Atlanta Hawks: Larry Drew to return as coach
The Hawks said they’ve exercised the option on coach Larry Drew’s contract for next season. The team signed Drew to a two-year contract with an option in 2010.
The Hawks have posted an 84-64 record with Drew as coach. They lost to Boston in the first round of the playoffs last week, ending a streak of three consecutive years in the second round. But the team’s owners and management cited the team’s 40-26 regular-season record as a success in light of several injuries to key players, including center Al Horford.
“Larry did an outstanding job this season in guiding our team to the fourth-best record in the Eastern Conference, despite a condensed schedule and unfortunate injuries,” Hawks GM Rick Sund said in a statement released by the team. “The Hawks have reached the postseason in each of his years on the bench, and we feel Larry’s experience, expertise and dedication to the game were a key ingredient to our success.”
Sund’s contract expires next month. He’s been in talks with the team’s owners about re-signing but hasn’t committed to a return or publicly addressed his future. Sund’s other options include retirement or taking a part-time role with the Hawks or another team.
Michael Cunningham, Hawks beat
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601 comments Add your comment
SteveW
May 18th, 2012
3:43 pm
I guess if Miami loses this series, that Spoelestra is gone – and national radio is speculating that Bosh would be traded for 4 players – Or less, but another player(s) would be signed for the vet. min.
Reggie Evans on the Heat would not be pretty.
Lot’s of speculation on Wade for ‘Melo also. Radio about split on that one.
KevinM
May 18th, 2012
3:43 pm
Barney, responding to your post, are you kidding me?
LD’s playoff record in 2 years: 8-10
It kinda sounds like his record against teams over .500 doesn’t it?
What kind of stat will the ASG come up with this year to justify them getting bounced on their arse after only 6 games?
“Hey, we’re within 14 wins of the NBA trophy!” Only 14 teams in the NBA could say that this year! We’re elite!
No stupid, you’re average!
Not Happy
May 18th, 2012
3:44 pm
WELL LOOKS LIKE WE WON’T BE WINNING. OH YEAH MAKE SURE HE BRINGS SOME CHAP STICK THIS SEASON, THOSE DRY ASS LIPS KILL ME.
Jake
May 18th, 2012
3:50 pm
I love to read those that think they know how to coach put down an actual coach.
Sheriff Taylor
May 18th, 2012
3:51 pm
Barney, did you lose that one bullet?
HAWKLESS
May 18th, 2012
3:53 pm
Well another season where I will not attend a game!!!!
Supreme Grand Poobah
May 18th, 2012
3:58 pm
I’m not going to use my own words to reply to this. Instead, I’m going to use famous quotes:
Nancy Kerrigan – WHY? WHY?
Darth Vader – Nooooooooooo!!!
Baddabing
May 18th, 2012
4:00 pm
I agree with Eric. Larry Drew did a good job. The Hawks had a chance to win the series and blew it in game #2 (the one game I went to). We also had our chances in Game 3 and 6 but came up short. I was disappointed but I think we were pretty close. I know the roster will change some but I liked the team and how they played for most of the year. If they can keep some of the key reserves and maybe up-grade at center a little we may get there.
cp
May 18th, 2012
4:00 pm
Mehh. At this point its like whatever. These dudes are just happy to make the playoffs. Wont be shocked to see Twin and other washed up vets on the roster next year. Wont be shocked if they get rid of the draft pick too.
Lmao@tyger saying LD deserved a 3 year deal. The fact that you think Twin brought anything positive to this team kills any credibility of your bball knowledge. Twin is garbage. Damp looked better than Twin although Damp was out of shape and barely played. Twin responded but Teague was overmatched and is a backup? Really? Did you actually watch any Hawks game this year. SMDH
Supreme Grand Poobah
May 18th, 2012
4:07 pm
@Jake – Here’s a heads up. We don’t have an actual coach.
Grandmaster JeJe (GM)
May 18th, 2012
4:07 pm
Haha thx Slim. dates were way off. Jeje
Sautee
May 18th, 2012
4:09 pm
Supreme Grand Poobah,
Here’s a famous quote that is sadly apropos:
“Insanity is doing the same thing, over and over again, but expecting different results.”
― Albert Einstein
Just Joe
May 18th, 2012
4:09 pm
At least we just picked up his option. Could be worse. Could have been a 3 year extension.
Slimjr
May 18th, 2012
4:10 pm
no comment
Supreme Grand Poobah
May 18th, 2012
4:13 pm
Another famous quote:
Tammy Faye Bakker – I wish they had just killed me…and Jim does too.
KevinM
May 18th, 2012
4:17 pm
“Walt Frazier
May 18th, 2012
2:59 pm
The Hawks management is like electricity-they are have been taking an will continue to take: the shortest path of least resistance. They could care less what the fans think. They are in it, not to win it, but to keep the revenue stream flowing-with no boat rockers mucking it up. Give the dog a bone. Keep Larry, keep Marvin, Joe, Josh, etc. and trade the bench guys with the chump change left over.”
For any Hawks fans that get irritated when Spike or any band of Celtic fans invade Philips, read what Walt said……as long as the revenue keeps coming in, so what!
Now we know why Kobe jerseys are on sale in the Hawks experience stores…
As long as the ASG is here, it’s getting easier to watch these guys fail over and over again.
KevinM
May 18th, 2012
4:19 pm
“Baddabing
May 18th, 2012
4:00 pm
I agree with Eric. Larry Drew did a good job. The Hawks had a chance to win the series and blew it in game #2 (the one game I went to). We also had our chances in Game 3 and 6 but came up short. I was disappointed but I think we were pretty close.”
Wow, we were close with a team that has been together for numerous years and we’re ‘pretty close’ to make it to the 2nd round.
Again, wow!
Ken Strickland
May 18th, 2012
4:25 pm
You can whine, cry, complain and b!tch all you want, but LDrew did an excellent job of keeping his team in the hunt and moving this team forward under a trying schedule. It makes his accomplishment even more impressive when you consider the financial constraints he had to work with. When you add the brutal schedule his Hawks had to endure, and the fact they led the league in gms lost to injuries, he should have been extended.
What it does tell us is that a key player or 2 won’t be returning. I don’t think LDrew or management wants to bring this team back intact. One thing they definitely learned this yr, and that’s a talent and versatile veteran bench can overcome a lot of flaws in your starfting 5.
I believe Ivan Johnson will return since we can offer him a tender and match any offer he receives. We should also consider bring back JPargo and WGreen, but we should replace Hinrich with a PG. Starting the season with these 3 guys after a full training camp under their belts will give us a chance at a solid start.
We definitely need to add a starting caliber SF, along with a younger, more athletic DEF minded OC with starting potential. If DHoward ends up being traded to the Western Conference, will we still be obsessed with holding onto JCollins and/or EDampier?
I have a question. Suppose we traded Josh for a 1st rd pick and took back an additional player or players to make it work salary wise. Can we amnesty one of the acquired players to keep us under the cap? If so, that move, along with not having to pay a 2nd rd pick, or having to pay Josh’s salary increase, should give us the cap spaceand money needed to sign 2 1st rd picks. JUST FOOD FOR THOUGHT.
Hawks Blog Legend Worldwide Clyde
May 18th, 2012
4:30 pm
Same ole Hawks.
Just Joe
May 18th, 2012
4:31 pm
Ken…you can’t use the amnesty provision on a player that was not under contract at the time of the new CBA. Hawks can only use the provision on Teague, Joe, Josh, Marvin, Al, or ZaZa…no matter what moves happen going forward.
Dawg
May 18th, 2012
4:33 pm
Wow, feel the electricity in the air, oh the anticipation of another offseason on waiting till all vets can be signed for the minimum.
James Kirkland
May 18th, 2012
4:33 pm
I’m not your average fan, but a sports guru. please give me a job with the Hawks and let me assist you owners and GM AT GETTING US A CHAMPIONSHIP SQUAD.
Hawks Blog Legend Worldwide Clyde
May 18th, 2012
4:33 pm
“The Hawks have posted an 84-64 record with Drew as coach. They lost to Boston in the first round of the playoffs last week, ending a streak of three consecutive years in the second round. But the team’s owners and management cited the team’s 40-26 regular-season record as a success in light of several injuries to key players, including center Al Horford.”
We were perfectly healthy last year and got beat by the Bulls. At some point you gotta quit using injuries as an excuse.
KevinM
May 18th, 2012
4:34 pm
KenS, the way we operate, we don’t bring in young guys to develop. Go back all the way to Al Horford as a draft pick as a guy we believed in.
And if you’re referring to us not having a 2nd rounder, we only got rid of 1 2nd round pick, not both. But drafting a guy and keeping him would be unique for this team, yes, I agree.
You make good points, and I’m not surprised, but you always want to hear that we’re making progress, not making a corporate lateral move because it’s easy on the balance sheet.
This ownership group is clueless in developing a culture here. Right now, we are a 1 year Occupy movement waiting for someone else to make a move and we just fall into that slot.
How many 4th or 5th seed finishes do you need to see to be convinced we are simply filling up a space in the conference standings?
Orlando should be totally embarrassed finishing behind us.
Supreme Grand Poobah
May 18th, 2012
4:38 pm
Larry, we’ve agreed to take on your option for next season. Larry? LARRY!!!! WAKE UP LARRY!!!
Slimjr
May 18th, 2012
4:39 pm
Game 2= “so close, yet so far” –unknown author-
Marcus
May 18th, 2012
4:39 pm
The more I think about it, I am digging Jeff Taylor, SF – Vanderbilt.
I would luv for us to get this years’ Kenneth Faried (DEN) or Khawai (sp?) Leonard (SAN). Dunno what that means for Marvin or our backup PG situation …. but that is on the GM, whoever that turns out to be.
Marcus
May 18th, 2012
4:41 pm
..but I know that both Khawai and Faried went in the top 20 of the draft……….we would have to be real shrewd to snag a talent like that in the late 1st round.
bfred
May 18th, 2012
4:42 pm
Taylor is incredibly talented and has a incredibly competitive spirit; he would be a great addition. I also like Vandy’s Ezili, he is a talented big who may still be available late in the first. Ezili and Horford in the paint would be a thing of absolute beauty.
Rusty
May 18th, 2012
4:42 pm
Tyger you make no sense whatsoever.
Ray
May 18th, 2012
4:42 pm
You know what’s sad though I think after this depending on what happens during the Summer of Sameness Sequel people will not want to go to the games.
I think people realize more than we think that the hawks ain’t doing a damn thing anymore this first round exit shows that.
People know a product is good or even a company is good if they have a year over year improvement. From 07-09 that’s what the hawks sort of did.
08 We got beat out by Boston in first round that was fine to most folks
09 we got past first round and got swept 2nd round people were mad, but it was improvement.
2010 we got into second round and a complete meltdown is what everybody saw, and honestly if anything Josh can thank Joe personally for the reason ATL fans won’t show up I think people still salty over that.
2010-2011 we saw a new H.C no one wanted and Joe get 120 mil which no one wanted cause apparently no one actually wanted him.
In L.D’s first year mistake number one the mismanagement of Jeff Teague just like with Woodson L.D refused to play him and everyone could tell Teague would actually be good. We didn’t get swept, but by this time I think people can tell they really was no improvement all the way from Ownership down to the last man on the bench.
Now rewinding this season everyone from a little kid just born to grandma down the street can tell you that this team is done.
Core my a** besides Horford and Josh the other two supposed Core players need to hit the road and never come back.
Slimjr
May 18th, 2012
4:43 pm
Just Joe
May 18th, 2012
4:31 pm
“Ken…you can’t use the amnesty provision on a player that was not under contract at the time of the new CBA. Hawks can only use the provision on Teague, Joe, Josh, Marvin, Al, or ZaZa…no matter what moves happen going forward.”
Just Joe, I betcha this amnesty provision is not part of this cash strapped organization?
Doug Collins wins Game two going away!
KevinM
May 18th, 2012
4:43 pm
Ken S, let me also add that not only were we the most injured team in the league, but we also had the 2nd most playoff games experience of any of the teams in the playoffs.
How far did that get us? 2 wins out of 6….thanks, bench.
Jabroni Joe
May 18th, 2012
4:45 pm
DAMN, NOW MY WEEKEND IS ALL F*CKED UP!!!
Ray
May 18th, 2012
4:45 pm
@ Worldwide Clyde
They won’t it’s their way to spin in all into making suckers think there is a true reason to support the team.
KevinM
May 18th, 2012
4:47 pm
Somebody remind us what a team does when they get a 2-0 series advantage in the playoffs? Bring out that stat.
For 2 straight years, it has been coaching that has cost us Game 2, not injured players. Do I need to remind you of Chicago and 2 foul Al? How about NO Rondo for 48 minutes? Its comical.
Only LD has that mark on his resume.
Slimjr
May 18th, 2012
4:49 pm
insert [vocabulary]^^^^
drmaryb.(*_*).
May 18th, 2012
4:49 pm
I have never seen owners that hires the head coach. Typically, that is the job of your GM. This organization has 16 hands in the pot and that’s 14 hands too many.
New past times for me ahead.
Just Joe
May 18th, 2012
4:57 pm
I’d push hard to get Joe traded to Washington for Rashard Lewis’s $13.7M buyout & the 32nd pick in the draft. This saves us $6M in salary, just enough to go out and use the MLE on a free agent SG.
Trade ends up Joe Johnson for free agent SG & 32nd pick in draft. Free agent SG’s include OJ Mayo, Nick Young, Landry Fields, Ray Allen, etc…
Ray
May 18th, 2012
4:59 pm
@ drmaryb
You and me both, but the only reason L.D was hired was to appease the core if I’m right, and someone just said that these players are turning on him.
If I were Josh I probably would hope to be traded as well because as people keep saying this ownership don’t know how to promote basketball. People will come you just got to be committed to winning, but as someone else said.
IT’S NOT ABOUT CHAMPIONSHIPS
IT’S PROFIT PROFIT PROFIT!
Ray
May 18th, 2012
5:00 pm
@ Just Joe I’d go for Landry Fields even Kevin Martin he’s not as good defensive as Joe, but he’s got Jamal Offense with some defense thrown in.
Grandmaster JeJe (GM)
May 18th, 2012
5:04 pm
We gave a GM who may leave, a say in our next head coach. Wow.
MikeH
May 18th, 2012
5:07 pm
This decision was real easy for the ASG…MONEY…Drew is one of the least paid coaches in the NBA…That you all for shopping at WalMart while we try to find some sucker to buy this team….
Slimjr
May 18th, 2012
5:08 pm
Go up 2-0, winning the series in 7 game format goes up to over 85%!
LARRY DREW= 28-47 against teams above .500[WINNERS] IN HIS 1ST TWO SEASONS AS A HEAD COACH!
THE STREAK WILL CONTINUE!
ABSOLUTELY POSITIVELY BRUTAL!
44
2056
Sautee
May 18th, 2012
5:11 pm
“We gave a GM who may leave, a say in our next head coach. Wow.”
Jeje, Sund didn’t have any more say this time than last. He wanted Dwayne Casey before, but the owners wanted to assuage the players, and save a few $M to boot. BAD call, in retrospect.
Sund was just made to announce LDs re-signing with a statement. That’s just about all he does to earn his salary. Well, other than sign minimum wage vets.
Rob
May 18th, 2012
5:11 pm
The Hawks are still the best franchise in town though acording to some of yall. HA!
Apple
May 18th, 2012
5:13 pm
“DAMN, NOW MY WEEKEND IS ALL F*CKED UP!!!”
ALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL F*CKED UP!
LMAO
tiredofthis
May 18th, 2012
5:15 pm
Whats the definition of insanity again!!!! I’m don,I can’t take this anymore! I’ll start back watching when some real changes are made.
KevinM
May 18th, 2012
5:15 pm
“Just Joe
May 18th, 2012
4:57 pm
I’d push hard to get Joe traded to Washington for Rashard Lewis’s $13.7M buyout & the 32nd pick in the draft. This saves us $6M in salary, just enough to go out and use the MLE on a free agent SG.”
JJ, you had me at Rashard Lewis! I like this deal and get me a $6M SG like Ray Allen. I could deal with that.
Winner for offseason move of the year!
Thanks Slim for that stat!
Is anybody friends with Mark Zuckerburg? Could we get him to buy this franchise and call it Facebook South Arena? I don’t like Philips TVs anyway!
O'brien
May 18th, 2012
5:17 pm
Ken S,
What it does tell us is that a key player or 2 won’t be returning. I don’t think LDrew or management wants to bring this team back intact..
In the ASG’s history, is there anything to suggest they wont keep the team intact? They have already served us the “injuries” excuse, so they will justify bringing everybody back by saying “If Horford and Zaza were healthy, we would have beaten Boston, and potentially advanced to the ECF”.
KevinM,
Orlando should be totally embarrassed finishing behind us..
I think Orlando will make some moves. The HC might be gone, the GM might be gone, and at the very least, I expect them to try and shake up the roster.
And maybe I am in the minority, but I think the condensed schedule helped the Hawks. Not only are we a veteran ball club that has played together for years, we are still fairly young and athletic, and we do have good players.
Its just that in the playoffs, our shortcomings are magnified.