Is getting Zion back the ultimate cure to fix this team?

Who needs to get traded

What players do you think they should target

The only cure to fix this team is to finally hire a good coach. The endless door of trading players is not going to fix the issue. It?s the people who are coaching these guys. Herb and Trey had a higher IQ before they got here.

seems like zion was the heart of the team this season...also imo it feel like it did at the start of AD last year when the team was hot and scoring like almost 120 a game,,everyone was clicking then i think payton got hurt then AD got hurt and i believe thats when AD told the team he was leaving and then the team started going down hill from there...

i just feel like something internal is going on with this team that we dont know about...

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Originally Posted by 6warddude

seems like zion was the heart of the team this season...also imo it feel like it did at the start of AD last year when the team was hot and scoring like almost 120 a game,,everyone was clicking then i think payton got hurt then AD got hurt and i believe thats when AD told the team he was leaving and then the team started going down hill from there...

i just feel like something internal is going on with this team that we dont know about...

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I also feel the exact same way. Something changed because they don’t play with any energy at all. They don’t listen to coaching anymore. Makes me think trade rumors or someone requesting a trade and not being traded has hurt their morale. They aren’t having fun in other words.

Kira has got to be played. This certainly won't fix all the ills of this team, but we have to find out what he offers. I believe, given the opportunity, at some point, Kira and DD will be our guard tandem unless Scoot falls into our lap. I love...love...love Jose' heart, but we have to be real.

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Originally Posted by Fedupfan

I also feel the exact same way. Something changed because they don’t play with any energy at all. They don’t listen to coaching anymore. Makes me think trade rumors or someone requesting a trade and not being traded has hurt their morale. They aren’t having fun in other words.

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yeah,,i remember watching games where willie was getting into billy about whatever and i was asking myself why is willie keep getting on billy, like he had a grudge against billy then i saw the articles about billy asking to be traded and then i said well maybe thats why he has something with billy...

then before the knicks game jose had his high school jersey retired and he had team mates there to support him and you think well, ok the players seem like they are supporting each other so whats the problem....so maybe its the coaches.....and you right the morale seems down and i dont think they are having fun anymore....

I'm more positive on this team and Willie than most on here, but I will say i'm getting really irritated hearing the same "lack of effort" excuse. It feels like throwing the players under the bus, when it's the coach's job to inspire them to get up for every game. If they're still "not playing hard" - that's on you, Coach.

I guess the "you got to fight" line ain't working no more. Then once we win against the spurs and rockets they'll be on the high again... sadly even with a so called easy schedule i dont see us winning that many games with how we've been playing.

The March schedule doesn't even look that good with the exception of the 2 rockets game, spurs and maybe hornets (who played great the other day against the heat) other than that the rest is 50/50 more like 40/60 on the opponents advantage.

He meant you gotta fight CJ in order to get him to pass you the ball. We all thought he was talking about the team.

Zion makes us better but there is something horribly wrong with this team from a culture standpoint.

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Originally Posted by JJackisangry

Zion makes us better but there is something horribly wrong with this team from a culture standpoint.

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Bingo! It’s culture. They lack desire and it doesn’t matter the coach or the roster in that aspect. They still desperately need a person that just refuses to lose.

I would rely on nine players going forward, PERIOD.

Starters: DD; CJ; JRich; BI; Jonas

Off the bench: Herb; 3M3; Kira; JAX

Spot Players (at best): Naji; Jose'; Billy

Won't hit the floor: Seabron; GT

Injured: LNJ; EJ; # 1.

1. Keep one of DD or Kira on the floor at all times. This team needs a legitimate helmsman. CJ is not an orchestrater.
2. Play JAX at least 20 minutes. There's too much physical talent for him to be an assistant coach all night.
3. Unless it's one of those nights, play CJ no more than 28-30 minutes. Portland absolutely got the best of that trade.
4. Do not play Jonas and Trey together. On paper, it seems they could complement one another; in truth; it doesn't work.
5. We all love his heart (I know I do) but we have to be real about Jose' limitations.
6. Larry, when healthy, is not a five. Let's get over it.

Offseason:

1. The only untouchables on the team this summer are BI, DD, #1 and our First Round Draft Pick.. Anyone else should be marketed.
2. As Preposterous as it seems, if any of Ime Udoka, Kenny Atkinson, Mark Jackson or Dave Joerger (I assume Snyder goes to Atlanta) has an interest, cut ties with Willie.
3. Shooting; Shooting; Shooting

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Originally Posted by neworleanshoo

I'm more positive on this team and Willie than most on here, but I will say i'm getting really irritated hearing the same "lack of effort" excuse. It feels like throwing the players under the bus, when it's the coach's job to inspire them to get up for every game. If they're still "not playing hard" - that's on you, Coach.

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I'm right there with you. Willie has to show SOME signs of life that they are identifying tactical things they need to address, because he seems to just want to throw the "effort" fix at it all the time and just feels like he has no other answer. I know he's not a strong tactical coach at this stage of his career, but he has to at least be willing to try things. Furthermore, this offseason he needs to own his ineffectiveness at coaching offensive efficiency and go out and look for assistants that can help him cover those weaknesses.

Totally right. I know that the NBA game is much more "street ball" with less set plays etc, but tactics are still huge as far as matchups and strategy to attack the other team's weaknesses etc. Recently it just seems like he's throwing the guys out there and telling them to fight harder. I know that's not the truth but it seems that way.. hard to discern any changes he's made in response to the poor results other than to say "it starts with effort."

How do we know that’s not what he’s doing? It sure doesn’t look like he is doing anything other than that. Throwing them out there and hoping they try is exactly how they look.

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Originally Posted by As I See It

I would rely on nine players going forward, PERIOD.

Starters: DD; CJ; JRich; BI; Jonas

Off the bench: Herb; 3M3; Kira; JAX

Spot Players (at best): Naji; Jose'; Billy

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I thought you loved Naji. Kira’s decision making is really poor, whatever Jose’s limitations are he currently brings a lot more to the team than Kira does. I like Dyson but to say he’s untouchable is ridiculous. The guy averages about 4 points a game. We may be seeing just the tip of his offensive iceberg or perhaps we’re not, who’s to say. But to say he’s untouchable is silly. There really shouldn?t be anyone on this team considered “untouchable”.

At some point for some reason Willie has started to lose this team. Perhaps it happened during the ten game losing streak when resentment started to build from players barely being payed the NBA minimum started to resent the fact that they were going through the NBA grind while grossly paid superstars like BI and Zion just sat there sporting jewelry that probably cost close to their yearly salary.

I can see Billy losing focus when he realized that the coach was hell bent on not playing him despite some very good performances where injuries forced Willie’s hand.

There is a reason that the term sophomore slump exists. Other teams start to dissect their games and figure out their strengths and weaknesses. They then take their strengths away. So those players than have to either figure out a way to keep the opposing teams from taking the strong parts of their game away, or they have to work on the weak parts of their game or both. I think it’s also significant that Jose and Trey have played a lot more minutes this year than last. They’re not used to this much basketball.

Yet we came into the year heavily reliant on three sophomore players. And like many players in their second year they struggled a bit. And it didn’t help that we had to lean into them so heavily with BI and Zion missing so much time.

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Originally Posted by Freyfamilyreuni

I thought you loved Naji. Kira’s decision making is really poor, whatever Jose’s limitations are he currently brings a lot more to the team than Kira does. I like Dyson but to say he’s untouchable is ridiculous. The guy averages about 4 points a game. We may be seeing just the tip of his offensive iceberg or perhaps we’re not, who’s to say. But to say he’s untouchable is silly. There really shouldn?t be anyone on this team considered “untouchable”.

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If you want to set him free in year one, have at it. You patience is lacking.

And I do like Naji. But, he isn't a game changer like Jax could be if he was ever developed.

It started with the Nets game. I even said after that game that I feared what was coming after. Little did I know it would be this bad. This is on Willie. He let it go very sour and didn’t make the necessary adjustments to get us back on track. Morale is a problem but that shouldn’t my be the sole factor for going on such a horrendous run. Willie has to answer with a good close to the season or he his job could be in jeopardy come next season.

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Originally Posted by JJackisangry

It started with the Nets game. I even said after that game that I feared what was coming after. Little did I know it would be this bad. This is on Willie. He let it go very sour and didn’t make the necessary adjustments to get us back on track. Morale is a problem but that shouldn’t my be the sole factor for going on such a horrendous run. Willie has to answer with a good close to the season or he his job could be in jeopardy come next season.

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Willie does not appear to be as much of a coach as he is a motivator. As such, he really needs to strengthen his staff with some experience.

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Originally Posted by PELICANSFAN

Willie does not appear to be as much of a coach as he is a motivator. As such, he really needs to strengthen his staff with some experience.

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100 percent. There needs to be a change come next season whether it be staff or finding a new head coach altogether. This is a catastrophic run we’d expect from Gentry and Willie has more talent (albeit less experience). I’m still perplexed that even lacking as he is he let it get THIS bad.

I don’t think we should jump the gun and just fire Willie FWIW (unless a top coach wants the job), but a change needs to happen somewhere. It’s a shame he didn’t have the time we would have wanted with us keeping Gentry and going with Stan but we can’t wait on competing when we have Zion BI and CJ on the roster. Willie was dealt a bad card but tough titties I guess.

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Originally Posted by JJackisangry

I don’t think we should jump the gun and just fire Willie FWIW (unless a top coach wants the job), but a change needs to happen somewhere. It’s a shame he didn’t have the time we would have wanted with us keeping Gentry and going with Stan but we can’t wait on competing when we have Zion BI and CJ on the roster. Willie was dealt a bad card but tough titties I guess.

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Basically, if you are in win now mode, why hire a coach that has no real experience. I thought it would be to grow with his players, but here we are. Got vets taking minutes away from the youth and then not accepting coaching. Willie has no voice with CJ around. They believed in Willie before CJ arrived. CJ killed this teams chemistry and culture. Nobody wants some old ******** on the team that was carried for a decade and now wants to be a superstar. He has to be one of the most annoying players I have ever watched.

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Originally Posted by Fedupfan

Basically, if you are in win now mode, why hire a coach that has no real experience. I thought it would be to grow with his players, but here we are. Got vets taking minutes away from the youth and then not accepting coaching. Willie has no voice with CJ around. They believed in Willie before CJ arrived. CJ killed this teams chemistry and culture. Nobody wants some old ******** on the team that was carried for a decade and now wants to be a superstar. He has to be one of the most annoying players I have ever watched.

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Simply stated....

He watched 'Dame' for almost a decade and said to himself, "I can do that".

Now, he's hell-bent on trying.

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Originally Posted by Fedupfan

Basically, if you are in win now mode, why hire a coach that has no real experience. I thought it would be to grow with his players, but here we are. Got vets taking minutes away from the youth and then not accepting coaching. Willie has no voice with CJ around. They believed in Willie before CJ arrived. CJ killed this teams chemistry and culture. Nobody wants some old ******** on the team that was carried for a decade and now wants to be a superstar. He has to be one of the most annoying players I have ever watched.

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Very odd take for a young team that was in need of a veteran leader.