Mike Woodson on Atlanta Radio

[AHF]

To me it just seemed like Josh took fewer risks defensively and played better positionally this year than he ever has on defense and I don't think you can prove or disprove that with these stats.

This is why I don't think he really expanded his game because he was given freedom to take bad jumpers. I think Josh has expanded his game and gotten a little better every year regardless of how many jumpers he took. He wasn't constrained and a poor performer in 2009-10.

I totally do not buy into the idea that you kill Josh's spirit if you don't let him take bad shots. I do buy into the idea that if Josh ever is to become a true star that he needs to get much more selective about his shots so that he puts himself in position to succeed rather than a position where he is more likely to fail.

[Admin]

This is why I don't think he really expanded his game because he was given freedom to take bad jumpers. I think Josh has expanded his game and gotten a little better every year regardless of how many jumpers he took. He wasn't constrained and a poor performer in 2009-10.

I totally do not buy into the idea that you kill Josh's spirit if you don't let him take bad shots. I do buy into the idea that if Josh ever is to become a true star that he needs to get much more selective about his shots so that he puts himself in position to succeed rather than a position where he is more likely to fail.

I get where you're coming from but I have to believe that LD knows him better than anyone involved with the team and wouldn't sacrifice team success just to placate Josh. I believe that he knows the best way to get Josh to perform at his overall best is to let him have a very long leash and I think we've seen a lot of positive results this year. Still a lot of room for growth, but if that growth doesn't happen from within Josh then it's probably never going to happen.

[AHF]

I get where you're coming from but I have to believe that LD knows him better than anyone involved with the team and wouldn't sacrifice team success just to placate Josh. I believe that he knows the best way to get Josh to perform at his overall best is to let him have a very long leash and I think we've seen a lot of positive results this year. Still a lot of room for growth, but if that growth doesn't happen from within Josh then it's probably never going to happen.

I don't think Josh is going to change his view on jumpers without direction from his coach and/or peer pressure from his teammates so I view hoping for internal growth as a lost cause. I have, however, seen players change environments and buy into playing defense or doing something else new and the only way I see that happening in Atlanta is with a new coach. Clearly, LD didn't work on Josh's shot selection when he was an assistant and has given him free reign since becoming coach. I view that approach as doomed to failure.(I do get that failure/success is measured differently by different people so it may only be failure if you call Josh scoring less efficiently than everyone on the team but Jason Collins, Dampier and Stackhouse as a problem, which I do.)

[Admin]

I don't think Josh is going to change his view on jumpers without direction from his coach and/or peer pressure from his teammates so I view hoping for internal growth as a lost cause. I have, however, seen players change environments and buy into playing defense or doing something else new and the only way I see that happening in Atlanta is with a new coach. Clearly, LD didn't work on Josh's shot selection when he was an assistant and has given him free reign since becoming coach. I view that approach as doomed to failure.(I do get that failure/success is measured differently by different people so it may only be failure if you call Josh scoring less efficiently than everyone on the team but Jason Collins, Dampier and Stackhouse as a problem, which I do.)

I do consider his scoring efficiency a problem, a large one actually, but I view direction from coaches / peer pressure as being even less likely (given current coaches / peers) than change from within because Josh is very stubborn and unless he wants to do something I don't see him doing it... or at least putting 100% effort into it.All of this is why it's probably in everyone's best interest to go ahead and trade Josh.

[AHF]

I do consider his scoring efficiency a problem, a large one actually, but I view direction from coaches / peer pressure as being even less likely (given current coaches / peers) than change from within because Josh is very stubborn and unless he wants to do something I don't see him doing it... or at least putting 100% effort into it.All of this is why it's probably in everyone's best interest to go ahead and trade Josh.

I agree that a new environment with new teammates, new coaches and new management seems like the most likely circumstance to lead him to change his habits. It just saddens me that it has come to that.