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GM's exit surprises Hawks owner

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Hawks part owner Michael Gearon Jr. wasn't expecting the words he heard from Hawks general manager Billy Knight on Tuesday. A lunch meeting Gearon thought would include detailed discussions of the Hawks' season and offseason plans turned upside down when Knight offered his resignation, effective July 1. Knight's departure, which stunned many in the organization, apparently has no impact on the fate of Hawks coach Mike Woodson, whose contract ends June 30. Gearon made that clear Wednesday, arguing that Woodson had done an "excellent" job since Knight traded for point guard Mike Bibby at the February trade deadline. The relationship between the Knight and Woodson had soured since then, after word leaked that Knight made the recommendation to fire Woodson to Gearon and his partners on the same day that the trade for Bibby was finalized.

Atlanta Journal Constitution

Billy Knight , AP Billy Knight , AP
May 8, 2008  07:21 AM ET

Good Night Knight...now just waiting for Good Bye Woodson

May 8, 2008  08:41 AM ET

This franchise is only slightly less disfunctional than the Knicks. The fact that they made it to the playoffs and took the Celtics to 7 games had more to do with dumb luck than any kind of managerial brilliance.

This team is young and showing promise. Get rid of Knight before he figures out a way to screw it up.

BTW, is it just me or does he remind anyone else of a taller Gary Coleman?

May 8, 2008  08:44 AM ET

Smart money says Knight is making himself available for the Knicks.

May 8, 2008  08:47 AM ET

I wish the hawks would get D'antoni or avery johnson to coach and bring in a good GM. The hawks ownership is horrible and I swear if they bring back woodson( who is a good assistant but crappy head coach) and bring in billy king, it will be another 9 years before we make the playoffs.

May 8, 2008  08:55 AM ET

Hollywood, um the Knicks already have a GM. Wher exactly would he fit in with the Knicks?

May 8, 2008  09:31 AM ET

Gearon made that clear Wednesday, arguing that Woodson had done an "excellent" job since Knight traded for point guard Mike Bibby at the February trade deadline.

Huh?

7

May 8, 2008  09:35 AM ET

the Knicks do NOT have a GM -
they have Walsh, who is president & lord of the manor.......
he has not decided if he will have a GM or not

May 8, 2008  10:19 AM ET

Hollywood, um the Knicks already have a GM. Wher exactly would he fit in with the Knicks?
Jason70 | 05/08/08, 08:55 AM

Unless they hired one yesterday, the Knicks do NOT have a GM. If you are referring to Donnie Walsh, he is the president not the GM.

May 8, 2008  10:49 AM ET

I don't think Woodson should be fired. The team has consistently gotten better the last four seasons, if it's not broke, don't fix it.

May 8, 2008  11:21 AM ET

I Like Turtles,
I don't consider get a 5-10 wins more a season a good coaching job... Especially with the kind of talent he had this year... Any other coach, minus Isiah, would have coached this team to a 5 or 6 seed during the season... And the only reason the Hawks won those 3 games in Atlanta is because the city lifted the team... When the city wasn't there, neither were the Hawks... That's on the coach....

7

May 8, 2008  11:23 AM ET

getting 5-10*
Man, I need more coffee!

7

May 8, 2008  12:18 PM ET

Good riddens you bum! Billy Knight is a moron, no class, no relationship with the media or fans, and no understanding of how to operate a draft, much less a team. If he would have stayed for this draft I would put up a bet worth six figures he would have drafted a forward that was 6'8-6'10 in height and was terribly overrated. The best thing he did was draft Josh Smith, every other pick was a bust, minus Childress (But a 6 pick?) and Horford (But everyone in the world would have taken Horford with the 3).

Now all we have to do is find a coach that is better than Woodson, if you cant then simply extend his contract for 1 YEAR and 1 YEAR ONLY!

May 8, 2008  12:50 PM ET

odhummel,
I'm not trying to justify Knight's moves, but he did leave this franchise better off than when he got here... Also, you have to feel somewhat sorry for the guy not have enough control to make the moves necessary to make the team better... Yes, he will always be remembered for passing on CP3, Deron, and Brandon, but he did what he thought was best, again I'm not saying he did good, far from it... But, he left on the high point of his time here... Remember he drafted Horford, who is a stud, Acie, who is the future, Childress, who is productive off the bench, and Josh Smith, who has unlimited potential... Also, he wouldn't have drafted a 6'8-6'10 player this year... We don't have any draft picks...
PS... Woody is not the answer... Young players can't get experience while riding the pine!

7

May 8, 2008  01:18 PM ET

Meanwhile...IT'S LOVELY IN LAKERLAND!!!

May 8, 2008  01:41 PM ET

I don't consider get a 5-10 wins more a season a good coaching job... Especially with the kind of talent he had this year... Any other coach, minus Isiah, would have coached this team to a 5 or 6 seed during the season... And the only reason the Hawks won those 3 games in Atlanta is because the city lifted the team... When the city wasn't there, neither were the Hawks... That's on the coach....

7

The True #7 | 05/08/08, 11:21 AM

04-05 13-69 .159 5th in Southeast Missed Playoffs
05-06 26-56 .317 5th in Southeast Missed Playoffs
06-07 30-52 .366 5th in Southeast Missed Playoffs
07-08 37-45 .451 3rd in Southeast Lost in 1st Round

He has been doing this though for the last 4 years. Plus everyone expected the Hawks to be swept in the playoffs but they gave the top seeded Celtics a huge scare. Plus even captain Joe Johnson wants him to stay. I see no reason to fix it when it is not broken.

May 8, 2008  01:56 PM ET

the only reason the Hawks won those 3 games in Atlanta is because the city lifted the team... When the city wasn't there, neither were the Hawks... That's on the coach....

7

The True #7 | 05/08/08, 11:21 AM

You did see his missing gameplan in Boston right?

7

May 8, 2008  02:14 PM ET

One more thing...
The Hawks have a chance to land a coach with HEAD COACHING EXPERIENCE right now... Avery, Mike, Jeff, Rick... Need I go on...

What happens next year when their record improves by another 5-7 games? Will everyone finally realize that the Hawks are underachieving?

7

May 8, 2008  02:23 PM ET

And, honestly, Joe Johnson wants him to stay, because Woody's gameplan of "give the ball to Joe and move out of the way" has gotten Joe to the All Star game the last 2 years....


7

May 8, 2008  03:59 PM ET

Trainwreck - a Gary Coleman he'll never be. But, he is the Hawks' version of Bernie Mac.
Anyway, with the Hawks having assembled all that young talent, someone must have done something right. Maybe Billy King has some issues, but you must give him credit for the players on the roster. The Hawks do have a promising future, with all those talented players, even if Billy King is not around to reap the benefits of his work.
Anyway, with the Coaching Carousel going round-and-round in the NBA, I wonder if Billy King's leaving, which happens to follow Donnie Walsh's transfer from Indy to NY, will start a new GM-Carousel in the NBA.
- JL

 
May 8, 2008  04:40 PM ET

http://www.nba.com/standings/team_record_comparison/conferenceNew_Std_Div. html

Every team beside the Orlando Magic does better at home.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/attendance

The crowd was really never there for Atlanta. They ranked 20th in attendance.

Joe Johnson is not a ball hog. He averages 5.8 assists per game, he is not a selfish player. That is why he made the all star game, because he is very versatile.

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