Our own Tony Ressler talking about the team and the future

[Sothron]

https://theathletic.com/2691997/2021/07/06/hawks-owner-tony-ressler-on-keeping-young-talent-the-luxury-tax-and-title-aspirations-we-are-not-satisfied/?source=dailyemail

 

One key quote by Ressler:

We fully expect that. I’m not sure we’re going to be able to keep every single player that we want to keep. Pretty good bet, pretty good assumption we will not. 

 

I can definitely see them having to decide between Kevin, Bogi and Cam and out of those three Bogi is the one I would trade due to age and fit. Other interesting quote from Ressler:

 

If the question is are we scared of the tax, are we scared of going into the tax? I’m scared of paying the tax and not being a good team, yes, that I’m scared of, but if we have to go into the tax to be a great team for a period of time, so be it.”

 

 

So that confirms he will go into the tax for a period of time which means I do think they are going to keep Collins. 

Interesting article and worth the read. He also feels as I do that if we were healthy in the playoffs we go to the Finals.

 

[AHF]

You and I are on the same page on these.  I guess I'll have to be proven wrong but I also don't see timing being a big problem with keeping our wings.  I expect Bogi will opt out of the last year of his deal and we can drop him off as our younger guys come on much like I think we can do with Gallo.  

I don't know whether a healthy Hawks would have beaten a healthy Bucks team but it would have been a hell of a series and I sure do like our odds better than what played out.

[Sothron]

The way Schlenk has the contracts staggered means that basically once the younger guys are due for their big deals our existing big deals fall off the books. Despite what those idiots on realgm think we don't have any real issues with keeping our players. I fully expect Collins to come back. I think Bogi and Gallo and Cap will be gone or traded as needed in the seasons ahead to make this possible.

Ressler was very high on Collins and his impact on the team outside of stats. It feels good knowing we have an owner that is on the record saying he will go into the tax to keep a great team together.

[RandomFan]

For those that don't have an Athletic sub, here's the free version of his comments in the AJC: 

19 hours ago, RandomFan said:

An interview with Ressler today. This is a free article. 

https://www.ajc.com/sports/atlanta-hawks/owner-tony-ressler-says-hawks-are-just-getting-started-after-deep-playoff-run/2B5OBGO77ZHXZCZDENQCCN6P4M/

 

I agree with most of the sentiments expressed in here so far. I also expect Collins to be kept under a new contract, at least for as long as is possible. I do have my concerns if we are able to keep him as a Hawk for life, but I think that is more tied to me envisioning Hunter and Cam emerging as max contract players by the time their rookie deals expire, and possibly Onyeka too. I feel very confident in Hunter becoming an All-Star player, perhaps as early as next season. Cam I still think is a 50/50 proposition, but we all should recognize his tremendous potential by now. Whether he reaches it is obviously the question. 

The point is it would be extremely difficult to keep JC on a roster with Trae, Hunter, and Cam all on max deals; not to mention if we had to eventually pony up for Onyeka too. Of course that is a scenario that might never come to fruition, so we'll cross that bridge when we come to it. As you pointed out, I do think it's interesting that Ressler is already preparing himself/us for a scenario where we aren't able to keep all of our young guys past the next few years. From his full comment for more context: 

 

Ressler -- And at the end of the day what we are trying to achieve is literally keeping our best players, as you could imagine, trying to make clear that we’re going to have to spend a lot more than we have this season. We fully expect that. I’m not sure we’re going to be able to keep every single player that we want to keep. Pretty good bet, pretty good assumption we will not.

“But I do think we have several years that we should be able to build some real stability and listen, if the question is, and I’m not sure if it is, but if the question is are we scared of the (luxury) tax, are we scared of hitting the tax, are we scared of going into the tax, let’s face it. Our job is to run a good business. I’m scared of paying the tax and not being a good team, yes, that I’m scared of, but if we have to go into the tax to be a great team for a period of time, so be it. It’s the nature of this beast. But our view is really simple, it’s try to be the best we can and try to run a good business. And yes, try to keep as many young players as we can and know that we may not be 100 for 100 on that.”

 

As others have said, it's a great problem to have. I remember when LeBron, DWade, and Bosh all teamed up in Miami they all 3 took less than their max contracts to be able to play together. Maybe we'll get lucky and our guys can be convinced to do the same if they really want to stay together and win championships. Gonna be a fun next few years seeing them develop and how this all shakes out. 

A WHOOOOOOLLLLLE lot better than being stuck on the playoff treadmill, amirite? 

Edited July 7, 2021 by RandomFan

[sturt]

For 2021-22, even re-signing Collins, we should be able to avoid the tax threshold.

For 2022-23, we'll likely slice off $15m as a consequence of parting with Gallo, and there should be some decent increase in the tax line, but Trae's $28(ish)m will make it really difficult to stay in economy class. And that's why I doubt the talk about giving Kevin an extension--it's almost necessary to repeat the JC treatment.

For 2023-24, someone significant is going to be on another team. Capela's current contract will be done. And the conventional guess would be that BogBog will also be moved. That's $36m plausibly off the books that will help pay for maybe two of Huerter, Cam and/or Dre.

 

All of that to affirm what we already knew... this 2021-22 season is going to represent our best chance to win the trophy.

Which... in turn... affirms this that we already knew... that's why we can't be satisfied to imagine a #20 pick as our #2 PG. We need that job to go to a solid vet legitimately capable of producing when Trae's getting a breather. It's critical.

The $8-$13m in cap space needs to be used for that purpose, though it may be better to go the trade route than the signing route.

The #20 pick might conceivably yield some unexpected second tier player in free fall that Schlenk has to jump on as he did Collins and Huerter. But if not, economically speaking, Schlenk must be taking calls on the pick. It makes little sense to waste the first year of a rookie scale contract when the strong likelihood is that that player will barely see the floor, and so much more sense to punt the pick to a future year or trade back for multiple 2nds that permit you to pick up some European talents that you can have time to develop before they come over.

The dream is to be able to develop a new addition (or two) to the rotation every year that you're losing a Gallo, a Capela or a BogBog.

 

 

[TheBigETrain]

Next season, we should be able to keep everyone we want.

In fact, the only players I wouldnt bring back is Tony Snell and Brandon Goodwin. Want to use Snell & Lou's cap hold to give Collins his improved contract.

I'll like to bring back Lou and Solo if they accept veteran minimum deals.

Snell & Goodwin's roster spot is to be replaced through the draft.

 

 

[sturt]

This seems the most relevant thread for Uncle Vince to add his thoughts...

 

[sturt]

Terrence Moore wonders aloud if "better" in 2021 might mean a repeat of 1989.

 

 

[JayBirdHawk]

Ressler spending money.

 

 

 

Seeing it as a lump sum

[hazer]

2 hours ago, JayBirdHawk said:

Ressler spending money.

 

 

 

Seeing it as a lump sum

Kudos to Bird for pulling the “Scrooged” gif out of her feathers. My favorite Christmas movie  

[Gray Mule]

Nope.  We didn't do it.  Hawks didn't already spend all that money.  They now have, under contract, those players who will receive the amount over time.  They will have enough income to cover these, I'm sure.  There will be a lot more fans present.  Remember our record.  With the new TV contract bringing in mega $$$ in the future, don't panic.  We're good!

[macdaddy]

55 minutes ago, Gray Mule said:

Nope.  We didn't do it.  Hawks didn't already spend all that money.  They now have, under contract, those players who will receive the amount over time.  They will have enough income to cover these, I'm sure.  There will be a lot more fans present.  Remember our record.  With the new TV contract bringing in mega $$$ in the future, don't panic.  We're good!

Like I tell my kids about these contracts: just think how much the owner is making.

[marco102]

Tony Speaks 2021-2022 Addition

https://theathletic.com/2905894/2021/10/25/hawks-owner-tony-ressler-explains-his-desire-to-turn-atlanta-into-destination-for-nbas-best-players/

Quote

Ressler said there were many inside the Hawks organization who felt if the team was fully healthy against the Milwaukee Bucks in the Eastern Conference finals, they would have had “a damn good shot” at making it to the NBA Finals. He also believes that most of the organization believes that if the team can stay healthy throughout the season, that “damn good shot” also applies this year.

“We expect to be contenders, man,” Ressler said. “We expect to be really good. We hope to be really good, and we’re going to see how it plays out.”

Ressler was asked if he feels like the current roster is one that could win a title as is or if he feels like it needs another proven star to take the Hawks over the top, and he said he feels like this group could win a championship. That’s an interesting answer because almost a year ago, he said he felt like it was necessary for several of the young players to go from good to great in order for the team to possibly win it all — a sign that the front office has faith in players like Collins, Hunter, Huerter, Bogdan Bogdanovic and Cam Reddish possibly taking leaps to get to that true contender level for the Hawks. Young is already there, but it’s still to be determined on who else could potentially become one of the top players in the NBA.

“Do I think we’re the best team in the NBA today? I don’t know,” Ressler said. “I think we can compete with anyone. If there’s anything I’ve observed, particularly in the NBA, when the players know they can win, they play differently. Our players know they can win. A year and a half ago, two years ago, I’m not quite sure I would’ve said that to you. I hope I wouldn’t have. I think today they know they can win on any given night against any given team. Two seasons ago and maybe even at the beginning of last season, I’m not sure they did. I think they think that now. I think that’s a difference. We’re going to see. As I like to say, every team is now playing and game planning for us with who we have and what we’re going to do with the depth of our roster. It’s not like we’re going to be a surprise to anyone.”

He thinks the team as currently constructed can win a championship.  That's why he's paying these guys.

Edited October 25, 2021 by marco102

[JayBirdHawk]

 

Quote

Q: What have you learned about the on court the process of building a really good basketball team?

 

 

A: Well, I think I learned that it requires a level of patience that I have not had in my life. Because if you move too quickly, you could actually make it worse, which I didn’t appreciate, if you tried to get too good too fast. So it’s as strange as that might seem, if you’re coming from a pretty young group of guys, and so I think patience. But I have learned over the past eight years of being an owner and I used to say, ‘I’m too green, you know, I’m learning as I go.’ I don’t have that excuse anymore. And I think now it’s, it’s about making good decisions. And I’d say most players that you run into, that really do expect to be in the league for a long period of time sort of have this, ‘I have to get better every year,’ whatever that means, sometimes they have specific (goals), but ‘I have to get better every year,’ which I love that comment because I say from a business perspective on the court, and off the court, I make the same exact argument, ‘we have to get better every year.’

Q: It’s still early, of course, but where can you point to as areas where you guys improved on the court?

A: We’re big believers that Dejounte (Murray) is a great addition. But, again, Onyeka Okongwu is a year older. Jalen Johnson is a year older. (We picked) AJ Griffin in the draft, Tyrese Martin in the draft. I’m just saying we’ve added Aaron and Justin Holiday, we think we’ve added a whole bunch of players that make us better, and that have gotten better year over year. Obviously, we have a starting five that, you know, I still say -- last night, I’m not saying was our best game -- but I would say last night at least, I think it reaffirmed I think we have four guys in our starting five that could give you 20 points any night. Now will it be every night? We’ll see. But they could give you 20 any night. And then we have a fifth guy that actually is a 12 (points) and 12, rebounding machine

 

[theheroatl]

19 minutes ago, JayBirdHawk said:

 

 

The good thing is this core isn't too young to not compete and definitely has been good years ahead of them if they can "improve each year". I'm excited about this year because I feel like the roster is getting pretty well rounded except for a small drop off in rebounding which isn't as relevant to nba titles anymore.

 

I did a deep dive into stats on NBA title winners and they had at least 2 consistent 20+ point a game players and at least a 15+ point a game guy. 

Edited October 21, 2022 by theheroatl

[JayBirdHawk]

 

Quote

Coming from the business world, what’s the biggest thing you don’t know about owning a sports team?

The fundamental bet is you’re hiring 18-, 19-, 20-year-olds to see how they evolved at 24, 25, 26, 27 … 30. In parenting, kids grow up at different ages. That’s true in the NBA, too. Some kids are unbelievable at 20, some at 24, some at 32. I don’t know another business like that. And injuries impact you. If there’s one thing I’ve learned over seven years, there’s not one thing that gets you greatness. There are many. Luck is one of them. There’s drafting well, signing free agents well, having a great (training) staff, a great coaching staff, a great business staff. Having a fan base that knows you’re trying your best at every one of those is relevant. We have 29 competitors all trying to do what we do better.

After the season it was believed you would pursue a strong second scoring option and ballhandler, and that led you to Dejounte Murray. Was there much debate over that trade, given the assets you gave up?

Yes, there was a lot of debate. Dejounte is a great player, and we gave up a lot to get him. There wasn’t debate about the quality of Dejounte and what he would bring to the Hawks. And now, our starting five, I think we have a good team. Last night was only one game, but it did say, “Hey, we have four guys who can give you 20 points any night.” And if that’s an aberration, then we screwed up, but we don’t think it’s an aberration. We’re deeper and better than we were last year.

When you realize it’s going to take giving up three first-round picks, included two unprotected, to make the deal, is part of you thinking, “We might be mortgaging the future, but we need to win now”?

I try not to speak that way. That’s not good business talk. Good business talk is, “Is this a good trade for us now?” Not, “We have to win now.” As you point out, that’s a lot for any player, and it’s worthy of evaluation and discussion. After losing in the first round of the playoffs, we saw a lot of things we can do better, and we thought Dejounte would help us do many of those things. And we do still have some picks for the future, so we can still draft young players for the future. We’re not out of that part of the business.

Do you have a sense of what the team is capable of?

The East is going to be really competitive, like eight, nine or 10 really good teams, and I think we’re going to be in the mix with every single one of them. We expect to make the playoffs and not be a play-in team. (Two years ago) the guys got on the court and thought they were going to win every game. I’m not completely sure we had that feeling last year, and I’m very confident we’re starting to have that this year. This team knows what they’re capable of. I think people are confident but not arrogant. But we’ll see where we are after 20 game

 

 

[HawkingAwesome]

Bogi made it for now

[JayBirdHawk]

#7 and still penny pinching. We won't ever get where we need to.

 

 

[Sothron]

This is the main reason why I'm just not as excited as I usually am about the Hawks. Ressler is very, very wealthy. And yet he refuses to pay the LT. Yes, his son has supposedly talked him into paying the LT....but we traded JC for nothing, we have a massive TPE the team has no plans on using and we are WELL under the LT number.

I'm not believing we pay the LT until we actually do. 

[Spud2nique]

2 minutes ago, Sothron said:

This is the main reason why I'm just not as excited as I usually am about the Hawks. Ressler is very, very wealthy. And yet he refuses to pay the LT. Yes, his son has supposedly talked him into paying the LT....but we traded JC for nothing, we have a massive TPE the team has no plans on using and we are WELL under the LT number.

I'm not believing we pay the LT until we actually do. 

That money is going directly to Jami’s makeup vanity.