Atlanta's Next coach.

[Diesel]

Atlanta's next coach should be a guy

[*]understands and can teach the game

[*]Knows how to coach offense.

[*]Has coached playoff basketball before. .

For those reasons, I give my ordered Short list with explanation:

[*]Del Harris

[*]Mike Fratello

[*]Alvin Gentry

[*]Avery Johnson

I think Del Harris is #1 because Harris is a guy who has been there, won it and he still persists as a great coach of modern offense. I think he knows how to coach uptempo and would do a fine job with us.

Watching this series really has highlighted Mike Fratello's coaching philosophy to me. He just knows a lot of basketball and I believe he'll be the guy who can mold this team the right way. Let's face it, Fratello did well in Cleveland. Even though Cavs hated him... he had Shawn Kemp, Miller, and Persons... and he made it work. I think that there's more younger talent here.

Alvin Gentry is an underestimated coach. I think he'd do a fine job with this team. He knows how to coach uptempo. My question is discipline. Would he be able to get these guys to play up to the competition.

Avery: Former coach of the year. I have liked Avery Johnson. I think he would be the guy to give this team discipline. My only thing is this... As coach, how do you let West Punk Dirk and not have any retaliation? I'm sorry but I would have sent Novak out there with the intention to hurt West...

[AnakinJoe]

I'd add Bill Laimbeer to the list.

This team desparately needs leadership. Bibby appears too immature (stupid comments during playoffs and why does someone who is almost 30 have a posse?). JJ doesn't want the job. Horford is probably a few years away. Laimbeer would provide the team with an identity via his big personality. And I think he would work very hard to prove that he can have success with the "big boys".

But ultimately, the head coach of a bottom 5 payroll team will likely have limited success over a 3-5 year period. Poor teams just can't compete year-after-year.

[swolehawk2]

Mike Fratello.....hire him now....he could prepare the Hawks better for game 3 that Woodson....LOL

[coachx]

I like

1-a. Mike Fratello

1-b. Larry Brown

For obvious reasons.

[Dexmethylphenidate]

Mike Fratello, larry brown or Rick Carlise. Get one of those guys and the Hawks will be 46-50 games winner next season.

[TheDude]

Del Harris is a top choice of mine also... He is essentially already a head coach even in an assistant coach role.

the I wouldnt mind avery johnson or larry brown

[Johnnybravo4]

Mike D'Antoni

[Diesel]

Quote:

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Mike Fratello, larry brown or Rick Carlise. Get one of those guys and the Hawks will be 46-50 games winner next season.

Those are good coaches, but you have to understand... we're not the type of team that those guys (maybe Fratello could) can win with.

Larry Brown = Prefers a vet team. Prefers a true, mature PG. Prefers a scoring big. Maybe he could hone Horford into a Danny Manning (kansas) type scoring PF. However, i can see him moving both Smoove and Marvin on day 2. I'm not saying that that's a bad thing, I just think it would be far too much movement from where we are to get to where LB needs to be... then when he finally gets us there... HE WILL QUIT!

Carlisle = Would be worse than Woody. He's a defensive guy too. He couldn't understand how to win with the Pistons or the Pacers. Those were vet teams. My fear is that he would grow frustration with our youth and lack of BBIQ.

Like I said, we need FIRST a teacher of the game...

[Dexmethylphenidate]

I just want a coach that's proven that they can win and can manage a game. I'd rather he's a defensive coach because that's how you win games... even PHX realizes that run and gun won't get them far in the playoffs so they go and get a defensive stopper. Woody has the right philosophies, but fail in execution (and most other things). To say Woody might be better than anybody is laughable... especially over the coach of the year in 2002.

You might be right about Larry Brown prefer a vet team but next season... everyone's a vet with playoffs experience

[Diesel]

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I just want a coach that's proven that they can win and can manage a game. I'd rather he's a defensive coach because that's how you win games... even PHX realizes that run and gun won't get them far in the playoffs so they go and get a defensive stopper. Woody has the right philosophies, but fail in execution (and most other things). To say Woody might be better than anybody is laughable... especially over the coach of the year in 2002.

You might be right about Larry Brown prefer a vet team but next season... everyone's a vet with playoffs experience

Not exactly.

Playoff experience doesn't increase the lack of BBIQ. LB doesn't waste time trying to teach guys. IF you doubt me look at Detroit.. In his tenure there he never played Darko and he traded Okur. Look at NY... Channing and Lee rode his bench. Look at Indy and Philly... vet teams... most of them having Good BBIQ. He overrode AI's lack of BBIQ by surrounding him with Smart players: Snow, McKie, that SF guy, Deke.

I think Fratello or Del Harris is the guy we need!

[JackB1]

does anyone even know if Fratello is even interested in coaching next year?

[coachx]

Quote:

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does anyone even know if Fratello is even interested in coaching next year?

No.

But

I can't help but think he would be flattered if he was asked. It would be a chance for his career to come full circle and end where it all began as an assistant with Hubie Brown and then HC. Plus, the star player he coached is a the most visible part of the Hawk front office.

It could be one of the few hires that is great for publicity (the local market knows him) and for actually getting a good quality coach at the same time. (He would bring back the fond memories of the Hawks fan who are of age to actually spend money on the product).

Fratello, unlike many coaching vets is kind of a forgotten sole on the national scene. (I think his 5'6'' stature may subconscoiusly keep him from getting calls from other GMs...LOL..). Seriously though, he really has not been seriously mentioned in years as a coaching candidate until Hubie Brown recommended him when he had to retire from Memphis for health concerns. His name has not been out there in a while so its hard to know for sure if he would be interested. I don't think Fratello would take just any job but I do think he would take the Atlanta job where he could build a true legacy in a city where he already has a 7 year head start of building one.

[WorldBFree]

while i'd prefer Fratello (the marketing advantages you listed in a reply below are important for this franchise, which needs the boost), i think it's more likely Harris would come here than the czar of the telestrator would come out of "retirement."

either one would create a 5-10 game improvement in the record, even with the same roster as this year.