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Mark Bradley

How the Hawks might get it right: Find a coach for Josh Smith

8:51 am May 18, 2012, by Mark Bradley

(AJC photo by Curtis Compton)

"Good luck in your next job, Larry." "Same to you, Rick." (AJC photo by Curtis Compton)

As sometimes happens in the fast-paced world of 21st Century sportswriting, events have intervened. The Hawks announced at 1:59 p.m. Friday that they have exercised their option to keep Larry Drew as head coach. A new post will be forthcoming, but I’m leaving this up as a reminder that … well, that it wasn’t MY idea.

The other day, someone who follows the Atlanta Hawks in a journalistic capacity asked: “Do you think Josh Smith really wants to be coached?” That’s not just a great metaphysical question — it’s the key to this offseason and the seasons to come.

After thinking a bit, I said: “I think he does.” And right there I had my blueprint. At this moment in their strange history, what do the Hawks need to do?

Keep Josh Smith but find him a coach.

There are three major variables: Smith has one season remaining on his contract and has made noises about wanting out of here; the club holds an option on coach Larry Drew, and general manager Rick Sund is out of contract after June 30. Put simply, the Hawks have a chance this summer to change their dynamics without having to buy anybody out.

In place since June 2008, Sund has acquired two talents of the first rank: Jamal Crawford in trade in June 2009 but since gone to free agency, and Jeff Teague, drafted in 2009. Four of the Hawks who started Game 6 against Boston this month started Game 7 against the Celtics in May 2008. Think about that: A team that hasn’t gotten past Round 2 is still trying to make Billy Knight’s grand design work.

Drew arrived in 2004 as Mike Woodson’s chief assistant and was promoted when Woodson was shown the door after presiding over five consecutive seasons of improved results. Drew’s selling point to ownership was that he’d be able to get more out of the players than Mean Ol’ Woody, but all he has gotten is a (slightly) worse record and (many) more jump shots.

For the Hawks to get really good, as opposed to trying to stay pretty good a bit longer, they’ll need more dynamic management. They’ll need a GM who can stand up to ownership and swat away bad ideas. (Such as: Promoting the top assistant of the guy you’ve just fired.) They’ll need a coach who might actually make the players listen. But in both cases, they’ll need men who recognize that the Hawks’ future must revolve around Josh Smith.

And that’s scary. He could leave after next season. But the guess here is that Smith would look favorably on staying if he knew he, and not Johnson, would become the centerpiece. That’s scary, too. Smith can look like the best player on the floor and the worst player in the world in the span of 30 seconds. But he just finished his eighth NBA season and hasn’t yet made an All-Star roster, and he has arrived at a personal crossroads: He can either maximize his gifts and become a superstar, or he can continue to play at 70 percent capacity and be remembered as a guy who never figured it out.

I’m inclined to give Smith the benefit of the doubt, for this reason: In eight NBA seasons, he has known only two head coaches, and one of them has been with him for all eight. He didn’t play college ball. He’ll turn 27 in December, but I’m not sure Smith has really been taught how to play.

Woodson came the closest, but his manner grated. Say this for Woody, though: He had nearly convinced Smith not to hoist so many jump shots, but then he was gone and Drew offered free rein. In his final season under Woodson, Smith took seven 3-pointers; in his first season under Drew, he took 154.

I’m not sure Smith sees Drew as more than the nice-guy assistant, and Smith doesn’t need a buddy. He needs a firmer hand on his shoulder and a voice of experience in his ear. He needs someone who has been around the NBA, who has a reputation as being good with players without being an enabler. Dwane Casey, since snapped up by Toronto, would have done wonders with Smith. Nate McMillan, who’s between jobs, could have the same effect.

As for a new general manager: Start with the organizational charts of San Antonio and Oklahoma City. (Two assistant GMs worth knowing: Dennis Lindsey of the Spurs and Troy Weaver of the Thunder.) But here we come to great imponderable regarding the Hawks: Would anyone of consequence be willing to work for these owners?

For the sake of argument, let’s say someone would. (Given a suitable pay packet and the assurance that meddling would be kept at a minimum.) Let’s say there’s a rising executive who wouldn’t be afraid to tamper with the Core Four and a learned coach who would welcome the chance to turn Josh Smith into one of the best players in the sport. If so, these Hawks might yet have a future that’s not just more of the same.

By Mark Bradley

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127 comments Add your comment

PMC

May 18th, 2012
11:00 am

I’m more concerned about the Hawks finding a viable owner

Boom-Boom

May 18th, 2012
11:01 am

How the Hawks might get it right: find a trade for Josh Smith..

Ted M

May 18th, 2012
11:02 am

It would be impossible to trade Josh Smith and receive equal or greater talent in return.

Gotta keep him, however, nothing is really gonna change until JJ’s contract is off the books.

Snoop Graham

May 18th, 2012
11:07 am

Trading Josh Smith sounds good on the surface. But face it, we’re stuck with this piece of crap. The Hawks would be lucky to get a bag of balls for this bum.

Time

May 18th, 2012
11:08 am

I think Atlanta needs to find a place to send half these half witted Josh haters posing as Hawks fans.

The Hawks do need to keep Smith. He is by far their best player. But they need a coach who can coach up Jeff Teague. Someone needs to turn him into the elite PG he’s got the skills to be.

Billy

May 18th, 2012
11:21 am

Great call Mark..thanks for having the balls to tell it like it is.

COSCRO

May 18th, 2012
11:27 am

MB,

Why on earth anyone would want to attach their fortune and fortunes to a 27 year old man who has to be prodded into doing the right thing for his team and himself escapes me.

Snake doc

May 18th, 2012
11:29 am

is there anyone who really gives a rats behind about this?????? Other than Bradley and the few remaining fans of this miserable woe begone franchise?

this team could fold up its tents and move and no one would even notice or for that matter, care!

Hawks Loyalist

May 18th, 2012
11:30 am

Please give us Troy Weaver….I think he would do a really great job. OKC is the most exciting team to watch in the NBA, and with some patience look at where they are today. Weaver was the guy who convinced the Thunder to draft Westbrook, and he is a Top 3 PG in the league this year, if not the best! Look at the other moves the Thunder have made….good scouting…Serge Ibaka…should have been Defensive POY with 236 blocks on season to Tyson Chandler’s 88. He had 100 more blocks than the guy in 2nd place for blocks in the league. James Harden is another guy they drafted, Sixth Man of the Year Award winner. WEAVER FOR GM!!!!! Let’s get it done!

E43

May 18th, 2012
11:37 am

Unless your getting Phil Jackson there’s no point in even talking about coaches. The reason all these players have issues is that your forcing 3/5 of them to do garbage that they really have never signed up for. Joe is a SG, Al is a PF and Josh Smith is a SF. If Jamal was here then he should’ve been a SG full-time. The “Josh Smith will hoist too many jumpers” argument at the SF position does not cut it for me. Josh Smith will do what Josh Smith does even if you gave him a Falcon’s jersey. I’m confident that Smith can play efficient ball at the SF position. I’m also confident in having Zaza rather than Marvin in the starting lineup. I’m not even one to bash Marvin. I just think that Zaza doesnt start because hes not athletic and the statistics show that hes not a good finisher at the rim. Reality is that those two facts might not change, but I’m not paying for a pretty finishing at the rim % stats and athleticism. Line this crew up correctly and manage your shortcomings.

Rusty

May 18th, 2012
11:39 am

Josh Smith being the ‘centerpiece’ of the franchise would require him to work on his jump shot. If he would actually focus on becoming a good shooter and do the right kind of work on it he could possibly become the player he thinks he is and we hope he can be. A summer with a shooting coach could take him to the next level. The fact that it hasn’t happened yet makes me think it isn’t going to…

BamaGuy

May 18th, 2012
11:39 am

Indiana is showing you that a team can be made in today’s NBA without MAX players…Considering the fact that our MAX player is suspect at best we may want to send him packing and try to build this team the Pacer way….Good starting five and a real good bench 5

Trojan

May 18th, 2012
11:43 am

If the Hawks had Kevin Durant, Lebron, Kobe and Duncan on the team but still ran ISO Joe at the end of playoff games, the results will be the same.

ISO Joe is horrible.

BamaGuy

May 18th, 2012
11:44 am

Furthermore, those calling for us to trade Josh Smith haven’t been watching all season….Josh was clearly the best player on the court for us and with him gone…Well, it will not be pretty considering Joe is stumbling downhill to end his career…

Trojan

May 18th, 2012
11:44 am

Snake Doc: Why are you reading it if you care so little?

AGTFan

May 18th, 2012
11:45 am

Well Mark, you brought the Josh haters out in force. I think you make valid points. If the Josh haters get their way, this becomes a team that doesn’t contend for the playoffs. We are still working with Billy’s philosphy, which doesn’t include having a true center. We’ve got one of the best PFs in the league playing out of place. I think you’re right that Josh has never had a teaching coach. He needs one that he can respect, who is firm about what he wants Josh to do. Really, the whole team needs more discipline. I think Larry Drew has good offensive design, but he’s yet to get the team to stick with it.

keepinitreal

May 18th, 2012
11:46 am

Wow. Sund has been with the Hawks for four years and his two biggest acquistions have been Jamal Crawford and Jeff Teague. I knew he hasn’t been a great GM, but that really hits home.

Mike

May 18th, 2012
11:48 am

Hmm, Troy Weaver, now if Portland doesnt want him, then I think Hawks should look into that.

W.R. Terrell

May 18th, 2012
11:50 am

OK Mark Bradley, you may have a point about a skilled and knowledgeable coach having the ability to coach the JOSH. I am a proponent of getting rid of him and here are the reasons. I still feel that when Philadelphia had the opportunity to get the JOSH they instead chose Elton Brand whose skills were in decline. In doing so that sent a message to me that the JOSH could not and would not follow any designed scheme that did not have him as center stage.

Oh yes he is center stage talent in athletic ability, no doubt about that, but, after 8 years the rersults are the same with all that great athletic ability in tow. Philadelphia took the route to no one on the team being center stage and they are exceeding with a player whose skills are still in decline. The JOSH does not have that kind of mindset or the basketball IQ, like speed and height basket IQ cannot be taught, it is a given. One could argue that point but it is a reality.

Although his athletic ability is far superior to many power forward there is a reason he has not and if he continues in the same mold he will not make the “ALLSTAR” team. Coaches know and so do other players. When a superstar operates on “PO” he will never reach “TENTIAL”. The JOSH has been Mr. “PO” from day one to now. He is simply not coachable.

dozer

May 18th, 2012
11:53 am

I’m with “me” – josh is a loser. he doesn’t have the mental toughness & selflessness that it takes to win championships. After 7 (?) years, he’s pretty much shown who he is. why would anyone think that would ever change. He’s the basketball version of Andruw Jones………

Stan Williams

May 18th, 2012
12:02 pm

Jerry Sloan or Jeff Van Gundy would be coaches needed for the Hawks.

coach

May 18th, 2012
12:05 pm

never let hope triumph over reason.

reason tells us, if he hasn’t yet, he never will
if these hawks haven’t yet, they never will

we can hope, but we know better

TomB

May 18th, 2012
12:06 pm

No chance.

Jay

May 18th, 2012
12:11 pm

Mark,

I think other questions need to be answered first before we can talk about building around Josh Smith:

1. Can we afford to resign Josh Smith? He’s going to want more money than his current contract, and we are already near the budget ceiling.

1a. If we resign Josh, then who leaves to make room for his salary?

2. Is Josh Smith going to get any better? He’s 27, his athleticism will likely decline in the next couple of years. He still isnt mentally/emotionally mature.

3. What position is Al Horford going to play?

Hawks Loyalist

May 18th, 2012
12:14 pm

@Mike…Portland is a mess…they have had a GM position open for about a year now. Paul Allen is a joke! Look at how many people they have interviewed for that job. They fired Rich Cho after not being there for an entire year. They are putting candidates through NFL-type personality tests?!?!? Steve Kerr, Mitch Kupchak, and several other past and present GMs have interviewed, and been linked to the Portland job…should we say Portland doesn’t want them either? Last time I checked, Weaver withdrew his name from consideration similar to other candidates because of a lengthy process and extreme management control and micromanagement.

Ted M

May 18th, 2012
12:29 pm

Mark – Are GM’s knocking on Sund’s door for JS? I would think at least 10 GM’s believe they would be able to take advantage of the Hawks crappy management and steal Josh.

Jimmy Crack

May 18th, 2012
12:35 pm

An impossible task. Josh is already entrenched in his own importance.

TheTruth

May 18th, 2012
12:35 pm

The Hawks ownership couldn’t find their a$& with both hands…sad.

Bea Bea Ess

May 18th, 2012
12:38 pm

Smith and Johnson are both grossly overpaid, no talent, zero class thugs. I doubt if either of them can read. If it wasn’t for basketball, they would be pushing a mop somewhere.

STOPBADMOUTHINGATLTeams

May 18th, 2012
12:39 pm

Mark I can really appreciate this assessment on what needs to be done in order to improve this team. You got it head on about finding a Coach who can maximize Josh’s talent. For all of these so called “trade Josh Smith clowns” they have not a clue on what type of talent we have in this guy. You dont trade a guy who has talent, what you do is find somenoe to pull that talent out of him. Please take notes on what Rondo has done under Doc Rivers!!!! It does not take a “basketball mind” to see that this guy is a centerpiece of what we want to do in Atlanta. ASG needs to open the purse, and get a Van Gundy or a Jerry Sloan and allow this team to really show the East how we can be a force! I have nothing against Drew and I think he did a good job this year but we need a name recognition that the players will respect and that will bring out the best ball in all of our players. I know that not many teams want Marvin or that contract that Joe has, but a real Coach would know how to mold Marvin into what OKC has in James Harden, and show Marvin how to appreach that role and grow into a 6th man that can make a difference. I know I am asking for alot when I say that but coaching, real coaching makes that happen! As for Joe………….wow as for Joe. We have a couple of options; 1. Send him to the Wizard and lets see if we can get a heart transplant. 2. Actually send him to the Wizards and see if they would take that large contract for perhaps Nene and another player (hey it just might work, they need a two guard and they have been known to make crazy deals) 3. Ask him to rework the contract for the better of winning and for the better of the team (highly improable but I ask Joe, do you really need the whole 100 million, give 10 million back Joe and show ATL that you are about team and about winning!!!!). We will appreciate you more and you will still be LOADED!!!!!

STOPBADMOUTHINGATLTeams

May 18th, 2012
12:41 pm

Hey Bea Bea Ess what is that “thug” comment code name for? What a sad way to pull out your I am mad with the world card. How about you dont post on the blog with this type of stuff. Get lost off of a steep cliff!

Heisenberg

May 18th, 2012
12:42 pm

What the Hawks really need is a guy with long dreadlocks in a poney tail. All the good teams have one. The Hawks do not. So they need to acquire a guy with long dreadlocks in a poney tail or maybe have Zaza start groing his hair out over the summer.

PMC

May 18th, 2012
12:42 pm

Still don’t understand the hatred of Josh Smith after last season. Guy played his tail off.

Brian

May 18th, 2012
12:45 pm

Nate McMillan could barely ever get past the first round of the playoffs! The Hawks can already do that!

Say It Aint So

May 18th, 2012
12:48 pm

How many players use the entire 24 sec clock to pound the ball into the floor? If and when a new coach takes over the Hawks, shoot (no pun intended) the basket ball the next time ISO Joe pounds the floor, the ball is surely dead by now.

moboman

May 18th, 2012
12:48 pm

While Pachulia is no superstar, the Hawks played better with him at the 5 than they have for several years. Had he not been injured we indeed might still be playing. His presence in the lineup changed the dynamic of the team, and changed every other players roles for the better, including Josh. Im sure many will disagree, but my move would be to trade Horford for GOOD VALUE. We didnt miss him near as much as folks thought we would. He is our most TRADEABLE asset to improve the team in a way that allows us to improve without leaving a big hole to fill.

asdf

May 18th, 2012
12:51 pm

Is Josh Smith sometimes very frustrating? Yes. But he also has IMMENSE talent. And as much as people like Al, he is not even close in terms of talent – scoring, blocked shots, rebounding, assists, etc. I don’t know if we can get a coach who can righten Smith’s ship. But if we do, he could be one of the most dominant players in the NBA. He really is that good… or he could be.

elroy

May 18th, 2012
12:52 pm

bradley you bum, the ajc should get it right & drop your sorry tail. you are a jinx for the city & states sports team. the biggest issue w/ hawks is ownership & joe johnson’s contract.

asdf

May 18th, 2012
12:52 pm

Bea Bea Ess – thugs???? How in the world could you say something like that? We all know what you really mean; thug = n word to you.

Hawksfan

May 18th, 2012
12:54 pm

You have to get a stern coach & get an abled body center.. That way we start JT, JJ, JS, Al, & whoever wins that spot @ center.. Your bench consists of Kirk, WG, TMac, 9-5, & whoever loses the starting center competition.. Marvin could fit in that 2nd group, I just question his desire.. Since we gambled so much in the past, #3!!, take a chance on Greg Oden!!

atlantaradiosucks

May 18th, 2012
12:55 pm

most importantly, ASG sucks.

I know many have given up on J-Smoove, but I wouldn’t. He is Rasheed Wallace w/out the off the court nonsense: a hugely talented big guy that loves jacking up 3s for some reason, even though he could be scoring at will in the post. Like ‘Sheed, all Smith needs are the right PLAYERS around him. Too bad the ASG knuckleheads handcuffed themselves with Joe’s contract.

Najeh Davenpoop

May 18th, 2012
12:58 pm

Of course, mere hours after Bradley says to find a new coach, LD’s option gets picked up.

The Bradley Curse. It never fails.

Highflyrep

May 18th, 2012
12:58 pm

The answer is very simple:
Offer Doc Rivers the GM and the Coaching job!
You’ll then have Direction, Discipline, and Accountability!
And he’s a home town favorite to boot.

mbridg

May 18th, 2012
1:06 pm

Josh Smith need to learn ow to play team basketball for 60 minutes, and not for just a few plays. He is a “He-man” inside with his quickness and jumping ability, but he choose to stay way outside and shoot a 2-guard’s jumper. Be a Power Forward that makes good decisions, and he will instantly become a NBA All-star. By the way, winning organization will have no interest in a selfish, bad attitude Josh Smith.

Mr Mojo

May 18th, 2012
1:12 pm

Forget that the Hawks just picked up Drew’s option. This franchise will never be good until this horrible ownership sells the team.

Mr Mojo

May 18th, 2012
1:14 pm

Build this team around Josh and Al. They must find a taker for Joe’s contract. There are some teams desperate for a name like the Nets who we could dump him on. Sund is probably going to leave. So the mess he created he wont have to clean.

Dr. Warren

May 18th, 2012
1:14 pm

MB–here is a column for you, or at least a vote: Which was the more damaging move for the Hawks–(a) Passing on Chris Paul and Deron Williams OR (b) Signing a second-tier star like Joe Johnson to a max contract for 6 years.

Mr Mojo

May 18th, 2012
1:15 pm

How do you pick up your coaches option when your GM hasn’t even said if he is coming back yet. What a horrible organization

Mike

May 18th, 2012
1:25 pm

I think that ASG lives in their own world that doesnt pay attention to outside events and stuff like that. Because honestly, i think these guy is a bunck of Jack@– . I swear they are doing this, so people can stop going to Hawks games, so they can sell this team to Chris Hanson, then he goes up to Seattle.

If the Hawks is going to do this, they better make a change or they are going to feel the full blunt of the fans anger.

Marcus

May 18th, 2012
1:26 pm

yeah …I guess we either go about this backwards or we got our answer for 2012-13. I halfway figured the GM decision would be the 1st domino, then everything else would be (in order):

1)LDs return or new coaching direction
2a) Josh Smiths future in ATL
2b) Player personnel decisions – Potential trade partners for Josh, FA scouting, Final cutdown list of 1st round draft targets – all depending on item 2a

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