Hawks' New Ownership Likely To Resolve Danny Ferry Situation

[RealGM Wiretap]

Danny Ferry has helped build the Atlanta Hawks' roster, which has the best record in the NBA so far at 40-8.

Ferry's job status was put on indefinite leave due to racial comments made regarding Luol Deng during free agent last offseason.

"I believe that Danny will be resolved by the new ownership group," the Hawks' CEO, Steve Koonin, said last week. "It's such a big, important, strategic issue that has to be resolved by new ownership. And so, that's my best guess today, but I really don't know."

Ferry will likely remain on leave throughout the season.

Via David Aldridge/NBA.com

[castor777]

I don't doubt for a second they're still embarrassed by his comments and want to keep them as far in the past as possible. But considering how good the Hawks are right now, I dare say his job will remain secure.

[thinktellectual]

Ferry said some stupid stuff - although not racist, it was ... let's say culturally insensitive.

That being said, the Hawks are so damn good that it would be hard to believe that he won't find a job somewhere.

Of course, him assembling the current Hawks team might mean absolutely nothing, even if they end up winning the title.
He might have just lucked into it, or he might not be able to reproduce it ever again, even if you gave him 2000 years.

Let's not forget that Joe Dumars put together the Pistons team that played back to back finals in 2004 and 2005 and won in 2004 against the heavily favored Lakers. The same Joe Dumars that blew his cap space twice giving some of the worst contracts in the league: Villanueva and Gordon, followed by Josh Smith and Jennings.

But until he proves otherwise, he did a great job with the Hawks, and he deserves another chance.
After all, he might have dug some dirt on Deng, and he might have used a stereotype when describing it, but he actually wanted to sign Deng.

[Cassius]

Let's not forget that he was the GM of the Cavs, putting together a terrible team that Lebron dragged to the finals. A terrible max deal to Larry Hughes, a terrible deal for Donyell Marshall and then a myriad bad trades and non-trades to round out the roster.