To play Devil's Advocate...

[AHF]

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Before you say too many bad things about Isiah...

You have to take each move as just that a move. He has made some very good moves and some bad ones. I think he's middle of the road. For instance, he found David Lee in the draft.

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I would make Isiah my head scout for the draft and not let him do another thing to my team from a GM perspective.

[BusBoyIsBack]

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good point...

people complaining also about our draft picks when those draft picks are why we are on the cusp of being perennial playoff contenders..PERENNIAL..

offensively zaza is one of the best in the league at the center position but we definitely need an upgrade defensively....that's why i dont think we're in as bad a shape as many think..

i think we get a young point to groom behind AJ, Lue, and ug, maybe Speedy in the draft and we're good on that front...we can get a defensive center in free agency to replace LWright...

EVEN IF WE DO NOT DO A DAM THING ABOUT EITHER POSITION WE STILL ARE PERENNIAL PLAYOFF CONTENDERS....

heck we get somebody like billups or get lucky in the draft and we're ahead of the game..the only thing holding further back in my opinion woud be Woody.

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Exactly. Even if the basketball gods showed no mercy whatsoever and we came out of this year's draft with zero draft picks, we still could make a playoff spot next year.

Because those draft picks that everyone is saying are so terrible can lead us there.

People need to think about the fact that we will have two all-star players next year in JJ and Smoove.

When Smoove first had a string of 20 point games I jumped the gun a little saying that he was there, but now it's not jumping the gun at all because you can't get this lucky this many times in a row. It's to the point where I expect him to have a 20/10 night and he has been delivering.

Now that JJ has been seeing this he won't shoulder the load by himself next year.

Now think about this fact: Smoove has been getting 20 points per game despite being the center of attention of our offense which means he actually has been seeing double teams. Imagine what he could do next year solely in single coverage and sometimes plain open because of JJ.

The key if we get screwed in the lottery is Marvin. If Marvin can blossom in what will only be his 2nd season as a starter like Smoove did this year, we get the 8th spot with ease. Because that's what we need right now is that 3rd guy to step up.

We need to have that trio like Washington has. Scary thing is our trio is about 7 years younger than their trio.

And of course the center position is a question mark because of the lack of D.

Solomon oh Solomon you hit the gym like it's your job (because well it kind of is) then you my friend could be a legit big man with your 7'5 wing span and 40 inch vert, we could have Theo Ratliff with some hops.

[Guest Walter]

I doubt anyone can demonstrate where a GM passed on amongst considered players in the lottery a future All-star (Deng) or All-star(s) and two consecutive ROYs in Paul (als an All-star) and (likely) Roy. Moreover, he traded away our 2007 pick when it was known the 2006 draft would be weak and the 2007 draft would be the strong. He did this and promised SW out of arrogance. We may not even have a pick this year. We were a team rebuilding through the draft making drafting correctly imperative. Never have I seen such unacceptable and preventable draft failures when it mattered most.

He's not the worst GM. McHale may be. He HAS killed our rebuild DEAD. It will take a ping pong ball miracle to salvage this rebuild. Teams who have only been in existence 3 years are ahead of us. Toronto flew past us. Portland grounded their rebuild with bold, creative moves BK could never conceive of or accomplish. NOs is better. WE, on the other hand, are in a stagnant rebuild. Last offseason was the nail in the coffin. Not ONE move BK made panned out.

Frankly, I believe BK is given too much "credit" and not enough responsibility for making mistakes 8 out of 10 forum goers would know not to make.

W

[DJlaysitup]

I'll give BK credit for the dismantling of the old mess.

But one really has to realize that as far as the rebuild goes there are many folks with regular jobs who would have outdone BK just working a couple hours in the evening a few times a week.

[thescout5]

After seeing the Pacers lose tonight and the Hawks possibly losing there own pick we may just have no draft picks this year and nothing to look forward to next year. I blame all this on BK most everything he does turns sh%t. You simply cannot blow draft choices particularly as high up in the draft as the Hawks were. Marvin,Childress amd Sheldon how do you draft this high and not get one starter from among them? Yeah I know Marvin and Sheldon are just barely in the league but many more players in those drafts are doing well now. Marvin will get better but not the star we all envisioned I predict. Sheldon well its his first year but shows no indication but being a journeyman. Where is Childress going to start,ahead of JJ?

Smoove was a no brainer and only ZAZa may be Knight best move other than Smoove.Watching these other teams get better this upcoming draft while it is possbily the hawks sit around and add no new talent surely will be frustrating. Both BK and Woody need to be out ASAP after the season. Harry the Hawks could do a better job at picking players than BK.How the man should earn a dime for the job he is done is highway robbery. BK needs to be working at BK. I think as long as BK is here it will be like this until BK is ousted!

[thescout5]

After seeing the Pacers lose tonight and the Hawks possibly losing there own pick we may just have no draft picks this year and nothing to look forward to next year. I blame all this on BK most everything he does turns sh%t. You simply cannot blow draft choices particularly as high up in the draft as the Hawks were. Marvin,Childress amd Sheldon how do you draft this high and not get one starter from among them? Yeah I know Marvin and Sheldon are just barely in the league but many more players in those drafts are doing well now. Marvin will get better but not the star we all envisioned I predict. Sheldon well its his first year but shows no indication but being a journeyman. Where is Childress going to start,ahead of JJ?

Smoove was a no brainer and only ZAZa may be Knight best move other than Smoove.Watching these other teams get better this upcoming draft while it is possbily the hawks sit around and add no new talent surely will be frustrating. Both BK and Woody need to be out ASAP after the season. Harry the Hawks could do a better job at picking players than BK.How the man should earn a dime for the job he is done is highway robbery. BK needs to be working at BK. I think as long as BK is here it will be like this until BK is ousted!

[Guest Walter]

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I'll give BK credit for the dismantling of the old mess.

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I think everyone would give him this credit. It was an easy decision, but the Big Dog trade was commendable and the gutting almost painless save the JT trade.

Note: had we embraced it (trade SAR and Theo if I recall) half a year earlier, we would have been in the Lebron, Carmelo sweeps.

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But one really has to realize that as far as the rebuild goes there are many folks with regular jobs who would have outdone BK just working a couple hours in the evening a few times a week.

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...with CBAreject at the top of the list. Really is unbelievable just how horrible he has selected lottery picks. Unprecedented.

W

[DJlaysitup]

Watching what our "peers" get in the draft (meaning other non-playoff eastern conference teams) will be the hardest part if we're not in the draft.

I mean let's face it - if Boston gets Oden they will fly by us like a 747. Other teams will improve also in a deep draft. Charlotte will likely get the SG they need. rrrrrrrrrrrrr.

We gotta get lucky!!

[Guest Walter]

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I mean let's face it - if Boston gets Oden they will fly by us like a 747. Other teams will improve also in a deep draft. Charlotte will likely get the SG they need. rrrrrrrrrrrrr.

We gotta get lucky!!

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...vs outbuild!

Our cap space is gone this year and next it'll be committed to JS. This was our talent acquisition window and we blew it.

Need luck.

W