Over grading the work of Ferry.

[kerrypack]

babcock did some good things.  he struggled with the rebuild and made the worst trade in hawks history, but i liked him.  ferry probably isn't that bad, but he made a mistake he might not survive.

[Watchman]

OK.  I'll take the bait.  BK should be the lowest ranked GM we ever had, bar none.  How many tweener forwards do you need?  How do you waste a top 5 pick on Shelden?  We already had a surplus of tweener forwards, we didn't need any more.  And the worst part of was, if someone questioned his choices, he became defensive, and he didn't hesitate to let you know how stupid you must be for presuming to question him.

 

Along with Isiah Thomas and Joe Dumars, BK has to rate as one of the worst GMs in the history of the entire league, to say nothing of the Hawks.

 

Not having a GM is better than having BK.

[Guest]

OK.  I'll take the bait.  BK should be the lowest ranked GM we ever had, bar none.  How many tweener forwards do you need?  How do you waste a top 5 pick on Shelden?  We already had a surplus of tweener forwards, we didn't need any more.  And the worst part of was, if someone questioned his choices, he became defensive, and he didn't hesitate to let you know how stupid you must be for presuming to question him.

 

Along with Isiah Thomas and Joe Dumars, BK has to rate as one of the worst GMs in the history of the entire league, to say nothing of the Hawks.

 

Not having a GM is better than having BK.

 

It seems you just don't like him.  If you stack his "accomplishments" against many other GM's (Ferry included) but took the names off you'd probably think differently.  @Diesel is giving us facts to consider but everybody's coming back with their personal shots.  What do you think Ferry would say to someone questioning his great vision?

 

BK wasn't that bad.  Familiarity just bred contempt.

 

The Shelden pick was certainly an awful one.  I'll repeat what I said before, the next time Ferry drafts a star or starter for us will be the first time.  He's the "diamond in the rough" finder though?

 

Mind you, I'm not saying BK was great.   I'm just saying he was better than Ferry was in the time he was here.

[Watchman]

It seems you just don't like him.  If you stack his "accomplishments" against many other GM's (Ferry included) but took the names off you'd probably think differently.  @Diesel is giving us facts to consider but everybody's coming back with their personal shots.  What do you think Ferry would say to someone questioning his great vision?

 

BK wasn't that bad.  Familiarity just bred contempt.

 

The Shelden pick was certainly an awful one.  I'll repeat what I said before, the next time Ferry drafts a star or starter for us will be the first time.  He's the "diamond in the rough" finder though?

 

Mind you, I'm not saying BK was great.   I'm just saying he was better than Ferry was in the time he was here.

 

 

I'm not defending Ferry.  The jury is still out.  When you consider how many lottery picks BK had, and what a poor job he did drafting with them, no one can say that BK "wasn't that bad."  When you throw away the farm to get JJ.  You waste lottery picks on Marvin and Shelden.  A 12 year old could have done better than that.

 

He wasn't just bad, he was arrogantly bad.  It's one thing to be bad, if you are humble about it and learn from your mistakes.  It's another thing to be bad, but be under the delusion that you're great.

[Guest]

I'm not defending Ferry.  The jury is still out.  When you consider how many lottery picks BK had, and what a poor job he did drafting with them, no one can say that BK "wasn't that bad."  When you throw away the farm to get JJ.  You waste lottery picks on Marvin and Shelden.  A 12 year old could have done better than that.

 

He wasn't just bad, he was arrogantly bad.  It's one thing to be bad, if you are humble about it and learn from your mistakes.  It's another thing to be bad, but be under the delusion that you're great.

 

I hear you.  BK certainly wasn't great.  You have to build a contender to be considered great IMO which is why I'm not sure why people (not necessarily you) throw that around when speaking of Ferry.

 

I say BK wasn't that bad because in spite of his poor drafting and A$G-tinged free agency decisions we did actually field a competitive team.  Flawed for sure but certainly more competitive than Ferry's teams have been.

[TheNorthCydeRises]

Knight was the only GM that had a legit shot to build a title team. Not selecting Paul will always taint his legacy. Sheldon being a bust doesn't help him either.

But Knight either drafted or traded for 3 of the best players in Atlanta Hawks history ... within a 4 year span.

Joe Johnson was arguably the best 2 guard in franchise history.

Josh Smith was arguably the 2nd or 3rd best PF in franchise history ( depending what you classify Bob Pettit as )

And Al Horford is arguably the 2nd or 3rd best center in franchise history ( depending what you classify Bob Pettit as )

As far as Ferry goes, people praise him like he's done something groundbreaking. He's done nothing yet to move us out of mediocrity. He's not even a top 3 GM in our own division.

[TheNorthCydeRises]

 

Here's what's funny because I hear the excuses...

Bud loses Horf... Hawks go 38-44.

LD loses Horf... Hawks go 40-42.

 

Horf only played 11 games for LD in 2011-2012.

 

Horf played 29 for Bud last year.

 

So...  What's so great about Bud again?

Let's just say... TBD.

 

Moreover, that's mucho disrespect to Lenny Wilkens and Mike Fratello to say that Bud is the best coach that we have had.  Hell, I think I just showed that it's even disrespectful to LD.

I'm a Bud supporter, but he's definitely behind Lenny and Fratello right now. And Drew can always say that he never had a losing season as Hawks coach.

And a correction Diesel ... The Hawks went 40 - 26 the year Horford went down under Drew ... not 40 - 42. That was the strike year. What's even more impressive is that the Hawks went 33 - 22 after Horford went down that year.

The Hawks this season went 22 - 31 after we lost Horford. And people routinely forget that our beloved "on hiatus" GM did absolutely nothing to bring in a player to compensate for the loss of Horford.

[Watchman]

I would prefer Bud's ball movement system than Woody's and Larry's iso-ball non-system.  To each his own though.

 

Josh Smith is not in the top 5 PFs we've had.  Pettit, Roundfield, Willis, Millsap, Bridges, Abdur-Rahim, and even Grant Long were all better than Smith.  Perhaps not athletically, but they played to their strengths, rather than stubbornly continuing to waste shots.

 

When you have top ten picks year after year (because your team is pathetic) and all you can be commended for is Al Horford, who was a no-brainer at #3, I don't know that it speaks very highly of your abilities.

 

The fact that Ferry was able to get rid of JJ, Marvin and Smith gives him instantly more merit than BK would ever deserve.

 

Again, I'm not defending Ferry, just pointing out how bad BK was.

[Wretch]

It doesn't have to be a superstar.

 

Draft somebody that is starter worthy... how about that?  Can he draft one player who can be a starter in this league?

Even BK's bad draft picks could and did start and not just for our team.  Chillz was a star in Greece, then came back and started with the Suns.  Marvin was a starter for the Jazz.  Even Shelden was a starter for the Kings and saw decent BU minutes for Boston.

 

However, J. Jenkins leads a parade of guys who won't start.

 

You all say Ferry has structure... as if BK didn't.  BK's structure was clear... he wanted long, athletic players...who were versatile.  He wanted guys like Paul George and KD.  BK's talent finding ability was flawed but he did have structure and he did have a plan that works.

 

Ferry has a theory.  Some of you have bought high on this theory.  His theory is that he can get "high character guys" who are not elite talent guys but specialist and win.  The part about this plan that is so stupid is that he basically ignores anybody who is an elite talent.  That's why he's on the tape downing Melo and Deng in the first place.  I'm sure he did the same with D12 and CP3.  Ferry wants to recreate the spurs without Tim Duncan.  And there is so many people that  have heard that he's making us into the Spurs that they have gotten loopy and will forgive all that Ferry does in the process.  Give away a first round pick.... "databoy, if you're doing it it must be right."  Get nothing of value for Free Agents and trades..." Good Job, we need the capspace."  Puts out a statement with racist overtones and lies about it...  "Oh, it's not so bad".   The last time I saw this much apathy from a portion of the fanbase was Babcock.  Will it take Ferry trading Dominique for nothing before Fans start to realize how bad a GM he is?

^^This

 

Knight was the only GM that had a legit shot to build a title team. Not selecting Paul will always taint his legacy. Sheldon being a bust doesn't help him either.

But Knight either drafted or traded for 3 of the best players in Atlanta Hawks history ... within a 4 year span.

Joe Johnson was arguably the best 2 guard in franchise history.

Josh Smith was arguably the 2nd or 3rd best PF in franchise history ( depending what you classify Bob Pettit as )

And Al Horford is arguably the 2nd or 3rd best center in franchise history ( depending what you classify Bob Pettit as )

As far as Ferry goes, people praise him like he's done something groundbreaking. He's done nothing yet to move us out of mediocrity. He's not even a top 3 GM in our own division.

^^and this

 

There is no explaining it to the people that refuse to see it...and it's wild how far they are willing to go to cling to him.  It's classic brainwashing.  Just classic...

 

Just slow down and think about this...

 

• ASG - Not too long ago, we wanted to form a mob and burn them alive.  Yet, they handpick a GM and we throw our full trust behind them?  Really?  I mean, at a minimum, people should be taking a cautious wait and see attitude - at least until we actually WIN something.  Doesn't matter.
• The Decision - Danny Ferry's lackluster body of work in Cleveland is clear.  But let the apologists tell it, LeBron was the GM and Ferry was forced to make all those mediocre moves.
• Non Lottery picks - So, they say that the lottery, and a plan built upon drafting in the lottery, is bad because the odds of landing an impact player are terrible.  Yet, the odds of landing the same impact player in the WHOLE of the draft outside of the lottery are infinitely worse...but since that's where Danny Ferry is drafting, the plan to secure impact talent there is solid.
• Stan Kasten:

  During his lengthy tenure in the Hawks' front office, Kasten became the first (and so far the only) NBA executive to win back-to-back NBA Executive of the Year awards, accomplishing this feat in 1986 & 1987. He was also able to build Atlanta into a perennial playoff contender. Led by the Hall of Fame play of superstar Dominique Wilkins, Kasten's Hawks achieved four straight 50-win seasons (1986 to 1989) and set franchise records in attendance. In the 1990s, he guided Atlanta to a stretch of 7 consecutive playoff appearances, including three 50-win seasons during the decade.

   

  But DANNY FERRY IS THE BEST GM WE HAVE EVER HAD HANDS DOWN PERIOD!!!!!!11111111!!!

• Babcock landed the biggest and most high profile free agent in Hawks history, brought in Smitty, landed Mookie for Rumeal, landed Jason Terry for an aging Mookie, brought in Laettner for Lang...and put together teams that had 50 win seasons...  Ferry's better having done what exactly?

• Bud who took this team to 38 wins in one of the worst Eastern Conference settings I have ever seen is the best coach we've ever had - after ONE. YEAR.  Better than The Czar and HoF coach Lenny Wilkens, two of the most successful coaches in NBA history.
• The free agents will come... (no comment)
• The free agents will STILL come after Ferry's remarks (OH EM GEE...........no comment)
• Brooklyn, whose GM is Ferry's buddy and former teammate, is desperate to keep Deron and bails us out...but DANNY FERRY IS A GENIUS!
• Josh Smith is allowed to walk....OMG DANNY FERRY IS SO SMART!  HE LET HIM WALK!  THAT'S GENIUS!  CAP-SPAAAAAAAAAAAACE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
• Bruce Levenson's values are out there for the world to see and it is CLEAR that he is out of touch with the game of basketball and the market in Atlanta.  He hand picks Danny Ferry to execute his vision on the court...but we can't draw any sort of connection to the two, because Danny Ferry is the best GM ever.
• Danny Ferry is the recipient of Levenson's ridiculous Email - DOESN'T MATTER BECAUSE DANNY FERRY IS THE BEST GM THAT EXISTS WITHIN THE ENTIRETY OF THE UNIVERSE.  He INVENTED basketball.
• There are less than a handful of examples of teams without elite talent advancing to the semi finals - Doesn't matter because Ferry can put together a team without elite talent and the best coach in the history of the game will do more with less and we'll be in the ECF's
• We dump Marvin for an expiring - GENIUS because no other GM would have thought to do that.

 

All they hear is that we hate Danny Ferry.  I don't hate him and I don't think he's doing a terrible job.  My biggest problem with Ferry is where his plan is very likely to lead us.  Not that it definitely WILL because anything can happen, but dude has chosen a path that's just full of obstacles for us.

 

Honestly though...the madness is thick.  There's no cutting through it dude, so I'm done talking about Ferry.  He's probably not coming back anyway, so this scandal might have been the best thing that could have happened to us.

[Guest]

Honestly though...the madness is thick.  There's no cutting through it dude, so I'm done talking about Ferry.  He's probably not coming back anyway, so this scandal might have been the best thing that could have happened to us.

Lol, you're not done talking about Ferry.

 

Had to throw this quote back out there:

During his lengthy tenure in the Hawks' front office, Kasten became the first (and so far the only) NBA executive to winback-to-back NBA Executive of the Year awards, accomplishing this feat in 1986 & 1987. He was also able to build Atlanta into a perennial playoff contender. Led by the Hall of Fame play of superstar Dominique Wilkins, Kasten's Hawks achieved four straight 50-win seasons (1986 to 1989) and set franchise records in attendance. In the 1990s, he guided Atlanta to a stretch of 7 consecutive playoff appearances, including three 50-win seasons during the decade.

4 straight 50-win seasons and franchise records in attendance?  Back then that was a HUGE deal.  The East back then was significantly better than today's West which is considered a murderer's row.  7 consecutive playoff appearances was a big deal back then too for the same reason.  We shouldn't celebrate just making it, but back then that was actually something to be proud of.  Not these sub-.500 eek-ins.

 

That's Babcock and Kasten, right?

 

My own (clear) bias aside, can someone actually explain how Ferry's accomplished more than that?

[AHF]

this scandal might have been the best thing that could have happened to us.

 

Only if the ASG is swept out of any visible role with this team.  The scandal resulting in Ferry going is not remotely worth it.  The best things for Ferry have been (a) dumping JJ and Marvin; (b) acquiring Sap, Korver and DMC; and © making Atlanta appear to be an organization with vision and purpose.  I think he may have scuttled point © with this controvery but the other two are real positives.  

 

There is a lot of truth about bottomline results for both Bud and Ferry but they haven't had long enough to really be judged, IMO.  While I share concern about the direction of our team, you need more than 2 years to see a GM's vision through.  As a GM, I don't think you can make a final call on Ferry -- only on aspects of  his performance and even then you may need more time (like on his drafting).

[AHF]

My own (clear) bias aside, can someone actually explain how Ferry's accomplished more than that?

 

Obviously, he hasn't but he hasn't had the same window of opportunity to accomplish something either.  

[Wretch]

Only if the ASG is swept out of any visible role with this team.  The scandal resulting in Ferry going is not remotely worth it.  The best things for Ferry have been (a) dumping JJ and Marvin; (b) acquiring Sap, Korver and DMC; and © making Atlanta appear to be an organization with vision and purpose.  I think he may have scuttled point © with this controvery but the other two are real positives.  

 

There is a lot of truth about bottomline results for both Bud and Ferry but they haven't had long enough to really be judged, IMO.  While I share concern about the direction of our team, you need more than 2 years to see a GM's vision through.  As a GM, I don't think you can make a final call on Ferry -- only on aspects of  his performance and even then you may need more time (like on his drafting).

 

I'm HOPING that we lose the ASG too, so yes.  I'll be happy to see Ferry removed, but without the ownership group gone........

On Ferry, I think the part in bold is the absolute TRUTH.  Ferry hasn't done enough to warrant the gushing praise and insta-approval on everything he does.  People are seriously calling him the best GM ever and someone had mentioned that Bud was our best coach ever.  And it just blows me away.

 

My biggest concern, as you know, is looking forward.  Unless this team is ready to contend NOW, I don't see how we can get off the treadmill. One of the things that really worries me is mimicking the Spurs approach - continually supplanting the parts you lose to maintain consistency.  That works for the Spurs because they have a HoF core.  For us.......?

 

...and as long Ferry's here, that's the direction we'll be going.

(Now I'm done @kg01 lol)

[Guest]

Obviously, he hasn't but he hasn't had the same window of opportunity to accomplish something either.  

 

Agree with this and everything you said in post #31.  I think I just reject the folks that are anointing him the best GM in the Hawks' history as of right now.  He's TBD at best.

[Watchman]

^^This

 

^^and this

 

There is no explaining it to the people that refuse to see it...and it's wild how far they are willing to go to cling to him.  It's classic brainwashing.  Just classic...

 

Just slow down and think about this...

 

• ASG - Not too long ago, we wanted to form a mob and burn them alive.  Yet, they handpick a GM and we throw our full trust behind them?  Really?  I mean, at a minimum, people should be taking a cautious wait and see attitude - at least until we actually WIN something.  Doesn't matter.
• The Decision - Danny Ferry's lackluster body of work in Cleveland is clear.  But let the apologists tell it, LeBron was the GM and Ferry was forced to make all those mediocre moves.
• Non Lottery picks - So, they say that the lottery, and a plan built upon drafting in the lottery, is bad because the odds of landing an impact player are terrible.  Yet, the odds of landing the same impact player in the WHOLE of the draft outside of the lottery are infinitely worse...but since that's where Danny Ferry is drafting, the plan to secure impact talent there is solid.
• Stan Kasten:

  But DANNY FERRY IS THE BEST GM WE HAVE EVER HAD HANDS DOWN PERIOD!!!!!!11111111!!!

• Babcock landed the biggest and most high profile free agent in Hawks history, brought in Smitty, landed Mookie for Rumeal, landed Jason Terry for an aging Mookie, brought in Laettner for Lang...and put together teams that had 50 win seasons...  Ferry's better having done what exactly?

• Bud who took this team to 38 wins in one of the worst Eastern Conference settings I have ever seen is the best coach we've ever had - after ONE. YEAR.  Better than The Czar and HoF coach Lenny Wilkens, two of the most successful coaches in NBA history.
• The free agents will come... (no comment)
• The free agents will STILL come after Ferry's remarks (OH EM GEE...........no comment)
• Brooklyn, whose GM is Ferry's buddy and former teammate, is desperate to keep Deron and bails us out...but DANNY FERRY IS A GENIUS!
• Josh Smith is allowed to walk....OMG DANNY FERRY IS SO SMART!  HE LET HIM WALK!  THAT'S GENIUS!  CAP-SPAAAAAAAAAAAACE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
• Bruce Levenson's values are out there for the world to see and it is CLEAR that he is out of touch with the game of basketball and the market in Atlanta.  He hand picks Danny Ferry to execute his vision on the court...but we can't draw any sort of connection to the two, because Danny Ferry is the best GM ever.
• Danny Ferry is the recipient of Levenson's ridiculous Email - DOESN'T MATTER BECAUSE DANNY FERRY IS THE BEST GM THAT EXISTS WITHIN THE ENTIRETY OF THE UNIVERSE.  He INVENTED basketball.
• There are less than a handful of examples of teams without elite talent advancing to the semi finals - Doesn't matter because Ferry can put together a team without elite talent and the best coach in the history of the game will do more with less and we'll be in the ECF's
• We dump Marvin for an expiring - GENIUS because no other GM would have thought to do that.

 

All they hear is that we hate Danny Ferry.  I don't hate him and I don't think he's doing a terrible job.  My biggest problem with Ferry is where his plan is very likely to lead us.  Not that it definitely WILL because anything can happen, but dude has chosen a path that's just full of obstacles for us.

 

Honestly though...the madness is thick.  There's no cutting through it dude, so I'm done talking about Ferry.  He's probably not coming back anyway, so this scandal might have been the best thing that could have happened to us.

Millsap at $9.5 million vs. Smith at $15 million?  So Millsap is dismissed as "cap space" huh?  You talk about the Ferry supporters being blind to his faults, but the critics are equally blind to obvious improvements he made.  Millsap is a better player than Smith, and cost us 40% less.  BUT FERRY IS THE WORST GM IN HISTORY!!!!!!  Or so you tell us.

[Wretch]

Millsap at $9.5 million vs. Smith at $15 million?  So Millsap is dismissed as "cap space" huh?  You talk about the Ferry supporters being blind to his faults, but the critics are equally blind to obvious improvements he made.  Millsap is a better player than Smith, and cost us 40% less.  BUT FERRY IS THE WORST GM IN HISTORY!!!!!!  Or so you tell us.

 

About 4-5 years ago, I was one of the posters who felt that either Horford or Smith needed to be traded.  As Smoove got away from what made him so valuable, my opinion quickly soured on him.  What I really wanted was a complete rebuild around Horford and Teague.  Consequently, I really had no feelings about letting Josh Smith walk.  I even lauded how much better the offense looked without him on the floor and how much more enjoyable it was to watch the Hawks without having to throw a shoe at the TV.  

 

The point is how some people are happy SIMPLY because Ferry allowed Josh Smith to walk - as if that's some miraculous stroke of genius to pile onto his other "accolades."  Moreover, the entirety of my post was to illustrate how blindly people follow Danny Ferry - to the point that they will stretch facts, fluff accomplishments, and deny hard facts and conventional wisdom.  

 

...and anyone who questions their blind devotion is labeled a hater (which you just called me BTW, lol).  I don't hate Danny Ferry.  On his accomplishments...I think the best I could say for him at the moment is that his work is incomplete.  I do think his path is/was leading us to a dead end.  If you're happy with being competitive and JUST making the playoffs, then of course you wouldn't see it that way.

Edited September 16, 2014 by Wretch

[Watchman]

Just for the record, I am neither a Ferry supporter nor a Ferry "hater".  He has stupidly shot himself in the foot with his remarks.  However, to his credit, he has not bogged us down with long term killer contracts either.  He needs to resign, but I doubt that he will do so, as that would eliminate his rights under his contract.  If he is fired, he would be entitled to continue to receive his income.  So, I would imagine he will not resign, (and probably none of us would either, given the financial considerations.)  It will be difficult for him to get another job in the future.   However, if for nothing other than to show spite for Gearon, he probably should be retained. 

 

ASG has got to go.  No more management by committee please.

[curtmcgirt]

Bebe is a lost liter is what you're trying to sale us.  The truth is Bebe was a wasted lottery pick.  Tavares was a second round pick.  We're just hiding guys in Europe.

 

Ferry's plan doesn't work with his coaches wants?  Ferry's coach was hand picked to go with Ferry's plan.  Ferry wants a team of non-elite talent to win by using teamwork.

It's a failing plan.

 

BK's plan was better.  Get a star player to build around.  BK just couldn't spot a star.  But his way to get a star is great.

 

I don't think Bebe is a completely wasted pick. Under the Ferry regime its clear that they wan't big men who can shoot and move the ball. If you limit the comparison criteria to that, you get rid of Gorgui Deing, Mason Plumlee and Rudy Gobert as they are all more traditional post centers or not the caliber of passers Ferry/Bud want. The next one with the skillset? We took him with Muscala.  I would have rather had a player who could have produced something, but we lacked roster spots at any other posistion (4 Cs, 4 PF, 3 SF, 3 SG, 4PG used last year.)

 

I absolutely believe that whatever Ferry saw when he was scouting both Muscala and Bebe when they played in ACB contributed to him being traded. Maybe it was durability, skill set, or desire to fight through adversity. We have to consider that Muscala beat out Bebe for a spot with his play. 

 

With ASG we also have to consider money. Would they balk at paying any of his buy out. Do they refuse to pay more than one first round pick? Mike Scott is the only 2nd round pick to play immediately and that was during our transition year. Muscala played abroad until the numbers became more favorable for the Hawks. Pittman and  Edy this year are playing overseas.

 

I guess it comes down to a few questions:

 

1. Do we draft BPA or need? Ferry seems to draft need.
2. Were there any players at any position that fit our system and were available after we picked? Ferry deemed the answer to be no
3. Were Muscala and Bebe in a competition for a roster spot?
4. Is the overseas development for actual development or to save money? I think its a combination of both.
5. What is the actual market for the player? ie Was this the best deal.

In the end Bebe cost us nothing and "made" us money by helping clear money for player who will play right now.

[Admin]

This thread is hilarious!  The Hawks have more structure, development and direction than they have ever had in the history of this franchise!  It has happened under Ferry's watch in less than 2 1/2 years.  Now some want him to draft a superstar before he gets credit lol!  With what? A non lottery pick????  Like someone else has already stated...Most of y'all wouldn't know a good thing if it woke you up in the morning for 10 years straight!

 

Me having to agree with PBird is like wanting an STD but I'm finding myself more in agreement lately with you than I ever expected. #endofdays

[Admin]

I'm HOPING that we lose the ASG too, so yes.  I'll be happy to see Ferry removed, but without the ownership group gone........

On Ferry, I think the part in bold is the absolute TRUTH.  Ferry hasn't done enough to warrant the gushing praise and insta-approval on everything he does.  People are seriously calling him the best GM ever and someone had mentioned that Bud was our best coach ever.  And it just blows me away.

 

My biggest concern, as you know, is looking forward.  Unless this team is ready to contend NOW, I don't see how we can get off the treadmill. One of the things that really worries me is mimicking the Spurs approach - continually supplanting the parts you lose to maintain consistency.  That works for the Spurs because they have a HoF core.  For us.......?

 

...and as long Ferry's here, that's the direction we'll be going.

(Now I'm done @kg01 lol)

 

Name a Hawks GM in the past 25 years who's had this team better set up for current and future success without mortgaging the future.