Center debate: Nene vs Przybilla

[exodus]

If someone had asked me, before Artest started running his mouth, which center the Hawks should pursue in the offseason I would have said Przybilla. He is an unrestricted fa as opposed to Nene who is restricted. I figured if they went after Nene they would have to overpay and give something up in a trade.

I think Przybilla would be a great fit here. Currently he is averaging 8 rebounds per game in 27 minutes and is 5th in the league in blocks. Offensively he doesn't do much which is no biggie, the Hawks need interior D badly. I liked the idea of having two of the best shotblockers in the league on the same front line.

Also the only teams under the cap who can sign him already have similar players. Portland can only offer the MLE.

However a 4/5 rotation of Joel/Zaza/Smith is a little light and would have trouble containing big centers.

Then after the Artest nonsense started it looks like Nene could fall into the Hawks lap. They wouldn't have to give up any of their young core and would just have to trade a ufa who probably would rather play on a playoff team. As stated earlier Nene is very strong and quick. He plays good man D but isn't a shotblocker, however he would have Josh Smith next to him a lot which would complement him well. However I don't like the idea of Josh Smith being the only shotblocker.

The answer to the problem is obvious. Sign them both. If BK drafts a pg guard he likes, either by using the pick or trading down in the draft, the interior D is the only hole in the lineup. The whole point of BK dumping salary the last two years was so that he could pursue free agents who fit. If he brings in Joel and Nene the Hawks interior D problems will vanish. Since Smith can play some at the 3 their will be time for all of them and they have good depth in case of injuries.

That would put them right around the cap limit. However you can exceed the cap to sign your own players so they can keep all of the players in the future if they choose. Or they could trade one in a salary dump a few years down the road.

Last year the Hawks were the worst in the league in 3 pt shooting percentage. Now they are one of the best. There is no reason they can't have a similar turnaround on D if they bring in the right guys.

[Packfill]

I doubt both would sign long-term due to the playing time issue.

[Nicholasp27]

draft rondo and sign these 2 (al for nene/watson)

rondo/watson/ivey

jj/slim/chill/donta

marvin/chill/smoove/donta

smoove/nene/zaza/andersen

nene/zaza/pryz/andersen

all 5 starters plus 4 bench players (watson/ivey/pryz/chill) are good defenders (marvin not yet)

yet that team can also score

i like that if everyone stays healthy

[exodus]

There's 96 minutes at the 4/5. If Smith plays 10-15 at the 3 there is plenty of time for everyone. If they do get both of them they can always move Zaza.

[Iman]

I thought the topic was Nene vs Pryz. If it were, I'd probably take Pryz since I assume he'd come at about half the price. But you are right, we really need two or three more good bigmen assuming we lose Al. ZaZa is just a slow PF that rebounds well, he could play some with another center on the floor. If Anderson comes over, I kinda see him being similar.

In order to really contend for a championship, I think we have to find someone better than either Nene or Pryz so that further makes me not want to trade for Nene. I guess I'm still hoping Dwight Howard will somehow force a move back to Atlanta somehow. In the meantime I wouldnt trade for and then have to overpay someone that wont be good at plugging up the middle for the four 6'8 swingmen we'll have on the floor with him.

[Nicholasp27]

no

zaza is NOT a pf

he is a center that can rebound and needs to be next to a defensive pf (smoove?)

bucks fans will tell u that he's not a pf...and that's why the bucks didn't resign him, as he can't play pf and they already have bogut/gadz who play center

he basically never played pf (3% of the mins for the team = 1.44mpg)

[exodus]

Actually I titled the thread based on my indecision who I would rather have.

No, the Hawks can't wait around for Howard. No chance Orlando lets him go.

There just aren't that many centers around, which is why several teams have natural 4s playing center. If you have a chance to get one you have to seize it or you may not get another shot for a long time.

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I think we have to find someone better than either Nene or Pryz so that further makes me not want to trade for Nene.

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Not necesarily. The two Wallece's average 70 minutes per game and contribute only 23 ppg combined. Their main role is to play defense and rebound. Not saying that Nene and Pryz will be as good as those two but interior D is a must if the Hawks will ever contend for a title.

Right now there simply isn't anyone better than Nene or Przy that the Hawks could get.

[rascurrein]

When i saw the stats of NENE against BAT-MAN on international games, i can't see the worry about signing NENE. Take a look at the stats of those two players face to face.

BAT-MAN only need minutes in court, and he will be better than NENE. The issue about BAT-MAN is the position in court. Maybe Woody think that he can't play at center because of his height, but i surely know that if he has enough minutes he will proove that he can play as 5 and 4. He only needs time. Manu wasn't great at his first year in the NBA.

[MoonKnight]

why did BK let him go in the first place? I thought Pryz played very well when here and he would be perfect fit with our current ballclub. He is good rebounder, a good shotblocker, and has a great outlet pass to start fast breaks. He also has a mean streak. We have never gotten the full story about why BK choose Collier over Pryz. Did Pryz not want to play here? Did BK not offer him a reasonable contract (his current K is very cheap and reasonable)? Did BK pursue him at all? These questions make me doubt that we will pursue Pryz but I would like to see him return here.

[Nicholasp27]

apparently it was out of bk's control...he did not cause pryz's leave and couldn't resign pryz...we are unsure if it was pryz's decision or something else, but we know it wasn't bk's choice to let him go

[mrhonline]

What we do know is that Przybilla doesn't think highly of Atlanta, but apparently likes playing in Portland.

That might change (Portland is HORRIBLE), but I doubt it.

[exodus]

They have to get at least one of them, otherwise other teams will continue to take advantage of them inside.

Camby is back playing for Denver. They are playing the Wizards and the 4th quater just started. He has 18 pts, 8 rebounds, 4 blocks, and 6 steals. That is what I can a stat stuffer night.

[Packfill]

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apparently it was out of bk's control...he did not cause pryz's leave and couldn't resign pryz...we are unsure if it was pryz's decision or something else, but we know it wasn't bk's choice to let him go

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Why are we sure of this? Did BK try and resign him? Did Pryz just say he doesn't want to be in Atlanta? Either way it makes the chances of signing him as a free agent slim to none.

[exodus]

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Either way it makes the chances of signing him as a free agent slim to none.

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Those would be about the same odds that Vegas would have given the Hawks of landing JJ.

Trace met with BK on a season ticket holder get together and asked him why Przybilla left. BK wouldn't give specifics other than to say he wanted him but Joel wanted to go elsewhere.

[Packfill]

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Either way it makes the chances of signing him as a free agent slim to none.

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Those would be about the same odds that Vegas would have given the Hawks of landing JJ.

Trace met with BK on a season ticket holder get together and asked him why Przybilla left. BK wouldn't give specifics other than to say he wanted him but Joel wanted to go elsewhere.

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So what makes you think he would sign with the Hawks now? Circular logic. And I doubt BK was telling Traceman the whole truth. That is like saying President Bush is telling us the whole truth about illegally listening into private conversations.

[Lascar78]

no reason to think BK is lying. He doesn't have a problem with keeping his mouth shut and dodging questions, so I doubt he'd bother lying.

As for Pryz coming back, I agree that it's highly unlikely.

[Packfill]

He wasn't exactly telling the truth when he proclaimed JJ the Hawks new point guard in the off-season.

[exodus]

Actually JJ has been playing the point more often lately because Ivey can't.

There are three teams that can offer Joel more that the MLE; NO, Charlotte, and the Bulls. NO has Anderson. Charlotte has Okafor. The Bulls have Chandler.

Even if Portland did a sign and trade Joel couldn't get more than MLE because Portland is over the cap. And even if they could do it they wouldn't because they are looking to unload salary and rebuild through youth.

That leaves the Hawks as the only team that can offer more than the MLE and doesn't have a similar player on the roster already.

Slim and none....right.

[Packfill]

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Actually JJ has been playing the point more often lately because Ivey can't.

There are three teams that can offer Joel more that the MLE; NO, Charlotte, and the Bulls. NO has Anderson. Charlotte has Okafor. The Bulls have Chandler.

Even if Portland did a sign and trade Joel couldn't get more than MLE because Portland is over the cap. And even if they could do it they wouldn't because they are looking to unload salary and rebuild through youth.

That leaves the Hawks as the only team that can offer more than the MLE and doesn't have a similar player on the roster already.

Slim and none....right.

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Maybe you haven't notice but Anderson is not very good. PJ Brown is playing most of the minutes at center for NO. PJ likely will not be wearing a NO uniform next year. So, Pryz is a pretty good fit there and they don't have the bad blood that exists between Pryz and Atlanta for whatever reason.

You want Atlanta to stockpile centers by acquiring Nene and Pryz. Why wouldn't NO want to do the same?

Plus Okafor is a power forward. Prezac is their center. Chandler can play power forward (although he is not playing well period right now) for the Bulls and is injury prone so I imagine they wouldn't mind stockpiling talent as well.

Slim and none!

[exodus]

Even if all 3 teams persue Joel, which is unlikely, that leaves only 3 teams that can offer more than the MLE. And how much bad blood can there be when Joel played only 12 games here?