Westphal departs with dignity

  • RICH MYHRE / Herald Writer
  • Monday, November 27, 2000 9:00pm
  • Sports

By RICH MYHRE

Herald Writer

SEATTLE – In a league full of great egos, one of the tiniest belongs to former Seattle SuperSonics coach Paul Westphal.

Which is why Westphal, on the day of his firing, did not depart in flurry of angry accusations and bitter blame.

Instead, the genial Westphal went out with dignity Monday. He acknowledged the team’s disappointing 6-9 record (“I understand the business and I understand why they felt they needed to do this,” he said), but he also believes he did his best to solve the team’s problems.

And problems, there were many.

His experiences in two Seattle seasons plus the start of a third “were extremely, unusually wacky,” Westphal said. “I’m a non-controversial guy, and (it’s astonishing to) look back at all things I’ve been in the middle of.”

Nothing was more bizarre than the first four weeks of this season. There was an ill omen on opening night as the Sonics were outscored 18-2 in the first five minutes against the Vancouver Grizzlies. Vancouver, a team Seattle has dominated since it joined the league back in the 1995-95 season, went on to a shocking 94-88 victory.

There was a locker room blowup in Orlando one week later, during which Westphal offered to resign, only to have All-Star point guard Gary Payton defuse the crisis. Two weeks later, though, it was Payton cursing Westphal and threatening violence, a bit of insubordination for which the player was suspended for one game – then reinstated a few hours later.

More than anything, though, there were losses. There were games the Sonics should have won, like the Vancouver defeat and a Nov. 16 setback vs. Dallas in which Seattle gave up a 10-point lead in the final seven minutes. And there were games the Sonics could have been forgiven for losing if they had played competitively, but instead they gave lackluster efforts and were routed.

Two of those in the past week – a 112-85 loss at San Antonio and a 125-101 defeat at Sacramento – apparently tipped the scales against Westphal.

Despite his well-publicized argument with Payton, Westphal took no verbal swings at Seattle’s volatile star.

“I think Gary and I could have worked together a lot better if the team had been more successful,” Westphal said. “Gary’s volatile personality is something that dictates that inevitably there are going to be some blowups from time to time. But I never felt that Gary was not going to play hard and I never felt that he was someone I didn’t want on the team.

“I don’t think Gary Payton got me fired, let’s put it that way,” he said.

If Westphal has any frustration, it stems from his inability to get better performances from forward Vin Baker, a four-time All-Star who has slumped in recent seasons.

“I don’t blame myself because I know I did everything I could do,” Westphal said. “I accept the responsibility, but there’s a difference. I don’t think there was anything I could have done differently. … I don’t have any regrets at all about the steps we took and when we took them in trying to help him become the player he used to be.”

Westphal, who will receive the balance of his guaranteed salary (about $2 million) for this season, and his wife Cindy plan to sell their Seattle-area home and move back to Manhattan Beach, Calif., their primary residence. He will finish a book he is working on, tentatively titled “Stories from the Big Time,” which he describes as “a collection of stories about sports and life.”

And he may coach again. “I like basketball a lot,” he said. “I’ll have to look for an opportunity that’s the right fit, and I have no idea what’s out there right now.”

Sounding remarkably upbeat, he said, “I’m sorry it did not work out here. This is a great organization and there’s great support for the Sonics. I wish it could have been different. I liked it here.

“I don’t think (the events of this season) made anybody particularly happy, but this is the NBA in the year 2000. I wish everybody the best and I’m going to move on. I’ll look back on my time in Seattle as something that could have been better, but it was a good experience.”

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Sports

Vancouver Giants goalie Burke Hood makes a play for the puck against the Everett Silvertips, who lost 6-2 to the Giants at Langley Events Centre on Saturday, one day after clinching a WHL playoff spot. (Rob Wilton, Giants/Special to Black Press Media).
Tips Week in Review: Everett first in WHL to clinch playoff berth

The Silvertips defeated Kamloops on Friday to secure spot, but lost to Vancouver on Saturday

The Edmonds-Woodway bench reacts to a foul call during the game against Shorewood on Tuesday, Feb. 4, 2025 in Shoreline, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Prep basketball roundup for Monday, Feb. 10

Warriors win battle of division champs.

Vote for The Herald’s Prep Athlete of the Week for Feb. 2-8

The Athlete of the Week nominees for Feb. 2-8. Voting closes at… Continue reading

Lake Stevens’ Kamryn Mason attempts to flip Glacier Peak’s Kyla Brown onto her back during 110-pound match at the 4A girls wrestling district tournament on Friday, Feb. 7, 2025 in Mill Creek, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Vikings girls wrestling conquers 4A District 1 Tournament

Lake Stevens dominated with champions in six weight classes and 18 total state-qualifiers

Perfect week no help to Gonzaga

An unbeaten week against a pair of middle- to lower-tier West Coast… Continue reading

LeBron James (23) and Luka Doncic (77) of the Los Angeles Lakers look on as John Collins (20) of the Utah Jazz drives to the basket during the first quarter at Crypto.com Arena on Monday, Feb. 10, 2025, in Los Angeles. (Ronald Martinez / Getty Images / Tribune News Services)
Lakers’ LeBron James and Luka Doncic hit the ground running

LeBron James and Luka Doncic represent different generations and… Continue reading

Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts (1) smiles as head coach Nick Sirianni holds up the Lombardi trophy after they defeated the Kansas City Chiefs 40-22 in Super Bowl LIX at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, Sunday, Feb. 9, 2025. (Timothy A. Clary / AFP / Getty Images / Tribune News Services)
Eagles overwhelm Chiefs to win the Super Bowl

The Philadelphia Eagles perhaps did not vanquish the Kansas… Continue reading

Coach Derek Lopez (far right) and the Lake Stevens boys' wrestling team celebrates with their championship trophy at the WIAA 4A District 1 Tournament at Jackson High School on Feb. 8, 2025.
Lake Stevens boys capture district wrestling title

The Vikings had 17 state-qualifiers; second-place Arlington led with five weight class winners

Edmonds-Woodway wrestlers react to a pin during the match against Meadowdale on Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025 in Edmonds, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Prep boys wrestling roundup for Saturday, Feb. 8

Edmonds-Woodway boys wins Wesco 3A South wrestling title.

Kamiak’s Kai Burgess has her arm raised in the air after beating Arlington’s Jaymari O’Neal in the 125-pound match at the 4A girls wrestling district tournament on Friday, Feb. 7, 2025 in Mill Creek, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Rebuilding Kamiak girls wrestling steps forward at District Tournament

Ki Burgess and Eden Cole each won their weight class in Friday’s WIAA District 1 Girls’ 4A Tournament

Prep basketball roundup for Saturday, Feb. 8

Tulalip Heritage boys advance to district title game.

Meadowdale’s Kyairra Roussin takes the ball to the hoop during the game against Archbishop Murphy on Thursday, Jan. 30, 2025 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Prep girls basketball roundup for Friday, Feb. 7

Kyairra Roussin’s deep buzzer-beater lifts Meadowdale over Stanwood.

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.