By: TJ Hartnett

TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services

A 24-48 season will have consequences. Some positive, like a decent shot at the number one draft pick. Many negatives too, like parting ways with coaches and grouchy fans and the fact that you’ve only won 24 games, which is very bad.

The Atlanta Hawks just suffered through such a season and head coach Mike Budenholzer departed on April 25^th (though admittedly, he seemed ready to go anyway. Though a 55 win season likely would have incentivized him to stay).

It was the first season since the 2006-07 campaign, in which the Hawks failed to make the playoffs and afterwards the Hawks have begun the process of rebuilding. So, the question became who would lead Atlanta through the lean times ahead?

Now there is an answer to that question and the answer is Lloyd Pierce.

Atlanta locked up the 76ers assistant coach to a three-year deal on Friday. He’ll be tasked with leading the team’s young contingent through the ups and downs of an NBA season.

It should be a good fit, as prior to his work in Philly Pierce worked in player development for the Cavaliers and Grizzlies.

Core players for the Hawks Dennis Schroder and Taurean Waller-Prince are only 24 years old and there should be a several good young players joining them after the draft. The Hawks will select 4 of the first 33 players.

The Hawks have a plan to get young and unpolished, so a coach with a background of molding players was going to be important and Atlanta believes they have found that with Pierce.

Pierce’s first job in the NBA was that gig in Cleveland, where a young man named LeBron James enjoyed working with him so much that that he continued to work with him (and brought Dwyane Wade along with him) during the NBA lockout in 2011.

He moved from Cleveland to a short stint with the Golden State Warriors, (stunted by that same lockout) where then Director of Player Personnel for Golden State (and current Hawks GM) Travis Schlenk got a look at him for the first time.

The Hawks will be bad next year. They have broken their team down and are completely rebuilding. Schlenk will need to trust Pierce’s wisdom and guidance because the record will be ugly. However, he’ll be aiming to get results in other areas.

The players will need to trust Pierce as they navigate what will be a tough season for them. If they can batten down the hatches and try to work on becoming complete players instead of getting caught up in wins, losses and stats, they’ll have a chance to evolve into a decent unit. Again, it won’t be right away.

That will also be important for the Hawks faithful to realize. They should already be prepped for a down year but take this hiring as a good step.

Don’t take this hiring as a sign that the Hawks are going to surprise the league because their coach works well with young talent.

Pierce’s expertise is in developing talent, not flipping switches from “rookie” to “all-star.” Patience will be key.

That being said, this is an exciting hire – not really because of what will come of it in the first year, but instead of what might come of it in the third.