Issel Predicts Next Nuggets Coach Won't Be A Big Name

DENVER (CBS4) - The new coach of the Denver Nuggets most likely won't be one who commands a big salary.

That's the prediction of former Denver Nuggets star and coach Dan Issel.

"The thing I don't see is the Nuggets hiring a big name coach. They in the past haven't spent the money. I mean, that was one of the reasons, supposedly, that George left is they didn't want to make a long-term commitment to him and they got Brian instead," Issel told CBS4's Vic Lombardi on Xfinity Monday Live, referring to George Karl and Brian Shaw.

Karl is now the coach of the Sacramento Kings and Shaw was fired earlier this month after a year-and-a-half as the Nuggets head coach. The Nuggets are currently being coached by interim coach Melvin Hunt.

Issel said he understands why Karl isn't the Nuggets coach anymore.

"George is a terrific coach. You don't win 1,000 games in the NBA and not know what you're doing," Issel said.

But Issel said Karl's track record as a coach was probably what led to his departure.

"History the regular season is good, and it's nice to win 55 or 60 games a year, but if you're not going past the first round of the playoffs, you're not having a very successful season," he said.

Issel said he also saw issues with the Nuggets under Shaw.

"I think one of the problems that I saw with Brian Shaw's team is they would come down and take a 3 pointer without making an extra pass, without exploring going inside. And it seemed like when the other team made a run, which every NBA team does, that they would do it even more. They would take shots quicker. They would take more outside jumpers. You have to at least explore going inside and kicking it back out," he said.

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The Nuggets have traditionally been a running team, and when playing at altitude they always seem to have an advantage using a fast paced game.

"If you're coaching the Denver Nuggets, whether it's 1994 or 2015, what would your philosophy be? Would you go back to running?" Lombardi asked Issel.

"Yes," he responded.

"You have to take advantage of the altitude. You have to get up and down. And you have to go inside and outside," he said.

Issel said he expects the Nuggets will hire a coach who emphasizes a fast paced game and who gets his players to play strong defense.

"I think it is somebody who has to have the style of getting up and down the court and playing defensively," he said.

Watch more video with Issel in the Xfinity Monday Live section.