ajcsportstalk

By J Rich

May 28, 2008 12:25 PM | Link to this

Who?! And why not someone from a winning organization? Urrrrgh!

By McBride

May 28, 2008 12:28 PM | Link to this

Well I think all of the activity in this blog about sums up our thoughts…

By Tom Smalls

May 28, 2008 12:29 PM | Link to this

I like it. This guy has a ton of experience and has been with many winning programs. He knows the league and how things work. I think we’ll be happy

By Lamar Mundane

May 28, 2008 12:29 PM | Link to this

Solid hire. Did good work in Seattle and and helped build playoff teams in Dallas in the ’80s and Detroit in the ’90s. Respected guy around the league.

By McDuff

May 28, 2008 12:35 PM | Link to this

Don’t get caught up in name recognition. This guy has worked with some of the best, and league insiders know about this guy’s work

By $ Bill

May 28, 2008 12:39 PM | Link to this

The guy has been around but I sure hope he has learned to evaluate talent better than guys like Jerome James and Mateen Cleaves.

By Ryder

May 28, 2008 12:39 PM | Link to this

Excuse me but didn’t Mike Woodson get hired from a team that just won the NBA Championship? so it doesn’t matter what team you come from. The bottom line is that they didn’t hire a BK disciple so as long as this guy isn’t a yes man to Gearon then it’s a good hire.

By ryc30078

May 28, 2008 12:42 PM | Link to this

Good hire by the Hawks. Sund has plenty of experience to handle this situation with the Hawks. I hope the Spirit LLC gave him authority to determine whether or not Mike Woodson will still be the Hawks head coach. I

By ryc30078

May 28, 2008 12:43 PM | Link to this

Good hire by the Hawks. Sund has plenty of experience to handle this situation with the Hawks. I hope the Spirit LLC gave him authority to determine whether or not Mike Woodson will still be the Hawks head coach.

By ryc30078

May 28, 2008 12:43 PM | Link to this

Good hire by the Hawks. Sund has plenty of experience to handle this situation with the Hawks. I hope the Spirit LLC gave him authority to determine whether or not Mike Woodson will still be the Hawks head coach.

By DHD

May 28, 2008 12:44 PM | Link to this

Ask me this time next year.

By RA

May 28, 2008 12:48 PM | Link to this

I’m with DHD.

By Klimaxx

May 28, 2008 12:51 PM | Link to this

I say they settled for less, we will see with the draft choices and FA how committed to his job he is, ATL has a great chance of pushing deep into the playoffs they are missing just a couple of spots off the bench to come and keep the score moving, I really feel that Acie Law should start over Bibby and I GUARANTEE a deep playoff push from this team!!

By tyger

May 28, 2008 12:54 PM | Link to this

Sund Sucks

Why would you hire a guy that had been replaced by an intern??? From a losing organization, where are his chips?

He’s been around, sure, thats how the good ole’ boy network works, but what has he done, what is he an expert at? NADA

…just more of the same, a Pete Babcock clone - bottom line - we didnt get better.

By David Lee

May 28, 2008 12:55 PM | Link to this

This Atlanta Spirit ownership group is the worst. That’s the best they can do or afford? I guess they can screw up taking a crap.

By Xynox

May 28, 2008 12:56 PM | Link to this

I sure wish Bill Parcells did not turn us down. He would have been a perfect fit.

By CDS

May 28, 2008 1:12 PM | Link to this

It’s not like you could do worse than Billy Knight. Maybe this guy won’t pass over 3 all-stars (Gasol, Chris Paul, Brandon Roy) in order to pick up a bunch of mediocre forwards.

By CAN'T WAIT

May 28, 2008 1:25 PM | Link to this

See you at the “Dream” game… NOT!!!

By d

May 28, 2008 1:26 PM | Link to this

wow..garbage again. this guy has assembled the second worst team in the league. only decent pick has been durant and that was a tough one. way to go spirit

By Chris

May 28, 2008 1:39 PM | Link to this

Simply Awful — Left the sonics worse than when he started. This exemplifies why the Hawks are the worst franchise in all of sports.

By Shawn

May 28, 2008 1:40 PM | Link to this

Why would you get someone from a loosing program.

By I mean if they were taking anybody I would've submitted my resume

May 28, 2008 1:42 PM | Link to this

It’s hard being an Atlanta sports fan

By Malone

May 28, 2008 1:44 PM | Link to this

I love the comment that Woodson came from a NBA championship team. That sums it up.

Sund will be great as long as he fires Woodson and can get a coach in here that can DEVELOP and ENHANCE the obvious talent we have.

By Salty

May 28, 2008 1:45 PM | Link to this

Pretty sad…worn out retreads. Early success with Mavs…more the coach and owner than the front office. Passed on Karl Malone for Detlef Schrempf! Went from a solid playoff team to worst in the league in record time! Nope…don’t like it.

By jmccoy

May 28, 2008 1:46 PM | Link to this

I can spell out his move in 4 letters: D U M B

By jmccoy

May 28, 2008 1:46 PM | Link to this

I can spell out this move in 4 letters: D U M B

By roan st

May 28, 2008 1:47 PM | Link to this

This guy has a much worse draft record than billy knight! In fact knight is a genuis compared to this dude. He was demoted by the seattle organization prior to the 2007 NBA draft. What this tells me is that all of the good GM candidates out there don’t want to work for the Broken Atlanta Spirit. A dark cloud will continue to hang over this Organization until this legal battle between the ownership group is resolved.

By Chris

May 28, 2008 2:00 PM | Link to this

It was a hire by the Hawks…obviously it won’t work out.

By dmortone

May 28, 2008 2:01 PM | Link to this

I’ll give him a chance to prove himself. I read some of his questionable personnel decisions came because of an overreaching President and fellow GM. We’ll find out soon enough if he’s a capable GM with a few big decisions in the next month or so.

I’m just glad ajc broke the story before espn.

By JB

May 28, 2008 2:02 PM | Link to this

Noooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!! If you look at the moves he made in Seattle you can see this guy is NOT our best choice! He hired BOB WEISS as coach! BOB WEISS!!!! Remember him, Hawks fans?! The guy who could do absolutely NOTHING with athletic players or anybody else for that matter!!! I hope I’m wrong, but this is not looking good.

By bigeasy830

May 28, 2008 2:04 PM | Link to this

You gotta be kidding me, why hire a guy that was reassigned on one of the worst franchises in sports. Terrible, terrible, terrible. ASG, what are you thinking about. Pay a little money for someone who is worth it. Eventhough we do not have any draft picks this year, this is still s critcal time for player personnel moves. We must decide if we will lock down both the Joshes or just one of them in anticipation on what we will do with Marvin the following year. Also, what about the coaching situation, it is still up in the air, also do you keep Bibby and what about a free agent bigman. This guy was terrible in Seattle you know he will suck in ATL. This is a terrible hire. We cannot take a wait and see stance we need a GM that will make all the right descisions now, and I do not think this guy can do that.

By Eric

May 28, 2008 2:05 PM | Link to this

He’s white that’s all that matters so he must be right, right? He’ll screw up drafts, let both Josh’s go, and run this promising team in the ground. But wait he’ll be given a pass, because well you know why. We had a good GM, and the writers and fans ran him out of town just like always.

By virgil leonard

May 28, 2008 2:14 PM | Link to this

i think the hire will be viewed as a success if we can continue to improve over the course of his tenure here. I would like to see us move into the first or early second rd and see if we cant get us a big man so we can move Horford to the 4 spot.

By no id

May 28, 2008 2:19 PM | Link to this

i hope he has some authority as far as the coaching situation, signing the joshes and not just be a hand puppet for the ASG..can’t wait to see how this unfolds..

By bigeasy830

May 28, 2008 2:20 PM | Link to this

Eric you are wrong, leave race out of it. BK was terrible as GM. I am African American and I do not know what your race is but you are just wrong. If anything BK was given to many passes. The only color that matter in this country is MONEY GREEN. If you do not realize that by now, you are just so totally stuck in the past.

By Roswell

May 28, 2008 2:27 PM | Link to this

Who knows? I think its too early to tell. If he lets Coach Woodson go, he betta bring in someone like Avery Johnson. I’d rather keep Woodson than to bring in a nobody. Woodson should get 2 more years max. Remember, he came here 4 years ago with little to work with. We’ve improved each year. This year he got us to the playoffs.

By Bravesfan79

May 28, 2008 2:27 PM | Link to this

who did this guy ever bring in to help out Ray Allen??

By K

May 28, 2008 2:29 PM | Link to this

Bring back Hubie Brown!

By Bring back Babcock

May 28, 2008 2:30 PM | Link to this

Bring back Babcock. Hawks are reverse racists.

By Jesse

May 28, 2008 2:31 PM | Link to this

Swift, Sene, and Petro….. Enough said. We’re in trouble.

By Brian

May 28, 2008 2:31 PM | Link to this

I like the hire. Sund helped build a team from the ground up in Dallas, and now he can take our group of young guys the next few steps.

He also had experience with a dysfunctional ownership situation in Seattle where cash was tight and decisions were made by consensus. Sound familiar?

By maurice

May 28, 2008 2:34 PM | Link to this

Don’t know anything about the dude, but if he gets rid of Woodson, resigns JS and JC, and gets a center in the draft , or free agency… he’s alright with me.

By Shannon

May 28, 2008 2:34 PM | Link to this

You never know until years later but this doesn’t look like a good hire from the start. Accordingly to one article I found by Eric Williams before Sund was fired by the Sonics “the Sonics drafted three centers in consecutive years with their first-round picks and have absolutely nothing to show for it. He also let head coach Nate McMillan get away after revitalizing the team a couple of years ago. Once again, this is why the Sonics are one of the most mediocre teams in the league.” That dosen’t sound too good. We have had enough of the Adam Keefe and Priest Lauderdale drafts.

By Paul from Milton

May 28, 2008 2:52 PM | Link to this

Eric - The writers and fans didn’t run BK out of town - Chris Paul, Deron Williams, Brandon Roy, et. al, did that. Having said that, hiring Rick Sund doesn’t exactly want to make me run out and buy season tickets.

By no id

May 28, 2008 2:54 PM | Link to this

i hope he has some authority as far as the coaching situation, signing the joshes and not just be a hand puppet for the ASG..can’t wait to see how this unfolds..

By str8frmdec

May 28, 2008 2:58 PM | Link to this

I agree with Shannon, we won’t know for a few years. I think if we get a few key players on board we may have something to look forward to. Coach Woodson should be given an opportunity to take this team a little further, we are showing improvement.

By jaybird

May 28, 2008 3:09 PM | Link to this

His name is not Billy Knight so it sounds good.

By 74 Dawg

May 28, 2008 3:14 PM | Link to this

Is the beat writer gonna weigh in and give us his take on this in a week or two, when he’s not too busy ? Or are you trying to figure out some way to sugar coat it? Bottom line:Who wants to go to work for an organisation which a Judge may turn over to someone else in a few months.

By nique

May 28, 2008 3:15 PM | Link to this

this hire is less than thrilling….they hired someone lower on the totem pole than the gm of the sonics….come on….impress all of us early by firing woody

By RealSquawk

May 28, 2008 3:26 PM | Link to this

no telling how this will turn out,

but this might be more about the security Woodson has with his job

and a gm agreeing to come into a situation that he doesn’t have complete control over.

By BUSHWACKER

May 28, 2008 3:35 PM | Link to this

My Opinion is: WHO???

By ATLborn

May 28, 2008 3:39 PM | Link to this

Tyger and JB yall took the words right out of my mouth. This guy is nothing but the 2nd coming of Pete Babcock. Him hiring Bob Weiss is proof.

The guy is a loser. He was demoted in Seattle for an intern. Come on now he’s pathetic. Is this the best we can do?

We should have just made ‘Nique the GM. He couldn’t do any worse than this clown has in his career. His best move as a GM was getting Ray Allen. After that move he did nothing else but more garbage moves.

All we did was trade the devil for the witch.

By champ

May 28, 2008 3:39 PM | Link to this

Yes! Continue the tradition…

Sund drew criticism with the Sonics for the lack of success enjoyed by centers he drafted three straight years: Robert Swift in 2004, Johan Petro in 2005 and Mouhamed Sene in 2006.

By sweetd

May 28, 2008 3:43 PM | Link to this

With this hire do you think he could use his contacts from the Sonics and trade Marvin Williams for Johan Petro and Damien Wilkens. We would have a center in Johan and a backup 2 guard for Joe Johnson.

By John S.

May 28, 2008 3:45 PM | Link to this

I don’t like this. This guy was the GM for the Seattle SuperSonics. We needed a guy that actually can get players who can win. Sure this has experience, but can he win? I don’t know. The best thing he could do right now to win is to re-sign Josh Smith AND Josh Childress. Signing both of them would keep us winning.

By John S.

May 28, 2008 3:46 PM | Link to this

I don’t like this. This guy was the GM for the Seattle SuperSonics. We needed a guy that actually can get players who can win. Sure this has experience, but can he win? I don’t know. The best thing he could do right now to win is to re-sign Josh Smith AND Josh Childress. Signing both of them would keep us winning.

By Mike

May 28, 2008 4:06 PM | Link to this

Hey, anyone will be better than Billy knight.

By hawksone

May 28, 2008 4:20 PM | Link to this

You cant progress by doing the same old things.(steve Babcock), I guess no wanted to come to Atlanta, well, at least I hoped that was the case.

By travis

May 28, 2008 4:37 PM | Link to this

what is a good gm? kupchek (sp) was considered a bus until this year, so was ainge. we don’t know what parameters he was bound by in seattle and we don’t know how much reign he will have here.

let’s give him a chance. can anyone of you name a “good” gm? and please define “good”?

the gm of new jersey let kidd run byron scott away and scott goes and turn n.o. around.

kobe was rippin’ kupcheck last year. ainge was gettin’ ripped. mchale is on the hot seat.

the gm of the clippers has had 18 top 10 picks over the last 21 years and they still suck.

give him a chance. being a gm is hit or miss

By 30 yrs of mediocrity

May 28, 2008 4:47 PM | Link to this

we can do bad by ourselves we dont need no help to miss the playoffs with an empty arena - this guy is being brought in with the hope of doing no less than holding serve - he needs to figure out a way to keep the nucleus intact and add a few nice complimentary pieces - if he cant manage that than he aint what’s advertised - we have limited funds (asg is cheap) and no draft picks - this guy better be a miracle worker

By wuffe

May 28, 2008 4:49 PM | Link to this

The Hawks should go up to the GM Jerry West and ask for a Mercy Killing ….. Sheldon Williams?

By Crazy Diamond

May 28, 2008 4:49 PM | Link to this

When BK started the Hawks had no hope. We have a better team because of BK and in spite of the Atlanta Spirit mess. We could have had a much better team if BK had a better crystal ball and picked someone besides a forward with wing span.

Sund may be the best we could do in light of the ASG jumble cluster. Probably told ASG that Woody is just fine. That would not be a good start.

Looks like he came from a bad situation in Seattle and hopes the grass is greener in ATL. Good luck with that. Sonics are not better today than when Sund took over.

By BA

May 28, 2008 4:55 PM | Link to this

If you love the Hawks, come check out ba2002.wordpress.com and sound off!

By jack Emerson

May 28, 2008 4:59 PM | Link to this

Sund sucks - I lived in Dallas while he was there and the fans hated him. Very arrogant and THINKS he knows more than he does. BAAAAD Move but typical Hawks.

By cheese

May 28, 2008 5:06 PM | Link to this

the knock on the new gm is that he has missed on the draft. (hate to say it but knight has done better in the past years than him.) which is good this year cause the hawks dont have a draft pick. he should be ok with the ownership here because he was working with a 60 person ownership up in seattle that was a mess. you think the asg is bad take a look at the sonic organization. they are in a brink of moving to oklahoma city. gund is the wait and see type until he actually makes moves. the thing he is good at is making trades. so lets see what he does. ill give it 2-3 years until im going to judge him. i wouldnt blame all on knight. the guy did a good job on what was given to him. this ASG needs to go and let thier people do thier jobs.

By Ryder

May 28, 2008 5:07 PM | Link to this

The above examples of Kupchak and Ainge are proof that no one can be considered a good GM without world class talent. I wonder does everyone still think Steve Kerr is a genius after what happened in Phoenix this postseason?

At the end of each NBA season only one GM is going to look like a genius as they hold the O’Brien trophy while 28 other GMs are considered horrible.

I’m not as concerned about the GM as I am the free agent situation. Does his philosophy fit with what is best for the players?

By R. Stroz

May 28, 2008 5:14 PM | Link to this

We have gone from Billy Knightmare to being Sundbagged.

By R. Stroz

May 28, 2008 5:25 PM | Link to this

FUBAS (Fouled Up By Atlanta Spirit) strikes again.

By mred

May 28, 2008 5:37 PM | Link to this

rick sund draft record is even worse than BK’s I hope that management know what they are doing

By BOSLICK

May 28, 2008 6:25 PM | Link to this

Give the man a chance ————with his trade history he may be the perfect hire at the perfect time for this team————————wait and see——————-

By mreastside

May 28, 2008 7:10 PM | Link to this

Here the Hawks going backwards again. I have never heard of him before. If he got reasigned by the bucks he was obviously lacking somewahre. If we had to goe with hireing an assistant from a nother team at least get someone off a better team. the joy I had from the season is slowly fading away with nothing to look forward to in the future. Just have to think it was somebody all around better for the job. the bucks roster look like crap. Why think he will be able to build on past season.

By cp

May 28, 2008 7:37 PM | Link to this

The fact that Billy Knight has had better drafts than this guy says all I need to know.

By Damon

May 28, 2008 7:42 PM | Link to this

This hire makes me sick. We now have a has-been, almost out of the league GM who is gonna be hand-cuffed by the ASG. We’re gonna lose both Joshes, keep Woody, and sign some bottom of the barrel players. We will look like a borderline NBDL team. Why not `Nique or Smitty? Why resort to an elderly man who can’t draft or evaluate talent? We already had a GM to clear bad contracts. This is SO depressing. I was so hyped for next season. Being an Atlanta sports fan is the worst. These teams will do you wrong every time.

By Drew Gilchrease

May 28, 2008 7:55 PM | Link to this

This hiring is horrible if you ask me. Let’s forget about all the experirence this old guy has and consider this: HE USED A LOTTERY PICK TO DRAFT ROBERT SWIFT!!! Yeah I’m sure not many of you even know who he is. This Sund hire seems like a disaster waiting to happen. He did absolutely nothing for Seattle when he was the GM. Sure he brought an aging Ray Allen in, but he also made a couple of questionable draft selections, and he couldn’t even retain the services of a quality coach: Nate McMillan. We’ll just see what this guy has up his sleeves. Hopefully we can resign the Joshes because that’s priority numero uno.

By Jon

May 28, 2008 8:27 PM | Link to this

Seems like a bad move to me. He has made some decent trades, but he has missed more than anyone in the draft. Can’t think of a single player he drafted in Seattle that made an All-Star taem. Most of them have been really bad and he seems to have a history of either not paying to keep guys or of overpaying. At least BK had a good draft every couple of years.

By Keith Scott

May 28, 2008 9:07 PM | Link to this

I absolutely love this new style the awesome Atlanta Hawks are on. Now it would be truly inspirational as well as sensational if my Hawks took it all the way to the top like I know they will eventually. Soon real soon the Hawks are going to be NBA champs. Because I really would love to see my hometeam Atlanta Hawks win the NBA trophy repeatedly. I mean we got all the pieces we need pretty much on the roster. It’s going down in the A-town finally I can see the light at the end of the season. Now with this new GM I know the Hawks are gonna be alright in the upcoming seasons. Hee-Hee I’m just so dog-on excited. It’s been a long time coming but I think my fellow ATLiens we have a nucleous of some pretty dang-on good basketball players finally on our roster. And I’m so excited. Hopefully this cat won’t make any stupid or hasty decisions when he’s dealing with the Atlanta Hawks roster and I pray this guy will get the two Joshe’s resigned with the quickness. But ultimately I suppose the Atlanta Hawks will get the two Josh men back and I’m hopeful for a better and mope productive future for the Atlanta Hawks.

By Keith Scott

May 28, 2008 9:13 PM | Link to this

GOOD LUCK ATLANTA HAWKS.

By RealSquawk

May 28, 2008 9:45 PM | Link to this

I won’t judge the guy until i see him in action and what he does over the next two months. These next two months will be the most crucial months for this franchise in a long time.

After that i will decide wether or not he was worth it and go from there

we have to look at this from the stand point that a lot of credible names took themselves out of contention publicly… and i truthfully believe it was because Mike Woodson is the coach for next season and might get an extension.

The only thing that might knock Woodson out is if he demands an extension

Steve Smith and Dominique might have been excluded from the process for the exact same reason or because they ownership felt they were so close to the team and the players that they already had things they wanted to do that the ownership would not have liked.

I am not saying it is right for the ownership to make the demand to keep the coach, but that just might be why we have Rick Sund as our GM

By darrell starks

May 29, 2008 12:34 AM | Link to this

this move is a joke me i would have hire dominique as gm hired avery jonson as coach sighn both joshes and did a sighn and trade with josh smith and sixers andre igludolla and sighn kwame brown in free agent your starting five is mike bibby at point, joe johnson at shooting guard,andre igludolla small forward, al hartford at power ford,center is kwame brown,at bench ac law,joshchildres, marvin william,sollom jones, zaza pachillar.

By darrell starks

May 29, 2008 12:34 AM | Link to this

this move is a joke me i would have hire dominique as gm hired avery jonson as coach sighn both joshes and did a sighn and trade with josh smith and sixers andre igludolla and sighn kwame brown in free agent your starting five is mike bibby at point, joe johnson at shooting guard,andre igludolla small forward, al hartford at power ford,center is kwame brown,at bench ac law,joshchildres, marvin william,sollom jones, zaza pachillar.

By darrell starks

May 29, 2008 12:35 AM | Link to this

this move is a joke me i would have hire dominique as gm hired avery jonson as coach sighn both joshes and did a sighn and trade with josh smith and sixers andre igludolla and sighn kwame brown in free agent your starting five is mike bibby at point, joe johnson at shooting guard,andre igludolla small forward, al hartford at power ford,center is kwame brown,at bench ac law,joshchildres, marvin william,sollom jones, zaza pachillar.

By v8dreaming

May 29, 2008 1:11 AM | Link to this

sign both joshes. trade marvin williams for a second round pick. move acie to jj’s backup and al to forward. sign a true center and draft a true point guard to back up bibby and i’ll say he’s a good gm.

By Ken Thompson

May 29, 2008 7:30 AM | Link to this

Alright as a 3rd choice I suppose but how embarrassing is it that with only 30 GM jobs available, two assistant GMs consider the Hawks job so poor as to turn it down. I think this really shows what the rest of the league thinks of this franchise

By RB

May 29, 2008 8:36 AM | Link to this

I don’t know the man but I heard he was ranked as one of the worst GM’s in the league. After 30 years he’s probably more on the downside than up. Yet this is typical Hawks. Hopefully this group is positioning to sell the team. Maybe thats why they are operating on the cheap.

By kEITH HELMS

May 29, 2008 12:36 PM | Link to this

The fact that most people including me do not recognize the name is a good thing. That means he sat back and did his job where he worked and did not try to put himself up front like Knight did. He is all business and will continue to build a winner as long as the owners will allow him to. I see Gearon is still around, a vry bad sign for the team.

By Brian

May 29, 2008 2:04 PM | Link to this

Unbelievable hire by the Hawks.

Sund is one of the best basketball minds in the business. He has a firm understanding of all aspects of the position and he is a great negotiator with agents. With Sund the Hawks will never be on the short end of any trade.

His drafting history is suspect but the reason why it was suspect was because the Sonics were always in need of frontline help — which most teams only acquire in the draft or in free agency. You don’t trade bigs for smalls so he hoped that one of those draft picks would develop into someone who would have been a top 10 center in the league.

Robert Swift definitely had the potential but injuries really stunted his development. Petro has been serviceable for the 25th pick and Sene was an absolute reach in a draft that really did not have much substance past the 8th pick.

Outside of those drafts Sund was always able to put together a talented and deep team on the floor. You can count on Sund making the decisions necessary to make the Hawks a mainstay in the playoffs.