Jaywalker calls it on RealGM....

[hds428]

Lon is out.

RealGM.com's Hawks Affiliate Jason Walker reports that Lon Kruger will likely be fired by the Hawks tonight at a 8:00PM EST press conference. The press conference will follow a 6:00PM EST practice session.

Walker reports that assistant coach Terry Stotts will likely be named the interm head coach, though former NBA All-Star Alex English could get consideration as well.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution also reports Kruger's firing and also reports that Stotts will be named the interm head coach.

ESPN.com's Marc Stein reports that assistant coach Gar Heard was fired as well. Stein also reports that English, the team's director of player development, will move to the bench as a top assistant

[jaywalker72]

When Hawks GM Pete Babcock hired Lon Kruger three seasons ago, it was a “risk”, something against the norm.

When the league was turning to ex-NBA players to be their head coach, highlighted by the Coach of the Year rookie season of Doc Rivers in Orlando the year before, the Hawks did something different, choosing to go with the college coach Kruger, which in many cases had been tried and failed.

Ordinarily, going against the grain and rolling the dice on instincts is considered bold and daring, but today in Atlanta it simply seems like a wasted opportunity.

Read the entire article:

http://hawks.realgm.com/index.php

[Diesel]

Not that Babcock has done a bad job acquiring talent.....

BUT when you look at the folks we turned down to get Lon??

Byron Scott - Has gone to the finals.

Nate McMillian - Up and Coming Coach.

Alvin Gentry - Up and Coming Coach of the Clipps.

Isiah Thomas - Team sits atop the East right now.

Rick Carlisle - Has hand made the Detroit Pistons into a team that wins.

then there's Sidney Lowe....

However, out fo 6 guys that we turned down... 5 of them are doing good work. Honestly, even Lenny's Toronto team has done better than Lon's Hawks squad.

Babcock had to do something because it was starting to get ugly. SAR has played on some horrid teams but he has never went to the press like this... JT has always been optimistic but never has he been so beaten down like this. Babcock's [censored] is in Stott's hands right now. I believe Stotts will save Babcock's a**. I think we are on target for a huge turnaround. But Change had to be made. Lon had lost the team.

[jaywalker72]

If Stotts does not revive the team, and the lotto pick and all the LeBron hype goes to MIL, then I can't believe that there would be any momentum behind Pete staying, even though he has done a good job in making trades.

It was noted at the time that Pete was making a risky move in hiring Lon, especially when there was a wealth of NBA coaches ready to hire.

[bobbham]

I thought that Milwaukee received a first round pick of our choosing. That would be Indiana pick this year. Am I incorrect?

[Teeareess]

I think it's of their choosing, but our pick is top three protected.

[jaywalker72]

They get the higher of our picks, and it is protected Top 3. If both picks are protected, then the pick swings to 2004.

[Boondocks]

And it's very unlikely that we won't receive the indiana pick seeing how well they are doing, it's only lottery protected, right?

[bobbham]

So LeBron is ours? LOL

Don't worry, I haven't gotten to that stage yet. I think that Terry and Alex are going to lead us to the playoffs.

Bucks may go with us.

Orlando & Washington stay home.

[chickenstanly]

Kruger was hired to lose --- cheaply. Why pay a coach

big money and give him no talent ? But that was then.....

Kruger should have been fired after 20 or so games

LAST YEAR, imo.