The Atlanta Hawks are an American professional basketball team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are part of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association (NBA). The franchise was formed in 1946 as the Tri-Cities Blackhawks in the Mississippi River area. After relocating to Milwaukee, Wisconsin in 1951, the franchise was renamed to Milwaukee Hawks. Before the 1955–56 season, the Hawks moved to St. Louis, Missouri and spent thirteen seasons there. As of late, their final relocation took place in 1968, when the Hawks moved to Atlanta, Georgia.

The franchise was formed in 1946 as the Tri-Cities Blackhawks in the Quad Cities area. The Tri-Cities were Moline, IL, Rock Island, IL, and Davenport, IA. The Tri-Cities Blackhawks were named after the Black Hawk War that was mostly fought in Illinois. The Blackhawks became one of the National Basketball Association's 17 original teams after a merger in 1949 of the 12-year-old National Basketball League and the four-year-old Basketball Association of America. The Blackhawks reached the playoffs in the NBA's inaugural year, under the leadership of coach Red Auerbach. However, the following season, after the team drafted Bob Cousy and made the blunder of trading his rights to the Chicago Stags (who would later surrender him in a dispersal draft to the Boston Celtics after they folded), they failed to qualify for the postseason. In 1951, the franchise relocated to Milwaukee, WI, and became the Hawks. In 1953, the Hawks drafted Bob Pettit, a future NBA MVP. Despite this, the Hawks were one of the league's worst teams, and in 1955 the Hawks moved yet again, this time to St. Louis, MO.

With acquisitions in the draft and free agency, the Hawks became one of the league's top teams. In 1957, the team advanced to the 1957 NBA Finals, losing to the Boston Celtics in a double-overtime thriller in game seven. In 1958, the Hawks again advanced to the NBA Finals under coach Alex Hannum and captured their only NBA Championship in game 6 against the Celtics.

The Hawks remained one of the NBA's premier teams for the next decade. In 1960, under coach Ed Macauley, the team advanced to the Finals yet again, but lost—again to the Celtics—in yet another game seven thriller. The following year, with the acquisition of rookie Lenny Wilkens, the Hawks repeated their success, but met the Celtics in the Finals again and lost in five games.

The next few years the Hawks remained contenders, every year advancing deep into the playoffs and also capturing several division titles. Despite the success, Kerner became wary of the now-aging 10,000-seat Kiel Auditorium. The larger St. Louis Arena (where the Hawks played occasional games) was not well-maintained since the 1940s, and Kerner wanted a new arena to increase revenue. However, he was rebuffed by the city on several occasions. In 1968, the team was sold to Atlanta real estate developer Tom Cousins and Georgia Governor Carl Sanders and moved to Atlanta, Georgia. While a new arena was being constructed, the team spent its first four seasons playing in Georgia Tech's Alexander Memorial Coliseum. Cousins' firm soon developed the Omni Coliseum, a 16,500-seat, state-of-the-art downtown Atlanta arena, for the Hawks and the expansion Atlanta Flames hockey franchise, which opened in 1972 as the first phase of a massive sports, office, hotel and retail complex, most of which is now the CNN Center.

The years after the move showcased a talented Hawks team, including Pete Maravich, and Lou Hudson. However, after this period of success, the Hawks experienced years of rebuilding. The rebuilding process appeared to be the right direction when they ended up with the 1st and 3rd picks overall in the 1975 NBA Draft. However, it took a turn for the worse when draft picks David Thompson and Marvin Webster both signed on with ABA franchises.

In 1976 Atlanta Braves owner Ted Turner bought the team and hired Hubie Brown to become head coach. In 1980, the Hawks finished with 50 wins and won the Central Division. In 1982, the franchise acquired superstar Dominique Wilkins and promoted Mike Fratello to head coach a year later. From 1985–89, the Hawks were among the league's elite, winning 50 games or more each season. However, the team could not advance past the semifinals of the Eastern Conference playoffs, losing to eventual Eastern conference and/or NBA champions in Boston and Detroit. After several seasons of mediocrity, Lenny Wilkens was hired as head coach in 1993. In the 1993–94 season, coach Wilkens led the team to 57 victories, tying a team record. However, the team fell short again in the playoffs, losing to the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern semis in six games. The season was also marred with the trading of Dominique Wilkins, who remains the franchise all-time leading scorer, for Danny Manning, who quickly left via free agency to Phoenix after the season ended. The trade was a public-relations disaster for Hawks management as ticket sales and overall interest waned without its popular superstar, who carried the team for the previous 11 seasons; in fact, it still sours many Hawk fans to this very day. In 1995, coach Wilkens broke the record (previously held by coach Red Auerbach) for most victories by an NBA head coach with victory number 939. Despite a couple of 50+ win seasons afterward, the Hawks were quickly ousted from the playoffs on both occasions, which led to further apathy by local fans who quickly grew accustomed to Hawk failures in the playoffs.

In 1999, the Hawks traded Steve Smith to Portland for Isaiah Rider and Jim Jackson. Smith had been one of the Hawks' most popular players during the 1990s and had recently been awarded the J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award for his charitable endeavors. By contrast, Rider had a history of behavioral problems both on and off the court. Rider's troubled conduct continued after his arrival in Atlanta. Rider missed the first day of training camp and was late for two games. After reports that he smoked marijuana in an Orlando hotel room during a January road trip, the league demanded that he attend drug counseling, and fined him a total of $200,000 until he agreed to go. When he showed up late for a March game, the Hawks released him. The Hawks later traded Jackson away the following season. In every season since the Smith/Rider trade, the Hawks have found themselves at or near the bottom of the NBA standings.

In 2001, Atlanta Hawks drafted Spanish Pau Gasol at 3rd pick overall, but his rights were ceded to the Vancouver Grizzlies in a trade involving Shareef Abdur-rahim. In February 2004, the Hawks had the distinction of having NBA All-Star Rasheed Wallace play one game for the team. Wallace was traded from Portland to the Hawks along with Wesley Person for Shareef Abdur-Rahim, Theo Ratliff, and Dan Dickau. In his lone game for the Hawks, Wallace scored 20 points, had 6 rebounds, 5 blocks, 2 assists and a steal in a loss to the New Jersey Nets. After the game he was dealt to the Detroit Pistons in a three-way trade with the Boston Celtics. In turn, Detroit sent guard Bobby Sura, center Zeljko Rebraca, and a first-round draft pick to the Hawks. The Boston Celtics also sent forward Chris Mills to Atlanta to complete the deal.

In March 2004, the team was sold to a group of executives by the name of Atlanta Spirit LLC by Time Warner (who inherited the Hawks and Braves upon its merger with Turner Broadcasting in 1996), along with the Atlanta Thrashers pro ice hockey team, with which the Hawks share the Philips Arena, which replaced the Omni. After the change in ownership, though, the Hawks still struggled. In the 2004–05 season, the Hawks gained the notorious reputation of the league's worst team with a mere 13 victories (five less than even the expansion Charlotte Bobcats and the struggling New Orleans Hornets). Despite their league-worst record though, the Hawks only landed the number two pick in the 2005 NBA Draft (the first pick went to the Milwaukee Bucks). With the second pick in the 2005 NBA Draft, the Atlanta Hawks selected Marvin Williams of the University of North Carolina. The previous year, the Hawks drafted Josh Childress and Josh Smith from the 2004 Draft and Salim Stoudamire in the second round of the 2005 Draft. In the 2006 Draft, the Hawks selected former Duke star Shelden Williams with the fifth overall pick.

However, despite the recent influx of talent acquired in the draft, they still hold the longest drought of not drafting an All-Star or Pro Bowl player in North American pro sports (23 years), going back to their 1984 selection of Kevin Willis. In the summer of 2005, the Hawks completed a sign-trade deal with the Phoenix Suns that landed Atlanta Joe Johnson in return for Boris Diaw and two future 1st round picks. They also signed Zaza Pachulia from the Milwaukee Bucks. These changes occurred after an apparent power struggle between the owners for nearly three weeks before the moves were made.  Unfortunately, while the power struggle over Johnson has been resolved, the ownership situation remains in flux, with litigation still ongoing.

When the Golden State Warriors qualified for the 2007 NBA Playoffs, the Hawks acquired the dubious distinction of being the NBA team that had gone the most consecutive seasons without a playoff appearance. (Eight in a row, see Active NBA non-playoff appearance streaks). They also held the dubious distinctions of most consecutive 50-loss seasons (four) and the having the 2nd longest run (behind the Rochester/Cincinnati/Kansas City/Sacramento Kings) of not winning an NBA title (49 years). All of the franchise's NBA Finals appearances and lone NBA championship took place over 40 years ago when the team resided in St. Louis. Meanwhile, they have yet to advance beyond the second round of any playoff format in their entire Atlanta existence, which now spans 39 seasons.

However, hope and redemption appeared to be on the horizon for the Hawks in 2007. With the third pick of the NBA draft, they selected Al Horford from the University of Florida. They also acquired, from the Indiana Pacers, the 11th pick of the draft, which they used to select Acie Law IV from Texas A&M University.  The season started brightly as they won the season opener against the Dallas Mavericks 101–94, sending hope to Hawks fans. In addition, the last time they won a season opener was 1998, the last time the franchise made the playoffs.

But once again, the Hawks organization made dubious headlines when the NBA granted the first appeal of a protested game in 25 years on January 11, 2008. The Miami Heat protested a scoring error during the clubs' December 19, 2007 contest. Due to a communications error, the Hawks official scorer had erroneously assessed a sixth foul on Heat center Shaquille O'Neal with 51.9 seconds remaining in overtime, disqualifying him from the game. The Hawks, who had won that game by a 117–111 margin, were stripped of the victory. On March 8, 2008, both teams replayed the final 51.9 seconds of the game as the Hawks won 114–111. The replay was held after few weeks O’Neal had been traded to the Phoenix Suns from the Miami Heat.  Atlanta also lost the regularly scheduled game on January 11, 2008 to fall from the break-even mark to two games below .500 in a span of eight hours. On February 16, 2008 Atlanta acquired guard Mike Bibby from the Sacramento Kings in exchange for Anthony Johnson, Tyronn Lue, Shelden Williams, Lorenzen Wright and a 2008 second round draft pick.

On April 14, 2008, despite having a 37–45 record, the Hawks clinched their first playoff berth since the 1998–99 season, and in the first round surprised the favored Boston Celtics, the #1 seed in the Eastern Conference, by playing a strong and competitive playoff series. The Hawks won all 3 games in Philips Arena and pushed the series to seven before falling in Boston 99-65.  On May 7, 2008 Billy Knight resigned as general manager being effective July 1, 2008. Knight said it was time to "take a break" following a season when his authority appeared to be weakened by unsuccessful lobbying with owners to fire coach Mike Woodson.

Getting Inside

Did the Hawks learn nothing from their most recent public relations disaster?

If you hadn’t heard, the Hawks became the first team in NBA history to lose a young, restricted free agent to a team from another country. Josh Childress left the Hawks last week for a three-year, $20 million offer from Olympiacos in Greece.

Slow-paced negotiations with Childress’ representatives cost the Hawks in that deal. And a similar negotiating tactic could have cost them the services of fellow restricted free agent Josh Smith, too.

This time, the Memphis Grizzlies—not a team overseas—gave Smith an offer sheet, and the Hawks, as is their right, quickly matched it. So he’s not going anywhere.

Hawks general manager Rick Sund, who had taken plenty of the heat for the botched Childress deal, remained confident that the negotiating process would continue amicably.

“One of the things that I think is important in the process is to have the integrity and professionalism to not negotiate in the newspapers,” Sund said. “I said that in the beginning to Josh Smith’s (representatives) and they haven’t said a whole lot. They’ve done an excellent job representing their client. The bottom line is we’ve had a lot of dialogue, but it’s not done yet.”

Obviously, it didn’t continue amicably enough, and Smith forced the Hawks’ hand by turning to Memphis. But at least the Hawks didn’t lose the player this time.

Notes, Quotes

• In their quest to fill the hole left by Josh Childress’ departure, the Hawks signed guard Ronald “Flip” Murray to a contract. Terms were not disclosed. Murray played for the Pistons and Pacers last year and has a career average of 9.3 points per game, 2.4 assists per game and 2.0 rebounds per game.

• C Randolph Morris didn’t wait for the free agent process to take its course. He sought out his break and pounced on it when the Hawks reciprocated the interest he showed in his hometown team.

“So few people get those second opportunities,” Morris said last week from the Hawks’ headquarters in downtown Atlanta. “I’m happy they extended the offer to me so I could start over, so to speak. I didn’t get a chance to play as much as I wanted to in New York. So I’m just starting over and trying to rewrite things for myself.”

Morris finished each of the past two seasons with the Knicks, though he played sparingly behind an overstuffed frontcourt group headlined by Zach Randolph and Eddy Curry.

“In New York I was sort of lost in the sauce in, per se,” Morris said. “It was my first year and we had people that were already experienced in the grind of the NBA and it was hard for me. The opportunities were few and far between. But now I’m working from ground zero with a chance to work my way up.”

The Hawks needed someone like Morris, a 6-foot-11, 270-pound center/power forward who immediately challenges Zaza Pachulia for the title as the team’s largest player.  They just had no idea they’d be the hunted and not the hunter, an interesting about face from the usual dynamics of free agency.

After all, it was Morris that made the first move, contacting the Hawks about the possibilities of joining them. And it was Morris that suggested he take part in the mini-camp so the team could get a better look at him.

“That opportunity to look at him and analyze that he has an upside and some depth and that he’s young probably sealed the deal,” Hawks general manager Rick Sund said Friday morning after presenting Morris with his No. 33 jersey. “He was already on our board but he sought us out initially. But that’s basically how all of this materialized.”

Where it goes from here is up to Morris. And he knows it, especially after the humbling start to his NBA career—he’s averaged 2.6 points and 2.0 rebounds in just 23 career appearances—in a city and NBA market that feasts on the weak.

“I think living back here in Atlanta is going to be a much better fit for me,” Morris said, before adding that his phone hasn’t stopped ringing with calls from family and friends congratulating him and wishing him well. “It’s exciting, the newness of me coming back home. Everybody’s thrilled. But I’m trying to make it a positive experience for everybody.”

• New Hawks swingman Maurice Evans brought Josh Smith’s name up, unprompted, 90 seconds into his opening statement during a gathering at Philips Arena where he was introduced to the local media and presented with his Hawks jersey.

“Whenever you played here you knew you were going to have to deal with all these athletes, all these guys who could run and jump and block shots, guys like Josh Smith,” said Evans, who will wear be wearing the No. 1 jersey vacated by Josh Childress this season. “You hope that things will take place and that we can get him back in uniform and go after a playoff spot again.”

A team with Smith, Childress and Evans all in the same rotation was the original blueprint, Hawks GM Rick Sund said. But an unpredictable free agent summer wreaked havoc on the most meticulously scripted plans—until the Hawks had to match Memphis’ offer sheet for Smith to keep him.

Evans wasn’t sure where he was going to end up before things heated up with the Hawks. He too entertained overtures from European teams as well as several other NBA teams interested in adding him to their mix.

He found security, a three-year deal worth $2.5 million a season, and opportunity in the same place with the Hawks; a team Evans kept an eye on last season when he was starting for the Hawks’ Southeast Division rival Orlando.

“Obviously, it’s important when you go to the playoffs and hadn’t been in a long time you probably don’t want to shake things up too much,” Evans said. “In my opinion, one of the biggest mistakes teams make is when you’re having success and then you try to bring in different pieces that might upgrade your situation and you end up downgrading it. And now you’ve set yourself back. You can’t afford to take those steps back.”

• The Hawks signed two of their summer league players to contracts. G Thomas Gardner and C Othello Hunter. Terms were not disclosed.

“Both players played well in our mini-camp and summer league,” said GM Rick Sund. “Thomas is a solid shooter with range, who has the ability to score in bunches. Othello is an athletic power forward who runs the floor really well.”

Quote To Note:   “I’m hoping my acquisition and keeping this team intact will really allow us to keep moving forward. Because the East(tern Conference) has gotten better throughout free agency. It was a wild free agency summer to say the least, but I’m really happy with my situation and really happy with (GM) Rick (Sund) bringing me here and hoping it will be a good situation for everybody.”—New Hawks swingman Maurice Evans.

Roster Report

Draft Report:   The Hawks did not have a single pick in the draft for the first time in the franchise’s Atlanta history.

Biggest Needs:   The Hawks have to locate another shooter with size to help alleviate the double and triple team pressure Joe Johnson saw from defenses all year, particularly from the Celtics in the playoffs. That player doesn’t even have to be a starter. But he has to be someone capable of posing a legitimate deep threat when he’s on the floor.

Free Agent Focus:   The Hawks have already lost one of their own (Childress) and were in serious danger of losing another (Smith), but they matched Memphis’ offer sheet for Smith.

Player Notes: 

• An impressive summer league stint that saw him honored with a berth on the All-Rocky Mountain Revue team wasn’t enough to satisfy Acie Law IV. The second-year point guard was right back at it just days after returning from Salt Lake City, working out at the Hawks’ practice facility daily.

It’s a move that has helped maintain the front office and coaching staff’s positive vibes regarding Law this summer. There are huge expectations for the role Law will play this season as Mike Bibby’s backup.

• G Speedy Claxton’s Rocky Mountain Revue stint lasted just two games but it wasn’t because of any continued complications with his oft-troublesome left knee. He had to bolt from the Revue to be by his wife’s side as they welcomed another child to the world.

Claxton, in fact, looked better than expected in live competition for a guy that has only been on the court for 42 games in the past two years. Where he fits in the regular season depends largely on what other transactions the Hawks complete before training camp.

• The addition of Maurice Evans and Randolph Morris puts in serious doubt the need the Hawks will have for multiple developmental prospects like Morris, Solomon Jones, Jeremy Richardson and Mario West.