Woodson’s contract had expired, and the Hawks have chosen not to re-sign him, instead going in a new direction.
The Hawks have made great improvements under Woodson, earning the #3 seed in the East this year before getting destroyed by the Orlando Magic in the second round.
The Hawks won just 13 games in Woodson’s first season, but his win total climbed every year after that, up to 53 this year. However the Hawks have not had much success in the playoffs.
General Manager Rick Sund acknowledge there is danger is letting a coach go who just lead you to the playoffs, but feels a new coach with a new message for the players might be able to push the team deeper into the playoffs.
The new coach might not have as much of an impact on the team as the future of Joe Johnson does. Johnson is one of the leagues premier players, but he is a free agent and expected to get a max deal from somebody. Without Johnson, the Hawks still have depth, but it’s hard to replace a guy like Johnson.
