Atlanta Hawks opt to extend Larry Drew`s stint as a head coach for another year – NBA Update
After being impressed with the way Larry Drew has operated with the Atlanta Hawks, the team management has opted to go with the option of extending his contract, which will prolong Drew`s stay with the team till the end of 2012-2013
season.
General Manager Rick Sund had nothing but praise for the way Drew had managed the team despite the condensed schedule and several unfortunate injuries, the most prominent being to All-Star Center Al Horford.
"Larry did an outstanding job this season in guiding our team to the fourth-best record in the Eastern Conference, despite a condensed schedule and unfortunate injuries," Sund said.
He also said that the Hawks have earned much due to Drew being present on the bench and his coaching expertise and experience have been a significant component in the team’s success in the past few years.
This announcement came early on Friday. When asked about what Drew himself thought of the year extension and not being offered a longer contract with the team, he did not have much to say on the topic other then exhibiting a tone
of disappointment. However he did contemplate that this is a very long debate which he has already gone through with the team management and the best thing to do at the moment is to just go ahead with it.
Drew joined the Hawks franchise back in 2004 when he first joined as an assistant to Mike Woodson, before eventually taking over the Head Coach position. When asked to reflect on their performance during the course of this season,
Drew was very satisfied with the way his team has done, despite the unfortunate injuries to several key players like Joe Johnson, Zaza Pachulia, Kirk Hinrich and Horford in several different stages of the season.
“The unfortunate part about this thing is the injuries we had to endure, but we should come back certainly a much more confident team," he said. "If you look around, all the teams that are there in the playoffs, with us being healthy,
certainly we can compete with any team there at a very high level."
He further went on to discuss the level of commitment he has been to get from his players and firmly believes that if his team are a 100% fit they can give a run for their money to any four of the teams playing in the Eastern Conference
semifinals at the moment.
While discussing what needed to be done to in order for the Hawks to become a championship calibre team again, Drew said;
"We can't be satisfied with every year making it to the playoffs, I do think it is time we take that next step, but to do that we do need some help in here." – Drew said.
Coach Larry has been very instrumental in the two years; he has been the in charge of this Hawks team and has recorded an 84-64 win loss record in that span. He also led the Hawks team to their first ever winning away record in
13 years by posting a 17-16 record during the regular season.
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