Danny Ferry: "We're not focused on trying to be the eighth seed in the playoffs because that's not our goal."

[GameTime]

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nba/hawks/2014/03/31/atlanta-injury-al-horford-paul-millsap-danny-ferry-mike-budenholzer/7126981/

"The injuries that compounded after Al the past two months certainly can't be ignored when you look at the whole of the season," Hawks general manager Danny Ferry told USA TODAY Sports. "We don't want to use them as excuses. It's been a reality, and I like that our group has continued to compete. It's part of the reason I like the substance of our group. It will allow us to be competitive going forward."

Even though he is frustrated by injuries, Ferry is pleased with the makeup of the roster and the overall direction of the Hawks under first-year coach Mike Budenholzer.

"Throughout the year, I felt we've been on a good path," Ferry said. "When healthy, we've been a very good team. I like the way we play. It's system-based. I like our players. There's some substance to them. With the way we're set-up from a salary cap standpoint and a roster standpoint that good things can continue to unfold.

"We're not focused on trying to be the eighth seed in the playoffs because that's not our goal. We're trying to build something that's good, sustainable and the components are in place for us to do so."

Edited April 1, 2014 by GameTime

[TheNorthCydeRises]

This dude is a used car salesman. He'll tell you anything to get you to buy what he's selling.

[Plainview1981]

This dude is a used car salesman. He'll tell you anything to get you to buy what he's selling.

This team was three games above .500 when the team was healthy... And remember... The east was extremely weak to start off the season. Teams like the Nets and Bobcats have improved since then. So his idea that this was "really good" when healthy is a complete lie. Unless, you want to count Lou... Who coach Bud does not even play anymore unless he has to.

Edited April 1, 2014 by Hotlanta1981

[turnermx]

I saw how well the team was playing and i really dont think it far from the truth. I believe what Ferry said is spot on.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[buckeye242424]

The title of this thread is misleading. Our goal isn't the 8th seed, it's moving up....Whether we do that or not is yet to be determined, but Ferry isn't saying we're tanking.

[ATLSmith]

This was my favorite part.

With the way we're set-up from a salary cap standpoint and a roster standpoint that good things can continue to unfold.

[HawkItus]

Ferry is saying exactly what his critics are saying. Eighth seed is not what we want. He wants a championship. If we get a spot in the playoffs as that plan unfolds ok. If not we are still working towards our goal and the 8th spot or not we are on course.

[Wretch]

Yeah, I'm not reading that as "we're trying to tank the rest of the season" at all. He's saying we're trying to build something more than a perennial early exit team. I don't think he's selling anything. He believes what he's saying, but we all need to be on the same page here. Danny is saying that the team is competitive. That's not a stretch even if the conference had played out like we predicted.

With a healthy Horford, this team could hang with the best in the league. But now, some people are confused as to just what that means. It means (with a healthy team) on any given night, we could go into Indy, Miami, San Antonio, OKC...and come out with a win. It DOES NOT mean that we can win a 7 game series in the 1st or 2nd round. It means we could win a couple of games, but ultimately...we're going home early.

I have seen this kind of team in ATL for many years and real fans who have watched it for as long as I have...they have seen it too.

We opened the '97/'98 season with 11 straight wins en route to a 50 win season

The year before, we stole a game from MICHAEL JORDAN's Bulls

In '96 we upset Indiana in the 1st round

We took Boston to 7 games in 2008

Upset Orlando not too long ago

...but we have never been a contender. Not even close. So yes, this team when healthy could win games. I'm sure Ferry knows that and I'm sure the whole NBA knows that. However, I'm not going to fool myself into thinking that we're something more than what we are. Healthy or not. Weak conference or not. This is a competitive middle of the pack team. What I'm HOPING is that Ferry isn't so blind that he can't see that. Otherwise, we're in for a whole lot more of what we've seen the past couple of seasons (and pretty much the entirety of the last nearly 30 years).

[TheNorthCydeRises]

I saw how well the team was playing and i really dont think it far from the truth. I believe what Ferry said is spot on.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

People must have forgotten what playing "well" looks like then.

Even last year's team, with Josh Smith's dysfunction on offense, was better than this squad when healthy.

[TheNorthCydeRises]

Yeah, I'm not reading that as "we're trying to tank the rest of the season" at all. He's saying we're trying to build something more than a perennial early exit team. I don't think he's selling anything. He believes what he's saying, but we all need to be on the same page here. Danny is saying that the team is competitive. That's not a stretch even if the conference had played out like we predicted.

With a healthy Horford, this team could hang with the best in the league. But now, some people are confused as to just what that means. It means (with a healthy team) on any given night, we could go into Indy, Miami, San Antonio, OKC...and come out with a win. It DOES NOT mean that we can win a 7 game series in the 1st or 2nd round. It means we could win a couple of games, but ultimately...we're going home early.

I have seen this kind of team in ATL for many years and real fans who have watched it for as long as I have...they have seen it too.

We opened the '97/'98 season with 11 straight wins en route to a 50 win season

The year before, we stole a game from MICHAEL JORDAN's Bulls

In '96 we upset Indiana in the 1st round

We took Boston to 7 games in 2008

Upset Orlando not too long ago

...but we have never been a contender. Not even close. So yes, this team when healthy could win games. I'm sure Ferry knows that and I'm sure the whole NBA knows that. However, I'm not going to fool myself into thinking that we're something more than what we are. Healthy or not. Weak conference or not. This is a competitive middle of the pack team. What I'm HOPING is that Ferry isn't so blind that he can't see that. Otherwise, we're in for a whole lot more of what we've seen the past couple of seasons (and pretty much the entirety of the last nearly 30 years).

This team when healthy was no more than a .500 level team, on par with the Wizards. We were horrible on the road, but pretty good at home. We even caught a few good teams that were injured ( since he wants to use the injury excuse as to why we're not better than we are ). Indiana didn't have Stephenson . . Miami didn't have Wade . . and Houston didn't have Parsons or Asik when we beat them back in January. But those teams don't make excuses to their lack of success in those games, just because those players were out.

Saying a team is "competitive" is one of the most bland statements you can make in this league. New Orleans is "competitive". Denver ( who have REALLY been devastated by injuries . . 4 rotation players out for the season ), have been "competitive". heck, even CLEVELAND is competitive. \

So what does "being competitive" really mean, in the grand scheme of things?

[TheNorthCydeRises]

This team was three games above .500 when the team was healthy... And remember... The east was extremely weak to start off the season. Teams like the Nets and Bobcats have improved since then. So his idea that this was "really good" when healthy is a complete lie. Unless, you want to count Lou... Who coach Bud does not even play anymore unless he has to.

The Hawks had played a bottom 5 schedule at the time Horford got hurt . . and we were barely over .500. The excuse back then was . . . "oh these guys just need time to learn Bud's system".

Calling the Hawks "really good", just because they beat some good teams at home, is misleading as hell. Heck, even UTAH has beat OKC and Miami at home. Does that meant that they're "competitive".

I would respect the GM more, if he just came out and said that we haven't played well at all in these past 2 months, and that we need an upgrade in talent to get to the level we want to be at. Instead, he says "I like our players".

He likes our players huh? The players that can't win games if just one rotation player is out?

"We like our players" = "We like our core"

Remember that statement from Rick "Status Quo" Sund?

[macdaddy]

The Hawks had played a bottom 5 schedule at the time Horford got hurt . . and we were barely over .500. The excuse back then was . . . "oh these guys just need time to learn Bud's system".

Calling the Hawks "really good", just because they beat some good teams at home, is misleading as hell. Heck, even UTAH has beat OKC and Miami at home. Does that meant that they're "competitive".

I would respect the GM more, if he just came out and said that we haven't played well at all in these past 2 months, and that we need an upgrade in talent to get to the level we want to be at. Instead, he says "I like our players".

He likes our players huh? The players that can't win games if just one rotation player is out?

"We like our players" = "We like our core"

Remember that statement from Rick "Status Quo" Sund?

What GM in the world is going to say 'we need an upgrade in talent'. How many guys want to play for him? If you're boss said 'well we're doing good as a company but we could use people with more talent' would you take that well?

[TheNorthCydeRises]

What GM in the world is going to say 'we need an upgrade in talent'. How many guys want to play for him? If you're boss said 'well we're doing good as a company but we could use people with more talent' would you take that well?

Seeing that we DO need an upgrade in talent, why worry about how the lesser talent on the team feels about that statement? This is not Little League. This is the NBA . . . professional sports.

If a player gets demoralized because a GM or coach says that we need an upgrade in talent, then that player doesn't need to be on the team anyway.

You would think it would have the opposite effect, if a GM said that about the team. You would think that players would play even harder, to prove the GM wrong.

That effort on defense last night was atrocious for about 3 quarters. If the Hawks couldn't even thoroughly handle the Sixers at home, a team that has lost 27 out of 28 games, why lie about the talent?

Saying that he "likes our players" means that these guys are doing a good job and everything is OK.

No it's not.

[MrMeltdown]

Ferry represents everything bad with society. He wants all of the praise but none of the blame. How can you be pleased with a team that had all that cap space last summer to end up in its current position with know high level picks and limited cap space?

[Wretch]

The Hawks had played a bottom 5 schedule at the time Horford got hurt . . and we were barely over .500. The excuse back then was . . . "oh these guys just need time to learn Bud's system".

Calling the Hawks "really good", just because they beat some good teams at home, is misleading as hell. Heck, even UTAH has beat OKC and Miami at home. Does that meant that they're "competitive".

I would respect the GM more, if he just came out and said that we haven't played well at all in these past 2 months, and that we need an upgrade in talent to get to the level we want to be at. Instead, he says "I like our players".

He likes our players huh? The players that can't win games if just one rotation player is out?

"We like our players" = "We like our core"

Remember that statement from Rick "Status Quo" Sund?

SSDD dude.

Competitive is just that. Night in and night out, they can go out there and have a chance to get a win. Competitive = playoffs. Some people, that's all they want. But those same people need to understand the difference between being competitive and being a contender.

I hope DF doesn't confuse the two, but the way he's pieced these teams the past couple of years...seems to me like he's drinking his own Kool-Ad. Seems like he honestly thinks we have a chance. People were like, "No...he's just EVALUATING Josh Smith." No he wasn't. He built a team around Smoove thinking we could be "competitive."

"He's just acquiring assets and rebuilding the culture." No he's not. He tried to build a team around Horford thinking he and Teague were the next coming of Parker/Duncan...and with Millsap/Korver....we'd be fighting for the top spot in the East.

That's why I was so bummed when Horford went down. I was hoping it would be kind of a wake-up call, but now he (and the other blind optimists) can run around screaming, "Oh, but we'd be the 3rd seed if Horf hadn't gone down and I honestly think with a little tweaking, we had a chance to upset Miami/Indiana in the 2nd round."

[macdaddy]

I don't know what you guys are talking about but building a contender in 1-2 years is not feasible. Look at the Mavs. Cuban has all the money in the world he wants to willingly spend to get a title and they are heading for an OKC beat down in the playoffs. What an idiot right? Building a team is a process and it's slow. Particularly when you have to recover from a Joe Johnson, Josh Smith, Marvin Williams hangover.

[HawkItus]

The Hawks had played a bottom 5 schedule at the time Horford got hurt . . and we were barely over .500. The excuse back then was . . . "oh these guys just need time to learn Bud's system".

Calling the Hawks "really good", just because they beat some good teams at home, is misleading as hell. Heck, even UTAH has beat OKC and Miami at home. Does that meant that they're "competitive".

I would respect the GM more, if he just came out and said that we haven't played well at all in these past 2 months, and that we need an upgrade in talent to get to the level we want to be at. Instead, he says "I like our players".

He likes our players huh? The players that can't win games if just one rotation player is out?

"We like our players" = "We like our core"

Remember that statement from Rick "Status Quo" Sund?

So would you consider Detroit more talented than the Hawks? What about Charlotte? The Nets? The Raptors? Had it not been for injury our record we be as good or better than those teams. But, no as a fan you continue to take the cheap shot and downgrade your team. Typical

[Wretch]

You talk like we haven't been watching the game for decades. I know what it takes to build a team and I know how long it takes. What you guys fail to realize is that not all teams are in the same situation. Even if they have similar records.

In 2008, it was a DREAM for this team to make the playoffs and we couldn't be happier about it. That year, I hung on every play hoping for a win...praying we made the playoffs. Accordingly, I did my best to shut up the people who wanted to "tank" some more. That wasn't time. We were a young team, we had a bunch of growing talent, reaching playoffs was a milestone...even just the 8th seed. Today, it's not a dream. Farting our way into the 8th seed in a weak conference is not an accomplishment and offers us no significant advantage.

The Mavs just won a championship. They still have Dirk and they're still looking to win. You can't fault them for shooting for wins. Not when a team like San Antonio keeps getting older and maintains that high level of success. With the right FA signing here or there, who knows...they could have been right back at the top for a couple of years. Whereas the Hawks have no chance at the CF's are AT BEST hoping for just a competitive 4/5 match up.

Again, this goes back to what I was saying. People are just confused about the potential of this team. You guys are also confused as to what "building" something actually means. You need talent. Not just decent/hardworking guys. You need dominant talent and there ain't but a couple of ways to do that - none of which involve a laughably pathetic attempt to cling on to a playoff spot that pretty much any team in the east could have.

Edited April 1, 2014 by Wretch

[Wretch]

So would you consider Detroit more talented than the Hawks? What about Charlotte? The Nets? The Raptors? Had it not been for injury our record we be as good or better than those teams. But, no as a fan you continue to take the cheap shot and downgrade your team. Typical

Nobody is taking cheap shots. Everybody in here is a real fan. He's just being realistic and not a blind homer.

[Guest Zone]