The Steve Clifford Thread 2.0 - Off the Cliff we go

[TinmanZBoy]

In all seriousness, Vogel and Horny are all good coaches, picking either one up should be fine... at least better than Mark Jackson and Byron Scott...

Hornacek is garbage. I will riot.

why he is garbage... his system is going to free up Kemba even more, or any guard with PnR games... the larger issue is Dwight, he has to commit to roll hard and defend hard on PnRs...
This team does not need to change much, a little twitch here and there... it would be at least a playoff team...
most principles and disciplines coach clifford set up should stay, it will benefit any new coach going forward... the new coach just needs to give a little more freedom to players on both end, then team would be back on track...

[MasterIchiro]

In all seriousness, Vogel and Horny are all good coaches, picking either one up should be fine... at least better than Mark Jackson and Byron Scott...

Hornacek is garbage. I will riot.

why he is garbage... his system is going to free up Kemba even more, or any guard with PnR games... the larger issue is Dwight, he has to commit to roll hard and defend hard on PnRs...
This team does not need to change much, a little twitch here and there... it would be at least a playoff team...
most principles and disciplines coach clifford set up should stay, it will benefit any new coach going forward... the new coach just needs to give a little more freedom to players on both end, then team would be back on track...

He wore out his welcome with two teams, garbage teams. Any guesses as to why?

[Vanderbilt_Grad]

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[MasterIchiro]

My greatest relief is that MJ has cleaned house and Kupchak is on board. The GM and the coach have been fired. Some of our favorite role players are entirely not safe. These moves set a precedent so any fan expecting a mere tweaking of the roster has to snap out of it. That was the old way of doing things that made us a treadmill team. I think we're seeing very clear and obvious signs that the roster is going to significantly change soon. Thank God.

[Joest2003]

What bothered me most was his handling of Lamb after the return of Batum. Lamb was averaging almost 18ppg and 5.5 boards and almost 4 assists per game in batums absence. When asked whay to do with Lamb when batum comes back he said we need to keep his minutes around 30mpg. He did the exact opposite. Any Coach who disrupts the growth of a young player on the verge of a breakout season for nic batum needs to be fired. Don't even get me started on Monk.

[Rich4114]

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I would love to see Fizdale here. I think he did wonders with a sub par Grizzles roster.

[MasterIchiro]

I also think this means we're going to see Kupchak hold onto the prospects who have potential playing a modern NBA style. This means more PT for Lamb, certainly Monk and Frank as well as Hernangomez and Cody. The losers in this transition will be the vets with limited skillsets: MKG, Marvin, Dwight. Say goodbye.

[Vanderbilt_Grad]

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I would love to see Fizdale here. I think he did wonders with a sub par Grizzles roster.

I would be interested to see what he could do here too.

Also FYI he lives in LA....

[Joest2003]

Now just find a way to trade Batum without getting rid of Walker, Monk or Lamb and I will shed years of joy.

[catch20two]

Coach Fizzy!

[HornetJail]

Mitch is off to a good start

[BeesWax]

Now just find a way to trade Batum without getting rid of Walker, Monk or Lamb and I will shed years of joy.

Or the pick. If you lose any of those 4 we lose the trade because it is very possible Kemba leaves now so we need all the youth we can get to start a rebuild.

[euphorbus]

Here is the writeup from Yahoo Sports. I disagree with most of it:

https://sports.yahoo.com/hornets-fire-steve-clifford-five-seasons-michael-jordan-needs-new-coach-143423005.html

[NCHeels2008]

I don't think we underachieved, I hope Clifford gets another chance somewhere else. I mean who on this team would start for a playoff team other than Kemba and Dwight? And (other than Lamb) who of our bench would be a 6/7/8th man for a NBA playoff team.

[NCHeels2008]

Here is the writeup from Yahoo Sports. I disagree with most of it:

https://sports.yahoo.com/hornets-fire-steve-clifford-five-seasons-michael-jordan-needs-new-coach-143423005.html

I disagree with the snarky tone, most "experts" were fine with the 4-year deals we signed with our FAs after an impressive '15-'16 season. Now that the cap didn't rise and all the 2016 FA deals look bad, there's a lot of revisionist history going on with the Hornets. DUR DUR Hornets so dumb for signing those guys DUR DUR. MJ/Cho were in a no win situation, if they brought nobody back, it would've reinforced his reputation as a cheap owner. They resign as much of the core as they can without going into the tax and they're still panned.

[bravor]

I don't think we underachieved, I hope Clifford gets another chance somewhere else. I mean who on this team would start for a playoff team other than Kemba and Dwight? And (other than Lamb) who of our bench would be a 6/7/8th man for a NBA playoff team.

Same feeling for me. The coach is the easiest scapegoat in such situation but between this year and last, he could not really rely on players he needs for his team to perform. The main issue being the lack of toughness at the wing (from the 2 to the 4 positions).

Injuries on key players also messed up with any team chemistry he tried to build.

For the last two years, he was plagged by the lack of quality from the bench, knowing this year he tried to give responsabilities to both Monk and Bacon as rookies with mixed success.
On the other hand, i don't buy a single second that he prevented Lamb & Kaminsky from meeting expectations. Both have always been up & down, Lamb being more reliable but both being liabilities defensively.

Anyway, good luck to Clifford, i feel sorry for him because some of the players he tried to promote kinda betrayed him and i wish him the best, starting by a good health in the future.

[Joest2003]

On the other hand, i don't buy a single second that he prevented Lamb & Kaminsky from meeting expectations.

I think most would agree that Lamb did meet expectations this season. He was having a breakout season before batum returned. When asked how to keep Jeremy Lambs hot start going after Bic returns Clifford said he will still be playing the same minutes just different lineups. His minutes were almost cut in half. Just for a "injuried" Batum to come back and stink up the place for the remainder of the season. Honestly it's a shame but that's what happened when you pay someone 20 something million a year.

[bravor]

He could have played Batum more at the 3 or even at the 4. This is one flaw i can easily admit in his coaching. But he had poor defensive wings to play besides MKG and Marvin when he was "on".

The whole backcourt was not complementary. Remember that Cho tried to land Butler when he was made available. Any valuable two way sg would raise significantly this team's record (if the rest remains the same, we will see with new coach/roster).
All i am saying is that last two seasons are not a proof of how bad (or good) Clifford is. I think he did his best with what he had, even if he messed up some games (overplaying Kemba and Howard, or benching a guy that was performing for a supposed starter who was sinking the team). But some does not mean a lot. The whole mess during last two years starts and end with players on the court not named Cody or Kemba.

[Liver_Pooty]

Never will forget him saying MKG had improved the most of any player he had ever seen off season before last.

Please.

[BlackOutBuzz]

Not the only coach Kupchak fired today.

Charlotte Hornets President of Basketball Operations & General Manager Mitch Kupchak announced today that the team’s G League affiliate, the Greensboro Swarm, will not extend the contract of head coach Noel Gillespie.
Gillespie was hired as the Swarm’s head coach on July 25, 2016. In his two seasons as head coach, the Swarm posted a 35-65 record (.350 winning percentage).

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