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
JeJe
May 18th, 2010
9:29 pm
The article says we want Casey because of his connections to Sund in Seattle? What is Sund’s obsession with Seattle? Flip was okay, but this guy hired those ugly executives (David Pendergraph?) from Seattle who we never heard from again. What has Casey accomplished in this league? Nothing
Get Avery, Sam Mitchell, or Doc Rivers (if available) and get a GOOD assistant coaching staff, not scrubs like Bob Bender who wouldn’t even be the towel boy for the Clippers
K-Dogg
May 18th, 2010
9:32 pm
Does Doc Rivers stay in Atlanta or something b/c people love saying his name just asking. I know i read a month ago that he wants to take off after this year to watch his kids and spend time with his family so unless he is from atlanta how can he do this????
Pace Mannion
May 18th, 2010
9:38 pm
northcyde…the problem with our fan base has everthing to do with No SUPERSTAR on our team for all of the transplants from out of town to got to the games to watch…think about it, i’m from here, grew up here loving the Hawk’s, a big Nique fan, back in the day when the Omni was packed nite-in-nite-out, it didn’t matter if it was a weeknight or not. He was the type of player that you didn’t have to be just a Hawks fan to go to the game, u knew he was gonna put on a show that night and u wanted to be there to see it…….that’s what this Hawk’s team need’s to boost attendance now. Nobody runs down to Phillip’s Arena to see Joe Johnson and his boring azz game!!!!! SORRY
Spend money on somebody that attracts more people besides just atlantans and they will come!
doc
May 18th, 2010
9:47 pm
northcyde:
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.
nc, that is truth. no one thought the braves could be relevant as they brought in less than 750000 one year and attendance continued to sag. ted came in and though it is not the greatest now as then when over 4 mil came through a couple of years there are still 2.8 mil fans streaming through the turnstiles to see a very poor product. not bad despite their not winning but one series in the fourteen attempts. build it and they will come, win a championship or two they will stay. only problem is after fifty years of mediocrity, it still hasnt happened. misery town, truth too.
K-Dogg
May 18th, 2010
9:48 pm
Pace Mannion i agree to a level but dis-agree all in all. As an outsider looking in and hearing what people say abotu howaks fans and having lived in the atl myself i’ll put it like this. Yeah superstars fill seats and sell tickets but they are hard to come by dog and once teams get them they dont let them go. At the end of the day the hawks are a winning team now and fans still dont show up unless they playing another good team. Same with the Braves and the hockey team! These teams have been winning for years and fans still dont fill the place. Atl is just a bad sports town dog, with traffic and clubs booming and blakcs making up most of the population i dont see it getting better. If you go to a Laker game or Cavs game you will see how people cheer louder for those teams and in true sports cities dog they wont let that happen and may mess around and whoop those fans! Naw the Falcons they have a loyal following and tell me what star do they have MV is gone dog but they still come out and sell out the GDome!
ejworthy
May 18th, 2010
9:48 pm
Coach for Hawks…Doug Collins…..
darrell starks
May 18th, 2010
10:19 pm
Devin harris is out of the Q now he will continue his career with nets.
GO HAWKS!!!!!!!!
CajunStorm
May 18th, 2010
10:21 pm
For the Love of God….Doug Collins? What did he EVER do besides spreaad rumors od HIS own return? I’d take Rick Mahorn and his 6′10″350lb body b4 Doug.
Big Ray
May 18th, 2010
10:25 pm
Grandad ,
Why apologize? I stand redirected.
Perhaps I wasn’t specific enough in what I had to say. I meant that head coaches don’t have time to teach guys how to dribble, how to pass, “how to” skill stuff like that. There are guys coming into the league who don’t know how to do it, though.
I do feel that a head coach should maybe be concentrating more on other things while his assistants (many guys have at least 3-4 of those) could handle the basics of blocking out, setting a screen, whatever.
Probably still not specific enough, but I certainly do NOT disagree with anything you said. I’ve grown weary of the “what a coach and is staff are responsible for” debate, though…
darrell starks
May 18th, 2010
10:44 pm
I LIKE JOHN WALL BUT MY SLEEPER SUPER STAR IS WESLEY JOHNSON THIS GUY IS A BEAST if philly draft him wow.
GO HAWKS!!!!!!!!!!
Najeh Davenpoop
May 18th, 2010
10:58 pm
Grandad, nobody is going to trade for Marvin, Bibby, or Zaza unless the Hawks take back equally bad contracts in return. I don’t think Teague’s trade value is good enough to make a trade like that palatable for San Antonio.
Pace Mannion
May 18th, 2010
11:04 pm
KDOGG…how many sell outs did cleveland have before Lebron show up?…..the Laker’s sell out because they are never without A SUPERSTAR to go and see, plus it’s just the place to be seen… go back and look up the attendance records when Nique played here. no problem packing the Omni!…..SAME TRANSIENTS living here then as now, just a little more of them now.
darrell starks
May 18th, 2010
11:26 pm
I hope marvin is in some one backyard practicing, he is at the bottom in the nba right now at small forward.
GO HAWKS!!!!!!!!
Mel
May 18th, 2010
11:31 pm
OK so Washington has the #1 Pick. Do you think Washington would consider Jamal and his expiring contract Josh Smith for Arenas and McGee (sp?)
Thoughts?
Melvin
May 18th, 2010
11:32 pm
Vince choke…
Melvin
May 18th, 2010
11:39 pm
Vince Carter choked like Nick Anderson….
darrell starks
May 18th, 2010
11:44 pm
MEL i dont like that move JOSH SMITH AND JAMAL FOR ARENAS AND MCGEE i veto that trade sorry mel.
GO HAWKS!!!!!!!!
darrell starks
May 18th, 2010
11:50 pm
Would any body take marvin ?
go hawks!!!!!!!!
ICECOLD
May 18th, 2010
11:51 pm
yeah.. thats a stupid trade… i like that shaq talk better then that.. but who do yall think we should get in the draft.. i think we need to stop goin after point guards and big men… because they never work out… we should get a pure three point shooter to come off the bench… just a pure shooter .. every team needs one of those.. all the best teams have the best three point shooters now, its just the new style now
avery johnson loves three pointers!!!!
go hawks!!!!!
Melvin
May 18th, 2010
11:52 pm
Many folks complain about Teague jumpshot but please tell me how many jumpshots do Rondo shoot and make? He continously score 20+ pts in the playoffs but without relying on shooting jumpshots… So explain why a PG have a great jumpshot to be effective again????
darrell starks
May 18th, 2010
11:54 pm
My bad i forgot 2 put go hawks in all capital letter this is a cooperation.
GO HAWKS!!!!!!!!
Wabe
May 19th, 2010
12:02 am
Boston’s in championship form.
I said earlier this season that Jeff Teague’s game was very similar to Rajon Rondo. I hope he pans out to be what Rondo’s becoming…
Grandad
May 19th, 2010
12:04 am
Najeh:
You’re absolutely correct.
I gave them options.
But 1st:
S.A. wants to dump Parkers $12 mil contract.
Thats why I put options out there.
Example:
They could take Marv, Childress,[or Zaza] + Teague.
salaries match. (either 2 + Teague)
pretty good deal.
Our stipulation would be…lose Teague we must have signed ext.
Think about it / 2 young forwards or post/ + young point.
retooling team.
Pop wants to retool around George Hill.
My trades are creative with thought + logic & a
‘good dose of fun’.
Your logic is both appreciated & equally sound if not
‘more so’.
darrell starks
May 19th, 2010
12:09 am
Grandad is parker up for sale i co. sign that trade.
GO HAWKS!!!!!!!!
darrell starks
May 19th, 2010
12:16 am
GRANDAD the only thing about that trade is marvin value have dropp so low i don’t think no will take him.
GO HAWKS!!!!
Mel
May 19th, 2010
12:21 am
I wonder what Sund is going to do this off-season.. I love this team but I think AL and Josh as our big men can only take us so far if we have to go through Orlando every year. Idk what LeBron is going to do, so I won’t talk about Cleveland.
I can only hope and pray Dwight wants to come back home to Atlanta.. lol
Grandad
May 19th, 2010
12:29 am
Big Ray:
I think we are together.
I re-read your original and I missed your
asst. coach remark the 1st time.
My thing is a coach, any coach, can draw up
a cool play but let’s say” Josh for example”
cannot execute the footwork to complete the
play then “cool play is defeated w/o even
being defended.
As usual were on the same page.
Grandad
May 19th, 2010
12:36 am
darrell starks:
Pops would like to dump Parker’s salary plus turn the
keys over to George Hill. S.A. is looking to get younger.
Marv’s value is greater than you think. Contract is palatable.
Parker [28 yr old] $12 mil / 1 yr. remaining.
Melvin
May 19th, 2010
1:00 am
For those who question Teague jumpshot, it’s not pretty but it was effective in college. I believe had his coach give him consistent mins and not mess up his confidence, he would have shot the ball better… anyway checkout the tape.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RwposMephTM
Najeh Davenpoop
May 19th, 2010
1:16 am
Grandad, Parker’s contract is expiring, whereas Marvin, Bibby, and Zaza each have multiple years left on theirs. That makes a huge difference.
Grandad
May 19th, 2010
1:28 am
Najeh:
Understood.
We would be sending young talent:
Marv,Childress,Teague. or [Zaza]
Bibby complicates / but I had to use him for
trade machine & if Parker would not sign ext.
that would still be our motivation to include
*two young talents (signed) for one yr. rental.[T.P.]
*three if Bibby ‘not’ included.
Clyde
May 19th, 2010
1:30 am
I’m putting my money on Boston to win it all. Garnet’s injury was the only reason why they didn’t win it last year.
Grandad
May 19th, 2010
1:47 am
Najeh – My objective with my trade propositions
is to allow people to poke holes in the trade if
possible. I attempt to make it air-tight, with
logic, need – both teams, salary match, etc. I enjoy
the discourse and the research to see what I can do to
help our Hawks. Gotta admit:
*Joe *Tony Parker *Al *Josh *Jamal (pretty good core)
**Joe has his sidekick / to ease pressure.
***added bonus – all the close ups of ‘Eva’ on TV.
Najeh Davenpoop
May 19th, 2010
2:06 am
I was looking at NBADraft.net, and they currently have this guy projected to be taken by the Hawks with their second round pick. I gotta say, until now I hadn’t even heard of him (didn’t watch much college ball this year, haven’t seen his name mentioned on this blog when people start talking about big men) but he looks pretty damn impressive for a guy that size. Can’t expect too much out of a 2nd round pick, but I can’t see any harm in bringing in a guy that fluid with that level of ball skills at that size and throwing him at Dwight Howard to see what happens.
Big Ray
May 19th, 2010
2:07 am
Grandad ,
Oh yeah, we’re on the same page. Coaches don’t get a lot of slack from me. Then again, neither do players.
Big Ray
May 19th, 2010
2:09 am
Najeh ,
Draftexpress has us taking Kentucky’s Eric Bledsoe in the first round. WTF….we gonna take the “guy who happened to be on the court with John Wall” ?
I’m gonna check your link out now….
Najeh Davenpoop
May 19th, 2010
2:13 am
NBADraft.net has Dexter Pittman listed at 6′10″, 290 pounds.
He could play defensive tackle for the Falcons at that size, let alone body up Howard.
Big Ray
May 19th, 2010
2:14 am
Ok. Count me in as a Dexter Pittman advocate.
I can hear it now, though. This year’s Garrett Siler, LOL. Naw, this kid could go late in the first round for all I know. But he WILL be drafted. Big ol’ Boy…
Najeh Davenpoop
May 19th, 2010
2:16 am
Big Ray, NBADraft.net projects Bledsoe as a 2nd round pick. They have the Hawks taking SF Damion James out of Texas with their 1st rounder (ahead of, among others, Devin Ebanks, Gani Lawal, and Craig Brackins).
I’m more or less a fan of taking the best player available with your first-round pick regardless of position — I figure if you are paying guaranteed money to a guy, might as well be the best guy you can find, and if you need to fill a hole elsewhere you can always count on a good young player to have trade value. I don’t really care if the Hawks’ first rounder is a PF or SG (the two positions at which they have the most depth as of right now). But in the 2nd round, I have no problem with the Hawks targeting a particular position, especially if they can get what seems to be a quality player like Dexter Pittman.
Najeh Davenpoop
May 19th, 2010
2:17 am
Haha, I thought of Siler when I first saw him too, but I have respect for Big 12 competition. Siler put up his numbers at Augusta State. Pittman’s doing his thing in one of the best conferences in the country.
Big Ray
May 19th, 2010
2:23 am
Draft Express has us taking thisguy
Big Ray
May 19th, 2010
2:24 am
http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/Kevin-Seraphin-5278/
Big Ray
May 19th, 2010
2:25 am
Word, Najeh . Like I said, count me in. I just know some of these clowns will go there (Siler), so I had to get it out of the way, LOL.
NBAdraft.net definitely makes me happier with their selections. Draftexpress is pi$$ing me off.
Big Ray
May 19th, 2010
2:30 am
Bledsoe can’t even PLAY pg. He can’t run a pick and roll. WTF would we want with him, he’d be a 6′1″ 2-guard. We already tried that with Salim.
Now Damion James? THAT, I can roll with. He seems to have the skills and what not that we look for. Good on defense, hits his jumpers (and is a finisher) on offense. Good strength, great wingspan, decent size.
o.O-Mac-Town -Macon, Georgia- Westsider-O.o
May 19th, 2010
5:12 am
We need to address PG and get more size. I would look more toward trading or signing some proven players to fill those roles as opposed to looking to drafted rookies to feel in those specific big shoes. Especially with PG.
In the draft, if the ownership can find a C or some some big with size that they think can step in and really provide something inside….then select em.
….or atleast someone that we can expect to come into the rotation and have an immediate or quick impact…(bench scorer, great defender, etc.)
No Pine Warmers
MsDee
May 19th, 2010
5:41 am
I’m not so worried now to draft rookies since we will be being in a new coach..and since we NEED a PG, maybe that time on the floor will allow Teague to get the much needed run required to be the best PG we so much needed!!
MsDee
May 19th, 2010
5:43 am
My confidence in Teague is coming from how Rondo has developed! Teague should look at him for inspiration!
ltdbrave
May 19th, 2010
6:06 am
I just hope Sund makes the right decision. As far as players tuning out the coach or lacking motivation, then they do not deserve to be playing. This group makes too much money to take to the court and not give 100%. Who would play hard enough to win 53 games and then go to sleep in the playoffs? We whip Boston all season and then get whipped by Orlando. Now Orlando is getting whipped by Boston. Go figure! Get rid of Williams, Bibby, Johnson and Pachulia and save a ton of money. Go out and sign players that want to play the game for what they are being paid.
Nate ArchiBALL
May 19th, 2010
7:12 am
On Tom Thibodeau….. Didn’t the Hawks sweep the Celtics this season?
O'Brien
May 19th, 2010
7:18 am
northcyde,
Just to finish up the Tom T discussion, I wouldnt hold that game against him though. Because we have seen our own defensive HC and 6 year veteran Woody make the same mistakes (even this year). At the very least, I would bring Tom T in for an interview.
Najeh, Ray
I like the fact Damion James is the all time leading rebounder for the Big 12 conference, even though he is listed as a SF. But I am concerned about his offense. “He has benefited off the greatness of Kevin Durant, D.J. Augustin and a loaded 2009-2010 roster “.
Assuming we keep Marvin, if Sund and Chills can work it out we will be set at the SF position with Marvin and Chills. As for Dexter Pittman, I like his size, but is he any better than Randolph Morris?
The guy I would like to see the Hawks move up in the second round for is Jarvis Varnado (I think we have 2 second round picks next year including Houston’s). He is a shot blocking and rebounding machine from the SEC. He needs to bulk up, and work on his offense, but he knows his role will be to provide energy, rebound and block shots.