Report: Hawks to interview Avery Johnson
Avery Johnson
ESPN.com’s Marc Stein reports the Hawks will interview Avery Johnson for their vacant head coach position.
Johnson, an ESPN analyst, last coached the Dallas Mavericks. He took over during the 2004-05 season and Dallas won 60 games in 2005-06, earning Johnson Coach of the Year honors. But the Mavericks lost a six-game series to Miami in the Finals after leading 2-0. The Mavericks fired Johnson after they lost in the first round of the playoffs in both 2007 and 2008.
If the Hawks want to hire Johnson it would probably take a significant financial commitment. Johnson reportedly earned more than $4 million per year in his final contract with the Mavericks. That’s more than twice the final salary the Hawks paid Mike Woodson, who was told on Friday that he wouldn’t be retained.
Johnson isn’t assured of earning his previous coaching salary when he returns to the sidelines, but he has leverage as probably the most high-profile candidate available. He’s already interviewed with Philadelphia and New Orleans and Johnson also reportedly has interest in coaching the Nets, who were recently sold to Russian billionaire Mikhali Prokhorov.
The Hawks also are set to interview Mavericks assistant Dwane Casey.
MC
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428 comments Add your comment
jeff
May 18th, 2010
1:14 pm
My opinion (not worth much). Don’t resign JJ he has done and taken us as far as he can. We will be better of with two average players, than one who may be over-rated to begin with.
Kenbud
May 18th, 2010
1:16 pm
Trade with New Orleans for PG Darren Collison !!!
SWAT Native
May 18th, 2010
1:21 pm
For those of you calling for Tom Thibadeau, he’s a great defensive coach, but remember what happened the last time the Hawks played up in Boston. Doc got ejected in the middle of the third quarter, and Thibadeau had to coach the rest of the game. He forgot to make even one substitution the rest of the way, ran his players into the ground and that’s probably why they lost because they couldn’t make shots at the end. Great assistant, but is he ready to be a head coach?
If you want a Boston assistant, why not the old Hawk Armond Hill? He was a point guard in the league like everyone seems to want. Princeton grad, played for the Hubie Brown Hawks. Who knows, maybe he could bring T. Lue as an assistant and Doc as a consultant and you would have three generations of Hawks point guards.
Ramon
May 18th, 2010
1:28 pm
SWAT, I understand what you’re saying about Thibodeau. But I really think that was a good learning experience for him when he coached that second half. With his intensity and drive, could you imagine the team surviving a training camp with him? Knowing how great the team is in the open court, and knowing that great defense would only lead to many open court opportunities, I think he would be just about one of the best people for the job.
drmaryb
May 18th, 2010
1:32 pm
Sam’l
Looks like you’re feeling mighty proud of yourself today? You want to keep kicking the old Woody – Can down the road? Northcyde is doing just fine – Thank You very much. There is no chiding needed from your direction.
Besides, what have you accomplished this year, that will impress anyone on this blog-board?
I’ll wait to hear your answer. Mr. Woodson has departed, so it’s time to turn the page and keep reading. Who will be the next coach? Will Joe Johnson be re-signed? Those are the current hot topics for today. So, squash that old ish! LOL!
drmaryb
May 18th, 2010
1:48 pm
Sam’l
News Flash buddy: I have no party affiliation, I am my own woman and do not know any blogger on here personally. So, pull up your pants, tighten your belt and grow a pair. LOL!
newkid
May 18th, 2010
1:56 pm
Doesn’t Avery Johnson’s Mavs salary continue to be paid – by Cuban – through the 2010/2011 season? Isn’t it in the $4-$5 million range? If he were to take a lower paying NBA coaching job, don’t those sorts of contracts pay the difference between his former higher salary and his newer lower salary? If so, would Johnson perhaps agree a back-loaded 4 year deal that would have the BASG paying him say $2 million in year 1, then $3 – $5 million per in the ensuing years (dependent upon regular season and playoff records)?
Would love to see Michael Finley join him in some sort of player development role.
Valerie
May 18th, 2010
2:39 pm
Avery Johnson or Byron Scott would be a great asset to the Hawks. What about Sam Mitchell , prior coach of the Toronto Raptors?
cynne
May 18th, 2010
2:44 pm
Wait a minute, isn’t this the same coach Dallas fired because the team could make it to the play off but could not win the championship. What? Is this Deja vu.
craig celgin
May 18th, 2010
2:48 pm
If we want to win we will …
Let joe johnson go. Trade j smooves imature ass to goldn state for monte. Sign rudy gay for 9 million. Then use the MLE on a defensive center like brendon haywood. Then get childress back.
starters
bibby ellis gay horford heywood bench
Bench
crawford zaza childress williams teague
GeeMack
May 18th, 2010
2:50 pm
Regardless of who we bring in Teague must be the starter next year.
We have to sign JJ, and Horford must be moved to PF.
DavidC
May 18th, 2010
2:51 pm
Avery would be great for the Hawks but they still need a big man if they are going to advance. Southern Univ 82
Ramon
May 18th, 2010
3:03 pm
GeeMack, if there are only 2 or 3 centers in the league who are better than Horford, why is it that we MUST move Horford to PF? Horford is the 3rd or 4th best Center in the league. But at PF there are easily 5 or 6 PF better than he is (Bosh, Amare, Duncan, Gasol, Dirk, Garnett, and that’s just off the top of my head).
Ken Strickland
May 18th, 2010
3:06 pm
Some of you WOODY LOVERS are still trying to make an issue of your beloved Woody getting what he deserved. Sund waited 2yrs for him to improve in certain critical areas like:
(1)-recognizing problems and making adjustments
A-addressing Bibby and Marvin’s lack of production
B-our consistently faltering half court OFF when closing out gms
C-the frequency of success teams had against his switching DEF
D-the overall lack of success of his ISO & jump shot dependent OFF
(2) commit time and effort toward developing PG JTeague, the young PG he drafted, rather than using his jump shot or youth or inexperience as excuses for burying him on the bench. All of these are issues he had to know before deciding to draft him.
(3) hoping he’d make a commitment to utilize his bench, after Sund stocked it with more talent, which had always been his previous excuse.
(4) hoping Woodson would realize that his responsibility was to prevent division and cronyism among players, not promote it.
(5) hoping Woodson would grasp the idea that both players and the team will benefit from competition among its players. Once Woodson selected his chosen players, he refused to allow anyone to challenge any of them for mins or opportunity, no matter how poorly they were playing or how much they were hurting the team.
BOTTOMLINE, WOODY LOVERS, YOUR BELOVED MIKE WOODSON GOT HIMSELF FIRED.
jay dubu
May 18th, 2010
3:09 pm
Read the feature on Sund…is he te right guy to get the Hawks to where all the blog wants them to be?
Puzzled
May 18th, 2010
3:13 pm
@craig celgin,
Stop, just stop, until you gather your senses.
Ramon
May 18th, 2010
3:33 pm
Jay dubu, that answer is NO lol
Big Ray
May 18th, 2010
3:50 pm
I agree that head coaches in the NBA don’t have time to teach fundamentals.
But last I looked, half the guys picked in the draft have issues somewhere in their game. And what’s that whole staff of assistants for? Only takes ONE to hold a clipboard.
By the way, Basketball IQ is not the same as skill sets. You can have a great mind for the game, but not be able to play worth a sh!t.
dap01
May 18th, 2010
3:56 pm
That is a cop out to say that NBA players know the fundamentals. The NBA is full of players without any skill other than being athletic freaks.
Coaches are paid to get a team ready, sometimes that requires teaching, if it is not beneath the coach to actually do that.
lewis
May 18th, 2010
4:05 pm
@craig celgin,
stop, just stop. Wait, nevermind, that doesn’t sound like such a bad idea at all.
The lack of basketball knowledge as well as bi-polar attitude in Josh Smith held the Hawks back last year. Marvin isn’t the most talented player, but if you told him exactly what to do he’d listen. He’s big, good runner/jumper. Just needs to be more active around the basket.
Johnson is talented and willing to listen, same with Horford. Get rid of the stubborn attitudes who aren’t willing to play into a system, find a talented penetrating point guard, and we’ll be more like the injured Jazz. Still incapable of winning a championship without size at c position (They have okur but he was injued), yet clearly in a position to try hard and win day in and day out in the playoffs.
oldmike
May 18th, 2010
4:44 pm
maaybe they should black out the road games next year. then the fans won’t have the bad taste in their mouths of yet another ugly loss when the hawks collapse in the 3rd and/or 4th quarter and snatch defeat from the jaws of victory or laya 40 point bomb loss out there.
01HAWK
May 18th, 2010
4:57 pm
Jeff TEAGUE,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,2ND COMING OF ACIE LAW !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I doubt ACIE LAW will make an NBA roster this coming year. What a wasted draft pick. We passed on BIG BABY Glen Davis, Al Thornton, Rodney Stuckey 16.6 pts. per game for Detroit, Marc Gasol 7 ft. 1 and 14.6 pts per game for Memphis. I am sure there are others.
Glad to see Woodson go. Bad judge of talent along with the former management. Gasol would have looked good along side Horford. Marvin Williams is a disappointment.
Zach
May 18th, 2010
5:06 pm
Why can’t we get lebron?
blonju aka the ghost of sekou smith
May 18th, 2010
5:09 pm
avery won’t help us at all.. he will lose the players’ respect by january because he’s overdemanding and takes too much control as a coach.. he’s obsessed with a methodical half court offense, where he CALLS ALL THE PLAYS FROM THE SIDELINES (not good if we want to run the break).. i guarantee we will win less games with the same team and avery as the coach.. it’s sad that avery johnson is the “BEST” coach available right now.. he’s was run out of dallas for a reason remember?
I MUS WRITE
May 18th, 2010
5:35 pm
I would rather go with Casey. Avery johnson is probably no better than Woodson. I remember golden State rolling Dallas a copule yeears ago when he was there. They looked pittiful on offense,and he made absolutely no in game or half time adjustments.
Also dont forget the problems he had with the players namely Devin Harris who in a different system became an All Star the following year.
I dont know if JJ will be back next year but Amare would be a nice adition. At a legit 6′10 hes bigger than both our currnt 4 and 5. With an uptempo style we could do some real damage with this line up….
Crawford,Salmons,Josh,Horford,Amare.
Bench- Chillz,Teague,Mo or another MLE pickup,Marvin,Bibby,ZaZA,Siler,Collins
Grandad
May 18th, 2010
5:36 pm
Big Ray:
With all due respect. Yes, Nba coaches do have time to teach fundamentals. 1st – there is a whole coaching staff. But more
important is how do you ‘not’ have time to teach.
Please bear with me Ray.
Has your father ever said:
“If it’s not worth doing right, it’s not worth doing at all”
John Wooden:
“If you don’t have time to do it right,
when will you have time to do it over”
Part of our problem [Hawks] was not design
BUT
it was execution.
Execution & fundamentals go hand in hand.
Josh / free throws & footwork / how do you not have time?
Thibodeau:
Thibodeau encourages non-stop communication on the floor and no-excuse accountability. Hands of his lengthy defenders must be up in the air, like soccer goalies, all the better to deflect passes. [FUNDAMENTAL]
Don Meyer:
It’s not ‘what’ you teach, it’s what you emphasize.
Coaches who emphasize fundamentals:
Sloan, Daly, Aurbach, Van Gundy, Brown, Adelman.
Coaches who…get fired:
Woodson, Del Negro, Byron Scott (players coach), Calipari [pros].
Sorry Big Ray – Obviously I feel strongly about the topic.
Grandad
May 18th, 2010
6:06 pm
Time for Grandad’s Trade of the day:
San Antonio gets:
*Marvin
*Bibby
*Teague
**[conditions]
Atl gets:
*Tony Parker
**Conditions and alt. players. (Zaza and or Childress)
San Antonio would choose no more than 3 of the 5
aforementioned players. The trade works on NBA trade machine
with Marv, Bibby, Teague. Childress cannot be factored on
trade machine.
We would want Parker to sign extension before trade.
Exception – S.A. must take Bibby / cannot take Teague.
In other words if parker does not sign ext.:
They must take Bibby. & They cannot have Teague.
We have four objectives objectives:
(1) pair Parker with Joe
(2) keep Josh & Al
(3) unload Bibby
(4) retain Teague if Parker does not sign ext.
***complex trade I think I got all the pieces
together correctly.
Jawbreaker
May 18th, 2010
6:26 pm
Would love to see him here, but will command huge salary. He will probably take the job with the Nets, especially if Nets get the first pick. That new owner will be throwing him money around for his first years as owner. I wouldn’t blame Johnson for taking the job, lots of money to be made.
Pace Mannion
May 18th, 2010
6:39 pm
Quit with the we want Byron Scott for coach stuff, he’s waiting on the Laker’s job to open up. I don’t think our owner’s are gonna pony up the money to pay a top tier coach, so i think u are looking at candidates like Thibodeau of Boston, Casey of Dallas, or like Sund said an out of box candidate like Laimbeer with championship experience playing and coaching (although in the W.N.B.A).
ICECOLD
May 18th, 2010
7:06 pm
Hawks need a big name coach, because they want to show Joe Johnson they are doing what it takes to win a championship.. its as simple as that. if we sign a experienced big named coach like Avery Johnson it will claim respect… and we might be able to attract some real free agent talent that is decent bench players.. people didn’t want to play for woody.. not even the people that was already playing for woody.. if we get a assistant coach. the players going to run all over him and nobody will want to play for the hawks.. its that simple!!!!!!!!!!!
terrell
May 18th, 2010
7:07 pm
If we keep the same roster
Here’s a name for you guys.
How bout Brian Shaw?
Former pg.
Won titles as a player for the Zen.
Won titles as an assistant for the Zen.
Can install the triangle
Bibby can play the role as Fisher
Joe can play the role of Kobe
Marvin can play the role of Artest
Josh can play the role of Odom
Horford can play the role of Gasol
Tron5000
May 18th, 2010
7:45 pm
Don’t re-sign Joe and trade Josh Smith to clear cap room. Hire LeBron and whoever he wants to be his coach; in 2 years with Jamal Crawford and Al Horford he’ll win a championship. He’ll rule this city that has been so starved for a superstar (especially African-American) athlete ever since old MV7. He’ll own this town as he wouldn’t in New York (superstars in Jeter, ARod, Eli Manning, however many musicians and actors), Chicago (he’d have to win 7 rings, or else Chi-town will always belong to MJ), Miami (DWade already runs that town), or anywhere else he could go. Win a championship in Atlanta, people will name there kid LeBron and there will be parades for you.
It makes perfect sense.
Tron5000
May 18th, 2010
7:46 pm
*their kid
O'Brien
May 18th, 2010
8:01 pm
I dont know who watched the Suns-Lakers game last night, but Amare had 3 rebounds. 3. Thats unacceptable to me, from a player who wants a max contract.
Ramon,
I like Thibodeau too. And I think he would find a way to get our guys to play defense (Woody was a defensive coach, but you wouldnt know it from watching the Hawks).
But I have 2 concerns about him. 1) Who would be his offensive coordinator? I dont want to see another HC ignore offense like Woody did. 2) The Celtics are still playing, so I dont know when he will be available for interviewing.
I remember the Hawks game when Doc got ejected, and Thibodeau did not do a good job with his substitutions. But I think it was a learning experience for him, and if we were to hire him, I would want him to have a former HC among his assistants (I think Mo Cheeks would make a great assistant, if he was interested).
K-Dogg
May 18th, 2010
8:10 pm
As a hawks fan here in Dallas to me Avery and Mike Woodson are not far papart. Both focus on the defensive end of the court and are not wiz kids on offense! Avery does have more common sense then Mike Woodson(like switching everyting vs the magic which does not work on every team in the L) though which will account for about 5 more wins but i thought we ran Mike off b/c of what he could not do on offense. I like Avery as a person but im not sure about this one guys!!
K-Dogg
May 18th, 2010
8:17 pm
We need to start the “SHAQ TO THE HAWKS” campaign he is the big we need that can move Big Al to the 4. He does not have to play all season b/c ALand Josh can play vs most teams with smaller front lines but when we need him vs Dwight, Bynum or anotehr team with a big we can play him 30 mintues a night! Go ahead and sign Shaq to a 2 year 15mil deal! He will fill the seats still so we will get that back on attendance and Merchandising!
“SHAQ TO THE ATL”!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
O'Brien
May 18th, 2010
8:24 pm
Philly guaranteed a top 3 pick. If they get the #1 pick (John Wall), they should hire Woody so he could bring him along slowly and not throw him to the wolves…
STEEL (Formerly VenomSpitter)
May 18th, 2010
8:27 pm
Oh great the wizards are gonna get John Wall. Now we can get torched 4 times a season
northcyde
May 18th, 2010
8:30 pm
sam’l . . . it’s like I said yesterday. I’m here to post the truth. Not to be liked or disliked. Either way, it’s all good to me. I appreciate my supporters and my detractors.
The fact is that the subject matter I brought up isn’t some off the wall concept. LOL . people know there’s a lot of truth in what I was talking about, hence, all of the excuses as to why fans showed up less this year, than last year.
It’s funny though. This is the same fan base after beating Orlando, San Antonio, and the Lakers at the end of March, that swore up and down we shoud’ve been on pace to win 60 games.
But as soon as Orlando exposes us in the playoffs, they’re now a lazy, undisciplined team that wonders why people don’t come out to support them on a nightly basis.
What some of the fans are trying to sell now, is that the product ( Hawks ) really didn’t get any better from the 37 win season two years ago. So why should the fans come out an support a 53 win team ( that underachieved in their eyes, by not being more competitive in the playoffs ).
Using the restaurant analogy:
The food is good, and tastes a lot better than it did 2 years ago. But because the food isn’t EXCELLENT, the customers still find reasons not to go to the restaurant, and the owner sees very little change in profit.
That’s the mentality of some in the fan base. And that’s all well and good.
Just don’t expect the restaurant owner to continue to improve the quality of his food, if he’s still seeing very little change in the amount of customers and his profit margin.
Grandad
May 18th, 2010
8:44 pm
O’B:
*(partial answer to your question)
But I have 2 concerns about him. 1) Who would be his offensive coordinator? I dont want to see another HC ignore offense like Woody did.
*[excerpt from an article I read]
Also, as a side note, Doc’s coach
ing style might be the best ‘prep school’ for grooming assistants to be head coaches. All of the game-planning is completely delegated. So, for example, all of the coaches (Doc included) get an even number of teams they have to scout, watch game film, and ultimately game-plan for. Thibodeau is responsible for offensive and defensive adjustments both in preparation and during the game. Obviously, Doc puts in the final tweaks into any scheme, but how great is a system like this for developing well-rounded assistant coaches?
northcyde
May 18th, 2010
8:48 pm
As for the coaching situation . . . I forgot all about Tom T’s meltdown in that Celtics game after he took over for Doc. Thank God he didn’t do like Dennis Hopper in the movie Hoosiers, when Gene Hackman got intentionally ejected.
JJ was killing Boston that game, and all of his defensive expertise could do nothing about it.
doc
May 18th, 2010
8:52 pm
northcyde follows this:
it’s like I said yesterday. I’m here to post the truth.
with this:
It’s funny though. This is the same fan base after beating Orlando, San Antonio, and the Lakers at the end of March, that swore up and down we shoud’ve been on pace to win 60 games.
But as soon as Orlando exposes us in the playoffs, they’re now a lazy, undisciplined team that wonders why people don’t come out to support them on a nightly basis.
huh or ding?
can you say over generalization? never is that truth any more than racial profiling is truth.
for the first statement i ask, how many fans thought that three, you and who else northcyde?
for the second statement, many dont wonder at all why fans dont come out to pay for an inferior team with an inferior payroll; attendance 18th, payroll 22nd. owners lose or any fan that pays up for that and pretends to think there is a championship brewing.
mario as the great find midseason? wake me up when reality hits.
O'Brien
May 18th, 2010
8:54 pm
northcyde,
The issue to me was not Tom T’s inability to get his team to stop JJ (after all, Boston was sucking at that time, and JJ played like the 3rd team all NBA that he is). The problem to me was I dont think he made a substitution at all from the mid-way point of the third quarter on.
Also, there was a Boston player who had a good first half against us, but Tom T did not give him any PT the second half (maybe it was Scalabrine).
Washington has the #1 pick. Do they really want their #1 pick (probably John Wall) being associated with Arenas? Maybe Arenas has changed his ways…
northcyde
May 18th, 2010
8:58 pm
Boston looking good again tonight. It’s amazing how “mortal” Superman and his team look, when people can actually Howard straight up, and force their shooters to possibly create their own shot.
FIRE SUNDOFABYTCH
May 18th, 2010
8:59 pm
Woodson had his way with Doc, and Avery got fired because he could not get his team over the hump and that team had more talent than the current hawks. So How do you figure that any of these guys is going to get the hawks to the championship rounds?
Seriously? I guess yo blind azzes cant see that its time to rebuild.
You should be going after a center. None of the poot butts are any improvement over Woodson who did a very good job.
Ken Strickland
May 18th, 2010
9:07 pm
OBRIEN-have you ever wondered who those wolves were that Woodson always refers to? These imaginary wolves apparently only hang out in his delusional mind, since they seem to only affect PG’s drafted by him.
K-Dogg
May 18th, 2010
9:13 pm
Thank you northcyde!!!!!!!
Folks on here last week were acting like Dwight was the 2nd coming of Wilt and i told them he is good but still only has one post move and all we need is to try to find a big that can play him one on one and not get pushed all around the court! Big Al just too little for that man!
K-Dogg
May 18th, 2010
9:16 pm
I agree FIRE SUNDOFABYTCH but i dont think is time to rebuild dog. You tripping on that a team that gets better every year for like 4 years in a row does not need to re-build dog. You re-build when you win 50 for like 6 years with nothing to show for it not when your getting better every year. Now its time to make a big move to take it up a notch!!
CajunStorm
May 18th, 2010
9:19 pm
If I’m going to pay Avery (who I really like…not just bcuz he is a fellow Southern University Alum) 4 mill, I’d do it 2 times over. the ONLY reason Cuban blew him out is because he called Dirk out for being a puss and wanted Dirk gone and NO Devin Harris. His brand of ball and undestanding of guard play would lift Teague, Jamal, and hopefully Joe (or Deng in a sign and trade) to new heights. He won’t take Josh’s crap either. ASG you will get your money back in attendance revenue and deep playoff push. Be like Nike….Just Do It!
northcyde
May 18th, 2010
9:21 pm
Doc . . . all of these blogs are archived. You can go through some of them to see if I’m stretching the truth or not.
The solution to our problem as a fan base, is to luck up and have some owner that doesn’t care about spending money, take control of the team.
That way, he can do whatever it takes, even going over the luxury tax, to put a great squad on the floor. And that will let the fans know that he’s trying to put a winner on the floor, regardless if we show up to the games or not and give the team extra revenue.
********
O’Brien . . . yeah. I think it was Scalabrine who was knocking down jumpers. And you’re right. I think only Big Baby got into that game after Doc left.