Danny Ferry Rumors

Q: We reported that the Bernard Taylor investigation cleared you of any racial animus regarding your remarks about Luol Deng. Do you feel vindicated? Danny Ferry: That’s not really for me to say. But I do feel relieved. I’ve been asking the Hawks for many months to release the results of the Taylor investigation because I wanted everyone to have those facts. For whatever reason, the team refused to release the results until after the season ended. The Taylor investigation included 19 interviews of Hawks owners and employees, and a review of 24,000 emails—including every one I wrote and received as general manager. Both the Taylor investigation and a parallel but independent investigation by the NBA found no negative information about me and not a single incident where I exhibited racial bias during my tenure. Now, does that make my comments about Luol okay? Absolutely not. The words I used from the scouting report came out of my mouth and they were totally inappropriate. I am deeply sorry and take full responsibility.

Alston & Bird partner Bernard Taylor said in the letter, dated Friday, that the review of more than 24,000 documents and 19 interviews provided no evidence of “negative bias toward Mr. Deng, his race or his country of origin.” Foreman’s letter, also dated Friday, said Ferry was not the cause of the controversy. “At the heart of this dispute was an unfortunate disagreement amongst owners,” Foreman said.