Posted on Thu, May. 08, 2008

NBA NOTES

Hawks GM says it's time to 'take a break'

Wire Reports

NBAE/SCOTT CUNNINGHAM

After rebuilding the Atlanta Hawks, Billy Knight is stepping down.

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Billy Knight will resign as general manager of the Atlanta Hawks in July, despite leading the team to its first playoff appearance in nine years.

Knight said Wednesday it was time to "take a break" following a season when his authority appeared to be weakened by unsuccessful lobbying with owners to fire coach Mike Woodson.

Knight will step down July 1.

The Hawks, absent from the playoffs since 1999, lost in the first round to the heavily favored Boston Celtics in seven games. Over six years, Knight played the lead role in rebuilding the Hawks and ended the NBA's longest playoff drought.

One of the team's owners, Michael Gearon Jr., said Knight's resignation did not affect Woodson's status.

"You cannot tie the two together," Gearon told The Associated Press. "Frankly, this was not a decision by us, it was a decision by Billy."

Knight, 55, rebuilt the roster with younger players. The Hawks were 37-45 in the regular season to earn the No. 8 playoff seed in the Eastern Conference.

McGrady has surgery

Rockets guard Tracy McGrady could need three months to recover following operations on his knee and shoulder.

Loose tissue was cleared out of his left knee and left shoulder. McGrady sprained his shoulder against Sacramento on March 24 and wore padding to protect it for the rest of the season, which ended Friday against Utah in the first round of the playoffs.

The procedures, both considered minor, were done Tuesday.

Briefly

Sonics: A trial that likely will determine where the Seattle SuperSonics play next season will begin June 16 as scheduled. U.S. District Judge Marsha Pechman in Seattle denied a motion by the team's owners for her to rule on how much money Seattle could be awarded in damages should the Sonics leave the city before the start of next season.

Hawks: Atlanta forward Marvin Williams was suspended one game without pay for committing a flagrant foul 2 in the Hawks' Game 7 playoff loss in Boston. Williams will serve the suspension the first game of next season.

Lakers: Center Andrew Bynum, who hasn't played since Jan. 13, might undergo exploratory arthroscopic surgery on his injured left knee if there is no significant improvement in the next three to four weeks. Bynum was examined Wednesday.

Pacers: Indiana promoted David Morway to general manager. Morway, who had been senior vice president of basketball operations, will oversee salary cap issues and help president of basketball operations Larry Bird with personnel decisions.

Nets: New Jersey forward Richard Jefferson was charged with assault. He is accused of grabbing another man by the throat in a Minneapolis club earlier this year. Jefferson's first court hearing is set for June 18.