SEATTLE -- Bob Weiss was fired as coach of the Seattle SuperSonics on Tuesday, with his team struggling at 13-17 after having won its division last year.
Weiss, in his first year coaching the Sonics, was replaced by assistant Bob Hill, the team said. Seattle opened a five-game road trip with a 115-96 loss to Indiana on Monday and plays in Chicago on Wednesday night.
"He and I agreed that a change needed to be made to serve as a catalyst for elevating the performance of our team, and the timing is right for us today," general manager Rick Sund said in a statement.
Sund is with the team in Chicago.
Weiss will remain with the team in an advisory role, Sund said.
Weiss was promoted from assistant to head coach on July 18 after Nate McMillan left for Portland. Weiss was a popular choice of All-Stars Ray Allen and Rashard Lewis, but Seattle has not been above .500 this season. The Sonics won 52 games last year in capturing the Northwest Division.
The 63-year-old Weiss previously coached the Atlanta Hawks, San Antonio Spurs and Los Angeles Clippers and has an overall record of 223-299. He was a Seattle assistant from 1994 to 2005.
"Over the past 11-plus seasons, the Sonics have the fifth-best winning record in the NBA including four division titles. Bob Weiss has been a significant contributor to that success," Sonics president Wally Walker said in a statement. "His loyalty and insights have been extremely valuable to this organization. We thank him for all of his efforts and look forward to an ongoing relationship with him."
Weiss is the third coach fired by Seattle during the season since 1992. In 2000, Paul Westphal was let go after a 6-9 start, replaced by McMillan. In 1992, K.C. Jones was fired after an 18-18 start and replaced by George Karl.
This will be Hill's fourth head coaching job. He previously coached the Indiana Pacers and New York Knicks and had his most success with the Spurs.
From 1994-96, Hill compiled a 124-58 record with the Spurs, winning two division titles and advancing to the 1995 Western Conference Finals before losing to Houston. Hill has a 257-212 overall record.
Hill's most recent head coaching job was at Fordham University from 1999-2002. He's also served as an assistant with the New York Knicks and Orlando Magic and coached in the Italian Basketball League.
"With Bob Hill's experience and success as a coach in the NBA, we believe he will help us toward our goal of making the playoffs this season," Sund said.
Because of the division Seattle plays in, making the playoffs can still be obtained. Despite their struggles and falling four games below .500 on Monday for the first time since finishing the 2003-04 season 37-45, the Sonics are only two games behind the first-place Minnesota Timberwolves in the mediocre Northwest Division.
The majority of Seattle's problems are at the defensive end, where they are worst in the league in points allowed (105.2) and field-goal percentage (49.8).
Monday's loss to Indiana may have sealed Weiss' fate. The Pacers had lost four straight and were without All-Star Jermaine O'Neal, guard Jamaal Tinsley and embattled forward Ron Artest. Yet Indiana raced to a 38-23 lead and finished with its highest point total of the season.
Seattle has held only six opponents under 100 points and only once in its last 12 games.
Weiss, in his first year coaching the Sonics, was replaced by assistant Bob Hill, the team said. Seattle opened a five-game road trip with a 115-96 loss to Indiana on Monday and plays in Chicago on Wednesday night.
"He and I agreed that a change needed to be made to serve as a catalyst for elevating the performance of our team, and the timing is right for us today," general manager Rick Sund said in a statement.
Sund is with the team in Chicago.
Weiss will remain with the team in an advisory role, Sund said.
Weiss was promoted from assistant to head coach on July 18 after Nate McMillan left for Portland. Weiss was a popular choice of All-Stars Ray Allen and Rashard Lewis, but Seattle has not been above .500 this season. The Sonics won 52 games last year in capturing the Northwest Division.
The 63-year-old Weiss previously coached the Atlanta Hawks, San Antonio Spurs and Los Angeles Clippers and has an overall record of 223-299. He was a Seattle assistant from 1994 to 2005.
"Over the past 11-plus seasons, the Sonics have the fifth-best winning record in the NBA including four division titles. Bob Weiss has been a significant contributor to that success," Sonics president Wally Walker said in a statement. "His loyalty and insights have been extremely valuable to this organization. We thank him for all of his efforts and look forward to an ongoing relationship with him."
Weiss is the third coach fired by Seattle during the season since 1992. In 2000, Paul Westphal was let go after a 6-9 start, replaced by McMillan. In 1992, K.C. Jones was fired after an 18-18 start and replaced by George Karl.
This will be Hill's fourth head coaching job. He previously coached the Indiana Pacers and New York Knicks and had his most success with the Spurs.
From 1994-96, Hill compiled a 124-58 record with the Spurs, winning two division titles and advancing to the 1995 Western Conference Finals before losing to Houston. Hill has a 257-212 overall record.
Hill's most recent head coaching job was at Fordham University from 1999-2002. He's also served as an assistant with the New York Knicks and Orlando Magic and coached in the Italian Basketball League.
"With Bob Hill's experience and success as a coach in the NBA, we believe he will help us toward our goal of making the playoffs this season," Sund said.
Because of the division Seattle plays in, making the playoffs can still be obtained. Despite their struggles and falling four games below .500 on Monday for the first time since finishing the 2003-04 season 37-45, the Sonics are only two games behind the first-place Minnesota Timberwolves in the mediocre Northwest Division.
The majority of Seattle's problems are at the defensive end, where they are worst in the league in points allowed (105.2) and field-goal percentage (49.8).
Monday's loss to Indiana may have sealed Weiss' fate. The Pacers had lost four straight and were without All-Star Jermaine O'Neal, guard Jamaal Tinsley and embattled forward Ron Artest. Yet Indiana raced to a 38-23 lead and finished with its highest point total of the season.
Seattle has held only six opponents under 100 points and only once in its last 12 games.
