emeans

There is an interesting article in ESPN Insider talking about next years draft prospects. They explicitly say that this year is the worst class of High School Seniors....ever in the history of the draft!! The best High School senior would have gotten drafted in this years 2nd round behind every single high school player that was drafted this year. They compared Josh Smith to the best High School player coming out this year and said that Josh Smith is twelve times better than him. They said the kid (Paul) from Wake Forest (PG) could probably be the 1st pick in the draft next year, definately a top 5 pick. It would be nice if the Hawks could pick him up next year. He is the best PG coming out next year and he could be out PG of the future. They compare him to Jason Kidd.

That is what makes this season so exciting. I think everyone is anxious to see how competitive this team "as is" will be in the NBA. If not competitive, you have to believe a lot of changes will take place the next offseason with so many contracts coming off the books. If we are competitive and maybe a player or two away from serious playoff contention then we may try to sign some of these players to longer contracts. Walker for example. What if he leads this team to the 8th playoff spot and is really the center piece of this team? Would you not sign him? Would you take a chance at trying to fit Swift into this team and risk the chemistry built? These are the questions/answers that will unfold as the season goes. This is what makes this season so exciting. There are so many unknowns. More unknowns than this organization has ever had in its history. Personally I think this team is going to open some eyes and be very competitive. Next year I think people are really going to be talking about the Hawks as the next up and coming young team.

Excellent points Diesel!! Most of the time you can't make Diamonds out of Crystals. Diaw is an excellent player, but he is what he is. He has played with a certain mentality all of his professional playing life and at this level it usually stays that way. He will improve on his skills, no doubt, but does he have the mentality to become an agressive shooting guard/forward that we need? Time will only tell...

Diaw would be my starting SG too. Childress is not ready to start and Barry is probably better suited coming off the bench.

Quite Frankly, there just weren't any big men to be had this year. We are playing it safe and not spending the bank and locking into long term contracts and we are still getting serviceable BIG men. If Dampier was the premier big man then like I said there wasn't any true good big men that will make a big impact on the team. There are only 2 impact centers in the East and that is Shaq and Jermaine and Jermaine is really a forward. McGloire is in the West now and I would hardly consider him impact. He is good but not impact. So in a nutshell this was pretty much all we could do to get big men this year and we have 3 bodies to foul Shaq.

Exactly...Diaw is not and never will be able to be a PG. He can play the 2 and 3 but he would get picked all day trying to play PG against a quicker, shorter true PG. I like the ball in his hand after mid-court because he passes and shoots well, but he is not a PG.

The only barometer anyone has right now is the Summer League games and Smith was not only the best looking player on the squad but one of the best looking rookies in the entire league. Games are always more valueable than practices in determining a players true value. I kind of sounded like Iverson for a second there....I have to watch myself.

Oh I totally agree. You have to earn your minutes, but it sounds like Woodson already has preconceived notions of what his starting lineup will be and preconceived notions of which rookie is ready to play or not. According to his statements, he doesn't think J. Smith is ready to play yet. Now I have no problem with this, just make these decisions off of actual play and production. Thus far Smith is the most impressive looking rookie. But I agree he has to earn his minutes, which I really think he can!!

Exactly...That is my fear of Woodson's statements. It seems as if Josh will be on the bench this year just to watch and learn. I think this would be a huge mistake. If he can contribute in some way his 1st year then play the kid. I believe learning by fire is more productive than watching. I know he can contribute defensively right now!! Who on this present team blocks shots on the 2, 3 and 4 like Josh Smith...right now? Answer: No one!! He would be foolish not to play him his 1st year.

Out of all the rookies I think Josh Smith is the one that is going to make the most contribution to this team. He showed he can hit the 3 with consistency, he can block shots with consistency and he can flat out slam with consistency. His defense is amazing for a youngster and for this reason alone he will get some playing time and contribute. The kid can block some shots on any 2, 3 or 4.

All I want Kenny to do is come in, make good decisions with the ball, play decent defense and don't turnover the ball. Something the PG position hasn't done on this team in years. I am not looking for Kenny to score unless he has the open shot. Just don't turn the ball over and he good at that. He is a TRUE PG. He can do that at 35. JT couldn't do that and he is in his prime.

Donte Smith is a keeper! He showed me a lot of potential in the Summer League and people forget he was suppose to be a late 1st round pick. A lot of people disagree with me on my asssessment of Ivey on the other hand. I personally didn't like Ivey's game in college and I wasn't all that impressed in Summer League even though honestly he wasn't bad. I think he is the odd man out with Anderson and Delk. Donte is much more versatile at several positions, so he may make the roster.

Excellent informtation. These are good veteran guards that will offer some leadership on the floor. This is a mute question because Sura is not on the team anymore, however I am just curious on what this questions answer will be from the guys on the forum. Would you have wanted Sura or Barry?

But not for that much money. I do think he would be perfect for the Hawks in that we don't really have any true shooters from the perimeter. We have a bunch of transitional players that are very good on the break, but we will suffer in the half court sets from the perimeter. We have no shooters and Ray Allen is one of the best. This team would be dangerous and extremely athletic with Ray in the mix!! Still not a upper echelon team, but one to watchout for.

This comes from ESPN Insider: Holes: Point guard, center Skinny: The Hawks have made some progress this summer. They hired an up-and-coming head coach in Mike Woodson, made great trades for Al Harrington and Antoine Walker, and still kept their cap flexibility for next summer. Still, this team has to play basketball, and cap space and a team full of shooting guards and small forwards -- they've drafted six in the past two years: Boris Diaw, Travis Hansen, Josh Childress, Josh Smith, Donta Smith and Royal Ivey -- aren't going to win them many games. Tony Delk is the only guy on their roster resembling a point guard, and big guy Peja Drobjnak is the only guy who can play center. Both are career backups playing the two most important positions on the floor. There aren't any free agents left that make much sense. The Hawks could try to use the remaining $7 million in cap space and make an offer for restricted free agent Stromile Swift, who spent most of his time last year playing center for the Grizzlies and played well. While his ideal position is power forward, in the East, he should be able to get along just fine as a center for one season. Once Walker comes off the books next year, Swift could move back to his natural position, and the Hawks could pursue a big in free agency with $15 million-plus in cap room. The team has targeted free-agent point guard Kenny Anderson to help at the point. But how much does he really have left? He turns 34 in October and averaged just 20 mpg last season. Someone must have gotten him straight on the Hawks and their organization. He has a much lighter tone now about the Hawks and he finally has some correct statements in his assessments about this team.

I have to agree. I really don't like Pollard's game. He is not a good fit for what we are trying to do with Atlanta. I hope this doesn't pan out.

Billy is not going to bring Dickau back to Atlanta. He is not trying to bring in any of the old regime players back. I am not sure he even wants Kenny Anderson. It is taking them a long time to iron out a deal. That is one thing about Billy.....You absolutely have no idea what he doing until it is done.

Drob was a solid pickup. He is no worse than what we already had. We need to add a hungry, young, "diamond in the rough" big man that just wants an opportunity. A guy that has passed under the radar and given the opportunity will do well. I am pretty sure BK is working on this.

Exactly... This team will get better as the season matures. They are going to lose in the beginning trying to learn each other and find out each others strengths and weaknesses. The Preseason will be huge for this team. They will probably get more out of the Preseason than any other team in the league this year because of all the changes. I am really excited about this team. For the first time in a long time I feel that we athletically can compete. The Xs and Os I hope are in good hands with Woodson. I haven't felt that way in years. I either felt we were too old and slow or just flat not talented enough to compete. This team will lose, but they are going to open some eyes up and I really think that is BK plan all alone. They have to build credibility before they get the marquee FA and they will do just that this year.

Quote: I don't think anyone would have a problem with those type of topics as long as they have some type of foundation and/or reasoning for them as it concerns the Atlanta Hawks. Both of these articles are way before the Hawks acquired Walker and both of these speculation articles have absolutely nothing to do with the Atlanta Hawks. Now if this was a Philadelphia or Dallas forum then yes it would be relevant. But there is no way in hell the Hawks were going to take Glenn Robinson contract back in Atlanta. This is not a Dallas/Philadelphia forum and none of this came from any Atlanta camp, definately not Billy Knight. These articles prove absolutely nothing concerning the Atlanta Hawks.

Lets don't get carried away about this guys. Speculation is a part of forum talk, but should this be real educated speculation? Things that we think will probably or could happen based on history or based on tendencies, hiring trends, recruiting trends, etc. Like in a court room...you can have circumstancial evidence. However this circumstancial evidence have to be assumed based on something. Circumstancial evidence without circumstancial prudence is useless. I don't think anyone would have a problem with those type of topics as long as they have some type of foundation and/or reasoning for them as it concerns the Atlanta Hawks.

Exactly.... No more Crawford for Shaq straight up trades.......

I am not pointing you out in particular. I am speaking in general. I happen to enjoy and get a lot of relevant information from your post. So no I am not picking on you in particular...I am totally speaking in generalities. Actually I agree....Loren Woods was posted on here because he was an unsigned big man and the Hawks need big men. But did anyone here anything from the front office or BK incentuating Woods would be looked at in Atlanta.....The answer is NO. So I could give a darn who Loren Woods signed with and yes it probably should have been put on another forum. I think out of all the posters that we should pattern our post by..... Jaywalker is probably the best. He comes on here with truthful, relevant information about our Beloved Hawks. And don't get me wrong Diesel....there is nothing wrong with some "What if" post on this forum every now and then, but try and make the "What If" post seem semi-plausible of happening. Some of these proposals you and I know will never happen and that is what turns people off. If we are going to put proposals put things out there that Hawks can possibly (realistically) happen.....THAT'S ALL!! We will never get nor want Glenn Robinson back in an Atlanta uniform. See what I mean......

Diesel, I am not trying to police anything, you can post anything anywhere you want...that is not my call. Two things....there is a forum for trade proposals....why not put these "made up" trade proposals in that forum? Secondly, there is a hell of a lot of REAL things to talk about other than fantasy trades with this team. We have 1 player left from last years team. We have 4 new draft picks. We open on the road for 3 tough games...AGAIN. We have a new coach and a smart GM. Hell talk about why these trade proposals that are made up are bogus because Billy doesn't show his cards. Talk about ex-Hawk players and history. etc. etc. etc. There is a lot to talk about other than fantasy trade proposals. I mean if we talk so much about fantasy trades, why not start a fantasy league on this website?? This is not meant in any disrespect. You are a very knowledgeable basketball fan..no doubt about it. I just like you to use that knowledge talking about real issues with the Hawks.

Please move this fantasy stuff to the other forum!! Why are we wasting our time talking about this thought up out of a dream stuff. Please move this non-sense stuff to another forum. No disrespect but lets keep talking about real stuff people!! Wow!!