List some possible head coach replacements!!!

[TheDude]

I think we should look at young coach in the mold of a byron scott or doc rivers. Maybe a former good point guard. Can I think of any? no, but that's why I posted this. Whoever it is needs some serious defensive intensity and fire or can earn respect from his players.

Maybe we should look at a Kareem who is making his way up the ladder. I would say Dominique but I'm not sure he's ready and he wasn't exactly Mr.Defense here. I would say Bill Walton but I haven't started using crack yet.

I want Van Gundy though. He would be perfect. He has intensity and knows how to coach defense. His work with New York will earn him respect from the players. The players would respond. I think he'd come in if offered the job.

By the way, yes I know Lon hasn't been fired yet but I have to hope it's coming. He's a nice guy, but can't get his players to play hard for him.

[KB21]

Doc Rivers is on the hot seat in Orlando and may be out if they don't advance far in the playoffs. I'd hate to wait till the offseason to get him though, so that may not be in the cards.

1. Mike Fratello -- He knows how to win. He's won with young teams, as he did in the middle 80s with the Hawks. He's won with veteran teams as he did with the Hawks (Moses, Theus, 'nique) and Cavs. He's won when his teams have been short on talent (Cavs). The guy knows how to coach defense and knows how to get players to understand their roles.

2. Kenny Smith -- Won championships with Houston. Has no coaching experience, but had a great feel for the game when he played.

3. Dominique Wilkins -- May or may not be ready. It would be a chance, but he could turn out to be a Bird-like coach or a Magic-like coach.

[Diesel]

Danny Ainge. -Fire. Good players coach.

Fratello - Knows this game well. Would be good with Xs and Os and Motivation.

Daly - 12 yrs 1 losing season. took 3 different teams to the playoffs and won 2 titles.

Brian Hill - Has been a coach and an assistant. Knows the game.

[Guest]

Fratello's sounding more and more like exactly what this team needs - an x's and o's guy who's going to demand hustle every night...I'm starting to sour on Lon not because I don't think he can get it done, but because I think he's losing touch with this team...

I'm finger pointing here, but imo GRob's the problem. Or at least a large part of it. His laziness on the floor is contagious - y0ou can see it (like on Saturday when he didn't play).

But since I'm not sure we could figure out a trade with anyone that would take him (Diesel - my cue to you to fire it up, figure out some trades for GRob, probably ones that seem like we're getting the shorter end a little bit...and use trade checker).

It's easy to fire coaches, and honestly, I'm not a fan of it (in season). But I'm not sure if we have any other options- we can't fire the players....

[chillzatl]

C'mon man. Daly has said he doesn't want to coach more times than I can count. He's a fossil. You constantly put him on your list even though he's stated many times that he's done.

Brian Hill? This the guy that got chewed up after shaq left? And didn't make a dent in vancouver?

Fratello and Ainge though. That's good stuff there. Personally I think Fratello would be the man. I also like Van Gundy. He could instill some defense. I know his offensive coaching is questionable. But I think he would keep things simple and that's what they need.

[Teeareess]

I agree. Daly left his last two jobs after burning out. He doesn't want to coach anymore, and would definatly not be a long term answer. I'm not much into Van Gundy, and while I wouldn't mind seeing Ainge or even a return of Fratello, I'd rather see some new blood. Not another college coach, but an NBA assistant whose hungry for his first shot.

[Diesel]

I don't think Grob's the problem. I believe more correct would be that this team doesn't know what to do when Grob's on the floor. Last yr, it was sort of easy. Reef would put the team on his back and put up how many points we needed to win. Remember, we are an offensive team before anything else. However, getting Grob did one thing. It produced doubt as to who was the goto guy. Instead of Lon stepping up and defining roles, Lon as Lon does left it unanswered. So first 3 games, Big Dog goes out and puts up 30+... Big Dog's the man. However, Reef is still a scoring PF. We don't have the saavy at the PG position to actually handle having 2 20 point scorers and Big Dog is not like Toni and able to take over when he wants and to assists all the rest of the time... Not without direction. So we seem a little disordered. This is where a guy who knows X's and O's and how to define roles would help. When Fratello was here, it was no doubt who's team it was. Willis was a good players could have been a good 20 point PF... However, Nique was the first option and it was no doubt. Even when Moses and Theus showed up...

[Guest]

Shareef has to be the first option in the post

because the playing in the post controls the

game sorta like Running the ball in football.

Big Dog should be a second option.

[Guest Walter]

However, in the long term I would like Doc (who might leave for Atlanta even if his days aren't numbered in Orlando) first, and either Van Gundy or Fratello second. All would make me happy.

It's obvious that this team needs change. By far the easiest way to make mid-season change is to change the head coach. Making Stotts head coach for the remainder of the season may or may not make any real difference. At least you can more seriously start pointing the fingers at the players if they don't respond to TWO different head coaches. Right now, whether or not they deserve a significant amount or the majority of the blame, the players will get a pass. It is the way of the NBA.

You better start sending feelers out there as to whether available coaches are seriously interested. Even the unavailable ones (i.e. Doc might should be invited to diner to talk just a little shop).

W

[KB21]

I think we could land Doc if we offered him the GM spot as well. We might be able to land him anyway. But I think offering him a chance to be the decision maker will definitely make him come.

If it were me, I'd fire Lon and Pete right after the New Year. Let Billy Knight handle the GM duties for the rest of the year. I'd see if I could get Mike Fratello before I went with Terry Stotts though.

[Guest Walter]

Is there any advantage to keeping Lon?

The answer is no.

The players are no longer the very young players Lon was brought in to coach. They no longer appear to respond positively (in terms of play) to him. It's not too late to save this reasonably important season and not too early to suggest an unjust firing of the coach. We get a head start on officially talking with prospective coaches not already tied to a team (i.e. Fratello). We get a head start unofficially communicating with similar coaching prospects already tied to a team (i.e. Doc). Really all this has been said.

Any mid-season change likely means Stotts for the remainder of the season. I am no real Stotts fan but at least the focus in terms of responsibility would fall on the players (and not Lon) should they not "get it together" under another general.

There is no real advantage to keeping Lon. If he can't easily lead us to the playoffs (or appear to be on the road to doing so, especially not so this early on) then he shouldn't lead us.

W

[mdawg]

Mike Fratello: I think he would be good for the team. He is the exact opposite of Kruger, and he will demand defense and hard work, just like-

Jeff Van Gundy: I think he's probably a younger Fratello, and he's a proven winner who has shown he can handle big egos. Another defensive guy, which is what this team needs.

Michael Cooper: A defensive specialist as a player, and he did win a WNBA title. Like SAR said, the Hawks do play like a WNBA team.

Rick Mahorn: Tough, won in the CBA, will chew a guy out and instill discipline. We know the players listen to him. That's why he was fired.

Alex English: He's an assistant with the team now, so he's familiar with the players. I don't know if anyone watched him on the ESPN show last year, but he seemed to do a pretty good job with his NBDL team. I think he would certainly demand respect.

The bottom line to all of this is that Lon Kruger has to go, because the Hawks are still in the play-off picture despite their bad play. A change has got to be made now to save this season.

[KB21]

I'm not in favor of English though. I watched that show, and it seemed to me that he lost his team at the end of the year. It seemed his players really hated him and quit listening to him during the latter parts of that season. The Lowgators played some really bad basketball during the critical moments of that season.