Ferry on his remade Hawks: ‘Status quo wasn’t good enough’
New GM Danny Ferry has made this a whole new ballgame. (AP photo by David Goldman)
The Hawks had two choices: They could have kept what they had and continued to get the same results, or they could have done as Danny Ferry did. So long as the Core Four was intact, this organization had both a floor and a ceiling. The Hawks would be too talented to stink, too mismatched to win a championship.
Said Ferry, speaking Wednesday night: “The status quo wasn’t going to be good enough to reach our goals, and we weren’t even going to be able to sustain that.”
That’s a brutally accurate description of the Hawks before this general manager took hold of them. And where are they now, 2 1/2 weeks and two major trades later? Ferry again: “We’re in a situation where we made some changes, and hopefully going forward we can be more opportunistic — hopefully better and more sustainable.”
Thing is, “going forward” isn’t synonymous with “here and now,” and we live in an age where gratification is seldom deferred until tomorrow, let alone next year. Ferry’s way involves risk. As newly constituted, the Hawks seem at best a .500 team. And even as I applaud this GM’s vision and verve, I also recall a conversation with a former GM.
It was Year 2 or Year 3 – or maybe Year 4; they tended to run together – after the Billy Knight deconstruction, and I wanted to know how much longer it would be until the Hawks got good. Originally I’d voiced enthusiasm for Knight’s brass in dumping players and salary, but so many losses over so much time had silenced the hosannas.
“You’re getting impatient,” Knight said, and I guess I was.
The risk of taking a step back is that there’s no assurance you’ll step forward anytime soon. No, Ferry hasn’t sold off every asset — he still has Al Horford, Josh Smith and Jeff Teague — but what if the 2012-2013 Hawks are indeed mediocre? What if there’s no postseason for the first time since 2007? What if all those folks praising Ferry for dumping Joe Johnson and Marvin Williams won’t care to watch the remnants of the Core struggle to break even?
If the new Hawks don’t deliver, the old Core could be pared further next summer. Smith is scheduled to be a free agent, and he has spent the past two seasons angling to get himself traded. How many difference-making free agents could be persuaded to take the Hawks’ suddenly available money if all they see is a losing team and an outbound star?
Clearing Johnson’s massive contract was a necessity. That said, losing him as a consistent scorer is a minus. It will take two or three guys to do what Joe did by himself.
Toward that end, the Hawks find themselves with a slew of off-guards and no real small forward. Ferry isn’t nearly done rebuilding this roster, but what he has mirrors a latter-day Duke team – lots of shooters (imports Louis Williams and Anthony Morrow, plus draftee John Jenkins) and not much heft. As we know, Ferry played at Duke under Mike Krzyzewski.
When the Duke paradigm was mentioned, Ferry laughed. Then he said: “Shooting’s a good thing to have. People who can attack off the dribble are good things to have. So are people who make plays for others. Shooting helps with good spacing. And good big men are nice to have, too.”
Ferry’s time as Cleveland’s GM indicated that he believes in a team of balanced parts, or at least as balanced as a team that employs LeBron James can be. He had shooters (Mo Williams, Larry Hughes) and slashers (Delonte West) and big men (Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Anderson Varejao) and a real power forward (Antawn Jamison). No, it didn’t bring Cleveland a championship, but it was good enough to win 127 games over two seasons.
Asked about the potential of his remade roster, Ferry said only: “I think we can be competitive.”
The risk isn’t so much that fans will desert the Hawks — fans haven’t really embraced this team since 1988 — as that the anticipated follow-through won’t arrive. Ferry used the word “opportunistic” a half-dozen times in a 10-minute conversation, and having money to spend is an absolute must. The Hawks do now. But some big name has to agree to take it.
There’s a chance this way won’t work, either. That’s preferable to the old way, which was never going to work well enough. By taking a risk, Ferry has positioned the Hawks to reap a reward. No, not today. But someday soon.
By Mark Bradley
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113 comments Add your comment
arrowhead1959
July 11th, 2012
10:46 pm
MB, how do you think the trio of GM’s-Dimitrof, Wren and Ferry-stack up against any trio in Atlanta the last 30 years?
WL
July 11th, 2012
10:52 pm
This team will be competitive, this season. I would not be surprised if they won 45 or 48 gms. I think they will be much more fun to watch with all these young scorers.
J.J. pt avg 18.8 pg, hell, L. Williams along avg 14.5 pt pg in limited pt only 24-25 mins per night. JJ played 38-40 mins per night. And you have D.Harris, A. Morrow. J. Jenkins, all of these guys can light it up.
This hawks team, I believe will be better than previous hawk team!!!!!
Dozer
July 11th, 2012
10:53 pm
As long as we have J-Smooth (er, Brick) we’re not going anywhere. He’s not an offensive option that can create his own shot, and he doesn’t have the mental toughness & discipline to lead a team. It’s time for a total redo – send him and his sneer packing………
WL
July 11th, 2012
10:53 pm
go hawks
Moorman
July 11th, 2012
10:55 pm
Josh’s sneer….lol
Vel Crow
July 11th, 2012
11:00 pm
If the Hawks really want a wing, Ferry should try to pluck Alonzo Gee, from the Cavs.
confusahawk
July 11th, 2012
11:03 pm
Get rid of Josh Smith, he’s a moron. Sign Ivan.
Rick
July 11th, 2012
11:06 pm
Pay Josh! Let DF keep making moves and watch what happens!
stizz
July 11th, 2012
11:11 pm
“It’ll take two or three guys to score how Johnson did”
Incorrect. When Joe went down, Smoove showed that he could handle the load. Pair that with Lou’s closing ability and I think the Hawks are in decent shape. If we can’t get Howard, I’d love to see a scenario where we picked up Rudy Gay.
dbent
July 11th, 2012
11:24 pm
I fell in love with the Hawks in ‘88, so I understand the irritation with mediocrity. I think the franchise has been passionless since the 90’s at least. I think the malaise with the franchise is most evident in the sad, workmanlike ho-hum tone of this article.
“The risk of taking a step back is that there’s no assurance you’ll step forward anytime soon.”
Hawks attendance rankings in the league during the last nine years:
2012 – 23rd
2011 – 22nd
2010 – 18th
2009 – 20th
2008 – 20th
2007 – 26th
2006 – 29th
2005 – 29th
2004 – 29th
-Source: ESPN.com
Guess Billy Knight in 2007 doesn’t seem so stupid considering the attendance spike after he was canned? The guy took “risks” as they are derided in the article. Too bad continued the trend later.
Notice attendance shift in 2011? Is it really a shocker the guys eyeing the bottom line are looking to get rid of aging players that don’t quite put the sizzle on the franchise?
Good thing the biggest risk people like Bradley have to face is when to punch the period key on their keyboards.
Do something unorthodox like the Falcons and let a leader stumble (Vick and Blank), find a decision maker (Dmitroff) and start something quality based upon a vision.
Harpie
July 11th, 2012
11:31 pm
As long as Larry Drew is “coaching” this team, he will drag them down into mediocrity ( or worse ). The Hawks are going nowhere until they get a coach who knows what he’s doing!
HawkKingBibby
July 11th, 2012
11:33 pm
The Hawks have some serious jets in the backcourt with Teague, Lou and Harris. Should be more entertaining than ISO Joe. We will miss Joe but the Joe we will miss is the one from a few years ago. He started to decline a little and is basically a sf now.
Craig Degarmo
July 11th, 2012
11:52 pm
Pay Josh and he will shut-up and play…………..and bring in others
Whopper Dawg
July 12th, 2012
12:28 am
What an indictment of the Hawks that the best move in a decade was jettisoning their “franchise” player and a no 3 overall pick.
What a great day it was and at the same time, the opportunities that this franchise squandered is truly tragic.
SR
July 12th, 2012
3:01 am
Damn right Bradley, at least he saw the black hole that was Johnson and friggin Marvin Williams, jeesh, the pall hanging over the franchise by that one pick and the failure to pick Paul was far more significant than any of the numbnuts with ASG would ever have the wisdom to recognize.
D-Man
July 12th, 2012
5:00 am
Danny Ferry…my new hero. Go Hawks!!
DRogers
July 12th, 2012
5:15 am
New GM’s normally bring in coaches that will get the effort from the players they brought in. Can Drew do this? The Hawks defense an overall effort hasn’t improved
ToeMeetsLeather
July 12th, 2012
6:42 am
Just a suggestion for Ferry, sign some local stars if all things are equal. Mark Price, Matt Harpring, Travis Best, Jarret Jack, John Salley, Jon Barry, Tom Hammonds, Etc, would have generated a lot of “Buzz” over the years and probably sold a lot of tickets. Anthony Morrow is a good start.
yodaddybrother
July 12th, 2012
6:45 am
“As this team is presently constituted: Miami, Boston, Indiana, New York, Brooklyn,Philly,and Chicago are all better. We will fight to be an 8th seed. ”
WTF man??? THis team could nab a 3 spot. We were a 4 seed last year with no Horford and Josh Smith leading the way.
The Bulls have no Rose, Asik, Korver, Brewer…they aren’t better than the Hawks.
Philly??? They barely made the playoffs last year that was with Brand and Lou Williams and they are trying to trade their best player. That’s a sinking ship.
NY is so dysfunctional…they have the talent but have too many Look At Me Jack It Up players. Lin, Melo have proven to not be able to play together and Amare has fallen off a cliff.
Indiana overrated they just maxed out Roy Hibbert lmao. They will be trying to trade that man within 2 years I guarantee it.
yall are too quick to concede. This stoic injury riddled team last year was left for dead after Horford went down but instead Josh Smith took over and carried the squad to a 4 seed.
We had Jason Collins start some games….the consensus worst player in the NBA. Vlad Rad was on the team for crying out loud….Jannero Pargo…Willie Green. Devin Harris and Lou Williams upgrades those guys immediately.
Joey
July 12th, 2012
7:12 am
How about Horford for Kevin Love? He’s now a 26 – 13 guy. That’s twice the production of Horford.
Big Ray
July 12th, 2012
7:22 am
Billy Knight set this franchise back for years by dumping all that salary and then following it up by passing on some of the best players the NBA has seen (CP3, Deron Williams, Rajon Rondo, Rudy Gay, Andre Iguodala, even Brandon Roy and Monta Ellis) for guys who aren’t even also-rans (Marvin Williams, Salim Stoudamire, Sheldon Williams, etc), and then signing not ONE, but TWO inept pgs (Speedy Claxton, Mike Bibby).
Now Ferry gets to try and make up for that….without the draft picks to do so.
dmr
July 12th, 2012
7:25 am
If Danny Ferry is allowed to do his job as he has up to this point and the ASG, especially Gearon, Jr. will shut up for an entire year, I may actually consider buying season tickets.
GTanner
July 12th, 2012
8:15 am
It’s Joe and Marvin and better bench players than last year. Where’s the big step back? Williams just got us most of Joe’s points back. You’re way overreacting on this Mark.
Howard
July 12th, 2012
8:17 am
To me the fun of cheering for a home team is watching the building process. If you just want to win then cheer for Miami or a team that just goes out and buys players. I much more enjoy winning by building piece by piece. I like the direction that the Hawks are now taking. I don’t mind watching a mediocre team if there is true growth potential. The team as constituted before had little room for growth because of the contracts of JJ and Marvin. Now, even if we don’t get a lot a great free agents, at least we may be able to rebuild through the draft.
One more thing, I would really like to see a “team” in the Hawks. The NBA is a star league. You have a couple or three star players who go one on one and do incredible things and that is what the fans apparently want. I would like to see some great team basketball with good passing and team defense. Even if the team is mediocre, I like that style better. Wish the NBA was more like that. Instead, the refs don’t call fouls or traveling on the superstars because the league and the fans want to see the flashy stuff. Guess that’s why college BB is so much better to watch.
Jaded Hawks Fan
July 12th, 2012
8:19 am
I’m just not seeing how we’re that much worse off than we were a year ago. We’ve added a scorer (Williams), a couple of shooters (Morrow and Jenkins), a lockdown defender (Stevenson), a solid veteran point (Harris) and a couple of big bodies (Petro and Williams) who can eat up fouls. Plus, Horford is healthy again.
We do have a hole at SF, but honestly, does anyone think if we went with Ivan Johnson that we’d be THAT much worse off than we were with Marvin Williams?
There could be chemistry issues early on with so many new pieces in place, but once this team jells it should be a solid squad.
D man
July 12th, 2012
8:22 am
I will watch and wait to see if they will be worth watching again. I am one who stopped caring after the early 90’s. I want to love the Hawks again but they haven’t given me a chance to with all of the mismanagement over the last couple of decades.
tjhook
July 12th, 2012
8:26 am
I hope Ferry takes a good look at the Spurs-Hawks scrimmage this Sunday because we have a potential signee on the other team – one Mr. James Anderson
http://blog.mysanantonio.com/spursnation/2012/07/11/leonard-anderson-on-spurs%e2%80%99-summer-league-roster/
tjhook
July 12th, 2012
8:26 am
and he is not under contract.
Ted M
July 12th, 2012
8:41 am
Mark – There are all sorts of rumors floating out in 680 the fan’s airwaves. But if you’re not in your car all day you just get bits. Please keep us abreast of the rumors…its fun if nothing else.
Julio Franco
July 12th, 2012
8:50 am
I don’t see where the current team is so bad. Williams was a good addition, and if we can get a decent small forward, we should be a playoff team with 45+ wins. Horoford, Smith, Zsa Zsa, Ivan, Morrow, Harris, Teague, Jenkins and Lou Williams isn’t bad at all. If we can keep Josh, and land a big fish next year, we can compete for a championship. Trading Joe and Marvin for nothing would have been a good deal.
Mitch
July 12th, 2012
8:55 am
What one has to wonder moving forward is whether Danny Ferry endorses Larry Drew’s style of play. It was refreshing to see the Hawks pass the ball and cut more than usual for three quarters—but, let’s face it, it still wasn’t an attack the rim offense—it was pick and pop for jump shots, even the bigs were shooting mid-range jumpers. The look like they want to become the Utah of the East.
Were the Hawks to acquire Josh Howard—would Larry Drew be the right coach for an offense that features a dominating low post player? It would seem simple enough, but NBA coaches will tell you, it’s not.
You can’t win NBA Championships today without consistently attacking the rim. LeBron & C. realized that in the playoffs this year.
The two players the Hawks drafted (Jenkins and Scott) are very good fits in the Princeton, pick and pop, backdoor offense—and so are several of the players they’ve acquired, like Lou Williams.
But who is going to take the ball to the rim? In Larry Drew’s offense it seems even Josh Smith shoots more jumpers that he drives the ball. Al Horford used to to charge the rim—now he fashions himself as a jump shooter. Teague and Harris have the ability to penetrate—but can they finish and/or take the hits?
Your thoughts, MB? And everyone?
Sam
July 12th, 2012
9:04 am
I’ve seen several people on here mention Andre Iguadola coming to the Hawks. How on Earth do you guys plan on getting him from the 76ers? They aren’t just going to give him to us for nothing.
Also, everyone keeps saying to trade Zaza. Who are you going to get to backup Horford?
Lets be realistic here, folks.
Mitch
July 12th, 2012
9:18 am
Re: Larry Drew’s Motion Offense
The Good: The Hawks moved the ball better than ever—for three quarters—last year.
The Bad: The Hawks seemed way too jump shot happy to the point where Horford and Smith seem to be relishing the perimeter or intermediate areas rather than attacking the rim. Plus, when guards would penetrate they had trouble finishing.
The Ugly: Teams dropping a man off Josh Smith and inviting Smith to hoist up threes. Plus, stopping the motion in the fourth quarters for Iso-Joes and the like.
Questions: Is Atlanta under Larry Drew trying to become the Utah of the East? Jump shot oriented offense even for the bigs?
Does Larry Drew’s offensive philosophy jive with Danny Ferry’s?
The two players the Hawks drafted, Jenkins and Scott, fit the motion, pick, pop and shoot offense. How much input did Ferry really have on those moves?
The additions of Lou Williams and Devin Harris help because they can penetrate and finish. And Jeff Teague is starting to improve there as well. But, it would seem that the hawks’ bigs are going to have to attack the rim much more consistently. Is the offense geared for them to do so? And what happens if the Hawks do land a legitimate post player? Can Drew adapt?
Peachtree John
July 12th, 2012
9:35 am
Players. Yes, we must have them. First step taken with the shipping of Joe and Marvin. Now to unload those we received in return for a #1 BIG MAN to build around. Has to be big and fast and can jump.
WHEN ARE WE GOING AFTER A COACH who can bring all of this together? We MUST have a coach who can be innovative, creative, communicate, instruct. Hope DF can find such an individual.
Josh
July 12th, 2012
9:42 am
I get the Cleveland comparison because it’s Ferry’s former team. BUT (and it’s a big “but”), they had Lebron. Those 127 wins weren’t necessarily because Ferry had a balanced team. When Lebron exited Cleveland they became a lottery team.
PMC
July 12th, 2012
9:53 am
The reason to be impatient with Knight had nothing to do with winning, it had to do with him being utterly terrible on draft night and the time leading up to that period.
He was freaking horrible.
PMC
July 12th, 2012
9:55 am
Taking risk is a good thing here. They have to keep taking risks until they finally get it right for the first time since 1988.
JoeBgone
July 12th, 2012
10:02 am
there have been some major disappointments over the years being a Hawks fan.
signing DR J only to have the deal nullified.
trading Nique during a great run, maybe the best of all time for the Hawks.
trading Gasol.
I hope trading Joe doesn’t fall into that category.
game 6 in Boston this year where the league admits we got gigged and there is nothing we can do about it. if that had not happened we might have made the ECF and the core would still be here.
Glad we got Ferry, though.
hawk watcher
July 12th, 2012
10:08 am
Joe might have been the man, but come playoffs 8 points just was NOT going to get it done. Too much money for NO playoff production. Bye bye.
lawzoo
July 12th, 2012
10:13 am
Status quo not good enough? Why not ? It’s been good enough for 45 years !
Brownie
July 12th, 2012
10:16 am
Only a couple of bloggers have mentioned one of the most critical issues facing Ferry…..replacing Larry Drew. Listen, LD is a nice guy, good BB man, but NOT a championship level coach. He appeared overmatched against literally every other team we faced.
IF Drew remains here, then 3 things will most certainly happen: the Hawks will underachieve….Josh Smith will leave……NO other superstar free agent will come to Atlanta. You can’t automatically assume that great players will want to come here, even if they believe other great (or potentially great) players are already here. Drew will NOT inspire or command the level of respect that’s needed.
There are notable coaches out there Ferry can attract. This move better be high on his to-do list.
Joshua Barlowe
July 12th, 2012
10:28 am
No way we’re done. Too many guards as is. Game isn’t over yet.
ATL21
July 12th, 2012
10:32 am
Everyone who is looking for this quick fix! This team was not build overnight, so it will take some time. How many were season ticket holders or even attended ANY games?
Ryder
July 12th, 2012
10:32 am
Brownie brings up a great point. Ferry still has to decide who will be the person to coach this team in the future, and Larry Drew isn’t it. He comes from the San Antonio culture where it’s team over player, so there will be no reason to waste another second on Dwight Howard when he has proven that he only cares about maximizing his Adidas endorsement, even above winning a title.
I think that he will trade Josh Smith and bring in players that will build around Horford, a true leader who will benefit from a coach who has a no-nonsense approach, like a Jerry Sloan.
He should do whatever can be done to get both Sloan and Chris Paul to come to Atlanta.
Sir Stealth
July 12th, 2012
10:58 am
I for one would be very happy to see the wins (and championships) of latter-day Duke teams come to Atlanta.
heat check
July 12th, 2012
11:23 am
If we add a few more pieces and LD is still here, it’ll be the coaching equivalent of the blue-haired lady driving her new Corvette 45mph down 285.
Wayne stuck in AL
July 12th, 2012
11:36 am
How is it that the Hawks are on their 3rd GM in six years, but Gearon and Levenson kept on the incompetent Don Waddell???
JIB
July 12th, 2012
11:44 am
If Ferry has any spare time, do you think he could make his way over to Turner Field and giver Wren & Co. some tips? It’s the same thing there: “too talented to stink, too mismatched to win a championship.”
4-point shooter
July 12th, 2012
11:47 am
Ferry has made some good moves but I will not be impressed until he dumps that assistant coach masquerading as a head coach.
BTW, Billy Knight as GM was an overmatched arrogant imbecile.
Professor X
July 12th, 2012
12:01 pm
I think this Hawks team at best is a 7 seed. I actually hope we miss the playoffs next season though. I’d rather have a lottery pick than a 1st round exit any day. And I see everyone highlighting the offensive abilities of the new Hawks’ players (which is not better than JJ and Marvin), but the Hawks are significantly worse on the defensive end at SG and SF. Yes the contracts were bad and they had to go, but JJ is a good player and Marvin is an average player.