Hawks GM Rick Sund answers questions, including yours!
OK, I messed up. I said I would ask Rick Sund about David Andersen, the Australian center who plays for FC Barcelona in Spain and whose NBA rights the Atlanta Hawks continue to hold, and I flat-out forgot. What can I say? We got to gabbing.
The Hawks’ general manager and I talked Wednesday for an hour and 45 minutes, and here, as promised, is a (slightly) truncated version of that extended audience. And you’ll be disappointed because Sund doesn’t volunteer any names of free agents he’d like to sign or details of any trade he’d like to make, but you’re going to have to deal with it. No GM ever talks about such things, at least not on the record, and Sund is more cautious than most.
But he is a winning conversationalist, and I think you’ll find some edification herein. And for all those who submitted questions I wound up using, you have my sincere thanks. For all those whose questions I didn’t pose, you have the same sincere thanks and my heartiest apologies. But I hope this little exercise enables you to feel, in some way, that you were part of this experimental process.
(And one final note: I just sent Sund an e-mail asking about David Andersen.)
MB: If you had to prioritize the offseason with your free agents, who would be the No. 1 target?
RS: We haven’t even put closure to the season. We put closure to it with the players last week, but the coaches have been off – they come back today. We’ll have meetings tomorrow and Friday, and then we’ll start doing the report cards on all the players. We’ll start doing analysis. I have a lot of exercises for our entire basketball staff to go through. And then we’ll look at that and start to prioritize.
MB: I guess what I’m asking is, Is Mike Bibby a greater priority than Marvin Williams?
RS: I don’t know. Is Flip [Murray] a greater priority? Is Zaza [Paculia]? We’ve got to sit down and talk about all of those, and then this year, unlike last year, we’ve got some key free agents at play – four of the players in our rotation are free agents, three of them unrestricted. And then you’ve got the [Josh] Childress chip. We’re not privy to his contract, but what I heard from his people when he left was that he has an out provision each year he can exercise. So does he want to come back, and where does he fit in? And then you throw in the draft pick and trade possibilities …
The one thing we have is a lot of moving parts, but they are moving. And you’ve got to juggle them with the other options that are available. And most of those moving parts can’t be dealt with until free agency starts in July.
MB: Are you confident you’ll have the financial wherewithal to get done what you need to do this offseason?
RS: Yeah, I am.
MB: A theoretical question. If money and free agency were not issues, would you be happy with the makeup of this team?
RS: Yeah, I like our club. The only reason I say that is there’s still growth from within. I think [Al] Horford’s going to continue to get better; I think Marvin’s going to continue to get better. I think Josh [Smith] is going to continue to get better – every year he’s gotten better … I think you still need to tweak it if you can.
MB: You said the season was an evaluation period for you. From what you saw, do you think this team and Mike Woodson fit together well?
RS: From what I saw, this team surprised me. I was not totally impressed with the team made the playoffs last season with 37 wins. I was encouraged by two things: One, their home record of 25 wins, and two, their performance in the playoffs. So this year I said I would like for this team to have a winning record and make the playoffs. Not necessarily in that order. I’d have taken making the playoffs without a winning record.
In my mind I thought, having not known this club, we would probably be fighting for the seventh or eighth spot and hopefully be above .500 for the first time in basically a five-year program. I was surprised and impressed. A playoff-caliber club has to be able to win your 25 games at home and win between 14 and 17 games on the road. That’s playoff-caliber. They won 12 the year before, which is why they were at 37 wins and not 40 or 41. Not only did they maintain that 25 [this season], they went to 31. Elite teams in this league get 30-plus wins at home and 20 wins on the road. Now we’re not elite on the road – we’re playoff-caliber. We had 16, right in the middle. The reason we got the fourth seed was that we were an elite team at home.
That impressed me. And I hated it when it happened, but in retrospect it turned out to be good that we lost at home in the playoffs because we had to win one on the road – and we did. The fourth and fifth seeds are always the toughest [series] because they’re usually pretty good home teams, and we had to win one on the road with our backs against the wall. And even better was that we got that seventh game at home, and that was a decisive win.
Let’s talk a little about [Round 2 against] Cleveland. One of my biggest disappointments was, with our team being hurt – three starters who obviously would have played tons of minutes if they’d have been healthy – we didn’t get the true barometer read with Cleveland. But there was some disappointment in our players, and that’s good. That’s the mark of a good team.
The four teams in the [conference semifinals], we beat them. That’s why we’re a playoff-caliber club. But we didn’t dominate them. We split with L.A., we split with Denver. You asked me if we’d be happy with this club going forward … I don’t know if I answered your question, but that’s the logic going into it.
MB: You had never worked with Woodson on a close basis before. Were you satisfied with what you saw?
RS: Yeah. We’re in a results business. A couple of things should be reviewed. Last year, when I came in – hired June 1 — I got a lot of e-mails on what to do on everything. From players and coaches, trades, staffing, the whole thing. I got a lot of help and suggestions. I said at that time I’m going to spend two weeks and take in as much information as I could, and my recommendation was to keep Mike. And I think he did a good job this year.
MB: This was a big thing with our readers. They see other teams having offensive coordinators or defensive coordinators. Would you be interested in that?
RS: I’ve never really thought about that. You don’t see it very often. It’s up to the coach. It’s really a question for you to ask Mike … It’s not my call.
MB: I know what you said last year about Al Horford being a center. Do you still feel that way, and do you feel like your team is big enough, given that you were outrebounded on the season?
RS: Yeah, I do.
MB: Do you still see upside for Josh?
RS: Yeah. Yeah, I do. Every year he’s gotten better, and I thought he played reasonably well in the playoffs.
MB: Understanding that you’re still in your evaluation process, what do you see as a greater need – more size up front or backcourt help?
RS: I don’t know. I’d have to look at it and talk to my staff a little more. I like Zaza. I think Zaza and Horford did a really good job at the center position. We weren’t beat at the center position very often this year.
MB: Do you talk to Childress?
RS: He’s playing right now in Greece … When their season is over, they’re going to inform us. Evidently he can opt out of his contract. If he opts out, we’d have to tender him a [one-year] qualifying offer. Otherwise he’d be an unrestricted free agent.
MB: So you’ve had no contact with him during the year?
RS: We’ve had scouts go over and watch him. [Assistant GM] Dave Pendergraph has texted him. And I’ve talked to his agents – they represent other players.
MB: And what was your read on Childress?
RS: They played it pretty close to the vest.
MB: This is another issue with our readers. Kenny Smith apparently said on TNT that the Hawks lack an identity. Do you feel your team has an identity?
RS: I don’t pay attention to that. When I watch a game, I turn the sound down so I can draw my own conclusions. I think our identity is that we have the ability – and I think I said this to you last year – to do both [meaning fast-break and play halfcourt ball]. If the game and the tempo and the referees dictated an up-tempo game, we played it – and played it well. Like the first [playoff] game with Miami. But if it was going to be a slowdown type of game – like with Detroit – we won three games against them. I think the good teams have the ability to do both. I think sometimes people see Josh Smith’s athleticism and they think we have to be just a running team. Well, we’re not.
MB: Would you like to see the offense go a little less through Joe?
RS: That’s not for me to say. I don’t tell the coaches how to coach. I want the results, however the results may be.
MB: There was some comment after the Cleveland series that you’d go as far as you can with Joe Johnson. Do you believe that?
RS: I don’t think you can draw any conclusions from anything from the Cleveland series. They’re obviously the best team in the league over 82 games, and we were too injured. Couldn’t draw conclusions from it.
MB: Did Joe’s struggles, even against Miami, make you think he has gone as far as he can go – that this is what he is?
RS: I’m not going to throw anything on one playoff series. Joe had some big assist nights in there. I thought Joe, particularly in Game 7, stepped up. All the defenses were geared to stop him, and Joe was a part of [winning] … I’m a Joe fan, and I thought Joe played reasonably well … No, I don’t put any stock in that [appraisal of Johnson].
MB: Have you targeted any position in the draft?
RS: We’re just getting started into it. We have to zero in on it – what’s the best player and in what area do we need help most – and then you compare the two and you come up with a decision. I pretty much lean, when you’re picking 19th, to take the best player with the most potential. Particularly at 19.
MB: You liked Acie Law …
RS: I liked him. I didn’t draft him – I inherited him – but I thought it was a pretty solid draft pick, and I liked him when I saw him in college. Like most rookies, he didn’t get a lot of playing time. We knew when we brought in Flip that [Law’s] minutes were going to be suspect if Flip was a good fit, which he was. So he ended up being the ninth man, which is typical of a lot of guys in their second year. And I really thought the first half of the season he was contributing in that ninth-man role. Then he got hurt. And then, as the season progressed – and this is typical – [Woodson] tightened the rotation. That’s what you do because you want to get into the playoffs.
MB: Would you like to keep Marvin Williams?
RS: The one thing you have with free agency is that they hold some cards, too. I’ve never been one to predict anything that’s going to happen in free agency because you never know. What I do say is that I like the core of this club and I’d like to keep as much of this core as we can and I’d like to improve our club if we can with trades. If that happens, great. But what I do like about this club is that it’s young enough there can be improvement from within. When you get beyond that, then you’ve got problems. Then you’ve got to start talking about major, major moves.
MB: And you don’t feel you have to make a major move?
RS: I think we’re in a position where we can do both. If some major moves make some sense for us and we can do it, great. If not, we have growth from within. We’re in the best of all worlds at this point. We’re at the point where we are a bona fide playoff club. So we went in the past five years from bad to good. Now we’ve got to go from good to great, and that’s the really hard part in the NBA – going from good to great.
MB: Can you do that without a superstar?
RS: Define “superstar.”
MB: Is Joe?
RS: I didn’t say, “Ask me.” I said, “Define it.” [Laughter all around.] See, I listen to your questions. It gets into my theory …
MB: This is the “top 10 guys in the league” thing.
RS: You got it. Can you win championships and be an elite club with three or four players on your roster who are in the top 10 or 12 at their position? You can. Detroit showed that [in 2004]. Now [Chauncey] Billups today is an All-Pro All-Star, but he wasn’t when Detroit got it, and neither was Rich Hamilton. And neither was Tayshaun Prince. But Ben Wallace was in the top 10 of power forwards, and Rasheed [Wallace] went from a top five player in the league when he was at Portland to a top eight.
If you get enough players collectively who are in the top 12 or 13 at their position, you can win a championship. It’s been proven. And that’s what we have to do … We’ve got to do it collectively if we don’t have an MVP candidate.
Late-breaking addendum! The extremely thoughtful Rick Sund responded to the e-mail about Andersen. Quoth the GM: “We are in the process of evaluating David Andersen via film. He is in our discussions and is another ball we will be juggling. He is another moving part that we will consider.”
And now, I believe, my work here is done.
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142 comments Add your comment
O'brien
May 20th, 2009
6:53 pm
Mark, I am somewhat surprised by one particular comment.
“I’d have taken making the playoffs without a winning record”.
Really Mr Sund? If thats the case, it should be no surprise that he is satisfied with the way the season went, and the job Woody has done.
Jesse
May 20th, 2009
7:13 pm
Well, at least he speaks more than Billy K. did. He didn’t give much away, but at least he said something…….
Reggie
May 20th, 2009
7:15 pm
Mark
two questions:
1. What would you do with the 19th pick?
2. What impression did you get after talking to Rick Sund?
calico
May 20th, 2009
7:26 pm
Mr. Sund needs to speak his mind on Joe cut the bullsh*t.
Mark Bradley
May 20th, 2009
7:30 pm
1. Draft a point guard. Lawson or Maynor could be available.
2. My impression is that Rick Sund knows what has to be done and is positioning himself to do it.
Thanks for asking.
RAMMA JAMMA
May 20th, 2009
7:36 pm
Don’t worry mark. Mr.Sund will(like Don Waddell)do ONLY what the ownership will allow!!! They can’t tell us anything yet b/c they haven’t been TOLD what they will be allowed to do!!! (SIGH)!!!
PD
May 20th, 2009
7:39 pm
Rasheed Wallce is coming to Atlanta again. The Hawks need size in the front line
Joe
May 20th, 2009
7:40 pm
Sund never really answered most of your questions except by either asking a question back to you or by just saying we have not done our player and team or coach evaluations as yet. Nice try for answers but Sund was too sly to commit his hand and I do not blame him, it is too soon after the season to make these important decisions on who to sign, trade, or draft.
wxwax
May 20th, 2009
7:41 pm
Probably optimistic to expect him to reveal more, I guess.
He endorsed Woody, Marvin Williams and he doesn’t want to blow-up the team. I’m a bit surprised that he’s OK with the rebounding statistic. There are other examples of his Top 10 theory and he’s right.
Good stuff, if cagey.
"Chef" Tim Dix
May 20th, 2009
7:43 pm
Your question about identity,” If the game and the tempo and the ref’s dictated…” When a team directs the tempo they control the game not the ref’s. The Hawk should run and run some more damn the ref’s.
That should be their identity.
hawks hawk
May 20th, 2009
7:48 pm
Does sound to promising but it is kinda early in the offseason. Maybe you should have wait to ask him after the free agent period started, cause really he said alot of nothing to be honest. So we see why Woodrow gets away with whatever, its all about wins and loses, and he doesn’t care about nothing else. So we can aspect the samething next season, hopefully we have a point guard or some leader on the floor, that will be a MAN and some kinda offense.While he doesn’t have to listen to Kenny Smith and the rest of the world who actually watch the HAWKS, our offense is horrible, specially once we get down and that switching defense aint no better! Just hope we get the owner thang taken care of pretty early, cause if not this might be the quickest rise and fall of team that only made it to second round and took boston to seven games.
GO HAWKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Mark Bradley
May 20th, 2009
7:49 pm
As I said, no GM is ever going to say — publicly, anyway — “I want to dump two of my starters because they can’t play a lick and then I’m going to make a run at Tim Duncan, Yao Ming and Dwight Howard, in that order.” It just doesn’t happen. And no amount of prodding is going to elicit such a comment. That’s why these guys are pros.
But I did think it was noteworthy that Rick said what he did about “growth from within.” To me, that means he thinks this core still has unfinished business and untapped potential. And that’s good. You don’t want a core that has topped out at 47 wins and a Round 1 victory.
Peachtree Hoops
May 20th, 2009
7:49 pm
Thanks for the interview. Much appreciated.
Now let the reading between the lines begin!
gcsu12
May 20th, 2009
7:49 pm
the hawks don’t have an identity. joe johnson is a good player, but not a superstar. smoove could rpresent that identity that the hawks need if he can improve his game and his iq. he is still young and could become the face of the franchise.
Sam
May 20th, 2009
8:14 pm
Lawson would be such a great fit, I feel, with his athleticism, improved jump shot and ball-handling, and on-the-court leadership. I hope he falls to 19.
Or that Blake Griffin falls to 19, that would work for me, too.
Mark Bradley
May 20th, 2009
8:15 pm
This is just me speculating, OK? But if Tywon Lawson is there at No. 19 when the Hawks pick, he won’t be on the board when Pick No. 20 comes up.
Sam
May 20th, 2009
8:18 pm
I’ve seen Lawson projected as high as 10 and as low as mid-20’s (where the Hawks took Teague)…but I just really see him as a can’t-miss pro prospect, and don’t know why he’s not more highly valued. Then again, I’m a heels fan, too, so I may be biased here.
doc
May 20th, 2009
8:21 pm
nice work mark, good stuff. couldnt expect more still some very thoughtful answers. just hope he can deliver as thus year is more challenging than last summer though the angst was greater last year with the two rfa’s. this year it is more the bidding war and budgetary constraints.
good season and enjoyed immensely my first season as a season ticket holder. it is a great time to build fan base support, just hope the basg understand how important that is as they took waaaay to long to rebuild this team into a competitive team as we have watched several others rebuild on the fly. ultimately, it looked that they took the cheap route. let us hope they dont revert to old form.
Blast
May 20th, 2009
8:24 pm
Maybe Sund was trying not to play his hand, but I can’t believe he said he was happy with Hawks rebounding effort! Hawks were killed by Cleveland in rebounds! And AL is not a center. Sund better have something(s) up his sleeve.
Ariose
May 20th, 2009
8:26 pm
Mark, Patrick Mills is better than Lawson and Maynor….
Aslo mark, do you think we should look into signining Rasheed?
John
May 20th, 2009
8:26 pm
Sekou, Do you think Atlanta will stay with the 19 pick in a weak draft? I do not. I have a feeling Bibby will be gone and Marvin and the 19 pick will be jettisoned elsewhere for a starter (Vince Carter). I think Flip is resigned and he will be the 6th man of the year next year. I’m just throwing stuff out there…just wondering….JJ as point (he can play defense, post every PG in the league, and gets into the lane to create), VC at the 2, Smoove at the 3 (I know he’s not a 3…he cannot play on the wings…but don’t really need it if VC is at the 2 and JJ at the point), Horford at the 4…and maybe Solo, ZaZa or Morris at center. Again, I’m just thinking out loud. I’d take this team over last year’s. Then again, what if Chillz comes back?
John
May 20th, 2009
8:27 pm
My apologies Mark…I didn’t mean to put “Sekou” on there…force of habit.
Mark Bradley
May 20th, 2009
8:31 pm
I’m going to write a little something before the week is done outlining what I think might happen with Bibby, Marvin and the others. I don’t see the Hawks making a big trade with so much else on the table. And I take Rick at his word when he says he believes Horfy is a center. He’s said it in every extended conversation I’ve had with him.
And I don’t think the Hawks will sign Rasheed Wallace.
And thanks, Doc. And no apologies are needed, John. I’m honored to be mistaken for Sekou.
Acie'sGooseisCooked?
May 20th, 2009
8:43 pm
MB: You liked Acie Law …
RS: I liked him. I didn’t draft him – I inherited him LikED him Past tense????
John
May 20th, 2009
8:43 pm
Mark, I’ll take your opinions over mine…so completely disregard what I was thinking about packaging Marvin and the 19 pick. LOL Maybe Marvin and Flip (a must IMO) will be back, but the others gone. With Horford definitely relegated to playing his Hawks career out of position, I’d still like to see JJ at the point for the above reasons, someone else at the 2, Marvin resigns to play the 3, Smoove the 4 and Horford at Center. So who plays the 2 in my scenario???? The rights to Chillz (if he wants to come back) and the no.1 pick for VC? I’ve never been a huge VC fan…but if you put him with JJ….is there a better PG and SG combo in the league? Other than maybe LeBron and Mo, I want to see it!!!! They could post or create all night against everyone. And they both can play defense which takes pressure off of Smoove, Horford and ZaZa to do their things on the boards. No clue if this works financially, but kinda fun to think about it.
Volman
May 20th, 2009
8:56 pm
Mr. Bradley…love the updates. Seriously. Great work!
I know Sund can’t go too deep about questions but he tippy-toed around the Acie Law and Bibby questions (did Bibby even come up?)
I really wish you would have asked him to let up on the starters and about player development a little more. He pretty much said the only reason Woodrow burned the first 7 players was “because he wanted to get to the playoffs”. Come on now!
Great stuff though. You are really becoming an Atlanta favorite!
Mark Bradley
May 20th, 2009
9:11 pm
This is just me guessing again, John, OK? But I don’t think the Hawks will be a major player for big-name outsiders unless they lose Marvin or Bibby.
And Volman, Bibby did come up. You’ll notice Rick ducked the second question about whether Bibby or Marvin would be the greater priority. And when Rick said he likes the core of this team, my interpretation is that Bibby is part of that core. I think the Hawks will try very hard to keep him but, as Sund said, a free agent holds some cards, too. And Bibby is unrestricted, which means there’s no matching. (Marvin is restricted, meaning there could be a sign-and-trade.)
Volman
May 20th, 2009
9:14 pm
Okay Mr. Bradley. Sorry about that..it HAS been a very long day so the Bibby talk slipped my mind.
Again, us season ticket holders and diehard Hawk fans love your work as of late. You have REALLY picked it up with the Hawks news and it is really appreciated. We cannot get enough!
I really hope that we can keep the “core” of this team together, but if there is a deal out there…we need to do it if it puts us to a “great” team.
Mr. Bradley, did I read that Sund has the OK to “spend money”?? Or did I read that correctly?
Thanks again!
Atlanta Journal Constitution » Blog Archive » Hawks GM Rick Sund answers questions, including yours!
May 20th, 2009
9:17 pm
[...] Mark Bradley | ajc.com – [...]
Mark Bradley
May 20th, 2009
9:20 pm
Thanks, Volman. And no apology is needed. There isn’t a lot about Bibby in the 60 or so inches of copy — you’re right about that.
As I understand it, NBA teams are waiting to see where the salary cap for next season falls, and where the luxury tax kicks in. And I’d imagine the Hawks will then set their own budget. So far as I know, the owners haven’t approved — or disapproved — anything yet. But it’s still only May, and the draft isn’t until June 25th, and talks with free agents can’t begin until July 1st.
I think what you read was Sund’s response to the question, “Are you confident you’ll have the money to spend that you’ll need?” At this point, as his answer would reflect, he is.
Melvin
May 20th, 2009
9:27 pm
Mark,
did you get the impression that Sund more interesting in resigning or trading JChill???
I think this is the summer that Sund has to make a decision on JChill b/c we lose his rights after this season and D.Andreson b/c of his age (29).
The Truth
May 20th, 2009
9:31 pm
Mark
Out of the whole Q&A interview, the only part that was interesting to me was your Late-breaking addendum part about Sund evaluating David Andersen. This guy looks to be a real baller on offense. His game reminds me of Jermine O’Neal. His post game is something the Hawks desperately needs. [(Check out his video)/[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EZlnVzmOn3c]]
ILL-logical
May 20th, 2009
9:37 pm
Good Stuff! Informative and an imaginative use of the ajc.com franchise.Now some context: The ownership is still in dire straits economically both because of the local market for professional basketball and the the general economy. Plus their internal problems don’t help either.
Having said that,the point is they can’t afford any major moves and no major star would want to come and play here because of their financial problems.So they are left with a limited set of options regarding the current roster.And one of the limitations is the fact that Josh Childress is not a fan of Woodson’s coaching capability.
Another is the fact that while many in the Association believe Woodson is a good character guy ,few believe he is a good coach. That is one of the sidebars of getting the national media attention being a playoff team brings. Opinions and comments that the local media may gloss over are pointedly addressed by the national media experts.And let’s face it , they were quite harsh in their assessments. Not wrong in most instances but harsh none the less.
So here we are with some major issues to address because of the team’s success and cannot be avoided.
The stakes have been raised and improvement is required. And going from 47 wins to 50 is going to be extremely difficult,especially with the same weaknesses that were so glaringly exposed on national tv.
Which brings us to the threshold question: What did Mr. Sund mean when he said that they were going to honor Woodson’s contract?
uga_b
May 20th, 2009
9:37 pm
I want to believe a Detroit-style team can win but it’s hard after seeing the impact of Melo, Howard, LeBron, and Kobe. I don’t even put Howard in that category, but watching Melo and Kobe, it’s clear either one of them can win a game. Kobe’s decisiveness to the basket was awesome and a little disheartening for this Hawks fan. Joe has got the game to get fouls inside but shoots jumpers like an old man. Melo has really turned into a player. I think we may need to run the offense more through Smith who can attack the rim. Of course, the big question mark is his head followed by his shot.
John
May 20th, 2009
9:38 pm
Mark, do you think this will be a slow summer for almost every team? I mean, with the economy the way it is…I think everyone will be looking for the absolute best possible deal. We all are excited/concerned to see what Atlanta does…but I think it will be a long summer for pretty much every NBA team.
Astro Joe
May 20th, 2009
9:38 pm
Thanks Mark. Diehard Hawks fans needed to see this. Nothing very surprising in the answers but really good work and much appreciated. Did our favorite suit-wearing come up in discussion, Craig Claxton?
John
May 20th, 2009
9:39 pm
With the exception of Mark Cuban’s Mavericks of course. LOL
Fred
May 20th, 2009
9:45 pm
Interesting about Andersen, I had totally forgotten about him. It would be awesome to add him and Chill back. In that scenario, we can simply let Marvin go, which is fine by me. I would like to sign Bibby for 2 or 3 years at $6-8 million and then draft a point guard or big man, whichever is better at 19.
http://www.examiner.com/x-2723-Atlanta-Hawks-Examiner~y2009m5d20-Potential-Draft-Prospects-Patrick-Mills
Ed
May 20th, 2009
9:45 pm
My goodness what low expectations from Rick Sund for this year’s team. This interview was not very revealing except for the fact that Sund seems pretty contented with where the Hawks are . He thinks we can grow enough with the personnel we have to push forward to the next step. The same coach, the same players, the same chemistry issues, & we could possibly be looking at this same team next year.
As can be expected Sund dodged all the pointed questions & put the onus on Woody as far as his assistants go. I can’t imagine many will want to return as Woody doesn’t listen to them anyway.
Chris
May 20th, 2009
9:45 pm
The Hawks stalled in the half court set! That is a Coaching problem! Bibby couldnt guard anyone in the playoffs..better yet this year. His wheels are worn down from the kings days. offer the vet minimum $5mill. Draft a point guard (maybe trade up to the lottery if you really like someone…incl. m. williams in the trade.) and need to sign a low post back to the back player for cruch time/half court sets. inside/outside will help 3 pt shooters. Tell Josh Smith to drive the ball everytime. What do ya think bradley?
Ed
May 20th, 2009
9:51 pm
One other thing…all this talk about drafting a PG who can penetrate & dish the rock is a waste of time. Woody doesn’t want that type (ala Ty Lawson) of PG. He wants one who can knock down the outside shot once Joe decides to pass the ball after dribbling around for 15 seconds.
Mark Bradley
May 20th, 2009
9:55 pm
Whoops. Another name I forgot. First David Andersen, now Speedy Claxton.
Chris, I think Sund sees Horford as that low-post player. (And I concur.)
And thanks, Ill-logical.
Mark Bradley
May 20th, 2009
9:56 pm
As for Childress: It pretty much depends on him. If he doesn’t opt out of his Olympiakos contract, there’s nothing the Hawks can do.
ken
May 20th, 2009
10:35 pm
hawks need a damn center. not no damn point guard in the draft. bj mullins. nbadraft.net…. get sessions in free agency
Mike is back
May 20th, 2009
10:53 pm
Mark, thanks for some what paraphrasing my question…you kept your word…you used fit I said align. I guess Gearson Sr is still RUNNING THA SHOW BRO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
No wonder the Sund and the ASG adores Woody…they got the measuring bar LYING on the GROUND. Heh heh
EVEN THOUGH SUND DUCK ALL OF YOUR QUESTIONS…GREAT JOB!!!!!!
Mark Bradley
May 20th, 2009
10:55 pm
Er, thanks, Mike.
Big Ray
May 20th, 2009
11:05 pm
Great Q&A, Mark.
You know, it’s obvious that Sund is a real old hand at this. And a few things stick out with him.
One, it’s nice to hear from a guy who is, and doesn’t mind being….candid. Two, it’s nice not to hear any crazy theories or ideas like: “People say we need a point guard. I have to laugh when I hear that.” Three, Sund was exceedingly artful when addressing Woody. He addressed Woody the way HE wanted to, not the way he was asked to. He gave Woody enough praise, but didn’t gush about him. Very clever, and I like it. You can draw no conclusions from it, but it’s still very good for print. He pretty much addressed questions about the team in similar fashion. I feel better about him already. Still interested in what he does in the draft, though I won’t be looking for yet another swingman. BUt at least we’ll be taking a #19 pick at…well, #19. Not at #2 or #5…
Malone
May 20th, 2009
11:06 pm
What about Cenk Akyol, the Turk PG?
Big Ray
May 20th, 2009
11:09 pm
Mike,
He didn’t duck ‘em. He answered what he wanted to answer, in the fashion that he chose. He’s an old, clever hand at this, and I appreciate that far more than someone who would be foolishly blunt. The whole thing is a game. Besides, he’s not going to do something stupid like let everybody in the known universe know that he’s going to take a guy at #19 in the draft, who nobody has on their board that high. Nor is he going to let any very serious internal decisions out until the time comes. Always leave ‘em asking for more…
Melvin
May 20th, 2009
11:10 pm
Mark,
If Josh opts out of his Euro contract, do you feel Sund would like to resign him?
Jo Bling
May 20th, 2009
11:11 pm
I thought the most telling thing was when Mark asked him a pretty direct question:
MB: You said the season was an evaluation period for you. From what you saw, do you think this team and Mike Woodson fit together well?
Sund went on and on about this and that, never once mentioning Woodson or getting close to answering the question. And in an attempt to restate the question near the end of his response he actually ended up misstating it. Very direct question. Very indirect response.
Najeh Davenpoop
May 20th, 2009
11:17 pm
The two most important things I got from this interview were that a) Sund feels pretty confident that he won’t be stopped by the DASG’s financial troubles, and b) he also feels like this exact same team can do better next year (the comments about growth from within indicate this). The first point is very encouraging to read as a fan, even if it may be a little unrealistic. The second one I think is a little too optimistic… I do think the team can win 50 games next year if everyone stays healthy, but I don’t think they are going to be as good as Orlando, Cleveland, or Boston the way they are currently constituted.
I would love to see a similar Q & A with Woodson, hopefully one that addresses whether or not he thinks Acie is part of the Hawks’ future, whether he plans to over-rely on Joe again next year, and whether Josh and Al are going to be featured in the post more often next year.
jake
May 20th, 2009
11:18 pm
Good work Mark. Do you think they’ll get David Anderson from what Sund said?
Najeh Davenpoop
May 20th, 2009
11:21 pm
About Lawson… I think in a weak draft like this one, his tournament performance will vault him into the lottery. Rubio, Jennings, Lawson, and Maynor are probably all lottery picks this year. The Hawks are probably going to be picking among the likes of Jeff Teague and Patrick Mills where they pick.
Of course, if it was up to me, they would just play Acie more and use their pick on the best player available regardless of position — hopefully someone like DeJuan Blair.
tyger
May 20th, 2009
11:27 pm
Draft BJ Mullens or Terrence Williams (best player available)
Sund whimped out on the Cleveland question. Nobody is happy with what they saw from the Hawkettes, they bent over. Injuries my arss. Houston lost Yao and McGrady and fought to the end.
Why couldnt the Hawks?
lawton
May 20th, 2009
11:34 pm
sund is a puppet like woodson, which is why he was hired. atlanta sports is ALWAYS gonna be scrubville. all these games they play with the atlanta fans. as long as they make money, they dont care. im really finished with all atlanta teams. losersville u.s.a. is alive and well.
Mike is back
May 20th, 2009
11:37 pm
Big Ray, SHO U RIGHT…that was just a complement to Bradley for getting some of the concerns of fans before the GM…he kept his word…Sund just didn’t take the bite…surely that didn’t come as a surprise to anyone.
As a season ticket holder…I was very interested in what Sund had to say. He just didn’t say much. Plus, talk is cheap…I will wait to see what moves he makes BEFORE I MAKE ANY ASSUMPTIONS.
Save for his comments about Chill…nothing he said surprised, discourage or impressed me…but that just me…what do I know. Heh heh
Mark Bradley
May 20th, 2009
11:48 pm
I think the Hawks would like to have Childress, but at their price, not his. (That’s why he’s in Greece right now. Rick Sund didn’t think Childress was worth much more than the mid-level salary. Childress thought otherwise.)
And I really don’t know about Andersen. I believe he has one more year on his Barcelona contract, but I also believe the Hawks’ rights to him expire after this season.
And I like Terrence Williams a lot. But where does he play? Small forward? Point forward? Shooting guard? Point guard?
Mark Bradley
May 20th, 2009
11:52 pm
And to answer John’s question from a little ways back: I don’t think many NBA clubs will be spending big in this economy. I think a lot of free agents who’ve been waiting for this summer are going to be massively disappointed.
And do I think the economy could benefit the Hawks as it pertains to their free agents? Absolutely.
Bigeasy830
May 20th, 2009
11:59 pm
Najeeh, I disagree, I think the team can win 50, we fell short by only 3 games this year and Al, still have a lot of growth, He will definitely get better. Even if we lose Marvin and Bibby, as long as we get players that can fill their rolls on this team, we will be a much better team. If we lose Marvin we need a 3 that can shoot it from the outside and penetrate, damn it would have been great if we drafted Brandon Roy and couple of years ago, and if we lose Bibby, we must get a PG that can penetrate and hit the open jumper. I disliked Sund when they first hire him because he did not think the Hawks were a good team. I knew they would improve this year and I see a lot of improvement for them next season. I think they will come into the pre-season much more determined. From what I am reading, I think we will try to keep Marvin, but we can only hope for the best.
Shannon
May 21st, 2009
12:03 am
Mark
Thanks for asking the tough questions about Woodson. I have made it clear how I feel as I watched Woody coach night after night. After hearing Sund speak I will now speak with my checkbook……. but it was fun watching the braves play tonight and see a real organization at work. By the way Braves … you are about to get more money next year from me!
cp
May 21st, 2009
12:38 am
Well I can see why Woody will be back after reading that interview.. I like Terrence Williams too. I would play him at the 3. I think he has enough length and strength to pull it off. His jumper needs some work but he improved it as his college career went on. When I read about the rumors of us maybe moving Marvin I thought that Terrance would be a good fit or if we brought Marvin back he could get Evans minutes. This draft is so weak that I have no idea if he will be there or not.
Greek Dawg
May 21st, 2009
1:00 am
Mark,
Next year, try to find out when the coaches reports cards on the players are finished before doing nother interview with Sund.
I agree a lot of teams are not going be spending big this off-season, Take a look at the following off-season and you’ll see the best list of elite players ever available in any free agency period in recent history. Most clubs will be trying to build a bankroll for that. Who knows, we may even know who owns the team by then.
Re-sign Bibby and work the guards we have. We cannot go into another season without help, big help, at center.
Keep up the good reporting.
tony
May 21st, 2009
1:01 am
Rich Sund has his hands full. I see alot of things that are wrong with this team. Josh Smith and Mike Woodson can’t coexist, Joe Johnson is not the enforcer that this team needs, Acie Law is a bust, Marvin Williams is not a starter in my eyes and Mike Bibby is not a true point guard.
If I’m GM, I will be looking for a enforcer who will play good defense for Woodson and has leadership skills.
One player that comes to mind is Ron Artest. He’s an enforcer, good defender and he has good leadership skills. He wouldn’t mind getting in Josh Smith face for shooting unnecessary shots.
Another player that can help our team is Jermaine O’Neal. If we can sign O’Neal, this will enable us to move Al Horford to his natural position.
There is one player in this draft that would have a huge impact on our team; (Stephen Curry). This kid is going to be a enforcer in this league. He can hurt you from the perimeter and inside the lanes. He’s a terrific passer and defender. I would be willing to move up the draft to take him.
Malone
May 21st, 2009
1:11 am
What about Cenk A, the Turkish PG? Do we still have his draft rights?
He’s supposed to be talented. More than ACL4? Who knows…
MyView
May 21st, 2009
1:14 am
MB…I found it funny that when you asked Sund about Marvin, Sund ended by saying [I would like to improve the team with trades if available, and make sense]. Marvin is restricted, and that is what usually happens with restricted players. Your take?
alsim
May 21st, 2009
1:14 am
Sund should be a politician. He says a lot without really saying anything. He danced around so many questions that you didn’t get too many straight answers.
You need to interview him again in a month or so and ask the exact same questions.
Dr. Warren
May 21st, 2009
1:15 am
Doesn’t seem like a ringing endorsement of Marvin. He basically deflected the question.
BA
May 21st, 2009
1:20 am
Superlative work here, Bradley. You and O’Brien might save the AJC yet…
BosnianBaller
May 21st, 2009
1:27 am
I’m glad Sund didn’t say anything (player’s names).Wren did that this past winter and he got burned like 5 times.Glad Sund took the John Sherholtz approach.Also reading the reponse on Marvin question leads me to believe that Sund will trade him b/c he said one of the core players could be moved.Marvin should be moved.
Ariose
May 21st, 2009
1:28 am
It actually may just be smart to draft Tyler Hansbrough at 19…….if Mills is off the board of course. Either him, Ellington, Hrnderson or Chase Budinger. But With Al Horford having that ankle injury,Hansbrough would have filled in nicely during the playoffs.
Ariose
May 21st, 2009
1:38 am
Hmmm…..I wonder if Hansbrough can defend the Small forward position? He’s defenetly mobile enough…..
BosnianBaller
May 21st, 2009
1:44 am
Hansbrough is a Sheldon Williams clone.Hansbrough is late first pick in my mind.NBADraft.net has him at 25.
Ariose
May 21st, 2009
1:44 am
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VZGNV8rgAmc
Ariose
May 21st, 2009
1:46 am
Nah, he’s a lot more mobile and athletic than Shellhead….
Ariose
May 21st, 2009
1:53 am
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PyCrrahigMM&feature=related
I think he may seriously be an NBA Small forward. Thoughts?
BosnianBaller
May 21st, 2009
1:55 am
Same crap different package
BosnianBaller
May 21st, 2009
2:00 am
Can’t shoot to outside.Can’t be a three
Crazy Diamond
May 21st, 2009
2:41 am
We are so screwed. Sund, Billy Knight – it does not matter. The ownership mess limits what Atlanta Spirit will spend. We can be an elite team after the ownership clusterbungle is over.
Until then – we are so screwed.
BarkingBulldawg
May 21st, 2009
3:16 am
Fantastic Q & A, Mark and I’m you’re harshest critic. You seemed to defer to questions from us, the knowledgable bloggers, and that was both effective and much appreciated. You were even humble enough to follow up on David Andersen (which was a nice touch) even if Sund did give you an ambiguous answer…are we gonna bring him over or not, dammit??!!!
Thanks. This is a crucial offseason, so I hope you will continue to give the Hawks some attention….
tbhawksfan
May 21st, 2009
3:56 am
Nothing changes. Sund is a yessir man. Wouldn’t have been hired if he wasn’t. Funny how he says everything is in evaluation, but when obvious issues are raised, Sund sees no problems.
When he said that he thought he’d have financial flexibility, I would have asked why noone was brought in at the deadline to help a young PO team.
Also, I think that most of our bloggers could have gotten more out of the interview; forgetting DA, no questions about Speedy, by-passing the fact that one of our most important core players hates the coach and refuses to speak to him….
Why is it that everyone is willing to accept the corporate BS line?
When I see Sund maximizing the potential of this team, he’ll get my respect. until then, I’m of the opinion that these people are inept in their management of the Hawks; from ownership, to GM’ing, to coaching. The results of this were evident in our stagnation this season.
I wish we had an obnoxious reporter that would ask the real questions and expect nothing less than a straight anwser. Even if there was no straight answer, et least we’d be realistically treating the reality.
Even if the Hawks continue to improve through maturation, shouldn’t the GM be doing everything, big moves and tweaks, to move the team to the top of their potential? The Hawks have entered into a new era of competitivity, but as of yet, they are still being managed as an also-ran team.
Sund may have to play politically correct (especially if he knows his hands are tied), but I and we don’t. Demand the best, expect the best and if anything else is given, raise Kane (?). Better to be rebellious in a bad situation than an butt smoucher in any situation.
calico
May 21st, 2009
4:19 am
i would rather draft Earl Clark than T. Williams any day but if Teague is available i think thats who you draft unless we can move up.
Edo River
May 21st, 2009
5:27 am
mark, I am not one of your bigger fans, but I really appreciate this interview with Sund. As a former reporter I understand the revelation of character/personality that this article reveals. I would have been MAJORLY disappointed if the GM revealed some news that I thought later on, should not be tipped to the public on what the GM is tending to do. So this was a reassuring and professional job, You did miss on Speedy and Anderson. I expect you to follow up on Anderson and “J-Chill”. Is he really a good fit? How about other foreign players, how have they progressed? The Turkish kid? etc.
.
Tony
May 21st, 2009
5:49 am
Why not consider a player like Ben Gordon over Mike Bibby?
Steve
May 21st, 2009
7:51 am
Mr Sund just wish you luck building a better team in Atlanta. I just don’t feel Woody is the answer you watch the timeouts and players just don’t seem interested. I don’t feel they respect the guy he is a not a good coach. I feel the Hawks should promote Larry Drew head coach.
J
May 21st, 2009
8:01 am
Good article … wish he had shared just a little more info, but i guess that’s why we wait the summer out …
Funky Bobby J
May 21st, 2009
8:22 am
My worry is that we lose Marvin for nothing. Before he got hurt, he was showing great promise. His outside shot was spot on this year, he goes to the rim, rebounds and plays tough D (really needs to work on ball handling). I feel like he could be a key next year and really mitigate the loss of a Bibby (having a strong outside shooting 3). On the other hand, maybe he is just injury prone. It is really tough to make the call. All of those people calling for the Hawks to sign a superstar need to wake up. It ain’t gonna happen. When the hawks are healthy – they are a match-up nightmare for other teams. 4 or 5 guys 6-7 to 6-10 that can all run jump defend – hard to find mis-matches. I like this team; I just hate their stop and stare half court offense. Good job MB – stay on these guys for us through the off-season.
dap01
May 21st, 2009
8:28 am
Nice try Mark. I look forward to your next article.
Mike
May 21st, 2009
8:38 am
Great interview, Mark!
1. I was surprised that he wasn’t more enthusiastic about Marvin. Remember last year with Smith and Childress, how adamant they were that they would match any offer?
2. You say you think the rights to Andersen expire. Really? Can you double-check that? I’ve never heard of that.
3. I would also like to hear Sund say that they will not just sell their pick for cash.
Thanks!
Paul
May 21st, 2009
8:41 am
Moving parts, moving parts, moving parts. oh brother, can we please dispense with that phrase. all it is is corporate speak. Maybe Sund needs to turn the volume up on his tv. If the whole world is saying that our offense is pathetic in the half-court because we strictly focus on one-on-one basketball and you refuse to hear it, why are you our GM? A GM should be open to listening (not neccessarily do it)to anything and everything as his goal is to improve the team. And the type of problems we have on offense are not just Woodsons business, they are Sunds business too as he has the ability to bring in a facilitating point guard…….anyone who refuses to acknowledge or accept that a team has weaknesses, will never strengthen them.
Daniel
May 21st, 2009
8:48 am
Mark- Great job on the Q&A. It is soooo refreshing to have a GM who is willing to talk about his team and engage the fan base. I know he did not say a whole lot, but in some ways he did. Clearly, Woodson is back next season. That is a big question to answer right out of the gate. I also like the fact that he understands this team is not where it needs to be yet. I would like him to take more personal ownership of his decisions; however, we may see more of that as the summer progresses. Woody has his faults, but I really admire his willingness to state his goals very clearly and then take ownership of accomplishing those goals. I hope Sund is sincere when stating that they will be able to make whatever financial moves needed. This is a BIG off season for the Hawks; the team overachieved this year. Now it is time for the front office to do the same.
Mark Bradley
May 21st, 2009
8:53 am
Thanks for the kind words, folks. Again, I hope this little exercise proved informative, even if Rick didn’t crumble on the witness stand and yell, “All right! I confess! I want to draft the next Shelden Williams!”
Oh, and I’m fairly certain Sund knows his team’s weaknesses. He’s a pragmatist, and by nature — he admits this — he’s more a glass-half-empty guy. But I think he sees a lot of strengths. And I’d concur with that as well.
mountain_jim
May 21st, 2009
8:58 am
Good job Mark. So Sund says its up to Woody what assistants or coordinators are considered, but we know Woody thinks he knows all he needs to. Woody needs OC help, and if he does not figure this out his bottom line record eventually will show it for him next year I suspect.
Westurd
May 21st, 2009
9:07 am
Mark, good questions.
Rick, slight of hand with the answers.
No meat to that interview but the attempt is appreciated.
mark
May 21st, 2009
9:17 am
by them keeping woody tell me all i need to know, this is the best it going to get with the hawk. very dissappointed
ILL-logical
May 21st, 2009
9:28 am
The Cavaliers lost at home to a team that has a strong center and Anthony Johnson at the point.What that tells me is that the Cavs are not unbeatable(Hawks fans already knew that) but to beat them you have to go inside. And go strong-break down the shot clock strong.
New Start
May 21st, 2009
9:35 am
The fact that Sund thinks that Horford is a center scares me. He is a power forward for christ sake. The guy is 6′9″ and struggles against every good big man in the league. I applaud his grit and effort but he is playing out of position. I think the hawks brass insist that Horford is a center so they want have to spend the money to go out and get one. If they admit he is a power forward playing out of position and ZAZA leaves for free agency then they would have no center on the club. Am I the only one who thinks that horford is not a center?
Volman
May 21st, 2009
9:39 am
I think it is funny with all the theatrics from “the king” (give me a break) last night. He dives for a loose ball and gets up like he can’t walk.. He gets fouled but doesn’t make the and-1 and checks for blood from his lip while agonizing in pain. His team loses the game and he acts like he can’t walk and “cramps” up, yet he was perfectly fine for the jump ball.
I love how EVERYBODY is giving excuses for LeBron for “being so tired”. This guy is a BEAST…he is probably pretty well conditioned as well. He didn’t look tired on all of those DUNKS or BLOCKED SHOTS on Howard… He seemed to actually be flexing his muscles on every chance he could.
But then again, he was tired…and hurt…right?
chris
May 21st, 2009
9:40 am
Mark,
A few of the comments have JS by them. Was there a third party present that I missed? I wondered if it was a Freudian slip reference to John Scherholz since you were interviewing the Hawk’s GM. But there could have been a third party that I missed because at one point you reference laughter all around.
I’m not busting your chops, just paying attention.
I enjoy your blogs.
MannyT
May 21st, 2009
9:55 am
MB, thanks for sharing the interview. It was good info…especially considering that hoops news gets real lean around here between the end of the season and November.
I hope folks paid attention to the fact that Sund leaves most of the how to coach and roles of the assistants to Woody. I get the results focus. The tricky part for the GM is when to opt for a commitment to the long term over the short term without blowing up the team. I’d have to imagine that major rebuilding does very bad things to team revenues and profits…including lower ticket prices (remember the $199 season tix) and lower sponsor & local media revenues. (I doubt 790 the Zone broke the bank to get the Hawks radio rights as often as they preempt them for Tech games.)
I am a Childress fan, but I cannot see him coming back to the Hawks. Pro hoops is a business, and all of his leverage is in staying in Europe for another year. If he can tolerate another year there, he’s unrestricted and has a salary floor based on the 3rd year of his Olympiacos contract. Based on the early words about the next collective bargaining agreement, a player may NEVER make up the $$ difference between a restricted and unrestricted free agent deal.
I might even extend that to Marvin Williams. If he can tolerate the risk of significant injury/poor play next season, I’d go for the 1 year tender and be UFA next summer. Get that good contract before the league starts to clamp down on salaries.
Here is a reference article to back up the money thoughts.
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/basketball/nba/2009-04-29-82-games-cover_N.htm
BWAF
gmt
May 21st, 2009
9:56 am
Over the years the David Andersen question has been asked again and again and the answer has always seemed to be that he probably wouldn’t ever come over because he is making more money there than he would here. I don’t have the facts behind that, just what I’ve read in years past.
James Banks
May 21st, 2009
10:03 am
Mike,
Good interview! Mr. Sund refused to commit himself to anything, and rightly so. However, I came away from your article/blog believing that he wants the Hawks to resemble the 2004 Detroit Pistons approach toward winning a championship. With that said, a quick look at that team could tell us the direction he wants this team to take.
While the starting fives are similar in that Horford is an undersized center like Ben Wallace, Smith has the inside/outside versatility and shot-blocking of Rasheed Wallace, Williams has the fundamentally-sound, focus on defense game of Prince, Johnson can scoring guard like Hamilton and Bibby is a veteran leader like Billups, there is a big difference on the bench. That Piston team had veteran role-players like Elden Campbell, Mehmet Okur, Corliss Williamson, Darvin Ham, Lindsay Huner, Bob Sura, Hubert Davis and Mike James on the bench while the Hawks’ bench has a bunch of youngsters like Othello Hunter, Thomas Gardner, Randolph Morris, Solomon Jones, Mario West and Acie Law.
So if Sund wants the Hawks to emulate those Pistons, it seems logical that he will keep Woodson, bring back the starting five but replace the youngsters on the bench with veterans–guys like Malik Rose, Adrian Griffin and Rasho Nesterovic–to go with Evans, a re-signed Murray, a re-signed Pachulia (and possibly Childress and Anderson) not only for what they bring to the court but also to police the locker room.
Two quick questions, Mark: Should our GM consider trading Speedy Claxton to Oklahoma City for Earl Watson since the salaries match up and both guys could use a change of scenery (or should he choose to keep Claxton and allow his expiring salary to provide the money needed to re-sign Joe Johnson in 2010)? Second, should the Hawks send Acie Law and this year’s number one to Milwaukee in a sign-and trade for RFA Charlie Villenueva, especially if trade #1 happens?
Mark Bradley
May 21st, 2009
10:32 am
Don’t know if those were Freudian slips, Chris, but they were examples of lousy typing. I’ve fixed them. Thanks for noticing.
Jay Harris
May 21st, 2009
10:44 am
Mark….I guess that im in the minority on this one but I have to say above all else we have to get some size…Centers are a valuable commodity and I pretty much am relegated to the fact that the only way we are gonna get one is through a trade…I think Chris Kaman would be a great fit…Defensive minded player,great rebounder and I think that asking price would only have to be Marvin and the Number 1…What do you think of my arm chair GM.
Cameron
May 21st, 2009
11:10 am
Mark–I have always been a person that thinks Marvin is expendable but, he is a good player. I think we will never truly appreciate him here so a change of scenery may be necessary. I think we should think about Artest and Kaman, and seriously consider playing Acie more instead of just deeming him a bust and drafting another point guard. I love his energy and explosiveness that draws fouls.
mountain_jim
May 21st, 2009
11:11 am
I agree with those here who saw the obvious in these playoffs (unlike Sund based on his answers), that the Hawks do not have the size and strength at Center to go deep in the playoffs. Every other team still playing has much better size and depth at Center. Mark pointed out the rebounding shortfall against Cleveland and Sund did not appear to agree. A front line of Josh and Al can not stand up in the rougher playoffs against these stronger teams.
I will wait and see but I don’t see much yet to have confidence in Sund’s judgement. I realize he will not tip his hand so have to see how this offseason plays out.
ernest martin
May 21st, 2009
11:11 am
What are the chances of picking up Marcus Camby?
Tremaine
May 21st, 2009
11:14 am
Mark what do you think about trying to add Marcus Camby, Chris Kaman or Gortat from Orlando?
I MUS.WRITE
May 21st, 2009
11:29 am
Wow a whole article that didnt tell us squat…. way to dodge the important opics Mr sund……….
Mark Bradley
May 21st, 2009
11:32 am
Here’s the thing: If you pick up a Camby or a Kaman, where does Horford play?
OK, you’re going to say, “Power forward.” But Rick Sund doesn’t think Horford is a power forward, and I’m pretty sure the Hawks wouldn’t want to team Horford at the 4 — where he’d score even less — with a center who’s not a real offensive threat. One of those two positions must score big consistently for you to win. (And currently the Hawks have Josh Smith at power forward, which Sund believes is his proper position as well.)
Reggie
May 21st, 2009
11:58 am
Mark
What should the hawks do, if Rick Sund feels that Al Horford is a Center. I think he is a Power Forward. Does that mean he probably wont get another bigman? Thoughts?
Tremaine
May 21st, 2009
12:28 pm
Mark, I’m sure you know that if the hawks want to be a serious contender they are going to have to get bigger on the inside. The clipper getting the first pick was a blessing in disguise for the hawks. Check out this lineup. I think it looks like a more athletic version of the Cavaliers. Minus Lebron James of course.
C Camby
PF Horford
SF J. Smith
SG J. Johnson
PG B. Bibby
nique
May 21st, 2009
1:36 pm
What is Sund’s goal for this upcoming season? Just to make it past the 1st round again or to get to the conference finals?
I actually think the Hawks are going to have a much tougher time as it is next year making it past the 1st round (unless someone on the current roster really steps up their game) since they will likely not have the 4th seed and home court to fall back on, as I think the Bulls will get that spot as Rose continues to develop.
Chinese Tech Fan
May 21st, 2009
2:15 pm
Mark,
Do you think the case of 2004 Pistons is a good template for a franchise to win a championship title? I can’t agree with that. How many times had NBA champions won it all without at least a duo of superstars during last 30 years? I guess only one or two. It is true that Pistons were an annual contender in the east when their core players were at their prime years. However, playing together with Anthony now, Chauncey Billups has a lot better chance to get back to the NBA Finals, even though it means that the Nuggets have to beat L.A. first.
On the other hand, the Hawks will have to confront superstars as LeBron James and Dwight Howard (probably a healthy D-Wade as well) for at least the next ten years if they can still make playoff runs and continue to be competitors, and heck yeah LBJ will get even better. A couple of years ago, LBJ beat the Pistons by himself in the Eastern Finals, and that Pistons were still a very good team. It makes no sense to me that the Hawks can possibly become a dominant team in the risen East if they only aim to improve by growing from within. We need superstars, which we don’t have any now.
Wink from Lithonia
May 21st, 2009
2:30 pm
Mr Sund was rather coy & unimformative. Not a big change in communication than Billy Knightmare.
Re: MB….less offense run thru Joe?
RS….I don’t tell coach how to coach …. I want results!
“It does not take much to please this guy. My feeling is that he is not in touch with overall development of the team. So you get 40 plus wins, run your starters down, they fail to compete in 2nd round, after going 7 games in 1st round. What about support for the starters, bench development, player growth, confidence & identity; the 25 wins home & 16 on road is cute, it means nothing to fans to see your team mauled in the playoffs on the road especially. Did this coach get any votes for Coach of the Year, any…he has one of the youngest teams & the made the playoffs, but no votes…speaks volumes to me.
Re: MB….greatest need?
RS….I don’t know….need to talk to staff…not beat at center.
What team has he been watching. This team needs help inside. Small guards have been attacking & dunking on our centers for 2-3 years now. Conversations with the staff should have been going on all year. ZaZa & Horford are just okay at center, not the answer.
Re: MB…Kenny Smith…Hawks lack an identity?
RS…he pays no attention to that…we can play both uptempo & slow.
We have the ability to run an up tempo offense which would involve the guards & wing players, whereas our slow tempo is only Iso Joe…yes we play both styles. The answer to the question is which do we play better, we certainly are not 50/50 in these styles of play. I also find it curious in his answer, that he suggest we allow other teams to dictate the tempo or style of play…why would not a better strategy be to impose your will (identity) on the opponent….just food for thought??
Re: MB: Can you do that without a superstar?
RS: Define “superstar.”
He had not answer, just the Top 10 at position axiom. We may have one player who is in the top 10 at his position. Which could only be Joe or Josh, which is a toss up if you go by position of Shooting Guard or Power Forward???
Answer to Superstar question from Sund: A player who can take over a game anytime he wants too, a player who can take the first half off to get his team involved and still get his numbers, a player who is clutch 90% of the time & does not defer to other at crunch time, a player who can take your team from good to great, a player who a referee will respect, a player who will lead his team emotionally, a player who makes others better by his mere presence, a player that does not exist on the Hawks roster Mr Sund…get head out that polyanna cloud!!!
bali
May 21st, 2009
2:36 pm
what a great article. wow ………. i dont believe I have read a better article all year on the inner workings of a professional ball club. Super interview, great to see that the Hawks seem to be in the hands of people who really care about making the team better. Thanks Mark Bradley for writing for the AJC.
Mark Bradley
May 21st, 2009
3:39 pm
Why, thanks, Bali.
And Wink, I think there’s a difference between Rick Sund, who’s careful with his words, and Billy Knight, who essentially stopped talking to the media. (And I like Billy Knight — really!)
Mike B.
May 21st, 2009
3:50 pm
Finding about David Anderson is the FIRST question that should have been asked. He needs to be in the NBA and playing for the Hawks. Is it possible to send him that question via e-mail or some form?
Mike B.
May 21st, 2009
3:52 pm
sorry, I just read the botton not about David Anderson. Thanks.
Jerome
May 21st, 2009
4:31 pm
Why talk to GMs, they never say anything worth hearing!
Hawk Str8Talk
May 21st, 2009
4:40 pm
First, thanks Mark for the off./def. coordinator question. We talked to Sund around mid-season during Blogger Night and many of those answers are the same that he gave us relative to the growth of the team and I feel worse now than I did then. There’s a difference btw being a homer and being able to say diplomatically where you see weaknesses that you want to improve (whether that’s by coaching, player development, or an infusion in talent is where you can evade the question), but that’s not what was done.
That’s what gives me pause at this stage. I was definitely happy to talk to him and he was always gracious when we talked. He even gave me a bunch of off-the-record stuff that was more revealing and reassuring, so I’d assume that he did the same for you, BUT I do not feel reassured that these guys are being honest in evaluating the weaknesses this team has. Woody (philosophy), Joe (leadership), Josh (low post and discipline), Al (low post offense)m etc all have weaknesses that need to be addressed and while I don’t expect him to call them out publicly – I do expect him to not give a pass to the team b/c of injuries or that you were wrong in your assessment of their ceiling. It would be great for him to say – we need to get tougher mentally, we need more leadership, we need more size or ball handlers or whatever to deliver the message that you see where we have weaknesses.
Sigh….
b-ward
May 21st, 2009
5:41 pm
Yeah, this interview was pretty much what anyone should expect an experienced GM to say at this point in the season. Obviously not going to give away any names, or targeted positions, or any of that stuff. Typical GM talk. Undeniably frustrating, but unfortunately reasonable.
This might just be me, but I don’t think that Marvin is an essential part to our “core”. I remember last year that Mike would start him, let him play 5 minutes, and then put Childress in for the rest of the quarter. It was almost as if the owners said to Coach Mike, “Start him so that we don’t look like idiots for drafting him, please!”. My thought is that we package Marvin, the 19th pick, and Childress (I don’t really know the specifics behind Childress, I’m just assuming we can bring him back and trade him away), and send them all to Toronto for their 9th pick and Bosh. Bam, there go both our C and future PG problems, assuming we take a PG with the 9th pick. I don’t know if Toronto would be willing to accept this trade, but I think they would. Sund can think Horford is a quality center all he wants, but truth is even Al himself would rather play PF and having the chance to put Bosh at center would be orgasmic.
Truth-serum
May 21st, 2009
5:46 pm
I agree with
New Start
May 21st, 2009
9:35 am
Any one who thinks Horford is a center clearly doesnt know or understand basketball. Were is for a tough ride when you think the dude is more concerned with signing ZaZa “watch this turnover, and by the way the express lane to the cup is now open” Pachulia clear is an idiot when it comes to basketball. The Hawks need a center. It is there number 1 pressing concern. The dude Sund is scary…. how did he get ownership any way and how do we get rid of him?
Truth-serum
May 21st, 2009
5:49 pm
Tremaine
May 21st, 2009
12:28 pm
Good line up!!!
Sund doesnt know basketball. Base on what he is saying the Hawks wont get any better and after next year player will be demanding trades… probably before the years out. The dudes Sund is a joke! Can we ge an owner who knows basketball?
Mike
May 21st, 2009
6:17 pm
Here’s what I don’t understand, and I say this in all seriousness, not in a rage-against-the-gm kind of way: what does Sund DO with his time? When it came to any sort of question about how the Hawks play or how they should be coached he deferred to Woody. Okay, I get that, and like Woody okay. But when it came to personnel questions either about the draft or about Childress or Andersen he makes it sound like they are just starting to do their homework. Seriously, what has he been doing the last three months?
Mark Bradley
May 21st, 2009
6:47 pm
They’re not just starting to do their homework, Mike. I think we can assume they’ve been working all along. But I don’t think they’re going to share the fruits of those labors with us just yet.
Ernest
May 21st, 2009
7:01 pm
Mark, another kudos for involving Hawks fans with the interview. The AJC has gone through some tough times recently with layoffs. Including fans in this process can bring perspectives that you might not consider. I hope you utilize this format in the future. I believe it can go a long ways towards growing readership.
NCBravesFan
May 21st, 2009
8:39 pm
Mark – thanks for this! I was really curious as to how Sund sees the Hawks after their postseason performance, and it seems he made it clear that he likes this core group and doesn’t think we’re all that far away from joining the elite teams in the NBA.
Now the challenging part begins – holding on to our players and getting one or two extra pieces that can help the Hawks get to the next level.
His comments left me thinking that the Hawks are in pretty good hands with Sund.
truth-serum
May 21st, 2009
8:43 pm
TRADE SUND, BRADLEY TO ANY CITY THAT WILL HAVE THEM…WHERE DID SUND GET HIS BASKETBALL SENSE? FROM BRADLEY? TWO CLUELESS JOKES. I HOPE YOU ENJOYED THE LAST TWO YEARS BEFORE THE SUND/BRADLEY ERA BECAUSE THE RISE TO THE TOP WILL TAKE A DETOUR. DUMB AND MO DUMB! ITS FUNNY HOW THE PEOPLE WHO HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THE HAWKS RISE THINK THEY KNOW HOW TO TAKE IT TO THE NEXT LEVEL. DUDES!!
THE HAWKS NEED A CENTER THE HAWKS NEED A CENTER! A REAL ONE!THE HAWKS NEED A CENTER THE HAWKS NEED A CENTER! A REAL ONE!THE HAWKS NEED A CENTER THE HAWKS NEED A CENTER! A REAL ONE!THE HAWKS NEED A CENTER THE HAWKS NEED A CENTER! A REAL ONE!
Ken Strickland
May 22nd, 2009
2:17 am
It’s truely amazing how soneone can expect Sund to reveal who he intends to draft at #19 when former GM Billy Knight got roasted for revealing his intention to draft Shelden “THE LANDLORD” Williams.
My only concern with drafting a PG, regardless of who he might be, is will Woodson embrace him and give him a chance to contribute, or will he give him the same lousy treatment he’s given Salim, Solo and Acie?
I’d have to say Sund’s response about his views on Woodson is revealing. It appears he’s aware of Woodson’s shortcomings, but as long as the teams overall results are acceptable, he’ll overlook them. However, Woodson will have to earn every contract extention, and if the team regresses, or fails to progress, he’s likely out of here.
We need to go all out to give Woodson what he needs to overcome his coaching deficiencies and help the Hawks succeed. GOOD LUCK SUND!!!!!
Mitch
May 22nd, 2009
2:34 am
If Rick Sund thinks that Josh Smith is a PF (which I do too) and Al Horford is a center, then he needs to trade Al and something else for a more efficient center. I love Al I just feel he is a Center in a PFs body. We need to resign Bibby, but draft a PG for the future. Joe and Josh have to stay. Zaza is the heart of Atlanta so bring him back. And let Marvin walk and get Artest. Another thing that catches my interest is that I hear the Hornets want to get rid of Tyson Chandler still, He would fit REAL well with this Hawks team.
BarkingBulldawg
May 22nd, 2009
6:01 am
Horford would score more as a PF than as a Center, Mark. I’d love to hear your logic on that one but I think you are talking out of your ass there.
ILL-logical
May 22nd, 2009
10:02 am
A key element of the debate comcerning Sund’s opinion of the team’s status and the opinions of some the correspondents is tactical vs. strategic or short term(1-2 years) as opposed to long term (3-5 years).
I believe Sund for a variety of reasons can only think and act short term.And that perspective will not please a lot of the folks on this board.
First, because of finances and other issues , Woodson will be retained for the duration of his contract. a money issue pure and simple. Probable outomes: Same stuff and same shovel.
Second, few if any major moves. again, moola issues. Probable outcome: Joe is gone after his contract expires, Bibby is 50/50 for resigning and Acie is history.
Last, despite this year’s progress and the healing of the various injured bodies, next year’s record will not be better. Some of the our competitors,Miami, will make adjustments to move ahead of the Hwks.
An example of a strategic move(s):
Trade Joe, a re-signed Bibby and Josh Childress’s rights to New Orleans for CP III and Tyson Chandler. It is a cost saving move for the Hornets because they desperately want to ditch Chandler’s contract but are afraid to move CP III because of his popularity. However, he has always wanted to play for the Hawks-grew up in winston Salem as a big fan-and could be persuaded to advocate for the deal. Joe’s contract is off the book’s in 2010 so Shinn has even greater cost incentives. They are in basic survival mode in that market.
Of course Woodson and CP III would be an interesting match but fortune being kind it would only be for a year at best. Improbable ,yes. Impossible,no but we will never see that kind of thinking from the short sighted current regime.
bob
May 22nd, 2009
10:20 am
useless interview…no content…just “i dont know’ or “i cant answer taht now”
How the Atlanta Hawks just might stay together after all | Mark Bradley
May 22nd, 2009
12:58 pm
[...] like the core of this club,” Sund said this week. “I’d like to keep as much of it together as I can.” His endorsement is a major factor: It [...]
newkid
May 22nd, 2009
2:07 pm
Good effort Mark. Seems like a lot of smoke and mirrors when Sund could have simply told you (in many instances) he’s simply not prepared to give you a frank and honest response to (name the question) at the moment. Verbosity without substance is to some cute; to others it’s merely a wasted use of the world’s oxygen. No need for us to “…assume they’ve been working all along” when Sund could simply have said “…my staff and I have engaged in a year-long evaluation of all the attributes of our coaches and players, and have devised a plan that we’re convinced will position us to compete for the O’Brien trophy for the next 5 years; however it’s inappropriate for me to discuss many elements of that plan at the moment.”
Maxx
May 22nd, 2009
3:31 pm
I Love the idea of Smoove at the 3, Horford at the 4 and Camby at the 5. Horfy is definitely athletic enough and has enough range on his shot to play the 4, and with the addition of Camby, our defensive frontcourt would be the best in basketball . Marvin and ZaZa coming off the bench would give us more offense when we need it. If we can get a PG to succeed Bibby in the draft we will be set with our depth and versatility. Now, if we could just learn to play an effective half-court offense…
Hugo
May 25th, 2009
6:58 am
I hope Sund will finally do something that will get us to the championship. We cant seem to get a quality True Center and consistent 3 shooter. I am still pissed about the Gasol thing. Why didnt we get him if Memphis was willing to part with him? Just glad that other Dummy GM is gone.
Commonsense
May 27th, 2009
4:58 am
In all fairness the Acie Law question was DISRESPECTFUL. Acie Law is on the Hawks Roster. Yet, you spoke of him in past tense. I found it quite questionable for you to even speak of someone as if they are a former player just to suggest and get your point across. Word of advice if you have so any suggestions. Do as us fans do and email them accordingly. Im disappointed that the question was so biased…Bradley!
ngc7
May 31st, 2009
1:10 am
here are the moves i think we need to make
Do Not sign Bibby. I like him alot but he cannot play defense. Defense wins championships and bibby is a matchup nightmare.
Sign Flip Murray and Zaza
Sign Marvin and bring him off bench or sign and trade him to move up in draft
If pick isnt traded draft the best talent on the board
Sign a Free agent point guard. Jarrett Jack would be perfect. Can hit the three and drive the lane. Brings tons of energy and will play hard defense . Back him up with Law .
and the biggest move we need to make is to pick up a Center whether threw trade or Free Agency
Starters
Jack
JJ
Smith
Horford
(Real Center)
Backups
Law
Murray
Williams
Solo
Zaza
With this team we could matchup with anyone
and run 3-4 rotations
If the Hawks trade Josh, they lose me. (Unless it's for Kobe.) | Mark Bradley
June 16th, 2009
2:10 pm
[...] month Rick Sund, the Hawks’ general manager, said: “I like our club. The only reason I say that is that there’s still growth from [...]
Tdtgivfj
June 22nd, 2009
5:18 am
WEd2wn comment5 ,