Hawks Ascend Into Postseason Action
Most people are penciling in the Hawks for a sweep at the hands of the Celtics, but Patrick J. Austin doesn't think that will be the case in their first round series.
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Horford Steals The Spotlight
Al Horford may be undersized in the paint on a nightly basis, but he is the one who has the rest of the NBA overmatched in the race for this season’s Rookie of the Year award.
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Hawks Swoop In, Land Bibby
The Hawks need a point guard. How many years have we heard this statement? Far too long. But now it appears the Hawks have filled that gaping hole in their nest; the backcourt solidified with the acquisition of Mike Bibby.
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Can Miller Save The Hawks?
The Hawks have hit a bump in the road and that once promising prospect of making the playoffs for the first time in a decade is looking unlikely. Of course, this could change with a bold move prior to the Feb. 21 trading deadline; a move which should involve acquiring Andre Miller.
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Hawks Finding Their Wings
Joe Johnson, Josh Smith and Al Horford are playing very good basketball for the Hawks but in order to truly compete, they will need to address their dire need at the point guard spot.
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Hawks Draft Selections Fall Short
But all the rumor mill churning and speculation was for not. Alas, the Hawks failed to consummate any big trade and decided to stick with the status quo keeping both the no.3 and no. 11 picks. Of course, the question is… will these players really help the Hawks, or is this another bungled draft by Billy Knight?
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30 Teams, 30 Days: Atlanta Draft Preview (11th)
Atlanta's 11th overall choice is clearly predicated on what they do with the third pick, so Mike Conley early could mean Billy Knight gets another wing late.
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30 Teams, 30 Days: Atlanta Draft Preview
With the third pick, Atlanta will finally be able to select a point guard who can mean to them what Chris Paul and Deron Williams have meant to New Orleans and Utah.
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Hawks Rise And Fall Short Once Again
There was a huge fear in Atlanta that their 2007 first round pick would be going to Phoenix, but it will be retained and with two of the top-eleven spots, the Hawks will have a lot to say about the post-Oden/Durant portion of the draft.
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Hawks Update: Team Acquires A. Johnson, Can't Get Off The Ground
The Atlanta Hawks are mired in another disappointing season filled with flashes of hope but overwhelmed by underachievement and mediocrity. The record stands at 22-36, a far cry from expectations of at least .500 ball.
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Marvin Williams: The Forgotten Man
For a number two overall pick who was only 19 years old, Marvin Williams, Jr. was already being relegated to the "same breath as Sam Bowie" status. This was something that did not fall on deaf ears.
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Sonics Rain On Atlanta's Fast Start
The Hawks' best start in seven years could not be sustained Saturday night against Seattle. Different reasons abound if you ask different people.
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Joe Johnson Leads Team To Find Identity
We all know the story of Cool. He was on that 62-win Phoenix team, who churned management the following summer as a restricted free agent and decided to come to a franchise that was in major rebuilding mode. So Phoenix obliged, and here came Cool, set to take the Hawks (who hadn't played past April since 1999) to the next level in their rebuilding plan.
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Preseason Point/Counterpoint
Our resident Hawks' experts sit down and discuss what they expect from the club this season and whether or not Billy Knight and Mike Woodson are on the hot seat even before the season begins.
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Operation Billy Knight Complete
The Hawks now have the one thing that every other championship team has: A team built by one man. Pat Riley, Joe Dumars, Greg Popovich, Jerry West, and Jerry Krause. All have put together their championship teams, solely. With nobody left from the team that he inherited in 2003, one man is responsible for the employment of 12 players in Atlanta.
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Hawks Trade Harrington…Finally
The “Harrington to Indiana” saga began after the Indiana Pacers surprisingly (some say underhandedly) received a large trade exception from the New Orleans Hornets in return for Peja Stojackavic. That exception was just big enough to offer Harrington a competitive deal. Of course, the Pacers could only land Harrington via sign-and-trade since they are over the salary cap. That meant Billy Knight was in the drivers seat and he wasn’t going to just hand Harrington over for cash and then came the long stare-down.
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Time To Cash In On Atlanta's Stockpile Of Swingmen
Billy Knight took over the team in 2003 along with six other General Managers in the NBA: Danny Ainge (Boston), John Paxson (Chicago), Larry Bird (Indiana), Isiah Thomas (New York), Ernie Grunfeld (Washington), and Lenny Harris (Milwaukee). All six of these men have engineered squads worthy of making the playoffs at least once in their first three seasons at the helm of their respective NBA franchise. However, Knight is the lone GM incapable of doing anything but trading away key assets for cap room.
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Hawks News: Lo-Wright Returns While Harrington Remains Up In Air
The Hawks appear to be the focal point in this stagnant period of the off-season. They have the last “big name” free agent (a.k.a. Al Harrington) in a holding pattern but are open to consummating some sort of a sign and trade. Of course, a deal will only be completed if Billy Knight’s demands are met. What might those be? They’re actually quite simple – a first round pick with minimal protection, no multi-year contracts, three million dollars, and the inclusion of John Edwards in a Harrington package.
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The Draft In Retrospect: Moving Forward
The title of this article is meant with every pun. We have reached the aftermath of yet another Billy Knight draft, which by the way is his fourth. This is also the fourth year in a row the Hawks have drafted somebody at least 6’8.
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Hawks Draft Preview: Part II
Only a 10 dollar snitch could drop more names than all the ones that we have heard in the days leading to the draft. Sheldon Williams, Marcus Williams, LaMarcus Aldridge. Rajon Rondo, Randy Foye and Brandon Roy. Aside from the similarities in the phonetics of their names, these players all serve to contract the gap between a 26 win team and a playoff team.
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Hawks Draft Preview: Part I
There has been much rhetoric about the status of the Hawks. What do we need? How will we acquire what we need? Who is the player, coach, general manager, or owners (or owner) that will get us what we need? Why are we in this situation? Well all those questions are going to partially answered in the upcoming weeks. On Wednesday, June 28th between 7:30 – 8:15, we will welcome the newest addition to a Hawks uniform. So in a multiple part series, we will analyze the needs of the Hawks from a statistical standpoint, and the best way to pinpoint those needs.
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Steve Belkin Can Become Sole Owner Of The Hawks
A judge in Maryland ruled that the seven owners who removed Steven Belkin from power breached a buyout agreement that was in place between the two parties. Therefore, Belkin now has the ability to buyout the “Atlanta Spirit” partners and become owner. To make matters worse, the judge dismissed all other counts in the case and rendered remaining claims “moot.”
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Hawks Fly Down To The Fifth Pick
Once again, the NBA Lotto Gods didn’t look down favorably upon the Atlanta Hawks, a team that finished with the fourth worst record in the league winds up with the fifth pick in the upcoming draft. Some people might think this is major blow to the Hawks rebuilding efforts, but I think it could be a blessing in disguise.
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Getting Rid Of The Current Regime And More In Point - Counterpoint
"I don't think the owners should keep the combo of Knight/Woodson. I salivate when I think of hiring Kiki Vandeweghe as GM and Stan Van Gundy as coach," wrote Patrick J. Austin to Zettler Clay..
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The Return of Steve Belkin: Nonsense in Full Effect
Where is Arthur Blank? Where is any of the effulgence that the Atlanta Falcons braintrust exude? The Georgia Dome and Phillips Arena are less than a mile apart, but that is the closest that you can come to correlate these two franchises. One is preparing for a Super Bowl run, with signings of two Pro Bowlers and another solid piece. Another can’t get rid of an unrelenting former owner. This is reminiscent of Rachel Phelps in Major League I and Major League II. You know, the malcontent owner who kept trying to sabotage the team for her own interests.
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Will Harrington Fly The Coupe?
The trading deadline passed by and to everyone’s amazement, Al Harrington is still in a Hawks uniform. Rumors of his exit from the ATL ranged from a big deal with Chicago, a swap of young talent with Detroit, and a simple exchange with Denver. But through all the proposed deals, the anonymous sources guaranteeing Al’s departure, and message board gossip (most of which was created by me and the rest of the Hawks board) Harrington is still with the team. So that begs the obvious question—why?
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Billy Knight And JJ: Promising Partnership
Billy Knight has started a mission. Whether it is fulfilled is unknown, but the groundwork is in place. Knight, a Pittsburgh native, was brought aboard in 2002 by the former GM Pete Babcock as the Director of Operations of the Atlanta Hawks. Remember this team people? A roster which featured exorbitant salaries, as well as the underachieving unit of Glen Robinson, Theo Ratliff, Jason Terry, and Shareef Abdur-Rahim.
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Mid-Flight Review Of The Hawks
After a 2-16 inauguration, the Hawks have clawed to a 14-18 record since. Not great, but not nearly as awful as the start of the season indicated. We have seen a few good times, lots of promise, flashes of brilliance, and plenty of ugly moments.
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Putting It All Into Perspective
I sat there in Phillips Arena Monday night to see the Hawks thoroughly destroy the team with the league’s highest payroll; and by the way, that team is the New York Knickerbockers. They only have two more wins than the Hawks and we don’t have any lawsuits pending. This is in no way to make light of the unfortunate occurrences in that organization, it’s only to point out that Hawks fans have more to be gratuitous about than they realize.
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Point/Counter-Point On Trading Harrington And Firing Woodson
Hawks' writers Patrick Austin and Zettler Clay debate the finer points of trading Al Harrington and firing head coach Mike Woodson in a good old fashioned point, counter-point.
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Time to Shakeup The Nest
In most publications before the season, the Hawks were picked to finish above the Toronto Raptors and Charlotte Bobcats. We can either say that the Raptors and Bobcats overachieved, or the Hawks have underachieved. To say that they underachieved might be quite harsh, considering that these Hawks have improved from last season.
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Back To The Bottom
After putting together a nice string of wins, the Hawks have stumbled once more and are back at the bottom with the worst record in the league (7-21). I really thought they had turned a corner. Beating quality teams like the Spurs, Nuggets, and Cavaliers gave me a sense of optimism, but that was quickly replaced with frustration and confusion after watching them lose to teams like the Bobcats(minus Emeka Okafor) and Raptors.
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Hawks Starting To Fly
Just when you thought all hope was lost for these beleaguered birds, things have finally started to turn around. After being shellacked by virtually every team during the month of November, we’ve posted some very impressive wins in December; most notably against the champion San Antonio Spurs, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Denver Nuggets (all teams with above .500 records).
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Hawks Should Enter Artest Sweepstakes
Ron Artest has asked the Pacers for a trade and Patrick J. Austin believes the Atlanta Hawks should jump in the sweepstakes.
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Something Needs To Change
The Hawks have the dubious honor of being the only winless team left in the NBA. That’s right, we have a worse record than the 2nd year-in-existence Charlotte Bobcats, the downtrodden New Orleans/Okalahoma City Hornets, and even the hapless Toronto Raptors. It’s become abundantly clear the current makeup of our team, even the entire organization, needs to be changed sooner rather than later.
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Something Needs to Change
The Atlanta Hawks are officially the doormat of the NBA and Patrick J. Austin believes they need to make changes immediately.
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Early Impressions
Another disappointing start to a season is underway for the Hawks. They’ve dropped to 0-3 losing to Golden State, the Los Angeles Clippers, and Portland. The first two games were embarrassing losses, each by fifteen points or more. However, the third game against Portland was lost by only one point. So what can we deduce from these first three games?
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Doleac To The Hawks?
Patrick J. Austin gives his take on the Michael Doleac rumor.
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Here's To You, Jason Collier
When I heard Jason Collier passed away due to cardiac arrest, shock and disbelief overcame me. What went wrong? How could this happen? He was only 28. It’s always sad to hear of someone’s passing, but when they’re struck down in their prime, it makes it even worse.
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Atlanta Hawks Season Preview
Will the Hawks rebound from a dismal 13-69 season? Patrick J. Austin previews the 2005-2006 Atlanta Hawks.
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Hawks Making The Moves
Now that Steve Belkin is gone and management has been re-organized, the Hawks have finally started to make some moves. You can see the roster starting to take shape. Though, we still need to make a few minor adjustments before the season begins.
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Bye Bye Belkin
The Hawks embarrassing ownership conflict has finally come to an end. David Stern ruled that Steve Belkin did not have the authority to overrule a majority decision (i.e. the trade for Joe Johnson) by the Hawks ownership group and therefore granted his removal as an NBA governor. Recently, Belkin agreed to a buyout of his shares with the other owners and is will no longer be affiliated with the franchise.
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It Just Keeps Getting Worse
If you thought the ownership conflict within the Hawks organization couldn’t get any worse, you were wrong. It’s been reported Steve Belkin, the lone owner blocking our acquisition of Joe Johnson, has sued his partners and got a restraining order against them.
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Ownership Embarrassing The Team
Every member on the committee has agreed to acquiring Joe Johnson except for Belkin; and since a unanimous decision is necessary to complete the transaction, Hawks fans are stuck in limbo.
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Hawks Land JJ
After being shunned by the likes of Samuel Dalembert, Ray Allen, and Stromile Swift the Hawks finally landed a big-name free agent in Joe Johnson. Though, he didn’t come cheap. His contract is estimated to be worth seventy million dollars over five years with a balloon payment of nearly twenty million dollars in the first year.
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Are The Hawks Doomed Again In 2005-06?
The Hawks are absolutely desperate for a point guard and a center, a fact that everyone in the league seems to understand except for the Hawks themselves. Bringing in point guard Earl Watson and center Eddy Curry should do the trick.
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Hawks Trying To Land Curry
Patrick J. Austin gives his take on the pros and cons of the Atlanta Hawks possibily signing Eddy Curry.
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Joe Johnson Jetting to Hotlanta?
Rumors are running rampant about the possibility of Joe Johnson signing a max offer sheet with the Atlanta Hawks. Johnson is a restricted free agent that many assume will be signed by his current club, the Phoenix Suns.
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Stephon Marbury To Atlanta?
Rumors are flying around regarding a Stephon Marbury trade to Atlanta. Is there any validity to these claims, and if so, is it worth if for the Hawks?
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Hawks Free Agent Focus: The Center
The Hawks are in need of a big man for the 2005-06 season and, as of now, there are more than a few to choose from in the free agent market with Samuel Dalembert currently holding the title of prefered pick-up.
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New C.B.A. Will Help and Hurt The Hawks This Summer
The NBA and its Players Association were able to hammer out a new collective bargaining agreement, avoiding a potentially disastrous lockout. The overall design of the agreement remains consistent with its predecessor, but some changes have been made that will certainly impact the Hawks—both positively and negatively.
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Hawks Draft Analysis
Marvin Williams is now the guy in Atlanta, however, the fact that the Hawks passed on point guard Roko Leni-Ukic so late in the draft could come back to haunt them.
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Hawks Draft Speculation
Marvin Williams seems to be a lock for the Hawks at #2 if Bogut is taken first, but will Atlanta keep him?
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2nd Round Possibilities
With everyone talking about what the Atlanta Hawks will do with their 2nd overall pick, the second round could easily produce a star not unlike Rashard Lewis or Gilbert Arenas.
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The Fan's Perspective
Hawks' fan give their own ideas of what the club should do this offseason, one of their most crucial in recent memory.
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Atlanta Hawks Offseason Plan
Between trading the #2 pick to Charlotte for their two lottery picks and signing free agent Stromile Swift, Patrick J. Austin has the plan to get the Hawks back into the postseason.
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Would Marvin Williams Help the Hawks Or Is A Trade Imminent?
Apparently, Bernie Bickerstaff, the GM and coach of the Charlotte Bobcats, has already contacted Billy Knight about a draft-day trade, which would give the Hawks the opportunity to draft players at two positions they need; A point guard in Deron Williams at five and Johan Petro at thirteen.
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Hawks Land the 2nd Pick
After finishing the season with the teams worst record on the books, the Atlanta Hawks still missed out on the #1 pick in the 2005 NBA draft.
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Lockout Could Spell Doom For The Hawks
A Lockout during the 2005-06 season would destroy everything the Hawks have worked for since 2003.
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Lockout Could Spell Doom For The Hawks
A Lockout during the 2005-06 season would destroy everything the Hawks have worked for since 2003.
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Childress And Smith Make All-Rookie Team
Between Childress and Smith, Patrick J. Austin believes Childress deserves a little more praise. Virtually everyone criticized the Hawks for taking him so high (sixth pick), but at season's end it’s safe to say he silenced those critics and secured the starting two-guard position for the foreseeable future (that is, if we don’t sign someone like Larry Hughes or Joe Johnson via free agency).
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It’s Finally Over
After a franchise worst season, the Atlanta Hawks are prime to land some top-notch free agents and change their fortune for the 2005-06 season.
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The Dark Days
It can’t get any worse…can it? This is the question most die-hard Hawk fans ask themselves every time they watch a game (I know I do).
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Fan Article: Why I Love Being A Hawks Fan
My career as a Hawks fan has not given me many victories, however being a fan of a team is not measured in victories.
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Believe it or not, Hawks on the right track
There are many things that can be written about a horrible season. You can either say that the season is a waste and there’s nothing productive going on at all, or you can try to find some hope for the future.
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GameNight: Hawks Ease Over the Bobcats
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GameNight: The Kids Just Want to Have Fun
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GameNight: Hawks Control the Kings…Then Lose
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Hawks Roundup: Donte Practicing, Could Be Activated
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GameNight: Sonics Take it to the Hawks
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HFO Trade Analysis: Jon Barry Gone, Tyronn Lue Hello
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GameNight: Hawks Jam Over Mavericks
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Hawks Roundup: Why Isn’t Jon Barry Playing?
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GameNight: Pacers “Flatten” Hawks in Fourth Quarter
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Hawks Waive Jelani McCoy/HFO Analysis
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GameNight: No Streaking! Hawks Lose to Nets
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GameNight: Hawks Smoove Over Sixers
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GameNight: Hawks Go Thud Against The Wiz
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GameNight: Nothing’s Free in Hawks Loss to Knicks
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Stotts Firing Leaves Many Questions
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Billy Knight Doing The Right Thing
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Reggie, Artest Teach but have no Class in Atlanta
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Different Year, Same Column
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Hawks Are a Funny Team
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GameNight: Hawks beat Wizards in Final "Preseason" Game
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Today Jacque Vaughn, Tomorrow…the World!
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The Dish: When Will the Hawks Make a Move?
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Big Dog Gone...Looking at the Glenn Robinson Deal
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Lottery Night Recap: How the Hawks Lost Another Lottery Pick
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Hawks Deserve some LeBron Luck
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2002-2003 Final Grades
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Paging Mr. Rivers, Mr. Doc Rivers
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Hawks Talk
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Hawks Move on After Deadline
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Jason Walker
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Jason Walker/RealGM
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Best Hawks Team Ever?
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Get Off DerMarr's Back
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Musselman Good Fit for Warriors
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Jason Terry is the Hawks Future at the Point
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Understanding Replacement Value
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Looking Back and Ahead at the Hawks
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Hawks Looking to Trade
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Hawks Toss Fans First Class Event
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Double OT!!! Hawks Get Last Laugh Against Cavs
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Knicks Help Prove Babcock Plan
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Terry Raises Hawks Over Nuggets
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Hawks Dominate Warriors
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Shareef Proves Point Against Grizzlies
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Kukoc Finds the Rhythm to Rock the Cavs
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Hawks Lose Focus in Loss to Sonics
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Hawks Midseason Grades
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Hawks Need To Move Ahead
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Shareef, Hawks Take Out Frustration on Rockets
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Unforgivable and Unforgettable
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Slim Rises Over Portland
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Hawks Come Way Back to Beat Heat
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Lack of Defined Roles Killing Hawks
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Hawks Prevent Themselves From Beating Pacers
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Sloppy Win Reveals Not-So Hidden Lessons
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Hawks Fight Back, “Steal” Game From Sixers
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Terry Gets Aggressive, Leads “Cupcakes” Past Magic
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Hawks Start Slow, Finish Short in Loss to Spurs
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Ch-Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes
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Hawks Lose Blowout Disguised as Five Point Loss to Knicks
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Are All Road Games Supposed to End Like This?
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Reef is Real, But Why on a Holiday?!!
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Hawks Survive Boston’s 3-Point Assault, Own Mistakes
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Hawks Happy to be Home, Dominate Jazz
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Road Trip Shows Hawks Flaws
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Honeymoon Over for Hawks
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Hawks Beat the Heat, Get First Win
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Hawks Look Lost Against Wizards
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Hawks Will Make Playoffs
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Terry trouble
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Deadline Talk
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Looking Forward
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Hawks playing it safe
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Hawks miss the chance to take a Bullish risk
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Going once, twice...
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Is The Point Guard Search Over?
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Time For the Hawks to Break the "Rules"
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Trading Henderson Needed to Secure Future
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Terry Must Play Point
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Jordan's Return Will Leave Hawks Overlooked
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No need to move the Mount
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Training Camp Watch
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Mike Dunleavy and Danny Granger had nice seasons, but they appear to be in that limbo between being good and being bad enough to get help in the lottery.
Rudy Gay positively broke out this season and is the Grizzlies' focal building block moving forward, that is unless they land the number one overall pick.
The Bulls were thought to be a talented young team expected to take their collective game to the next level but instead played like a young team with less talent than anticipated.
Maybe it was the green hue that has been sprinkled on the league this season, or Atlanta’s losing record, but there didn’t seem to be a matchup Boston couldn’t exploit before this seven-game relationship began.
Who should the fans blame for the Nuggets sweep at the hands of the Lakers? George Karl barely runs an offense and the team doesn’t focus on defense. However, the answer to the question lies in the team's front office.
The Lakers' offense is synergistic; the Nuggets are a ticking time bomb with no semblance of offensive cohesion.
For the first time since the Run TMC days, three Warriors averaged 20 points a night and by winning 48 games, it was their highest win total since 93-94 when they won 50.
What started out as a very promising season for the Bobcats ended in more of a whimper than a bang, as they failed to not only make the playoffs, but also to better the previous season's win total. 
The winner of this series can be patient, if ambitious. The loser has no choice but to examine the possibility of upheaval.
The Sixers are 13-7 when Thaddeus Young is on the floor for the opening tip and 27-31 when he's not. You don't have to be a math major to figure those numbers out.
You can call Mark Cuban many things, but one thing you cannot question is his passion and commitment to the Mavericks. He's the anti-Donald Sterling – an owner who has invested more than just his money into the franchise.