A memorandum for change.

[mrhonline]

First, let me say that the Atlanta Spirit has no clear obligation to individual fans. But if they don't take notice when die-hard AND patient fans like myself (I think most people who read my posts will vouch for that) are disgusted, ownership would be foolish to stick their heads in the sand.

I feel it's time for the ownership to decide the most appropriate and effective change to improve the team, and I see three possible choices:

1. Determine that Knight's abilities as a GM fall short of NBA caliber.

Honestly, I think Knight has been fairly average as a GM, and isn't the biggest problem. Regardlesss, injuries likely give Knight a temporary reprieve, and his role is minimized until June anyway.

2. Assess Woodson's abilities as a coach and find him lacking.

He's an easy scapegoat, and the college squad he has been burdened with (could this team beat Florida without JJ?) spares him the axe a while longer...

That leaves us with...

3. Condemn their own thriftiness as detrimental to the team's success, and, more importantly, the team's financial growth.

I think the remedy is a trade for a veteran (preferably a PF or center who can score in the post) who can force teams to play off JJ a little more. And no, Slava Medvedenko isn't good enough.

My memorandum:

I understand that the court situation has made things more complicated for the Atlanta Spirit, but that's their mess, not their fans'.

I understand that acquiring a veteran will dent the salary cap room, but there's no difference-maker available next summer anyway.

I understand that acquiring a veteran will cost the Hawks at least one of their young forwards, but there was never enough room for them all anyway.

I understand that two-way players are almost never available for trade and that the player the Hawks receive will likely be one-dimensional or injury-prone, but the current product is littered with injury-prone or one-dimensional players.

I understand that acquiring a veteran might jeopardize the limitless "potential" this current team has, but I recognize that the current roster will never win an NBA championship because it is fundamentally flawed.

I plead for change.

[Guest Walter]

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I recognize that the current roster will never win an NBA championship because it is fundamentally flawed.

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The above statement is the most important statment for all of us to sign off on. The roster cannot remain as it is. I believe we are better off tanking (given that we could make top 3 and in this draft there are 3 top 3 worthy centers available) than banking on a one-dimensional vet. And I believe all 3 of your well stated choices need to be adopted.

W

[exodus]

BK's failures last summer pretty much gave the Hawks little chance to be contenders this year. Signing Lo to address the Hawks hole in the middle was like putting a bandaid on a gunshot wound.

I agreed with BK as far as dismantling the Babcock team, but I have disagreed with so many of his individual moves to rebuild the team that I just can't see him being the one to lead the Hawks out of this mess.

Last year we had a big discussion about BK and some of his supporters felt that this was the year for him to produce results and if he didn't produce then he should be fired.

Sure the Hawks have had a lot of injuries but you have to really stretch reality to think this team would actually be good if they were relatively healthy. After all very few teams go through the season without injuries.

Zaza/Lo are flat out lame defensively. Speedy is a great defender but his shotcomings as a scorer and playmaker are obvious. While Smoove was really getting his game together ultimately his upside is limited in terms of scoring. Marvin hasn't shown much at all....etc.

If they fired BK tomorrow i would be fine with it. This is 100% his team and he should be held responsible.

I know people will try to make excuses for him because of the ownership situation but that won't explain his draft record.

[mrhonline]

In my opinion, the option to tank was traded to Phoenix with Boris Diaw.

Neither Knight nor Woodson can afford to lose a ton of games and then have the unfortunate happen - Phoenix getting a pick in the 4-6 range.

The only viable option IMHO is to improve the team sooner rather than later.

[mrhonline]

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BK's failures last summer pretty much gave the Hawks little chance to be contenders this year. Signing Lo to address the Hawks hole in the middle was like putting a bandaid on a gunshot wound.

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Agreed, although Wright is perfectly tradeable for an expiring contract, and an option I think the Hawks should pursue. Veteran bigs making less than the MLE are always in demand.

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Last year we had a big discussion about BK and some of his supporters felt that this was the year for him to produce results and if he didn't produce then he should be fired.

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Well, his "year" lasts from June to September, and again from Dec. 15th to the trade deadline in February. If you fire him, you do it after the trade deadline so the new GM can prepare for the draft.

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I know people will try to make excuses for him because of the ownership situation but that won't explain his draft record.

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In his defense, he was forced to run a team at 75-80% of the budget most teams have. Plus, while the draft record is far from perfect, every first rounder has been a solid player. (Contrast his draft record with Babcock's). He's average in my perspective.

I would start with the roster, if I were looking for change.

[Guest Walter]

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In my opinion, the option to tank was traded to Phoenix with Boris Diaw.

Neither Knight nor Woodson can afford to lose a ton of games and then have the unfortunate happen - Phoenix getting a pick in the 4-6 range.

The only viable option IMHO is to improve the team sooner rather than later.

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...then remove the obstacles.

No doubt a 1st-3rd overall pick in this draft is far more valuable to this franchise than the sorry likes of BK and Woodson. In fact, such a pick could convince an otherwise reluctant quality head coach and GM to come here. A GM would love to walk in with a top 1-3 pick and a head coach couldn't complain about the talent here with such a commodity.

We're fast looking at giving Pheonix the 4-8 pick already, so the "unfortunate happening" IS HAPPENING. Tanking is the only potential way to make lemonade out of lemons.

W

[Guest Walter]

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I would start with the roster, if I were looking for change.

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Who put together this roster? Would you have the same baffoon tinker with his seriously flawed roster. That's just inane. The roster didn't draft itself. Start with the GM!

W

[mrhonline]

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...then remove the obstacles.

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How does firing Woodson help the team lose? He's better at it than practically every coach in NBA history.

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Tanking is the only potential way to make lemonade out of lemons.

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And if they finish with the 3rd worst record and get skipped in the lottery by some slightly less crappy team?

Tanking is simply too risky. In fact, I think making sure that pick going to Phoenix wasn't top10 protected was Knight's biggest mistake.

[exodus]

Portland had the worst record in the league last year and wound up picking fourth. The reason the lottery was introduced in the first place was to prevent teams from doing what you are suggesting.

[mrhonline]

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Who put together this roster? Would you have the same baffoon tinker with his seriously flawed roster. That's just inane. The roster didn't draft itself. Start with the GM!

W

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Depends on what you think the problem with the roster is. I personally think this team has too many young players with "potential," and not enough proven talent.

Not signing enough proven talent is not Knight's fault. That blames lies squarely inside the wallets of the Spirit.

[exodus]

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Plus, while the draft record is far from perfect, every first rounder has been a solid player.

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Drafting "solid" players in the top 6 is a sure ticket to year after year of mediocrity. When you look at BK's picks compared to the guys he passed on it doesn't put him in a very good light.

[Guest Walter]

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...then remove the obstacles.

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How does firing Woodson help the team lose? He's better at it than practically every coach in NBA history.

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[mrhonline]

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When you look at BK's picks compared to the guys he passed on it doesn't put him in a very good light.

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No, it makes him average. If you measure all GM's based squarely on hindsight, you will find that the vast majority don't make the optimal pick every time.

Also, most GM's aren't picking these players to pair with other young, inexperienced draft picks. It would be interesting to see how the Hawks' young forwards would perform in a different atmosphere.

[Guest Walter]

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Portland had the worst record in the league last year and wound up picking fourth. The reason the lottery was introduced in the first place was to prevent teams from doing what you are suggesting.

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It's not a perfect "solution" but I don't hear any better ones. Another 1-dimensional vet is not going to turn this team around. If we end up 4th before the lottery we still have a chance at top 3. The lottery isn't all bad in this case.

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I'll accept failure (giving Pheonix the 4th overall pick per se) alot better than I will accept long term resignation to AT BEST mediocrity (trade for a 1-dimesional vet and give Pheonix the 6-8 overall pick.

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The result would be the same for us. We don't get our pick either way. Only one way gives us a legit shot at a top 3 pick and a team turn-around.

W

[mrhonline]

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who cares whether Pheonix's pick is 4 or 6 or 8? We have to TRY to solve our team's problems before we can worry about how much we help Pheonix. The difference between giving Pheonix a 6th vs 4th overall pick means nothing.

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Well said. I would say that the difference matters in terms of PR, but obviously that's not a chief concern of the ownership.

If you tank, and Phoenix gets the #4 pick, that gives you a good excuse to fire Knight and Woodson...

...my concern are as follows:

1. Will the ownership fiasco prevent dramatic personnel moves like this one? God knows Belkin would agree with firing Knight and Woodson, but could the disputing parties agree on another choice?

2. Why fire Woodson if you want to tank? The only reason I can see is that if Knight has to go, his buddy has to as well.

Perhaps Herb Brown and Dominique could take over for the rest of the season...

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Either way, I see only two options:

1. Fire Woodson+Knight and hope for a top3.

2. Stand behind Woodson+Knight and bring in more proven talent.

[gutz]

I totally agree here. Tanking is way too risky at this point. With the way the Hawks luck has been in the lottery you almost have to figure the worst would happen and thats Phx. getting the #4 pick probably. I say we get healthy and make a move and compete for this year. The East is absolutely horrible and we can still make the playoffs.

[Diesel]

I keep seeing this putting blame here and there, but the dysfunction of our franchise goes back a long way that some of you fans may not be able to understand.

When Babcock was spending money like Water, he put this franchise into deep debt. When Babcock was making playoff promises, he put this franchise into deep debt. When Ted Turner refused to show the Hawks any favoritism with his networks, he was putting this franchise into deep debt.

When AOL sold this franchise to Atlanta Spirit and Belkin, the franchise was sold to them in DEBT. I think it was something to the tune of 95 million dollars. It may have been hire than that, but that number sticks out in my mind.

I hear you saying well, just pay it and go on. That's easier said than done. Our owners are not Billionaires like Indy's, PTL's, or Dallas' owners. That's a lot of money to come up with when you're also trying to pay a payroll that had gotten out of Hand. BK's first job was to put the team into the lottery and keep the team on the cheap. I mean for God Sake, he traded away everybody for Picks and he couldn't take all first rounders until he had cleared all big salaries. That went on for 2 years. Us being a cheap team was not neccessarily BK trying to drop his Idealology on the Hawks team, but it was more like BK trying to keep the team cheap so that the Owners can cut down some of their debt.

This came out when the great split happened between Belkin and AS. Gearon Sr. is very blunt, he said that many decisions on players were bypassed because the team was kept on the cheap. Then when the JJ mess came up, Belkin wanted to keep the team on the cheap. If you go back to the first reports of the split, Belkin questioned JJ's ability... as if to say "He's not worth that kind of money". Now Belkin's story is I wanted JJ but I thought we could get him for less than what the Suns asked for? B.S.

But when you think about keeping the team on the cheap, it makes you go back and think about some players: Pryz, Jackson, JT. Our negotiations with these guys were certainly unusual to say the least.

But now back to now.

JJ situation went down. Now, we have a franchise player.

However, we don't have a cast assembled around him. We have a bunch of young guys around him. It seemed like Atlanta Spirits wallets had finally opened up when Belkin returns. I mean we didn't pay Speedy chump change.

So once again, BK's hands have been cuffed. Regaurdless of what he may say.. the truth is that he's operating in a condition where he can't do much.

WOODY

Maybe Woody ought to be the scapegoat. I mean he knew the landscape. He knew that BK was operating on the cheap. But he wanted to be a HC. When i think about Woody, I think... What other coaches would have succeeded with the same cards that Woody has and have had. The answer is that not too many other coaches would do a better job of developing. Some coaches would have gotten a few more wins, but not so significant a number that makes me say "Woody is trash". I think Woody has personal conflicts with some players, but that's good. Our players for the most part are immature. Many of them need raising. Smoove and Salim especially. It's the Xs and the Os which raise questions about Woody.

RIGHT NOW

Don't look for us to make a big coaching change. What coach wants to come to this mess?

Don't look for a great Signing or trade for a star. Our owners are being bent over and giving the whatfor by one Honorable Eric Johnson. He's got the remnant of AS tied up tight. Only David Stern seemingly can save the remnant of AS... Because the H.E.J. seems to misunderstand logic. How can he rule that Belkin should have been paid by AS when he knows that there has been no Arbitrated payoff because Belkin believes that he's owed 500 million dollars on a 20 million dollar buy in. I mean this is like elementary school.

Kid 1: "I'll buy Your bike."

Kid 2: "OK"

Kid 1: " How much do you want for it."

Kid 2: "$1,000,000,000."

Kid 1: "I thought you were serious about selling it."

Kid 2: "I am. I want $1,000,000,000."

Kid 1: "How much did you buy it for".

Kid 2: " $35.00."

So right now, I don't expect much in terms of movement of coach, movement of GM, or movement for new players like Dalembert or Magloire. The only thing that's left is to develop our younger players and to get out of this injury zone.

[TheNorthCydeRises]

LOL @ this board.

It's so easy to scapegoat this team and the decisions that they've made . . NOW. It's too easy, in my opinion.

Question: What would the Hawks record be, if all of the injuries handn't crippled this team?

Answer: Ask that same question about the Miami Heat, and come up with your answer. ( And it's not even the Shaq injury with the Heat. It's also the Jason Williams injury at the beginning of the season. They lost two major cogs to their team, and they're currently on the outside looking in, as far as the playoffs go. And now, Flash is day-to-day with a hand injury. )

This Hawks were build to run and play defense. Those are the type of players that we've acquired here. So far this season, we haven't been able to come close to maximizing the full potential of this team, because everybody keeps getting hurt.

It's funny though. Everything was great when we were 4 - 1, and were one of the BEST defensive teams in the league. Anybody remember those days? This team could've easily been 6 - 1, if not for a horrible Michael Redd and-1 call, and a great shot by Ray Allen in OT to beat us.

Even with all of that, we've been a pretty competitive team the entire season, no matter who we played.

LOL @ those of you who think that this team can't win an NBA title. Of course we can't. How about concentrating on making the playoffs first, then tweaking the roster to make a run for a championship first. LOL . . I'm sure that the UTAH Jazz were thinking "NBA title" when they made the move to acquire Boozer 2 years ago. LOL . . that team was only concerned about replacing the Mailman with an adequate PF.

By the way, Utah can't win an NBA title with their current roster either. They'll definitely have to tweak that roster once or twice in the next few years, if they become a perennial playoff team. But they have put themselves in position to return to the playoffs. And frankly, I think we put ourselves in that same position as well, at the start of the season.

But your PG gets hurt before the preseason. Then your starting SF gets hurt right before the season. We play well despite those two being out of the lineup, then other people start getting hurt.

All of you wanting to indict this team right now, just do me a favor.

If this team gets back to full strength, and they start to win, don't FLIP-FLOP on how you feel about the makeup of this team.

Stay consistent in your criticism, even if we're winning 5 - 7 games in a row.

[DJlaysitup]

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I keep seeing this putting blame here and there, but the dysfunction of our franchise goes back a long way that some of you fans may not be able to understand.

When Babcock was spending money like Water,...

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Ancient history and not relevant. You need 1 star in the NBA to compete (with proper management and solid veteran backup players) and 2 stars to win championships (as long as they are better than the opposing team's 2 stars)...not rocket science.

and, of course, you need a quality coach.

But as we all know - you don't have to be all that smart of a GM to handle a sledge hammer...being an architect is a different story.

[exodus]

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This Hawks were build to run and play defense.

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The running nonsense is just wishful thinking. The Hawks don't have one player who can consistently handle the ball well and make good decisions on the break. Speedy always feels the need to jump before he passes, Lue has tunnel vision and JJ just isn't that good on the break.

The reality is that the Hawks are one of the slower teams in the league and will continue to be with the current roster.

The Hawks horrible defensive hole at center has been there from the beginning of the season and will continue to be there as long as Zaza is playing 30 minutes per game.