The Hawks’ secret weapon: Shelden the sleeper is a Celtic
Billy Knight's most daring stratagem nears its fruition at long last.
Only now have I discovered what Billy Knight was doing that June night in 2006. Only now have I grasped the brilliance of his grand design. He drafted Shelden Williams not to bolster the Hawks but, years down the road, to sink the Boston Celtics.
Those of us who read spy novels — and I once took a college class in the history of the spy novel — know all about “moles” and “sleepers,” agents recruited young to infiltrate the enemy’s intelligence service and wreak havoc from within. But only now have I applied my college learnin’ to basketball. And now (and only now) it makes perfect sense.
The Landlord is a mole.
Knight took him with the fifth overall pick in Round 1 not because he’d turn out to be a good player but because the mysterious GM saw the big board and sensed, years ahead of time, that the barrier to the 2010 Eastern Conference finals would run through Boston. So he trained the Landlord, which is Williams’ code name, in the dark art of counterespionage. And then in February 2008 he gave him a cover story so convincing that even the late Red Auerbach wouldn’t have smelled a rat/mole.
“Landlord, we’re trading you to Sacramento,” Knight said, “and we want you to spend the next couple of years working your way back East. Try to wind up in Minnesota in 2009, and then we’ll fix it — Doc Rivers is an old Hawk, and we brainwashed him back in the ’80s — so you land with the Celtics. And then you’ll be in place.”
It will work like this: Game 7, Eastern semis, TD Banknorth Garden. Big Baby Davis pulls a hamstring and Rasheed Wallace gets ejected for griping and Kevin Garnett gets ejected for screaming and Kendrick Perkins fouls out and Paul Pierce has been suspended for more “menacing gestures,” and the C’s have nowhere to turn but to the Landlord.
Who, on cue, trots on the floor, yields the deciding three-point play to Al Horford — Agent Horfy was Part 2 of Knight’s grand scheme — and then slips away on the first train to Alewife. And the NBA has no cause to suspect anything because everybody knows the Landlord isn’t an NBA player. And the Hawks are in the Eastern Conference finals, where they’ve never been, and Billy Knight stands revealed as the greatest spymaster since George Smiley unhorsed Karla.
I know, I know. It’s far-fetched. That’s the beauty therein. And sometimes sleeper schemes even outlast their creators. (Knight, as we know, was so secretive he chose to resign last summer rather than reveal the rationale behind Operation Landlord.) But how else to explain this stunning news item?
From Frank Dell’Apa of the Boston Globe: “[Celtics GM Danny] spoke yesterday after announcing the signings of forwards Glen Davis and Shelden Williams.”
And somewhere Billy Knight took a sip of brandy, stroked the Persian cat on his lap and chortled, “Soon the world will be mine. All mine.“
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97 comments Add your comment
S.L.
August 11th, 2009
7:17 am
That’s cold!
Bank Walker, Texas Ranger
August 11th, 2009
7:34 am
I was wondering why we drafted that stiff. Billy should have been fired on the spot. This pick was so differen’t than all the other bad picks the Hawks have made because the other picks had some potential. This guy you knew was not going to be worth a crap. I imagine when that pick came in at least 95% of the Hawks fans said WHATTT!!!
Theo
August 11th, 2009
7:35 am
Wow – eye-popping stuff, Mark. Now, please explain the Spymaster’s rationale for not drafting Chris Paul. I assume it has something to do with making the Western Conference weaker by providing the Hornets with a killer PG.
Verbal Kent
August 11th, 2009
7:57 am
LMAO!!! WTF?
SimpleDawg
August 11th, 2009
8:05 am
All verbiage is annoying….why don’t you just say, “Knight is a dumba$$ and Sheldon is a stiff.”
honest_abe
August 11th, 2009
8:13 am
so cold…. but too funny. heh
MightyQuinn
August 11th, 2009
8:18 am
Like the guys on the beer commercial said, “BRILLIANT!”
MannyT
August 11th, 2009
8:21 am
Sounds like Bradley is code for Brill (enemy of the State)…hmmm
mountain_jim
August 11th, 2009
8:22 am
Well I enjoyed it Mark. Sometimes you just have to laugh to keep from crying, what with Billy and the Hawks drafting this stiff instead of Roy, when this stiff could have been had 5 or 6 picks further down the draft at least. ‘The promise’ leaked, and the whole NBA laughed at Billy and this franchise over this pick and the ham-handed way it was done.
greg
August 11th, 2009
8:23 am
My son went to Duke. Saw about 70 Duke games with Sheldon playing. Great kid, very good college player but you just knew he was not going to be a good pro.Knight was an idiot.
Herschel Talker
August 11th, 2009
8:28 am
greg – your son isn’t smart enough to get into Duke. You are a liar.
Billy Knight likes men.
Mark Bradley
August 11th, 2009
8:37 am
The weird part was that Billy Knight said before that draft the Hawks weren’t in position to pick for a specific need and then turned around and took Shelden Williams because the Hawks needed defense and rebounding.
And Shelden was indeed a fine college player. But so was J.J. Redick.
Bubba
August 11th, 2009
8:42 am
What’s going to throw this scenario out of whack will be when Sleeper actually plays like he should because he was actually mentored by a coach who can do more than wear a suit.
Daniel
August 11th, 2009
8:46 am
Wow Mark- I am not sure who takes it worse Shelden or Billy. Neither one is part of the orginization now (thank goodness). J.J. is a better pro than Shelden.
Oh, btw I would still rather have Shelden than Randolph Morris.
Mark Bradley
August 11th, 2009
8:46 am
I don’t know, Bubba. I haven’t seen much upside with the Landlord.
Jamaaliver
August 11th, 2009
8:47 am
I still think JJ Redick AND Shelden Williams will both turn out to be All Stars!!!
Mark Bradley
August 11th, 2009
8:47 am
Yeah, but the Hawks didn’t burn the No. 5 pick in the 2006 draft on Randolph Morris. They signed him as a FA.
Daniel
August 11th, 2009
8:51 am
Yes, Mark but remember the Hawks eventually turned Shelden into Bibby. Not horrible really.
Daniel
August 11th, 2009
8:52 am
Both are making roughly the same salary this year as well.
Atl Fan
August 11th, 2009
8:53 am
Would have been nice to see Candice around the arena. Guy is undersized but so is Davis and Powe and they have been coached up in Boston. He is a role player who will work okay for Boston. Woody is a lot to blame for the young guys developing or lack there of. People point to Josh Smith and Marvin though they are good players, its been slowly coming. Should get rid of him before he destroys Horford’s development. Hawks should be blasting teams in the East with this sleeper roster.
Jack
August 11th, 2009
8:54 am
Mark, if you look back to Shelden’s rookie season, he actually played pretty well. Then, he got hurt and like so others, fell out of Mike Woodson’s playing rotation. Hopefully Jeff Teague won’t follow that path.
Try to remember things like that before lumping on to a player — it’s the lazy, easy way out which isn’t what a columnist given this forum is supposed to do.
Todd
August 11th, 2009
8:58 am
Great reference to George Smiley. I don’t know many others who are a fan of the Smiley Trilogy and other Le Carre novels. I’m on “The Honourable Schoolboy” now, which is holding its own with “Tinker, Tailor.” Good work, again, Mr. Bradley.
JR
August 11th, 2009
8:59 am
OK, Shelden Williams is not even the best player in his own family (Candace), but he is a lot better than any of the stiffs the Hawks have (Morris) or are left on the market. He can play a little defense and get a rebound or two. It must just be embarrassing to bring a reminder of Billly Knight’s incompetence back to Atlanta. If the Celtics see some value in him, I would trust their judgement over ours.
Skinnyj
August 11th, 2009
9:02 am
The problem with drafting sheldon wasnt drafting him at all, it was doing so above 17. The Hawks could have traded down to any number of teams looking to make a sensible pick in Roy for at least one more draft pick. Granted it was a pretty weak draft, but we could use another 1st round body right about now.
Miles Messervy
August 11th, 2009
9:09 am
So we brainwashed Doc in the ’80’s, and we STILL lose Game 7?
Doc’s been compromised…time to off him.
PMC
August 11th, 2009
9:10 am
It’s just too bad he couldn’t be Carlos Boozer or Elton Brand instead of Shelden Williams.
Westurd
August 11th, 2009
9:15 am
Can I get some clarification here…..Isn’t S. Williams the “Slumlord?”
The Dogfighter Returns
August 11th, 2009
9:39 am
Sheldon Williams or as I prefer to call Him Mr. Parker. Findinga wife ws more important than playing pro ball once that check was signed.
Hugo
August 11th, 2009
9:40 am
Great story Mark. I still think that Knight should have been given at least ten yrs hard labor for that pick. Wms is laughing all the way to the bank with that beautiful wife Candice. Now that’s a good pick. Too bad she wasn’t available for the draft that year.
JDK
August 11th, 2009
9:40 am
Mark – how do you think Shelden would feel if he read this article? Would you say these things if you came face-to-face?
Hugo
August 11th, 2009
9:44 am
JDK I would. The truth shall set you free.
JDK
August 11th, 2009
10:00 am
So Hugo, if someone wrote an entire piece mocking you mercilessly, you’d be cool with it?
Steve
August 11th, 2009
10:10 am
JDK- They are proffessional athletes, the landlord would brush this article off just like any other piece of rubbish Bradley writes.
The prior statement wasn’t in anyway supporting the landlord…
The Truth
August 11th, 2009
10:43 am
Mark
As much as I enjoyed reading the humor, this story may have a bit of irony to it. I’m thinking when we play Boston this upcoming season and we get spanked by 30 points when Doc puts Sheldon in the game to punctuate the ending. Knowing Doc, he would do it too. Your article may not be so funny then. Would it?
Mark Bradley
August 11th, 2009
10:50 am
Oh, yes. It’d be funny then, too.
The Truth
August 11th, 2009
10:55 am
Wes
August 11th, 2009
10:55 am
I love it Mark. Seriously, best blog on the site in a while.
Mark Bradley
August 11th, 2009
10:56 am
Why, thanks, Wes.
The Truth
August 11th, 2009
11:00 am
Enter your comments here
The Truth
August 11th, 2009
11:00 am
PS: OK Let’s remember this exchange
David
August 11th, 2009
11:06 am
good blog MB, we need thrasher blogs soon!
Mark Bradley
August 11th, 2009
11:08 am
Thanks, David. Good idea.
chas
August 11th, 2009
11:12 am
Excellent work! It is tragic how the armchair quarterback fans feared this debacle pick, but the GM didn’t. Beware of the college overachiever ACC picks who can’t compete in the Nba (i.e. Tyler H.).
Mark Bradley
August 11th, 2009
11:15 am
I’ve said it before, but even the Hawks insiders who will defend the Marvin Williams choice to this day admit they had no clue as to why Billy Knight took the Landlord.
Kevin M
August 11th, 2009
11:18 am
Mark, tell us where Billy is today watching his sinister plan come together? What, he won’t take any interviews? What a surprise!
Also, tell us how many draft picks we have wasted during his years of being the ‘basketball expert’.
I look at 3-4 names that have been successful in the NBA after the landlord was selected: Roy, Gay, Ronnie Brewer and Rondo. What a bad draft class overall.
We actually brought in Rajon Rondo, Foye and Marcus Williams for a big workout. How did Shelden come into the picture after not even working him out?
I see why we are mediocre as a franchise.
Dell
August 11th, 2009
11:19 am
Face it fellas, da Hawks will neva advance to a higher level, til they git a coach dat knows how to lead young men!
Mark Bradley
August 11th, 2009
11:20 am
Billy essentially stopped doing interviews when he was the general manager, and he hasn’t given one since he stepped down.
Chris
August 11th, 2009
11:20 am
This is stupid
pd
August 11th, 2009
11:20 am
The Hawks secret weapon is their personal chef, Bradley Rouse. Take a look at how their record has improved every year since he was hired.
Dell
August 11th, 2009
11:25 am
I’ll tell u y BK took da LANDLARD! He knew his daze wit da Hawks were numbered,so he got dem b4 they got him!
BPJ
August 11th, 2009
11:26 am
Very funny stuff!
Now what I want to know is, how likely is it the Hawks will add Joe Smith soon? He would be a real boost to the bench; if there’s anything everyone should have learned from the past season, a solid second-string is crucial to success. The Hawks first five are superb, but by the end of a long season without adequate backup, they were hobbled by various injuries and just plain fatigued. With the addition of Joe Smith, then we have a solid second 5.
Ryno
August 11th, 2009
11:27 am
Maybe one day the Hawks secret weapon will be…Team Defense.
I guess I’m just not seeing the big picture.
Mark Bradley
August 11th, 2009
11:28 am
I think the Joe Smith signing could happen any day.
EW
August 11th, 2009
11:33 am
Bradley, did you have a wake n bake session this morning?
Mark Bradley
August 11th, 2009
11:34 am
I had to Google “wake n bake,” EW. And the answer is no.
Dell
August 11th, 2009
11:42 am
Mark, I can’t believe they pay you to do this!
BrittishAnger
August 11th, 2009
12:27 pm
Wow…and I thought I had some strange theories…
jarvis
August 11th, 2009
12:33 pm
Mark – you are so short-sighted.
This plan is so much larger than Billy Knight. Pete Babcock got this ball rolling years ago. It all started with the failed ploy of drafting Tall White Stiffs…Keefe, Volkov, and Koncack that led to this. The Babe realized that we simply could not have stiffs to succeed in the grand deception, he actually believed that much like a bloodletting, all talent had to purged to enable us to have multiple years of top 5 lottery picks that could all be spent on 6′5 inch tweeners so that we could find the “chosen one”.
The plan was put into place with the arrival of Jim Jackson and J.R. Isaiah “Don’t Call Me Zeke” Ryder. They went so deep into the deception that the ticket office year continued to answer the phone, “Thank you for calling the playoff bound Atlanta Hawks” until we were actually mathematically eliminated. Huggy Bear didn’t even have that kind of dedication to deep cover.
So in the end it was Knight who came in to execute the Babe’s well-laid plans, but make no mistake about it, this was all set in motion in 1998.
Herschel Talker
August 11th, 2009
12:38 pm
MB – Worse than signing the landlord was letting every GM in the NBA know it ahead of time so that Knight couldn’t even trade down knowing that no one wanted anything to do with him. Knight was such a fool.
Sam
August 11th, 2009
12:41 pm
I had to google wake n bake
it’s like shake n bake
only, not…
j
August 11th, 2009
12:42 pm
Mark,
As crazy as it sounds, i enjoyed reading this. Loved the humor, even though it had little facts behind it.
Meanwhile...since we are speculating...
August 11th, 2009
12:47 pm
Mark,
Since we are speculating here, care to make a case on how a Georgia State football team, with a full year of practicing under the radar, having the full advantage of being completely overlooked and a coach who all too familiar with the enemy terrain, could march undefeated into Tuscaloosa in December 2010 and play a similarly undefeated Alabama team with national championship implications on the line?
Thought you might want to take a stab at it, since you seem to be in “big picture” mode today.
ray
August 11th, 2009
12:52 pm
Shelden has been a disappointing NBA player. But go back and look at the Hawks that year, and the draftees available. The Hawks needed a big, not another wing. Shelden was the best available big.
Hate to say it, haters, but this pick had logic behind it.
Mark Bradley
August 11th, 2009
12:59 pm
That’s me, J — amusing but never factual.
And Meanwhile …, I’ve already picked GSU over Alabama next year. (Actually, I have not. And probably won’t.)
Hawksgirl
August 11th, 2009
12:59 pm
Lmao! You a fool mark! Quite entertaining and im loooking forward to seeing it happen
Bill Heller
August 11th, 2009
1:06 pm
Ironically, the HAWKS still need to sign someone who can rebound and play defense…
IDK Y
August 11th, 2009
1:08 pm
OMG! Come on and write a real story! What’s is BS bashing a two year removed GM? Where were the write ups when he was here? Idiotic, lazy, afraid to step on toes AJC at its finest!
FLCeltsFan Daily Links • August 11, 2009 | Hardwood Houdini | A Boston Celtics Blog
August 11th, 2009
1:26 pm
[...] daily nba rumors Hartford Courant Calhoun Coaches, Even With Broken Ribs Calhoun Golf Classic AJC The Hawks’ secret weapon: Shelden the sleeper is a Celtic Cavs the Blog Here Comes Leon Powe Hoopsworld NBA AM: Still Waiting Out The Knicks FanHouse [...]
EW
August 11th, 2009
1:56 pm
Lol that you googled it MB, but either way a very entertaining blog.
Blast
August 11th, 2009
2:31 pm
Very funny, Mark, but spy cases abound in the league. Like the Lakers getting Gasol in return for crumbs, bread and peanuts. Memphis must have been brainwashed to make that trade!
Mark Bradley
August 11th, 2009
2:31 pm
As we know, I never crititcized BK before today.
Mark Bradley
August 11th, 2009
2:42 pm
Yes, I misspelled “criticized,” but this time I have a semi-excuse. I’m at the dentist and just got a shot of Novocain.
John Brown
August 11th, 2009
2:48 pm
JDK – Do you really think a sportswriter is afraid of physical retribution from a pro athlete? Any athlete who would act otherwise would be expelled from the league so fast it would make your pea brain spin. Sportswriters aren’t here to coddle athlete’s feelings. I’d say it to Shelden’s face. The guy is terrible. I think he’ll sleep just fine at night. I would too if it were next to Candace Parker!!!! I’d sleep like a baby counting stacks of money until I fell asleep…Funny article MB!
John Brown
August 11th, 2009
2:49 pm
Hey MB – Ask the dentist for the gas and then write some more… lol
BravesFan79
August 11th, 2009
3:18 pm
HAHA….. well i personally wish the spy would of went to the Cavs or Magic, because ive always been a big Ray Allen fan! Cant wait to see them spank the Lakers in the finals again! Go Hawks, Go Celtics!!
cp
August 11th, 2009
3:48 pm
I almost stopped watching the Hawks after they made this pick. I wanted Roy but for some reason we didn’t even invite the guy in for a workout. BK should have been fired the second Stern announced we were drafting Sheldon.
John
August 11th, 2009
4:05 pm
That must have been some good stuff you’ve been smoking. I didn’t think the AJC allowed you to do that while working
Big Ray
August 11th, 2009
4:23 pm
Mark ,
You’ve outdone yourself. That was hilarious! : )
Tyger
August 11th, 2009
4:49 pm
As usual…stupidly
Dung Beetleson
August 11th, 2009
5:01 pm
Hawks secreting weapon: I’m going with Jheri Curl…
Scotty B
August 11th, 2009
5:08 pm
Any long time follower of Williams would have told you how horrible he was in college. During two separate occasions in college the “Defensive Player of the Year” gave up over 20 pts and 20 rebounds (once to Sean May and once to a freshman named Hansbrough). He had absolutely no offensive game (and any fan of college bball knows that duke is unable to develop big men) which translated to his horrible NBA career.
The Hawks pick rivals the Bobcats pick of Morrison for the worst pick in the past 10 years during an NBA draft.
This isn’t difficult, NBA GM’s. Just because Dick Vitale slobbers all over a duke player, it doesn’t mean said duke player is even capable of holding a bench down (JJ Redick).
Great job, Mark. Enjoyed every word.
garbageman
August 11th, 2009
5:18 pm
This article was completely ridiculous…i think the author should be a garbage man instead. The HAWKS need a true center and a true leader. When they get a number 1 go to guy and a true center to snatch down more boards, then and only then will they get to a higher level…..anybody who disagrees can kick rocks..
Trainwreck
August 11th, 2009
5:23 pm
is Shelden Williams still with Candice Parker? If so, I don’t think he cares too much what MB has to say… Playing with a legit title contender and Having CP at his side? Yea I think he’ll be okay without our support…
All I'm Saying Is...
August 11th, 2009
5:29 pm
Clearly drafting Shelden was a bonehead move by BK instead of picking Brandon Roy or Rajon Rondo and given that The Landlord was signed for the minimum its obvious that his game has not progressed and that he knew how lucky he was that the Celtics liked him. We’ll see what happens next but I have a feeling that Shelden will blossom with all that talent around him.
By the way, guess who the Hawks drafted in the 2nd round in 2006 draft? Solomon Jones. So, once again I will type that you can criticize BK all you want for the Shelden pick, but that’s the only move that was clearly in error (and his other moves have been validated by Rick Sund re-signing Bibby, ZaZa, Marvin, etc.).
LET’S GO HAWKS!
All I'm Saying Is...
August 11th, 2009
5:30 pm
Trainwreck: The Landlord’s on court game may not have progressed but he was smart enough to get Candace to marry him (they met on her recruiting visit to Duke as he was her escort around campus although she obviously signed with Tennesee) and they are still together having just had their first child (a girl) recently.
cp
August 11th, 2009
6:27 pm
Scotty B great post. Sheldon was getting lit up by the athletic pf’s and centers in college his senior year. He was giving up career games t guys. He also got the benefit of a lot of calls due to him being on Duke. It was clear to anyone who watched games that he was terrible. He had brick hands, terrible footwork, not athletic, and was smaller than listed. Terrible pick.
Mark Bradley
August 11th, 2009
7:00 pm
Thanks for the kind words, Big Ray and John Brown and J and EW and Blast.
The Novocain from my dental appointment is just wearing off, so I’m apt to write anything about now.
KeefMG1
August 11th, 2009
8:01 pm
when do single game tickets go on sale???
Trainwreck
August 12th, 2009
12:22 am
Good for Shelden, AISI thanx for that info
vava74
August 12th, 2009
3:13 am
Shelden had a pretty good final stretch in his rookie season with the Hawks averaging a high double double.
Obviously he isn’t a #5 pick guy but he will develop into a very serviceable back up in the league for a long time.
Last season when he had the opportunity to play more minutes again in April, his stats went up.
See his clip for April:
08-09 April G6 GS0-MPG19.7-FG.500-3PT.000-FT.667-OREB 2.3-DEFR4.7- RPG7.0-ASS0.5-STL1.0-BPG0.7-PPG7.3
jhan
August 12th, 2009
1:51 pm
Fantastic blog Mark – gotta love the humor!!
Mark Bradley
August 12th, 2009
2:07 pm
Thanks, Jhan.
Sammy Jones
August 12th, 2009
7:31 pm
Shelden can do this1 Maybe Candace can!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9CGzIME5e70
bman
August 12th, 2009
11:50 pm
Bradley you are a Duke hater of the highest order . You’re beyond useless…
GM
August 13th, 2009
11:38 am
Terrible article! I hope you don’t get paid for this. Shelden Williams didn’t have many chances in a Hawks uniform. If you only play a minute a game, it’s hard to prove yourself in the NBA, especially when you have a lot of hype around you and you’re an early 1st round pick. I was upset to see Sheldon go, because he never got a fair shot. I feel the same way about Law, but both of the trades that sent them to other teams were fine with me. I just think you’re article is insulting to the Landlord. I hope he doesn’t make you eat your words come playoff time, because I’m a die-hard Hawks fan, and I will blame you if he makes even the most minor impact in a Celts victory over the Hawks. Go talk to your insiders, if you have any, and try to provide us with some useful information instead of taunting the Landlord.
Dan
August 13th, 2009
5:29 pm
Can we start calling the “Landlord” the “Slumlord” instead? Seems a bit more descriptive at this point in his career– you know, like, he can’t really shut down the big guys in the paint like someone called the Landlord might, but he sure can stick it to the little guy!
autoprt
August 30th, 2009
4:59 am
i think Doc went off the reservation some time ago you need to rethink your brainwashing methods.