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
foothills
May 19th, 2012
1:45 pm
Gee Bradley, how many times did you watch the Hawks this year? This is the most flawed roster in the NBA save the Bobcats…No point, no center. No go-to player. No front office committment. The problem wasn’t with Woodson either.
Drew should have got coach of the year to get this bunch to contend.
LETGOJOE2012
May 19th, 2012
1:46 pm
Please let ISO-JOE GOO!!! Whateva it takes!!! Build around Teague & Smith. Joe has slowed the offense and defense isnt up to par. The team played a lot more smoothly with him out! Smith wants to leave because of ISO-JOE.. Teague & Smith can be our version of Westbrook and Durant w/o ISO-JOE…ISO-JOE FOR O.J. MAYO or SOMEONE PLZ BEFORE YOU LOSE THE FANS YOU HAVE!!!
Aint that a b_tch!
May 19th, 2012
2:31 pm
Ditto on the time for Al to go. He disappears in the Playoffs Has very limited offensive ability. Causes fights amongst team mates. Is injury prone and has miss Major portions of playoffs and full seasons after only 5 years in the league. The dude sucks and is lazy, He does not fit on this team and the hawks are much better with out him. Zaza and Ivan replaced him with no problem Dump Al now.
Fan of the Game
May 19th, 2012
2:31 pm
Just another case of a sportswriter sitting behind his keyboad jumping on a coach when he himself has never coached a game or a team in his life. What a loser!
Aint that a b_tch!
May 19th, 2012
2:37 pm
The clear Majority of you guys want Al traded for a center who will defend. We had a chance to go after Hibbert, and D12 but for some foolish reason we held on to Dirk Horford. Like we really needed his 12pts and 8 rebs….
We can do better than Al. Trade Al while some team thinks hes going to get better and be an Impact center 12 years from today….
tom
May 19th, 2012
2:43 pm
LD first year IMO was a progression. The hawks won less games in the regular season, but more importantly they one a playoff series and also had two wins in the second round. This year unfortunately they took a step back. It is what it is, ASG are fine with the status quo which means no hope.
DawgNole
May 19th, 2012
2:53 pm
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?
______________________
Who cares about the Bulls? We’re supposed to be discussing the Hawks here. Besides, the Bulls have won multiple championships. How many have the Hawks won?
A more appropriate question might be “What is YOUR point?
Rob
May 19th, 2012
2:56 pm
You can only do so much with these candy-a$$ players. Joe Johnson is worth about half of what he’s paid. The blame lies with players and the management, not the coach.
DawgNole
May 19th, 2012
3:02 pm
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 . . . .
You can’t build this team around Al. He too, is too limited offensively.
____________________
Hm-m-m-m-m-m? Did we have two Als?
dlh82
May 19th, 2012
3:08 pm
The Spirit group already laid the Dr Kavorkian on hockey-why not basketball while they are at it. Why not just hire Don Waddell and be done with it?
S(n)oaring Hawk
May 19th, 2012
3:18 pm
Look the problem is the players, they do not want to play in Atlanta. They are fully rsponsible. Their play in the playoffs is reflective of that. Lack luster, no emotion. They think if they get traded then they will be on a better team…well guess what, you are already on that team…
Who Me?
May 19th, 2012
3:27 pm
It would be great to work for a company that no matter how the people I was responsible for performed I got to keep my job. Suffice to say, the Clampett’s have returned, clad in the ASG mantle….let me make it abundantly clear that my money will not be supporting this moribund franchise. Why should i pay for mediocre, with the one exception being keeping the team in Atlanta another year?
notso fast
May 19th, 2012
3:43 pm
Until we get new ownership, the Coach Drew is not the problem.The team has to start keeping their draft picks, get rid of some contracts, get a real center and then we can worry about a great coach.
CrαZy
May 19th, 2012
4:07 pm
WTF do you expect from Drew when his best player doesn’t show up in crunch time (joe Johnson) his next best player doesn’t understand he can’t shoot worth crap and makes stupid decisions (josh Smith) and the third best player missed most of the season (Al Horford).
todd
May 19th, 2012
4:29 pm
I stopped caring when we didn’t draft Chris Paul when we NEEDED a point guard FOR YEARS yet drafted another forward, Marvin Williams, when we were already crowded at forward. This set the franchise back 12 years. You can’t turn the keys to the franchise over to an IDIOT, Billy Knight, who is “supposed to be the expert.” A layperson with ZERO professional experience could have drafted a better team picking where the Hawks picked. And that’s a fact. When you are in the lottery you have to make the most of each pick or your stuck with a middle of the road team and out of cap space.
Rebellion
May 19th, 2012
4:55 pm
Enter your comments here
JSS
May 19th, 2012
5:41 pm
Being a moron is always better than being a fool!
JSS
May 19th, 2012
5:45 pm
Then down on the bottom of the scale is a “idiot” (see dlh82 and a certain self-professed “Ninja”)!
Vick Supporter
May 19th, 2012
5:53 pm
Everybody wants to blame the players for this. Its the owners and coaches! If Popovich was the coach, Joe and Josh would be on the benh if they start that one on one crap. The problem is, we cannot get a real coach to come here. They should have kept Woodson..at least he would stand up to the players. You notice that Smith and Drew do not have any arguments…while Smith and Woodson used to go at it DAILY.
We need a hard ass coach to come in and lay down the law and put people on the bench if they do not play the right way.
donte080
May 19th, 2012
6:10 pm
“What is YOUR point?” (DawgNole)
Pretty obvious what my point was….that you (nor Mr Bradley) know what the heck you are talking about.
yodaddybrother
May 19th, 2012
6:14 pm
The Spurs are beautiful to watch. On defense they rotate and box out. When Tim Duncan or Boris Diaw get the board they immediately find a guard. They hustle. When they get fouled they don’t say anything and when they don’t get the call they run their asses back down the court. Players cut to the basket on the double team. They dribble a few times and then pass the ball.
Then Coach Poppovich recognizes situations, he’s pacing the sidelines barking out orders. When his team lacks effort he damn near breaks the scorers table. Chris Paul makes 2 jumpers TIME THE EFF OUT….Clips want to play Reggie Evans they foul him every time down the court because he can’t make free throws. They run plays, they execute plays, they make the right basketball plays. Smart rotations, exploits weaknesses and matchups.
Larry Drew has a confused look on his face all the time, thinks ISO JOE is a good play and waits until the team has erased the deficit to call a timeout. He thinks centers and power forwards leading the break is a good idea and yaps about energy yet he has none at all. Fails to make in game adjustments, does not recognize mismatches, doesn’t put his players in position to succeed, doesn’t utilize his bench, can’t motivate the players. We’ve gotten worse in his two years as head coach.
ASG brings this fool back and of course nobody is excited. Put Josh Smith in a Spurs uniform and he is All NBA but now he is FOR CERTAIN 100% won’t be in a Hawks uniform beyond this season. And he shouldn’t be….because the Atlanta Hawks organization is not committed to winning a championship.
They are committed to just getting by and they are completely insane. Every sports writer, commentator, NBA player, and casual fan can see that LARRY DREW has no clue and that the franchise as a whole is a disaster.
That’s why Doc Rivers said Boston didn’t need homecourt, that’s why not one writer picked the Hawks to win the series, that’s why every single time TNT gets a chance they go in on the Hawks and we rarely get National games, that’s why Dwight Howard refuses to even consider his hometown as a possible destination and that’s why Philips Arena is constantly filled with fans of the opposing team.
JaxCurtain
May 19th, 2012
7:22 pm
It’s not so much that I care Larry Drew is coming back as it is the comments from management that just making the playoffs is success. The team will start getting older and additudes will start clashing and then what? Then they get a new coach to coach worn out talent and then attempt to rebuild with a couple drafts and by then 3-5 years will have come and gone and the Hawks still will not have accomplished anything significant. Atlanta lost the Thrashers to much less than this. Go FHawks!!!!
Hasadiah Jones
May 19th, 2012
7:35 pm
marvin williams is the biggest problem
Paul Hewitt
May 19th, 2012
7:36 pm
Forget it Drew. Might as well leave Atlanta now. Once Bradley has written that kind of article about you, it’s all over.
Admiral Obvious
May 19th, 2012
7:53 pm
Isn’t it obvious. The HORRIBLE ownership is still trying to sell the team. Why upgrade the leadership when you’re trying to dump the whole team.
Walt Frazier
May 19th, 2012
7:59 pm
One thing that you cannot teach or learn is what the Hawks-starting from the top all the way down to Marvin’s shoelaces-is h-e-a-r-t. The owners don’t have it, the players don’t have it, and the management-specifically coach Drew doesn’t have it. So yes, I agree with this Bradley article. The whole season was a letdown-compared to what they didn’t accomplish. No BS excuses. The owners want c-h-e-a-p, and don’t want to spend money on a coach who would bench Josh. You are what you get. So no, don’t expect much from this bunch. Just enjoy the regular season games.
Jimmy the Greek
May 19th, 2012
8:08 pm
It’s the NBA. No one cares.
Walt Frazier
May 19th, 2012
8:11 pm
Someone or groups of someone needs to bring back the ABA; at least there would be an alternative. It sucked that the ABA folded.
marcus
May 19th, 2012
8:16 pm
which came first, the chicken or the egg? who’s to blame for the hawk’s failure to lose to an inferior team, the high priced player of the coach who could not motivate him? the hawks screwed their run by not having players who are capable of making the right decision at the right time on the court. josh and his passion for taking inept jump shots and joe for always shying away from taking them when needed.
we have to get rid of joe and get a coach that can coach josh, josh should have been an all-star, he has all star ability. he just takes ill timed shots.
0 Superstar(s) = No Title
May 19th, 2012
8:18 pm
Blame the coach all you want but this Hawks team wouldn’t get past the second round with Phil Jackons, Pat Riley or any other great NBA coach. It comes down to having star players. Period. Miami went from barely making the playoffs in previous years to the NBA Finals last year after adding Lebron. OKC has two superstars in Westbrook and Durrant, and I couldn’t name their coach if my life depended on it. Derrick Rose has led the Bulls to the most wins in the regular season for the last two years–can’t name their coach either (well, yes I can but how good is he without D-Rose?)
ATL needs a susperstar (or two) if they ever want to contend for a title. Joe Johnson is NOT a superstar. Josh Smith is NOT a susperstar. Al Horford is NOT a susperstar. These guys are very good role players, nothing more. There’s a reason the Lakers, Boston, Miami, OKC, Chicago and San Antonio are they only teams with a serious chance of winning the title.
0 Superstar(s) = No Title
May 19th, 2012
8:19 pm
*Jackson*
TomS
May 19th, 2012
8:21 pm
Who really cares?
bro
May 19th, 2012
8:41 pm
THOUGHT; Do you think it may have something to do with the quality of playes and the idiots that are the owners???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
Snoop Graham
May 19th, 2012
8:52 pm
Enter your comments here
Snoop Graham
May 19th, 2012
8:54 pm
Can we put it to vote to keep Drew and dump Mark Bradley?
Stoned Mountain
May 19th, 2012
8:54 pm
Larry Drew is a good coach, who got far more than we expected out of a limited lineup, hamstrug all season by key injuries. To replace Drew is to indulge in pure symbolism, the silly urge simply to “do something.” Give Larry some players, and pawn off Marvin. Find a center, move Big Al to power forward. And if somebody makes an offer for Josh we cannot refuse, let’s do it, for talent at center or an athletic scorer. Go Hawks!
indigo
May 19th, 2012
9:14 pm
The AJC keeps Bradley for so many years and hope fades that there will be decent commentary. Why? I guess he comes cheap also.
Capt.Mudd
May 19th, 2012
9:18 pm
@Mark Bradley….What individual with the Hawks franchise has lost or is losing hope…Can you specifically divulge the name or name of those workers, players, coaches and/or management who have used the words “losing hope” regarding the Hawks? The headline is attention getting enough to lead one to assume this article is based in theory…your theory Mr. Bradley.
phillip
May 19th, 2012
9:23 pm
More than anything the Hawks need toughness. They wilted mentally and physically against the Celtics. They need a Lambier, and Mahorn type. They can’t enforce worth a damn.
mr potknot
May 19th, 2012
9:55 pm
no ownership= no hope
Ken Strickland
May 19th, 2012
9:57 pm
MARK BRADLEY-It’s very obvious by this biased artticle that you’re not a LDrew fan. How can you conclude that ownership has given up by the mere act of extending Drew’s contract? If anything, it appears that you’re the one that’s given up because they didn’t fire him like you wanted. How can you be critical of management for citing fact of injuries as extenuating circumstances?
Look at the drastic effect injuries have had on playoff teams like the Bulls, Magic, and Heat. Then tell me why injuries shouldn’t be an issue for the Hawks, even though they lost every player on the 12 man roster to injury except JTeague, and led the NBA in gms lost to injuries. If you’re going to compare Woodson’s won-loss record to LDrew’s, let’s not compare apples to oranges. I noticed you were quick to mention Woodson’s last 2 REGULAR SEASON records were better than Drew’s 1st 2 regular season records.
I also noticed how you conveniently omitted LDrew’s last season involved him deaingl with a lockout shortened training camp, preseason, and the most grueling schedule in NBA history. You know as well as everyone else Woodson was fired because his last 2 playoff teams were totally unprepared for playoff level basketball. We were embarrassed in our 2nd playoff appearance by the Heat, and suffered a total and complete humiliation in our NBA record setting sweep by the Magic in his last playoff appearance.
How in the devil can anyone believe Woodson’s total failure to make it out of the 1st rd in 3 yrs, is somehow better than Drew making it to the 2nd rd twice in 3yrs? Ownership and the underfunding of the team is the biggest reason for the Hawks not being able to take the next leap. How many teams can you name with as many minimum salaried players as the Hawks, especially playoff teams, or suffered as many injuries?
Bill Walton
May 19th, 2012
9:58 pm
“pretty good” who thinks they are even “pretty good” as you pointed out they played one of the easiest schedules in the NBA and if you’ll research you’ll find that when they did play a good team more often than not one or more of their best players sat out the Hawks game with injuries. Face it the hawks are buried in mediocrity with a limited fan base and no hope of going anywhere but down!
superiorblogman
May 19th, 2012
10:03 pm
Good article and I agree. Sad.
I would have hired Jerry Sloan then traded Josh Smith to Portland for both draft picks they have. Then find some way to give Joe away. My team would be.
Teague/Darius Morris/Tu Holloway
Jeremy Lamb/Willie Green
Marvin/Tony Mitchell (Bama)/Jae Crowder
Horford/Ivan
Meyers Leonard/Zaza/Jason Collins
superiorblogman
May 19th, 2012
10:04 pm
Trade Joe and or Josh Smith and fire LD and Sund.
superiorblogman
May 19th, 2012
10:08 pm
My team would be.
Teague/Darius Morris/Ronnie Price
Jeremy Lamb/Willie Green/
Joe/Marvin/Tony Mitchell
Al/Ivan
Meyers Leonard/Zaza/Jason
Trade Josh Smith to Portland for both of there picks
Kyle
May 19th, 2012
10:18 pm
The team from the top down is such a joke. Who are these fools that still spend the money to buy tickets to see this train wreck?
Flav
May 19th, 2012
10:50 pm
There will never be hope for this organization until the ownership changes. It doesn’t matter who the coach is, who the general manager is, what players they have. This organization will never get in reach of a championship with the current owners.
pines 75
May 19th, 2012
10:56 pm
MB-
12 years ago, I thought you were out of it and simply wishing to provoke chatter…..I was younger, so were you. But pal, I so agree with your assessment on this….it isn’t even funny.
Tired Tired Tired
May 19th, 2012
11:32 pm
LD is a nice guy and the perfect coach for Hawks ownership. He is an empty suit that they don’t have to pay much for. The hawhs played no defense under him, none. Josh the wandering gypsy although a forward preferred to hang around the three point line so that he could throw up bricks without having to battle inside. Do you think Doug Collins would put up with that crap in Philly? I doubt it.
Hawks, Owners Losers, Management Losers, Coach’s Losers, Players Losers. Tired Tired Tired
dap01
May 20th, 2012
12:38 am
I am tired of the poor ownership. I am tired of the horrible management. I am tired of the 2nd rate coaching. I am tired of JJ’s iso, Josh’s bone headed plays and constant complaining and poor leadership. I am tired of JJ’s contract and it has barely started. I am tired of being the most hopeless team in the NBA. I am tired of the horrible draft decisions. I am tired of selling draft picks for nothing. I am tired of trading for exceptions that are not meant to be used. I am tired of drafting the Pape Sy’s of the world. I am tired of having to read the AJC’s articles trying to give up information on the Keith Bensons of the world. I am tired of having a coach that not one NBA ref listens to (compare him to Doc Rivers). I am tired of watching Teague defer the ball to JJ who can barely dribble the ball up the court in 24 seconds much less break down a defense. I am tire of being a 2nd rate franchise on our best day. I am tired of having to pull for a team whose most expensive player’s biggest and most used word is “man” (I, you know, man, like you know man, we need to pass the ball, man).
What is ONE reason for optimism.