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
terrell
June 25th, 2012
2:51 pm
Lmao @ fools still wanting Javele “birdbrain” McGee in a Hawks uniform.
Grandad
June 25th, 2012
2:52 pm
darrell starks – I know you did not ask me but …..
Syracuse has played a very modern 2-3 zone
ever since boeheim has been there.
He has adapted well and kept up with the times
but it is still a 2-3 zone with match-up principles.
____________________________________________
I watched Melo play and he is awful.
He played in a zone and will have a huge learning curve
for man to man principles. [pros]
-he has lazy feet-
He also has a dead battery !
Sorry to disappoint.
Slimjr
June 25th, 2012
2:55 pm
Ray
June 25th, 2012
2:42 pm
@ Slimjr
“Rondo has a broken 3pt shot hasn’t stopped him from being one of the best PG’s in NBA right now though.
Westbrook shoots way too much didn’t stop OKC from making the NBA Finals.”
I’ve said this before:
The Mid-range Pull Up Jump shot is indefensible on any level[Pro's] included..
Westbrook has that in his repertoire..
Josh does not.. That’s just one example..There are more……
Grandad
June 25th, 2012
2:55 pm
How can anyone be unimpressed with that interview.
He told us more than R.Sund since RS has been here.
He does not appear to be fearful of the press.
Slimjr
June 25th, 2012
2:56 pm
Danny sounds like a cool customer? Yes?
O'Brien
June 25th, 2012
2:58 pm
Danny Ferry’s interview;
Didn’t really give us anything new. But…
1) He said he talked to LD yesterday, and looks forward to working with him this year. He also hopes Rick Sund will stick around for the year (instead of just the one month).
2) Over the next couple days, he plans on going over the roster and talking to some of the players (including Josh and JJ).
3) He watches games, and he did watch the NBA finals.
cp
June 25th, 2012
3:01 pm
Grandad its almost like these Fab Melo fans dont care. They see size and a guy who blocked some shots. Dude was viewed as a second rounder for most of the year for a reason. His negatives far outweight his positives. They were talking about how dude couldnt even remember plays at Syracuse although they didnt run many. Poor rebounder, poor bball iq, no offensive game, known to have terrible conditioning, had weight issues, and people are still in love with him because of a few block shots.
Slimjr
June 25th, 2012
3:03 pm
Danny said he will look at building a team for the future? Hmmmmmm
You got 1st round draft picks? Need more picks!!!!!
GT Alum
June 25th, 2012
3:05 pm
Isn’t this the first time someone in charge of the Hawks has talked about building a championship caliber team? It’s always been that hokey elite term before.
Slimjr
June 25th, 2012
3:05 pm
Fab Melo sounds like a bust waiting to happen..Danger Will Robinson!! Danger, Danger, Danger…
Red Alert, Shields up Scottie!
hawks_4_life
June 25th, 2012
3:06 pm
Sounds like the team is going to be gutted, the drafts after this is where we get our pay off.
northcyde
June 25th, 2012
3:16 pm
Ray
June 25th, 2012
2:08 pm
@ MistGamer
People think trading for these picks will guarantee instant success cause their looking at OKC and how they got where they are.
Funny thing is Andre Drummond is signed off as a bust in most people’s eyes. In fact the draft is again most people have said it fools gold.
Plus not only that trading away Josh Smith means the little people that do go to the hawks games are all, but gone or watching another team. And then the people that watch the games are all but gone as well. Just saying.
*****************
Please stop it with the “Hawks fans come out to see Josh Smith” stuff. No they don’t. I’ve been in that arena plenty of times to see the Hawks play non-superstar player teams, and have seen that arena at 60% – 75% capacity. If anybody on this team were a box office draw, that arena would always bee at least 85% full for every Hawk game, regardless of who we played and what day we played them on.
That is the same crowd that moans and groans everytime he takes a long jumper. You think people are paying to see that?
As for the “fools gold” part of your post, I agree. And I’m not in favor of trading Josh away for a draft pick. That should be an absolute last resort. I’d much rather trade him for an established player that is close to his level, on his level, or above his level.
terrell
June 25th, 2012
3:17 pm
Now trade Marvin for ANY pick in the draft.
Sugar Ray
June 25th, 2012
3:17 pm
“BOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!! Don’t hire a guy that can’t win with Lebron James.”
A Finals appearance and two 60 win seasons in five years isn’t “winning” to you?
Are you familiar with the Hawks postseason history?
hawksfancents95
June 25th, 2012
3:18 pm
WELCOME DANNY FERRY!
this move symbolizes hope for the atlanta hawks and their future expectations. surprisingly i will give credit to ASG for making a move to get an experienced GM to come in and take FULL charge to our player operations. Danny Ferry was just in San Antonio people so please be aware he has gained new knowledge to his approach and will employ them in Atlanta. I am so estatic with this move as it gives me more hope moving forward than promoting Pendergraft and keeping Sund as a part-time GM.
Holy moly this is a great day for Atlanta Hawks fans!
Slimjr
June 25th, 2012
3:22 pm
Danny also said he would “turnover” every stone! Great!
Bye Marvin..
terrell
June 25th, 2012
3:25 pm
“most athletic team ever”? Starks, you sound like BK. lol.
The Corps
June 25th, 2012
3:25 pm
Hawks and the core have been on a meteoric trajectory in the last 5 years. this will put them over the moon. Go Hawks. ECF 2013!!!
Sugar Ray
June 25th, 2012
3:27 pm
“Rondo has a broken 3pt shot hasn’t stopped him from being one of the best PG’s in NBA right now though.”
Rondo was molded by 3 hall of famer players, a great ex-pg in rivers, and another good pg in sam cassell on the bench. He wouldn’t have recieved that much coaching everywhere else.
Grandad
June 25th, 2012
3:29 pm
Toronto wants Lowry
Houston wants Dwight
Our Hawks have Josh = Dwight bait
Can anyone say ‘`three way`’
from Hwks / Josh to Houston
from Rckts / Lowry + filler + #16 to Toronto
from Raps / Bargnani + #14 to ATL
from Raps / #8 to Houston
-then-
Houston sends pkg including:
Dalembert + K.Martin + #8 pick for Dwight
___________________________________________
I received an A+ for Creative Writing in College.
-not really- I was just being creative again !
Slimjr
June 25th, 2012
3:29 pm
Jettison the Core Scottie! Aye Captain!
terrell
June 25th, 2012
3:29 pm
Talking to Joe a Josh about what? Iso’s and jumpers?
Ray
June 25th, 2012
3:30 pm
@ northcyde
Like someone said before poll the fans and ask them as of now who’s their favorite Hawk it definitely ain’t Joe Johnson.
Al Horford might be second actually no it might be Zaza and Josh we all know it’s the #1 fan favorite.
You using the moan and groan for him taking jumpers I do as well don’t mean he isn’t my number 1 favorite hawk though.
Thing about Josh is though that most folks fail to realize dude been improving every year since he been here even under woodson that jumpshot that use to be so broken is getting a tune up he did better not going to say a lot better, but better in some regards now all he got to do is know when and when not to take a long jumper and I can tell he’s working on it.
Grandad
June 25th, 2012
3:31 pm
Oh yeah:
We turn Josh`s wish into:
Bargnani / Harkless / -&- we keep #23.
Ray
June 25th, 2012
3:35 pm
@ Sugar Ray
Just saying though Josh’s jumper is broken, but a good bit of PG’s don’t even have a 3pt shot is what I’m getting at.
ryan
June 25th, 2012
3:42 pm
So are we about trade Al Horford for the 2nd pick which has been rumored now that Ferry is GM this would clear some cap space if this happens .
HPUCK
June 25th, 2012
3:45 pm
Hope he knows the low life Spirit Group he is going to work for. Those people can’t be trusted. Just ask the season ticket holders of the Thrashers.
northcyde
June 25th, 2012
3:45 pm
Ray . . . Hawk fans go to Hawk games to see the Hawks as a team, not one specific player.
If you were to trade away any of the guys on this team, you’re not going to see a mass exodus of fans. Josh and Joe represent 2 of the most 3 hated players on this team. So even if people love Josh, you’ll probably have an equal number that either hate him, or wouldn’t shed a tear if he left.
I simply want what is best for this team. And right now, this team can’t progress because they are out of balance. If Josh would drastically eliminate the jumpshot from his game, and concentrate more on being an energy player in the mold of Serge Ibaka, Kenneth Faried, and an “in his prime” Shawn Marion”, Josh would be my favorite player.
Instead, he wants to be Magic Johnson, Kevin Love, and Reggie Miller all rolled up into one. He flat out refuses to play to his strengths as a player.
If Drew is going to continue him to be “kamikaze”, then yeah, get rid of Joe Johnson. We can’t have Josh taking the same exact shots as JJ, with Josh shooting a very poor percentage on those shots. Trade JJ for a high volume rebounder that can gather in Josh’s misses.
Josh wants to be the offensive superstar of the team, without the offensive skillset to do it. And even though he should be recognized as a defensive superstar, he doesn’t, because of some of the antics he does on the court and his lapses with his on the ball defense.
Coaches like Joe Johnson because they know exactly what they’re going to get from him . . good and bad.
Coaches are leery of Josh Smith because they never know what they’re going to get.
So if they keep Josh, and Josh refuses to play the right way on offense, then yeah . . trade Joe Johnson. We need someone on this team who is willing to play like a big man, not like a SG.
earl
June 25th, 2012
3:49 pm
if they allow ferry to bring some people build the team around horford trade joe for howard or some one that doesnt choke all the time we dont need no more soft coaches maybe we could try to go after phil if we offer him a great package
chilidawg
June 25th, 2012
3:54 pm
He lost me when he said he had confidence in the owners.
Chris
June 25th, 2012
3:56 pm
GREAT MOVE! Why is everyone comparing what he did for Cle like 7 years ago??? You can’t compare what happen 7 years ago with Cle to what is currently going on in Mia. 7 yrs is a long time, Wade, Bosh and Lebron got better with age and gained more experience. Also, factor in the competition when Lebron was at Cle. Ferry had Shaq and Z at center, mo williams was wet from the outside and not to mention delonte west………The only ONLY reason MIA got the team that they have now is free agency, in which a player chooses to come to a city and of course $$$$. I can tell some of you don’t know bout B-Ball, maybe you should hit the diamond or the country golf club.
Mike
June 25th, 2012
3:57 pm
@Sam Amick
Well, that didn’t take long: with Atlanta GM Danny Ferry in his first day on the job, the message is spreading that he’ll be looking to shake up the Hawks’ roster and rebuild in some capacity. No specifics yet, but forward Josh Smith has tremendous value and an expiring contract (next season at $13.2 million), center Al Horford will be healthy again and is an attractive piece as well (four years, $48 million remaining) and shooting guard Joe Johnson has the sort of deal that any sane GM would try – and likely try in vain – to get rid of (four years and $89.3 million left).
FreshFromATL
June 25th, 2012
3:57 pm
Sam Amick:
“Well, that didn’t take long: with Atlanta GM Danny Ferry in his first day on the job, the message is spreading that he’ll be looking to shake up the Hawks’ roster and rebuild in some capacity. No specifics yet, but forward Josh Smith has tremendous value and an expiring contract (next season at $13.2 million), center Al Horford will be healthy again and is an attractive piece as well (four years, $48 million remaining) and shooting guard Joe Johnson has the sort of deal that any sane GM would try – and likely try in vain – to get rid of (four years and $89.3 million left).”
http://sulia.com/channel/atlanta-hawks/f/82bbba6f-2b42-4b0a-b05e-7163fbe96573/?source=Twitter
Chris
June 25th, 2012
3:58 pm
LOL Phil Jack coming to the hawks is waaaay beyond a dream #Never_Gonna_Happen
High-sider
June 25th, 2012
4:00 pm
@Sautee
“…Obviously you are ignorant of the history of the league. In 1956, Red Auerbach traded Ed MCCauley and Cliff Hagan for the rights to draft Bill Russell. Eleven Championships in 13 years later, it was the best trade in the history of American sports (Babe Ruth never won 11 World Series). Without that move, would Boston have had their dynasty?
THAT was an executive making a championship winning move.” – Sautee @9:22pm dated 6/24/2012
So who is more important (between “Red” Auerbach and Bill Russell) when it comes the Boston Celtics championship dynasty? The guy (Auerbach) who added a player that transformed a team into a potential championship caliber franchise or the (selected) player (Bill Russell) who “put in work” “year in, year out” to help a team win 11 NBA championships in 13 years. Auerbach made the “decision” and Russell did the “work.” “Decisions” don’t win NBA championships; “work” (e.g., performance, play, hustle, physical labor, etc.) does.
Eric
June 25th, 2012
4:05 pm
I have been watching the Hawks for a long long long long time and its time for some change. Danny Ferry is a awesome hire for the Atlanta Spirit, ONLY if they LET HIM DO HIS JOB WITHOUT INTERFERENCE… Start with the roster, after last season there should not be a doubt in ownerships mind who the team should make top priority. Stuck on that one, well it ain’t Joe Johnson… #5 Josh Smith is the face of the Hawks… Trade #2 and that other guy that hasn’t worked out as well, you know uh Marvin Williams. To be the highest paid player on the team Johnson has never played like it when it matters most. Post-season baby. Ponder this ppl, Every team that beat the Hawks the last 4 years has played in the Eastern Conf. Finals, and/or won the Championship or played for it representing the East. Need more I am ready and always available. Peace and Go Hawks!
Slimjr
June 25th, 2012
4:09 pm
You’re not going to an NBA Finals with All GET REAL and Josh in your starting front line for sure..
Danny has got to “jettison the core”…He will.. Just watch! Stay tuned….
Chris
June 25th, 2012
4:10 pm
High-Sider, but doesn’t the decision come first? What if I don’t make the moves to get Bill Russell? Bill Russel goes elsewhere to win those 11 out of 13 Championships, its a total team effort. It begins with Front Office decision making and ends with Calibur Players but if and only if, our GM makes the right moves to grab a player with performance, play, hustle, physical labor a.k.a AL HORFORD and Not a Jo Johnson…….
Chris
June 25th, 2012
4:12 pm
@Eric, what is it with our home teams, seems like the same thing in Football (Packers Giants Cards) Braves (Cards Last year) Hey Motto is, you beat and ATL Team for playoff positioning or post season play, your chances of Playing for a title are 100%
Najeh Davenpoop
June 25th, 2012
4:13 pm
““Decisions” don’t win NBA championships; “work” (e.g., performance, play, hustle, physical labor, etc.) does.”
Neither “decisions” nor “work” mean as much to winning NBA championships as “talent”.
Slimjr
June 25th, 2012
4:15 pm
Speaking of decisions. If Lebron had made the “Decision” with Josh or All Get Real basketball skills do really think Miami would have still won an NBA Title this year or any other year? Hmmmmmm..
Najeh Davenpoop
June 25th, 2012
4:16 pm
I don’t think it’s fair to deprive Ferry credit entirely for the Cavs’ Finals appearance and 60 win seasons, but let’s face it, none of that happens if you replace LeBron with someone who isn’t a top-3 player in the league. Ferry deserves some credit, but LeBron made about 75% of that happen.
That doesn’t mean Ferry is a bad GM, but it does mean that the Cavs’ record while he was there should be viewed in the appropriate context.
I would also contend that the East was pretty weak for most of Ferry’s tenure there, at least compared to what it is now. Specifically, the Cavs’ Finals appearance happened before the Celtics’ Big 3 came together and before Dwight Howard became the best center in the league.
Slimjr
June 25th, 2012
4:24 pm
BTW, Mark Cuban stop by 1st take last week on ESPN and OWNED Skip Bayless and Steve A. Smith!
He reminded me why he is worth North of 6-7 Billion Dollars!
Wish he owned the Hawks…
High-sider
June 25th, 2012
4:24 pm
@northcyde
“…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…” – northcyde @12:59pm dated 6/25/2012
Many NBA experts and analysts have said that LeBron James (essentially) took a bad Cavs team to the ‘07 NBA Finals and I agree with them on this particular assessment. But you (pro-Danny Ferry) bloggers want to give him (Ferry) a significant amount of credit for the Cavs reaching the ‘07 NBA Finals. If you go back and look at that Cavs roster for the ‘06-’07 regular season and post season, you would see that there was really no No. 2 (scoring) option on that team. LeBron James should get most of the credit in leading the Cavs to the ‘07 NBA Finals and Danny Ferry should get very little credit, if any. I predict Danny Ferry will make personnel decisions/moves that will upset a lot of Hawks fans.
http://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/CLE/2007.html
doc
June 25th, 2012
4:28 pm
najeh not sure i follow all of your reasoning behind your comments on ferry. it is funny presti is a genius in okc with durant and ferry is an also ran to some even both of the teams they were “behind” made it the same distance. i also contend if shaq isnt hurt then the cavs are in the finals again and maybe history is changed. shaq tried to come back but that was way beyond what a reconstructed thumb could do on short notice. jamison was a stop gap instead of taking the pattern to our hawks which was to do nothing.
also james needed two bigger star than he had in cleveland to get the last step. maybe the guys assembled and coached in cleveland werent all that bad to have gotten as far as they did each year. you can take lbj out of the picture in miami as well and riles and spolestra dont look so smart, either. again, ferry delivered when pressed and what i like most is when he was over ruled by his boss he took the walk and was welcomed back by the spurs obviously a real feather in his cap and a good sign for us as observers. they wouldnt have brought him in otherwise. that speaks loud for hawks fans.
ATLHawk
June 25th, 2012
4:34 pm
Lets sign Steve Nash
Slimjr
June 25th, 2012
4:35 pm
I believe Danny will construct the proper road map for the Hawks franchise to achieve something they have never been able to accomplish in 44 years: A ECF visit within 2-3 years!
He sounds like one cool customer in that interview which is being rebroadcast in 10mins on 790 the Zone…
KevinM
June 25th, 2012
4:39 pm
Ferry’s response to Mike Bell when asked if he’s had discussions with the players:
“Well, there’s only 6, so it won’t take long”.
And until Sund is officially gone, his input will still be there. He just won’t have final say. I can accept that for now.
Standing pat with what we have tells me Sund still has input.
And if you think Marvin is leaving, don’t forget Ferry was also a failed #2 draft pick. Will that push Marvin to another uniform? That would be my offseason mission.
“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.”
cp, you don’t want Chicago getting this guy. And if Lamb gets a 5 year deal, he will earn it, guaranteed. He is one of best shooters in the draft, even up against lil Rivers. He can spell Teague as well and has Joe to learn from.
There is no way I belive draftexpress. They have Lamb lasting way too long. There’s no way Melo, Tyshawn Taylor (think Jacques Vaughan), Quincy Miller, Ezeli, Green and Taylor are not going to make as much impact as Lamb. Once you’re a 2nd rounder, all bets are off. You just want a camp invite. Jenkins and Lamb deserve better.
I would find a way to get another pick in the latter part of Round 1 or high Round 2. If Ferry goes for it out of the gate and goes for a high #1, I can’t complain about him trying to get us better talent. I don’t expect it, but that would be a nice intro to Atlanta.
KevinM
June 25th, 2012
4:41 pm
“ATLHawk
June 25th, 2012
4:34 pm
Lets sign Steve Nash”
Even if it costs us a decent Jeff Teague, how much would that impact our defense? It sure wouldn’t hurt our offense, but I don’t think Teague is interested in any back seat and I don’t blame him. But Nash may not be a healthy 40 and we don’t have 8-10M to gift to him…..thanks Marvin.
Najeh Davenpoop
June 25th, 2012
4:46 pm
“it is funny presti is a genius in okc with durant and ferry is an also ran to some even both of the teams they were “behind” made it the same distance.”
I give Presti that much credit not just for Durant (which I agree was luck) but for the array of subsequent genius moves he made. Ferry made many pretty good moves and some questionable ones. That’s not bad at all, but it doesn’t touch what Presti has done.
Let’s be real — if you replace LeBron on that 2007 team with, say, Carmelo Anthony, do they get anywhere near the Finals or 60 wins? I don’t think so, not even in a weaker East. Yeah, you can say the same about Durant and OKC, but I’d argue that Westbrook and Harden (both Presti picks) are far better than any teammate LeBron ever had in Cleveland.
Not trying to say Ferry is bad and Presti is good. Just saying that Presti is great and Ferry is “aiight”. Like I said earlier, he’s still the best GM this team has had in at least 17 years. Just because I am not jumping out of my seat with excitement doesn’t mean I think he sucks.