After serving as the top assistant to Atlanta Hawks coach Mike Woodson, Larry Drew is finally getting the chance to run a team his own way. The Hawks announced today that Drew would officially be their new head coach moving forward. The deal was worth $5 million over three years, making Drew one of the most affordable coaches in the league. But if Drew can prove himself worthy of a head coaching position, a larger payday won’t be too far off.
I will say, I found the hiring of Drew to be a bit of a headscratcher. The Hawks are coming off of an impressive 53-win season, but have had disappointing second-round sweeps in each of the past two seasons. For a team that needed a new voice at the top, it seems strange to hire as familiar of a voice as Drew’s is. While he seems to be loved by his players, assistant coaches have the great distinct of being able to play “good cop” without taking the backlash from a head coaches decision. Now Drew will be tasked with transferring his positive relationship with his players into inspired play on the court – all while commanding their respect when tough decisions have to be made.
From an outsider’s perspective, it seems as though the Hawks would have wanted to hire somebody with experience to help the Hawks get over the deceptively large hump that separates good and great. The Hawks could have certainly found a more experienced coach, but would they have fit the bill? Avery Johnson was a top consideration for Atlanta, but the very reason he was fired was for his inability to get out of the first round of the playoffs. Defensive guru Dwane Casey was also mentioned, but then again his 43-59 career NBA coaching record wouldn’t have made a big splash either. Instead they went with someone that they were comfortable with and felt deserving of an opportunity. Perhaps this is the best thing they could have done.
You can’t say that Drew doesn’t know the game. You don’t spend six years sitting next to a head coach in the NBA and not develop some philosophies of your own and deeper knowledge of the X’s and O’s. Drew also has the hands-on experience of running a team, as he played point-guard for 10 years in the NBA and scored over 8,000 points in his career. Players certainly respect a coach who knows what battles they are going through, and can speak to the game from a point of familiarity. This will come in handy as Drew tries to develop a still-blossoming Hawks team.
Of course, his success will largely depend on how the Hawks are able to handle free-agency. Joe Johnson and the Atlanta fans didn’t exactly go out on a good note, and it wouldn’t be much of a surprise to see him land elsewhere this summer.
Do you think the Hawks made the right choice in hiring Drew, or should they have gone for an experienced coach?
