Hawks should look at Larry Drew for coaching job
Larry Drew, an assistant under Mike Woodson, has the advantage of already knowing the Hawks problems.
I’ve made it a practice to never prejudge a coach. Too many “obscure” hires have gone on to be great successes. Too many “name” hires have gone on to fall on their face.
Some people thought the Falcons were visionaries for hiring Bobby Petrino and Georgia was desperate for hiring Mark Fox. Oops.
So it follows that it would be silly to prejudge the Hawks’ next coach. However — you knew this was coming, didn’t you? — it occurred to me that given the likely parameters of general manager Rick Sund’s coaching search, a top candidate might be right under their noses: Hawks assistant coach Larry Drew.
Follow me through some of these names:
♦ Avery Johnson: How do you knock this guy? He had a .735 winning percentage at Dallas. He reached the
Loading ...NBA finals in his second season, losing to Miami with Dwyane Wade, a rejuvenated Shaquille O’Neal and a pretty fare postseason coach in Pat Riley. The fact he played point guard can only help the development of Jeff Teague. For all the criticism of quick playoff exits the last two years, have you seen what Rick Carlisle has done with that Mavericks since Johnson was fired? Nothing. All that said, do I think Johnson is headed to Atlanta? No. If the Hawks can close a deal with him, it’s because the Atlanta Spirit is willing to pay more for a coach than we believe, or Johnson is willing to accept less than we think.
♦ Tyrone Corbin: The former Hawk is an assistant coach for Utah’s Jerry Sloan, one of the great and under-appreciated coaches in NBA history. That’s good enough for me. Corbin is thought of highly
Loading ...enough that he’s considered Sloan’s heir apparent. He also has been mentioned for openings in Chicago and New Orleans. Pretty strong comments from Jazz guard Wesley Matthews in the Salt LakeTribune: “He’ll be a great head coach some day.” Why? “His passion for the game, and he’s tough. But he understands everything, too. And he’s going to make you better. That’s what you want from your coach.”
♦ Dwane Casey: Some perceive him as the leading candidate. Not really sure why. Hiring a coach who went 53-69 in a season and a half and was fired by the Timberwolves probably wouldn’t stir the masses. Maybe he’s a good young coach. Maybe he got a raw deal in Minnesota. I’m just saying there’s really not much to go on. But Sund knows Casey from their Seattle days so that counts for something.
♦ Larry Drew: He is a bright guy, well-liked and respected by the players. Is he a risk? Absolutely. Most assistant coaches are a risk because they’ve never been a head coach before. But here’s the advantage Drew has over other “risk” picks: He has been here. He knows the locker room. He knows the idiosyncrasies of Josh Smith, Joe Johnson (if he’s back), Mike Bibby and others. He knows the potential of Teague. Sund says he wants a new voice. The fact Drew has been Mike Woodson’s assistant doesn’t mean he’s the same voice as Woodson. Familiarity could work in his favor, not against him. He knows why defensive effort was inconsistent and the offense often fizzled in the fourth quarter.
The feeling out process for an assistant coach from the outside could be long. Only a proven outsider like Avery probably could command immediate respect in the locker room. Otherwise, there will be a feeling out process. That won’t exist with Drew. He’s worth a look. A long look.
♦
Earlier posts
Is it ‘hot seat’ time already for Mark Richt at Georgia?
Georgia Tech, ACC content to watch expansion for now
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117 comments Add your comment
D B Cooper
May 19th, 2010
7:17 am
Drew would be more of the same. No
SimpleDawg
May 19th, 2010
7:19 am
Whomever the Hawks hire will have to ruffle a few feathers ( tell Josh to stop shooting threes, and be a more consistent defender – not just a shot blocker ), cultivate and nurture young talent ( Horford and Teague ), all while encouraging veteran players to expand their games and lead by example.
Having more, better players would certainly help make him look smarter.
Mr. Phil
May 19th, 2010
7:51 am
You know after careful consideration, I would like to backtrack on a comment I made before. I am thinking Ty Corbin might be the answer. This “feeling process” you speak of Jeff might be a good thing for these Hawks. I don’t think anybody on the coaching staff from last year should be involved with the team going forward. We need complete changes in coaching philosophy and style.
There have been coaches who had (nearly) immediate impact with teams coming in. I think the precise and crisp style that Sloan coaches(and presumably Corbin would mirror) is exactly what the Hawks have got to have.
Mikel
May 19th, 2010
7:51 am
More of the same? Jeff, you’ve been drinking too much Kool Aid. You are smarter than that, come on…….
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Jeff Schultz
May 19th, 2010
8:02 am
Mr. Phil — I like Corbin. There’s no question he’s going to be a head coach somewhere.
Jeff Schultz
May 19th, 2010
8:02 am
Mikel — I don’t think Drew is “the same” just because he was on Woodson’s staff.
Jerrell
May 19th, 2010
8:08 am
No. Woody’s failing was he didn’t get enough out of the roster, which includes establishing a system where his starters could best thrive and failed to develop his bench. I have no faith the guy working under him could be an upgrade. Maybe he’s the next Phil Jackson, but I think more likely that could be Ty Corbin.
LEA
May 19th, 2010
8:08 am
no thanks
Whopper Dawg
May 19th, 2010
8:16 am
I am sure Mr. Drew is a nice guy, but I think a clean break is needed, a fresh start. To survive as a Woodson assistant, he would have had to be a supporter of the coaching style and strategy that has been employed. He would have to be viewed as a continuation, at least in part, of the previous regime. Kind of reminds me of the Swamp Fox Part III.
Taco Bell
May 19th, 2010
8:16 am
How is bring someone from within the organization giving the Hawks a “new voice”
The team gave up and the coach……..how can that not include his coaching staff as well. C’mon Jeff, you can’t be serious? Did you promise Drew a story or something?
Sid
May 19th, 2010
8:18 am
Ok Schultzie, what did he pay you……………..? “just kiddin’ ”
*********************************************************************
“Some people thought the Falcons were visionaries for hiring Bobby Petrino” ?
Mr. Jeff, I am going to have to ask you to back this statement up…………name one of the “some people” other than Bobby Petrino.
Tha Real Hawk
May 19th, 2010
8:22 am
Do not hire someone from the previous coach’s staff. Never works! Same voice.
Word
May 19th, 2010
8:24 am
Lame attempt to get the crowd chatting……. I guess sometimes the journalist are trying to fill status quo.
Clay
May 19th, 2010
8:25 am
“Maybe he’s a good young coach.”
Isn’t Casey in his 50’s, Shultzie?
I’m with you. If Corbin is Sloan’s heir apparent, that’s all I need to know. Sloan’s Jazz was over-matched by the Lakers, just like the Hawks ve Magic. However, that was the only similarity in the two teams’ series. The Jazz played hard, every minute of every game. The Hawks ……not so much.
Steve
May 19th, 2010
8:26 am
How about Tom Thibodeau, assistant coach for Boston Celtics and highly thought of around the league?
i_am_soulstar
May 19th, 2010
8:36 am
Sund won’t make this move for Larry Drew. Just not gonna happen. Not saying he isn’t deserving or capable, but he’d be widely criticized if this move fell through.
wordsmithtom
May 19th, 2010
9:05 am
Soulstar, good reasoning. Sund is a cautious type. I like Tribodeau a lot; ok with AJ, Price, Corbin, Mahorn…someone like that. From what I saw of Drew’s coaching in the summer leagues, he plays a different type of game than Woody. He was “run and gun”. That fits the talent this team has, especially if they involve Teague and pick up another big to help. This team needs tweeks, not fullscale surgery. Use Marvin on the high post more often. Sheesh, you have a drop dead foul shooter standing on the wings where nobody will touch him??? WTF’s up with that? Not all the time, but as a halfcourt point forward. I sense Drew would be an upgrade, but like you; Sund is probably too conservative to take that risk.
Kenbud
May 19th, 2010
9:09 am
Trade with New Orleans for PG Darren Collison! (trying to build support here. LOL) …. gotta trade with teams that have a gluttony at certain positions.
Lowcountry Bulldawg
May 19th, 2010
9:24 am
Bill Laimbeer! 2 titles as a player with the Bad Boys and 3 as a coach in the WNBA. Assistant right now in the league. He can instill mental toughness this team lacks and with a hard nosed defensive approach the team may be allowed for fastbreak chances. Confused as to why he is not being mentioned, b/c if you talk about back ground non of the candidates outsdie of Johnson can match his.
fes
May 19th, 2010
9:28 am
Drew can’t even coach his own son to be a better player. Every time he touches the ball for UNC, I cringe. I have no faith in dad’s abilities to coach up other players.
JSS
May 19th, 2010
9:37 am
@ Clay…
Corbin is favored by Jerry Sloan to coach in the NBA, not necessarily to be his replacement. Larry Drew can only be the head coach of this team if 3 things happen. 1. Avery Johnson passes on the job (which I hope is highly likely). 2. Other teams snatch up the truly good choices and Thibodeau fails miserably again in another round of interviews… 3. All hell breaks loose, the Cleveland job comes open and the chain reaction starts as free agents start getting serious about what teams are going to do in terms of direction. The Hawks panic and decide to get someone in place.
If you hire Drew, he must purge his staff of Bob Bender, Tyrone Hill and Jim Todd! The most telling point for me came in Game 7 of the ‘09 Miami series when Mike Bibby got into a shouting match with Hill and Bender coming out of a timeout. The Hawks ran the set play with Bibby hitting a 3. Bibby glared in the direction of the assistants the next 2 times down the floor…
@ Jeff Schultz…
What did you think of the Bolt/Michael Johnson interview?
Delbert D.
May 19th, 2010
9:41 am
Maybe Drew is the guy the team has really tuned out.
TROTTINGHOME
May 19th, 2010
9:44 am
LMAO…Your fishing without bait here JEFF…again.
This must be your Wednesday “I need to hump somebody’s leg Day”
Truth be told, I read the title and the caption…immediately came down to the blog…well you know the rest.
Oh YES…I skipped all 8 paragraphs.
Jeff D.
May 19th, 2010
10:00 am
I think new blood is badly needed. I’m sure Drew is a great guy with potential but we need a total change in philosophy. We need a real shock by management/coaching staff to let these guys know they need to step up their game to become champions. Avery will cost a pretty penny and I’m guessing the Spirit can’t cough it up. Sure, there are plenty of sleeper candidates out there but I wonder if the Spirit is willing to roll the dice on a sleeper when they desperately need a savior. Will Sund and company shock the city of Atlanta and make a quality offer to a proven winner like Avery Johnson? I think it’s possible. Go ahead, shock me!
Hawks73
May 19th, 2010
10:05 am
Larry Drew might very well be a good coach some day, but he would not be a “different voice” that Sund stated he desires. You need to bring in somebody who will change the dynamics of this current roster. A coach who is tough, but has a clear path and can develop players of the bench. One who will take every resource provided and make good use of what he is given. If that means paying more for a coach in the short term, then so be it. I think we would all agree that there are “salary cap restraints” with this current management group, so why not put your dollars into a coach who can absorb these challenges and progress this team to the next level.
Hawks73
May 19th, 2010
10:07 am
…and to further my previous statement, players would probably be willing to accept a more favorable contract if they know and respect the coach who is at the helm. The opposite can’t be said if you hire an obscure name.
Not So Mighty Casey
May 19th, 2010
10:17 am
Jeff, so far, no one at the AJC seems willing to broach the subject of Dwane Caseys’s humiliating cheating scandal at Kentucky, when he was caught sending an overnight envelope full of cash to recruit Chris Mills. How can you guys ignore this? There is no chance that he’ll be successful here if we wait until he’s on the job to remind everybody oh, he’s THAT GUY. Any chance you’ll be the guy with the stones to at least bring this up in print? If somehow the consensus is that this issue no longer matters, a lot of us would love to hear that explanation. The Hawks can’t bear the stain of hiring a confirmed cheater.
JEWELL
May 19th, 2010
10:23 am
JEFF, NO TO DREW. LET HIM GET A HEAD JOB SOMEWHRE ELSE. CORBIN COULD BE A GOOD PICK. CASEY DID GET A RAW DEAL IN MINN. MY CHOICE IS STILL BYRON SCOOT. DON’T KNOW WHY HE’S NOT IN YOUR POLL……
ntrigue
May 19th, 2010
10:23 am
Hire either Ty Corbin or Steve Smith! No to Avery Johnson and Casey!!!!
Marcus
May 19th, 2010
10:27 am
Schultzie,
What about Thibodeau (sp?) the asst. @ BOS?
I presume he can’t talk to teams about coaching openings (just like the NFL) until the C’s finish their season. That said, given whatever defensive coaching role Thibodeau has had in the Celtics holding down Dwight Howard after he dang-near got HOF stats vs. us in the 2nd round should garner enough immediate respect from our current players, head coaching experience notwithstanding.
Ramblin Wrecker
May 19th, 2010
10:29 am
Tyrone Corbin sounds like the answer. You had me at “heir apparent to Jerry Sloan”. Sloan is a bad ass tough guy. That sounds exactly what the Hawks need (i.e. Josh Smith’s candy ass) to take their talent to the next level. If this guy is half the coach Sloan is, this is the man to hire. Imagine the tough attitude this team could have on defense with a coach like this. Imagine Jeff Teague running pick and rolls (a la Stockton to Malone) with Al Horford and Josh Smith. None of the other potential coaches offer you an image of what the Hawks could be like under them. To me that makes Corbin the best choice.
atlienforlife
May 19th, 2010
10:30 am
Absolutely not! This whole coaching staff has to be revamped. The hawks need new voices in that locker room. Woodson knew the hawks problems and had no answers for fixing it, and obviously, his assistants didn’t have a word in his ear either. Drew would be a cheap and uninspiring move that proves that the atlanta spirit is not ready to make the moves necessary to get us over the hump. That whole staff placated to Joe Johnson, and that will continue with Drew. Probably a nice guy, but he need to see the door as well. You down a person like Avery Johnson, who was saddled with a soft jump shooting “superstar” and a bunch of shooters with no low post game to speak of. He cannot be faulted for that lost to D-Wade in the finals. That guy is the best player in the league, in my opinion, and he played possessed in that final four games. We need a disciplinarian out there and someone to hold “all” the players accountable, and that’s avery or byron scott!
Marcus
May 19th, 2010
10:30 am
@Not so mighty Casey,
that was, what, 20+ years ago? Let it go. Apparently, he has paid his penance and still is allowed to work in basketball circles.
Besides, in the pros, you don’t have to worry about FedEx envelopes full of cash to players. Heck, unless you are Phil Jackson or Pat Riley, you might have to ask the PLAYERS to float you some $$$ ’til payday.
Big Ray
May 19th, 2010
10:32 am
“Drew would be more of the same.”
Really? That’s like saying the Vice President would make the exact same decisions as the current President, if he took over the job.
The team did not give up on the entire coaching staff, they gave up on Woody.
How quickly we forget two things in the last 4 years:
1) Drew and Fisdale desperately trying to leave the team at the same time, only to be rebuffed by Billy Knight, who held them to their contracts. Fisdale eventually made it out, down to Miami I believe.
2) Woody talking after the team’s first playoff series ever, stating that he fought his assistants all year long over him shortening the rotation.
Jeff D.
May 19th, 2010
10:32 am
This is a critical crossroads for the Hawks. They can’t gamble here. Experience is the only way to go in order to raise the bar.
Ced
May 19th, 2010
10:32 am
I think Ty Corbin would be interesting. He was a hard working player for the Hawks when he played, although he was far from talented he still played his role well. It sounds good that he has been under coach Sloan and Sloan endorses him. Coach Sloan always has his players running precise plays and working hard. If Ty has been around that and taken that in, we will be better team if he brings it here with him.
JMARABLE
May 19th, 2010
10:37 am
WE NEED SOMEONE WHOS BEEN THERE DONE THAT. NOT A PERSON LERANING ON THE FLY. WE ARE SLOWLY BECOMMING AN EXPERINCED TEAM[3 STRAIGHT PLAYOFF APPERANCES] WE NEED SOMEONE WHO KNOWS THE GAME ESPECIALLY OFFENSIVELY.
HawkKingBibby
May 19th, 2010
10:38 am
If they hire Drew shoot me from a cannon into the Chattahoochee.
Chip Caray
May 19th, 2010
10:42 am
I can handle that job.
dub366
May 19th, 2010
10:50 am
i have said all alone Drew should be the coach. give him a chance what you got to lose. don’t he coach the summer league and did a great job with Teague and the team.
VickSwitchHitter
May 19th, 2010
10:50 am
THE HAWKS SHOULD CONSIDER HIRING JOHN DREW AS THEIR NEXT HEAD COACH. JOHN DREW PLAYED FOR THE HAWKS ABOUT 30 YEARS AGO AND WAS ABSOLUTELY SPECTACULAR. HE PLAYED WITH “FAST” EDDIE JOHNSON AND THE LATE TERRY FURLOW, ALONG WITH TREE ROLLINS, DOMINIQUE WILKINS AND A HOST OF OTHER CAPABLE HAWKS PLAYERS. JOHN WOULD MAKE A FANTASTIC COACH.
JSS
May 19th, 2010
10:50 am
This is all starting to become just “Talking Heads!” Please start reading what other commentators are posting… 8 people have talked Thibodeau, but still people keep coming in asking “but what about Thibodeau?”
Here is a article to the Salt Lake City Tribune: http://www.sltrib.com/ci_15099375?source=most_viewed
Tyrone Corbin in his own words and some outside observations from Jazz players.
Jeff Schultz
May 19th, 2010
11:03 am
Seems to be fairly universal against Drew. Don’t agree with the contention that because he was Woodson’s assistant must mean he’s a Woodson clone. In fact, I believe just the opposite is true. But everybody is entitled to their opinion.
Jeff Schultz
May 19th, 2010
11:04 am
Taco Bell — No, didn’t promise Drew a story.
Jeff Schultz
May 19th, 2010
11:06 am
Steve — Thibodeau is getting a lot of attention but some are of the opinion is best as an assistant (a defensive specialist) and not a head coach.
Jeff Schultz
May 19th, 2010
11:07 am
JSS — didn’t see the interview. When/where was that and what was the topic?
Jeff Schultz
May 19th, 2010
11:08 am
Not So Mighty Casey — Not much to say about Casey’s role in the Kentucky scandal right now. It’s been written a million times. If he gets the job, obviously it will written a million more times.
Tonyv-atl
May 19th, 2010
11:27 am
Jeff- What do you think of Mark Jackson
Doc Rivers is a hell of a coach!
Charles
May 19th, 2010
11:29 am
God NO
John
May 19th, 2010
11:31 am
Jeff Van Gundy? I think he is far better than Stan who is a good coach too. I think we should at least see if he is interested.
mdirect
May 19th, 2010
11:38 am
What about Mark Price? He’s an Atlanta guy and a leader.
UGA'91
May 19th, 2010
11:42 am
Here’s my problem with Hawks fans, local media types, and the Hawks front office in general…Anytime we get a good head coach, we believe the grass will be greener with another head coach. No planning, no forethought. Hawks get eliminated from the playoffs (usually second round) let’s fire the coach that took us there, So we go from the Hubie Brown’s, Mike Fratello’s, and Lenny Wilkens of the world, to Terry Stotts’, Lon Kruger’s, and Bob Weiss’es of the world..Bob (freakin) Weiss! Know, rather than giving Woody a true big man and a mobile experianced point guard, we fall back to what we always do…Get an inexperianced assistant or a retread. A sure sign of crazy is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result. Classic!
Gary
May 19th, 2010
12:14 pm
So let me get this straight. For those of us who are employed, if our boss was to get fired, and we took over as the new boss, would we make the same decisions on how to run the company?
I dont think so. People have different opinions, but sometimes, as a good employee, you will fall in line with your boss and/or the culture. But when you are in charge, you have more authority to make changes.
Big Ray,
Woody also said that his assistants wanted to double Wade in the Miami series, but Woody refused. This was part of the reason why Wade averaged almost 30 ppg and the series went 7 games.
An important issue to me, is we need a HC who can reach out to JJ and make him feel comfortable about staying (all things being equal), and be able to incorporate JJ into our (new) offense. We need a guy who will push the players, and help develop Teague.
Jeff,
How do you feel about Tom Thibodeau?
Feudfinder
May 19th, 2010
12:15 pm
Mr. Schultz, What does ASG have to lose in hiring Larry Drew? Nothing but save some money. If there is anybody who knows what improvement the team needs, I think it’s that man.
Furman Bisher
May 19th, 2010
12:16 pm
Yeah, Drew will be named coach just as soon as they announce that Josh Smith will be starting at the small forward this year!
What a dummy Schultz is! Why write basketball when you aren’t familar with the sport?
Hey Schultz, why not bring Woody back to assist Drew?!
JSS
May 19th, 2010
12:16 pm
@ Jeff Schultz…
Check your AJC email, I sent you the link… I came across it via USA Track and Field, it is most likely from British Athletics (who Johnson commentates for)…
@UGA’91
You tell ‘em!
CrazyDiamond
May 19th, 2010
12:20 pm
Billy Knight, Larry Drew, and Mike Woodson. All team mates on the Kansas City Royals in 1985. The Hawks need a new voice and a break from the some old same old.
Paul Hewitt
May 19th, 2010
12:21 pm
I am right down the road.
CrazyDiamond
May 19th, 2010
12:22 pm
Kansas City Kings (not Royals). KC was Cinn Royals before move to KC
GoldenRetriever
May 19th, 2010
12:27 pm
Lets make Dominique Wilkins a temporary (interim) coach for the Hawks as a PLAYER-COACH until the Hawks find their permanent coach. Wilkins can still play, but would have to drop his broadcast duties as an analyst alongside Bob Rathman. The Hawks should go on an extensive search to find a competent, proven coach who has won at least one championship.
Jeff Schultz
May 19th, 2010
12:39 pm
Big Ray — Thanks. Great points. Hey look everybody, somebody agrees with me! Shout out to Ray, my man!
Jeff Schultz
May 19th, 2010
12:41 pm
JMarable — So going the been-there/done-that route, who would be your choice? Avery Johnson, Jeff Van Gundy, Byron Scott? And what if ownership won’t pay that much?
Jeff Schultz
May 19th, 2010
12:42 pm
Dub366 — Hey look! That’s two. I’m on a roll . . .
ELVISINTHEHOUSE.
May 19th, 2010
12:43 pm
If were going to hire drew we might as well hire spud webb.Drew being under woodson might be different in opinion but same chemistry.I will say hell to the no.bring in a avery johnson jeff vangundy or even B.scott.
Jeff Schultz
May 19th, 2010
12:43 pm
Tonyv-Atl — If we’re going to go the outside-the-box route of somebody who’s never coached like Mark Jackson, I’d prefer Steve Smith.
Jeff Schultz
May 19th, 2010
12:45 pm
Gary — Also great points. … Wow, suddenly I don’t feel so alone.
Jeff Schultz
May 19th, 2010
12:45 pm
Feudfinder — Thanks.
Jeff Schultz
May 19th, 2010
12:46 pm
Furman Bisher — Pretty sure this isn’t you.
Jeff Schultz
May 19th, 2010
12:46 pm
Will do, thanks.
Jeff Schultz
May 19th, 2010
12:47 pm
Paul Hewitt — Yes, you are. And that’s where you’ll stay, mister.
Jeff Schultz
May 19th, 2010
12:47 pm
Goldenretriever — Why would you hire an interim coach when you have the entire offseason to hire a real one?
Jeff Schultz
May 19th, 2010
12:48 pm
Elvisinthehouse — Spud Webb judged the Slam Dunk contest this year. That should be an easy transition to coaching.
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david
May 19th, 2010
12:59 pm
Yeah that’s what we need is Woodson’t asst. That’s crack pipe wisdom. That’s always what you want to do is fire the coach and get his asst and expect different results. Schultz, maybe Drew to take your place but not to coach this team. Remember DIFFERENT direction is the goal. What a joke. Save face and write a column tomorrow that you were just joking to get everybody fired up and to let everybody know that you really aren’t that stupid.
C Mack
May 19th, 2010
1:12 pm
Larry Drew might not be a bad guy for the job. Me like everyone else would love to have Avery Johnson. Ty Corbin would be a great fit also. When it comes down to it we need a coach that players respect and are little afraid of at the same time. The reason Josh Smith does’nt come past half court on defense some times is because he knows Woodson is not going to do anything about it. We need some who will bench his but and show him whos boss. I love Josh’ talent but his attitude sucks.
GT Alum
May 19th, 2010
1:26 pm
So, does that mean Woodson also fought his assistant coaches on implementing more fluid offensive sets and better defensive schemes? He would’ve had to have ignored his coaches on almost every point for one of them to be what this team needs. If he was that stupid and stubborn in his first head coaching job, he should’ve been out of here years ago.
If the Hawks make someone one’s already on the bench the head coach, most of the villagers will be going to Sund’s office carrying torches and pitchforks. For those who ask what the Hawks have to lose by hiring Drew – they can lose a lot of their fan base. The fans will force Drew to prove himself before they support this team under him. Just to make it clear, I’m not saying I would abandon the team, but I would definitely be skeptical.
My vote would be for Corbin. I’ve always admired what Jerry Sloan has done in Utah. He’s made Utah a place NBA players actually want to go to. His teams tend to be everything the Hawks aren’t – tough, focused, aggressive, defensive-minded, and they run smooth offensive sets. Sounds like Ty is very much a protege of Sloan, and he has ties to the Hawks.
ELLIS
May 19th, 2010
1:27 pm
I understand that if we lose Joe that we will not have the financial wherewithal to replace him with an upper eschelon talent. I don’t understand that but lets assume that its true. Why would a proven coach come to the hawks without any assurance of Joe Johnson’s return? Jeff, Is it likely to expect Avery Johnson to sign on to a team with such a huge “unknown”?
David
May 19th, 2010
1:33 pm
Let nique call the game as he playing that would be funny as Hell. We wont any games but it would be entertaining…….seriously hire Tye Corbin we can pick and roll with Teague and Horford…..Stockton to Malone….
David
May 19th, 2010
1:34 pm
Wont win any games.
mikemc
May 19th, 2010
1:35 pm
In Philly Doug Collins is getting a lot of attention as possible 76′ers coach. I haven’t heard his name mentioned in Atlanta. Why not?
GoldenRetriever
May 19th, 2010
1:45 pm
Jeff Schultz: There arent that many good coaches out there who are unemployed right now. Mike Brown is supposed to be getting fired this week, but Brown couldnt help the Cavs win a title so Brown came up short at Cleveland, although his regular-season coaching record is pristine (two consecutive 60 win seasons–unprecedented). I dont think Mike Brown would do much better with a Hawks roster because Brown couldnt get LaBron James a championship ring. On the other hand, Nique is a huge hawks fan, broadcaster, former player, hall of famer and really has his heart into the Hawks. Nique wants the Hawks to do well and has put his personal stamp on the Hawks. To make Nique the interim coach, what you’re really saying is “Nique, just keep the Hawks competitive until the coach you really want who is currently employed (Greg Popovich, Phil Jackson or Jerry Sloan) right now, eventually retires, resigns or gets fired. Popovich has a great resume and has coached the Spurs to many titles; however, Sloan is a proven coach and has guided Utah to many playoff appearances (somewhere around 20) probably most in NBA history. Sloan is a no-nonsense coach who can handle the difficult personalities and is known to get the maximum out of his players. The Hawks really need someone long-term who has a) great coaching skills; and b) proven to take a roster to either the conference finals or the NBA finals. To answer your question, the entire offseason still may not produce the head coach for the Hawks because the Hawks will probably choose from the pool of people who are currently looking for jobs. But the great head coaches, i.e. Greg Popovich, Phil Jackson, names like that you might have to wait for them to either retire or quit and then somehow convince them to coach the Hawks. I think if the Hawks want to hire someone relatively soon, they could possibly choose either Byron Scott or Avery Johnson to coach the Hawks. Hopefully the Hawks can find someone who can fill the Hawks coaching vacancy.
Atta
May 19th, 2010
1:53 pm
All of those who are making nasty comments about Larry Drew can go and take the next shuttle to mars. Sounds like you are jealous and wish you had an opportunity to play moreless coach a NBA team. Let’s see you how your occupation compares to the position that Larry Drew have. If he don’t get the opportunity to coach at least he has made further than some of you morons who are casting stones.
GT Alum
May 19th, 2010
2:14 pm
GoldenRetriever, I’ve gotta say I think you are really dreaming. None of the coaches you are talking about are going to be fired. The only one I can see leaving without leaving the game is Jackson. If Jackson goes somewhere else, he’s going to want top dollar to go to a team that has highly intriguing talent that he thinks he can take to a championship. People are saying we aren’t willing to pay what it will take to get Johnson. If that’s the case, there’s no way we can afford Jackson.
DHunt
May 19th, 2010
2:17 pm
Since no one else seemed to notice it, Larry Drew did not play for the Hawks, that was John Drew and he was traded away for Nique, and later fell into a drug habit.
Moving on. It’s ridiculous to even think Larry Drew would be the same as Woodson. Drew spent 10 years in the league playing point guard and the past 16 years coaching. Surely he has developed his own thought process about how the game should be played by now. Then there’s the fact that he’s a former point guard. Pretty little chance that he would run an iso-offense that basically ignores the point guard position. And every chance that he will be able to get production out of the point guard position we haven’t seen since Mookie left.
I think if he can convince Sund that he categorically disagreed with much of what Woody was doing, especially on the offensive side (and each and every candidate is going to have to denounce what was going on), he’s just as reasonable a choice as any other candidate that’s been mentioned. Has a hell of a lot more experience than most of them in fact. And consider this. He already knows intimately what was happening in that locker room. No learning curve, no getting to know each other, but still in all likelihood, a 180 degree turn in team philosophy. We don’t want a huge drop off with this team, it seems only reasonable to rock to boat as little as possible.
GT Alum
May 19th, 2010
2:19 pm
Jeez, Atta, are you one of Drew’s kids or something? People will pick apart every candidate for this opening, just like they will every candidate to replace Bobby Cox and for the Thrashers’ coaching position. And, if you think this is bad, if he is hired, just wait for the Hawks to encounter any kind of adversity – people will tear him apart like a pack of jackals on a gazelle. Just look at the success Bobby Cox has had and the criticism he still gets. It’s part of coaching. You have to have a thick skin.
Mr. Mojo
May 19th, 2010
2:24 pm
This ownership is a joke they want people to come and watch thsi team but yet they dont want to put more money into the team. We cant hire a better coach cause we dont want to pay for one? That is rediculous. If they say they want to win then that shouldnt matter. this team needs an experienced coach not some first time coach. As for Drew No way we need new blood if they were so different I am sure being he was Woody’s assistant that he could of talked to Woody about things he felt they can do.
Atta
May 19th, 2010
2:40 pm
No I am not one of Drew’s kids or something (as you put it). I’m just calling it like I see it! In addition, my comments still stands as is!
GT Alum
May 19th, 2010
2:49 pm
Well, then, you belong to the same category that you put all Drew’s critics in.
R-Mak
May 19th, 2010
2:57 pm
Hey Jeff I really like Corbin as my first choice but is it too crazy to think about Lenny Wilkens as a candidate? Last I heard he was a sports analyst for college hoops.
Atta
May 19th, 2010
2:58 pm
And… I know where you belong!
PaulWinchester
May 19th, 2010
3:03 pm
Has anyone contacted ex-Hawk Isiah Rider about the Hawks coaching vacancy? Im sure he would wreck the Hawks even more than Mike Woodsen did.
Marcus
May 19th, 2010
3:08 pm
SI is reporting that Blazers asst. coach is on the list to interview with the ATL Hawks:
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/basketball/nba/05/19/demopolous.hawks/index.html
SirReal
May 19th, 2010
3:37 pm
@PaulWinchester That was funny.
Jeff,
I think it’ll be a while before we have a new coach, even though I like Drew. He probably questioned a lot of Woodson’s decisions. It better happen before 7/1 if they plan on trying to keep Joe Johnson though or bringing in one of the huge names this summer. The coach is very important in the decision making for free agents…
Feudfinder
May 19th, 2010
4:03 pm
Pardon me, and with due respect to Jerry Sloan. Sloan has been a coach at Utah for almost a century now. He is yet to get a ring as a coach if I am correct. Just because Jerry Sloan is a tough coach does not mean his assistant will automatically be tough. Because Woodson was not very inspiring does not mean Larry Drew will follow his step. It just makes sense to look within before looking outside first. For those who do not have the sense that is common,answer this question. Would you have given Jerry Sloan these many years as the Hawks coach if all he did was reaching finals and getting swept in the semis for that long? Think about that .The truth hurts. doesn’t it ?Always be fair when you make analysis.
Feudfinder
May 19th, 2010
4:19 pm
Did Mike Woodson wreck the Hawks? Somebody is having difficulty with CHOICE OF WORDS. I know i’m taking Definition 101this summer.
GoldenRetriever
May 19th, 2010
4:19 pm
Feudfinder: the way you are slamming Jerry Sloan you are likening him to Bobby Cox of the Braves, someone who has made the playoffs alot but has nothing to show fir it. The reason why I mentioned Jerry Sloan was for two reasons: #1) his teams have made the playoffs for about 20 consecutive years, going back to Karl Malone and John Stockton; and #2) the absolutely incredible job that Sloan has done coaching and molding Deron Williams into possibly the best point guard in the game today. Many nba fans/coaches/players etc. feel today that Deron Williams is the best point guard in the league. Williams certainly looks like it to me, although there are talented great point guards like Rajon Rondo, Jamier Nelson and Chris Paul. Although that is debatable now that Rondo has looked so awesome in the playoffs, alot of folks will say its Rondo now who is the best. Chris Paul would have been sensational had he not gotten injured so much. For me, after seeing Rondos stat line the other night of 29pts 18boards and 13 assists against Cleveland, its hard not to say Rondo is not the best. I guess if you compare Deron Williams to Rajon Rondo its like comparing apples to oranges. They both are required to do different things for their respective teams but I think they both are spectacular. I think Williams is slightly ahead, but Rondo is improving all the time. Who is the best is probably left for debate and there is probably no wrong or right answer depending on who you like better.
Feudfinder
May 19th, 2010
4:42 pm
Hey GoldenRetriever, bro, I never underrated Jerry Sloan. As a matter of fact, he is one the best coaches out there. I only used a short-term and a long-term coaching comparison. I am one of the fans who think that Mike Woodson had reached a point of return with this team, and as result, the best thing possible was to part ways amicably. My point is because Sloan is tough does not Corbin is tough,and because Woodson did not live up to fans expectation does not make Larry Drew a bad coach. PEACE!!!
Jeff Schultz
May 19th, 2010
5:14 pm
Sir Real — Rick Sund indicated to me that a coach will be in place before the draft and free agency.
Fredi Gonzalez should top of Braves' list to replace Cox | Jeff Schultz
May 19th, 2010
5:17 pm
[...] Hawks should look at Larry Drew for coaching job [...]
shawn
May 19th, 2010
6:51 pm
Jeff,
Are you kidding me? Larry who? Please no recycling.. go get a bright coach with some creativity and please no more of woodson ashes.
Bishop
May 19th, 2010
10:52 pm
I think Jeff is on to something. If anyone has studied Woody’s sideline they would know that Drew brings a fresh perspective that Woody benefited from (when he would listen) and that the players respond to. I think Drew would be a great hire! Go Hawks!
True
May 20th, 2010
12:30 am
Shultz sure seems like you been talking to Drew. You are to high on him, you sounds like a commercial rying to sell a product
MsDee
May 20th, 2010
1:09 am
Most people dont realize that Larry Drew may not be a bad idea to replace Woodson..
First of all, Larry saw enough bad in Woody to not make the same mistakes. You CAN learn from a fool. Not say-ing Wood-son is a fool and all but I’m just sayin………
I believe Larry stopped putting his 2 cents in because he knew Woodson would ignore sound advice.
Not sure if you guys noticed it but b4 Billy Knight tried to fired Woodson, it seemed like Larry Drew was being more like an assistant coach, you know like pulling your head coach back from getting technicals, or being just as involved in conversations with your head coach during time-outs, or like showing just as much passion as if your were the head coach. Seem like when Woodson didnt get fired and Larry couldnt leave from his contract, he stopped being THAT assistant coach that I just spoke of. I hear people saying ‘why hire someone who the players obvious didnt listen to either’..well maybe b/c Woodson wouldnt allow him to coach the players. Woodson is stubborn like that so Larry stopped giving Woodson anymore sound advise since he knew he wasnt going to listen anyway. I believe Larry just sat back and allowed Woodson to dig himself into a bigger hole just so he would look bad enough to get fired or in this case, get no extention. I truely believe that was what Larry was doing and the team eventually stop playing for him.
So I say all that to say, Larry should get the same attention these other “assistant coaches” are getting. Now if you can land a big time head coach like Avery, then sure, hire him..but if you are going to just hire another assistant, that coach should be Larry!!
Fredi Gonzalez should top Braves' list to replace Cox | braves.baseball-news-update.com
May 20th, 2010
10:27 am
[...] Hawks should look at Larry Drew for coaching job [...]
Bishop
May 20th, 2010
12:14 pm
Amen MsDee! Amen!
Feudfinder
May 20th, 2010
12:46 pm
I like people like MsDee, Bishop, and all the good-thinking people who refuse to let emotion or hatred get in the way of their thinking. Larry Drew doesn’t necessarily have to be the next coach, but he should be looked at. That is a fair game.
cdog
May 20th, 2010
1:08 pm
the hawks need to stop playing ames and go ahead and give the job t avery johnson, point blank
Ken Strickland
May 20th, 2010
1:11 pm
Before anyone dismisses LDrew as a viable option just because he was a Woodson assistant, consider this. I don’t think he’s anything like Woodson, nor did he accept his style or appoach to coaching or dealing with players. Very often assistants like LDrew are the ones who manage to hold things together and smoove over issues often created by HC’s that utilize Woodson’s style and approach.
How many of you remember when LDrew and one or 2 other assistants, wanted to interview for job openings and Woodson wouldn’t grant teams permission to interview them? For all we know, LDrew, or one of our other assistant coaches, had the answer or solution to our problems, but it was up to Woodson whether to accept their input.
Keep in mind, any voice they hear from this point on will be different, even from one of Woodson’s assistant coaches, because they definitely heard only one voice or opinion during Woodson’s tenure with the Hawks, and that was his. I know from experience why players sometimes tune their HC out.
When I was in high school, I had a HC that didn’t know much about basketball, and he had one assistant, who always talk privately with us and kept us focused. We really like him and enjoyed talking with him, but we assumed he didn’t know anymore about basketball than our HC, since he went along with whatever he said or did.
Well, our HC retired and intergration took place. The city closed our high school and combined it with the White high school. Well, that assistant coach ended up successfully suing the school system to become the head basketball coach, since he had seniority over every other candidate. He’s now retired, but that same assistant coach, that we assumed didn’t know anymore about coaching basketball than our former high school head coach, managed to take his teams to 10 city championships and state appearances, as well as a state title.
MsDee
May 21st, 2010
2:01 am
Thx Bishop, Feudfinder, and Ken Strickland for realizing too that Larry should be at least considered as well..It must feel like a slap-in-the-face to Larry to see all these other assistants getting all this recognition and he isn’t..wow!!
Scott
May 21st, 2010
9:45 am
I just hope that Rick Sund isn’t just looking at his “friends” that he has worked with before to hire as our next coach.
The Hawks are very close to getting over the hump, the next coach could possibly get us there, PLEASE take your time and choose the best and most experienced coach available.
PS: LET’S SIGN CHRIS BOSH !!!
j
May 21st, 2010
3:32 pm
I hear the hawks are having a second interview with Avery Johnson today at an undisclosed location. thats interesting news, no?
blonju
May 21st, 2010
8:56 pm
woody sucked, but we might as well have kept him with this list of characters……… geeeeeeeeeeeeez….. avery johson is fools’ gold to anyone who knows basketball – he will lose the teams’ respect by january for being overdemanding and inflexible with this still “YOUNG” players…. mayyyyyybe ty corbin because he’s been under jerry sloan for serveral seasons…. might as well hire mike fratello or doug collins *oh wait, philly just did that*…. i’d take a senile hubie brown over all these fools…. candidates we should be looking at: tom thibodeau, jeff van gundy, mark jackson, or how bout the original john thompson? greg anthony? perhaps even vinny del negro is better suited to withstand an 82 game season and maintain a team’s respect (he was fired by a punk ass GM, aka john paxson, who thought he was the coach for minute – i wouldn’t be suprised to see pax hire himself as coach and by worse than vinny)
getting creative with inexperienced coaches is one thing, but dwayne casey, larry drew?????? that is not creative…
AVERY SUXXXXXXX – there’s a reason dallas lost in the first round after having the best record in the league that year… same reason as woody/hawks or mike brown/cavs this year… these guys are not COACHES!!! they are pawns in ownership schemes.. gimme a guy like DOC RIVERS or NATE MCMILLAN or JERRY SLOAN… some one who can coach, manage people, and maintain a respect for the game and his team while garnering (and not losing) that same respect from his players.
Ken Strickland
May 22nd, 2010
11:37 am
SCOTT-excellent point, because it certainly appears to be leaning that way to some extent. Have you noticed that there hasn’t been a single response uttered by a single Hawks player, or a single question posed to a single Hawks player concerning Mike Woodson’s dismissal. It appears that the players weren’t the only ones that decided they’d had enough of MWoodson and decided to tune him out. We can add ownership and GM RSund to that mix.
It’s revealing how the ASG turned on former GM BKnight and let him go after he so dramatically stood by them in their legal fight with SBelkin. Now they’ve taken the same approach with MWoodson, after once staunchly standing by him in his dispute with former GM BKnight. It’s like the old saying, WHAT COMES AROUND GOES AROUND.
Hawks wouldn't speak to Avery Johnson if it wasn't serious | Jeff Schultz
May 24th, 2010
12:24 pm
[...] 5. Repeating what I wrote a week ago: Don’t discount Hawks assistant coach Larry Drew. Hawks players have high admiration for him and don’t at all consider him a Mike Woodson clone. [...]
Larry Drew may not excite you but he could just work out | Jeff Schultz
June 11th, 2010
7:51 pm
[...] weeks ago, I wrote a blog suggesting Drew was a legitimate candidate for the position. I mentioned how he was highly regarded and respected by players, and that includes the toughest [...]
Hawks Decide on Larry Drew | Soaring Down South | An Atlanta Hawks blog
June 11th, 2010
11:39 pm
[...] Shultz at the AJC blogged about this on May 19th. http://blogs.ajc.com/jeff-schultz-blog/2010/05/19/hawks-should-look-at-larry-drew-for-coaching-job/. Jeff made some very good points. The general consensus on Larry Drew is that he is a very [...]