Crittenton in draft

[AHF]

Conley averaged 6.7 assists per game in the games Oden didn't play so I wouldn't count that against him too much.

[mrhonline]

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The blue is in protest of some of the crybaby fans on this board. I might change back to black sometime next week.

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Oooh. Can I join? I have the funeral gray all ready to go. I think it is a good choice to commemorate those "fans" who are so excited about their team that they think that the youngest and most injured team in the NBA last season can't improve enough to at least make a real run at the playoffs in a pitiful conference.

[exodus]

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That is how I feel. I'll take any of the usual suspects at PG. It HAS TO BE better than the parade of backups we've had since Mookie left town.

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While I understand the frustration, I don't think that Javaris would be significantly better than either Lue or AJ next year. For that matter, neither would Conley. (Law should be able to contribute from game 1, but even he would only be mildly better in his rookie season).

And that's the inherent problem with drafting a PG at this stage. Like I've said before, it's a lot cheaper to draft a decent center than it is to grab one via FA or trade.

Do not be surprised to see the Hawks take a center with their pick. They're expecting Claxton to make a major improvement in his health, and they've already got a good backup in either AJ or Lue.

My gut tells me the Hawks will draft a center and trade for a pass-first PG like Ridnour to pair with Speedy.

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I am not buying this at all. First of all Crit and Conley would certainly be way better defensively than Lue and AJ. All 3 would be better scorers than Speedy and AJ.

Also keep in mind that Marvin and Smith, while improving, aren't ready for prime time yet either. They are still at least a couple of years from hitting their prime, so it isn't a problem to get a pg who takes a couple of years to develop.

And the centers would take even longer to develop, if they ever do. Hibbert will be gone by 11 for sure. Hawes is weak on D (not what we need)and is also a freshman. Thabeet is definitely a project assuming he comes out.

It would make no sense not to take a pg at 11.

[Sothron]

I believe Memphis was the youngest team in the league last year actually?

[mrhonline]

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I am not buying this at all. First of all Crit and Conley would certainly be way better defensively than Lue and AJ. All 3 would be better scorers than Speedy and AJ.

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Not as rookies, no. And if you think for one minute that Knight has anything other than next year's success on his brain, you're mistaken. His job is most definitely in the balance. He needs to draft a player that will be able to contribute immediately. That's why I think Noah and Law will be highly debated, for better or for worse. (Please note that I think drafting a PG would be AOK, I'm just trying to think the way the front office will).

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Also keep in mind that Marvin and Smith, while improving, aren't ready for prime time yet either. They are still at least a couple of years from hitting their prime, so it isn't a problem to get a pg who takes a couple of years to develop.

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I don't think Woodson or Knight can afford to wait.

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And the centers would take even longer to develop, if they ever do.

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Big man can contribute immediately, even if raw. (Not Sene raw, Bynum raw). You can't expect them to be dominate for several years, but they can at least grab some boards and block a few shots.

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Hibbert will be gone by 11 for sure.

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I think so, too.

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Hawes is weak on D (not what we need)and is also a freshman.

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But his upside...might be tempting to Knight.

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Thabeet is definitely a project assuming he comes out.

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I think he's staying. Don't forget Jianlian, B. Wright, or Noah, all of whom could be considered 5's by the new, wussified NBA standards.

Personally, I think Knight takes Noah over Law, should he slip that low. It's a tough call because from 3-15, there's little difference in the bigs: most of them are skinny, raw, and young.

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It would make no sense not to take a pg at 11.

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I'm not willing to make such an absolute statement at this point...

[mrhonline]

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I believe Memphis was the youngest team in the league last year actually?

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Only after the trading deadline. Since most of the games are played prior to that deadline...

[exodus]

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And if you think for one minute that Knight has anything other than next year's success on his brain, you're mistaken.

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That doesn't jibe too well with..

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But his upside...might be tempting to Knight.

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If BK has proven anything it is that he is going to do what he wants to do whether other people approve or not. If anything the owners will be pressuring him to take a pg since they have gotten so much heat for the Marvin pick.

Noah would be a disaster of a pick. He is way to skinny defend the center spot not to mention he has no offensive skills.

[mrhonline]

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That doesn't jibe too well with..

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That's because you're not Billy Knight.

What I'm saying is that, if you're going with upside, you go with the big man over the PG. That's conventional NBA wisdom, at least. Doesn't make it right or wrong...

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If BK has proven anything it is that he is going to do what he wants to do whether other people approve or not. If anything the owners will be pressuring him to take a pg since they have gotten so much heat for the Marvin pick.

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Everything I've read is that the owners recognize both of the holes.

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Noah would be a disaster of a pick. He is way to skinny defend the center spot not to mention he has no offensive skills.

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Doesn't mean he won't be the selection...

[exodus]

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What I'm saying is that, if you're going with upside, you go with the big man over the PG.

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First you say that they shouldn't take a pg because it will take time to develop them and they need help right away. BK is only thinking about next year, right?

Then you suggest taking a project center whose upside is obviously limited. Noah is too weak and can't shoot. Hawes just isn't very athletic and if i remember right his standing reach is the same as Solomon. Neither is even remotely as good a fit as any one of the 3 pgs.

You aren't making any sense.

[AHF]

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What I'm saying is that, if you're going with upside, you go with the big man over the PG.

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First you say that they shouldn't take a pg because it will take time to develop them and they need help right away. BK is only thinking about next year, right?

Then you suggest taking a project center whose upside is obviously limited. Noah is too weak and can't shoot. Hawes just isn't very athletic and if i remember right his standing reach is the same as Solomon. Neither is even remotely as good a fit as any one of the 3 pgs.

You aren't making any sense.

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Well, he is trying to give you the view of the draft from the mind of BK.

[mrhonline]

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First you say that they shouldn't take a pg because it will take time to develop them and they need help right away. BK is only thinking about next year, right?

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I'm saying that I think Knight will repeat his decision from last year and go with the immediate impact player (Law, Noah, Hibbert).

If those players are not available at 11, I think he would go with big man upside (Hawes) over PG upside (Javaris).

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You aren't making any sense.

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You're trying too hard to make sense of things. Two rules:

1. Big before small

2. Immediate impact before project

Conclusion: Joakim Noah

(My personal preference is Conley and an up-tempo offensive system to accommodate him).

[exodus]

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What I'm saying is that, if you're going with upside, you go with the big man over the PG.

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First you say that they shouldn't take a pg because it will take time to develop them and they need help right away. BK is only thinking about next year, right?

Then you suggest taking a project center whose upside is obviously limited. Noah is too weak and can't shoot. Hawes just isn't very athletic and if i remember right his standing reach is the same as Solomon. Neither is even remotely as good a fit as any one of the 3 pgs.

You aren't making any sense.

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Well, he is trying to give you the view of the draft from the mind of BK.

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That would explain it. Picking Noah would be even dumber than the lottery picks the last 3 years.

If he can't make an impact against college players i don't see what would make anyone think he would be an impact player in the pros.

[exodus]

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You're trying too hard to make sense of things. Two rules:

1. Big before small

2. Immediate impact before project

Conclusion: Joakim Noah

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It doesn't matter if someone is big if they can't play. Noah doesn't have the size to play center defensively and certainly doesn't have the offensive skills to play any position effectively on offense.

[mrhonline]

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If he can't make an impact against college players i don't see what would make anyone think he would be an impact player in the pros.

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He's definitely an impact player in college. The problem is that he's no match for stronger players.

In Noah's defense (this will be brief), he's quick for a big man, rebounds well over smaller players (unlike, say, Eddy Curry), plays well in transition, has good BBall IQ, and can block shots

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It doesn't matter if someone is big if they can't play. Noah doesn't have the size to play center defensively and certainly doesn't have the offensive skills to play any position effectively on offense.

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Tell that to the legions of NBA GM's who consistently take mediocre big men ahead of talented PG's. It's a risk/reward type move. It's hard to criticize it on an individual level because virtually every GM thinks this way...

[exodus]

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he's quick for a big man

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so is Solomon

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rebounds well over smaller players

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so does Solomon

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plays well in transition

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So does Solomon

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and can block shots.

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so can Solomon

The only advantages he has over our second round pick last year would be BBIQ (maybe) and possibly an inch or two of height. And Solomon is a much better shooter, especially from the line.

Noah would be the dumbest pick BK has made.

[Sothron]

If we draft a guy everyone knows is going to be a huge flop in the NBA in Noah then I might have to go insane.

[mrhonline]

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If we draft a guy everyone knows is going to be a huge flop in the NBA in Noah then I might have to go insane.

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I thought you were already there, Sothron?

I wouldn't be shocked. That's all I'm saying. Noah isn't as awful a selection at #11 as he would be at #'s 3 or 4, FWIW. That's the same spot as JJ Redick IIRC, a player who was labelled as "only a star in college" as well.

[Guest Walter]

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The blue is in protest of some of the crybaby fans on this board. I might change back to black sometime next week.

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Northcyde, Lascar, KB...having been 100% wrong up until this point nobody should take any of your predictions seriously, but at least we don't have to wade through yours anymore. The blue highlights can't touch up a .000 batting percentage on the state of the Hawks and the competence of it's "leaders".

We'll be better next year, but we'll still be flawed without considerable luck. We'll be flawed and still a solid lottery team. In 3 years just before JJ's deal is up and I-F we manage to retain JS and MW or JC we'll be a 38-42 win team. It becomes increasingly harder to improve in terms of wins and loses and considering how difficult it already is for us, we shouldn't fool ourselves into expecting more no matter what color we write in.

W

[coachx]

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The blue is in protest of some of the crybaby fans on this board. I might change back to black sometime next week.

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Your hilarious !!! Great laugh out of that one.

[DrReality]

He started to come on late in the year and at times would take over games. But I think he's a year or two away. Tech talent just didn't seem to come together. They had so many players and he rotated them in and out . . . given they were so young, I don't think they found their identity. And I think a pg has a lot to do with that. More than he could bite off for a pg in the ACC.