Paul Silas out as Bobcats coach
Charlotte Bobcats coach Paul Silas sits on the bench during the second half of their NBA basketball game against the Portland Trail Blazers in Portland, Ore. (Feb. 1, 2012) Credit: AP
CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Paul Silas is out as Charlotte Bobcats coach after the worst season in NBA history.
Silas just completed the final year of his contract and the decision was made not to bring him back after Charlotte finished 7-59 for the worst winning percentage in league history (.106).
"We have been talking internally about what is best for us going forward," Bobcats president of basketball operations Rod Higgins said at a news conference Monday. "The record speaks for itself. When you look at the youthfulness of this roster, we just all felt collectively that change was something we wanted to do at this time." The 68-year-old Silas, who told The Associated Press late in the year he wanted to "see things through" and coach one more season, said Monday he found out earlier in the day he would not be brought back.
"I'm ok with that," he said. "I have had a very successful career coaching and playing and it's time to move on." Silas said he was promised a job in the organization by team owner Michael Jordan and was not interested in coaching elsewhere.
It's unclear who'll replace Silas, who leaves with a 32-88 record at Charlotte. Higgins said a search for his replacement will begin immediately.
"We do not have a timetable. We will start as soon as this presser is over," he said. "I just don't want to say there is a time frame. We plan on interviewing quite a few people.
We want to find the right guy for this roster." Higgins said Silas' son, Stephen Silas -- who served as an assistant under his father and led the team in several games -- will be interviewed for the job, but added finding someone with heading coaching experience "is important." "We want someone who wants to win," Higgins said. "That's the main quality. We will have quite a few candidates to brush through. I would say there are quite a few people who come into mind." Paul Silas was in a difficult situation heading into the season with a young and inexperienced team, plus a shortened offseason that limited practice time. Injuries to Corey Maggette, D.J. Augustin and Gerald Henderson did not help.
"I respect Paul to the utmost," Higgins said. "He wanted to be successful but it was an unfortunate thing that it didn't happen." Late in the season, Silas was involved in an altercation with forward Tyrus Thomas, shoving him in the locker room following a loss. The two had gotten into an argument and had to be separated.
Players tried to rally to his defense after the season to save his job, but to no avail.
"I think Paul did the best he could with the guys he had on the floor," Maggette said Friday. "We went through a year where night after night guys were going down with injuries and you're shooting under 30 percent from the field. You just can't win any games that way. That's tough. So hopefully they give him an opportunity to show what type of a coach he is and what he can bring to the table here." The Bobcats were last in the league in scoring and shooting percentage and lost 22 games by 20 or more points.
After the season Silas said of his future: "When you have guys that are out, you want the guys that are in to do a good job, but it's really hard. You have to look at yourself and say, 'We still have a chance, we're still going to get it done,' but in reality the guys that were second-stringers became our starters. Then the guys that were third string become our second string, so it's tough." Silas entered the season with a career coaching mark of 380-429 and a 13-16 mark in the playoffs. He previously coached the San Diego Clippers, Charlotte Hornets, New Orleans Hornets and Cleveland Cavaliers.
