Is the media or NBA trying to get rid all of Hawks GMs or what?

Atlanta Hawks GM Makes Joke About Angry Black Women At Fan Event

Patrick Redford

53 minutes ago

Filed to: ATLANTA HAWKS

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Before a game against the Miami Heat on Dec. 7, Atlanta Hawks general manager Wes Wilcox fielded questions from a group of about 200 season ticket holders and club members at a “Chalk Talk” event. As would be expected of any meeting of a group of diehard fans and a team executive, this one got slightly contentious, with fans offering their opinions on what the Hawks need to do.

Season ticket holder Clarenton Crawford, by his account, made his displeasure with coach Mike Budenholzer known, and offered to renew for two more seasons if the organization hired Mark Jackson instead. Another fan spoke about the need for a veteran point guard. And at one point, a member asked Wilcox why the Hawks’ best players were playing fewer minutes than they were at the start of the year. According to Crawford and another source who was present, Wilcox, who is white, tried to diffuse the tension with a joke:

“I know you guys may be angry with me, but I’m used to it because I have a black wife and three mixed kids, so I’m used to people being angry and argumentative.”

(In a statement released to Deadspin, Wilcox said, “At an early December chalk talk, I made a self-deprecating comment at my own expense regarding my family, which is multi-racial. This joke offended Mr. Crawford and his wife and for that, I apologize.”)

Crawford, who is black, said he and his wife Deborah were “livid” after the end of the meeting, particularly due to the team’s recent history. (Two years ago, Wilcox’s predecessor, Danny Ferry, make racially disparaging remarks about Luol Deng on a conference call; in the ensuing NBA investigation, then-owner Bruce Levenson was revealed to have sent an email implying that white fans were more valuable than black fans. Ferry resigned his post, and Levenson sold the team.)

On Dec. 16, Crawford decided to email Hawks CEO Steve Koonin to voice his concerns. Crawford wrote that he and his wife were offended not only by Wilcox’s remarks but by his having turned to a white team employee with whom he was holding court to ask if his joke was okay.

Koonin responded eight minutes later, but failed to address Wilcox’s joke:

Crawford was unsatisfied and pressed Koonin, asking if Wilcox would face any discipline and telling him that he planned to “be an activist in this matter.”

Koonin attempted to call Crawford on the phone after this, missing him because the Crawfords were out of town for the holiday. Eventually, they arranged for a sit-down meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 3 along with Hawks senior VP Nzinga Shaw, whom the Hawks hired as the NBA’s first diversity officer in the wake of the Ferry and Levenson scandals.

By Crawford’s account, Koonin apologized on Wilcox’s behalf, and Shaw said that she’d been counseling Wilcox.

Additional reporting by Deadspin staff. Know anything? Drop us a line at tips@deadspin.com or patrick@deadspin.com.

http://deadspin.com/atlanta-hawks-gm-makes-joke-about-angry-black-women-at-1790833283

All these trades feels like trading away your family members. It's tough but hopefully Hawks going in the right direction.

Just now, AHF said:

Their team is a good situation for him to succeed.  I think they'll be happy with him.  He still destroys on open jumpers.

I agree, but i will still not root for the Cavs even Kyle's with them. I still don't like Lebron, so much ego..

Just now, AHF said:

Think of him as a very poor man's Korver who Cleveland realized could not be a real part of their rotation after JR went down with injury.

Cavs fans really excited getting Korver. For us, probably a steal lol.

Dunleavy is not great defender but he is decent shooter. Look on the bright side, 1st rounder pick 2019 and more minutes for Prince/Bembry hopefully.

5 minutes ago, AHF said:

You forget who we got in the deal!

wth is he really drunk?

16 hours ago, JayBirdHawk said:

Or neither, lol.

Or neither and both

1 hour ago, Spud2Nique said:

Just a couple years ago they were all stars...:-( we had 4 all stars in the all star game ...wow

Yea, it was crazy, DMC should have been all star too imo.

6 minutes ago, Dolfan23 said:

Technically trading Korver makes the team a little less white so yeah it does change the complexion of the team by a few shades...

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I don't know if that's racist or not but good one.

20 minutes ago, Sothron said:

It is kinda surreal that our 60 win 2014 team with 4 All Stars and five starters winning Player of the Month will possibly all be gone just two seasons later.

Yea same, If Thabo was playing, and Korver wasn't injured, i really believe they could have beat the Cavs in the ECF.

1 hour ago, Sothron said:

You should look at the numbers someone else already posted. We're significantly better this year without Korver than with him. Moving Korver opens up more minutes for our young guys and gets us a future first rounder for a guy that probably was not coming back to the team next season. That's what I call a win/win.

I agree, it's a win/win.

58 minutes ago, Sothron said:

I honestly think half the posters here are on suicide watch after the trade. You guys do realize Korver hasn't really been Korver since the Delladova injury, right? The metrics show our team is significantly better without him this season than when he's on the court.

That's why I hate Delladiver..

Now that hawks are in rebuilding mode, Do you guys think that Dwight Howard will stay as Hawk or go to another team again?

Just now, NekiEcko said:

We all knew that one day this would happen but right now, I am happy for Kyle because he will get a ring (hopefully) and come back to Hawks University as a coach.

True, i'm happy for him too, he has higher chance now getting a ring with Lebron, and Kyrie. But, it's still tough to see him go, he did a lot for the Hawks.

Teague, Horford, Kyle, now Millsap about to go.. 

Total rebuild mode.

I'm sure this guy is really happy that Korver is going to the Cavs.

Wish Kyle Korver for the best! He was crazy during Hawks 19 winning streak! Definitely one of the best shooters in the NBA. Unfortunately, Hawks are going into new direction. Good luck Threezus.

Hawks going into rebuilding mode. 

Just now, Peoriabird said:

I mean we got a 1st round pick for Korver and people are upset!  Why?

Hopefully that 1st pick is a success.

Aren't cavs overpowered now that they have KK?

Just now, JayBirdHawk said:

Huh? Don't think so.

Besides KK is a free agent at seasons end, he can't be traded then.

yea i just logged on lol, i though it was just a rumor, looks like it is official

Just now, GameTime said:

Woj and TheVertical are not "rumors"

And LOL @ the Hawks trying to get rid of Dunleavy

 

yea i just l found out right now, it is official

Just now, ViewsFromTheSquawk said:

My eyes watching this hawks/pels game and Woj

okay, i just logged on, and yea looks like it's official, thanks.

Just now, ViewsFromTheSquawk said:

Bro it's over with.... he isn't playing tonight and the deal is already official

sources?

social media.. this is just a rumor, i don't think hawks will trade KK right away, probably at the end of the season.