The Mindset of the Front Office????

[Wurider05]

Since we don't have a first rounder next year do you guys realize that this maybe the last lottery pick we may have for a while. With that being said should we get the BPA with the three pick(regardless of position) and get our pg with the 11th pick and make an assessment from there. I say this without taking into consideration any possible trades. Whether its Yi or Conley. We have to get the best player with the 3rd pick. Guys don't forget that without the injuries we would have been in the playoffs. I would bet anyone on that. So maybe the front office/BK may have the mindset that we are a playoff caliber team (not championship caliber) already but that we had some bad luck with injuries. As bad as things were last season, we weren't total [censored]. If the rate of improvement continues all of our young guys (MArvin, CHillz, Smoove, Shelden, ZAZA, Solomon) should be better than they were last season. While I think that we are undercoached, we can be dangerous next season just based on the improvement last season.

[frosgrim]

I agree with the notion of getting the best player available with the 3rd pick. If Conely is the 3rd best player in the draft then the Hawks should take him; however, if another player grades out SIGNIFICANTLY better, then he should be the choice.

The Hawks are in the position to make major roster moves to solidify the team for the next decade. Marvin and Chilz certainly have trade value, and I wouldn't underestimate the value the Sheldon has from the simple fact he's an inexpensive post player.

The problem everyone seems to be having on the board right now is that we just don't know who's the 3rd best player. My feeling is that there is a cluster of guys that are not that far apart in terms of ability. This means the Hawks get their choice of what would best help the team.

Does Yi really have the skills that are seen in the videos and posted by some scouting sights? If Yi truly is the next coming of Dirk, then he does make sense to draft at 3. Is Conely really the best PG, or is he in the same range as Law and Critt? If Conely is truly the best PG then he makes more sense to take at 3, IMO. Does Brewer fill the reserve guard roll better than Chilz? (Picking Brewer 3rd to be a guy off the bench makes no sense to me, but some will argue this). How about Horford or Noah? Where do they go in this draft? If we don't make a trade it seems like here are the possible scenarios:

1) Conely and Noah

2) Yi and best PG available (prob Critt)

3) Brewer and Noah

4) Conely and Green?

5) Yi and Green

Those are the choices as I see them today, but workouts will help some in grading out players. Until those results are known, everything is pure speculation. I still would actually like to see a trade for a vet with one of the current players plus one of the picks. I think this maximizes our "capital" as Walt would put it.

The next step, no matter who we draft, must be to get a true NBA head coach. Woodson doesn't know what he's doing and must be replaced. I hope this happens soon after the court case is settled.

[TheDude]

It's getting pretty bad with the insulting of the franchise (and deservedly so). Even just now a sportswriter was asked about Kobe moving and he said that a season ticket holder said they shouldnt trade Kobe because he didnt spend $2,200 on front row tickets to watch the Atlanta Hawks. I shook my head on that one....

That's why I'm more leaning to get a good trade through to get some good talent in here that's a bit more experienced than an incoming draft player. I'll have to review the rosters and salaries but seems to me we could do something with Boston to move down a couple notches and get something out of it (Perkins maybe?) if the Jack/Aldridge for #3 doesnt pan out (i don't want to include Smoove in that trade-huge mistake). But the moral of the story is that I'm hoping we can get some good trade going here to bring somebody in. Maybe a #3, Claxton, Chil for Gasol? Don't even know if that would work salary-wise.

[Diesel]

I asked the question of the fans at MCJ at 3... what do you get at 11...

I heard answers such as "Let the chips fall where they may".

"It doesn't matter".

I think it was Ex who said, "You take whatever big player is there".

These guys are not thinking. A 11th pick is not expendable. I don't want to see us coming home with Conley Jr and Jason Smith. I think we'd do better to just trade the 11th pick for a bottle of Mr. Pibb and and some Ritz crackers...

Next year we have no pick.

That means that we have to get the max value out of this draft.

[mrhonline]

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That means that we have to get the max value out of this draft.

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Don't be a mule, Diesel. You're trying to make yourself seem more logical than Exodus & Co., but we all know that's not the case.

Quite simply, many people on here feel that Conley is the maximum use of the #3 pick, barring an unforeseen trade. You disagree. Fine, but what's being debated here is whether Conley is worth the #3 pick. Nothing more, nothing less.

[exodus]

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I think it was Ex who said, "You take whatever big player is there".

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Sure, just like you said "Shaq is a great foul shooter".

[Wurider05]

My point exactly. We need to maximize this draft like it was our last.

[oiatlhawksfan]

This is what i've been trying to say for a while now. Whether it's getting the more NBA ready player, or player with the most upside, we need to get the best player we can get. That obviously either Wright, Yi, or Horford. If we REACH for Conley, than at 11 we're gonna be left with nothing, it would be a wasted draft, (sort of like last year). If we pick a player like Yi, than we can pick up someone like Crittenton at 11.

[Diesel]

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but what's being debated here is whether Conley is worth the #3 pick. Nothing more, nothing less.

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Again, this is the speech of somebody who doesn't care about the 11th pick.

Hello MrH. Don't be a MULE... We have 2 lottery picks this year. There's more than what's on 3rd... Open your eyes and see that more important than what we get at 1 pick is how we do for this draft.

Also, what's being debated is not weather Conley is worth the 3rd pick... I believe that everybody and their mother knows that Conley is not worthy of the 3rd pick.

What's being debated is How much better is Conley than Law and Critt...

That answer is: IS he even better than Law and Critt?

[mrhonline]

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I believe that everybody and their mother knows that Conley is not worthy of the 3rd pick.

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That's so blatantly overgeneralized, I don't even know where to begin.

Exodus, I've got Google Images blocked at work. Could you post a picture of a man pulling his hair out?

[Wurider05]

For once I agree with Diesel. What he is saying simply is that just because we need a pg doesn't mean that we have to be stupid. We need to look past the hype and get the best pg available and while MCJ maybe the most hyped pg that doesn't make him the best. I can't say whether he is or not but if we can get a pg with the 11th pick that that is just as good as MCJ then we need to do that. We need to go for broke with the 3rd pick and get Yi or the best player available.

[exodus]

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I believe that everybody and their mother knows that Conley is not worthy of the 3rd pick.

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That's so blatantly overgeneralized, I don't even know where to begin.

Exodus, I've got Google Images blocked at work. Could you post a picture of a man pulling his hair out?

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Not the best but the selection was weak. I have my good pictures saved at photobucket.

Check out the long Yi thread he created. Diesel was in top nonsensical form in that thread.

[thesheedera]

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We need to look past the hype and get the best pg available and while MCJ maybe the most hyped pg that doesn't make him the best. I can't say whether he is or not but if we can get a pg with the 11th pick that that is just as good as MCJ then we need to do that.

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Here's the problem though. If (IF IF IF) in fact Law's a combo guard that can't run a team and Crit's all "talent" and no brains (according to his critics), and Yi's in fact a soft tweener, and Conley goes on to become an All Star PG....well then we're idiots for missing on him.

Conley's supporters don't see the difference between Conley and Law as marginal.

The difference between Conley and Crit is more troublesome for me. Crit's size and athleticism make me drool.

[Diesel]

I think that should all be considered...

But the Conley Supporters shuld also be aware of MCJ's shooting percentages. Somebody in another thread made a perfect point about that.

Also..

Conley's size. 170 is small. This guy is going to get hammered... alot.. could be injured a lot.

IF I had reservations about Paul's durability and I KNEW Paul was Isiah Thomas like... How do I feel about Conley who I believe could be the second coming of Brevin Knight?

[AHF]

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How do I feel about Conley who I believe could be the second coming of Brevin Knight?

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Why do you think that given that Conley is 3 inches taller and shot 10% better from the field than Knight shot as a college senior?

[exodus]

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How do I feel about Conley who I believe could be the second coming of Brevin Knight?

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Why do you think that given that Conley is 3 inches taller and shot 10% better from the field than Knight shot as a college senior?

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The Dieselputer must have picked up a virus.

[thesheedera]

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But the Conley Supporters shuld also be aware of MCJ's shooting percentages.

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Absolutely. Had Conley shot 40+% from 3 as a frosh like Paul, then he'd probably be a no brainer for the #3 pick.

Still, I went through all of the NBA's top PGs and looked at their freshman shooting numbers. From what I saw Conley's 30% didn't scare me that much. There's no guarantee that he'll improve, but he's already a better shooter than guys like Brevin and Speedy.

He'll probably end up somewhere in between those guys and a Paul type player as a shooter. That would be fine with me if he's the PG prospect he's being hyped as.

He's a similar build as Paul and Tony Parker, and they slash and drive as well as anyone. He plays under control so I don;t see him throwing himself into big guys with reckless abandon, but his size is certainly a concern.

I personally would rather take the risk of his deep shot and his build than the risk of getting a PG who isn't a PG, or one that doesn't have the mental fortitude to lead a team. Law and Crit scare me more than conley, and I know we need one fo them. Conley won't be there at #11.

I would like nothing more than to trade down from 3 and/or up from 11 to get done what we need to get done. But if we have to stretch a bit here and there, I hope we do it.

The scenarios I can live with right now are:

Conley & Hawes/Noah

Yi & Crit/Law

[Guest Walter]

...just like cliche does not mean false. Actually, this was an example of hyperbole, but regardless...there is enough truth in both to warrant both being generalized or cliche respectively.

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I believe that everybody and their mother knows that Conley is not worthy of the 3rd pick.

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That's so blatantly overgeneralized, I don't even know where to begin.

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When you consider every factor,

1) we need a Pg (prospect), a center (prospect), and TALENT (again, we were the 4th losingest team and our top two players are bested by all of the top 10 team's and half the middle 10 team's top 2 players) equally

2a) the 2nd and 3rd Pg taken are as good as the first Pg taken

2b) at least one if not two of the top 3 Pgs to be available at 3

3a) we'll have to make a trade to acquire a center (prospect)

3b) a center (prospect) can be better had with the 3rd pick or a combination of trading from our numbers strength including MW, JC, and/or SW THAN the 11th pick

4) more talent can be had with the 3rd pick than the 11th pick.

...it's a safe generalization that is also a true one.

Sum: The amount of talent or the potential of any center (prospect) had with the 3rd pick is significantly greater than any drop in Pging that MIGHT occur by the 11th pick.

Nobody can refute this. Nobody has tried even.

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But yes, I don't expect my mother or most any other mother would know any of this either way...so a massive amount of trivial points to you.

W

[coachx]

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Conley's supporters don't see the difference between Conley and Law as marginal.

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[/indent]

I like them both. They are each polar opposites of one another,that is what makes it so hard to dinstinguish the gap in talent between them.

The one I don't like is Critt, he just not mentally ready and I don't think he can develop the mental parts of the game by sitting on the bench. He WILL develop at GT b/c he will actually be playing.

I don't want Critt to turn in to South Gwinnett's Louis Williams. Williams turned pro too early. He is now stuck on the bench in Philly without any chance to develope the mental parts of the game that only come with live game action. Had he gone to UGA, where he committed, he would have had the live game expierence to develop his PG skills.

Critt, like Williams, has all the physical skills but only live game action will allow him to devlop the most important thing to a PG, basketball IQ.

Next year our pick goes to Phoneix. Giving Critt playing time guarantees we give Phoneix a top 4 pick in 2008. Playing a PG with more basketball IQ at least gives us a chance of escaping the lottery.

[thesheedera]

For a little perspective on conley's shooting "woes"...

Mike Conley Jr - Freshman - 30% from 3

Javaris, Freshman - 35%

Acie Law, Freshman - 22%

Jason Kidd, Freshman - 29%

Baron Davis, Freshman - 31%

TJ Ford, Freshman - 15%

Andre Miller, Freshman - 32%

(and 29% for his college career)

Allen Iverson, Freshman - 23%

Chauncey, Freshman - 35%

Deron Williams, Freshman - 35%

Steve Nash, Senior - 34%

Tony Parker, NBA career - 32%

Those are his competition for the #1 PG spot and the top PGs in the NBA right now. It is what it is.