With new ownership taking over in less than a week, they have made it clear they would like a clean slate. It has been reported by Adrian Wojnarowski that the Atlanta Hawks plan to part ways with GM Danny Ferry. This comes after Ferry took a season long leave of absence in the wake up a leaked audio recording in which he made racial comments regarding Miami Heat Small Forward Luol Deng. Though Ferry’s words were not his and were read from a scouting report, it was still enough for Tony Ressler and Co. to go in a different direction. Ferry opened up financial flexibility, found bargain free agents, and hired the Coach of the Year in Mike Budenholzer. He turned the Hawks into a 60 win powerhouse team that finished 1st in the Eastern Conference.
This being said, new ownership is seeking continuity from the success the team has achieved. It’s been reported that assistant GM Wes Wilcox will be promoted to the General Manager position and Mike Budenholzer will earn the title as president of the team. Budenholzer will have the same type of role Doc Rivers has with the Clippers. Â The two will likely work in tandem as they did this past season while Ferry was on his leave of absence. You could say that Wilcox is cut from the cloth as Ferry, as he worked under him in Cleveland and followed him to Atlanta. Coach Bud is also headed into the final season of his contract, so it’s likely he gets an extension as well as a raise when ownership takes over on June 24th. Wilcox will get his first test as a GM the next day, as the Hawks will be on the clock for the 15th selection in the Draft. Ferry will be paid for the three remaining years left on his contract. We hope that the duo of Coach Bud and Wilcox can sustain the success that Ferry set them up for.
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