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
Walt Frazier
May 20th, 2012
8:41 am
No spellcheck crutch here!
Ken Strickland
May 20th, 2012
9:07 am
This is definitely the most NEGATIVE MINDED blog ever. What else can you say when a blogger takes the intelligent positive approach to dealing with the Hawks situation, and he gets attacked by a NEGATIVE MINDED MORON for interferring with his NEGATIVE MINDED BITCH, WHINE AND MOAN session.
One has to be an absolute DUMBASS to continue whinning, crying, and bitching about decisions that have already been made, and circumstances that aren’t going to change anytime soon. Larry Drew will be our HC next yr, DEAL WITH IT, and try to discuss intelligent and logical ways for the team to improve. As I write the phrase INTELLIGENT AND LOGICAL WAYS TO IMPROVE, I realize I’m wasting time dealing with an issue, in this case a flawed mentality, that’s a done deal and isn’t going to change
doc
May 20th, 2012
9:35 am
So right you are Ken. LD is hardly the head of the snake and with what he had to work with did a pretty admirable job of putting a representable product on the floor night after night. 40 wins was an strong accomplishment in light of what he was up against. He doesn’t deserve to be fired for this but maybe given a better hand to work with.
As a fan I would like a little more resolve to be proactive or to see when needs are present during the season and deal with it rather than an attitude we are going to continue to sail on no matter the head breezes. This of course involves a management and budgetary shift from the BASG. They are the head of the snake that needs to be changed to see any true progress, anything else is just false hope. The next coming of the zen master or jerry Sloan is not walking through any doors of the BASG.
Ray
May 20th, 2012
9:57 am
@ Ken S.
How can you actually blame people for being so negative we’ve been fed this same crap for some years now.
At one point I always thought LA Clippers would be the laughing stock of the NBA forever even the Cleveland Cavs, but now we are why because we’re the only team would gets to the 2nd round every year calling that progress never reaching the ECF in the history of the franchise here.
People talk about the Falcons and Braves, but Hawks really are the worse why because they’ve never been to a National Championship here.
Falcons have been a Superbowl didn’t win, but they’ve been.
Braves won a World Series and kept getting to the national stage in the 90’s.
Even Georgia Tech while not a professional sport has been on the map the hawks NOTHING!
Rufus1
May 20th, 2012
9:58 am
The over valuing of Josh Smith-
If we trade him for a Lottery pick, then sign a Jordan Hill(7mil a year)…I don’t think we will miss him that much.
Just like ppl thought we were dead without AL, we just need the right player in free agency and another solid bench.
LD is a better coach than most of you are giving him credit…. He is one of the lowest paid ppl on his bench and that has to undermine his power.
JJ or Josh..One has to go. They are competing for the SOUL of this team and neither are a leader.
BIG DOG
May 20th, 2012
10:07 am
Ken Strickland – What is positive about this organization ?
BIG DOG IN THE HOUSE
BIG DOG
May 20th, 2012
10:11 am
Share your trade
http://games.espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=b7ct6b
BIG DOG IN THE HOUSE
BIG DOG
May 20th, 2012
10:13 am
D wade will be gone if Heat lose this series.
Joe and 1st round for D wade.
BIG DOG IN THE HOUSE
Grandmaster JeJe (GM)
May 20th, 2012
10:15 am
“but now we are why because we’re the only team would gets to the 2nd round every year calling that progress never reaching the ECF in the history of the franchise here. ”
***
Come on Ray. We can’t even make the 2nd round anymore LOL.
I don’t see the point in posting here much for the coming weeks. Need to recharge from all the hours I’ve spent on this blog. I still think it’s BS Miami had an extra day off whereas LA teams got screwed.
The Lakers/Clippers should’ve somehow staggered their home schedules if possible (Lakers Friday/Sunday, Clippers Saturday/Monday).
Must-win for Indy tonight.
Shoutouts to everyone who liked my summer predictions.
Peace
BIG DOG
May 20th, 2012
10:16 am
Teague, Dwade, Josh, Horford, Zaza
Pargo, Tmac, Marvin, Ivan, Melo
BIG DOG IN THE HOUSE
BIG DOG
May 20th, 2012
10:18 am
My bad Hawks have no first with this trade.
Dampier and Collins will replace Melo as backup center.
BIG DOG IN THE HOUSE
Sunday Morning Links, Featuring Kevin Durant | NBA 24/7 365
May 20th, 2012
10:34 am
[...] Journal Constitution: Larry Drew will coach the Atlanta Hawks next season. The team’s next move will be an attempt to secure the entire roster through [...]
drmaryb.(*_*).
May 20th, 2012
10:41 am
Andrew Nicholson
Draft him and, I’m happy and, still on board. I really can’t bash any of the players until they get leadership from the top and, that championship mantra permeates this organization.
Like Jessie Jackson said when, he ran for president, “You can not have a war on drugs unless, until you focus on the people who fly and ship these drugs into our neighborhoods. The shade tree drug slingers is not the problem, they don’t have airplanes and ships.” – paraphrased -
You have got to attack the root cause to sure a disease, don’t just focus on the systemic symptoms. See the owners of this disease – ASKG.
drmaryb.(*_*).
May 20th, 2012
10:43 am
I would also move up in round two and pick Fab Melo. We need a project center and, he is as agile as Roy Hibbert. Roy Hibbert was developed, he did not arrive ready to roll. What have we got to lose? Why not? Hopefully, he is not a Darko Milicic.
drmaryb.(*_*).
May 20th, 2012
10:53 am
The Situation Room!
I have no problem with Mr. Drew being optioned, until the roster is balanced, he really can not be honestly evaluated. If Josh is your best player, you have to work with that and give Josh the latitude to develop and grow his game, Josh has done that,
Josh has worked hard to get better every year, he is our emotional leader, he lacks no confidence in his wide range of abilities and he has the heart of a lion. Mr. Drew has allowed Josh to showcase his talents and It has paid off, without Josh we do not make the playoffs this year. Josh and Horford has asked for size and help in the paint for four consecutive years and, all they got was Twin being told to lose weight and, strap it on for the post season. Not much else.
Horford wasn’t even replaced after he went down for the season. Mr. Drew also asked management for some basic fundamental tools and, he got very little in return. So, lay off Mr. Drew, he has toed the company line, he has a family to feed. Sometimes it’s better to get paid and, eat – than to be right and say, “I told you so!”
BIG DOG
May 20th, 2012
11:18 am
drmaryb – Hey Sweetie how do feel about Javale Mcgee ? I see there is a lot of support on this blog for Javae Mcgee.
BIG DOG IN THE HOUSE
BIG DOG
May 20th, 2012
11:23 am
Imagine Javale Mom and Josh Dad on side line, the Highlight Factory would be crazy with much excitment, thats a show it’s self to buy tickets.
BIG DOG IN THE HOUSE
BIG DOG
May 20th, 2012
11:33 am
If the Hawks could Trade Joe and 1st for D wade and amnesty Marvin contract, Hawks can sign Mcgee.
Teague, D wade, Josh, Horford, Javale
Pargo, Green, Tmac, Ivan, ZaZA
Could be the best team in Hawks History.
BIG DOG IN THE HOUSE
DawgNole
May 20th, 2012
11:44 am
DawgNole
May 19th, 2012
3:22 pm
BasketballTopFan
May 18th, 2012
2:02 pm
The Atlanta Hawks made a very good move in keeping Larry Drew as Head Coach. Good Luck next year. The Hawks could win the NBA Championship with this nucleus.
______________________
This is a joke, right? Please tell me you’re not serious.
Ray
May 19th, 2012
3:31 pm
@DawgNole
It’s not a joke
I wish in some backwater world it was, but this is reality my friend.
______________________
So it’s not a joke that the Hawks “made a very good move in keeping Larry Drew as Head Coach”?
And it’s not a joke that the “Hawks could win the NBA Championship with this nucleus”?
Sure looks funny to me.
DawgNole
May 20th, 2012
12:01 pm
Ken Strickland
May 20th, 2012
9:07 am
This is definitely the most NEGATIVE MINDED blog ever. What else can you say when a blogger takes the intelligent positive approach to dealing with the Hawks situation, and he gets attacked by a NEGATIVE MINDED MORON for interferring with his NEGATIVE MINDED BITCH, WHINE AND MOAN session. . . .
As I write the phrase INTELLIGENT AND LOGICAL WAYS TO IMPROVE, I realize I’m wasting time dealing with an issue, in this case a flawed mentality, that’s a done deal and isn’t going to change
____________________
So stop wasting your time–and ours–posting the same BS excuses we’ve been fed for 44 years.
Grandad
May 20th, 2012
12:06 pm
I`m with Ken S and doc … I`m proud to say !
LD is way above mediocrity [Rusty].
Realizing I do not know any thing about basket ball.
Ownership + Sund are the greater hindrance to this organization !
Until those two are eliminated whomever coaches this bunch
[matters not].
Then there is JoeJohnson;
who is almost as great an albatross if not equally so.
DawgNole
May 20th, 2012
12:07 pm
Ray
May 20th, 2012
9:57 am
@ Ken S.
How can you actually blame people for being so negative we’ve been fed this same crap for some years now.
BIG DOG
May 20th, 2012
10:07 am
Ken Strickland – What is positive about this organization ?
_________________________
He can’t answer those questions, gentlemen. He’s too busy making excuses, living in denial, and taking potshots at all the (gasp) NEGATIVE bloggers on here.
Rusty
May 20th, 2012
12:09 pm
This team ran by LD will never have an offense that runs effectively as he doesn’t hold JJ or JS accountable, he will just scream & yell at JT. He will play his favorites off the bench & will always have people in his doghouse. Get rid of KH as he isnt worth8 mil & LD will always play him trying to justify his stupid trade with Washington.
Hawks Blog Legend Worldwide Clyde
May 20th, 2012
12:11 pm
FIRE LD
Rusty
May 20th, 2012
12:11 pm
Just more of the same nonsense.
Rufus1
May 20th, 2012
12:19 pm
Injuries are not excuses… They are a reason.
I know it sounds nice to think you can overcome anything, but that isn’t true…. The football fan seems to understand this. If you have injuries to 3 of you top 6 players or you starting QB(Like DRose), you are not going to win.
It isn’t a coincidence that all the teams left are the healthiest in the playoffs…. Miami could lose because they lost Bosh and Wade isn’t healthy…But that is an excuse, RIGHT.
What is Excuse-
My owner is cheap
My coach is stupid
My GM Sucks
We should have signed player X
The Refs cheated
These are excuses…
Injuries are REASONS…. The world isn’t an ABSOLUTE, some of us understand this and adjust our expectations accordingly…But we live in the REAL world.
Rusty
May 20th, 2012
12:20 pm
Alway talking about trades that never happen is not bright.if a trade would happen I would cringe as it would probably would leave us holding a bag of crap.
Grandad
May 20th, 2012
12:51 pm
Well Rusty;
In your world LD makes the trades ?
” KH as he isnt worth8 mil & LD will always play him
trying to justify his stupid trade with Washington ”
Rusty:
you are aware Cap`n Kirk`s contract has expired … correct ?
Why would you cringe Rusty ? You have already stated:
You wish our Hawks to lose so that LD will be fired !
I would think a trade;
in your pessimistic world would be just the ticket.
Another reason for gloom, dispair, and agony … to rid yourself of LD.
Rusty
May 20th, 2012
1:31 pm
Grandpa since your so happy with LD,I guess not all is not lost.LD forced the trade because he always kept playing MB. He had to tell Sund that we didn’t have a better pg on the bench ( not JT,that’s why he never played him) so Sund made the trade to appease him & to stop him from playing MB. I guess it is all right with you that he keeps turning the offense over to iso Joe & keeps letting JS do what ever he wants , is this a sign of strong leadership. I guess it don’t matter to you that we didn’t make it to the second round even though LD did a lousy job of coaching against the celts. I guess you don’t mind of him playing favorites & keeping others in his doghouse even to the detriment of the team. It wouldn’t shock me if they gave KH a new contract even tho he proved that he can’t play first string sg. Any trade probably would hurt the hawks but wouldn’t cause LD to lose his job. What the hell are you so satisfied with.
Rusty
May 20th, 2012
1:36 pm
It seems to be people like you that are content with what is happening with this team even tho they have the potential to be very good if they had a coach like Sloan,pops or Doc coaching them by that I mean a real coach.
Ray
May 20th, 2012
1:37 pm
@ Rufus1
Even with the injures you still should be able to take out a Boston or Spurs team why because we keep getting fed the crap that both teams are too old and yet?
Boston advanced and the series with Philly. Plus the entire series we were suppose to have this invisible advantage cause Boston is ancient well the ancient got up and kicked some ass and still looking to kick more.
Plus also Boston isn’t 100% healthy the only teams that were really healthy right now is Pacers, OKC, and Spurs. They might not even be as healthy as I’m saying either.
Rusty
May 20th, 2012
1:40 pm
Grandpa just let us call a spade a spade & not write a lot of bullcrap.
Just Joe
May 20th, 2012
1:40 pm
A good offseason for me would include losing Marvin Williams, and some how finding a way to draft Dion Waiters & Fab Melo (both are likely to be drafted in the second half of the first round). I like that these guys are both sophomores on a Syracuse team that preaches defense (although it’s almost exclusively zone) and pushing the ball on offense. I’d also like to bring back Hinrich, McGrady, and Ivan Johnson. How we get rid of Marvin…how we acquire Waiters & Melo….and what we can get for Josh Smith (if we decide to move him)….is up to Sund or whoever’s calling he shots.
Sautee
May 20th, 2012
2:13 pm
Rusty,
There’s a difference between thinking a coach did a good enough job to be retained, and being “content with what is happening with this team”.
A BIG difference.
Just because YOU think that all we need is an elite coach, doesn’t necessarily make it true.
Someone can think LD is worth having and STILL have major concerns about the way the franchise is managed.
But that may be too nuanced a view for you to even acknowledge. C’est la vie.
Ken Strickland
May 20th, 2012
2:15 pm
Anyone that has to ask the question WHAT’S SO POSITIVE ABOUT THIS ORGANIZATION, obviously didn’t follow the team the decade or so before Woodson’s final 3yrs as HC. While we’re not as good or as successful all of us would like, we’ve certainly managed to become a consistent playoff team, rather than an inconsistent losing team like the Bobcats, Warriors, Nets, Knicks, Pistons, Wizzards, etc.
Whatever problems Sund, LDrew or our players have been having can be directly traced back to our underfunded and incompetent ownership. With a mandate that he put together a team with 61M already committed to 6 players, RSund did one helluva job putting together a solid, deep, versatile and talented bench with mostly low to minimum contract players.
With what amounted to an entirely new bench, very little time to incorporate these new players due to the lockout, shortened training camp, preseason, and no consistent practice time, along with a NBA record brutal schedule and NBA leading gms lost to injuries, LDrew did one helluva job finishing 4th in the Eastern Conference.
Anyone, and I mean anyone, who’s stupid or delusional enough to think these accomplishments are indications of failure, or a lack of success, especially when compared with the teams past history, obviously can’t see the forest for the trees. LDrew managed to win 40gms under very adverse conditions and in a lockout shortened season.
Therefore, it makes sense for management to want to see how well he and the team can do with a full training camp, preseason, regular season, and hopefully without leading the NBA in injuries. Despite everythng else, whether real or imagined, if the key members of this yrs bench returns, we get a SF that can score, penetrate, rebound, play DEF, and an athletic C that can rebound, play DEF, and run the floor, LDrew can take this team well beyond the 2nd rd.
I don’t give a damn how long any of you feel you’ve been lied to, or how long you’ve been disappointed by this franchise. Drew has been given a contract extension, and if you don’t like it, maybe you are the one that needs to stop posting and take your whinning, crying,and bitching BS elsewhere. I was as disappointed at our 1st rd elimination as any of you, but it happened and I’ve accepted it, and I’ve been a Hawks fan since the days of Connie Hawkins.
My focus now is on what can we do, or will do, to prepare the Hawks for next yrs regular season and playoffs. When it comes to Josh Smith, the Hawks have to make the same trade or don’t trade decision that the Magic had to make on Dwight Howard.
Horford’s injury demonstrated how we need more than just a couple of very limited, situational past their prime centers, and an undersized IJohnson, to backup Horford and Zaza. We also learned that MWilliams is more valuable off the bench than starting.
DawgNole
May 20th, 2012
2:18 pm
Rufus1
May 20th, 2012
12:19 pm
Injuries are not excuses… They are a reason . . . .
Injuries are REASONS…. The world isn’t an ABSOLUTE, some of us understand this and adjust our expectations accordingly…But we live in the REAL world.
____________________
Have injuries been an excuse–oops, I mean a reason–for 44 years of playoff failure?
Ken Strickland
May 20th, 2012
2:23 pm
I’m sorry for being so abbrassive, but all of the blaming, bitching and negative attitudes toward players and coaches is a waste of time. LDrew will return as HC, and JJohnson’s contract is what it is, and no amount of bitching and making it an issue will change that. Let’s discuss what we think it will take, and/or what can be done, to improve the team, with current ownership and their financial limitations, current GM and HC notwithstanding.
DawgNole
May 20th, 2012
2:27 pm
Ken Strickland
May 20th, 2012
2:15 pm
With what amounted to an entirely new bench, very little time to incorporate these new players due to the lockout, shortened training camp, preseason, and no consistent practice time, along with a NBA record brutal schedule and NBA leading gms lost to injuries, LDrew did one helluva job finishing 4th in the Eastern Conference.
_____________________
Wah, wah, wah. More tired excuses from Mr. Happy With Mediocrity. Every team had to deal with the unique issues presented by the lockout. What’s the excuse for 44 years w/o getting past Round 2?
DawgNole
May 20th, 2012
2:29 pm
Ken Strickland
May 20th, 2012
2:23 pm
LDrew will return as HC, and JJohnson’s contract is what it is, and no amount of bitching and making it an issue will change that.
_______________________
Nor will any amount of satisfaction with 44 years of mediocrity.
brigadierjerry
May 20th, 2012
2:32 pm
Ken Strickland,
Do you see the Hawks trying to trade Joe Johnson or trading Josh Smith if they cannot work on an extension or a new contract by the trading deadline?
Also do you want to see them bring back Ivan Johnson?Do you feel they should get rid of Marvin Williams?
Who positions would you like for them to address via the draft?
Rusty
May 20th, 2012
2:35 pm
At the end of next season things will remain the same no matter what any one think or says. It just to bad that this team never has had a good coach to really see what this group is capable of,I really think that they are really very good but we will probably never know how good.
Rusty
May 20th, 2012
2:41 pm
Ken discussing what it will take for this team to get better is pure nonsense as they will never listen to anything we have to say but for sure they will continue to make stupid moves as always.
Just Joe
May 20th, 2012
3:17 pm
While Rick Sund did a decent job putting a bench together, the fact of the matter is that the only mid-season help we got was Erick Dampier. He also failed in that he forced the team in to the luxury tax in order to get Dampier and keep Stackhouse for the second half of the season. These moves cost the team the 52nd pick in this year’s draft. We also can’t forget that in structuring this year’s team, Sund traded our 2010 & 2011 first round picks (for Hinrich), and cut our 2010 & 2011 second round picks. Yes, Sund put together a decent bench this year, but the cost of doing so (in a way) was two first round picks and three second round picks.
rufus1
May 20th, 2012
3:24 pm
Dawgnole,
Injuries may not be the reason for the other 44 years, but it is a damn good reason this for the Hawks and a number of other teams.
I will only judge this team based on their accomplishments and expectations…. So for me, that is about 5-8 years.
BIG DOG
May 20th, 2012
3:42 pm
This big dummy Heat coach is starting Battier and Turf, with no size.
He is worst than LD, JUST DAM
BIG DOG IN THE HOUSE
Ray
May 20th, 2012
3:43 pm
@ Just Joe
Don’t remind me of that I’m upset we could have had Chris Singleton and still held onto Jordan Crawford. I don’t know what either will turn out to be, but they both had major upside when being drafted.
If we trading Josh Smith I’m saying we neeed Top 5 draft pick at best basically I’d like the NO Honerts #4 and their other pick at #10 that’s how much I think Smith is worth oh and give me Trevor Ariza and give them Marvin Williams.
As for Joe Johnson he just needs to go.
Ray
May 20th, 2012
3:44 pm
@ BIG DOG
He’s not a real HC at least not one for a Championship team kind of like Brown out in L.A those two to me are not real Coaches
Doc Rivers and Greg Pop they are not.
Melvin
May 20th, 2012
3:53 pm
Love the way the Pacers play. Although the Miami are getting more calls, they are playing as if they are not going to be denied….
Lebron has committed 3 fouls thru 4 games….LOL, yeah right….
BIG DOG
May 20th, 2012
3:55 pm
Ray – You can’t trade Joe and Josh unless you trying to go back 2 winning 13 games a year.
Trade Joe to the knicks for Amare would be perfect for the Hawks and Knicks.
BIG DOG IN THE HOUSE
BIG DOG
May 20th, 2012
3:59 pm
Ray – Joe could be traded to Heat for D wade if lose this series.
BIG DOG IN THE HOUSE