Belkin sues Hawks partners

Hawks are officially the most screwed up franchiselink

Belkin sues Hawks partners

By TIM TUCKER
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 08/04/05
The bitter battle within the Atlanta Hawks' ownership group escalated Thursday when one of the owners took his partners to court and got a restraining order against them.

The order, sought by Steve Belkin in a Boston court, temporarily prohibits the majority of the Hawks' owners from removing him as the team's NBA governor — a position Belkin has used this week to block a trade his partners want to make with the Phoenix Suns for guard Joe Johnson.

Thursday's legal salvo is the latest setback for a troubled franchise that has struggled for years to win games, fans and credibility.

The Boston-based Belkin filed the lawsuit against his partners after they called a meeting for Friday to vote on removing him as the Hawks' governor.

One of Belkin's partners, Atlanta businessman Michael Gearon Jr., responded to the court action: "We are aware of the lawsuit filed by Steve Belkin in Boston. We will not allow that to deter us from building a winning team in Atlanta."

In an e-mail to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Belkin wrote: "Some of my fellow co-owners took action to prevent me from doing what I believe is in the best interests of the franchise, consistent with my role as NBA governor. There was no option but to seek legal protection."

It's hardly the first clash between Belkin and his partners in the nine-man group that bought the Hawks, Thrashers and Philips Arena operating rights from Time Warner last year. At the time, Belkin and the others professed confidence that the far-flung group — which would work well together.

But barely a year later, in late April, Belkin and two of the other principal owners — Gearon and the Washington-based Bruce Levenson — were summoned to New York for a meeting with NBA commissioner David Stern and a league committee to discuss discord within the partnership.

At the time, Belkin said the league's message was: "Hey, you guys, work it out."

Thursday, the league refused to address the worsened situation.

"All we're going to say is, this is an internal team matter," NBA spokesman Brian McIntyre said. "Due to the pending litigation, we decline comment."

Dominique Wilkins, former Hawks star and current team vice president, did comment: "This is real damaging. This can't work if everybody is pulling in different directions."

At the center of the dispute is a proposed trade that would send guard Boris Diaw and two future first-round draft picks from the Hawks to Phoenix for Johnson, who would sign a five-year, $70 million contract to play for Atlanta. The trade is favored by the Hawks' management and all of the owners except Belkin.

Belkin's lawsuit, which seeks a permanent injunction prohibiting his removal as governor, contends that his partners "seek to oust [him] . . . merely because they disagree with [him] over the day-to-day management of the Atlanta Hawks, because Belkin has been unwilling, based on prudent business considerations" to approve the Johnson trade.

A hearing is scheduled for 11 a.m. Tuesday in Suffolk County Superior Court in Boston. The court ordered that "in the meantime" the defendants "desist and refrain" from removing Belkin as governor.

Belkin has declined to be interviewed this week about the situation, but in an e-mail to the Journal-Constitution on Thursday, he said he wants Johnson on the team but is opposed to the proposed deal because he believes the Hawks would be giving up too much in return.

"As NBA governor . . . I have the responsibility to manage the business and affairs of the team and to look out for the best interests of the team," Belkin wrote. "In that capacity, I am charged with authorizing any player signing or trade. Like my fellow co-owners, I have supported signing Joe Johnson for the Hawks under contract terms proposed by general manager Billy Knight.

"However, I cannot support, in my capacity as NBA governor, a sign-and-trade that involves two first-round draft picks and a quality player, which I believe would be giving up too much of our future. I remain hopeful that Joe Johnson will be wearing a Hawks uniform next year, and that a deal can be completed in a manner that allows us to build around Joe in the future."

Said Gearon: "My other partners and I will continue to commit our financial resources, as evidenced [this week] by the signing of the biggest free agent in the history of the Thrashers, Bobby Holik."

Gearon expressed hope that a trade for Johnson still might get done. Belkin's e-mail seems to suggest he'd be open to a variation of the proposed trade - perhaps one that gives up fewer first-round draft picks.

Phoenix CEO Jerry Colangelo told reporters in Phoenix on Thursday the Suns would only agree to the current deal with the Hawks.

Under an agreement struck between Belkin and his partners when their Hawks-Thrashers purchase was consummated last year, he was given a five-year term as the team's NBA governor. The agreement allows for his removal "only on two narrow and explicit grounds," according to the lawsuit filed Thursday. Those grounds are identified as casting a vote at an NBA Board of Governors meeting that does not reflect the wishes of a majority of the Hawks' owners, or taking any action that legally binds the team against the wishes of a majority of the owners.

Belkin's lawsuit contends that his position on the Johnson trade does not meet either of those grounds for removal as governor.

Belkin holds a 30 percent stake in the ownership group, while the Washington-based partners — principally Levenson and Ed Peskowitz — own 40 percent and the Atlanta-based partners - led by Gearon and Rutherford Seydel — own 30 percent.

I agree with him. The suns have there back against the wall. If they don't want to give them the money, why sign him to a blockbuster deal only to have a guy that really hates to be there?

The guy has lost it. When you refer to Boris Diaw as a quality player, you have lost any grip on reality and deserve to get the boot.

Boris Diaw is a quality player? What's next? Eddie Jones and Rasual Butler for JWilliams, Antoine Walker and James Posey? Malik Rose for Nazr Mohammed? Crazy shit!

I agree the Suns probably bluffed the picks and Diaw out of Atlanta. Hawks likely could have at most given up an extraneous Diaw. But damn this franchise is looking like fools and what FA will want to deal with them in the future unless there are major changes in ownership.

NBA first round draft picks have about a 50% stick rate, that is, 50% are in the league after their rookie deal expires. The two picks are lottery protected, so those odds probably go down from there. The trade boils down to Diaw, plus one guy out of two who might stick or bring you something in return. That's not a ton to give up for a player of Joe J's quality.

Where does this leave the Suns though? If Belkin is successful, I would imagine the Suns would pull the max offer for JJ off the table. Or do they? Do they risk him being even more disenchanted?

I think Belkin is playing hardball and he may get JJ with reduced or no compensation. The Suns can back off the demand of asking for one of the picks and it's still decent on their side. Otherwise, Belkin convinces the owners to simply sign JJ to an offer sheet and bet that the Suns don't match.

If the court decision goes his way, Belkin can't lose.

The trade either doesn't go down in it's existing form (which he is against anyway), the Suns would accept something less (which is what he wants) or JJ is signed to an offer sheet and they either get him without compensation (what he really wants) or the Suns match and he doesn't have to give up what he considers to be too much for him.

i think for phoenix anything they get is better than lossing JJ in FA and for atlanta everything they give make it worst since they will pay JJ the same amount? am i wrong?

Belkin better not screw up that trade. :makemyday

This is so lame though. They are getting one of the tougher guards in the league at both ends of the floor in exchange for a bench scrub and two draft picks that they would probably fuck up anyway.

This guy makes Dennis Rodman look sane.

Typical Hawks.

The others want to win, the other idiot wants to remain bad.

Id buy him out if I were the others and

WTF? Get the deal done, Atlanta. Removing JJ from the Suns would be a huge win for the Spurs.

One pick is an Atlanta pick that is only protected through the first three picks in '07 and unprotected in '08. Suns could end up with a damn good player as the deal stands.

Maybe the Spurs should offer one of their picks to help the deal go through....

If Atlanta offers a max frontloaded contract to JJ, the Suns will not match.

At this point there's no good outcome.

If Belkin gets his way the there's no compensation offered to the Suns. If Sarver lets Johnson walk now uncompensated after getting some picks and Diaw earlier an already angry Suns fan base will go lynch mob. Sarver will have a tough choice.

If Belkin doesn't get his way there'll be a messy public lawsuit that Stern won't be happy about and an already disillusioned Hawk's fan base will totally turn off from the team.

If the Hawks pull the offer Johnson will be screwed now with teams that had cap space off the table and he could have to go back and take a lowball offer from the Suns. No FA will ever deal with the Hawk's front office again which after this they may not anyays.

Ladies and gentlemen, your 2007-2008 Las Vegas Rollers, with new ownership group to boot.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Aggie Hoopsfan

Ladies and gentlemen, your 2007-2008 Las Vegas Rollers, with new ownership group to boot.

---

That would be awesome news for the Hornets... they could go back East http://www.spurstalk.com/forums/imag...ies/smilol.gif

this has been discussed every which way possible here(radio, tv, boards, etc). Bottom line is JoJo doesn't want to play here, but the Suns still own him. They WILL match the offer if the trade falls through. Suns still have the upper hand no matter which way anyone tries to distort it.

With or W/O JoJo the Suns will do fine.

Someone's gotta go if they match. The hand isn't as high as some might think.

It's already known that Marion will be out the door next Summer.

Like I said.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by BillsCarnage

With or W/O JoJo the Suns will do fine.

---

If Sarver ends up signing Johnson to that $70 million deal you better hope it's enough because it'll be vet minimums from now until doomsday.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Aggie Hoopsfan

Ladies and gentlemen, your 2007-2008 Las Vegas Rollers, with new ownership group to boot.

---

I was thinking the same thing, a la Washington Nationals/Montreal Expos.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by picnroll

If Sarver ends up signing Johnson to that $70 million deal you better hope it's enough because it'll be vet minimums from now until doomsday.

---

Kinda like the Spurs?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by BillsCarnage

Kinda like the Spurs?

---

With the Spurs it is enough. Check the banners next time you come to SA. :smokin

I can see where Belkin is coming from (except on the Boris Diaw point. He's not a quality player). If Johnson doesn't want to be a Sun, I don't understand why Atlanta would be in a position to have to offer compensation. Atlanta has some lackluster management.

The Atlanta Hawks: We Make The Clippers Look Good

:lmao :lmao :lmao :lmao :lmao :lmao

You fucking idiot Belkin! Your the one who blocked the trade. Uhh Joe J is way better than Boris Diaw....this guy is a fucking idiot and should be shot.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Aggie Hoopsfan

Ladies and gentlemen, your 2007-2008 Las Vegas Rollers, with new ownership group to boot.

---

Food for thought. I hadn't considered that, AHF. Kudos...you called it first.

Quite honestly, I'm surprised things like this doesn't happen more often (sans the lawsuit). Namely, multiple owners on one team disagreeing on acquiring/firing personnel and players.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Notorious H.O.P.

Maybe the Spurs should offer one of their picks to help the deal go through....

---

:lol