Sports Page Atlanta

Wednesday, May 28th, 2008 marks the beginning of the Rick Sund era as General manager of the Atlanta Hawks. Sund has worked in NBA front offices for more than 30 years, including time with Milwaukee, Dallas, Detroit and most recently the Seattle SuperSonics, where he was a consultant for the Sonics after serving as the team’s GM from 2001-07. Sund is now working as co-chairman of the NBA predraft camp in Orlando, and is expected to make his first day in Atlanta next Wednesday.

Sund’s first order of business is seemingly what to do about head coach Mike Woodson, who’s contract expires at the end of June. Instead of that decision, Sund says there are more important things on his mind to consider.

“As to where we go from here, most of the basketball staff is here,” Sund said. “I met with them tonight in an introductory fashion. I told them my first step here is to be a very good listener for the next week. I need to spend some time listening to ownership, listening to the management staff and then some of the players.” “I don’t have a magic formula today,” Sund said. “What I’m going to do is come in next week and meet with the staff and obviously talk with some of the players and get a lay of the land before we proceed to do anything. Once we do that, we’ll go forward.

“Right now, my plan is to take one step back and get a good lay of the land and be a real good listener for the next week and a half.”

“An outsider looking in always has a fresh perspective,” Sund said. “You can’t go crazy with that perspective, though. What we do have, however, is tremendous growth potential. Acie Law hasn’t reached his full growth potential. Al Horford hasn’t reached his full growth potential. Josh Smith, Josh Childress and Marvin Williams, none of those guys have reached their full growth potential yet. And that is a major plus.

“Like I said, it’s an exciting time right now for the Hawks. But there is a lot of work to be done the next few years. So for me, it’s a great time to come in and be a part of what’s going on now and in the future.”

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