I'm BACKKKKKKKK!!: The Steve Clifford Thread

[Robot Rock]

Feel like I need to ask this: if the young guys like Frank, Monk, Zeller (to a lesser extent) sucked, why would Cliff play them more than he did?

Also worth noting his first tenure here was entirely with Cho.

[Mr.Raptorsingh]

Whatever y'all do, don't sign DJ Augustin

[Robot Rock]

I’m not enthused about this but at the same time, the last coach to take the Hornets to the playoffs is now the coach again. And here’s hoping against hope that his second tenure is far better than the last guy who had two bites at the cherry in Charlotte.

[JDR720]

Feel like I need to ask this: if the young guys like Frank, Monk, Zeller (to a lesser extent) sucked, why would Cliff play them more than he did?

Also worth noting his first tenure here was entirely with Cho.

One of the reasons they sucked was because Clifford couldn't develop them. Young players sucking and bad coaching go hand-in-hand.

The same thing happened in Orlando, who had better picks and potentially higher potential young players than we did.

[W_HAMILTON]

Just saw on the ESPN ticker that we hired him. I can't believe it. I think it's a pathetic and embarrassing hire. I wasn't a huge fan of Clifford when he was here, and to go crawling back to him now, after everything that has transpired, it makes us look like a terrible organization because it comes off as if we can't get anyone better than him. And surely we could have. If not.......

[Robot Rock]

He’s inheriting the best roster he’s ever had as a head coach, too. 48-34 with Frank Kaminsky starting a lot of games. Could be (FAR) better. Could be (Dunlap coaching LaMelo) worse.

[Stun704]

In regards to the talking point of him not playing young players, what non bust draft pick did he have access to during his tenure? Kemba was the only player that Rich Cho drafted whom was worth a damn. To be honest, based off his roster construction he performed beyond expectations

Part of being a coach is helping young players along. When it's a chronic problem like it was under Clifford and his staff, it's an issue with the staff more so than the players. Where you get drafted is super important for a young player, especially when you draft young raw prospects like we liked to do (MKG, Biz, etc)

Look at the Spurs and Raptors and Warriors, you think they have a crystal ball in their scouting room? No they develop their talent over time.

Why was Kemba able to develop and the other players didn’t? The players we drafted had plenty of opportunity to get better but didn’t. It’s a chicken or the egg arguments, are those organizations just better at scouting talent than Rich Cho was?

[Robot Rock]

Feel like I need to ask this: if the young guys like Frank, Monk, Zeller (to a lesser extent) sucked, why would Cliff play them more than he did?

Also worth noting his first tenure here was entirely with Cho.

One of the reasons they sucked was because Clifford couldn't develop them. Young players sucking and bad coaching go hand-in-hand.

The same thing happened in Orlando, who had better picks and potentially higher potential young players than we did.

The same board who blamed Monk and Frank’s struggles on their lack of desire now blames the coach?

[Stun704]

He’s inheriting the best roster he’s ever had as a head coach, too. 48-34 with Frank Kaminsky starting a lot of games. Could be (FAR) better. Could be (Dunlap coaching LaMelo) worse.

48-35 with Kemba being the only player worth a damn on your roster lol

[Stun704]

Feel like I need to ask this: if the young guys like Frank, Monk, Zeller (to a lesser extent) sucked, why would Cliff play them more than he did?

Also worth noting his first tenure here was entirely with Cho.

One of the reasons they sucked was because Clifford couldn't develop them. Young players sucking and bad coaching go hand-in-hand.

The same thing happened in Orlando, who had better picks and potentially higher potential young players than we did.

Why was Kemba able to be developed but non of the other busts we drafted?

Remember Clifford wanted Mitchell not Monk

[Hornet Mania]

In regards to the talking point of him not playing young players, what non bust draft pick did he have access to during his tenure? Kemba was the only player that Rich Cho drafted whom was worth a damn. To be honest, based off his roster construction he performed beyond expectations

We didn't draft well during his tenure, but the vets he played over those prospects were, for the most part, not one bit better. Jason Maxiell and Gary Neal did not deserve to see an NBA court when we were making them integral members of our rotation over lotto picks who deserved, at minimum, a chance to get out there and prove they were worse than those journeymen before being cast aside.

The problem wasn't simply Cliff doesn't play young guys, the problem was Cliff was incredibly loyal to **** awful vets regardless of how bad they played. If Monk got out there and screwed up one defensive rotation he was benched indefinitely. Gary Neal could play like ass on defense every play while jacking up braindead shots and never fall out of coach's good graces. It was not a meritocracy, in short. It was so infuriating.

[NJBuzz12]

I hate this franchise more than I love it

[Stun704]

In regards to the talking point of him not playing young players, what non bust draft pick did he have access to during his tenure? Kemba was the only player that Rich Cho drafted whom was worth a damn. To be honest, based off his roster construction he performed beyond expectations

We didn't draft well during his tenure, but the vets he played over those prospects were, for the most part, not one bit better. Jason Maxiell and Gary Neal did not deserve to see an NBA court when we were making them integral members of our rotation over lotto picks who deserved, at minimum, a chance to get out there and prove they were worse than those journeymen.

The problem wasn't simply Cliff doesn't play young guys, the problem was Cliff was incredibly loyal to **** awful vets regardless of how bad they played. If Monk got out there and screwed up one defensive rotation he was benched indefinitely. Gary Neal could play like ass on defense every play while jacking up braindead shots and never fall out of coach's good graces. It was not a meritocracy, in short. It was so infuriating.

The results speak for themselves. I’m not sure many coaches could do as well as Clifford did with those garbage rosters he was given

[Liver_Pooty]

Development also hinged on God given ability and want to. Development is also on mostly the assistant coaches. I get the gripe about not playing the younger players, but not development

[Goodecharlotte]

I've had enough of this s***. I'm out for a bit to calm down. Clifford coach the futures bright and exciting once again. Oh well its saved me £100 on game pass

[vorbis]

I think Clifford will perform to Kupchak's expectations this coming season, deep down I really do. that's why he was hired.

but hiring him just feels like a let down on an existential level. like a chalkboard, with all of the progress made during the Kupchak era having been just hastily erased.

[SWedd523]

i just imagine Cliff walking into the locker room on day one and having another heart attack when he sees:

Melo ripping the biggest bong in existence while wearing a full neon yellow puma jumpsuit and two pairs of sunglasses

Miles is Edward 40 Handsing two massive cups of lean and spitting another bad freestyle while Bouknight beatboxes

Oubre is actively getting a blowout perm

Kai and Thor are playing Dungeons and Dragons in the corner

Poor guy has no idea what he's in store for

[amcoolio]

I honestly did not know there were Cliff stans

Do we get Stun and FlipMurray back? Who else is coming back? doc.end? catch20two? BrotherDave? Fred Williamson?

[SWedd523]

@misterglover

WHERE YOU AT FOO

[JDR720]

My biggest concern with development is the PF/C position.

In Orlando, he played Bamba 15mpg. Meanwhile, he played MCW and Bacon 25mpg. Two players that are indisputably terrible. He plays favorites.

Bismack landed in his doghouse for Maxiell. Didn't play Bamba. Didn't like playing MKG. He doesn't like developmental players. I have little to no hope for Kai, Thor and Williams.