D'Antoni dismisses Bickerstaff & Person

Post #1 » by **Danny Darko** » Tue May 7, 2013 4:59 pm

In the first move of what's sure to be a busy offseason for the Los Angeles Lakers, coach Mike D'Antoni informed Bernie Bickerstaff and Chuck Person on Monday that they will not be retained as assistant coaches for next season, according to multiple sources.

Mike's clearing out the potential interim coaches! "If i get rid of them the brass won't have the balls to let me go... right?... Mitch?... right??"

Mitch, "Hold on I'm on a three way with Brooklyn and uh... a friend of Jeanie's"

Seriously, though- Fare thee well best coach we had last year. Bernie, you were awesome.

Post #2 » by **Slava** » Tue May 7, 2013 5:01 pm

Bickerstaff was supposed to join Mike Brown in Cleveland anyways. This is likely a precursor to hiring a defensive assistant.

Post #3 » by **dockingsched** » Tue May 7, 2013 5:05 pm

i thought it was classy that d'antoni kept em on for the entire season despite not being his guys and having to carry more coaches than usual.

Post #4 » by **Kilroy** » Tue May 7, 2013 5:07 pm

dockingsched wrote:i thought it was classy that d'antoni kept em on for the entire season despite not being his guys and having to carry more coaches than usual.

I actually did too...

On the flip side... He may be the greatest assistant since Tex Winters, but it just annoys me that MDA's brother is there too...
No reason for that because I know nothing about him, but it just doesn't seem productive to me to have your Bro on the team.

Desiderium · Post #5 » by **Desiderium** » Tue May 7, 2013 5:21 pm

dockingsched wrote:i thought it was classy that d'antoni kept em on for the entire season despite not being his guys and having to carry more coaches than usual.

I recall sometime during the season that Mike wanted to bring in his own guys, but the Lakers didn't want to add anymore payroll for coaches because they would have to pay Mike brown and his entire staff.

Post #6 » by **dockingsched** » Tue May 7, 2013 5:29 pm

i doubt thats true. i heard the same unfounded speculation from fans but didn't put much stock in it.

Desiderium · Post #7 » by **Desiderium** » Tue May 7, 2013 5:35 pm

I can't find the interview in which he said it, but I think it was a postgame interview where Mike hinted that he wanted to bring in his own assistants but Jim wouldn't approve it. He then went on to say that the guys we already had were good coaches and that it wasn't a big deal.

Post #8 » by **tkb** » Tue May 7, 2013 6:44 pm

I liked Bernie a lot. Wish him the best in his future, and I'm sure he'll get a job somewhere in the league.

Post #9 » by **crazyeights** » Tue May 7, 2013 8:17 pm

dockingsched wrote:i thought it was classy that d'antoni kept em on for the entire season despite not being his guys and having to carry more coaches than usual.

This. Also love how Bernie gets so much love for that one stretch, whereas MDA essentially does the same thing the last month of the season and people think he's the antichrist.

Post #10 » by **TyCobb** » Tue May 7, 2013 8:24 pm

crazyeights wrote:
dockingsched wrote:i thought it was classy that d'antoni kept em on for the entire season despite not being his guys and having to carry more coaches than usual.

This. Also love how Bernie gets so much love for that one stretch, whereas MDA essentially does the same thing the last month of the season and people think he's the antichrist.

Probably because it took so long for D'antoni to slow it down and play from inside to out when it was so obvious to us here and analysts across the NBA from the very beginning.

Post #11 » by **crazyeights** » Tue May 7, 2013 8:59 pm

He was brought in to coach his way. If you're gonna blame anyone, blame the brass. Or, give credit to MDA for evolving.

Regardless, the myth that we were ever healthy enough to truly gauge how this team would run in any system is to me absurd. So, I can understand why a coach would continue to push for his style, given the circumstances.

Also an important thing to note to people saying it took MDA too long: Pau and Dwight were either missing time or playing injured most of the year. It was never as simple as pounding it inside.

Anyway, if we do keep Pau, I'm sure we will use him more correctly next year.

MAMBAEMD · Post #12 » by **MAMBAEMD** » Tue May 7, 2013 9:18 pm

MDA's expertise is to run a certain style of offensive basketball.
He does not emphasize defense or rebounding. His teams never have done those things well.
It took him almost the entire year to figure out that this team is not built to run his system.
He finally went away from it, and then we made a charge toward the playoffs.

I am not blaming him for the Laker's poor season.
I do blame him for not adjusting earlier.

Here's my dilema: why keep a coach who will probably need to run an offensive system that he was not brought in to run.
And also, why keep a coach who does not emphasize defense and rebounding.

Post #13 » by **Slava** » Tue May 7, 2013 9:21 pm

Well the better question is why hire him in the first place and give him a massive contract? It either means that you do not know your own roster or how basketball works. I mean even a half (Please Use More Appropriate Word) would know that Artest & Gasol in a fast paced offense is as useful as a wet tissue.

Now that you have hired him and everyone's satisfied at the half way road, there's no point in replacing him with someone who will have to go through these same growing pains one more time.

EArl · Post #14 » by **EArl** » Tue May 7, 2013 10:52 pm

Will miss you Bernie. Your coaching was actually solid.

kblo247 · Post #15 » by **kblo247** » Wed May 8, 2013 3:02 am

crazyeights wrote:He was brought in to coach his way. If you're gonna blame anyone, blame the brass. Or, give credit to MDA for evolving.

Regardless, the myth that we were ever healthy enough to truly gauge how this team would run in any system is to me absurd. So, I can understand why a coach would continue to push for his style, given the circumstances.

Also an important thing to note to people saying it took MDA too long: Pau and Dwight were either missing time or playing injured most of the year. It was never as simple as pounding it inside.

Anyway, if we do keep Pau, I'm sure we will use him more correctly next year.

It was always that simple. Kobe, Melo, and KD were top three post up converters in the league at one point so he should have been posting up from jump just like in ny when Melo bitched at him for being toos stupid to give it to him on the block like Woodson did

DEEP3CL · Post #16 » by **DEEP3CL** » Wed May 8, 2013 3:34 am

This isn't anything unusual, MDA wanted to eventually bring in his guys. Already bracing for Alvin Gentry, Gentry is a good coach but these guys he bring in better realize this roster and whatever is added to it won't play small ball. That ain't us.

AI · Post #17 » by AI » Wed May 8, 2013 3:56 am

Yet this clown keeps his dumb older brother as an assistant coach. Is he that much different from Mike?

Asianiac_24 · Post #18 » by **Asianiac_24** » Wed May 8, 2013 5:02 am

crazyeights wrote:
dockingsched wrote:i thought it was classy that d'antoni kept em on for the entire season despite not being his guys and having to carry more coaches than usual.

This. Also love how Bernie gets so much love for that one stretch, whereas MDA essentially does the same thing the last month of the season and people think he's the antichrist.

Bernie didn't play Kobe 48 minutes a game and totally mismanage the minutes

AI · Post #19 » by AI » Wed May 8, 2013 5:12 am

I don't get the crazy love for Bickerstaff. He literally coached five games when the Lakers players were coaching themselves and were motivated after the Brown fire. He's a solid assistant coach but this fan base tends to think he's the second coming of Phil Jackson or something.

jellybean8 · Post #20 » by **jellybean8** » Wed May 8, 2013 6:40 am

Can we hire one of tibs assistants