It’s a big week for the Hawks.
So big, in fact, that the team has branded it ‘The next generation of Atlanta Hawks basketball.’
Just consider:
* New uniforms with the new Pac Man logo as the primary emblem will be unveiled Wednesday.
* New ownership will be officially introduced Thursday morning.
* The NBA Draft will be held Thursday night and the team has three selections, including No. 15 overall in the first round.
* Those draftees will likely be in town for an introductory press conference on Friday.
No, not your average week.
It’s incredibly exciting,” CEO Steve Koonin said. “A year’s worth of work is coming to fruition. We have new uniforms. We’ve got new players coming in. Our new owners promise to be terrific for the city of Atlanta and the Hawks.
“It’s rare for these three things to come together as a perfect storm of positive changes for the Hawks.”
Beyond the draft is the start of free agency on July 1. The Hawks have major players who will hit the open market in starters DeMarre Carroll and Paul Millsap. When new ownership assumes controls, it must decide the direction of the franchise in regard to the now-vacant general manager position. The team made the official announcement that it parted ways with Danny Ferry on Monday. It has been reported the Mike Budenholzer will be both president and head coach and keep control over basketball operations and that Wes Wilcox will be promoted to general manager.
The Hawks enter this offseason with new expectations after a record-breaking season. The Hawks set several franchise records, including wins in a season, and advanced to the Eastern Conference finals for the first time in history. This was a franchise with only one NBA title – that coming in 1958 when the team was located in St. Louis.
The Hawks have made the playoffs eight straight seasons but previously never advanced past the second round. There are expectations on this franchise now thanks to a season of success – despite being swept in the conference finals by the Cavaliers. The Hawks are trying to build on their success.
It’s a new world.
The Hawks uniform change will be substantial. It will also include a color scheme change beyond red and blue of recent years. The team announced a new secondary logo earlier this month that is part of the team’s re-branding.
The sale of the Hawks to a group led by billionaire Tony Ressler will be finalized Wednesday following voting from members of the NBA Board of Governors. The introductory press conference will be the following day and Ressler and his group that includes former player Grant Hill, Clayton Dubilier and Rice partner Rick Schnall and Spanx founder Sara Blakely and Marquis Jet co-founder Jesse Itzler, who are married.
The Hawks may be replacing Carroll and/or Millsap in the draft should one or both choose to sign elsewhere. The Hawks also hold the Nos. 50 and 59 picks in the second round.
The Hawks face another dilemma in the draft. They lost in the conference finals when they were outplayed by the Cavaliers’ big men. The need for a consistent rim protector has long been a criticism of the Hawks. However, the Cavaliers were defeated in the NBA Finals by the Warriors after they switched to a small lineup.
According to Wilcox, the Hawks are focused on improving their team regardless of what is successful for other teams.
“Our view of building has been focused on just trying to make the next good decision,” Wilcox said. “There are so many unique circumstances in an individual series or an individual matchup – which we certainly saw in the finals. Certainly, we would like to maintain and improve our defense, maintain and improve our rebounding, add shooting, add playmaking. But it’s very difficult to try and identify a technical need and go address it. So, we try to make decisions that we think fit within the way we play, within our locker room, within our organization.”
The new world begins now.
