Atlanta Hawks fans are not reacting well to franchise owner Tony Ressler’s latest decision and are making their feelings clear on social media. Although the Hawks made it to the Eastern Conference Finals in 2021, the team has seen very little postseason success since then.
After losing their first play-in tournament game to the Orlando Magic and then losing their second must-win game to the Miami Heat, the Hawks failed to qualify for the playoffs and have already begun a long offseason.
Since this is not the outcome that the franchise hoped for this season, the decision to fire General Manager Landry Fields was announced, and the fanbase reacted strongly.
Atlanta Hawks Fans Call Out Tony Ressler for Replacing Landry Fields Within Three Seasons
Ressler has the final say regarding hiring and firing upper management for the Hawks. He likely had a direct hand in Fields’ removal and his replacement with Onsi Saleh.
When Fields initially took over as the Hawks’ GM, his vision was to develop a championship-caliber roster and focus on developing young players. While all that sounds good on paper, Hawks management decided to go in another direction and promoted Saleh to his previous position as assistant GM.
We have announced that we will begin the search for a President of Basketball Operations and have hired Sportsology Group, a leading provider of strategic advisory and operational support in the sports industry, to direct the process.
We also announced that Landry Fields has…
— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) April 21, 2025
Fields was appointed the Hawks’ GM in 2022 but removed less than three years later. Watching the franchise backtrack on its own decisions and appear to be in a state of confusion earned harsh criticism from fans: “Jesus, you guys have no idea what you’re doing. Can’t stick with a plan for more than five minutes. Embarrassing franchise.
Jesus you guys have no idea what you’re doing. Can’t stick with a plan for more than five minutes. Embarrassing franchise.
— Erik Cofer (@erikcofer) April 21, 2025
How is the general manager supposed to do his job when his boss refuses to pay money to make the team competitive?
— Jake Hiser (@jake_hiser21) April 21, 2025
Since the Hawks only qualified for one playoff series after hiring Fields, a first-round loss to the Boston Celtics, Ressler’s decision to fire him makes sense at some level. However, it also indicates that the franchise is making poor hiring decisions and cannot be ignored.
He traded
John Collins
DJ Murray
Bogi
DeAndre HunterAll to receive nothing in return, and legit refused to make a deal for a certified Star to land in ATL
It was beyond time for Landry to go
— NintenGOD (@AesirMalos) April 21, 2025
The only good news here is that some fans already respect Saleh. After all, he held a position as the Golden State Warriors’ Vice President before joining the Atlanta Hawks and is qualified for the promotion he has been offered.
Saleh’s standard has been set relatively low since the Hawks failed to even make the playoffs for the second season in a row. Fans are left wondering if he can manage the team differently soon and if things will go differently with him in control.