The slow period has arrived for Hawks fans everywhere, but there are still a few issues before the Hawks head to camp in October.

When do the Hawks have to pick up the fourth year of DerMarr Johnson's contract?

How are the Ira Newble negotiations going?

Why wasn't Kevin Willis signed in Atlanta instead of San Antonio?

What about a contract extension for Jason Terry?

These answers are in the latest installment of the Hawks Offseason Notebook...

Turns out, the cynics were right about Glenn Robinson: He is no Grant Hill. Robinson has not gone his entire career without a playoff series win; he has not missed much of the past two seasons due to injury; there is no uncertainty about his future.

And during eight seasons highlighted by a 21-point average, two All-Star game appearances and an Eastern Conference finals berth, this is the ironic validation for Robinson: That Hill, and not he, has had a career marked by underachievement.

"There was a lot of talk when we were drafted in 1994 about me and him, and that he would be the better player," said Robinson, the newest Hawk, who worked out with his teammates for the first time this week in one of the voluntary monthly practice sessions.

Jeff Denberg of the AJC reports that while his signature high socks were only mid-calf high Thursday, the jump shot was all Big Dog as Glenn Robinson made his on-court debut at Philips Arena with a full complement of teammates.

"This is great, everybody here like this," Robinson said.

"This is very positive. We're ready to have a good season, and we're willing to work hard to achieve that."

Robinson had to be impressed with such perfect attendance. George Karl, his old coach in Milwaukee, tried for years to get his players on the court over the summer but had no luck.

In a press release from the Atlanta Hawks, the team has announced that Terry Stotts and Steve Henson have been named as assistant coaches to head coach Lon Kruger. Also newly employed by the Hawks are former Denver Nuggets star Alex English as the team?s Director of Player Development, and the Hawks legend Dominique Wilkins as Player Development Assistant.

?I?m really excited about the additions of Terry and Steve to our staff,? said Kruger. ?Both bring extended NBA experience to our staff and both are very self-motivated and will work extremely hard in assisting our players in their daily development. Alex and Dominique are highly respected ex-players and both are interested in pursuing careers in coaching, and I believe this opportunity will provide them with an excellent chance to do just that.?

Friend or foe? A Hoosier buddy, perhaps?

Michael Lee of the AJC reports that before Glenn Robinson made his Atlanta debut Monday, Hawks general manager Pete Babcock brought Alan Henderson into the office to ask him if having a guy from Purdue on his team would be a problem.

Henderson, who bleeds Indiana cream and crimson, chuckled because yes, he and Robinson had some historic, not-so-friendly battles in high school and in the Big Ten -- but that's history. They're cool. As Robinson met the media, Henderson was right there, leaning on the wall of the Hawks' practice floor, supporting his new teammate.

Jeff Denberg of the AJC reports that Glenn Robinson has always had an affinity for Atlanta, noting Monday he considered living here in the offseason.

So when the Hawks acquired Robinson from Milwaukee on Aug. 2 for Toni Kukoc, Leon Smith and a first-round draft pick, he felt this was a good spot for him. Robinson leaves the contentious atmosphere in Milwaukee and comes to a team that badly needs his gifts as a scorer.

"We were looking to add perimeter scoring," Hawks vice president and general manager Pete Babcock said at a news conference on Philips Arena's practice court.

He came. He saw. He answered questions.

Glenn Robinson began his career as an Atlanta Hawk by fielding questions ranging from basketball to personal and even discussed a long standing rivalry (since high school) with now teammate Alan Henderson.

In all, Robinson was very impressive in his first encounter with the Atlanta media, leaving some to wonder what all the negativity and character issues were about.

With new teammates Jason Terry and Henderson looking on, Robinson answered questions with such thought and optimism, you had to check his bio to make sure he didn?t major in ?Telling People What they Want to Hear? at Purdue.

RealGM's Jason Walker brings the details of the Robinson press conference as well as updates on the Hawks assistant coach hunt and the negotiations between the Hawks and Ira Newble.

Jeff Denberg of the AJC takes a look at all of the recent trades that have occurred in what is a quickly improving Eastern Conference.

Denberg grades each trade, with a surprise for the Cavs, and some unkind words for Mr. Vin Baker.

The national media doesn?t know about the Atlanta Hawks.

They don?t know the lineups, they don?t know how the team progressed last season, and they sure don?t know the personnel and their development.

It?s surprising they know the Hawks play in Philips Arena.

ESPN's "Insider" Chad Ford is the latest to take a guess at the needs of the Hawks, and RealGM's Jason Walker is there to cry "foul", especially when it comes to the future and effective of Hawks PG Jason Terry.

The recent acquisition of Glenn Robinson has most Hawks fans stoked, wired, or simply giddy.

In the current Hawks Front Office poll here on RealGM, most people (over 90%) believe the Hawks are definitely playoff bound, and some feel like the Hawks are the best in the East.

In fact the current roster got many of us to thinking, is this the best Atlanta Hawks roster ever?

And, where exactly does that get the team?

OK, so after they moved to Atlanta, the Hawks haven?t held any championship trophies.

In fact, they haven?t gotten out of the second round of the playoffs since they came south from St. Louis.

But they have been filled with many playoff teams, a bushel of 50 win teams, and had some terrific rosters filled with memorable players.

So is it too much of a loser, pathetic idea to compare these eras and see if the current roster matches up, even if none of them has reached the promised land or gotten close to see it?

Naaaaaah.

So, with the help of ?The Hawks Show? (shown on many WB affiliates throughout the southeast?if you aren?t getting it for this next season, call and demand it!) host, Bill Shanks, we decided to break it down.