Packfill

Miami was missing Marion.

Can't have a top 5 without Petit. EDIT: Well, given those rules, I would still rank Kevin Willis and Doc Rivers ahead of Mookie.

I don't see how Bibby would take anything less then a three year deal since this will likely be his last big contract.

I think that is too much money for Marvin. His current production could be replaced for a lot less money (though you obviously lose the upside).

Definitely a no-brainer pick in the second round given his size, age and general athletic ability.

I think Horford has zero chance of going to the all-star game. He just isn't good enought at this point.

I think the key is whether Charlie V. is playing well for the Bucks or not. He is capable of having huge games and then disappearing completely, so they are a different team depending on which guy shows up.

Road or mountain bike race? If twice, has to be mountain, right?

Agreed. If Morris, Hunter, West or Garner are getting regular minutes it means the Hawks have serious issues - whether they be injury related or otherwise. The only one who I would like to see get more minutes is Acie, but only to see if he has game - not because he has earned them. If I Bibby was signed for another season I probably would care alot less about Acie's minutes.

Making team mates better is missing the point. Making the team better is the key. Guys like Garnett do that through their own skill and by being a leader and setting a tone for the team. Tim Duncan could average 25+ points a night if he wanted to but it might have a negative impact on team dynamics. Similarly, Kobe needed to back off on scoring a tad so that others could get more involved. That improved the teams production as a whole. Obviously you need talent too but that does not mean there are not figures in sports who set a tone that enables others to reach their potential. Having the right system also makes a big difference, as does having players that fit that system. Roger Mason played very well for the Wizards last year and the Spurs obviously knew that he fit their system well. Lo and behold, he is doing well! Go figure.

Granger definitely deserves to go and it would be a shame if he wasn't selected as a reserve. Amazing how he has developed his game.

Wings are a dime a dozen and the Hawks would be able to replace Marvin's current production for less by signing a solid vet, but the Hawks would lose any upside Marvin has left and that upside (whether perceived or actual) will drive his price up. I think $7.5 is too high for Zaza but there definitely will be teams willing to give him close to the full MLE, so he should be in line for a $1 million raise (and possibly more given the dearth of quality big men league wide).

Assuming they are resigned, aren't Marvin and Zaza getting raises though? Marvin likely won't break the bank but someone will still pay some at least $7.5 million a season and Zaza is playing well enough to get a raise.

Doesn't Jameer Nelson get in before Bibby given that he has a slight edge in stats and he plays for the team with the best record in the league? Others who will get consideration are Andre Igoudala, Antwan Jamison, Caron Butler, Emeka Okafor, AI, Mo Williams and Micheal Redd.

I am cautiously optimistic. Definitely can't complain about the record as it is better then I expected. I definitely think there are areas of concern, from defensive intensity to offensive sets (or lack thereof), and I wish some of the young guys were taking their games to the next level. Overall, job well done at the mid-point.

Agreed. Any chance the Hawks have of being a true title contender begin and end with Smith.

To be honest, that was a huge blunder by BK so it is hard to move past. Paul is one of the 5-7 best players in the league and the chance to get one of those types of talents is so rare.

I like Hawes' offensive potential. Defensively, Lopez seems like he may offer more as a shotblocker and post defender.

I have to disagree with that. Odom is a nice player - a complimentary one, but not the difference maker the Hawks need.

Just wondering what people think in terms of the long range potential of Al Horford, Brook Lopez and Spencer Hawes. All are young and have much to improve. Al is the most accomplished and athletic of the three, but also the oldest and smallest. Their numbers are not too far apart right now, which got me thinking.

I don't think the team as currently constructed has the talent or coaching to compete for a championship. This off-season is going to be pretty important as they will need to make decisions on a couple of key guys - i.e., Bibby, Marvin and Zaza. Josh Smith is probably the wild card though, if he ever figures it out the team could make a quantum leap.

I don't think there is much to do at this point. The team still has a better record on the season then almost anyone could have expected so no need for knee-jerk reactions. The Hawks need to play/coach themselves out of the funk if they want to be a competitive team. If they can,t do that, then I would be first in line requesting changes in the off-season.

Wow. Would be embarassing if the Hawks lost given the circumstances.

That is the comparison everyone has been making since he was drafted.

Rashard Lewis 2.0. It will be interesting to see what type of money Marvin is offered in the off-season.