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| | Thursday, September 16 | |||||
| DENVER -- After painfully watching the Denver Nuggets'
bewildering transformation from a rising franchise to an NBA
also-ran, Dan Issel couldn't take it anymore.
Issel, Denver's vice president and general manager, added
another title Tuesday as he introduced himself as Nuggets coach,
replacing Mike D'Antoni.
"If this wasn't a day when I had to part company with a good
friend, it would be a happy day for me," Issel said. "Although it
doesn't seem like it today, we're trying to bring stability to the
organization."
Issel's announcement comes four years after he retired as
Denver's coach. At that time, he vowed never to coach again.
"I think I am better suited for the situation this time
around," he said. "We did have some success. I felt that was an
uncompleted chapter. If I'm not right about this, this will be the
final chapter."
The Nuggets have gone through five coaches with minimal success
since Issel led them to the Western Conference semifinals in 1994.
They chased the NBA futility mark before finishing 11-71 in
1997-98 and went 14-36 under D'Antoni in last year's
lockout-shortened season.
"Many games, we just couldn't even turn the TV on or read the
paper the next morning," Issel's wife, Cheri, said of her
husband's time away from the Nuggets. "If you've been in Denver as
long as we have or been associated with the Nuggets as much as we
have, it really hurts to see the Nuggets get to the point they got.
We want to be a part of rebuilding that."
Though highly successful as a coach in the Italian League,
D'Antoni seemed to have trouble winning the respect of his players.
Issel said D'Antoni's overseas experience didn't carry much weight
with players in the image-conscious NBA.
"I know that being here for a shortened season certainly didn't
give Mike the biggest opportunity," Issel said, "but I don't
think we have a long opportunity to turn this franchise around."
Issel said Nuggets owner Donald Sturm has given him a three-year
contract with an option for a fourth year if the team is
successful. D'Antoni had two years left on a three-year contract
and will not remain with the team.
Since his first coaching retirement in January 1995, Issel has
worked in radio and television as a basketball analyst, and he
returned the team as vice president and general manager in March
1998.
His major moves in the past year have included signing free-agent forward Antonio McDyess and making trades for all-star point
guard Nick Van Exel and Denver native Chauncey Billups. He also
orchestrated a multiplayer trade with Boston this summer that
brought talented swingman Ron Mercer to Denver.
"I think it's a good situation," Mercer said. "I really
didn't know the former coach too well. I think Dan hit a key point.
The players have to respect the coach. That's one thing that stands
out the most. I respect Dan. He's a straightforward guy. I respect
that a lot."
For all his front-office maneuvering, Issel still inherits a
young team with several unproven players, but he said his work in
the media has helped him learn to accept criticism.
Issel also told his family he would try to avoid the stress that
drove him from coaching in the first place.
"I had to promise them I wouldn't get so red in the face and
that I would leave it here when I left this building," he said.
"I'm safe because as nice as my office is here, I'm moving in full
time."
Issel was one of Denver's most popular players in his 11 seasons
with the Nuggets from 1975-85. He was inducted into the Basketball
Hall of Fame in 1993 and is still Denver's career rebounding
leader.
Issel's return to coaching is the latest step in a summer
makeover for the Nuggets.
Sturm, a Denver billionaire and banker, took over ownership of
the Nuggets, the NHL's Colorado Avalanche and the Pepsi Center
arena in July, after bidding $461 million.
Issel said Sturm did not force him to take over as coach.
"It's not about titles and who has all the power," Issel said.
"It's about getting the Denver Nuggets back to being a respectable
franchise -- something I don't think we have been, with the
exception of a year or two in the '90s."
| ALSO SEE  NBA West: Another coach bits dust in Denver
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AUDIO/VIDEO   Dan Issel's goal is to get the Nuggets back to the playoffs.wav: 251 k RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6  | |||||