Packfill

Quechua, if memory serves from my trip to Ecuador.

Swift is a bum. That was one of the worst drafts in the past 25 years, if not the worst.

Quote: oh and he also went on at one point about how you can hardly ever get a franchise player through trades because teams don't let them go, so you have to take your best shots through the draft. Basically more explanation of the Marvin pick Except for Kobe, T-Mac, Vince, Kidd, Nash, Shaq, Dirk, Jermaine O'Neal, Arenas, Webber, Brand, Ray Allen, Baron Davis, Gasol, and a few others BK is right. What an idiot.

Quote: again, i don't think we ever will contend until we get a true pg i don't think we'd ever get a true pg until jt was traded thus i was all for trading jt just like i'm all for trading al because i don't think we'll contend with his d unless we get the perfect center for him and i dont think we'll contend with him if we pay 8+mil/year for him If we are never going to contend until we get a real point guard then the Hawks should have drafted Paul!! This franchise is bereft of talent at the three most important positions: (1) head coach; (2) point guard and (3) center.

Delk really isn't worth more then a second rounder. Hawks don't really need any more of those.

Quote: I've maintained from day one that Josh Smith is a young Shawn Kemp. There are some subtle differences, but they are similar players. If Atlanta would ever commit to an up tempo style of play, I believe Smith's game offensively could take off. I think he has the requisite skills to play in an up tempo style attack. I don't think Smith is quite the all around player AK47 is, but I think it is good that AK is the guy he's trying to pattern his game around. Well, if the team had a point guard who could push the ball (i.e., Paul) we might be a running team. To bad BK f'ed it up.

Quote: Joe Johnson would be the perfect backcourt mate for Jason Terry. He'd be perfect for what this team wants to become now. People tend to forget that once we finally had some guys that could handle the ball on the court with him at the end of that 2003-2004 season, JT played great. His points were up, assists were up, and turnovers were down. In Terry Stott's wide open, perimeter oriented offense, JT, Bob Sura, Boris Diaw, Stephen Jackson, Chris Crawford, Jason Collier, and Joel Przybilla were all playing very well. Those guys may have been limted athletically overall, but they were skillful players that could handle the ball and pass the ball around. We had great offensive ball movement during that time. JT's numbers once all the trades were made were around 18 points per game, 6 assists per game, and around 2.6 turnovers per game. JT and JJ would be great in the backcourt together. I'd love to see Atlanta go after JT in the offseason. But JT doesn't fit with BK's philosophy because he is not long, versatile or 6'8".

Quote: no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no agreed.

Not before, not now and not ever.

I don't see the point in getting rid of the coach mid-season as there are not likely to be any legitimate long term replacements available. Better off just waiting till the end of the season then bringing in another stopgap.

No. He will be 40 by the time the Hawks youngsters can legally buy a beer.

Zaza is a decent signing, but he is not that good.

No to all until the off-season. Then fire both BK and Woodson if things don't improve. Really, the Hawks are not that different then teams like the Celtics, Lakers and Sixers with two good players and then a whole lot of inexperience and crap.

After Al and Ben Wallace there is no free agent game, so might as well take back contracts that expire after next season.

Well, at least Woodson has his set rotatation! Otherwise he is a shining example of bad coaching.

Both are not starting material but I want Woodson to give Ivey some minutes over the next few weeks just to see whether he is worth a roster spot next week.

Quote: Adequate Big FA's Pryz Nene Wilcox Gooden Olowakondi (he's not great, but for a size starved team he could hold his own) Mohammed Olowakandi is a definite no because he is soft as charmin. Mohammad is not much of an upgrade to Zaza so would only clog a roster spot and cap space. Gooden, Wilcox, Ely and Nene are all restricted so there is no guarantee they will leave their current teams. The other problem with guys like Wilcox and Gooden is that they are not big enough to play center except on a very limited basis. So bringing them in means the Hawks have another forward which means Smoove, Childress and Marvin get more bench time next year - rather then freeing up playing time when/if Al leaves.

Salim has less point guard skills then Ivey. He is a modern day Vinnie Johnson, nothing more.

Really like to have John Salmons? If that is the case then it really is a weak free agent class. I would try hard to get either Nene or Pryz, but Pryz's previous stint here may have soured him on BK and Atlanta. As for points, Cassell is just too old for the Hawks so I would look to sign Speedy Claxton. He would be an upgrade over what we have, although I doubt he is a long term solution.

Quote: I mean could we trade him right away or will we have to keep him until the summer. I am thinking that Artest is more valuable a commodity that Artest. I am assuming you mean Artest is a more valuable commodity then Al? That being said, what makes you think BK can get more for Artest then Walsh can? If Walsh's best move is to trade Artest for Al then Artest's value is Al, so he is no more valuable.

Looks like slim pickings in the off-season. How is the 2006 free agent class chock full of point guards? Maybe career backups?

You realize that the Hawks couldn't trade Lue for a box of crackerjacks right? That is his value.

Al is only driving into traffic because the offense is completely stagnant. I blame the coach or the point guard for not getting the team into a decent set.

Quote: Again you must not have watched any of the games last year when the Joshs' were averaging 15 ppg the last 3 months of the season even though they had no perimeter game. Who do you think was setting them up? How come he can't do it this year then?

Dude, the whole team turns the ball over too much - JJ, Al, Salim and Zaza (our center!!!!) are all in the top 25 in turnovers per 48 minutes. So the problem is systemic. Either we need a new system or a new point guard. That is the root of the problem. Lue's shortcoming as a point guard, in addition to his 8th grade level defense, is that he does not have the ability to get teammates the ball in a position where they can score with a low chance of a turnover. So what if he doesn't turn it over or gets a few assists because someone else hit a jumpshot, he doesn't do enough to warrant serious playing time.