Next Season's Hawk team.

[Gray Mule]

There is an old saying about men and women that some here

would apply to the Hawks and their leadership.

"Woman's faults are many,

Men's faults are only two.

Every thing they say and

everything they do."

Our owners can't agree.

Our GM can't really be a GM.

Our coaches can't coach.

Our players can't play.

Other than these few faults, we're great!!

Everyone has his or her favorite whipping boy. If we could

get rid of ____________ by trading him for __________ then

we would be much better.

We should have drafted ______________ instead of __________

and we would be so much better.

We should have a new GM. We should have new owners. We

should have have new coaches.

Did I miss anything?

LET'S LOOK AT WHAT THE HAWKS CAN AND CAN'T DO:

Ownership: Until the courts decide what's what, there

will be no changes here. Forget this for now.

Coach & G.M.: See ownership - Until that's setled, forget

changing this.

Drafts of the past: Can't change that. We can dream all

the "What if" dreams we want, but the past can't be changed.

Upcoming draft: We don't know if we have a top three

so we get a player - We may get a #4 or higher in the

lottery - We can only wait. Can't build next year's team

on this until we know where we stand. We don't know who

will be available at 11, providing that's our pick.

Now, about trades and free agents: That's where we CAN

really guess about and dream about, because there is a

possibility that something WILL happen here.

The question is, "Who is available that we need and what

will it take to get them?" Who is untouchable?

I believe that EVERY PLAYER on the Hawks roster is

available, providing the price is right. Every Hawk

can be replaced. We need a starting center. Not just

any big body - A starter. What will it take to pry

one loose?

We need to shed some of our Point Guards and get a new,

younger player that's a true point guard. What will it

take to do this?

Right now, the problem is, we don't know about the draft,

where we'll draft and who will be available. This may

answer some of our questions - - It may not.

Some of our almost untouchables may have to go. It may

not be your favorite fall guy - He may stay. It may be

someone else that leaves. You know, if the price is

right, the Hawks send _____&_______ for a starting center

or a starting PG.

It's all pure speculation. Hawks may do nothing, except

take a player or two in the draft and go with what we

have.

[TheNorthCydeRises]

I always like your posts. It's like taking a dose of Pepto Bismol, after your stomach is acting up. It sooths, settles, and eventually puts you at ease.

Funny . . no responses to this thread, despite almost 80 views. People would rather "keep hope alive", than face the truth. This board is hilarious.

I think people better come to the very REAL possibility of the Hawks ONLY having the #11 pick going into next season, and having that as the ONLY offseason move that this team will or can make during the summer.

There are a whole lot of "best case scenarios" being tossed around, but very little talk of the "real scenarios" that may very well happen.

- Don't look for Smoove to get that extension this summer. If he does, it won't be close to a MAX number.

- Don't look for Marvin, Chill, Shelden, or Salim to be traded this summer.

- Don't even look for the Hawks to get a PG in the draft, if Law and Conley are gone.

- DO look for the Hawks to try to sign a veteran player ( even multiple players ) via FA . . but look for those players to NOT sign here, regardless of what we throw at them. And if we do sign somebody, it'll be for a cast-off center who no one really wants in the first place. I personally don't think that BK wants to go down that route again. The Lo Wright signing pretty much was a waste. But who knows? If the team decides that they can't depend on ZaZa or Shelden to man the middle, they might get a scrub center who can play defense.

- Don't expect that ownership battle to be settled this summer.

Going with what we have may very well be the path that this ownership takes. Whether people think that is the "worst case scenario" remains to be seen.

May 22nd is the day after my birthday. I hope for the best, but am definitely prepared for the worst on that day.

Maybe the real talk around here should be this:

Can this lineup be a successful one for the Hawks, if everyone stays healthy?

G - Speedy

G - JJ

F - Marvin

F - Smoove

F - Shelden

. . and if not, why?

This starting lineup may give us the best possible chance at victories next year, with Chill, Lue, Salim, ZaZa, AJ and whomever we take at #11 contributing off the bench. If healthy, the question then becomes . . can that team get 40+ wins, and get us to the playoffs?

Now, this doesn't mean that the Hawks won't look to wheel and deal with teams before next year's trade deadline, because they probably will, regardless of what their record is. But I wouldn't expect a very busy offseason for the Hawks.

[AtLaS]

Quote:

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Can this lineup be a successful one for the Hawks, if everyone stays healthy?

G - Speedy

G - JJ

F - Marvin

F - Smoove

F - Shelden

. . and if not, why?

---

IMO no it cannot. Playing small ball is a tough thing to do. We don't have a Baron Davis playing point, and we also don't have the shooters that GS does. JJ is the only comparable shooter to anyone on GS, Salim could be but he won't get enough PT, and he can't play PG.

GS also has a good defending center in Biedrins to put into the game.

[Diesel]

I would like to see what we can do totally healthy and running.

[TheNorthCydeRises]

I pretty much agree . . unless Speedy and Shelden pretty much play to the maximum of their ability, especially on the defensive end.

With that lineup, Speedy has to get back to the player he was 2 years ago in N.O. and at G-State. He would have to be as close to Mookie Blaylock as possible ( without the 3 point shot ). With that lineup, Speedy would have to average:

11.5 ppg

6 assists

2 steals

and shoot at least 43% FG.

Those are along the numbers that people probably expected from Speedy this year. And those numbers are pretty close to what he put up last year in N.O. and in G-State.

When you look at Shelden possibly logging minutes at the 5 spot, we'd have to rotate him back and forth from the 4 to the 5, to maximize his effectiveness. As a starter, we'd have to have Shelden put up these types of numbers:

10 ppg

8.5 rebs

1 block

1 steal

. . But most importantly, he'd have to be a 50% FG+ shooter and a post defender that isn't easily moved, to justify him being on the court for starter's minutes. And the only way he becomes a 50% FG shooter, is if guys like Speedy, JJ, and Smoove get him the ball in decent spots on the block. A guy like him probably benefits the most from having a decent PG.

I see the role that Chuck Hayes plays in Houston as an undersized PF, and wonder if Shelden could have that same effectiveness as an undersized center for us, if we're forced to go that route.

That may be a better option for us, rather than picking up some scrub center that nobody wants.

Like Diesel said, I'd like to see what this group could do when completely healthy. It'll be interesting.

LOL . . all of these "best case scenario" conversations are all well and good before the draft. But if we don't get that top 3 pick, the discussion should turn to how do we maximize the talent we have NOW on this team.

[Gray Mule]

Current Hawks team isn't as bad as some believe. But,

to be effective, they MUST remain relatively healthy.

We're pretty sure of getting ONE draft pick, hoping

for two.

Almost every player on our roster, with another year's experience, should improve, if only slightly. A few of

those close games we lost last season could go our way.

Can our coach and his staff improve? We all hope so.

Another couple of wins from their work? We can dream

that this could happen.

We had 30 last season.

Experience of players and coaches, added draft pick or

picks and a healthy roster - This combination SHOULD get

us close to .500 ball. Maybe, just maybe this would be

good enough to just barely make the playoffs.

When will we be good? Last season, we were good. Not

regularly, just sometimes - - The shots would fall, the

fast breaks would happen, the rebounds would come, a

few stops and or steals and, what do you know, we win!

Consistency wasn't there. One great game. One or two

fair games, then a string of bad ones. Lucky teams

get the breaks. Good teams get a lot more and great

teams not only get the breaks, they make them happen.

Hawks aren't great. They aren't terrible.

They are neither hot or cold - just lukewarm. Ever try

to enjoy a lukewarm cup of coffee? Tea? The coffee

is too cool and the ice tea is too warm.

Two things we can hope for as we stand. A healthy roster

and another year's experience.

[Guest Walter]

Quote:

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Quote:

---

Can this lineup be a successful one for the Hawks, if everyone stays healthy?

G - Speedy

G - JJ

F - Marvin

F - Smoove

F - Shelden

. . and if not, why?

---

IMO no it cannot. Playing small ball is a tough thing to do. We don't have a Baron Davis playing point, and we also don't have the shooters that GS does. JJ is the only comparable shooter to anyone on GS, Salim could be but he won't get enough PT, and he can't play PG.

GS also has a good defending center in Biedrins to put into the game.

---

Isn't the point of going undersized so that you can take advantage of the opposing big man, likely by forcing him to play on the perimeter where he is not comfortable?

What about SW suggests he can take advantage of anybody bigger than him? That was his biggest problem in college. Put someone his size or bigger on him and he folded like house of cards. The opposing center doesn't have to focus on SW no matter where he is. Certainly SW can't create spacing by pulling out his defender. We've all seen SW as an NBA shot-blocker. Farce.

This is simply a disasterous lineup.

W

[DJlaysitup]

Quote:

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...Almost every player on our roster, with another year's experience, should improve.../quote]

Key word: ""Almost".

Speedy could improve if he shows up once in a while.

[AHF]

Quote:

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Quote:

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...Almost every player on our roster, with another year's experience, should improve...

---

Key word: ""Almost".

Speedy could improve if he shows up once in a while.

---

Considering how far Speedy's performance fell last season I expect him to improve.

[DJlaysitup]

Quote:

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Quote:

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Quote:

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...Almost every player on our roster, with another year's experience, should improve...

---

Key word: ""Almost".

Speedy could improve if he shows up once in a while.

---

Considering how far Speedy's performance fell last season I expect him to improve.

---

Kinda like our whole ownership...if you start with 13 wins everybody thinks 26 is a stride...LOL...

You wanna be something? Win more games than you lose.

[AHF]

Quote:

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Quote:

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Quote:

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Quote:

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...Almost every player on our roster, with another year's experience, should improve...

---

Key word: ""Almost".

Speedy could improve if he shows up once in a while.

---

Considering how far Speedy's performance fell last season I expect him to improve.

---

Kinda like our whole ownership...if you start with 13 wins everybody thinks 26 is a stride...LOL...

You wanna be something? Win more games than you lose.

---

Claxton started with like 5 consecutive years of very productive play when he was on the floor. He then absolutely spit the bit for us last season. I think he is more likely to return to the positive play he previously demonstrated than he is to blow chunks again for another entire year.