Atlanta Hawks CEO Steve Koonin understands the road ahead

Sekou Smith knows me. He gets me. He knew I needed something that would lift my spirits a little after Zach Lowe's sympathetic, yet sobering analysis on the Hawks' current standing with free agents in general.

So Smith got one of the most positive folks I've heard in a long time in executive management, Hawks CEO Steve Koonin, and talked to him about the state of the Hawks.

"We will make a very concerted effort, and I personally think we are going to become a haven for free agents," said Hawks part owner and CEO Steve Koonin. "We have so much to offer ... Coach Bud, the style of play and an incredible lifestyle in what I believe is the best city in the world to live in. We've got a team on the ascent and an organization on the rise. History is not an indicator of what's to come."

It's an excellent piece that shows why Smith was one of the best beat writers the city has enjoyed since they moved to Atlanta. His analysis and summation of the current state feeds well into Koonin's statement and acknowledgements of the road ahead.

It's an excellent tonic to the harsh, sour taste of the reality that Lowe bestowed onto the Hawks fans...not a sugary substitute, but a calming reassurance of the change that has happened and the potential revival that it is bringing.