The news that the LA Clippers are interviewing Darvin Ham and Mike Brown should be a reason for optimism, even if you don’t want either of them.
After the dismissal of former Head Coach Doc Rivers, it felt like we only heard a couple names from reputable sources. No matter where I looked in those first few days, the only potential hires that I heard of were Ty Lue and Jeff Van Gundy, with maybe a smattering of Mike D’Antoni.
But then on Tuesday, news dropped that the LA Clippers were interviewing Darvin Ham and Mike Brown. When Clipper nation heard that news, the general reaction could be well summarized as “ugh.”
There’s not much enthusiasm around fans of the team, especially with regards to Mike Brown being interviewed. But I took these interviews in a bit more optimistic light. I don’t expect either of these two to end up being the guy that the Clippers go with as their next head coach.
But, the fact that they were interviewed in the first place should be looked at as a good thing. That tells me that the front office isn’t going to rush into a hire, and they’re not just going to look at the obvious names on Twitter or the most recognizable coaches available.
Maybe you’re a big fan of Ty Lue or JVG, or maybe you just want our next head coach to be somebody who has made the rounds as a head coach in the NBA. Alternatively, maybe you, like me, prefer that the team looks more at a rookie head coach.
Either way, the team interviewing Ham and Brown are reasons to celebrate. The hiring process is obviously going to be an involved one, and the team won’t make a decision unless they’re sure about it. Clearly, they’ll look at all manners of candidates. I wouldn’t be shocked to hear that they talked to a college coach or two, or that they looked into somebody who’s currently just part of an analytics department.
As much as we want to know who will be leading the team next season, we should feel good about the fact that they’re taking their time with this search. Plenty of people are sure to be interested in the job, and with the future mortgaged for current success, it’s not a decision that the Clippers can afford to mess up.
Follow along at Clipperholics for constant news on the coaching search and more for the LA Clippers!