With Atlanta sitting on an NBA worst 2-16 record , the Journal-Constitution’s Sekou Smith figures Mike Woodson (above) is a goner.
Now that the fate-sealing œwe™re evaluating everything right now comment has been made by the Hawks™ ownership spokesman, it should be a matter of days before a coaching change is made.
I™ve seen names like Paul Silas, Tubby Smith, Bill Laimbeer and even Kareem Abdul-Jabbar tossed around as possible replacements.
Silas would make sense, since he™s taken over similar projects with the Cavaliers and Hornets. And Tubby, if he™s ever going to try the NBA, could probably land somewhere with a better chance for immediate success. Laimbeer and Abdul-Jabbar would really be left-field picks, but at least Laimbeer is an intriguing idea.
The pool of candidates will be limited, since coaches currently under contract elsewhere won™t be allowed to come to Atlanta without a huge buyout and lots of negative publicity (which is always the best argument for making coaching changes at the end of a season rather than 20, 30 or 40 games in).
The Hawks have already tried the college coach thing, and had it blow up in their face. Trying the retread route is great for experienced teams with playoff aspirations, (i.e. George Karl in Denver last year). But it™s hard to fathom some coaching graybeard getting a grip on a roster this green 20 games into the season and turning it around.