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Home > Jeff Schultz > Archives > 2008 > July > 24 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USHawks swear there’s a plan
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
There is a scene in “Animal House” — after John Belushi screams something about Germans and Pearl Harbor and the Delta house wreaks havoc on the annual homecoming parade — when the townsfolk go bonkers, run down Main Street and trample the poor ROTC schlep as he pleas, “Remain calm! All is well.”
I’m fairly certain Michael Gearon Jr. wasn’t wearing an ROTC uniform Thursday as we spoke by phone. But I couldn’t shake the visual of footprints on his forehead as he said, “I’m confident we have the solutions. We have a plan.”
It’s July. The Hawks’ first game is nearly three months away. There is ample time for a basketball team to replace its sixth man, albeit a very good sixth man. But if there’s relative panic in the streets over Josh Childress fleeing to Greece — is this even worse than losing a player to the Clippers? — it’s because dread has become a conditioned response in most things related to our city’s NBA franchise.
These are the Hawks. They’re supposed to wear exploding clown shoes, right? If these were the Lakers, the Celtics, the Pistons, the Spurs, nobody melts down when Childress declares, “My heart belongs to Olympiakos. And which way to the ATM?”
Our head tells us Childress is not worth $10 million a year.
Our damaged psyche reminds us of so much baggage and screams that, somewhere along the way, the Hawks must have driven him to madness.
This is what you’re battling if you’re Gearon, one of the team’s owners. Fans and media see a head coach rehired to mixed reviews, a key player leave and a star, Josh Smith, seemingly nowhere close to an agreement. It’s easy to assume the usual: ugh.
“I disagree completely,” Gearon said when asked about negative perceptions. “You’re saying it doesn’t look good that we weren’t willing to pay Josh Childress $10 million a year. But if we did that, I’d expect you to write, ‘What the hell are those guys doing?’ If you give out bad contracts, you can’t compete. Are pieces needed to make the team better? Yes. But [general manager] Rick [Sund] is working right now to make us a better team.
“What’s frustrating to me is the perception that we didn’t offer more money than every NBA team to keep him. There’s never been a European offer like this. Now there has been. Was Josh Childress worth $10 million to the Atlanta Hawks?”
And then this: “No matter what we do, I think some people will look at us as the glass being half-empty.”
Gearon says he doesn’t believe the Hawks should have handled negotiations any differently. He talks about how no other restricted free agents have been signed. He admits there were “a couple” of sign-and-trade possibilities involving Childress, but said: “What they were willing to give back was garbage. We’re not going to take back garbage.”
Left unsaid: Childress seemed more willing to play elsewhere than here, by the mere fact his agent was trying to orchestrate a sign-and-trade. There’s also this: If an athlete is completely sold on an organization, its direction and a head coach, he’s probably not considering a recruiting trip to Europe — even at $10 million a year.
But Gearon is correct about one thing: Losing Childress does not tip this offseason one way or the other. It just makes things more difficult. Losing Smith — that would be worthy of a stampede.
“With Childress, because he was here, you tend to look at things from more of an emotional standpoint,” he said. “Am I enthusiastic about this team? Yes, and we’re working on things right now that are a testament to that. I still feel excited about where we’re headed.”
All is well, Gearon said.
But pardon if that alone doesn’t calm the masses.
Permalink | Comments (89) | Post your comment | Categories: Hawks/NBA
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Comments
By Ryan
July 24, 2008 8:46 PM | Link to this
BILLY KNIGHT IS THE GM OF GREECE OLYMPIAKOS…HE’S PAYING THE HAWKS BACK FOR FIRING HIM , BY ACQUIRING JOSH CHILDRESS….BOO BILLY…..
By ha ha ha
July 24, 2008 8:59 PM | Link to this
Gearon is a clown and he knows it. Just what direction is this team headed? They have only 8 players under contract if im correct. Most of the free agents that would be a asset to this team have already been signed. We only won 37 games last year yet have not signed one free agent or made any trade to upgrade this team. They brought back a coach who would probably lose a middle school championship even if he had nba talent. The gm was ran out of Seattle because he sucked there. We are over the cap. We lost our top bench player to a team in Greece. There was never a mention of a contract offer to Childress until the news about Greece came out. We might have more NBDL players this year to fill out our roster than most NBDL teams themselves. So please ask Gearon again what is the plan. If this is it then I can clearly see why these clowns are losing so much money trying to run a pro team.
By Larry Noble
July 24, 2008 9:08 PM | Link to this
I don’t fault the Hawks for the departure of Childress. It’s all about money for these younger players in the NBA. There is no longer commitment to franchises, it’s about taking the money and run. For those of you who are blaming the Hawks you neeed to examine the situation closely. You have 2 resticted free agents and it difficult to sign one let alone two. The deal that Childdress was offered was a good one but he chose to leave the country for more money. The foreign teams are now doing to the NBA what the NBA did to them. This is going to be their approach. The Hawks have to sign Josh Smith or they will be in trouble.To me Smith is more important to the Hawks success than Childress. So give the Hawks a break until we see what happen to Josh Smith.
By ToeKnee
July 24, 2008 9:13 PM | Link to this
Gearon, I understand that you can’t just put everything on the table in these negotiations, and I agree that 10mil a year is too much for Josh ‘life is 1 big field trip’ Childress. But you have not given us many signs of hope here. If Bobby Petrino and the mess he left behind due to his lack of communication werent a big enough warning sign for you, let me tell you this, you need to let this team, this city, and its fans know that you care about winning. plain and simple. the bibby deal showed that. not trading the draft picks last year(although horford worked out nicely haha) could lead some to believe you are trying to play it cheap, and letting childress, THE FIRST player we drafted to build around slip right out of your hands for nothing shows that as well. It seems that both the Joshes are convinced that you seem completely ambivalent to whether they stay here or not, and it is obvious you never made it clear to them that you wanted them here. If you did, then I ask, why not tell us? Tell us what you’re thinking, where you’re headed, what you’re doing, because right now, and i understand negotiations need a certain level of privacy, it seems that all business is being conducted in a shroud of secrecy and that leads to pessimistic skepticism. *You need to let our team know(joe al and marvin will be needing reassurance to stay here) along with our fans that you care. So please do. *Sincerely, a still dedicated Hawks fan.
By leifj
July 24, 2008 9:15 PM | Link to this
Same old Hawks. Now we see how two cheap franchises operate in this town with the Braves and Hawks. If there is nobody else out there then maybe you need to overpay a little to keep the talent. This crap will never stop. I was starting to have some interest after the playoff series. I hope Josh Smith gets away too so that these idiots will learn that they don’t have a clue. I think it’s Larry, Moe and Curly up in the tower!
By Kevin
July 24, 2008 9:19 PM | Link to this
Childress was not worth 10 mil a year in WOODSON’S OFFENSE! He may have been worth it in any other coach’s offense that would have seen Mavin as the bench player and Childress as a starter.
Our GM chose Woodson over Childress and Smith. Plain and simple. Even the guy handing out cracker jacks at Philips new our young guys were sick of Woodsons BS. Both Childress and Smith wanted out the second Woodson was resigned.
The decsion for Childress was come off the bench for Woody or be a star in Eurpe. And thats before we even talk about the money. What would you do?
By LL Cool Scott
July 24, 2008 9:34 PM | Link to this
PLEASE TELL ME THAT THE PLAN IS TO SELL THE TEAM. YOU ARE A COMPLETE EMBARASSMENT.
By Marvin Green
July 24, 2008 9:52 PM | Link to this
I don’t buy into Gearon story, every draft day Josh was their signing autographs until everybody was gone. He was making millions already . But he did not act the part, he was everything you want in a player that represents your team. I am positive he would have taken six million a year 500,000 more than mid level. He deserved that for being a Hawk with pride. Somebody tell me the last player that really seemed happy to be a Hawk. They are paying Bibby about 12or 14 million this year, if Bibby cares about being a Hawk he has a helluva poker face. Josh will be missed you can’t replace heart and hustle with fluff and money ball.
By Fred G. Sanford
July 24, 2008 9:53 PM | Link to this
You big dummy (Gearon)!
By Dennis G. Berdanis
July 24, 2008 9:53 PM | Link to this
I think Childress was more interested in a paid Greek vacation than a career in the NBA. If he’s not serious about his career we sure didn’t need to be paying premium for him. Let him go and pick up players that want to play in the NBA.
By AfroDawg
July 24, 2008 9:56 PM | Link to this
What are they doing, the Cha Cha, one step forward, two steps backwards. We lost Childress through ineptitude, rather than shrewed business acumen. Boston is a good template for Atlanta to emulate, the fans expect a winner, management goes out and signs winners, and Doc Rivers worries less about superficial stuff, and more about hoisting banners, and championship trophies.
By Billy
July 24, 2008 10:07 PM | Link to this
I wonder if there’s any truth to the Josh Smith-for-Emeka Okafor rumors.
By Cedrick
July 24, 2008 10:08 PM | Link to this
Look, I am reading all these posts about how much this guy was not worth. All of this could have been water under the bridge if they would have signed both of these guys earlier. Then we would not be sitting here talking about whether or not he was worth 10 mil a year. Now, it would not surprise me if the other Josh left becasue of these clowns.
By doug
July 24, 2008 10:11 PM | Link to this
so let me get this straight You werent willing to take garbage on a sign and trade? so instead you let the guy walk for nothing? Gearon is this the garbage your feeding us? Are we idiots? If you would of taking care of the contract last year instead of waiting till the last minute to talk to his agent we wouldnt of been in this situation in the first place. I have been saying this from the beginning of the summer josh smith is going to take the 1 year option next year and he will walk as well. This is why we are the joke of the NBA and the NHL, bc we have clowns running two organizations. Mel from soutwest atlanta is right “welcome to loserville”
By Bama
July 24, 2008 10:37 PM | Link to this
**Gearson your glass is not half empty…its empty!!!
Please sell the the TEAM!**
By DHD
July 24, 2008 10:39 PM | Link to this
It is true. We didn’t need to spend 10 million a year for a 6th man. Let’s give the hawks that much. There’s nothing they do. Now, we have a little extra money. Let’s do something with it, see what happens and get back to me next year.
By Lyonsjimmy
July 24, 2008 10:45 PM | Link to this
Who cares about Josh Childress…he had the ugliest shot in the league, he didn’t have a true position, he needed a haircut, he needed to hit the weights, and most importantly he needed to be committed to the hawks to build a winner here and he wasn’t. HE’S NOT WORTH 10 MILLION A YEAR!!! Sign Josh Smith and find some role players to fill in for him. The high flying defense playing kid from GT is cheaper and does the same things as childress and he does it with passion. Patience people. If they don’t sign Josh Smith then boycott the Hawks but give them a chance first. Olipiakaka is the dope for paying 10 million a year to a guy who didn’t even start!
By Angry Fan
July 24, 2008 10:54 PM | Link to this
ASG isn’t a glass half empty, they are completely SOUL-LESS!
Nice spin attempt, junior. Good luck Chills. You are already missed. ASG can plan on plenty of empty seats! I am tired of having my intelligence insulted with this type of ASG Propaganda. Hawks fans, MAKE SOME NOISE…They seem to be listening. ASG, How does this sound, BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!! Get used to it.
By hawks hell
July 24, 2008 10:57 PM | Link to this
What is the plan? Glass half empty would mean optomism for a hawks fan. The glass is bone dry.
By Jake
July 24, 2008 11:02 PM | Link to this
schutlz, i’m disapointed in you. you could/should have been a lot harder on this organization. but if you’re saving your best stuff for when smith leaves, then i understand.
By RealSquawk
July 24, 2008 11:02 PM | Link to this
On a serious not this was a great article and Gearon was absolutely right. and hopefully they take the same stance with Josh Smith
By Sean
July 24, 2008 11:42 PM | Link to this
“No matter what we do, I think some people will look at us as the glass being half-empty.”
—>based on past performance: YES, I think most knowledgeable basketball fans know that the glass is half empty. Didn’t Hossa similarly leave the ASG fold due to a lack of faith in this organization’s commitment to winning?
Gearon, you and the others say you are committed to winning but I think you just don’t know what you’re doing. It’s not just Knight or now Sund or Waddell. The lowest common denominator is the ASG. Are they too cheap? Too stupid? A little of both?
I’m ready for Belkin.
By Sean
July 24, 2008 11:48 PM | Link to this
Or is it the bank account that’s half empty?
Or the ASG brain trust that’s half empty?
We can really have some fun with that one.
By Alan
July 25, 2008 12:10 AM | Link to this
Gearon is a joke and the sooner him and the idiots who own the team sell it the better off Atlanta will be.
** TRUE STORY
Mike or Micheal for the Atlanta Hawks sales department called me about renewing my season tickets today. I told him after re-singing Mike Woodson who’s never won more than 37 games in an NBA season, letting Josh C. go, and not making a move to re-sign Josh Smith that I would rather wipe my arse with the money I would have to spend on season tickets than give it to the Hawks organization. **
By Dr. Warren
July 25, 2008 12:18 AM | Link to this
I hereby officially declare the Boston series erased. Childress quietly had the best series of any Hawks player. Replay that series today, the Hawks probably get swept. Being a Hawks fan makes me feel like Bill Murray in “Groundhog Day.”
By msubearfan
July 25, 2008 12:19 AM | Link to this
I’m curious to what exactly the plan is at this point. Even if we would have signed both Joshes, we would have basically been back to where we were last year, a team with really only 6 or 7 players worth putting on the court in a big game.
Now we’ve lost Chill and we had already done nothing about addressing the lack of depth.
I’m hoping Law improves to the point where he becomes a valuable part of the rotation. I guess we could still get good minutes out of Claxton as well. But I think we still need to get a true C and a bench swingman. And get Smith signed already.
By swamprat
July 25, 2008 12:20 AM | Link to this
I hope J. Smith bolts to another team. That’s just what the Hawks deserve for keeping that inept excuse of a coach. What a stupid decision to give him another chance - WITHOUT THE 2 JOSHES. SHAME, SHAME, SHAME. We are and will always be the “laughing stock” of the league.
By GABird
July 25, 2008 12:28 AM | Link to this
With michael geron it is this, the glass never existed. This little punk and his collective frinds who are as dumb a bunch as ever in ALL of pro sports, need to sell out ASAP so a real Owner can come in and make both Hawks & Thrashers winners, rather than ruining them with this CHEAP-A$$ we’re within budget BS.
They are LOSERS and always will be, nothing they ever do from now on will undo the damage they have done to these two teams, we are in shambles people and this collection of “little” and I mean little rich boys proved they are grown up and they need to go off and suck their thumbs and bottles, because REAL men would act in a prompt manner, something these little idiots can NEVER DO !!!!!!!!
By john t.greece
July 25, 2008 5:09 AM | Link to this
it s an important move for europe that a 25 year old talented NBA player fled overseas for a european team. even if you consider that the proposal was extremely high, even if Josh does n’t worth 10 million a year , it is a fact that only with a better offer a guy like him would ever leave
NBA. i am Olympiakos fun and i m very proud for my team made first to bring a very good player in the most productive age. reading some comments here i am astonished by the deep sleep that most americans still are into. noone overseas understood that the power of euro comparing to the us dollar nowadays is unlimited? noone took the message earlier that there is basketball outside US? some teams in europe have more money than at least 10 NBA teams. not even the losses of your national team were enough to make you reconsider that there is life out of the borders . not even the top european players that became superstars for their teams. for you americans the only way to wake up is someone to threat the so called american dream. based to that you are the economically powerful ,the most civilizised,the most beloved, the most desired country all over the world that every boy’s dream is to join your country. all the others are exactly like aborigins. they live in caves. maybe you ll be surprised by the facts in the future. with all my respects, from greece. john p.s. don’t be surprised. Josh will have internet access in greece
By Daniel
July 25, 2008 6:34 AM | Link to this
I am sorry to see Childress go but I also think that his upside as a player was limited. His outside shot, because it starts at the waist, is almost impossible to get off because it can be blocked. Consequently, he’s developed this slashing offensive rebound game which is a solid 6th or 7th man play. He will never be better than he is…period.
That being said, there are young players such as Jeremy Richardson (top scorer against the Mavericks in a recent summer league game) and Mario West who because they have a jump shot have potential upside that could make them starters at some point.
The Hawks need to save money for a center. That’s where their glaring weakness is. They can “mine” a passable sixth man out of the roster they have.
By Daniel
July 25, 2008 6:36 AM | Link to this
I am sorry to see Childress go but I also think that his upside as a player was limited. His outside shot, because it starts at the waist, is almost impossible to get off because it can be blocked. Consequently, he’s developed this slashing offensive rebound game which is a solid 6th or 7th man play. He will never be better than he is…period.
That being said, there are young players such as Jeremy Richardson (top scorer against the Mavericks in a recent summer league game) and Mario West who because they have a jump shot have a potential upside that could make them starters at some point.
The Hawks need to save money for a center. That’s where their glaring weakness is. They can “mine” a passable sixth man out of the roster they have.
By Paddy
July 25, 2008 6:38 AM | Link to this
Gearon’s plan must be to take out alot of seats at Phillips so it does not look so empty next year. Mr Gearon, the fans already have a plan. They are not going to show up to games in record numbers.
You guys (ASG) have lost the old-time basketball fan forever. We just don’t buy it. You had a chance to win us over. You misled us and we caught you.
By chris
July 25, 2008 7:19 AM | Link to this
Childress may have been the 6th man, but he was far more than the 6th best player on the team. That being said, it would have been borderline to sign him at those dollars. The real crime was not getting Marcus Camby for $8MM per year and a second round pick (i.e. what the Clippers paid). Haven’t we been hearing the Hawks were a good defensive center away from a title? Well there he was, available, and the Hawks probably didn’t even know about it. That’s when I decided that Sund is no better than Knight and it’s time to give up on this franchise.
By D.Ellis
July 25, 2008 7:34 AM | Link to this
The worse part in this column is he sold ASG out as morons with his own words. “we weren’t going to take back garbage”. Ok so you jsut let him walk and you didn’t even get a thing in return. You could have used that garbage and got sometihng…..anything….a draft pick….draft picks….cash…..depth….anything….instead ASG does the smart thing and gets nothing. WOW. This is who is running 2 franchises in our city.
WE all know he wasn’t worth 10million a year. Thats not the point GEARON. The point is he walked and we got nothing in return. It’s like you guys bought his plane ticket and gave him a ride to airport
The glass is not half empty……it’s not half full…..there is no glass to begin with.
By SHTG
July 25, 2008 7:46 AM | Link to this
CHILLS WENT TO GREECE FOR MORE MONEY AND LESS COMPETITION. NO NBA TEAM WANTED TO PAY HIM WHAT HE AND HIS AGENT THOUGHT HE WAS WORTH.SMITH IS IN THE SAME BOAT.
By Lowcountry Bulldawg
July 25, 2008 7:52 AM | Link to this
If James Posey at 31 gets a 4 year 31 million dollar contract then Childress is worth at least that. Childress would have stayed with Atlanta if the offer would have been for, say 7-8 million.
ASG is in CYA mode and can’t even execute that properly.
By Lowcountry Bulldawg
July 25, 2008 7:52 AM | Link to this
Correction- Posey 4yr/24mil
By Ben
July 25, 2008 7:53 AM | Link to this
The poor ROTC guy trampled in Animal House was none other than Kevin Bacon in an early role. His prolific career spawned “Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon” where virtually any actor can be connected to him through their work in the movies.
Ironically, the Hawks are way more than six degrees separated from an NBA championship.
By ZEKE
July 25, 2008 8:04 AM | Link to this
Great guy coming off the bench!! Plenty of energy and could score at will!! It is the intangibles. It is the little things that count that extra effort. Josh you will be missed.
By Gilley
July 25, 2008 8:07 AM | Link to this
Sad @ his mindset but bottom line, take care of bizness early and you wont have to worry about Greece.
“early bird gets the worm”
By Realist
July 25, 2008 8:18 AM | Link to this
Gearon doesn’t have a plan, and he never has. That being said, he is right about one thing: you don’t pay Josh Childress $11M (and $11.4M is roughly the pre-tax equivalent of what Olympiakos is paying Childress, not $10M). You just don’t do it. Not if you want to have any money left to spend on guys who actually start.
Here’s hoping Smith walks too, so that Woodson will finally get fired, we can start over with a new coach, plenty of cap space, and players who know how to do more than just dunk.
By tp
July 25, 2008 8:18 AM | Link to this
When does Joe Johnson’s contract expire? Anybody think he’s going to resign with us?
By the way Jeff, please don’t insult the Clippers like that. It’s one thing to just be cheap (Donald Sterling); it’s quite another to be completely inept (Atlanta Spirit).
Oh, well, at least we have the Thrashers to hang our hats on. OK, maybe not…
By smartguy
July 25, 2008 8:21 AM | Link to this
I hate Gearon, the ASG, and now the Hawks. run smooth run… Run far far away, and never look back.
By kenntg
July 25, 2008 8:21 AM | Link to this
Welcome to another losing season. I gave up when Woodson was re-signed. What is it with this town anyway?
By lakerat
July 25, 2008 8:22 AM | Link to this
C’mon, you Hawk fan morons - do the math. If the Hawks offered Childress $34mil for 5 years, that is $6.8mil per year. It was initially reported that Greece offered him $20mil for 3 years, which is $6.66mil per year. So, obviously, Greece sweetened their offer, though no one has reported how sweet it was. Childress did not want to be here, so he left. Smith is in the same boat about not wanting to be here, so he is as good as gone, too - except, so far, no one wants him!
Get over it - the team stinks, the owners stink, and this is a lousy situation for you “fans”.
By DAP01
July 25, 2008 8:33 AM | Link to this
The Hawks management is CLUELESS.
PLEASE SELL THE TEAM
By Jay
July 25, 2008 8:37 AM | Link to this
I sitting here reading these blogs and can’t believe the number of people who think Chills was worth 10 million a year. He gets garbage points, can’t create is own shot, defensive liability and suspect jumper. Hell, if he was averaging 11 points by shooting 4 of 9 (James Posey)from the arc nightly, I can see it. But he averages 11 points from tip-ins or transition points. There are so many other athletic free agents the hawks could develop into that role. Shoot, Richardson is nice and athletic with a decent jumper. Give him a shot and I bet he will respond to the challenge.
By Ben
July 25, 2008 8:54 AM | Link to this
IF YOU LOSE CHILDRESS, THE THING THAT MAKES SENSE IS TO IMMEDIATELY SIGN JOSH SMITH. GIVE HIM THE EXTRA MILLION IF HE WANTS—WHO CARES?
GOD, WHY ARE YOU ASG MORONS SO FREAKING DUMB
By Poor Sheeple
July 25, 2008 9:07 AM | Link to this
Don’t blame Childress.
Blame The Federal Reserve for killing the dollar off. You aint seen nothing yet.
By vdunkndunk
July 25, 2008 9:07 AM | Link to this
The ASG should realize that people view them as incompetent because they ARE incompetent. What other ownership group has had such a hard time agreeing on trades that they actually end up suing each other for the next three years? What other ownerhsip group lost a restricted free agent and former sixth overall pick to Europe? What other ownership group passed on Chris Paul and Deron Williams for Marvin? What other ownership group used the fifth overall pick on Shelden Williams? What other ownership group feels really good about a 37-45 record and a first round loss in the playoffs?
By Jack
July 25, 2008 9:15 AM | Link to this
Shannon Brown is still available. He can be a great 6th man. He’ll make everyone forget about Josh.
By Reggie L
July 25, 2008 9:18 AM | Link to this
These guys don’t get it and never will. They have shown an alleginace to a coach who loses and nothing to the guys who actually score the baskets. I can’t think of any player on any team that would be comfortable or motivated by this inept group of less-than-business-savvy idiots. It was the dumb coach’s decsion not to give Chil more time when he clearly deserved it. His numbers reflect his minutes and his compromised level of confidence for coming off the bench. Marvin Williams hasn’t shown much of anything but inconsistency, and he should have been the 6th man. Horford is by far the best thing they have, and I can’t wait too see them f that up when the time comes. Since he will be a starter and will get to play, watch Chil’s numbers go up, and watch his skill set get better over there. I hope Josh Smith plays for anyone except the Hawks next year, and I hope he blocks 10 shots the first time he plays against them. I will actively root against the Hawks all season..I mean it. Let’s see a shorter season, more money, no inept ownership…Greece here I come…
By atl-fan
July 25, 2008 9:22 AM | Link to this
Hawks Fans:
Billy Knight is no longer the GM of the Hawks, much to the chagrin of many of you, but lets be fair. The new GM has to make an immediate impact with this team right now mainly because he inherited a playoff team with a boat load of potential. We gave Billy Knight a hard time here and most of it came due to his relationship with the media. Billy made some bad moves, but he also built this team that we fans were excited about after game seven against the Celtics.
It becomes increasingly difficult to imagine a GM resigning a coach that the players don’t like! Mike Woodson should have been gone this year due in large part to the fact that this team had high expectations. Do you remember the pre-season???
Yet this team still failed to reach .500 and made it to the playoffs. A coach does not deserve a contract extension for sub-par play of a conference. In that case, if we reward people, reward the fans by giving them free tickets for watching a poor product for the past nine years.
Sund had better get it together, but then again, we got him from Seattle! Do you have any idea where that team is going to play ball in the next two season??? New Mexico?? Oklahoma City?? Please Sund is a joke! If you think I’m crazy look at the roster of that team. He talks about over paying a player and not wanting to give Josh Smith too much money, look at the contract he and his former organization gave to Chris Wilcox! 50mil?!?!
Sund SUCKS!!!
Atl~Fan
By KBP
July 25, 2008 9:26 AM | Link to this
People, stop thinking that any athlete only plays for the love of the game. It is probably about money for all of them. Has there ever been a report of a player taking less money than what he could get? I am not talking about restructuring a deal to help a team’s salary cap. I am talking about a player saying, “Only give me 75% of what the market says I am worth. I can still live extravagantly on that.” It is about and they are afraid to admit it because of backlash from Americans who work traditional jobs and make far less money. Very few of us would turn down opportunities to set our families up financially for generations to come. I hope it works well for Childress and I’ll miss seeing him in a Hawks uniform. He has no more reason to be loyal to the Hawks than they are to him. They could have signed him to an extension and them traded him next year to a team he really does not want to play for. The teams almost always controls a players destiny, now with the Euroleague, the tables are turning.
By landon
July 25, 2008 9:28 AM | Link to this
look, j.chill wasn’t worth the contract that he recieved from greece. if a good portion of the salary cap is tied up in a 6th man then the atl is the 2nd coming of the knicks, especially if his game never progresses. this is not the end of the world!
i think the boston series deluded us a little into thinking we were better than we were. the hawks had a regular season record of 37-45! if we werent in the jv league eastern conference we would have been sitting at home! so, while it is nice to think that j.chill was “instrumental” in the success of the hawks we only need to look at 2 numbers: 37-45.
dont base opinions on inflammation but information. look at the numbers. one series against the world champions didnt make us a good team. it made us a spirited team who got caught up in the playoff atmosphere! we need more help than signing a 6th man to 8+mil a year!
think about it.
By Yeah, Whateva
July 25, 2008 9:30 AM | Link to this
Yo, BBall fan here. Ever wonder why Philips is empty when the Hawks play?? Just look at the product on the court. We had a Cinderella run against the Celtics. Granted. But when you don’t keep what took you there (Afroman found HEART), then you’re in for a lengthy recovery. The only piece needed at that point was a true big man. Liking him or not, Woodson had the players following his leadership. You would have had a powerhouse. Instead you have Smith about to leave and Childress gone. Your team is Joe, Mikey, Al, and then Speedy? Zsa Zsa? Marvin??? Welcome back to the land of the losers!! Go New Orleans!!
By newkid
July 25, 2008 9:44 AM | Link to this
“No matter what we do, I think some people will look at us as the glass being half-empty.”
It would be ever so refreshing if you’d simply DO something. You’re a do nothing franchise.
By Tree Rollins
July 25, 2008 9:48 AM | Link to this
**Michael Gearon is a complete BUFFOON. He’s the one that said at the beginning of the offseason that the main goals of the offseason were to secure the 2 Josh’s. And the Hawks barely even made the effort as they failed at this simple task. Now I think they have a significant chance of losing Josh Smith.
But then, what’s it matter since we have Woodson back as coach?? From owners to GM to coach to players - this is a motley collection of odds and ends with NO PLAN and little chance of being competitive for years to come. If they were a building I would tear them down and start over from scratch!!
By Bigger is better
July 25, 2008 9:53 AM | Link to this
Sign both Kwame and that other big fella, Randolph. Then hire Lambier and Mahorn to toughen them up.
By realbirdfan
July 25, 2008 9:57 AM | Link to this
please sale the hawks to someone who cares about this city
By Big Man
July 25, 2008 10:26 AM | Link to this
My pockets will be fat this year from all the money I save from not going to Hawks games!
By I Ain`t mad at him
July 25, 2008 10:30 AM | Link to this
I ain`t mad at Josh. For $10 mil a year I would play in Alaska in snow boots. Its not like the Hawks are a championship caliber team. Alot of us would leave our jobs now for a raise 5 times our current salary. Do your thing J Chill.
By STILL a hawks fan
July 25, 2008 10:43 AM | Link to this
Mr. Gearon, I am a HUGE hawks fan and i wish the best for this franchise. But this is absoluetly rediculous. OUR team was getting good (shown by the nicely done playoff run) but because of this, i dont know how dissapointing this season is going to be. You absoluetly HAVE to re sign Josh Smith and you have to get a big guy (kwame brown). If you do not re sign Smith, then the excitement at hawks games will be lost for me. He and Joe are the leaders on this team. An idea is to use the money that you were going to spend on Childress and just use it to raise Smith’s contract so he wil DEFINELTY re sign. If you choose not to take risks in this situation and choose to do what you normally do, YOU ARENT GETTING ANY BETTER, IN FACT YOUR GETTING WORSE. So take what i have just told you and re sign the leader of this team… jeez, this is almost as if the Cavaliers were just going to let LeBron look at other teams and shop around. But only the thing is, the Cavs’ ownership is SMART and they would never let a (leader/star/best Olympic) player leave.
p.s. if you’re not going to re- sign Smith or trade to get kwame, do us all a favor and SELL THIS FRANCHISE TO SOMEONE WHO CARES thank you
By Huh?
July 25, 2008 11:23 AM | Link to this
Dr. Warren- Explain how Childress “quietly” had such a great playoff series? So quietly, he averaged 7.1 points!! Let’s move on folks.
By Randy
July 25, 2008 11:32 AM | Link to this
This is the first time I agree with Gearon. Let’s let the offseason play out and see what kind of team we have at the end of it.
By STRETCH
July 25, 2008 11:39 AM | Link to this
A buddy of mine came up to me today and asked what was the status of Salim. He stated that he saw him in the Boston series and he said, “that guy can really stroke it, why does he NOT play more?” and My friends a PISTON fan! So, its obvious other people see there is a problem with coaching in Atlanta.
Three really negative things ive seen since that has happened to this very moment:
Why give the very coach that didnt give Salim and several others more playing time during the season another 2 years?. His mis-management and ideas did NOT and will NOT work with all that talent, they could only muster 37 wins?
ASG sitting around and fiddling their thumbs while letting a key player go and possibly another as well.
And the main thing is they DONT seem to have a backup plan!!! The moment Chils signed overseas, the Group should have come out with something to ease the tension, but as we all can see, they have yet to do anything. Probably wont either, cause they are BROKE and squabling amongst themselves like a bunch of pre-schoolers!
By Paul W
July 25, 2008 11:46 AM | Link to this
People, people, people; Childress is not worth $10MM a year. If they had given him that, we would be criticizing the Hawks for overpaying.
Congratulations to him for managing to get overpaid; I sincerely mean that. Let’s wish him well and move on.
By Fred
July 25, 2008 11:51 AM | Link to this
Clearly There are folks on this blog that have other motives than to comment on J Chill. When I consistently read comments about selling the team, I wonder if the current court battle over the team is at play.
By Ajamu
July 25, 2008 11:54 AM | Link to this
As an old basketball coach, former player and avid fan I am cool with the fact that Childress was not given that money even if it meant losing him. The fact that no other NBA team met his demand for 10m a year says a lot about his worth as a player to the Hawks. I am a N.Y. transplant and i want to be a Hawk fan because the Knicks, (under Thomas) would have given him the money (losers since ‘73 really). A clear sign that they do not know how to judge true basketball talent and ability. Childress is only a good basketball player, not great and does not deserve that kind of money if he cannot flat out take the starting position from Marvin or anyone else. There are too many overpaid players in the NBA and pro sports in general. For a team with as many deficiencies as the Hawks a true baller should be able to secure a contract because he can perform on a higher level each year he’s in the league through at least his 30th birthday. I did not see that in Chills. It would have been a waste of money. Get some hungry ball players on that team, pay them for performance and continue to build around Double J and J-Smoove who are real ball players. J-Smoove is only going to continue to get better and better. If folks can’t see the Dr. J like talent ( with out the hands) they are totally blind. Ultimately Speedy and Bibby must be replaced with a legitimate guard. Real ballers know a guard is a guard and can play the back court position whether he has to handle the ball a lot or not. Sign Kwame Brown (He’s hungry and healthy). Sign Randolph Morris (he’s young and hungry). Sign Javaris (he’s almost a Mayo). Fire Woodson at the All - Star break, he can’t head coach at the NBA level. Hire Paul Silas or Nolan Richardson and watch the Hawks become a legitimate NBA contender within the next 2 years. It’s just that simple. That’s 38 years of basketball experience talking to you.
By Robin: The Boy Wonder
July 25, 2008 11:57 AM | Link to this
Holy double pro franchise failures, Batman, make these Jokers go away!
By Sell The Teams
July 25, 2008 12:21 PM | Link to this
GEARON you are a complete and total moron. Childress didn’t need 10 million a year. What he needed (silly but true) is to FEEL wanted by this organization. For this &ss clown (GEARON) to spin crap any other way is amazing. Say, do you think if you offered Childress 4 million a season A YEAR AGO that he would’ve taken it? I say yes and heck if you showed any love towards the guy this year he would’ve taken less money. Listening to these &ss Clowns is exhausting. Do you think that we are stupid Gearon? You insult our intelligence. You and Don Waddell spin things and it’s all the same garbage, blah, blah, blah. Well good luck. I won’t go to another Hawks or Thrashers game as long as the ASG is around. What a joke. Thanks for being a snake.SHULTZ shame on you. I never understand how you, bradley, and the others for the AJC don’t just be straight forward and CRUSH these clowns? Are you afraid to lose your job or something? GRILL these guys and MAKE THEM ACCOUNTABLE. BOO to you guys and the ASG.
By Rufio
July 25, 2008 12:54 PM | Link to this
welcome to Atlanta where the teams dont play, and the A-S-G ruins every day, weak feats, pricey seats, keep fans from commmmiiinnnn… and woodson being back sends playas runnninn
By Bubba
July 25, 2008 1:29 PM | Link to this
Bottom line: Unless/until the ownership issue is resolved, be it Gearon & Co. or Belkin, the Hawks and Thrashers will be mediocre at best. How can there be a plan when you don’t even a map? What should happen? Shut the doors and quit fleecing fans of their money until it gets resolved once and for all.
It won’t happen. However, as long as anyone is gullible enough to pay a dime on tickets, on anything, while these sorry muckity-mucks in ownership and the courts decide who is most deserving to screw these teams up…. All I can say is that daytime soaps are much cheaper.
By Harry Hawk
July 25, 2008 1:57 PM | Link to this
The fact is that the Hawks let Childress walk for nothing.
If they trade him for “garbage,” at least the team gets something in return. It’s very possible that some of that “garbage” could have taken the place of the likely two or three undrafted/unwanted free agents that are still floating around out there.
The Hawks need some experienced players in the frontcourt to bolster the team’s toughness inside. They also need a reliable shooter off the bench. Nothing has been done to address either of these issues, so if Gearon has a “plan,” it’s to win a couple of more games next season and sneak into the playoffs as a 7th (best-case scenario!) or 8th seed.
That is not a plan. That is the status quo.
By Harry Hawk
July 25, 2008 2:03 PM | Link to this
(I will never correct myself again…)
The “garbage” could have taken the place of the two to three “flotsam/jetsam” spots (can the Hawks list “F/J” next to the appropriate names in game programs?) on the roster. I’d rather see the Hawks have legitimate NBA players throughout the roster instead of constantly reaching into the bargain bin for mere warm bodies.
By vdunkndunk
July 25, 2008 2:31 PM | Link to this
I like the Maurice Evans signing. I think he’s close to the player Chills was in a lot of ways and he’s actually a better shooter and defender. If we can sign Smoove and maybe Kwame, we ought to be at least as good a team as we were last season. We just need to make sure that at some point we either get Chills back or else trade him for something of equal value.
By Kevin Willis
July 25, 2008 2:38 PM | Link to this
vdunkndunk why would you want Kwame Brown on the hawks? Am I the only person in the ATL who realizes he’s giant waste of space? I just don’t understand how anyone would be excited if the Hawks signed Kwame Brown? lol, just to watch him bumble passes, miss shots, set picks and generally just stink?? I must be missing something?
By vdunkndunk
July 25, 2008 2:44 PM | Link to this
Kwame is a decent backup bigman and a solid defender if you forget the fact that he was once the number one overall pick. He’s got far more size, quickness, and athleticism than anyone we’ve got coming off the bench at PF or C, and although he’s not much of an offensive threat, he could help this team for sure.
By BA
July 25, 2008 3:18 PM | Link to this
Thank you, Gearon, for making excuses. Don’t pizz on us and tell us its raining. You dropped the ball again, and the fans are left holding the bag. I’m embarrassed to be a Hawks fan. You don’t draft a player that high and then lose him with a lowball offer. No excuses. You (Gearon) said he would be back. Gearon, you’re a liar. You have zero credibility. I don’t believe for a second that these people are smart enough or have enough money to resign Smith.
Please, ASG, sell the Hawks to a legimate owner. You’ve shown yourselves completely incapable.
By DC
July 25, 2008 9:02 PM | Link to this
Childress is not worth $10 Million PEOPLE, use your head! Signing him or not we still were going to be terrible. We have NO big men. We have no one to support Joe or J.Smith, hell we might not even have a Josh Smith come soon. The Hawks are terrible and will continue to be. If we were in the Western Conf. we would have been watching the playoffs once again. Truthfully I think its sad we played in it this past year with an absolute attrocious record. Management BLOWS and so does the Hawks, get use to it ATL, you should already be.
By G. Rhone
July 25, 2008 9:47 PM | Link to this
Are you kidding?? You’d already said that signing Childress and Smith were you top offseason issue. Now you say, “With Childress, because he was here, you tend to look at things from more of an emotional standpoint,” he said.
By G. Rhone
July 25, 2008 9:47 PM | Link to this
Are you kidding?? You’d already said that signing Childress and Smith were you top offseason issue. Now you say, “With Childress, because he was here, you tend to look at things from more of an emotional standpoint,” he said.
By Ted Striker
July 25, 2008 11:55 PM | Link to this
You folks repeating a mantra of ‘SELL THE TEAM, SELL THE TEAM’ — either make ASG an offer to buy it yourself — or swallow a heaping spoonful of shush.
Like it or not, ASG owns the Hawks. ASG paid for the team, takes the risks, and believe it or not, boys & girls, ASG wants wins and sweats losses way more than you.
That said, you live in a free country and you have 1st Amendment rights. If you don’t agree with the way ASG runs things, organize a by-god serious rally protesting ASG’s decisions. Meet outside the arena before the games. Bring the troops inside & chant ‘We wanted Childress at $10 Million a Year’ during time outs. God Bless America.
Or, boycott the games altogether. Stay home. Don’t watch on TV. Don’t listen on the radio. Don’t read the score in the paper. Pull for Boston. Support the Hawks? Just say no.
ASG has a vested interest because they paid the cash and became OWNERS. If you want to be one, chief, get your checkbook ready and step up to the plate. But until you’re actually ready to ‘BUY’ — lose the ‘SELL’
Ted Striker, over and out.
By Realist is an Idiot
July 26, 2008 1:04 AM | Link to this
You’re an idiot, Realist. Josh Smith does more than dunk. I guess he scored over 17 points a game on just dunks huh. never mind the rebounds, assists, and blocked shots. You moron. What are you Gearon the 3rd? Idiot.
By Orlando
July 26, 2008 2:24 AM | Link to this
The signing of Evans might show that Sund knows what he’s doing after all.
Face it, Josh Childress is an ok player, but he definitely wasn’t worth the 6th pick in the draft. Players like him come a dime a dozen in the NBA, and paying upwards of $10 for a guy that wasn’t even a starter would’ve been asinine beyond measure.
I’m not sure if Atlanta would still prefer to do a sign-and-trade of Josh Smith, but the longer this saga drags on the more it seems they really don’t want to commit to him long term. I like him as a player but in all honesty he still has to demonstrate better basketball acumen on the court. In order to build a championship team you need more than just athletic talent, a team needs players with basketball IQ, something Smith doesn’t show as often as he should.
That said, no matter what happens the Hawks must sign another big man (either Kwame Brown or Randolph Morris) to back up Al Horford.
Personally I would like to have the Hawks sign Brown. This way they can place him at the 5 spot on opening night and move Al to the 4 spot. Having Horford and Smith as the forwards make so much more sense, and this way when Marvin returns from his one game suspension he can come off the bench the way he did at UNC. With no pressure he would be a great offensive threat to go along with Zaza, Acie Law, and Evans.
At the end I just hope Sund is more about building a more well-rounded roster than saving a few bucks.
By j
July 27, 2008 10:14 AM | Link to this
To the casual fan, go to espn.com and look up salaries among the top players in the NBA and then look at salaries of 6th men. Make the decision for yourself, instead of reading this crap … to those who have been attending the games, I think we already know that Childress is not worth a sniff near 10 million a year. I loved him while he was here, but he’s also injury prone. I’m glad the Hawks have extra money to spend on bench players now. If I was Childress, i would have taken the 10 mil a year for Europe as well … he would have never in his lifetime made that much in the US, no matter which team he went to.
By Brendan
July 27, 2008 3:00 PM | Link to this
Okay, so Gearon’s not a total moron. He’s right about two (2) things: Childress isn’t worth $10 million and (2) overpaying for players is a bad business practice, and limits the team’s ability to bring in other players. At times, he appears cogent.
But for him to “fail to recognize” the full extent of the situation is beyond embarrassing. Denial’s not just a river in Egypt.
Here’s the truth: Josh Childress wants to play in the NBA. Josh Childress doesn’t want to play in the NBA for Atlanta. Josh Childress is waiting for the Hawks to fail to make him a qualifying offer, so that he can “opt out” of his Olympiakos contract (in Greece,) and return to the NBA, as an unrestricted free agent.
What’s so hard to understand about that, Mr. Gearon? Ahhh. Yes. It’s that stating as much would validate all the criticism that has been leveled against you. Instead, you opt for the “plausible deniability” … that suggests, “Players will start to consider playing in Greece with more and more frequency.” Hmmn. That’s “weak.” And weaker still once you consider that other teams draft players and retain them, by re-signing a year ahead of schedule when they first become eligible. It’s what “proactive” teams do, Mr. Gearon. It shows something to players: “Committment and vision.” Had you offered Josh Smith and Josh Childress “non-insulting” contracts last July, they might have both signed. Maybe. Did you offer them contracts?? And if not, why not??? If you didn’t offer them contracts, can’t that fact, alone, account for some of the failure to have them both under contract today??
It’s a “fair” question. It truly is.
Players, in every sport, want to win. And … they also want to get paid their “fair market value.” And it’s also possible to do BOTH at the same time. It’s not an “either/or” situation. Players make fair market value while playing for the Lakers, Celtics, Pistons or Spurs.
But it takes a little foresight to make that happen. Josh Childress didn’t buy into what the Hawks were selling. A restricted free agent, unable to wrangle a trade, Childress sought “alternative options” that landed him Greece, for more money, with the possibility that the Hawks won’t make him qualifying offers that hit their cap over the next three years. If he’s right, the proof that Gearon was WRONG will be that Childress returns to the NBA, unrestricted, “opting out” of his Olympiakos contract.
And let me ask you this: Will Gearon “man up” and admit that it was the Hawks who failed Childress and their fans?, if that happens. Or, will he bluster, “Well, if Childress returned before his 3-year deal was up in Greece, it was just because … well … every human being has the right to change his or her mind.”
And that, ladies and gentlemen, will the weakest, lamest thing yet, to escape the lips of Michael Gearon, Jr. Think about it. Think HARDER.
By DOEBOY77
July 30, 2008 11:04 AM | Link to this
HEY HEY PEOPLE LET ME START OFF BY SAYING THIS CHILL MAY NOT BE WORTH 10 MILL BUT THAT IS A HUGE LOST .TO ME HE WAS THE SIXTH MAN NOT ONLY ON THE HAWKS TEAM BUT THE SIXTH MAN OF THE YEAR YA HEARD .THATS HOW MUCH WORK HE PUT IN AND HE WAS A HIGH FLYER AND WAS A PLAYER WHO STOOD AROUND THE BASKET. WHO CAN REPLACE THAT MO EVANS PLEASSSSSEEE.. WE NEED TO SIGN SMITH. IF NOT SIGN IN TRADE HIM TO THE PISTONS FOR TYSHAWN PRINCE AND AMIR JOHNSON THAT GIVES US BOTH BETTER OUTSIDE SCORING PLUS INSIDE SCORING AND SHOT BLOCKING WONT BE MUCH OF A LOST. THIS IS A ROLLER COASTER RIDE BUT HAWKS FANS KEEP STANDING CAUSE I STILL BELIVE WE CAN START THE SEASON OFF JUST LIKE WE ENDED IT AND THAT WAS MAKING THE PLAYOFFS.
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August 13, 2008 11:38 AM | Link to this
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