Between the changes within the front office and the complicated relationship between the franchise player Trae Young and his trainer Nate McMillan, this first part of the season has been quite tormented in Atlanta. The Hawks are still in the race to at least qualify for the play-in, but the atmosphere is no less curious. And changes continue to take place internally, while the influence of the owner’s son, Nick Ressler, is considered too important by some.
Following the departure of Travis Schlenk, the team’s architect since Trae Young’s Draft (in a trade with Luka Doncic) and the promotion of former player Landry Fields to GM, this is another ex- NBAer, All-Star this time, who joined the management team. From ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, Kyle Korver will be named assistant-GM and will work with Fields. In the midst of this adjustment, it is rumored that it was Dejounte Murray’s trade, and more importantly the price paid by the Hawks, that led to Schlenk’s departure.
According to Sam Amick of The Athletic, Nick Ressler, 27, son of the franchise owner, pushed for the trade to be finalized last season. Schlenk was unwilling to offer such a consideration to Spurs (three 1st rounds, an exchange of 1st round picks and Danilo Gallinari) and saw his will overwhelmed by that of Ressler.
Atlanta currently sits 9th in the East, but is closer to 13th than 6th… Let’s hope for Hawks fans that this reshuffle and the comeback of the highly esteemed Korver helps them achieve a good second part of the season, like that of 2021. In recent weeks, Korver has been working on the development of players, already in the staff of Atlanta.
Podcast #72: Lakers/Grizzlies, who can claim what?
