Why did ownership fire Billy Knight?

[TomSelleck]

As fans it's easy to say Billy Knight got fired for drafting players a, b, and c instead of players x, y, and z, and in general trying to build a team of all wing players with no attention to point guard and center. Those are more than enough reasons to fire a general manager, but if you look at what ownership has done since firing Knight, that's not the case. The Hawks ownership and subsequent management has validated virtually every one of Knight's moves.

Joe Johnson: Knight traded for him in 2005. Ownership gave him the biggest contract in free agency in 2010.

Mike Bibby: Knight traded for him in 2008. Ownership gave him a new contract in 2009.

Josh Smith: Knight drafted him in 2004. Ownership gave him a contract extension in 2008.

Marvin Williams: Knight drafted him in 2005. Ownership gave him a contract extension in 2009.

Josh Childress: Knight drafted him in 2004. Ownership wanted to keep him but the money wasn't good enough.

Al Horford: Knight drafted him in 2007. It hasn't been time to extend him yet, but in all likelihood the Hawks will extend him.

My point is it has now been over two years since Knight got fired and the Hawks have done virtually nothing to take apart the team that he built. So why did they fire him? The actions of ownership indicate they are perfectly happy with the team he built.

[DJlaysitup]

They fired him because he was one of the worst GMs of all time. His mistakes were epic - both in the 1st round (needed a PG and passed on two all stars) and in the second round when guys like Milsap slipped by. It's rude to call a person an idiot - so let's just say BK was ineffective in his job.

Note: BK has not been re-hired by any team....that speaks volumes.

Edited August 8, 2010 by DJlaysitup

[ATLJA316]

Technically, he wasn't fired...

[DJlaysitup]

Technically, he wasn't fired...

Nor was Woody.

[exodus]

First of all BK wasn't fired. He was actually offered a contract by the owners and declined.

Secondly he sucked.

[lethalweapon3]

Shelly and Acie not panning out (after the flak they received over Marvin)?

~lw3

[buckeye242424]

As fans it's easy to say Billy Knight got fired for drafting players a, b, and c instead of players x, y, and z, and in general trying to build a team of all wing players with no attention to point guard and center. Those are more than enough reasons to fire a general manager, but if you look at what ownership has done since firing Knight, that's not the case. The Hawks ownership and subsequent management has validated virtually every one of Knight's moves.

Joe Johnson: Knight traded for him in 2005. Ownership gave him the biggest contract in free agency in 2010.

Mike Bibby: Knight traded for him in 2008. Ownership gave him a new contract in 2009.

Josh Smith: Knight drafted him in 2004. Ownership gave him a contract extension in 2008.

Marvin Williams: Knight drafted him in 2005. Ownership gave him a contract extension in 2009.

Josh Childress: Knight drafted him in 2004. Ownership wanted to keep him but the money wasn't good enough.

Al Horford: Knight drafted him in 2007. It hasn't been time to extend him yet, but in all likelihood the Hawks will extend him.

My point is it has now been over two years since Knight got fired and the Hawks have done virtually nothing to take apart the team that he built. So why did they fire him? The actions of ownership indicate they are perfectly happy with the team he built.

I think you answered your own question. I don't want to hate on the dude, because, like you mentioned, he's responsible for much of the current team. But that doesn't mean he was good at his job. I didn't, and don't like the philosophy of running five 6'9 guys out on the floor. I think he was forced out, and at the time, it was either he or Woody. I think BK wanted to can Woody, but ownership wanted him around because we we're improving and he was cheap....

[TomSelleck]

Alright I forgot his contract simply expired and he was not retained.

My bigger question is if ownership had a problem with how Knight was building the Hawks, why has it been two years and they've done virtually nothing to change the team? 5 out of the 5 starters from the the last game of Knight's tenure started the last game of the season two years later.

[High5]

Alright I forgot his contract simply expired and he was not retained.

My bigger question is if ownership had a problem with how Knight was building the Hawks, why has it been two years and they've done virtually nothing to change the team? 5 out of the 5 starters from the the last game of Knight's tenure started the last game of the season two years later.

Because he built a pretty good B-level team. The problem is he had the resources to build a championship level team. And ASG is arguably worse at their jobs than Knight was at his job, so I wouldn't use any of their moves to validate any of his moves.

[NineOhTheRino]

Extreme negativity from local fans and media made a continuation of their services damn near impossible.

[Sothron]

He was offered a contract extension actually. He was not fired. He choose to leave because the ownership wouldn't give him free reign as they promised when he was hired. He tried to fire Woodson three times and they wouldn't fire Woodson because they would have to pay him plus another coach.

[clicklandshopping]

As fans it's easy to say Billy Knight got fired for drafting players a, b, and c instead of players x, y, and z, and in general trying to build a team of all wing players with no attention to point guard and center. Those are more than enough reasons to fire a general manager, but if you look at what ownership has done since firing Knight, that's not the case. The Hawks ownership and subsequent management has validated virtually every one of Knight's moves.

Joe Johnson: Knight traded for him in 2005. Ownership gave him the biggest contract in free agency in 2010.

Mike Bibby: Knight traded for him in 2008. Ownership gave him a new contract in 2009.

Josh Smith: Knight drafted him in 2004. Ownership gave him a contract extension in 2008.

Marvin Williams: Knight drafted him in 2005. Ownership gave him a contract extension in 2009.

Josh Childress: Knight drafted him in 2004. Ownership wanted to keep him but the money wasn't good enough.

Al Horford: Knight drafted him in 2007. It hasn't been time to extend him yet, but in all likelihood the Hawks will extend him.

My point is it has now been over two years since Knight got fired and the Hawks have done virtually nothing to take apart the team that he built. So why did they fire him? The actions of ownership indicate they are perfectly happy with the team he built.

I know about the Chris Paul thing no one seems to live down,( Although most publications thought Marvin was the better player) but the only real BIG mistake Billy made to me was when he chose Sheldon Williams with that no.5 pick. Most publications were stunned by that decision. Other than that I think he did a pretty good job. It is so funny how the media can select player then say it was a mistake when the player not picked becomes a Mega star. I wanted Chris Paul myself, but I think Marvin is not that big of a mistake like the media and fans make it out to be.

[DeacKillsaDevil]

[dakast]

As fans it's easy to say Billy Knight got fired for drafting players a, b, and c instead of players x, y, and z, and in general trying to build a team of all wing players with no attention to point guard and center. Those are more than enough reasons to fire a general manager, but if you look at what ownership has done since firing Knight, that's not the case. The Hawks ownership and subsequent management has validated virtually every one of Knight's moves.

Joe Johnson: Knight traded for him in 2005. Ownership gave him the biggest contract in free agency in 2010.

Mike Bibby: Knight traded for him in 2008. Ownership gave him a new contract in 2009.

Josh Smith: Knight drafted him in 2004. Ownership gave him a contract extension in 2008.

Marvin Williams: Knight drafted him in 2005. Ownership gave him a contract extension in 2009.

Josh Childress: Knight drafted him in 2004. Ownership wanted to keep him but the money wasn't good enough.

Al Horford: Knight drafted him in 2007. It hasn't been time to extend him yet, but in all likelihood the Hawks will extend him.

My point is it has now been over two years since Knight got fired and the Hawks have done virtually nothing to take apart the team that he built. So why did they fire him? The actions of ownership indicate they are perfectly happy with the team he built.

Good question....if Woody did such a horrible job, then why keep the team that he built together?

Don't know the answer, but its worth thinking about as I eat my sandwich and wait for the football season to start.

[gsuteke]

I don't neg people on here but it's hard not to do so in this case.

Billy knight did the least with more top 10 picks to the point idiocy.

To start a thread like this is lame. Period.

[exodus]

Alright I forgot his contract simply expired and he was not retained.

My bigger question is if ownership had a problem with how Knight was building the Hawks, why has it been two years and they've done virtually nothing to change the team? 5 out of the 5 starters from the the last game of Knight's tenure started the last game of the season two years later.

When BK left the team didn't have a first round draft pick and had no capspace. How would they be able to add a starting caliber player? The only realistic way to do it would be a major trade.

He had top 6 picks 2004-2006 and all the Hawks have to show for them is Marvin and a washed up Bibby. The 2006 offseason was an absolute joke. He doesn't deserve and NBA job which is why he doesn't have one.

Edited August 9, 2010 by exodus

[TomSelleck]

Because he built a pretty good B-level team. The problem is he had the resources to build a championship level team. And ASG is arguably worse at their jobs than Knight was at his job, so I wouldn't use any of their moves to validate any of his moves.

You're the only poster who understands where I was going.

To the rest of you, I know why I would have fired Knight. I outlined that in my initial post. He missed too many franchise-defining players in the draft and in general had a poor understanding of how parts of a team fit together. Again, my question is why hasn't Sund and/or the ASG started dumping the players he picked? Why are they paying those players more money than what Knight signed them for?

[exodus]

You're the only poster who understands where I was going.

To the rest of you, I know why I would have fired Knight. I outlined that in my initial post. He missed too many franchise-defining players in the draft and in general had a poor understanding of how parts of a team fit together. Again, my question is why hasn't Sund and/or the ASG started dumping the players he picked? Why are they paying those players more money than what Knight signed them for?

Please tell me you are not serious. Smith and Marvin were under their rookie contracts under BK.

:slap1:

[TheNorthCydeRises]

@ Magnum . . . the Chris Paul miss is part of BK's legacy. It's hard to overlook that. When you look at BK's pluses, the JJ trade is his crown jewel, with bringing in Bibby being 2nd. Horford was the almost consensus #3 guy ( with a few people perferring Yi Jialian ), so it was almost impossible for him to mess that pick up.

But of BK's draft picks, only Marvin and Al Horford made it to their 2nd contract under the Hawks. And some people thought that Marvin shouldn't have made it to the 2nd contract. These guys didn't:

- Shelden Williams

- Josh Childress

- Acie Law

( all 3 were lottery picks )

- Salim Stoudamire

- Solomon Jones

Then you add in the Speedy contract, when you know that guy had a history of injuries, and you see why people give BK the "thumbs down".

I give Woody way more props than I do BK. When Woody is forced to play guys like Royal Ivey, Cedric Bozeman, and Josh Childress at PG because he lacks quality depth there, you know the team was in bad shape personnel wise.

[Swatguy]

@ Magnum . . . the Chris Paul miss is part of BK's legacy. It's hard to overlook that. When you look at BK's pluses, the JJ trade is his crown jewel, with bringing in Bibby being 2nd. Horford was the almost consensus #3 guy ( with a few people perferring Yi Jialian ), so it was almost impossible for him to mess that pick up.

But of BK's draft picks, only Marvin and Al Horford made it to their 2nd contract under the Hawks. And some people thought that Marvin shouldn't have made it to the 2nd contract. These guys didn't:

- Shelden Williams

- Josh Childress

- Acie Law

( all 3 were lottery picks )

- Salim Stoudamire

- Solomon Jones

Then you add in the Speedy contract, when you know that guy had a history of injuries, and you see why people give BK the "thumbs down".

I give Woody way more props than I do BK. When Woody is forced to play guys like Royal Ivey, Cedric Bozeman, and Josh Childress at PG because he lacks quality depth there, you know the team was in bad shape personnel wise.

I have been complaining but Boy we are so much better now. We have the resources to make the big franchise move...it is what the big boys do.