Official 2022-2023 Atlanta Hawks season thread

Rickdogg44

RIP Charmander RIP Kobe
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Revisionist as fukk. Am I the only one that remembers the word on the street being that Luka didn't want to play in Atlanta because he wasn't comfortable with being here? :mjpls:
I thought a lot was he was a slow cac too. Wouldn't handke nba speed.
 

staticshock

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The details behind the surprising exit of former Atlanta Hawks president Travis Schlenk make it sound more like an ouster than a mutual parting of ways. But the end results are likely yet to be realized since things are still settling down and positions are being filled. We might be able to glean a lot from what has already taken place.

Sam Amick of The Athletic (subscription required) reported that, among other issues, trading for Dejounte Murray was a source of contention.

That rift left Schlenk on the wrong side of the vote and, ultimately, on the outside looking in as Amick says the “advisory role” the architect of this group was assuming was mostly nominal leaving him free to join another organization.

It leaves the Hawks’ future extremely clouded as they gear up for the Toronto Raptors.

Former Atlanta Hawks exec was against trading for Dejounte Murray​

The cost to acquire Murray from the San Antonio Spurs came out to three first-round picks, two pick swaps, as well as two players. Danilo Gallinari was subsequently waived, signed with the Boston Celtics, and tore his ACL. There is also little chance the luxury-tax-averse Hawks wanted to pay him the $20-plus million he was owed.

It is the other player that hurts most with the Hawks sending Kevin Huerter to the Sacramento Kings after signing him to a four-year, $63 million extension last summer.

Huerter is averaging 15.8 points and shooting 42% from deep this season.

The biggest reason for the Hawks making that deal was again to remain under the luxury tax threshold. They will see forward De’Andre Hunter’s four-year, $32 million extension kick in and need to plan their offer for Murray who is a free agent after the 2024 season.

It is an unfortunate outcome but is still only part of the potential fallout that could come from all of this change.

Amick also reports that there was some level of split regarding star point guard Trae Young. The face of the franchise signed a five-year, $215 million extension last year and has said he wants to win championships in Atlanta. But he has also come under scrutiny for his leadership, decision-making (shot selection), and defense.

Some of that is self-inflicted while some of it is beyond his control.

Young’s decision to skip a game earlier this season did little to repair the former issue while his size will always be a limiting factor defensively.

There is also the matter of forward John Collinswho ironically saved a Hawks win after Murray and Young both missed jump shots in the waning moment of a 113-111 victory over the Indiana Pacers.

Collins was the first pick of Schlenk’s tenure and, despite constantly being in trade rumors for the last few seasons, the big man said he was surprised to see the change, especially with it being made during the season. The former Wake Forest star also said that nothing was explained about the move, the players were just informed that it had happened.

Add in the speculation over head coach Nate McMillan’s future and there is no level of the organization not in or near a state of flux.
 

AVXL

Laughing at you n*ggaz like “ha ha ha”
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Hawks are in turmoil…again

This season, after a number of major offseason moves, the Hawks have again struggled. Headed into Monday afternoon’s game against the Heat, they are 21-22, ninth in the conference, after back-to-back road wins. A sense of dysfunction that once overwhelmed the organization is back. There are issues in the front office and coaching staff that run deep.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution conducted a series of interviews with people inside and outside the organization and inside the NBA, who spoke on the condition of anonymity. The insight offered paints a picture of franchise again in turmoil.

There became a struggle in the front office with the increased role of Nick Ressler, the 27-year-old son of the principal owner. Nick Ressler began as the manager of basketball operations in 2018-19. He has since moved into the role of manager of basketball and business operations.

After receiving a contract extension last year, Schlenk suddenly stepped down as president of basketball operations in December to become a senior advisor. It is, again, a title in name only. Schlenk has had nothing to do with the organization since he stepped down. Landry Fields, who was promoted to assistant general manager only months earlier, became general manager. In addition, three long-term executives in senior adviser Rod Higgins, director of pro scouting Stephen Giles and vice president of player personnel Derek Pierce were all let go. Former Hawks player Kyle Korver, who began a role in player development this season, is finalizing a deal to become assistant general manager.


Among the issues in the front office were:

*An ownership nixed trade last year of John Collins, who was seen by some in the organization not to fit the current style of play of the Hawks.

*The trade of Kevin Huerter to the Kings in the offseason, a move made solely to prevent the Hawks from reaching the luxury tax. Huerter’s shooting has been missed this season.

*The trade for Dejounte Murray trade, who the Hawks gave up Danilo Gallinari (released and signed by the Celtics), a 2023 protected first-round pick, a 2025 first-round pick, a 2026 pick swap and a 2027 first-round pick. It was the major move of the offseason to bring in the all-star as someone to take pressure off Trae Young. In addition to all the Hawks gave up, which some consider way too much, there was concern that Murray needs to play on the ball, much like Young.

*The signing of Aaron Holiday, a former high school teammate of Nick Ressler.

*The draft day decision to select Luka Doncic and trade him to the Mavericks for Young will always be under scrutiny. Doncic, the Rookie of the Year in 2019, has been a three-time all-star and a three-time all-NBA first-team player. Young is a two-time all-star and made the all-NBA third team once. The Hawks also got a first-round pick in the trade and selected Cam Reddish, who was traded in this third season.

“Look, Tony is our owner and Tony is a fantastic owner,” Fields told the AJC in an exclusive interview Monday. “We’re unbelievably resourced in this place and he empowers us to do our jobs in a way that we feel is authentic us but also honoring to his and Jami (Gertz)’s vision moving forward.

“As far as Nick, Nick is a part of our day-to-day process. He’s a voice in the room that we value, both of (Kyle and I) do and that whole group, when we’re trying to come to a decision on anything, from the players in the room to just how we’re operating as a group. And for me, personally, as the decision maker, I love diverse thought. We have a mantra that’s called ‘conflict and commit.’

“I want to sit at a table with people with different perspectives that come from different backgrounds because, the way you see the world is not how I see the world, and want to hear your perspective and aggregate that with mine to get a clearer picture of what we’re trying to do moving forward. And Nick, he’s a part of that. He is a voice. He’s been here five years, now. he’s seen a lot of different things. He does a lot of stuff with our business side as well. But in terms of like basketball operations, he’s going to be a part of the room and we welcome that and we embrace what he brings to the table.”

The relationship between Schlenk and Young has deteriorated over recent months. Issues began following Game 2 of the playoff series with the Heat last year. In the return to Atlanta, Young chartered a private flight and did not inform the team, according to several people familiar with the situation. In the middle of the playoffs, Young was fined.

There have also been issues with head coach Nate McMillan, who according to several people familiar with the situation has tried to step down this season. McMillan signed a four-year contract in July of 2021 after leading the Hawks to the conference finals at interim head coach, taking over for Lloyd Pierce. McMillan was convinced to stay on.

LINK: GDPR Support

I had no idea Schlenk & Trae had beef or that he had chartered a private jet during the playoffs

That conflict and commit line from Landry stood out as appropriate for our whole season, maybe that should be our thread title the rest of the way
 

staticshock

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Hawks are in turmoil…again



LINK: GDPR Support

I had no idea Schlenk & Trae had beef or that he had chartered a private jet during the playoffs

That conflict and commit line from Landry stood out as appropriate for our whole season, maybe that should be our thread title the rest of the way


Total clown show. Didn’t know about the chartered plane either. But folks get mad when some of us say we wouldn’t mind if Trae gets traded…him & his No basketball experience having buddy run the team though, so nothing will happen
 

Professor K.

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