Not going to sing Salim's praises...

[Diesel]

I keep seeing all of you guys sing Salim's praises. Sure he is a good shooter, sure he was a good find at his spot. BUT he's not untradable. In fact, I think he does more to disrupt our offensive flow than he does to help it.

He comes into the game with only one agenda... to score. I don't think I've ever seen him try for an assist or try to make a play.

If you compare Lue to Salim, I would take Lue. Seriously. At least Lue tries to play in the framework of the offense. Salim is just a scorer.

The other thing is that I would take Lue to be my BU, not the starter. Oh how I wish that we would have signed Brevin Knight this summer. Our problem is that we don't have that guy who can come in, play PG and play defense while doing it. I think Woody needs to increase Ivey's minutes.

One player who I would like to see us try to get (I'll say it again) is Steve Blake. I figure he would be very cheap. Maybe a 2nd rounder or Donta can get the job done. PTL will not use him and Blake can run an offense.

[exodus]

Blake has played so well in Portland as the starter that there is talk he may remain the starter when Telfair comes back from his injury.

The Hawks could have landed so many different point guards this past summer that I have to wonder if BK even believes in having a pg.

[Diesel]

Huh??

What about Jack...

[exodus]

"Whether it's coincidence or direct association, the Blazers have started to flourish -- particularly offensively -- since Telfair went out of the lineup and Steve Blake became the starter on Dec. 16. The team is 3-3 since, with increases in scoring (from 85.5 points to 93.3), shooting percentage (43.3 percent to 48.7) and assists (16.0 to 21.7) and the same turnover average (15.3)." Oregonian

"But minutes later, coach Nate McMillan wavered when asked if Telfair would be the starter when he returned. "I'll see once I get to that position," McMillan said. "But if the team is playing like they are playing, we ain't changing anything. So it just depends on how (Telfair) feels when he comes back, where we are and what we are looking like." Oregonian

[Diesel]

Yeah. I hate that they found out how good Blake is.

Still, with Telfair, Jack, and Blake... I would think that Telfair is the longtermer and Jack is his backup making Blake tradable. The price would be too high for Jack, but maybe we can get Blake with Donta/2nd or something.

[Admin]

Woody said exactly that earlier in the season. He said that it was Lue's and Salims (to a greater extent) to score when they are in the game, because our 2nd unit isnt a scoring heavy unit. You cant fault him for doing what the coach asks him to do, which is also something that he does extraordinarily well by the way. Makes absolutely no sense to trade maybe the best shooter to come out of college in God only knows how many years. Especially not a guy who has shown he can continue to score almost at will in the pros.

[Packfill]

Quote:

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"Whether it's coincidence or direct association, the Blazers have started to flourish -- particularly offensively -- since Telfair went out of the lineup and Steve Blake became the starter on Dec. 16. The team is 3-3 since, with increases in scoring (from 85.5 points to 93.3), shooting percentage (43.3 percent to 48.7) and assists (16.0 to 21.7) and the same turnover average (15.3)." Oregonian

"But minutes later, coach Nate McMillan wavered when asked if Telfair would be the starter when he returned. "I'll see once I get to that position," McMillan said. "But if the team is playing like they are playing, we ain't changing anything. So it just depends on how (Telfair) feels when he comes back, where we are and what we are looking like." Oregonian

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But according to BK we don't need a point guard . . .

I am willing to go on the record in stating that this team will never win consistently or become competitive until one of two things happen: (1) the entire roster becomes infinitely more talented or (2) the team acquires a real point guard (a Steve Blake would do).

Obviously, chemistry, coaching and defensive effort will also play a role in making the team competitive.

[exodus]

The thing that worries me is that I don't know if BK really believes in having a pg. Consider:

He passed on Paul and Deron

He signed JJ, a 2, to play pg

He passed on Watson (twice), Knight,and Blake

I can only hope that the success these guys are having will convince BK to get a legit pg. While I am a fan of Lue I know that he is a backup. They need a starter who can run the team AND defend opposing pgs.

[Packfill]

We agree then. If BK does not think the Hawks need a point guard he should be fired immediately.

If he does trade Al, which I am not sure is the best thing, he better get a point guard or a big man who can play some defense.

[Diesel]

Strangely enough, that's our biggest problems...

I almost believe that we can be a winner without Defense only personnell. However, I know that we won't do nothing without defensive personnell and a PG.

The players who fit thus far:

Zaza, JJ, Al, JS, and JC (off the bench).

I think Lue would be great off the bench.

Therefore I think it's up to BK to add a PG. Once we get a real PG and not one of these combo guards, I think that this athletic, Long team can start it's development into a winner.

[Lascar78]

Quote:

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But according to BK we don't need a point guard . . .

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When did he say that?

He wanted JJ because he was the best FA we had a shot at.

In getting JJ, he said that he couldn't be "a certain type" of PG, but he could bring the ball up and initiate the offense. I'm not sure how much of that was his core belief, and how much was trying to justify us bringing in yet another swingman

3 games into the season, his good friend Woody decided that that could not work and a real PG was needed, and I'm sure he informed BK. So unless he doesn't listen to his good friend Woody, I'm guessing BK has seen the results and accepted that we do in fact need a PG.

Many people here also thought JJ would be fine at PG and have since acknowledged that we need a pure point.

BK has some unconventional ideas, but he's not an idiot.

Anyhow, this coming offseason in which the full judgement of BK occurs IMO. With the draft and free agency, I expect him to put a cohesive team together. We have acceptable depth, now we need a starting PG and a big man. He MUST draft one and sign the other.

If he does not I will probably turn on BK.

It's time to start moving upwards

[Packfill]

Well, I never thought JJ could be a point guard and I would think someone who actually works in professional basketball would know that too.

Just the way BK has constructed this roster evidences his belief that he does not want a true point guard. He has had opportunities to draft true point guards (Paul, Williams, Duhon, etc.) and to sign them as free agents but has failed to do so. The fact that he even thought JJ could be a point guard shows he is not aware of the need for one.

I am willing to give him one more off season to build a "team" rather then a collection of talent. If he fails to address at least one of the Hawks glaring needs then he needs to go.