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Hawks owners waiting for Stern's ruling ATLANTA - The owners of the
Atlanta Hawks waited Wednesday for NBA commissioner David Stern to respond to
their request to have co-owner Steve Belkin removed as the team's
governor. The remaining owners in the nine-member Atlanta Spirit LLC group then turned to Stern for permission to remove Belkin, who owns 30 percent of the team. Hawks CEO Bernie Mullin said the NBA "indicated they will give us an expeditious response." It hadn't come by Wednesday afternoon. The owners also have the option of appealing Tuesday's decision to a higher court. First, the owners want a ruling from Stern. "There's nothing yet," team spokesman Tom Hughes. An NBA spokesman did not immediately return a phone message. The rift among the owners followed Belkin's refusal to approve the Hawks' trade for guard Joe Johnson. Atlanta offered a five-year deal to Johnson worth about $70 million, but Belkin's objection was based on what the Hawks would give up in the trade: two first-round picks, second-year guard Boris Diaw and a $4.9 million trade exception. "Steve Belkin simply thinks that's too much to pay for Joe Johnson," Belkin's lawyer, John Fabiano, told the judge. The feud between the owners has overshadowed offseason attempts to improve the team with the fewest wins in the NBA last season. Johnson, a five-year veteran who has played for Boston and Phoenix, averaged 17.1 points per game for the Suns last season. Mullin says the trade for Johnson can't be finalized until the owners'
dispute is settled.
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