Hawks Dismiss Lloyd as Head Coach

[Jamaaliver]

JC really is the heart and soul of this locker room.

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[johanliebert]

What was the issue with him and young?

[HMFFL]

Sarah K. Spencer: John Collins on Lloyd Pierce: “A very unforgiving league in the sense of people coming & going, but obviously my time with LP was amazing. He tried to teach me a lot of very powerful things about how to be a man, about how to be a player, about how to develop and improve myself.”

 

– via Twitter sarah_k_spence



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[HMFFL]

Several Hawks players told management they wanted Lloyd Pierce fired

Hawks star Trae Young had a disconnect with Lloyd Pierce, whom Atlanta fired as head coach yesterday.

But Young was hardly alone among Hawks players who took issue with Pierce.

John Collins and Cam Reddish also got named in a thorough piece on Pierce’s fall by Chris Kirschner, Sam Amick and David Aldridge of The Athletic:

Sources say player support beyond Young was dwindling at the end, with several sharing their desire for a change with management recently.

The lack of faith in Pierce from the players quickly eroded last year, with several on the team feeling like they could not approach him without leaving the conversation feeling like they weren’t being heard.


https://sports.yahoo.com/amphtml/report-several-hawks-players-told-180537363.html

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[jayu70]

Read on Twitter

On his relation with Trae Young and players in general: “I think in any situation, and I’ve been an assistant coach me entire life until this job, one of the things I tried to do as often as I could was really just focus on the overall growth of the individual who I was coaching. Along those lines, it wasn’t always based on me being a great relationship guy. I didn’t want to be friends with everyone. I didn’t want to be their best friend. I wanted to be a guy who was citing as many examples as we could. What I did on my staff is I put every assistant coach with the players. A number of my assistant coaches has a number of players who they were mainly responsible for. They spent the time watching film. They spent the time on the court with their pre-game vitamins. They were the ones charged with having tremendous relationships. That’s how it is, pretty much, with all NBA teams, how you divvy up the duties and responsibilities. So for any of our guys, and I don’t want to point out Trae and make it a bigger deal than it is, for any of our guys my job is to take all the hits. My job is also to get some of the credit. So if a relationship is strained, yeah that’s on me. If a guy is playing tremendous, I don’t necessarily say that’s on me as well. I like to deflect that and give that to the coach which was working with that guy. DeAndre Hunter was just named to the Rising Stars Game. Well I’m going to give Matt Hill a ton of credit because he works with DeAndre Hunter. I’m not going to take that credit. I understand as the head coach it’s always going to be on me to make sure I put my guys, my staff, in position to operate successfully. So the relationships aren’t great. They are never going to be great. I’m the guy who has to pull the guy out of the game when he doesn’t think he needs to come out. That’s not going to be a great relationship all the time. I’m the guy who has to tell him to move the basketball more. That’s not going to be a great relationship. I have to make those.

[tbhawksfan1]

Read on Twitter

On his relation with Trae Young and players in general: “I think in any situation, and I’ve been an assistant coach me entire life until this job, one of the things I tried to do as often as I could was really just focus on the overall growth of the individual who I was coaching. Along those lines, it wasn’t always based on me being a great relationship guy. I didn’t want to be friends with everyone. I didn’t want to be their best friend. I wanted to be a guy who was citing as many examples as we could. What I did on my staff is I put every assistant coach with the players. A number of my assistant coaches has a number of players who they were mainly responsible for. They spent the time watching film. They spent the time on the court with their pre-game vitamins. They were the ones charged with having tremendous relationships. That’s how it is, pretty much, with all NBA teams, how you divvy up the duties and responsibilities. So for any of our guys, and I don’t want to point out Trae and make it a bigger deal than it is, for any of our guys my job is to take all the hits. My job is also to get some of the credit. So if a relationship is strained, yeah that’s on me. If a guy is playing tremendous, I don’t necessarily say that’s on me as well. I like to deflect that and give that to the coach which was working with that guy. DeAndre Hunter was just named to the Rising Stars Game. Well I’m going to give Matt Hill a ton of credit because he works with DeAndre Hunter. I’m not going to take that credit. I understand as the head coach it’s always going to be on me to make sure I put my guys, my staff, in position to operate successfully. So the relationships aren’t great. They are never going to be great. I’m the guy who has to pull the guy out of the game when he doesn’t think he needs to come out. That’s not going to be a great relationship all the time. I’m the guy who has to tell him to move the basketball more. That’s not going to be a great relationship. I have to make those.

Not anymore....

[Jamaaliver]

Read on Twitter

Lloyd...needs to keep quiet. Let things cool off. And never speak ill of any of his former players. If he ever wants to coach again in this league, he's got to play the game.

There is no benefit to talking publicly about this right now. None.

[kg01]

If he wants to work in the league again, he has no choice but to go on the offensive.

All that's out there now is the stuff from the character assassination article in the Athletic. The 'story' at this point is he lost the lockerroom, alienated players, couldn't handle egos (really? Cam freaking Reddish has an ego? How? Why? Based on what, but I digress), on and on and on.

He's fighting for his livelihood. Staying quiet only leaves him buried. As Reggie Theus said on NBARadio today, in reference to Pierce, he has to 'stay on the bus'. Theus said the reason McMillan took an asst job, which is beneath him, is to 'stay on the bus'. Stay on the minds of folks in the league. Pierce now has to do the same. "Letting things blow over" doesn't work and it won't put him in a position to be a head coach again.

That said, he does need to make sure to say the right things.

[Jamaaliver]

If he wants to work in the league again, he has no choice but to go on the offensive.

All that's out there now is the stuff from the character assassination article in the Athletic. "Letting things blow over" doesn't work and it won't put him in a position to be a head coach again.

That said, he does need to make sure to say the right things.

I, respectfully, disagree. He has powerful allies willing to throw their weight in his corner. Nash, Poppovich, Carlisle. He'll get another assistant position -- maybe a media post in the meanwhile.

Unless he alienates players everywhere by trashing his former charges. Trae and Cam come off like spoiled brats to any adult who reads that article. And Lloyd just looks like a young coach who wasn't ready for primetime.

The worst thing Lloyd Pierce can do is lower himself to the level of children and prima donnas.

Go home and spend time with your new daughter, Lloyd!!!

[CP War Hawks]

Young teams need a veteran coach who are stern but still flexible. A young supposedly hard headed coach for this team just doesn't work obviously.

The Hawks held a team to 80 points in today's game w/o Cam, Dunn, and Hunter. I'm sorry but results are results and a move was much needed.

[kg01]

If he wants to work in the league again, he has no choice but to go on the offensive.

All that's out there now is the stuff from the character assassination article in the Athletic. "Letting things blow over" doesn't work and it won't put him in a position to be a head coach again.

That said, he does need to make sure to say the right things.

I, respectfully, disagree. He has powerful allies willing to throw their weight in his corner. Nash, Poppovich, Carlisle. He'll get another assistant position -- maybe a media post in the meanwhile.

Unless he alienates players everywhere by trashing his former charges. Trae and Cam come off like spoiled brats to any adult who reads that article. And Lloyd just looks like a young coach who wasn't ready for primetime.

The worst thing Lloyd Pierce can do is lower himself to the level of children and prima donnas.

Go home and spend time with your new daughter, Lloyd!!!

He doesn't have powerful allies willing to make him a head coach.

It's possible to defend his reputation without resorting to the sort of name calling and whining that went into that article. That's what I'm talking about here.

[Jamaaliver]

He doesn't have powerful allies willing to make him a head coach.

It's possible to defend his reputation without resorting to the sort of name calling and whining that went into that article. That's what I'm talking about here.

Lloyd has no one wanting to make him a head coach...dude has the 11th worst winning pct in NBA history. He can't do much to rectify that for now.

The path to staying on the bus (as you so eloquently put it), is to do damage control behind the scenes and work to get another Assistant Coaching job as soon as the season ends.

NOTE: No one ever looks good bad mouthing former employers or coworkers.

[kg01]

Young teams need a veteran coach who are stern but still flexible. A young supposedly hard headed coach for this team just doesn't work obviously.

The Hawks held a team to 80 points in today's game w/o Cam, Dunn, and Hunter. I'm sorry but results are results and a move was much needed.

Beat BKN on the road,beat DEN at home. Far better results than the last two.

We're early going to finish the season on an uptick but it'll have nothing to do with a coaching change. It'll be because our guys are getting healthier.

Remember what Doc Rivers said in response to Paul George's whining about coaching adjustments.

Ty Lue was sitting his butt on the bench right next to him while all these "bad" coaching decisions were made.

A change was needed but I ain't goin' crazy about it.

[HMFFL]

Read on Twitter

On his relation with Trae Young and players in general: “I think in any situation, and I’ve been an assistant coach me entire life until this job, one of the things I tried to do as often as I could was really just focus on the overall growth of the individual who I was coaching. Along those lines, it wasn’t always based on me being a great relationship guy. I didn’t want to be friends with everyone. I didn’t want to be their best friend. I wanted to be a guy who was citing as many examples as we could. What I did on my staff is I put every assistant coach with the players. A number of my assistant coaches has a number of players who they were mainly responsible for. They spent the time watching film. They spent the time on the court with their pre-game vitamins. They were the ones charged with having tremendous relationships. That’s how it is, pretty much, with all NBA teams, how you divvy up the duties and responsibilities. So for any of our guys, and I don’t want to point out Trae and make it a bigger deal than it is, for any of our guys my job is to take all the hits. My job is also to get some of the credit. So if a relationship is strained, yeah that’s on me. If a guy is playing tremendous, I don’t necessarily say that’s on me as well. I like to deflect that and give that to the coach which was working with that guy. DeAndre Hunter was just named to the Rising Stars Game. Well I’m going to give Matt Hill a ton of credit because he works with DeAndre Hunter. I’m not going to take that credit. I understand as the head coach it’s always going to be on me to make sure I put my guys, my staff, in position to operate successfully. So the relationships aren’t great. They are never going to be great. I’m the guy who has to pull the guy out of the game when he doesn’t think he needs to come out. That’s not going to be a great relationship all the time. I’m the guy who has to tell him to move the basketball more. That’s not going to be a great relationship. I have to make those.

I like Lloyd speaking up about his experience because it gives us even more information on what went wrong. It's becoming clearer for casual fans too.

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[tbhawksfan1]

Long time before anyone gives LP another HC opportunity. Few opportunities every year and he didn't do anything to make anyone think of him. Many candidates out there that will get jobs before him

As for Trae and Cam being immature... yeah no ish, they were 19 year olds. Coaches job to deal with his players.

[Spud2nique]

Young teams need a veteran coach who are stern but still flexible. A young supposedly hard headed coach for this team just doesn't work obviously.

The Hawks held a team to 80 points in today's game w/o Cam, Dunn, and Hunter. I'm sorry but results are results and a move was much needed.

Beat BKN on the road,beat DEN at home. Far better results than the last two.

We're early going to finish the season on an uptick but it'll have nothing to do with a coaching change. It'll be because our guys are getting healthier.

Remember what Doc Rivers said in response to Paul George's whining about coaching adjustments.

Ty Lue was sitting his butt on the bench right next to him while all these "bad" coaching decisions were made.

A change was needed but I ain't goin' crazy about it.

Beat Denver at home? Yes that is going to be a W in the column for Lloyd but Nate coaches us in that one. This has little to do with the health or lack there of our players and much more to do with the fact that Lloyd isn’t ready for prime time and most likely will not ever get a head coaching gig again, at least not for the foreseeable future. Pop, Nash and whoever else can praise him but it won’t make a difference. He’s not big league head coaching material.

He needs to go home for now and come back as an assistant to Nash’s staff, if Nash actually throws him a bone, or Pop. These guys are sticking up for him right, then they should have no problem giving him another chance on their staffs.

As far as a head coaching gig, it’s not happening. You gotta go back to the 50’s to find a lower win percentage for a HAWKS COACH, not any coach but a HAWKS
head coach and that’s saying a lot, we’ve been pretty bad a lot of years but Lloyd was the absolute worst, rebuild or not.

[Spud2nique]

If he wants to work in the league again, he has no choice but to go on the offensive.

All that's out there now is the stuff from the character assassination article in the Athletic. "Letting things blow over" doesn't work and it won't put him in a position to be a head coach again.

That said, he does need to make sure to say the right things.

I, respectfully, disagree. He has powerful allies willing to throw their weight in his corner. Nash, Poppovich, Carlisle. He'll get another assistant position -- maybe a media post in the meanwhile.

Unless he alienates players everywhere by trashing his former charges. Trae and Cam come off like spoiled brats to any adult who reads that article. And Lloyd just looks like a young coach who wasn't ready for primetime.

The worst thing Lloyd Pierce can do is lower himself to the level of children and prima donnas.

Go home and spend time with your new daughter, Lloyd!!!

He doesn't have powerful allies willing to make him a head coach.

It's possible to defend his reputation without resorting to the sort of name calling and whining that went into that article. That's what I'm talking about here.

I am kind of proud of you for having someone’s back though, it shows growth on your part.

[shakes0]

If he wants to work in the league again, he has no choice but to go on the offensive.

All that's out there now is the stuff from the character assassination article in the Athletic. The 'story' at this point is he lost the lockerroom, alienated players, couldn't handle egos (really? Cam freaking Reddish has an ego? How? Why? Based on what, but I digress), on and on and on.

He's fighting for his livelihood. Staying quiet only leaves him buried. As Reggie Theus said on NBARadio today, in reference to Pierce, he has to 'stay on the bus'. Theus said the reason McMillan took an asst job, which is beneath him, is to 'stay on the bus'. Stay on the minds of folks in the league. Pierce now has to do the same. "Letting things blow over" doesn't work and it won't put him in a position to be a head coach again.

That said, he does need to make sure to say the right things.

Why does Lloyd need to stay on the bus? I assume Biden will give him a cabinet position to thank him for saving the democratic party in Georgia.

[Buzzard]

Sour grapes on Lloyds part. I agree that he needs to step back. Enjoy his new baby and millions. We will see what type of allies he has if/when he gets a assistant gig again.

Everything he has bantered about for months has been nothing but coach speak dribble. Its my job to blah blah blah. At the end of the day it was his job to put the players in their best position to succeed. Looking at the 4th quarter meltdowns, I give him a fail. If he just wins 4 or 5 of the 11 games the Hawks had a 4th quarter lead in, he is still coaching.

You are not a good game day coach Lloyd. Learn from your mistakes and maybe one day you will be. Blame others and you will not learn anything. Best of luck to you and your family!