Hawks News (7-26-03)

[HawkTodd]

Hansen to Conduct Local Camp (7-26-03).

http://www.byucougars.com/basketball_m/fil...004097_rel.html

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A blockbuster four-team trade that helps no one (7-26-03).

http://www.bayarea.com/mld/mercurynews/sports/6392506.htm

Then there are the Hawks, who get the expiring contract of point guard Terrell Brandon from the Timberwolves.

Now that's what a team about to get new ownership needs - less talent. The one thing this offseason should have taught (See: Jazz, Nuggets, Heat) is that cap space is illusory, hardly a panacea. While it might help the good get better (See: Spurs), it rarely has provided the key for a turnaround (See: Bulls).

Hawks executive Billy Knight tried to put the best face on the deteriorating situation in Atlanta.

"People want to look at teams at the middle of the summer and say, `This is our team,' " he said. "But if you look around the league, everybody is not ready. No team is set."

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McDavid's Atlanta deal all but completed (7-26-03).

http://www.dfw.com/mld/dfw/sports/basketball/6390365.htm

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Trades... Coaches... Free Agents... (7-26-03).

http://www.hoopsworld.com/article_4682.shtml

The Wolves have a loaded roster, and proclaim they didn’t make any of these moves to try a lure Kevin Garnett back to the contract extension table, the Wolves will face some luxury tax penalties if they keep their roster this way, ownership claims they are committed to the fans and to winning. Atlanta offloads Glenn Robinson; this was a two-part move Terrell Brandon’s contract stops being guaranteed in February, which means he can come off the books for cap relief, enough relief so Atlanta can re-sign Jason terry without fear of luxury tax, it also makes room for David McDavid to nab a high profile coach (George Karl), once he’s granted control. The Hawks management denies that part, but did confirm that McDavid and his group were consulted prior to the trade. The Hawks got flexibility under the tax out of this deal, and that’s all they wanted.

WAITING FOR THE LEAGUES:

David McDavid’s bid to buy the hawks and Thrashers is all but complete, the financial terms set by AOL have been met and both sides have agreed to the sale, its now in the hands of the NBA and NHL to make a ruling. McDavid is said to be paying approximately $390 million for the Hawks, Thrashers and operating rights to Phillips Arena. AOL will reportedly keep 15 percent ownership in the teams and McDavid's sons Jimmy and David Jr., and brother-in-law Steve Dieb will also be minority owners. Its expected the leagues will approve the sale within the next 30 days. Steve Dieb expected move to Atlanta and run the day-to-day operations.

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Midsummer Power Rankings (7-24-03).

http://www.nba.com/features/rank_030724.html

27) Atlanta:

KEY ADDS: None

The Hawks have a coach entering his first full season and have lost one of their best players, Glenn Robinson, in a trade for the retiring Terrell Brandon. Could be a long year.

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Hawks Quick Poll.

Do you like Wednesday's big trade for the Hawks?

No, 60%

Yes, 40%

Total Responses: 1364

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[Diesel]

Steve Dieb

In reply to:

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Dieb will move to Atlanta (McDavid plans to stay in Fort Worth) and run the day-to-day operations, but McDavid will have final say on all major transactions, deciding first on a coach for the Hawks.

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[jeddelong]

How do you figure, oh great assumer....I am guessing more like president at the max. They will find a basketball guy to be GM, probably Knight.

[Lascar78]

I hope we don't pick george Karl up. He was unable to perform with the bucks or the olympics.

Carlisle or Fratello or bust

[Diesel]

Usually, the guy that runs the day to day operations of a basketball team is the GM or VPoBO or Dir. of B.O. Either case, that person is working in the capacity of what we would call the GM.

The structure looks like:

Owner/President - McDavid.

GM - Dieb.

HC - Someone of McDavid's choosing.

It's sad for Knight because he just can't buy a break.

However, what sense would it make for Knight to stay on? He couldn't really be anything but a spokesman.

If Dieb is running the day to day stuff and McDavid has final say on all Deals... WHat's left? A basketball guy to do what? Make the annoucements and handle the press??

[Guest]

I think its kind of dumb....What kind of experience does

this Steve Dweeb err Dieb have?

[Blunt91]

you might be reading too much into this diesel. I think it will me more like this.

Owner:David McDavid

President: Steve Dieb

General Manager: Billy Knight

Head Coach: Mike Fratello/Rick Carlise

In this scenario Stan Kasten gets booted out of office.

[KB21]

The chances that Billy Knight will stay on as general manager are very strong.

[jeddelong]

That is really funny Diesel, what evidence do you possibly have to support that. The article out of Texas. Geeze...you really ought to work for the NY Post. McDavid isn't stupid enough to have his brother-in-law run an NBA franchise. He wants names that will bring the fans in and make good trades, oh wait I forgot...McDavid has this gigantic conspiracy going where the Hawks are only a money making machine...better hurry and get your story into the post. You're pathetic!

[KB21]

That's the set up I see. I do wonder if McDavid will go after George Karl.

The set up could be:

Owner/CEO - David McDavid

President - Steve Dieb

General Manager - Billy Knight

Executive Vice President/Head Coach - George Karl

Director of Basketball Operations - Tony Ronzone

[Blunt91]

Who is Tony Ronzone???

[KB21]

Just a name that was thrown out in the past. Think nothing of it.

He's Detroit's director of international scouting though.

[Diesel]

First off....

If the deal has gone through...

That means that McDavid is the owner. The McDavid investment group was put together for the purpose of being a Sports Franchise. If the deal has gone through, it also means that his brother in law who is a part of the investment group is a co-owner. To satisfy your need for history, the McDavid group were also bidders for the Hornets and the Nuggets before acquiring the Hawks. SO... If the deal has gone through, I'm sure that there's already a hierchy that has been established.

I believe that Knight has done good work, but if Dieb is to be managing the day to day business of the Hawks and if McDavid has final say on all deals... What need is there for a GM? Really, that's money saved when McDavid "keeps it in the family".

I think you need to warm up to this hierchy.

McDavid= Majority Owner/President.

Dieb = GM

? = HC.

They might ask Knight to stay on as dir of Basketball operations. That's a position that Babcock made up so that he wouldn't have to take the heat on draft day. However, I think it would limit Knight to being something like the head of our scouting department and personnell manager. But really he won't be doing much significant work.... i.e. decision making.

[jeddelong]

If Knight doesn't get the job, he is defintely gone. As I have said here before, if you don't get promoted as the interim, you move on. That is the name of the game. Dieb won't be the GM, you will see....

[Lascar78]

Face it. You guys are all speculating and nobody has any inside info as to what will happen. My guess is that our GM will probably be Knight or some other proven GM, but not Dieb. But at least I know it's a complete guess.

[JaHawk10]

If you seriously think Dieb will be our GM, then you are hittin some strong stuff guy. On the real, like Lascar said, you cannot speculate these things just from a few newspaper reads. My hope is that McD will retain Knight as GM, and hire us a quality coach. I hope he'll look seriously into Carlisle and Fratello. Karl does not impress me at all. I think he has burned out like [censored] Vermiel did in the early 80's. Plus I do not like how he constantly criticizes his players. It's good to be on them and push them to do well, but Karl's ways will not be a good for for guys like Reef and JT...

J