DavidSomerset

Considering the injuries we had, I think if we stay healthy, the playoffs are very possible.

We were a VERY young team...Everyone is a year older, hopefully they are healthy...2 draft picks in the first 11 picks.

This team can ONLY be better...And I'm willing to bet we're going to be a good bit better.

Makes the playoffs next year?

If we stay healthy, I think we have a pretty good shot...Particularly with the top talent in the draft going out west.

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Playing style was a mixture of power forward and center, but he has a big enough body, AND PLAYS IN SUCH A WAY, that he could certainly man the C position.

Could he play PF also? Yes. But on the Hawks, he would be our starting Center.

He is different from Noah in that Noah has absolutely no offense and also is completely incapable of playing man defense.

Noah is a good transition player, rebounder, help defender, and energy booster...Aldridge is a MUCH better prospect for the C position.

I still remember seeing Noah get pushed around in the post by the 6'4 PF Dane Bradshaw from Tennessee... It was one of the most embarrassing things I've ever seen for an opposing player.

No way I want him covering the opposing teams center...Nor do I want Yi, Horford (depending on what he measures at and his workouts) or Wright to even attempt to do the same.

Ok I don't even know where to begin

1st of all, Hawes is touted as a C but as you can see his defensive deficiencies, deficiencies in the post offensively, and overall lack of athleticism doesn't scream STARTER.

You say he's closer to Wright? Yeah he's closer to the ideal weight for his position but he can't play D nor does he do a good job establishing position. That's not about weight. How many times does that have to be said?

You say Conley is regarded as a top 5 pick?

He wouldn't sniff a top 5 pick in any other draft, but I bet you Javaris Crittenton would. LMAO at saying Conley has more upside.

Do you know the reason Conley is ranked higher, it's because Javaris looked rawer than a spring chicken in his tournament game and Conley's team went to the Championship game.

Will Conley be a better pro? Possibly. But no way does Conley have more upside.

Oh and you want to talk about drafting a guy to be a backup, guess what that guy would be Hawes! He is not even better than what we have now in Zaza Pachulia. What a waste of a pick

Meanwhile Crittenton could be a top notch PG in this league. That's a helluva lot better value than Hawes.

Oh so you DO want a PF/C prospect.

Just don't like the guys in the draft even though they are BETTER PROSPECTS

Spencer Hawes????

You guys laugh at all these talented big men and Spencer Hawes is supposed to be the guy?

Definitely needs to bulk up more for life in the paint in college. He needs to develop alternate post moves. He lacks great quickness. He will occasionally settle for taking outside shots instead of attacking from the post. His rebounding skills could be improved. Spencer is not an amazing athlete and has trouble with smaller quicker opponents. He could improve his overall defense.

So let me get this straight, not only is Hawes another guy who has to bulk up, he has limited post moves, doesn't even at least have the lateral quickness like these other guys, he settles for outside jumpers like one of these guys who's considered a SMALL FORWARD by the Conley lovers, his rebounding skills ALSO need work unlike a couple of prospects like Horford, his overall defense needs some work, AND he's an inferior athlete to probably all of them.

And this is our guy lol?

A guy with just as much defensive deficiencies if not more than the other prospects and a guy who's a worse athlete.

Yep sounds like a plan to me.

Yi, Horford, Noah, or Wright, it doesn't matter.

Well preferrably Yi or Wright because of their upside but the bottom line is we need more talent IN THE POST.

If there was a C prospect OBVIOUSLY they would be the first choice.

But the last time I checked Roy Hibbert IS NOT IN THE DRAFT.

Greg Oden IS A LOCK FOR A TOP 2 SPOT.

So if we can't get a pure C we better get the next best thing in a PF/C prospect.

Funny how you people against the PF/C prospects are always bashing them but I don't see you with a real alternative.

If getting a C is so easy, who are we going to get?

What quality C are we going to land with our 3rd pick?

And I KNOW you don't think we're going to get a good one with the 11th pick.

First, you were yapping about how Yi could be our Center (LOL by the way), and now you want the Hawks to take a pure PF when we already have Smoove and Shelden at that position?

Do you have any concept of filling needs at all?

We don't NEED a 210 lb Power forward...WE NEED A CENTER AND A POINT GUARD.

And since Wright is neither a PG or a C (PLEASE tell me you don't think he can play C in the NBA), I don't want him.

In a week, you'll be carrying on about how WE NEED Horford, then the next week it will be Noah, and on and on and on.

I'm particularly interested to see what Hawes comes in at...Along with Noah's weight.

If Noah can put on some muscle, he might not be a bad choice at 11.

Absolutely no offense, but he's a good help defender and is good in transition.

He needs to put on muscle to play man defense though.

The only way in God's green earth Smoove gets traded is if he has major character issues...Otherwise, it would be stupid to trade him.

I think that's what he was trying to say, and I agree...Smoove has AMAZING potential...

He's more untouchable than JJ in my mind.

16.4 ppg, 8.6 rpg, and 2nd in the league in blocks at the age of 21!!!

You don't trade that for almost anything.

Would #3, Chillz, Salim get us LA, Jack, 2008 1st rounder?

You said 65/35 in your estimation that we do a trade...What scenario do you see as the most realistic?

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Conley beat Tenn. the first time without Oden...The second time, he played very well also.

He is exactly what we need on this team...A very athletic distributor at the point, that is going to drive and draw double teams, then be able to dish it out.

I would actually rather trade the #3 pick for something like the rumored PTL deal (as unlikely as it is), but if we keep it, I want Conley.

You are going off of your own fantasy.

First of all, we have atleast seen Conley against some legit competition...Conley carried that team when Oden was injured against better competition than Yi is playing against in China.

I never said Conley was that good (as good as people claim Yi is)...However, I do believe he will be a consensus top 4-5 pick once the draft rolls around (after workouts...He is a SUPBERB athlete)...That more than justifies taking him at 3.

Yi is a jerk off pick...It accomplishes nothing...We already have a breadth of SF's and PF's.

You wouldn't. Nobody ever shows a players weaknesses in a highlight tape. in fact nobody ever misses a shot in a highlight tape.

Dirk's shooting range is a major issue. It forces other bigs to come out on him which lets him drive by them. From what i have read Yi's shot is fine mid-range and shaky long range.

Really my main concern about Yi is the defensive end.

If you don't think NCAA basketball is better competition than the Chinese Basketball league, you're delusional.

So, after seeing a few highlight clips of him vs. other players in a very, very crappy league, you're trying to say you know more than scouts?

http://nbadraft.net/admincp/profiles/yijianlian.html

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That has nothing to do with the conversation.

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In the draft POSITION MATTERS. A true center will ALWAYS get picked way ahead of a tweener forward of similar ability.

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For a 4th losingest team, with it's two best players being less than all the top 10 team's and half the middle 10 team's two best players, a Pf of significantly greater ability than a Pg and two other Pgs "of similar ability" likely to be available at 11, the significantly more talented Pf should always get picked.

"Position matters" but so do ALL FACTORS like team needs including but not limited to TALENT, what the draft offers in terms of talent at 3 vs 11, what the draft offers in terms of Pgs at 3 and 11, the fact that we MUST make a trade to fill our center prospect needs...

All of which you seem to overlook for numbskull 1/2 truths like "but we need a Pg". Thanks for the enlightenment. NOW can we look at the details. That's where the devil is.

W

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You have probably never even seen the guy play.

Professional scouts that have watched him have said he has a big PF body (really a C's body) but plays like a SF...His game is mostly perimeter...His moves in the post aren't good and he GETS

PUSHED AROUND DOWN LOW

!!

Is that what you want on this team? Someone who is

soft

?

Yi would be the biggest waste of a pick in the Billy Knight era.

I can't believe the same people who have been bashing him for the past few years for taking SF's/PF's (as have I) want him to take ANOTHER one!!!

http://nbadraft.net/admincp/profiles/yijianlian.html

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Weaknesses:

There is some concern as to what position he will play in the NBA: He lacks the upper body strength and the back to the basket moves at power forward and is a bit long and rangy for the three

… Needs to improve his three point shooting to play minutes to be effective at SF … Despite his vast improvement, Jianlian needs to continue to develop his upper body strength …

At this point of his career, he’s more comfortable facing the basket than with his back to the basket

… Although he doesn’t shy away from physical contact

he can get disrupted with rough post play … Struggles to maintain his position in the low post as opposing defenders tend to push him out

… Defensively he will not be the huge shot blocking presence that he is in the China, due to his timing and the speed of the NBA game … Has a habit of putting the ball on the floor to achieve rhythm instead of keeping the ball high away from opposing guards …. Confidence can wavier in games when he’s struggling to score … Although listed as being born in 1987 many within China place him between 1985-1986 … Doesn’t always play defensive with great intensity, he won’t be able to get away with it in the NBA …

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He has never been a CONSISTENT starter in the NBA...Always the back-up PG or "spot starter".

Not to mention his abysmal injury history...What an awful signing.

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