Are you happy with this signing?

[hazer]

I voted yes because I think this could really work out. Marc Stein of ESPN.com makes some very interesting points:

"Although he's well-liked and well-respected in the Hawks' locker room, Drew is bound to be dismissed by the Atlanta public as a coach too closely connected to the Woodson era, even though Drew was a respected NBA assistant long before he landed on Woodson's bench.

Those who know Drew best say he'll inject the built-for-speed Hawks with some needed offensive creativity and get them playing faster than the stubborn Woodson ever did. They also say he'll reach Josh Smith and Marvin Williams like Woodson never could and that knowing Atlanta's personnel so well gives him a head start no one else could enjoy."

Drew is not the sexy hire, but seems like the perfect fit. And I read somewhere that's it's a 2-year deal with an option for a 3rd. That lines up pretty well with Doc Rivers' schedule :saythat:

[Seano]

I'm ok with it I guess. I mostly remember Larry Drew from his playing days and know very little about him as a basketball coach or what he brings to the table coaching-wise, so it's hard to give a thumbs-up or thumbs-down on this hire either way, but I'm more than willing to give him a chance, and it's true that everybody has to start somewhere. I see quite a few people complaining about a continuation of the 'same old, same old' and of course complaining about the cheapness of the ASG, and both of those might be valid points. Hiring an unproven but familiar assistant in-house probably is safer and certainly is cheaper than going outside for a more experienced or established coach, or at least one with a higher profile than Larry Drew. BUT, the fact that he came so cheaply does in no way indicate that Larry Drew is destined to fail here in Atlanta, so I think people have got to give him a chance. And he's not Mike Woodson, he's his own guy with his own thoughts and ideas on how to run a basketball team, and so people have got to give him a chance on that too, rather than labeling him as being some kind of 'Woody-Lite'.

And the one thing he does offer that I really like is his familiarity with the players on this team. He has seen closeup and firsthand what's worked here and what hasn't, so I'm very hopeful he can expand on what has worked and try and eliminate what hasn't. I have hope for him, and obviously wish him the best.

[frankthetank966]

I was speaking to ppl at a sports bar tonight and they were shocked about this signing. The consensus was that the ASG should have re-signed woody because he has proven the past 2 seasons he can win or that they hire a new coach. But it doesnt make sense to hire someone who had been under woody since it is virtually the same staff and now we are taking a huge risk of loosing.