link BOSTON -- A judge stepped into the feud among Atlanta Hawks owners Tuesday, blocking the removal of Boston businessman Steve Belkin as managing partner. Judge Allan van Gestel granted Belkin's request for a temporary injunction, saying a contract signed by all the owners last year prevents the group from voting him out. The dispute stems from Belkin's refusal to approve a sign-and-trade deal for the Hawks to acquire guard Joe Johnson from the Phoenix Suns. As the team's NBA governor, he must sign off on all trades.
Steve Belkin must be the only sane man in the Hawks front office. Joe Johnson just aint worth all that money. This signing could put them in big trouble for 5+ years unless they get real lucky.
While I agree, I think it's a LOSE-LOSE situation. Even if he suceeds in blocking the horrendous contract, no free agents are going to want to have to deal with him.
So what would happen if he doesnt go to Atlanta, he already said he doesnt want to play for the Suns. Now they would have to sign n trade him to someone else rite?
What's funny is that the other owners compared JJ to Larry Bird and how he would turn the organization around.
THe big loser is the Hawks who have been unable to attract any FA's in quite sometime. JJ is an exceptional player and could turn out to be pretty good though I dont see him as a scorer but more of a shooter (ala Ray Allen, Alan Houston mold) which could turn out well anyways. J
Completely agree, but from what is floating around (and not just from disgruntled Hawk employees), JJ is just his excuse. Belkin wants out.
So, we wait until the others buy Belkin out before this gets completed. A cold blooded business decision on his part. Whatever happens, this deal gets done because JJ isn't going back to Phoenix. I won't post any links, but from reading Suns' stories in Arizona newspapers, Sarver and Amare don't want him back. Another scenario is the Hawks play "chicken" with the Suns and just sign JJ to the offer sheet and dare them to match. This is what Belkin says he wants to do; he's only against the SnT supposedly.
Agreed. ATL is already a black-hole, this just shows everyone "remotely interested" that their entire organization is a mess. I don't see any FAs (if any) wanting to go there now. Offering JJ the max was ridiculous to begin with, this is just icing on the cake.
Yeah, Belkin's playing it off like, "I'm only pissed at the basketball terms, we NEED those draft picks!" Bollocks. He wants out. I still say Sarver and Amare drop their stupid pride and stop spiting themselves and their team. Just sign the guy and deal with his neuroses later.
F-Off! Atlanta Hawks General Manager Billy Knight, left, refuses to shake hands with Steve Belkin, one owner of the Hawks, inside Suffolk Superior Courthouse, Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2005, in Boston.
http://www.nba.com/hawks/news/nbarelease_081105.html NEW YORK (Aug. 11, 2005) -- The National Basketball Association announced today that, in response to a decision issued on August 9 in Massachusetts Superior Court, Commissioner David Stern has submitted an affidavit stating that he has given his approval to the replacement of Steven Belkin as the Governor of the Atlanta Hawks. The request to replace Mr. Belkin with Michael Gearon, Jr. was made by a majority of the Board of Managers of the club. In granting a preliminary injunction preventing Belkin’s removal, Judge Allan van Gestel concluded that a precondition of any removal was the approval of the NBA Commissioner.
