Memo to the Hawks

[indeedproceed]

To Whom it may concern:

First off, congratulations on making the playoffs, and congrats on taking basketball's best team to a game 7. There. Thats all you get. Now, your team showed real promise in this year's NBA playoffs, you showed grit, you showed heart and passion that some teams (ahem Mavs, Nuggets) can't seem to muster nightly in the playoffs. Thats awesome for a young team.

You're athletic, you've got ice cold shooters, a point guard seemingly with something left and possibly the second or third best big man under 24 in Al Horford. Great young cast. Promising future.

The problem isn't Mike Woodson. He seems to have the team's ear. He has passion for the game and a good pedigree. He was a good choice for coach in 2004 and he has brought this team along well. If there was no other option, he'd serve well as your coach going forward.

There is another option however, and his name is Mike D'Antoni. You may have heard of him; he coached Steve Nash to 2 MVP awards. He brought the run to Phoenix. He turned Joe Johnson into the free agent acquisition you signed 2 years ago. He could take your franchise from a team that sneaks into the Eastern Conference Playoffs with a losing record into a team that hits it playing peak just as it enters the playoffs as a top 4 seed.

He's going to refine Josh Smith from the unpredictable streaky player he is to a consistent, reliable skilled defensive force and offensive finisher. He will give Mike Bibby more direction and truly define Joe Johnson's role beyond "scorer". He's going to give Al Horford a better chance to be a better player because he's going to put him in better places to succeed. 

Most important however Mike D'Antoni is going to provide your team with a real identity. Right now you're just a young team that fought hard in a playoff series against a seemingly insurmountable opponent. D'antoni will make you into a running team, he will make sure players know their role, and he will lend legitimacy to your franchise. Players (maybe former players of the Suns) will want to play for him. Free agents will be easier to come by. This team can win in the eastern conference.

Winning is going to be a 3 part process:

1) Hire D'Antoni along with capable GM with like vision.
2) Trade away some of your young talent for proven veterans without sacrificing too much of your athleticism. (basically decide which of Marvin Williams/ Josh Childress you want to keep and trade the other for players handpicked by D'Antoni and your GM)
3) Don't spend money too recklessly, spend it smartly, emphasize leadership and professionalism with your free agent signings. You don't lack skill, you lack experience.

Your loyal non-fan and NBA 2k8 enthusiast
Sir IndeedProceed, esq.

[Redz]

Who are these Hawks you speak of?

[indeedproceed]

Who are these Hawks you speak of?

Listen here, you charlatan. I pressed the quote button just now with full intention of answering your question with honest exuberance. It was not until I saw the winking smiley face that I realized the facetious nature of your reply. I am a serious man of serious business and hence request to be taken as such.

I thank you, and good day!

[MaineBleedsGreen]

To Whom it may concern:

First off, congratulations on making the playoffs, and congrats on taking basketball's best team to a game 7. There. Thats all you get. Now, your team showed real promise in this year's NBA playoffs, you showed grit, you showed heart and passion that some teams (ahem Mavs, Nuggets) can't seem to muster nightly in the playoffs. Thats awesome for a young team.

You're athletic, you've got ice cold shooters, a point guard seemingly with something left and possibly the second or third best big man under 24 in Al Horford. Great young cast. Promising future.

The problem isn't Mike Woodson. He seems to have the team's ear. He has passion for the game and a good pedigree. He was a good choice for coach in 2004 and he has brought this team along well. If there was no other option, he'd serve well as your coach going forward.

There is another option however, and his name is Mike D'Antoni. You may have heard of him; he coached Steve Nash to 2 MVP awards. He brought the run to Phoenix. He turned Joe Johnson into the free agent acquisition you signed 2 years ago. He could take your franchise from a team that sneaks into the Eastern Conference Playoffs with a losing record into a team that hits it playing peak just as it enters the playoffs as a top 4 seed.

He's going to refine Josh Smith from the unpredictable streaky player he is to a consistent, reliable skilled defensive force and offensive finisher. He will give Mike Bibby more direction and truly define Joe Johnson's role beyond "scorer". He's going to give Al Horford a better chance to be a better player because he's going to put him in better places to succeed. 

Most important however Mike D'Antoni is going to provide your team with a real identity. Right now you're just a young team that fought hard in a playoff series against a seemingly insurmountable opponent. D'antoni will make you into a running team, he will make sure players know their role, and he will lend legitimacy to your franchise. Players (maybe former players of the Suns) will want to play for him. Free agents will be easier to come by. This team can win in the eastern conference.

Winning is going to be a 3 part process:

1) Hire D'Antoni along with capable GM with like vision.
2) Trade away some of your young talent for proven veterans without sacrificing too much of your athleticism. (basically decide which of Marvin Williams/ Josh Childress you want to keep and trade the other for players handpicked by D'Antoni and your GM)
3) Don't spend money too recklessly, spend it smartly, emphasize leadership and professionalism with your free agent signings. You don't lack skill, you lack experience.

Your loyal non-fan and NBA 2k8 enthusiast
Sir IndeedProceed, esq.

really? you think he'd help his defense? I thought 95% of practice time was focused on offense with this guy? Sure bring him to the east so he can turn another team into and exciting - fast paced - don't guard anybody - play off flop like the suns have been. If he can't get it done with 3 HOFers on the suns I don't see him doing a better job with the Hawks.

[Redz]

Who are these Hawks you speak of?

Listen here, you charlatan. I pressed the quote button just now with full intention of answering your question with honest exuberance. It was not until I saw the winking smiley face that I realized the facetious nature of your reply. I am a serious man of serious business and hence request to be taken as such.

I thank you, and good day!

Sorry   I can't stop myself

You made some excellent points on how the Hawks should move forward.  Is D'Antoni a given?  Can they can Woodson after he coached them to a 7th game against a 66 win team and their first playoffs in nearly a generation?

Better?

[indeedproceed]

To Whom it may concern:

First off, congratulations on making the playoffs, and congrats on taking basketball's best team to a game 7. There. Thats all you get. Now, your team showed real promise in this year's NBA playoffs, you showed grit, you showed heart and passion that some teams (ahem Mavs, Nuggets) can't seem to muster nightly in the playoffs. Thats awesome for a young team.

You're athletic, you've got ice cold shooters, a point guard seemingly with something left and possibly the second or third best big man under 24 in Al Horford. Great young cast. Promising future.

The problem isn't Mike Woodson. He seems to have the team's ear. He has passion for the game and a good pedigree. He was a good choice for coach in 2004 and he has brought this team along well. If there was no other option, he'd serve well as your coach going forward.

There is another option however, and his name is Mike D'Antoni. You may have heard of him; he coached Steve Nash to 2 MVP awards. He brought the run to Phoenix. He turned Joe Johnson into the free agent acquisition you signed 2 years ago. He could take your franchise from a team that sneaks into the Eastern Conference Playoffs with a losing record into a team that hits it playing peak just as it enters the playoffs as a top 4 seed.

He's going to refine Josh Smith from the unpredictable streaky player he is to a consistent, reliable skilled defensive force and offensive finisher. He will give Mike Bibby more direction and truly define Joe Johnson's role beyond "scorer". He's going to give Al Horford a better chance to be a better player because he's going to put him in better places to succeed. 

Most important however Mike D'Antoni is going to provide your team with a real identity. Right now you're just a young team that fought hard in a playoff series against a seemingly insurmountable opponent. D'antoni will make you into a running team, he will make sure players know their role, and he will lend legitimacy to your franchise. Players (maybe former players of the Suns) will want to play for him. Free agents will be easier to come by. This team can win in the eastern conference.

Winning is going to be a 3 part process:

1) Hire D'Antoni along with capable GM with like vision.
2) Trade away some of your young talent for proven veterans without sacrificing too much of your athleticism. (basically decide which of Marvin Williams/ Josh Childress you want to keep and trade the other for players handpicked by D'Antoni and your GM)
3) Don't spend money too recklessly, spend it smartly, emphasize leadership and professionalism with your free agent signings. You don't lack skill, you lack experience.

Your loyal non-fan and NBA 2k8 enthusiast
Sir IndeedProceed, esq.

really? you think he'd help his defense? I thought 95% of practice time was focused on offense with this guy? Sure bring him to the east so he can turn another team into and exciting - fast paced - don't guard anybody - play off flop like the suns have been. If he can't get it done with 3 HOFers on the suns I don't see him doing a better job with the Hawks.

I disagree. First, didn't Phoenix lead the league in points from turnovers? Also, isn't Atlanta built very similarly to those Phoenix teams? There isn't really one stellar man on defender on that entire squad. Im also not saying that D'Antoni can win the east next season, or the year after that, but he can make them better immediately, and better the year after that

Who are these Hawks you speak of?

Listen here, you charlatan. I pressed the quote button just now with full intention of answering your question with honest exuberance. It was not until I saw the winking smiley face that I realized the facetious nature of your reply. I am a serious man of serious business and hence request to be taken as such.

I thank you, and good day!

Sorry   I can't stop myself

You made some excellent points on how the Hawks should move forward.  Is D'Antoni a given?  Can they can Woodson after he coached them to a 7th game against a 66 win team and their first playoffs in nearly a generation?

Better?

Ever since Dumars canned Rick Carlisle the year after Detroit went to the Eastern Conference Finals yanking an underachieving coach when its plain the team could possibly do more has been justified. The fact of the matter is that if D'Antoni can make the Hawks better even if Woodson and probably a lot of other people feel like Woodson has earned some good karma from 14 days of good play, the Hawks make the move if they want to win.

[CT34]

Wow I've been agreeing with a lot of people on this site lately something just is not right.  I agree I think Mike D'Antoni would be a nice fix for the Hawks.  I think the Hawks have more defensive pieces then what the Suns had when D'Antoni first got there and even at the start of the season.

Biddy - could be Nash
Joe Johnson - is 10 times better then Raja Bell
Josh Childress - I would take over Marvin Williams and Grant Hill
Josh Smith - could turn into a much better play then let say Shawn Marion was and is.
Al Horford - He's not Amare but Horford is going to be a beast in this league.

If I was the Hawks I would look for another Big man and move Josh Smith to Small Forward and Horford to PF.  They have the makings of a solid team they just need some direction.

[wdleehi]

Bad idea. 


One of the knocks on him as a coach is he doesn't get on the young guys for mistakes.  Doesn't hold them accountable.  That both Amare and Barbosa should be better then they are. 


He is a good fit for a veteran team. 

[indeedproceed]

Bad idea. 


One of the knocks on him as a coach is he doesn't get on the young guys for mistakes.  Doesn't hold them accountable.  That both Amare and Barbosa should be better then they are. 


He is a good fit for a veteran team. 

That did occur to me, but besides Horford these guys are all 3 yr vets aren't they? This year's dp plus jchill or marvin williams ought to bring in another hard nosed vet guy. Who coaches young guys well anyways? Carlisle?

[wdleehi]

Bad idea. 


One of the knocks on him as a coach is he doesn't get on the young guys for mistakes.  Doesn't hold them accountable.  That both Amare and Barbosa should be better then they are. 


He is a good fit for a veteran team. 

That did occur to me, but besides Horford these guys are all 3 yr vets aren't they? This year's dp plus jchill or marvin williams ought to bring in another hard nosed vet guy. Who coaches young guys well anyways? Carlisle?

I think they need a teacher style coach more right now. 

Another 2 years from now, then it would be a good idea.

[Who]

Mike Woodson is a terrible Head Coach and a horrible fit for that team

Mike D'Antoni is a 15 extra wins without making a single roster change.

Did anyone watch the first Hawks-Suns matchup? The Hawks slapped Phoenix around and beat them handidly. It was one of those 6-8 games out of 97 that Woodson actually allowed them to really run. Mike D'Antoni will have them playing like that every single night. Oh and did anyone watch the second Hawks matchup? Woodson stopped them from running by that point in the season. They got blown out by 33, the bluthering idiot, it's been four years and he still won't unleash this team, he lies to them every training camp, then gets nervous and stops their running.

This is the type of basketball this roster needs to play both in the present and the future. Atlanta should do everything possible to make it happen.

Oh and there's no way Mike D'Antoni takes the job. Their GM is about to be fired. Their ownership is a mess. Nobody wants to work in that uncertainty. He has better offers elsewhere.

Could have been great.

[indeedproceed]

Mike Woodson is a terrible Head Coach and a horrible fit for that team

Mike D'Antoni is a 15 extra wins without making a single roster change.

Did anyone watch the first Hawks-Suns matchup? The Hawks slapped Phoenix around and beat them handidly. It was one of those 6-8 games out of 97 that Woodson actually allowed them to really run. Mike D'Antoni will have them playing like that every single night. Oh and did anyone watch the second Hawks matchup? Woodson stopped them from running by that point in the season. They got blown out by 33, the bluthering idiot, it's been four years and he still won't unleash this team, he lies to them every training camp, then gets nervous and stops their running.

This is the type of basketball this roster needs to play both in the present and the future. Atlanta should do everything possible to make it happen.

Oh and there's no way Mike D'Antoni takes the job. Their GM is about to be fired. Their ownership is a mess. Nobody wants to work in that uncertainty. He has better offers elsewhere.

Could have been great.

Billy Knight actually is already gone isn't he?

[Who]

Mike Woodson is a terrible Head Coach and a horrible fit for that team

Mike D'Antoni is a 15 extra wins without making a single roster change.

Did anyone watch the first Hawks-Suns matchup? The Hawks slapped Phoenix around and beat them handidly. It was one of those 6-8 games out of 97 that Woodson actually allowed them to really run. Mike D'Antoni will have them playing like that every single night. Oh and did anyone watch the second Hawks matchup? Woodson stopped them from running by that point in the season. They got blown out by 33, the bluthering idiot, it's been four years and he still won't unleash this team, he lies to them every training camp, then gets nervous and stops their running.

This is the type of basketball this roster needs to play both in the present and the future. Atlanta should do everything possible to make it happen.

Oh and there's no way Mike D'Antoni takes the job. Their GM is about to be fired. Their ownership is a mess. Nobody wants to work in that uncertainty. He has better offers elsewhere.

Could have been great.

Billy Knight actually is already gone isn't he?

I haven't seen any BBall news today. 10 steps behind everything. Yes he is, he's resigned. That makes things more interesting. T

he Hawks have to sign someone quick and someone who D'Antoni respects/trusts, then they could get into it.