Danny Ferry looking to trade but avoid the tax
Posted: Sat Jun 30, 2012 12:47 am
Danny Ferry didn’t make the decisions that led to the Hawks owing $61 million in salaries next season to six veteran players on a team that’s topped out in the second round of the playoffs.
But now that’s he’s Hawks GM, Ferry will have to build a roster for next season without much financial flexibility. And he will have to start doing it pretty much on the fly because the free-agent negotiating period opens Sunday, less than a week after he took the job.
“It’s a crash course, for sure,” Ferry said. “I think we want to make the best decisions possible in the short term. We want to make right decisions, whether it’s a trade, whether it’s free agency. But especially trades.”
The trade market remains the best way for the Hawks to make significant additions to the roster (which of course means they’d also have to make significant subtractions).
They continue to get a lot of calls about Josh Smith but the impetus for pursuing Pau Gasol came from Rick Sund and Ferry so far hasn’t taken that baton. Ferry hasn’t even had a chance to fully assess the roster or meet the players.
Smith has a lot of value as a talented and productive player on a reasonable contract that expires after next season. Al Horford is an attractive piece, too, because he’s an All-Star big man locked up for four years and $48 million. Good luck dealing Joe Johnson with four years and $90 million remaining on his contract.
(Aside: I’ve heard some of my blog people wonder if Ferry will be “allowed” to trade Marvin Williams. Please accept that the Hawks have tried to trade Williams for at least two years and no one is biting. That shouldn’t be hard to do since you don’t want him on your team at his salary, either.)
If the Hawks don’t make a trade, then they’ll have to find some value on the free-agent market and perhaps get some contributions from unheralded rookies. http://blogs.ajc.com/hawks/2012/06/29/a ... d-the-tax/
But now that’s he’s Hawks GM, Ferry will have to build a roster for next season without much financial flexibility. And he will have to start doing it pretty much on the fly because the free-agent negotiating period opens Sunday, less than a week after he took the job.
“It’s a crash course, for sure,” Ferry said. “I think we want to make the best decisions possible in the short term. We want to make right decisions, whether it’s a trade, whether it’s free agency. But especially trades.”
The trade market remains the best way for the Hawks to make significant additions to the roster (which of course means they’d also have to make significant subtractions).
They continue to get a lot of calls about Josh Smith but the impetus for pursuing Pau Gasol came from Rick Sund and Ferry so far hasn’t taken that baton. Ferry hasn’t even had a chance to fully assess the roster or meet the players.
Smith has a lot of value as a talented and productive player on a reasonable contract that expires after next season. Al Horford is an attractive piece, too, because he’s an All-Star big man locked up for four years and $48 million. Good luck dealing Joe Johnson with four years and $90 million remaining on his contract.
(Aside: I’ve heard some of my blog people wonder if Ferry will be “allowed” to trade Marvin Williams. Please accept that the Hawks have tried to trade Williams for at least two years and no one is biting. That shouldn’t be hard to do since you don’t want him on your team at his salary, either.)
If the Hawks don’t make a trade, then they’ll have to find some value on the free-agent market and perhaps get some contributions from unheralded rookies. http://blogs.ajc.com/hawks/2012/06/29/a ... d-the-tax/