Was James Borrego more than just an assistant coach to this team?

[Ivan Balakhonov]

I am one of those fans who are disappointed with the way Monty coaching Hornets this season. Given we have a young and inexperienced roster, still there are lots of questionable moves and decisions made by our head coach. Last season tanking was much more exciting than this year's disaster on both ends of the floor. And at the same time there are Orlando Magic. I doubt their roster is much better than ours and their coach obviously is less experienced than Monty. But look at the difference. At least in win-loss records, but if you give a look at how Magic play it's also worth trying.

What I mean is could Hornets' problems be connected with the departure of James Borrego to Magic? Maybe his influence on our team was underrated? Your thoughts?

[bojangles837]

Doubtful but possible. I wish we still had mike Malone.

[Cheaney]

I do remember hearing some where the hornets have the toughest schedule to begin the season than any other team. Not saying its an excuse for Monty, but might have something to do with it.

[BallSoHard]

What did you honestly expect from a team missing Gordon the whole season so far and Ad missing a large amount of games? We traded, and let go a ton of talent and experience. I even responded in a thread about all the loses that we'd face as far as raw stats and it being profound on what we expected others to contribute now that they're in a bigger role. That was WITH AD and EG. If you take those two off our team, we are easily the least talented team in the league.

[BP225]

We traded, and let go a ton of talent and experience.

I don't see why more people don't get this. Jack was basically the Team MVP last season and kept the Hornets in a ton of games. And Jack wasn't traded to free up minutes because Rivers was ready, he was traded to free up minutes because Rivers isn't ready and shooting 35% is better this year than next. Okafor/Kaman/Ariza may have been frustratingly flawed but they are also good enough to have 10+ year careers in this league. The same cannot be said of guys like Henry and Aminu and Brian Roberts. This team is rebuilding and they traded a bunch of steady veterans for clueless young guys with potential and financial flexibility. This is what rebuilding is SUPPOSED to look like and there's not a thing Monty or any former assistant could have done to make it better.

[hagios]

I don't see why more people don't get this. Jack was basically the Team MVP last season and kept the Hornets in a ton of games. And Jack wasn't traded to free up minutes because Rivers was ready, he was traded to free up minutes because Rivers isn't ready and shooting 35% is better this year than next. Okafor/Kaman/Ariza may have been frustratingly flawed but they are also good enough to have 10+ year careers in this league. The same cannot be said of guys like Henry and Aminu and Brian Roberts. This team is rebuilding and they traded a bunch of steady veterans for clueless young guys with potential and financial flexibility. This is what rebuilding is SUPPOSED to look like and there's not a thing Monty or any former assistant could have done to make it better.

I completely agree. Jack/Okafor/Kaman/Ariza might not have been all stars, but they were steady vets that knew how to play hard and smart game in and game out.

One additional note on Jack, my understanding is that we traded him to free up cap space. We traded for Lopez a couple of weeks later. I don't think we'd have had the space to acquire him otherwise. So, in a sense, we traded Jack for Lopez.

[BIGBREED]

Dumb *** thread!

[Snarly]

Experience and underrated talent. Davis, Afflalo, Riddick, Nelson, and McRoberts bring a lot of experience to the table. Young guys like Vucevic, Nicholson, and Moore are giving them solid production. They may not have a superstar but they have multiple go-to options who can step up and deliver.

[Zach Leto]

Magic play in the East, Hornets play in the West. Magic have an easier schedule. Hornets have the hardest schedule in the NBA (so far). James Borrego had nothing to do with it. Mike Malone on the other hand... we miss that guy.

[AD23nEG10]

no, we're just soft this year. Ariza is such an underrated defender and JJ had a solid frame to use defensively. Austin is too scrawny to guard the 2. When AD & Robin play together the post is defended pretty well but most of their problems coming from the commitments they have to make when the back court beat their men

[Snarly]

Magic play in the East, Hornets play in the West. Magic have an easier schedule. Hornets have the hardest schedule in the NBA (so far). James Borrego had nothing to do with it. Mike Malone on the other hand... we miss that guy.

They beat Denver, Lakers, Golden State x2, and Minnesota. It's not like they were only beating weak teams here.

[Eman5805]

If our guards could defend without having someone cover for them, our defense as a whole would improve greatly.

[nikkoewan]

Magic have Nelson, Redick, Afflalo, Davis as major minute getters. That group averages as a 6 year veteran (nelson is at 8, redick at 6, afflalo and davis at 5).

Hornets major minutes getters are Anderson, Vasquez, Rivers and Lopez. That's an average of 2.75 = 3.25 less that's huge..

[Zach Leto]

They beat Denver, Lakers, Golden State x2, and Minnesota. It's not like they were only beating weak teams here.

That's absolutely true. I also should have mentioned that they have more experienced players than us. I forgot that side of the argument. But you're right, they have played good competition. However, I wouldn't really say the Lakers nor Minnesota are necessarily strong teams.

[luckyman]

Magic play in the East, Hornets play in the West. Magic have an easier schedule. Hornets have the hardest schedule in the NBA (so far). James Borrego had nothing to do with it. Mike Malone on the other hand... we miss that guy.

Who took his place? Seems Mike left a gaping hole.

[BP225]

Who took his place? Seems Mike left a gaping hole.

I believe it was Dave Hanners. He may not have the "up and coming boy genius" thing that Malone had, but he still has a pretty solid resume.

“Dave is an experienced coach both on the collegiate and professional level who has won a championship on each level,” said Hornets Head Coach Monty Williams. "He brings many tools that will help strengthen our coaching staff and help grow our players. Dave has learned from two of the best coaches in the game, Larry Brown and Dean Smith, and will be a valuable resource to our organization.”

Hanners spent the last two and a half seasons with the Charlotte Bobcats as the lead assistant coach under Larry Brown. He also served as an assistant coach with Brown for six prior seasons with the Philadelphia 76ers (2000-03), Detroit Pistons (2003-05) and New York Knicks (2005-06). Hanners spent two additional seasons on the Knicks bench (2006-2008), was an assistant coach for Detroit’s 2003-04 NBA Championship team, as well as the 2000-01 76ers and 2004-05 Pistons teams that won Eastern Conference titles. He also served as video coordinator and advance scout for the 2004 U.S. Olympic team that won a Bronze Medal in Athens and was an assistant coach for the East squad at NBA All-Star 2001 in Washington.

...In New Orleans, Hanners reunites with lead assistant coach Randy Ayers, with whom he coached alongside as a fellow assistant for three years between 2000-03 with the Philadelphia 76ers under Brown. The 2002-03 76ers squad featured Hornets Head Coach Monty Williams playing his final professional season as well.

http://www.nba.com/hornets/news/dave...011_08_02.html

[GeauxPelicans]

Didn't read thread, but the main reason we are so terrible on offense this year is because Jack is gone. You guys realize he's the ball handler when he's on the court right? Curry moves to the 2 and Thompson moves to the 3. I didn't like Jack at all last year and thought he would be a terrible fit next to Gordon and I couldn't of been more wrong. He's the veteran presence this team needs more than anything at the moment. We are starting to look like the Wizards of last year, all young guys with no veteran leadership. Can't believe I'm saying this but moving Jack was a HUGE mistake. Vasquez is no where near a starting PG in this league, and Rivers has a ton of work to do before he gets anywhere near that and I personally thing he should stay at SG

EDIT:sorry about typos in original post, damn autocorrect on iPhone.

[Soundless1]

The offensive and defensive struggles are intertwined due to the lack of physical ability of some of our players and the lack of basketball knowledge. When watching the games you can see in the faces of some players that they are frustrated with their teammates and their lack of movement off of the ball. The ball handling of this team is also poor. J Jack might have been a ball hog and took too many shots but he knew how to play basketball. If you have poor individual defenders the team needs to at least have a firm grasp on team defense concepts and it's obvious that due to inexperience and poor basketball instincts the team struggles. Monty's coaching needs to improve but he wants to put a system in place and some players are not grasping what he is trying to do. Because they are young, when they make mistakes players get discouraged and effort is affected.

[GeauxPelicans]

The offensive and defensive struggles are intertwined due to the lack of physical ability of some of our players and the lack of basketball knowledge. When watching the games you can see in the faces of some players that they are frustrated with their teammates and their lack of movement off of the ball. The ball handling of this team is also poor. J Jack might have been a ball hog and took too many shots but he knew how to play basketball. If you have poor individual defenders the team needs to at least have a firm grasp on team defense concepts and it's obvious that due to inexperience and poor basketball instincts the team struggles. Monty's coaching needs to improve but he wants to put a system in place and some players are not grasping what he is trying to do. Because they are young, when they make mistakes players get discouraged and effort is affected.

GREAT POST