Link
As his humiliated team picked up the pieces Wednesday, Don Nelson admitted to the possibility that he will not return as the Mavericks' coach next season.
This unusual playoff scene was either genius by Nelson, or the coming to a head at the worst of times of a problem spawned by owner Mark Cuban.
With all due respect to Nelson, a master both at deflecting attention from his club when it is down and playing the leverage game, put the blame on Cuban.
He has turned into an obstacle for his team.
Cuban's incessant carping about officials has become wearisome. Kings forward Chris Webber pointedly mentioned in a pre-series talk the Mavericks' celebration, led by Cuban, after a win at Sacramento.
Cuban's handling of Nelson has created a distraction where there should be none.
At a time when they should be focused on the complex riddle of defending Sacramento's free-form offense, the Mavericks deal with uncertainty at the top. All because Cuban has not said seven little words.
Nellie will coach the Mavericks next season.
This is the final season of Nelson's contract as coach. He has a deal with Cuban for eight more seasons: three as general manager and five as consultant. Nelson called it "a beautiful contract."
Nelson, who brought the franchise from the depths of despair, wanted to coach beyond this season. Preseason talks about an extension went nowhere, creating the worst possible situation for any professional coach or manager.
Nelson operated as a lame-duck coach this season.
Nelson said he was originally uncomfortable with the arrangement, but learned to live with it. Cuban said this is his management style, and being uncomfortable is not always a drawback for an employee.
That may be true in business, the world from which Cuban came, but not in sports. The product in sports is people, not widgets. The creative-tension, coach-for-your-job school of management does not work well in sports.
New York Yankees owner George Steinbrenner proved that for more than a decade. The Yankees became consistent winners only when Steinbrenner, who had to sit out a suspension, settled on a stable management group.
Coaches need the extra year on their contracts to create the aura of consistency. Players cannot have any reason to think the coach is on the verge of being tossed out.
If Cuban planned on a coaching switch after this season, he should have removed Nelson last summer to get started on the transition period. The next coach will be different than Nelson, and will want different players.
If Cuban were only considering the possibility, he still should have extended Nelson's contract as coach to eliminate a potential headache.
Cuban can operate the club any way he chooses. It is his duty to consider whether Nelson, a week from his 63rd birthday, can make the Mavericks more than a first-round marvel.
A Nelson-coached team has not won five games in the playoffs since 1987, when he was with Milwaukee. His teams have lost five consecutive second-round series. He has the most games coached in league history without reaching the finals.
That said, this ranks among Nelson's best coaching jobs.
The question is not why have the Mavericks been blown out three times, by Portland twice and Sacramento on Tuesday, in the last five games. The question is how did this team ever win 60 games and defeat Portland in Game 7 on Sunday?
The Mavericks have the weakest frontcourt of any playoff team. They have a thin bench. They cannot match the athletic skills of Sacramento.
Their best resource is Nelson's deep supply of smoke and mirrors.
"Where are you going to get a better coach than Don Nelson?" asked Hall of Fame coach Pete Carril, an advisor on the Kings staff.
The Mavericks' shortcomings start not with the coaching but the construction of the roster.
Whoever is responsible for long-term deals with centers Raef LaFrentz and Shawn Bradley, the lack of a well-rounded bench, the absence of good defenders and the failure to improve this team after it was eliminated by Sacramento in the second round last season should be canned.
Can the owner fire himself?