How the Hawks might get it right: Find a coach for Josh Smith

[macdaddy]

http://blogs.ajc.com/mark-bradley-blog/2012/05/18/how-the-hawks-might-get-it-right-find-a-coach-for-josh-smith/?cxntfid=blogs_mark_bradley_blog

As much as i think LD has done a good job i can't argue too much with this. All the talk of getting rid of Josh is missing the point. You don't get rid of exceptional talent in their prime. Not unless something big is coming back. I think we can move Joe and Teague / Josh / Horford are good to build around if we can find a scoring wing.

I’m not sure Smith sees Drew as more than the nice-guy assistant, and Smith doesn’t need a buddy. He needs a firmer hand on his shoulder and a voice of experience in his ear. He needs someone who has been around the NBA, who has a reputation as being good with players without being an enabler. Dwane Casey, since snapped up by Toronto, would have done wonders with Smith. Nate McMillan, who’s between jobs, could have the same effect.

[HawkItus]

Why on earth anyone would want to attach their fortune and fortunes to a 27 year old man who has to be prodded into doing the right thing for his team and himself escapes me.

[coachx]

All the talk of getting rid of Josh is missing the point. You don't get rid of exceptional talent in their prime. Not unless something big is coming back.

There may be a point you are missing. Josh Smith has made it known that he will not resign with Atlanta. So we lose him for nothing next summer if he is not traded.This is common with many players in their prime ( Paul, James, Bosh, Carmelo, Howard, Shaq, etc.) Some teams chose to gamble that they can change the players mind.......(Cleveland with James / Toronto with Bosh / Orlando with Shaq).....while others move the player for assets (Denver with Carmelo) ( New Orleans with Paul).If you want to gamble that a more disciplined coach will win Josh over and make Josh want to stay in Atlanta then you are entitled to your opinion. However, I have never seen Josh react to discipline in a positive light. Edited May 18, 2012 by coachx

[NineOhTheRino]

Josh needs a coach who is secure enough in his coaching ability to allow Smoove to be Smoove. Josh is our Troy Polamalu. He is best when he's out there reacting rather thinking everything through logically. Hopefully the next coach will be confident enough to encourage this rather than suppress.

Edited May 18, 2012 by NineOhTheRino

[Sothron]

You guys can hang it up: they picked up LD's option so we have another season of watching a coach that literally shows as much emotion as a corpse on the bench enabling a power forward to shoot long two jump shots upwards to 15 shots a night.

[Jody23]

Josh needs a coach who is secure enough in his coaching ability to allow Smoove to be Smoove. Josh is our Troy Polamalu. He is best when he's out there reacting rather thinking everything through logically. Hopefully the next coach will be confident enough to encourage this rather than suppress.

What? Allow Smoove to be Smoove? So you're saying it would be beneficial to the team to let Josh Smith just do what he wants? Unbelievable.

[Buzzard]

Josh is our Troy Polamalu.

Surely you jest. Troy is as fundamentaly sound and disciplined as any player in the NFL. Not to mention he is, from a physical standpoint, a prototype Safety.

[Buzzard]

I really do not know why all the hype over Josh. He is not a superstar, chokes like hell in the playoffs, is not fundamentally sound, and is to small to really play his position

[coachx]

Josh needs a coach who is secure enough in his coaching ability to allow Smoove to be Smoove.

That is exactly what Larry Drew does now.

[HawkItus]

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/7946317/atlanta-hawks-keeping-larry-drew-coach