OFFICIAL: Hawks and All we do is Quin Quin Quin

[macdaddy]

Having Quin here is a breath of fresh air and i'm super excited about the future.  But I'm also going to contain that excitement a bit because just looking better in losses isn't interesting to me at this point.  It's time to go all in on making a real contender with Trae.   

[BangHolman]

3 minutes ago, macdaddy said:

Having Quin here is a breath of fresh air and i'm super excited about the future.  But I'm also going to contain that excitement a bit because just looking better in losses isn't interesting to me at this point.  It's time to go all in on making a real contender with Trae.   

Whatever happens this season just happens. I'm more excited about what he does after roster changes this offseason. It's clear that we have guys that don't fit what we will need them to do going forward.

[AtLaS]

36 minutes ago, BangHolman said:

https://theathletic.com/4300281/2023/03/13/quin-snyder-exclusive-interview-trae-young/?access_token=5079091

Paywall.  Can you post the content?

[JayBirdHawk]

 

 

[JayBirdHawk]

2 weeks in with Quin - what we are seeing!

 

Atlanta Hawks Get Three Days Off at Perfect Time

The Atlanta Hawks have three days off to reorganize after rough stretch.

 

The Atlanta Hawks have an unusually long break in their schedule beginning today. They have three full days off before hosting the reigning champion Golden State Warriors on Friday night.

Atlanta's brief reprieve from the maelstrom of the NBA season could not come at a better time. Last night, they got thumped 136-115 by the Minnesota Timberwolves (sans Karl-Anthony Towns). Before that, Atlanta has lost four out of their previous six games since the arrival of Quin Snyder.

It is not the direction the team wanted to be heading in after a late-season coaching change. Especially when fighting tooth and nail to avoid the dreaded Play-In Tournament for the second consecutive year.

Quin Snyder

After Saturday night's tough loss to the Boston Celtics, Snyder told the media, "We are learning to script things out as we go, and that's the way it has to be." The perpetually-intense coach has had to be patient since leaving a family vacation early to accept another head coaching position in the NBA.

Of course, Snyder has kept the same coaching staff intact as his predecessor and much of the same systems. While Snyder's hands are tied when it comes to implementing his desired changes, he has worked to create more favorable looks for his players to succeed.

Additionally, Snyder's rotations are a clear indicator of how he evaluates the talent on the roster. The veteran coach is sticking with a nine-man rotation but is reallocating playing time (more on that later).

Trae Young

No player has benefited more from the coaching change than Trae Young. The 2x NBA All-Star had seemingly lost faith in McMillan but immediately bought into Snyder's vision.

Sure, Young can manufacture 27 points and ten assists per game with his eyes closed. However, he is doing it more efficiently. Over the past two weeks, Young has been shooting 48.4% from the field and 40% from deep. That's up from 42.9% and 32.7% before Snyder arrived.

More importantly, Young is locked in on defense. The undersized guard has tallied 14 steals since the coaching change. Only Jimmy Butler and Delon Wright have stolen the ball more times over the same period.

Of course, steals are not a perfect metric for measuring individual defense. Even defensive rating isn't an accurate barometer for how a single player's defense. Atlanta's defense has taken a step back as a team, but Young's play has enjoyed a giant leap.

Lineup Changes

Whether it is a new president sworn into office and bureaucrats get replaced, or a company gets absorbed and an executive's key card no longer works, or a new coach is hired and the rotation gets readjusted - there are always winners and losers with any major change. 

Since Snyder arrived in Atlanta, some players have benefited while others have sacrificed. Bogdan Bogdanovic's minutes are down from 29.6 to 22.8, and his shot attempts have decreased from 12.8 to 8.4 per game. AJ Griffin's minutes have dropped from 20.2 to 7.3. In the post, John Collins and Onyeka Okongwu lost 6.1 and 4.1 minutes per game, respectively.

In addition to most of the starting unit logging more minutes, Saddiq Bey has received a larger role in the rotation. Bey is now fourth in field goal attempts and fifth in minutes per game. Halting the development of a promising rookie or relegating trusted veterans is a tough call, but the right decision by Snyder.

Bottom Line

Much like the city's infrastructure, the Hawks are undergoing major construction. There will be delays and detours rerouting traffic that will result in occasionally ugly nights like last night's loss to Minnesota. 

Just as players over-help on defense, there are redundancies on the roster that cannot be corrected until this summer. Snyder cannot solve all of Atlanta's issues overnight, but three days off could not have come at a better time for this team that is a work in progress.

Atlanta Hawks Get Much-Needed Break in Schedule - Sports Illustrated Atlanta Hawks News, Analysis and More

 

[Diesel]

1 hour ago, JayBirdHawk said:

Halting the development of a promising rookie or relegating trusted veterans is a tough call, but the right decision by Snyder.

Where is NATE???

The hypocrisy is THICK!

[JayBirdHawk]

 

 

[Spud2nique]

6 minutes ago, JayBirdHawk said:

 

 

I was just about to post this Burd… I like it a lot. I actually love it. 

[Spud2nique]

On 3/14/2023 at 5:17 PM, JayBirdHawk said:

2 weeks in with Quin - what we are seeing!

 

Atlanta Hawks Get Three Days Off at Perfect Time

The Atlanta Hawks have three days off to reorganize after rough stretch.

 

The Atlanta Hawks have an unusually long break in their schedule beginning today. They have three full days off before hosting the reigning champion Golden State Warriors on Friday night.

Atlanta's brief reprieve from the maelstrom of the NBA season could not come at a better time. Last night, they got thumped 136-115 by the Minnesota Timberwolves (sans Karl-Anthony Towns). Before that, Atlanta has lost four out of their previous six games since the arrival of Quin Snyder.

It is not the direction the team wanted to be heading in after a late-season coaching change. Especially when fighting tooth and nail to avoid the dreaded Play-In Tournament for the second consecutive year.

Quin Snyder

After Saturday night's tough loss to the Boston Celtics, Snyder told the media, "We are learning to script things out as we go, and that's the way it has to be." The perpetually-intense coach has had to be patient since leaving a family vacation early to accept another head coaching position in the NBA.

Of course, Snyder has kept the same coaching staff intact as his predecessor and much of the same systems. While Snyder's hands are tied when it comes to implementing his desired changes, he has worked to create more favorable looks for his players to succeed.

Additionally, Snyder's rotations are a clear indicator of how he evaluates the talent on the roster. The veteran coach is sticking with a nine-man rotation but is reallocating playing time (more on that later).

Trae Young

No player has benefited more from the coaching change than Trae Young. The 2x NBA All-Star had seemingly lost faith in McMillan but immediately bought into Snyder's vision.

Sure, Young can manufacture 27 points and ten assists per game with his eyes closed. However, he is doing it more efficiently. Over the past two weeks, Young has been shooting 48.4% from the field and 40% from deep. That's up from 42.9% and 32.7% before Snyder arrived.

More importantly, Young is locked in on defense. The undersized guard has tallied 14 steals since the coaching change. Only Jimmy Butler and Delon Wright have stolen the ball more times over the same period.

Of course, steals are not a perfect metric for measuring individual defense. Even defensive rating isn't an accurate barometer for how a single player's defense. Atlanta's defense has taken a step back as a team, but Young's play has enjoyed a giant leap.

Lineup Changes

Whether it is a new president sworn into office and bureaucrats get replaced, or a company gets absorbed and an executive's key card no longer works, or a new coach is hired and the rotation gets readjusted - there are always winners and losers with any major change. 

Since Snyder arrived in Atlanta, some players have benefited while others have sacrificed. Bogdan Bogdanovic's minutes are down from 29.6 to 22.8, and his shot attempts have decreased from 12.8 to 8.4 per game. AJ Griffin's minutes have dropped from 20.2 to 7.3. In the post, John Collins and Onyeka Okongwu lost 6.1 and 4.1 minutes per game, respectively.

In addition to most of the starting unit logging more minutes, Saddiq Bey has received a larger role in the rotation. Bey is now fourth in field goal attempts and fifth in minutes per game. Halting the development of a promising rookie or relegating trusted veterans is a tough call, but the right decision by Snyder.

Bottom Line

Much like the city's infrastructure, the Hawks are undergoing major construction. There will be delays and detours rerouting traffic that will result in occasionally ugly nights like last night's loss to Minnesota. 

Just as players over-help on defense, there are redundancies on the roster that cannot be corrected until this summer. Snyder cannot solve all of Atlanta's issues overnight, but three days off could not have come at a better time for this team that is a work in progress.

Atlanta Hawks Get Much-Needed Break in Schedule - Sports Illustrated Atlanta Hawks News, Analysis and More

 

@AUhawksfan a few weeks ago you said give it some time…

 

Yup! 

[AUhawksfan]

9 hours ago, Spud2nique said:

@AUhawksfan a few weeks ago you said give it some time…

 

Yup! 

I still think the best is yet to come but we are getting a preview. Even just seeing some non-rigid decisions with lineups and game plans has been nice. 
 

Any coach can come in and make a short term impact by changing up some minor things and being a new voice (i.e. Nate) but changing team culture and implementing a coaching philosophy takes time. 
 

I sipped the Nate Dogg Kool-Aid for awhile until I realized how stubborn the guy was and that only gets you so far. 

[Spud2nique]

1 hour ago, AUhawksfan said:

changing team culture and implementing a coaching philosophy takes time. 

Indeed.

[Diesel]

8 hours ago, AUhawksfan said:

Any coach can come in and make a short term impact by changing up some minor things and being a new voice (i.e. Nate) but changing team culture and implementing a coaching philosophy takes time.

I think Nate did change the culture a bit.   I'm not going to totally dump on what he was able to accomplish.  I think one of the main mistakes that he made that goes undiscussed was bringing in Longabardi to coach defense.   He should have not fired Hunt.  He should have not let Chris Jent go.  I think he lost good perspective with those guys.   

But alas, he's too stubborn and caught up in his own way. 

[GameTime]

Coaching is everything. Thank you Quin

 

[JayBirdHawk]

 

 

[JayBirdHawk]

 

 

“I’m going to continue to say the real,” Murray told The Athletic following a practice. “Quin came in with the mindset of, ‘Shit, let’s go win now.’ Obviously, we’re not going to focus on the record. Forget about all that. Let’s find ways to build winning habits. He’s been phenomenal, man. I would go through a brick wall for him.”

Free agency isn’t a topic Murray wants to discuss now. Be where your feet are, and all that. He’s on a playoff stage for the first time as a starter and he doesn’t want to distract from that.

“I’m focused on the Atlanta Hawks vs. the Boston Celtics right now,” he said. “I’m not worried about a dollar, a contract, nothing. I’m not worried about tomorrow. I’m worried about today, coming into the gym and getting better. Right place, right time, and that’s for another time.”

But there are things important to you other than money, correct?

“Winning,” he said. “Winning. That’s it. Winning. That’s it. Winning.”

There may long be a debate about whether the Hawks gave up too much for Murray. The answer will stem in part from whether Snyder can find success using him and Trae Young together on the court, and whether Murray stays. But there’s no question Murray is the kind of player and person the Hawks want to keep as they attempt to build a new culture, along the lines of what Snyder had in Utah and Murray experienced in San Antonio. They are aligned in philosophies about the game.

“That’s because you have two guys who are willing to learn, willing to take criticism, whatever it takes to win,” Murray said. “If I have to take all the weight, the criticism and the praise, he’s built for it, and he knows I’m built for it. He’s always like, ‘F the media.’ Nothing personal. But it’s about telling us to not pay attention to it. You can fall in love with the praise, or worry too much about the negativity.”

Before this season, Murray hadn’t been to the playoffs since 2018 with the Spurs. This is his first postseason experience as one of his team’s centerpieces. The days after the series opening loss to Boston, I asked him how he felt.

“Happy,” he said. “We lost the game but it’s a series. Last year we lost in a Play-in to New Orleans and I was going home. My main goal this year was to get back to the playoffs and experience this again, knowing that I’m still growing.”

[sturt]

9 minutes ago, JayBirdHawk said:

He’s always like, ‘F the media.’

Hmmm. Kinda curious where that comes from... not like he's been in a savage media market yet. Almost has to be "F the national media," right? That would make a lot more sense.

 

[JayBirdHawk]

Steve Koonin's radio interview from earlier today, talks about playoffs, Trae latest trade rumor (LAL - he had a good chuckle at that), Quin and other things.

Highlights on Quin:
[  ] Headcoach needs to be head of basketball, he sets the cultural tone, involved in player choices working with LF and KK, but he is the one that connects and communicates wwiththe players
[  ] Accelerated schedule after ECF - player development stopped (thanks Nate), but will come back going forward
[  ] Quin coaches with such life, emotion: connecting and teaching. Player feedback is really strong. When he as all his tools we will see continued improvement,  better fundamental basketball going forward.
[  ] LP was brought in for player development, NM was brought in to connect with players. Quin is doing both.

https://www.audacy.com/podcast/dukes-bell-0fcb8/episodes/hawks-ceo-steve-koonin-live-at-state-farm-arena-8d522

Worth the full listen about 15 minutes.

[AHF]

8 hours ago, JayBirdHawk said:

player development stopped (thanks Nate), but will come back going forward

 

[JayBirdHawk]

18 minutes ago, AHF said:

 

This was my reaction...then I remember quotes like this from last November:

"I'm not experimenting, wanting to see different rotations. I'm trying to win that game. I'm not experimenting. I'm not developing. Doing all of that. I'm trying to win games"

[kg01]

8 hours ago, JayBirdHawk said:

Steve Koonin's radio interview from earlier today, talks about playoffs, Trae latest trade rumor (LAL - he had a good chuckle at that), Quin and other things.

Highlights on Quin:
[  ] Headcoach needs to be head of basketball, he sets the cultural tone, involved in player choices working with LF and KK, but he is the one that connects and communicates wwiththe players
[  ] Accelerated schedule after ECF - player development stopped (thanks Nate), but will come back going forward
[  ] Quin coaches with such life, emotion: connecting and teaching. Player feedback is really strong. When he as all his tools we will see continued improvement,  better fundamental basketball going forward.
[  ] LP was brought in for player development, NM was brought in to connect with players. Quin is doing both.

https://www.audacy.com/podcast/dukes-bell-0fcb8/episodes/hawks-ceo-steve-koonin-live-at-state-farm-arena-8d522

Worth the full listen about 15 minutes.

Koonin actually said development stopped or was it just inferred?