Mind telling us why your dream coach has no coaching experience on any level?
He would be more of a dream coach if he had a few years of coaching under his belt.
I admired the Pistons in the years Hunter played for them - I'm sure you recall they were a tremendous defensive team. Wallace was the motor, of course, but the D was even better when Lindsey was on the floor. He was like the defensive quarterback... the coach on the floor. He understood what made team defense work - and there quite a few coaches with many years of coaching experience who don't understand that. Some, like D'Antoni, don't even care to. Alvin Gentry's understanding is limited.
The D'Antoni years were painful to watch. I like fastbreak basketball and I liked his concept of SSOL but the shoddy-to-nonexistent defense was just too nauseating for me. At times it was embarrassing.
No one could turn this group of players into a great defensive team but by the end of the year I'd be happy if the guys that have not learned their defensive assignments simply don't get on the floor. They may not always be able to carry them out but at least they know them and make an effort to be where they are supposed to be. Thats the culture you have to establish and then over time you winnow out the guys whose reaction time or quickness or ability to recognize keys doesn't allow them to execute. It takes practice time and reps to go from thinking to instinct, and to gain the necessary discipline.
I suspect Hunter needs a strong offensive coach to make a competitive team. Its nice to have the complete package in one guy but thats rare and usually its the defense that gets short shrift. Most players like offense more than defense and they'll skimp on defense unless you make defense a requirement to get on the floor.
