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the Hawks have lost 17 of the last 30.

They would really have nothing to lose by doing it. Its not like they could play any worse.

The ship is sinking, maybe firing the worst headcoach in the nba could light a fire under the guys ass.

If we were fighting for the no. 8 seed I would understand this. But the season is far from over and we are still clinging to home-floor, let the season play out and we should evaluate his situation afterwards.

anytime is a good time to fire woody. Worst coach in the league.

We gave him a new contract after losing more games than any other team in a 4 year span. The odds of Woodson getting fired before the start of next year when we are going back to the playoffs and he has another year left on his deal are zero.

^^^I really think if we end up tanking and losign the 4th seed and drop to the 6th seed or so, I wouldnt be suprised if he got the can.

HoopsGuru25 wrote:We gave him a new contract after losing more games than any other team in a 4 year span. The odds of Woodson getting fired before the start of next year when we are going back to the playoffs and he has another year left on his deal are zero.

Good time or no, it probably won't happen.

If Sund had free reign and had another guy in mind for the job, it might be a good time to do it as its always best to fire a coach when you know the team can do better based off past results and they seem to be tuning the current guy out because at worst you get a temporary boost when they play harder for the next guy (see Porter/Gentry, Carlesimo/Brooks, Iavoronni/Hollins), even if its only for a few week stretch.

But yeah, if he didn't get canned after having a historically futile first 4 seasons, losing a few games isn't gonna do it.

What about trading Smooth instead?
Woodson has been doing a great job (other than Acie and Solo PT) and most players are buying into his system... except Josh. Look at his defensive effort the last games and all season. Sub par.

^^^ I don't think Woody has done a great job, but that's kind of how I see it. The only guy that really seems to be refusing to buy into his system is Smith, and he's so important to us on both ends of the floor that it is bringing the entire team down, especially on D.

I somehow agree with FCNATL85. Woodson has done an ok job. It could be much better, but with the bench we have, I don't know if it would be that much of a difference with another coach. He's not the best fit for us with this kind of roster we have though. Now, if Smith isn't buying into his system because he doesn't want to box out, run the team's plays, and stop doing things to hurt the team, tell me who's got to go first ?

I don't think it's a good time to fire Woodson because that would be enabling Josh Smith's behavior. Don't get me wrong, I would have loved to fire Woodson a long time ago and I feel that firing him might be the best thing in the future. It's just that right now is bad. Woodson needs to do whatever he can do to get Josh Smith straightened out for this season. This isn't about one play in Charlotte, it's about failing to block out, spending more time complaining to official than getting back on D, and not rotating on D. If the Hawks reach the 2nd round of the playoffs progress is made. If they don't well then you have some cause for action.

I think Woodson is tied to Joe Johnson. If Joe signs an extension this summer then I think Woodson gets another year, we try to resign Bibby, and Josh Smith gets shopped hard. If Joe doesn't ink long term then I see it as a good time to go a different route at head coach, we don't worry about resigning Bibby and try to go a different route less expensive at PG, Joe Johnson gets shopped as an expiring deal to maybe land someone like Amare or Tyson Chandler (both of whom were being dealt for financial reasons) with the plan to move Al to the 4. If Josh Smith responds to the new coach great, if not he gets shopped later. Or if you think he's unreachable you can send him off for an expiring deal or prospect (Memphis once his trade restriction is off or Sacramento). The 3rd option is that if Joe Johnson doesn't ink the long term deal you bring in a new coach hoping that he bonds with the new coach, but that option risks him walking in 2010 when there will be multiple teams with cap room.

Small edit on 3rd option. There is a chance of sign & trade in this scenario, but it's not guaranteed either.

i would rather the hawks let joe's deal simply expire than to trade him for tyson chandler....

johnny878 wrote:i would rather the hawks let joe's deal simply expire than to trade him for tyson chandler....

I can understanding having doubts about Chandler, but Joe walking for nothing would be a rough pill to swallow.

evildallas wrote:

johnny878 wrote:i would rather the hawks let joe's deal simply expire than to trade him for tyson chandler....

I can understanding having doubts about Chandler, but Joe walking for nothing would be a rough pill to swallow.

cap space for the big free agent class of 2010 > Chandler

Being attractive to a free agent is more important than just cap space. Atlanta isn't exactly strong in that area. Lebron and DWade aren't realistic hopes. Bosh would be more of maybe, but with questionable fit on the roster. You quickly get to the point of the best free agent we could hope to land is actually Joe Johnson.

I'm not a Hawks fan, but it's frustrating to see how stubborn Woodson is. I hope that you guys to let him go, and get a coach who will earn his players respect. It seems like there has been a lot of issues with Woodson.

You guys are too good of a team to have an idiot like this coaching you guys. I'm sorry but I just think Mike Woodson is a horrible coach. There are a lot of issues with him and his players. Your organization is starting to look like a quality playoff team year in and year out and you guys need a real coach now.

I think Flip Saunders or Avery Johnson could do wonders with your team.

Mike Woodson is a crap coach, but come on. We're having our best season in TEN YEARS. And his "problems with players" is really a problem with one player. And that one player is one of the biggest knuckleheads in the NBA. You can't fire Woodson because he chooses (correctly) to discipline a player with the mindset of a mildly (Please Use More Appropriate Word) toddler.

I'd fire Woodson because he makes Smoove a scapegoat. Bibby and JJ have been in horrible shooting slumps for months but since they don't really add any intangibles besides scoring, so he has to ride them. Woodson is still a horrible coach though.

Don't you know guys? We're in the 4th SEEED!!!!!!!!!!(!!!) and Mike Woodson is the only reason for that. If not for Woody this team would be 13-59 and fighting for ping pong balls.



































4th SEED!!!!!!!!!!!!1111111one

3 points:

1. Josh Smith makes himself a scapegoat. His own teammates don't even seem to like him. I didn't see last night's game, but if you watched the games leading up to his big blow-up, there was a clear distance between Josh and the rest of the team. He wouldn't even join them in huddles during timeouts. Also, read some of the quotes in the paper about how they're sick of all his drama.

2. Woodson is not the reason we're the fourth seed. The roster is. Coaches have very little impact on how a team performs over the course of a season (with the few positive exceptions like D'Antoni and Gentry, and the few negative exceptions where a team openly hates its coach and quits on its coach like with Porter and Dunleavy).

3. When have you ever heard of a team in 4th place in their conference, in the stretch run of the season, having its best season in a decade - firing its coach??? That's ludicrous.