Woj: Bjorkgren on the hot seat

[Wizop]

Kev also said that he thought there were some player tensions (maybe not the perfect word) that appeared on the court but not off the court. the presser didn't give me an opinion of what this was although losing never helps.

I did not get a chance to watch the majority of the presser. But I'd guess this was players being forced into roles that they weren't comfortable with or didn't expect. You can basically take out our starters and everyone else was asked to play above their pay grade essentially and for some trying to find their footing in the league or get new deals, that can be super frustrating.

Kev did talk about the difficulty of having different roles night to night because of various players being unavailable. The compressed schedule and limited practice time surely aggregated this.

Both the Star and theAthletic have subscriber stories tonight. Both think players will all be back. Kravitz seems to agree. Doyle as usual is critical. Both doubt Bjorkgren does.

Sent from my phone.

[Scoot McGroot]

So, of some of the candidates that were named last offseason, here's where they are at right now, which may affect timing either way, as I doubt that Pritchard will make a decision on Nate without having some idea of who will be available, and how attainable they are:
Dave Joerger: Philadelphia 76ers - Assistant
Mike D'Antoni: Brooklyn Nets - Assistant
David Vanterpool: Minnesota TWolves - Assistant
Jacque Vaughn: Brooklyn Nets - Assistant Head Coach
Nate Tibbetts: Portland Trailblazers - Assistant Head Coach
Becky Hammon: SA Spurs - Assistant Coach
Will Hardy: SA Spurs - Assistant Coach
Dan Craig: Los Angeles Clippers - Associate Head Coach
Chris Quinn: Miami Heat - Assistant
Jamahl Mosley: Dallas Mavericks - Assistant
Stephen Silas: Houston Rockets - Head Coach
Darvin Ham: Milwaukee Bucks - "Top" Assistant
Charles Lee: Milwaukee Bucks - Assistant
Ime Udoka: Brooklyn Nets - Assistant
Pat Delany: Orlando Magic - Assistant
Chris Finch: Minnesota Timberwolves - Head Coach
Tyronn Lue: Los Angeles Clippers - Head Coach
Kenny Atkinson: Los Angeles Clippers - Assistant
Chauncey Billups: Los Angeles Clippers - Assistant


At this moment, only Delany, Hammons, and Hardy are even available to talk. So, we might have to wait out the playoffs a bit. I'd imagine we at least wait until Levert has his exit interview in person with Pritchard, which awaits Levert's health.

[Scoot McGroot]

Maybe if Celtics get swept and they fire Brad Stevens

Would he be a better coach for the Pacers than Bjorkgren?

Yes. Brad would be a better coach for the Pacers than Bjorkgren

[Topofthekey]

So, of some of the candidates that were named last offseason, here's where they are at right now, which may affect timing either way, as I doubt that Pritchard will make a decision on Nate without having some idea of who will be available, and how attainable they are:
Dave Joerger: Philadelphia 76ers - Assistant
Mike D'Antoni: Brooklyn Nets - Assistant
Becky Hammon: SA Spurs - Assistant Coach

Those three sound most interesting to me

Brad Stevens also, if Celtics fire him

Let's see if the Nets can deal them a blowout sweep

[Moooose]

Laughed hard back at the time when reports came out about Bjorkgren. It looked as if McMillan's firing was a mistake.

[boomershadow]

My thought is if he was getting fired, he probably would be fired already.

[Tom White]

Maybe if Celtics get swept and they fire Brad Stevens

Would he be a better coach for the Pacers than Bjorkgren?

I think Stevens is highly over-rated around these parts because he is from here.

[Scoot McGroot]

My thought is if he was getting fired, he probably would be fired already.

Not necessarily. I would think that the team should at least have exit interviews with everyone first, and they have yet to have Levert’s and Nate’s.

Could also be that they challenge Nate to be able to bring in veteran assistant’s that will counter him and make him better, while being able to also serve as possible interim’s, much like they did to Vogel to get the interim tag removed after taking over from Obie.

[Scoot McGroot]

Maybe if Celtics get swept and they fire Brad Stevens

Would he be a better coach for the Pacers than Bjorkgren?

I think Stevens is highly over-rated around these parts because he is from here.

Maybe. But what he’s done is still amazing. His coaching having taken Butler to such massive, unbelievable heights, and then being one of the only college coaches in the last 25 years to successfully make the jump to the pros is insanely impressive. Lasting 8 seasons in your first head coaching job is impressive. At or above .500 for 6 straight seasons. He’s made it to the ECF 3 times in his career. I think he’s achieved quite a bit that he should be regarded as a good hire.

[pacers33granger]

My thought is if he was getting fired, he probably would be fired already.

Not necessarily. I would think that the team should at least have exit interviews with everyone first, and they have yet to have Levert’s and Nate’s.

Could also be that they challenge Nate to be able to bring in veteran assistant’s that will counter him and make him better, while being able to also serve as possible interim’s, much like they did to Vogel to get the interim tag removed after taking over from Obie.

This seems to be the most likely route. And while KP pushed back on the BR report, it's still odd and concerning that Nate was allowed to pick an entire staff, except Bayno, without a vet coach behind him (i don't count Canales) as a rookie head coach.

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[Scoot McGroot]

My thought is if he was getting fired, he probably would be fired already.

Not necessarily. I would think that the team should at least have exit interviews with everyone first, and they have yet to have Levert’s and Nate’s.

Could also be that they challenge Nate to be able to bring in veteran assistant’s that will counter him and make him better, while being able to also serve as possible interim’s, much like they did to Vogel to get the interim tag removed after taking over from Obie.

This seems to be the most likely route. And while KP pushed back on the BR report, it's still odd and concerning that Nate was allowed to pick an entire staff, except Bayno, without a vet coach behind him (i don't count Canales) as a rookie head coach.

Sent from my SM-A716U using RealGM mobile app

Are we sure that Nate picked his entire staff? It came off that Pritchard/Buchanan were really setting up his staff, and it might be that Foster/Canales were the best that were willing to come play under Bjorkgren (under the salaries we offered)? Bayno/Canales having close, long ties to Pritchard really make me think that Nate may have had trouble otherwise assembling a staff. It took an awful long time for the names to come out after Nate was hired. Most of the other new hires had a name or two lined up publicly before they were even hired.

[pacers33granger]

Not necessarily. I would think that the team should at least have exit interviews with everyone first, and they have yet to have Levert’s and Nate’s.

Could also be that they challenge Nate to be able to bring in veteran assistant’s that will counter him and make him better, while being able to also serve as possible interim’s, much like they did to Vogel to get the interim tag removed after taking over from Obie.

This seems to be the most likely route. And while KP pushed back on the BR report, it's still odd and concerning that Nate was allowed to pick an entire staff, except Bayno, without a vet coach behind him (i don't count Canales) as a rookie head coach.

Sent from my SM-A716U using RealGM mobile app

Are we sure that Nate picked his entire staff? It came off that Pritchard/Buchanan were really setting up his staff, and it might be that Foster/Canales were the best that were willing to come play under Bjorkgren (under the salaries we offered)? Bayno/Canales having close, long ties to Pritchard really make me think that Nate may have had trouble otherwise assembling a staff. It took an awful long time for the names to come out after Nate was hired. Most of the other new hires had a name or two lined up publicly before they were even hired.

That's true too. Either way it was definitely an issue that needs to be addressed one way or another. We need better leadership in several places.

Sent from my SM-A716U using RealGM mobile app

[Scoot McGroot]

This seems to be the most likely route. And while KP pushed back on the BR report, it's still odd and concerning that Nate was allowed to pick an entire staff, except Bayno, without a vet coach behind him (i don't count Canales) as a rookie head coach.

Sent from my SM-A716U using RealGM mobile app

Are we sure that Nate picked his entire staff? It came off that Pritchard/Buchanan were really setting up his staff, and it might be that Foster/Canales were the best that were willing to come play under Bjorkgren (under the salaries we offered)? Bayno/Canales having close, long ties to Pritchard really make me think that Nate may have had trouble otherwise assembling a staff. It took an awful long time for the names to come out after Nate was hired. Most of the other new hires had a name or two lined up publicly before they were even hired.

That's true too. Either way it was definitely an issue that needs to be addressed one way or another. We need better leadership in several places.

Sent from my SM-A716U using RealGM mobile app

Other question. Maybe it’s more in college than pros, but don’t new hires from other teams generally usually have at least one guy they bring along from the other organization? Or when an interim tag is removed, don’t they usually keep one guy from the staff they just worked with? Did Nate bring anyone from Toronto at any level? Not even as a video scout or anything? Should that be a reflection that Nate maybe didn’t have guys wanting to work with him? Sure, maybe Toronto let him go, but wouldn’t let him take anyone along, but he didn’t have anyone from a previous stop he had worked with that he had talked about working with for a long time??

Really screams Bo Callahan in Draft Day. “Ask me how many teammates went to his birthday party?”

[pacers33granger]

Are we sure that Nate picked his entire staff? It came off that Pritchard/Buchanan were really setting up his staff, and it might be that Foster/Canales were the best that were willing to come play under Bjorkgren (under the salaries we offered)? Bayno/Canales having close, long ties to Pritchard really make me think that Nate may have had trouble otherwise assembling a staff. It took an awful long time for the names to come out after Nate was hired. Most of the other new hires had a name or two lined up publicly before they were even hired.

That's true too. Either way it was definitely an issue that needs to be addressed one way or another. We need better leadership in several places.

Sent from my SM-A716U using RealGM mobile app

Other question. Maybe it’s more in college than pros, but don’t new hires from other teams generally usually have at least one guy they bring along from the other organization? Or when an interim tag is removed, don’t they usually keep one guy from the staff they just worked with? Did Nate bring anyone from Toronto at any level? Not even as a video scout or anything? Should that be a reflection that Nate maybe didn’t have guys wanting to work with him? Sure, maybe Toronto let him go, but wouldn’t let him take anyone along, but he didn’t have anyone from a previous stop he had worked with that he had talked about working with for a long time??

Really screams Bo Callahan in Draft Day. “Ask me how many teammates went to his birthday party?”

I know it couldn't have worked out, but would have been great to get Griffin to come with him as his lead assistant.

Slight side note, but the more I think about it, the more it makes sense to go after a main Toronto guy if we're sticking with Nate. After seeing how well Oshae did, likely at least in part because he knew the system and the coach, it could pay huge dividends to have a primary option helping bridge the gap. FVV would likely be the best option if he was available for a variety of reasons. Would hate to get a guy even partially to try to make a maybe bad coach work, but if we may make big moves already and keep Nate, it's worth a look at least.

[Scoot McGroot]

That's true too. Either way it was definitely an issue that needs to be addressed one way or another. We need better leadership in several places.

Sent from my SM-A716U using RealGM mobile app

Other question. Maybe it’s more in college than pros, but don’t new hires from other teams generally usually have at least one guy they bring along from the other organization? Or when an interim tag is removed, don’t they usually keep one guy from the staff they just worked with? Did Nate bring anyone from Toronto at any level? Not even as a video scout or anything? Should that be a reflection that Nate maybe didn’t have guys wanting to work with him? Sure, maybe Toronto let him go, but wouldn’t let him take anyone along, but he didn’t have anyone from a previous stop he had worked with that he had talked about working with for a long time??

Really screams Bo Callahan in Draft Day. “Ask me how many teammates went to his birthday party?”

I know it couldn't have worked out, but would have been great to get Griffin to come with him as his lead assistant.

Slight side note, but the more I think about it, the more it makes sense to go after a main Toronto guy if we're sticking with Nate. After seeing how well Oshae did, likely at least in part because he knew the system and the coach, it could pay huge dividends to have a primary option helping bridge the gap. FVV would likely be the best option if he was available for a variety of reasons. Would hate to get a guy even partially to try to make a maybe bad coach work, but if we may make big moves already and keep Nate, it's worth a look at least.

Obviously, OG is the guy I'd want. You could do so much with him overall, and play him at the 2, 3, or 4. FVV would be much more realistic, though.

[Wizop]

FVV would be much more realistic, though.

FVV is going to get paid. Doesn't fit my budget. Besides I don't think our problem is in the backcourt.

Sent from my phone.

[Scoot McGroot]

FVV would be much more realistic, though.

FVV is going to get paid. Doesn't fit my budget. Besides I don't think our problem is in the backcourt.

Sent from my phone.

FVV re-signed this past offseason. He's got 3/~$63m remaining. Paid just a tad less than Brogdon.

[Topofthekey]

Well, Celtics did just get blown out 130-108 to fall to 0-2 against the Nets

Let's see what happens the next two game of that series

[Wizop]

FVV would be much more realistic, though.

FVV is going to get paid. Doesn't fit my budget. Besides I don't think our problem is in the backcourt.

Sent from my phone.

FVV re-signed this past offseason. He's got 3/~$63m remaining. Paid just a tad less than Brogdon.

guess I was remembering from last year. I still don't think he helps us more than Brogdon.

[Wizop]

I hope the problem is not that the coaching staff lacks diversity.