEOPLE!) in points in the paint per 100 possessions.
His players seem to listen and respect him and want to play for him. He clearly is a developmental coach, I just wish he was able to display that development with the play of Allonzo Trier, calling up Kenny Wooten and testing out the youth more than letting Portis, Ellington, Bullock and Randle eat up unnecessary minutes from the younger (longer tenured) Knicks.
If Miller wants that vote of confidence from the fan base, he needs to be committed to playing these young guys and building up the player development portion and stand up to the Front Office when they say they want Julius "Spin-Move" Randle to get more minutes than he deserves.
Hopefully if he is being seriously considered, he is utilizing this time to figure out how to use his assets to the best of their abilities.
Comments