What is there to look forward to next season??

[Blunt91]

Looking at the Falcons make good moves makes me upset that the Atlanta Hawks don't even try to get better or screw things up. 1. We will lose our pick to phoenix 2. Indy is screwing us and we won't get that pick this year. 3. The ASG's money will probably be on a short leash again this year. 4. They will probably end up giving Woody some kind of extention, even if it is only 1year.

So someone please tell me why should we be hyped about this offseason or next season?

[drzachary]

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Looking at the Falcons make good moves makes me upset that the Atlanta Hawks don't even try to get better or screw things up. 1. We will lose our pick to phoenix 2. Indy is screwing us and we won't get that pick this year. 3. The ASG's money will probably be on a short leash again this year. 4. They will probably end up giving Woody some kind of extention, even if it is only 1year.

So someone please tell me why should we be hyped about this offseason or next season?

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They're trying to get better, just not doing a good job of it. Big difference! (Also, the Falcons have an owner.)

[Packfill]

I think a good coach and one astute free agent acquisition in the off-season could make the Hawks a winning team.

[thesheedera]

If we improve at the same rate we seem to be improving this season, and have as many or less injuries than we suffered this season, I'm pretty sure we'll be a playoff team right round .500 next year. That's assuming nothing changes personel or coaching wise, and our guys continue to gradually get more seasoned and comfortable in their roles and in the league. With that I'm looking forward to next season. not really all that "excited", but definitely loking forward to it.

A new coach, a great draft prospect, a big free agent signing, a smart trade, anything like that will take me from "looking forward" to "very excited", and if it's the right move, we could be one of those teams that's actually considered "good", not just a squeak into the weak eastern conference playoffs kind of team.

There are lots of things to be discouraged about with the Hawks. But the future is the one thing I'm most optomistic about.

[gutz]

Can someone tell me how the ASG is so tight with their money? Don't they own the Thrashers as well as the Hawks. They have made all kinds of moves this year for the Thrashers. Traded away all their picks for veteran players that MAKE MONEY and added salary! So I don't buy this crap about the ASG not having any money. Thrashers are a lock for the playoffs this year and could very well go deep in the playoffs with the acquistions they made recently. This tells me that BK needs to shown the friggin door because if the Thrashers can spend all this money and trade away their draft picks then the Hawks can too.

[AtLaS]

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Looking at the Falcons make good moves makes me upset that the Atlanta Hawks don't even try to get better or screw things up. 1. We will lose our pick to phoenix 2. Indy is screwing us and we won't get that pick this year. 3. The ASG's money will probably be on a short leash again this year. 4. They will probably end up giving Woody some kind of extention, even if it is only 1year.

So someone please tell me why should we be hyped about this offseason or next season?

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Trading is our only option, and with BK at the helm, you can only expect matters to get worse.

[DJlaysitup]

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...So someone please tell me why should we be hyped about this offseason or next season?

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Personally I think management should do domething "out-of-the-box" to generate fan interest for next year. They should go out on a limb a bit.

I would recommend that they guarrantee the fans that the Hawks will be in the playoffs - or your money back!

[Johnnybravo4]

We need to do a Keith Tchuck equivalent trade for the Hawks. I had this dream last night. We luck up and get the 3rd and 12 picks.

We get Hibbart with the 3rd pick. We do a sign and trade with NJ and send Childress, the 12th pick, and Zaza to New Jersey for Vince Carter. We give Vince a 5 years 80 million dollars. Then we run this lineup

Speedy/Lue

JJ/Salim

VC/Marvin

Smoove/Shelden

Hibbart/Lo Wright

Start printing up championship banners right now.

[AHF]

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Can someone tell me how the ASG is so tight with their money? Don't they own the Thrashers as well as the Hawks. They have made all kinds of moves this year for the Thrashers. Traded away all their picks for veteran players that MAKE MONEY and added salary! So I don't buy this crap about the ASG not having any money. Thrashers are a lock for the playoffs this year and could very well go deep in the playoffs with the acquistions they made recently. This tells me that BK needs to shown the friggin door because if the Thrashers can spend all this money and trade away their draft picks then the Hawks can too.

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The difference could be attributable to a number of factors such as:

(1) Belkin doesn't plan on owning the Thrashers so they feel safer investing in that team knowing they are more likely to be able to recoup that investment even if Belkin wins;

(2) The owners just like hockey better or feel the NHL is a better investment than the NBA; or

(3) the owners only want to invest in a team they feel is playoff ready and the Thrashers have shown that while the Hawks have not.

I personally speculate that Belkin is a significant factor. The last pre-Belkin blowing up the ownership move the Hawks did was investing heavily into JJ. They have either had their hands tied or been gun shy since then (or some combination thereof).

* * * *

We are forbidden from giving VC a 5 year deal - an example of how Belkin has tied our hands.

[Johnnybravo4]

All you have to do is ask him. Trust me, he ain't going to object to getting VC and having Phillips be filled every night.

[Nicholasp27]

i know i'm looking forward to playoffs next year

6th seed, unless we make some drastic moves this summer

[AHF]

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All you have to do is ask him. Trust me, he ain't going to object to getting VC and having Phillips be filled every night.

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No. Legally we are limited to 4 year deals, thanks to Belkin. That is why we can't sign VC to a 5 year deal.

[Guest Walter]

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i know i'm looking forward to playoffs next year

6th seed, unless we make some drastic moves this summer

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...the 6th seed? Injuries, Woodson, ownership? Might as well think them up now because I know you and others are going to "stay the course" on this ship sailed for the mediocritanean sea.

W

[Guest Walter]

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Trading is our only option, and with BK at the helm, you can only expect matters to get worse.

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Yep. I thought a trade dealine deal was in our best interest if we were going to do so.

Can't sign a FA of merit because they won't sign with chaotic losers who traded away their cap space (and a high 2nd) for AJ and who can't sign a FA for more than 4 years.

Can't draft a significant enough player with the Indy pick if we keep it. Can't expect to retain a top 3 pick when we won't even tank and can't tank worth a d@mn anyhow.

It's down to a trade. Not just any trade but a trade that gets us significantly more talent (as we need talent) at a position of need (as we need a C and Pg prospect) at positions that are scarce (center). Given our rebuild's dire circumstances, this will require creativity, bold GMing, and risk taking. Otherwise we might as well mail it in for years of mediocrity.

W

[gutz]

But the the Thrashers and Hawks are BOTH owned by the ASG so Belkin is trying to gain control of both franchises not just the Hawks. Just because this whole debacle originated from the JJ deal and the Hawks doesn't mean he is just trying to obtain control of the Hawks. He is a part owner of both franchises.

[frosgrim]

But Belkin can turn around and re-sell the T-birds to the Washington group. There also maybe some behind the scenes negotiations that are going on that will give Belkin the Hawks and possibly the op rights to Phillips. That gives the Washington group the Thrashers, whom they wanted in the first place. I wouldn't be surprised if something like this doesn't eventually occur. --- this is pure speculation on my part so take it at that---

AHF's option C is the one that I subscribe to. The Thrashers are in a much better place personal wise than the Hawks. Second, the Thrashers got guys with expiring contracts. It would be foolish for the Hawks to have traded for expiring contracts this year, since the NBA's contract structures are a lot different than the NHL's (length, amount, and structure).

Thus, it was much easier to get significant pieces for the Thrashers than it was for the Hawks, given the Belkin constraints.

The other piece to the puzzle is that the Thrashers had a ton of draft picks that they had been hoarding. They used those to get Zhitnick (sp?), Kieth, and DuPuis. The Hawks MIGHT have a mid-first this year. Big difference.

So, to answer the initial question of what is there to look forward to? I really hope for a new coaching staff and possibly a new GM, but I am not holding my breath...Smoove should be even better next year. I still think MW will be a terrific player and next year he'll show it.

[TroyMcClure]

See below. Sigh.

[TheDude]

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Looking at the Falcons make good moves makes me upset that the Atlanta Hawks don't even try to get better or screw things up. 1. We will lose our pick to phoenix 2. Indy is screwing us and we won't get that pick this year. 3. The ASG's money will probably be on a short leash again this year. 4. They will probably end up giving Woody some kind of extention, even if it is only 1year.

So someone please tell me why should we be hyped about this offseason or next season?

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well even if we make no moves whatsoever, we are playoff worthy next season no doubt.

[thescout5]

I do not see how you guys can be that optimistic about a team that is what 13-15 games under 500 in a weak conference. Even having JJ the team didn't function like a team so how is all this going to mesh together and become that powerhouse team everybody envisions. there are certainly alot of IFS and every IF has to become a strength. Looking at the lineup it goes:

1.Marvin - questionable if he will ever be a star until he proves himself he is a bust.

2.Smoove - Right now Smoove is a very good player still not elite status.

3.ZaZa - center can score but no defense

4.JJ - elite guard but having the ball so much does he hinder the Hawks and not play like a team.

5.?? - who know is it an unproven rookie or the mighty AJ whose a bench warmer on most teams.

6. Childress up and down which one do you get

Yes the team could make the playoffs and be a 500 team but how is that alot to look forward to? As mentioned earlier all the IFS have to fulfill there potential and I don't see it.

It would have been so much easier to TANK and have a real franchise player in DURANT or ODEN but the Gods have cursed us wanting us to lose the pick since the team can't even lose right.If you antitankers would think like us tankers maybe the GODS will chance there mind we lose enough games or luck out get a top 2 pick and durant or Oden is a hawk and we all can live happily ever after.

[lunar]

we could make the playoffs without oden. oden would make us a contender for the conference championship, but as for just making the playoffs, we could probably do it. our real roadblock however is at the point guard position. with anthony johnson and tyron lue in contract years and speedy's contract holding us back, we could br in some serious trouble if we don't get rid of some of them. best case scenerio is that we can trade lue or johnson for another second rounder to free up space and either draft a point or pick up someone like williams, bibby, or billups. however that isn't going to happen while we have three points on our roster. if we get an upgrade at that position(which is almost automatic since we have the worst point guard rotation in the NBA) then the playoffs are a lock, but if we go into next season with lue dribbling the ball into the floor and speedy chillin on the bench by game 4, we could be looking at lottery balls again.