Cautious excitement, Vinny Del Negro-style

June 12th, 2008 | Posted by PostmanE

Every time I’ve talked about the Vinny Del Negro hiring, I’ve said at least one thing: I’m confused, but cautiously excited. It seems to entirely possible to me that Del Negro is Mike D’Antoni Lite — someone who learned everything he needs to know from Seven Seconds Or Less, and who wants to defend in the interim. Some sort of sneaky rogue pilfering ideas from his genius co-workers. I will take this pilferer, and gladly.

After his press conference yesterday, that caricature sounds an awful lot like reality. Check out these quotes:

“Do I feel totally prepared right now? No,” he said. “And that bothers me. But by the time those decisions need to be made, I will be.”

Means: I have little more than a philosophy. D’Antoni didn’t show me any inbounds plays. I’m working on it.

“If you look at greatness in any sport, all great teams have defensive resolve,” he said. “What I like tremendously about this roster is looking at Thabo [Sefolosha] and Tyrus [Thomas] and [ Joakim] Noah, they’re all versatile guys we would have loved to have had in the draft in Phoenix. They have versatility and can play and defend two or three positions.

Means: I know we have good defensive players on this roster, and I plan to use them. If you think Tyrus Thomas isn’t hard enough to start, you’re dead wrong. I like youth. I’m mentioning these guys by name for a reason — they’re going to play. A lot.

“Offensively, there’s no question my philosophy is to play the game fast and quick. With young players, they have a tendency to try to play fast but be in a hurry. They have to take their time. When you play fast, there’s an unpredictability to basketball that makes it exciting and interesting. We’re going to have to get the percentages in our favor with the unpredictability. But the defensive resolve, we’ll start with and try to play at a fast pace and put players in positions to succeed.”

Means: We’re not going to play fast just to play fast. There’s going to be order. But the minute I have Derrick Rose in my clutches, I will let him go. I will put players in a position to succeed, not succeed for them. I AM D’ANTONI DISTILLED.

“Obviously, you have to be a disciplinarian, but my style also will be to put my arms around them and take them to lunch and talk to them,” Del Negro said. “These are young players who need guidance. Just because you draft players at a high position and they wear the Chicago Bulls jersey doesn’t mean all of a sudden they’re professionals. It takes time.”

Means: Skiles was too mean to these fragile young minds. I believe the children are our future. You must occasionally touch them in reassuring fashion; none of this break-em-down-to-build-em-up stuff. I look forward to our first team campout. I’ll bring s’mores.

I like pretty much all of the above. If Vinny Del Negro is who he says he is, this could be the start of a long and prosperous professional relationship. Vinny has a vision. It’s just a bit blurry, is all.