Brown's price tag
Question: Why did all the rumblings about Larry Brown wanting to leave the Bobcats to coach the Sixers or Clippers instead, so prevalent in May and June, quietly fade away?
One answer: NBA coaching sources say that Bobcats owner Michael Jordan made it clear to Brown and any interested team that the Bobcats would insist on compensation -- presumably draft considerations -- to let Brown out of his contract.
http://espn.go.com/blog/truehoop/post/_ ... t-mac-more
LB's price tag
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LB's price tag
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- fatlever
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Re: LB's price tag
the rumor that was floating around.... was that on the down low mj wasnt too pleased with LBs indecision and flirting with other teams, even it mj was saying all the nice things to the press. i think mj made it clear to lb that either you coach here or you dont coach. lb seemed rather miffed when he came back to town for those summer gym sessions.
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That's what I thought too. He seemed to have an attitude. Glad MJ stepped up and let him know who's boss.
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Re: LB's price tag
fatlever wrote:lb seemed rather miffed when he came back to town for those summer gym sessions.
That is very true. It was a strange behavior even for him. Looking back at it, I would almost label it "pouting". In retrospect, it sounded like a man faced with limited choices, and having to settle with his current situation...something LB has never been used to.
But if the guy was presented with too problematic a situation, wouldn't he just retire and go home to his young honey and kids? I still can't figure that one out!
I continue to wait...and hope...for the return to Hornet's glory.
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Re: LB's price tag
LB probably thought that he could get another buyout. Usually works for him.
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Re: LB's price tag
fatlever wrote:the rumor that was floating around.... was that on the down low mj wasnt too pleased with LBs indecision and flirting with other teams, even it mj was saying all the nice things to the press. i think mj made it clear to lb that either you coach here or you dont coach. lb seemed rather miffed when he came back to town for those summer gym sessions.
Where did you hear this rumor?
I do not believe this because Larry and MJ talk all the time and have a great working relationship. LB did MJ a favor by coming here and has made us somewhat relevant. So I find it hard to believe LB was going behind MJ's back and soliciting offers or flirting with other teams without first consulting with MJ. Michael Jordan is not Bill Davidson former owner of the Pistons.
I think because of LB's reputation as a nomad, the media assumed he was looking for a way out because they believe our team has gone as far as it's going to go. What most likely happened was a few teams called MJ asking permission to speak with LB, MJ said sure but if he leaves we will want compensation. MJ is not going to stand in the way of his friend possibly earning more money elsewhere so he granted permission. LB repeatedly said no, I want to stay. End of story.
Now if MJ deep down wanted LB to leave, that is another story. I can see that because then it would give justification for MJ to blow this team up sooner rather than later. But that has to be a difficult decision for MJ because if he blows the team up nobody will come to the arena.
Re: LB's price tag
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Re: LB's price tag
Battery wrote:fatlever wrote:the rumor that was floating around.... was that on the down low mj wasnt too pleased with LBs indecision and flirting with other teams, even it mj was saying all the nice things to the press. i think mj made it clear to lb that either you coach here or you dont coach. lb seemed rather miffed when he came back to town for those summer gym sessions.
Where did you hear this rumor?
honestly, i cant remember where i read it, another message board or blog or something. it wasnt anything official, just the typical - look at me, i have sources - kinda thing.
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What a dick
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fatlever wrote:honestly, i cant remember where i read it, another message board or blog or something. it wasnt anything official, just the typical - look at me, i have sources - kinda thing.
Now you're starting to sound like Rick Bonnell...
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Re: LB's price tag
- fatlever
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Jaruff wrote:fatlever wrote:honestly, i cant remember where i read it, another message board or blog or something. it wasnt anything official, just the typical - look at me, i have sources - kinda thing.
Now you're starting to sound like Rick Bonnell...
ok, i found it. it was on bcp a few weeks ago... the post was about "richard walker" who write for gaston gazette. i guess walker was on wfnz that day and made some comments about LB, that kinda jive with what is being said in the article linked here.
this is the post from bcp
http://www.bobcatsplanet.com/vb/showthr ... post172505
from proudiddy
I don't listen to Packman frequently, but I catch it occasionally when picking up my kids in the afternoon... Anyway, I was listening yesterday and there was more Bobcats talk than I have ever heard, especially for an off-season. Callers were calling in about the Bobcats specifically, back-to-back.
One of the hosts, I believe was Richard Walker, and although I'm not sure, I think he writes on the Bobcats for the Gaston Gazette or something but I don't feel like looking - anyway, he seems pretty informed about them for the most part.
IIRC, the caller was talking about after the Dallas trade and recent events, including not having any draft picks, the Toronto deal falling through, that it appears our franchise has no specific direction, so it's hard for people to get behind. He also mentioned something about the roster turnover if I'm not mistaken, saying we just made the playoffs and we're trading the roster away again... Walker responded by talking about how he heard or there is a feeling that MJ has had to step in a lot on deals and is kind of taking over the influence of roster decisions b/c he let LB do a great deal of that early on and MJ doesn't feel the way the roster is built now is competitive for the future/long-term. So MJ is putting his own touches on it.
Also, which I found extremely interesting and if you like making assumptions and drawing conclusions from your observations like myself, Walker said the vibe or word around the organization also suggests that although MJ told LB he could go elsewhere if it was a family issue that he actually didn't do that. He said something like MJ was irritated that he had a coach with 2 years left on his contract that was meddling around again looking for another job. So they think he told LB 'Yeah, you can take that job, but we're going to need some compensation back from them.' So this in turn, pissed LB off, b/c according to Walker, he thought 'his Carolina Ties' would work in his favor if he wanted to leave and MJ wouldn't hold him back...
The conclusion I drew is that this is either completely true or mostly true... If you saw those videos when LB first came back to the pre-draft workouts, his reaction to the 'are you staying questions' was very stone-faced, irritated, and impatient. He seemed genuinely pissed to have to answer the questions and unhappy to be there, he also seemed pretty evasive about answering them in general. And with what we've been hearing recently, it also sounds like MJ is putting his fingerprints on the franchise and he's more than happy to exercise his power when he feels it's necessary. From pulling out of the Toronto trade to Walker saying that MJ is having more influence on roster moves and preventing LB from walking out the door...
If this is true, I for one am proud of MJ. Just thought I'd share and see what you guys thought.
like, i said, it was simply a rumor going around, nothing major.
Re: LB's price tag
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fwiw, richard walker has always been on the money reporting about the hornets and bobcats. he's been around for a long time.
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Re: LB's price tag
Interesting article fats.
This sounds promising but it's MJ putting the touches on, so that worries me. Brown isn't going to be here for much longer so having his team isn't going to help us in the long run unless we hire another LB type coach.
I can believe this. LB has done this throughout his entire career. He's probably a bit pissed that he wasn't able to do it this year.
Makes me wonder...is Jordan trying to mold the team for the next coach? Going with UNC ties here, Roy Williams? Or, even better (well, not better as in good, but more dramatic), is Jordan preparing to coach the team himself?
Walker responded by talking about how he heard or there is a feeling that MJ has had to step in a lot on deals and is kind of taking over the influence of roster decisions b/c he let LB do a great deal of that early on and MJ doesn't feel the way the roster is built now is competitive for the future/long-term. So MJ is putting his own touches on it.
This sounds promising but it's MJ putting the touches on, so that worries me. Brown isn't going to be here for much longer so having his team isn't going to help us in the long run unless we hire another LB type coach.
He said something like MJ was irritated that he had a coach with 2 years left on his contract that was meddling around again looking for another job. So they think he told LB 'Yeah, you can take that job, but we're going to need some compensation back from them.' So this in turn, pissed LB off, b/c according to Walker, he thought 'his Carolina Ties' would work in his favor if he wanted to leave and MJ wouldn't hold him back...
I can believe this. LB has done this throughout his entire career. He's probably a bit pissed that he wasn't able to do it this year.
Makes me wonder...is Jordan trying to mold the team for the next coach? Going with UNC ties here, Roy Williams? Or, even better (well, not better as in good, but more dramatic), is Jordan preparing to coach the team himself?
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Re: LB's price tag
fatlever wrote:fwiw, richard walker has always been on the money reporting about the hornets and bobcats. he's been around for a long time.
Well he might have been on the money in the past but I don't remember him breaking any worthwhile news lately. Our franchise has been tight lipped with just about every move we've made since MJ has been running things. I don't remember Richard Walker breaking the Calderon story and I don't remember him talking about the possibility of acquiring the dust chip.
Larry was annoyed because he is here. He has said all along he was going to be here and he never once wavered from that. Even if MJ was somehow miffed at LB, he wouldn't go telling this to anyone in the media. After all Larry is still the coach. If there is/was any serious friction they would have parted ways.