Jason Terry seems sincere about wanting to remain a Hawk, which begs the question: Why?

Why a preference to stay with a team that is 86 games below .500 the past four seasons and in flux at such key positions as owner, general manager and coach?

"I want to finish what I started," said Terry, a restricted free agent. "I think, in the community and on the court, I have been performing [well]. I want to do what Dominique Wilkins couldn't do, play my [entire] career here. We haven't won, we haven't been to the playoffs, and I want to get the Atlanta Hawks to the playoffs."

He adds that Atlanta feels like home, that his family is happy here, that his kids love their school.

Still, about all those losses?

"It's been tough," Terry said. "I think it's humbled me a lot --- made me keep working hard every day every summer. I'm ready to have a short summer [by prolonging a season into the playoffs]. My summers are getting way too long."