Woj: Bjorkgren could be on the outs with Indy

StephenCurry · Post #121 » by **StephenCurry** » Thu May 6, 2021 10:25 pm

[Fischer] T.J. Warren—who played under Bjorkgren in Phoenix—according to sources. When news of Bjorkgren's hire became public, Warren requested a trade from the Pacers, according to sources.

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2942713-inside-the-turbulent-tenure-of-indiana-pacers-coach-nate-bjorkgren

Bjorkgren is just an awful as HC. He ruined Pacers and I wonder why did they fire McMillan.

OAKLEY_2 · Post #122 » by **OAKLEY_2** » Thu May 6, 2021 11:07 pm

Marty_Budda wrote:
mtcan wrote:
EH15 wrote:I'll play devil's advocate. I think these hit pieces are just from the Pacers to soften the blowback of an inevitable firing of a head coach after one season. Is there smoke there? Sure. But some of this stuff is exaggerated to make him look worse. He might be a bad fit.

I'm not sure if that Bleacher Report reflects worse on Bjorkgren or rather the Pacers front office. It sounds like front office incompetence in not vetting the candidate thoroughly. If Bjorkgren is an ****...yes it is his fault but it is Pritchard's fault for not figuring that out beforehand.

Everyone’s at fault really. The FO for not conducting the recruitment process properly, the pacers staff blabbing their mouth to BR. And to Nate for allowing your colleagues to look at you in this way. Where there’s smoke there’s fire, I’m sure he’s been unpleasant to be around more than one time for all this to come out.

If Nate gets dispatched pretty sure Pritchard will try to find a respected name with experience. Like maybe the candidate they originally wanted at the time of the hasty McMillan firing who wasn't available. Nate was placeholder and started to crack as soon as he figured it out.

OAKLEY_2 · Post #123 » by **OAKLEY_2** » Thu May 6, 2021 11:08 pm

Some relationships going up in smoke with this episode.

TheBoi10 · Post #124 » by **TheBoi10** » Thu May 6, 2021 11:50 pm

This BR article makes him seem like a sociopath lol

johanliebert · Post #125 » by **johanliebert** » Fri May 7, 2021 12:06 am

StephenCurry wrote:[Fischer] T.J. Warren—who played under Bjorkgren in Phoenix—according to sources. When news of Bjorkgren's hire became public, Warren requested a trade from the Pacers, according to sources.

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2942713-inside-the-turbulent-tenure-of-indiana-pacers-coach-nate-bjorkgren

Bjorkgren is just an awful as HC. He ruined Pacers and I wonder why did they fire McMillan.

LOL.

He’s definitely fired and I doubt he gets another HC gig

VC15Era · Post #126 » by **VC15Era** » Fri May 7, 2021 3:02 am

bring him home!

720 · Post #127 » by **720** » Fri May 7, 2021 3:13 am

TheBoi10 wrote:This BR article makes him seem like a sociopath lol

Watch him come back to us and the pacers still stay mediocre garbage next season.

And1Skip · Post #128 » by **And1Skip** » Fri May 7, 2021 3:33 am

From watching his interviews and OG cameos when he was with the Raps, I always thought Bjorkgren was a bit odd - not a bad guy but just not really a fatherly type that some players need in a head coach. Kind of like how Ryan Saunders was but more cocky and direct which could rub off the wrong way on others.

In the beginning of that Championship season he came in, based on his qualifications, as the 3rd coach on the front row behind Griffin and Sergio. But because he was Nurse's good friend (and that Sergio missed parts of the season for National team duties and that Sergio was a nice guy) Bjorkgren ended up being on Nurse's left side, while Griffin remained the lead assistant on Nurse's right side - many times it seemed Bjorkgren was the lead assistant because Nurse doesn't like to label his coaches like that. However when Nurse gets thrown out of the game, it was always Griffin that took his spot and rightfully so. I think it proves how great of a culture that has been built in the Raptors organization and how great characters the other assistants were to gel like they did.

WuTang_CMB · Post #129 » by **WuTang_CMB** » Fri May 7, 2021 3:53 am

WaltFrazier · Post #130 » by **WaltFrazier** » Fri May 7, 2021 4:02 am

Strong statement by Nurse.

Reading the Bleacher report piece, it's hard to imagine such a sociopath being part of our staff, when we have such a culture of good character guys who get along like a college team.

Maybe he's just more suited to being an assistant.

Psubs · Post #131 » by **Psubs** » Fri May 7, 2021 4:12 am

StephenCurry wrote:[Fischer] T.J. Warren—who played under Bjorkgren in Phoenix—according to sources. When news of Bjorkgren's hire became public, Warren requested a trade from the Pacers, according to sources.

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2942713-inside-the-turbulent-tenure-of-indiana-pacers-coach-nate-bjorkgren

Bjorkgren is just an awful as HC. He ruined Pacers and I wonder why did they fire McMillan.

Sounds like he needs to go to a veteran team like Boston.

"Nate is trying to coach a team that he doesn't have," said one Pacers staffer. "He's trying to fit the system to the players and not the other way around."

Or bring him home! The Raptors did have the #2 record in the league last season. Give him new players in Flynn, Harris, Trent, Yuta, Birch and Gillespie to work with and BAM!!!!

Marty_Budda · Post #132 » by **Marty_Budda** » Fri May 7, 2021 4:14 am

WaltFrazier wrote:Strong statement by Nurse.

Reading the Bleacher report piece, it's hard to imagine such a sociopath being part of our staff, when we have such a culture of good character guys who get along like a college team.

Maybe he's just more suited to being an assistant.

Yeah I doubt he’s THAT bad. But there’s gotta be some truth in some of it for stuff like this to come out.

Psubs · Post #133 » by **Psubs** » Fri May 7, 2021 4:17 am

WaltFrazier wrote:Strong statement by Nurse.

Reading the Bleacher report piece, it's hard to imagine such a sociopath being part of our staff, when we have such a culture of good character guys who get along like a college team.

Maybe he's just more suited to being an assistant.

Most of our players are also humble and take criticism well. I believe I read that Bjorkgren was the guy for ATO's!!!

Maybe he would setup more plays for Trent instead of Pascal. :lol:

WaltFrazier · Post #134 » by **WaltFrazier** » Fri May 7, 2021 4:17 am

WaltFrazier wrote:
ConSarnit wrote:He’s 100% getting fired. Once a story like this leaks the coach is done (whether he’s to blame or not). Indy should just fire him tomorrow because it’s inevitable.

Yeah I was thinking that. And maybe I'm wrong but it seems like Woj has too much power, to be able to sink a guy's job like that. He must know there's no coming back from this once it gets out.

Nurse kind of said what I was saying in this post yesterday.

WaltFrazier · Post #135 » by **WaltFrazier** » Fri May 7, 2021 4:20 am

Psubs wrote:
StephenCurry wrote:[Fischer] T.J. Warren—who played under Bjorkgren in Phoenix—according to sources. When news of Bjorkgren's hire became public, Warren requested a trade from the Pacers, according to sources.

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2942713-inside-the-turbulent-tenure-of-indiana-pacers-coach-nate-bjorkgren

Bjorkgren is just an awful as HC. He ruined Pacers and I wonder why did they fire McMillan.

Sounds like he needs to go to a veteran team like Boston.

"Nate is trying to coach a team that he doesn't have," said one Pacers staffer. "He's trying to fit the system to the players and not the other way around."

Or bring him home! The Raptors did have the #2 record in the league last season. Give him new players in Flynn, Harris, Trent, Yuta, Birch and Gillespie to work with and BAM!!!!

And sounds like Nurse would be happy to take him back. Would be interesting to know how the players would really feel if it happened. Or if they'd be consulted first.

WuTang_CMB · Post #136 » by **WuTang_CMB** » Fri May 7, 2021 4:21 am

That bleacher article is brudal. Seems some is true and you could probably get the vibe that he doesnt command the room and maybe a try hard.

Best be suited as an assistant if thats the case. Surprised if indy didnt let him go

Post #137 » by **HiJiNX** » Fri May 7, 2021 4:27 am

EH15 wrote:
Marty_Budda wrote:
scuervo1 wrote:https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2942713-inside-the-turbulent-tenure-of-indiana-pacers-coach-nate-bjorkgren

Every paragraph is worse than the last. It is sad to see Nurse's coaching tree start in this manner. It is like a soap opera.

While reading this, all I could think about was how elite our FO is. Nothing like this ever came out about Nate. All everyone had to say were good things etc. And I doubt he’s changed his personality much since becoming pacers head coach. Maybe Masai or nurse knew how to keep him in check? Who knows.

Kinda crazy that warren asked for a trade as soon as it was announced he’d be coach lol.

I'll play devil's advocate. I think these hit pieces are just from the Pacers to soften the blowback of an inevitable firing of a head coach after one season. Is there smoke there? Sure. But some of this stuff is exaggerated to make him look worse. He might be a bad fit.

I think this is accurate. I had some connections with the NBA last year (through Bill Duffy’s sports agency...I won’t say much more) and I heard that some Indians players didn’t trust Pacers front office staff because they leaked negative things about players they didn’t like to beat writers. So while there’s likely to be some truth here it’s also probably somewhat exaggerated.

Psubs · Post #138 » by **Psubs** » Fri May 7, 2021 4:31 am

WuTang_OG wrote:That bleacher article is brudal. Seems some is true and you could probably get the vibe that he doesnt command the room and maybe a try hard.

Best be suited as an assistant if thats the case. Surprised if indy didnt let him go

He did always seem a little intense during those post-halftime updates :vent:

Psubs · Post #139 » by **Psubs** » Fri May 7, 2021 4:36 am

WaltFrazier wrote:
Psubs wrote:
StephenCurry wrote:[Fischer] T.J. Warren—who played under Bjorkgren in Phoenix—according to sources. When news of Bjorkgren's hire became public, Warren requested a trade from the Pacers, according to sources.

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2942713-inside-the-turbulent-tenure-of-indiana-pacers-coach-nate-bjorkgren

Bjorkgren is just an awful as HC. He ruined Pacers and I wonder why did they fire McMillan.

Sounds like he needs to go to a veteran team like Boston.

"Nate is trying to coach a team that he doesn't have," said one Pacers staffer. "He's trying to fit the system to the players and not the other way around."

Or bring him home! The Raptors did have the #2 record in the league last season. Give him new players in Flynn, Harris, Trent, Yuta, Birch and Gillespie to work with and BAM!!!!

And sounds like Nurse would be happy to take him back. Would be interesting to know how the players would really feel if it happened. Or if they'd be consulted first.

Would be cool if the vets (FVV, Pascal, OG, Boucher) signed off on it. Let Adrian Griffin try and get a HC job.

And1Skip · Post #140 » by **And1Skip** » Fri May 7, 2021 4:41 am

These Bjorkgren stories awfully reminds me of the 1 season we had Kevin O'Neill as coach. Similarly, the Raps finished 10th with a losing record and the writing was on the wall near the end of the season that KO was going to be fired. Only difference is at least Indiana gets to play in the play-in and Bjorkgren has a chance to redeem himself, but he's mostly likely a goner regardless.