Packfill

That does not sound interesting, it sounds stupid. We are giving up the best player and highest pick in that deal.

Because if the parties still did not agree on a price, they had the right to seek a third evaluation from the independent NBA and then (if I recall correctly) the middle value was to be used.

Belkin's point is that the contract was set up to resolve the differences between the parties by use of outside evaluators and the Hawks didn't follow through. Since their only objection was that he didn't have the right to pick the second arbitrator and the court found he did, there was no excuse for not completing the deal as required under the contract.

Why the Spirit Group agreed to this deal, I can't tell you.

Where is Ted Turner when you need him!

I think they brought Jay Williams in for a workout and determined that he just was not physically ready to play yet.

Again, if true, Jaywalker's info (which has been very reliable in the past) is the ype of stuff that will prevent this franchise from being competitive in both the long and short term. Too bad.

If true, that totally sucks. The franchise would be much better off if all of the owners sold to a new third party.

You really have to question the aptitude of the non-Belkin owners and their advisors for letting things get this far.

Does it matter. The real point is does he make the team better. Since he does not help the teams clear deficiencies then I am not sure how he helps the team become a winner.

Ummm hello? Zaza Pachulia. He would be better than Zaza from day one. But it's really pointless to talk about because of how high his stock is

Because he's an athletic big man that can run the floor.

But that's not the point. The point is that he has absolutely no chance of falling to us. The fact that some people are disputing this is ridiculous. The Toronto Raptors just signed the guy's manager. He has been a cosensus top 3 pick for quite some time and has done nothing to lower his stock.

If Bargnani is a weak rebounder how does he fit with the Hawks? The Raps at least have Bosh who is one of the better rebounders in the league. The Hawks have nothing close to him unless Smoove or Marvin matures into that role.

I just don't see how Bargnani fits with the Hawks.

Yeah, all those Laker championships were done by someone else...and who counts greatness by championships? Everyone knows you count greatness by cap-space and long, athletic and versatile players!!!

I like Sheldon and think he is exactly what the team needs at the power forward position because of his defense and rebounding. I don't think it would make sense to play him at center for any extended period though, so I am a little confused over how the forward rotation would shake out given the need to give minutes to Smoove, Marvin and Chill.

I also think the team desperately needs someone on the perimeter who can stop the steady diet of dribble penetration that is killing the team on the defensive end.

Again, what did BK really build with a core of Pau and Battier? The answer is nothing - a team that can maybe make the playoffs, but lacks a true superstar.

West drafted Gooden whom he subsequently traded for Miller. Miller has been one of their best players ever since. That was a very good trade especially considering Gooden played the same position as Gasol. Signing Posey was a great move until Posey was hurt and never returned to the form he showed that first year in Memphis. Signing Stoudamire and jettisoning Williams was an significant upgrade. That team was never going to win with Williams as point guard.

No question Pau is the franchise, but he is one player. Battier is a good role player, but not a franchise centerpiece.

Again, you are quite on the coaching front.

Sterling has made money for years now running the Clippers on the cheap. That is the Belkin model.

I have said this before, but the best possible outcome of this whole thing is for an entirely new owner to buy the team and send the "group of idiots" and Belkin out of town.

That so called foundation in Memphis has zero chance of doing anything in the playoffs. So what is the point of using that as a basis for BK being a good GM? He has never had a chance to build a winner because he has not been good enough to date. The major reason Memphis did well immediately after BK's departure was because of a coaching change and Posey having a career year. This past years success was predicated on significant contributions from Stoudamire, Miller and Jones - all post BK additions. Pau is the only good thing he did for that franchise and that was only because he fleeced one of the worst GMs in history.

I noticed you have not commented on his horrible record of hiring coaches - which is a huge part of a GMs job.

I generally agree with most of what he has done (the two big exceptions being Marvin over Paul and hiring Woody), so I am not necessarily slamming him, but he does not have a resume of success. If he builds a winner in Atlanta then maybe we can consider him a good GM, but until that happens he is a question mark.

If that is the case then it is impossible to determine which deals he is responsible for, since he apparently lacks full authority to make deals.

Has he ever had a really good deal? I guess the Gasol trade is a winner, but that was a fleecing of babcock so shouldn't really count. Otherwise, he brought in a bunch of mediocre talent to Memphis (Wright, Battier, Swift, etc.). He has never built a winner and until he does in Atlanta he remains a question mark as a GM.

Yeah, that Mike Bibby for Jason Williams deal was a great move. And his record for hiring coaches is spotless.

But you are right, Billy is perfect.

No. Boozer's contract is too big.

It really is weird that they have not had any of the top guys in for workouts. It is almost as if they are planning on a trade down. Who knows.

I am still really torn on who I want the Hawks to draft. Aldridge and Williams are great prospects but they play forward and the team has already invested enough high picks on those positions. Center or point is the real need, but it is questionable whether any of O'Bryant, Sene, Foye, Williams or Rondo are worthy of such a high pick.

True, but in all fairness no coach could have gotten that ill-conceived roster to achieve on the defensive end. Curry, James, Crawford, Marbury, Rose, etc. all have long history's of less then adequate defensive effort (which explains why they have all moved at least once in their career).

True, but in all fairness no coach could have gotten that ill-conceived roster to achieve on the defensive end. Curry, James, Crawford, Marbury, Rose, etc. all have long history's of less then adequate defensive effort (which explains why they have all moved at least once in their career).

Agreed. Riley has the strength of character to force players to play defense. Larry Brown is the same way. Woodson just doesn't have it, or at least if he does, he hides it well.

I think that is exactly right. There are too many "problems" with the Hawks right now for anyone other then the diehards to get excited.

I really think the ownership issue is a potentially huge issue because all of the owners are now so tainted and there is so much negativity surrounding them that it would almost be better if the team were sold to a new owner.

It is the point. Those pundits primary criticism will not be the selection of Sheldon, since his skill set fits very well with the Hawks needs, it will be the redundancy currently on the roster.

In the end, as someone mentioned, the only way the Hawks will get respect is to win. That is how all franchise get respect. If the team does not win, it deserves to be ridiculed given the long history of losing, the ridiculous ownership mess, the logjam at forward and the void at point guard.

It is the point. Those pundits primary criticism will not be the selection of Sheldon, since his skill set fits very well with the Hawks needs, it will be the redundancy currently on the roster.

In the end, as someone mentioned, the only way the Hawks will get respect is to win. That is how all franchise get respect. If the team does not win, it deserves to be ridiculed given the long history of losing, the ridiculous ownership mess, the logjam at forward and the void at point guard.

What is the difference in contracts between the 10th pick and the 15th in terms of dollars?