The Five Worst Trades in Atlanta Hawks History
Trades can often times make or break a franchise. Here, we break down the top five worst trades in Atlanta Hawks history.
Mar 9, 2015; Atlanta, GA, USA; Atlanta Hawks mascot Harry Hawk waves a flag before a game against the Sacramento Kings at Philips Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports
How many great and legendary players did the Hawks franchise have that they willingly parted ways with via trades? Was it ever a possibility for them to be a successful dynasty that reigned supreme over the rest of the competition? What does it feel like if one of your favorite players get dealt away? Today, I attempt to provide you answers to these questions.
This particular article covers the entire history of the Hawks as a franchise, not just in Atlanta. They were founded in 1946 and started out as the Tri-Cities Blackhawks. They moved to Milwaukee in 1951 and moved again, this time to St. Louis in 1955. The Hawks represented “The Lou” until 1968 and won their lone championship in 1958. Following the 1968 season, the team was shipped to the great city of Atlanta, where they have found a permanent home.
The life and times of us all are filled with decisions that can change our lives as we know them forever. Some people are not worth meeting, relationships aren’t worth having, there are places you shouldn’t waste time visiting and so on and so on. But then if you can, the ones that are good need to be retained, held on to, salvaged, etc.
Being a general manager of a professional sports team isn’t much different. You want to gain players that are going to be assets that will help you reach the ultimate goal instead of liabilities that will only drag you down. In regards to the Hawks, general managers have had a hard time making those sound decisions when finalizing trades. Here are, through the tests of time, the trades they made that turned out to be the most self destructive.
Mar 21, 2016; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Bulls center Pau Gasol (16) warms up before an NBA game against the Sacramento Kings at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports
5. Hawks trade: Pau Gasol, Lorenzen Wright and Brevin Knight
Grizzlies trade: Shareef Abdur Rahim and the 27th pick
On June 27th, 2001 on the eve of the draft, the Hawks worked out a trade that at the time seemed like the right move to make. They were coming off a losing season, with a record of 25- 57 and were in desperate need of proven talent to become competitive in the Eastern Conference. By acquiring Shareef Abdur Rahim, the team appeared to have taken a step in the right direction.
“We wanted to acquire talent with this draft pick that would make us the best we could be over the next five plus years. We don’t have to wait for Shareef to develop and he has a big upside because he is only 24.” General manager Pete Babcock said at the time about the trade.
It was also a homecoming of sorts for Abdur Rahim, who was raised in nearby Marrieta, GA and starred at Wheeler high school. He was arguably one of the top power forwards in all of the league, averaging 21.2 points, 9.0 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game the year before in Vancouver. The Hawks only improved eight wins in the first season with Shareef in the lineup, missing the playoffs again.
The following year, Atlanta continued to surround Jason Terry with talent, adding former top draft pick Glenn Robinson to the mix that off season. The town began to buzz over the hometown squad, so much so that the front office famously guaranteed the team would make the playoffs. Even posting billboards like tattoos throughout the city. The trio of Terry, Rahim and Robinson actually outscored every other teams big three with almost 60 points per game, but they still missed the playoffs, again.
That failed bold prediction from Pete Babcock, would soon cost him his job and the team went on to hire Billy Knight as the new general manager. Knight was unimpressed with what Babcock was putting together and swung his wrecking ball across the roster. He traded Rahim as quickly as possible to the Blazers for Rasheed Wallace. Wallace’s Hawk career lasted all of one game, dropping a swift 20 points before being dealt to Detroit in what amounted to only a salary dump. He was gone before he ever arrived.
So for those keeping score at home, that’s two No. 3 draft picks (Abdur Rahim in 96′ and Gasol in 01′) that the Hawks traded for..wait for it..nothing! Good job’ Billy. Had the Hawks stayed the course and just kept the draft rights to Gasol, they would have had a face of the franchise and an all star center.
Could you imagine how good the Hawks would have been with a frontcourt of Gasol and Horford? If it’s safe to assume that Joe Johnson would also have been on that team, that’s a real force to be reckoned with. Championship caliber even. Hang on, it gets worse.
4. Hawks trade: Steve Smith and Ed Gray
Trail Blazers trade: J.R. Rider and Jim Jackson
On 08/02/1999 the Atlanta Hawks and Portland Trail Blazers agreed on a deal that sent aging fan favorite Steve “Smitty” Smith packing his bags. They were coming off a heart wrenching sweep from the playoffs at the hands of the younger New York Knicks. Smith, 30, had missed significant time because of troubles in both of his knees the past season. He still managed to average over 17 points per game and was named to the all star team.
“Atlanta doesn’t really want to get rid of Steve, but for someone like him they would be able to get two starters,” Smith’s agent Charles Tucker was quoted as saying.
This is a trade that was all-together mind boggling as soon as it was announced. Isaiah Rider and Jim Jackson may have provided the Hawks fair compensation talent wise, but the Hawks had to know Rider would be a massive headache. Rider came to the Hawks scoring 18 points per game with 4 rebounds and Jackson also was productive, averaging 17 points per game.
In my own opinion about J.R. Rider, he was one of my favorite players and I always thought he got a bad wrap. His skills as a scorer was a fabulous work of art; I would tape every game he played for the Hawks, studying all his moves closely. What was outstanding to me while he was on offense was his footwork. He had this amazing style and rythym when shooting off the dribble or when catching a pass, he would gather with both feet landing at the same time. I applied what I saw to my own game. As a member of the Timberwolves, he actually signed my upper deck basketball card during warmups prior to a game against the Hawks at the Omni. So, needless to say, as a child I didn’t know better and was happy he came to the Hawks.
More from Soaring Down South
As a professional in the corporate world of the NBA though, Rider was a cancer in and away from the locker room. He was always late to practice’s, some times not showing up at all. He already had a bad reputation long before coming to Atlanta. The Timberwolves ran out of patience with him following his conviction for misdemeanor possession of marijuana, and traded him to a team that earned the nickname Portland “Jail Blazers”.
He was also reprimanded by the league for climbing into the stands during halftime of a game and spitting at a drunken, obnoxious fan. As kind as he was to me, I find that very hard to believe, but it happened. Hawks head coach Lenny Wilkens, did not want the trade at all, but was forced to try to fit him in the system. I could really continue listing more of his troubles, but you get the point.
As the centerpiece of the trade, Rider went on to play just 60 games for the Hawks. Things got so bad, instead of serving a three game suspension for being tardy to a game, he demanded his outright release. Jackson wasn’t a train wreck at all like Rider, but he was a complimentary role player at best.
The year before this particular trade the Hawks finished fourth in the Eastern Conference with a 31- 19 record during a strike shortened season. If you ask any knowledgeable Hawk fan, they will tell you; the Steve Smith trade set the franchise back 10years. They picked the worst possible deal they could have for Smith.
3. Hawks trade Lou Hudson
Lakers trade Ollie Johnson
On September 30th, 1977, the Los Angeles Lakers traded forward Ollie Johnson to the Atlanta Hawks for forward-guard Lou Hudson.
Lou Hudson is one of the greatest Hawks of all time. He was drafted with the fourth pick in the 1966 NBA draft by the St. Louis Hawks. He made the move with St. Louis when they relocated to Atlanta. “Sweet Lou” was known for silky smooth jumper and his ability to score. He was a six-time all-star and he has had his jersey retired by the Hawks.
Hudson averaged 22.0 PPG and 4.9 RPG in 11 seasons with the Hawks, and ranks 3rd all-time in scoring in franchise history.
The reason for the trade was due to the Hawks’ effort to rebuild the team around young players. They hadn’t made the playoffs in four seasons, in which Hudson was 32 and didn’t fit into the Hawks’ plans.
Ollie Johnson was a journeyman forward. This was the second trade that involved Johnson in the 1977 offseason. In the previous season, Johnson averaged a pedestrian 6.6 PPG, 2.6 RPG, and 1.3 APG with the Kansas City Kings.
After the trade, Hudson averaged 11.8 PPG and 2.0 RPG in two seasons with Los Angeles. His role and playing time on the Lakers was greatly diminished, but he was a solid contributor on some average Laker franchises. In his two seasons, the Lakers were eliminated once in the first round and once in the second round of the NBA Playoffs.
Ollie Johnson played one season with Atlanta (8.5 PPG, 3.2 RPG and 1.5 APG) before being waived.
2. Hawks trade Dominique Wilkins and 94′ first round pick
Clippers trade Danny Manning
On February 24, 1994 the Atlanta Hawks sent the franchise’s greatest, most dominant scoring machine, human highlight film and one of their most fiercest competitors in Dominique Wilkins to the awful mess of the Los Angeles Clippers. In return they obtained a player named Danny Manning, who was in the process of being one of the more underachieving talents of all time.
Before the deal went down, Atlanta was in first place with a 36- 16 record and getting ready for a playoff run. Wilkins, 34, was not the same athlete that he once was, but was still the teams leading scorer at 24.4 points per game. Wilkins finally had some help in the form of Kevin Willis, Mookie Blaylock and Stacy Augmon. It was the only time an NBA team ever held first place in the standings and traded their leading scorer in the same season.
With Michael Jordan having left the Bulls to chase his dream of making it as a Major League baseball player, the Hawks had a legitimate shot at making the Finals. It was Lenny Wilkens first year as head coach and he had the squad playing at a high level. As the only superstar the Atlanta Hawks had ever known, “Nique” deserved better.
Want your voice heard? Join the Arrowhead Addict team!
The Hawks would later bow out in the second round of the playoffs in six games to Reggie Miller and the Pacers. Danny Manning would leave for the Phoenix Suns after the season. Wilkins also would have entered free agency that summer, but to give up the first round pick as well for a less effective player was atrocious.
Dominique Wilkins is of course still the Hawks all time leading scorer. He made 9 all star teams all with Atlanta. After leaving, he saw a dip in production across the board. He attempted to continue his career by joining the Celtics the next year, but was a shell of his former self and went on to play in Greece. He had another short stint with San Antonio and finally in Orlando during the 99′ season. While his number was retired and he does have his own statue outside the arena, he still should’ve been afforded the opportunity to retire a Hawk by Atlanta.
1. Hawks trade Bill Russell
Celtics trade Ed Maculey and Cliff Hagan
On 04/30/1956 The St. Louis Hawks traded Bill Russell, who they had selected with the No. 2 pick in the draft, to the Boston Celtics for Ed Macauley, the Celtics’ star bigmanand Cliff Hagan, who was serving in the military and had yet to play for the Celtics. The deal proved to have enormous dividends for Boston, as Russell fit perfectly into coach Red Auerbach’s offensive system.
Over the course of his 13-year career, Russell averaged a superb 15.1 points and 22.5 rebounds a game, while his Celtics won the NBA title 11 times — including eight in a row at one point. Russell would leave the game as the greatest winner and the greatest defender the NBA ever saw; he also finished his career as a player/coach and would later coach the Seattle SuperSonics and Sacramento Kings.
But the deal was not a total loss for the St. Louis Hawks, as both Macauley and Hagan wound up being Hall of Famers. The team would make the playoffs in all but one season until 1973, and in 1958, they even beat Bill Russell and the Boston Celtics in the NBA Finals. Of course, the Celtics won 11 championships with Russell, so there’s no doubt who got the better end of the deal.
The Hawks already had the best power forward in the game with Bob Pettit. Had they kept Russell, it would have been the equivalent of pairing a 22 year old Tim Duncan with David Robinson before he entered his prime. Pettit is the only player to ever average over 20 points and 12 rebounds per game for his entire career. He was the first recipient of the MVP award, taking home his first of two. He was also a 2x scoring champion and was named to the all star team all 11 seasons of his career.
There would definitely be more titles to the Hawks name with Bill Russell. At the time there was no way to know he would become one of the greatest and most dominant players in the history of basketball. With that said, this was even worse than the Falcons trading Brett Favre.
information from Wikipedia, Google newspapers, tumblr.com, SBnation and Inside Hoops was used in this report