luciano-davidwesley wrote:EmpireFalls wrote:One thing that connects all the big hires this off-season aside from Atlanta experience… they’re all young, former players, and black, from Peterson on down.
Now obviously I’m sure all were hired on merit first, but I think it’s smart that we have a new crop of guys who can really relate to our young roster and connect with them as role models of sorts.
I always felt like the lifelessness on court and issues like Jones and Bouknight’s was in part due to the fact that the leadership never fully connected with the players. Cliff, Triano, and Kupchak were these 60s+ white guys from an old school world. I’m not saying they didn’t connect with the players but it’s just a different relationship and dynamic. It’s clear the team quit on Cliff regularly in games. Hopefully Lee and Skeeter can bridge the gap and bring the best out of our guys.
Lol Bouknight and Jones were just guys with no tools nor maturity to succeed in the NBA. They would have failed under any coach.
Bouknight definitely, but I think Kai would have carved out a role and succeeded in a strong organization like the Heat.
Pat Riley would have told him after his first summer league that his ass would be gone before the season was over if he didn't stop playing like a delusional dumbass thinking he was Giannis or something.
I think that's been an issue for pretty much forever with this organization. We don't have someone that can bring players back to the real world. Clifford tried, but he doesn't have the oh **** I better get my ass in line commanding presence that someone like Riley has.
