Doug Collins va quitter les Sixers
Les bruits de couloir se confirment, Doug Collins va bien quitter les Sixers de Philadelphie. Alors qu’il lui reste un an de contrat avec la franchise, plusieurs sources ont confirmé qu’il avait annoncé aux dirigeants qu’il allait partir.
Le président Rod Thorn réfléchissait déjà à la possibilité de se séparer de l’ancien coach des Bulls après l’échec de cette saison et malgré le fait qu’ils aient utilisé leur option pour une saison supplémentaire après le training camp. Quatre fois All-Star avec les Sixers il était revenu en 2010 pour les coacher et l’an passé il avait réussi à les mener au second tour des playoffs.
N’hésitez pas à lire le Brainstorming de Guillaume sur la situation de Collins et des Sixers.
Via Associated Press
The Sixers picked up the option on Collins’ contract for the 2013-14 season in training camp and he said then he wanted to remain with the organization in some capacity when his coaching career is over. It’s over earlier than they expected.
His decision, first reported by Yahoo Sports, came out only hours after his agent told reporters Collins would return next season.
« He’s here for another year, at least, » agent John Langel said. « He’s the coach and we’ll see what happens. »
There was no immediate word when he notified his players. No Sixers’ player indicated in the postgame locker room that Collins was leaving.
Hall of Famer Julius Erving, a former Sixers great and team adviser, said before Sunday’s win over Cleveland that the Sixers needed to keep Collins.
« The organization can ill-afford to have Doug walk away, » Erving said. « You’re not going to get a better coach or a better teacher. »
Collins refused to discuss his job status on Sunday.
Collins guided a young Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls from 1986-89, and the Detroit Pistons from 1995-98. He coached Jordan again with the Washington Wizards from 2001-03.
His two seasons with the Wizards had been his only two full seasons in which he did not lead his team to the playoffs. He was fired shortly after Jordan was denied a return to the front office.
Collins worked for TNT after leaving the Wizards and received the Curt Gowdy Media Award at the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame for his work as a broadcaster.
He was a four-time All-Star with the Sixers, and he averaged 17.9 points in a career marred by injuries. A knee injury forced him to retire in 1981, two years before the 76ers beat the Lakers for the 1983 NBA title.
His son, Chris Collins, was hired as head coach at Northwestern earlier this month.