Packfill

I don't think Noah is a bad prospect. He can definitely play some center, especially as he bulks up over the next few years. Skinny guys like Camby, Tyson Chandler and Mikki Moore all had a certain amount of success this past season. Noah's real value is that he is a good passer, good athlete and has good court awareness. He may not be a superstar but he will be a solid player. Now, that being said, the Hawks desperate need for a point guard would likely lead me to pick one if available (though I am not entirely sold on Law being a point guard - I see him more as a Barbosa/Devin Harris/Delonte West shooting guard in point guard body).

To me, Salim is a very poor man's Jason Terry.

Quote: He does have an eye for talent but not the right talent for the current situation that team was in. As a basketball player Marvin was a great pick but he was the wrong pick for a team that needed a point guard. Like John Kerry said in the last election " Don't confuse the soldier with the war". I don't know man. I still don't see "it" in Marvin. I see Rashard Lewis. Decent player but not a game changer. Paul or Deron were head and shoulders better then Marvin in college and so far in the pros. I didn't like the pick then and I like it less two years later. And I still do not think BK has a good eye for talent. Why didn't he take Deng or Iggy over Chill? What was he thinking with Sheldon? Why has he not been able to at least get a developmental type point guard in here? Why can Toronto get Calderon? Portland a Sergio? Boston a Rondo? Milwaukee signing a Mo Williams on the Cheap a few years ago? Chicago getting a Duhon? None of those guys were lottery picks, and other then Rondo none were 1st rounders. Where are BK's great finds? Don't Say Smoove - that was a hometown pick that anyone GM or basketball fan would have made.

Quote: As much as I dislike BK you cannot say that he doesn't have an eye for talent. I can not think of one player that he drafted that you can call a bust. He knows talent. The problem is that in the 2005 draft the consensus was that Marvin and Bogut were without a doubt the best players in the draft and that they would go 1 and 2. All he did was follow the general consensus. If MArvin would have went 1 then we would have drafted Bogut. Having said that even though we need a point guard and a center half of you guys would love to draft Durant even though his position replicates one that we have. Samething this year either he or Oden will go first and that is the general consensus. For all of you Marvin haters how can you guys not see the talent that he possess and the improvement that he has made. I never recalled anyone saying that he was going to come in right away and produce 25ppg and 12 rpg. You guys are entitled to your opinions but how can you watch the hawks and say that he is a bust. Are you guys even watching the games!!! I disagree with this post entirely. If BK had a real eye for talent then he would have at least picked one player with superstar potential considering he had 3 high lottery picks to work with. As it turns out, on each occassion he did not pick the right guy. As for BK going with "consensus" in picking Marvin, that is not a sound basis to defend the pick as BK went against consensus in picking Chill (over Deng and Iggy) and picking Sheldon (over Roy and Foye). BK has esentially positioned this franchise to be mediocre with his picks and he has consistently failed to fill the two most difficult positions to fill on the court - center and point guard.

Oops. Didn't even bother to look to see if it was an old post.

Quote: Randoph Morris if we don't get a decent big man in the draft. He is a free agent. I thought the Knicks already signed him?

I don't know how many games the team will win next year but I will be disappointed with anything less then a winning season.

Quote: I don't have much of an opinion either way except that he's 70 years old, but he also took a playoff team and turned it into a team that stinks really, really bad. But whatever. I think the lesson here is that its much harder to be the GM for memphis and atlanta than the Lakers. I am certaintly not advocating that the Hawks get West as GM. Rather, I am trying to make sense of why people sight BK's record in Memphis as something positive - and similarly why people say West ruined what BK was building. My contention is that BK built nothing. I think the real lesson is that BK has absolutely no clue how to build a "team." He knows a little about assembling talent, but if this team is going to go to the next level - and I think next year is the time to do it - they need someone who has the vision to remold this collection of talent into a basketball "team."

Quote: Quote: Quote: Quote: the funny thing is that west made a mess of what BK started in Memphis. would he do the same here? What exactly did BK start in Memphis? He drafted Gasol and Battier. That is it. BK traded Mike Bibby for Jason Williams! A core of Gasol, Battier, Jason Williams and Stromile Swift isn't winning anything ever, unless your idea of winning is a late playoff seed and an early playoff exit. The only reason Memphis got to the playoffs after West arrived is because he hired a decent coach, made a good trade to get Miller and signed Posey - who had a career year leading that team to the playoffs in Wests first year. BK did not build anything in Memphis. His biggest claim to fame is fleecing an equally bad GM (i.e., Babcock). Anybody? What did BK build in Memphis other then a team that needed a serious infusion of coaching and talent to make the playoffs? Why do people constantly say that West "screwed up" what BK built in Memphis? That team never makes it to three consecutive playoffs without the infusion of talent and coaching West brought in. Gasol and Battier do not a championship caliber team make. Judging West's highest draft picks by the same criteria used to judge BK in terms of the draft doesn't look very good for West. #4 overall - Drew Gooden over Amare Stoudemire & Caron Butler #16 & 20 overall - Troy Bell and Dahntay Jones over Josh Howard, Boris Diaw & David West I think the biggest move that West made was getting a new coach. I do think, however, that West has a good enough resume that he deserves another job without question. Are GMs judged by how well they draft our how well their teams perform? West took a team that stunk and turned it into a playoff team. He won exec of the year for it.

Quote: Quote: the funny thing is that west made a mess of what BK started in Memphis. would he do the same here? What exactly did BK start in Memphis? He drafted Gasol and Battier. That is it. BK traded Mike Bibby for Jason Williams! A core of Gasol, Battier, Jason Williams and Stromile Swift isn't winning anything ever, unless your idea of winning is a late playoff seed and an early playoff exit. The only reason Memphis got to the playoffs after West arrived is because he hired a decent coach, made a good trade to get Miller and signed Posey - who had a career year leading that team to the playoffs in Wests first year. BK did not build anything in Memphis. His biggest claim to fame is fleecing an equally bad GM (i.e., Babcock). Anybody? What did BK build in Memphis other then a team that needed a serious infusion of coaching and talent to make the playoffs? Why do people constantly say that West "screwed up" what BK built in Memphis? That team never makes it to three consecutive playoffs without the infusion of talent and coaching West brought in. Gasol and Battier do not a championship caliber team make.

Quote: Quote: Quote: wait, so we're saying it's top 10 protected but not really, it's really a top 3 protected? Someone please clarify. It's top 10 protected, however, since the Lottery is only for the top three picks (as far as moving down from way up at 11, 12, or 13)...we really only have to worry about Indy getting supremely lucky and getting into the top three...after that doesn't happen we are pretty safe. so the true "lottery" picks are only considered to be the top 3 picks? but teams are still getting balls to see where they lineup....so if indy finishes at say, 11..and then say they get the ball that says they get the 8th pick, we actually get the 8th pick? No. Essentially what happens is they run the "lottery" for the top 3 picks. Of the 13 teams in the lottery, three will "win" and get one of the top three picks depending on the numbers drawn. Once those three are determined, the remaining 10 teams pick based on reverse order of finish.

Quote: the funny thing is that west made a mess of what BK started in Memphis. would he do the same here? What exactly did BK start in Memphis? He drafted Gasol and Battier. That is it. BK traded Mike Bibby for Jason Williams! A core of Gasol, Battier, Jason Williams and Stromile Swift isn't winning anything ever, unless your idea of winning is a late playoff seed and an early playoff exit. The only reason Memphis got to the playoffs after West arrived is because he hired a decent coach, made a good trade to get Miller and signed Posey - who had a career year leading that team to the playoffs in Wests first year. BK did not build anything in Memphis. His biggest claim to fame is fleecing an equally bad GM (i.e., Babcock).

If Gearon really believes what he said then then this team is doomed regardless of whether Belkin or the Spirit group win. Hopefully if the Spirit group wins the investor they bring in has enough sense to get these guys to see the light.

Quote: heard it on the way back to work. Stan Kasten was on and the partner they would bring in is not local. he said the resolution is "years" away. per Kasten the last court ruling actually slowed down the process. Ugh.

Quote: Troy, you really think that West, at 69, in this time in his life, is the same GM that he was with LA? You really believe that? Smart GMs dont aquire Rudy Gays and trade Shane Battiers. C'mon now... I can't really blame West for trading Battier for Gay, it is not like Memphis was going to win anything with a team built around Gasol, Battier and Miller. Gay is essentially the same player as Marvin. Would you trade Marvin for Battier?

Quote: I don't think anyone was calling Marvin a 3 pt shooter. He doesn't quite have that range yet. The relevant stat here would be effective FG% on jumpers only Marvin: .408 Smith: .315 Chill: .380 For comparison, JJ: .498 Lascar - what site do you get stats like these from? I think it is pretty cool that these types of things are available.

Quote: There are no gurentees. They may not want to pass on a talent like Conely and end up trading Miller in the offseason or have him backup Miller for a season to prepare him (like Williams in NJ). If they did draft Conley then the Hawks should do whatever it takes to get Miller. I don't think it is a coincidence that Philly has been so good since the all-star break.

Josh just had a 25/13 game playing small forward. That begs the question of whether his increased production post injury was a result of a switch to power forward or just the result of being healthy. After the last two games, I am beginning to think the latter.

Quote: I see marvin doing really well if he can start being a 3 point threat. I know he isnt bad but if he could become an antawn jamison I would be happy. Jamison played PF at carolina but now is a good wingplayer that has range that extends to the 3 point line. I see marvin doing that. To be honest, I rather have a Deron Williams or Chris Paul then an Antwan Jamison.

Quote: The Bulls are a playoff Team.Rookies don't get much playing time on playoff teams. That's why Tyrus Thomas is only playing 13.4 minutes a game.But, 5points and 4 rebs is pretty good for 13mpg. Agreed. Playing time and the quality of team the guy is playing on have to be factored in. Obviously getting minutes and production on a good team is more impressive then getting minutes on a bad team.

Quote: It's a matter of perception I guess. Some people want to perceive him as a #2 pick and a key player from an NCAA championship winning team and they base their expectations on that. Other people choose to see him as a 19 year old kid who was talented and had loads of potential, but would still be a development project in the NBA. You also can't read too much into anything Billy Knight says ahead of drafts. Depending on the day Billy can see things from either perspective or one that nobody else even considered. I wasn't basing my statements on anything BK said but on all of the scouting reports and expert commentary that was provided prior to and after Marvin was drafted. Hopefully Marvin steps up in his third year but I cannot help but think that BK permanently damaged this franchise by not getting a franchise point guard when he had the chance.

Quote: your disappointment is based on draft pick expectations and Marvins own inability to be consistent in the post at this point in his career. Woodson hasn't turned him into anything, he's simply using him in the way that's going to get the most consistency out of him at the NBA level and at this point in his career. Marvin's strong suit up to this point hasn't been post play, it's been his smooth jumper (and even that has failed him at times) and his ability to take people off the dribble and get into the paint (which improved a good bit as the season went on). Marvin's development is coming along just fine and would likely be further along if it were not for the injuries. Despite the differences in their games, you need not look any further than Josh Smith for proof of this. His second year stats are almost a mirror of Josh's in his second season and just like Josh, Marvin still has a lot of improvement left in him. Nobody is disappointed in what we've gotten from Josh this year and they shouldn't be disappointed in Marvin. It's hard not to put high expectations on him because of where he was drafted, but we have to keep it all in perspective. He was drafted as a young, raw player with lots of potential and we have to keep that in mind when placing expectations on him. Here is what I do not understand - why is Marvin considered a young raw player when one of the reasons for drafting him with the second pick was because he was so "skilled" (i.e., good shooting form, supposedly good handles, etc.). Isn't the definition of someone who is "raw" more the guy without discernable NBA skills (kinda like Smoove coming into the NBA)? The biggest things holding Marvin back right now are his lack of physical strength and lack of aggression. Gaining strength will probably make him less timid.

I think the basic point is that the teams last four first round draft picks, 3 of which were high lottery selections, are splitting time for two positions. At the same time, the Hawks are now on year 3 of having the worst collection of point guards in the entire league. What percentage of GMs draft a guy with the number 5 pick to back up the teams best young player?

Quote: Quote: Oh Lord...if Marvin and Shelden lead us to a win tonight, Walter will throw a damn fit. This is the loosest I've seen Shelden play. More like he looked in college. The rest of the time he played like someone was looking over his shoulder. Is it really any surprise that Shelden is having his best game of the season while Woody is out?

A. Johnson is doing about as well as a third string 30+ combo guard can do.