On Monday, Mike Woodson joins the 2010 free agent class.
That’s when Woodson’s contract expires. However, the Hawks and General Manager Rick Sund -- after a couple years of playoff flameouts, including an amazingly ugly one to the Magic this year -- are taking their time to decide what direction the franchise should go next. That likely will not include Woodson (or Joe Johnson), but no decisions have been made, according to the Atlanta Journal Constitution.
Woodson is not the right for the Hawks any more, but he may well be the right fit somewhere. People focus on the playoffs with the Hawks, but the fact remains that when he came to Atlanta this was a 23-win team and they have gotten better and better every year. Woodson helped make them a good team. His system just came undone in the postseason.
Woodson may have taken the Hawks as far as he can. With a new coach, likely a new point guard and maybe a more up-tempo style, Atlanta maybe can take the next step. Whatever they do they need a change.
Change would be good for Woodson, too. Considering the retread coaches being considered out there who did not do much with their teams, come Monday some teams that need to rebuild might be smart to give him a call.