Like it or not, the Hawks can’t afford to dump Joe Johnson
One of these three probably won't be back next season. (AJC photo by Curtis Compton)
It’s danger time for the Hawks, and not as regards the 2010 playoffs. That’s a done deal. The danger lies beyond. The danger lies in overreaction.
With the exception of four well spaced games against Milwaukee in Round 1, the Hawks have been terrible this postseason. To watch them is to forget they won 53 games and are the East’s No. 3 seed. But that’s the point: We can’t forget, or we shouldn’t.
At the moment, the temptation is great to say the Hawks need to start over. Of all people in all cities, we should know better. Because we in Atlanta suffered through a wretched half-decade of what starting over means. (Mike Woodson gave a one word-description Sunday: “Hell.”) It means going 13-69. It means depending on the ping-pong balls to bounce your way and depending on your GM not to pick a guy named Williams.
The Hawks are going to lose in Round 2 for the second consecutive season. Last year they were hurt and had no chance; this time they’ve given themselves no chance. They have issues regarding mesh and direction, and it’s possible some of that could be corrected by importing a new coach.
But let’s say you bring in Doug Collins or Avery Johnson or Bryon Scott (or, more likely, Dwane Casey). The best coach cannot win without players. Let’s note that Pat Riley, who has five NBA titles, went 15-67 with the Miami Heat in 2007-2008 when Dwyane Wade got hurt and Shaquille O’Neal got traded.
Which brings us to Joe Johnson. He has averaged 12.3 points against Orlando, missing 71.4 percent of his shots. Off this performance, you wouldn’t re-sign him at 18 cents per season, let alone $18 million. But Johnson just was named third team all-NBA, which by definition makes him one of the league’s 15 best players. If he leaves, which of the other 14 takes his place? And if none does (and none would), haven’t you weakened your team to the extent it might not be in the playoffs next spring?
The Hawks have ceased meshing. Both Johnson and Al Horford admitted as much after practice Sunday. Said Horford: “The chemistry is OK at times … At times it’s not so good. At times we mesh, but sometimes when things don’t go our way we crawl in our own little hole.”
About chemistry: The Bucks had it, and they rode it to a 3-2 series lead over these Hawks. Then Milwaukee lost Games 6 and 7 by an aggregate 35 points for the simple reason its mesh couldn’t override a lack of talent. This is the NBA. It’s a players’ league. You can have the happiest locker room in the world, but if there aren’t enough big-timers in it you won’t win anything.
Loading ...This doesn’t excuse the performances the Hawks have offered this postseason. Said Horford: “The last thing we should worry about is effort. That should be a given.”
Said Woodson: “I’m not here to coach effort.”
And there’s your disconnect. Too many guys in this locker room have tuned out this coach, who for many of them is the only pro coach they’ve known. It’s not clear if Red Auerbach reincarnate could guide these Hawks past Orlando, but when you’ve lost three games by an average of 29 points it is clear someone’s message isn’t taking hold.
Woodson again: “At the end of the day, this team is still headed in the right direction. I sure hope they don’t go back the other way and bust it up.”
To break apart this roster now would be tantamount to surrender, and we know too well what that’s like. But to expect these players to respond more positively to this coach in his seventh season on the job is likewise folly. We Atlantans saw the same thing happen more than two decades ago when a good young team grew up around Mike Fratello but eventually stopped listening.
Now as then, it comes down to one question: Is it easier to change the team or change the coach? And the answer, now as then, is that the Hawks can conceivably find an upgrade on Mike Woodson. They might not find another Joe Johnson. This summer isn’t the time to subtract talent. It’s the time to do as the elite teams do and add, add, add.
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229 comments Add your comment
THHB
May 9th, 2010
3:36 pm
Mark, since Johnson turned down 4 years and 60 million already, and most believe there are at least a few teams lined up to max Johnson as a door prize in the LeBron Sweeps, it would be crippling to the Hawks financially and competitively (after the first year or two of that deal) to bring Johnson back.
The best move will be to take a step back next year, with a new coach, without Johnson, and build around Horford and Smith. Address the PG problem, then, after Crawford’s contract is up after next season and the Hawks with serious cap room, bring in a player that can peak with Horford and Smith and make another run.
I stand by what I wrote in-season–to me, it’s even more true today:
http://www.peachtreehoops.com/2010/3/10/1366059/the-non-atl-future-of-joe-johnson
sweetness
May 9th, 2010
3:37 pm
Hey you hawks fan, Did you really think the hawks and a chance at winning the NBA championship, this franchise, has never reach the Eastern Conference finals if I can remember.They are not the best team in Eastern Conference, No MVP , No All NBA First Team, They are not a elite Team in the NBA, not just yet. It take years to built a Championship Team
Mateo
May 9th, 2010
3:37 pm
We dont need to fire Woodson because his contract is already up. And Joe Johnson is about to be on the wrong side of 30 so lets try to get younger. Free Agent Rudy Gay is a rising superstar and a great scorer not asking for max dollars. I want Byron Scott or Avery! The Hawks need a true superstar to get the fans attention and sell tix.
al horford fan
May 9th, 2010
3:39 pm
I hope the ASG doesn’t go into rebuilding mode with this team. They have some good pieces in place, just continue to add to it. My suggestion: move Bibby and Marvin to the bench, start Teague and Crawford (if they don’t resign JJ), go after Bosh and move my man Big Al to power forward with Smoove at SF. And for God’s sake, teach Josh Smith how to handle the ball! I see high school players take care of the ball better than him. SMH.
R. Stroz
May 9th, 2010
3:41 pm
FIRE WOODY!
The man rarely, if ever, has a plan B.
I’d rather take a have a high school level AAU coach over Woody.
Roll Tider
May 9th, 2010
3:42 pm
As I recall, Boston “blew up” their roster a few years back and won and NBA title. I think Joe should go if they can find a decent replacement. In reality, one of Josh Smith or Horford need to go. What other team has two power forwards making that kind of money? Josh would suck as a 3 because he can’t shoot, and Al sucks as a 5. Both are excellent 4’s, albeit different styles. How about we let Joe walk, signing John Salmons to play the 3, then trade Horford for a first rounder and pick up Brendan Haywood. The leftover money would be used to sign the two 1st rounders you’d have plus you should be able to afford a JJ Redick/Anthony Morrow type bomber off the bench. Maybe even another decent big like Brad Miller or Hakim Warrick. Hell, Bibby could go if anybody would take him. I’d take my chances with Teaue and pick up a Ray Felton, Steve Blake, Luke Ridnour type to mentor him.
Seriously, does anybody think Teague/Morrow/Salmons/Josh/Haywood wouldn’t be just as good as this bunch?
Adam
May 9th, 2010
3:43 pm
This is superstar vs. Atlanta Spirit. I’m not a Hawks fan, so I hope those who are were paying attention when Kovalchuk was dealt in February. This ownership is not committed to winning anything, no way, no how. Welcome to the hockey fans’ misery.
D Hawks
May 9th, 2010
3:44 pm
Chad, Joe Smith wasn’t really an answer anyway. He was just supposed to bring versatility at the 4 and 5, but it didn’t work out. I don’t know whether to blame this on his age, on Woody, on his early season injury, or a combination of all things. He hasn’t played a full season on the same team since 05-06 so we shouldn’t have expected too much of him. Also, Woody gave him roughly half the minutes per game that he was getting at his last several stops.
Joseph Allen McWhorter
May 9th, 2010
3:44 pm
I agree with your article, Mark. Mike Woodson needs to be replaced. I just truly believe that a quality NBA coach who has been around could take these Hawks to the next level where they could compete with the elite teams like the Magic, the Cavs, or the Lakers. As long as they have Mike Woodson around has head coach, I just don’t see that happening. The Hawks right now have serious chemistry issues and a lot of that is due to coaching. Good article!
northcyde
May 9th, 2010
3:45 pm
Wow . . . it’s Mr. Bradley who becomes the voice of reason in ATL. Teams always fire the coach first, before dispersing the talent. The quesiton is going to become how much money do the Hawks commit toward JJ, if someone aggressively goes after him.
If the Bulls offered JJ 5 yrs – 80 million, would the Hawks counter with a 6 yr – 90 million deal?
If the Knicks went with a 5 yr – 90 million deal, would the Hawks counter with a 6 yr – 100 million deal?
And with things going the way they are now, does JJ even want to come back?
To me, the last question is the biggest fear. Because if he doesn’t want to come back, he then isn’t obligated to take a sign and trade to somewhere. And I’m sure that D-Wade and Pat Riley is going to be all in that man’s ear, trying to coax him to go to Miami. A D-Wade – JJ combo, combined with what Orlando already has, would be the nail in the coffin for us . . . when it comes to aspirations for getting to that next level.
It’ll be interesting to see the initial reaction this team gets on Monday night, and what the crowd looks like. Last year for Game 4 of the Cleveland series, 19,000 still showed up to root on the Hawks. Depending on how many Game 4 tickets they sold before yesterday’s game, I wonder if they’ll get anything close to that tomorrow night.
The crowd was quick to start booing JJ yesterday, starting the boos after that 3rd missed jumper in the 1st quarter. If they start booing him from the jump because of his comments, then that may affect JJ’s decision to come back, regardless of what happens in the offseason.
When KG made some bad remarks at the fans after the Celtics got blown out vs the Wizards and were booed off the court, the organization suspended him for one game. KG apologized for making a heat of the moment comment at the fans out of frustration.
I don’t know if we’re going to get that kind of apology out of JJ, unless someone in the ASG makes him. LOL . . . and it’s not like they can suspend him for the final playoff game. They could, but that would make everything look even worse, and he DEFINTIELY wouldn’t come back here.
Joakim
May 9th, 2010
3:45 pm
There’s no way you can pay Joe what he wants. He’s just not worth it. Disappears in every big game. Let him go elsewhere….at least or hopes won;t get crushed in the playoffs! Need and upgrade at coach. Woody has doen a good job building this team but it has peaked and will not improve under him. Look for a “5″ and sign Salmons!!!!!!!!!!!!
Chad
May 9th, 2010
3:48 pm
The trick I think MB is missing is can we add 1 player that improves us over JJ – probably not. For that kind of money, could we find two guys who would give us more depth and make it hurt us less if one or more of our top 5 isn’t performing (I say top 5 b/c I’m including Jamal but not including Marvin) – possibly. Should we blow this team up? Definitely not. But when looking at this roster, what opportunities do we have to improve this team? We can try to find someone for a mid-level exception. Bibby, ZaZa and Marvin aren’t likely to be moved because they’ve got 2, 3 and 4 years left on their contracts respectively. (I say 4 for Marvin, because unless something clicks for him, there’s no way he’s going to get a better offer.)
The problem isn’t just that JJ had a rough postseason this year. It’s that his production has dropped every time he’s been in the playoffs. Regular season wins are good, but that’s not why the game is played. The playoffs are where players prove their value, and, while JJ is one of the 15 best NBA players during the regular season, I’m not sure he’s one of the 50 best in the playoffs.
D Hawks
May 9th, 2010
3:50 pm
Two words for the “we must re-sign Joe Johnson” supporters: Jon Koncak.
D Hawks
May 9th, 2010
3:52 pm
Great points Chad!
LC
May 9th, 2010
3:53 pm
Stupid article. As presently constructed, this team is going nowhere. Get a new coach and build around Horford. I have no problem with losing if it’s done with heart. Johnson is the guy that crawls into a hole when things don’t go his way.
Let him and Woody go. Oh, and Brian McCann is a fat, overrated, useless player.
Chad
May 9th, 2010
3:54 pm
Well, Woodson’s publicly-stated purpose behind not playing Joe Smith during the regular season was so that he would be fresh for the playoffs. That obviously didn’t work out so well.
mrHonline
May 9th, 2010
3:57 pm
Came here to disagree, but I see THHB already made my points for me.
D Hawks
May 9th, 2010
3:58 pm
“Woodson’s publicly-stated purpose behind not playing Joe Smith during the regular season was so that he would be fresh for the playoffs.”
That’s funny! You at least need to play a guy in your rotations so that there is chemistry.
northcyde
May 9th, 2010
3:59 pm
Roll Tider
May 9th, 2010
3:42 pm
As I recall, Boston “blew up” their roster a few years back and won and NBA title. I think Joe should go if they can find a decent replacement. In reality, one of Josh Smith or Horford need to go. What other team has two power forwards making that kind of money? Josh would suck as a 3 because he can’t shoot, and Al sucks as a 5. Both are excellent 4’s, albeit different styles. How about we let Joe walk, signing John Salmons to play the 3, then trade Horford for a first rounder and pick up Brendan Haywood. The leftover money would be used to sign the two 1st rounders you’d have plus you should be able to afford a JJ Redick/Anthony Morrow type bomber off the bench. Maybe even another decent big like Brad Miller or Hakim Warrick. Hell, Bibby could go if anybody would take him. I’d take my chances with Teaue and pick up a Ray Felton, Steve Blake, Luke Ridnour type to mentor him.
Seriously, does anybody think Teague/Morrow/Salmons/Josh/Haywood wouldn’t be just as good as this bunch?
**********************
That bunch wouldn’t win 30 games. No low post scorer. Shaky perimeter shooting. No defense. That’s a horrible team you put together. You see how much Brendan Heywood helped the Mavs right? Smoove is BY FAR the best player on that squad . . and that’s not good. Teague would have to immediately turn into Rajon Rond for that squad to even have a chance to win 40 games, let alone make the playoffs.
As for the Celtics . . . they blew up a 30 win team, traded all of their young talent, and brought in 2 Hall of Fame players. They weren’t blowing up a 50 win team that made the playoffs.
Tony
May 9th, 2010
3:59 pm
Im sorry but I agree with most people here. The best way to get this team going is to do the following:
a. Fire Woodson (I love Mike but the players are not respoding to him anymore and that is sad!!)
b. Let Joe walk (I have enjoyed JJ here but I really FEEL and I could be wrong, but he is more of a liability than a benefit to this team)
c. The Starting Lineup/Coach for next season should be as follows:
C- Al (He’s tough as nails and hungry to be better and has had his moments against Dwight)
PF-Josh(He is the most gifted player on this team and can be a dominating player in the NBA IF some coach can get him mentally focused)
SF-Marvin (I say give him another season to get it together. Im not ready to give up on him yet)
SG-Jamal Crawford (The boy has heart. Nuff Said!!)
PG-Jeff Teague (Mike Bibby has to go so Teague can grow!!)
Coach- Byron Scott or Avery Johnson (NBA Finals apperances for both) Also I’m sick and tired of people on the blogs of ajc calling the players on the hawks THUGS!! Are you kidding me!!! If the team was mostly or all white would you call them Klansmen!! I mean c’mon!! Keep those comments to yourself!! Does Jamal, or Zaza look like a thug?? I mean really?
Beone
May 9th, 2010
4:00 pm
Johnson needs to go. He is selfish and has no leadership skills. Frankly, he showed that by coming here from Phoenix. So he hasn’t changed, but the needs of the team have altered. Do the best you can to make “his” salary $ count towards filling a need, Center or PG.
breal
May 9th, 2010
4:02 pm
Time to let Woodson and Joe Johnson go….This team has reached its peek under Woodson. They have clearly tuned them out, and he better learn to coach effort. Joe Johnson might be an All-Star but he is the worst one. 3rd team All-NBA means nothing….he has no HEART! Time to bring in a new coach a few new parts to gel as a team…..good riddance, when can I help you pack.
Woodstock Joe
May 9th, 2010
4:02 pm
D Hawks – love the Jon Koncak reference – that is awesome. To me this is simple, at BEST the Hawks are 3rd in the east behind Magic and Cavs. Neither of these teams are going anywhere unless King James decides to bolt (unlikely from all I read). Throw the best of the West and the Hawks are maybe the 7th or 8th best team in the NBA. My point is that if you want a chance to win a championship one day, time to seriously rethink this team. Don’t pretend to know all the answers but believe JJ and Coach W need to go. Only player I would make indispensable is Al H.
a drunkards ramblings
May 9th, 2010
4:05 pm
Trade Josh for a true point. Let Joe go and sign Bosh who really wants out of Toronto and move Al to the four where he belongs. Bring in a new coach and let Chill come back to assume the sixth man role now that Jamal is starting in Joe’s spot. Oh and fire Woody.
Jt
May 9th, 2010
4:07 pm
Mark I usually agree with many of your thoughts about ATL sports, but even though I have been a big JJ supporter and apologist over the years, I am beginning to reconsider. I like Woodson- I believe he coaches the right precepts. I just think something is lacking and he cannot do any more with this roster. He has been tuned out (and through no fault of his own)- however, I do disagree witht the idea that he does not “coach effort”. He coaches men and when men fail to fulfill their obligations -playing with effort and intensity- then they can no longer be treated like men and he should sacrifice talented quitters for men who will play with all they have. And for that they may need someone else to coach. But, I also realize that the Hawks may take steps backwards with a new coach hire. You do not know what you are getting.
As for JJ, he has not come up big in big time situations. Despite Dominque Wilkins’ efforts to portray JJ on the same level as D Wade, Kobe, Lebron- it just cannot be done. He is a great compliment to someone, but those someones are not currently on the Hawks roster or the coach is not able to ” X and O” it to happen. I cannot stand to look at these Hawks play like this another season. Something has to change- and I think it may be both coach and their “best player”.
extremus
May 9th, 2010
4:07 pm
As I live in Tennessee, I’ve only been to a limited number of pro sports games (all Braves or minor league baseball games), though I know many of the regulars on here have attended many games across all the Atlanta teams. I kind of adopted Atlanta as my favorite pro team city when I was eleven years old, as did my entire family, during that crazy 1982 Braves run to the NL West championship. We watched them and the Hawks on good old WTBS, as at the time they were A) the only teams we could watch most games, and B) Atlanta was relatively close. I was never an athletic kid, but their influence got me into playing little league baseball and basketball, as well as backyard football. I always identified myself as a Brave, Falcon, or Hawk when I got together with the neighborhood kids to play.
The Braves’ abysmal seasons during the mid-to-late 80s made that miracle ‘91 run and the seasons beyond that much sweeter, and there was a time when I felt the Hawks had a real shot at a title during the days of Wilkins’ prime. As time passed and the money figures associated with athletes soared, and the Braves and Hawks changed ownerships, something happened. Since then the Braves have been about cobbling together whatever cast-off they can to replace a tactlessly dumped future Hall of Famer, and the results have shown in the box scores as well as the turnstiles. As for the Hawks, what can you expect in a league where bigger markets are already coaxing other teams’ players and coaches BEFORE THE SEASON IS EVEN OVER? Give me players who had a heart and a passion for the game and the fans, like Murphy and Niekro and Wilkins over the likes of Joe Johnson any day. The man, like all pro athletes, has God-given talent, but he is more interested in using it to line his pockets than he appears to be in leaving everything on the court and really trying to bring a championship to Atlanta. Talent is not reflective at all of character, not to mention loyalty and responsibility for one’s actions, and I say with growing conviction that all of this one-upping the last guy’s mega-contract or seeking so-called “market value” is ruining all of what made pro sports so wonderful and inspirational to that eleven year-old boy in 1982. Money and the pursuit of it is truly at the heart of not only evil but at the heart of pretty much every problem in pro sports today.
Let Joe Johnson go, Mr. Bradley. Let every player who desires a bigger contract go and abandon any sense of loyalty to their fans and the organizations that gave them a shot. Eventually the system will collapse on itself, and this wildfire of hubris and fiscal depravity will burn itself out. And if many teams or even leagues have gone under by then, I suspect that most of us fans will have long found other interests, anyway.
CPat16
May 9th, 2010
4:09 pm
MB is Woodson and Johnson’s B_tch!!! Fire Woody and get an offensive minded coach…then sign DWade and package Bibby, Johnson, Williams & Pachulia for Chris Bosh. Instant change…and production.
Chad
May 9th, 2010
4:09 pm
northcyde, not only that, but McHale gave the Celtics a gift when he traded KG for what he did. I doubt Sund will find anyone willing to give him that kind of steal.
Roll Tider
May 9th, 2010
4:10 pm
northcyde…not that my little vision there wuld ever happen, but you do realize that Salmons and Morrow both ranked among the league leaders in 3pt% right? And Josh is supposed t be your low post scorer. Their biggestproblem is that they can’t guard a good big man. Haywood can do that. Plus, who knows what you might get with a top 15 or so draft pick you could get fo Horford? However you envision it, the point remains that Horford and Josh are both 4’s who are miscast at any other position. For the team to improvene of them needs to be flipped for a legit 5, true point guard, or shooter.
LC
May 9th, 2010
4:11 pm
I’m so sad for us ATL fans. When was the last time anything good happened for us? Depressing.
Raj
May 9th, 2010
4:16 pm
The problem with our team is we are truly stuck under the rim:( AH is a PF (right size & attitude) playing center, JS is an undersized PF but can’t be moved to SF because of his non-existent shooting skills. MW is a bust at SF but can’t be moved to PF due to his non-existent aggressive play skills. So we have 3 forwards with no real Center and none with consistent shooting skills to be a SF.
As for free agency we can’t sign some one like Bosh because he is also a PF and not a Center. We can’t sign a Center without moving any of the PF’s out (AH or JS), but neither can happen!!
So the only thing we can do is to bring in a coach who is creative enough to use this imperfect group of forwards into a dominant inside force. The question is: Is there someone out there?
McNasty
May 9th, 2010
4:17 pm
Drop Joe.
Sign Dwayne Wade.
Chad
May 9th, 2010
4:17 pm
Roll Tider, I do have to agree with your point about Josh and Horford. Every time someone says bring in a center and move Josh and Horford down a slot, I want to scream, because these are the same people who whine endlessly about Smoove taking too many jumpshots. If you move Josh to the SF (and away from the basket), it will mean less blocks, less rebounds and more outside shots. If you move Josh to the SF, he might just turn into another Marvin, and one of those on a roster is too many.
D-Wade Now
May 9th, 2010
4:18 pm
All the hawks need to be a contender is D-Wade and Bosh. This is a young team–with those 2 superstars, the hawks will be a serious player next year.
Ilya K.
May 9th, 2010
4:21 pm
Give Joe his money. He’s the only superstar you have left.
Suckers.
northcyde
May 9th, 2010
4:21 pm
Amazing that Bradley becomes the voice of reason in Atlanta.
If we lose a talent like JJ for nothing ( which is a very real possibility now ), this team will take a major step backwards. We don’t have the cap room to aggressively go after a good free agent. We basically have the MLE to throw at people, plus money left over to try to upgrade the bench with low marginal players.
Of course, the answer is to fire Woody before you do anything else, but the roster is out of balance in my opinion. A decision may very well have to be made between Horford and Smith after the 2010 season. I don’t think you make that decision now, but I think you have to make it next year, if we still have problems defending in the middle and creating low post offense.
And people know what JJ brings to the table. He just picked the most inopportune time to have his worst shooting stretch of the season.
People even talk about Childress like he’s a lock to come back here. That’s not true either. We hold Chill’s rights, but even he may not want to come back to ATL, forcing them to trade him. And he still has one more year on his Euroleague contract.
As upset as the fan base is right now, no one wants to go back to the days in which we’re wishing on lottery picks to improve the team. If JJ stays in the East, and he’s not with us, that is BAD NEWS for this team.
All of a sudden, even WASHINGTON can make a play for JJ now, with the salary dumping that they’ve done this year. This could be a potential Wizard lineup
G – Livingston ( re-signed )
G – Arenas
F – Joe Johnson
F – Blatche
C – McGee
If Arenas comes back to form, and is able to play the 2 while Livingston plays the point, and JJ the 3 . . . all of a sudden, we have to worry about Washington leapfrogging us ( because the young guys of Blatche and Mcgee are good young post players that dominated Horford and Smoove in the final 2 ATL vs WAS games )
The way this season is ending is NOT GOOD for the Hawks at all. The worst case scenario, in my opinion.
Stuart
May 9th, 2010
4:22 pm
Joe Johnson—>K-E-E-P
Mike Bibby—>Keep until the break
Al Horford—>K-E-E-P
Josh Smith—>K-E-E-P
Marvin Williams—>Goodbye yellow brick road.
I could live with Bosh.
As for Woody—>3 yr deal
Rathbun & Nique—->Gone!
Chad
May 9th, 2010
4:24 pm
OK, so D-Wade now, you do know there’s this thing called the salary cap that won’t allow us to spend the money to acquire those 2 players, right? If you’re going to post something like that and don’t want to be slammed down as an idiot, you need to provide a scenario for how to make that happen.
Chad
May 9th, 2010
4:28 pm
northcyde, the problem isn’t that JJ had his worst shooting streak of the year in this year’s playoffs. The problem is he always has his worst shooting streak of the year in the playoffs. What good is a superstar that disappears in the playoffs?
unreal
May 9th, 2010
4:30 pm
Al – keep
jamal – keep
zaza- keep
everyone else GO TO HELL
LeBron James Now
May 9th, 2010
4:32 pm
Easy fix!!
The Real Hawk
May 9th, 2010
4:33 pm
Can we afford to dump Woody?
Let JJ go. Sign a center. Move Marvin to the bench. Sign a real scoring small forward. Start Crawford in place of Joe. Sign a coach who can develop Teague.
Problems solved!
MitchC
May 9th, 2010
4:33 pm
Mark, I disagree with you on this one, buddy.
We all rank on Woodson, but what has he done to be fired? Like it or not, the Hawks have improved their record, every season he’s been the coach.
Johnson’s comments about him “not caring” what the fans think, and playing for himself, and not the fans, are inexcusable. The hardworking fans who attend 41 Hawks regular season games, plus playoffs, pay this selfish whiner’s salary. No one, especially not in the climate that exists in our world today, is going to feel sorry for a millionaire ballplayer who doesnt perform up to expectations.
By no means is Mike Woodson a Bobby Cox, but, if we are letting go of a coach whose record improved in every season, why did the Braves then not fire Cox, every time he screwed it up in the playoffs? Or, is basketball a different variable than baseball?
The Hawks already signed most of their major free agents last year. I would not sign a player who performs as Johnson has in this series, and who said what he said. I’d sooner take that money, and go after one comparable player, or two good players, instead of a great player.
I wont be furious if the Hawks re sign Johnson, but I dont think they should. I also dont think they should fire Woodson. Unless you get Pat Riley, Phil Jackson, or Gregg Poppovich in here, I dont see who else would do a better job as coach.
Winning by Daylight
May 9th, 2010
4:34 pm
Can Usain Bolt run the point?
Dawgs2010
May 9th, 2010
4:34 pm
After the comments from Joe Johnson after Game #3, I don’t ever want to see his ugly face in an Atlanta uniform again.
He is not dependable and I would rather the team go back to losing again than for the Hawks to re-sign this low-life and disrepect the entire fan base.
Najeh Davenpoop
May 9th, 2010
4:36 pm
First of all, I think it’s a given that Woody has to go. He refuses to run an offense in a league where every elite team does, he takes three games to make adjustments in the playoffs, and much like Bobby Cox, he insists on playing players he likes long after they have outlived their usefulness (Bibby), at the expense of young players who need playing time and experience to gain confidence and reach their potential (Teague). Anyone who thinks otherwise is not on the same page as me and 99% of Hawks fans, so there’s no point in reading the rest of this post.
Secondly, I agree to an extent about overreacting. This team did win 53 games, and I think most people who watched it all season would say they actually underachieved by losing a lot of winnable games. Most of that is attributable to Woody’s shortcomings. Yes, Joe Johnson has proven that he is not and will never be a max contract worthy player or a leader by example or anything else, and this team has chemistry issues, but I don’t think it’s entirely fair to pass judgment on this core of players as to whether or not they can win a title until they have had the opportunity to do so under a coach that is capable of taking them there.
All that said, everything in pro sports at some point boils down to money. I’d prefer to replace the coach and keep this core together for at least a year or two and see what they can do — at the very least, I think they will compete much better with Orlando and Cleveland, and it’s entirely possible that with the addition of some pieces they can beat one or the other or both. But realistically, some team will offer Joe a max contract, and it won’t be in the Hawks’ best interest to pay him that kind of money if they want to advance beyond this point.
The finances-dictated reality is that in order to take a step forward from this point, it’s likely that the Hawks will have to take a step back. The Hawks certainly shouldn’t let Joe leave for nothing; keeping him is a hell of a lot better than letting him leave for no compensation. But if they can find a deal that brings them good talent and draft picks in return and gives them flexibility to add free agents going forward, they should do it.
northcyde
May 9th, 2010
4:37 pm
Roll Tider
May 9th, 2010
4:10 pm
northcyde…not that my little vision there wuld ever happen, but you do realize that Salmons and Morrow both ranked among the league leaders in 3pt% right? And Josh is supposed t be your low post scorer. Their biggestproblem is that they can’t guard a good big man. Haywood can do that. Plus, who knows what you might get with a top 15 or so draft pick you could get fo Horford? However you envision it, the point remains that Horford and Josh are both 4’s who are miscast at any other position. For the team to improvene of them needs to be flipped for a legit 5, true point guard, or shooter.
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At least you know what the team needs, a legit PG and a C ( lol . . the same thing we’ve needed for 5 years now ). The team is out of balance right now with no floor leader and no big man on the inside. I so wished we’d made a major play for Andre Miller last summer. But we wanted to keep this group together. During the regular season, it was the right decision. But the rapid decline of Bibby killed us, with Teague not being ready to lead yet.
But defensively, that team couldn’t guard neither post nor perimeter players. Morrow is a great shooter, but his problem has always been his defense and his inability to create his own shot. Salmons is a solid dude.
Your team isn’t bad . . lol . . it just isn’t good. That team isn’t better than the current Toronto Raptors team. We’re going to get to see how good of a GM Rick Sund really is. He has to go out and find a coach, potentially a star player to replace JJ, and possibly a PG and C to add to the roster.
Marc Savard
May 9th, 2010
4:37 pm
They should resign Joe Johnson, but only if he doesn’t ask for too much money.
Really?
May 9th, 2010
4:39 pm
yeah let’s sign the guy to a max extension just so we can try and maintain being a middle of the pack playoff team with no chance to win. That’s what the wizards did with gilbert arenas, and even without his gun issues that turned out really bad
HAWKS SORRY
May 9th, 2010
4:40 pm
LOLOLOL TOO BAD HAWKS AW I MEAN LARKS!! TOO BAD SO SAD BUT AT LEAST JOSH WILL HAVE MORE TIME TO PRACTISE HIS 45-FOOTERS IN THE POST-POST-SEASON!! QUICK SIGN LEBRON JAMES AND TRADE FOR DURANT!! GOOD LUCK WITH THAT!!!11