Once again: he couldn't have traded for KG/Gasol/Kobe. Those players weren't available to trade for.
Garnett became available in June of 2007, and Paxson didn't have the parts to make a move. Gasol became available in December of 2007, and Paxson didn't have the parts to make a move. Buss was never going to deal Kobe. Buss wouldn't mind losing 82 games if it meant keeping Kobe.
The part about Paxson coaching is fair. The last guy to do it (McHale in Minnesota) was horrible, but it speaks to Pax's condition: remember, he was essentially being groomed to replace Phil Jackson, but left the assistant's chair in the summer of 1996 because he didn't want the pressure/travel/responsibility. And the "travel" excuse became null and void once he joined the traveling radio team calling Bulls games.
I was hoping like mad Pax would take over, and not promote some Skiles acolyte. Once Boylan took over, I knew that this was going to be Rick Carlisle's team come July.
Garnett became available in June of 2007, and Paxson didn't have the parts to make a move. Gasol became available in December of 2007, and Paxson didn't have the parts to make a move. Buss was never going to deal Kobe. Buss wouldn't mind losing 82 games if it meant keeping Kobe.
The part about Paxson coaching is fair. The last guy to do it (McHale in Minnesota) was horrible, but it speaks to Pax's condition: remember, he was essentially being groomed to replace Phil Jackson, but left the assistant's chair in the summer of 1996 because he didn't want the pressure/travel/responsibility. And the "travel" excuse became null and void once he joined the traveling radio team calling Bulls games.
I was hoping like mad Pax would take over, and not promote some Skiles acolyte. Once Boylan took over, I knew that this was going to be Rick Carlisle's team come July.