The Atlanta Hawks

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With the recent sale of the franchise's majority to California based businessman Alex Meruelo and with Muruelo's pledge to bring in a championship for the franchise, there has been renewed hope for the franchise that at times seemed like ready to soar. The franchise last won a championship in 1958 where Bob Petit and Cliff Hagan lead the way for the Saint Louis Hawks.

The Hawks have been a regular fixture in the playoffs since 2008 where they pushed the eventual champions, the Boston Celtics to a game 7. But after that promising showcase, the Hawks have stumbled into un-ceremonious exits for the past years in the playoffs.

There have been rumors of Josh Smith being traded sometime this year in exchange for a center on which will finally allow Al Horford to slide down to the power forward position.

Expect Jeff Teagu to be the starting point guard for the Hawks for the next foreseeable season after having a good series against the Chicago Bulls. Kirk Hinrich will be back in the fold as well after sitting out the Bulls series with a hamstring injury. Hinrich will provide stability on the floor.

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New Atlanta Hawks owner Alex Meruelo stated that he will be residing in Atlanta from now on. He is looking to buy a house (mansion) in the area.

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Financial details from the sale of the Atlanta Hawks franchise to businessman Alex Meruelo has been disclosed. Meruelo bought 80% of the franchise as a majority stake which is worth $300 Million as well as the inherent obligation of $120 Million debt towards the Philips Arena.

The Hawks cannot also move from Atlanta until 2029.

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Pape Sy signed a one year contract with the French Team BCM Gravelines. Details of the contract is yet to be disclosed.

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Catching up with Zaza Pachulia

RealGM interview with Zaza Pachulia

A lengthy one too.

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Re:

They are like Lebron, they choke in playoffs

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They are like Lebron, they choke in playoffs

Quit your one liners already.

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A look at the 500 Strong Shoe Collection of Joe Johnson.

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Interesting read about on how the Atlanta Hawks can utilize the Amnesty Provision that is being discussed in the current labor negotiations.

No, it is not about Joe Johnson's contract. It is about the contract of a certain man that the Hawks drafted by passing up on guys like Chris Paul and Deron Williams.

Grantland: How The Atlanta Hawks Should Utilize The Amnesty Provision

[pgoughy]

Joe Johnson's massive salary will hurt the team. Josh Smith is arguably a better player!

pgoughy

http://www.buzzerbeater.com.au

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Joe Johnson's massive salary will hurt the team. Josh Smith is arguably a better player!

pgoughy
http://www.buzzerbeater.com.au

Johnson's Max Salary has already received backlash since Day 1 when he signed. Johnson's contract runs up until the end of the 2015-2016 Season where Johnson will be 34 by then.

If that is the case, Johnson's contract could be a huge burden wherein Johnson is no longer productive and his contract becomes immovable by trade. This is the law of diminishing returns.

The Hawks could hope for the Collective Bargaining Agreement's Dead Money Clause or Amnesty Clause. Granted those provision in place for the CBA, Johnson's contract could be altered for the cap health of the Hawks.

About Smith, it is rumored prior to the lockout that he maybe subject of a trade to bring in a center.

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Jeff Teague said in an interview with ESPN Radio that his younger brother, Marquis Teague is the best point guard in the NCAA.

The elder Teague also said that he would love the idea of Marquis being drafted into Atlanta.

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Good read about the progress of Jeff Teague.

Atlanta Hawks’ Jeff Teague: How Will NBA Lockout Affect His Progress?

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Sources: Sale of Hawks in jeopardy

The sale of the Atlanta Hawks to California developer and pizza chain owner Alex Meruelo is in jeopardy, according to sources close to the situation.

Sources told ESPN.com on Wednesday that there are concerns at the league level and within the Hawks' current ownership group, headed by Michael Gearon Jr. and Bruce Levenson, about whether Meruelo indeed has the sufficient funds to purchase a majority stake in the franchise and operate an NBA team.

The NBA on Wednesday declined comment when asked about Meruelo and the Hawks' situation.

Said Meruelo in a statement: "I have more than ample resources to purchase and operate the Hawks in a first-class manner. I am committed to the purchase of the Atlanta Hawks. While I can't comment on the details of the approval process, I have and will do everything I can to bring the process to a positive conclusion."

One source briefed on the matter said that Gearon and Levenson have acknowledged in recent league meetings that they might have to own the team for at least one more year.

Meruelo's agreement to purchase a majority stake in the Hawks, as well as the operating rights to Philips Arena, was announced in early August. But approval from 75 percent of the NBA's Board of Governors, following a lengthy background check, is required to make the deal official.

When asked about the status of that review earlier this month, NBA spokesman Tim Frank told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution: "All I would say to this is that the review process is ongoing."

It was initially believed that the approval process was moving slowly because the NBA's resources have been largely devoted to ongoing negotiations with the NBA Players Association as part of a lockout that Wednesday reached its 117th day.

But sources indicate that the prospect of Meruelo's deal collapsing was mentioned Tuesday when the Board of Governors convened in New York to discuss revenue-sharing plans.

And the ongoing lockout did not prevent the NBA from announcing last week that the Board of Governors had unanimously approved the sale of the Philadelphia 76ers from from Comcast-Spectacor to a group led by private-equity billionaire Joshua Harris.

If the Hawks' sale is ultimately approved, Meruelo would become the first Hispanic majority owner of an NBA franchise, responsible for any financial losses while Gearon and Levenson retain minority stakes in the team.

The 48-year-old Meruelo heads the Meruelo Group, an investment firm based in Downey, Calif., which recently acquired the Grand Sierra Resort and Casino in Reno, Nev., for a reported $42.45 million.

Meruelo also founded the La Pizza Loca chain, which has more 50 franchised and company-owned restaurants in Southern California, catering to the Latino community, according to the Meruelo Group website.

"When Alex made the announcement he was purchasing the team, pending NBA approval, he said he wants to be a part of this community," Meruelo Group spokesman Ruben Gonzalez told the Journal-Constitution earlier this month. "And so he is proving it, meeting with business leaders, community leaders and elected officials. He is making an effort to follow through and really be an excited and involved member of the Atlanta community."

The newspaper reported that Meruelo has had introductory meetings with Georgia governor Nathan Deal and Atlanta mayor Kasim Reed. The Hawks' current management has likewise included Meruelo in discussions on team matters since August, although there naturally hasn't been much to discuss since the lockout began July 1, one month before Meruelo's deal to buy the team was announced.

Born to Cuban immigrants in New York and raised in California, Meruelo was widely lauded for stepping in to buy the Hawks after years of ownership strife in Atlanta thanks to a drawn-out legal wrangle, in which Gearon and Levenson wrested control of the Atlanta Spirit group from former co-owner Steve Belkin.

Atlanta Spirit also recently sold the NHL's Atlanta Thrashers to a consortium that moved the team to Winnipeg.

Hawks Hall of Famer Dominique Wilkins, who helped present Meruelo to the audience at his introductory August news conference, called him "a true basketball fan."

"His record has shown in life that he's a winner and so we welcome his winning spirit here in Atlanta," Wilkins said.

-ESPN

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Officials dismiss report that purchase of Hawks in 'jeopardy'

Officials familiar with Southland resident Alex Meruelo’s attempt to purchase the Atlanta Hawks dismissed a report Wednesday that the deal is in jeopardy.

ESPN.com reported the NBA has “concerns” with Meruelo’s effort to fund the deal to buy the Hawks from the current Atlanta Spirit ownership group.

The NBA this month approved a change in ownership with the Philadelphia 76ers but hasn’t yet signed off on Meruelo’s purchase of the Hawks.

Meruelo, the son of Cuban immigrants who built a business empire in development and with his local La Pizza Loca restaurant chain after starting with a downtown tuxedo rental store as a teen, originally struck an agreement in principle with the Atlanta Spirit group to buy the Hawks and the team’s home, Philips Arena.

In a statement released Wednesday, Meruelo said, “I have more than ample resources to purchase and operate the Hawks in a first-class manner. I am committed to the purchase of the Atlanta Hawks. While I can't comment on the details of the approval process, I have and will do everything I can to bring the process to a positive conclusion.”
Officials familiar with that arrangement but unauthorized to speak publicly about it told The Times on Wednesday that the Spirit executives were comfortable with the funding.

The NBA is now pushing for more information from Meruelo about how he’ll fund the franchise, said the officials, who speculate the report of the deal's being in “jeopardy” is part of the effort to pressure Meruelo to modify the deal and “a grand overstatement.”

The officials would not speculate on what the NBA-requested modifications are.

The intensely private, hard-driving Meruelo made his millions by not shying from hard bargains and identifying opportune times to invest -– like now, with the NBA in lockout mode.

-Los Angeles Times