Former NBA star Jeff Teague addressed his stint with the Atlanta Hawks on the ‘Out The Mud‘ podcast. He noted that he didn’t enjoy the process of landing his extension with the Hawks. Teague explained how then-Hawks GM Danny Ferry berated him and told him he’d have to find another team to pay him what he wanted.
Teague went out and did just that, getting an offer from the Milwaukee Bucks. After telling the GM he didn’t want to play for him in very colorful language, Teague flew to Milwaukee to buy a house. It was there where the GM lauded his business acumen and informed him that the Hawks were matching the Bucks’ offer and he would be returning to Atlanta very soon.
“My extension was wack. I was hyped to get the money. But the way Atlanta made me do it was wack. I’m having a good year. They’re like, ‘Yeah, but you gotta go find the money. We ain’t extending you. You’re a restricted-free agent. Danny Ferry… The next day at practice, he just comes into the film room. He’s the GM, but he snaps on me. ‘You don’t play any f**king defense. You don’t do all this sh*t…'”
“He didn’t like me. He kept telling me, ‘You’re not my guy.’ I knew when the extension came, I wasn’t getting that sh*t. I found it with Milwaukee, and I signed it. I had to call him. The best call of my life. I called him, and I was like, ‘I hate everything about you. I hate how you talk.’ This is stuff he said to me. ‘I do not want to play for you, I do not want to be part of your team. Please don’t sign this. I don’t f**k with you.'”
“He was like, ‘Okay, cool.’ I signed the extension. We all fly to Milwaukee the next day. They took me to buy the house. He called and was like, ‘Hahahaha, this is how the NBA works. Way to do business. Good job. See you in Atlanta next week… We’re matching it, bye.’ And then he just hung up.”
Jeff Teague had a brilliant 2012-13 season with the Atlanta Hawks, averaging 14.6 points, 7.2 assists, 2.3 rebounds, 1.5 steals, and 0.4 blocks per game while shooting 45.1% from the field, 35.9% from beyond the arc, and 88.1% from the free-throw line.
When it came time for his extension, the Hawks extended just a $4.5 million contract extension offer, which allowed him to become a restricted free agent as he was on his rookie contract. 10 days later, the Bucks made him a four-year $32 million contract offer, which Teague accepted. However, three days later, the Hawks decided to match the offer, which they are allowed to do with players on expiring rookie contracts.
GM Danny Ferry clearly didn’t like the way Teague carried himself as a player. But he acknowledged just how well he played the game. Luckily for Teague, after returning to the Hawks, he wouldn’t have to deal with Ferry for too long after this, as he would end up leaving the team after a scandal.
In the end, Teague got a taste of what business is like in the NBA. No matter how good a player you are, you will be treated as a commodity and be bargained with.
