Hawks Owner defines what he expects this franchise to become

[Jamaaliver]

...we have an objective to be a great franchise,” Ressler told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution is an exclusive interview. “A great franchise has to win a championship. When I use the term, I think it’s healthier to say we want to be a great franchise than say I want a championship. You can’t be a great franchise without being a champ. So, we have to be a champ at some point."

One of the driving forces to improve the organization is the pursuit of that championship. Ressler said the latest playoff series loss stung. “Unbelievably” was the adjective he used...it’s a sign that change is in order. You cannot remain the same and continue to be run over by a freight train driven by LeBron James.

We lost four in a row and we lost to a better team so we have to figure out how to reposition our team. I think Bud and Wes are doing just that. How do we play differently? Maybe there are going to be a few different players. But our job is to get better.

I’m not sure if it happens overnight...But if the question is, are we comfortable losing four in a row -- two years in row? No. One thing I have learned is as much as I hate to lose, our coaching staff and our players hate it much more than I do.

Here

[Jamaaliver]

Pretty standard stuff, really.

But it is refreshing (uplifting? re-assuring?) to hear the owner acknowledge that we simply haven't been good enough of late. That we got swept in consecutive seasons and that the team may need to be..."repositioned" in lieu of that.

[yellowknifer]

Just curious as a Raps fan, does this mean the Hawks might be looking to make some big moves? Wondering what the word out of the local papers has been rumor wise etc. Because it feels like the Hawks are in an interesting position to move some current assets for future ones.

[MaceCase]

Just curious as a Raps fan, does this mean the Hawks might be looking to make some big moves? Wondering what the word out of the local papers has been rumor wise etc. Because it feels like the Hawks are in an interesting position to move some current assets for future ones.

Rumor wise it's been maintain status quo: resign Bazemore, resign Horford.

[jayu70]

Just curious as a Raps fan, does this mean the Hawks might be looking to make some big moves? Wondering what the word out of the local papers has been rumor wise etc. Because it feels like the Hawks are in an interesting position to move some current assets for future ones.

Local paper? Rumors? - they have no insight. Fans have more insight than they do.
Moving current assets for future ones? Depends on what those future assets are? I don't think they'll ever do a Philly style tank.
Depending on if Al stays or go - that determines our next moves.

[yellowknifer]

Just curious as a Raps fan, does this mean the Hawks might be looking to make some big moves? Wondering what the word out of the local papers has been rumor wise etc. Because it feels like the Hawks are in an interesting position to move some current assets for future ones.

Local paper? Rumors? - they have no insight. Fans have more insight than they do.
Moving current assets for future ones? Depends on what those future assets are? I don't think they'll ever do a Philly style tank.
Depending on if Al stays or go - that determines our next moves.

Well, then share your insight my friend.

Just a question. I think the Hawks could pick up some nice pieces for Milsap if Horford goes, so I was wondering. Raps definitely have some assets to make a trade happen. Just pondering the off season.

[dms269]

3/4 teams in the conference finals all got their top players via the draft (and you could say all 4 if you just count Derozan and Jonas).

You have to build your foundation through the draft, and unless Prince defies all expectations and is a future HOF, we can't do that with being at the 20th or so pick.

Losing sucks, but with our front office being so absent minded with our drafting in the mid-2000s we might have to do it.

In regards to a trade with the Raptors for Millsap, I think that ship has sailed. Front the owner quote above, it seems they are looking to stay competitive. I don't think that the Raptors are willing to give us anything to make the deal worthwhile. Just "futures" which won't carry a ton of value considering the teams they are from and mid to low level prospects.

[jayu70]

Just curious as a Raps fan, does this mean the Hawks might be looking to make some big moves? Wondering what the word out of the local papers has been rumor wise etc. Because it feels like the Hawks are in an interesting position to move some current assets for future ones.

Local paper? Rumors? - they have no insight. Fans have more insight than they do.
Moving current assets for future ones? Depends on what those future assets are? I don't think they'll ever do a Philly style tank.
Depending on if Al stays or go - that determines our next moves.

Well, then share your insight my friend.

Just a question. I think the Hawks could pick up some nice pieces for Milsap if Horford goes, so I was wondering. Raps definitely have some assets to make a trade happen. Just pondering the off season.

Assets like Patterson and Ross? Pass. Patterson will be due a big deal next offseason so like the whole of RealGM likes to say - 1 year rental, Ross - meh. And No, we don't want back Bebe,
I don't know much about the draftess (not into college ball). I guess if Al leaves they can get the 7 footer you drafted. I don't know much else about the young players on the Raps.

[td00]

Bold moves? We just moved Teague....to us, that's a bold move.

[D21]

Just a question. I think the Hawks could pick up some nice pieces for Milsap if Horford goes, so I was wondering. Raps definitely have some assets to make a trade happen. Just pondering the off season.

There is very few chance that Horford is leaving, and more leaving for nothing. He and the front office know that he was on great contract at 12M/yr and that he will be paid, but if they can't agree on a contract to stay, more chance he leaves via sign-&-trade than for nothing.

[MaceCase]

Just curious as a Raps fan, does this mean the Hawks might be looking to make some big moves? Wondering what the word out of the local papers has been rumor wise etc. Because it feels like the Hawks are in an interesting position to move some current assets for future ones.

Local paper? Rumors? - they have no insight. Fans have more insight than they do.
Moving current assets for future ones? Depends on what those future assets are? I don't think they'll ever do a Philly style tank.
Depending on if Al stays or go - that determines our next moves.

Well, then share your insight my friend.

Just a question. I think the Hawks could pick up some nice pieces for Milsap if Horford goes, so I was wondering. Raps definitely have some assets to make a trade happen. Just pondering the off season.

Hawks would be more likely to trade two 2nd rounders for Greg Monroe or have a secondary signing like Noah and Motiejunas waiting on the back burner than to ever consider tanking just because Horford left.

[yellowknifer]

Bold moves? We just moved Teague....to us, that's a bold move.

That felt kind of like an obvious move given the team is pretty high on Schroeder.

Masai does like to win trades big so perhaps we're not giving what you're looking for in any potential deal.

[Jamaaliver]

One of our other owners echoes Ressler's goal of being a championship-caliber franchise.

Hawks’ owner says, ‘I want a (bleepin’) parade’

Yes. He said that. Except he didn’t say, bleepin’.

Our latest subject is one of the most fascinating people I’ve ever met. His name is Jesse Itzler. If you don’t know him, no worries. I had barely heard of Itzler before he became a part of the Hawks’ new ownership group.

Itzler lives in Atlanta with his wife and Hawks’ co-owner Sara Blakely, founder of Spanx.

... one thing is certain: Jesse Itzler isn’t going to “settle,” which is something that Atlanta’s sports teams often are accused of.

Itzler said sports teams, like companies need “a whole team of step-on-the-gas people to be successful,” and it became clear in the interview that ownership’s evaulation of the Hawks — players, front office and ownership structure — is continuing.

Here



Mainly...I just wanted to notate that one of our owners was once responsible for this glorious debacle:

Watch on YouTube

Read on Twitter

[simon24]

One of our other owners echoes Ressler's goal of being a championship-caliber franchise.

Hawks’ owner says, ‘I want a (bleepin’) parade’

Yes. He said that. Except he didn’t say, bleepin’.

Our latest subject is one of the most fascinating people I’ve ever met. His name is Jesse Itzler. If you don’t know him, no worries. I had barely heard of Itzler before he became a part of the Hawks’ new ownership group.

Itzler lives in Atlanta with his wife and Hawks’ co-owner Sara Blakely, founder of Spanx.

... one thing is certain: Jesse Itzler isn’t going to “settle,” which is something that Atlanta’s sports teams often are accused of.

Itzler said sports teams, like companies need “a whole team of step-on-the-gas people to be successful,” and it became clear in the interview that ownership’s evaulation of the Hawks — players, front office and ownership structure — is continuing.

Here



Mainly...I just wanted to notate that one of our owners was once responsible for this glorious debacle:

Watch on YouTube

If they don't make it to ECF this season, Hawks need to blow it up.

[Jamaaliver]

Hawks’ new ownership spending with aim of championship results

For all the Hawks recent playoff appearances — the Eastern Conference’s longest streak at nine straight seasons — it was simply not good enough.

No championships.

Getting to the postseason was one thing. Building a first-class organization capable of consistently competing for that elusive NBA title? That was the goal when the ownership group led by Tony Ressler purchased the Hawks 17 months ago.

Since purchasing the Hawks from the group formerly known as the Atlanta Spirit in June 2015, millions of dollars have been committed, including some public money, to infuse the franchise with what many deemed to be necessary to compete at the NBA’s highest level.


"They’ve been amazing,” guard Kyle Korver said of the new ownership group. “What do you want from an ownership group? You want them to put together a solid culture, starting with the people they hire at the top...They’ve done it also at this unbelievable first-class level."

Those in the organization have taken notice of the commitment. The Ressler-led group is spending money.


“I think the ownership group before, they were all kind and really great to us too,” Korver said. “But I think there were a lot of voices and it was hard to get things done. I think the Resslers, they see what they need to do. He’s led the way. It’s been awesome."

Here

[Jamaaliver]

Ummmm.....

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[jayu70]

Ummmm.....

Read on Twitter

Very misleading headline. what he said in the actual video is

"He hopes" and "Someday" "we gonna try"

[Jamaaliver]

With UGAdawg's permission:

Hawks’ Ressler part of six-owner round-table discussion on NBA TV

Hawks principal owner Tony Ressler will be part of a panel of six NBA owners to participate in a round-table discussion on NBA TV on Friday.

The hour-long episode is scheduled to cover a number of topics including owners serving as the organization’s most prominent decision maker, nurturing a healthy relationship with coaches and general managers, the pain of losing and the nature of establishing a vision for the franchise.

The Hawks have undergone a transformation is Ressler’s tenure. After last season, Ressler hired Travis Schlenk to general manager after a series of front-office moves that included head coach Mike Budenholzer dropping his president of basketball operations title and general manager Wes Wilcox moving into an advisory role. The team also spent the offseason rebuilding its roster.

AJC


It airs Friday at 9:30pm on NBA TV

[DirtybirdGA]

I wonder if grant Hill played a part getting him on the show, lol.

[jayu70]

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