thecampster

Dwight Howard is on the books for 2 years. They are not in cap hell. Hawks salary 2017 without Dunleavy (team option) or Millsap (player option) - $57,224,872. Remembering also that Hardaway is also a restricted FA and if he signs elsewhere that saves 3.3 million. With Millsap opting out and the Hawks unsure on Dunleavy, They could enter the offseason with as much as 49 million in cap space and over 60 million under the luxury tax. Currently, the Hawks only have 34.7 million committed in 2019. Many here confuse the "CAP" and the "LT". The cap threshold for 2017 is estimated between 101 and 103 million. This is the level that rules for trades and signings kick in. The luxury tax threshold for 2017 is estimated to be between $121 and $124 million. This level is where penalties kick in for exceeding the cap, a tax per dollar spent over the LT. The NBA has expanding penalties for exceeding the cap in subsequent years. The cap penalties are as follows. Less than $5 million over = $1.50 for every dollar over. (ie $3 million over = $.4.5 million in tax) $5 to <$10 million = $1.75/dollar. $10 to <$15 million = $2.50/dollar. $15 to <$20 million = $3.25/dollar. $20 million + = $3.75/dollar + .50 per extra $5 million. (so $35 million over = $131.25 + $52.5 = 183.75 million) If you are a repeat offender, those amounts go up to $2.50 $2.75 $3.50 $4.25 $4.75 + .50 per 5 million. Now the Cavs current salaries put them in the LT +$10 million hell or more for 5 straight years (last 3 plus next 2). The Hawks aren't even in the LT, aren't in danger of reaching the LT and can't even get there without about 4 uneven trades where they take on lots of extra salary or 4 more Baze-esque contracts which they could only make on their own players. On this same note, there are a very small number of teams that will have the room to offer Millsap a max contract next year and keep their own quality free agents. Of those, pretty much none were 6th seeds or higher. We don't need to offer Millsap the max to retain him (my best guess is Millsap doesn't get over $25 million in the off-season. So assuming we find a team to take Bazemore in the offseason (Philly, Chicago, Denver, Phoenix, Brooklyn, Minny to name a few possibilities) and we resign Hardaway for $14 million, Millsap for $25 million and don't opt in for Dunleavy...we'd sit at $84.5 million. We're 16.5 million under the cap (and 37 million under the LT) with 7 players under contract (this doesn't include who we'd take back in return for Baze or the cost of our draft picks) and after next year Delaney comes off the books as well as Dwight the following year. We are not only not in salary cap hell but with 10 picks in the next 3 years we're in a very good position. Better than most teams.

Quick, I dropped my ice cream....link it Dwight.

Wasn't his brother going over 90 in a 65? I profile that as wreckless driving.

OMFG the hate is real with this one. Read his post. It is fundamental basketball explained. If the core of the offense is long shots by bad shooters, that leads to long rebounds and transition baskets by the other team. If the center is doing his job, guarding the rim, then he should have no part in transition defense.

This is such BS. I watched time and again this season as Howard dove down deep early, sealed his man, Dennis looked at him and then dribbled to the other side of the lane to see if he could now drive.

Cleveland's 2019 pick is 2 seasons away. Cleveland has cap issues and Lebron will be 2 years older then. My bet is that pick is late teens, early 20's.

I cannot believe I have to spell this out for you. If you do not consistently dump the ball into the post, even if its just to kick it back out, the defense can spread and play in the face of the wings. You dump the ball into the post because the defense must sag to offer help. This is fundamental basketball. This is 7th grade stuff. You play in to free up the wings. Just dumping the ball in 20 times a game, with 8-10 being shots and 8-10 being kicked back out to the point guard or a wing completely changes defensive rotations, spacing and lanes. I mean my God. I am not advocating Dwight shooting the ball 30 times a game or running the entire offense through him. That is the exact reverse of what we are doing now. I'm saying balance. You are making Dennis work like a mad man if you are expecting him to handle the ball and create on every play and you are certainly making the defense's job easier than a 240 shorty with 3 drinks in her. Dwight shot 8.8% of the team shots. That's insane. But you want other stats. Let's try this one. Dwight's PER 23.9. His Opponent 15.2. Net +8.7 PER. Dennis PER 17.8. His opponent 19.3. Net -1.5. Millsap PER 20.0. His Opponent 15.3. Net +4.7 PER. Bazemore PER 11.7. His Opponent 15.3. Net -3.6 PER. Hardaway PER 17.4. His Opponent 11.8. Net +5.6 PER. Okay Hot...now you explain it to me like I'm stupid. Hardaway posts a +5.6 NET PER...9.2 higher than Baze, but it took Bazemore getting hurt for Timmy to start. Dwight and Paul routinely beat their own man on the floor but its Dennis leading the team in shots. Dennis is showing a negative net PER nightly, Dwight is +8.7 nightly but Dwight is the problem. Dwight is the one that needs to go? Dennis has his hands on the ball too much. Too much is being put on him and he's shot hogging, pure and simple. Bud is the coach. There is no universe where Paul is seeing less shots per game than the point guard. There is no universe where a player is posting a +8.7 PER while only getting 8 shots a game. Do you understand how ludicrous that is? That a player can statistically manhandle his opponent nightly without the ball in his hands? Some stats lie....but there comes a point where enough stats add up to truth and this is that point.

63.3% shooting, 12.7 reb, 13.5 ppg.....8.3 FGA/g. Look, you guys can talk about eye tests, looking stiff, any damned thing you want. The guy shot 63.3% from the field on 613 total shot attempts. 1/2 of those were put back attempts or ally-oops. Kent Bazemore, Tim Hardaway had 1633 combined shot attempts. 41 and 45% respectively. I want this to sink in. Bazemore and THj had over 1000 more collective shot attempts while shooting 20% less from the field. Dennis and Paul had a collective 2186 shot attempts. Dennis...your point guard had 240 more shot attempts than your all star PF and 600 more shot attempts than your 63% shooting center. Collectively they shot 1573 more shots than your highest paid player while shooting 18% lower from the field. Come on...intellectual honesty. Can you win giving 250% more shots to players who are 18% less effective? Let me make this as scary as I can. While shooting a collective 19% lower from the field, your 4 other starters shot 2593 more shots than Dwight. I'd be "pissed" too. Dwight shot 19% higher FG% but took 8.8% of the total team shots. Dennis Schröder, 17.5%. Every member of this year's Hawks shot under 50% from the field except Moose (50.4%....helped over 50% by a great start in the first 10 games). If I was shooting a 13% higher FG% than any other member of the team and 20% higher than the collective team % but only get 4-5 non self-manufactured shots a game I'd be screaming in the locker room and the press. I honestly think Dwight is handling himself like a pansy and taking it like a little girl. That Bud didn't rework the offense to use the big to free up others is ignorance. He shot 20% higher from the field than the rest of the entire team. This is on Bud.....period.

Not sure I agree with you on Dwight. The guy only played 26 minutes a game in the playoffs and was still 5th in rebounding. Also, the decision to bench Thabo and Humphries is unforgivable. That's on Bud. But on Baze...his ball handling was horrendous. He played his way off the floor numerous times. Again, that's on Bud. On a positive note, I was pleasantly surprised with Dennis in the series. Prince showed why he should have been starting since December. That end of the Hawks looks bright. And the poor performance from THjr just lowered his price in the offseason a few million a year.

Actually I noticed that when Gortat is in the game, Dennis is much less aggressive going to the basket. Dennis runs the 3 player motion at the top and looks to set up Paul on the block or run off screens and start ball movement on the wing. When Gortat goes out, Dwight goes out. Dennis does not fear Jason Smith and the whole defensive scheme/rotation changes. Especially when Jennings comes in. Dennis goes hard to the basket and is doing a better job this series of doing so with his eyes up, focused on passing first (assist numbers show this). I'm quick to criticize Dennis but I think his play style with Dwight is directly related to Gortat's presence on the floor. He isn't driving in deep with Gortat there.

I would be all for bringing in a shooting consultant. Maybe bring in a Ray Allen type to work with Bembry on his shot in the off-season. I never understood Bud not playing Prince. I said it after the draft and still say it today. He reminds me of Scottie Pippen. We all think of Pippen circa 1997, but remember that as a 22 year old rookie, Pippen was also nearly a Prince clone. He posted 7.9/3.8 / game while playing 20.9 minutes. He shot 46.3% but was only 17% from 3 and 57% from the free throw line. Pippen had to refine his game and he attributes that to Jordan constantly challenging him and playing him 1 on 1 almost daily. He acknowledges Jordan was his mentor. What Pippen had that set him apart was an out of this world work ethic. Taurean's 1st year matches very favorably to Pippen's, showing better 3 pt and ft shooting, a lower turnover rate in about 4 less minutes per game. I see them defensively as very similar players, with nearly identical measurables and a similar ceiling for Prince. What remains to be seen, does he have a mentor and a similar work ethic like Pippen.

Part 2: And next comes the players' collective respect (fyi...not just his team but the whole league took notice). http://sports.yahoo.com/news/memphis-players-pay-coach-david-fizdales-fine-legendary-data-rant-201459436.html

Lets get real for a minute. The muggings, the lack of respect, the beatings that Paul Millsap takes night in and night out are unacceptable. What does a 4 time all-star have to do to get a call when slapped in the face? How do you change the perception? Watch the video in the article Bud....this is what a real man, a real coach does. He takes the fine and he asks for a second. This is how you earn your players' respect. This is how you get them to sign back here for less. https://sports.yahoo.com/news/david-fizdale-unleashed-instant-classic-rant-grizzlies-game-2-loss-070314302.html

Actually you front roll the screen wrapping around the leg and if your knee happens to rise up on the way by, so be it.

19 points on 7-9 shooting. 12 boards. 5-7 FT, 2 TO. In 24 minutes so ya...horrible impact. I would also like to point out that Schröder took a total of 5 shots but had 9 assists and was +15.

The best team in the East (Cavs) are only 13 games over .500. This is a far cry 2 years ago when the Hawks were 38 games over .500, the Cavs were 24 games over .500, the Bulls 18 and the Raptors 16 games. The East is wide open this year. No team is dominant. Injuries are playing a huge part in team records this year as well as the bottom of the East being far better than 2 years ago. The Cavs are a shell of their former selves. The East is far more competitive than in past years, though overall worse. All 8 teams in the East have a legitimate chance to get to the finals. No series will be a cakewalk for any team. This may be the best (or worst based on perspective) conference playoffs in 20 years.

Hey...quit with the passive aggression on me jk,jk

http://www.82games.com/1617/1617ATL.HTM Simple rating Hardaway +7.2 Millsap +6 Howard +5.1 Schröder -.7 Bazemore -3.8 Delaney -5.6 Muscala -5.8 I love this metric. Shows how the player is against his opponent on the floor. Although Dennis is scoring, his performance shows his counterpart performs better despite Dennis' very good on ball D. This is indicative of his play style leading to fastbreak easy baskets. Looking at the on floor impact difference between THj and Baze, it is hard not to make the case for Timmy or Baze.

Boy are you missing the argument. The vast majority of attempts Dwight is getting right now he is creating himself on put-backs and lobs. But if you were to go to Dwight consistently 8-10 times a game, he would shoot 50% on those attempts. On the misses, a few things happen. 1) Offensive rebound put back. 2) Defensive rebound in close, Hawks have a chance to set their defense in transition. 3) Foul, where Howard shoots 50%. Now notice I am not looking at turnovers, because those happen for both players. Rarely does a jump shooter get his own rebound. Much more often, a center/PF gets their own rebound or their tandem does because of positioning swaps to double in the post. Lets call this 1 in 5 misses. Foul happen about 20% of the time with Howard down low. So if Howard get's 10 looks, 5 misses, 1 foul, that's 1 created point and 1 less transition for the opposition. If Howard gets his own miss or Millsap does, that's 2 points. On Howard's made shots, that is also another foul attempt. what you see here is 10 shot attempts and about 13 points. However, you only see 4 rebounds for the opposition and none of which are fast-break type of run outs. Non-fastbreaks shoot a considerably lower percentage in the NBA...about 40%. So on the 10 transition baskets you are seeing 4 made shots for about 9 points. When Dennis shoots 10 shots, he makes about 44%. He'll make 3 2's and 1-3. Or 9 points. He may draw a foul in the process and get 1-3 free throws in those 10 shots. So He'll score 10-12 points. However, he is creating 5.5 opportunities with either long rebounds or where he has driven under the basket and is out of position for defense. He is creating 5.6 fast break opportunities. In the NBA, these are converted at over 70%. So Dennis' makes are 4.4 shots, his misses are 5.6. The same 40% on the 4.4 = 1.76 makes for the opposing team but the 5.6*7=4 more makes for the opposing team That's 5.7 makes per game on the same 10 shots if Dennis takes them. That = 3.4 more points given up or about 12.4. Basketball is all about numbers and the shots Dennis is taking (the hard drives to the basket where he is blocked or has to get bailed out are low percentage for us and very high percentage transition for the opponent. Additionally, there is so much tape on Dennis now as the starter that his turnover numbers are going up and teams scout his tendencies. He needs to develop this mentality and we need to be more balanced. Here is our current shot breakdown which has only gotten worse as the season progressed. Field Goal Attempts per Game Dennis - 15.4 Millsap - 14.2 THjr - 11.4 Baze - 10.1 Howard - 8.2 Dennis is taking more shots than any other member of the team and taking 10% more shots than Paul who can pretty much iso score on anyone any night. Most of Howard's attempts are garbage attempts. Dennis is straight ball hogging and it has to stop.

Yah, Provided a 10 game sample....sorry but it applied over the entire 10 games. Don't focus solely on last night.

Better sample. The last 10 games the Hawks are 3-7. Over that stretch, Dennis has scored 187 points (18.7 average) but on 192 shot attempts (19.2 average). You can not successfully play the point averaging 19.2 shots per game and scoring 18.7 points. .974 points per attempt. Over that same stretch, Dwight has scored 150 points on only 97 shot attempts. 1.55 points per attempt. The efficiency stats don't lie. This isn't to say Dennis can't shoot or score. It is to say that his first option needs to be to get his teammates involved and look for his offense as the 2nd, 3rd or 4th option in the sets. I see a direct correlation between Baze's struggles this year and Dennis' mentality.

Think about the correlation. First half, Dennis takes 1/4 of the shots of Dwight/Ersan and Hawks are up 11. Second half, Dennis takes 45% more shots that Dwight/Ersan and Hawks lose the second half by 4. Its a mentality thing. He has got to spend the summer developing the pass first mentality and take his offense in the flow of the game.

In the second half, he took 3 times as many shots as in the first. The Hawks were up 11 at the break but won by 7. So first half, Dennis 4 shots, Ersan and Dwight 16 total. Hawks +11. Second half, Dennis takes 12 shots, Dwight and Ersan take 11 total, Hawks -4. Yes, I've watched it all year long and there is a correlation. When his shot is falling it seems great, but long jumpers = long rebounds which equal fast breaks. Dennis shooting long jumpers + everyone else shooting jumpers = poorer overall defense from the Hawks. I want Dennis to develop this part of his game. It isn't his game now, but it can be and will only get better with Paul on the floor.

This is what we need from Dennis. only 4 shots but 5 assists at the half. Ersan and Dwight leading the team with 8 shot attempts each. Hawks with an 11 point lead. I am not anti-Dennis. I am just patiently waiting for more of this and less 27 points on 27 shots with 8 turnovers Dennis. Mathematically speaking, let me break this down. In the game last night, the Hawks took 85 shots with 19 turnovers. That equates to 104 possessions. The scored 95 points. Dennis is completely responsible for only 27 of those points on 35 of those possessions. That's 33% of the possessions going through Dennis. That is very easy to stop . Tonight at the half, the Hawks have 37 shots and 9 turnovers, 46 possessions. Dennis has 4 shots and 5 turnovers. Todays ratio so far is 9/46, less than 20% of the possessions. This is so much harder to defend and leads to way less fast breaks going the other way. More of this, less of soloman.

Actually, if you read my Baze move it says to trade him for a high 2nd rounder (hence the teams listed) + filler. I.E. we take back come of their salary (approximately $10 million) to help them. So let me look at their rosters for an example. Denver targets = Faried, Chandler Phoenix targets = Dudley, Chandler, Knight Philly targets = picks....Philly only has $35 million committed next season. They'll need to add $55 million in salary just to meet the NBA minimum. Philly is the most reasonable target. Lakers targets = their roster is a mess and it would require a package. But it is doable. All of these teams need talent and Baze is a legit NBA talent, he just isn't on par with Hardaway. Although he is overpaid, there are teams where that is a good thing...Philly for example. I've mentioned this in other posts, but the cap goes both ways. There is a minimum and a maximum. The penalty for missing the minimum is that salary is divided and added to your current players. There is no point in not adding salary to the minimum if it can get you talent. Brooklyn and Dallas are other teams who will have too low of salary starting next year. So there are places to move Baze to keep Timmy and create space to sign better overall roster talent. The part of my post that talks about moving up in the draft is using our future assets (the 2nds + the 2 future firsts). So lets look at the scenario of Hawks with the 14th pick. Hawks trade 14th pick + the Minny 1st and one of their future 2nds to move up to 10 to take Markkanen. That is very doable.