Clik here to view.
The fate of Atlanta Hawks head coach Larry Drew is still unclear, and general manager Danny Ferry has provided no update on the timetable for his decision. The Hawks were eliminated from the 2013 NBA Playoffs by the Indiana Pacers on May 3, and while other teams dismissed from the postseason have moved on and started a coaching search, Atlanta may not make a decision until next week, according to Chris Vivlamore of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Drew is in the final year of his contract and Marc. J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports has reported that there is a "slim chance" Drew and his staff will be retained. Ferry noted in his end-of-season press conference that he planned to let postseason emotions fade before making a decision on Drew. The lingering situation adds yet another layer to a complicated offseason for the franchise.
Ferry has worked hard to clear cap space and reshape the roster since becoming GM last summer. He traded away Joe Johnson to gain flexibility, and now he has to decide the fate of Josh Smith (un-restricted free agent) and Jeff Teague (restricted free agent) this summer. Most people believe he wants to completely change the culture in Atlanta and start fresh, but that's what makes the decision on Drew difficult.
Drew served as an assistant under Mike Woodson before he was inserted as head coach in 2010-11, so he's a remnant of the old regime. However, he has transformed the offense from an iso-based attack into a system predicated on ball movement, which is a clear departure from Woodson's style. In three seasons as head coach, Drew has compiled a 128-102 (.557) record and led the team to three-consecutive playoff berths. With under two months until the 2013 NBA Draft, Ferry will need to make a final decision in the near future.
More from SB Nation:
• Joakim Noah: flicked off, flirting with death
• Rose might be scared, and that's OK
• Living and working with anxiety disorder
• Steph Curry and Klay Thompson deserve the hype
