George Karl Fired In Denver, Does He Make Sense For The Sixers?

The Denver Nuggets finished with the third best record in a loaded Western Conference. Their team did not have an all-star this season. The coach and general manager won the Coach of the Year and Executive of the Year awards, respectively. So of course, the owners let the GM walk away for more money, fire the coach with a year left on his contract, and consider overhauling the Denver roster.

Good times in Denver. Now they get to join us in coaching search purgatory!

Meanwhile, our coaching search has gone seemingly nowhere. Karl just got released, but he might be a fit here. Karl comes with a sterling resume: he's won about 60% of his games as an NBA head coach, which over 25 years is pretty absurd. He's one of the best offensive coaches ever. His teams consistently play fun basketball, which would be a very welcome change in this town, where offense comes to die. And he's still the reigning NBA Coach of the Year.

But in another, more negative context, I can put it this way: he's been a head coach for 25 years, is 62 years old, and hasn't won a championship as a coach. His teams are more known for their disappointments than their successes. He also has a tendency to not have great defensive teams, although last year's Nuggets were actually pretty good defensively whenever JaVale McGee didn't play. The report mentioning McGee's lack of play contributing to his firing is actually a positive point for Karl.

And he's had health issues in the past - while he bravely battling recurring cancer over the years, that could always shorten his coaching career. He's not a long-term solution.

Now, one final way to spin it: you mostly know what you're getting, both good and bad, in George Karl. And based on that winning percentage, there's probably more good than bad. Especially when your team's offense most recently caused pain akin to hearing Flo from the Progressive commercials talking on a loop while in solitary confinement without sleep for four millennia.

All this doesn't matter if George Karl doesn't become the team's coach, however. While Karl may not be "the right coach" Sam Hinkie and Josh Harris seek, despite his lack of playoff success, he won't be here for the long haul because of his age. The Sixers will not contend for a title for years (it's true - if we do things right, it will still take a lot of time). And according to Grantland's Zach Lowe, who covered Karl's potential hiring for all the current head coach openings, the Sixers are looking for that long-term coach, like Brandon's boy Chris Finch.

With all that said, George Karl doesn't seem to be the "right" coach for the Sixers. But we might not find that perfect fit in the end, and if we can't find one, I'm not sure there's a better placeholder out there.