Hawks’ decision to bring back Rick Sund was expected
Rick Sund has had some obvious hits and misses as general manager. (Curtis Compton/AJC)
The Atlanta Spirit appears on the verge of selling the Thrashers to a group in Winnipeg and are in negotiations to sell the Hawks, which would rid Atlanta of the often dysfunctional ownership group all together. But Rick Sund isn’t going anywhere.
The Hawks have exercised an option on Sund’s contract, meaning he will be back for a fourth season as general manager. The story comes via our Michael Cunningham and originally was reported by Zach Klein of WSB Channel 2.
Loading ...There are mixed feelings on Sund. Last season he fired coach Mike Woodson, which most agreed with, but replaced him with Larry Drew. Drew was viewed by some as a weak candidate. But he seemed to prove himself during the Hawks’ playoff run when the Hawks upset Orlando in the first round and stretched the Chicago Bulls to six games in the second, despite the absence of starting point guard Kirk Hinrich.
Sund made a great trade last year for Jamal Crawford. But he also signed Mike Bibby and Marvin Williams to contract extensions, which didn’t work out (Bibby’s play declined after he received the new deal; Williams never has met pre-draft expectations).
This year, Sund’s late-season deal for Hinrich was a key move in the series win over Orlando. But when Hinrich was injured and Jeff Teague played so well against Chicago, some wondered why Teague wasn’t playing before and if the Hinrich deal ever had to be made. The fact rookie Jordan Crawford was included in the trade to Washington and flourished late in the season also didn’t look good.
The most controversial move of all was the max contract ($123.7 million) given to guard Joe Johnson. But Sund felt the Hawks would take too big of a step back without Johnson. We’ll also never know to what extent ownership had on that decision.
This much seems certain: Sund faces another important offseason. After three straight seasons of being eliminated in the second round of the playoffs, there’s a good chance he will trade at least one member of the Hawks’ core. Because of Johnson’s contract and Al Horford’s value, the most plausible candidate is Josh Smith.
Bottom line: Sund may have had some missteps. But he’s a vast improvement over his predecessor, Billy Knight. I don’t have a huge problem with him coming back for another season to see if he can fix this roster. Also, with ownership in flux, it wasn’t realistic to believe a significant change was going to be made at the top.
So what are your thoughts on Sund? I’ve got a poll up also: Thumbs up or thumbs down?
By Jeff Schultz
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109 comments Add your comment
mark33
May 18th, 2011
11:54 am
The only reason he is there is because he’s cheap.
Same with Larry Drew.
Atlanta Spirit SUCKS! please sell your teams quickly so we can get people who have an idea what they are doing and not just resigning players for beyond top dollar.
Josh Smith is 6'7
May 18th, 2011
11:58 am
@Dawglasville
do you have any idea how terrible Mike Bibby is at defense AND creating offense for others? Atlanta is a laughingstock because of the Teague-Bibby debacle.
and maybe the organization needs to decide whether or not Smith is a 3 a 4 or a 5.
Lol u tell him to play the 4 at 6′8 and then get mad when he has to use perimeter skills to beat defenders.
Lebron is 6′8 with a 7′0.25 wingspan.
Smith is 6′8.25 with a 7′0 wingspan.
Michael Beasley is 6′8.25 with a 7′0 wingspan.
Carmelo is 6′7.5 with a 7′0 wingspan.
which of these players can keep the defense honest without a mid-range jumpshot or perimeter skills?
You guys act like Smith is Shaq or something. Maybe the fans are pig-headed
and want to sacrifice defense for shooting and want Josh Smith to dunk everything because he can do it all day bcuz he can jump real high.
Basketball is not all about dunking and shooting 3s every possession. Smith should lose the weight and get his quickness back so he can attack the basket better for HIGH PERCENTAGE shots and outrun people on the break more often.
If its up to management Smith gains 10 pounds every year until he’s a flabby version of Ben Wallace.
Solo
May 18th, 2011
12:03 pm
Thumbs down, he mishandled the Joe Johnson signing, he over paid Mervin, Bibby, Zaza and Rick Sund will never build a Championship team. I am very dispointed.
Josh Smith is 6'7
May 18th, 2011
12:04 pm
@Dawglasville
No. Joe Johnson loses any size advantage he has as a 3. Why have a regular sized frontcourt and an undersized backcourt.
Lateral move.
Joe Johnson loses any size advantage he has as a 3, both on offense and defense. He said himself.
The Hawks kept the same lineup that the team used Tuesday night against Portland — guards Hinrich and Teague, forwards Joe Johnson and Josh Smith and center Al Horford. Johnson was asked the last time he played small forward. He replied: “Probably never.
::::
idiotic move. Make Smith do two a day workouts gain some trade value back.
If you trade Smith you must include Marvin for a center and a big.
Thaddeus Young is the only free agent SF with dynamic ability available this summer. And I still don’t like the fact that Taj Gibson or anybody with a decent wingspan turns Horford into a jump shooter.
Happens every postseason.
Gatorman
May 18th, 2011
12:04 pm
Are you kidding me!!!????? The man that couldn’t tell the difference between Joe Johnson and Michael Jordan is getting a pat on the back. Now the team is stuck with an untradeable contract for the sully player who thinks that he doesn’t get enough respect (from players, media, writers, GM’s). The Hawks could have won (what 46 games) with or without him and could have used the same money to bring in a stronger bench (maybe another big man). Maybe they are trying to be the next Thrashers to look for a home where patrons will show up for any team (as long as it’s there’s).
buckhead benny
May 18th, 2011
12:05 pm
Sheldon Williams- enough said
Marvin Williams- any dude that walks like that isn’t worthy of being picked over Chris Paul- sorry, he should be lifting weights and advancing- dude just looks lazy the way he walks- already an old man.
Basketball Jones
May 18th, 2011
12:07 pm
@ Mark C: Sasha Vujacic played for the Nets last year….
Slim
May 18th, 2011
12:16 pm
@Gatorman
true but now they are stuck with him and he is on the wrong side of 30.
Marvin Williams is toxic.
best DEFENSIVELY the Hawks could do is. Marvin+Horford+Hinrich => Bogut +Gooden+Salmons+Sanders
Bucks are ranked 4th defensively with Mbah Moute being a good man defender like Josh Smith with a better base and without blocked shots.
Hawks could be a mix of the top defense with Johnson and Teague’s offensive efficiency and Josh Smith as our Luol Deng.
Mike
May 18th, 2011
12:17 pm
Thumbs down. Guy did nothing but occupy space in Seattle no real accomplishments. Remember he hired Weiss as coach after he had been fired 3X prior. Nothing here but occupy space and eat up space on talk radio. Larry Drew huge mistake. Of all the playoff teams Orlando was the only first round team we matched up with.
Slim
May 18th, 2011
12:24 pm
@Mike
and that was because they traded away all there bigs and wings. Gortat and Rashard Lewis became 6′7 Brandon Bass and Ryan Anderson. Howard played 44 minutes per game.
Even then we still took 6 games.
We should have taken the Celtics example when they beat us on boards or Milwaukee example when we almost lost because of the atrocious defense and lack of size on the inside. I mean without Bogut? 7 games?
Don’t let the writers fool you. Smith is the more dynamic player but Horford has more trade value in a league that will sign David Lee to $12 mil and an anorexic Biedrins to $11 mil.
Trade Marvin Williams + Al Horford for Sanders+Bogut +Gooden. Then if you dont like Smith as a defensive 3 get a scorer like Rudy Gay if Heisley doesn’t want him. Granger may even be an option (how old is he tho?).
But do NOT trade Smith for an offensive center. ANd do NOT retain Marvin Williams at the 3.
Vulture
May 18th, 2011
12:32 pm
Five more years with Joe Johnson @ 20 million/year. He’s 30 now and will be 35 at the end. Totally deflating like Hewett’s contract was.
Basketball Jones
May 18th, 2011
12:37 pm
Keep Josh and see if year two of LD’s offense is better with Teague starting. I’m betting it will be. Don’t know what you can do with Marvin. Nice guy, but dude, do some soul searching and show up to camp pissed off and play 82 games that way. Otherwise start Damien.
biz
May 18th, 2011
12:39 pm
Thumbs down. Trading a 1st rounder + crawford for Heiny was bad (looked bad then. Looks very bad now). Resigning Marvin was a disaster. Resigning JJ was a handcuff move but he could have been more inventive. The process of signing Josh worked well but how much of that was dumb (on the part of whoever made the lowball offer) luck. LD coached ok in the playoffs but I would wager other options would have made solid decisions as well and a new voice (and fresh eyes on Teague) might have helped a lot this year. You have to think 50% of the GMs in the league would have done better. That may be passing for a Hawk GM but for some reason it doesnt feel good enough.
He Aint Squat (GARBAGE)
May 18th, 2011
12:41 pm
We need to keep
Horford – Smith – Teague
This is our new core!
Main job is to find a way to get rid of Joe’s contract and the others as well.
We need draft picks (1st rounders) or defenders & 3pt specialists
We need to run the break and defend
Hire Pippen to work with Josh as a point forward
RealSquawk
May 18th, 2011
12:42 pm
Mark C I like the way you think, we need to get rid of Joe Johnson and unlike Schultzy I am pretty sure it can happen.
Now to Rick Sund, should he stay? Probably not, he should probably go. This roster is still very much Billy Knights and I would argue that it we would be a better position with Billy Knight still at the helm. The only knock on Billy is some draft blunders and the only one you can blame him for is Shelden Williams. I don’t care what anyone says Marvin Williams was the number two across the NBA. Not to mention the fact that if you haven’t noticed our coaches don’t play young guards. They never have. If Kirk Hinrich wasn’t injured than I can guarantee you Jeff Teague would have only seen 20 minutes of actions that entire series.
Rick Sund kept Mike Woodson longer than he should have, when Billy Knight had tried to fire him several times and I am pretty sure Billy would not have signed Larry Drew. Mike Bibby wouldn’t have been a lame duck and this decision with Josh Smith would have been made.
Billy Knight was a straight up decision maker and outside of one ridiculous blunder that was absolutely horrible (but he absolutely made up for) he made moves that kept this team moving forward.
Rick Sund has put a cap on this team and guess what guys The east is only getting stronger!! So if you think this roster can battle with New York after their moves this offseason or Chicago even then keep Rick Sund, but if you understand that this team is broken then you should probably be wishing for a Rick Sund exodus.
phil
May 18th, 2011
12:43 pm
Barman
May 18th, 2011
10:00 am
“They didn’t fire Woodson! His contract wasn’t renewed! How about reporting the facts correctly and quit whining about having to deal with sports in Atlanta! The Hawks had a great year and you know the man has his hands tied by the owners.”
Why don’t you just get back to emptying those ashtrays and leave the basketball to folks with some sense….a great season? What are you smoking?
phil
May 18th, 2011
12:46 pm
We’re doomed until Smith is gone….doomed.
Marvin needs to go as well….to the CBA.
Basketball Jones
May 18th, 2011
12:48 pm
Y’all complaining about this year’s #1 pick lost in the Hinrich deal, remember this is projected to one of the thinnest drafts in NBA history. So the Hawks picking at 26 or so, would be adding NO value to this team.
Zing
May 18th, 2011
12:49 pm
Thumbs up for Jamal deal, which was very encouraging and a great start to Sund’s tenure. However, ultimately, I have to give him a thumbs down for the JJ contract, which seemed like was preordained for some reason, even though it would hamstring the organization in the future (and is currently causing the mainstream opinion to move toward trading Josh Smith, a much more productive and economical player).
Actually, speaking of Josh Smith, let’s look at where the Hawks are with the JJ contract in the background. The Hawks appear to only be able to trade Josh, because no one would take JJ’s contract, Marvin’s untradeable, Horford is considered too critical, and everybody else is cheap. I think we’d all much rather JJ be traded, though. So, what, Sund didn’t realize or consider that the Hawks might be in that position last summer? Forced to trade Josh Smith? The other option would have been to work out a sign-and-trade deal with JJ, receiving back a player, like, say, Caron Butler plus draft picks in return.
Which deal would you rather have?
KevinM
May 18th, 2011
12:49 pm
Jeff, are you asking the fan base or the ASG does Sund deserve another year? The ASG must have forced the minions of their sales staff to vote on this poll. No way in HAIL does 81 people in this whole city think Sund is a good signing! That poll is tainted. And I am one of the 140+ who think he has done little since he has been here.
- Credit Sund for Jamal and drafting Jeff Teague
- Credit Sund for lying to us and telling us with a straight face, “Bibby is in his prime” last year. That quote alone should have sent you to timeout in the ASG house.
- Credit Sund with that smooth process of hiring Drew over Avery Johnson, Casey, and Mark Jackson, who hasn’t coached a fantasy team. Nice choices there for the amount of experience you have in the NBA.
- Credit Sund with drafting JC2, then giving JC2 and a #1 away for Hindrich..what was the quote: “I felt like we had to make a trade”. Nice going there…..a forced reaction to a team that played .500 ball from a team that previously won 50+ with a coach who was not respected.
- Credit Sund for sitting on his hands the first 2 years and locking in the core and the bench for years on out…..strapped the organization to one of the worse postions in the NBA after Year 3.
Admit is Sund, you went for it all with Joe; you threw all your eggs on a all-star SG that has proven he struggles EVERY playoff season. His backup and gunning partner? Not so much.
Credit Sund with signing Al and Marvin before he had to, thereby not even getting their true market value like he did with Josh. The Josh freeze-out was probably his best decision since he’s been here. If anyone on this team is earning their paycheck, its Josh…..I would hate to see him leave now.
But if we are going to stay stagnant with the same philosophies of our clone of Pete Babcock, and keeping Drew in here to continue to confuse the media and the fans, then trading Josh is probably better for Josh.
Stay the course, keep the core….Sund’s agenda so far since he’s babysat the roster he inherited. We’re headed for another mediocre season it appears.
Ted M
May 18th, 2011
12:52 pm
Marvin Williams moves with a total lack of grace and athletesisim. How he could have ever been draft for his athletesisim is beyond all reason.
KevinM
May 18th, 2011
12:56 pm
I agree with Ted M…..but some here say give Marvin another chance once Jamal is gone….really?
I predict here Marvin will be awesome in 2012, his last year of his contract. Should we wait it out for him to come back in the greatest shape of his life in a contract year?
It worked for him last time, and before his contract expired….ugh.
Truth
May 18th, 2011
12:58 pm
Why not trade AL? I like him but he DID NOT show up in the Chicago series. He looked slow compared to the big men of the Bulls.
Al needs to be more of a force on defense. I think JS is better
tom
May 18th, 2011
12:59 pm
rick sund is the underachieving players best friend.
mark louis
May 18th, 2011
1:00 pm
I think ASG had to bring him back because you can’t do a GM search while you’re trying to sell the team. But it’s likely that a new owner would not keep Sund around long-term. Let’s hope that new owner is found sooner rather than later.
Mike
May 18th, 2011
1:23 pm
I think also if the CBA is done and ownership does change hands, Sund would be probably let go and amnesty clause should take care of one of our bad contracts but the question is which one?
KevinM
May 18th, 2011
1:31 pm
Amnesty Joe Johnson, the one contract that straps us the most. Marvin is my second choice.
GT Alum
May 18th, 2011
1:32 pm
I don’t really see how Sund is trying to clean up BK’s mess. As far as I can tell, all he’s done is compound Knight’s mistakes.
Knight tried to fix not drafting a PG and drafting Shelden Williams by trading Williams and other flotsam for Bibby. Doesn’t make up for those mistakes, but it was a short term band aid.
Sund compounded this failure of BK by treating the band aid like a long term solution and resigning Bibby. He also compounded BK’s drafting of Marvin by resigning him to a large contract.
The only moves I can see that Sund has made that have made this team better are the trade for Jamal and drafting Horford and Teague. BK traded for JJ and Bibby and drafted the Joshes. If Sund’s success rate is higher than Knight’s, it’s only marginally so. The team has had more success under Sund because Knight was building from nothing, while Knight at least left Sund a decent framework to build on.
I’m not arguing that BK was a good GM. I just honestly don’t see how Sund has been a significant improvement.
heartofdarkness
May 18th, 2011
1:39 pm
Whoever is the GM of this franchise should be given the job of developing a five year plan to build a roster capable of getting into the finals. With the responsibility should come the power to run the scouting and player development departments. He should have a budget commensurate with the target the organization is tasked with hitting. One chef running the kitchen would be a good model. And he might be a she, if the best candidate were of that gender.
joey1
May 18th, 2011
1:47 pm
123
Draft Dream
May 18th, 2011
1:48 pm
Trade Joe and Marvin for Clevland’s #4
Mike
May 18th, 2011
1:54 pm
@Draft Dream – Heck No, if I am trading Joe, I am going to trade him for something better than a rookie, like a proven players or superstar with the right deal of course.
superiorblogman
May 18th, 2011
2:12 pm
Horrible. If you have been doing a job for 30 years and still making rookie mistakes like giving up 2 1st round picks and taking on more payroll for a 30 year old backup PG then you have no place. Also, when you couple that with a coach who was a backup for 20 years and when he finally got his shot performed poorly for 82 games, then had a good 12 game stretch that the fools are blowing out of proportion, you have a disaster brewing.
superiorblogman
May 18th, 2011
2:15 pm
New Owner you should listen to the fanbase. That is rule #1 in which the ASG never adhered to.
Fire LD
Fire Sund
Let Jamal walk unless you can do a sign and trade for a legit C
Do not trade Al Horford, Josh Smith, or Jeff Teague
Sell the rest of them SOB’s like 2 dollar tramps.
Thank you and have a good day
jb
May 18th, 2011
2:16 pm
A good news story in a sea of bad ones. Most of the article is pasted below.
NBA top negotiator on CBA talks: ‘The throttle is down’
CBSSports.com wire reports
May 17, 2011
SECAUCUS, N.J. — The NBA’s lead negotiator in contract talks with the players has a sense the sides understand each other and a full-court press is under way to reach a new collective bargaining agreement.
NBA deputy commissioner Adam Silver disclosed Tuesday that the sides have agreed to hold two days of extensive meetings in early June in the city of the Western Conference champion, which would be either Dallas or Oklahoma City.
NBA deputy commissioner Adam Silver: ‘We’re determined to make progress between now and the end of June.’ (AP) “The throttle is down,” Silver said. “We realize time is short. Both sides are very aware what has happened in the NFL and the disruption to their business caused by the work stoppage. Both the owners and the union want to avoid that at all cost. We’re determined to make progress between now and the end of June.”
Silver made his comments Tuesday, sitting next to Commissioner David Stern at a news conference before the draft lottery to determine the No. 1 pick.
The lead negotiators for the two sides met Friday in New York City, where Silver spoke with Gary Hall, the lead attorney at the players’ association. Hall died unexpectedly on Sunday at 67.
The last time the NBA had a work stoppage was 1998.
Stern said he believes the sides are farther along in negotiations with six weeks left in the CBA than they were 13 years ago. He said the owners and players are well aware how much money will be lost if there is another stoppage.
“Our success has raised the stakes and sort of made it in some ways more urgent to make a deal … as we look in the abyss together,” Stern said.
Silver said the league has shared all its financial information with the union and admitted it is willing to discuss different ways to reach an agreement.
With projections calling for the league to lose $300 million this season, the owners are looking to cut player salaries by $750 million annually.
The players are dead set against a hard salary cap, but Silver and Stern said the league is looking to create a system where owners can make profits from their investments and all 30 teams can compete for a championship.
“It would be hard to point to substantive progress in terms of the issues, but I think there is a sense that we are coming together in terms of a common understanding where the NBA finds itself,” Silver said. “I think we have agreed to disagree on multiple ways to reach that end and more than happy to discuss alternatives.”
Silver and Stern reiterated that both sides want to reach a negotiated settlement and not end up in the courts, where the NFL is now bogged down.
http://www.cbssports.com/nba/story/1507 … -talks/rss
gmoney
May 18th, 2011
2:18 pm
I have been reading this blog forever and you all are fair weather fans! The team brought great excitement to Phillips and the Hawks are a heck of a lot of fun to watch. Where are all the blogs about the ASG not signing Shaq? Being too cheap to sign an over the hill center that really helped the Celtics or why hire LD when Avery Johnson was available? I guess unless they win a title this continues, one team wins the title and it seems to be the same teams year after year; we are just about as close to winning as the next guy. Feel good about being in the final 6.
wxwax
May 18th, 2011
2:24 pm
He gets one more year and then he’s out. The new ownership will want their own man.
Sund has been a caretaker. He’s not a visionary. He’s not the guy who will make bold moves.
Bold moves, as Hawks are painfully aware, come with risk. But they also reward. If the Hawks aspire to win a NBA title, they’ll need a bolder leader than Rick Sund.
superiorblogman
May 18th, 2011
2:49 pm
http://games.espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=6hu9z2k
Joe Johnson to Minny for
Jonny Flynn
Wayne Ellington
Martell Webster
Pekovic
and the #2 pick
Mike
May 18th, 2011
2:53 pm
@superiorblogman
Do you really think that Minny is going to do that…………….
on the second thought, this is KHANNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN, we talking about, lets it it.
TRADE J-STUPID
May 18th, 2011
3:06 pm
smoove is the cancer this team needs to cut out before it can go further.
hire another coach, and it will be a matter of months before he’s telling him to _uck his momma (the way he’s done to the past 2 coaches).
Brings lots of bad mojo to the team
superiorblogman
May 18th, 2011
3:07 pm
Mike:
That’s a pretty even trade. Joe is the 3rd best SG in the league and better than all those guys by a mile.
Flynn has shown nothing so-far in his career. I would simply send him to Sactown for a 2nd rounder to get rid of his salary.
Ellington is a knockdown shooter. I would keep him but he is really not a hot commodity.
Webster is thought to be damaged goods. We would be stuck with him unless we can buy him out.
Pekovic is big but probably not as good as Zaza.
The 2nd round pick would be what I would be after and getting rid of Joes contract.
PG Teague
SG Kirk
SF Josh
PF Derrick Williams
C Al
Go from there with a emphasis on getting a starting level SG and C.
Mr Mojo
May 18th, 2011
3:27 pm
Sometimes I think you write articles just to start trade Josh Smith rumors. Let try to actually build around our core with real role players and not guys like Twin, Etan etc. If anyone should go its Marvin. I dont wanna hear hes untradable alot worse contracts have been moved so it can be done if clueless Sund really wants to. Once again, if you trade Josh you have no interior defense and lose your most athletic player and your only shotblocker. Also, in case you missed it one of the few Hawks that showed up against the Bulls. Its funny i see all these trade Josh story’s and fans saying it and if they do next year all the same people will be on here crying how we shouldnt of traded him. I say lets act like a real team for once and add some real pieces around our core not just mininum salary guys. Time to use the mid-level and go over the luxury tax for once. Amazing how this ownership just wont go the extra mile. Please sell this team this offseason you bunch of misfits.
Limbo
May 18th, 2011
3:41 pm
Mr. Mojo – You do know that the playoffs started before we played the Bulls right ?
At this point everyone and I do mean EVERYONE should be available if it can helps us become a better team
Mr Mojo
May 18th, 2011
3:52 pm
Yeah everyone should be available for the right price. But what makes you think they are going to get fair value for Josh Smith. You can’t trade guys and get lesser players. The Hawks will trade one of their main peices and get 2 or 3 half wits for them they arent going to get a legit player. And if you think otherwise you obviously dont know Rick Sund or the Hawks track record. As for a 5 year plan there is no guarentee you can just blow this up and be a title contender in 5 years. This team was bad for so long and now are a playoff team every year the last few years and going forward. They were 6 wins from the finals and not saying they are very close but anyone who watched the Bulls series against the #1 seed seen the Hawks can play with them and had a chance to even win that series. Quality depth is what this team needs real bench players. Netx year we wont have Crawford. we may have Kirk, Zaza coming off the bench but who else? They can’t fill this team out with guys like they did last offseason go over the luxury tax like other teams and give yourself a better chance. If this team had quality depth this year they would still be playing. This thing was wide open this year.
KevinM
May 18th, 2011
4:28 pm
Fast forward to training camp:
Rick Sund assures the new owner that he has a good feeling about this group of guys. He has spent countless hours working with LD and devising a rotation to have the most versatile, hard-to-matchup against lineup in history of the NBA. The schedule looks tough early on, but this lineup is up to the challenge to retain the 5th seed:
Starters: Joe/Marvin/Kirk/Josh/Al
Reserves: Teague/Zaza/Sy/JasonCollins/FAJarronCollins/pick48JamieSkeen(PF)because we need another PF/FALesterHudson
We have 6 guys at the minimum to fill the roster. Sund says there’s no need to have 15 guys when these 13 are so versatile and talented. LD keeps counting on Teague to be ready for playing time should someone pick up an injury. Sund thinks LD can get these guys all playing well together at the same time.
There’s nothing to look at here…..keep moving!
James on Pharr Rd
May 18th, 2011
5:41 pm
Jeff,
Are you familiar with a presidential pardon?
James on Pharr Rd
May 18th, 2011
5:54 pm
Superior Welcome Back!!
Sund getting this extension before the new owner gets the keys to the building is like making a trade before the new CBA agreement-Too fishy for my liking.
Am down for everybody not named AL/Josh/Teague/Kirk(could be used in trade) hitting the road.
If we could package some deal involving Baron Davis for JJ and 1 of their utility guys. I have a feeling Baron is going to be asking for a buy out soon in order to get his act back to any of the teams on the West Coast. Preferably their GM is willing to take Marvin on too.
What is change if we are stuck with the same old same old management? At this rate Jamal might get an extension…
Najeh Davenpoop
May 18th, 2011
6:08 pm
“Sund may have had some missteps. But he’s a vast improvement over his predecessor, Billy Knight.”
I wouldn’t go that far. If Sund really likes this core so much and wants to keep them together, it bears mentioning that most of it has been assembled by Billy Knight. Joe, Smoove, Al, Zaza, and Marvin are all Billy Knight acquisitions. Jamal, Kirk, and Teague are Sund acquisitions. It’s one thing to get something wrong (BK); it’s another thing to look at someone else’s wrong decision and think it’s right (Sund). I don’t see how Sund is a significant improvement. His tenure in Atlanta falls in line with the mediocrity that has been his entire career as a GM in the NBA.
Najeh Davenpoop
May 18th, 2011
6:14 pm
Oh, and in keeping with the Roger Ebert theme of the poll, thumbs down. Thumbs up implies that the Hawks can’t replace him with someone better if they try, which is certainly not true.
Forget Hawks, Thrashers — J.B. Smith has other issues (UPDATED) | Jeff Schultz
May 18th, 2011
6:59 pm
[...] – Earlier: Hawks’ decision to bring back Rick Sund was expected [...]