Danny Ferry New GM

[Joker]

They were mostly solid but not move the needle type picks:2006: Shannon Brown and Daniel Gibson over the move-the-needle Paul Millsap2007: #22 and #24 picks in the draft previously traded by Cleveland for Welsch and Pavlovic (boo)2008: JJ Hickson over Ryan Anderson, Serge Ibaka, Nicholas Batum, DeAndre Jordan and others;2009: Christian Eyenga drafted in Round 1 over DeJuan Blair, Marcus Thornton, Jodie Meeks and others; Danny Green in Round 2 (#48) was excellent value, although he didn't do much in Cleveland.Solid, but not much to write home about at the end of the day.

The Hickson pick is your ASG/Sund like pick. They went with potential over substance and fit. I would have taken Batum and Anderson over him. Not Ibaka or Jordan. Those two are overrated and Ibaka is useful for OKC but he does the same thing Tyrus Thomas does but his role fits for OKC sense they have Westbrook, Durant, and Harden while Thomas has had role players as his teammates. Situations matter.

[AHF]

Sounds like AHF wants perfection...............that game can be played with any GM.If you told me last week the Hawks should hire Danny Ferry.............I would say you nuts b/c there is no way a top candidate like Ferry would come to Atlanta................but I'm sure glad that he did.

Doesn't everyone want perfection? But seriously, he doesn't have anything that is even an impact pick on his record. I hope his first impact move is in Atlanta.

[KB21]

Lets hope he has learned from his many mistakes. Lets hope that he payed close attention to the way things were done in San Antonio. If this means Gearon has finally fired himself as gm and Ferry has control then I dont mind the roll of the dice. We have been asking for that for years so lets hope it has happened.

I do not think Danny made many mistakes in Cleveland. The mistakes in Cleveland were more organizational, and at the time, Danny Ferry was warning ownership about what they were doing. Ownership wanted to placate LeBron James. That is why LeBron's buddy Jamison was brought in when Danny Ferry wanted to make a deal for Amare Stoudemire. It was LeBron James that went to ownership and stated that he wanted Jamison.Even with these so called many mistakes, Danny Ferry still built a team that won 60+ games in his final two years with the organization.

[Seano]

Lastly, in looking at Ferry's record, the guy can wheel and deal. Multiple 3-way trades. Those are hard to pull off and he did it twice with the Cavs. This makes me think he was brought in because management knows the team needs to be reconstructed.

I noticed that too, the 3-ways. Those kind of trades require a little creativity, a little flexibility, and somewhat of a capacity for 'thinking outside the box', all of which I would consider to be positive things.It certainly looks like he was an active GM, not exactly the type to be sitting around on his hands.I am cautiously optimistic, and agree it's probably a good sign for his own autonomy in running the show that not only was he given the 6 year deal as GM, but also named President of Basketball Operations. I don't believe the ASG would have done that had they been planning on him simply being another figurehead. Edited June 25, 2012 by Seano

[Seano]

Speaking of the 3-way trade, I'm wondering when the last time was that we were involved in one of those? I honestly cannot recall.

[NineOhTheRino]

I initially assume everyone is a f-up until they've shown not to be.Looks like most of you initially assume the best until the person proves to be a f-up.both fair

[willthepureshooter]

"Hey Gearon, I would love to manage the Hawks.. Lets sign right now!"

"Hey, lets do it!"

"We're the core guys, we have to get it together. 1..2..3.. HAWKS!!"

"Don't just stand there and look crazy. Come join the team and reap the rewards."

"So Joe, about your contract! You gonna take a pay cut?! huh?! My office hours are from?"

"Damn ASG shouldn't have given him so much power. Its over!"

Guys lets hope the new GM doesn't destroy a team that has potential. They made the movie Moneyball for a reason. Advance statistics can be helpful in some cases but its not meant to bring sure championships.

[Guest Walter]

The First GREAT Move by the Hawks in years

Sadly, yes. If we had upgraded from outside the Hawks after the firing of Woody, that might have been an equally promising move. This is promising. W

[MaceCase]

You can say that his trades don't wow you but did he lose any of them? You know, like the other team got the better value/asset?

[Guest Walter]

I freaking love the draft picks he selected considering what number they were picking in the draft

Agreed. It's so difficult to assess what Ferry WAS capable of in the Lebron world of Cleveland. Clearly the guy was trying just about everything to surround Lebron with some sort of talent. Possibly under the pressure of ownership desperation, many of the moves were made, and clearly Ferry had little to work with. Like the draft picks though. W

[benhillboy]

Don't know much about his demeanor, but seems like a candid dude. I want his most candid answers to two questions:1. How do you feel about Joe's contract? (preferably not a cliched, politically correct, on-the-fence answer like "we love to have him here but we're always looking for opportunities to better our team."2. Would you rather have Al at the five, a bigger player who's not nearly as good to slide him to the 4, or can Josh (or some combo of Josh, Kirk, Marvin, pick) afford you a quality 5?

[AHF]

You can say that his trades don't wow you but did he lose any of them? You know, like the other team got the better value/asset?

I would say most of them were like shuffling deck chairs on the titanic. He didn't lose anything of significance but he didn't win anything of significance. The deals were largely Cleveland trash (i.e., players that Cleveland didn't value) for some other team's garbage (i.e., assets they viewed as toxic and wanted to unload). Cleveland usually ended up giving the other guy some cap relief in exchange for more productive toxic assets.

[MaceCase]

WELL thankfully I saved this right before I posted it when I noticed the site acting screwy.

I would say most of them were like shuffling deck chairs on the titanic. He didn't lose anything of significance but he didn't win anything of significance. The deals were largely Cleveland trash (i.e., players that Cleveland didn't value) for some other team's garbage (i.e., assets they viewed as toxic and wanted to unload). Cleveland usually ended up giving the other guy some cap relief in exchange for more productive toxic assets.

Not entirely, Cleveland was in win-now mode and he was able to flip expired milk for soon to be expired milk, enjoying a couple extra bowls of cereal along the way. They were a franchise on a deadline with all the big market wolves stalking their star so it's not as if they could wait on capspace and young prospects. The Hughes, Marshall & Gooden deals turned sour, he turned them to Ben Wallace & Sczerbiac. Damon Jones goes sour and he turns him into Mo Williams who was great for them....even made his first (only) All Star game *snickers*. Flips Pavlovic and Wallace after they soured for Shaq. Turns Big Z into Jamison......and even gets Big Z back that same year! He did a pretty good job considering what he was up against. Yea he had to spend time making up for the deals he handed out his first year there but 1) it's Cleveland, Ohio for a sport that takes place predominantly in the winter 2) he had to do all possible to try and appease the greatest star of this generation to remain interested in that dump for longer than his suspiciously shorter contract extension. That dynamic doesn't exist in Atlanta and above all else you should have some appreciation after watching 7 years of stagnantion that the team is getting a guy who never stood still no matter the greater amount of success he had over this organization.

[Buzzard]

Cleveland usually ended up giving the other guy some cap relief in exchange for more productive toxic assets.

I honestly thought Jamison was a hell of a move. Big time scorer and as Mace stated he got Z right back. Moe was solid if nothing spectacular. Clevelands problem was same as for us, no interior D. Hard to get teams to send you their best interior defender for the garbage the Cavs had.Hopefully our garbage looks better and he can shore up that weak spot for us. Edited June 26, 2012 by Buzzard

[Joker]

I honestly thought Jamison was a hell of a move. Big time scorer and as Mace stated he got Z right back. Moe was solid if nothing spectacular. Clevelands problem was same as for us, no interior D. Hard to get teams to send you their best interior defender for the garbage the Cavs had.Hopefully our garbage looks better and he can shore up that weak spot for us.

Jamison wasn't that good either. They hoped he was a #2 option but that time past by the time he landed in Cleveland.

[Guest]

Everyone and their mama was lauding the Jamison move and getting Z back as LBJ having the stretch 4 he needed to take them over the top. It didn't work so it's all hindsight now but at the time it was all good.

[MaceCase]

With Shaq and Mo they were confident in scoring. The role that they wanted Jamison to fulfill the most was that of a stretch 4 for Shaq and to matchup with Shard who nearly singlehandededly knocked them out the year before. The problem was that they met Boston instead in the playoffs.

[Endy9]

I'm happy. Definitely an upgrade plus if Sund does have any advice left to give, still on as an adviser.