An NBA man says: The right coach could fix the Hawks
Johnson and Woodson: The partnership seems near its end. (AJC photo by Jason Getz)
I spoke for 30 minutes Monday with a man who has been an NBA head coach and who knows the game and its personnel as well as anyone. We spoke about the Hawks. He made these points:
• Mike Woodson is a good coach who deserves great credit for lifting the Hawks from 13-69 to 53-29 over the course of five seasons. But it became clear in these playoffs that his players had stopped listening, as players invariably will after hearing the same voice for so long.
• It’s one thing to go down swinging in the playoffs, but no good team should ever be beaten the way the Hawks were by Orlando.
• Even though Joe Johnson pulled another playoff disappearance, he remains one of the toughest players to defend in the league. He’s the focal point of every opposing scouting report.
• Josh Smith is a tremendous talent who has become a very good player, but his relationship with Woodson has become poisoned. Whoever the next coach is — this man believes Woodson and the Hawks will indeed part ways — he must be able to correct Smith’s excesses without seeming to browbeat him.
• Al Horford is the one indispensable man on the Hawks’ roster — a terrific player who’s also a leader. That said, the man noticed that even Horford was guilty of matador defense during the Orlando series, a telltale sign that the team had stopped responding to its coach.
• Mike Bibby has little left and could well become a distraction if/when he loses his starting job. The Hawks probably need to move him.
• Marvin Williams has been a huge disappointment.
• Woodson’s basic precepts — Iso-Joe on offense, switching every screen on defense — can work well in the regulation season, where opponents essentially have to show up and play, but they don’t work in the playoffs because teams have a chance to prepare at length. Both Milwaukee’s Scott Skiles and Orlando’s Stan Van Gundy outflanked the Hawks.
• Jamal Crawford was the reason the Hawks went from 47 wins last season to 53 this.
• Assuming it comes open, the Hawks’ coaching job will be seen as a plum. Even if Johnson leaves, this won’t be a team starting over. Horford, Smith and Crawford are major talents, and there’s no telling what Johnson could fetch in a sign-and-trade. The right coaching hire could elevate this team immediately.
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
170 comments Add your comment
RM
May 11th, 2010
8:17 am
If not Woodson, then who? I haven’t seen any possibilities mentioned…
Mark Bradley
May 11th, 2010
8:19 am
Hasheem Thabeet spent part of this season in the Developmental League. You want him to start at center?
doc
May 11th, 2010
8:21 am
northcyde, i too am very apprehensive about teague, his great last game acknowledged. sadly, i remember shels and salim going off for career games at the end of the season in their rookie years never to be heard from again. woody has given neither me or you or even more important sund and the incoming coach an idea of what he can do. that is a huge question mark and one greater than whether to bring back jj or not. even if you bring back this team intact with a new coach that system of no point guard will not work. it only works where you have d wade, kobe or lequeen.
we are still in the same refrain of the last six years and counting, “who will be the nba capable point guard and center for this team going forward”? sing on fellow bloggers.one or the other is going to be very critical and if you get the right guy one ot the other may not be necessary say a very good defensive center that blocks everything pouring through a very porous guard duo or a very good distributor and lead dog point guard that may have a clue on defense to hold down the perimeter and teach teague how to do the same thing. teague may be fine in another defensive system as he definitely has the quicks and it may be as simple as putting him with the right coach.
jojo sunshine
May 11th, 2010
8:23 am
We have to get the one of the first three picks of the draft! We need to trade Joe Johnson to get one of those picks. If we could land the #1 pick we could get a point guard that is the best player in the draft. If we cannot get the first pick get #2 and get Evan Turner who will be a better NBA player than Joe Johnson and already has the build and the touch. I am not saying he is anything near Kobe, but his game reminds me of Kobe when Kobe was 1st in the league. If we had to take pick #3 then we could get Damarcus Cousins who would definitely keep Dwight Howard from totally killing us. I would trade Johnson, Bibby, Smith, and Williams to get all three of those draft picks. We would be young and probably drop in wins the first couple of years, but we would be exciting to watch and we could defend any team with that kind of line-up.
Ethan Stewart
May 11th, 2010
8:25 am
We need a center. We need to move Horford to his natural position. We need Dominique Wilikins as an asst coach. We need an Avery johnson or someone of that caliber to coach this team. Coaching is everything…good players can hear “Let’s get it under 10 before halftime” for so long. Especially when that is the extent of the coaching in big games.
I really truly hope the Spirit dont tdrop the ball and send this team spiraling to it’s demise.
jojo sunshine
May 11th, 2010
8:25 am
Think about this team:
pg – John Wall
sg – Jamaal Crawford
sf – Evan Turner
pf – Al Horford
c – Damarcus Cousins
WOW!
Rick S
May 11th, 2010
8:25 am
I agree that a change of the Hawks Head Coach needs to be made and my choice would be to go outside the NBA and go get Bruce Pearl, the Head Coach at Tennessee. He is smart, a great motivator, excellent with details, and many other positive attributes. The Hawks management needs to make an offer to Pearl now before another NBA team does!
MitchC
May 11th, 2010
8:25 am
Mark, why does everyone assume it’s all Woodson’s fault? The team improved every season he was the coach. They were a 13 win laughingstock his first year, and then, this year, transformed into a 53 win solid team.
Bottom line: This team has no superstar to turn to in crunch time. Look at the teams that have won titles over the last three decades. They had Bird and Mchale, or Kareem and Magic, or Kobe and Shaq, or Michael and Scottie. Those are all Hall of Fame guys. Josh Smith and Joe Johnson are not Kobe/Shaq type of players. Look at the teams that will likely win the title this year. The Cavs have Lebron, the Magic have Howard, and the Lakers still have Kobe.
Bottom line, I think this team has maxed out. They are a good, solid, NBA team that had a lot of talent, but not that one guy who can make a difference for a title.
I know you feel the Hawks have to re sign Joe Johnson. From a talent standpoint, I see your point, but he has a terrible attitude. Why does everyone believe that getting rid of Woodson would bring this team to that “next level”? I’m not getting the reason.
Coaching change, or no coaching change, without some tweaks to the roster, I dont see this team ever getting by the Magic, Cavs, or Lakers. They just dont have that one marquee go to guy who makes the difference.
Wanted 2 Coaches
May 11th, 2010
8:26 am
Can we get Pop from S.A.??
bball fan
May 11th, 2010
8:31 am
Mark – do you think the ASG will be willing to pay what it takes to bring in a proven winner during the coaching change and re-shape the roster? Kinda skeptical here, as I haven’t seen much from them to inspire confidence…
Big D
May 11th, 2010
8:32 am
Woody-Out
Players-Out
————
Bibby-cut
JJ-via sign and trade
JSmooth-trade
Collins-cut
Williams-trade
We have a proven baller in Crawford and double-double in Horford, good young pg in Teague, solid players in Evans, West , ZaZa and Joe Smith. Just need to add a #1 scoring option and starting C and the Hawks will be fine
Paddy
May 11th, 2010
8:35 am
Mark, the right coach could fix the Hawks. The right coach can’t fix the ASG. That is an ugly mess they have brought to the Atl sports scene.
DDawgDavis
May 11th, 2010
8:37 am
I started thinking what about the Hawks lineup with a good coach? Not some new age triangle offense or rectangle defense, but a real Old School coach? I appreciate Woodson getting us to this level, but in order to get to the next level, we need a Floor General. Oh the list would include Avery Johnson, Byron Scott, etc., but let’s go outside the box. How about the Czar Mike Fratello? Mark Jackson? Skiles? I really think a good head coach for this bunch would come from the trio of Mark Jackson, Avery, and or another disciplined coach. I am also the guy who thought Gilbert Arenas would be a good switch for Joe.
Joey
May 11th, 2010
8:38 am
Yeah, yeah, yeah. Blah, blah, blah. The Hawks suck, etc, etc, etc.
Ask the Boston Celtics if the Hawks suck.
See, the Magic is a lot better than the Hawks. It doesn’t hurt to type the truth. The Magic has more shooters than any team in the NBA. They have the best and biggest center, a much deeper bench, and the coaching advantage is like comparing night and day. Let the coaches switch teams and these games and series goes right down to the wire.
If Orlando keeps playing like this (8-0), who’s gonn beat them?
Luke
May 11th, 2010
8:41 am
Woodson probably should have coached his last game in Atlanta… It is time for a change; however they need to get the right coach… A Larry Brown type or George Karl type…. Woodson has earned the right to coach another team based on the turn-around he has completed in Atlanta…
Joe Johnson is a solid player much like Joe dumars was for the pistons… But he is no D-WADE… If we let JJ go, we need to go after D-Wade who would be a huge upgrade. Also I would be in favor of keeping JJ and go after A. Stoudamaire from Phoenix… Moving Horford to PF, and JS to SF…putting M. Williams on the bench that is where he belongs being a streaky shooter…
What is not ok…is losing JJ, and starting Crawford… we need bench guys… so putting Bibby, Crawford, Williams on the bench so they can come off the bench in games would be huge…and adding A.Staoudmaire and/or both D-wade (time to upgrade JJ) would give the Hawks a chance…
i_am_soulstar
May 11th, 2010
8:42 am
If Joe wanted to leave, I’d totally work a sign and trade for OJ Mayo and Marc Gasol. And give Teague significant minutes next year. We won’t win the championship next year. But maybe the year after, we’ll have the pieces to make it happen.
D.W.
May 11th, 2010
8:44 am
Of course Coach Woodson needs to go. Also, as constructed the team even with a new coach cannot win the east or get past the second round. Josh Smith is loafing cancer and he need to go with Woodson. Al Horford needs to play power forward and Josh Smith is definitely not a 3 man. One of them needs to go (Horford or Smith) and my vote is Smith. I’ll take Gerald Wallace and one of those back-up guards at Charlotte for Josh Smith any day.
AVERY JOHNSON
May 11th, 2010
8:45 am
I’m ready to coach this team to a championship…..
Tell It Like It Is
May 11th, 2010
8:49 am
Every NBA coach has a problem with some of his players. Woody nor any other coach can solve the mismatch between the Magic and the Hawks. To be beat so decisively rests with the players. The Hawks cannot beat Orlando with the players they have now. With the exception of a few, the Hawks appear to be selfish and self centered. Some players need to go to make room for a good poit guard and a legitimate center to help Josh and Al. The talent is there but not the heart. I like Woody, but he cannot make these guys play together. I doubt that another coach will either. Best to you Woody and forget about those who write for a living. I have watched the golf writers and the Golf Channel rip Tiger. The game is get the blogs humming with sensational journalism to sell themselves. Enough already.
Jesse
May 11th, 2010
8:51 am
Let’s get that coach and get this fixed!
Jesse
May 11th, 2010
8:51 am
Enter your comments here
Fundamentals
May 11th, 2010
8:52 am
Nice job at jabbing the Hawks yet again without offereing any real solution. THANK YOU MASTER OF THE OBVIOUS! I hate your columns. Go write about a team you actually like or follow with detailed info on who you think should coach this team. I don’t think you have it in you to be constructive and helpful. You just point out what a 2nd grader could figure out. Now off to tell the fairweather writer Shultz he stinks too. You two really do amaze me!
Dan
May 11th, 2010
8:52 am
Bring in Bill Laimbeer as coach!!!!
Joey
May 11th, 2010
8:54 am
I’m worried about Teague too, Doc. But I’m worried that Woody has made a permanent dent in Teague’s confidence with his antics this season. Jerking him out of games after a mistake; glaring as he goes to the bench; not playing him for the next 5 games, etc.
Woody needs to coach in the college game where browbeating players will get you in the Hall of Fame.
Paddy, the Hawks won 53 games. That alone sould keep them from being called an “ugly mess.” But you’re right, the right coach could take this team to the next level.
Big D
May 11th, 2010
8:56 am
Please hire Paul Silas
Najeh Davenpoop
May 11th, 2010
9:00 am
Whoever this mystery former NBA coach is, can the Hawks hire him? I agree with every word in this article.
Gordon
May 11th, 2010
9:02 am
Please hire Paul Hewitt.
HAWK EYE
May 11th, 2010
9:03 am
New starting five:
PG- TONY PARKER- TJ FORD- JEFF TEAGUE
SG – BRADON ROY- HE IS AFREE AGENT- LET JOE JOHNSON WALK-JAMAEL CRAWFORD- AS BACK UP AT PG & SG POSITION
SF- GERALD WALLACE- A TRADE FOR JOSH SMITH- SONNY WEEMS AS BACK UP
PF- AL HARTFORD- ZAZA
C- BRADEN HAYWOOD- A TOP FREE AGENT SHOT BLOCKER- JAVALE MCGEE AS BACK UP.
BENCH- JOE SMITH- RANDOLPH MORRIS- MARIO WEST
GeorgiaYankeesFan
May 11th, 2010
9:03 am
One man for the job (and who would have figured out a way to slow down a big man like D Howard)… Jeff Van Gundy. He worked wonders with Knicks changing their playing style after Patrick Ewing went down to capitalize on the speed of Spreewell.. No way this series doesn’t go 6 if Van Gundy is coaching. Still need a big presence in the middle. Don’t despair Atlanta as Knicks fan I would kill to taste the playoffs again.
Joey
May 11th, 2010
9:06 am
Luke, so you want us to get D-Wade and Amare. How about LeBron, and maybe Gasol? Jeez.
You need to read Mark’s column from yesterday. He’s right. D-Wade ain’t coming to Atlanta. The Heat’s owner and GM (and old/new coach?) Pat Riley will keep him in Miami.
Also read up on cap space before you start fantasizing . . .
Bobby Ray Allen
May 11th, 2010
9:06 am
with the greatest coach, would the hawks have beaten the magic???..A resounding no…to get into the conference finals the hawks management(spirit group) would have to make the commitment…..
A. Teesman
May 11th, 2010
9:08 am
Hire Doug Moe, or Gene Shue, or Dick Motta, or Billy Cunningham … or Larry Brown.
Brad
May 11th, 2010
9:08 am
While I think it is time for Woody to step aside I think the NBA is all about the players on the floor. If Woody was coaching Orlando’s players and Stan Van Gundy was coaching Atlanta’s do you think the outcome would have been any diferent?
ZAZA
May 11th, 2010
9:09 am
ok first of all FIRE WOODY. Second of all Trade JJ for a young star pg ( NBA DRAFT) Second forget about a big time center WE GOT ZAZA PACHUUUULIA!!!!!
Darryl Moore
May 11th, 2010
9:10 am
ATLANTA is NOT a sports town…never has been…never will be…ALL the teams are poorly run…look at the history of each team…they get someone in here who turns things around…then they fire that person or trade that player…DUMB….This coach has them winning…now folks want to chop his head off because they lose…I can remember seeing EMPTY seats in the Omni and Phillips…I suggest they keep him and get some better players via the draft and trade!!!
Decatur Native
May 11th, 2010
9:10 am
Mark, I have a very bad feeling that we will see 13 wins next year, the owners will try to put a bandaid over a wound in need of stiches, and my boss said it’s probably eaiser to be a seatle fan right about now, sigh.
Claude Musselman
May 11th, 2010
9:11 am
Most important summer in Teague’s life?
Cancel all vacations, Jeff.
Darryl Moore
May 11th, 2010
9:12 am
Mark, this “NBA COACH” that you had a 30 minute talk with…where is he coaching? NOWHERE…that is why he had so much free time on his hands!!! It’s easy to critique from the bleachers or the living room couch.
ZAZA
May 11th, 2010
9:13 am
Did anyone here me….. ZAZA PACHUUULLLIAAAAA He is the anwser to all of our problems. Every time he is in the game the other team picks up a technical foul
Tech75
May 11th, 2010
9:13 am
Woody has to go, even if he had a clue about motivating his players or creating a reliable offensive pattern they’ve tuned him out.
JSmoove -A new coach might do the trick, but he will have to pay attention and play with effort and hustle for 48 minutes, otherwise he’ll have to be moved elsewhere after next season.
Bibby is out of gas. We should cut him, thanks Mike, but it’s time.
Marvin was a colossal fail. Trade him for a good bench player.
Horford is a player you build a team around. Skills, effort, leadership, smart.
JJ should be traded for draft picks. He just needs to go, he’s worn out his welcome.
ZaZa stays; I like his spirit, good passer, he can play the game if the coach can establish a patterned offense.
The Others – Don’t know much about them, some stay, some go, but we need to start spending some money to acquire quality depth 6 thru 10.
I do agree with others that there are some coaches that would jump at the chance to coach this particular team.
We do need a true center. We do need a true, franchise-level PG.
Claude Musselman
May 11th, 2010
9:13 am
As for the next coach, Mr. Bradley, your man Dino Gaudio is available.
Mike "The Czar" Fratello
May 11th, 2010
9:13 am
Go ahead and bring me back, I am ready to take the Hawks back to the promise land! Or, one of these guys who are all better than Woody:
Jeff Van Gundy
Avery Johnson
Hubie Brown
ZAZA
May 11th, 2010
9:15 am
Mark- I still havnt seen you throw out any coaching options. If were going to fire woody u better get some body a whole lot better. You cant just fire him and say O wat now.
John
May 11th, 2010
9:16 am
I think Woodson is a decent coach and will be a head coach somewhere next season. However, I think some of you are failing to realize how much a new coach could help this team. Blowing up the team is not the answer to anything. Joe made some stupid, jerkish comments, but we need to resign him. He is one of the top 15 players in the league, but not one of the top 5. Woodson utilized Joe like he was one of the top 5 by running everything through him. Woodson’s lack of adjustments during these playoffs was ridiculous. We beat the Bucks in spite of his failure to make adjustments. As mentioned earlier, the switching on defense was ridiculous. All of our starters, minus Bibby, are athletic, but just because Horford is an athletic center does not mean he can guard Brandon Jennings or Jameer Nelson off of the pick and roll. I hope Sund does not panic. I really feel that if we do not resign Joe, all we will do is move Jamal to the starting lineup and really try to resign Childress. That is a huge step back which many of you people saying get rid of Joe will come to realize if it happens. This ownership is not going to break the bank on any other big signings, plus we don’t have the cap room to go after guys like Bosh and Wade. Also, what has Bosh done besides underachieve with the Raptors? He has had decent talent around him, so don’t say he hasn’t. He is a 6′11″ guy that only likes to shoot 10 foot jumpers. He would not save this team. He cannot even get the Raptors to the playoffs.
dcstan
May 11th, 2010
9:16 am
every time I see Chris Paul or Darren Williams, I just shake my head what in the world was the Hawks brass thinking. A killer point is all this team really need and it is on. Oh well you need to find one and quick. even Jarret Jack would be an improvement over what you have now. Bibby is not a penetrator and that is what the Hawks need. someone to break down the defense and allow Smith and Horford to throw down some vicious dunks.
C. Moore
May 11th, 2010
9:16 am
To be a longtime Hwks fan I am dissapointed in this teams efforts!!! How about we get a real center where we can put Horford at the 4. Defending 7 footers with 30 more pounds on them gets draining; Joe has to go…we thank him for his time here but he is not a number 1 option but more of a 2nd option. This is a team built for the season…but not the playoffs. Big off-season for the Hawks and Hawks fans…Will the “Highlight factory” still have high lights or will the lights go out?
Paddy
May 11th, 2010
9:20 am
Joey, I don’t believe the” right coach ” is coming to Atl. The “right coach” will steer clear of the ASG unless he is out of a job. In that case, is he really the right coach.? The real top guys want no part of a group that is going sports broke with 2 different teams and needs the courts 4 years to deciede who is really the boss. You can’t make this stuff up!!!!!!!!!!!!
ZAZA
May 11th, 2010
9:22 am
O ya one more thing joe i hope your reading this. The reason were not goin to show up is because YOU DONT SHOW UP. I was at game 3 and i just wanted to let you know YOU ARE AVERAGE JOE. Also Mike bibby you are slow as dirt. Nelson did wat he wanted with you out there. And this is suppose to be a young team. Not when you have a 50 year old man running your offense
C. Moore
May 11th, 2010
9:22 am
Hey dcstan…C. paul Aand D. Williams are great pgs…the only thing with them being in a Hawks uni if they were drafted to us would be if the old school coach Woody would have played them. Remember Acie Law,Salim Stoudmire, and now Jeff Teague(who in a meaningless game showed he can play scoring 24 and dishing out 15 asst)? C. Paul and D. Williams may have never been who they are if they were drafted by the Hawks…
Edward R. Murrow
May 11th, 2010
9:23 am
In a related story:
The RIGHT President could fix America, too.
Why settle for sub-standard performance, American Voters and Hawks Fans?