Bjorkgren: Professional coaching career D-League After his third and final season at Cactus Shadows High School, Bjorkgren was called up in 2007 for an assistant coach role under Nick Nurse's coaching staff for a new expansion D-League team with his home state's Iowa Energy.[8] During his last season as assistant coach for Iowa, Bjorkgren made his coaching debut in the D-League under an overtime victory for the Energy.[9] Under his last season as assistant coach for the Energy, the team won their first ever D-League championship with his assistance at hand. That led to the Dakota Wizards to call upon Bjorkgren's service as the team's new head coach. During the Wizards' last season under the Dakota name, he coached the team to an improved 29–21 record after having a 19–31 record the previous season before losing in the first round to the Bakersfield Jam. After that, the Dakota Wizards changed their name to the Santa Cruz Warriors due to the Golden State Warriors gaining complete control over the franchise by that point. Under their first season with the Warriors name, Bjorkgren improved the team even further, managing the team to the point where they made it to their first D-League Finals as the Warriors, before eventually losing to the Rio Grande Valley Vipers 2–0. Before trying again with the Warriors, Bjorkgren signed a new deal to return to the Iowa Energy as their head coach. In his only season there, Bjorkgren improved the Energy from a 14–36 record to a more improved 31–19 record, which helped him gain recognition by scouts as a potential NBA head coach someday. After losing out to the Rio Grande Valley Vipers once again, Bjorkgren signed up to a new deal to coach the Bakersfield Jam. During his only season coaching the Jam, he also improved the team, managing to go from an average 24–26 record to a more improved 34–16 record. While he helped his players earn multiple honors that season, the Jam ultimately lost in the playoffs 2–1 to the Austin Spurs in the first round. NBA On July 30, 2015, Bjorkgren got promoted to the NBA by being named both an assistant coach and the leading player development coordinator for the Phoenix Suns under head coach Jeff Hornacek.[10] Before being officially hired, though, he took on the head coach role for the Phoenix Suns' Summer League team in the 2015 NBA Summer League, where he led the team to a 5–2 record, making it to the Las Vegas Finals before losing to the San Antonio Spurs. Under his debut season, he went from being both an assistant head coach and player development coordinator to a full-time assistant coach after both assistant coaches Jerry Sichting and Mike Longabardi were fired by December 28, 2015. With the coaching staff undermanned and the Suns performing poorly due, at least in part, to injuries involving some of their key players, it ultimately led to Jeff Hornacek being fired by February 1, 2016, after finishing the month of January with a 2–12 record. Bjorkgren was immediately considered a prime candidate to take over the vacant coaching spot before the position was ultimately given to Earl Watson.[11] However, despite performing under one of the worst seasons in franchise history, Bjorkgren continued to remain as a part of Earl Watson's newest coaching staff, being one of only two members of Earl Watson's original staff to remain there after the 2015–16 NBA season ended. Phoenix Suns Bjorkgren also took on the role of the Suns' Summer League coach once again for the 2016 NBA Summer League, this time recording a 4–2 record, with the team missing out on their third Las Vegas Finals showing after losing to the 24th-seeded Minnesota Timberwolves. After his second season with the Suns saw some minor improvements, Bjorkgren was removed from the team alongside player development coaches Mehmet Okur and Jason Fraser on October 22, 2017, after some poor performances led to a 0–3 start for the team's 50th anniversary season. Toronto Raptors He then became a part of the Toronto Raptors under their advanced scouting department for the rest of the season onward. On July 25, 2018, Bjorkgren was hired by the Toronto Raptors as an assistant coach.[12] During his first season with Toronto, Bjorkgren reached the 2019 NBA Finals, where the Raptors bested the Golden State Warriors 4–2 in a best of seven series. He became the first assistant coach to win both an NBA Finals and NBA D-League (now NBA G League) Championship throughout a coaching career, winning both under Nick Nurse as head coach. Indiana Pacers On October 20, 2020, the Indiana Pacers hired Bjorkgren as their new head coach. [13]On June 9, 2021, after only one season as head coach, Bjorkgren was fired when the team missed the playoffs for the first time since the 2014–15 season after their loss against the Washington Wizards in the play-in tournament.[14][15]
"Señor" Fleming: Coaching career Fleming began his coaching career as an assistant basketball coach with QTSV in 1998. In 2000, he became the head coach of QTSV and remained in that job until 2008. He guided the Quakenbrück-based team to promotion to the German top-flight level Basketball-Bundesliga, and to a German Cup title in 2008. He then became the head coach of Brose Bamberg in 2008. In October 2012, he extended his contract with Brose Baskets through 2016.[4][5] However, in May 2014, Fleming parted ways with the club.[6] Under Fleming's guidance, Bamberg captured four German championships and three German Cup titles. Fleming also received Bundesliga Coach of the Year honors in 2011.[7] Fleming was a member of the coaching staff of the San Antonio Spurs at the 2014 NBA Summer League.[8] In November 2014, he was appointed the new coach of the senior German national basketball team, by the German Basketball Federation.[9][10] In July 2015, Fleming was named an assistant coach of the Denver Nuggets.[11] On July 5, 2016, Fleming was named an assistant coach of the Brooklyn Nets.[12] His last game as head coach of the German national team was a 72–84 loss to Spain in the quarterfinals of the 2017 European Championships.[13] He had opted to focus solely on his job as assistant coach at the Brooklyn Nets.[14] On July 3, 2019, Señor Fleming got hired by the Chicago Bulls as an assistant coach.[15] Fleming was retained by new head coach Billy Donovan prior to the 2020-21 NBA season. On December 24, 2021, he was named as the Bulls' interim head coach as Donovan entered NBA's COVID-19 protocol.[16] The Bulls went 5–0 with Fleming as acting head coach.[17] His tenure with the Bulls came to a close at the end of the 2023-24 season.[18]
Sounds like they are both qualified to help with player development...which is what we need more than anything else from our coaches right now.
OK we got the dev coaches then the 3rd hire BETTER be a X's and O's type coach cause Billups sucks on that front at least on the offensive end and on the d-side of things he has shown a little promise but not sure that is enough either.
https://bleacherreport.com/articles...tenure-of-indiana-pacers-coach-nate-bjorkgren I was referencing his conflicts with the players and staff. They all hated him apparently and found his personality grating. I don't really care much but he's first in line as the interim HC for Chauncey in a lame duck year. Very real chance he becomes the head guy
There is one thing these two new hires have in common they could become HC's and both would come pretty cheap since one is a retread that has a history that might sign cheaper just for a second chance at the head job and the other has no HC experience but has shown in a super small sample size he might be able to do it. I am not saying Jody is a cheap skate -- NM -- I am she is a damn cheap skate and this screams of cheap down the line when looking for Billups replacement.
I'm good with this. Bring him in as an assistant and when he's ready get rid of Billups and promote him. Or maybe you promote Billups to a management position. I'd be fine with that.
Possibly but just as possible, it would only be as an interim. That was a good article you linked. Not exactly a warm and fuzzy guy, but on the flip side maybe that is something Nate feels that he needs on the staff. This small part of the article might be a positive: The positive energy Bjorkgren brought to his interview process did seem to translate into Indiana's early training camp. Players initially responded well to Bjorkgren getting after them on defense and hounding guys for greater intensity, sources said. While some head coaches sit back during preseason practices and observe, Bjorkgren was front and center. "He was directing it, yelling in a positive 'rah-rah' clapping way. He wasn't afraid to jump in a drill if he needed to," said another Indiana staffer. "Everyone was saying he was the most utmost positive person. It was infectious." With the team's 6-2 start, all seemed to be going well. After a thrilling 108-107 win over Boston moved Indiana to 3-0 on the young season, Sabonis told reporters that Bjorkgren was "a genius. He knows the game, and trusts us." Added Malcolm Brogdon: "We've got a coach that motivates us, great with the X's and O's, stays calm. We feed off of him."
[QUOTE="Ripcity4life77, post: 5675320, member: 29149" I am not saying Jody is a cheap skate -- NM -- I am she is a damn cheap skate and this screams of cheap down the line when looking for Billups replacement.[/QUOTE] Yet we have a high payroll, and she just added a G league team. I don't really have an issue with her being cheap with coaches...if she actually is.
It's an assumption as lead assistants *usually* get the nod as interim or replacement. Perhaps I'm overthinking.
