With the Indy pick now gone, how do we improve....

[Diesel]

Well certainly if we are LOSERS no FA will come. Especially if we are LOSERS with a messed up Front office and GM and Coaching staff.

However, if we are a pack of tenacious guys who play hard... That changes.

You are proposing running the LAClipper gameplan 1986-2005. It includes making stupid redundant picks. Creating an atmosphere of losing. Putting all your hopes in the draft. Staying on the draft Welfare system.

Ron... It doesn't work. Moreover, at some point, you have to believe that you can develop the "potential" you drafted.

There are no guarantees that you will get ANYTHING out of this draft regardless of how badly you lose. None. Moreover, there's only one player in this draft that will make our team significantly better and that is Oden (and that's if he comes out). No guarantees. Our chances to get Oden are worse that our chances to get absolutely nothing.

So again, WHY CREATE an atmosphere of losing??

What you're saying is the equivalent of somebody playing the lottery everyday trying to become a millionaire vs. somebody trying to work and invest to become one. Just because the road we have in front of us is hard doesn't mean that we quit and destroy the continuity, confidence, and chemistry of this team.... for a possible shot at the lottery.

If you want to tank Next year, I'm with you all the way. Let's get our tanking shoes on early, let's put the plan in motion, let's trade JJ for some picks and ending contracts (because there's no need to take him through this) and let's tank when we have the possibility of getting something. At the least 4th. However, if we tank now.. We're not guaranteed anything whatsoever.

[mrhonline]

The Hawks were never going to be major players in free agency this summer.

That much I'm sure of. (Trades are a different story).

[Sothron]

Heavy D, you don't listen very well. The judge's orders keep us from getting any kind of real free agent. Players don't want to sign a short contract unless they are on the tail end of their careers and its the only kind of deal they can get. We don't have the cap room after the AJ trade to sign any player of worth. That means going into next season we'd lose our pick going by your scenario and we would STILL have NO ANSWER to the center and point guard positions. We would be in the exact same situation. The same one we have been in since BK was hired.

We need to break that mold. Oden would do that. We'd still need a real starting point guard but at least we'd have a low post scorer (something we haven't had since SAR!) and a defensive prescence in the middle (something we haven't had since Dikemebe!) for our team. We'd at least have enough parts to be competitive for a playoff position and THEN perhaps our guys plucky play and youth might attract a FA worth a damn to sign here.

As things stand now if we win just enough games to lose our pick then we get nothing out of this draft. We will get nothing in free agency. This team will still be the collection of stiffs outside three guys (JJ, Smoove, Chill) two of whom play the same GD position. Do you seriously think this team as it stands now can actually win in the NBA? Do you think they could actually compete for the playoffs or God forbid a shot for the title?

No chance in hell. This team needs a quality big man in the middle on both sides of the court and it needs a point guard that's actually worth a damn. We can't get both of those in the draft but we can at least TRY to get one of those filled.

Your solution is to basically do nothing and trot out the same tired stiffs night after night year after year and hope one magical year they finally "get it" and we break thirty wins. Sorry, but I want more out of my team than that. Its patently obvious at this point the Spirit won't spend any real money to upgrade this roster or its coaches or its front office. That leaves only the draft for a CHANCE to get something.

I would rather have a chance at improving than having no chance with the same roster of stiffs we have now. My way offers hope, your way offers sub thirty win seasons into infinity.

[Nicholasp27]

collection of stiffs?

zaza isn't a stiff, he's just young and improving

marvin/shelden are in their first years of the nba and will continue to improve (marvin with another year, shelden with a healthy shoulder)

solomon has potential

so we have 2 all-star caliber players in jj/smoove and a top notch 6th man in chill...we have some great potential in all of these players as well as marvin/zaza/shelden/solomon

we just need a good starting pg...we have 3 of the top backups in the league, but need that starter...however, when could we have gotten one besides paul/deron over marvin? none avail when we got chill...none avail when we got shelden (roy/foye were not pgs)...we got the 2nd best this summer in facy after we made big offer to 1st, but he ended up being injured 80% of the time...hopefully the indy pick will give us a pg of the future

and lol @ this thread when indy has like the 14th-16th worst record right now...why not wait until they slip down to bottom-10 to make this thread?

[Johnnybravo4]

The best way to win is through the natural progression of our present players. The recent play of Zaza shows that our center situation isn't as dire as we thought it was. As far as our PG situation, we have to pray that Speedy comes into the season healthy and ready to play next season.

We can get a Crittendon with our pick from Indy if we are dying for pg prospects. But our ultimate success is dependant on whether Smoove continues his progression, and if Marvin becomes the star he is supposed to be. There is nothing that Durant nor Oden could do about that.

[Sothron]

Please don't seriously mention Marvin and Shellhead as if either of them are positives on this team. Marvin cost us three franchise point guards (Deron, Felton, Paul in my order) and Shellhead is a complete stiff. Zaza is a good backup center, nothing more. Having three backup point guards doesn't transfer them into one real starter either.

This entire team except for 3 players (2 of which share the same position) could be swapped out for NBDL players and we wouldn't notice a difference.

[DrReality]

Quote:

---

Exactly. Not sure how the top 10 protected Indy pick is gone because they now have sunk to the 16th worst position. Yes there is a chance that we'll lose it, but odds are we'll get that pick.

---

Walter over react or exaggerate? Imagine that.

Chances are we get a prima pick from Indy that fills a pressing need at pg or center.

[DrReality]

The slumping Indiana Pacers are uncertain when Jermaine O'Neal will return from his knee injury.

O'Neal, who is averaging 19.7 points, 10 rebounds and 2.9 blocks per game, has missed three games since an MRI exam last week revealed a sprained left knee. O'Neal traveled to Los Angeles for a second opinion on Monday and got similar results.

They are two loses away from a franchise record. Bird will not want that on his resume.

[Guest Walter]

Quote:

---

So, what we're left with is the Hawks play of late, led by the sickness of Smoove. And, though highly hypothetical, I hold out hope for the playoffs. With an offseason that doesn't promise anything other than a miracle play at Oden/KG - it's our best shot at happiness, however fleeting.

And that, Walt, is what ROTS is all about.

---

So when the reality of the situation is this bad you must dissolusion yourself.

Got it.

W

[Guest Walter]

Quote:

---

The MLE. But, seriously, the team wins four straight games without its All-Star, and we get this thread?

---

We get it precisely because we need it. You very well know this team remotely as designed with its talent level will never contend. Unless all you want is mediocrity, get a clue. This team needs serious help, even if it follows 7 losses with 4 wins. Without a means to acquire any serious help, it's just AT BEST mediocre. Everybody knows it. They just get lost in the joy of a 4 game win streak. Remember Dallas and Pheonix had 20+ game win streaks. If that doesn't suggest to you how far we have to go to contend then there is no hope for you grasping it.

W

[Guest Walter]

nothing of importance and costing yourself Dwight Howard. Your support of Barry Bonds and Bobby Sura (or Anthong Johnson) make for an interesting loser's mentality.

Quote:

---

Come to HS, find Walter posting about the possibility of not having a pick in the draft...How these wins are corrupting our future. Blah, blah, blah...

At some point, you have to want to win...

---

At some point, you have to want to win...WIN WHAT, WITH WHAT!?!?

Diesel, you still support the decision to draft SW over Roy or Foye. Is THAT who we're supposed to win with? Moreover, WHAT exactly do you project this team to win as designed? A freakin' moral victory ham sandwich? You've already conceeded this team cannot expect to significantly improve itself this offseason. What does this team accomplish as is?

W

[Guest Walter]

Quote:

---

We still have $5 million in capspace, and that will likely increase by about $2 million next year. I believe we have the MLE available to us. We have some expiring contracts, that added to our capspace could bring us one very decent free agent..

---

Amidst øur chaos, even if ownership is willing to spend after the Speedy/Lo disaster, no legit FAs will want to come here for = money. Regardless, most MLE players aren't a significant help.

W

[Guest Walter]

Quote:

---

If you want to tank Next year, I'm with you all the way. Let's get our tanking shoes on early, let's put the plan in motion, let's trade JJ for some picks and ending contracts (because there's no need to take him through this) and let's tank when we have the possibility of getting something. At the least 4th. However, if we tank now.. We're not guaranteed anything whatsoever.

---

Why are we guaranteed something next year when we are not guaranteed anything this year? The lottery can fail you in any number of ways. So we get to keep the 11th pick next year if we don't tank well. Big deal. I'd rather have a 30-40% shot at Oden or Durant than next year's late lottery pick.

Why tank next year when the top picks this year are significantly better?

Why tank next year when the future is now in terms of completing this team? We wait any longer and the frustration of JJ will return and will infect the rest of the young but soon similarly frustrated team?

W

[kelston827]

http://www.rotoworld.com/content/HeadLines.aspx?sport=NBA

"Jermaine O'Neal is in uniform and warming up for the Pacers on Wednesday night."

http://www.nba.com/standings/team_record_c...ew_Std_Cnf.html

Indiana currently stands at 16th in the standings.

Walter: "The Indy pick is gone."

You, sir, are a retard.

[DrReality]

this is a copy of the lottery simulator off of RealGM.

Please note that ATL is 1 and 14!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

1. Atlanta Hawks

2. Portland Trail Blazers

3. Philadelphia 76ers

4. MemphisGrizzlies

5. Boston Celtics

6. MilwaukeeBucks

7. Charlotte Bobcats

8. Seattle SuperSonics

9. Sacramento Kings

10.Minnesota Timberwolves

11.New Orleans Hornets

12.Golden State Warriors

13.DetroitPistons (from Orlando)

14.Atlanta Hawks (from Indiana)

Took about ten tries. Now that would be earth shattering.

[BusBoyIsBack]

Quote:

---

http://www.rotoworld.com/content/HeadLines.aspx?sport=NBA

"Jermaine O'Neal is in uniform and warming up for the Pacers on Wednesday night."

http://www.nba.com/standings/team_record_c...ew_Std_Cnf.html

Indiana currently stands at 16th in the standings.

Walter: "The Indy pick is gone."

You, sir, are a retard.

---

I was getting ready to say, did I miss something?

Did we give that pick away while I wasn't looking or was this post typical ridiculous overreaction.

No way Indiana gets a top 10 pick. I say if they don't make the playoffs, we'll make it. I see the Knicks sliding without Lee. If Indiana falls as well, we have to be the team that takes advantage of those two teams faltering.

[DrReality]

The one and fourteen picks could get us Oden and Acie Law.

[Buzzard]

Quote:

---

But, seriously, the team wins four straight games without its All-Star, and we get this thread?

---

Does not matter that JJ is not playing. What does matter is we have a 2nd pick, 5th pick, and a 8th pick on the floor to go along with a seasoned PG and the best mid round pick (Smoove) to come along in a long time.

4 straight is not exactly lighting the league up. This one comment of yours pretty much sums up how accustomed we are to not winning. 4 wins in row has now become something to jot down in the record books. Hollinger hit it dead on when he mentioned how badly this horrible rebuilding period was effecting all Hawks fans.

Some of us are angry, some are down, and the optimistic ones get giddy over 4 wins in a row. But we are all loyal to the bone and Hollinger appreciated that.

[Diesel]

Quote:

---

Why are we guaranteed something next year when we are not guaranteed anything this year?

---

Lesson number 1.

Next year, if we have the worst record in the NBA... We are guaranteed at the least the 4th pick of the draft. I know for you, that doesn't mean a whole lot, but Dwayne Wade was a 5th pick...

This year, if we don't get a 1-3 pick, we are guaranteed NOTHING... In fact, we have a better chance at getting nothing than we have at getting 1...

Winning or building a winning environment, just isn't about feeling good??!?! I can tell you have never played a sport because of that dumb statement. YOU have to learn to win through confidence. Being that this is pretty much the same team we hope to win with next year, it makes no sense to dash their confidence for this pick and there's a strong possibility that we don't get this pick...

[Guest Walter]

Quote:

---

Next year, if we have the worst record in the NBA... We are guaranteed at the least the 4th pick of the draft. I know for you, that doesn't mean a whole lot, but Dwayne Wade was a 5th pick...

---

Uh, so you want to start tanking for next year...NOW?!? First, we likely won't have the injuries next year to tank. The reason we have the opportunity ready for us WITHOUT trading away the majority of the team is our injuries. Secondly, there certainly won't be Oden or Durant (sure things) at the top of the draft. Third, that is my point, we don't have a pick unless it's top 3. We NEED a (top 3) pick NOW more than we need a late lotto pick tomorrow.

I'd rather take a 40% chance at Oden or Durant and if we miss it get a 10th pick next year than ONLY get a 10th pick next year. We're not tanking next year. You know this. Your argument is merely that we COULD. Hell we COULD have an asteroid hit us and make this all moot. Did I mention Nickoli Tsskitvillidon'thaveskills was a 5th pick? In the lotto world of no sure thing, Oden and Durant are the sure things.

Quote:

---

This year, if we don't get a 1-3 pick, we are guaranteed NOTHING... In fact, we have a better chance at getting nothing than we have at getting 1...

---

Quote:

---

Winning or building a winning environment, just isn't about feeling good??!?! I can tell you have never played a sport because of that dumb statement. YOU have to learn to win through confidence. Being that this is pretty much the same team we hope to win with next year, it makes no sense to dash their confidence for this pick and there's a strong possibility that we don't get this pick...

---

Nothing builds confidence like Oden or Durant. Instant moxy. Nothing costs confidence more than "the same ol', same ol'" under talented, poorly designed team fighting hard but in over it's head. If you don't think JJ already knows this down deep in his bone marrow and his recent out-bursts weren't caused by his realization that almost no amount of help short of a top 3 pick would change his and this team's fortunes, then you're short a few marbles.

W