Three Former Hawks That Would Have Thrived in Coach Bud’s System

With Game Three between the Atlanta Hawks and the Brooklyn Nets set to start at 3PM ET this afternoon, let’s take a look back on three former Hawks that would have thrived in Coach Bud’s system.

SG Steve Smith (1994-1999)

After coming over to the Hawks from the Miami Heat in 1994, shooting guard Steve Smith had his best seasons in the NBA playing for Lenny Wilkens’ Atlanta Hawks.  Smith was the leading scorer for an Atlanta Hawks team that made the playoffs in each of his five seasons with the ball club.  Steve earned his only All-Star selection while he was with the Hawks in 1998.  Atlanta traded the SG from Michigan State to Portland for Isaiah Rider before the 1999-2000 NBA season.  Smith was part of the 2003 NBA Championship team in San Antonio before retiring in 2005.

Coach Bud would have loved his spot up shooting ability, high basketball intelligence, and locker room presence.  The Hawks missed the playoffs in the nine seasons after the Steve Smith trade.  Although he wasn’t as dead-eye of an outside shooter as Kyle Korver, I believe Smith would have thrived in a similar role to that of when Jeff Teague plays alongside Dennis Schroder in the Hawks backcourt.  Smith would have obviously started in his prime and would average at least 15 PPG in the heavy ball movement offense of Coach Bud’s Atlanta Hawks.

PF/C Christian Laettner (1996-1999)

Love him or hate him, Christian Laettner was one of the greatest college basketball players of all time when he played for the Duke Blue Devils in the early ’90’s.  Christian was part of the 1992 Dream Team as the lone collegiate player on the United States’ roster.  Though hot-headed and supposedly difficult to play with, like Steve Smith, Christian Laettner had his best NBA seasons playing for Lenny Wilkens’ Atlanta Hawks.  Laettner made his only All-Star appearance during the 1997 season.

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Laettner is a prime example of a player being born too soon.  His skill set would have flourished in the modern NBA.  His ability to score from anywhere on the court at any time was perfect for a modern-day stretch four.  At 6’11” he was almost impossible to defend in college.  The problem was that in the era of the NBA in which he played frowned upon big men taking outside shots.  Having to play in the paint so much clearly frustrated Laettner, igniting an already fiery temper.  Coach Bud would have let Christian explore life outside of the lane and become a LaMarcus Aldridge, Kevin Durant type of player.  Too bad we will never know if Laettner could have been a superstar playing an inside-out game for Coach Bud’s Atlanta Hawks.

PG Jason Terry (1999-2004)

When the Hawks drafted Terry 10th overall out of Arizona in 1999, there was a sense that JT could be a long-term impact in the Association.  In his sophomore campaign he was already the woeful Hawks’ best player.  Playing for the Hawks during the horrendous Lon Kruger and Terry Stotts led teams, Jason Terry was the best player on a very bad team.  His trade to Dallas allowed him to carve out a tremendously successful career for the Mavericks, winning Sixth Man in 2009 and an NBA Title in 2011.

I just remember him being the only likable part of those terrible Hawks teams in the early 2000’s.  He could score 25+ points a game and Atlanta would still lose by double figures nightly.  Coach Bud is all about the play of his point guards.  From Tony Parker to Jeff Teague to Dennis Schroder, Bud would have gotten the best out Terry in a Hawks uniform.  While he is still active, starting in place on an injured Patrick Beverley on a good Houston Rockets team, Terry could still one day return to the Hawks in a limited off-the-bench role to close out his career.  With Teague and Schroder coming into their own just fine at point guard, I seriously doubt Terry plays for Atlanta next year.

Which other former Hawks do you think would have thrived playing in Coach Bud’s system in Atlanta?