 |
| Danny Ferry looks on During a 2013 Playoff Game |
When Atlanta Hawks General Manager Danny Ferry inherited the traditionally mediocre franchise, he was given a talented bunch, who was widely considered underachievers on the basketball court and overcompensated on pay day. That was due in large part to the enormous six year, $124 million, freshly minted deal shooting guard, Joe Johnson enjoyed. Combine that with the nearly untradeable five year deal of Marvin Williams, a former number 2 pick who never realized his potential nor justified his contract status. The Hawks were perennial playoff participants, but never materialized into true championship contenders and were cap-strapped to boot. So when the former Cleveland executive took over in June of 2012, he knew he had work to do. To put things in figurative terms, Ferry was given the keys to a brand new Lexus Coupe that was on an empty tank of gas, without money provided for a fill-up.
Not even three weeks into the job, Danny Ferry did the unimaginable by trading the contracts and the services of Johnson and Williams within hours of each other. In return, Atlanta acquired a number of players in the final year of their deals, granting them significant cap relief for the future. After the 2013 campaign, the Hawks would only have 3 players under contract and enough scratch to sign 2 big fish free agents (Namely Dwight Howard and Chris Paul).
Well we all know how that went, don't we?
Even though the Hawks whiffed on the prized free agent talent of 2013, they did salvage the off-season by landing the solid and consistent Power Forward from Utah, Paul Millsap. He replaces the enigmatic Josh Smith, who ended his nine year relationship with the Hawks franchise by signing a deal with Detroit. The acquisition of Millsap is brilliant within itself, but the dollar figure is even more appealing. At a meager 2 years and $19 million, Atlanta gets a player who possesses all the skills to be a productive contributor on a rebuilding team. Danny Ferry did not stop there. He re-signed shooting specialist Kyle Korver at 4 years and $24 million. The 10 year veteran, Korver, provides the ability to spread the floor in new coach Mike Budenholzer's system.
The system that Coach Bud, as he's affectionately called, plans to implement involves constant player and ball movement, centered around pick and roll play and a dribble penetration point guard. Atlanta now has the luxury of having two of the best and brightest young playmakers in the game. After a chess-like negotiation, incumbent starter Jeff Teague's 4 year $32 million offer sheet from Milwaukee was matched by Atlanta. At $8 million a year, for a quality starting point guard, in a guard-oriented league, the deal is considered highway robbery for the Hawks.
Teague will be challenged and pushed by 19 year old, German point guard, Dennis Schroeder, who was drafted by Ferry at #17 in the June draft. On the surface, Teague should not be threatened by a guy who was born after the first Chronic album dropped, but Schroeder has opened eyes during the NBA Summer League tournament.
His natural point guard skills and innate passing ability has had critics comparing him to the likes of Rajon Rondo. Should the rookie, Schroeder develop into a valuable piece in Atlanta's reconstruction, Teague's contract is one that can be moved with ease and could garner them more assets in positions of need.
If there is one concern in Atlanta, it would be the ongoing dilemma of Al Horford playing Center. The two-time All-Star has played undersized at the center spot for the majority of his career. Now, with Josh Smith gone, he is considered the franchise player. One would surmise that it would be in the Hawks' best interest to move Horford over to his natural power forward position to preserve his career and to minimize the wear and tear of playing bigger opponents.
After the Hawks were rejected by Dwight Howard and passed on the oft-injured Andrew Bynum, they still are left with a void at center. Veteran Elton Brand was signed as a spot big man for a one year $4 million deal and the draft brought 7 footer from Brazil Lucas Noegeria. Noegeria is raw, frail, and needs to develop his body to be able to handle the physicality of the NBA. There is still doubt as to whether the Brazilian will even play for the Hawks in the 2013-14 campaign or stay with his FIBA club in Spain.
This Atlanta Hawks roster is far from a finished product. There are still more questions than answers as it pertains to how good (or bad) this club will be. There is speculation among some NBA experts that Atlanta is one of many teams who are angling toward a lottery pick in the 2014 Draft. A draft that is projected to supply the best collegiate and amateur talent to the league since 2003. If you were to ask Danny Ferry if that were the plan of action, he would probably vehemently deny such an accusation.
What he would be excited to tell you about is the prospect of his franchise once again being a free agent player in the summer of 2014. With the new collective bargaining agreement handing out punitive action to teams who exceed the salary cap, the Hawks remain fiscally flexible for the next few years.
When the big names decided to go elsewhere this summer, it would've been easy to give into fan frustration and sign B level stars like Al Jefferson and Monta Ellis to lucrative deals, but Ferry continues to stay the course. He refuses to bring this franchise into the same financial peril that it suffered through only 13 months ago.
The plan is clear. Stay prudent, develop a system, create a culture, and most importantly, be flexible. For a franchise who is still seeking its first Conference Finals appearance in the Atlanta era, you have to start somewhere. Why not here?
Copyright
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDelete