Hoping to Get Ford Tough, Clippers Finally Hire Coach

After waiting nearly four months since he first interviewed for the job, Chris Ford was finally named new coach of the Clippers on Wednesday.

Ford, who signed a three-year deal that is believed will pay him $800,000 to $1 million a season, did not waste time at his Convention Center news conference addressing the Clippers’ problems from last season.

“Looking at it from an overall view, you have a team that won only 17 games,” Ford said.

“You have to try and find your weaknesses and what is best suited to make you better.”

Ford, who coached Milwaukee the last two seasons before being fired last August, replaces his former coach Bill Fitch, who was fired last spring. Ford will bring back assistant Jim Brewer, the other finalist for the head coaching position. Brewer, who coached four seasons under Fitch before being released last April, will concentrate on the development of the team’s big men, particularly No. 1 draft pick Michael Olowokandi. Jim Todd, who coached with Ford at Milwaukee, will also be an assistant.

Fitch, fired with two years remaining on a four-year contract extension, said Ford faces a difficult challenge.

“I hope that he does well. He’s a good coach if [the Clipper players] let him coach,” Fitch said from his home in Houston. “They need a lot of help out there.”

Ford and Elgin Baylor, vice president of basketball operations, have had long discussions over the first steps needed to turn the Clippers around. They agreed they don’t have much time because of the shortened training camp and season.

“I need a few different things . . . with the free-agent market and what we have under the [salary] cap, we have to see what is the best situation as far as what particular need we can fill,” said Ford, who has a 291-283 coaching record in seven seasons with Milwaukee and Boston. “You’re never able to fill all of your problem areas, but we’re going to try in the next few days to come up with a solution we feel is most beneficial to this team.”

The Clippers have 10 players under contract and two rookies--Olowokandi and Brian Skinner--but they are expected to add a free agent or two as soon as the league lifts its signing ban.

Upgrading their backcourt is high on the Clippers’ priority list because Ford, a 10-year NBA guard, will put in a defensive-minded system that will need a strong point guard.

Darrick Martin, a part-time starter for the Clippers the last two seasons, is a free agent and could be re-signed, but Baylor did not say how the team was going to use the $4 million it has available under the salary cap.

“We’re going to have to go into the free-agent market to get guard help,” Baylor said. “We’ve talked to a lot of teams, but no one is going to trade you a starting or quality player at the point guard position.”

The Clippers have a solid core of talented forwards, who do have some market value around the league. With Maurice Taylor, Rodney Rogers, Lamond Murray and Lorenzen Wright all capable of demanding substantial playing time this season, along with the addition of Skinner, the Clippers also might trade for a shooting guard.

“I can only work with the hand I’ve been dealt,” Ford said. “We have ideas where we would like to go, but this is going to be one of the all-time craziest periods in NBA history with teams filling out rosters. There’s never been anything like this before. We’re hoping that we can land one or two players who can really help us.”

James Robinson said Milwaukee was known as a hard-working team under Ford.

“They played hard, but they complained all of the time,” Robinson said. “They complained because they had to work.

“I don’t know him personally, but I’ve heard stories that he can be [demanding] like Fitch. But I’m sure that he’s going to come in here with an open mind.”

Center Stojko Vrankovic played for Ford for two seasons when he coached the Celtics and says that he should be good for the Clippers.

“He’s tough, but he likes to win and he knows how to do it,” said Vrankovic, who joined the Clippers in a trade from Minnesota in 1997. “I didn’t get to play much, but I liked playing for him. He’s an understanding [type] of coach and because we have a young team, I think that is going to help make us much better.”

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The First Year is a Doozy

First full-season records and winning percentages of Clipper coaches: Gene Shue, 1978-79

43-39, .524

Paul Silas, 1989-81

36-46, .439

Jim Lynam, 1983-84

30-52, .366

Don Chaney, 1985-86

32-50, .390

Gene Shue, 1987-88

17-65, .207

Don Casey, 1989-90

30-52, .366

Mike Schuler, 1990-91

31-51, .378

Larry Brown, 1992-93

41-41, .500

Bob Weiss, 1993-94

27-55, .329

Bill Fitch, 1994-95

17-65, .207

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Ford’s Coaching Record

Year, TeamW-L (Pct.)

1990-91, Boston56-26 (.683)

1991-92, Boston51-31 (.622)

1992-93, Boston48-34 (.585)

1993-94, Boston32-50 (.390)

1994-95, Boston35-47 (.427)

1996-97, Milwaukee33-49 (.402)

1997-98, Milwaukee36-46 (.439)

Totals*291-283 (.507)

*--Does not include 13-16 record in playoffs