Atlanta has been very deliberate in their coaching search, but they clearly liked Avery Johnson. The met with him three times, including last weekend. Little word was coming from the team, but Johnson seemed to be a frontrunner.
Johnson’s with the Nets. So, now what?
It’s down to Mavericks assistant Dwane Casey, Hawks assistant Larry Drew and ABC/ESPN analyst Mark Jackson, and a decision could come by the end of the week, according to Marc Stein at ESPN.
A lot of basketball people are high on Casey, and he may well be a frontrunner. He did a good job in Minnesota -- during the era of Kevin Garnett and nothing else -- but was let go because the Timberwolves ownership expected more. The team tanked after he left.
Stein says that some in the Hawks organization are high on Drew. Sounds like Jackson was again close but no cigar.
