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Members of the Off the Glass staff make their selections for Coach of the Year!
Justin Irvin
Coach of the year: Luke Walton
Via. ESPN
My pick is Luke Walton. The addition of LeBron James will be enough to get the Lakers into the playoffs, which should be considered a successful season after the Lakers' last handful. So far, Walton has done a good job maintaining order in LA, where the media spotlight is always bright and hot. I think he will continue to do so and continue to develop a core of young talent. All while also balancing the needs, wants and egos of some key new veterans. Walton's roster management coupled with the sixth or seventh spot in the West will be enough to earn him well-deserved Coach of the Year honors.
Evan Montella
Coach of the Year: Nate McMillan
Via. USA Today
The Coach of the Year race is truly wide open this season. Will it be Steve Kerr, Mike D’Antoni, or Brad Stevens pushing their contending teams towards historical greatness? Brett Brown, Terry Stotts, or Billy Donovan for uplifting lesser talented teams to a home-court seed? Maybe containment of the Wizards, Wolves, or Lakers locker rooms along with a strong record is enough to grab Scott Brooks, Tom Thibodeau, or Luke Walton the award. Or could it be one of the newcomers Nick Nurse, Dwane Casey, and Mike Budenholzer breathing life into ready made situations with their respective teams.
I think it's a payback year. Quin Snyder was acknowledged last season coming second in the final voting but Nate McMillan landing at 6th is indefensible. Reports are trickling out that Victor Oladipo is taking another step from Most Improved into the Most Valuable Player conversation. The Pacers are poised to make a run at the one seed in the East and if McMillan is able to push his young players and new additions each night he’ll be wrapping up this award come May.
Elijah Branch - @EBRANCHwasHere
Coach of the Year: Nate McMillan
Via. Indy Cornrows
I think there will be a couple of coaches who’ll make their mark this season, but I really like what Nate McMillian did last year with the Indiana Pacers, and I think he will find a way to build on last season’s success and take this Pacers team to the next level. It’s hard not to like this team, and I think Victor Oladipo will continue to take the next step, and I also think guys like Myles Turner and Domantas Sabonis will also help support this team. The Pacers also added Tyreke Evans, which was one of the more underrated free agent additions this summer. I’m betting high on the McMillian and the Pacers this season. I think they’ll be a tough outing, and I also think they’ll have a say in the Eastern Conference this season if they continue to buy in to Coach McMillian
Jorge Cantu - @CantuNBA
Coach of the Year: Brad Stevens
Via. Boston Herald
The early favorite for the Coach of the Year award has to be Brad Stevens. There were more than a couple of moments last season that cemented Stevens’ status as one of the league’s elite coaches. Celtics players deserve more than enough credit for that 16-game win streak early last season, for often finding ways to come back from double-digit deficits, and for maintaining a defensive discipline that allowed them to be the best defensive team in the league for most of the year. However, all of this was also possible thanks to Stevens’ brilliant out-of-timeout plays, smart subs, and will to fight.
The Celtics are now under some pressure to deliver, as they were seconds away from an NBA Finals appearance this past May even without Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward. With arguably the team’s two best players back, anything short from an Eastern Conference Finals appearance will be considered a disappointment. If Stevens finds a way to make things work throughout the season amid the pressure and expectations, he deserves to win his first Coach of the Year award.
Justin Levine
Coach of the Year: Brad Stevens
Via. USA Today
Brad Stevens is widely considered to be one of the top two or three coaches in the league, yet he has never won any NBA coaching award. Heading into this season, Stevens has himself the most talented roster he’s ever coached. If Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward return to 100% off their respective season-ending injuries last season, coupled with the development of up-and-coming stars Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, the Celtics will be primed to dominate the LeBron-less Eastern Conference and will earn Brad Stevens his first NBA Coach of the Year award.
Daniel Hofer - @therealhoph
Coach of the Year: Gregg Popovich
Via. NY Daily News
Gregg Popovich is going to show the NBA this season why he is the best coach in the league, and it’s not even close. He is going to take a team that has lost key pieces and turn them into a top 5 seed in the West. The team still has LaMarcus Aldridge, they added DeMar DeRozan, and doesn't have the drama that came with Kawhi Leonard. Pop is going to have this team focused and they will continue to play great defense like they did last season. Add DeRozan and some youth with Pop’s coaching and you will have a top 5 seed in the West.