Posted by: cmill on July 23, 2008 3:53PM EST The Josh deal is very disappointing. The Hwaks should never allowed negotiations to linger. I'm very interested to hear what Rick has to say. Welcome to Atlanta Rick !!!!

Posted by: sean on July 23, 2008 3:59PM EST while i know he will get more money in europe and its probably better living i think hes just getting back at the ASG and making them look stupid. It would seem to me itd be more fun to play in the NBA and childress never seemed like the guy who would go for the money.

Posted by: Matt from Hotlanta Hawks on July 23, 2008 5:02PM EST I think we can say with certainty that the ownership / management of this franchise had something to do with "an NBA player in his prime [bolting] for a European team." The Hawks were saying earlier this week that Childress' agent was doing his "due diligence". Yeah, that's a good call there.

Posted by: Nick the Greek on July 23, 2008 5:14PM EST Hello everyone from Athens, Greece. From what I've been reading at most relevant sites and blogs, it came as a surprise to everyone in the States that Chills actually decided to leave the NBA. For us Greek funs, your reaction can only mean that you think of Josh as someone who can make a difference in European basketball. Hope that's true...

Posted by: dwade3 on July 23, 2008 5:41PM EST well since josh childress is gone check dis lineup out mike bibby monta ellis joe johnson josh smith al horford now thats a good lineup

Posted by: Micah Hart on July 23, 2008 5:42PM EST Just a reminder folks, keep the language clean. I don't want to censor your thoughts, but I have to delete any comments with the wordy-derds in them...

Posted by: Ray on July 23, 2008 5:48PM EST Well nobody should be surprised, the hawks have the worst management in the NBA. All they had to do this offseason was resgin TWO players thats it and they already lost one. WHY is the management so bad, WHY. For most teams this would have been a very easy offseason because they would have already resigned what they needed. After the series against boston everyone was excited and of course the management messed it all up. Well thank you management you suck

Posted by: J.M on July 23, 2008 6:02PM EST this is rediculous! what is goin with these people!!!! honestly.. it's soo frustratin to see some of our best guys go.. i'm not surprised.. i agree with ray.. the atl management sucks.. so now that Chillz is gone we gota get J.R.. he's amazin.. we can aford him.. y not?

Posted by: Steve Williams on July 23, 2008 6:22PM EST Where can I apply for the GM position? Please I'll settle for HALF of what you're paying the current GM. That's awlfull to let Chill get away we should have resigned him towards the end of the season and we wouldn't be discussing this right now. Please hurry and sign Smith or we'll really be up the creek. Now manangement wonders why we can't sell out Phillips because You let all the good player get away and shine somewhere else.

Posted by: itsslomotionbaby on July 23, 2008 6:55PM EST what in the hell is sund talking about saying childress waasnt one of our key players.he is already looking like special ed.If youwerent intent on signing him then why tenker around and let other key free agents get signed. stop dicking around with josh smith and give him13 a yr. only b/c he is your drawing card. if he refuses then we cant blame you cause you tried.if you break the bank for a decent center that makes josh exspendable. but i think signing woodson made the hawks even more unattractable, damn hawks.

Posted by: Dee Jackson on July 23, 2008 7:02PM EST What is so amazing about this? Here is a midlevel player averaging 11.0 points over 4 years. Coming off a playoff season. playing in a beautiful city, in a recently built arena, and during the off season the management cant keep the archictect of this team in billy knight but gives an extension to the coach that has well below a subpar win pct. The organization cant sign its players that they used top draft picks to get, as the fans wait and watch this team begin to gel and make something happen. Sad to say it will be amazing to see this fall apart due to bad management decisions, but after living here for 45 years what can this fan base expect!!!!!!!

Posted by: roger on July 23, 2008 7:57PM EST LOL!! Hawks mgt. is a joke! everyone wonders why Atlanta do not have a loyal fan base. Well, if Mgt. is willing to keep our best players then maybe Atlanta fans will be more excited in our teams. By the way, the Josh Smith situation is still up in the air and I doubt Atlanta will be smart enough to re-sign him. Good Luck ATLiens....

Posted by: itsslomotionbaby on July 23, 2008 8:09PM EST well lets go unconventianal and think outside the box like childress. sense it seems josh has opened pandoras box and started a trend. lets shop outside the box and invite one of these and 1 players to camp. the one i have in mind is springs. the guy kind of reminds me of spreewell with his speed and fluidy on the court.i say he will at least mirror what rondo is doing and will perform no less than a kenyon dooling.

Posted by: cwynn on July 23, 2008 8:36PM EST Josh was a good bench player but truth be told is he is worth what the market bears. The rules apply with any Company when they have to make a decision about payroll. I feel that we have to pay Josh Smith who is a totally different caliber player. Pay him the max. Josh Childress is replaceable whether we like it or not. This has nothing to with Management it is BUSINESS. Does your Company pay every employee what they want or what the market(competitive) says a person should be paid. When you get to a point on your job that you think you are under paid, then you do what? You leave. Thank you.

Posted by: Dee Jackson on July 23, 2008 9:19PM EST I keep hearing the word Business in a lot of comments. Okay how is it good business to take a top five draft pick, spend years developing your product, begin to see the results in your efforts only to let all that slip away because you wouldnt pay seven million a year and on top of that get nothing back in return other than cap space. No picks or trades nothing. You were drawing fans into the arena, your concessions would go up. sales of merchandise goes up, but again you let the kid go overseas when he is only beginning to blossom and get nothing SOMEONE EXPLAIN HOW DOES MGT HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH THIS!!! GET SERIOUS!!!

Posted by: JIMMY on July 24, 2008 2:40AM EST Hello from Athens, Greece. I'am not an Olympiacos fan (the team that Childress has signed with) if anything I follow their arch rivals Panathinaikos and I have to say I'am very excited with this move of Childress. Good NBA players bring magic on the court and add prestige to the club so I' am looking forward to the titan clashes between these two top European clubs and admit that every time Childress goes for his super slam dunks I will be smiling from the inside.

Posted by: jivo on July 24, 2008 4:21AM EST i am from greece too and here says that childress is better from dominique!!!!!!!

Posted by: disappointed hawks fan on July 24, 2008 12:42PM EST childress is and will never be greater or better than dominique. with that comment it shows that you are from greece. anyway for whatever reason chill decided to go greek is disappointing but hey that frees up money for smoove. let j smoove go and that it for the hawks as far as j smoove fans go. a lot of hawks fans are only there to watch certain players. when they live so will they. so think hard about josh smith. he has a huge fan base that are not just atlantans. not lose anymore of the hawks small fan base. get chills back with the team and bring in othello hunter or pickney they look great in the summer league. don't forget to get mario and jeremy back too.

Posted by: demetris on July 24, 2008 8:49PM EST ha ha ha ha see you at olympics games.... americans... basketball greek teem are the best

Posted by: shayshaylafemme on July 25, 2008 4:01PM EST I agree with Dee but look at the deal that Childress signed. Very few players, especially bench players ever see a contract that good: 3-year $20 mill contract (after taxes!!!) and can opt out after each year. Yeah, I would have bolted too!!!

Posted by: knox on July 26, 2008 9:02PM EST sorry dwade3 but where do u get monta ellis from?? arent the warriors so in love with him that they gave away baron davis? and how is jj a 3?

Posted by: Jeff on July 26, 2008 9:54PM EST good job rick sund u just messed up the hawks season if u dont sign smith back, and kwame brown, or trade for stromile swift or sean williams then here comes another playoff drought for the hawks good start on singing evans but that is not enough

Posted by: tnc on July 27, 2008 2:43AM EST Atl management has done the right thing by letting chill go and signing evans. We need perimeter shooters!!

Posted by: Just do something on July 28, 2008 12:00PM EST Hawks management needs to do something, they can recoup by either 1. signing Josh Smith and Louis Williamsor if they go through with a sign or trade, 2. then also sign J.R. Smith, to help in the much needed shooting category and who is also a freakish athlete who can also dunk on people in transition. 3. This is just wishful thinking but go after Luol Deng, who is an upgraded Josh Smith. But what it all comes down to is the fact the Hawks have to be proactive and make good deals. Atlanta is the 7th biggest market, people will come to watch the games if the Hawks create some type of interest.

Posted by: Boy on July 28, 2008 9:44PM EST 32.5 million for a young wing man with bad feets. good luck with that.

Posted by: tyler on August 11, 2008 11:35AM EST look at this line up. bibby johnson smith horford and randolph(unsure last name)-guy we got from new york