Chad Ford Rips BK

[djcorley]

He said someone needs to pull the plug on the BK era right now!

He's an idiot....BK has given this team hope and a nice nucleus in only a couple of years. Not to mention that's he cleared all those bad contracts off the payroll and given this team some cap flexibility.

Don't know about you guys but, I like BK I think he's done one helluva job cleaning up Babcoks mess!

[drzachary]

Where did he say this?

[mrhonline]

Where's that Chad Ford quote about Darko Milicic?

Someone needs to put an end to the Chad Ford era. Please.

[drzachary]

nevermind. found it.

[drzachary]

Quote:

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Where's that Chad Ford quote about Darko Milicic?

Someone needs to put an end to the Chad Ford era. Please.

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I always paste that whenever anyone mentions Chad Ford. That should have been an instant career-ender for Chaddy.

[Lascar78]

I saw his chat, but I didnt see him ripping BK. Here's his chat

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had Ford: (1:01 PM ET ) Hey everyone. Lots of free agency stuff to talk about today. Let's get rolling.

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Tom (STL): Where does Michael Redd sign? And what do the Cavaliers do if he does not sign with them?

Chad Ford: (1:04 PM ET ) He "visited" the Bucks on Tuesday (your guess is as good as mine on why he needs to visit the team he's played for his whole career) and he's in Cleveland today. The Bucks are offering him the max. So are the Cavs. Because of differences in the CBA, the Bucks offer is $20 million more. 99 percent of the free agents I've covered over the past seven years take the money and run. The fact that Redd is still deciding speaks to how appealing the Cavs situation must be. If he cares about winning and a great situation it's Cleveland. But $20 million is a lot to leave on the table. In other words I'll be shocked if he bolts the Bucks.

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Mike (NY): Is there any truth to Steph for Dalembert? Where else could Steph go?

Chad Ford: (1:06 PM ET ) Isiah is trying to work out a sign-and-trade with the Sixers for Dalembert. He's willing to offer him the max. Marbury is one of the players he's willing to move this summer to get a big. However, I have a hard time believing that the Sixers would make this trade. I think he'd have a much better shot of trading Steph to the Hawks for Al Harrington, Tony Delk and Jason Collier.

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Hector, Los Angeles: Do you think any of the Baby Bulls, (Chandler & Curry), will be leaving Chicago this summer?

Chad Ford: (1:09 PM ET ) I think they'll match any offer for Chandler. He's too valuable to what they do. Curry? They keep saying that they'll match any offer, but from what I hear, the Bulls are looking to do a sign-and-trade for him. Atlanta (for possibly Al Harrington) might be the best option.

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Andrew (DC): What happens in DC with larry Hughes and Kwame Brown? Sign Hughes and sign-and-trade Kwame?

Chad Ford: (1:11 PM ET ) I don't know why teams aren't making a bigger play than Hughes. As I point out in my blog today, he may be the best two guard prospect out there and he's an unrestricted free agent. Everyone just assumes he re-signs with Washington. I'm not so sure. From what I hear, they have made a huge offer yet. Kwame will likely be some sort of sign-and-trade. The Knicks are especially interested and are willing to move Michael Sweetney as part of the deal. A straight deal with the Hawks is also a big possibility.

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Michele (Houston): Stromile Swift is in Houston today. What are the Rockets chances if he leaves w/o a contract?

Chad Ford: (1:16 PM ET ) The Rockets are one of several teams (Nets, Knicks, Hornets are others) who are pushing hard for Stro. With the exception of the Hornets, they're all offering the mid-level. Obviously Stro wants more. Don't see the Grizzlies re-signing him. They really need to cut down the cap.

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Kevin (New Jersey): Hey Chad, how big are the chances of Shareef Abdur Rahim running alongside J Kidd, Vince, and RJ in a Nets uniform next season?

Chad Ford: (1:18 PM ET ) They are praying. He'd be a great fit there and both Shareef and the Nets know it. The problem is that several other teams like the Spurs are talking sign-and-trade with the Blazers. That allows them to pay more money. The Blazers are trying to work out a Rasho Nesterovic for Abdur-Rahim swap.

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Andrew (Flagstaff AZ): No that the Spurs have re signed Horry is their going to be enough money for Sciola? If not, what is their next move?

Chad Ford: (1:18 PM ET ) Yes, they can still re-sign Luis Scola.

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Zach, Cleveland, Ohio: Who do you think is a better fit for the Cavaliers, Antonio Daniels or Jasikevicius?

Chad Ford: (1:20 PM ET ) Tough question. Daniels has great size and is an excellent defender. Jasikevicius is much better offensively but MUCH worse defensively. If they want a real floor leader, however, it's tough to pass on Jasikevicius, He hasn't played in the NBA yet, but three straight Euroleague titles means a lot. The Pacers are also strongly in the mix for Jasikevicius

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RANDY NEW ORLEANS: Should the Hornets trade Magloire?

Chad Ford: (1:21 PM ET ) Not unless they get another, younger center in return. If they were willing to swap Magloire for Samuel Dalembert or Tyson Chandler, I think it's a good move. But I wouldn't just give him away.

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MileHighMelo ( Denver, CO): Hey Chad, I'm hearing a lot of buzz about the Nuggs sending Nene and Vo Lenard to the Kings for Mobely...anything to that other than rumors?

Chad Ford: (1:25 PM ET ) The Nuggets like Mobley and really need a two guard who can stroke it. But I don't think they'd part with Nene to do it. If they would, the Kings should make that trade in a heartbeat. Depending on where the cap comes in, the Nuggets could either use their mid-level exception or cap room to get him signed.

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Phil (LA): Hey Chad, What do you think the Clips will do next now that Ray Allen has re-signed with the Sonics?

Chad Ford: (1:27 PM ET ) Mike Dunleavy has to be beating his head against the wall. For the second straight year the Clippers have come very close to landing an all-star two guard. At this point, they probably stick to the plan of re-signing Bobby Simmons at this point. Larry Hughes is an option, but they'd really like another shooter. They'd love Joe Johnson, but the chances of the Suns matching an offer for him are very high.

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Noah (Chelmsford, MA): What moves, trades or signings, do the Lakers make if any? Also, does the pick of Bynum help or hurt their playoff chances?

Chad Ford: (1:30 PM ET ) They're making a push for Antonio Daniels. Bynum is probably a non-factor. He's very talented (I really liked him in the McDonalds game) but he's realistically a few years away.

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Angelo (NY): Ok let me get this straight. The Knicks would trade their one superstar, the one person who puts people in the seats, the one person who sells jerseys, one of the top 5 players in his position for either another power foward in Harrington or a center with no offensive game (Dalemburt) then they would trade their best power foward for a player who didnt even play in the post season (Brown). That would be crazy!

Chad Ford: (1:32 PM ET ) Angelo, where've you been for the past two years? That's par for the course for Isiah. And frankly, I'd do either deal if I were the Knicks. They need to shake things up and moving Marbury is the only way to make a major play.

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Adam (St. Paul): What's crazy Angelo, is you calling Marbury a superstar.

Chad Ford: (1:33 PM ET ) Ouch. Here we go ... I didn't say it, Isiah. Adam did.

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Chris (W.Spfld, Ma): Danny Ainge has made some nice draft choices over the last 2 summers, and he seems to be hitting his stride as a GM. Do you see this year's handling of Paul Pierce as the most important thing he's done (or will do) as a GM?

Chad Ford: (1:35 PM ET ) Sure. Ainge has had two great drafts. At this point, I don't think the Celtics need anymore young players. They've got plenty of building blocks and two (Al Jefferson and Gerald Green) that have star potential. So ... I'm not sure why you trade Pierce. The Celtics need veterans to show the kids how to play. The team can't get equal value for him. He could demand a trade, but I think the Celtics are better off keeping him. The same probably holds true for Antoine at this point if they can get him form $6 or $7 million per year.

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Brian (seattle, wa): Out of Antonio Daniels, Jerome James, Damien Wilkins, Ronald Murray, Reggie Evans, Vitaly Potapenko, and Vlad Radmanovic, which ones will stay with Seattle? James and Daniels gone as unrestricted FAs?

Chad Ford: (1:39 PM ET ) Hmmmm... don't know. Daniels and Radmanovic want to start. If they can find teams willing to pay them starter money, they're gone (and no, I don't think the Sonics would match a big deal for Radmanovic). Murray wants out too, and with the re-signing of Allen that's possible. I think that Nate isn't a fan of either James or Potapenko. I think they'll try hard to re-sign Evans and Wilkins as long as offers to them don't get out of control.

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Jon (Phoenix): Will Phoenix match any offer for Joe Johnson including the max? Teams like the Clippers who missed out on Allen may just try to do that.

Chad Ford: (1:40 PM ET ) I agree that both the Clippers and Cavs could make him a max offer. But if you look at what the Suns have done already this off-season, it's pretty clear that they plan on matching.

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Mike (Bedford, NY): Are the Knicks really pushing hard after Antonine Walker? I find it hard to believe since we already have Crawford and Richardson who like to chuck three pointers.

Chad Ford: (1:41 PM ET ) Mike, I'm going to refer you to the Angelo question up above on Isiah's reasoning. But yes, they are interested in Walker.

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Adam, Indy: Please Chad, I need to know what the Pacers are doing? I haven't heard anything in some time.

Chad Ford: (1:45 PM ET ) Sarunas Jasikevicius is at the top of their list. They also like another sweet shooting Lithuanian, two guard, Arvydas Macijauskas.

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Mike (Atlanta): What's your gut feeling about the Hawks? What FAs end up here in '05-06?

Chad Ford: (1:46 PM ET ) I don't think it looks good Mike. You have to have a plan going into free agency and then execute it. The Hawks plan, Ray Allen and Zydrunas Ilgauskas, was a bad plan. A very bad plan. In the process, they've alienated many of the younger free agents willing to come there. It wouldn't shock me if, for a second straight summer, they strike out on signing a major free agent. Someone needs to pull the plug on the Billy Knight era in Atlanta. Now.

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Alex (Hollywood): Chad - let's play a little jeopardy! The answer is "I was the worst run NBA franchise from 2000 - 2005". What, Chad, is the question?????

Chad Ford: (1:48 PM ET ) I've already picked on the Hawks, so how about the Raptors. Five years ago the team looked like it was going to be a contender. Now they're in shambles and after last week's draft, I don't see them recovering any time soon.

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Scott (SF, CA): Hey Chad...can you briefly explain the NBA's "amnesty program" and its effects on a teams salary cap, etc....Thanks!

Chad Ford: (1:51 PM ET ) We're still waiting for all the details, but here it is in a nutshell. Teams get a one-time chance before October 1st to waive one free agent. The team still has to pay the player and does NOT get cap relief. So what's the benefit? Teams get luxury tax relief. The salary no longer would count for luxury tax purposes. It would only affect a few teams but could save teams like the Mavs and Knicks close to $50 million each. It's purely financial relief. Still it could mean that several interesting veterans like Michael Finley and Allan Houston will be free agents this summer. They'd be free to re-sign with any team after they're waived.

Chad Ford: (1:51 PM ET ) I've got to run everyone. Thanks for stopping in. We'll do it again next week.

[drzachary]

You need to bolderize this part:

Mike (Atlanta): What's your gut feeling about the Hawks? What FAs end up here in '05-06?

Chad Ford: (1:46 PM ET ) I don't think it looks good Mike. You have to have a plan going into free agency and then execute it. The Hawks plan, Ray Allen and Zydrunas Ilgauskas, was a bad plan. A very bad plan. In the process, they've alienated many of the younger free agents willing to come there. It wouldn't shock me if, for a second straight summer, they strike out on signing a major free agent. Someone needs to pull the plug on the Billy Knight era in Atlanta. Now.

When God pulls the plug on the Chad Ford era, literally, many years from now, his tombstone should read:

Darko is really one of a kind. He runs the floor, handles the ball, shoots the NBA 3 and plays with his back to the basket, so you can slot him in at the 3, 4 or 5 positions. OK, a few other guys can do that too; what sets Darko apart is his toughness in the post. You have to love a guy who has the footwork to spin by an opponent but still prefers to lower a shoulder and bang. Fact is, Milicic plays in attack-mode at both ends of the floor. The more you push, the more he pushes back. While he won't be asked to carry the Pistons, he's capable of doing this earlier than you think.

I'm a little bitter.

[Lascar78]

whoops. too late. Don't know how I missed that part on first read.

[Plainview1981]

Where is his proof to backup anything he says?

[Paul2Smoove]

Chad Ford is an idiot. Did he forget we want Dally, Curry, Chandler, Swift, Joe Johnson, and Larry Hughes. Aren't those guys young and full of potential?

[swolehawk2]

I wonder why he repeatedly chooses to leave out the names of other free agents we contacted on day 1...he implies that we put all our eggs into the Z/Ray basket...now we are DOOMED...he is such a cartoon.

[AHF]

Quote:

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I wonder why he repeatedly chooses to leave out the names of other free agents we contacted on day 1...he implies that we put all our eggs into the Z/Ray basket...now we are DOOMED...he is such a cartoon.

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Good post. The fact is that he just doesn't like Atlanta. When he says teams should do X and Atlanta does X then he criticizes them for not doing Y (like saying teams should not overpay Dampier and then criticizing Atlanta for...not overpaying Dampier). He does this over and over (Marvin is the best guy in the draft; the only potential superstar; any team going first should draft him; Atlanta blew it by drafting Marvin over Paul and Deron).

I hope he is wrong so we can all write in and tell him to stuff it.

[MrAloha]

Quote:

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Chad Ford: You have to have a plan going into free agency and then execute it. The Hawks plan, Ray Allen and Zydrunas Ilgauskas, was a bad plan. A very bad plan. In the process, they've alienated many of the younger free agents willing to come there. It wouldn't shock me if, for a second straight summer, they strike out on signing a major free agent. Someone needs to pull the plug on the Billy Knight era in Atlanta.

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Like Chad Ford really got his hands on the secret 2005 Atlanta Hawks Free Agent Plan. Or since it was mentioned that maybe Chad Ford gets alot of his info from agents. Maybe BK told some agent "Now I'm sure I can trust you to keep this to yourself, our plan is ... ".

Did other teams who contacted Allen and/or Ilgauskas alienate themselves to any other younger free agents they are after ??? Gosh !!! Chad Ford didn't go into that !!! Maybe that would require too much complicated and complex thinking for him !!!

[Traceman]

the night that free agency opened. I've seen that reported in one of the Chicago papers and in addition, it is consistent with what BK said in the AJC. I'm sure BK made contact with other guys as well. Just because BK didn't call Chad Ford and tell him that he is after certain guys doesn't mean that BK hasn't made the calls to those guys' agents.

[jaywalker72]

Don't you know? The Worldwide Leader in Empty Information specializes in shooting first, and then either changing their angle or moving on to the next salvo before ever having to answer questions on their own wild, sensationalistic "journalism".

They are entertainment, pure and simple, and if I had my space on RealGM, there would have been a solid backing of Billy in the face of Chad's cheap shot.

Ford is the same one said Jacque Vaughn was better than JT at the point (a notion that was painfully obvious twice), and the guy who ripped the Hawks for not signing any free agents and then lamented that teams overpaid for mediocre talent.

He was nowhere to be seen when Chill played so well in the second half of the year and showed why Billy liked him very much in the draft.

The fact that Billy doesn't do every single bit of business in public like Isiah Thomas and Joe Dumars doesn't mean he isn't doing good business. I, for one, am thrilled that BK didn't pay for any of the mediocre talent that was heavily compensated last season (where is Ford's calling for the Chris Mullin regime to end in Oakland? Derek Fisher and Adonal Foyle...yikes).

The Hawks are in a position where they cannot get rich quick, their talent level not being high enough to attract a front line free agent, and the draft just beginning to build that base up, but suffering from years of Babcock neglect in that area.

So for Ford to rip Billy is shortsighted and typical of the ENTERTAINMENT and (sports) programming network and completely the opposite from my opinion at this time.

Extreme patience and fiscal responsibility are the guidelines for the franchise at this time, not throwing a bunch of money at second or third line talent just because you have the space to do so.

Chad, BK does have a free agent plan, and just because you are not privy to it doens't mean it doesn't exist.

But I am sure you'll just move on to the next cheap shot or sensationalistic opinion before that little fact creeps into your columns....

[unknownjdb]

Stay with us man! Give us the good stuf like the old

days. All these other bastards don't know shyt and

need to be handed their walking papers. We need you.

[NickJYD]

Great to see you back Jay. RealGM sucks without you and has now just become a place to read lame rumors that wont happen. You provided the best Hawks coverage out there.

That said, I agree with you. Just because Ford is only aware of us contacting Big Z and Ray Allen doesnt mean we havent contacted others. he also has no clue what our plan is because Knight hasnt told him. There is an article in the AJC where Knight clearly hints that this free agency stuff is going to take time bcause we have interest in restricted guys. If Big Z and Allen were our only targets, we wouldnt be involved with RFA's.

[falc82]

Jay, Realgm just isnt the same without you. The one place that could always be counted on for the best Hawks information and coverage has now turned into opinionated fantasy lineups that will never happen, rumors, and a voice of the ''hawk's fans'' that doesnt reflect our thinking at all. It makes one appreciate even more the quality of work and dedication that you put into making realgm.com the best source for Hawks information available. The insight and coverage you supplied us fans are seriously lacking now, and your passion for the Hawks that clearly showed through your writing is missed by all. Thanks for supplying us with top notch coverage for the time that you did. It's great to see you around.

[AHF]

Great to see you around again, Jay. That is all very true. Ford loves to advise that teams avoid overpaying certain FAs (like Dampier) and then slam the Hawks for not overpaying the very same people. He does that with a lot of different things with the Hawks. Read his comments and he says in one place that the Hawks are likely candidates to trade for Curry or make him a huge offer; to land Kwame Brown; etc. and then turns around and says the Hawks are ignoring these guys and alienating them.

[Traceman]

We all sure do miss having you around to "check" Chad Ford when he comes out with his typical Hawk-bashing comments! I too think BK has a plan and I trust his talent-evaluating abilities more than any GM we've had around here in a LONG time. Let's see what we look like in 2 years. I think everyone will be pleased with the product.