The Hawks move to keep Larry Drew, and more hope fades
"Run the play where we shoot a jump shot. That'll work." (AJC photo by Hyosub Shin)
The Atlanta Hawks could have changed a lot this offseason without doing very much. They could have said goodbye to both general manager Rick Sund and coach Larry Drew without having to buy either out. By announcing Friday that they’ve chosen to keep Drew another season, the Hawks have again sent the message that they regard being pretty good as good enough.
Sund’s fate — his contract expires June 30 — is still unknown, but it seemed rather significant that he was the only one quoted in the we’re-keeping-Drew release. (Would a GM who’s actually leaving be allowed to vote yea or nay on a coach? These being the Hawks, maybe.) And if you wondered how long Sund would wait to invoke injuries as an excuse for remaining status quo, the answer was 25 words.
Then this: “The Hawks have reached the postseason in each of his years on the bench, and we feel Larry’s experience, expertise and dedication to the game were a key ingredient to our success.”
As we know, the Hawks reached the playoffs in each of Mike Woodson’s final three seasons, but that didn’t keep this crew, Sund included, from dumping him and promoting his longtime assistant. On the record, the Hawks have been worse in their first two seasons under Drew than in their final two seasons under Woodson, but apparently this, to Sund and presumably to ownership, constitutes “success.”
Which only goes to show: No matter how often this organization boasts of its commitment to excellence, all it’s really trying to do is not to look too bad. Would the Celtics or the Lakers — franchises that co-owner Michael Gearon Jr. suggested his team belongs alongside because all three happened to reach Round 2 of the postseason three years running — define “reach[ing] the postseason” as “success”? Could anyone look at the opportunity just wasted against Boston as anything but a reversal?
This offseason could have been — and still might, theoretically — a time for recalibration. The Hawks could have found a better coach (Nate McMillan would have been my first call) and a new general manager (Dennis Lindsey and Troy Weaver, assistant GM’s with San Antonio and Oklahoma City, would have been my starting points) and tried to reshape the prized Core Four to reflect the growing reality that Josh Smith, not Joe Johnson, is the key to brighter tomorrows.
Instead: Eight days after elimination, the Hawks moved to keep Drew. Why? Well, he works cheap. Beyond that, I really don’t know. To say he hasn’t been a disaster as head coach ignores the reason he was given the job: Drew convinced management he could improve on what Woodson had done. Two years later, he hasn’t.
Drew has de-emphasized Joe Johnson without finding a workable replacement for the Iso-Joes. (And the Hawks still do the Iso-Joes — just not quite as often.) One of the league’s better collections of youngish talent has become a crew dependent on the jump shot, which is utterly counterintuitive: You’d want a team so quick and agile to shoot driving to the hoop, not standing 20 feet away.
The most damning number on Drew involves, as do many damning Hawks numbers, Josh Smith: In his final season under Woodson, Smith took 263 shots of 16 feet or longer (this according to Basketball-Reference.com); in his first season under Drew, he took 526. The belief here is that Drew’s way of handling his most gifted player has been to let Smith do as he pleases, which benefits neither team nor player. The belief here is that Smith is less apt to listen to Drew in 2013 than he was in 2004 or 2011. The belief here is that, if the Hawks are ever to maximize Smith, they won’t do it with this coach.
Another sobering truth: The shortened schedule wasn’t exactly balanced. The Hawks played 25 games against the seven Eastern clubs who failed to make the playoffs, all of whom finished under .500. Boston and Chicago and Indiana each played 23 games against those seven; Miami played 21. Among Eastern playoff qualifiers, only the Knicks had so many games against the conference’s bottom tier. The Hawks played the minimum four games against the top four finishers in the West; every other Eastern playoff qualifier except Indiana played more.
The Hawks could have taken their first Round 1 elimination since 2008 as a signal that change is warranted. Alas, it comes as no great surprise that they pointed to injuries as the reason to stay a course that hasn’t really gotten them very far. Maybe they’ll fool us now by letting Sund leave and hiring someone to come in and bust up the Core Four, but in light of this offseason’s first big move there’s no reason to hold out hope. We’ve again been reminded that these are the Atlanta Hawks.
By Mark Bradley
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258 comments Add your comment
B
May 19th, 2012
7:58 am
A Good NBA team that contended would be so much fun. Unfortunately…
Double Zero Eight
May 19th, 2012
8:05 am
“More of the same” as most bloggers anticipated. This
team will be mired in mediocrity for years to come.
blazerdawg
May 19th, 2012
8:11 am
He’s better than Bob Weiss or Woody.
I’ll give this group ONE more year.
Nativebird
May 19th, 2012
8:13 am
Which only goes to show: No matter how often this organization boasts of its commitment to excellence, all it’s really trying to do is not to look too bad. Would the Yankees or the Phillies — franchises that many local apologists suggested their team belongs alongside — define “reach[ing] the postseason” as “success”? Could anyone look at the opportunity just wasted in the fall collapse of last yearas anything but a reversal?
This offseason could have been — a time for recalibration.
Instead: They moved to support their head coach. Why? Well, he works cheap. Beyond that, I really don’t know. To say he hasn’t been a disaster as head coach ignores the reason he was given the job: He convinced management he could improve on what Cox had done. he hasn’t.
Civil Unrest
May 19th, 2012
8:37 am
The only thing ASG are good at…screwing Atlanta
GT
May 19th, 2012
8:45 am
Watching Johnson fool around in iso against the Celtics was like watching a water buffalo being attacked by a pride of lions. Slow tired and the outcome every time so obvious. And Smith sitting off shore watching no closer to one basket than the other. The other three members clustered together on the other side of the half court ,like they are drawing any attention, as four defenders attack slow Joe.
I don’t think this is the way Drew draws it up, but who listens to the coach on this team. When Drew does the autopsy after the losses he is pretty much on the money about what is happening. “Caught my wife cheating last night, not good for the marriage”, then the next game, “caught my wife cheating last night… Gets old doesn’t it. After watching him handle his son’s situation at Carolina I don’t see a disciplinarian in Drew I see a facilitator. Shows up with Smith especially.
GT
May 19th, 2012
8:45 am
Watching Johnson fool around in iso against the Celtics was like watching a water buffalo being attacked by a pride of lions. Slow tired and the outcome every time so obvious. And Smith sitting off shore watching no closer to one basket than the other. The other three members clustered together on the other side of the half court ,like they are drawing any attention, as four defenders attack slow Joe.
dmr
May 19th, 2012
8:49 am
The Atlanta Spirit Group basically makes terrible decisions at the tail end of the season and then hopes that the masses will forget about their shortcomings when the next season arises. The Hawks will have to play a full schedule next year. One radio personality in town loves to jump on the “ATLANTA FANS ARE THE REASON FOR FAILURE” bandwagon many times. It is the fans’ fault because they don’t support the franchise. It is the fans’ fault because they don’t fill the arena. That is pure bologna.
If I spent money at a restaurant week after week and each time I went, the food and the service got progressively worse until it reached mediocre to bad, is it really MY responsibility to support that business or product in the hopes that it may one day get better? Should I waste my hard earned money on a bland product that will produce the same dissatisfaction time after time? Or is it up to the restaurant owner to hire a new staff, new chef, etc. to bring things back to excellent and earn my business?
Ask the ASG to sell a ticket package next year that consists of Round 2 of the playoffs ONLY! Ask that you not have to pay for them until the 1st round is over. My guess, you’ll never have to spend that money and you won’t have loaned money to a group that obviously has no idea on how to handle it.
The Hawks need NEW OWNERSHIP FIRST. Until that time, count me out! Those are my entertainment dollars talking! This is how you bring about change.
HawkFan
May 19th, 2012
9:21 am
who would they bring in as a coach that is better than what we have and will work for cheese?
KBP
May 19th, 2012
9:34 am
You can’t build this team around Josh with his current skill set. He is too limited offensively. Absolutely no right hand and that makes him attack the basket the same way most every time he posts up. Still too enamored with taking long 2’s and he should almost never bring the ball up court. He can develop his right hand, improve his 17 foot mid-range shot, and improve his ball handling but will he?
You can’t build this team around Al. He too, is too limited offensively. He has no left hand and he uses the same move when he posts up. Very good shooter from 17 feet and in, but needs more versatility in his offensive game. He and Josh both are complimentary players and very, very, good ones but not franchise cornerstones right now. Put Roy Hibbert on this team and they are one of the top 3 in the east. Maybe even Chris Kaman and they are top 3.
As this team is currently constructed, building around someone other than Joe is a mistake. While he is not of the caliber of Kobe, LeBron, Wade,Pierce, and Durant. He is certainly the best option as a franchise player in Atlanta right now.
billcanoe
May 19th, 2012
10:02 am
Mark, you are way off base here. Larry Drew did more with what he had than any Hawks coach in a long time. Keep him and get the hell out of the way.
Sideline Dude
May 19th, 2012
10:11 am
Let’s just move the Hawks to another city & be done with them. Heck, just do away with the NBA. Just a bunch of over paid thugs running around in shorts anyway.
Just an observation
May 19th, 2012
10:14 am
Is it possible that the hawks have decided not to make any major changes because of the success we had in the begginin of the season before our most important player (Al Horford) went down with an injury for the entire season. Not to mention the fact that with our most important player on the bench we still had home court advantage in the first round of the playoffs. Now I think we should have let Larry drew go, but management does have a point.
Coach Hoops
May 19th, 2012
10:28 am
May not like it but this was a good financial decision. Drew coming back for third season is not necessarily that bad. However, this summer you have got to trade Josh for a true 3 perimeter guy opposite of Joe and even get a decent draft pick to aid the frontline. The Hawks need Z at center and move Horford to power forward. Then, bring in a true scorer at the 3, that U got for Josh. Ship Marvin to whoever wants him to move up in the draft to get a solid young center to back up Z. Then see what LD does with that. BTW. Hawks I am available for dat GM job on a 1 year interim basis for real cheap.
Another Steve Smith
May 19th, 2012
10:50 am
#5 is holding the team hostage. Hello…?
David
May 19th, 2012
10:50 am
In my 30 years of Atlanta Hawks basketball watching I have yet to hear a player or coach say they want to come to Atlanta. You blaming Drew for this mess really, its dude second season with Joe(I aint passing, but I dont get enough shots) Johnson. Its been many nights I have seen other players be hot and Joe would just come down a throw up a shot. He wont put his back to the basket to save his life. We need to pay somebody to get Joe out this city Period. If the Hawks were Voltron Josh would be the Head, Horford Arms and Body, Teague and Za Za Feet and Legs. We dont even have a Blazing Sword, and 4 more years of Joe.
B
May 19th, 2012
11:01 am
Reserve you season tickets now. It’s going to be hotter than a Facebook IPO!
Billy (not Martin)
May 19th, 2012
11:13 am
Drew is not the problem with this team.
In fact I think you should give him a gold metal for getting this bunch even close to the playoffs.
WIth Al hurt, Iso Joe continuing to no show in big moments and Josh thinking he’s the next coming of Reggie Miller taking those long jumpers, what chance does he have.
dlh82
May 19th, 2012
11:18 am
You have got to be kidding me. This ownership has no clue. If they bring back Marvin Third Overall Williams I won’t even watch on tv no matter how much lipstick “the stinger” puts on it.
Boo Boo
May 19th, 2012
11:41 am
Using your logic, AJC should have fired Furman Bisher when he turned 65. Being “pretty good” just does not cut it. The NBA is a league where 6 teams actually have a chance each year, and all the rest are like the team that always played the Harlem Globetrotters. The rest are only there to make the winners win. It is like the SEC, where 6 teams win the title, while the rest just boost their record. Geez. Get a real job.
DawgNole
May 19th, 2012
11:59 am
The Tide is Rolling and Nothing can stop it
May 18th, 2012
4:37 pm
Like all Georgia teams, championships are once in a lifetime…
___________________
Not all Georgia teams. The Hawks, Falcons, Thrashers, and Flames all have/had NONE in their Georgia lifetimes.
South Georgia
May 19th, 2012
12:01 pm
The coach did great with players who have little drive to excel. Josh Smith pretends to be a guard when he is a forward and Mr. High salary Joe Johnson disappears in crunch time. Keep the coach and trade those 2 guys for some players who are hungry to win like the players for Indiana Pacers and OK City Thunder!
tmc
May 19th, 2012
12:02 pm
in the grand scheme of things, this organizations problems list in order of importance:
1 thru 10: Owners
11. players.
12. head coach.
Larry Drew is not the best coach in the league, but the owners and the players on this team are farrrrrrrr more a problem than Drew.
Old Hawk
May 19th, 2012
12:04 pm
Been aHawks fan since 1976 walking around in the yard with a transistor radio listening to Skip Caray and others call the games. Since adulthood have had season tickets for several years. I can recall most players on the team since the 1980s.
I went through this year and figured there would be a first round exit like most. I kew in my mind that there will be no changes in this offseason. Its a total joke from top to bottom. The Hawks are good enough to be the sub .500 teams and a good team every once in a while, but they dont have the mentality from ownership down to the players to be a contender for a title.
I am tired of mediocrity and excuses.
Im finally done with this crap, Im taking them out of my daily thoughts and moving on to other things in my life. I will not renwew my season tickets, the Hawks have gotten my last dime.
Good luck to those who are younger and will continue to accept this mediocrity of a basketball franchise.I cant and wont take it any longer.
Paddy
May 19th, 2012
12:06 pm
We had Professional Womens Soccer team in our town for 3 years? Who knew? Darn, I was just thinking about not buying any tickets again this year. When will money folks realize that paying to see soccer is not going to happen in the USA? Some of those investors must have not read a newspaper since 1971?
DawgNole
May 19th, 2012
12:09 pm
donte080
May 18th, 2012
5:03 pm
Say what you want, this Hawks team never quit all season long.
WooYeah
May 18th, 2012
5:51 pm
The right move:
–Keeping Drew. He is not the problem. Believe it or not, the players responded to him.
_____________________
OK, so they didn’t quit and they responded to the coach. How far did that get them in the playoffs?
4 Jacks
May 19th, 2012
12:11 pm
hahahahahahahahaha…Mark you should have seen this coming from a mile away. These owners, and I use the term very loosley, are the biggest effing joke known to mankind, and as llong as all these suckers and idiots are going to keep going to the games and buying tickets why should they change? maybe the people in Atlanta are the dumbest fans inn the world, at least they are the biggest suckers in the world for buying these tockets and supporting this sorry and I mean sorry ownership, if one can call it that. Go to hell Gearon and the ASG…you all suck and are the worst thing that ever happened to Atlanta period.
DawgNole
May 19th, 2012
12:13 pm
Stinger 2
May 18th, 2012
6:53 pm
So Mark, you and Coach Drew have had a professional relationship up to now.
How about after these two blogs today? Do you think it will remain the same?
___________________________
It SHOULD remain the same. Bradley’s doing his job, which is to present his opinions in columns. Drew’s NOT doing his job, which is to at least improve on the previous regime’s playoff failures.
Timbo
May 19th, 2012
12:13 pm
Enough about the Hawks and their inept ownership group. We get it. They suck…Go Braves!
DawgNole
May 19th, 2012
12:16 pm
Disgusted
May 18th, 2012
7:50 pm
Man, are the sports fans of Atlanta ever going to have something good happen to them.
_______________________
Not likely–if history’s any barometer.
DawgNole
May 19th, 2012
12:22 pm
tyger
May 18th, 2012
8:51 pm
LD led his troop of wounded warriors to a 40-26 record…
LD has to run his show and live with the consequences…
If he doesnt win, he’s fired, doesnt matter what we think…
________________________
“A 40-26 record . . . .” But you left out one minor detail: Another miserable playoff performance.
“If he doesnt win, he’s fired . . . .” I think you must mean “If he doesn’t win, he’s HIRED.” Isn’t that what they just did?
DawgNole
May 19th, 2012
12:29 pm
Sautee
May 18th, 2012
10:12 pm
Mark, thanks for calling their bullsh!t exactly what it is. To call this season “a success” makes the mind reel.
_______________________
But it is a success–by ATL’s lofty standards.
DawgNole
May 19th, 2012
12:31 pm
Najeh Davenpoop
May 18th, 2012
10:50 pm
Did the Braves or Falcons advance in the playoffs last night when I was sleeping?
No?
Then yes, the Hawks are still the best team in Atlanta. Doesn’t say much for the state of Atlanta sports in general, but it is true.
_____________________
Did the Hawks advance in the playoffs last night while I was sleeping?
Skeezix
May 19th, 2012
12:34 pm
I was hoping for a change too.
Agreed
May 19th, 2012
12:34 pm
Josh is clearly this season MVP for the hawks. His commitment to winning is the reason the hawk were as good as they are.
Al Hoford caused a lot of disruption in the locker room and has peaked with some very unimpressive number. Hes reluctant to play center or defense (regardless of where you play him.) It time to ship Al for a fresh start.
Teague is a project. He will never be a true point guard and is more a 1 1/2 than a two guard.We can do better than Teague who should come off the bench .
Drew did OK with the Team Woodson developed, but he had the luxury of a bench, something Woodson never had. The Hawk did not get out of the first round which is a continuing slide backwards.
All and All I keep Drew and ship Al and Teague and move forward with Josh and JJ who proved they play well together.
Al messes up the Chemistry of this team so its time for him to go.
BigTimeTECHFan
May 19th, 2012
12:34 pm
out come the Paul Hewitt treatment
DawgNole
May 19th, 2012
12:39 pm
Justin
May 18th, 2012
11:24 pm
Mark, I agree that Drew has done an inadequate job coaching this team. Yet you can’t see their performance this year as a failure or step backward.
______________________
This kind of mentality/culture is the problem here. You don’t see a Round 1 exit from the playoffs as a failure. You probably also don’t see 44 years w/o a championship–or even a playoff series victory after Round 1–as failure.
You (and the Hawks) don’t aspire to much, do you?
Felix
May 19th, 2012
12:39 pm
What? Their keeping Drew?!! Huh??!! The Hawks are forever going to be stuck in medicocrity.
Great, just great!
DawgNole
May 19th, 2012
12:42 pm
Coach Hoops
May 19th, 2012
10:28 am
May not like it but this was a good financial decision. Drew coming back for third season is not necessarily that bad.
____________________
Or that good.
Rick James
May 19th, 2012
12:44 pm
Fish stinks from head down..Somebody please buy this team.
Kelly
May 19th, 2012
12:45 pm
It’s not they need a new coach necessarily. They need new ownership. #Dreamoffairtomiddlinwomen
DawgNole
May 19th, 2012
12:46 pm
blazerdawg
May 19th, 2012
8:11 am
He’s better than Bob Weiss or Woody.
I’ll give this group ONE more year.
_________________
Hey, we’ve already given them 44 years. What’s ONE more?
Bruce
May 19th, 2012
12:47 pm
Sure, fire Drew while the Bulldogs and the Falcons remain in good hands.
dlh82
May 19th, 2012
12:51 pm
Mr Davenpoop-you sir are a moron
DawgNole
May 19th, 2012
12:52 pm
Nativebird
May 19th, 2012
8:13 am
To say he hasn’t been a disaster as head coach ignores the reason he was given the job: He convinced management he could improve on what Cox had done. he hasn’t.
_________________________
Didn’t know Bobby was coaching basketball.
Sautee
May 19th, 2012
12:56 pm
You can’t build this team around Al Horford with his current skill set. He is too limited offensively. Absolutely no Lefthand and no attack on the basket.He plays t the same way most every time he posts up. Still too enamored with taking long 2’s and They some times call him Dirk Horford
You can’t build this team around Al. He too, is too limited offensively. He has no left hand and he uses the same move when he posts up. Very good shooter from 17 feet and in, but needs more versatility in his offensive game. Put Roy Hibbert on this team and they are one of the top 3 in the east. Maybe even Chris Kaman and they are top 3.
As this team is currently constructed, building around someone other than Joe is a mistake. While he is not of the caliber of Kobe, LeBron, Wade,Pierce, and Durant. He is certainly the 2nd best option(behind Josh Smoove) as a franchise player in Atlanta right now.
Coach Hoops
May 19th, 2012
1:01 pm
There is no way this team gets out of the 2nd round with Al. PPPPLLLLLLEEESSSSSeeeee trade Al Houdini. Al sucks and is the main reason we wont go far. AL is limited offensively and is a liability defensively.
Time for Al to go.
RPhawk
May 19th, 2012
1:03 pm
as usual, the hawk owners go cheap and keep drew–more of the same mediocrity next year. That’s why alt is loserville–things never change.
donte080
May 19th, 2012
1:08 pm
re: Ok, so they didn’t quit. How far did that get them in the playoffs? (DawgNole)
Just as far as the Bulls and their NBA Coach of the Year Thibodeau got. Your point?
Winnipeg Spirit
May 19th, 2012
1:15 pm
- Hawks are Hopeless