Hawks, Thrashers are still coachless — is this a problem?
The Thrashers “released” John Anderson on April 14, four days after the team’s final regular season game against Pittsburgh.
The Hawks “chose not to offer” Mike Woodson a new contract on April 14, four days after Orlando completed a four-game sweep in the second-round of the playoffs.
(Remember back when we used to call these firings? Lawyers.)
Before you ask — and I feel compelled to address this since readers have already asked me via email and blog comments — no, the Atlanta Spirit is not holding off on hiring coaches
Hawks general manager Rick Sund and Thrashers GM Rick Dudley haven't made their picks yet.
to save money. The contracts are annual salaries, not hourly wages.
Here’s the bigger question: Is this a concern?
My view: No. And yes.
♦ Thrashers: Not a problem.
From the outset, it was clear that new general manager Rick Dudley had Chicago Blackhawks assistant coach John Torchetti on his radar. Even if Torchetti isn’t a lock for the job, we know he’s a high-profile candidate. But Dudley couldn’t talk to Torchetti before Wednesday night when the Blackhawks won the Stanley Cup.
Dudley has spoken to other candidates for the job, including Boston Bruins assistant Craig Ramsay, so it was just a matter of waiting for Torchetti. Also, for what it’s worth, Dudley said earlier this week that he didn’t expect to have a head coach in place before the June 25-26 draft. He also didn’t feel that was important. We can debate that. It doesn’t hurt to have a coach’s input on veteran players around the league should the Thrashers make a trade at the draft. But that’s Dudley’s view. Most importantly, he has not strayed from his plan.
♦ Hawks: Yes, potentially a problem.
If general manager Rick Sund and owners were waiting on the conclusion of the Los Angeles Lakers-Boston Celtics’ series to talk to a coach, the wait would be understandable. But there’s no indication they’re waiting to talk to an assistant on either staff (Celtics assistant Tom Thibodeau already has accepted the Chicago Bulls’ job). There’s the longest of long shots that former Hawks star Glenn “Doc” Rivers could be available. But Rivers has a year left on his contract. He is likely to either return to the Celtics for one more season or take a one-to-two-year break from coaching to spend more time with his wife in Orlando.
What exactly is going on now? Nobody can be certain.
Avery Johnson, the strongest of the four candidates, took the New Jersey job. That leaves Dallas assistant and former Minnesota coach Dwane Casey, Hawks assistant Larry Drew and ESPN commentator Mark Jackson as the known finalists.
All have been interviewed. All are waiting. It had been expected that a decision would come by this week. The lack of a decision thus far has fueled speculation in the media and among fans that Sund and owners are not in complete agreement on a choice.
For the record, this is generally how things work: Sund makes a recommendation and the owners take it from there. Sund has said that ownership has accepted his recommendation in the past, such as the decisions to give Woodson a two-year contract in 2008 and the one to let him go after this season.
So what do you think? Are you concerned neither franchise has a coach yet?
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89 comments Add your comment
justme
June 11th, 2010
11:52 am
The NFL has a rule that at least one black candidate must be considered for any head coaching vacancy. Apparently the Hawks have a rule that no whites can be considered for their coaching vacancy. Looks like now their”search” has come down to three coaching mediocrities, none of which would be considered by any other franchise.
N.D.T.K.A.
June 11th, 2010
12:00 pm
Everything starts from the top. If the league, coaches, GM’s, and players don’t take Hawks management seriously, how are they going to attract top talent on any of these levels without overpaying. The sad reality is the ownership group has been a public fiasco and changing that image still haunts this team today. I think this is reflected in the lousy coaching search process we are watching now.
Ted M
June 11th, 2010
12:00 pm
Isn’t Thrashers GM Rick Dudley the bottom picture or burt in cannonball run?
JSS
June 11th, 2010
12:01 pm
@ Ted Striker…
Dude, I just want you to direct Rick to the nearest Jos. A. Banks! That gentleman’s closet skeletons all ran out and were screaming: “1988!” I say name Striker executive in charge of righting the ship ASG!
@ Jeff Schultz…
My girlfriend and her whole office are about to go into meltdown if Mexico loses to South Africa.
The Hawks hire is not as much of a concern to me as the flawed bench and the lack of perimeter defense that they have.
Do you remember Ned Harkness (the old Red Wings GM/coach)? Just be careful not bring in some one like that who might regress Kane, Zach, and whomever might finally develop in the minors. What is the deal with our IHL team now? Are the Wolves really going to help us now or keeping giving us more of the same? The Thrashers just need to build two more solid lines. This team can grind, they really need a solid defense (including tender play) that can keep us from getting into those silly string of going pointless for 2 weeks by losing leads and ending up in shootouts.
JSS
June 11th, 2010
12:07 pm
@ Sonny Clusters…
I want to hear your take on Anita Baker’s version of the Star Spangled Banner last night before Game 4; or were you enthralled in another one of those Braves games?
Taylor Hanson
June 11th, 2010
12:07 pm
Get on the Lemay story Jeff. You’re the man.
http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2010/06/11/1492178/butler-star-qb-lemay-could-face.html
Mr. Phil
June 11th, 2010
12:17 pm
Y-not give Joe Johnson anything he wants in salary, the head coaching job, and partial ownership. Clearly, he is the best player to ever come along. We can’t let him get away right.
This just in….
Mayor Kasim Reed and ASG in a joint press release announce that the fans will VOTE for the next coach in a referendum to be introduced in mid-February. Anybody who is still a fan of the Hawks or Thrashers at that time will be invited to participate.
Until the vote is organized, the ghost of Soupy Sales will coach both teams simultaneously.
Taylor Hanson
June 11th, 2010
12:21 pm
Come on Shultzie….your paper is dropping the ball.
Jeff Schultz
June 11th, 2010
12:28 pm
Remarkable — Well, when you come down to it, yeah, they’re all a crapshoot (except Doc).
Barnacle Bill Bavasi
June 11th, 2010
12:34 pm
Hey Jeff, is Mark OK? Usually when you guys are not going to be posting for a few days, a heads up is given. Thanks.
Taylor Hanson
June 11th, 2010
12:34 pm
Word on the streeet is that Lemay was caught in an intimate act with a girl at school.
Jeff Schultz
June 11th, 2010
12:38 pm
Masivtack — Are you asking who I favor for the Hawks’ job? If so, I’ve previously ranked the four interviewed candidates in my eyes: 1) Avery Johnson (gone); 2) Larry Drew (but it’s close to …); 3) Dwane Casey; 4) Mark Jackson. But personally, it wouldn’t bother me if they opened it back up.
Dawg Head
June 11th, 2010
12:38 pm
Well, at least it was a girl.
Harry the Hat
June 11th, 2010
12:39 pm
About the Atlanta Hawks, it doesn’t matter who they sign as coach. No one they hire will be able to get any more out of the sorry, lazy-azz players the Hawks have, starting with Joe Johnson, who should be run out of town on a rail.
Jeff Schultz
June 11th, 2010
12:44 pm
JSS — Sorry for your girlfriend’s impending meltdown. I trust you were treat her kindly. … Agree on the Hawks’ bench (beyond Jamal) and defense. … Minor-league situation with Wolves always has been a problem (Thrashers would never admit this) because the Thrashers can’t dictate to Chicago who to play, when to play, how to develop players, etc. Many NHL teams have a greater say with their affiliates on how to develop players. Wolves’ owner is more concerned about winning games, selling tickets, making money.
rob
June 11th, 2010
12:59 pm
well if JJ is the best to come through and he walks from the Hawks, it will be the same slap Ilya gave the owners when he left. They offered him the highest salary in the league and he left, what does that say to other players in the league(s)? what does that say to the league(s) themselves? This should be a HUGE market for every major sport! It only needs committed ownership that will put a good product out. Teams go through slumps, fans understand that, but there have to be highs to go with the lows or else you lose the fairweather fans and those new fans that may check out a game or two. I feel sorry for the players who have to suffer through playing in front of 4,000 people because ownership can’t get their act together! MORONS!!! We need a marketing team to find some empty billboards and post something like, “Atlanta Spirit Group: Taking the “spirit” out of Atlanta’s Sports” . Maybe that would get the attention of the leagues and put heat on ASG to put up or get out of ownership.
JSS
June 11th, 2010
1:00 pm
@ Jeff Schultz…
Disaster averted, Mexico tied it up and it ended in a draw… Hint: Mexican supporters are a lot UGA and Clemson fans, they are always talking about how great they are… But… She also supports Atlas of Guadalajara, they are like the Clippers of Mexican soccer… Thank goodness she is a wonderful person!
Steve
June 11th, 2010
1:01 pm
Bill Laimbeer
Cough it up Tabby
June 11th, 2010
1:06 pm
after all, are coaches really needed in todays sports? They do arrange for bail at times but what else?
Gray Mule
June 11th, 2010
1:10 pm
Give JJ all the money and where is the $$$ to pay others?
Build a winning team __ Sign some really good bench players?
With what? You’ve given it all to JJ.
You can’t give one superstar all the money and all the other
players the NBA vet minimum and expect great things to happen.
JJ is not a super star. Does he really expect to be paid as one?
Sooner or later, someone will sign on to be our coach. Until then,
we will all sit around and fret and worry.
As soon as the new coach is hired, we will find a hundred other
coaches who would have been so much better, won’t we!
Gray Mule
tp
June 11th, 2010
1:11 pm
Hey Jeff – If Dudley is in reality what he says he is in regards to player selection and development, perhaps the situation in Chicago will change a bit.
I understand what you’re alluding to regarding the Chicago owner, but I don’t think you can dismiss the argument that Waddell has not delivered more than a (small) handful of quality, drafted players to Chicago from our minor league system. Give them better players on a more consistent basis, and I believe the situation will get better!
steve brown
June 11th, 2010
1:25 pm
Thrashers=we will see. Hawks=definite problem as I expect Sund made his recommendation (as in I like this one) and the ownership group did not approve his pick. They are now debating. This undermines the GM and potentially screws up the new coach and the players relationship with the GM. But of course this is par for Hawks ownership.
wxwax
June 11th, 2010
1:28 pm
If in fact the owners are messing with the GM, that’s a concern.
They hired him to do a job. Let him do it.
Sund’s hiring record, as detailed here, is pretty frightening. But if the Spirit don’t like the job Sund’s doing, then fire him.
In the meantime, give him the power to do the job they hired him to do.
Georgia recruit LeMay might be facing suspension | Jeff Schultz
June 11th, 2010
1:30 pm
[...] ♦ Hawks, Thrashers are still coachless — is this a problem? [...]
Sonny Clusters
June 11th, 2010
1:41 pm
When we was just about to graduate we went to buy a nice suit. It did not look anything like those suits Rick Dudley was seen wearing on Jeff’s blog page. Clusters are built like athletes and require an athletic cut to accommodate muscle mass in the arms and legs but we need only a small waist and we have a long inseam to work with. They have to fit us like they would a movie star because of the way we look. We came up with a nice looking suit and we still have that suit somewhere and we will probably put it on and go see Jeff someday down in Dunwoody at the AJC. We was thinking he might leave us some credentials at the desk.
JSS
June 11th, 2010
1:46 pm
Oh oh. Clusters is dusting off the interview suit!
Show me state
June 11th, 2010
2:03 pm
It looks like da hawks are gonna make dwane casey their next head coach…..
http://ken-berger.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/11838893/22483460?tag=headlines;nba
Brendan
June 11th, 2010
2:14 pm
Dudley doesn’t seem to want a coach’s input anyway. But, I still think a coach’s consultation at the draft can only be a positive thing.
tyger
June 11th, 2010
2:31 pm
Where’s Woody?
Alabama Jack
June 11th, 2010
2:33 pm
Now who are these Hawks and Thrashers? Are they in the SEC?
Hoops
June 11th, 2010
2:52 pm
Byron Scott has rings from his playing days with the Lakers and has coached in 2 NBA Finals. Who has a better track record, that is available to coach the Hawks??? Come on ASG! Open your eyes!!!
A True Hawks Fan
June 11th, 2010
3:50 pm
I wish Arthor Blank would come buy the them. These guys in ASG are more indecisive than a 2 year old. Get a coach in here so we can get his perspective on JJ, the Draft, and Free Agency. Casey seems like a good coach who was fired too early by Kevin Mchale a little too early. Minny fans are still regretting that day. Also Casey was an assistant to Nate Mcmillian(coach of the year) in Seattle while Sund was there. Sure we missed out on Avery but Casey is a good coach who draws up effective plays in the late game situations. Get him in here now and look to change ownership @ the end of the season!
Mystikal
June 11th, 2010
4:11 pm
This is so classic of the ASG, instead of even “trying” to make a decent choice, they are going to BS around and take the last man standing. Kind of like we do in the free agency or like i’m sure we’ll see in the upcoming draft. It’s a wonder that this organization has had any success the last few years, always being ten moves behind everyone else. Go figure..
Big Ray
June 11th, 2010
4:12 pm
The silence is deafeaning. It’s bad when even rumor mongers like Chad Ford aren’t saying anything right now.
Pi$$onaDAWG
June 11th, 2010
5:01 pm
Jeff I think you shut down the UGA article or maybe you cut my comments off. I am sorry for the LOW BLOW on B.O.B but I just culdn’t resist with the use of sexual wares over sexual wyles by a UGA fan. All good have a great weekend.
GSmooth
June 11th, 2010
5:47 pm
Jeff – The Hawks don’t have a problem waiting on any of these potential coaches.. it’s not like any of them are being considered for any other positions currently. From following this – I’m pretty sure Mark Jackson and Larry Drew have no other potential offers coming their way. Why not wait and see if they can get a Doc Rivers?
Academics? Right. College administrators are selling out | Jeff Schultz
June 11th, 2010
6:37 pm
[...] ♦ Hawks, Thrashers are still coachless — is this a problem? [...]
Lee
June 12th, 2010
5:01 pm
Jeff – In my opinion, the Thrashers are not a problem at this point. The descision is in good hands and Rick will do whatever he can at the soonest possible moment. Torchetti was one of the main people that Dudley is considering. That said, he has other people in mind. He was probably waiting until the Stanley Cup was over, to see if any of his coaching skills would come out in Game 6. I’m not concerned at this point, unless something major happens, I think we’re on the right road!
NOW LIGHT THE TORCH!
Jeff D.
June 14th, 2010
4:24 pm
Rick Dudley could use a little help from the old Queer Eye for the Straight Guy crew. Whoa. Hey, isn’t it great to see old Ted Marchibroda back… coaching Team Italy?