HoopsHype.com Rumors

The Hawks said they’ve exercised the option on coach Larry Drew’s contract for next season. The team signed Drew to a two-year contract with an option in 2010. The Hawks have posted an 84-64 record with Drew as coach. They lost to Boston in the first round of the playoffs last week, ending a streak of three consecutive years in the second round. But the team’s owners and management cited the team’s 40-26 regular-season record as a success in light of several injuries to key players, including center Al Horford. Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Atlanta Hawks, Coaching, Larry Drew 

Atlanta Hawks Executive Vice President/General Manager Rick Sund announced today that the Hawks have exercised Head Coach Larry Drew’s contract option for the 2012-13 season. NBA.com

Atlanta Hawks, Coaching, Larry Drew 

The support of Hawks players helped Larry Drew get the job as head coach in 2010. Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Atlanta Hawks, Coaching, Larry Drew 

“That’s something I take a lot of pride in and spent a lot of time talking about and trying to work on,” he (Larry Drew) said. “Player relationships are so important on this level, how you deal with your best player all the way down to the guy who might not even dress out during games. I thought I did a good job with that. I thought my staff did a good job with that.” Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Atlanta Hawks, Coaching, Larry Drew 

The support of Hawks players helped Larry Drew get the job as head coach in 2010. As Drew awaits word from the team if it will pick up his contract option for next season, he cites his relationship with players as his strong suit. “That’s something I take a lot of pride in and spent a lot of time talking about and trying to work on,” he said. “Player relationships are so important on this level, how you deal with your best player all the way down to the guy who might not even dress out during games. I thought I did a good job with that. I thought my staff did a good job with that.” Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Atlanta Hawks, Coaching, Larry Drew 

Once the Blazers get around to hiring a coach, one potential candidate is Larry Drew, Atlanta’s head coach the past two seasons. The Hawks have a team option on Drew’s contract, and word is he is likely to be let go after their first-round elimination in six games by Boston. Atlanta has gone 84-64 in the regular season under Drew, 54, including 40-26 this year. The Hawks made it to the second round of the 2010-11 playoffs, losing to Chicago in six games. Portland Tribune

Atlanta Hawks, Coaching, Larry Drew 

Mike Woodson was nostalgic about being back for the first time since being let go by the Hawks after the 2009-10 season. But he wouldn't talk about his former assistant and replacement, Larry Drew. The two haven't spoken to each other since Woodson left. "We haven't talked," Woodson said Friday. "I just want to talk about basketball. Let's keep it that way." Woodson and Drew were teammates in the NBA, and Drew was Woodson's assistant all six years he was the Hawks' head coach. A report in the Atlanta Journal Constitution said their relationship soured because Woodson believes Drew undermined him. After the morning shootaround, neither coach mentioned the other's name. Drew praised the Knicks' play of late but didn't credit Woodson for guiding them to eight wins in nine games entering Friday. "In a lot of cases, teams do respond to coaching changes," Drew said. "If you look at the New York team, they've certainly responded to what has happened." Newsday

Atlanta Hawks, New York Knicks, Mike Woodson, Coaching, Larry Drew 

Mike Woodson obviously wasn’t happy when the Hawks didn’t bring him back as head coach in 2010. But it sounds as if time and perspective, including his new job as head coach of the Knicks, have softened the hard feelings Woodson once had for the organization. “I’ve grown in the 22 months,” Woodson said. “There’s not a day I don’t think about ownership here giving me an opportunity to coach a team for six years, because that doesn’t happen very often. I’d like to think the guys I did coach got better and our team got better. That’s what coaching is all about to me.” Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Atlanta Hawks, New York Knicks, Mike Woodson, Coaching, Larry Drew 

Woody has never been one for PC so you can assume he’s being sincere. And that’s why it’s telling that he went out of his way to express gratitude for Hawks owners while staying silent on the topic of Larry Drew, his former-assistant-turned- successor as Hawks coach. “We haven’t talked,” Woodson said. “I just want to talk about basketball. Let’s keep it that way.” Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Atlanta Hawks, New York Knicks, Mike Woodson, Coaching, Larry Drew 

“I saw a lot about what was written but you can ask anybody, LD [Larry Drew] or anybody, I’ve never complained about anything since I’ve been here. You know that. Any reporter that has followed me since I’ve been in Atlanta since ’05 has never heard me complain about anything. I’ve never complained about starting, not starting, shots, no shots, minutes played. That is just no my nature to complain. I’ve always been thankful for everything I’ve ever gotten. “You can ask my coach right now. You can ask [GM] Rick [Sund]. I’ve never asked those guys to trade me. Never. I understand that trades are part of this league and part of this business. If Rick and LD think there is something that can better suit the Atlanta Hawks and I’m involved in that package, I completely understand that. But I’ve never walked in there and asked those guys to trade me. I’ve never said that. To see what people wrote about me and said about me, man. The thing that hurts the most is no one even called and asked me. No one asked me ‘Did you say that?’ You are the first person to ask me.” Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Atlanta Hawks, Trade, Larry Drew 

McGrady said Hawks coach Larry Drew hasn’t offered him an explanation when he doesn’t play him many minutes. “If you don’t feel I can help, come tell me that,” McGrady said. “He ain’t told me nothing. I just want to help these guys win, man, which I know I can. But, damn, four minutes?” Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Atlanta Hawks, Tracy McGrady, Larry Drew 

McGrady said he’s previously approached Drew about the topic but doesn’t plan on doing so again. “I have before but I’m only going to do that one time,” McGrady said. Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Atlanta Hawks, Tracy McGrady, Larry Drew 

Injuries to Collins and Al Horford (pectoral) leave the Hawks with one true center, Zaza Pachulia. Coach Larry Drew said the team would look into signing a free-agent center to a 10-day contract. “We are going to be playing guys out of position, moving guys around,” Drew said. “It’s an adjustment we are going to have to make until we bring in another big body.” Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Atlanta Hawks, Free Agency, Larry Drew 

Lang Greene: Larry Drew said #Hawks may explore trades to help compensate for loss of Al Horford, but said he hasn't spoke with EVP / GM Rick Sund yet Twitter

Atlanta Hawks, Trade, Al Horford, Larry Drew, Rick Sund 

Michael Cunningham: Coach Larry Drew said #Hawks have interest in Gilbert Arenas if he clears amnesty waivers Twitter

Atlanta Hawks, Free Agency, Gilbert Arenas, Larry Drew 

Michael Cunningham: #Hawks coach Larry Drew on chance of re-signing FA Jamal Crawford: "We haven't completely ruled it out." Twitter

Atlanta Hawks, Jamal Crawford, Larry Drew 

Atlanta Hawks head coach Larry Drew was in the nation's capital. He was preparing for his second season as an assistant with the Washington Wizards, and he was walking out the front door to head to practice when his wife pulled into the driveway in a bit of a frenzy. She had just dropped off their sons at school. "Oh my God, have you heard what's happening?" she said. "I just heard on the news that a plane just hit a tower in New York." NBA.com

Atlanta Hawks, Larry Drew 

The pair rushed back into the house just in time to see the second plane hit on the news. Immediately couple's thoughts turned to their kids and they headed out the door to get them from school. "Where the school was located, you could actually stand in the back and see the Pentagon," Larry recalled. "Right as we pulled up we could see the smoke. We walked to the side, walked to the back and could see the Pentagon in flames. At this time a lot of parents were coming to the school and grabbing their kids. Going back home we had to cross a bridge that ran not very far from the Pentagon. We could see the actual fire… all the smoke, all the people panicking. Downtown was absolutely shut off. Everything had been put on lockdown." NBA.com

Atlanta Hawks, Larry Drew 

"I hear that a lot. 9/11 was a huge wake-up call for everybody. We took a lot of things for granted. Everything now is a lot different. You hear players talk about it from time to time, about how they are a little bit more aware about where they go and their surroundings." Over the years there have been many stories about the events that took place on 9/11. Some are about tragedy and loss, and some are about heroism and courage. The one constant theme is that that day has deeply impacted all of our lives. "I was watching tv the other day," commented Drew, "and they were talking to one of the fireman that was one of the first to arrive. He had lost one of his brothers and a best friend. He started talking and he couldn't finish. Ten years later and he is still that affected by it." NBA.com

Atlanta Hawks, Larry Drew 

(Sund) said Larry Drew improved during the course of his first season as a head coach. “I think he was very good in the playoffs,” Sund said. “I think his confidence level and his belief in the players and the players’ belief in him improved, and that’s just the maturation process that coaches go through.” Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Atlanta Hawks, Coaching, Larry Drew