Shelden Williams is starting to look like our

[Guest Walter]

Quote:

---

Why wouldn't we in "anything of importance" with Shelden at PF?

Lots of teams have won championships with offensively challenged PF's.

Think of the lakers from 2000-2002.

Also, the Bulls won 3 championships with Rodman just playing defense and rebounding from the PF position...Shelden certainly has more offense than Rodman...He CAN develop into that good of a defensive player.

That's just in my recent memory

---

If we're going to conceed such talent at the Pf position, we won't be able to make it up elsewhere. Lakers had Shaq and Kobe. Chicago had MJ and Pippen. Is this making you rethink your position.

People here don't like to hear it but we don't have enough talent to contend. WE then go and use a 5th pick on a role player. SERIOUS mistake especially if he starts. We then lose JS and/or JC for less or nothing and we are stagnant within mediocrity.

No way in hell SW develops into as good of a defender as Rodman. NO WAY IN HELL EVER REMOTELY EVER!

W

[Peoriabird]

Quote:

---

No way in hell SW develops into as good of a defender as Rodman. NO WAY IN HELL EVER REMOTELY EVER!

W

---

Now this folks is a basher! If you were confused about the the difference between a critic and a basher, I hope this clears things up for you.

[Sothron]

Look Walter I hated the pick of Shellhead as much as anyone and I don't hold much hope that he'll be a good NBA starter but I'm definitely HOLDING onto that hope as a Hawks fan. Its not wrong to be against the selection or signing of a player and still support them as a Hawk...

[b3bawla]

I say put Marvin on the bench...at least until he regains his stregnth in his hand and gets his timing and all back. I'd imagine the first week or two that he comes back he'll be pretty inconsistent. But after he gets back in the flow...then we'd have to make a tough decision.

[Popeye]

Quote:

---

I say put Marvin on the bench...at least until he regains his stregnth in his hand and gets his timing and all back. I'd imagine the first week or two that he comes back he'll be pretty inconsistent. But after he gets back in the flow...then we'd have to make a tough decision.

---

That's what i would do, but if he starts playing good instantly than i would put him in starting lineup. I don't think that he will be good at the beginning due to injury and getting used to the game speed.

[BusBoyIsBack]

Those who were b*tching about not drafting a PG don't look too bright right now that Shelden's starting to produce.

The pick made the most sense at the time (seeing that we had the worst interior D in the NBA and he was the best interior player in the draft) and it's starting to pan out to be better and better every game.

[Buzzard]

Quote:

---

Quote:

---

That is it exactly Walter, you are our Joseph McCarthy of the Squawk.

---

Oh my god this had me dying laughing.

So true.

---

Glad you liked it; I got a kick out of too

[CBAreject]

I believe Shelden will be a good enough starting PF for the Hawks to contend. On the other hand, Walter is a little over-the-top, yes, but he has a point.

The Hawks do not have the talent to contend. While I wouldn't call our squad mediocre, I would say that we do not have the pieces to win a championship even banking on player development.

Let's say MW develops into a 20/7 SF. That's pretty optimistic, but that's OK--we're fans, and I think I've seen that in him. Is that, paired with JJ, enough for a title, given a rugged 12/11 PF, a mediocre PG tandem and a defensively soft but offensively productive center. I don't think it is.

We're counting on our 2/3 combo to carry us, but just how good is our swingman tandem? Is JJ/MW better than say Vince Carter/Richard Jefferson? Is JJ/MW better than 'Bron/Hughes? Hamilton/Prince? Pierce/Szczerbiak? Arenas/Butler? Bryant/Odom? Martin/Artest? Redd Simmons?

In some of those cases, our duo is better. In others, probably not. Most of those duos don't lead championship contenders, either. Only Bron/Hughes, Hamilton/Prince, and Bryant/Odom are considered members of contenders (. In two of those three pairs, one is an MVP type player. In the other, there are great supporting players (Wallace/Billups).

If we had Dwight Howard, this discussion would be moot. Howard/Williams/Johnson is a terrific trio (again assuming MW develops). The question is whether a 2-star swingman duo is enough to win a championship. I don't think it is. Detroit has done so, but with great help. As such, I think we have to go for that model. Shelden is a fine supporting player, as long as PG and C are also solid. We'd need a Billups-type PG. Is Zaza good enough of a defensive C?

I know this is all kind of down and gloomy, but I'm really glad we have a squad that can flirt with .500 this year, and I will enjoy that while I can. However, there will probably come a time, just a couple of years down the road, where we revisit these same questions I've posed here.

[exodus]

Quote:

---

Is Zaza good enough of a defensive C?

---

No

[GoDawgs21]

Quote:

---

We'd need a Billups-type PG.

---

We'll that for sure ain't Paul or Deron. Billups is a shoot and score PG. JJ had more asst then him alst year. So if this is the case let the Marvin draft go.

[Fanboy3000]

I've been very pleased with Shelden's game. He is giving us just what we need from him: consistent rebounding, some interior defense and a good basketball IQ. Any scoring he does is just a bonus for me.

He is still picking up some offensive fouls, but that should be expected from a rookie. There is no doubt though that I'd rather him be overly agressive than overly passive. Keep lowering that shoulder Landlord and hitting your FTs.

[Guest]

Quote:

---

Billups is a shoot and score PG. JJ had more asst then him alst year.

---

What? Billups had 8.6 assists a game last year (699 total). JJ had 6.5 assists a game last year (536 total). Billups also had less turnovers than JJ.

[TheNorthCydeRises]

If the decision is to bring Marvin or Smoove off the bench, I have absolutely no problem with that.

To me, both Marvin and Smoove will continue to get 30 minutes a game anyway, with Shell and Chill getting around 25 minutes a game, regardless of who starts.

One of the advantages of starting Shelden, is that it gives us a little more balance to the lineup at the beginning of games. But we do need a capable 2nd scorer to compliment JJ at the start. If the Hawks could go to Shelden, and he can get us a quick 4 - 6 points in the first 6 minutes of the 1st quarter, that'll take some of the scoring burden off of JJ to start a game. It'll be nice to see Shelden or ZaZa provide early offense for this team.

But a 2nd group featuring Lue, Chill, and Marvin could be potentially lethal. That group could also reduce the number of minutes that JJ has to play every night.

JJ is playing almost 41 minutes a game. That's waaaaaaaaaaaaaay too many minutes. Even Smoove is having to play 37 minutes a game these days.

The question isn't who starts. The question is . . who will be the finishing group?

By late December, could this be our finishing group?

G - Speedy

G - JJ

F - Chill

F - Marvin or Smoove

F - Shelden or Smoove

When you look at those guys, you're talking about a squad that can provide offense, plus play pretty good defense at the end of games.

[Yeti]

Quote:

---

The Hawks do not have the talent to contend. While I wouldn't call our squad mediocre, I would say that we do not have the pieces to win a championship even banking on player development.

---

It's not only the quality of the starters, but the depth on the bench. Looks like we might be ok at the 2,3, and 4 but we still don't have a proven PG (maybe Speedy will stay healthy and fill that) and we need another center either in front of or behind ZaZa. But the forward positions and shooting guard look pretty good so far. All assuming Marvin produces.

[Guest Walter]

Quote:

---

I've been very pleased with Shelden's game. He is giving us just what we need from him: consistent rebounding, some interior defense and a good basketball IQ. Any scoring he does is just a bonus for me.

---

I guess I just believe more talent not well-filled role playing duties is "just what we need". While it's not always easy to get a role player who can rebound, defend his position well (but not change games with his defense), and has a good BBall IQ, it is easier to get that than the talent we will need to contend. Nobody dislikes a lunch-pale player, but we needed more from a top 5 pick.

W

[Lascar78]

Quote:

---

No

---

You have to admit that he's made significant progress this year on D. I mean he's easily gone from horrible to average. That's progress!

[gsuteke]

Quote:

---

Quote:

---

No

---

You have to admit that he's made significant progress this year on D. I mean he's easily gone from horrible to average. That's progress!

---

dude doesn't have Al Harrington sending people his way