Hawks News (7-7-03)

[HawkTodd]

Hawks-Thrashers sale facing hurdles (7-7-03).

http://www.ajc.com/hawks/content/sports/0703/08aol.html

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Jazz to meet guards (7-7-03).

http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/01249,510038041,00.html

The Jazz also have interest in Atlanta restricted free agent Jason Terry, a combo guard who seems intent on returning to the Hawks.

"Jason wants to stay (in Atlanta). . . . He wants to be part of this team, bottom line," Terry's agent, Raymond Brothers, said in a Sunday story appearing in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

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Free Agent Breakdown - Shooting Guards (7-7-03).

http://www.hoopsworld.com/article_4412.shtml

6. Dion Glover, Atlanta

This might seem like a peculiar choice, and it might be, but I stand by it. Glover started 42 games last season, he nearly averaged double-figures and shot well enough. His reward? The Hawks didn’t make him a qualifying offer – though the fact that they would have had to guarantee him $2.7 million, above market value, explains that. Offensively, Glover’s biggest weakness is his ballhandling. His assist/turnover ratio was barely one last season, which is horrible for a shooting guard. This problem was magnified by his playing next to Jason Terry in the Hawks backcourt; he would be better suited to play on a team where another player dominates the ball, at least bringing it up. A much bigger concern is Glover’s defensive ability, which is widely panned. At the same time, most of the shooting guards on this list are weak defenders, and Glover’s young enough to offer the potential for improvement.Expected Payday: Minimum, likely.

8. Ira Newble, Atlanta

Newble is probably the best defensive player on the market, which at least makes him worth talking about. Unlike most of the players in the NBA starting only for their defense (Michael Curry and Bruce Bowen, mostly), Newble has some value on offense. He shot a tremendous 49.4% from the field last year, on the heels of 49.8% the year before, which qualifies as sufficient evidence he can be an efficient shooter in my book. Newble is really better-suited at small forward, and perhaps I should have listed him there. He can defend either position, and his height (6-7) and rebounding (6.7 rp48, 13th amongst regulars I have listed as shooting guards) are assets at guard. His ballhandling ability is not, and have a non-handler like Newble alongside Jason Terry at the point hurt the Hawks, one of the reasons he eventually lost his starting job to Glover. At 28 after bouncing around the NBA’s minor leagues for three years, Newble isn’t a terrific long-term proposition, but a team looking for a defender who can hold his own offensively next year would have in him a solid pickup. Newble would make a nice addition to the Mavericks; he’s certainly much better than Raja Bell in the defensive specialist role. I’d rate Newble one of this year’s better bargains for the frugal NBA shopper.Expected Payday: Million-dollar exception.

9. Dermarr Johnson, Atlanta

Completing our trio of Hawks two guards is Johnson, who missed all of last season after a horrific car accident. Before that, Johnson was a promising player on the rise. In his second season, Johnson made dramatic strides from his rookie campaign, shooting (and making) enough threes to post a solid true shooting percentage despite a low field goal percentage. A year off has done him no good with the NBA clock ticking, and that doesn’t take into account the effect the injury could have on him. Bobby Hurley, for example, was never the same after a similarly tragic accident. Even healthy, it’s uncertain what kind of NBA player Johnson would have become. He still wasn’t a great shooter and was subpar in terms of ballhandling. His defense was very solid, though not on Newble’s level. The team that picks up Johnson will have to understand that it’s taking a gamble, and not necessarily one that will pay immediate dividends. I don’t mean to dismiss Johnson, especially in light of his plight, but I don’t think it’s a gamble I would take.Expected Payday: Who knows?

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THE DAILY (7-7-03).

http://www.hoopsworld.com/article_4417.shtml

Atlanta - Like all things seem to be in Atlanta, Jason Terry wants to get a contract done, but he can't. Just like the team can't hire a new coach. Just like the team can't even start looking at making summertime deals.

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Coaching Carousel.

http://www.sportsline.com/nba/story/6317858

Coaching News: Atlanta:

Stotts is safe so far, but Mike Dunleavy has shown interest.

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[Guest]

I'm starting to think this deal is going to fall through.I

just don't see how it could take this long to get the

deal done.How many days does it really take?sheesh!

[Blunt91]

why is McDavid facing so many obstacles in obtaining the hawks and Thrashers? It seemed everything went smooth for Arthur Blank when he bought out the Falcons. Well McDavid said he hoped to have a deal in place by mid July. He doesn't have too much longer. If he doesn't have this deal done by the end of this month I think for the benefit of both franchises he should back off.

[Boondocks]

but yeah, McDavid is taking too long with this, as the Hawks have several needs to take care off put on hold.

Perhaps MJ could swoop in and get the deal done since he seems to be looking for totasl control over a franchise which is why he isn't with the charlotte bobcats yet.

[Guest]

"If he doesn't have this deal done by the end of this month I think for the benefit of both franchises he should back off."

But honestly,could we make any moves even if this

was going on and AOL still had the team?Not likely.

[jeddelong]

It has to be the fact that this isn't a straigh up sale of teams. He is getting two teams and the arena, which is wrapped in all sorts of agreements (Phillips Electronics for one). I am guessing that really complicates matter. Remember, the Falcons were owned by a family the hawks were owned by a billion dollar conglomerate that had swallowed them. The slowness is frustrating, but it doesn't really suprise me.

[Diesel]

I think that the major problem is that McDavid has 2 franchises he's trying to buy. I mean, he has to get OKed by the NBA and NHL. Plus, I think AOL slowed up some things with their part of the bargaining seeing that they were trying to get as much money as they could get out of the deal. Unfortunately, the Hawks are taking the blunt of the blows.

Still, I think that we can go into next season with Knight as GM. I don't know about Stotts coaching. I would love to get Fratello back.

[jeddelong]

They haven't even reached the NBA and NHL phases of the deal. There seems to be other things tying this deal up.

[Diesel]

I've read where the NBA Board of Governers were the hold up. Could be wrong but that's what I read.

Micheal Lee needs to come back and clarify.

[KB21]

I in no way, shape, or form want Michael Jordan as an owner of this team. The main reason is that he is going to want complete control over personnel decisions, and just as soon as you give him that, Doug Collins will be coaching the Hawks. Thus far, Jordan has proven that he is a terrible personnel guy.

I'd rather AOL keep the team than sell to Jordan.

[cyman3]

and absolutely hates losing. his mental concentration is one of the best in NBA HISTORY.

that being said, i too would hesitate with the thought of letting MJ run things... why?

its kinda like greed. u dont wanna get too carried away. look at Kwame Brown. He still could turn out to be that KEVIN GARNETT. But MJ scared him to death... Brown was playing and thinkin about if his next mistake could get him benched and yelled at... thats not how basketball is played.

Brown was soo scared last year he couldnt fully concentrate on the game. MJ killed his confidence.

Im not saying i dont want MJ here... i just think we should think about the POSITIVES and NEGATIVES before praising MJ to be our next owner

[Diesel]

Everybody says that MJ is a horrible Owner/GM.

Well, look again.

Before MJ took over in Washington, they were up to their eyelids in Debt. They had Howard, Strickland, and Mitch Richmond sucking up all their money. Plus they had no future because they sucked.

He traded Howard for Laettner, Hubert Davis, and somebody else before Howard was to make 20 million.

He outright got rid of Strickland.

He also got rid of Richmond.

He cleared up cap room and set up rebuilding.

He drafted Kwame Brown and traded for Heywood to go with their already Young Nucleus of Halmilton, etc. He then traded for Hughes.

Had he stopped there he would have:

Hughes/Halmilton/Jeffries/Brown/Heywood.

However, he made 2 mistakes. He traded Halmilton for Stackhouse and he picked up Oakley. Both bad moves. Both made because the player MJ wanted to play for a Ring before retiring.

Aside from his own greed, I think he did a very good job of rebuilding that team from what it was.

[KB21]

Kwame is quoted in today's insider saying that it's like a breath of air now that he doesn't have Jordan/Collins in his face. He says the Wizards now have a traditional coach, basically saying that Jordan was playing, coaching, and gming that team at one time.

Personaly, I'd rather let Jordan die away from the game. I think it is best for baketball to for him to no longer be part of it. As long as he is around, the game will not grow.

[HawkTodd]

I definitely think Jordan hurt the team, espically Kwame Brown. Jordan thinks everybody has the same desire to win, and thats not possible. I think he definitely stunted the growth of that franchise. Just my opinion.