| General Manager Billy Knight has tried the patience of | | | | out in Atlanta's favor. |
| longtime owners of Atlanta Hawks tickets for the | | | | However, the biggest "what-if?" for Hawks fans |
| past few years. His greatest moment may have | | | | going into next year will most certainly be the |
| come in passing over the 2006 Rookie of the Year, | | | | pre-draft trade that wasn't. The trade, reported |
| Brandon Roy, in last year's draft. Billy Knight basically | | | | between the Minnesota Timberwolves, the Phoenix |
| knew he had this year's draft to save his job, and he | | | | Suns, and the Atlanta Hawks, would have allegedly |
| did a pretty good job, landing Al Horford with the | | | | sent Amare Stoudemire, the young offensive big |
| number 3 pick, and Acie Law III - the point guard | | | | man for the Suns, to Atlanta. To be fair, many |
| they so desperately need - at the 11 spot. Whether | | | | aspects of pulling the trigger on this trade were far |
| or not these two picks were enough to save Knight's | | | | outside of Knight's control, as the Hawks are mired in |
| job, the fact remains that they are two solid picks. | | | | a crippling ownership battle at the moment. However, |
| Unfortunately, fans of the Hawks are left ultimately | | | | it was Knight who bit the bullet and was fired |
| to wonder what might have been. | | | | because the Hawks didn't do enough this season. |
| What might have happened, say, if the Hawks had | | | | Draft day came and went without a pick by the |
| not passed on Brandon Roy in last season's draft? | | | | Hawks, and this was Billy Knight's fault. Knight of |
| They might have won more games this year, giving | | | | course no longer works for the Hawks. His reward |
| fans more reason to rush out and buy a few more | | | | for their trip to the playoffs (in which they took the |
| Atlanta Hawks tickets. Then again, if they'd drafted | | | | Celtics to the limit) was his pink slip. The new GM had |
| Roy, they might not have been a lottery team, and | | | | better do a very good job - and quickly - because |
| they might not have had a chance at Al Horford and | | | | the fans in possession of Atlanta Hawks tickets are |
| Acie Law III in 2007. So perhaps things may still work | | | | absolutely rabid about backing a true contender. |