Sothron

1 hour ago, JeffS17 said:

Same, I choose to believe that was never a real deal on the table.

It was. Remember at that point it was before Lauri's AS breakout season. Messy Ressy didn't want Lauri's  contract.

2 minutes ago, NBASupes said:

I definitely think he would need the gleague for at least 2 months to adjust to the pace but it wouldn't shock me to see his offensive rating being insanely high in SL. To be frank, it wouldn't shock me to see his defensive rating being good in SL. The NBA is a completely different ball game. 

I agree with you about him. I think if he got a coach that believed in him like Malone did with Jokic he could be a scary player in the NBA because his efficiency numbers are insane. You expect some of that to come down in the NBA but I can't see it falling off a cliff like some in this thread are expecting.

The complaints about his defense are what people said about Jokic, Nurkic and Sabonis. All of them are good enough on defense in the modern NBA. I am not saying the criticism about Edey's foot speed is invalid just pointing out that other guys around that size are able to defend just fine.

Zach Edey is an elite inside paint player who could feast from our team spamming 5 and creating space for him on the interior. He's an excellent rebounder as well. 

I would rather take someone else because I think we need a guy like Reed or a big wing more but if Edey is there I wouldn't be upset if we took him.

1 hour ago, Spud2nique said:

Do you all remember getting home from work or school or whatever it was that you did in 2014-15, let’s say around the same time of year and how excited we were to watch Hawks basketball ? 
 

I’m talking about craving it and looking forward to it and can’t wait till the clock hits 7:00 pm EST! 
 

A cohesive machine . @lethalweapon3’s favorite things happened that year because balls were flying side to side. We were like an incredible disciplined hot potato machine in the corner of a bowling alley. 9/10 nights we clicked.

I miss that. 
 

I’m sorry but we are literally walking through muscle memory motions which is great and a common trait of all ers in general but how bout some swinging. I saw one good movement from us I think all game. The Bulls had an awesome one against us with 4:22 left in the 3rd of that loss.

I don’t know what the answer is but I do know one thing, it starts top to bottom. 
 

End of vent/rant/reminiscing

 

 

Go Hawks!

I've been going back and watching those Hawks teams and the earlier Joe/Josh/Horford teams. It is so nice to remember a time when the Hawks actually played defense.

I will still be a fan but I am emotionally done with the die hard emotional investment I've had in this franchise since my Dad sat me on his knees to watch the 1979 Hawks at the Omni.

Until the SEVENTH richest owner in the NBA decides to pay the luxury tax and not be a bottom five payroll EVERY YEAR he's owned this franchise we will never be a serious playoff team let alone a contender.

We're not even playing the young guys in blowout losses in what is a clear lost season. Speechless. 

I'm done, everyone. If they do something in the summer that actually means something I might emotionally invest into the team again but now I'm like @sturt . 

I would kill for Reed Sheppard on this team. 

We also need a true big wing defender in the worst way.

58 minutes ago, JeffS17 said:

Easily? I don't think so.  Who would that have even been?  Last I checked, there were no MLE guys that were good POA defenders even available.  But I don't feel like rehashing the minutiae required to debate this point.  

There's a guard we played just last night we could have signed for this.

I have been told if you put a gun to Quin's head he'd rather keep DJ and trade Trae to have Dj back at point but that's the cash cow we're talking about.

I feel like I will start to sound like a broken record about this but I don't care. This team every year under Messy Ressy is literally one of the cheapest teams in the NBA. Every.damn.year. We could have easily signed someone with the MLE to address the POA defender role. We could have used the TPE from JC to do the same thing. Newp. We just sit back and do nothing so Messy Ressy continues to have a bottom four or five payroll in the entire league.

19 minutes ago, macdaddy said:

Yeah we're trading for KAT right?  A lot of teams are going to come with offers for him in the summer including the Knicks probably. 

The plan is to trade for KAT, yes. I just worry if we have enough assets to get him. The one thing that will put other teams off is his salary. Going from the first apron to the second is a huge deal. 

11 hours ago, bleachkit said:

Actually I'm pretty sure you're the one moving the goal posts here. I'm citing examples that run counter to your specious claims and you're conveniently dismissing them. According to you being White really helps in marketing. Wait, unless you're foreign. And you can't be a center either. And any examples of successful centers or foreign born players also don't count. Ok man sure.

You mentioned Shaq because he's a white American player? Oh wait, he's not. Insert strawman.

Being a white AMERICAN superstar is what I am talking and only have been talking about. Jokic is not that. Luka is not that. Steve Nash was not that. The last white AMERICAN superstar player was Bird and he got marketing deals out the whazzoo back in the day. 

Saying Flagg being a white AMERICAN superstar in the making has no impact on his market appeal is, again, frankly silly. 

I just have to point out, again, we have one of the lowest payrolls in the entre NBA and have been every year under Ressler. He's only the seventh richest owner in the ENTIRE league. 

You aren't going to win if you aren't willing to pay for the talent. 

Landry Fields asking for patience when we're what 3 years removed from the ECF run is rich.

I know, I know, my sources and those with @NBASupes and @Mikey and I believe @thecampster keep saying expect big trades in the summer.

I will believe it when I see it.

12 minutes ago, bleachkit said:

Shaq, one of the greatest marketing machines in NBA history, is a center. It's not about race, or position, it's about charisma. 

Shaq is the only center, ever, to sell shoes. You are moving goal posts at this point.

Flagg is a unicorn as a white American superstar with freakish ability. Jokic is none of those things. Shaq is none of those things. Saying Flagg being a white American in addition to his basketball skills has no impact on his marketing appeal is frankly silly.

1 hour ago, bleachkit said:

Has being White helped Jokic being marketed? People who don't follow the NBA have no clue who he is despite being arguably the best player in the world. I'm going to say that again. He's white, he's the best player in the world. He doesn't even have his own shoe. 

He is European and a center. Centers never sell shoes. Flagg is neither of these things. 

23 minutes ago, bleachkit said:

I'm just saying being White does not help with marketing as an NBA player. There is no empirical evidence to suggest it does. If anything, it's a hindrance. 

I can't possibly disagree more 

3 hours ago, bleachkit said:

Not to go down the political/socio rabbit hole. But the notion that teams really want a White star for marketing just does not appear to true. Jokic is the best player in the world, and the average person has never even heard of him. He isnt really heavily marketed. What Madison Avenue really wants is another MJ or LeBron. Hard to argue with that, considering their success.

A white American superstar hasn't happened since Bird. Jokic and luka are foreign guys. Flagg is crazy athletic and a home grown white kid.  He's the unicorn of unicorns for marketing and any team that drafts him.

I have reached the point I hate Ressler more than I hate the A$G. Those idiots never had the money necessary to actually own either the Hawks or Thrashers. So it was more lack of money than wanting to win on their part.

Ressler? He is the seventh richest owner in the entire NBA and has consistently had us as one of the lowest payrolls in the entire NBA. And yet he pays lip service to wanting to win. Jacks up ticket prices...and fails to deliver a winning product to explain the price increase.

We need Messy Ressy gone.

How are we getting Cooper Flagg? if he has the season we expect at Duke he's the no brainer unicorn #1 pick in 2025. A white American superstar in the draft? When's the last time that has been a real thing? Teams will be shooting their own players on the bench to tank for this kid.

We don't have our pick next season. We're not getting him unless we trade for him at that draft.

Only team we'd trade Trae to is SAS to get our firsts back plus theirs. And no I don't think that is going to happen.