Atlanta Hawks: Danny Ferry covets wing player but no hurry to add one
Yes, Hawks GM Danny Ferry is considering using the final open roster spot (assuming Ivan Johnson eventually signs his qualifying offer) to add a small forward.
“I would say probably a wing that can compete defensively at a high level would be a good thing to be able to add at some point,” Ferry said.
Ferry taking his time with 15th roster spot. (Photo: Johnny Crawford/AJC)
But, no, that doesn’t mean he’s in a hurry to acquire such a player.
“That may happen,” Ferry said. “How that happens, I can’t sit here and tell you. Could it be someone we sign? Could it be a trade at some point and, if so, when could that be? Trades happen in their own time. We have until February to do it.”
And, Ferry said, if the Hawks do sign a free-agent wing, it’s likely the player would have to accept a non-guaranteed contract.
“There is a good chance we will carry 15,” he said. “But preferably that 15th person will be on a ‘make good’ situation that allows us the flexibility needed in case injuries happen and so on. Being locked into 15 [guaranteed contracts] is generally not ideal.”
Players with non-guaranteed deals are easier to include in trades because the team that acquires them can release them to save money. All players contracts become guaranteed on Jan. 10.
Ferry presumably is waiting to see who he can get through a trade or on a non-guaranteed deal because the wing players still on the market aren’t enticing enough to offer a guaranteed contract now. The wing also could come from among those on Atlanta’s summer roster, though Ferry said he and his staff still are deciding which free agents to invite to veterans’ camp.
The next key date for the Hawks is Sept. 11. That’s when the players acquired in the Joe Johnson trade and Devin Harris will be eligible to be used in trades that aggregate their salaries under CBA rules (60 days after they were acquired).
For now, the Hawks will stick with Kyle Korver as the closest thing to a true wing. But, considering Ferry’s flurry of transactions in his short time with the Hawks, I wouldn’t be surprised to see him make a trade this summer or early in the season to reconfigure Atlanta’s unbalanced roster.
Michael Cunningham, Hawks beat
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428 comments Add your comment
Slimjr
August 13th, 2012
4:17 pm
All NBA vs. Bynum. A match up for the ages…
Yawn………………………………….
Buddy Grizzard
August 13th, 2012
4:20 pm
Ian Fitzsimmons @Ianfitzespn
Stan Van Gundy just told us he blames the front office not Dwight Howard for what happened w/ Magic; he believes DH is a perfect fit in LA.
KevinM
August 13th, 2012
4:25 pm
Excellent find on Danny. His comment:
“The best we could do was status quo. And that wasn’t good enough for anybody.”
How long has this blog been saying that? It took a new GM to make something happen. I have the same sense it will take a new coach to get the right decisions made with discipline that LD doesn’t seem to have a handle on.
And Danny is definitely focusing on building from within, not via FAs if he is to follow the SA model. We’re going international and being developing more than ever.
So to Just Joe, perhaps he does keep a Benson or Mike Scott to groom from within. If there is a way to improve them from where they are today, Danny probably has that formula.
And the transformation of a leader will come this year in the form of Josh Smith. He will get lots of interest next year.
Rod from College Park
August 13th, 2012
4:42 pm
“We didn’t choke. We were:
1. Out-coached.
2. Shafted by the refs.
3. Had more significant injuries than the Celts.
You simply insist that we choked because you want forcefully to make the loss of Jamal “the issue” behind not getting past the first round.”
No us choking has nothing to do with Jamal. I predicted that we would not be able to score in the playoffs early in the year. I agree that we got outcoached. We always do in the playoffs. I agree that we got shafted by the refs. We always get shafted by the refs. I don’t agree with the injury part. Boston was without Ray Allen (a hall of famer) games 1 and 2, lost Avery Bradley during the series, without Jeff Green, and Jermaine O’Neal, and Paul Pierce played on one leg halfway thru the series just like Josh.
We choked because we lost game 2. There is no excuse for losing game 2 without Rondo. We finished with the better record during the year, had home court advantage because we were a better team, had a better bench, were younger…… We choked. Joe choked when he had a wide open layup and let Pierce block him from behind. Horford choked at the free throw line to tie the game. Both teams had extensive playoff experience.
KevinM
August 13th, 2012
4:45 pm
AG, I get why we went after him, and it was right after we blew the roster up when Smitty and Mookie and Dikembe peaked in the 2nd round.
To me, it appears we were impatient at the time and wanted to get back to playoff basketball immediately.
Its hard to see where a rookie will take you, and Gasol has been a better 2 than 1. SAR never was able to get on a winning team and had that non-playoff game streak that rivaled Jamal Crawford.
Speaking on nastalgia, here’s one on Moses Malone that happened in Moses’ 3rd and last year in Atlanta in ‘91:
“Malone started at center for the first 15 games of the 1990–91 season, but then Atlanta’s new coach, Bob Weiss, moved him to the bench and made him Jon Koncak’s backup for the final 67 contests.”
For that one move, Weiss should have never held a management position ever again in the NBA. But of course, Sund found a way to hire him after we fired him.
Rod from College Park
August 13th, 2012
4:53 pm
Ken Strickland,
“ROD FROM CP-Your mind is so warped with NEGATIVE MINDED BS that you can’t seem to see the forest for the trees. You also seem to think everyone else is as clueless as you’ve proven to be. Even before the last season started, you, and NEGATIVE MINDED individuals just like you, started predicting the Hawks wouldn’t even make the playoffs, and that was before we lost Horford for the season.
Now, after conveniently forgetting all of your previous BS predictions and prognostications, you start making an issue of the teams 1st rd exit, like you had expections of the team doing better all along. You also show your bias when you specifically make an issue of Boston’s injuries while conveniently ignoring the injury issues we also had. And if I’m not mistaken, that same OLD, INJURIED Celtic team that eliminated us also gave the NBA CHAMPION Heat a run for their money.
You spend so much of your time challenging everyone on these blogs and trying making your point, that you seldom make much sense.”
If you can find any post from last year where I said that we would not make the playoffs, I will pay for your medication for the month (LOL). It’s obvious that you are on some type of psychotic drugs. The Celtics actually had more injuries than we did throughout the year, Jeff Green, Ray Allen, Avery Bradley, Paul Pierce (injured in our series) plus Rajon Rondo had to miss a game in the series. We did not hear any excuses from them, but you the typical Hawks (loser) fan, want to make an issue about injuries. We had the better record, had home court, younger team…… If you can’t understand my points, have you ever considered that you might have the problem. No one else seems to have that problem. They might not agree with my points, but they have no problems understanding them.
KevinM
August 13th, 2012
4:54 pm
Rod from College Park
On that Celtics series, we had the opportunity to shut down the legacy of that Celtic regime, but they stepped all over us. Just inexcusable to let that team beat us like they did.
Najeh Davenpoop
August 13th, 2012
5:01 pm
“There is no way that Knicks will not finish ahead of us.
If ‘Melo is a top #10 player, his team certainly has to make it to the playoffs.”
The Knicks were 16-10 in Jeremy Lin’s starts last year. They were a .500 team in all other games. This isn’t so much about Melo as much as it’s about replacing Lin (who isn’t as great as everyone says he is, but is still good) with fatass Raymond Felton and geriatric Jason Kidd.
That team is really not very good outside of Melo and Chandler. Amare is broken down and wasn’t ever good at anything other than scoring in the first place, and everyone else is either old, fat, or both, except Iman Shumpert who may or may not be 100% at any time this season after coming back from his knee injury.
Ra'mon
August 13th, 2012
5:03 pm
Ferry just seems to be the smartest person to be in the Hawks’ organization since Lenny Wilkins (no matter what you say he knows his basketball). You have to like an individual who believes in playing chess with his roster moves, and not just checkers.
robert
August 13th, 2012
5:05 pm
Unless we sign Howard and Chris Paul in the offseason next year,
Atlanta can expect to be a lottery team for the next few years.
Smoove won’t sign again to this loser of a team and we’ll just get
worse.It’s obvious no one anygood wants to come here.The team
will have to be built through the draft. That will take at least 3 years.
Slimjr
August 13th, 2012
5:06 pm
18-6 the KNICKS were under Woody..[.775] winning %! Just awesome Hawk Fans…
Rod from College Park
August 13th, 2012
5:07 pm
“On that Celtics series, we had the opportunity to shut down the legacy of that Celtic regime, but they stepped all over us. Just inexcusable to let that team beat us like they did.”
Agreed.
Najeh Davenpoop
August 13th, 2012
5:09 pm
Melo is better than every Hawk, but I’d gladly take Al-Teague-Lou-Zaza (the next four best players on the Hawks) over Chandler-Amare-Felton-Shumpert (the next four best players on the Knicks) at this point in their careers. Maybe if Amare discovers the fountain of youth, Felton loses about 300 pounds, and Shumpert’s knee is as good as new I might change my mind on that.
Grandad
August 13th, 2012
5:09 pm
Najeh
Your list *[10 best] opinion + relative.
I can have Pau on my list `cause it`s my opinion.
I might easily differ from others.
LBJ / Durant / Rose / Rondo / Gasol / Westbrook / Al Jefferson
D.Howard [grudgingly] / D.Wade / *(tie) Steph Curry & Ray Allen
honorable mention:
Kobe; K.Love; Iguodola; Bynum; Nash
Grandad
August 13th, 2012
5:11 pm
-tongue partially in cheek-
Rod from College Park
August 13th, 2012
5:15 pm
“Amare is broken down and wasn’t ever good at anything other than scoring in the first place, and everyone else is either old, fat, or both, except Iman Shumpert who may or may not be 100% at any time this season after coming back from his knee injury.”
While I agree that Amare is very injury prone now, he is a career 21ppg, 8.8rpg guy. Have to disagree with your analysis of him. He is much better than Horford in almost every aspect of the game except rebounding for his career, and that is only a minimal difference for their careers.
Rod from College Park
August 13th, 2012
5:20 pm
“I can have Pau on my list `cause it`s my opinion.
I might easily differ from others.
LBJ / Durant / Rose / Rondo / Gasol / Westbrook / Al Jefferson
D.Howard [grudgingly] / D.Wade / *(tie) Steph Curry & Ray Allen
honorable mention:
Kobe; K.Love; Iguodola; Bynum; Nash”
Al Jefferson over Kobe, Steph Curry over Nash. LOL. Grandad, I quit smoking years ago, but if I ever start smoking again, I will make sure to get your info. Pau Gasol a top 10 NBA player. SMH
Slimjr
August 13th, 2012
5:30 pm
Larry coached the Hawks into a defeat from the Jaws of Victory in game two [the pivotal/crucially important] game that eventually cost them the series against the Celtics.. blah blah blah….
Danny will not put up with the basketball version of [Wade Phillips/ Norv Turner/ Mike Smith]..Stay tuned.
Grandad
August 13th, 2012
5:31 pm
Astro Joe
In response to your response.
I agree.
Mr Ferry will not take on a bad contract.
That was not the focus nor the intent of my message.
I think DF is going to do all in his power to win; without;
deviating from his roadmap.
Although, in the meantime, `tis just as important;
to establish:
proper habits [winning], championship mindset,
playing the right way *[his way], ‘ playing to win every night ‘,
playing smart, playing together, getting better together,
player development including veterans; e g, continuing to improve,
everyone playing the same [Hawk] way.
*playing his way = not to usurp his coach but:
[establishing a certain performance criteria]
___________________________________________
-none of this involves taking on a bad contract-
Slimjr
August 13th, 2012
5:41 pm
Larry, why are you so afraid to run the pick and roll on offense. That play is very hard to defend at any level…Huh? Why did you not run ISO off double screens to get his mid-range shot off?
Round peg/square hole he is…
Wish we had Rudy Gay at the 3..Hmmmmm
Grandad
August 13th, 2012
5:43 pm
R.f C.P.
* I included one spot for the best shooter in the game:
which = a tie – old Allen + young pup Curry
*Kobe & Nash slid due to age -(also Dirk & KG fell off)- same reason
*Love slid `cause of a lack 0` defense.
*Jefferson is the most underrated plyr in NBA
*Josh missed by a hare`s breath (hon mention)
Gasol most skilled Post Player in NBA since Hakeem.
Grandad
August 13th, 2012
5:45 pm
should have been:
which = a tie (old Allen + young pup Curry)
Grandad
August 13th, 2012
5:53 pm
Definition of a SuperStar … or …*’`SuperDuperStar`’*
” They make their teammates better ”
-Yes-
They must have the requisite skill & ability & so forth & so on !
But, the ability to make their teammates better
is what sets them over the top.
A perfect example is ” Melo “.
He has every attribute that one would want in a star player … except.
” LBJ ” … on the other hand.
Slimjr
August 13th, 2012
6:01 pm
“You are only as good as your best players[ISO/All NBA]” -Barkley-
Those two did not get it done[Boston Series]…Game, Set, and Match..
One down, one more to go……
pointguardslim
August 13th, 2012
6:06 pm
http://www.grantland.com/blog/the-triangle/post/_/id/34531/qa-hawks-gm-danny-ferry-on-dwight-howard-josh-smith-basketball-analytics-and-sam-prestis-wikipedia-page
Charles Bethea: There is frustration about his tendency to want to shoot the three. Is that something you or Larry will talk with him about?
GM Ferry: I’m still learning our group. Ultimately, Larry will coach the guys. And put some boundaries on all of them. But I think Josh is a pretty darn good player. And the impact he can have in making other players around him better. We may play through him and Teague and Al more than we ever have, and I think they will accept that responsibility and make good decisions.
Charles Bethea: Nobody doubts Josh’s ability. It’s his decision-making that seems off sometimes.
GM Ferry: “You can go through every player and their strengths and places they need to get better. And we can go through that with Lou, and others, and those will all be worked with and coached. But there will always be things a guy can get better at.”
pointguardslim
August 13th, 2012
6:16 pm
Rod from College Park
On that Celtics series, we had the opportunity to shut down the legacy of that Celtic regime, but they stepped all over us. Just inexcusable to let that team beat us like they did.
——–
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tuklWpNBhE0
There’s one guy with a legacy talking about Josh Smith’s ability. Too bad Josh’s legacy won’t be what we saw in that video, but rather remembered/scapegoated as yet another misguided attempt by Atlanta to ‘manufacture’ a superstar. Nellie-ball ftw. To me it sounds like Korver will start over Zaza. No mention of Zaza in that Ferry grantland piece
steven a smith
August 13th, 2012
7:07 pm
I’m of the mindset that in a full 82 game schedule, The New York Knicks will be a “2″ or “3″ seed. Woody always impoves his teams. Besides, last season was shortened and injuries did not allow them to develop “elite team chemistry” I think New York moves ahead of Indiana.
steven a smith
August 13th, 2012
7:08 pm
I also believe that the Atlanta Hawks will be a .500 Basketball team most of the season.
Slimjr
August 13th, 2012
7:25 pm
.775 projected over the course of an 82 game season projects out to over 60 wins…
18-6 during the most difficult stretch of their schedule is just incredible!!!!!
Hawks finish ahead of the Knicks? Bath Salts are no good for ya. Just stop it! It wrecks havoc on the 3 pound computer you carry upstairs…
Slimjr
August 13th, 2012
7:41 pm
World Wide!
Next stop Olympics in RIO[2016]! Yeah! I’m there Sir!
Slimjr
August 13th, 2012
7:43 pm
Oh I forgot to mention Woody lost 3 point guards and Amare while coaching that record…
Slim's Math Teacher
August 13th, 2012
7:44 pm
“18-6 the KNICKS were under Woody..[.775] winning %! Just awesome Hawk Fans…”
Young man you’d better check your math. I thought I taught you better than that.
Slimjr
August 13th, 2012
7:56 pm
okay [75%], my bad…..
still impressive pointguardslim……
Rod from College Park
August 13th, 2012
8:09 pm
“Update: Bynum will fly out to Germany on September 1st to have knee surgery on both knees. “The 76ers are upset that Bynum waited this long instead of having the surgery when he original planned. It’s believed Bynum held off on the surgery because he felt it would damage his value when it became time for an extension with the Lakers.”
So Philly accepts a trade for Bynum, without a physical and then this clown turns arounds and says that he is having the platelet surgery that Kobe had on both knees in September. Something sounds real fishy. I guess when Stern wants Howard to end up in LA, then he will do anything to make that happen. LOL at people thinking Howard has problems. This Andrew Bynum guy is a real piece of work. I don’t think there is any way that Bynum gets a max deal. This will be his 5th knee surgery, and 2nd surgery in 5 months. SMH
Slimjr
August 13th, 2012
8:15 pm
Did not someone several Blogs ago try to convey to us that this Bozo is the [one] the Hawks should attempt to convince to come play for our under performing Hawks? Hmmmmmmmmmmm
Whew……….
JaeEvolution
August 13th, 2012
8:28 pm
Rockets got Delfino. No idea why he would go there.
pointguardslim
August 13th, 2012
8:31 pm
Slimjr did you just insinuate I was stephen a Smith?
Well I’m not. I actually thought you were Stephen a.
pointguardslim
August 13th, 2012
8:33 pm
Delfino for 2 years
pointguardslim
August 13th, 2012
8:34 pm
actually there’s a team option.
http://www.hoopsrumors.com/2012/08/rockets-carlos-delfino-agree-to-deal.html
Slimjr
August 13th, 2012
8:36 pm
PGS, I wish I were as brilliant as you, but thanks for the complement anyway[Right Hand Salute]…
Dept. Of Unintended Irony
August 13th, 2012
8:53 pm
“PGS, I wish I were as brilliant as you, but thanks for the complement anyway[Right Hand Salute]…”
Yeah, you guys do complement each other. Enough said. And it was not a compliment.
Najeh Davenpoop
August 13th, 2012
8:58 pm
“Love slid `cause of a lack 0` defense.”
Love is Bill Russell on D compared to Stephen Curry.
Najeh Davenpoop
August 13th, 2012
9:01 pm
“While I agree that Amare is very injury prone now, he is a career 21ppg, 8.8rpg guy. Have to disagree with your analysis of him. He is much better than Horford in almost every aspect of the game except rebounding for his career, and that is only a minimal difference for their careers.”
21 and 8 in D’Antoni’s system with Nash feeding him the ball on pick and rolls. I wonder what Al would have done in that same system. Nash’s pick and roll partner, regardless of who it is (Gortat, Diaw, etc.) has put up beastly numbers pretty much without fail.
I’d take Amare over Al for scoring any day, but give me Al for everything else, defense included.
Slimjr
August 13th, 2012
9:17 pm
Dept, go give yourself a hug…You sound like you could use one[ you pain in your own azz]…
Ha, did I spell that one right Sister? LOL!
Sonny
August 13th, 2012
9:18 pm
Id take Amare over Al Horford any day. Al has never been impressive. The dude has peaked and is only slightly better than Jon Koncak. Hes about even with Zaza. Al plays better offense and Zaza better defense. Call it a draw. Thats why we did not miss Al at all.
Really Al is not an impact type guy and is better suited for as a role player. Thats Why Orlando did not want Al. Any team that is featuring Al is not trying to win a championship.
Lets be real.
Sonny
August 13th, 2012
9:21 pm
Amare 8.8 rbs career Al 9.5
Amare 21 pts career al 12
LOL OK Al has a .7 (point 7) Advantage career rebounds. Thats not even a full point advantage so statistically that a draw.
Slimjr
August 13th, 2012
9:23 pm
Dept. brings thoughts of that nagging girlfriend you’re so glad you dumped! LOL!
Slimjr
August 13th, 2012
9:26 pm
Yea that was not a compl[i]ment either Sir-Sister.
Grandad
August 13th, 2012
9:29 pm
For all of you that keep asking me about my relationship with Jerry Sandusky, where did we go?
Who saw us together? type questions, lets be clear, there is no evidence that I did anything wrong. Sandusky acted alone in those cases.
I really wish people would mind their own business.. What ever happens in Vegas stays in Vegas.
Nothing can be proved. Jerry is in jail and I’m a free man.
Astro Joe
August 13th, 2012
9:34 pm
I guess if the league plays 4-on-4, the Hawks would be better than the Knicks (maybe), but assuming that 10-12 guys will play during an 82-game season, I’ll take the Knicks roster all day long and twice on Sundays over the Hawks.
Grandad, I am convinced that the Hawks will have at least 8 new players ans a new head coach next season. So while Ferry won’t have them tank games (something that I wuould do but he won’t), I’m not sure that he will be planting all of those seeds with this specific personnel package (coaching staff included).