emeans

I am a little confused about this one. Why would we sign him and trade 60 days later? Why not sign him and keep him? Why not do a sign and trade all in one deal? Why would we have to wait 60 days?

I was very impressed with Hansen!! I would definately put him ahead of Childress at SG as of right now. Hansen plays good defense also. So right now I would have starting: JT Hansen Diaw Harrington Dampier?? Backups: Ivey??? Childress JSmooth Henderson/CC Collier/Pryz

You are right Devin Harris was gone. Deng had a pretty good Summer League too. I hope Josh Childress warrants the No. 6 pick. He impresses me moving without the ball but he scares me not being able to get his shot off. If he can't do that in Summer League, what will he do when the real NBA games start. Most of you guys are penciling him in as the starter at SG. I wouldn't be so fast to do that based on his showing in Summer League games. Hopefully he improves!!

I know it is Summer League, but I saw an interesting article on ESPN saying that in the history of Summer League play over the years only 1 player has shaken off a bad showing ((Hinch sp??), the kid for Chicago) and have done well when the big boys strap it up in NBA. Only One!!! Statistics show that usually if they do bad in Summer League they do bad in the NBA regular season. If they do good they may not do good in the NBA, but chances are they will do good in the NBA. The article was very interesting!! That brings me to this question....Will Josh Childress be a bust in the NBA? Should we have drafted Devin Harris instead? Your thoughts?

Points well taken!! He is treating him like a father figure, making him earn his respect. I am actually glad we have a coach like that. Atlanta has traditionally had Players Coaches that kind of give way to the players and always praise their players regardless of how good or bad they played. I don't think Woodson is going to do that. He is going to tell it like it is. I you played lousy, you will be told that and the rest of the world will know how you played. I love this!! I hope Jim Mora does the same with the Falcons!!

He was one of the top 3 high schoolers in the Summer Leagues: From ESPN Insider: Smith has the potential to become the most exciting Atlanta Hawk since Dominique "The Human Highlight Film" Wilkens. The 6-9, 210-pounder's acrobatic power slams make him a shoe-in for next year's dunk competition and he showed he isn't scared of trying to dunk on the likes of Dallas' 7-foot-5 rookie center Pavel Podkolzin. Smith also showed he can block shots, finishing third in the Rocky Mountain Revue in blocks per game at a 2.5 with several being tossed like a spiked volleyball. Hawks rookie Josh Smith sure didn't play like an 18-year-old in Utah. Smith averaged a team-best 14.7 points (on 46.4-percent shooting), 4.2 rebounds and 2.3 assists in Utah. The 17th overall pick also showed he can hit the NBA 3-pointer by nailing seven of 18 attempts, but he needs to improve from the free-throw line (58.6 percent). "It's a whole different game," Smith said. "It's much more physical and you got to play every night because you're stepping on the court with someone that could have as much game." While Smith was statistically one of the top players in Utah, the Hawks still consider him to be very raw. "He can make the plays with the dribble. Right now, he's very unorthodox with his play. He's raw," Hawks coach Mike Woodson said. "He does things off of instinct, and that's a good thing. But I tell these young guys, this is a thinking man's game. You got to absorb and learn as much as you can ... "He's got a wonderful situation here, and I'm not going to baby him. I know he's 18. But I get paid to coach the team and that's what I'm going to do." Everytime I hear or see Woodson talk about Smith he never gives him too much credit. Is this a mind game (i.e. Larry Brown) he is playing with the kid? I hope he doesn't have a chip on his shoulder (like Jay Bilas)and not give him the opportunity he is going to need in order to be successful. In other words I hope Woodson doesn't stint his career and development. I hope this is his psychology to get into Smiths head. Have you guys notice that??

AMEN!!!Let the record show I have said this kid had much game from day 1.

I never liked Dan Dickau in Atlanta. He was an average player in my eyes also. He may not stick in the NBA.

Thank you KB21.... It takes a real man to admit he is wrong about something or someone. Now you see exactly what I was talking about with Josh Smith. Now you see why I wouldn't have mind drafting him at #6. Now everybody sees that!! The bandwagon is getting full. Josh Smith is still very RAW and has a lot of improving, but can you imagine how good this kid is going to be. Scary!!!

Donte Smith is not a Point Guard. He doesn't have a point guards body nor does he have the handles to be a true point guard. We need to stop that talk. Boris Diaw can't play Point Guard either. Same reasons...they can run and pass on a fast break but that is it. A true point guard need to be able to play in a half court offense and create shot opportunities for others. Diaw nor Smith can do this. The only guys on the Roster right now that can play point guard is JT, Hansen and Ivey. Hansen and JT are more suited toward being SG however they can play PG. Ivey just isn't ready right now in my estimation and from what I saw last night. That is why...If we want to be competative this year, we need to sign Bob Sura as the backup PG/SG and of course get 3 more big men on this roster.

Excellent accessment....Trace, you saw exactly what I saw in each one of those players. Good report!!

I may be totally wrong on this, but I saw him as a very average point guard. Nothing special in terms of running the offense. He didn't look comfortable at all on the free throw line and if there is one thing I want my Point Guard and my Shooting Guard to be able to do is shoot free throws. I think he was like 2 for 6. His shooting percentage was okay and his Asst/Turnover ratio was good so I have to give him credit for that. I guess I need to see more of him to give a thumbs up or down on Ivey, however I would rather have Bob Sura taking that roster spot as the backup point this year.

I watched the entire game last night..... Quickly, Josh Smith and Travis Hansen were in my estimation the best players in a Hawks uniform. Childress flatout didn't impress me. He couldn't get his shot off and when he did he missed most of the time. His saving grace could be on the defensive end. He looked good defensively and was solid shooting free-throws. I can tell he is more polished that Josh Smith moving without the ball. Ivey showed me no reason why he should make this team. Sorry Ivey!! Donte Smith is a keeper!! Long athletic build. He ran some very impressive breaks that lead to scores. The Hawks just got man-handled on the boards. There was a distinct size different. Not enough big bodies to handle the Utah size attack. The perimeter defense was solid but let Utah little sharp shooter get open too much for threes. Kirk Snyder is the truth. I wouldn't have been mad if we had drafted him at 6. To be competitve this season Dampier may be a must. We need some big bodies to compete with bigger teams. Our focus need to be totally on getting big bodies now. It showed tremendously in this game. We have no bangers. J Smooth is a very nice player who will be our star in a few years. He is too RAW right now and gets out of control sometimes and has some things to work on, but I think everyone sees the potential talent we have with this kid. It is TREMENDOUS!! And he can shoot the 3 better than I thought!!

Exactly...I was elated that he fell to 17. Actually if you remember at one point he was projected as high as No. 2. So I was jumping for joy that we got this kid that late. You picked up a potential No. 2 or 3 pick at 17!!! What a deal. We have our own homebread Vince Carter. Now if we can get Ogden (the next Shaq 7 footer) in 2006. I doubt we will be sorry enough to get him, but it would be the beginning some championship runs.

and also make me look like a genious for saying "I TOLD YOU SO"!!! Josh Smith may pan out to the the best player in this draft!! And Yes even better than Childress at #6. So far in Summer Leagues he is definately the best High School Player to enter the NBA. There will soon be some serious "crow" eating on this board.

Don't spend 9 million dollars for 6 years on a 30 year old Center. Billy Knight knows what he is doing!! Use that money on young talent and build smartly. We don't need Dampier. Sign Pryz and Swift and call it a day.

Could someone explain to me why Dampier is such a HOT commodity right now. The Knicks are willing to give up Nazr and Othello. The Indiana Pacers wanted him badly. We are willing to dish a lot of money out for him. Is it me or am I missing something here? Why has Golden State annually been a diappointing team with a Center that is so coveted by many teams? I saw him a few times and I wasn't in awe of his play. He was decent but nothing spectacular. How is he defensively? Does he have a dominant post game? I just need some information on this guy before I can say whether this would be a good move or not. Plus he is 30 years of age. I don't want another Allan Henderson type contract for an aging often hurt player. If so I say wait until next year.

Let me explain why Josh Smith dropped from the No. 2 or No. 3 spot to No. 17. First let me say this....Printout and/or read all of the strengths and weaknesses of all of the players drafted before No. 17 and even after. The first thing you will notice is that they ALL (Every single player) has SEVERAL skills that they have to work on. One may have good footwork, but can't get his shot off. One may be able to dribble, but can't shoot. One maybe able to rebound but have no go to move. The list goes on and on and on. I am really suprise these comments come from KB because I consider him a very knowledgeable fan on this forum. KB said he can't shoot or dribble but this scout says: Quote: Strengths: A sweet shooting lefty combo forward. Josh is an excellent shooter with very good ball handling skills. He can shoot the lights out from down town or take the ball to the hole for a huge dunk. His unbelievable shooting touch is what separates him from the rest of the pack. A special talent. I respect what he brings to this forum because he brings a lot of good information, but for some reason he has the Jay Bilas syndrome about Josh Smith, which is wrong. Back to why his stock dropped....It started with the High School and McDonalds All-American games and snow balled with one workout he had with the Charlotte Bobcats. He went with a very immature attitude and pouted (according to reports) about some of the drills they had him doing even in the practices at the all-american games. He took an "I don't give a damn attitude" in the workout. He had already signed a multi-year endorsement with addidas for millions. That really ticked off the Bobcats GM and he basically put a bad word out about the kid to the press and to other GMs. He did have some other good workouts, indicated by everyones assertion that he is the most athletic player in the draft, but when you pissed off respected brass in the NBA.....You can easily get blackballed and that is what happened. He was basically an immature 18 year old kid that was put on a pedistal from the start of the offseason. Addidas praised him with millions and if you saw the ESPN special on him....he had sort of an attitude as if "I know I am the best". This is why his stock dropped drastically. Then you know there are other politics behind things that we will never know. But for Jay Bilas to sit there and say that this kid could be the biggest bust on national television tells me Josh and/or his family really ticked someone off personally. That was a purely personal attack, not an objective attack on this kid. He just has to be humbled and grow up and under Woodson and Knight and Co. as the coach and GM he will be fine. We landed on a Jewel people.

and_one did your read this KB's scouting report: Quote: Smith is quite simply a freak of nature. There are few that have the NBA skills that he naturally possesses at this moment According to you he has no "skill sets". That is the non-sense statements I am talking about.

Can you read. Dude I said I was elated that he fell to 17, but the main reason that happened was because of his attitude and immaturity. I don't think anyone thought he would be there at 17 however. That is not the debate. I have always said Billy Knight is the a genious for getting him and Josh Childress. Your statements "Everyone drafted above him has skill sets" and KB's "Can't shoot" , "Can't dribble" accusations is what is assinine and is what we are debating....Not that he wasn't drafted at 6. Also most players are underclassmen or high school players...guess what THEY ARE ALL RAW. Josh is not the only RAW player. Again the draft is a gamble anyway. Dwight Howard may be a bust, so your arguements of what he didn't have hold no water. All of these players have weaknesses. Before you start putting words into my mouth let me go on record by saying every player drafted this year have a lot to learn to be successful on the next level. We all know that. Players drafted ahead of Josh will have a lot to work on including Josh, but to sit her and say he doesn't have "skill sets" is crazy.

Dwight Howard is learning the hard way. This is not prep basketball in the ATL. He is struggling getting his shot off. http://www.ajc.com/sunday/content/epaper/e...4d22ab002b.html

Exactly!!!! Thanks Diesel for pointing out non-sense in some of these dumb statements these guys are making.

Thank you Wretch....Finally a reasonable truthful post that makes sense!! These guys make it sound like Josh Smith don't even know how to pick up a basketball properly. "No skill sets", "Can't dribble", "Can't Shoot". What have they been looking at? I know he is young and he will improve but some of these accusations are way off base. If I didn't know anything about Josh and I was reading these comments I would think he was the sorriest guy out of high school to pick up a basketball. Anyway....Excellent post!!!Josh will pan out as the steal of the draft.

Quote: Those guys selected above him all have skill sets Dude come on....So based on your statement (not mine I must say) Josh Smith doesn't have skill sets? .....and everyone drafted after Josh doesn't have skill sets. Did all of the 15 or so guys drafted after him in the 1st round have skill sets? What are you talking about? Josh Smith has skill sets and he is athletic. Listen I am not mad at the fact that we were able to get Josh Smith. I personally didn't think we had a chance at 17, but I think we pulled a miracle, but don't insult Josh Smith and other knowledgeable fans by saying he doesn't have skill sets. That is assinine. You guys are making it seem like he just picked up a basketball yesterday. Let me repeat for the 1000th time...The guy LEAD his team to an undefeated season and ranked 1 in the Nation. A guy with no skill sets (as you put it) can't do that, nor can a guy with no skill sets would have at one time been ranked No. 2 in the World after the season. And lastly a guy with no skill set DEFEINATELY WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN DRAFTED IN THE 1ST ROUND. "No skill sets" ......What a statement!!

Quote: you DO NOT draft a player that lacks skill sets at #6. It's a huge gamble. Well I guess if you were a GM you wouldn't be drafting anyone. The entire draft is a gamble!! Dude..Every player EVEN THE NO. 1 drafted player has a weaknesses or lacks something. Based on you statement everyone 6 and above has all skill sets which is a false statement. I have news for you Josh Childress may not be better than Josh Smith...Have you ever thought about that??