This'll POOP your pants.

[mrhonline]

League exec. says ATL owners thought for offering Joe Johnson max deal is they won't still own Hawks at end of contract to have to pay it.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojYahooNBA)

July 1, 2010

From Adreian Woj:

League exec. says ATL owners thought for offering Joe Johnson max deal is they won't still own Hawks at end of contract to have to pay it.

[Guest]

Now that is exciting news if you ask me.

[Unforgiven]

YAYYYY

[Joker]

You got to love league execs, I wonder if that was Donnie or Jerry?

[Seano]

Oh god, I just sharted.

That would be great news if they're nearing a sale of a team sometime soon. Hopefully they can find a good buyer with deep-pockets who really has a burning desire that his team win. Preferably a lone individual as opposed to some kind of conglomeration or partnership, and definitely not some crap corporate outfit that could give a rats arse about putting out a winner, it's *all* about the bottom-line with those guys.

So yeah, that'd be great, and I'd really hope they put forth some effort into finding the right buyer, one who'll be the best for the Hawks and the fans and the city. Then the ASG can take their tidy profit and run with it, and we'd be free of them. I like it, I like it a lot.

[KB21]

I could buy this, but at this point, I'm not trusting anything coming out on the Hawks unless it is coming from Michael Cunningham or Sekou Smith.

[Joker]

I am watching NBATV and Sukou is talking about we are poking holes, that's BS, we just want a championship team.

[HawksBalla]

I don't know if I buy that. Usually when teams are trying to sell, they shed payroll, not increase it.

[Joker]

I don't know if I buy that. Usually when teams are trying to sell, they shed payroll, not increase it.

Exactly, but this was unexpected for those close to the issue.

[DJlaysitup]

Wow - I wouldn't be surprised. I posted awhile back that hiring LD didn't seem to be a move for the future for the owners.

My hope is there is another billionaire who wants to whoop on the NJ billionaire.

If you have serious money (and can't buy immediately due to lawsuits) what would you want? Cheap coach (for future replacement) - assets in place.

I'd bet 14 dollars that the ASG is in "conversations"

Edited July 1, 2010 by DJlaysitup

[Brotha2ThaNite]

From Adreian Woj:

MAN, I'M STARTING TO GET SICK OF THIS ASG :beathorse:

[Joker]

The new owner might want to buy a contender, in Atlanta contenders make money. The Smith family got the hell out of Atlanta when Vick sold all those tickets when they were trying to sell the team for the last 10 years before Blank brought it. If you want to sell an Atlanta team, you need a contender on the plains. If ASG wants to sell, they need a key addition. It's just that simple.

Wow - I wouldn't be surprised. I posted awhile back that hiring LD didn't seem to be a move for the future for the owners.

My hope is there is another billionaire who wants to whoop on the NJ billionaire.

If you have serious money (and can't buy immediately due to lawsuits) what would you want? Cheap coach (for future replacement) - assets in place.

I'd bet 14 dollars that the ASG is in "conversations"

They could be in conversations but who in Atlanta will buy a team outside of corporate that losses money. If ASG wants to sell the Hawks, they need a contender that everyone knows is a contender with a top 10 face in the league. Otherwise, Atlanta is too risky of franchise to buy into. They only sell 88% of their arena and have little statewide support for the most part. What is true is Atlanta has a major basketball popl who watches the games, even if the team is not the Hawks. Atlanta potential is enormous but will it be reached.

Edited July 1, 2010 by nbasuperstar40

[clicklandshopping]

Hopefully they won't sell to someone who will move the franchise.

[Guest]

In order to move the team, the new owner has to get approval from either a majority of the owners or all (not sure which) by vote and their has to be a viable alternate location....Only two locations keep popping up......Las Vegas? Stern will prolly let the Kings (Stadium issues) move there before ATL...Seattle? The sonics left because they wanted a new stadium, they still haven't built one so I don't see Stern letting another team move there.

[Sothron]

Remember how Falcons fans were scared of Arthur Blank buying the team? How's that working so far? Can you imagine if Blank or someone like him bought the team and kept it here? :helpsmilie: :helpsmilie: :helpsmilie:

[MaceCase]

I don't know if I buy that. Usually when teams are trying to sell, they shed payroll, not increase it.

Like Superstar touched on, that practice usually works for non playoff teams. When it comes to a team coming off of 53 wins the idea is that you are buying a ready made winner rather than a rebuilding project.

[NJHAWK]

Hey I resent that. Nobodys allowed to call the Hawks cheap but us !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Obviously the sources are idiots since payroll is a factor in any sale of a buisness.