Danny Ferry’s complicated legacy in Atlanta
Now that Danny Ferry has stepped down as general manager of the Atlanta Hawks after a controversial and successful run with the organization, what is his lasting legacy?
The Atlanta Hawks shook up the status quo in the NBA last season by recording the best record in the Eastern Conference and setting records, all while failing to conform to the norms of today’s star-driven league.
They were lauded for their selflessness and team-first mantra, yet their regular season greatness took a backseat in the media spotlight down the stretch. With the Golden State Warriors’ improbable 67-win season and an intense battle between Steph Curry and James Harden for the MVP Award garnering all the headlines, the Hawks continued to take a back seat.
Much like the team he assembled, the accomplishments of now-departed Hawks general manager Danny Ferry will fly under the radar as well, but in his case, this is far from a positive.
Ferry was forced to watch from afar as the team he built went on to finish the 2014-2015 season with 60 wins, the most in franchise history. He was away from the organization on an indefinite leave of absence due to fallout from a racially insensitive scouting report on Luol Deng of the Miami Heat, which he read aloud during a conference call. The incident was taped and leaked to the media, thrusting Ferry and team into a PR nightmare.
Below is the excerpt from the scouting report that landed Ferry in hot water, via Sports Illustrated:
"“He’s a good guy on the cover but he’s an African. He has a little two-step in him. (He) says what you like to hear, but behind closed doors he could be killing you. Con isn’t bad, but it’s there.”"
It was repeating these words that would ultimately lead to Ferry’s departure, as he concluded his exile by stepping down from the team on Monday.
As a result, Ferry leaves behind an extremely complicated legacy in Atlanta.
On one hand, he spoke a racially insensitive comment, something that is absolutely unacceptable, regardless of his intentions. On the other, he has been forgiven by Deng, received support from NBA commissioner Adam Silver and was essentially exonerated when an investigation found no racial bias or malice on Ferry’s behalf given the full context of the conference call.
The following findings by Bernard Taylor, who led the investigation, make it even more difficult to determine where the Hawks former general manager stands in the aftermath. Per USA Today:
"“The facts indicated that you repeated comments that were not your own about Mr. Deng from a scouting report during the call, and there was no evidence to indicate that during the call you acted in a manner motivated by negative bias toward Mr. Deng, his race or his country or origin. In fact, you strongly recommended Luol Deng and attempted to sign him for the team.”"
Ultimately, Danny Ferry’s legacy will be that of a cautionary tale.
Instead of winning the NBA’s Executive of the Year Award, as he surely would have for the Hawks’ 22-game turnaround, Ferry spent last season at home as his masterpiece steamrolled through the Eastern Conference.
Some team will will give him another chance, as it should. His resume speaks for itself, and wherever he lands, he can make people forget about the mishap with a simple formula: winning.
When all is said and done, Ferry made a big mistake, and one that severely tarnished his public image. That does not make him a racist. It will take some time for the air to clear, but he will be remembered in Atlanta for the contender he built, not the out-of-context comments he made.
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