A former Hawks employee has been charged with fraud and embezzling $3.8MM from the franchise, according to an indictment brought last week by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia, The Athletic’s Mike Vorkunov, Joe Vardon and Sam Amick report.
Lester Jones, who was the team’s senior vice president of financial planning and analysis, reportedly charged trips to the Bahamas, Hawaii, Thailand, Switzerland and other countries; paid for a Porsche; and bought tickets to concerts and other events on corporate credit cards. Jones was in a romantic relationship with another team employee and allegedly bought her expensive gifts via corporate funds.
Evidence of his alleged crimes was uncovered through a team-backed audit. Jones pleaded not guilty and was released on a $10K bond last week.
We have more on the Southeast Division:
- Hawks star guard Trae Young has a sprained MCL and will miss at least four weeks, but head coach Quin Snyder said the team was relieved that there’s no major structural damage, which would have sidelined Young for even longer, ESPN’s Ohm Youngmisuk tweets. Snyder added that “other guys will have to be more involved as play-makers, and that requires different actions,” Brad Rowland of Locked On Hawks tweets. Young excels in the pick-and-roll game, but Atlanta will alter its schemes until he returns.
- Norman Powell returned to the Heat lineup after a three-game absence on Monday, but his fill-in Pelle Larsson remained in the starting five. Head coach Erik Spoelstra moved struggling big man Kel’el Ware to the bench as the Heat went small against the Clippers, a game which Miami won by a point. “I know probably people will point to Kel’el and say it’s a demotion. It’s not,” Spoelstra said, per Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald. “I know there will be some teams that it makes more sense to play big. We have a team that it makes more sense to use our versatility. Sometimes it changes the starting lineup to do that.”
- LaMelo Ball was sidelined for the Hornets’ game against New Orleans Tuesday due to a right ankle injury, according to NBA.com. Ball also missed the Hornets’ previous game, a 23-point win over Utah on Sunday. He is averaging 23.3 points, 7.8 rebounds and 9.8 assists per contest while shooting 43% overall and 33.3% on three-pointers. Charlotte lost to the previously winless Pelicans, 116-112.
Almost all SVP’s in all of corporate America are corrupt as sin.
Yeah, they are all sociopaths. It’s weird when they are held accountable for anything.
The wording on the Snider quote makes it seem like popular believe would be that the Hawks WERE hoping Young’s knee injury would be more serious. That wasn’t his direct quote.
Young is a top PG. He is the real package on offense. Top assist guy and great scorer. That helps him be a closer. Get well player ……
Dyson is one of best moves Hawks have made. Like Bridges playing next to Brunson. Great D players who can watch their backs. They take on all the harder D assignments. Dyson also has positional size. He’s becoming a special player.
Big win tonight without Trae. Magic going thru changes, still like their team.
Dyson — 35 mins, 18 pts, 6 reb, 6 ast, 2 stl, .86.9% FG
Al, the same thing that you said about Trae just now, you never give Luka ANY credit, you harp on his defense or lack there off consistently, yet you won’t mention the defense/effort that Trae does? Everyone knows that Trae is a porous defender.
I’m curious to what you see that makes Trae a better defender than Luka, or did you not want to mention his defense and still bring up Luka’s on majority of every post?
Ok but I have explained this.
Luka plays hero ball. Cause he comes from euro ball where he is a God. Trae doesn’t play that way never has. Although Luka has tamed it down on hero ball, mostly.
Trae is a weak defender cause of his size. Not because he doesn’t try. Luka lol doesn’t even run back on defense. He does this more than any player in NBA. He has no respect for defensive side of ball. And teams have always let him get away with it. I have never seen a guy argue more with refs about calls when he should be playing D. EVER than Luka lol. This can’t go over well with your teammates.
Luka may never be a good defender. But with his size and knowledge. He should be a decent team defender. And that’s where your team can help you. Like Dyson does for Trae. They are not the same. Luka chooses to not play D better.
Up until now. Luka has behaved better in LA. But if you watch him off the ball. He still doesn’t care about playing D imo. I could never have that on my team. Especially from your max guy.
Al, thats such a cop out saying Trae’s size is the reason why he doesn’t play great defense. In a must win game last spring he had 2 or 3 chances to grab the rebound and allowed Davion Mitchell to hit a back breaking 3 to send Miami to the 8th seed. That’s the type of player Trae is. Not arguing about what you said on Luka, but Trae doesnt even care to make any plays other than being an offensive player. That sequence epitomizes Trae young as a basketball player. He doesn’t do the little things, he’s a smaller James Harden in my eyes.
Have you ever played competitive. Cause I have.
Davion Mitchell is twice as thick as Trae (6’ 205 lbs). And everyone has his day lol. I have seen enough of both of them to stand by what I say. Offensive talents like both of them. Are not asked to kill themselves on D. Yet they both know when you need to make a stand. I have seen Trae play solid team D against Knicks in playoffs and in big games. They aren’t the same to me. I dog Luka cause he has a chance to be one of greats. Yet chooses not to show up on D. Cause he 100% believes he can get it back on O. He believes he can score twice as much as you. So doesn’t care if you score on him..
MJ didn’t have to be first team all D. Neither Kobe or Pippen. Luka doesn’t belong with them. Not the OneWay Wonder. I can name 100 HOFers who played real D.
Why is that a cop out. I’m a small guard 5’8”. I can tell you when you step up in talent. It’s no joke. They are bigger and as quick and three times as strong as you. Trae is barely 6’ without shoes. I have stood next to him from afar. Thats measured at combuine. His weight is listed at 164 lbs now.
My best weight is 165lbs in top shape. I can imagine how easily he gets pushed around. You play D by positioning. But you need strenght to make it work. If Trae had Lukas body. He might go down as greatest ever.
What does his thickness have to do with him rebounding the ball that’s right in front of him?
I like young also. He elevates his teammates like no one in the league and can destroy a defense like Tyrese maxey. Surround him with a solid defense and reap the rewards. The dude is clutch and deadly from 3. Draws fouls like Embiid which I love.
Up to now, he seems to be a looser producing empty stats and no defence.
He is still with the Hawks, because no GM im the League shares your view and wants to give the Hawks the return a “top PG” should bring
What makes you think they would trade him now. Dyson just got extended. Why do you think that happened.
Isnt Trae a Free agent at the end of the year? I don’t know on the top of my head but if they wanted to keep him, they would have offered him the max over the summer?