Who should be the next coach of the Hawks?

[coachx]

Two names off the radar:

I like John Calapari....... The Memphis Tigers coach. I normally despise college coaches coming to the NBA but he has been a head NBA coach before and I love the new offensive game plan he has implemented at Memphis.

His offense is called AAKAAK (Attack, Attack, Kick Out, Attack, Attack, Kick Out / Is the jist of it) or some crazy acronym like that. It is a offensive plan built around 4 perimeter oriented wing players and one pivot player (remind you of a specific roster ?). The 4 perimeter players have the job of dribble drive penetration. All 4 are spaced around the perimeter with the pivot player rotating to whatever side of the post is the weak side (as the ball is swung around the perimeter.) (Most systems keep the pivot player on the strong side). The perimeter player with the matchup advantage drives the ball with the post player being on the weak side instead of the strong side to give ample room. The penetrating guard / wing has 4 options:

1. Beat your man off the dribble for a shot (Bibby, JJ, Marvin, Smoove).

2. The defense contracts leaving an open shooter (JJ, Bibby, Smoove, or Marvin)

3. The offensive player cuts to the basket as a trailer or for the rebound (remind you of Chillz ? ).

4. The post defender leaves his man for help defense on the penetrator leaving his man (Horford) open for a interior pass that leads to a dunk or layup or at the leasrt good rebounding position.

If this plan is not working you start calling secondary plays. Of course it does not stay as simple and "vanilla" as what I explained above....that is the watered down version but is a aggressive offensive mind set where pick and rolls, strong side post ups, and traditional screens can be implemented to coincide with it.

This is a new trend that even Doc Rivers has used at times. It looks a whole lot like what Coach Nelson has run his whole life (except he often time goes without any pivot players at all).

Sports Illustrated had a 7 page article on this "new" offense a few months ago. Did any one read it ?

I also like Mark Jackson. The guy knows basketball. I would be more comfortable with him as an assistant to start and let him evolve into a head coach. If we keep Woodson or replace him with a defensive minded coach I would love Mark Jackson as the Assistant to work exclusively with the offense.

Out of the names given I like Mike Fratello. He is the closest thing your going to get to Hubie Brown. He replaced Hubie Brown in Atlanta (where Fratello whas Brown's top assistant). He was also hand picked by Hubie Brown and Jerry West to replace Brown in Memphis.

Fratello has been successful coaching a very vanilla Memphis and Cleveland teams and got both of them in the playoffs with 50 wins season and marginal talent. Then he coached some dyamic Hawks teams that played at much quicker paces with the likes of: Doc Rivers, Wilkens, Willis, Theus, Battle, Webb, Levingston, Carr, ect.

I like Fratello as the established NBA veteran coach.

I also like Terry Porter too.

I like Calapari as a "dark horse."

I like Mark Jackson as an assistant.

[bumpyphish1]

can't believe i am the first to say it....

STEVE SMITH!!!!!

[coachx]

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can't believe i am the first to say it....

STEVE SMITH!!!!!

My dream staff:

Fratello as Head Coach

Assistants:

Kevin Willis - Bigs and defense

Mark Jackson - PGs and offense

Steve Smith - Wings and overall game planning

If we ever get banged up All 3 could still put on a jersey.

Fratello retires in a few years and either Jackson or Smith take over as HC.

[thesheedera]

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can't believe i am the first to say it....

STEVE SMITH!!!!!

My dream staff:

Fratello as Head Coach

Assistants:

Kevin Willis - Bigs and defense

Mark Jackson - PGs and offense

Steve Smith - Wings and overall game planning

If we ever get banged up All 3 could still put on a jersey.

Fratello retires in a few years and either Jackson or Smith take over as HC.

Where do I sign up?

[dig]

After the Mike Woodson disaster that has led to our current state of affairs, I would be reluctant to give the post to an unproven assistant coach or a former player with little/no experience as an NBA coach. Our roster is young and talented, and we need a disciplinarian who will demand respect and force the guys -- above all else -- to play hard and commit themselves to basketball. If you listen to Bibby's comments since he arrived in ATL and read between the lines, this consistent work ethic is something of a concern for our young club...

Many of you are suggesting we hire a coach whose philosophy dictates an uptempo offensive style and gets us out on the break, and while I agree with that in principle (we have no low post presence or pure passing PG, and a collection of long & athletic F/Gs) I think it's more important to get a proven coach who is intelligent, organized, and demands discipline. While Van Gundy and Carlisle both prefer grind-it-out victories, the bottom line is that they invariably get those victories... Carlisle's first-year turnarounds are pretty impressive. We would immediately be an elite defensive team with either of these guys.

If the ASG [or whoever is in charge] prefers a fast-paced offense to near-guaranteed success -- which would not surprise me one bit -- I would be intrigued by Calipari. He is not the same coach he was with the Nets, and his borrowed offensive attack philosophy not only projects well to the League [as others have mentioned, teams are already implementing it], but it also shows a willingness to adapt his style and utilize personnel correctly. I'm sure the Pauls [Westhead & Westphal] are dying for another shot in the NBA, but I don't think either would be a good idea...

[thesheedera]

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After the Mike Woodson disaster that has led to our current state of affairs, I would be reluctant to give the post to an unproven assistant coach or a former player with little/no experience as an NBA coach. Our roster is young and talented, and we need a disciplinarian who will demand respect and force the guys -- above all else -- to play hard and commit themselves to basketball. If you listen to Bibby's comments since he arrived in ATL and read between the lines, this consistent work ethic is something of a concern for our young club...

Many of you are suggesting we hire a coach whose philosophy dictates an uptempo offensive style and gets us out on the break, and while I agree with that in principle (we have no low post presence or pure passing PG, and a collection of long & athletic F/Gs) I think it's more important to get a proven coach who is intelligent, organized, and demands discipline. While Van Gundy and Carlisle both prefer grind-it-out victories, the bottom line is that they invariably get those victories... Carlisle's first-year turnarounds are pretty impressive. We would immediately be an elite defensive team with either of these guys.

If the ASG [or whoever is in charge] prefers a fast-paced offense to near-guaranteed success -- which would not surprise me one bit -- I would be intrigued by Calipari. He is not the same coach he was with the Nets, and his borrowed offensive attack philosophy not only projects well to the League [as others have mentioned, teams are already implementing it], but it also shows a willingness to adapt his style and utilize personnel correctly. I'm sure the Pauls [Westhead & Westphal] are dying for another shot in the NBA, but I don't think either would be a good idea...

I liked the idea of a proven, familiar coach in Fratello with a staff full of candidates training/competing for the long term position.

[coachx]

Visual Diagrams of the Calipari's offense:

http://www.coachesclipboard.net/DribbleDri...ionOffense.html

This is the Hawks future ! A well coached and seasoned Bibby & Law would be deadly playing this way.

6 page SI article on it:

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/writ...12/memphis0218/

More:

http://ballhype.com/story/memphis_offense_...on_on_steriods/

More:

http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2007/...ic-draws-crowd/

More:

http://mensbasketballhoopscoop.blogspot.co...created-by.html

More:

http://www.boston.com/sports/colleges/mens...coach_for_help/

More:

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/wire?sectio...&id=2382948

[coachx]

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I would be intrigued by Calipari. He is not the same coach he was with the Nets, and his borrowed offensive attack philosophy not only projects well to the League [as others have mentioned, teams are already implementing it], but it also shows a willingness to adapt his style and utilize personnel correctly.

Glad to see I am not the only one who sees this as an option.

Read the 6 page S.I. link I posted above if you have not read it already. It goes into pretty good detail of how and where it came from.

[KB21]

I can't agree with you on Calapari. Yeah, he's up tempo, but watching Memphis is like watching a team that has absolutely no discipline in how they play. All they really do is out athlete you, though this year they are infinitely better on defense than they have been.

[KB21]

He has no experience, but the guy was a coach on the basketball court when he played.

I think Mark, from his experience as a player, would know when to push the ball in an up tempo setting, when to slow it down, and would stress defense.

[Lascar78]

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He has no experience, but the guy was a coach on the basketball court when he played.

I think Mark, from his experience as a player, would know when to push the ball in an up tempo setting, when to slow it down, and would stress defense.

I could see it, but you'd definitely want him to be an assistant first.

I voted Paul Silas. Calipari is impressive, but I would like a guy who is well established in the NBA.

What's this guy up to?

[TroyMcClure]

I like all of the choices for next year, save Drew. Jackson, as well. I'm going to say Doc Rivers would be a nice choice if Boston flames out in the 1st or something and the fans go crazy.

I'd like to see Ty Corbin get some serious consideration. I know how he played and how sound he was. He coaches for a legend and I'd assume you have to be ready for the job if you hang with Sloan. If he's good enough for him, he's damn sure good enough for the Hawks.

[dig]

I think I'm with KB21 on this Calipari thing. Still not 100% sold...

The DDM offense is interesting, and exciting to be sure, but what happens when the athletic playing field is leveled? Calipari's strength has -- and always will be -- his ability to pull in the top athletes [and, some would say, the lengths he goes to pull in the blue chip recruits] -- but how would the offense respond when each penetrator was met by a defender who could stay in front of him and a big man in the middle who could easily leave his man on the weak side & flash to the ball side. This could happen more often than not in the NBA. Memphis has no less than 5 future NBA players, including the nation's best PG/penetrator and a host of athletes.

I'm not denying the creativity of Walberg's system, and I think pieces of it can be incorporated effectively. In, fact, I think the system has the potential to revolutionize offensive basketball because there are so many variations on the concept, and the drills/practices are so effective at developing those skills. It doesn't hurt recruiting in that almost everyone is involved and big guys who want to be guards would eat it up. However, hiring Calipari solely on the strength of this still-experimental system would be too risky IMO...

[coachx]

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I think I'm with KB21 on this Calipari thing. Still not 100% sold...

The DDM offense is interesting, and exciting to be sure, but what happens when the athletic playing field is leveled? Calipari's strength has -- and always will be -- his ability to pull in the top athletes [and, some would say, the lengths he goes to pull in the blue chip recruits] -- but how would the offense respond when each penetrator was met by a defender who could stay in front of him and a big man in the middle who could easily leave his man on the weak side & flash to the ball side. This could happen more often than not in the NBA. Memphis has no less than 5 future NBA players, including the nation's best PG/penetrator and a host of athletes.

An NBA team would not run this offense 100% of the time. When it doesn't work you run a pick and roll, or a high post play, or run some wings of screens, or post some one up. It is not the end all, be all of the playbook at the NBA level.

I am not sold on Calipari as an NBA coach either but I am sold on this offensive concept. There is so much more to being a good head coach then just coming up with a system that matches your roster's talent (though Calipai is good at this part). I am not sure if Calipari can manage NBA egos and be an effective leader at this level (though I bet he is better then Woody but that is not saying much). I would prefer a guy like Fratello who has the where with all to make adjustments and change while also being a quality coach at this level for 3 different franchises. Even Larry Brown and Del Harris are hyping this offense at coaching seminars and many coaches are selectively use it.....including Doc Rives who another poster likes (for good reason).

I noticed the Hawks did the (AAKAA ) last night with Horford on the weakside and 4 guys spreaded around the perimeter....so Woody and the Hawks actually implement this either diliberately or by accident on a few occasions in the 1st half.......the basis of the system is to keep the offense agressive and attacking......which the Hawks struggle at(staying aggresive on a consistent basis). (I just see Marvin and Smoove thriving at attacking the rim like this with JJ and Bibby as spot up shooters and Horford on the weak side.

I will say this though about how that offense fits the Hawks roster (not every game, all the time, but most games most of the time). What advantage do the Hawks have over their compeition on a nightly basis ? Its not basketball IQ or savy. Its not size and its normally not defense.....Its, energy, effort, and pure athletic ability that these Hawks have the edge in. This offense takes advantage of those exact same traits.

I'm not sold on Calipari either as a NBA head coach but I am sold that this system could be implemented as a PART of any offense the Hawks current roster should run.......If nothing else it keeps the players agressive and makes them attack the rim before they settle for a jump shot. Good things ALWAYSE happen on offense when you are the aggressor and your attacking the paint.

[KB21]

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I like all of the choices for next year, save Drew. Jackson, as well. I'm going to say Doc Rivers would be a nice choice if Boston flames out in the 1st or something and the fans go crazy.

I'd like to see Ty Corbin get some serious consideration. I know how he played and how sound he was. He coaches for a legend and I'd assume you have to be ready for the job if you hang with Sloan. If he's good enough for him, he's damn sure good enough for the Hawks.

Oh, yeah. That's another name I had forgotten about. Tyrone Corbin has been on Jerry Sloan's staff for a few years now. Personally, I'd love to get someone that could come in and put into place a system like Utah's both offensively and defensively. Tyrone Corbin has been mentioned as an up and coming head coaching candidate in the past as well. The two coaches that he played most of his career for are Jerry Sloan and Lenny Wilkens. Surely some of their philosophies have rubbed off on him.

EDIT: Tyrone had an interview for a head coaching opportunity last year. He interviewed in Seattle for that job and was one of four finalists along with PJ Carliesamo, Scott Brooks, and Dwayne Casey.

[KB21]

Interestingly enough, John Calapari and Mike Woodson were assistants on the same Larry Brown staff in Philadelphia.

[coachx]

good points on Corbin by Troy and KB.

I noticed him on the Jazz bench for the first time this year and did not realize he got an interview in Seattle though I'm not suprised with the LennyWilkens connections and all.

Corbin is a must when it come to the interview list.

[Diesel]

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After the Mike Woodson disaster that has led to our current state of affairs, I would be reluctant to give the post to an unproven assistant coach or a former player with little/no experience as an NBA coach. Our roster is young and talented, and we need a disciplinarian who will demand respect and force the guys -- above all else -- to play hard and commit themselves to basketball. If you listen to Bibby's comments since he arrived in ATL and read between the lines, this consistent work ethic is something of a concern for our young club...

Many of you are suggesting we hire a coach whose philosophy dictates an uptempo offensive style and gets us out on the break, and while I agree with that in principle (we have no low post presence or pure passing PG, and a collection of long & athletic F/Gs) I think it's more important to get a proven coach who is intelligent, organized, and demands discipline. While Van Gundy and Carlisle both prefer grind-it-out victories, the bottom line is that they invariably get those victories... Carlisle's first-year turnarounds are pretty impressive. We would immediately be an elite defensive team with either of these guys.

If the ASG [or whoever is in charge] prefers a fast-paced offense to near-guaranteed success -- which would not surprise me one bit -- I would be intrigued by Calipari. He is not the same coach he was with the Nets, and his borrowed offensive attack philosophy not only projects well to the League [as others have mentioned, teams are already implementing it], but it also shows a willingness to adapt his style and utilize personnel correctly. I'm sure the Pauls [Westhead & Westphal] are dying for another shot in the NBA, but I don't think either would be a good idea...

I love Paul Westhead, But I think he's happy in Seattle. (Helping them build a contender).

I think that the Carlisle/Van Gundy would be good if we had a real Center, but their offenses are clogging, plodding offenses that would destroy our team.

I think Paul Westphal would do better with a vet team.

My choices are Del Harris and Alvin Gentry and maybe Terry Porter.

All three are uptempo.

Harris has championship coaching pedigree.

Gentry is probably looking to move now that Phoenix's philosophy has changed.