Atlanta Hawks: Avery Johnson continues talks with Hawks as his other options dwindle
Avery Johnson is in continued discussions with the Hawks about their vacant coaching position as at least one and maybe two other jobs he’s interested in are out of play.
The Philadelphia 76ers hired Doug Collins today after Johnson had been one of several candidates to interview for the job. And the Hornets reportedly have moved on in their search after Johnson lobbied for dual front-office/coaching position for his hometown team, according to a person familiar with the situation.
Representatives for Johnson said they’ve continued to talk with the Hawks after Johnson met with the team on Monday. However, a person with knowledge of the Hawks’ search said today that the team has not narrowed its field of candidates.
The Hawks still are set to meet with Dallas assistant and former Timberwolves coach Dwane Casey this weekend in Chicago. They’ve also conducted a phone interview with Portland assistant Dean Demopoulos.
Johnson also reportedly will meet with the New Jersey Nets about their coaching position. If he’s still is looking for front-office power, he’s not likely to get it in either New Jersey or Atlanta.
Hawks general manager Rick Sund owns full personnel power with the Hawks, including the ability to hire and fire coaches. Though Sund said he often consults with the ownership group, co-owner Michael Gearon Jr. said owners leave decisions up to Sund.
In New Jersey, new Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov announced general manager Kiki Vandeweghe will not be retained and that team president Rod Thorn would take over his duties. Thorn has been Nets president since 2000.
Meanwhile, the Hornets apparently no longer are considering Johnson. Boston assistant Tom Thibodeau and Portland assistant Monty Williams will get second interviews for the New Orleans Hornets’ head-coaching job, according to a Yahoo! Sports report.
MC
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296 comments Add your comment
drmaryb
May 22nd, 2010
11:29 am
Blue-Ray
(1080 P)
Co-Sign that.
What are your true feelings on re-signing Mr. Johnson?
Is it partly predicated upon who the Coach will be? Or, does he even care at this point?
Big Ray
May 22nd, 2010
11:31 am
Ramon,
You could be right. Unless he brings that same attitude here. We need him to coach this team. What we don’t need is -
1) Avery micromanaging things to death.
2) Avery making front office or power struggle waves.
Skip those two and we may have a great situation. I know this much, it would indicate that the Hawks are serious about doing something solid with the coaching staff.
Big Ray
May 22nd, 2010
11:35 am
drmaryb,
If Johnson wants to be here, then I want him here. As it stands right now, we take a step back if we lose him, and it causes a tricky chain of reactions if he goes, for this to remain a team that can compete for a decent playoff slot.
However, a new coach and new philosophy will influence just how competitive and cohesive this team can be. Notice I said a new coach will influence that, not determine it.
If Joe doesn’t want to be here, then I don’t want him here. He is one of the bigger keys to our chemistry. If he only signs here because other options turn out to be less favorable, we may have some of the same chemistry issues we had (that reared their ugly heads in the playoffs). But if he remains because he actually wants to, we have something to work with, and won’t have to re-tool, just tinker here and there.
Sautee
May 22nd, 2010
11:47 am
The Orlando magic have the best shot blocker in the league. In fact, he’s the best shot blocker in the last several years.
The Orlando Magic are down 2 games to none to the Boston Celtics, having lost two games on their own home court.
If the best shot blocker of the last several years could not protect his own rim when his team most needed him to, then shouldn’t they trade him?
Maybe shot blocking is not ALL that’s necessary for a good defense.
Maybe if you have an ALL-STAR CENTER who plays good position defense, you worry less about shot blocks, and more about keeping his man to a low %.
Which is EXACTLY what Al Horford does.
Maybe if the new coach runs a defense which keeps Horford in the lane instead of switching on to a guard, he’ll be in better help position. We’ll see.
Ramon
May 22nd, 2010
11:57 am
Big Ray, I think the most powerful question Sund could ask Avery OR Casey is “In your last coaching stint, what do you think you done wrong? And how have you grown since then?” If Sund asked those two questions, and the two things you just said were mentioned by Avery then I think we can go forward. But please remember that Avery micromanaged Harris, he didn’t micromanage Jason Kidd though. Also Woody had a power struggle with the GM during his time here. And Woody usually won, that’s why Speedy was signed, that’s why we traded for Bibby, and that’s why we drafted S. Williams. And that is also why Woody was here after BK. Remember BK CHOSE to leave he wasn’t fired. He turned down the 2 year contract extension they offered him.
DMR
May 22nd, 2010
12:11 pm
If you’re sick about anything with regard to the Hawks, it should be the OWNERSHIP GROUP, and in particular, Michael “the mouth” Gearon. Gearon has spouted off about everything without taking real responsibility for anything. The Ownership and the continued courtroom battles made the organization look laughable. Gearon blasting the fans and saying they don’t understand…a pure joke. Gearon slapping Mike Woodson before he was out the door…stupid. Whether you liked Woodson or not, he was the Hawks guy until he wasn’t. Funny the fans knew that the Hawks needed a point guard, when Chris Paul was the obvious need/talent fill position man in his day in the draft. Now, Gearon is making it clear it is Sund’s decision as to who will become the next Coach. The problem is Gearon cannot shut up long enough for fans, coaches, or players to get comfortable with this organization. Where is his responsibility and more important his loyalty. Hey Gearon….SHUT UP ALREADY!
Ken Strickland
May 22nd, 2010
12:46 pm
For those who insist on using Teague’s jump shot as an excuse to doubt his ability to become a quality PG and run this team, consider this. This was the same lame issue that was raised when Chris Paul, Deron Williams, LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, Magic Johnson and Tony Parker came into the league. Would you have dismissed their potential to become stars because they weren’t prolific jump shooters when they came into the league?
Hell, Bibby has been an excellent jump shooter his entire basketball career, but that didn’t stop him from being a total liability to our team as the starting PG. With the offensive progress made by Horford and Smoove, along with the addition of a prolific scorer in JCrawford, their was less need for Bibby’s jump shooting and more need for DEF and ball movement from the PG position.
Teague is quicker, faster, more athletic, a much better ball handler and penetrator, and is on another planet than Bibby when it comes to DEF. So why would anyone chose to ignore all of these factors and focus on his jump shooting ability as the sole means of judging his ability to become an effective starter and help the Hawks? Hell, after the Allstar break and during the playoffs, Bibby was unable to consistently do the one thing he aways did well, hit jump shots, and got worse in doing the things he did poorly.
After 27:4MPG, ABSOLUTELY NO DEF, and a season of inconsistency and limited production from Bibby, the NBA’s worst and least productive starting PG, how in the hell can anyone with a clue raise questions about Teague’s potential and/or ability to do better if given the same mins, support and encouragement?
BIG RAY-you made an excellent point, as usual. But, before anyone judges Teague’s performance this season, whether you’re pro or con on the issue, you have to establish the parameters by which he’s to be judged. Do you use Bibby as your parameter, rookies PG’s taken in the upcoming draft, or PG’s that were drafted with him.
I find it almost impossible to believe that with Teague’s speed, quickness, athleticism, ball handling, penetrating and excellent on the ball DEF ability, he can’t manage Bibby’s 3.9APG, 9.1PPG, .8SPG and 2RPG, if given 27.4 consistent MPG. Teague can develop an effective enough jump shot if given time, but can you say Bibby will develop more speed, quickness, athleticism, penetrating, ball handling and DEF ability if given time?
bigdave
May 22nd, 2010
12:53 pm
im on board for Avery Johnson. gives you everything you want in a head coach…
however, id be surprised if the Hawks offer a contract. i think its Casey’s job to lose.
Big Ray
May 22nd, 2010
1:07 pm
Ken Strickland ,
I agree. You must first define what Teague must be judged by. And it won’t just be about his personal stats. Does he control/help the offense? Is he the tip of the spear on defense? Does the team play better when he’s on the court, or worse?
It’s also important to separate immediate desired results from long-term desired results. There is always a learning curve, and he didn’t get to learn a whole lot last year, if you ask me.
Ramon ,
I think that’s a good set of questions to ask. And the answers would be crucial.
I think BK was only offered a one year extension. He did walk away (or so he and Gearon said), and he did have issues with Woody. But not at first. At first, they were still friends, and I think that was part of the problem. BK and Woody didn’t evaluate talent the same way all the time, but he went with a lot of what Woody suggested or wanted. BK was also the one to say that he laughed when people suggested the Hawks needed a pg. He thought JJ could do the job (which bombed badly) of lead guard like that.
Woody didn’t care much for future stars Deron Williams, CP3, or even Rajon Rondo.
I agree that Woody won the battle of influence. After all, ownership wouldn’t let him fire Woody. Maybe it’s because Woody wasn’t the one who massacred nearly all of our lottery picks….
Big Ray
May 22nd, 2010
1:09 pm
Bigdave ,
Could be. I think Sund hit the nail on the head though: Hawks needed a different voice. A different culture and philosophy as well. And it’s much simpler to effect change by doing this, and then seeing what your group of players can do, than it is to orchestrate big trades, only to find out that your head coach is STILL an idiot, and WON’T get you any further, no matter what you give him.
Ask Cleveland how that feels…heh heh heh….
Big Ray
May 22nd, 2010
1:28 pm
Sautee ,
Thanks for injecting some actual TRUTH into the serum for once…
O'Brien
May 22nd, 2010
1:30 pm
Although I am not a fan of Avery Johnson’s playoff record, I think it is being blown out of proportion that he choked in the playoffs.
His Mavs lost in the NBA finals after being up 2-0. Dallas won the first 2 games in Dallas, and then Miami won the next 2 games in Miami, so both teams held home court (if anything, game 3 was the choke game, because Dallas was up by 8 late in the fourth quarter, and ended up losing by 2).
In game 5 in Dallas, Miami won 101-100 in OT. In game 6 in Miami, Miami won 95-92. So if you take away game 4, which was a blowout, the other 3 Miami victories were by a combined 6 points. One could argue that with DWade getting almost every single call from the refs, one play here or there would have made all the difference.
In 2007-2008, his Mavs were the #7 seed, and they lost to the #2 seed (4-1), which happens all the time. His biggest playoff failure was losing to Golden State in 2006-2007 when his Mavswere the #1 seed.
But to be fair, they were 0-4 against Golden State in the regular season, so obviously they were a bad matchup. He made an adjustment for the playoffs, and it backfired. And keep in mind that Golden State was coached by Nellie, who used to coach the Mavs, and who knew the Mavs players really well.
If Avery is the choice, hopefully he has learned from his mistakes, because the Hawks need a coach to help get them over the hump in the playoffs, and I’m not sure if Avery can do that. But I would not say he choked in the playoffs.
That being said, I heard that the job is still Casey’s to lose.
lewis
May 22nd, 2010
1:49 pm
my thoughts on avery johnson have been rollercoastering from high to low. After reading through this particular blog (which, by the way, props to you all, there are at least 10 regular posters on here i’d rather read ahead of whoever ESPN or SI’s got covering the hawks)I think Avery could be the best man for the job.
When the Hawks lost in the playoffs, they were never really in the game to begin with. It seems when Avery’s team loses in the playoffs, it’s by small margins. If Boston sweeps Orlando and wins by a combined 10 pts in all 4 games, does that mean you fire Stan van Gundy?
Hawks are clearly missing some pieces needed to win a championship, but that does not mean they are not a playoff calibur team, capable of going deep. Us fans would like to see a mentally prepared basketball team who stays close each and every game.
We’re not all asking for a championship. Even if we get swept in the playoffs due to lack of superstar / rare, amazing on o/d center, its better to go out like the Jazz against LA, where no one was blatantly giving up due to frustation.
What we don’t want to see in the playoffs is no strategy, no adjustments, no will to win, a divided locker room, and a lack of heart (aka 0-4 vs magic). A 3 seed doesn’t deserve to be a 3 seed if it loses to the 2 seed by a margin of something absurd like 25 pts in the series.
Avery might not win you a championship, but he seems to know quite a bit about how to get there, and how to hang in whilst there. He also gets his knowledge from 2 extremely solid basketball minds, Nelson and Popovich.
If he can somehow improve the bench, the defense, and teague, encourage Al Horford to emerge as the teams heart, soul, and leader, and find out how to get a guy like Josh Smith to play into a real system, we’ll be the Hawks 2.0
—2 cents
Lee
May 22nd, 2010
2:04 pm
The Hawks need to go ahead and sign Avery Johnson as coach cause he’s a quality coach and I think he will help the team go forward.
lewis
May 22nd, 2010
2:05 pm
but, back to the realist perspective most people seem to share, since when are the hawks willing to pay more than 2 mil/yr for a HC?
ryan
May 22nd, 2010
2:15 pm
People who are calling Rick Sund to be Fired need to remember that it was Billy Knight and Steve Belkan who made those bad moves. It was Billy Knight& Mike Woodson who passed on Chris Paul, Rondo, and Nelson. BK drafted Marvin Williams and Josh Smith. Al Horford was a good pick but every other pick sucked. So give Sund a chance!
Hawks73
May 22nd, 2010
2:16 pm
I think hiring Avery Johnson would be exactly what the Hawks need. He would provide a winning mentality, make their potential future point guard better (Teague), and most of all be a pain in the Spirit’s a!!!. He would force this inept management group to step up & provide him with the pieces to make this team a championship contender. The perceived problems that Avery had in Dallas are a sign of a VERY competitive coach who strives to be the best at his profession…what the he!! is wrong with that?
I would much rather attach the future of this team to Johnson, then bring in “someone who Sund is familiar” with…cause you know what they say about familiarity.
New Coach
May 22nd, 2010
2:18 pm
Johnson or Casey? Just Woodson, Part II. Get someone with a different style of ball—a proven winner, not these has beens who were fired from jobs for not winning.
Yeah Right!
May 22nd, 2010
2:50 pm
every one dunks on horford and his is amongst the worse defenders as a center. every body knows that. every opposing coach goes in the middle against him. He was a consolation as an allstar and failed to make either the all nba team or the all defensive team.
if horford is the hawks center next year expect the same results. he would be ok as a back up but everyone and his mother knows hawks need a center.
put my cosign with truth serum.
Yeah Right!
May 22nd, 2010
2:53 pm
p.s. Avery is a woodson clone with more talent when he was with dallas. thats a lateral move not a upgrade. what a waste of money. you could spend that on getting a center.
Benjamin
May 22nd, 2010
2:55 pm
Why in the world would the Hawks have Dominique coach the team?
Avery Johnson isn’t my favorite candidate, but he’ll be an upgrade over Woodson. It’ll be interesting to see if Dwayne Casey gets a legitimate look, as well.
ryan
May 22nd, 2010
3:17 pm
I have to something about the NBA lottery i think it is scam because it is funny how Cleveland had the worst record and got the lucky bounce to get LeBron James hometown hero but yet Atlanta had a bad record when D. Howard came out but it to Orlando. i
Lawrence
May 22nd, 2010
3:44 pm
Two words: Doc Rivers. Lets wait until Boston finishes their season and offer this man the moon. The way he has his team playing and players responding is throuigh the roof. He is the coach we need. Resign JJ, tinker with the bench a little bit and a way we go!!
Clyde
May 22nd, 2010
3:52 pm
Sean Williams is available. He’s a better option than J. Collins
nunnna yo biznezz!!
May 22nd, 2010
4:04 pm
J-SMOOVE,
we improved in spite of woody..Knight knew that players like jsmoove(which is you,lol)chills,horford,and supposedly marvin williams needed tons of playing time,and that woody was cheaper to hire and these players could get their “coaching up” with off season workouts(like with you jsmoove going to work out with hakeem the dream).
cp
May 22nd, 2010
4:07 pm
This time of the year is brutal on this blog. Some of these trade ideas are laughable. These Woodson lovers are on another planet. You don’t want a coach who got to the finals in Avery but you would rather have a coach whose team didn’t even look prepared for the first round much less the second? Only on here.
Ramon
May 22nd, 2010
4:16 pm
Clyde, you and me are better options than Collins at this point, lol.
BIXBY TURNER III
May 22nd, 2010
4:38 pm
the hawks need to hire the best man for the job which happens to be Avery Johnson. Casey, thibadoodoo and all them other guys WHO ARE NOT CURRENTLY HEAD COACHES need to stay away from Rick Sund’s office . And if Rick Sund hires CASEY over AVERY , then he needs to get kicked out of his own office. Casey is SOFT.I can tell by his demenor
sam'l
May 22nd, 2010
4:49 pm
Avery Johnson…..Donald Duck…..67 wins and loses to Nelson? That is bad. About on the same level as what we saw here this year…..
The most telling point here is that the Hornets have a chance to get Thibadeau. I would have thought the Hawks would be lovin him up if he wanted to leave the potential world champeen Boston Celtics, The pipsqueak from Dallas and a couple of Sund’s friends don’t cut it.
He really has something else in mind, doesn’t he? WELL DOESN’T HE?????? (Sorry Tourette’s capitalization syndrome)
And all we do is interview that pipsqueak from Dallas and a couple of Sund’s friends????? No…..Sund must have something more in mind……
sam'l
May 22nd, 2010
4:51 pm
Why we do care anyway? WHY DO WE CARE??????
critical thinking
May 22nd, 2010
5:18 pm
sam’l, ditto on the 4:49 It gonna look pretty much the same as last year. Kind of remind me of what Obama said about doing the same thing, using the same people and expecting a different result. We have already seen what avery can do with much more talent available than the hawks have now….not much. If he were coaching the current hawks roster youd have pretty much the same results. 1 and out. What a waste of time.
Sund Sucks.
smh
May 22nd, 2010
5:35 pm
So a guy who has actually taken a soft Dallas team to the finals wont cut it but an assistant coach with no head coaching experience will? RIIIII. You really have to love the logic on this board.
critical thinking
May 22nd, 2010
5:46 pm
smh one is a lateral move and the other is an experiment. This just tells me that the hawks will be no better next year than this one
Simpdawg
May 22nd, 2010
6:03 pm
The Hawks probably needs to take a long look at either trading down for another pick, or drafting a big with their first pick, because if they wait, all the other teams in front of them will select all of the available centers, before the Hawks get another opportunity to select one.
Ken Strickland
May 22nd, 2010
6:06 pm
BIG RAY-I think BK initially wanted to make the JJ PG experiment work, but when it didn’t, he drafted a quick, fast, penetrating PG to run his preferred uptempo style of OFF(enter SStaudemire). The problem was, Woodson didn’t want that type of PG, or any rookie PG, running his team. He wanted a veteran PG, and refused to give any rookie PG a fair chance, especially if he was BK’s choice. That’s why he played every vet PG he had major mins, no matter what.
BK relented and acquired TLue, and traded a 2nd rd pick for AJohnson, and as we all know, neither worked out very well. BK then drafted ALaw, but again, Woodson wasn’t about to change his mind or attitude toward a rookie PG running his team. BK was determined to fire Woodson, and had made several attempts, but was rebuffed by the ASG. Then BK traded for Bibby, and the team turned things around, made the playoffs and took the eventual NBA champion Celtics to a rousing 7gm series. That’s when the ASG figured Woodson was right all along on the veteran PG issue, and BK was wrong. And, as we all know, BK became the odd man out.
I’ve seen comments about SStaudemire, ALaw and JTeague being wastes of time and failures. Well, under Woodson’s obviously biased attitude against rookie PG’s, and subsequent mistreatment thereof, those same comments could likely have been made about CPaul, DWilliams or RRhondo had BK drafted either of them.
Dawg Days
May 22nd, 2010
6:10 pm
not a AJ fan, and not what the Hawks need
smh
May 22nd, 2010
6:26 pm
So a guy who has accomplished more as a head coach than the previous coach is a lateral move? Mike Woodson is that you?
Not Drinking the Kool-Aid
May 22nd, 2010
6:27 pm
More than anything a coach brings an identity to a team. Woody never gave the Hawks an identity other than iso-joe and defend and rebound. You can coach a bunch of 5th graders with that philosophy. Dwayne Casey, we really don’t know what his coaching philosophy is. Those who watched the Hawks blow teams out earlier in the regular season realize that they were at there best when they team defended, team rebounded, and got there bigs involved in the fast break. Everyone knows the Hawks are one of the most athletic teams in the league. They have to run to be effective. Also when the Hawks run this takes a ton of pressure off J.J.’s, Bibby’s, and Crawford’s jump shots. When they are running the rim is as big as the ocean. Avery can bring this type of play back to Atlanta. Teague is the guy. Draft Alabi, Jordan, or one of the other 7 footers and run like Oklahoma City another young, athletic team.
terrell
May 22nd, 2010
7:16 pm
Go ahead and hire Casey Sund. We all know he’s your choice anyway. Seriously!
drmaryb
May 22nd, 2010
7:26 pm
Ken S.
Salim, A-Law are not PGs & are tweeners. Too small to play the 2 which is what they are. Those cats did not play any Defense whatsoever & had No jump shots that were consistent! Proof? Where are they now? So, Woody was right! He did lobby for CP3 & was ignored.
Woody is gone, so, let’s move on & forward.
Teague, likewise plays no D and can’t throw a rock in the ocean. He may develop, but he is a Project from what I saw!
Joseph Allen McWhorter
May 22nd, 2010
7:37 pm
I personally don’t think the Hawks would be any better than they are now if Avery Johnson was hired as head coach. Right now, the Hawks need someone who can successfully guide them in the playoffs. Not just regular season. Johnson coached a Dallas Mavericks team to 60 wins or more a few years ago but then they flopped in the playoffs. He would be no better for the Hawks than Mike Woodson was.
Clyde
May 22nd, 2010
7:40 pm
Deron Williams didn’t have a good rookie year but he got with the coaching staff during the summer and they helped develop his game.
Double Dribble
May 22nd, 2010
7:40 pm
If somehow we sign Avery Johnson to a deal, what are the chances we can get Dirk to come here? What was the relationship between the two during Johnson’s tenure there?
Clyde
May 22nd, 2010
8:00 pm
Lets get Calipari
Mike Woodson
May 22nd, 2010
8:03 pm
Anyone seen my eyebrows anywhere? I’ve lost them
vava74
May 22nd, 2010
8:55 pm
I don’t know if you are watching but the celts are sending the magic back to school… elementary school…
vava74
May 22nd, 2010
8:57 pm
On the subject of the “mighty Magic” and the “mighty Superman”:
http://msn.foxsports.com/nba/story/Dwight-Howard-still-has-a-long-way-to-go-for-Orlando-Magic
In particular, I would like to call your attention to his words on Pat Ewing since there were many around here praising him… and even putting his name forward as a HC candidate.
O'Brien
May 22nd, 2010
9:01 pm
Rondo did not have a good rookie year either (especially when he was coming off the bench), and his jump shot was horrible. But look at him now.
Ken S,
Salim was more of a SG inside a PG’s body. He could shoot, but Woody wanted him to play better defense, and be able to play PG, plus Salim had a questionable shot selection.
That being said, I liked the pick, because I thought Salim could be a scorer off the bench (like a poor man’s Eddie House). But it never worked out for him.
Fresh
May 22nd, 2010
9:02 pm
Lol at the Magic about to quit like the Hawks. Lol at Dwight Howard not hustling like Josh Smith. Oh the irony!
vava74
May 22nd, 2010
9:08 pm
Fresh,
Indeed! However, it pays off being the Celts: you get to be able to play hard on Howard and get a much more fair and balanced refereeing.
If Al or Zaza (or Collins) did what Perkins does on Howard, they would not last 5 minutes in the game.
And this is a fact.
But I don’t feel sorry at all for Howard: for me, he is a slightly better Diop with a free pass to do whatever he wants in most games.