What I am looking for from tonight

[Admin]

I am hoping for Foye. Whether we take him at 5, or move down a little to get him, he is the player that I want. There are several quality bigs available in FA this year, including Nene and Wilcox that if signed would add tremendous depth to our frontcourt. I think that the is very little doubt about our interest in Nene and I believe we were also interested in Wilcox before he was traded. So, assuming that we can get one or both of those guys I would say that finding someone who can create his own shot and play smothering defense in the backcourt should be our top priority. Foye has good enough ball handling skills to help JJ with the pressure and doesnt have to dominate the ball on offense either. I think that together they compliment each others skillsets very well. While I really like Roy as well, I think that he duplicates too much of what JJ already does. Foye on the other hand is a devastating one on one player who can get the rim at will and likes to take it all the way in. As someone posted yesterday it is very important for us to add a player that gets to the FT line a lot and thats what Foye would bring.

This is my order for who I would draft:

1). Foye - reasons stated above.

2). Thomas - I believe he will eventuall become a very solid 5 for a team built like is. He doesnt need the ball in his hands and can play dominating defense and run the floor.

3). Bargnani - If we take him, Al cannot be brought back. He would give us a devastating threat to pair with Marvin and Smoove at our forward spots.

4). Aldridge - I actually like Shelden better, but I believe with Aldridges size and with some real NBA training he can become a near Bosh level player and can actually play the 5, unlike Shelden.

5). S. Williams - I would not be disappointed if we took Shelden if those other 4 guys ahead of him (in my eyes) are off the board, but I believe they will still be there. In that case taking him at 5 would be a massive disappointment. If we get an extra asset and are able to move down and get him then I would certainly be ok with his selection.

I am hoping that we are able to move up from the second round so that we can also get Kyle Lowry or Kevin Pittsnogle. I believe both would be very solid bench players for us. I would also be willing to move Childress in trade if it brought us back Brewer or Rondo, assuming that we went big with our top pick.

[Guest Riv]

Very well written post and your making my manlove for Foye grow more & more by the second. ( that just doesnt sound right )

[exodus]

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I am hoping that we are able to move up from the second round so that we can also get Kyle Lowry or Kevin Pittsnogle.

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If the Hawks don't get Foye I would like to see them trade up from 33 to take Quincy Douby. He is so good 1 on 1 it is a joke. I am not sure how good a pg he is but he can fill it up, either catch and shooting or creating off the dribble.

[CrawDaddy]

Any video of him?

[Diesel]

1. We must not be so interested in Nene... Nor do we think that a Smoove/Marvin foward duo will work...

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I think that the is very little doubt about our interest in Nene and I believe we were also interested in Wilcox before he was traded.

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We had the opportunity to trade for Nene and get back Nene and 2 draft picks. We choose to decline. If we were interested in getting Nene, we would have choosen this trade earlier this season.

Moreover, our reluctance to deal Al also suggests that we may not be totally sold on Smoove/Marvin being Sf/PF but Smoove/Marvin both being Sfs. The thing being that we seem willing to let Al go for nothing now. Why not trade him during the season if that be the case?

So if nothing else, Nene is not in our plans.

#2. We're coming out of this draft with a big. PERIOD.

#3. Thomas' stock is dropping. I have heard that he might fall to 9th because he has failed to do some workouts. He stiff armed Chicago twice. People are starting to wonder if he's hiding something.

[exodus]

Not that I know of since he isn't a big name, playing for a weak Rutgers team.

There are questions about his attitude and ability to run the point. He is very skinny also.

But his ability to create shots off the dribble is uncanny.

He is very good in catch and shoot situations too. If he winds up in Phoenix watch out.

[GMyrberg]

Honestly, I expect them to take Shelden, I am very interested to see:

1. If BK can swing a deal to get into the bottom third of the the first round.

2. Who the 33rd pick is.

[Lascar78]

I've been trying to get people to agree with me that Foye should be the guy (If aldridge/bargnani gone) for a good while now, and no one would agree. Now all of the sudden in the past day, it's as if half of the board agrees all of the sudden. I'm just curious why the change in heart? I don't remember if you've been for Foye the whole time in particular Dolfan, but the board as a whole has suddenly taken a liking for Foye in the past day. I'll take it that this is as a result of Bilas and co. on ESPN?

To restate the reasons why I want Foye, I think he meets ALL the criteria that we should look for as a complement to JJ:

-Great D

-Great handle, can bring the ball up without turning it over

-Does not need to dominate the ball on offense

-Can run the fast break with the Joshes and Marvin

-Can hit shots, can get to the free throw line, will not allow the PG to double team JJ

[DJlaysitup]

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I've been trying to get people to agree with me that Foye should be the guy (If aldridge/bargnani gone) for a good while now, and no one would agree. Now all of the sudden in the past day, it's as if half of the board agrees all of the sudden...

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I switched because I'm a died-in-the-wool fence sitter who can never make up my mind and once I do, I suffer from buyer's remorse for days. So yesterday I agreed that Foye was the better pick.

However, today I have changed my mind again and prefer Shelden. I'm certain this time...I thnk.

[Lascar78]

Haha, I love the honesty.

PS: Never become a GM

[nixforsix]

doesn't it bother anyone else that Foye has never averaged more than 3.6 apg? That would imply that he doesn't actually set up his teammates that well?

I could see how a score first point guard wouldn't be that big of hindrance since Joe, Marvin, and Smith are good passers, but it's a slight concern to me.

[Johnnybravo4]

I agree. With all of the squawkers bitching about true point guards it is hilarious that you now want to put the least true pg prospect at the point. We might as well move down draft JJ Reddick and put JJ at the point if that is the case.

[Diesel]

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ve been trying to get people to agree with me that Foye should be the guy (If aldridge/bargnani gone) for a good while now, and no one would agree. Now all of the sudden in the past day, it's as if half of the board agrees all of the sudden. I'm just curious why the change in heart?

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Shelden Haters are hearing the sounds of inevitability!

Just like yourself, they want to grab the first thing that is non-Shelden.

But while Ty Thomas is falling like a rock and there are questions on Aldridge's ability to be a dominant big and O'Bryant has been exposed as a NCAA one-time wonder...

Shelden has steadily made his climb to the top.

People want to ignore our needs so they grab the first thing that sounds good.

I won't make any argument about Foye... other than we really need a defensive big more. I trust that we can find a PG much easier than we can find a defensive big. I'm willing to believe we can find a PG much cheaper than we can find a defensive big.

That's just the bottom line.

The Shelden haters are trumphing up anybody not named Shelden.

I look forward to the draft tonight... By 8:35, we should be on the clock...

see ya there!

[Lascar78]

Definitely. He's not a pure point, that's for sure. The first half of last season I really thought we needed a distributor, but as the season went on I came to realize that great things happen when JJ has the ball in the half court, and that we don't really need a pure point to come in and dominate the ball in the half-court. I think a guy like Foye who can really focus on D, bring the ball up, and push it on the fast break would be a great fit. As for the number itself, you have to remember that they usually had 3-4 guards on the floor, and Foye wasn't playing the point.

Foye brings the ball up, JJ comes off a screen and catches the ball towards the top of the key. From there JJ can look to score if he's open, or can look to set up the offense. If he gets double teamed, Foye is a great option to pass out to. Sounds great to me.

[Admin]

I have always liked Foye, but I thought that Roy was a better fit. I have seen a lot of Nova games, mostly when they play Syracuse, and he has always been impressive. It wasnt until I went back a few days ago and watched the Bilas video on him against other competition where I saw the level of dynamic scorer that he is, which would be a very valuable asset to our team.

I have also been on the Shelden train since the tournament and still like him a lot, just not as much as a few other guys.

[exodus]

My one question with Foye is his head. he took so many crazy shots this past season it makes me wonder about him. If i felt confident he could tone down his chucking then I would take him for sure.

It bothers me that someone that talented could only shoot 40% from the field in college.

Considering Roy's/Aldridge's health concerns that moves Foye up, since those two were at the top of my wish list.

I would definitely take Foye over Shelden.

[Lascar78]

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Shelden Haters are hearing the sounds of inevitability!

Just like yourself, they want to grab the first thing that is non-Shelden.

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I don't think there are any shelden haters here. I think if anything, it's people having heard so many rumors and hearing so many different opinions at this point that their heads are dizzy and they tend to go with whatever the latest rumor was.

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I won't make any argument about Foye... other than we really need a defensive big more.

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I agree. But I think that Foye is the perfect PG for us. Shelden comes with issues, namely a very undersized standing reach and a limited offense. We have two big needs. I'd rather take the perfect fit for the lesser need, than a flawed fit for the bigger need.

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I trust that we can find a PG much easier than we can find a defensive big.

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I don't. I think both will be very hard to come by. I see two very realistic options in Wilcox and Nene. I don't see a single one for PG. Cassell isn't coming here. I don't want Mike James.

[Lascar78]

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My one question with Foye is his head. he took so many crazy shots this past season it makes me wonder about him. If i felt confident he could tone down his chucking then I would take him for sure.

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That's true, but college and the NBA are different games. My impression of Nova was that they kind of let them run lose anyhow. He strikes me as a good kid wh would listen to his coach. I think he had the green light at Nova, and won't have it here. It would only concern me if he had attitude issues, which I don't believe he has.

[hawkman]

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My one question with Foye is his head. he took so many crazy shots this past season it makes me wonder about him. If i felt confident he could tone down his chucking then I would take him for sure.

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That's true, but college and the NBA are different games. My impression of Nova was that they kind of let them run lose anyhow. He strikes me as a good kid wh would listen to his coach. I think he had the green light at Nova, and won't have it here. It would only concern me if he had attitude issues, which I don't believe he has.

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You also have to remember that guys like Dwayne Wade and Allen Iverson had "questionable" shot selection in college as well. I'm sure that he would tune that down a bit once he gets in the league. All I know is he and JJ would make a killer backcourt right away. There's no real hate for Shelden here, but I have to admit that he is not exactly what I have in mind when I think about a top five pick. We could easily equal his production through free agency. I hope BK can check his ego and think about the fans on this one.

[exodus]

The odd thing is that if they really aren't considering the pgs then why did they bring them in to work out?