Despite a promising 2013-2014 season the Atlanta Hawks are imploding after damning reports about their co-owner Bruce Levinson (http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports...team/15241591/) and GM Danny Ferry (http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/11...acist-comments) surfaced over the last 2 days.
This occurred on the heels of the Donald Sterling fiasco in LA.
Louisiana has multiple connections with the Hawks franchise. While in St. Louis the Hawks won the NBA championship in 1958 featuring our own Bob Petit. It was their last championship and their 58 year drought is the second longest in the NBA behind the Sacramento Kings. It was the team that Austin Rivers dad, Doc, played for most of his career in the NBA. Pete Maravich played for Atlanta for 4 years after being selected 3rd in the 1970 draft and before being traded to the New Orleans Jazz. When Mike Fratello coached Dominique Wilkins during the 1984-1985 season the Hawks played 12 home games in the New Orleans Lakefront Arena because of poor attendance in Atlanta. This is a continuing issue and will not be easily solved. Wilkins was traded in 1993 to the Clippers and the fans have never recovered. BTW our own Paul Millsap is a current Hawks player.
So despite the Pelicans ownership issues with George Shinn and our relocation to OKC after Katrina, our Pelicans are stable compared to the Hawks. Their CEO Steve Koonin has to be looking over his shoulder at his owner Michael Gearon Jr. who reportedly broke the latest story about Ferry. I really feel bad for Millsap and Al Horford two of my favorite players.