ATLANTA — Atlanta Hawks co-owner Bruce Levenson says he had “dozens” of conversations with Danny Ferry over three months as the two discussed what it would take for Ferry to leave the San Antonio Spurs.

Levenson’s persistence paid off Monday as Ferry was introduced as the Hawks’ president of basketball operations and general manager.

Levenson said Ferry, 45, was the only candidate he interviewed after Rick Sund, who had been general manager for four years, suggested three months ago it was time to look for new long-term leadership for the team.

Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban went on ESPN on Friday morning to absolutely devastate Skip Bayless' willfully ignorant view of pro basketball. It was a destructive, stunning and completely one-sided batch of brilliance from Cuban spurred on by smarts, nuance and research. And, because Skip Bayless doesn't care about being wrong just as long as the check clears and he's got someone with a strong enough Q Rating for the next segment, it made absolutely no impact. Thanks for trying, Mark, but we lost Skip a long time ago.