Ska its been going on long enough...time to lock....

[jdb1523]

This offseason is just going to piss me off again. Not only are teams going to be making big moves and getting better (and the Cavs won't), but I have tosit around all damn summer and know that Mike Brown's offense is coming back next season. Forget Anderson Varejao running around, Mike Brown's systemis going to haunt my dreams until the season starts.

And this is even IF we land a big name FA or somebody else.

 

[thekillerj23]

all these rumors and still no good progress for the cavs

 

[tupac003]

Listen to any Dwyane Wade offseason comments and the constant is the desire to play an entire season alongside Shawn Marion. It's "Shawn this" and "Shawn that" as Wade goes through a roster that remains very much under reconstruction. South Florida Sun-Sentinel

Yet in coming days, Marion will have to make a decision when it comes to playing alongside Wade, namely opting out of his $17.8 million for next season. South Florida Sun-Sentinel

Lakers assistant coach Brian Shaw, who has already talked to Chicago about its head-coaching vacancy, continues to draw interest from Phoenix. NBA coaching sources told ESPN.com that the Suns still hope to interview Shaw for the opening created by Mike D'Antoni's departure to New York. ESPN.com

Sources say fellow Lakers assistant coaches Kurt Rambis and Jim Cleamons are not on the Suns' list at present -- either as candidates for D'Antoni's job or as assistants -- but could be in the mix "eventually." ESPN.com

There was an obvious reason Suns Assistant General Manager Vinny Del Negro had not been sitting in on interviews with candidates in Phoenix's head coaching search: He is a candidate, too. Del Negro interviewed Thursday for the job with his office partners, Suns General Manager Steve Kerr and Suns Vice President of Basketball Operations David Griffin. Knowing that Kerr's "mentality is to go with someone experienced with a veteran team," Del Negro said he would be interested in starting his coaching career as an assistant. Arizona Republic

The Cavs probably aren't going to be signing anybody to a significant contract straight up this summer. All they have is their exceptions ($5.5 million mid-level and $1.8 million bi-annual). Neither of those are likely going to attract impact players. Considering the staggering size of their payroll, I don't expect the Cavs to use all or maybe any of this money. Akron Beacon Journal

People are asking me a lot about Elton Brand, there is apparently some rumor that the Cavs want him. Well of course the Cavs would want him, so would almost every team in the league. He is going into the final year of his contract, which he has an option to terminate. But since he is coming off an Achilles tear nobody is 100 percent sure he will do that. Either way, the only way the Cavs would be able to get him is in a trade (straight up or in an sign-and-trade). The Clippers don't like spending money, but they wouldn't trade Brand just to clear cap space. He's their franchise player right now and Corey Maggette may be leaving them soon. At this moment, I don't think it is possible. Akron Beacon Journal

Lots have e-mailed about Michael Redd. The Bucks have a new coach and a new general manager and may be looking to move numerous players as they look to rebuild. In time, this could be a legitimate scenario. The Bucks have not prospered with Redd as their centerpiece and his maximum contract ties them up. However, this is not the same Redd from three years ago. Akron Beacon Journal

It appears Baron Davis wants an extension and probably a massive one and the Bay Area media has reported early talks have not gone well. So it makes sense that his name would be floated in rumors. No one has told me the Cavs would have interest and it is questionable as to whether his style would mesh with LeBron because he is a shoot first guard. But it is a situation that could be worth watching. Akron Beacon Journal

Slow day today. Hopefully its picks up soon.

 

[dlo13]

Atlanta was expected to name Chris Grant as their new GM this week...

Now the local beat writer is teasing that may not be the case.

More info later today, he claims.

 

[10508 cardo jr ln]

DLo, Sekou wrote that? We really don't need a "yes man"..

 

[dlo13]

Cash...Sekou is the only dude who knows anything on the Hawks.

Now his update...

Chris Grant is out of the GM search. We should know who the new GM is soon, but nothing specific. Sekou believes we're back to focusing on experiencedGMs...which narrows things to Billy King or John Gabriel, who have both been linked to the spot. I hope it ain't King...

http://www.ajc.com/sports/content/sports/hawks/stories/2008/05/27/hawks_0528.html

May 27, 2008 6:00 PM | Link to this

Chris Grant is out and now we move on yet again in what has to be one of the most perplexing searches I've ever seen.

The Hawks aren't giving up details and neither are the people they're interviewing (hence all the bad info being farmed out by various dot com sources). That makes our job ridiculously tough.

But Chris Grant will not be taking over the show for the Hawks this week, as some lunk head (me) suggested above.

As I said earlier on the radio, I'm going with experience now. The Hawks have poked around the next big thing crowd and come up empty. Now comes the been there, done that crowd.

At least now we'll have a catalog of someone's work to pick over when we digest the hire.

After three weeks of searching, the Hawks are close to naming a general manager. Who will replace Billy Knight, who resigned on May 6, is unknown. However, one candidate who will not be the replacement is Chris Grant.
Hawks part-owner Michael Gearon Jr. said Tuesday that the process "is coming to a close." He also confirmed that Grant, a former Knight assistant and current Cleveland assistant general manager, would not be hired.

"We're running an extremely thorough and very confidential process in which we expect to find the right GM who will take the momentum we've built as a franchise as we move to the next level," Gearon said.

Gearon refused to divulge any specifics about potential candidates. He also would not reveal a timetable for the hiring of a new leader for the Hawks, who have a long list of business. The contracts of the entire basketball operations staff expire June 30. Also, two high-profile restricted free agents, Josh Smith and Josh Childress, can entertain offers as of July 1.

"We said from the start that we were not going to rush this process," Gearon said. "And we've stayed true to that. What we've tried to do is be as thorough as possible and make sure this process was handled as professionally as we could."

Grant is the second assistant general manager from another team to be rumored as a frontrunner for the job who won't be coming to town. San Antonio assistant general manager Dennis Lindsey withdrew his name from the interview process last week, a day after being cited by ESPN.com as the leading candidate. Grant was mentioned as being out of the running in the same report, only to be named the new leading candidate by the website days later.

Gearon refused to weigh in on the speculation Tuesday.

"I'm not going to respond to various rumors associated with our franchise," he said. "This process is about finding the absolute best candidate for the Atlanta Hawks. And we've had a significant amount of interest from basketball circles across the league. Ultimately, we expect to name a guy that will help take advantage of what has been an exhaustive search process for the very best person to lead our franchise going forward."

Grant would have been a blast from the Hawks' recent past, having worked nine years in the organization under Pete Babcock and later Knight - starting as a video intern and moving all the way up to his position as Knight's right hand man - before leaving for Cleveland three years ago.

Knight resigned two days after the Hawks' Game 7 defeat to Boston in a first-round playoff series. Knight spent six years with the franchise, the last five as general manager, helping the Hawks end a nine-year playoff drought in his final season.



I'm sure that, at some point, Gearon has lobbied to the other owners to name himself as the GM. Shmuck...

 

[the future d1]

marbury for kobe

 

[you big dummy]

Originally Posted by The future D1

marbury for kobe

DO IT MITCH

 

[iluvmyajs99]

^^^^hahaha. Only in a dream.

 

[north dade represent]

Wade doesen't have to worry. There's no way Marion will opt out. 17.8 million plus the chance to play with a healthy Wade and Rose/Beasley? Nobodyturns that down. However if he wants to continue after next year he's going to have to take a serious pay cut.

 

[johnnyredstorm]

If the Cavs don't place a call to the Bucks for Michael Redd, Danny Ferry needs to be fired. Wally World's expiring contract and Joe Smith should beenough finance wise and throw in a couple of first rounders and you should have a deal. Redd is exactly what Lebron needs.

 

[the future d1]

Redd would fit real good with lebron...

 

[dlo13]

More from the comedy of errors that is the Atlanta Hawks GM search...

Marc Stein is reporting that is was Grant who pulled his name out of the search. This should come as a shock to no one.

These dudes can't even get Grant, a virtual nobody, to take this job. Grant's resume includes being the errand boy for Billy Knight and DannyFerry...so you can't say he was learning much.

It pretty much confirms two things about the Hawks' owners...

1. They're cheap. The NY Daily News reported that they were treating this like an entry-level position. They were reported to have offered something in thearea of $300K/year. That's nothing for an NBA GM.

2. They're looking for a puppet. They strung out Knight by taking his power and not allowing him to fire Woodson. I get the feeling they're doing thesame here. They've got to be telling people that they won't be making the decision on Woodson, since they can likely keep him as Head Coach for cheap.

At this point, they're basically hoping for someone to take this job as a charity case. It'll either be a promotion of one of our advance/collegescouts, or somebody with ties to and a love for the team with no front office experience...i.e. 'Nique or Steve Smith. I wouldn't wish that on eitherof them...

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3414910

The Atlanta Hawks were still looking for a new general manager Tuesday after Cleveland Cavaliers executive Chris Grant rejected the Hawks' offer.
Grant becomes the second prime candidate to remove his name from consideration for the Hawks' post after San Antonio Spurs assistant general manager Dennis Lindsey pulled out last week.

NBA front-office sources told ESPN.com that Grant spent the weekend mulling Atlanta's proposal before ultimately deciding to stay in his role with the Cavaliers as a top aide to front-office chief Danny Ferry.

Sources said contract negotiations between Grant and the Hawks began after Lindsey's withdrawal and intensified to the point that Atlanta had ceased speaking to other candidates, expecting Grant to accept.

Grant, who worked under Pete Babcock and Billy Knight with the Hawks before moving to Cleveland, is the only candidate to date who was actually offered the job, which came open May 6 when Knight abruptly resigned.

ESPN.com reported May 16 that Knight -- widely expected to be fired after the Hawks were eliminated from the playoffs -- actually had the opportunity to stay with the Hawks on a one-year contract. But Knight elected to step down effective July 1.

Hawks part-owner Michael Gearon Jr. told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution on Tuesday that the process "is coming to a close," but it was not immediately known whom Atlanta will turn to now. One source close to the process described the Hawks as "scrambling" because they believed they had Grant, who ultimately decided against making the leap from one of the most stable franchises in the league to a team that just halted the league's longest playoff drought and which is known for feuding factions in its crowded ownership group.

Other candidates Atlanta is known to have interviewed, in addition to Grant and Lindsey, are Washington Wizards vice president of basketball administration Tommy Sheppard, Boston Celtics assistant general manager Dave Wohl and Portland Trail Blazers personnel scout John Gabriel, former general manager of the Orlando Magic.

Grant could not be reached for comment Tuesday. Lindsey had earlier cited "family considerations and professional considerations" for his pullout.

Gabriel has the most decorated resume of the recent interviewees, as a former NBA Executive of the Year in Orlando who left his post late in the Magic's 21-61 nightmare season in 2003-04. In his current job, Gabriel serves as a scout and adviser to Blazers general manager Kevin Pritchard.

The fast-rising Sheppard, who works as a lead assistant to Wizards president Ernie Grunfeld, is an up-and-comer in the Grant mold and widely considered future GM material. In addition to his talks with the Hawks, Sheppard was a finalist in Seattle for the job that went to Sam Presti last summer.

Pritchard, Presti and Ferry rose to prominence after stints with the Spurs, who have been raided for executives in recent years after a run of three championships in five years. Lindsey is likewise considered future GM material after a long stint with the Houston Rockets and his move to San Antonio as a top aide to Spurs personnel chief R.C. Buford, but he was reluctant to entertain outside interest in his first full season with the Spurs. Lindsey had previously resisted overtures from the Milwaukee Bucks late in the regular season before the Bucks hired longtime Detroit Pistons executive John Hammond as their new front-office chief.

It's believed that Grant is also following Hammond's lead, after Hammond had rebuffed interest from several teams over the years to stay in Detroit as the right-hand man to Pistons president Joe Dumars before finally taking the Bucks' job.

Although Atlanta currently has no pick in the June 26 draft, either in the first or second round, Knight's successor is expected to make a firm ruling on the future of coach Mike Woodson, whose contract expires June 30. Knight reportedly tried to fire Woodson multiple times this season before the Hawks halted a playoff drought dating to 1999 and wound up extending the 66-win Celtics to a Game 7 in the first round.

 

[jdb1523]

^I'm gonna say Wally and Damon Jones for Redd. Joe Smith played wonderful for us throughout the season and playoffs, and is a very very decent big we need.If we get rid of Joe that puts Dwayne Jones on the floor........and that's worse to watch than Mike Brown drawing up a play on Offense.

 

[japanair21]

Originally Posted by JDB1523

^I'm gonna say Wally and Damon Jones for Redd. Joe Smith played wonderful for us throughout the season and playoffs, and is a very very decent big we need. If we get rid of Joe that puts Dwayne Jones on the floor........and that's worse to watch than Mike Brown drawing up a play on Offense.

, way to undervalue Michael Redd. I don't care if Wally had a 20M expiring contract, that's also a contract you'll have to live withthe entire season compared to at the trade deadline of next year. The Bucks are looking towards young talent, and they're tired of waiting around. If theyget rid of Michael Redd, it won't be for a second AND third string SG. Wally is no longer a starter. You can throw however many first rounders you want inthere (and to be honest, first rounders are very valuable), but Wally+Jones won't get it done. You aren't the LA Lakers I'm sorry to say. I know, Iknow, the Lakers got Pau, but that's with a little help from their friend up in the office Stern.

, or God, one of the two. But back on topic, Ican't see any player the Bucks would want off the Cavs roster, they literally have a box of random players. They don't need a PG, nor a back-up. Ifthey trade Redd, they need to draft a SG and get a back-up (okay, Wally, but they'd go after Boobie). SF they have Desmond Mason, could upgrade, but forwho on the Cavs roster? LeBron? PF they have Yi, who've they've invested in. C they have Bogut, and although Big Z is better, not for long. Bogut isdeveloping into what some thought he'd be.


Boobie+Varejao+Sasha+Snow (for salary reasons)+1st rounder for Redd+Bell.


A deal like that is only thing I could see happening where the Cavs get Redd, he's still valuable.

 

[acidicality]

Originally Posted by you big dummy

Originally Posted by The future D1

marbury for kobe

DO IT MITCH

Make it happen!
If this happens, along with trading Bynum+Gasol for Chris Quinn, Lakers=championship from 2009-2015

 

[japanair21]

6peat,

, aint been done since them celtic boys, and with marbury/quinn @ the helm, the L should just give them 6 chips

 

[marleysprotege]

youre trying too hard ... anyways, marion wade and beasley or marion wade and rose stilld oesnt equal a ship to me any way you look at it

 

[dlo13]

Well, forget all that other stuff I said...

Rick Sund is the new GM of the Atlanta Hawks.

At least he has experience...

http://www.ajc.com/hawks/content/sports/hawks/stories/2008/05/28/hawks_0528.html

The Hawks have reached an agreement with former Seattle general manager Rick Sund, who will be announced Wednesday afternoon as the team's new general manager.
The hiring of Sund, 56, wraps up a nearly four-week hiring process the Hawks kept under wraps.

Sund, a consultant for the Sonics this past year after being reassigned by a new ownership group in April 2007, will take over for Billy Knight, who resigned after six years with the franchise, the last five as general manager.

Sund has over 30 years of NBA front office experience, including stints with Milwaukee, Dallas, Detroit and most recently the Sonics.

A native of Elgin, Ill., Sund played at Northwestern before starting his NBA career with the Bucks, spending five years there before going to Dallas as the Mavericks' player personnel director.

He worked with the Mavericks the longest, from 1979 to 1994, helping guide them to the playoffs six times and a trip to the Western Conference finals in 1988.

He spent six seasons in Detroit before being named the Sonics' general manager in June of 2001. Sund held that position for six years, he engineered the trade that brought All-Star swingman Ray Allen from Milwaukee for Gary Payton in February 2003, before being replaced by Sam Presti.

 

[ballinboykz]

Originally Posted by blackredxiiigoat

ballin,

not callin you out...but to make a correction in regards to trading howard for gerald wallace and him bein too old....howard is 28 right now...wallace is only 25...he may play with a more reckless style than j-ho but hes a few years younger (he came to the league after only 1 year at Alabama if im not mistaken)

Yikes, I am stupid. I must have been on the good stuff...

Thanks for the correction both you and JapanAir21. My mistake guys.

 

[blackmagnus514]

i just love how "stars" get the nice big contracts then get traded two years down the line. Redd shoulda BEEN a Cav, but he chose the Bucks

 

[japanair21]

The Bucks have been bad for a while you'd just expect them to be good eventually, I'm sure that's what Redd thought. I mean they have good youngplayers, they just don't have the chemistry. Despite all of this, I still think they'll do good this year.

 

[johnnyredstorm]

Originally Posted by JapanAir21

Originally Posted by JDB1523

^I'm gonna say Wally and Damon Jones for Redd. Joe Smith played wonderful for us throughout the season and playoffs, and is a very very decent big we need. If we get rid of Joe that puts Dwayne Jones on the floor........and that's worse to watch than Mike Brown drawing up a play on Offense.

, way to undervalue Michael Redd. I don't care if Wally had a 20M expiring contract, that's also a contract you'll have to live with the entire season compared to at the trade deadline of next year. The Bucks are looking towards young talent, and they're tired of waiting around. If they get rid of Michael Redd, it won't be for a second AND third string SG. Wally is no longer a starter. You can throw however many first rounders you want in there (and to be honest, first rounders are very valuable), but Wally+Jones won't get it done. You aren't the LA Lakers I'm sorry to say. I know, I know, the Lakers got Pau, but that's with a little help from their friend up in the office Stern.

, or God, one of the two. But back on topic, I can't see any player the Bucks would want off the Cavs roster, they literally have a box of random players. They don't need a PG, nor a back-up. If they trade Redd, they need to draft a SG and get a back-up (okay, Wally, but they'd go after Boobie). SF they have Desmond Mason, could upgrade, but for who on the Cavs roster? LeBron? PF they have Yi, who've they've invested in. C they have Bogut, and although Big Z is better, not for long. Bogut is developing into what some thought he'd be.


Boobie+Varejao+Sasha+Snow (for salary reasons)+1st rounder for Redd+Bell.


A deal like that is only thing I could see happening where the Cavs get Redd, he's still valuable.

That's not a bad proposal either, I guess it is all going to come down to if the Bucks want cap relief or young talent.

 

[dade b0y]

Originally Posted by MarleysProtege

anyways, marion wade and beasley or marion wade and rose stilld oesnt equal a ship to me any way you look at it

No it doesn't. There's still some holes on the roster/roster imbalance, and Beasley or Rose will be rookies. But it does mean being atleastcompetitive again(not 15-67), potentially being back in the upper tier of the Eastern Conference(top 4-5 seed) again(if health permits).

What's done with the future flexiblity that Miami is due next years off-season will determine if Miami gets back in contendership again. And with Pat Rileystill at the helm, good things could happen.

 

[japanair21]

Originally Posted by JohnnyRedStorm

Originally Posted by JapanAir21

Originally Posted by JDB1523

^I'm gonna say Wally and Damon Jones for Redd. Joe Smith played wonderful for us throughout the season and playoffs, and is a very very decent big we need. If we get rid of Joe that puts Dwayne Jones on the floor........and that's worse to watch than Mike Brown drawing up a play on Offense.

, way to undervalue Michael Redd. I don't care if Wally had a 20M expiring contract, that's also a contract you'll have to live with the entire season compared to at the trade deadline of next year. The Bucks are looking towards young talent, and they're tired of waiting around. If they get rid of Michael Redd, it won't be for a second AND third string SG. Wally is no longer a starter. You can throw however many first rounders you want in there (and to be honest, first rounders are very valuable), but Wally+Jones won't get it done. You aren't the LA Lakers I'm sorry to say. I know, I know, the Lakers got Pau, but that's with a little help from their friend up in the office Stern.

, or God, one of the two. But back on topic, I can't see any player the Bucks would want off the Cavs roster, they literally have a box of random players. They don't need a PG, nor a back-up. If they trade Redd, they need to draft a SG and get a back-up (okay, Wally, but they'd go after Boobie). SF they have Desmond Mason, could upgrade, but for who on the Cavs roster? LeBron? PF they have Yi, who've they've invested in. C they have Bogut, and although Big Z is better, not for long. Bogut is developing into what some thought he'd be.


Boobie+Varejao+Sasha+Snow (for salary reasons)+1st rounder for Redd+Bell.


A deal like that is only thing I could see happening where the Cavs get Redd, he's still valuable.

That's not a bad proposal either, I guess it is all going to come down to if the Bucks want cap relief or young talent.

It makes a lot of deal for both teams. Cavs want their second scorer, boom. Done. Redd does one thing great, and that's score. He could easily score 25a night next to LeBron. Bucks might want to get rid of that ugly contract of Redd's. Boom, done. Get a second string SG who's capable if given minutes,a great role player in Varejao who knows his role and what he's supposed to do, and outside shooting in Sasha. Sell that first rounder along with DesmondMason for another good, big piece, and they're set.