Jump to content

  • Current Donation Goals

    • Monthly Donations
      Raised $390 of $700 target

Flip Saunders may be available

KB21

By KB21
in Homecourt

 Share

Recommended Posts

KB21 Grand Master

KB21

Posted
Posted

Quote:

By Chris Sheridan

ESPN.com

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. -- Rasheed Wallace didn't have a lot to say afterward. Three times he walked to his locker and then walked away, only once uttering anything of substance.

"This is the end, man."

The end of what, 'Sheed?

Only time will tell.

Pistons insiders told ESPN.com it appears to be a 50-50 proposition whether Flip Saunders will return next season to coach the fourth and final year of his contract, having come up short in the conference finals for the third consecutive year after inheriting a team that was coming off consecutive trips to the NBA Finals.

Saunders now holds the record for most conference finals games coached (24) without ever making it to the Finals, and all eyes will be on team president Joe Dumars in the days ahead to see whether he and/or owner Bill Davidson feel it's time for a new voice to lead the team. If Saunders is fired, expect current Pistons assistants Terry Porter (who also is a candidate for the vacancy in Phoenix) and Michael Curry to head the list of potential successors.

Asked about his job security afterward, Saunders politely declined to say anything of substance.

"That's not a good question to answer right now. Just thinking about the loss. That's something Joe and I will sit down to evaluate."

Dumars entered the last offseason lamenting the fact that his team had gone down to defeat for a second straight season -- once against the Cavs, the other time against the Heat -- to an opponent that was simply hungrier for success than the Pistons. Too often, the Pistons' nonchalance and cavalier attitude had worked against them, and in the deciding final 12 minutes of the 2007-08 season, again they fell victim to an opponent that imposed its will.

All of the Pistons' starters except for Tayshaun Prince are at least 30 years old, and there's a strong possibility Dumars will break up the core of Prince, Chauncey Billups, Richard Hamilton, Wallace and Antonio McDyess in an effort to rebuild around Jason Maxiell, Rodney Stuckey, Amir Johnson and Arron Afflalo.

"He probably will, because there's no excuse on why we didn't go back to the Finals this year, and I'm pretty sure he sees that," McDyess said. "He's not blind and the fans are not blind, and I can't assume what he's going to do, but it will probably be pressed on him."

So stay tuned in the days ahead to the goings on in Motown. The Pistons may be done, but Dumars may just be getting started.

Flip's offensive system with all the off the ball screens he does would be great for the Hawks. I do wonder what he would do defensively with a team that isn't a veteran team that hasn't embraced the fact that they must play defense every night to win though.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • Premium Member
Diesel Grand Master

Diesel

Posted
  • Premium Member
Posted

Quote:

Quote:

By Chris Sheridan

ESPN.com

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. -- Rasheed Wallace didn't have a lot to say afterward. Three times he walked to his locker and then walked away, only once uttering anything of substance.

"This is the end, man."

The end of what, 'Sheed?

Only time will tell.

Pistons insiders told ESPN.com it appears to be a 50-50 proposition whether Flip Saunders will return next season to coach the fourth and final year of his contract, having come up short in the conference finals for the third consecutive year after inheriting a team that was coming off consecutive trips to the NBA Finals.

Saunders now holds the record for most conference finals games coached (24) without ever making it to the Finals, and all eyes will be on team president Joe Dumars in the days ahead to see whether he and/or owner Bill Davidson feel it's time for a new voice to lead the team. If Saunders is fired, expect current Pistons assistants Terry Porter (who also is a candidate for the vacancy in Phoenix) and Michael Curry to head the list of potential successors.

Asked about his job security afterward, Saunders politely declined to say anything of substance.

"That's not a good question to answer right now. Just thinking about the loss. That's something Joe and I will sit down to evaluate."

Dumars entered the last offseason lamenting the fact that his team had gone down to defeat for a second straight season -- once against the Cavs, the other time against the Heat -- to an opponent that was simply hungrier for success than the Pistons. Too often, the Pistons' nonchalance and cavalier attitude had worked against them, and in the deciding final 12 minutes of the 2007-08 season, again they fell victim to an opponent that imposed its will.

All of the Pistons' starters except for Tayshaun Prince are at least 30 years old, and there's a strong possibility Dumars will break up the core of Prince, Chauncey Billups, Richard Hamilton, Wallace and Antonio McDyess in an effort to rebuild around Jason Maxiell, Rodney Stuckey, Amir Johnson and Arron Afflalo.

"He probably will, because there's no excuse on why we didn't go back to the Finals this year, and I'm pretty sure he sees that," McDyess said. "He's not blind and the fans are not blind, and I can't assume what he's going to do, but it will probably be pressed on him."

So stay tuned in the days ahead to the goings on in Motown. The Pistons may be done, but Dumars may just be getting started.

Flip's offensive system with all the off the ball screens he does would be great for the Hawks. I do wonder what he would do defensively with a team that isn't a veteran team that hasn't embraced the fact that they must play defense every night to win though.

He's not at the top of the list in my mind...

Detroit is a vet team and he couldn't win with them. I doubt he gets fired but if he did... I don't know...

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Dsinner Newbie

Dsinner

Posted
Posted

Quote:

He's not at the top of the list in my mind...

Detroit is a vet team and
he couldn't win with them
. I doubt he gets fired but if he did... I don't know...

He couldn't win with them? Jesus what is wrong with you people? Doc can't win, Avery can't win, Flip can't win blah blah blah. Did you watch the NBA this year? The Pistons won a few you know? Are you waiting to see who wins the Championship and letting that coach set the bar for who we go after?

Once again for the record, I'd take Flip over Woody. I'd take Doc over Woody. I'd take any coach who won more than 50 games over Woody. For those of you who wouldn't....I don't know what to tell ya.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
EazyRoc Rising Star

EazyRoc

Posted
Posted

Eh ?

It's obvious that the Pistons are past their prime. Sometimes, as fans, we expect the best of the best. However, the reality is Flip Saunders is a good coach who developed his young players well. The Pistons just weren't championship material this year, like they were 3 years ago. You've got to realize that Chauncey, Sheed, and Rip are not in their primes like they were 3 years ago. You've also got to take into account that Ben Wallace was the final piece to make their defense what it was years ago. If that's not enough to convice you, just think of who they lost to! On top of that, they managed to win games in Boston. If you guys don't want Flip Saunders, who could you possibly want ?

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • Premium Member
Diesel Grand Master

Diesel

Posted
  • Premium Member
Posted

Quote:

Quote:

He's not at the top of the list in my mind...

Detroit is a vet team and
he couldn't win with them
. I doubt he gets fired but if he did... I don't know...

He couldn't win with them? Jesus what is wrong with you people? Doc can't win, Avery can't win, Flip can't win blah blah blah. Did you watch the NBA this year? The Pistons won a few you know? Are you waiting to see who wins the Championship and letting that coach set the bar for who we go after?

Once again for the record, I'd take Flip over Woody. I'd take Doc over Woody. I'd take any coach who won more than 50 games over Woody. For those of you who wouldn't....I don't know what to tell ya.

Let's be honest here.

Flip took Larry Brown's championship team and never won a championship with them. He was a good caretaker... making sure that they kept the core together.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
DJlaysitup Newbie

DJlaysitup

Posted
Posted

Quote:

...He couldn't win with them? Jesus what is wrong with you people? Doc can't win, Avery can't win, Flip can't win blah blah blah. Did you watch the NBA this year? The Pistons won a few you know? Are you waiting to see who wins the Championship and letting that coach set the bar for who we go after?

Once again for the record, I'd take Flip over Woody. I'd take Doc over Woody. I'd take any coach who won more than 50 games over Woody. For those of you who wouldn't....I don't know what to tell ya.

LOL - exactly DSin - you can't get Vince Lombardi every time out - just get better. Personally I would take Wierd Al Yankovich over Woody. huepfenicon111.gif

Link to comment
Share on other sites
KB21 Grand Master

KB21

Posted
  • Author
Posted

I'm not going to fault a coach who has taken his team to the conference finals for three years in a row, particularly with an aging team.

Flip has two qualities going for him that makes him a great fit for the Hawks:

1. He has a defined offensive system. This is something a majority of you on this board have complained about with the Hawks. If Flip were to take the Hawks head coaching job, the Hawks would have a defined offensive system. They would run a lot of back screens and off the ball screens to get players open for a jump shot or a slash to the basket. There will be more defined set plays for this team. You won't see as much one on one clear outs with Joe Johnson.

2. He does a very good job of developing his young players. I think people forget that Flip was the head coach that brought a young Kevin Garnett along as a young player out of high school. Flip is also the guy that rounded out Chauncey Billups game in Minnesota, before he went to Detroit. Larry Brown isn't the guy that pushed the right buttons on him. He developed in Minnesota. This year, Flip did a very good job of integrating Rodney Stuckey into the game plan and Jason Maxiell into the game plan even more. He also worked Amir Johnson into the rotation.

We have been talking about getting a coach that can get our young players to maximize their talent and improve. Well, Flip Saunders would be at the top of my list for that. If he is available, the move would be a no brainer decision.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
tmac13 Newbie

tmac13

Posted
Posted

I have to agree with you KB. I can't fault a coach who has been to four conference finals. Larry Brown had far less competition in the east than Flip has had to deal with. Larry Brown also had a much younger version of the same team. If anything, I have been surprised Detroit has maintained such success with this current team. Is Flip the greatest coach ever? No.. Is Flip a gigantic improvement over Woody? Yes!

Link to comment
Share on other sites
EazyRoc Rising Star

EazyRoc

Posted
Posted

Quote:

I don't think they would pay what it would take to get him . . . . or maybe any of the top candidates.

If he is released from Detroit, there's no doubt in my mind that ASG will pursue him. The Hawks are at an important crossroad, competitively and financially. We make the right moves, and our team will be good and financially stable for a very long time. After being put on blast by the media for going after Grant, I think ASG has decided to do the right things and make the right moves. We'll see...

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • Premium Member
Diesel Grand Master

Diesel

Posted
  • Premium Member
Posted

Quote:

I'm not going to fault a coach who has taken his team to the conference finals for three years in a row, particularly with an aging team.

Flip has two qualities going for him that makes him a great fit for the Hawks:

1. He has a defined offensive system. This is something a majority of you on this board have complained about with the Hawks. If Flip were to take the Hawks head coaching job, the Hawks would have a defined offensive system. They would run a lot of back screens and off the ball screens to get players open for a jump shot or a slash to the basket. There will be more defined set plays for this team. You won't see as much one on one clear outs with Joe Johnson.

2. He does a very good job of developing his young players. I think people forget that Flip was the head coach that brought a young Kevin Garnett along as a young player out of high school. Flip is also the guy that rounded out Chauncey Billups game in Minnesota, before he went to Detroit. Larry Brown isn't the guy that pushed the right buttons on him. He developed in Minnesota. This year, Flip did a very good job of integrating Rodney Stuckey into the game plan and Jason Maxiell into the game plan even more. He also worked Amir Johnson into the rotation.

We have been talking about getting a coach that can get our young players to maximize their talent and improve. Well, Flip Saunders would be at the top of my list for that. If he is available, the move would be a no brainer decision.

No. I think you miss that Flip needs a team full of allstars to do anything. First Detroit. Detroit has been the best team in the East because they are the best team in the east. They have the players - the injuries. Give Lawrence Frank the Pistons and he would have probably made the finals one of those years Flip didn't.

I agree that Flip does have a real offense... but it's predictable. I'm not saying that unpredictable is the way to be, but like Woody, Flip runs the same play all game long. That's what happen in their Boston series.

Would I take Flip over Woody. Yeah. But is he the best candidate out there... Hell no. Give me Harris or Fratello and we can do much better.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
TheNorthCydeRises Grand Master

TheNorthCydeRises

Posted
Posted

Quote:

I'm not going to fault a coach who has taken his team to the conference finals for three years in a row, particularly with an aging team.

Flip has two qualities going for him that makes him a great fit for the Hawks:

1. He has a defined offensive system. This is something a majority of you on this board have complained about with the Hawks. If Flip were to take the Hawks head coaching job, the Hawks would have a defined offensive system. They would run a lot of back screens and off the ball screens to get players open for a jump shot or a slash to the basket. There will be more defined set plays for this team. You won't see as much one on one clear outs with Joe Johnson.

That's all true. Flip's strength as a coach is definitely on offense. And because of that, we would see more Salim Stoudamire over Acie Law. You'd see Josh Smith given even more free reign to do whatever he wanted to do. You'd see less of Childress, because of some of his offensive limitations. The question is, would we be a better team if those guys got more playing time? Flip's teams are more carefree and a little less disiplined than most teams.

Quote:

2. He does a very good job of developing his young players. I think people forget that Flip was the head coach that brought a young Kevin Garnett along as a young player out of high school. Flip is also the guy that rounded out Chauncey Billups game in Minnesota, before he went to Detroit. Larry Brown isn't the guy that pushed the right buttons on him. He developed in Minnesota. This year, Flip did a very good job of integrating Rodney Stuckey into the game plan and Jason Maxiell into the game plan even more. He also worked Amir Johnson into the rotation.

Can't deny that either. You could add Stephon Marbury, Wally Szczerbiak, and Troy Hudson to that list as well. With Flip though, the question has always been with the team's commitment toward the defensive end. Flip's problem is that he'll always prefer playing the guy who is better on offense, than the better overall fit on both offense and defense. The only exception to this, was with my boy Trenton Hassell. But even then, Minny had their "Big 3" in KG, Cassell, and Spree. So Trenton's job was to be the perimeter defensive stopper/deterer, and not concentrate so much on offense, because he got most of his offense from the Big 3.

Quote:

We have been talking about getting a coach that can get our young players to maximize their talent and improve. Well, Flip Saunders would be at the top of my list for that. If he is available, the move would be a no brainer decision.

People talk about how Woody can't break Smith from shooting long jumpers. Well, the same could be said about Flip and Rasheed Wallace, who basically lost the series for Detroit with all of those jumpers he took. Flip's personality as a coach isn't strong enough to buck up to a hardheaded player like that. He had a problem reigning in Troy Hudson, and all of those bad shots he took as well. So I could see him trying not to butt heads with Smith either, if he were the coach here. And like Woody, he'd cater to the wishes of JJ, just like he did with KG.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
TheDude Newbie

TheDude

Posted
Posted

Quote:

If you can't win a title with that lineup, I don't want him. Period.

Well it's not like they were playing the Knicks in the eastern conference finals....i mean yeah, they should have beat cleveland last year but this year i can see why the lost..they lost to a good team and at the same time had some nagging injuries...they should NOT get rid of flip IF they are going to keep this team together one more year...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Please sign in to comment

You will be able to leave a comment after signing in



Sign In Now
 Share
Go to topic listing

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...