Is Lionel Hollins the Answer?

According to Marc Stein, the Brooklyn Nets has formally requested to talk with Lionel Hollins. As of now Hollins is technically the Head Coach of the Memphis Grizzlies but things have not looked good for him. They have not resigned him and also gave permission for Hollins to talk with other Teams. Most likely those are signs of Hollins not returning especially after publicly calling out management for rumors of replacing him with the assistant Dave Joerger. There is a twist though. Hollins loves Memphis and wants to coach there. He feels he started something there and wants to continue building into an elite team.

"People need to know from my perspective that I don’t want to talk to any other teams. I want to be here. I told the media after our exit interviews that if the team offered me a contract that I felt was fair, I’d sign it the next day."

"I want to coach the Memphis Grizzlies, the team that the city has embraced and that has the potential to go further with a few tweaks and adjustments,"Hollins said, later adding that "I feel very comfortable with being here and working with management. I never knew there were philosophical differences except the ones that the media put out there because of my answers to questions."

Can Hollins bring the same success with him into Brooklyn?

Each season, Hollins has improved and help the progression of there core players. He also seems like an respectable Coach who demands respect which is something the Nets asked for. But the difference between the Nets and the Grizzlies is toughness and guard play. Despite his praise of Rudy Gay, the team did not mesh with a ball dominant player and Joe Johnson falls in the same category. Hollins is not an offensive coach and the Nets need an savior when it comes to offensive sets. But on the contrary, he may be able to get Brook Lopez tougher on the block and help reinvent his presence after being dominated by the one-legged Joakim Noah. Only time will tell but it will be hard for the Nets to lure Hollins out of Memphis.

Source Commercial Appeal


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