Let’s get something straight. Expecting ball-dominant scorers and plodders to compensate for leaky defense and predominantly mid-range limited shooting wasn’t of Nate McMillan’s doing. He didn’t saddle himself with an awkwardly redundant roster prior to what ended up being the most pivotal season of Paul George’s contract. However, his stubborn rotation decisions, strict adherence to peculiar defensive ethos, and unimaginative offense did, arguably, hinder his team from reaching its modest ceiling.
Therefore, because he shouldn’t be scapegoated for Larry Bird’s decisions or completely absolved of his own, here’s some suggestions for how he should approach the post-Paul George era.