emeans

The main thing is that we are not getting blown out by 30 before the 4th quarter. We are in the game until the final buzzer and that is a HUGE improvement. The team is much more competitive with this lineup shake up and we are getting our future superstar (Josh Smith) some quality learning minutes. He is already becoming a game changer in his 1st rookie season

Josh Smith is starting now and that is where he should have been a long time ago. I have to give kudos to Coach Woodson for finally realizing what he has in Josh Smith. He is starting him and playing him a lot of minutes and this team has overnight because very competitive. Josh is changing the game all by himself. I hate to say it but ......I told you all this Josh Smith was one the best picks in this years draft and was a steal at 17. He was at one time the 2nd best rated player in the nation and we got him at No. 17....WOW!! I am starting to like Childress and I think he is going to be a good one also. The future is Harrington, Smooth, Childress and hopefully Chris Paul. I am not sure what we are going to do to get a legitimate center. I am very excited about the future of this team!!

That dunk was awesome!! We haven't seen those kinds of dunks since the Dominique days!! Wait until this kid gets some experience under his belt. He will be on ESPN every night!!

A+ ???? No way you can give a rookie coach and A+. He is a rookie too and he is going to make a lot of mistakes just like any rookie player. Don't get me wrong I like Woodson and I am glad he is changing his decision making on the fly in terms of letting the rookies play now, however it took a brick to come out the stands and hit him in the head to finally see that we can be competitive more often when you let your most talented players play regardless of seniority. He is learning that the hard way. But I give him credit he is learning. He played Josh Smith heavy minutes last night and we were very competitive in this game unlike all of the other losses. I give Woodson a C+ because he is still learning also.

Collier is flatout terrible and no more than a CBA player trying his best in the NBA. He reminds me of kid on the playground that doesn't truly have the talent to fit in but he gives it %150 and that is not enough. He tries but he is just not talented enough. Kenny Anderson is old and it shows on the court. He is not the Anderson of old. I wouldn't be mad if we cut both of these players.

I noticed that too. If you say anything or don't say anything about Walker, you are somehow attacking him. Walker either must be paying some people on this forum or some people are just flatout mad that he may be traded and Al most likely will not. Get over it....we are all interested in one thing and that is the success of this organization!!

I Totally Agree!! Good Post.

You make good points, however the problem I have with Woodson is that his evaluation of who should be playing and who shouldn't be playing is not fair across the board. In other words he is not using the same standards. Should a "veteran" player who has a terrible shooting percentage, turns the ball over at an alarming rate and can't shoot free throws be given huge minutes just because he is a "veteran"? You can't be an effective and fair coach when you slap the hand of a rookie who may miss 1 shot and reward a "veteran" who has missed his last 8 shots and turned the ball over 4 times. It sends the wrong message to your team and especially to your youngsters!! Also, I agree if a rookie is doing terrible you yank him, but JSmooth has not done terrible when he is on the court. In fact the more he plays the better he gets. You have to let him play through his mistakes just like the "veterans". Woodson was almost about to take him out and luckily JSmooth did something extraordinary or guess what...... the Atlanta Hawks would have had a 10 game losing streak and it would all be Woodsons fault!! The Buck stops at Woodson!!

I agree Harrington played an excellent game. I was mostly talking about Walker and some of Al's past games. Harrington was very solid this game. I have to throw a towel at the TV at some of stuff Walker forces and just throws up at the hoop with a man wide open. And then to top it off he misses his free throws in clutch times during the game. But you are right Harrington was solid!!

Quote: proper development of our rookies is the point if one of the rooks arent making the effort in practice, or are out of control on the floor, they should be yanked You are missing the point. Josh Smith has EARNED the right to play more minutes, not only in practice but also in the game. You can do as much damage to a kids confidence by yanking a young player after he misses one shot. It goes both ways!!! Josh Smith has always shown a lot of effort on the floor everytime he gets playing time. If you add up the turnovers, missed shots, missed freethrows that our "veterans" are making it isn't even close to the mistakes Josh Smith has made on the floor. Woodson is going to learn the hardway. And I think he learned a lesson himself tonight. Play your best defensive player more!!

That is the problem!!! He always takes him out way too early!! We would have lost this game if he had taken him out this time and he almost did. This would have been another Loss without Josh Smith!! He has to leave the guy in to work through his mistakes. He is just too talented to be sitting on the bench!! For every mistake he makes he usually makes it up on the defensive end.....I can't say that for any other so called "veteran" on this team!! They screw up time and time and time again and Woodson never pulls them!! He need to keep a short leash on them!!

It is about time Mr. Woodson let this kid stay in the game and get warmed up. It was all Josh Smith tonight. He changed literally about 20 shots tonight. He was the difference. We would have many more wins if he stuck with the kid instead of pulling him out after 1 bad shot. I bet Woodson feels like a big dummy now for not playing the best defensive and athletic player you have on the team. Big dummy!!! Secondly, what is Antoine Walkers shooting percentage?? Was it me or did he miss a hell of lot of shots. He and Al Harrington absolutely force too many shots!! Pass the d^%&* ball Walker and Al...you are missing the shots anyway!! Let someone else miss or make those shots. This team would be much better with Josh Smith playing many more minutes!!!

Exactly. It is one thing to lose, but it is another worse thing to lose to teams that don't have as much talent as you. Again I am started to turn my focus on Mr. Woodson and not necessarily the players.

Yes Grant Hill is past his prime. I didn't say they still couldn't play, but we have seen their best years. They still have a lot of good years left but make no mistake around 30 years old and over is considered past your prime in the NBA.

Well Said!! You pretty much summed it up. Too many ball hogs and terrible coaching. However, I blame the coach before I blame the players.

Walker is past his prime. You just don't sign him for that kind of money. Now if we can sign him for much less than what he is making now then yes I would keep him. But I think he is going to try and get the most he can get especially if this is his last contract. If that is the case we need to trade him.

What is your definition of winning?? This team is not winning!! Read my post again and think smartly about it. You don't invest that kind of money into 1 player and you are not winning. You are missing the entire point. It is about economics!! You don't see that??? I never said Walker couldn't play. I am saying he is not worth that much money for 1 player and we are not winning with him. You strap yourself when you do that. Think about it logically and not emotionally!!!That is the same reason Shareef, Theo, Big Dog got traded...you don't see that?? Walker will be traded for the same reason. It is economics not emotions.

Don't put words in my mouth. I never said that this team would win without Walker. This team is terrible with or without Walker. Again don't put words into my mouth. What I am saying is that you don't invest 12+ million in a guy long term that is not helping this team WIN. Basically I am saying we can be sorry without a 14 million dollar guy on this team that isn't making a difference in the outcome of games. I think BK has this same philosophy. That is why we got rid of Theo, Shareef, Big Dog, etc. You don't pay big money like that to one player and you are not winning. You end up in the same situation this team was in under Babcock......stuck and can't make any moves because of finances.

I wouldn't sign Walker to an 11 million a year contract for 4 or 5 years. BK is not going resign Walker for that kind of money and we are continuously losing. Now it would be a different story if we were doing well with Walker but we are terrible with Walker. Walker resignability with this team was always going to come down with how well this team did with Walker and right now this team sucks. There is no way we put that much money into a guy when at the end of the day is only pilling up Loses. His impact on this team is not enough for that kind of money and he turns the ball over too much and can't shoot a free throw to save his life. No way we don't deal him.

Well said.....AH is younger and is still learning the game also. He will develop into an All-Star type player in no time.

Diesel, Proof? Smooth is the best defensive player on the roster right now (He is very difficult to shoot over and he blocks shots at a very high rate for a forward). He does this every time he gets some playing time. The problem I have is that Woodson pulls him after 1 mistake when other guys on the team are making mistakes after mistakes after mistakes...turnovers after turnovers after turnovers....missing free throws after free throws after free throws. Woodson doesn't pull them??? But let Smooth make 1 mistake and he is on the far end of the bench when it is obvious he can make a HUGE impact on the game given the opportunity. Quote: About Walker, I think he's more likely a part of our future than Harrington. Look at the production. I say we trade Harrington for KBrown. Brown is 7'0, 270 all muscle... That's our C. Your 1st statement is about as inaccurate as inaccurate can be. Walker is not likely going to be a part of this future because of MONEY. Harrington does not make nearly as much as Walker. So we are keeping Harrington and dealing Walker. Plain and simple and that production you are talking can be spread to other players given the chance. Secondly, how many times do I have to say this....Washington is not trading KBrown and Atlanta is not trading Harrington. End of story and all discussion about that!! You are going to end up starting bogus rumors!!

And I totally agree with BK. We have too many needs and young potential superstars in Harrington, Smooth and Chillz to tie up that kind of money in one player. Lets not forget.....We have some potential superstar talent on this team. If we can get a good big man or a good PG from a trade of Walker then do it. This is a three year rebuilding deal. The 2006/2007 Atlanta Hawks team will be special....mark my words!!

Exactly....If anything Walker would be more of a turnover liability. Josh Smith can shoot the rock and he has 3 point range. He shot the 3 well in Summer League. The difference is that he had more court time to get comfortable. Was Woodson coaching the Summer League team or was it one of his assistants?? All he needs is an opportunity to play. Again he is no worse than Walker or Chillz shooting the 3 and turning the ball over plus he adds a defensive presence that no one else on this team can add. Play Josh Smith more!!!!

To piggy back on Josh Smith. Woodson is starting to wear on my nerves. Josh Smith is probably our best defensive stopper on the team and he is not getting any minutes. Josh Smith needs to be playing way more minutes. Your best defensive player by far shouldn't be on the bench...the guys athletic wingspan is all over the boards. Josh Smith will miss ONE shot and Woodson will pull him immediately. What the hell is that????? I don't understand, how can a kid grow and get better an you pull him after one or two missed shots. Overall on the court he is not doing any worse than any other player including veterans who can't shoot free throws. Josh Smith needs to play!!!! About Walker......Walker is going to come down to Economics. He will be a FA and will command a lot of money next year. You have to way the pros and cons. Will he be worth that type of money for this team which aint winning and is rebuilding?? I don't think BK will tie that kind of money up into Walker next year and will thus trade him and get some players or picks.