Warriors’ firing of Jackson was a mistake

On Tuesday, May 6, the Golden State Warriors fired Mark Jackson, their head coach over the past three seasons. Jackson’s dismissal came just three days after the Warriors’ season ended in a heartbreaking game 7 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers. The rest of the coaching staff was fired simultaneously.

Initially, Jackson’s dismissal seems to make sense. Management is obviously frustrated with a first-round exit, especially considering the fact that they have the best shooter in the world (Steph Curry) as their point guard. Warriors owner Joe Lacob and General Manager Bob Myers both agree that the team is capable of further success in the future, and that success will come without Jackson in charge.

However, when we take a closer look, Jackson’s firing may turn out to be a costly mistake for the franchise.

Jackson, in just three short years, not only took a team with a losing record to consecutive playoff seasons, but also did something that most NBA coaches fail to do—gain the full support of their core players.

In today’s NBA, it seems like the only coaches that gain full support from their players are the ones who stay with that team for generations. Gregg Popovich with the San Antonio Spurs is a perfect example of this. There, the Spurs’ core players all were willing to take pay cuts to keep the team together and have a better collective chance at another title. While I’m not saying that Jackson is anything close to Popovich, I believe that he was headed in the right direction.

One of the main reasons for Jackson’s firing was his disagreement with management. Earlier this year, controversy erupted when Jackson demoted assistant coach Brian Scalabrine to the Developmental League. Lacob challenged Jackson’s reasoning for the firing, thus weakening Jackson’s public image. This only serves as a single example of Lacob and Jackson’s disagreement as they have clashed on other issues over the last few years.

Another reason for his firing was his supposed lack of tactical ability. When the Warriors hired Jackson in 2011, it was considered a risky move since Jackson had no prior coaching experience. After he retired as a player, he went straight into broadcasting before he was hired by the Warriors. There are clear effects of that lack of experience. Lacob has criticized Jackson over the years for not taking enough tactical action in huddles. But Jackson chooses to use a different method during the games instead. He puts his skills as a certified preacher to use by motivating his players with inspirational pep talks. Curry and other star players have all voiced their support of Jackson and his excellent speaking skills.

Last season, Jackson’s lead assistant was Mike Malone, and Malone was considered an expert strategist. In the fourth quarter timeout huddles, Malone would be the one holding the clipboard with the plays drawn out, and Jackson would give the inspiring speech. That worked wonders last year as the Warriors rose from the dungeon of the Pacific division to become a strong playoff team. However, the Sacramento Kings took notice of Malone’s talents after last season and hired him as their head coach to a four-year contract. Malone’s replacement, Pete Myers, is a friend of Jackson’s from their playing days together, and some insiders stipulate that Myers did not deserve that promotion. Myers was let go with the rest of the coaching staff on May 6.

Considering Jackson’s apparent lack of ability to call plays, Lacob’s actions seem to be more justified. However, that only accounts for part of the coaching job. Jackson’s ability to keep his team inspired, however cliché it may be, actually served a fundamental purpose with this team. He would take part in three-point contests with his players and joke around with them, gaining their support. When a coach only focuses on tactics, the team will suffer. One clear example of that is the 2013-2014 New York Knicks. Their coach, Mike Woodson, is considered by many to be one of the greatest basketball minds in the game. However, he did not focus on cultivating relationships with his players, and the team failed to make the playoffs.

Instead of taking the knee-jerk reaction and firing Jackson just days after the season was over, Lacob should have instead tried to find a key strategist to use as Jackson’s lead assistant. If Lacob tried to pair Jackson with another Mike Malone-type, the Warriors would be set up in a prime position for future success.

It may not happen immediately, but as Lacob and Myers go through the arduous process of finding a new head coach, they will regret their dismissal of Jackson.