AJC > Sports > Hawks > Blog > Archives > 2006 > August > 14
Monday, August 14, 2006
Getting something in return
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Everyone from Martha Stewart to the Easter Bunny has had their say about the Hawks’ sign-and-trade deal for Al Harrington, how lopsided it is (not in the Hawks’ favor) and how they could have done this, that or the other to maximize their return. But unless I missed something about how sign-and-trades work for unrestricted free agents, the Hawks are doing something that the Detroit Pistons did not when they lost Ben Wallace to Chicago last month; they’re actually getting SOMETHING instead of nothing.
I don’t know about you, but I’d rather get something in exchange for losing one of my best players as opposed to getting absolutely nothing. If we want to play the what-they-should-have-done game (one that’s a staple on this blog) we could do that forever, and some would argue that we have.
But if the deal finally goes through (Pacers officials are scheduled to sit down and make a decision this afternoon), why would anyone be upset that the Hawks are actually getting something? If they had let Harrington walk away without any compensation I could understand the collective outrage. I’d be right there with you. I think a trade deadline package for say a point guard and young center makes better sense than going through the remainder of this past season with Harrington knowing you weren’t going to bring him back.
But that’s not the song I was singing in February, before it became obvious that the Hawks’ ownership issues (and I’m done letting anyone tell me they have nothing to do with the day-to-day operations) would dictate every move, big and small, the team makes.
