Al Harrington: Limbo Rock
The latest in a summer-long soap opera…
One of the first posts I wrote on here, back while we were trying to figure out how all this stuff worked, was about Al Harrington and the Hawks. And as we wrote two weeks ago, Al Harrington’s people said there were three teams in play for his services.
Well, I heard today that there’s one team left in play: Indiana, which is close to trading for Harrington and a brand new 6 year, $60 million contract that’s waiting for his signature.
In return, they’d give up — get this — nobody! A draft pick and cash is all Atlanta would receive. No Jeff Foster? No David Harrison? Not even Danny Granger? (He’s a swingman, after all.) Nope. Just cash and picks, which sounds like a country music song.
From what I hear, this is nearly completed, and RealGM even said it was going to happen today, then amended that to say that nothing was going to happen today. I spoke with a veteran NBA-related person today who’s been closely following all of this and was told the hold-up in making something happen so far has been Atlanta.
Someone once vented to me that working with Hawks GM Billy Knight can be “frustrating.”
But hey, isn’t that how all good leaders are? They frustrate you, they tell their followers (the fans) that they’re not as smart as their leader, when you shake their hand they try to squeeze the bones out of it. Then, when you’re not looking, they just might rob you blind. Or the other way around.
17 Responses to “Al Harrington: Limbo Rock”
Jul.21 at 5:19 pm
Vyse says:
That’s good. The Hawks do not need to take on more salary anyway. What’s the big deal? Whatever they get for Al is a bonus. Whatever you do, just don’t lock yourself into another stupid deal by trading for a Stephen Jackson or something and losing that financial flexibility.
Jul.21 at 5:58 pm
DP says:
Al Harrington needs to go back to Indiana because there he was a good role player which is what he should be. At Atlanta, he tried to be the star to much when clearly the leader of the team is JJ! Al needs to go back to role playing cause he isn’t that good as the number1 option.
Jul.21 at 11:02 pm
PIMPN says:
this isnt done yet? damn indy is lookin to be a solid team next year, but whos gon be the point???
Jul.22 at 1:13 pm
Mill1 says:
I guess everybody is forgetting this is the same Indiana with Rick C who dumped Harrington. Nothing has changed minus Artest which makes them weaker. Al needs a change of address maybe there blood enemies the Pistons. Billy King needs to call Joe Dumars and at least try to get something. I’m definately rooting for the Hawks. Delfino would look nice in a hawk jersey can anyone say Ginobli…
Jul.22 at 3:11 pm
Adam says:
I agree with DP
Harrington isn’t a very good first option and Joe Jhonson is a comer who needs to shine.Hawks should be dissaponted, who’s their big guy now?
Jul.22 at 4:03 pm
sheyne says:
harrington was ballin why you think he’s gonna get about 60 million? joe johnson is tight but harrington is really coming into his own and if he goes to indiana he’ll take a lot of the pressure jermaine oneal, yea they lost artest but harrington wasnt near the ball player he is now. the hawks do have marvin williams and josh smith to fill the 3 and the 4. harrington should give the pacers a lot more versatility.
Jul.22 at 5:11 pm
Angelo says:
As an Indiana fan i’m torn about the trade, all i’m thinking about is the chip and any trade we make, the question that needs to be asked is does it push us to the elite, and i don’t think our rotation is durable or good enough. Seriously how does tinsley (who’d be great if every season was as short as’99) johnson, jackson, jones, Daniels,granger, foster, harrington, harrison and o’neal match up to miami dallas, even the suns clippers even detroit sans Wallace the minor.This rotation to me has the look of another 2nd round and out disaster. Missing a spark. In short Harrington is not the answer. Why not package Tinsley, jackson and harrison and see if we can get a quality scorer?
Jul.22 at 6:33 pm
anthony says:
Atlanta would be dumb to not get a player for Harrington. We need a big man to help Pachulia and Shelden Williams, the pick who will not be a scoring option for the team. I personally think we should trade Harrington to the Dallas Mavericks and get our draft pick back since we’ll not be making the playoffs again. Other than that, we should try acquiring marquis Daniels or Stephen Jackson.
Jul.22 at 7:23 pm
chad says:
You forgot to mention the 7.5 million trade exception. Atlanta would get half of that to complete a deal in the next calendar year.
Jul.23 at 4:01 pm
i.favors says:
I hope that Al Harrington will help the Pacers back to NBA Final contention, he’s proven he’s a force to be reckon with and the Hawks can get some nice draft picks and have some bonus money to spend.
Jul.23 at 5:43 pm
a sad hawk fan freddy q says:
All i have to say is ..if the Hawks dont get get Tinsley or Harrison in this trade the whole front office and owners need to quit. I know Tinsley stay on the IR but he is worth the risk. When right Tinsley is a top 10 point guard no question asked
Jul.23 at 7:33 pm
Dejay says:
Are you serious? For all of the talk of how the Hawks will improve from the pieces acquired for Harrington, a mid-late draft pick and $$$ is the best they can do? If you ever wondered why there are empty seats for their games, this should be Exhibit A if it turns out to be true. And if you ever wondered why hoop fans across this country haven’t taken this franchise seriously since ‘Nique was in his prime, this should be Exhibit A. A 26-year old forward, who’s 6-9, and averages 18/7 gets moved for a draft pick on a team who’s notorious for wasting them? Ridiculous. As for the pick, I would feel optimistic about it if they haven’t gone the last 22 years between drafting its last All-Star (Kevin Willis in 1984). Another super start to a super summer in Atlanta. When does football season start again??
Jul.27 at 2:48 am
Tony G says:
If i had been making three trips to my computer every day, just waiting to see what the Hawks get for harrington, and it turns out to just be a draft pick, i will be crushed. this trade has taken a month longer than it should have just to be so simple?? honestly, if the hawks don’t end up with harrison or somehow jamaal magloire, than they did not realize how valuable harrington truly is, a problem the hawks oftfen have. (i.e. antoine walker, rasheed wallace, hell, even though he never would have been good in atlanta boris diaw!) i really believe harrison or magloire are the only two players out there the hawks should go after for harrington.
Jul.27 at 8:54 am
Mighty says:
is there anyway hawks can get danny granger instead of harrison?
Aug.1 at 12:12 pm
AL Who? says:
the hawks got ripped off in that deal
the pacers should have traded someone for harrington, seing how they already have too many players
Aug.1 at 12:16 pm
RiPP OFFF.. says:
talk about trying to rebuild a team full of young talent once agian the pacers ripp off another team this summer they should give altlanta stephen jackson, or danny garinger harrinton did 18 points 7 reboubds this summer RIPP OFF
Aug.23 at 2:50 am
» Three Strikes, Harrington’s Out - SLAM Online says:
[…] Back in July, I wrote here that I had heard the Hawks and Pacers were ready to swap Al Harrington for more or less nothing — a first round pick and cash. […]