Atlanta Hawks: Danny Ferry hired as GM
Update: The Hawks today hired Danny Ferry to be the team’s president of basketball operations and general manager.
The Hawks signed Ferry to a six-year contract.
“My family and I are thrilled to join the Hawks organization and Atlanta community,” Ferry said in a statement. “There were many components that made this the right fit for me but clearly my confidence in the ownership group and their dedication to building a championship-caliber franchise was most important. They are committed to building with the right people and investing in critical areas for development; both essential elements if we want to create sustained success. “
Ferry succeeds Rick Sund, Atlanta’s GM since 2008. Ferry said he would work alongside Sund over the next month, after which Sund could remain with the organization in a some role. Sund has expressed an interest in remaining with the Hawks as a consultant.
Ferry said he would collaborate with Sund and the rest of the basketball staff in preparation for Thursday’s draft. Ferry said he hoped to reach a consensus on which players the Hawks would select but that the decision ultimately would be his.
Ferry, who played in 917 NBA games from 1990-91 to 2003-03, was most recently vice president of basketball operations for the San Antonio Spurs. He was general manager for the Cavaliers from 2005 to 2010, where he was charged with building a roster around LeBron James.
Ferry had been in discussions with the 76ers about becoming their general manager with Rod Thorn stepping down soon.
Michael Cunningham, Hawks beat
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523 comments Add your comment
BIG DOG
June 25th, 2012
11:50 am
Josh will be traded on draft day or he will set them back atleast 5years.
Josh and #23 for Tyreke and # 5
Josh for Bobcats #2
Josh for Rudy Gay
BIG DOG IN THE HOUSE
Hawks Blog Legend Worldwide Clyde
June 25th, 2012
11:50 am
*YAWN*
If Ferry makes a decision will the Spirit Group override him?
Slimjr
June 25th, 2012
11:53 am
I am convinced with Josh and ALL playing together they will not help advance this franchise to an ECF.
The defense steps up in the playoffs and exposes these guys weakness, especially All Get Real limited offensive capabilities..
We have too many scoring droughts when our guards get shut down and our front line does nothing to compensate for lack of scoring…
One has got to go……
BIG DOG
June 25th, 2012
11:55 am
Andre Drummond would look real good in Hawks uniform.
BIG DOG IN THE HOUSE
Slimjr
June 25th, 2012
11:56 am
News conference at 13:00[1 pm for you civilians] to announce the new GM for your Atlanta Hawks!!!!!!!
Danny will be on 790the zone with Archer and Bell during the afternoon drive home show from 2-6pm today!
Najeh Davenpoop
June 25th, 2012
11:58 am
In other news, the Rockets are trying to trade for Dwight Howard without a commitment to stay beyond this year. Wish the Hawks were as willing to roll the dice.
Brian
June 25th, 2012
11:59 am
Great News for the Hawks franchise! Hopefully this is the beginning of a busy off-season!
Ray
June 25th, 2012
12:00 pm
Rumors are made up everyday
We’ve had a few talking about players coming to play for us what happened nothing.
Gwinnett Fred
June 25th, 2012
12:02 pm
“but clearly my confidence in the ownership group and their dedication to building a championship-caliber franchise was most important.”
So who did the ASG sell the team to, because if he is referring to the ASG, then my opinion of Mr. Ferry just went WAY down!
Atlanta Hawks: Danny Ferry hired as president of basketball … – Atlanta Journal Constitution (blog) : BasketBall Information
June 25th, 2012
12:07 pm
[...] Leave a Comment [...]
MsDee
June 25th, 2012
12:08 pm
@AstroJoe
Well well well, will Josh Smith be the new “LeBron James” in this situation for our new GM, AGAIN?? Looks like Ferry will have to try and make Josh Smith happy by trying to find the right pieces for him if he wants to keep Josh in Atlanta!! Personally, I wouldnt mind if Josh leaves, it will allow Jeff Teague to blossom like he needs to. Both Josh and Jamal hailed him back alittle. When Teague runs the floor in back to back possessions, Josh makes it his goal to get the rebound and dribble the ball down himself instead of giving the ball BACK to Teague to once again push the ball down the court. Josh butt should have ran the floor for an ally instead. So Josh, BE GONE!!
Astro Joe
June 25th, 2012
12:11 pm
Ferry is President of Basketball Ops and the GM. So in theory, he could split those duties in the future… stay as the President and then hire a GM later. Personally, i like the 6 year contract. It makes it appear more like a true commitment. And consider this, Ferry may spend year 1 “evaluating”. If he decides to “blow it up” next summer, and ownership agrees, there is no way he can make that happen in 2-3 years. Well, he could blow it up quickly but can’t put it back together that soon. 6 years gives him about two bites at the apple. If you want to hire an experienced exec with ties to the league’s elite franchise, you have to do more than treat him like a rental.
random
June 25th, 2012
12:13 pm
Have anyone thought about a trade Josh Smith for Gerald Wallace since he wants out and that’s possibly where hes going anyways.
MsDee
June 25th, 2012
12:15 pm
@Najeh,
Never know, Ferry may start joining in the fun at trying to get Dwight here since he will be tryin to keep Josh here as well!! Im sure he doesnt want to start off his 1st day at GM w/o atleast making a play at Dwight. He doesnt want another taste in his month like he had b4 with what happen with LeBron and all! Let the fun begin!
Astro Joe
June 25th, 2012
12:18 pm
MsDee, I agree with you about Teague being “sub-optimized” with Jamal and Josh.
Which reminds me… Thunder cut the lead down to 3 (I think) and Durant grabs the rebound. Instead of finding a guard, he takes off toward the offensive end. Heat steal the ball from him (while he is dribbling the basketball about 5 feet in the air) come down and bury a 3 and there is no looking back. So far, Magic Johnson remains the only player 6′(” or taller that should lead a fast break. Just because a player can do it, it doesn’t make it the right play. A bunch of guys can make half-court shots, it doesn’t mean they should make that a regular part of their game.
Anyway, back to the Hawks. Ferry will likely be more willing to take pennies on the dollar for someone like Marvin (if allowed) because he didn’t draft him nor negotiate the contract. He could trade him for stale donuts and blame the whole thing on Sund/BK.
northcyde
June 25th, 2012
12:18 pm
Manny
June 25th, 2012
10:52 am
I didn’t read all of the comments, because who has the time to do that But I will say this: Danny Ferry was the GM of the Cavs. And I’m looking at the Cavs and I can say that he wasn’t successful. So why do we think that he’s going to be successful here?
*********************
If the Hawks would’ve gone to an NBA Final, an EC Final. and 3 EC Semifinals in the past 5 years, and had two 60+ win seasons, the ATL fan base would be elated at that. The hell Cleveland weren’t successful. That was easily their most successful 5 year stretch in their franchise’s history.
Meanwhile, the Hawks have 3 EC Semifinals and 2 First Round appearances. Not bad by any stretch of the imagination, but nothing like Cleveland’s success during their 5 year run.
Good hire by the ASG. Now let’s see what Ferry can do. And he doesn’t have to trade off everybody to improve this team. Just trade off some of the core to bring in better players that fit better.
doc
June 25th, 2012
12:19 pm
is the summer of sameness now officially over?
darrell starks
June 25th, 2012
12:20 pm
BIG DOG, why trade Josh ? Josh have not said anything about being traded them are just rumor, unless you here from the horses mouth then it’s not true.
GO HAWKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
marcus
June 25th, 2012
12:21 pm
what did danny ferry do in cleveland? nothing…..
bringing him here is a joke, another duke retread. ferry was nothing as a player. it kills me that these guys with the duke pedigree get to be gm’s. if he goes out and gets a “true” center, finds some poor sap to take joe johnson, and then signs monta ellis, then he should be executive of the decade. he had the job in san antonio because of one reason; coach k’s close ties to pop. sund should have stayed if they were going to get this stiff. dirty player, sorry ass gm.
darrell starks
June 25th, 2012
12:21 pm
Great hire by the Hawks.
Danny if giving the keys will do a good job.
GO HAWKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
vava74
June 25th, 2012
12:23 pm
Astro Joe
June 25th, 2012
12:11 pm
Co-sign.
On a personal note, I am truly bewildered at the fact that ASG made move which may be perceived as a strategic step towards improving the franchise.
I am not qualifying Ferry as good (nor bad), simply realizing the concept behind the such a long term hiring of someone which is still young (by opposition to washed-up-without-anything-remarkable-in-his-resume Sund) and is perceived positively in the league.
Now, we need to check if he is really in power and can get us rid of LD even before the season starts.
darrell starks
June 25th, 2012
12:26 pm
2012 ATLANTA HAWKS
STARTERS TEAGUE, JOE, JOSH, HORFORD, ZAZA
BENCH PARGO, GERALD GREEN, MARVIN, IVAN, MELO
RESERVE WILLIE, ERIC GRIFFIN, COLLINS
GO HAWKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Reiuxcat
June 25th, 2012
12:28 pm
Excellent choice, it will be interesting to see how things go.
darrell starks
June 25th, 2012
12:30 pm
Make a strong push for free agent Gerald Green.
#23 Fab Melo
#43 Eric Griffin
GO HAWKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!
BigTimeTECHFan
June 25th, 2012
12:31 pm
Drafting Lebron was a no brainer, any team that would have won the lotto would have picked him 1st.
SA- The do have good managment but it was set long before Ferry got there, I don’t think Ferry had anything to do with Parker, Ginobli, Dunken, what SA has been doing has been in place for 15 years.
The good is maybe Ferry learned what they did in SA and and brings it with him.
darrell starks
June 25th, 2012
12:34 pm
If Hawks sign Gerald Green, and draft Eric Griffin this team will be the most Athletic team ever in ATLANTA.
GO HAWKS!!!!!!!!!!!
O'Brien
June 25th, 2012
12:38 pm
From sekou’s article;
Ferry replaces the retiring Rick Sund, who replaced Billy Knight, if a deal is done. And Ferry offers the Hawks a far different and much more aggressive approach to building a team than what Hawks fans are used to. While Sund was a sound caretaker of a franchise that had already crossed the threshold from lottery outfit to regular playoff contender, he never made the bold moves that might (or might not) have pushed the Hawks to the next level.
The heavy lifting had already been done when Sund arrived as the Hawks’ core was already in place. The culture was established under Knight and former coach Mike Woodson. They rolled to a 53-win season in 2010, the franchise’s fifth-best record in their Atlanta history, on Sund’s watch. But they have regressed in each season since then..
Co-sign.
northcyde
June 25th, 2012
12:40 pm
darrell starks
June 25th, 2012
12:20 pm
BIG DOG, why trade Josh ? Josh have not said anything about being traded them are just rumor, unless you here from the horses mouth then it’s not true.
GO HAWKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
************************
Now the flip side to that. Has he said anything definite that he wants to stay in ATL, with all of the trade rumors around?
Nope.
What Josh says, is that he’ll simply let this all play out and see how everything looks once his contract is up. When rumors about Marvin requesting a trade came up, Marvin immediately denied it. When those same rumors came up about Josh, there was no denial, rather than a “diplomatic neutral response”.
Josh himself may not be fueling the rumors. But his agent and people around Josh surely are. Otherwise, this would be a non-story.
O'Brien
June 25th, 2012
12:45 pm
Say what you want about Ferry, but the rumor is he wanted to stand up to Lebron James and some of the extra fringe benefits Lebron and his cronies were given. But Ferry was always over-ruled by the owner.
If I’m Josh Smith, I like the hire of Ferry.
PMC
June 25th, 2012
12:45 pm
It’s hard for me to believe in this hire simply because of the people doing the hiring.
Atlanta Hawks: Commitment to Average.
O'Brien
June 25th, 2012
12:50 pm
Marc Stein: Philly search to replace Rod Thorn goes on hold w/Ferry ATL-bound. But sources say Sixers remain interested in GM Ferry replaces: Rick Sund.
I am not surprised, because Rick was a caretaker in ATL, and that’s what Philly wants. Ownership and Doug Collins call the shots, and the GM will fall in line. Rick will be perfect for that job.
tom
June 25th, 2012
12:51 pm
Now for a new coach?
Slimjr
June 25th, 2012
12:52 pm
I WANT BASKETBALL PLAYERS!!!!!!!!!! Smart ones!
Slimjr
June 25th, 2012
12:54 pm
Lebron’s play making ability is surreal!
His passes are on the money form anywhere on the floor 99.9% of the time..
A thing of beauty too watch! Lets go get a knock off? Hmmmmmmm
Slimjr
June 25th, 2012
12:56 pm
[from]^^^^
northcyde
June 25th, 2012
12:59 pm
marcus
June 25th, 2012
12:21 pm
what did danny ferry do in cleveland? nothing…..
bringing him here is a joke, another duke retread. ferry was nothing as a player. it kills me that these guys with the duke pedigree get to be gm’s. if he goes out and gets a “true” center, finds some poor sap to take joe johnson, and then signs monta ellis, then he should be executive of the decade. he had the job in san antonio because of one reason; coach k’s close ties to pop. sund should have stayed if they were going to get this stiff. dirty player, sorry ass gm.
*****************
Stop with the Duke bias. I don’t like Duke like the next person, but it stops when they leave that school. Under Ferry, the Cavs got to the NBA Finals and the EC Finals, something the Hawks have NEVER DONE while in Atlanta.
************************
@MsDee
If you have $20 to blow, I would suggest that you sign up for ( mysynergysports . com )
It will give you a much clearer insight into how these players play on this team, because you’ll have the ability to see them in a variety of offensive and defensive plays. Their strengths and weaknesses are highlighted beyond question.
It took me a long time to come around on Jeff Teague. But if the Hawks simply play to his strengths as a basketball player, that dude could be a better asset to the Hawks than what he is now.
It was obvious to me from the start that he played better alongside JJ. But if he had the ball more in his hands, especially in transition, it would do wonders for the Hawks offense. But “you know who” has to give him the ball and then run the wing, not bring it up himself.
Slimjr
June 25th, 2012
1:00 pm
Rick Sund and Philly “a marriage made in Heaven?’
Well at least from a Hawks fan perspective? Expect Philly to be average at best with Sund at the helm! Good for us?
Slimjr
June 25th, 2012
1:02 pm
BTW Lebrons passing skills are more advanced then 99% of the guards in the NBA!
A freak of nature? lol
C’mon Danny, go find a knock off please?
Astro Joe
June 25th, 2012
1:04 pm
doc, emphatically… The Summer of Sameness is OVER. Even if Ferry goes in “evaluation mode”, I still think that he will jettison Marvin and creatively improve the bench. I suspect that he will use this year to set things up for next summer.
OB, I’m pretty sure that Sund gave Collins a job in Detroit many moons ago. He probably would welcome a chance to play a lesser exec role with an old friend.
Slimjr
June 25th, 2012
1:05 pm
No doubt now Larry may have become the “weakest link’ as of 1300 today? No?
Slimjr
June 25th, 2012
1:08 pm
I hope Danny Ferry ” SWINGS FOR THE FENCES”!!!!!
He did in Cleveland! Now I know doc…..lol!
cp
June 25th, 2012
1:11 pm
Maybe Ferry can convince the Cavs to take Marvin for the 24th pick or their two early second rounders. He has a relationship with their current GM so it might be easy to move Marvin to the Cavs now. I dont think many of the bench players come back now.
darrell starks I dont think the Hawks will have the money to pay Gerald Green. I think he stays with the Nets. Have you actually seen Fab Melo play? Seems like you’re in love with his size and shot blocking and have ignored the other aspects of his game. He is a poor rebounder. In fact there are a few guards in this draft that rebound better than Melo. He has no offensive game, he fouls a lot, and he has a low bball iq. Im all for upgrading the center position but I dont see Melo as the guy.
Astro Joe
June 25th, 2012
1:13 pm
Bob Rathbun @BobRathbunTV
Levinson: SA was only call I made regrading a new GM 3 months ago, wanting Danny Ferry.
Levinson seems to have taken a greater role in the Hawks since they dumped the Thrashers. I don’t know if that is good or bad… Gearon or Levinson? Hopefully it will be President Ferry in the future and those guys will be after thoughts (like the owners of the braves).
Hawks d
June 25th, 2012
1:14 pm
Great to hear the hawks made this move!! 1st step to hopefully many more wise ones…
cp
June 25th, 2012
1:15 pm
@Kevin. In Ford’s latest mock he has us taking Doron Lamb in the second. I dont think he falls that low but if so he could be a steal. Get a sf in the first and take Lamb in the second and im happy witht this draft.
Astro Joe
June 25th, 2012
1:16 pm
And that is not to say that Ferry is some HOF exec… just that I’d rather have an experienced “basketball guy” running the basketball operations than an owner who attended Hawks games as a child with his father (Gearon) or an owner who lives in DC (Levinson).
MsDee
June 25th, 2012
1:17 pm
Exactly northcyde,
I bet if we had someone like Rondo here, he wouldnt be the Rondo in Boston with Josh taking every possible possession from him. Believe it or not, but Teague is my MAIN favorite Hawk right now. I truly look forward to watching him play every night. I never want him to come off the court. Horford is my 2nd best Hawk on the team, Ivan my 3rd and Pargo my 4th..YES, I said Pargo as my 4th. JJ and Josh are the 2 Hawks with zero B-day IQ, but I would rather have JJ than Josh on my team. Josh can fill UP the stat sheet but yet to make it as an ALLSTAR..ummm, I wonder why??? Ding ding ding, NO B-BALL IQ!!
Astro Joe
June 25th, 2012
1:19 pm
Bob Rathbun @BobRathbunTV
Ferry: Sund will work with me over the next month, and table the discussion until after summer camp. Ton of respect for Rick.
terrell
June 25th, 2012
1:24 pm
Was Ferry talking about the Hawks owners? Wtf has he been drinking? lol
darrell starks
June 25th, 2012
1:25 pm
cp, I have seen him play, rebounding is not his weakness, his weakside help is big because Syracuse zone type defense, witch force him to play more up front by free throw line than down low by the rim.
Syracuse never played the traditional 2-1-2 defense there style is more of backside help forcing teams further out from the paint.
Melo lead this team a would have been in the final four if not eligible in academics.
GO HAWKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!