Packfill

Based on recent contract signings all of those guys are going to get $40+ million contracts. I wouldn't want both Jackson and QRich, one or the other and then let the other wing position sort itself out between Childress/Diaw/Smith/Smith. I still think the greatest need is at power forward and center. Center can probably be taken care of inexpensively with Pryz, Collier or the like. Power forward may be the place to spend the dollars, whether that be Kmart, Swift or Thomas.

Jax is a no brainer for the Spurs at this point.

Boozer is a good player - and I would love to have him on the Hawks - but he does not have the athletic upside or overall defensive presence of Kenyon Martin. I doubt he ever improves significantly on his current numbers but he is the type of hard worker I wouldn't bet against. Imagine a guy like Swift or Kwame Brown with Boozer's work ethic and fundamentals!

The numbers guys like Foyle, Hedu, Camby, Nash, Okur, Alston and Ginobili are getting are crazy. Those $5+ million are the ones, more often then not, that cripple a franchise. I have said it once, I have said it twice, and I will say it again, I would take KMart at the max long before I would take any of these guys at the projected values of the deals they have been offered.

Nobody could win with that team. Paxson is offering window dressing for the fact that two (now three) coaches have been unable to sufficiently develop their young talent. It won't happen without proper leadership. Rose and Marshall are not the type of veterans youn want nuturing young players, they are too me first oriented. At least now they may have some hope that Hinrich, as he gains experience, may be able to lead the Bulls back to mediocrity and beyond. All I am saying is that the Hawks have the potential to be historically bad with out some competent front court players. Remember, at least last year we had Jackson who was throwing down 25 points a game. Without him, who will score? No Sura likely either. Without them, the teams inability to score will almost as tragic as its inability to stop anyone in the paint. I want the young guys to develop, but I think their development will be helped by the addition of a low post presence. Martin is not perfect for this, but he will have to do. His real value is in the locker room and with attitude. Swift may be able to match his production, but unless he has a fire lit under him he will not match Kmart's intensity. Swift would be nice at a reasonable deal, but I would prefer Kmart at 10 or 12 then Swift at 6 or 8.

Cartwright did not have a mandate to win - he had a mandate to develop the young players but got canned because he did not give them enough playing time (although, I think he got the short end of the stick because he inherited a fundamentally flawed roster - i.e., one without veteran leadership). Silas was given a mandate to build around LeBron. Trading for VETERANS Williams and Battie was a deal done solely with the intention of putting veteran leaders around Lebron so that he could develop IN THE PROPER ENVIRONMENT.

Even if childress turns in Tracy McGrady he is not going to win anything without a talented front court. The Bulls and Clippers are great examples of teams which are/were stockpiled with high draft picks and talented youngsters. Neither team, despite 3-4 years worth of development have been able to improve because of the lack of leadership. When I say leadership I mean someone who can show the way on the court and in the locker room. The Buls with Crawford, Curry and Chandler have amounted to nothing as a team and each has underachieved individually, failing to live up to expectations. Over the past several years the Clippers have had young talents such as Magette, Richardson, Miles, Olakawadi, etc. but have not had a winning season because they lack the necessary veteran presence and leadership. No lets look at Cleveland, with young stars Lebron, Boozer, Wagner, etc. They made a playoff run this year because they made a trade for veteran leadership, i.e., Williams and Battie. Indiana turned over a veteran ladden roster a few years ago by getting rid of the Davis' and adding youngsters O'Neil, Harrington, Bender and Tinsley. The team was able to continue to win because the remaining veterans on the roster were able to bridge the learning curve. The Hawks currently have no leadership in place. A good coach can help with the youngsters development, but you also need some on the court that can give someone a kick in the ass every now and then to work harder. Martin could do that for the hawks. I am not suggesting that the Hawks need to win now, or even next year. But by adding the right veteran presence - Martin or someone else - you are establishing a foundation and mental approach to the game which will result in victories two and three years down the road.

Foyle is getting $40, not $18. I would take Foyle for $18 over three years as well. Forty over 5 is a different story, especially given his injury history.

Given the size and length of the deals some of these guys are getting - i.e., Nash, Okur, Foyle, possibly Ginobili, etc. - giving Kmart a max deal is making more and more sense. Final Quest and Weez have correctly pointed out that Martin fills a huge need both on the court and off the court for the Hawks. He gives the team some credibility. The other important impact such a signing would have is its impact on the young players. Without another experienced/talented veteran, the Hawks are going to lose 60+ games next year. That will have a negative impact on the development of our young players. See Chicago Bulls as an example. With K-mart's attitude and defense inside plus Terry's shooting outside, with some timely play by the young guys, the Hawks can at least win 35+ games with something to build on for the 2005-06 season.

Makes $10 million for Kmart seem like a bargin.

A bad contract can really hinder a team's flexibility. That I agree with. But I am on the fence as to whether a max contract to Kenyon makes sense. My question is this, what are the Hawks saving all that 19 million for? Even if the Hawks signed Martin for the max they likely will have enough money left over to sign another max deal, especially next year when Henderson and Crawford come off the books and Terry becomes very tradeable. If we agree that only the truely elite players are worth the max, then newsflash, there are not any available this year and there likely will not be any available next year - at least without a team in place. We are not getting Shaq, Duncan, KG, Kobe, McGrady, Jermaine O'Neil, or Lebron. Now add to that the fact that the Hawks have no one to play power forward, no one. It is a desparate need. Martin fits exactly into the mold of what the hawks want and need - young, athletic, defensive minded and aggressive. Eton Thomas and Stromile Swift are the only two other players who are available that come even close to fitting those requirements. Neither has Martin's game. Swift has the athletic ability but so far has not demonstrated the heart or head. Thomas seems to have the heart but is not the athletic equal of the other two. Personally, I rather overspend for one really good player than two mediocre ones. I think, if other teams are willing to give K-Mart the max, I would too. He is a good fit on the court and is a good fit from a marketing standpoint as well.

He would have been nice to have but at this point, given what happened with the draft, he is not needed.

I am still not sure K-Mart is worth the max, but Final-quest makes some good arguments that he is. Most importantly is the impact it might have on next years free agent class - Martin plus a lot of young developing players would be an attractive situation for a Ray Allen or other big name player.

A good coach may be just the thing. But, these issues are ones that he still must overcome, despite being coached by Hubie and the the "Logo" looming over his shoulder. Some guys just get it, may take a few years but the light goes on. Others it never will go on. There are so many truely talented players who never lived up to their skill/athletic abilities. Martin you know will play hard. Stromile, you don't, that is why you need to pay a premium to get Martin. Whether he is worth the max, I do not know. I know he would be a huge addition to the Hawks - certaintly not a true franchise player - but a nice piece to the puzzle to go along with our collection of talented young swingmen.

Swift's problem is that he is not "eager" enough. If he had his head on straight, was focused, more intense, whatever, he would be talked about in the same light as Kenyon.

He is 6'9" 256lbs. Plays for the Wizards. Solid rebounder and shotblocker, but not much of a scoring presence. In the mold of a Brian Grant/Carlos Boozer type. Doesn't have the athletic upside of a Stromile Swift, but more solid and tough defensively.

It is a lot of money for a player who cannot really care a franchise. But, he does bring something that recent hawks team have been missing - intensity. He would be a good influence on the younger guys in that respect, particularly if he gets after a guy like Josh Smith. Maybe he can make Terry walk the walk also. A wily veteran would be nice to keep K-Mart in check though.

I think he is already - albeit a very nominal ownership interest.

I think Rafer or Damon Jones would make a good back-up point guard, maybe even started if Terry were traded. Right now though, it seems like the Hawks are going to need Terry's scoring ability. I am hoping that having Childress and Diaw on the court with Terry will alleviate the ballhandling issues, as both Childress and Diaw can handle some of the ball handling/distriibution responsibilities. The free agent focus of the hawks should be on front court players - PF's Martin, Swift or Thomas; Center's Blount, Foyle, Dampier, etc.

I agree. I think Etan Thomas would be a very wise pick-up for th hawks. He would provide good interior defense, rebounding and shotblocking - three things the Hawks definitely need. He would be good paired with an offensive minded center like Collier or, better yet, another athletic big man like Mark Blount. Blount and Thomas would be a nice, affordable frontcourt. Add Pryz or Collier as a back-up, then maybe a veteran point guard back-up - I am thinking Damon Jones - and that will make for a good build year, with plenty of money left for '05 if needed.

That team can run and defend but it won't score a lick. You are basically relying on two rookies and Swift to score points. I am just a little worried about the idea of an all rookie backcourt. I rather have Terry then Nelson and Gooden.

Darius Rice. You mean Darius Rice. The Hawks definitely do not need another developmental small forward.

Any truth to the rumors that Denver will fire Bedzilk (sp?)?

I agree, he could be a nice back-up providing low post scoring.

Childress is going to play at the two guard.