Atlanta Hawks: NBA admits blown call in Game 6 (plus notes)
9:20 pm May 11, 2012, by Michael Cunningham
The NBA said Marquis Daniels should have been called sooner for fouling Al Horford on an inbound play with 3.1 seconds left in Game 6. If game officials had made the correct call the Hawks, who trailed 81-79 at the time, would have been awarded a free throw and possession of the ball.
The league posted a link with an explanation on one of its official Twitter accounts:
During the last two minutes of the fourth period or overtime, if a personal foul is assessed against the defensive team prior to the ball being released on a throw-in, it is considered an Away-From-The-Play Foul and the offensive team is awarded one free throw and possession of the ball. With 3.1 seconds remaining in the the Boston-Atlanta game last night, a foul was called on the Celtics’ Marquis Daniels after the Hawks’ Marvin Williams had released the ball and therefore the foul was correctly treated as a common foul and not an Away-From-the-Play foul. With that said, however, the replay shows that the foul on Daniels should have been called sooner than it was by the officials, in which case it would have met the requirements of an Away-From-The-Play Foul.
I watched the video numerous times and it’s very close as to whether Daniels was called for a foul before Marvin released the ball. In any event, league spokesman Tim Frank said the rules do not give game officials the option to look at a video replay to determine when the ball is thrown in or when a foul is committed.
Of course there is no recourse for the Hawks, who protested the call during the game. Coach Larry Drew said game officials told him Daniels fouled Horford after Williams released the ball.
“That would have been a huge play, a huge turn of events,” Josh Smith said.
Horford said game officials didn’t offer the players much of an explanation.
“We knew we were on the road and we weren’t going to get anything [and] we were going to have to earn everything we got so it was no surprise they didn’t call the foul earlier,” he said. “He was grabbing me the whole time.”
Notes from exit interview day
- Drew said neither he nor his agent have talked to Hawks management about his contract option for next season. He said he planned to “get away for a few days” before taking up the issue next week.
- Not sure how much there is to the Chris Broussard report linking Rick Sund to the Portland GM opening. Hawks owners have expressed an interest in re-signing Sund but haven’t made a formal offer. Sund has told people he may be interested in a part-time consulting role with the Hawks or another team and also is considering retirement.
- Josh didn’t have much to say about his future, except to repeat “I’m under contract for one more year with the Hawks” and remind media that he could be fined for talking about the reports of his trade request. His trade request still stands for all the reasons I reported before the trade deadline. I’m told another factor that can be added to the list is his desire to play in what he believes to be a better basketball market. But I’m sure you might have inferred that from the way Josh (without prompting) contrasted Boston’s fans with Atlanta’s throughout the series.
- Al said he would resume rehabilitation for his pectoral. “I’m very limited,” he said. “I made a lot of progress in two weeks but I’m about 50 or 60 percent strength.” He reiterated that he didn’t feel comfortable returning before Game 4: “I knew I had a ways to go. Even when I came back, I felt limited. I gave it all I had for the team and for the city. Our city had big expectations for us. It was unfortunate we had a number of injuries and couldn’t do what we wanted.”
- Drew wouldn’t say exactly went wrong on Atlanta’s penultimate possession, which ended with Josh missing a 22-footer, except to say the ball was supposed to go to Joe Johnson. I watched the replay a few times and best I can tell is that Josh was supposed to set a pick to free Joe to cut to the basket or, if Paul Pierce and Brandon Bass switched, end up in the high post against Pierce. However, it looked as if Josh released his screen too soon and stepped out to the perimeter.
- Al on the play: “We drew up a play. I thought it was a pretty good play. I got it and swung it to Josh. Joe, they did a good job denying him, so Josh forced up a tough shot. It didn’t go down.”
- Mike Prada at SB Nation has a different interpretation of the play. He thinks the first option was for Al to feed Josh the ball on the left block. That doesn’t jibe with Drew’s explanation but both could be true considering Drew’s plays have multiple options. Prada also thinks the Celtics got away with a lot of clutching and grabbing on the play. (H/T Jason Walker of Peachtree Hoops).
Michael Cunningham, Hawks beat
653 comments Add your comment
Slimjr
May 14th, 2012
3:23 pm
Hey doc with the track record of this ownership and Rick Sund 32 years as a lame GM in the NBA I would not be surprised if Josh walks like JC1 did at the end of last season and the Hawks are left with nothing but cap room to save money…
They are going to get that 15 million back[lost revenue] in 2011 supposedly…
Remember these 7 owners are investors first and foremost.
Championship aspirations was never the goal…Profit profit profit….
That is all..
Shamrock
May 14th, 2012
3:24 pm
I hope you Hawks fans enjoy the Celtics tonight at 7pm Eastern on TNT. Check out how REAL FANS SUPPORT their team with no 76er fans in attendance. I know you hawks fans LOVE ALL CAPS, just aske NAJEH. He is probably touching little boys right about now…
doc
May 14th, 2012
3:27 pm
clover grows well in manure.
Astro Joe
May 14th, 2012
3:27 pm
And I definitely can’t go with the thinking that until we move Player A, things stay as is. This team needs more than a single piece to get it over the hump, so there is no need to sequence things in a manner thtat requires a single player leaves first. The GM should have a list of “what’s missing” and the moment he can complete a trade that allows them to close a gap (while not creating a new one), he should pull the trigger.
IMO, Zaza is one of those “sell high” kind of players who should be on the block. Not because he did anything wrong but because he can help fill a gap in a trade. Some team out there would be more than willing to plug him in as a starter next to an elite PF.
O'brien
May 14th, 2012
3:29 pm
doc,
It has crossed my mind too (imagine that). I can see the ASG keeping Josh through the end of his contract, and will offer him a new contract at less than market value. When Josh takes more money to go somewhere else, the ASG will say “it’s not our fault he chose to take more money somewhere else”.
BTW, in Josh FA year, Hawks will be paying JJ $21.5 mil, Marvin $7.5 mil, Horford $12 mil. So $41 mil is already committed to 3 players for that year (nobody else under contract so far).
I think Josh will want upwards of $16 mil, and the precedent has been set. We overpaid for Marvin, and overpaid for JJ, so I dont think Josh will give a hometown discount (especially since he allegedly wants a trade anyway).
Shamrock
May 14th, 2012
3:34 pm
I hope you Hawks fans enjoy the Celtics tonight at 7pm Eastern on TNT. Check out how REAL FANS SUPPORT their team with no 76er fans in attendance. I know you hawks fans LOVE ALL CAPS, just aske NAJEH. He is probably touching little boys right about now… All of you probably do, with your silly trade ideas you guys are finished!
Melvin
May 14th, 2012
3:40 pm
Astro,
I dont want to trade away our best chips and be stuck with the useless ones. I prefer to package a bad one(s) with a good chip. If they are going to rebuild, then blow it all up.
Astro Joe
May 14th, 2012
3:41 pm
OB, we gave Joe one year too much. He is still top 5 player at his position and would have received a 5 year max deal from another team. Josh needs a big hug and when a few thousand fans make an audible moan when he puts up a 20 footer, that ain’t no hug. We shouldn’t expect him to stop shooting those shots and he really shouldn’t expect home fans to stop gasping when he shoots them. Dude needs a hug and it sounds like he’s ready to call Ashley Madison and step out on the Hawks.
Melvin
May 14th, 2012
3:47 pm
“He is still top 5 player at his position ” – Astro
Arguably, SG is the weakest position in the NBA.
Astro Joe
May 14th, 2012
3:50 pm
Melvin, I see these trade proposals on this blog that nicely and neatly use our existing pieces to “fix” the roster. I don’t think that is realistic. I think it will require trading productive players now for players with expiring contracts (rather that new player is productive or not), maybe creating some trade exemptions and picking up some draft picks. It won’t be as easy as trading one 15 PPG player for another 15 PPG player. Trading player A for player/assets B may not help us until we move assets B for player C somewhere down the line. If we wait for some “even trade” we may be waiting a long, long time.
For all we know, the current strategy may be a “wait until we can package the right pieces together”. I mean, how would we know if the Hawks decided to go with your thoughts? Tell MC, “we’re going to trade some of these guys as soon as we find the right package”. That would be an interesting (and counter-productive) approach.
Grandmaster JeJe (GM)
May 14th, 2012
4:08 pm
If Grant Hill makes the HOF, so should TMac
doc
May 14th, 2012
4:14 pm
o’b exactly.
SteveW
May 14th, 2012
4:22 pm
People forget we gotta re-sign Teague, ZaZa, and Josh Smith after next season – as well as Ivan this season. Ivan may not get too much however – we’ll see.
SteveW
May 14th, 2012
4:25 pm
I’m big time for trading JJ now, and keeping Smoove and Horford.
JJ for Stuckey and Gordon – Detroit may like to build around Monroe, Knight, and JJ – along with a lottery pick this year.
Teague
Stuckey
Marvin
Josh
Al
(Or ZaZa starting with Marvin off the bench) – Along with Gordon off the bench is not a slouch of a team – and you gain long term cap relief. 7 deep.
SteveW
May 14th, 2012
4:39 pm
Ben Gordon’s contract is bad – but not as bad as JJ’s. Only 2 years left at 25.6 mill combined, opposed to 4 years, 88+ million for an older, aging player in JJ.
Stuckey 2 years, 17 mill total.
I would just like to have a player that gets to the Line 5.8 times a game like Stuckey. It seems like it’s been a few years since we had that kind of guy.
SteveW
May 14th, 2012
4:48 pm
And of course I have no idea if Detroit would even make that trade. I do know that Gordon is kind of a pariah around Motown, and Stuckey has kind of been on the way out with Brandon Knight the future of that team at Point.
A team of:
Brandon Knight
JJ
Tayshaun
Perry Jones (lottery pick this year)
Greg Monroe
Could do some serious damage in a year or so.
Random fact: Greg Monroe only averaged .70 blocks a game. That’s abysmal for a Center. He definitely not a rim protector in that sense of the word.
SteveW
May 14th, 2012
4:55 pm
OB – And if Teague get’s 6 mill per, and ZaZa 8 mill per – That will be 55 mill for 5 players in 2013/14. Josh get’s 16 mill per…Ain’t no way the 71 million dollar math is happening.
Of course ZaZa may get less, who knows? But C’s are so scarce right now, teams do seriously overpay for semi-productive ones.
See Kwame Brown at 7 mill for 1 year. Yikes.
SteveW
May 14th, 2012
5:05 pm
The Celts, unfortunately, are not in bad rebuilding mode. I’m going to guess that they go after Omer Asik for something like 4 years 36 mill, knowing Chicago can’t match as a RFA. Their squad will then be:
Asik
Bass
Peirce
Bradley
Rondo
With Green back (probably) as a backup F, and the #21, 22 picks also.
That’s already an 8 man rotation. JaJuan Johnson, Stiemsa, and Hollins can all play up front also.
That’s not a championship team. But it is a middle of the road team, with alot of cap space. About 52 mill. for those 8 players.
SteveW
May 14th, 2012
5:17 pm
In that above trade scenario with Detroit – after 2 seasons you would have 29.2 mill in salaries roll off the books Marvin, Gordon, and Stuckey becoming FA’s. If you re-signed Josh at 16 mill, Teague at 6 mill, and ZaZa at 8 mill (For 3 years max), your salaries the next season would be:
Josh 16mill, Al 12 mill, ZaZa 8 mill, and Teague 6 mill. 3 First picks, including that years would run you about 4 mill or so.
46 million dollars for 7 players. Josh would be 29 that season, Al 28 years old, ZaZa would turn 31 around the All Star break. Teague would be 26, then your 3 first picks between then and now, probably all still under 25.
Experienced, young, athletic, and a TON of cap space to do whatever you wanted to with.
Just a thought.
SteveW
May 14th, 2012
5:19 pm
But of course Detroit may laugh you all the way to Toledo with that trade scenario. Maybe not however.
glw
May 14th, 2012
5:31 pm
Steve W,
What you think about swapping Josh and our pick for their pick and either Gordon or Stuckey?
Not sure how I feel about Gordon and what he makes, but he is a very good shooter and something we need, he might be a good fit here. My biggest fear about trading Joe for those guys, is we would have even less of an offensive identity. I think someone else mentioned it, but I would be scared to death if Josh was “the guy” here. Would he feel obligated to jack up even more jumpers? force more turnovers than he does now? AT least Iso Joe does limit some of Josh decision making. I think a team that looks like this isnt all bad:
SF- Marvin or draft pick from Detroit
PF- Horford
C- Zaza
SG- JJ
PG- Teague
6th man Stuckey or Gordon
Grandmaster JeJe (GM)
May 14th, 2012
5:31 pm
We need some mean guys on this team and leaders who aren’t a 37 year old 12th man.
I thought Jerry had a great influence on Smoove?? If so, why does Smoove shoot jumpshots all day? MC, can you address this?…yeah right
Grandmaster JeJe (GM)
May 14th, 2012
5:33 pm
Marvin has 3 yrs left. He isn’t gonna bypass that player option our idiot GM gave him
SteveW
May 14th, 2012
5:35 pm
The other trade that Utah may do – since Jefferson is in a contract year is:
ZaZa and Josh (if he still wants to go) for Jefferson, if Jefferson agrees to an extension. He may want, and get, somewhere upwards of 5 years, 90 mill – in other words 18 mill per year.
But that’s still cheaper than Josh and ZaZa best case scenario salaries – 15 mill per year for Josh, and and 6 mill per year for ZaZa after next season. 21 mill per year moving forward at least, as opposed to 18 mill per year for Jefferson.
A team of:
Jefferson
Al
Marvin
JJ
Teague
May not be a bad team either. Utah with:
Favors/ZaZa
Kanter
Josh
As a frontline is not that bad either. So they may make that trade. ZaZa would be a crowd fave in Utah with his hustle and stuff.
Hawks salary with that trade in 2013/14:
Jefferson 18 m
Al 12 m
Marvin 7.5 m
JJ 22 m
Teague 6 m (around)
That’s 65 mill for 5 players – But then Marvin is gone after that…
SteveW
May 14th, 2012
5:40 pm
Talk about filling out your bench with camp invitees….
tank
May 14th, 2012
5:44 pm
I think as far as being a Championship calibur team, we have to look at long term. In the short term, we need to field a profitable young team. By profitable that means clearing cap space for draft picks, expiring contracts, and a run at top of the line free agents. As far as next year, our owners are broke and Alex Mureulo was our only hope of buying the franchise. There has got to be someone out there with money that would like to own their own basketball club. Arthur Blank?
Ra'mon
May 14th, 2012
5:53 pm
The thing I don’t understand is the venom towards Josh for saying he would like to play for a more enthused franchise. Truth be told, out of the teams who have made it to the playoffs each of the last five seasons, and 2nd round 3 of last 5 seasons, I am almost certain that the Hawks have the least average attendance of each of those teams, and by a marginal number. Golden State hasn’t had a superstar play for them in how long? And they’ve only made it to the second round of the playoff once in the last 12 years. And in the last 5 years how many times have they made the playoffs? Yet, they have home crowds that seem full all through the season. And you DO NOT
shamrock
May 14th, 2012
5:55 pm
Almost time fellas, the Celtics will be on soon. Tune in SteveW, Najeh, Jeje. See how a real team plays…. unless your too busy rubbing on 10 year olds…
KevinM
May 14th, 2012
5:59 pm
I don’t see any reason you get rid of Zaza when you have plenty of assets, namely the 3 captains, to try and improve the culture here.
It needs to be a blockbuster, like a Garnett to Boston deal. That would change the culture of this team. Joe or Josh must go because the numbers do not support having all 3 going forward.
Ra'mon
May 14th, 2012
6:04 pm
The thing I don’t understand is the venom towards Josh for saying he would like to play for a more enthused franchise. Truth be told, out of the teams who have made it to the playoffs each of the last five seasons, and 2nd round 3 of last 5 seasons, I am almost certain that the Hawks have the least average attendance of each of those teams, and by a marginal number. Golden State hasn’t had a superstar play for them in how long? And they’ve only made it to the second round of the playoff once in the last 12 years. And in the last 5 years how many times have they made the playoffs? Yet, they have home crowds that seem full all through the season. And you DO NOT hear just as many Celtics fans in that arena as you do Hawks’ fans. Denver traded Melo, and was left with no superstar, and a team that wasn’t sure to even make the playoffs. Yet this season, they always had a home court crowd advantage over the visiting teams. So you can’t use the ‘put a better product on the court’ excuse. Because for 3 of the last 5 seasons, the Hawks have manned a team that was better than 75% of the rest of the NBA (only 8 teams make it to the 2nd round). And this season, they were better than over half of the NBA with more games missed due to injuries. Majority of us on this blog, are what you consider basketball heads. But guess what, even on a good day, that still only makes up about 25-45 people. We wouldn’t even fill up a section on our own. Because of the number of transplants here in the city, Atlanta is a terrible place to play on an NBA home team. Rather its because ASG don’t do a good job marketing, or the average NBA fan here in Atlanta, isn’t from here so normally have another favorite team. Either way, you can’t blame a player for not wanting to spend his entire career for playing for one of the worst fan bases in the league, when for the majority of his career, he’s been a winner (say what you want but Josh, Al, and Zaza have been a major part of a consistent playoff team, that has yet to be swept like the Wizards used to get annually).
SteveW
May 14th, 2012
6:06 pm
If Josh really wants to go, and Detroit would give me Rodney Stuckey and a lottery pick, that will probably be no worse than 9th, in this draft, for Josh and the #23 pick, and I couldn’t get anything better after shopping Josh, I would guess you would have to pull the trigger on that deal.
But I would shop Josh first, and hope to get some kind of bidding war going on…
Gordon I’m not so sure about. I look at Gordon as a specialist. I think of Stuckey as a rotational guy, an ideal 3rd G who can play both spots, and can get to the hoop when need be.
tank
May 14th, 2012
6:07 pm
Well said, Ramon
SteveW
May 14th, 2012
6:08 pm
Gordon in Chicago however a different story… But not now. Gordon makes 4-5 mill more than Stuckey, and is older (29) while Stuckey is still only 26. He’s got some good years left.
tank
May 14th, 2012
6:11 pm
Our team as currently constructed can at least get to the second round of the playoffs. Thats what the owners will think. Do us as Hawks fans want to get past the 2nd round or just imporve the team for the future? That is truly the question. Becasue trading Josh for Stuckey does not put us in the Eastern Finals, neither does grabbing Gordon. but it is a nice move for the future if it comes along with a draft pick. What could we add to a financially strapped ballclub without shedding someone, its truly a tough decision.
tank
May 14th, 2012
6:13 pm
Adding Gordon and stuckey to the team we got now, and your talkin eastern finals.
SteveW
May 14th, 2012
6:13 pm
Ra’mon – Well said. I have no problem with independent contractors setting their own terms at all. And he’s doing it right. He’s not demanding a trade while under contract. He’s asked for one, but that’s a big difference. He’s saying the right things publicly, sacrificing, working hard, playing on a bum knee.
If a guy grew up a fan of a certain team, and always wanted to play for them – when FA comes, go for it – or whatever the case is – the wife happy, close to children – whatever. It’ is their perogative – just like we have perogatives concerning the team also about following, tickets, watching, caring etc.
The Hawks are my team 0-82, 82-0 or wherever in between. Just my choice.
SteveW
May 14th, 2012
6:16 pm
Now Dwight wanting it both ways, LeBron and “The Decision”, Carmelo and the distraction…not so good to varying degrees. But if we trade Josh to Upper Mongolia (Charlotte) or something – that’s the teams right as well.
Heard the Hornet’s GM talking about the Chris Paul trade. He said Paul was unbelievable to work with. Wanted to make sure New Orlean wasn’t hurt. Kept suggesting guys for trade that would benefit the Hornets. Very, very classy he said.
tank
May 14th, 2012
6:17 pm
I see us in the same category as all the teams left in the East. Phily and Indiana dont have superstars, but they have nice teams. Miami has superstars, Chicago has superstars, Boston has superstars, New York has superstar and stars but dont have the right pieces, and Orlando has a giant superstar. The hawks do not have superstars. If the owners believed that Joe Johnson could become a superstar, and not top 5 at his postion and take us far, then I understand the contract. Lebron, D-wade, and Bosh all took less money to come together in Miami, the same season that Joe took all of the Hawks money. Its both the owners fault and Joe’s that we are in this mess. Whose idea was to pay Joe an increase every freaking year?!
drmaryb.(*_*).
May 14th, 2012
6:25 pm
Astro Joe
“IMO, Zaza is one of those “sell high” kind of players who should be on the block. Not because he did anything wrong but because he can help fill a gap in a trade. Some team out there would be more than willing to plug him in as a starter next to an elite PF.”
___________
@ 4.75M why not us? Zaza is the only center we have here and, he played phenomenal this season as a starter. He has no plays run for him, yet he still averaged a double – double. I would NEVER trade Zaza, who will be our tough guy? Naw man, Zaza is untouchable to me for the price point.
drmaryb.(*_*).
May 14th, 2012
6:31 pm
tank it!
“Chicago has superstars …”
_______
Besides Rose, who is a superstar in Chicago?
@ ” Its both the owners fault and Joe’s that we are in this mess. Whose idea was to pay Joe an increase every freaking year?!”
____________
How is it Mr. Johnson’s fault that he was begged to sign a Max Deal? The CBA sets the framework, structure and guidelines for NBA contracts. Who is this guy on here?
KevinM
May 14th, 2012
6:31 pm
” Whose idea was to pay Joe an increase every freaking year?!”
I think Rick Sund…look at Marvin’s deal….he has incentives along with a player option that is going to hurt us for 2 more years.
DMB, dead on! You can’t move Zaza when we don’t have a C even though Al campaigns as one except for when the games are played. All-accolades for Al, but no reason to play against bigger C if we have a roster willing to do the dirty work. (Zaza, JC, Damp). The greatest con in all of the all-NBA winners.
Rufus1
May 14th, 2012
6:35 pm
There is no Venom…
We just don’t want players who don’t want to be here… Josh wants a place he can be a STAR and I am tired of watching him compete with his teammates to make the ALLSTAR team.
We have a solid core without him…So if we could get a Stucky and draft pick or JJ Hickson and a draft pick or Patrick Paterson/Courtney Lee and a Draft pick, I would be happy….
I would also accept keeping Josh for the year(giving them one last RUN) and take his 13mil off the books to rebuild the core.
Admirable SnAckBar
May 14th, 2012
6:36 pm
DITTO THAT drmaryb.
tank
May 14th, 2012
6:43 pm
@How is it Mr. Johnson’s fault that he was begged to sign a Max Deal? The CBA sets the framework, structure and guidelines for NBA contracts. Who is this guy on here?
Im just saying Joe is getting a raise every year for the duration of his contract, I just dont think the framework was carefully thought about by management.
KevinM
May 14th, 2012
6:54 pm
So did anyone notice that Hibbert brought down another all-star yesterday?
drmaryb.(*_*).
May 14th, 2012
6:57 pm
CP3!
“Heard the Hornet’s GM talking about the Chris Paul trade. He said Paul was unbelievable to work with. Wanted to make sure New Orlean wasn’t hurt. Kept suggesting guys for trade that would benefit the Hornets. Very, very classy he said.” -SteveW-
___________
Steve, CP3 was brought in here for a workout and The Black Knight & Woodson both, said he was too small in stature. I am so sick over this stupidity and excrement that flowed from these two bird brains.
CP3 was not a reach, he was the consensus #1 PG in that draft, and, if he was too small what was Deron Williams? I heard them say he was too big, (a fat azz, that is). WTH was going on? One was too small and, the other too big?
The caveat to the worst draft pick in Hawks history, was that the whole wide world knew our greatest and latest need was a PG! Words can not describe my utter disdain and loathe for that incredible decision made there. i can’t even stomach talking about it anymore.
That’s all I got. What a class act CP3 is, over the knuckle head DWill.
Just Joe
May 14th, 2012
7:06 pm
The trade should be Joe Johnson and Marvin Williams to Washington for Rashard Lewis, Jan Vesely, and Washington’s 2nd rd pick. Lewis can be bought out for $13.7M, saving the Hawks $11M in cap space this year.
Washington goes with Wall, Johnson, Marvin, Thomas Robinson, and Nene. Amnesty Blatche, and start building a bench with Crawford, Singleton, and Seraphin.
W.
May 14th, 2012
7:07 pm
Astro Joe,
You maybe the only one who gets it. The $61 mil committed to next year’s salary cap includes Marvin’s $8 mil. Trade him to Cleveland for Walton’s $4.5 mil expiring that they have wanted him for years. Why who cares! Or package him with next’s years #1 pick. Unfortunately, that’s what happens when you resign and overpay!
Try to sign Nash or McGee (UFA Denver)
Astro Joe
May 14th, 2012
7:07 pm
There has been some venom, but I think that is to be expected. I happen to agree with Ra’mon, I think Atlanta has a below average fan base across all of the pro sports. Too many Atlantans seem to think their fandom should be conditional… if you win, then I will be your fan. I do get that in this economy, you have to be more selective about how you spend your money… but seemingly, fans of other teams shouldn’t have anymore disposable income than Hawks fans. But fandom is mostly emotional… a fast break turnover by Player A is supposed to generate the same outrage as the same mistake by Player B, even if Player B makes that mistake a few times each and every game while Player A does not. (BTW, you typically discipline a child who breaks curfew 3 times/month differently than the child who breaks it once/quarter… but I digress). So the “vendom” Josh is receiving by essentially saying to Hawks fans “I want better than you” can obviously be taken personally. In a perfect world, most athletes would prefer to play in front of a full house of rabid supporters. Josh needs a hug and thinks he can get a good one from another fan base. The hugs he gets from his hometown come with too many moans, groans and other sounds of exasperation. Maybe for those, the hugs are conditional… you stop taking more long jumpers than Durant and I won’t cringe every time you raise up from 20 feet out.
drmaryb.(*_*).
May 14th, 2012
7:09 pm
@ tank
“Im just saying Joe is getting a raise every year for the duration of his contract, I just dont think the framework was carefully thought about by management.”
______
tank baby, the CBA sets the structure and payments on those Max deals. The teams don’t do that. A Max Deal is like a pre-paid phone card. It is structured with %’s for wage increases as the years go by.
It may be like a 15% increase from year one to year two, three, four. There is a provision called “The Bird Rules”, [see Larry Bird] that allows the existing team to offer say 5 years & 119M to their franchise player versus the open market only being able to offer 4 years & 85M. (I may be off on the gross numbers there)
But, the point is, the incentive is to make it more attractive to stay with your existing team. If, the player @ age 27/28 understands that he will be 32 years old at the end and, will never see this type money ever again in his lifetime, then he may be swayed to stay otherwise, to leave means leaving some 25M behind on the table.
To leave 25M on the table, tells you the player really wants out. Players like LeBron can do that because, he makes 200M from Nike, Gatorade, Hanes Underwear, Rayovac Batteries, Sprite, etc. endorsements. Josh is not LeBron at this point in his career. Joe Johnson is not that type of player either.
I hope this helps you tank, to understand the money picture.