emeans

I know I will hear the critics saying he has dropped too much to pick at 6. I can't get over the fact that this is the most athletic kid in the draft and we may pass him over. I think his upside is too HUGE to pass on. He can work on his all around skills. Kobe Bryant couldn't shoot a lick when he first entered the NBA, but he was very athletic like Josh, except Josh can shoot better at this stage than Kobe plus he is just as athletic. Secondly, we need an freak of nature air flying dunker on this team to put enthusiasm back in the fan base like we had with Dominique. Hell Dominique got better with his outside shot year to year. I hope we draft Josh at #6 because he will not be there at #17. No way will he be there. Draft Telfair at #17 Package JT at your 2nd rounders to move into the late 1st round and pick up one of those big Europeans and call it a day.

No...There have been a lot of posters on here saying no one would want to come to this organization. If it is true that Shaq said this, then the previous statement is not true. There are some marquee players that want to come to Atlanta and play as a matter of fact the most dominant superstar in the league would elect to play here. That is all I am saying.

I wonder why Shaq wants to play in Atlanta? Even if he doesn't it gives us credibility as an organization to sign other free agents. If Shaq wants to play here why not anyone?? No one can ever say no one wants to play in Atlanta!!! That statement gives us immediate credibility.

I would give #6 and JT for #2, but that is it. We need to keep our 2nd 1st round pick. You should be able to get quality players with the first 20 picks in this years draft. If they can't take this proposal then keep the picks and do the best you can do with the draft.

if Phil Jackson coached the Atlanta Hawks. Of course this will never happen because like an earlier poster said...Phil only takes teams that are already put in to place to win a championship. I really thinks that sucks but that is how Phil roles. I don't think he could build a team from scratch.

http://template.ajc.com/sports/content/spo...13nbanotes.html "Former McEachern High star Josh Smith did something the Pheonix Suns had never seen. He outleaped the jumping apparatus that measures vertical leap. After the pole was adjusted, Smith's vertical leap measured out to 37 3/4 inches. . . ." Josh Smith is the most athletic player in this draft and has Dominique Wilkins/Vince Carter written all over him. This is why I would keep my picks. I would pick Josh at 6 and not trade too much to get one player (Howard). I think that would be a big mistake. This draft is very deep on even talent but short on undisputed impact superstar players for year 1. Josh Smith will be a very good player in years to come...trust me. Keep the picks and get quality players starting with Josh Smith. It would be huge mistake to give up JT/2 1st rounders and a future 1st. THAT IS TOO MUCH!!!

Dumars should get executive of the year. Even though he didn't draft Carmelo, he has made the moves to potentially make them NBA champions (with the help of the Atlanta Hawks). I really like this Detroit Piston team. They are unselfish and they play great defense without the egos. There are really no true superstars like Shaq and Kobe and they are still getting it done. Kudos to the Pistons!!!

Exactly...we need to stop giving away future picks. I don't like the idea of giving away future 1st round picks. I we can get Josh Smith (the next Dominique Wilkins) at 6 then I say stay right where you are and get the best available talent at 17. I would hate to give up that much for 1 pick!!!

I really think that is too much to give up for the 2nd pick. the 6, 17 and a future conditional 1st round draft pick is way too much to give for Howard. I am sorry....I would give one of those picks away and Terry, but not both picks and another 1st round pick. Way too much!!!!!

Yes I am very very nervous about Washington picking in front of us. I am also of the belief that they will pick Josh Smith right before we are primed to pick him. He is very hyped in the Washington area too. He would be a popular pick for the Wizards. Do the Hawks ever get any luck in the lottery. I think you may be right!!

That is a very good point Diesel. You don't want to tip your hat especially when the teams drafting in front of you have a vested interest in your workouts. You have to keep a low profile in this process.

http://www.denverpost.com/Stories/0,1413,36~90~2179983,00.html http://www.denverpost.com/Stories/0,1413,36~90~2179983,00.html He will also work out for Washington and Charlotte. I hope he doesn't impress those two teams. They will pick him if he does and I am hoping he falls right into the Hawks lap at 6. Also it looks like Kirk Snyder is moving up the board. He must be very impressive in his workouts. I was hoping to get him at 17 but it doesn't look like he will be there are 17.

Giving up JT and your 2 1st round picks for Howard is way too much, especially when there is no Lebron James in this draft. This is a deep draft so I would keep my picks and maybe package my 2nd round picks and JT for another 1st round pick.

I like that a lot!!! Smith, Telfair and Snyder. That is the making of something special!!

If we leave the draft with those four guys you mentioned....I am very happy!!! I hope we can package JT with and a 2nd round pick or two for another 1st round pick. I doubt it will happen however.

Everyone need to calm down. This is the one draft that I can honestly say it truly doesn't matter whether we pick 6 or 1. This is truly a crap-shot weak draft even at No. 1. There is no clear cut number 1 and both projected No. 1 draft picks have some serious questions. I would stay at 6 and 17 and pick the best available talent, which after a year or two or three we may be saying that player should have been the 1st pick in this draft. That is how unpredictable this years draft is. Do not trade up and do not lose the 17th pick. If you can add a 1st round pick by packing a couple of 2nds and Jason Terry, then do it and have 3 1st round picks....but DO NOT trade away your picks. You can possibly get a person at 17 that should have been No. 1 in this draft. It seems pretty even all they down to about 20 picks. I am not angry at all with what we have. We may be able to get Josh Smith at 6 and Telfair at 17. I would be elated with this!!! Then we could possibly trade Jason and a 2nd for a late 1st rounder. Then pick up on of the big Europeans with that pick. We are just fine people!!!

I guess those two would put a little buzz in Philips Arena. "The Addidas Boys".....I like it!!

The kid is already getting major endorsements: http://www.ajc.com/sports/content/sports/0504/19smith.html I really hope we can draft this kid.

Traceman...We both agree that the draft is a crap shot and a player may pan out or he may not...Guess what... this logic goes for College players too!! How can you say that Ben Gordon and Devin Harris are more of a sure thing?? These guys may be a flop in the NBA.

I have seen Josh in two All-Star High School games and some clips of some of his games and camps. The other information has been scouting reports, sports specials and his coach. So I have seen him much more than ONE time. Just because a player has played against better competition (College) doesn't mean he will translate into a better NBA player. We have seen that with Garnett, Lebron, McGrady, Kobe, Stoudemire and more. These guys should have argueably been the 1st pick in their respective drafts. I would not want to be like the New Orleans Hornets (Charlotte), saying man I wish we would have not passed on Kobe even though they drafted him. Again this is not an exact science so both of us can't guarantee anything. All I am saying is based on what I have seen, potential, talent, scouting reports and coaches....we would be crazy not to get this guy at #6, which by the way I don't think he will be there at #6.

Traceman....No one knows what anyone will do on the NBA level. We can try to make educated guesses and decisions. The draft is what it is and that is a hit or miss event that only shows its success when the year starts or a few years down the line. Some do well, some do excellent, some do terrible. That is the nature of the draft. Saying this I can say no one can definitively say what Josh Smith will do on the NBA level, HOWEVER we can go off of what we see and what scouts and his coaches say about him. You can't totally evaluate a player off of one or two all-star high school games, even though Josh had a solid game. Point in case. Jonathan Bender broke Michael Jordans record in that game...Is he even on the same planet as Michael Jordan?? Kobe Bryant was outscored and outdone by guess who....The Hawks on S. Jackson...Is he on the same planet as Kobe?? Get my point.... JR Smith looked very good in the McDonalds game especially from the outside. I was very impressed and wouldn't be angry if we drafted him, however it would be Josh before JR. What I saw in Josh when he got his playing time was pure unleashed potential and talent. He didn't play as many minutes as JR Smith and All-star games seem to be about show casing MY INDIVIDUAL skills. When he did get in he was impressive defensively and offensive, not MVP type impressive but nevertheless impressive. Josh has more dimensions to his game than JR Smith. Josh can do it inside and outside. He can play at the 1, 2, 3 and even the 4 position on the floor. Can JR Smith do that?? Secondly and very importantly Josh has been given the ULTIMATE praise by one of the best High School Coaches in America as being the BEST PLAYER HE HAS EVER COACHED. This is coming from the mouth of a man, who by the way, coached Carmelo Anthony and a host of All-Star NBA players. His coach said this kid can do it all better than any of those all-stars at the High school level. Lastly at one point he was projected to be the SECOND pick in the draft. Again, if this kid is there at #6, WE WOULD BE FOOLS not to select him.

He can shift up and down on nbadraft.net all he wants.....All I know is if he is there at 6 WE BETTER take him. No questions about it!!!

Sounds good...Lets do it!!

I am so sick of these outside writers acting like they know everything that is going on in Atlanta. First of all this is not the sorriest franchise in the NBA. The last I check we are in the 6 slot in the lottery and not the 1 slot. We won a lot of games after the trades and was always competitive even though it was said we wouldn't win a game after those events. Actually this team was better than before. He failed to mention this. Stephan A on ESPN said the same thing when I don't think they actually saw these guys play 1 time they are just going by perceptions. This team is not as bad as some teams in the NBA....the difference is that they have a plan and I think it will all work out

Like I said before this Series is going 7. Spurs looked terrible yesterday and the Lakers looked like world beaters. The Spurs are going to have to make some major adjustments to win on the road against this team.