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
tyger
May 18th, 2012
9:24 pm
Bradley drinks from the can of dumb issh…
LD did a marvelous job with the Hawks this year…
Sund worked with the resources he had…none…
Josh has been in the league 8 years…
Josh has repeatedly requested to be traded…
That’s the bottom line…
He does not want to be here…
He’ll turn on the next coach and next after that…
If you don’t trade him now, he holds the cards…
We’ll be in for a season long Superboy episode…
Granted Josh is not a public disruptor, give him credit…
But his people speak volumes for him…
No secret ATL operating with limited resources…
Teams that go far pay luxury taxes…
Hawks reluctant to pay luxury taxes…
Ownership has self-imposed limitations…
Players, coaches have to beat the odds to win big…
Thus far, it has not happened…
They’ve gone as far as investment will take them…
Now they are up against the financial wall…
They have no salary cap room and little for free agency…
Joe Johnson at $21M per year…eats 40% of salary cap…
Everyone else gets a super-sized Scoobie snack…
Hawks have to create cap space…
Ownership will not amnesty anybody…forget about it…
Re-negotiate and extend a contract…doubt it…
Trade for draft picks and non-guaranteed Ks??? Yes!
Leave the Coach/GM alone, they did all they could do…
They didnt heave fall away 20ft. jumpers w/ .09 sec. left…
They didnt jack up 3 pt airballs in the last minute…
Take opportunity to infuse young talent for next phase..
Draft is deep all the way through 30, get picks…
Build future around Horford/JJ – who is going nowhere….
This is a chance to right the ship…
Get a Hibbert instead of Teague…
Get a Rudy Gay instead of Shelden Williams…
Get a Deron Williams instead of Marvin Williams…
This is an opportunity…after 8yrs – it is what it is…
The Truth
May 18th, 2012
9:25 pm
“We can’t be satisfied with every year making it to the playoffs. … We’re beyond that now. We’ve got to ask ourselves, with what we have now can we get to the next level?”
– Atlanta Hawks coach Larry Drew
Easy answer LD: NO!!!!!
Grandmaster JeJe (GM)
May 18th, 2012
9:27 pm
“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.”
Not what Mark Bradley said
Najeh Davenpoop
May 18th, 2012
9:28 pm
FTPB
LOL . . tell that to the Indiana Pacers or the Sixers.
What exactly have the Pacers and Sixers accomplished? The Sixers beat a team whose best player by far was injured the entire series, and the Pacers beat a team whose best player by far was injured the entire series. The Sixers are well on their way to getting destroyed by Boston in Round 2 and getting booed by their home crowd. I give the Pacers credit for playing hard and going up 2-1 on Miami, but the main reason for this is Miami’s complete and utter lack of big man depth behind Bosh, which is a problem against a team that has good players at PF and C like Indiana.
Miami has the two best players in that series, but if Bosh is out, the Pacers have the 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, and 7th best players in that series. Asking former or current All Stars like Hibbert, Granger, West, etc. to step up against a two man team surrounded by scrubs is nothing like asking players like Zaza and Marvin to step up for an entire series, let alone an entire season, to compensate for the loss of Josh.
You’ve been one of the biggest proponents of Jeff Teague from Day 1. When he was finally given the chance to play the way he needs to be playing, he responded with his best game of the series. And he did it without really dominating the ball. Probably should’ve been used a little more in that game actually, instead of the offense going through JJ and T-Mac.
Is is a coincidence that he had that type of game without Josh on the floor not giving him the ball after rebounds . . or not having to see Josh wave him off when he actually has a better shot?
As for the other guys, they simply played their roles . . collectively. T-Mac finally got some minutes, and produced, before he got hurt. Marvin played horribly offensively, but stepped into Josh’s role as a rebounder. The two big scrub centers scored 10 points and grabbed 9 rebounds. Hinrich played good defense.
On a night in which the Hawks shoot an abysmal 6 – 37 on shots 16+ feet and out, the Hawks compensated by scoring 52 points in the paint
Once again, all of this is completely irrelevant in light of the fact that the Hawks put up their worst offensive rating of the series in Game 3, the game Josh missed. So Teague plays a little better, Marvin grabs some boards, the Hawks put up an offensive stinker and lose, and this is evidence to you that they can trade Josh and be just fine?
Josh is a major reason why this team stays out of balance on the offensive end. It’s not a coincidence that this team was the #2 offensively rated team in the 2009 – 10 season, when Josh basically abandoned the jumpshot and played 15 feet and in. It’s also the season in which he grabbed almost 3 offensive rebounds a game, something the team did very well collectively that season.
Yeah, they were the #2 offensive team that year because they dominated the offensive glass, not because of better offensive balance or better shooting from the field. How did that work out when they went up against a team in the playoffs with the best rebounder in the league, who had a size advantage over every player the Hawks threw at him?
He’s not the SOLE reason why this team finished 5th in defense. Josh is an elite help defender and a slightly above average man defender. He is the unquestioned defensive leader of the team.
But once again, you’ve been one of the biggest proponents of Jeff Teague. You think Teague playing the point full time, and not Bibby or Jamal, helped the Hawks to achieve that #5 ranking? And both JJ and Hinrich are good defensive guards. Underrated defensive guards actually.
Sure, replacing Bibby and Jamal with Teague helped. Doesn’t change the fact that Josh is still the linchpin of this team’s defense. The addition of Iman Shumpert didn’t stop DPOY voters from recognizing that Chandler is the linchpin of that team’s D. No different with the Hawks and Josh.
You keep talking about one weakness of Josh’s game — his unwillingness to consistently play around the rim — and trying to say this outweighs his positive contributions to the extent that his positive contributions are replaceable by far lesser players. This is no different than taking one strength of Jamal’s game — his ability to score — and saying that this outweighs his other deficiencies to the extent that his scoring alone justifies keeping him on the floor. You’re doing the exact same thing High-sider does with Jamal and applying it to Josh, and you’re just as wrong as he is.
Grandmaster JeJe (GM)
May 18th, 2012
9:28 pm
“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.”
3 straight years.
Coaching cost us the entire Orlando series 2 years ago
Grandmaster JeJe (GM)
May 18th, 2012
9:30 pm
Rephrase: Coaching cost us game 2 vs Orlando LAST YEAR. I believe Al had 2 fouls in 1st and finished with 2 fouls, yet got hardly any minutes?
2 years ago was just a disaster with the roster ORL had. Woody did NOT CHANGE THE STARTING LINEUP ONCE THAT ENTIRE SERIES.
In other words, we got MURDERED in games 1 and 2 and he STUCK WITH THE SAME STARTING LINEUP ANYWAY
WHY ARE THEY STILL HERE ?????
May 18th, 2012
9:30 pm
HA-HA-HA, SEASON OVER, FANTASTIC !!!!! JUST HEARD THE GREAT NEWS, SINCE THE NOTHING bASKETBALL aSSOC. IS JUST THAT NOTHING AND THIS TEAM, LIKE IT’S OWNERS, LOSERS !!!!!!!!!!!! I LOVE IT !!!
WHY DO YOU PEOPLE OUT THERE BOTHER TO KEEP SUPPORTING THIS CRAP ?
SO THE COACH WILL RETURN, AGAIN… WHO IS HE, NEVER HEARD OF HIM…
LET’S ONLY, I REPEAT ONLY HOPE HE IS COACHING THIS CRAP FRANCHISE IN SEATTLE NEXT SEASON AND PUT AN END TO nba BASKETBALL IN THIS CITY, ONCE AND FOR ALL !!!!!!!
Sautee
May 18th, 2012
9:31 pm
For the first time since 07 (when we were in the lottery) I’m actually interested in the draft order, mostly because I wonder who gets Anthony Davis. He’s so much fun to watch, that I’ll be a fan of whichever team drafts him. and if it’s the Bobcats, I’ll get to see him more often, since my directv package includes the Carolina Fox station.
I only wish that the Hawks could pull a blockbuster and get him. Not a prayer, though with this bunch.
IMO he will have a Duncan-like impact.
Grandmaster JeJe (GM)
May 18th, 2012
9:35 pm
I wonder if after Philly loses this series, they will realize they need to make changes in order to become real contenders.
Or will they wait 2409823 years and witness their team flame out vs a superior team each year and not address this issue?
It’s obvious that team is flawed. Iguodala couldn’t create offense against a JV player
Najeh Davenpoop
May 18th, 2012
9:36 pm
“Another blown chance to rise above mediocrity. LD was an average coach. This bunch needs FAR more than that. FAR MORE.”
Yup.
If you have superstars, you can get pretty deep in the playoffs even with an average coach (see Erik Spoelstra). When you have a less than stellar roster, you better have a stellar coach if you want them to get anywhere meaningful.
Grandmaster JeJe (GM)
May 18th, 2012
9:37 pm
The “or will they wait” paragraph should be ended with “like the Hawks”
SMH
Sautee
May 18th, 2012
9:40 pm
I’m amazed at the idiots who keep suggesting that the hawks would move to Seattle. But damn, if we don’t have a post every week or so saying just that.
Here’s why they will be in Atlanta for a long time:
“Under the terms of the new bond agreement, the Hawks cannot leave Philips Arena for at least seven years even if they pay off the bonds in their entirety. If the Hawks do leave, there’s a $75 million “early termination penalty” that the Spirit or the new owners that want a team elsewhere would be socked with.”
“[The team] could theoretically pay off the remaining $123.5 million in bonds off tomorrow and the Hawks could leave, but they cannot leave until the 2018-19 season at earliest without also forking over another $75 million in addition to the $123.5 million or so left remaining on the bonds.”
“Even that is an incomplete pricetag: the NBA has a relocation fee that is decided by the other 29 owners. The last time a team relocated, in 2008, the Oklahoma City Thunder had to fork over $30 million. The L.A. Lakers and Clippers threatened to push for a painful relocation fee when the Maloof family attempted to move the Sacramento Kings to Anaheim last season. The costs of relocation could easily exceed the value of the franchise.”
“That makes relocation — to Anaheim or anywhere — pretty much untenable. So sleep easy, Atlanta.”
http://www.sbnation.com/2011/8/7/2350239/atlanta-hawks-sold-alex-meruelo-philips-arena-relocation
Ed Peskowitz
May 18th, 2012
9:46 pm
Anybody seen that young punk Rutherford? He still owes me $20.
Najeh Davenpoop
May 18th, 2012
9:48 pm
Also FTPB
Rod, I am generally pretty skeptical of “fantasy stats”, but offensive and defensive rating are not that hard to understand. Points per game is the number of points a team scores in 48 minutes. Offensive rating is just the number of points a team scores in 100 possessions (and defensive rating is how many points a team gives up in 100 possessions). Doesn’t require any crazy calculating.
A team like Sacramento that jets up and down the court looking for fast break buckets all game is going to have an inflated points per game because they get so many shots up, and a team like Toronto that isn’t particularly good defensively but slows the game down is going to have an artificially low points per game allowed. O-rating and D-rating allow you to see through that.
Rutherford Seydel
May 18th, 2012
9:50 pm
Eddie you old drunk, I’m down at the Pink Pony if you want to come down and get you some! Your red nose is a fun target.
Ed Peskowitz
May 18th, 2012
9:52 pm
I’ll see you in about an hour then Rutherford. I’m going to beat your rear end like your daddy should have a long time ago.
Bruce Levenson
May 18th, 2012
9:56 pm
Guys! Guys! Hold it together! It’s just twenty bucks. We save that much by keeping certain lights turned out in the arena for half a game.
Najeh Davenpoop
May 18th, 2012
9:57 pm
“This is a chance to right the ship…
Get a Hibbert instead of Teague…”
Hibbert and Teague weren’t even in the same draft. Stick to posting HBCU standings in blogs where they are not relevant.
SteveW
May 18th, 2012
9:59 pm
Sautee – I know the facts of relocation and the Phillips contract we have. But I still get nervous when we have so many fans say “never again” and “this team ought to move” etc. I just keep thinking ASG’s accountants and lawyers are working overtime to see when the Hawks could move and come out close on the money.
But I’m paranoid like that – sorry
Ed Peskowitz
May 18th, 2012
10:00 pm
Shut up Bruce. If I wanted your advice, I’d clog a commode.
Steve Belkin
May 18th, 2012
10:02 pm
Ha ha! (Nelson Muntz voice)
KevinM
May 18th, 2012
10:03 pm
” I was wrong about having JJ play SF. His lack of rebounding puts too much pressure on our C and PF. We desperately need a SF that’s capable of consistently scoring outside, finishing at the rim, and playing DEF.” – KenS
Ken, I liked your Joe to SF idea….the problem is we may be the only team in the league that can’t find a fixture at SF.
I don’t like SF Josh
I refuse to accept Marvin and his game at SF…he is so over his head.
I would have liked a legit chance to see T-Mac but he isn’t much of a post guy.
There’s always hope that things finally clicked, but I’ve seen Groundhog Day at Philips more than we should be forced to watch it.
We know the ending here, just like we knew a visiting team would come into the Ted and wipe the Braves off the field for what, 7 or 8 years?
This ASG is a bunch of buffoons…..I hope they read this because they deserve nothing better than 60% of the fans of Atlanta to quit supporting their ineptness.
Any other city would not stand for this. For what they did to hockey here, I would fear for my life if I were them. You’re messing with passionate fans here. Pull the plug and sell this team.
I’m with Ray; Charlotte will have more intrigue than this clown show.
You might as well bring Sund back too. I wouldn’t want to leave any of the incumbents out.
Beau Turner
May 18th, 2012
10:06 pm
Now I see why my dad told me at Christmas dinner that he’s embarrassed he had Turner Broadcasting sell the teams to us instead of David McDavid. He said we’re making him look bad. I told him to have another Four Loko.
Slimjr
May 18th, 2012
10:09 pm
Andre has an issue like most NBA players have, no mid-range game..Its either 3 pointers or dunks..
Lebron has very little mid-range game.. He’s on his way to becoming an improved version of Charles Barkley[ring less]…
He should own that mid-range area[8-18 feet].. See Mike or Kobe film….
David McDavid
May 18th, 2012
10:12 pm
I am the lizard king. I can do anything. I made the blue cars go away.
Michael Gearon, Jr.
May 18th, 2012
10:14 pm
This is it. On Monday, I’m cutting funding for home internet reimbursement. This was the last straw.
Slimjr
May 18th, 2012
10:15 pm
How did Philly defeat/sweep the Hawks this year? Wow!
Ted Turner
May 18th, 2012
10:19 pm
Hey David, I still own more land than you! Punk.
Special thank you to all the incredibly stupid citizens of Atlanta who don’t have a problem with my name being on the baseball stadium b/c they don’t realize how much I screwed them by having my old company sell to my son and his loser friends. You people make the world a better place for guys like me.
Slimjr
May 18th, 2012
10:21 pm
#12 Evan Turner making stupid decisions by forcing up shots at the rim that are getting blocked and turning into fouls at the other end…He’s going to cost them with his “turrible” moves….
See #12 appears to not have a mid-range game so he’s getting his ish blocked….
Rutherford Seydel
May 18th, 2012
10:22 pm
Dad, this may not be the best time but can I borrow the plane next month to go to South America?
Slimjr
May 18th, 2012
10:26 pm
The Hawks need a Paul Pierce type[A Professional Scorer].
Marvin Williams for Derrick Williams yesterday!
Ted Turner
May 18th, 2012
10:26 pm
I told you never to call me that Rutherford. And no, you cannot borrow it. I’m going to Canada to go geese hunting with Keanu Reeves’ dad, Bobby.
Michael Gearon, Jr.
May 18th, 2012
10:32 pm
The media is against us. The refs are against us. The players on the other teams are against us. The fans are against us. And now our godfather, Ted Turner, is against us. Woe is us.
glw
May 18th, 2012
10:36 pm
Yeah the 76ers are flawed, and at times they get into that one on one jump shooting funk, but man they are so athletic and move without the ball, unlike the Hawks, they make the Celtics move on defense.
How about this deal in the summer?
Josh Smith
for
Thaddeus Young, Jodie Meeks and Lavoy Allen
Beau Turner
May 18th, 2012
10:36 pm
So is the Cabo trip next week still on or are we cancelling that?
Najeh Davenpoop
May 18th, 2012
10:38 pm
Philly in this game is taking full advantage of Boston’s inability to rebound in a way the Hawks never did during their series.
And even with all their hustle and domination of the glass, they are still down by 3. They may very well win this game, but it’s not a good sign that they are taking full advantage of their biggest advantages and can’t maintain a lead against Boston at home.
Rutherford Seydel
May 18th, 2012
10:38 pm
I’m still in but I’m not showing up sober.
P. O.'d
May 18th, 2012
10:40 pm
PATHETIC!! Losersville yesterday. Losersville today. And , oh yes, Losersville tomorrow. And most probably, for eternity. You can’t make this stuff up….
Todd Foreman
May 18th, 2012
10:42 pm
I hope it’s ok with you guys but I went ahead and ordered another WSP banner for the arena.
Rutherford Seydel
May 18th, 2012
10:44 pm
Sweet! I think I should get one for getting kicked off stage that one time.
O'brien
May 18th, 2012
10:45 pm
KevinM,
i think its 82% of teams that go up 2-0 go on to win the series.
A good read from MB, although I’m sure the ASG will use it as another example of the media out to get them.
As we know, the Hawks reached the playoffs in each of Mike Woodson’s final three seasons, but that didn’t keep this crew, Sund included, from dumping him and promoting his longtime assistant. On the record, the Hawks have been worse in their first two seasons under Drew than in their final two seasons under Woodson, but apparently this, to Sund and presumably to ownership, constitutes “success.”
Which only goes to show: No matter how often this organization boasts of its commitment to excellence, all it’s really trying to do is not to look too bad. Would the Celtics or the Lakers — franchises that co-owner Michael Gearon Jr. suggested his team belongs alongside because all three happened to reach Round 2 of the postseason three years running — define “reach[ing] the postseason” as “success”? Could anyone look at the opportunity just wasted against Boston as anything but a reversal?.
http://blogs.ajc.com/mark-bradley-blog/2012/05/18/the-hawks-move-to-keep-larry-drew-and-more-hope-fades/?cp=all/
Ed Peskowitz
May 18th, 2012
10:46 pm
You weren’t at the Pink Pony you liar! I want my $20 back! I swear I’m going to staple your a$$ to your face.
Rod from College Park
May 18th, 2012
10:48 pm
Yeah that Boston D sure is preventing Philly from scoring. On pace to put up over 90 again. Avery Bradley sure is shutting down Lou Williams. All those stats mean nothing when guys start getting hot. Avery Bradley would shut down Jamal. LOOOOOOOL.
Michael Gearon, Jr.
May 18th, 2012
10:51 pm
Good grief Eddie, anger management…like we practiced.
Slimjr
May 18th, 2012
10:52 pm
Doug Collins 3x> Larry Drew….
Doug sweeps Boston with the Hawks roster!
Slimjr
May 18th, 2012
10:56 pm
Huge win for the 76′ers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
A testament to great coaching!
Slimjr
May 18th, 2012
10:58 pm
You wont see their Bigs run the fast break while waving off the pt. guard!
Slimjr
May 18th, 2012
11:10 pm
“Another sobering truth: The shortened schedule wasn’t exactly balanced. The Hawks played 25 games against the seven Eastern clubs who failed to make the playoffs, all of whom finished under .500. Boston and Chicago and Indiana each played 23 games against those seven; Miami played 21. Among Eastern playoff qualifiers, only the Knicks had so many games against the conference’s bottom tier. The Hawks played the minimum four games against the top four finishers in the West; every other Eastern playoff qualifier except Indiana played more.” -Bradley-
Fools Paradise, was it very nice? –Rufus featuring Chaka Kahn-
4 Jacks
May 18th, 2012
11:30 pm
hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!!!! no effing way!!! hahahahahahahahahaha and all you losers and dummies that will still buy tickets to the games…you people must really have no life or you are truly touched to continue to support this team and thgeir ownership…hahahahahahahaha
Slimjr
May 18th, 2012
11:33 pm
“Eight days after elimination, the Hawks moved to keep Drew. Why? Well, he works cheap. Beyond that, I really don’t know. To say he hasn’t been a disaster as head coach ignores the reason he was given the job: Drew convinced management he could improve on what Woodson had done. Two years later, he hasn’t.” -Bradley-
Bradley is on point!
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