| | Associated Press
ATLANTA -- The Atlanta Hawks shook up their team because
they were tired of getting beat in the second round of the
playoffs.
|  | | Mutombo was one of few bright spots for the Hawks this season |
Well, the second round looks pretty good right now.
The Hawks plunged to the depths of the NBA this season,
finishing with their worst record (28-54) since moving to Atlanta
in 1968 and missing the postseason for the first time in eight
years.
"It's been a tough season for everybody," said Jim Jackson,
one of seven new players who joined a team that had won more than
61 percent of its games since 1993. "We never had a chance to
jell. We had the talent. The pieces are here."
Indeed, even without Steve Smith and Mookie Blaylock, the Hawks
seem to have more talent than several Eastern Conference teams that
are still playing. But Atlanta will be sitting out the playoffs for
the first time since 1992, finishing with the second-worst record
in the East after losing 25 of its final 31 games.
"This year was a disaster," team president Stan Kasten said.
"It's truly beyond anything I could have imagined."
Lenny Wilkens, the winningest coach in NBA history, endured the
worst season of his 27-year career and may find himself out of a
job, even though he has two years and $10 million left on his
contract.
Wilkens seemed uncomfortable with the Hawks' decision to trade
away Smith and Blaylock and go to a younger, quicker team. He
balked at starting rookie point guard Jason Terry until all hope
was lost, and infuriated management with his unwillingness to give
more playing time to other young players.
"They always look to blame someone and it usually ends up being
the coach," Wilkens said. "Whatever happens, happens. Right now,
there's nothing to talk about."
It's easy to point to the acquisition of Isaiah Rider as the
root of the Hawks' problems. The mercurial J.R. showed up late for
training camp, consistently failed to get to practice on time,
missed a team flight and played like he really didn't want to be in
Atlanta.
The younger members of the team fell under Rider's unhealthy
influence, while older players like Dikembe Mutombo were clearly
perturbed at having such a distracting influence in their midst.
Finally, after two suspensions and facing another, Rider was
released March 17, going out with a bizarre news conference in
which he accused Mutombo, LaPhonso Ellis and trainer Chris Tucker
of reporting marijuana allegations to the NBA.
"I don't think this team needs a makeover," Kasten said. "If
J.R. had performed his role, scoring 18 to 25 points a game, and
remained within the rough boundaries of a team concept, we would
have been as good as anybody in the East. That's what makes this
whole thing even more frustrating. The East was that vulnerable."
Mutombo won his first rebounding title (averaging 14.1 per game)
and was second in blocked shots. He was surrounded by a promising
nucleus of young players, including Alan Henderson, Lorenzen
Wright, Roshown McLeod and three first-round picks from a year ago: Terry, Dion Glover and Cal Bowdler.
"You have to build on the good things," Wilkens said. "We got
a chance to see how good our rookie point guard can be. We got some
nice things from our other rookies."
The Hawks also get their highest draft pick since at least 1985.
They will pick fifth if they maintain their position in the lottery
and can drop no lower than eighth. They have an 8.9 percent chance
to moving up to No. 1.
"We'll wind up with one of the best picks we've had in the last
20 years," Kasten said. "We're also well-positioned to do some
sign-and-trades (because of favorable contracts). We'll get right
back at it right away."
Clearly, some changes are needed. Even playing in the new
Philips Arena, the Hawks had 11 announced crowds below 12,000 and
played their final home game with no more than 6,000 people in the
glamorous building. The season-ticket base is one of the lowest in
the NBA and figures to dip even lower.
On the court, the Hawks struggled with the switch to an up-tempo
style of play, especially at the defensive end. They allowed 99.7
points per game after giving up a league-low 83.4 the previous
year.
"There was a lack of chemistry," Ellis said. "A coach like
Lenny Wilkens, even in his worst years, always had good defensive
teams. But we've been almost nonexistent on defense."
Behind the scenes, the Hawks missed Tyrone Corbin and Grant
Long, locker room leaders who might have kept Rider more in line.
If Wilkens stays, he will push to trade the No. 1 pick for an
experienced player.
"The longer we play together, the better we'll be," said
Henderson, who had a disappointing season. "But I'm sure we're
going to make some moves. You don't go through a year like this and
not make any moves."
The players are hoping for stability at coach. After all, it was
Kasten and general manager Pete Babcock who pushed for the Rider
trade, leaving Wilkens to deal with the consequences.
"It wasn't his fault," Wright said.
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