We are keeping Al

[Peoriabird]

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Seeing that the market has fallen from beneath Al's feet and that we want to remain viable for trades during the year and next year, I would give Al a 6 year 55 million dollar deal.

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No F'ing way we pay Al $9-$10 mil a year over 6 years

[Diesel]

I say look at what we have picked up.

I like Speedy as a ball handling PG. I think that's mainly what we needed last season. A lot of our problems came from inability to defend other point guards and the inability to drive through the lane. Speedy helps that.

As far as your kick against Al, think about it this way. High scoring teams have always been good team. Think about the Kings, Mavs from a few years ago. What we have done is added defensive pieces to go with our offensive pieces. IN a few years, just like the mavs, we will be championship quality.

Just understand that this takes time and that our moves are not in vain.

[Diesel]

If I'm Al's agent, no way I let him sign a 1 year deal with the Hawks.

If Al signs a 1 year deal, it will be with a winning team who will be able to resign him next year. Maybe the Pacers.

However, if I'm Al's agent, I look for a 6yr deal.

Like it or not, Players don't like having to reup their contracts. That's why the players union are always fighting for years.

I would feel comfortable with Al having a 6 yr 55 million dollar deal. In a way it would be like an extension of what he makes now. Maybe less to start. Either way, it would be a very tradable contract.

[tmac13]

That only works if the Pacers sign AL to the midlevel amount or have expiring contacts to send to Atlanta that we want..If the choice is to sign a 1 year 5 million dollar deal with the Pacers or a 1 year 9 million dollar deal with the Hawks he would be stupid to chose the Pacers..In my opinion anything more than a 1 year deal for AL is silly for the Hawks..Its only because of the screwed up situation that either side would even consider that.

[frosgrim]

I didn't hear it that way, but I can see where it could be interpreted that way (re-signing Al).

I think its too soon to make any speculation on what is going to happen with Al. The NBA/Stern won't allow this ruling to stand. Its a horrible ruling that completely interferes with the runnig of the team and putting a winning product on the court. Plus, it actually interferes with the operation of other teams in the league. If another team wants to do an SnT then the court has effectively stopped them as well. The ramifications are far and wide.

I think what needs to happen is that Stern and the owners need to just vote now on the posibility of Belkin owning the team. If they say NO, then the court case is mute. Of course Belkin will sue, but so what, he can't stop the NBA from operating in its best interest.

[Diesel]

I think he would be stupid to take any 1 year deal. This is his third contract. His last major contract.

He doesn't want to put himself in a position where he takes a short deal, gets on the market again and finds less suitors than this year.. OR Worse he gets injured.

That's why I say that BK has the ball in his court and if he is dealing with Al for a long term deal, it should be something reasonable.. but nothing like what Denver did for Nene or what Chicago did for Wallace because there is just no umph for a deal like that. There's nobody pushing his price up. I mean the only team left is the raps.

[mrhonline]

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Plus, it actually interferes with the operation of other teams in the league. If another team wants to do an SnT then the court has effectively stopped them as well. The ramifications are far and wide.

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And this is where the judge (as judges do) overstepped his bounds.

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I think what needs to happen is that Stern and the owners need to just vote now on the posibility of Belkin owning the team. If they say NO, then the court case is mute. Of course Belkin will sue, but so what, he can't stop the NBA from operating in its best interest.

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That's the solution I'm hoping for.

[Diesel]

i can't help but agree.

Mainly because the NBA is a private Corporation.

The true law is Stern.

Stern has let these court shananagins go on for long enough.

If it starts to effect the competitiveness and the profit of this market, Stern will get his lawyers and shut down the farce in Maryland. He could just as easily take back the Hawks from the sell to Belkin and the Spirit at Cost and sell it to the highest bidder...

That's why I'm hoping Jermaine Dupree, Puffy, Nique, Barkley, Ludicris, and Ted Turner can get their nickles together. There's money to be made here.

[frosgrim]

The ruling is really absurb, but it was forced by Belkin once he rejected a compromise from the Spirit group.

I have to wonder if Belkin thinks he is going to get control or if he is just making this painful as posible, ie being vindictive.

The NBA and NHL now MUST step in NOW and tell Belkin he can't be an owner. End of litigation.

[frosgrim]

Yeah, I was thinking about that as well, the league just stepping in and taking control. The problem is the operating rights to the arena. I wonder if the city or state can cancel that obligation based on what is going on?

[tmac13]

Unless the Raptors or Bobcats decide they want AL he is stuck with us, or signing a 5 year 30 million dollar midlevel deal elsewhere..Those are his options..Why, with our glut of forwards, would we possibly give AL a longterm deal??..You say why would he take 1 year when he might run the risk of injury, I say why would we give more than one year for the same reason..BK has to look out for the Hawks, not AL..Offer him a 1 year, 10 million dollar deal, either he accepts or renounce him and make that same offer to Wilcox or whoever else might be left that could help us..

[Diesel]

Right now, I think the only thing that really matters is the NBA team. I feel that if Stern plucks the Hawks out of Belk's hand, Belk will give up the fight.

[Diesel]

I understand your perspective from a greedy Owner situation...

But haven't you noticed how the game is played?

If you screw Al, you've likely screwed the Hawks chances for FAs for the next 10 years.

Think about the Headline in the FA times.

Hawks Lowballs team captain...

The reason you give Al a reasonable deal is because a reasonable deal will be easier for him to sign off on and a reasonable deal puts out front office in a good light and IN LIGHT of the factthat we will have to do the next shift in the free agent and trade Market, giving Al a reasonable deal gives us more assets to work with.

PLUS.

We don't know how long we will be held up in Court. The deal at the very least should span the longest possible time that we can be in court (2-3 years).

But for us to screw a guy who was nothing but LOYAL to our organization looks very bad to free agents. The thing that got some FAs really thinking about Atlanta was how BK treated Kmart. He gave Kmart a first class tour... BK also did right by Stephen Jackson.

However, if we take all the good that BK has done and all the sudden screw one of our most loyal players....

[Yeti]

OK, legal beagles ... how does the ruling apply to AL? Is he still considered part of our roster? or being an unrestricted free agent, can we be barred from signing him as well?

[Diesel]

Even as a unrestricted FA, we still hold his bird rights.

I guess from a legal perspective, it's a very provocative question.

I would say that he's our free agent and he's free to sign with anybody else... including us.

So by the definition handed down by the court my opinion is that we do have the right to resign him.

[AHF]

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I guess from a legal perspective, it's a very provocative question.

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That is my read. I suspect that the Spirit Group and Belkin will read this differently - just as they have read a number of other issues differently from Belkin wrongly claiming sole control of the team as governor to the Spirit Group wrongly reading the buyout contract.

[Duff_Man]

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That's why I'm hoping Jermaine Dupree, Puffy, Nique, Barkley, Ludicris, and Ted Turner can get their nickles together. There's money to be made here.

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Um...what? That ownership would be an even bigger mess. I want no part of entertainers running the show...especially Dupree, Puffy, and Luda. What? Wasn't MC Breed available?

[Lascar78]

THIS JUST IN: One Atlanta owner organizes drive by shooting of another owner over proposed SNT!