Not official: Woodson's status still not determine

[gutz]

The owners said they won't make a final decision on whether Woodson will be back next year or not until after the lottery on May 22. They are then having a meeting to go over everything that happened this season. Personally I would give him one more year with healthy players to see what this team can really do. BK is the one that needs to be fired immediately before he screws up our upcoming draft again.

Woodson's status still not determined

By SEKOU SMITH

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Published on: 04/26/07

Orlando — The job status of Hawks coach Mike Woodson has not yet been determined and will not be until after the ownership group and management team sit down next month with Woodson to discuss his future, Hawks part owner and NBA Governor Michael Gearon Jr. said Thursday.

An Associated Press story Wednesday cited Hawks President Bernie Mullin as its source in a story that stated Woodson would return for the 2007-08 season.

But Gearon reiterated Thursday what he said the day after the Hawks season ended, that the franchise is pleased with the job Woodson has done under trying circumstances but that an ultimate decision on his future won't be made until after the May 22 draft lottery.

"I have partners and I'm respectful of that relationship," Gearon said. "And the truth is we haven't yet had the chance to sit down and go over all the things that went on this season. Until we do that, I can't answer the question of whether or not Mike will be our coach next year.

"That said, we still have a very young nucleus and it's a group we expect to be together for a very long time and be competitive. And I think Mike has done a great job under in regards to our overall plan. He is a very hard worker, he's competitive, he wants to win and he has enormous respect around the league and under the circumstances he's done an excellent job."

Gearon was quick to praise the job Woodson has done in developing young players and managing the team through the first three years of an intense rebuilding process that the franchise was already committed to when Woodson was hired on July 8, 2004.

Woodson has compiled a 69-177 record in three years with the Hawks, including a 30-52 record this season when the Hawks endured a staggering 163 players games missed due to injuries. Only the Lakers had more games missed due to injuries by players in the top eight of their playing rotation.

"Listen, I'd have felt a lot better about this season if I'd had all of my troops," Woodson said by phone Thursday afternoon. "That's just there reality of our situation. As for me, I've got to wait until we get to this meeting [next month] to see what's what. But I'm not worried about that. Because in the meantime I've got a job to do, and that's get us prepared for next season and make sure we figure out how to win. And hey, this process is a marathon. This is the third year of a rebuilding plan, the third year. Anyone that doesn't think we made progress this year didn't see what I saw. So sure, I feel very optimistic about the future of this team."

The Hawks have improved in the win category every year of his tenure, going from a franchise-worst 13-69 record two years ago to a since taking one year remaining on the original four-year contract he signed on April 8, 2004, when he took over as coach of a Hawks team that was in the process of being torn down and rebuilt.

"We feel like Mike has done an excellent job being patient and mentoring our young players," Gearon said. "We've had a challenging season because of our injuries. But never in the history of the franchise have we had five players, five key players, miss 20 games or more games because of injuries. Looking back, had we been healthy we're confident we would have picked up maybe another eight wins and maybe even been like Toronto this year and been a surprise in the Eastern Conference and been either in the playoffs or in the hunt for the playoffs this year."

http://www.ajc.com/sports/content/sports/h...427woodson.html

[AtLaS]

I'd still say he has a 99% chance of staying..

[pimp]

The is no point in waiting a whole month to decide Woodson's

fate.Waiting that long could cause us to miss out

on some good coaches.The Grizzles, Sonics and others are already wooing the top coaches.

Anyway, i guess it doesn't matter.Woodson will most likely be back.

Here's to another year of no offensive game plans

blank dumb looking stares, and wasted timeouts.

[bumpyphish1]

well....at least there's a chance....

[gutz]

While were at it we need to fire the moronic President Bernie Mullin. This guy knows nothing about basketball anyways. I can't believe he is employed as president.

[ncthompson11]

What does the lottery have to do with anything? Im guessing if we get a top 3 he could have something to work with but one player wont change a whole lot.

[Packfill]

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What does the lottery have to do with anything? Im guessing if we get a top 3 he could have something to work with but one player wont change a whole lot.

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At least the Hawks ownership is smart enough to realize the only way they can lure a legitimate coach to this moribund franchise is to get a top 2 pick and entice a coach eager to work with Oden or Durant.

Absent getting a top two pick, they will retain Woody since they are cheap bastards.

Simple as that.

[frosgrim]

This sounds like the Atlanta faction is in disagreement with the Washington group. Washington wants to fire Woody and the Gearons want to keep him. The late date is probably to give everyone a chance to think through things.

I hope that the faction that wants Woody gone gets their way. The remaining fanbase can't stand Woodson and a new coach would at least excite those of us still cheering for the Hawks. I honestly can't be excited about next year's team if Woodson is still the head coach.

[vdunkndunk]

Personally, I think if we get Oden, then Woody might not be a bad choice as a coach for us. I think he needs a big shotblocking center to make his system work the way it's supposed to. And I think Oden will give us a legit low-post presence (in progress) next season, something that our half-court offense has lacked. So with Oden I wouldn't be too disappointed to keep Woody. If we don't get Oden, though, I think it's time to look in a different direction.

[DJlaysitup]

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This sounds like the Atlanta faction is in disagreement with the Washington group. Washington wants to fire Woody and the Gearons want to keep him. The late date is probably to give everyone a chance to think through things.

I hope that the faction that wants Woody gone gets their way. The remaining fanbase can't stand Woodson and a new coach would at least excite those of us still cheering for the Hawks. I honestly can't be excited about next year's team if Woodson is still the head coach.

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I think you may have something there Frosgrim...if we lose our 123 draft pick Woody will stay. He may stay anyway, but if we get Oden or Durant they may make a move.

Odds are, nothing will change...but if we got the second pick and got Durant...we would HAVE to become a running team and put JS and Durant out on the court together.

If that were the case I would agree with big D and hire Paul Westhead.

[vext]

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This sounds like the Atlanta faction is in disagreement with the Washington group. Washington wants to fire Woody and the Gearons want to keep him. The late date is probably to give everyone a chance to think through things.

I hope that the faction that wants Woody gone gets their way. The remaining fanbase can't stand Woodson and a new coach would at least excite those of us still cheering for the Hawks. I honestly can't be excited about next year's team if Woodson is still the head coach.

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I think you may have something there Frosgrim...if we lose our 123 draft pick Woody will stay. He may stay anyway, but if we get Oden or Durant they may make a move.

Odds are, nothing will change...but if we got the second pick and got Durant...we would HAVE to become a running team and put JS and Durant out on the court together.

If that were the case I would agree with big D and hire Paul Westhead.

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Yeah, I think you guys are onto something here. I think Woody will more than likely be here next year, but it really may just decide on the draft. If we get a stud, screw Woody and bring in a real coach. If we don't, let Woody stay and "learn" some more. Maybe they are just waiting for the next stud on the team and they expect it to either be a player or Woody growing into a real coach. It seems like this team has been built completely on potential.

[Lascar78]

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"I have partners and I'm respectful of that relationship,"

Gearon said. "And the truth is we haven't yet had the chance to sit down and go over all the things that went on this season. Until we do that, I can't answer the question of whether or not Mike will be our coach next year.

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Maybe I'm misreading, but this seems like a direct jab at Mullin.

Anyhow, this is the same stuff they've said all year, the status for both Woody and BK is to be decided in post-season meetings. I guess they decided to set them after the lottery.

I also agree that the ATL and WAS partners might be disagreeing here.

[Diesel]

Critically think here:

What does the Lottery have to do with coaching??

I say nothing, unless we get the prize of the lottery. Then we would be able to attract a better coach. I think the Spirit group might be willing to go out and go after a guy like Adleman and maybe they have sent out feelers and their feelers have come back saying that Adleman would come at AS's price IF the Hawks were in a better position to compete. Well, if the Hawks get Oden, they will be in a good position to compete. Remember, last year midseason... BK had to fight for Woody's job. So it's not out of the realm of possibility that these owners want a new coach... Right now, it's just business.

AS can't pay a coach big money to come here (because that's what it would take for any coach to come to a situation so unstable)...

Nor

Can AS afford to pay Woody to go home and another coach to come here.

Finally,

AS can't afford to take unproven coaches like Mussleman or Carlisle... Guys who almost got it done but have a track record of being fired.

IF Atlanta gets a new coach... Here's the names I suspect we will see:

1. Del Harris - I think this is a BK pick. Harris embodies everything that BK is about. Harris likes that medium length team that can run. He began coaching the L.A. Lakers in 1994-95 and instantly turned them from being a lottery team the season before to a 48-win team that beat the Supersonics in the first round of the playoffs.

2. Adleman. With Stops in PTL and Sactown this guy is supposedly an expert at getting the best out of matchups and using the whole team.

3. PJ Carlisimo. The most successful collegiate coach turned pro coach. If you get past the Sprewell incident, this guy has the wisdom and the ability to be a good coach in this league.

I guess that would be the big three we are courting. I would have to say given the choice, I would probably go with Harris. I think he could coach our style.

[Packfill]

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What does the lottery have to do with anything? Im guessing if we get a top 3 he could have something to work with but one player wont change a whole lot.

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At least the Hawks ownership is smart enough to realize the only way they can lure a legitimate coach to this moribund franchise is to get a top 2 pick and entice a coach eager to work with Oden or Durant.

Absent getting a top two pick, they will retain Woody since they are cheap bastards.

Simple as that.

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I take it back, the ownership might not be smart enough to figure this out.

[TexasPete]

I have long maintained that there is some disagreement between some of the owners. Gearon is a huge problem and seems to be a cowboy in this group. Here he is saying he wants to respect all parties in this deal and he is talking to the AJC about the high probability of Woodson staying. Mullin essentially gives Woodson the green light in the paper. Think about it...why would Gearon or Mullin say ANYTHING until the other owners have had a chance to weigh in? This is the ultimate cowboy move in that he is going public with HIS position and that forces the other owners to either accept it or risk another public disagreement.

I get the feeling this ownership group is coming from totally different places. This is what happens when guys with no back ground together throw in and own a team. How likely is it that they would all agree on this? Not very.

But Gearon probably knows exactly how Levenson feels and if Levenson felt exactly the same about Woody they would of announced Woody is staying for certain. Why wait unless there is a disagreement? But, talking to the AJC at this point was a poor move by Gearon and Mullin. My guess is Gearon and Mullin are comrades.

[coachx]

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What does the lottery have to do with anything? Im guessing if we get a top 3 he could have something to work with but one player wont change a whole lot.

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At least the Hawks ownership is smart enough to realize the only way they can lure a legitimate coach to this moribund franchise is to get a top 2 pick and entice a coach eager to work with Oden or Durant.

Absent getting a top two pick, they will retain Woody since they are cheap bastards.

Simple as that.

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My thoughts exactly.

[Sothron]

I'd rather have Adelman or bring back Fratello and tell him to run like the 80's.

[Swatguy]

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Think about it...why would Gearon or Mullin say ANYTHING until the other owners have had a chance to weigh in? This is the ultimate cowboy move in that he is going public with HIS position and that forces the other owners to either accept it or risk another public disagreement.

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Perhaps they were Asked?

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I get the feeling this ownership group is coming from totally different places. This is what happens when guys with no back ground together throw in and own a team. How likely is it that they would all agree on this? Not very.

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There is nothing to base this theory.

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But Gearon probably knows exactly how Levenson feels and if Levenson felt exactly the same about Woody they would of announced Woody is staying for certain. Why wait unless there is a disagreement? But, talking to the AJC at this point was a poor move by Gearon and Mullin. My guess is Gearon and Mullin are comrades.

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Could it be as Gearon said, ""I have partners and I'm respectful of that relationship," Gearon said. "And the truth is we haven't yet had the chance to sit down and go over all the things that went on this season. Until we do that, I can't answer the question of whether or not Mike will be our coach next year."

You see he was asked as Mullin was asked. Clearly Mullen answered out of turn, Gearon spoke for the owners.