Hawks being too passive in free agent market
Listen up: Rick Sund wants you to know he thinks the Hawks are going to be just fine.
When the Miami Heat went shopping in this NBA offseason, they chose to bypass the markdowns at the strip malls, the polo shirts from Old Navy that morph into dust rags after two washings and the lime green shorts with a broken zipper from the $1 table at the neighborhood yard sale . They cruised Rodeo Drive. Why? Because they could. Maybe they also have some strange desire to win.
The Hawks are still in the midst of their shopping this offseason. It has been quiet, even as they roam the aisles of Value City. There’s still a chance they will come home with something other than used Play-Doh and a bag of defective socks. But don’t count on it. They have made it clear that their heads are bumping up against the ceiling of their budget. They won’t add a player if it means having to pay a luxury tax. They won’t add a player if it means trading a perceived player of significance. It doesn’t matter if the new player can actually make them better, or if he would ignite a fan base that’s just looking for a reason to walk through a turnstile.
Loading ...Maybe this passive approach works. There was that whole tortoise-and-the-hare thing. Maybe drafting Jordan Crawford, giving more playing time to Jeff Teague and getting Joe Johnson to share the ball will make a difference. But after going 0-8 in the second in the last two years, is this the mindset an NBA franchise should have?
General manager Rick Sund said what he often says: “I like our team.”
He is hesitant to trade a perceived core player, disrupt chemistry or blow the budget. Let’s put aside for a moment that the organization recently overpaid to keep Johnson, who has fizzled in the postseason and doesn’t quite unite the fan base. Sund still sees the Hawks are trending upward.
He states his case: “Our goal is to continue to put an elite caliber ballclub on the floor and stay within the model [owner] Bill Davidson had when the Pistons were winning championships and what San Antonio did with their spending and the way they stayed under the luxury tax.”
Not every team can sign Dwyane Wade, LeBron James and Chris Bosh. Most can’t even sign one. But sorry. The idea should be to aim higher. Bringing back Jason Collins, just because he lost weight in Europe and comes cheap, doesn’t cut it.
Replacing Solomon Jones and Randolph Morris with Solomon Jones and Randolph Morris clones is not what aggressive teams do. It’s like painting over a water stain on the ceiling without fixing the leak.
Strange. Sund’s analysis of the roster actually jibes with everybody else’s.
“We need two bigs – a center and a power forward,” he said.
But after some negotiations, the Hawks bailed on signing free agent center Brad Miller because he got too expensive. (Miller ultimately signed with Houston.) They’ve played footsy with Shaquille O’Neal, but they believe the would-be Big Peach’s asking price is too high (for now) and he seems unwilling to take a bench role (for now).
The problem: Shaq is the best player left in the depleted free agent market. It’s not even close.
Here’s the question Sund and ownership should be asking themselves: Who makes us better? They’ve convinced themselves that a center-by-committee (Al Horford, Zaza Pachulia, Collins and maybe you if can get a resume in) will be enough to challenge Orlando, Boston and Miami in the Eastern Conference.
Maybe Sund really believes this. Maybe his hands are tied. Maybe he just likes playing it safe, and if it doesn’t work out, well, he’s near retirement anyway. But can you feel comfortable with the status quo?
Sund again: “I think we’re pointed in the right direction. I’m hopeful we’ll improve with some changes to our offense and our young players getting older, and we can stay among the top four teams in the Eastern Conference.”
It doesn’t make much of a rallying cry.
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369 comments Add your comment
True Hawks Fan
July 21st, 2010
2:07 pm
We need to pick up Anthony Tolliver. I watched the Warriors games because of Steph Curry. Tolliver’s a baller.
Jeff
July 21st, 2010
2:14 pm
Why hasn’t any reporters set up a interview with someone from the ownership to find out the real scoop? Is the ownership not willing to give an interview? Are they aware that the fanbase is getting a little upset about the lack of commitment they are showing? Or do they even care?
Don't Drink the Coolade
July 21st, 2010
3:01 pm
Alright – why does everyone keep saying how well the Hawks match up with this team that team…. Be honest with yourselves – not can but would Atlanta beat Miami, Boston, Orlando, and a fully stocked Milwaukee in a 7 game series – the answer is a resounding “NO”. No chance – not enough heart, not enough experience, not enough coaching and not enough consistent team talent! Joe Johnson is not a premium NBA talent – he just doesn’t have that kind of drive. the Hawks management is content with what they have right now!! The rest of the East got better! So add that up and you get a 6th Seed and a first round exit!
ryan
July 21st, 2010
3:38 pm
It sounds like ASG cheap crap ownership has thrown in the towel screw them and FIRE RICK SUND !
FrustratedBird
July 21st, 2010
4:18 pm
You know what? I have just about had it with this passive, mismanaged franchise. I have seen this movie far too often and far too many times I pray for a different outcome, only to be disappointed yet again. I honestly believe that this franchise has no desire, NO DESIRE, to be considered a true championship level organization. When your GM comes out and has vague, defeated statements such as “I like our team” (knowing that it had the most lopsided playoff defeat in history) is just the type of thing that shows the fanbase that these guys are not in the business of winning. SERIOUS WINNING. I am so through with the penny pinching, dollar watching A.S.G. and their broken promises. They bought the team 6 years ago promising a “New Era”. Only to give us a “New ERROR”. I can name at least 10 to 15 infractions these idiots have made in the course of their ownership. The wasted draft picks, the bad contracts, the untimely firings, the alienation of the fanbase. This is just not acceptable. I don’t care that Atlanta is not an NBA hotbed. NO FANBASE deserves to be led on like this. I really just want these guys gone ASAP. All of the underlying problems with the team start with these 9 bumbling idiots. The Atlanta Hawks need ONE COMMITTED owner to change the mentality of this franchise from weak, content, passive, and plain ole stupid to STRONG, AGGRESSIVE and SMART. Second class management should be for fast food restaurants and drug stores. We’re talking about a million dollar industry. This is just embarrasing as a fan of more than 20 years. I will continue to support this team because that’s all I know to do. I can’t sit here and say that I will stop watching the games or stop going to games. The Atlanta Hawks are a fixture in my life and are my addiction. But something has to give and until we get some real ownership, nothing will change. So we true fans need to somehow get the message across and get the ATLANTA SPIRIT GROUP out of here.
FrustratedBird
July 21st, 2010
4:24 pm
BTW, here is a list of every team owner in the NBA. I could be wrong but the ATLANTA HAWKS, your, ATLANTA HAWKS are the only one with 9 FRIGGIN OWNERS! Like the ol’ saying goes, “How many idiots does it take to change a lightbulb?”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_NBA_team_owners
Raybud
July 21st, 2010
4:30 pm
I like the idea of bringing in Tolliver and Kwame…I’m not a big fan of Kwame, but he will definitely add depth in a weak position. Also, I would like to see a SF come in as well. Right now, I am questioning the GM as well as ownership. I think Joe Johnson fits perfectly with the Hawks, but at 120 million dollars, sorry, but i think i would have let him leave. When i saw what john salmons got, i was like wow….5 years, 38mil…just imagine if we could have gotten him. we would have definitely been big players in FA. I’m not saying we would have gotten anyone, but the money would definitely have been around. In regards to our overall team, i still say that ATL is the 3rd or 4th best team in the eastern conference. What are my reasons? 1. Atl and Orl didn’t go through many changes, especially with the starting line up. I’m kinda disappointed in a lot of people because they have already crowned Miami as the champions. I guess what i’m saying is that ATL lost no one that was important. I wouldn’t call them out just quite yet. 2. Atlanta fired Woodson, who i thought was a decent coach and won’t ever get the credit that he deserves, and hired Drew. I remember back in the ’80s when Doug Collins got fired and the team hired his asst coach. Who was his asst coach? I’ll give you a hint. He currently has 11 championship rings and still coaching today. Now, am I saying that Larry Drew is Phil Jackson? No, but I am saying don’t be so harsh on a guy who just got the job with no head coaching experience in the NBA. He did inherit a winning team and he has been there since the beginning. I’m probably shell shocking a lot of people with this blog, but with the exception of the coach and new players joining other eastern conference teams, why should the hawks be written off. All eyes are focused on ORL and MIA in the east. MIA must prove that they are a basketball team vice a team with superstars.
Raybud
July 21st, 2010
4:35 pm
@ FrustratedBird….I agree with you…The basketball franchise does need to be a bit aggressive. Here’s an idea….let get Arthur Blank to purchase them and he’ll hire a good GM…At least he finally got it right with the Falcons…lol
FrustratedBird
July 21st, 2010
4:48 pm
Yeah Ray. Blank finally got it right with the Falcons because he started letting the football people make the proper decisions for him. One thing I always like about him too was that he always stated winning was his top priority. He made some bad decisions as well but they were with the intent of making the Atlanta Falcons brand a top brand. I just don’t see that with the ASG. I think they just want to keep their heads above water financially, and say to the fans “see we are fielding a consistent playoff team every year”. I have never heard the word “Championship” from them EVER. Not ONCE. That’s a problem.
ryan
July 21st, 2010
5:09 pm
Here is idea everyone what needs to happen if you want change is protest the Hawks outside there office boycott the games don’t go and maybe you might be able to change the ownership it happened in Charlotte, NC .
Raybud
July 21st, 2010
5:48 pm
@ryan, i would….it’s just that, well, i’m stationed in san diego. lol
Dejay
July 21st, 2010
6:07 pm
North, welcome to the Dark Side. I tried to reach out to you months ago when you ripped folks for not showing up; you’ve finally seen it my way.
I’ve been preaching this sermon since the Dan Roundfield days regarding this franchise. Championships are won long before TNT runs their ‘40 games in 40 nights’ promos in May. They are won in the front office and unfortunately for every person who call themselves Hawk fans, we’ve never had a single guy there who acted on that.
Kasten? Please. He’s the same clown who not only drafted Jon Koncak but gave him a cap-killing extension to boot. If it weren’t for the Jazz nearly going bankrupt, Nique’s jersey would be hanging from the rafters in Salt Lake right now. Like Sund, he also sat on his hands and watched Nique’s teams go stale while the Pistons, Bulls, and Knicks passed them by. The only moves he made to help his franchise player, who was getting double and triple-teamed night after night was bringing in old Moses Malone and old Reggie Theus; we all know how well that turned out, don’t we?
Babcock? No need to go into the Nique trade again. Because of his pisspoor drafting (Adam Keefe, Doug Edwards, and Dion Glover ring a bell?), Steve Smith, Mookie, and Dikembe had to play 99.9999% of the game for them to have a shot to win. He’s the single reason why Alan Henderson and Chris Crawford are sitting in beachfront houses in Aruba counting their $$$$ right now. Oh yeah, do I really need to mention J.R. Rider?
BK? Get real. He’s had not one, not two, not four, but as King Kong Bundy would say, FIVE LOTTERY PICKS. After losing 50+ games all of those years, you would’ve expected the self-proclaimed ‘basketball expert’ to bring in guys who would’ve change the franchise for the better. With the exception of Horford, he managed to draft a glue guy who doesn’t start, the clumsiest small forward in basketball, and two others who will have a hard time getting an NBA deal over the league minimum. Just how much different would this team look with Chris Paul, Rudy Gay, and Al Jefferson on it instead of what’s there right now? The resources used to bring in Speedy Claxton, only to be forced to trade for Bibby could’ve easily been reallocated to getting the big man they so desperately needs if BK had simply did what all of us here, on Hawksquawk, RealGM, and Peachtree Hoops had suggested; leaving Marvin alone to draft a point guard. On top of that, he hires a guy who comes from the Red Holtzman school of not playing young players, even if he has a ROSTER FULL OF THEM. Woodson would’ve had CP3 or Deron sitting the bench behind Tyronn Lue and Anthony Johnson. BK has done just as much damage to the team as the A.S.G., which leads me to….
Rick Sund. He bamboozles Golden State into giving us Crawford and, well, that’s been all folks. Oh yeah, thanks to BK’s cracked vision of having a roster of 6′9″ guys and Woodson’s ‘never play the young guys while JJ or Crawford pounds the ball’ coaching style, Joe Johnson had all the leverage he needed to secure a maximum deal. Sund insists that a new coach and more improvement from ‘the core’ is all that is needed for them to be a top-4 team again. He insists that he’ll get the help that Horford’s been screaming from the hilltops for and his answer is Jason Collins? Really???? He must have missed the memo that Lebron and Bosh joined a team in his own division, which would make them the 5th best team in the conference at best. Yet and still, he refuses to part with any players of value (????), despite the fact that they just finished getting swept away in record-setting fashion AT HOME. Well, when you’re considering Marvin Williams as a core player, well, that tells me that you really aren’t paying attention and a new driver needs to take the wheel.
Ladies and gentlemen, I present the leaders of our local NBA team over the past 30 years.
If anyone wants to know why Philips is only half-full when the Lebrons or Kobe isn’t in town, say no more. If anyone wants to know why the locals throw up their hands in frustration, only to turn around and buy a Dwayne Wade jersey, well, as Ryan Cameron would say, NOW YOU KNOW.
When you have a franchise who only thinks about how much $$$ they can make by getting to the second round of the playoffs instead of one who thinks of the proper route they should go on during their championship parade in June, folks aren’t going to respond. No one’s impressed with ‘how far they’ve come’ when Orlando’s guys are laughing their hindparts off on the sidelines while up 29. No one cares about Josh Smith’s improvement when they turn around and see the Big Old Three in Boston playing for titles.
Again, stuff like this makes it real hard to be a Hawks fan. And with a lookout looming next year, they might lose a lot of folks on this board, including this lifelong fan. This time, it might be for good….
FrustratedBird
July 21st, 2010
6:07 pm
Hey guys, I have started a facebook page about a week ago to get fellow frustrated birds to come together and fight to buy out the ASG. Please check it out and become a fan. I agree w/ ryan. It’s time for the fans to make a stand against this ownership
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Hawks-Fans-Unite-to-Buy-Out-The-Atlanta-Spirit-LLC/123761924335428?ref=ts
ryan
July 21st, 2010
6:39 pm
Come on Hawks fans change we can believe in we need stand up like the tea party and have are voices heard and get rid of the ASG !
BrittishAnger
July 21st, 2010
6:42 pm
What did Jason Collins do in Europe to lose weight, eat a black hole?
Hoops
July 21st, 2010
8:59 pm
Tolliver is a UFA. The Hawks should offer him the bi-annual. I bet he would sign with the Hawks. The Warriors are not prepared to sign him @ this time!
Jeff
July 21st, 2010
8:59 pm
Josh Powell is about to be a Hawk
http://www.nba.com/news/features/aldridge.2010.freeagency/?ls=iref:nbahpt2
thats helps….but still….not any better than Joe Smith last season..
Hoops
July 21st, 2010
9:15 pm
Jeff,
Great find! I would rather have Tolliver, but I guess I’m not the man making these decisions!
ryan
July 21st, 2010
9:21 pm
Josh Powell wow i guess that pretty much slams the door on Shaq . Man i have had it with waiting on the Hawks its time to move on.
Hoops
July 21st, 2010
9:42 pm
ryan,
The Hawks could still get Shaq by sending Bibby and a second round draft pick to the Kings. They need a Vet. guard and they have the cap space. Then we could take the 5.5M and sign Shaq. Next, the Timberwolves are trying to get rid of Sessions. So, see if they would accept Evans (expiring contract) plus 1.4M of our TPE for Sessions.
We could look like this:
PG-Sessions/Teague
SG-Crawford/Crawford2
SF-JJ/Williams/Sy
PF-Smith/Zaza/Powell
C-Horford/Shaq/Collins
That’s NOT BAD!!!
lou
July 21st, 2010
10:59 pm
dont know much about josh powell except him being cheerleader on lakers bench.. someone fill me in on what role he will play on this team
BigCaliDawg
July 21st, 2010
11:50 pm
Milwaukee is better than us.
Bogut, Jennings, Salmons, they signed Gooden and 3 draft picks……….
BigCaliDawg
July 22nd, 2010
12:00 am
Powell might work. Better than Joe Smith. I believe the Lakers have to make room for Caracter.
James
July 22nd, 2010
12:11 am
Chris Paul wants to be traded the hawks need to find a way to get him to Atlanta.
Max JJ
July 22nd, 2010
12:39 am
I can’t wait to pay big money downtown to see JJ running those great iso plays baby! It will pack the house!
Kwijibo
July 22nd, 2010
1:15 am
I know I’m in the minority on being optimistic for the Hawks. I find the whining here indicative of why I moved away from Atlanta. Pessimism. Entitlement. Self-righteousness.
A 53 win team comes back together. ASG doesn’t feel they should sign someone like Jon Koncak to a MLE plug the center. I have always felt that Woody held this team back and zapped their confidence. Someone would get hot on the floor and he would rest him for 12 minutes. Switching defense where Bibby ends up on Dwight ends up like the Hindenburg.
I’ve always felt we have the players, just need the system. Perhaps Larry Drew is da man. Back in the 70’s, I remember sticking a Braves bumper sticker on my mom’s stationwagon that said “This could be the year!” We never were, but we rooted for them even when they sucked.
If we would go into Luxury tax for someone that won’t help us, but we “made a move”.. would that really be a good move? If Sund has a budget and thinks he can figure out how to either get Shaq for MLE or hold tight with their “core” and keep working to improve (with a long term vision).
Remember that the Hawks have NEVER been past the second round. Not with Dominique, Willis, Doc and Tree.
“This could be the year”
gene
July 22nd, 2010
2:49 am
Sell the team to someone who wants to win. Present ownership sucks, all they care about is the bottom line. It takes more than money to win in the NBA, it takes commitment, and money. Signing J.J. didn’t show your willingness to do whatever it takes, it shows your half-hearted efforts!!!
Jay
July 22nd, 2010
8:23 am
Josh Powell signs with Atl for vet minimum
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/players/profile?playerId=2197
i_am_soulstar
July 22nd, 2010
8:31 am
Josh Powell? I’d rather have Joe Smith back. These guys averaged the same minutes a game last season. If you didn’t like Joe Smith…
Joe Smith 09-10 MPG 9:11 PPG 3.0 REB 2.5 AST 0.3
Josh Powell 09-10 MPG 9:11 PPG 2.7 REB 1.8 AST 0.6
Need I say more?
ryan
July 22nd, 2010
8:57 am
Everyone who is dreaming about Chris Paul coming here for get it he just named 3 teams he wants to play for and its not the Hawks its the Knicks, Magic, and Lackers . I AM DONE WITH THIS SO CALLED TEAM !
Jeff
July 22nd, 2010
9:06 am
We really need another PF… Wow go figure. I guess he is considered a big by ASG… How dumb can they really be?
Jeff
July 22nd, 2010
9:10 am
Face it the owners aren’t going to spend money. They own this team for a tax write off at the end of the year. They have no intentions of owning this team to try and make a profit much less worry about advancing in the playoffs.
What a waste of everyone’s time…….
ryan
July 22nd, 2010
9:14 am
The Hawks are Forest Gump !
AtlSouthside
July 22nd, 2010
9:43 am
We have too many guards on the roster… and not enough QUALITY big men.
Fundamentals
July 22nd, 2010
9:45 am
Ryan – didn’t Forrest Gump win the title in football and the running races? Stupid is as Stupid Does WIN!
We got 1-3 slots to fill depending on if we go 13 or 15. Once the roster is set, we just gotta move forward. After that last slot is filled all we can do is hope, pray and dream of a lop-sided trade…which won’t happen.
Deal with it. We’re banking on organic growth, but still no news from any reporters as to what our players are doing with their summer!
Jay
July 22nd, 2010
10:05 am
I’d rather have Powell over Smith. Powell has the size to guard Howard, Smith does not. We could still get Shaq too. Let’s just be patient. We don’t need an all world center/big. We just need one with size and coordination.
Fundamentals
July 22nd, 2010
10:12 am
Powell gives up ~25 lbs to Howard and 2″. In all honesty who has proven thay can guard Howard consistently that we can actually get?
Fundamentals
July 22nd, 2010
10:14 am
Real question for me is will the Magic go with Vince or tweak the lineup for something new. I think Vince was their weak link last year as well as backup PG play. They’ve solved their PG issue, what of their Vince issue?
Jay
July 22nd, 2010
10:14 am
No one. I didn’t say he’d shut him down, but he should be an obstacle at the least. We give Howard far too many easy dunks. The Celtics make him work. If we get Shaq to add in the mix I’d be cautiously optimistic about our playoff chances.
Jay
July 22nd, 2010
10:15 am
Whatever Orlanda does I’ll still be scared of them. Screw Miami. The Majic are the team to beat in my opinion. Now in two years maybe Miami will take that spot, but not right now.
i_am_soulstar
July 22nd, 2010
10:18 am
Powell is not exactly known for his defense. Actually he’s not known for much of anything except being good friends with Kobe and provided spot minutes at power forward. And I doubt his 6′9 240 is better defensively against Dwight than Horford’s 6′10 246.
Fundamentals
July 22nd, 2010
10:18 am
That’s my point. There’s no one out there who can stop Dwight. Maybe Powell can shine here at home. He’s a homer who hasn’t seen many minutes in LA. He’s young enough to still have the motivation and energy to make a splash here. We got him, let’s use him.
I still don’t say Shaq is the answer. I’d rather see someone younger than 30 myself. We need strong, quick footed, athletic defenders to stay in front of Howard or a strong rebounding, defensive minded SF to back up Marvin.
Let Howard dunk, just control the boards otherwise. That was our achilles, no rebounding or perimeter defense. They just broke us down.
Hawks Criticized For FA Passiveness - True Sports Core Forums
July 22nd, 2010
10:28 am
[...] [...]
Jay
July 22nd, 2010
10:32 am
Soulstar…My 8 yr old knows Horford can defend better than Powell. We need fouls though and powell gives us those.
Fund….With the options available this summer I’m not sure who you guys are tyring to target. Miller would have been nice in this offense, but Howard would have had a field day against him.
Fundamentals
July 22nd, 2010
10:41 am
I don’t really have a set target, I just don’t think Shaq’s old legs are the answer. We need young talent that can run. Miller would’ve been good for allowing Josh and/or Al the block while he was in the game.
There’s really not much out there outside of Przybilla, Thomas, Kwame. How’s Patrick O’Bryant’s foot speed?
diamondd
July 22nd, 2010
10:44 am
someone tell me its some nasty, tasteless, disgusting joke. Did the hawks really sign josh powell???????????????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WHY?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!!?!?!?!!?!?!?!?!?!!?!? I AM SERIOUSLY BEGINNING TO BELIEVE THERE ARE MONKEYS SITTING IN THE ASG OFFICES PUSHING COLOURFUL BUTTONS AND PICKING EACHOTHER, so much anger built up inside…
Fundamentals
July 22nd, 2010
10:51 am
Looks like it diamondd, but what can we do?
i_am_soulstar
July 22nd, 2010
10:54 am
Jay,
Perhaps your 8 year old knows that we can get fouls from Jason Collins too. If all you’re looking at is how many fouls the guy can absorb at a position he probably won’t even defend, then you should pass the keyboard to your 8 year old and go about your business.
Chris Paul
July 22nd, 2010
10:58 am
Hey ASG, you guys need to try ya best to get me, I’ll make the Hawks instant contenders…I already talked to Jamal & Mike and they said they’re fine with it…Call up my people and make it happen…Peace…
BDP
July 22nd, 2010
11:04 am
We should be in the CP3 discussion. Trade Jamal Crawford and Mike Bibby and sign say…Shannon Brown to come off the bench for JJ. Gives us:
PG: CP3
SG: JJ
SF: Marvin – He’ll do better this year right?
PF: Smoove
C: Horford
Bench of: Teague (Our all Wake Forest PG depth chart), Shannon Brown, Mo, Rookie Crawford, Zaza, Collins and another big to be named later (Shaq?).
Thoughts?