Hawks fire GM

ATLANTA, GA (Apr. 2) ----- Atlanta Hawks President Stan Kasten announced this morning that Pete Babcock has been released from his position of Vice President and General Manager with the club. A nationwide search for Babcock’s replacement will begin immediately.

Kasten said Billy Knight, the team’s Director of Basketball Operations, will assume the lead in handling the organization’s efforts concerning the 2003 NBA Draft.

Babcock, who replaced Kasten as GM on February 14, 1990, was in charge of all decisions related to the basketball operations department. His responsibilities included overseeing the daily management and direction of the team as well as the procurement of players through trades, free agency and the college draft.

In his 13 seasons with the Hawks, the team compiled a record of 529-497 (.516) and reached the playoffs in eight of those years. The 1993-94 squad finished with an Eastern Conference-best 57-25 record en route to winning the franchise’s first Central Division title in seven seasons.

The rest of it is here. I know the Hawks aren't doing well, but I don't believe it's because he's done a bad job. He's got good players (terry, abdur-rahim, robinson) they just don't have chemistry (an assumption as I have seen one Hawks game this season.) Funny that he got fired, the coach usually gets axed first.

The coach already was axed first

The Hawks GM was brilliant with trades, but whom did he draft that has panned out so far? except for Terry his drafts have been horrible.

I agree, it's an odd move to fire the GM for a team's lack of success. After all, if that was the standard practice, shouldn't Krause be out of Chicago by now?

Was it Babcock who promised a refund to season ticketholders if the Hawks didn't make the playoffs? If it was, then maybe that has played a part in his dismissal.

The coach already was axed first

My bad, forgot about Terry Stots.

I agree, it's an odd move to fire the GM for a team's lack of success. After all, if that was the standard practice, shouldn't Krause be out of Chicago by now?

Was it Babcock who promised a refund to season ticketholders if the Hawks didn't make the playoffs? If it was, then maybe that has played a part in his dismissal.

But Chicago is still in the 'rebuilding' process. It was probably the season ticket thing, I wasn't sure about when posting the topic, so I didn't mention it.

I know Chicago is still in a rebuilding phase. I was just using the Bulls as an example of a team that has been in the NBA's basement the past few seasons who have not fired their GM, to illustrate the point the Hawks' firing Babcock after a lacklustre season is odd.

Upon re-reading my post, I realise I didn't really express that point too clearly - wouldn't be the first time.

Babcock needed to be canned. He was a good trader...but he was just horrible at drafting talent.

The team was supposed to be out of its rebuilding phase but...for one reason or another...it didn't work out. Babcock also committed the sin of trading away a high draft pick...

If Dermarr hadn't a been hurt though, it coulda been different. Babcock drafted good talent then.

spekaing about Dermarr, i cant wait to see him back
i wonder how he will go though, i mean if a broken ankle fuck up grant hills career, then what is a broken neck(is that what he got???) gonna do

i hope he can overcome it and become the good player he can be

I think it's his back, he was in that car accident. Someone else was driving.