The report came a little out of left field Sunday night but now it is appears to be more than just a rumor.
Danny Ferry has accepted the offer to become the new Atlanta Hawks general manager, the team announced on its Web site Monday. Ferry will replace long-time GM Rick Sund, who stays on the job this week but will either retire or take a consultant’s role with the team on July 1.
Ferry is the current Spurs assistant GM who was in the big chair with the Cleveland Cavaliers for five years during the LeBron James era. He struggled to put a title team around James in Cleveland, although you can decide how much of that blame falls to ownership and its directions and orders.
Ferry has some challenges ahead of him with a roster that has long been good but not great. First there is Josh Smith, who has reportedly has asked for a trade. Then there’s the fact they have just six players under contract for next season. On the bright side he has a legit All-Star in Al Horford. On the down side he is saddled with Joe Johnson’s anchor of a contract.
This is reportedly a six-year deal, which suggests Hawks owners are not actively shopping the team any more.