HoopsHype.com Rumors

The NBA wants to know in advance which Silas is the Charlotte Bobcats’ head coach for any single game. Coach Paul Silas told me at shoot-around this morning that the league has asked the Bobcats for a heads-up whenever lead assistant Stephen Silas is taking over the team for a game. With the front office’s blessing, Paul Silas is having his son coach about once a week the rest of the season as a training exercise. Charlotte Observer

Charlotte Bobcats, Coaching, Paul Silas, Stephen Silas 

The likely next game Stephen Silas will coach is Saturday, on the road against the Detroit Pistons. It makes sense that the league office wants to inform that night’s officiating crew in advance that Stephen Silas is in charge. Referees give head coaches more latitude – to stand throughout the game, to argue calls, to ask for interpretations – than they do assistants. So it makes sense for refs to know how to delineate between Paul’s and Stephen’s roles. Charlotte Observer

Charlotte Bobcats, Coaching, Paul Silas, Stephen Silas 

Diaw played only twice in his last eight games with the Bobcats and has had a strained relationship with coach Paul Silas, who was quite critical of his effort. Silas described his frustration with Diaw on March 7 before a home loss to the Utah Jazz. “I like a player who is really committed to not only the team but to himself and then doing the best he can as a player,’’ Silas said. “Some of the things that would go on, like not shooting the ball, passing all of the time’’ were unacceptable. “I needed hoops and he could put the ball in the hoop. When that wouldn’t happen it was very disturbing. I think if he had played all out, the way he should have, it would have been a much, much better club.” Charlotte Observer

Charlotte Bobcats, Paul Silas, Boris Diaw 

Rumors abound that this will be Silas’s last season in charge, but he is attempting to control his exit. On Saturday, for the second time this year, his son, Stephen, coached the team and notched his first win. “Don Nelson at Golden State had Keith Smart doing the same thing,” Silas said of the Warriors’ rite of succession, adding that his son “will be a terrific coach eventually.” He added, “But it’s good that he can start right now, where wins and losses don’t matter as much.” New York Times

Charlotte Bobcats, Coaching, Paul Silas 

The Charlotte Bobcats didn't activate forward Boris Diaw for Wednesday's game against the Utah Jazz, and based on the tone of coach Paul Silas' comments, Diaw might never play here again. "I think if he had played all out, the way he should have, it would have been a much, much better club," Silas said, when asked why Diaw has fallen out of the rotation entirely. Charlotte Observer

Charlotte Bobcats, Paul Silas, Boris Diaw 

"I like a player who is really committed to not only the team but to himself and then doing the best he can as a player," Silas said. "Some of the things that would go on, like not shooting the ball (and) passing all of the time... I needed hoops and he could put the ball in the hoop. When that wouldn't happen it was very disturbing." Asked if Diaw would ever play again for the Bobcats, Silas replied, "We just have to wait and see." Charlotte Observer

Charlotte Bobcats, Paul Silas, Boris Diaw 

Q: Describe your first NBA coach with the Charlotte Hornets, Paul Silas. A: I just thought that I was gonna just take the NBA by storm, and he was just like, “Nope.” (Laugh). I remember times that I would be dribbling up the court, and he’d be yelling at me, and I’d be yelling back at him (laugh), and then, the next day at practice, I’d be pouting, and he was like, “Oh, you mad, you mad at me? Come here, give me a hug.” He was really teaching me how to lead those veteran guys. New York Post

Charlotte Bobcats, New York Knicks, Coaching, Paul Silas, Baron Davis 

Higgins sees coach Paul Silas keeping his job at least through the rest of the season, despite the 4-28 start and seven losses of 30 or more points. Charlotte Observer

Charlotte Bobcats, Coaching, Paul Silas 

It's safe to say the NBA-worst Bobcats were expecting a little more from a veteran who's making $7.3 million this season and is scheduled to make an average of $8.7 million the next three seasons. "The frustrating part is we need him to play up to his level so he can help us win games," coach Paul Silas said. "What he makes (in salary) and that kind of stuff, I don't care about that. But I look at what he does out on the court and he's just not playing that well." Deseret News

Charlotte Bobcats, Paul Silas, Tyrus Thomas 

Teammate D.J. White simply believes Thomas is in a slump and will break out. "I don't think he's frustrated," White said. "I think he's working through it. He's in here early getting up shots. Even on the road he's staying after practice and working on his game. As basketball players we go through some things some time. You have to stay focused and believe in yourself and he's doing that right now." Deseret News

Charlotte Bobcats, Paul Silas, Tyrus Thomas, DJ White 

But lately the losing has become even more gruesome, with the worst loss in franchise history after getting destroyed by the Blazers in Portland. Are you guys behind coach Paul Silas? Bismack Biyombo: Yes, we believe in Silas. We have some injured players, although that is not a excuse. It's a very difficult situation. It's complicated to say that tomorrow or the day after tomorrow we will win. He always says that the most difficult thing is winning. He's been there, he knows how it is to be in a winning situation. Although we have injuries, we must stay optimistic, keep working. Yes, we have lost some games by a lot of points but it doesn't mean we don't care. We lose, we practice the next day and we do our best. Personally I'm impressed about how hard we're practicing. It's true that is frustrating that we're losing, but with our effort I'm sure we will win again. HoopsHype

Charlotte Bobcats, Coaching, Paul Silas, Bismack Biyombo 

So the chemistry is good? It's not like what happened in Washington, where it seems the players had tuned out Flip Saunders? Bismack Biyombo: We don't have that problem. At the beginning of the season, we lost games but we were close to getting some wins. We competed against Miami, we won against Milwaukee at home... Then we had some injuries that killed us, but we know it's not an excuse. HoopsHype

Charlotte Bobcats, Coaching, Paul Silas, Bismack Biyombo 

Poor Silas was sullen, slumped on a chair looking like a man who knew he was about to be convicted for a crime he did not commit. "I would say this," Silas began, slowly embarking on the type of mental game that coaches of basement-dwelling teams must play in order to grind through the motions. "You take three top players off of anyone's team, and they're not going to do well. And that's the only way I look at it. I don't have a full squad. If I had a full squad and we were losing this way, it would be awful." Blazers Edge

Charlotte Bobcats, Portland Trail Blazers, Paul Silas, Gerald Wallace 

An NBA executive I know says coaches in this league do their jobs at the players' permission. I think that's some of what Silas was feeling Thursday. Someone who's been through all he has is a great resource, but only to the extent players have the wisdom and drive to tap in. "You have to want to be the best possible player you can be, and you just don't see that a lot anymore," said Silas, describing the league, not just the Bobcats. "You ask guys sometimes, 'Do you want to be an All-Star?' And they say, 'Oh....maybe.' It's not ingrained in them. "When I played, being an All-Star was the best thing ever. If they'd concentrate on that, not only would they get better for themselves, but better for the team. And they don't understand that. " I've got to play better. I've got to think better. I've got to focus better, in order for the team to be better." Charlotte Observer

Charlotte Bobcats, Coaching, Paul Silas 

But the heat started to come down on Silas this past week, even before the Bobcats lost to the Knicks at the Garden, falling to 2-7. It reached the point where Jordan felt the need to convene a meeting of his top aides and his coach to reevaluate where the team stands. Sources said that in the meeting, Jordan finally admitted the obvious: The Bobcats don’t have starting-quality talent, aren’t going to win anything this season, and that Silas should not be held accountable, as long as the team plays hard and sees development from its younger players. “Michael understands where we are and what this season is all about, and that’s rebuilding,’’ said a team official. “He has a real good idea of where we stand.” New York Daily News

Charlotte Bobcats, Michael Jordan, Coaching, Paul Silas 

A day after his team’s loss in New York, Jordan continued to meet with his deputies as his team’s starters didn’t even try in a 30-point loss to the Hawks. According to the source, in his meetings, Jordan was “trying to figure out where we’re going to go from here.’’ New York Daily News

Charlotte Bobcats, Michael Jordan, Coaching, Paul Silas 

With forward Tyrus Thomas showing signs of leg fatigue, Charlotte Bobcats coach Paul Silas chose to sit him, with hopes he'll play Thursday in Atlanta - the first of three games in three nights for the Bobcats. Thomas missed the first six games of the season with a sprained ankle. His return coincided with Corey Maggette's hamstring strain, so Silas inserted Thomas into the lineup at small forward and played him heavy minutes - an average of 29 per night. Silas said Thomas wanted to play against the Houston Rockets, but Silas vetoed that idea. "His legs are hurting him and he's very tired," Silas said. "Possibly we played him too much, too soon." Charlotte Observer

Charlotte Bobcats, Paul Silas, Tyrus Thomas 

Charlotte Bobcats coach Paul Silas didn't want to talk about rebounding differential or field-goal percentage or shot selection. What troubled him so thoroughly about his team's 99-77 loss to the Indiana Pacers on Saturday was more gutteral, more elemental. Few things mattered more to Silas as a player than toughness, and to him, toughness was non-existent among his players. "We didn't play tough. They banged us and we didn't respond. And that cannot be," Silas said. "Unless we're going to put everything out there ... " Charlotte Observer

Charlotte Bobcats, Paul Silas 

Charlotte Bobcats coach Paul Silas says Tuesday’s meeting with free-agent center Kwame Brown went “great,’’ as the Bobcats work to re-sign him. “He was adamant about trying to come here, that he really liked what we did for him last year,’’ Silas described. “How positive we were with him, how we worked with him. He said nobody ever really worked with him as much as we did.’’ Charlotte Observer

Charlotte Bobcats, Free Agency, Paul Silas, Kwame Brown 

Brown’s agent, Mark Bartelstein, said Tuesday Brown does value his experience in Charlotte. But Bartelstein also cautioned there’s a business aspect, as in looking for the most compensation as an unrestricted free agent. Bartelstein indicated Tuesday that Brown’s decision should come in the next few days. The earliest free agents can sign with teams is Friday, the first day of training camp. Charlotte Observer

Charlotte Bobcats, Free Agency, Paul Silas, Kwame Brown