All quiet on coaching front: Gearon away on buisness till next week

[NJHAWK]

http://blogs.ajc.com/hawks/2010/06/01/atlanta-hawks-attention-on-centers/

So I guess we wait another week. :brick wall:

[Guest]

This seriously sucks. Comonnnnnnn Gearon. Dang just hire Avery already so he can get goin on his homework for the draft and free agency. A little over 3 weeks before the draft and we are a month away from free agency. Oh man. :help wanted3:

[AnthonyI11]

[Vol4ever]

What kind of business? Finding a coach maybe? To tell you the truth I'm not very impressed by Gearon Jr.

[DrReality]

Think I have to agree . . . . . not that impressed?

[Vol4ever]

Think I have to agree . . . . . not that impressed?

The reason we get the negative national press on ESPN, etc, is the ownership team headed by Gearon Jr are considered cheap. Whether that reputation is deserved or not is debatable, but the fact remains it is there. Now to give them some credit they did get Crawford last year BUT the big miss IMO was not getting Brandon Bass or Barnes. Bass or Barnes are not premier free agents, but they are solid contibutors.

[WraithSentinel]

Be patient. :vacation1: It took the 76ers over a month before they hired a coach.

Edited June 2, 2010 by Paladin

[sturt]

Another contributing factor to the delay could easily be that Stern strongly discourages teams from doing anything while the game's centerpiece headline-maker is making headlines. I don't care to take the time to research the archives on that, but I'm confident that we've learned in previous years that that's the case... just as it is for baseball when the World Series is going on.

[KB21]

Here's my take. I'm not sure why Michael Gearon Jr is catching grief over this when there are 6 current openings for head coaches in the NBA, and the only team that appears to be even remotely ready to make a hire this week is New Orleans. Everyone else is waiting for one reason or another. Some are criticizing the Hawks for not making a hire already, when New Jersey has only interviewed two guys to this point, one of which is the guy that it appears the majority of the fan base wants in Atlanta. After interviewing said candidate, New Jersey came out and stated that they have no timetable and may not have a coach in place until after the draft.

New Orleans has offered their job to Tom Thibodeau, but it appears that Tom is holding out hope that Chicago will offer him their job. New Orleans appears ready to offer the job to Monty Williams if Thibodeau doesn't take the job by tomorrow night based on what I've read. Why, I'm not sure? It's not like they are currently bidding against anyone else for Monty Williams.

Chicago appears to be no closer to getting a coach than Atlanta is at this point. The LA Clippers are in the same boat. New Jersey looks like they are shooting for the stars and are waiting to see if they can get Phil Jackson. I think Chicago is probably doing the same thing. Based on what I've read, the Clippers are hoping they can get Larry Brown.

The big rumor in Cleveland? Kelvin Sampson might be the favorite for that job. Kelvin Sampson. And we have Hawks fans that think hiring Dwane Casey is a bad idea.

Here's what we know about the Hawks coaching search. Both Avery Johnson and Dwane Casey have met with the Hawks on two separate occasions. Avery Johnson is rumored to have a third meeting scheduled with the Hawks brass. Mark Jackson has interviewed for the job. Dean Demopolous has had a telephone interview for the job but as of this time, has not had a reported face to face meeting with the Hawks brass. There is still talk that Larry Drew is an in house candidate.

What we don't know is whether there are any coaches the Hawks have talked to behind the scenes that the media has not been able to get anything on.

My guess is, the Hawks ownership and front office is 60/40 split over Avery Johnson and Dwane Casey at this point with 60% going with Johnson and 40% going with Casey. The fact that there is talk of a third meeting with Johnson makes me think that Johnson will be offered the job, but the Hawks are not going to make anything public until everything is agreed upon. They can't afford to offer the job publicly like New Orleans has and be denied.

[sturt]

As long as we're conjecturing, I'm more convinced than ever that Doc Rivers' status is what has some teams feeling no compulsion to move too quickly... and I think ATL heads that list. Bringing Doc "home" would be a big PR coup.

I also think that a number of cap-room teams are persuaded it is in their best interest to try to synthesize as closely as possible the naming of a new coach with the signing of whatever free agents they're going to be able to obtain... impossible to do that concurrently, and moreover, that situation will quickly degenerate as soon as it becomes apparent just who realistically has a shot at LeBron, at Wade, at Bosh, and so on down the line.

Back to us... I think Avery Johnson has (obviously) made a huge impression, hence the third interview. I think the Sund contact with Demopolous--documented to be close friends with Casey--makes it clear that talks with Casey progressed to the point of discussion about who he can hire for his staff. And I put some stock in Cunningham's recent assertion that there is no legitimacy to the idea that ASG mostly likes Avery Johnson and Sund mostly likes Casey. He also said he is persuaded that this wholly will be Sund's hire, and that ASG has full confidence in letting him make the final decision.

Not to be taken too seriously, but imagine all the good vibes if Sund were to be able to hire Doc, and in turn, Doc brought to his bench his old running mates Randy Wittman, Tree Rollins and maybe promoted Duane Ferrell. :biggrin: :

Edited June 3, 2010 by sturt

[Vol4ever]

As long as we're conjecturing, I'm more convinced than ever that Doc Rivers' status is what has some teams feeling no compulsion to move too quickly... and I think ATL heads that list. Bringing Doc "home" would be a big PR coup.

I also think that a number of cap-room teams are persuaded it is in their best interest to try to synthesize as closely as possible the naming of a new coach with the signing of whatever free agents they're going to be able to obtain... impossible to do that concurrently, and moreover, that situation will quickly degenerate as soon as it becomes apparent just who realistically has a shot at LeBron, at Wade, at Bosh, and so on down the line.

Back to us... I think Avery Johnson has (obviously) made a huge impression, hence the third interview. I think the Sund contact with Demopolous--documented to be close friends with Casey--makes it clear that talks with Casey progressed to the point of discussion about who he can hire for his staff. And I put some stock in Cunningham's recent assertion that there is no legitimacy to the idea that ASG mostly likes Avery Johnson and Sund mostly likes Casey. He also said he is persuaded that this wholly will be Sund's hire, and that ASG has full confidence in letting him make the final decision.

Not to be taken too seriously, but imagine all the good vibes if Sund were to be able to hire Doc, and in turn, Doc brought to his bench his old running mates Randy Wittman, Tree Rollins and maybe promoted Duane Ferrell. :biggrin: :

The Doc Rivers to the Hawks would certainly bring talk to town. I still remember until Danny Aigne made the trades for Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett, Doc was in some trouble in Boston. Don't get me wrong I would be 100% behind bringing Doc to the Hawks, however low the percentage of it actually happening is.

We need a coach like Doc that will take the reigns and demand some respect, and in addition, the Hawks have to get some more veteran pieces for this team to advance.