Poll time: Pick your Hawks’ coach (I’m going with Johnson)
Avery Johnson awaits the polling results for the next Hawks' coach.
The Hawks — seemingly the only NBA team looking for a head coach that has not been linked to a rumor involving Phil Jackson, Tom Izzo or Jeff Van Gundy — appear close to making a decision on Mike Woodson’s replacement.
The good news is it will not be Bob Weiss. The Hawks and Rick Sund (in Seattle) both made that mistake before.
Loading ...But here is your question of the day: Could you be happy with any of these four potential coaches? I’m listing the four, in my personal order of preference. I’m also posting a poll and I’m interested in both your vote and your feedback. All of this assumes that Sund has not been stashing some secret candidate in a basement, unknown to anybody with a blog or a Twitter account.
♦ Avery Johnson: He also is a candidate in New Jersey, and is the only true proven head coach of the four, with a .735 winning percentage (194-70) in Dallas. The Mavericks reached the NBA finals in his second postseason (2005-06). When they lost in the first round the next two years, Johnson lost his job. But Rick Carlisle’s inability to do much better as his successor (one playoff round win in two seasons) speaks volumes about the flaws on the roster. Johnson, known as the “Floor General” in his playing days, was a point guard as a player and probably could help the development of Jeff Teague, who played little under Woodson.
♦ Larry Drew: He probably would not be a popular choice with the public because of a perception that, since he coached under Woodson, he would be a Woodson clone. Not the case. Drew is liked and — here’s the key — respected by players. Drew would bring more discipline and structure than Woodson, a higher level of accountability and more creativity on offense. Obviously there are no guarantees when somebody moves over one seat from the assistant’s to the head coach’s chair. But the one advantage Drew has over any candidate is he has been with the team and therefore is familiar with the problems on the court and in the locker room. There have been several cases where a team fired the head coach and promoted the assistant and it worked out, but here’s one the most extreme one: Chicago Bulls fired Doug Collins and promoted Phil Jackson.
♦ Dwane Casey: He’s the only candidate other than Avery with NBA head coaching experience. By all accounts, he got a raw deal in Minnesota, getting fired by then-general manager Kevin McHale after going 53-69 in a season and a half (20-20 in year two when the ax fell). Every T-Wolves coach who has followed Casey has flopped: Randy Wittman (38-105), McHale (20-43) and Kurt Rambis (15-67). Casey, currently an assistant in Dallas, has been clamoring for this job. He’s also familiar with the problems in the Hawks’ locker room. He’s a smart guy and a good guy. Just not sure if he’s the right guy.
♦ Mark Jackson: He was a terrific player and entertaining as a TV analyst. But he has never been a coach at any level in any capacity. Everybody wants to talk about how Larry Bird (147-67) pulled it off. Nobody wants to talk about Quinn Buckner (13-69 after being hired by Sund in Dallas). (Bird also had at least been in the Boston Celtics’ front office.) I’m sure we can fund a lot of examples on both sides, but here’s the real question: Do you feel comfortable entrusting a veteran team that couldn’t get over the second-round playoff hump to a novice?
So there are the four. What do you think?
♦
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131 comments Add your comment
Jeff Schultz
June 7th, 2010
12:08 pm
Glenn — I don’t think Phil is going anywhere.
Jeff Schultz
June 7th, 2010
12:08 pm
Ted Striker — I’m all for Knight. It’s all about the stories!
Jeff Schultz
June 7th, 2010
12:09 pm
NC Braves Fan — I don’t think they can make an assumption that Joe will base his decision on that. I think it’s going to come down to money for him.
Jeff Schultz
June 7th, 2010
12:11 pm
Jesse — Jerry West was a better guard than either one of them, and he was pretty average as a coach. Didn’t have the patience. Great GM though. You can’t go by how good of a player somebody was.
Jeff Schultz
June 7th, 2010
12:11 pm
Ramon — If that’s true, it’s the first I’ve heard of it. And if it’s true, phone interviews don’t count for much.
Jeff Schultz
June 7th, 2010
12:12 pm
TJL — Very good question. Actually wondering why Byron Scott has drawn little attention everywhere.
Not Drinking the Kool - Aid
June 7th, 2010
12:14 pm
Just say no to Mark Jackson, ASG have no time for experiments. Doc ain’t coming to Atlanta, nor do the Hawks have time to wait on him with J.J.’s free agency and the upcoming NBA draft.
tim
June 7th, 2010
12:15 pm
Why isn’t there an “someone else” choice and why isn’t Mike Brown included in the choices?
Dawglasville
June 7th, 2010
12:16 pm
I think a coach who will develop Teague is key. I think that was Woodson’s biggest sin this year. If Doc is out of the question then I would go with Avery.
Ramon
June 7th, 2010
12:20 pm
@ Jeff, Sund interviewed him the week of Chicago.
Personally, I like Avery or Mark Jackson. I like Mark Jackson because he always had a fighter’s mentality when he played. If Jackson promises not to do the ‘Shimmy Shake’ I wouldn’t be disappointing with him.
My favorite choice is Avery. I think the biggest reason Avery didn’t win the title in Dallas is mainly because of their biggest flaw. And that flaw is Mark Cuban. Cuban is a very supportive owner, and he’s a stand up guy. But I think the way he’s always around and basically the 16th member of the roster, hurts the coaching staff and the players to concentrate and focus on the game. Cuban is almost like going to the prom with your parents sitting on the side watching, taking pictures.
MWE
June 7th, 2010
12:24 pm
Jeff,
Here is the real deal. You have to go with Avery Johnson considering all the inexperience we’ve had before. Knowing that.. This team is not going to get any better without a true center and the development of Jeff Teague. It will NOT happen! Regardless if Joe stays or goes.. I hope he stays! If not.. I think Jamal Crawford could fit in nicely in that position. I love Mike Bibby.. but he can’t play D! However, in my opinion.. We need a true center so Al Horford can move to his natural spot. I really believe that will get us over the hump and at least into the conference finals. We have talent.. we need a coach who can get us there and a TRUE center!!
gcs
June 7th, 2010
12:27 pm
“None of the above”
Does anyone honestly think any of these guys can win a Championship??!! The time to win is now. The Hawks do not have time to rebuild. Prepare for a first round loss in 2011.
If these are the choices, I’d rather have Mike Woodson back. Seriously.
.
i_am_soulstar
June 7th, 2010
12:29 pm
I can’t put my finger on it, but I just have a good feeling about Dwane Casey. And please, just say no to Jamal Crawford starting. Kind of like Al Horford and power forward, 6th man is just his natural position.
Jerry West
June 7th, 2010
12:32 pm
On Byron Scott for a sec, he’s been tuned out by 2 teams. Granted, he made em both successful, but he seems to get a team so far and then wear on em pretty quickly. I think the Hawks are already at that “so far” level. You thought the Hawks quitting was bad, it was just last playoffs that the Hornets tied for the worst playoff game loss ever (58 pts). I think he’d be better off coaching up a bad young team into a playoff squad. He’s the new Doug Collins.
DP
June 7th, 2010
12:37 pm
I am surprised Ty Corbin apparently never made it to the serious candidate list. I have no idea how being a TV announcer makes Mark Jackson more qualified to be an NBA head coach than Corbin is after working as an assistant under Jerry Sloan for many years.
I’d like to see Mark Jackson to get a coaching job somewhere other than the Hawks to get him off the NBA telecasts on ABC. The constant back and forth sniping (that’s supposed to be funny I guess) between Jackson and Jeff Van Gundy is as tiresome as Bill Walton and Steve “Snapper” Jones doing basically the same routine quite a few years back.
The Atlanta Spirit
June 7th, 2010
12:52 pm
Which one is cheapest?
tony
June 7th, 2010
12:53 pm
As long as he has champioship written on his resume I don’t care who they hire. Just tired of waiting.
Reid Adair
June 7th, 2010
1:03 pm
I still don’t like Avery Johnson’s playoff failures. Mike Woodson won 53 regular-season games then struggled, to say the least, in the playoffs.
The fact that Mark Jackson is receiving so many votes in this poll is far more frightening than the idea of hiring Johnson, though.
Bobbi Dud
June 7th, 2010
1:05 pm
Bring back Hubie Brown! Those other choices are a joke!
booger
June 7th, 2010
1:06 pm
have any of phil Jacksons assistants ever had any success as a head man ? that is usually a good indicator of how good a coach really is when his assistants start winning .or has Phil just benefitted from MJ, SHAQ and kobe , and now kobe and gasol.
just wondering if some other assistants should be in the conversation
Ramon
June 7th, 2010
1:06 pm
Bobbi, I WISH Hubie was an option. When he covers the Hawks he makes you feel as if he could fix all the wrongs with the Hawks.
smokemonster
June 7th, 2010
1:12 pm
none of the above. the hawks dont need to have a coach. just go out there and dribble and dunk…does it matter.
smokemonster
June 7th, 2010
1:12 pm
oh and Jack is the Smokemonster
j. naismith
June 7th, 2010
1:18 pm
hire mike woodson
frog
June 7th, 2010
1:22 pm
the hawks need marynell meadors as the coach
Dave In Tampa
June 7th, 2010
1:25 pm
YAWN………
HawkKingBibby
June 7th, 2010
1:26 pm
JS ANY CHANCE YOU CAN MAKE SURE THE ATL SPIRIT SEE THIS POLL AND ITS RESULTS?
Blue
June 7th, 2010
1:27 pm
Mark Jackson ……. There are several former players who went on to become very good or great head coaches with little or no coaching experience (Doc Rivers, Avery Johnson, Larry Bird, Phil Jackson, Doug Collins, Pat Riley, Jerry Sloan, Rudy T., etc.). My vote’s for Mark Jackson.
justme
June 7th, 2010
1:41 pm
Several people have mentioned white candidates, but there are none in the “poll” choices. Apparently, all white coaches are excluded from the Hawks search, which leaves only the four mediocre coaches listed in the poll. Just one more reason not to care about the Hawks or NBA.
MitchC
June 7th, 2010
1:44 pm
Of the ones you mentioned, Avery Johnson, Jeff, but only for one reason. He had success in Dallas.
Of the other longshots. I’d love to see Van Gundy, but I doubt it will happen. He had success with Riley in NY, and as a coach himself.
As we know, this isn’t a team that let its coach go which is in rebuild mode. It is a team that has improved every year, and has stagnated in the playoffs. We aren’t hiring a new coach with the idea of clawing our way from the ground up. We are hiring one who can get this team to the “next level”, and hopefully compete with the Orlandos and Bostons of the world for the NBA Finals.
Hopefully, management will make the right choice, and the team will improve in the playoffs because of it.
4 Jacks
June 7th, 2010
1:46 pm
It really does not matter. As long as these pitiful bozo’s known as the ASG are making the choice you can bet the farm it will be the wrong choice. This so called ownership is just plain down right pitifil. Why doesn’t Gearon and the rest of these morons just leave. Please sell the teams and just go the hell away. We will never be a real contender while these idiots own these teams.
Ted M
June 7th, 2010
1:48 pm
I vote for Laimbeer.
HawkKingBibby
June 7th, 2010
1:48 pm
So far Larry Drew voted 32 times for himself.
JSS
June 7th, 2010
1:49 pm
@ Ted Striker…
Robert Montgomery Knight is all of his splendor! Especially No. 1
@ Jeff Schultz…
Well, funny the State of Indiana couldn’t keep Wooden or Abe Lincoln in the State; but Knight and Lou Holtz were beloved!
By the way, I say Corbin too!
JSS
June 7th, 2010
1:50 pm
Bobby Knight
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Onfzet1xxs&feature=related
cattle dawg
June 7th, 2010
1:51 pm
I like Drew the best, but its like picking the best looking fat girl in a fat girl beauty contest.
Yeah C'mon
June 7th, 2010
2:14 pm
Jon Koncak!!!!
or Blair Rasmussen
General Sherman
June 7th, 2010
2:24 pm
WHO really cares? They need to to leave Atlanta,baskerball stinks and is boring!
Best of Atlanta
June 7th, 2010
2:27 pm
————————————
Joshua Nesbitt for Heisman
————————————
www.uhaul.com
June 7th, 2010
2:35 pm
The Hawks need to relocate to St. Louis.
avery johnson
June 7th, 2010
2:39 pm
(in an extremely obnoxious high-pitched squeel)
When it comes to me being the Atlanta Hawks coach, i’d like to bring up the 4 F’s.
Facts – The Facts.
It doesn’t really matter what my winning percentage is. It is merely a reflection
of the regular season talent I was blessed with. I am not really that great of a coach.
I was never that great of an NBA player, but for some reason I feel the need to micro-manage
players to the point where to remaine sane, they must ignore me completely. If you’re
interested in me simply because of my ability to win games that don’t matter,
consider the recent fortunes of Mike Brown and Mike Woodson.
Fans – The fans.
The only ones who want me. They only want me bcause of my winning
percentage and my 1 ring. The front office knows I want more money and power than i’m worth.
My nick name, The Little General, merely points to my unfortunate case of napoleon complex.
But, by all means, please over pay me. I bring nothing more to the table than Woodson.
Finishing – Finishing.
I’m a terrible finisher. I get good regular season records and then blow an entire season’s
hard effort by making horrible decisions in the playoffs. I don’t know what happened.
No one was listening to me. But, Mark Cuban was breathing down my throat, and Dirk is soft.
You can expect similar results, because your superstar, Joe Johnson, is not a champion either.
Fraud – In sum, I am a fraud that should not be taken seriously by anyone.
wxwax
June 7th, 2010
2:42 pm
My problem with Avery Johnson is that he’s just as abrasive as as Woodson. The players may eventually tune him out, just as they did Woodson.
Phil Jackson’s strength is his people management skills.
For that reason I like Dwane Casey, who may also be able to get the group working together.
Rufus1
June 7th, 2010
2:51 pm
Coach
We need a coach with a National Persona…A coach who can change the perception of the Hawks franchise. There are only 2 coaches on that list with a National Persona…HIRE ONE OF THEM!!!!
We needed to hire a coach that tells free agents, we are serious about winning in ATLANTA…Neither CASEY OR DREW covey that message.
Johnson and Jackson are the best winners of the candidates and have had to overcome the most as players(NO Athleticism)
PS. Our 1# need in next year is the development of a PG…and they are both former PG
cdog
June 7th, 2010
2:52 pm
as i said before, why is rick sund in charge of something he knows nothing about, basketball operations?any moron would have recognized that avery jonson is by far the best coach available.doc rivers is not going to leave a good thing he has in boston.danny ainge is a great GM unlike sund.ainge will do anything needed to keep rivers in boston.forget about fantasizing about rivers and do the right thing, hire the best and available coach who is going to take your franchise to the next level, avery johnson.a child would have already had johnson hired but not loser sund.he wants someone who he can control behind close doors then when what he says don’t work he will be blaming the coach when its always sund’s fault.he will sit back and let other teams get stronger and do nothing then start admiring the teams saying how tough they are.some GM we have.only in atlanta do we have such people running things.thats why the hawks always come up short.
Tybo
June 7th, 2010
3:00 pm
It’s time to break away from the norm. I am all for Mark Jackson getting a shot. I am all for something different. What are gonna do, take a step backwards? With any coach we will do that. Let’s take a chance on Jackson and try something different…
sidewalk74
June 7th, 2010
3:13 pm
Ty Corbin
truly bless
June 7th, 2010
3:16 pm
Mark Jackson was a coach when he played the game. He’s just one of those guys you knew his next step is seating on the bench coaching. And he work with players in the off season. Rondo accredited Jackson for his improvements. And Atlanta would want to here what he had to say about a game.
And we are not winning the championship next year but we will be in the playoffs give Jackson time to grow.
Future prediction: our championship team will have Teague as starting point and Horford pf/c and Josh and Marvin coming off the bench. True story
DawgDad
June 7th, 2010
3:28 pm
“Avery Johnson will want personnel say .”
I be very wary of any coaching candidate that did NOT want a say.
Does anyone posting here really think the Hawks are going to win a second and third-round playoff series with this core roster?
truly bless
June 7th, 2010
3:45 pm
And Mark Jackson lives in Atlanta what else needs to be said.
cdog
June 7th, 2010
4:09 pm
dawgdad, i agree with you 100%.any coach with personnel power would be better than the current GM, rick sund.