Atlanta Hawks Face Turmoil 2 Years Removed From Maiden Ring
Sept 15, 2015 7:23:00 GMT
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Post by BANNAK on Sept 15, 2015 7:23:00 GMT
The 2041 season was a time for celebration for the Atlanta Hawks as they were able to capture their first elusive ring after seasons of heartbreak endured in both the Mirotic and Issel eras. The Big 3 was in full swing, with Majerle heading towards the end of his prime while Bender and Artamonov were well on the way to their own. Yet just a year later, after a disappointing playoff run, the team was broken up. Majerle and Beka were traded to Dallas for the 3rd overall pick as the Hawks looked to avoid HC complications.
The Hawks racist owner had his eyes fixated firmly on selecting Mehmet Okur with one of the picks; however what was to be done with the other remained a mystery. Rumours had the Hawks trading down to possibly select Turkoglu, Okur's heterosexual life partner, or Mike Miller, two players who the owner believed would fit in nicely with the already established core. GM Bannak, however, in a move very similar to the Charlie Scott selection, persuaded the owner that Steve Francis was indeed white.
Atlanta started off the season on an incredible run, managing to go 22-3 in their first 25 games. The racist owner, Mr Kinglsey, was on vacation in Alabama and missed the first quarter of the season. Coach Nikola Mirotic had successfully Space-Jammed his abilities into Bender, Artamonov was playing at an MVP level and the young trio of Stojakovic, Okur and Francis were all playing great together. However when Mr Kingsley returned to the team, everything seemingly fell apart.
The rest of the season turned into mediocrity at best, with the Hawks barely being able to stay above .500 in their remaining games, culminated by a crushing first round defeat to the Orlando Magic in the first round of the playoffs.
Dejected and disheartened, the Hawks went their separate ways at seasons end.
Okur went back to Turkey to enter the 2043 Istanbul Monobrow Invitational.
Bender, Artamonov and Stojakovic camped together in the Swiss mountains in what many dubbed "Hawkback Mountain."
Derek Anderson, the team's token black guy, took the first plane out of Atlanta, thankful to escape with his life.
However, the true turmoil begins with Steve Francis. Due to the overwhelming racism shown by Hawks owner Mr. Kingsley, combined with not getting an invite to Hawkback Moutain or the 2043 I.M.I in Turkey, turned to drugs.
Left: Steve Francis during media availability before the start of the regular season. Right: Francis just a year prior, celebrating the Hawks 22nd win in 25 games.
Francis turned to a life of drugs during the offseason, in which he never trained and barely practiced anything other than optimal toking techniques. The 2nd year guard who the Hawks had hoped would help fill the void left by Majerle failed to show any drastic improvement, and many reporters are beginning to question who is at fault: Francis himself, or the Atlanta Hawks front office?
The team would struggle in the early stages of the season, with Dragan Bender reportedly demanding a trade. Rumours believe a rift was created between Stojakovic and Bender, as both believed they should be the primary scorer on the team, as well as both believing they should be Artamonov's best friend. Both men claim their time with Artamonov in the Swiss Mountains was 'magical' and 'life-changing'.
The rivalry between Bender and Stojakovic reached a point during one post game press conference. After a big win, Stojakovic declared the other team the 'Croatia of the NBA', a direct hit at Bender. The next day at training, as Stojakovic went in for a layup, he was elbowed in the skull by Bender, who then proceeded to "accidentally" drop his elbow into his skull a second time after he "slipped". The incident is already being discussed about being made into a 30 for 30: Once Brothers 2 - Bender Bites Back.
Stojakovic was rushed to the hospital and received the best medical care Atlanta could offer.
With the team in shambles, there are severe doubts whether or not Atlanta will be able to come together in time for the playoffs. Bender is loving the limelight with Stojakovic out, putting up career high numbers in almost every department. The only question is what will happen to the team when Stojakovic comes back, and if Steve Francis will ever drop his crack habit. One thing is for sure, the Hawks will need to change their entire mentality if they want to improve.
