Moments after the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported the sale of the Atlanta Hawks to California businessman Alex Meruelo won't happen after all, Atlanta Spirit Group entity Bruce Levenson confirmed the news:
"The Atlanta Hawks are no longer for sale," he added. "We're excited to remain as owners of the Hawks and are committed to building on our string of four straight playoff appearances."
So there you have it. Whenever the NBA lockout ends, the Hawks will be a money-making property of the Atlanta Spirit Group again. We know the ASG wants to leave Atlanta sports after unloading the Thrashers and attempting to sell the Hawks, but they'll have to find a way to win back an audience unimpressed by the exact same kind of playoff appearance year-in, year-out.
Meruelo will be remembered for giving a press conference and then disappearing. We sincerely appreciate his efforts in attempting to change Atlanta pro basketball.
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