On the court, there is the sport. Off the court, there is the puppet show.
The Hawks met with civil rights leaders. They mandated diversity training for all employees, created a job opening for a “Chief Diversity Officer” and sent a letter to fans apologizing for their transgressions (opening line: “We are very sorry.”).
They even commissioned a statue to honor Dominique Wilkins and designated him, “Special Advisor to the CEO.” Both may be deserved, but the timing was just a little transparent.
Meanwhile, Danny Ferry is still a Hawks employee. Even if everybody in the organization has their hands over their eyes and says, “Nope, can’t see him,” he’s here.
“Danny requested a leave of absence. He’s not here,” CEO Steve Koonin said.
A puppet show.
The Hawks officially opened training camp Tuesday in Athens. The unfortunate thing about everything that’s happening off the court is that the on-court product should be decent this season — not great, but decent.
Adding a significant player in free agency would’ve helped. Ironically, that should’ve been Luol Deng. But if one season under coach Mike Budenholzer indicates direction and Al Horford can make it through a season with healthy pectorals, the Hawks can compete in the beat-up Eastern Conference. Miami lost LeBron James; Cleveland figures to take a little while to get going with him; Indiana lost Paul George to injury; Chicago is dependent on the fragile knees of Derrick Rose.
It’s the Hawks’ hope that we focus on all that — not the Ferry scouting report; not owner Bruce Levenson’s white-fan-nirvana mission statement; not that a controlling interest (at least) of the franchise is up for sale; not that if a player or two is injured and the Hawks need to scramble in the trade market, they might be in trouble without a captain.
The relevant question is not whether Ferry is, was or ever has been a racist. Ferry’s ability to negotiate a peace treaty with Magic Johnson and having friends in basketball say nice things about him, no matter who’s orchestrating that, is only about repairing his career.
From the Hawks’ perspective, the only thing that really matters is whether they can move on with him? The belief here: no. There are always going to be players and fans who wonder about Ferry. That tarnishes the brand and affects their ability to grow. As stated here before, the best thing for this franchise is to start over with 100-percent new ownership and a new general manager.
For unknown reasons, the Hawks are letting the Ferry question linger. They’re making the hangover worse. They’re leaving the door open to Ferry’s return, or at least allowing a new owner to make that call. Koonin acts like it shouldn’t be an issue. Consider this exchange:
Question: Can you truly move past everything if Danny Ferry is still in place?
Answer: Danny’s not in place.
Q: You’ve left it open-ended. He still an employee.
A: He’s on a leave of absence. He is technically an employee, but he has no functioning responsibility.
Q: If it’s open-ended, I’m assuming there’s a possibility he returns.
A: Why would you assume he’s coming back?
Q: I’m not, but you’re leaving it open that he could.
A: Well, it’s an indefinite leave of absence. We’re moving on.
Q: Moving on suggests there’s finality. The perception is otherwise.
A: I’m aware of the perception and I have no interest in commenting further on it. Because nobody knows what’s going to happen.
Q: But you could bring finality to it now and you choose not to.
A: Danny Ferry is on an indefinite leave of absence. These are complex decisions. There are contracts …
Q: So this is just a legal, contract situation?
A: It’s an indefinite leave of absence situation.
So. That clear everything up?
Realistically, the Hawks can’t hire a new general manager now because no worthy candidate would come here until the ownership situation is resolved. But the Hawks effectively are operating without a compass anyway, and they can just as easily do that without Ferry in the company.
Ferry is in the third year of a six-year, $18 million contract. The Hawks may prefer to let the new owner handle that financial exit. But it’s equally possible Koonin is holding out hope that this all blows over and the team can slide Ferry back into place.
Wilkins, the Hawks’ legend who’s about to get a statue out front, won’t publicly make a declaration on Ferry, but feel free to read between the lines of his comments. When asked about comments by Carmelo Anthony that free agents won’t want to play for the Hawks because of Ferry’s comments about Deng, Wilkins said, “That’s his opinion, and I understand it. … When people band together and take the high road, and we can let those bad apples fall where they may, all we can do is try to move forward. If there’s a potential threat, we have to remove the potential threat so that everybody, particularly fans, can feel comfortable. The franchise has been hurt enough.”
A franchise buyer could be identified in the next two to three months. In the best-case scenario, Michael Gearon Jr., who wants Ferry gone, sells his 32 percent stake or is reduced to owning one concession stand.
“Maybe I’m naive, but I think a new owner fixes all wounds,” Koonin said.
That sort of depends on his decisions.
