Who is this teams most UNDERRATED player?

[TheNorthCydeRises]

To me, it's no contest . . .

Joe "friggin" Johnson

People expect him to be the savior, mainly because of the MAX deal he has. Forget that he's playing with the youngest supporting cast in the league . . and without a good PG . . and without a good low post option. He's essentially in the exact same situation that Kobe Bryant is in out in LA. As far as All-Star 2's and 3's go, no other all-star in this league other than Kobe and Paul Pierce, can relate to what JJ has had to work with for the past 2 years here in ATlanta.

T-Mac has Yao

Wade has Shaq and a bunch of vets

Dirk has JT and Howard

Vince has Kidd and Jefferson

Melo has Iverson

Ray Allen had Lewis last year

Even Kobe, to a certain extent, has Lamar Odom.

Maybe it's just Paul Pierce that understands what JJ is going through. And even he has Allen and Garnett now. So JJ might be on an island by himself.

The Hawks were 28th in FG% and DEAD LAST in PPG last year. And people wonder why JJ didn't pass to guys sometimes. Ish . . he does pass, especially early in games. And the guys on this team, for the most part, miss wide open jumpers on a consistent basis. And our low post game was non-existant.

Here's how good JJ is. As a team, the Hawks shot 44.4% overall. In losses, JJ still was able to shoot the team mean of 44% from the field, whle the other guys shot 42% and under. During wins, JJ is damn near a top 5 player in this entire league. During losses, he's still playing at a level higher than 80% of the players in this league.

But he's had his leadership abilities questioned.

People even debated if Smitty was a better player. Are you serious?

And people whine and cry that he doesn't take over games like Kobe or Wade. Well, maybe if he got some of their touch fouls everytime he went into the lane, he would get those calls.

JJ is the ish. And if he does become a better FT shooter and a guy who can get to the line a little more, we're talking about possibly having a top 3 player in the leauge here.

But it's up to the rest of these guys to elevate their games to the consistency that JJ brings every night, for us to turn this around.

2nd most underrated - Josh Childress

( because Chill can pretty much do it all, except shoot a jumper off the dribble. The rest of his game is very solid )

3rd most - Josh Smith

( for all of his flaws, you can't deny his strengths. When he's on his game, he's definitely a gamechanger )

[Swatguy]

1a. Josh Childress

1b. Tyronn Lue

[mrhonline]

On this board?

Lorenzen Wright. He reportedly provides a locker room presence the Hawks are in desperate need of, so that alone makes him more valuable than most give him credit for.

[darealist]

Joe remains the most underrated however...Josh smith is underrated in a different way. Yeah that's what i said . We all know his short comings, Suspect handle except on the break,Sometimes undisciplined defensively, and a new found love of shooting perimeter jumpers. He isn't Kobe Lebron or Melo but he is one of the best shot blockers in the league period. His offensive game is still imature but his desire to improve and his innate physical gifts put him in a class by himself. Joe johnson is a superstar and does not get credit for being such only because he doesn't throw down highlight dunks. Josh does and while he will never be the kind of offensive player Joe is his ability to change the game defensively combined with the what he will bring as his game improves will put him in a category by himself and near the top.

[exodus]

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On this board?

Lorenzen Wright. He reportedly provides a locker room presence the Hawks are in desperate need of, so that alone makes him more valuable than most give him credit for.

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Wright sucks. The Hawks should pay someone to take him off their hands. I would trade him for a box of Krispy Kremes.

Locker room presence my arse. Respect isn't something that is given it is earned and Blo did absolutely nothing to earn anyones respect.

I would agree that JJ gets underrated here. People think that because he got a max deal he is supposed to light it up like Kobe. The reality is that if you look at other players who are making what JJ makes there aren't many who are more productive.

[mrhonline]

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Wright sucks. The Hawks should pay someone to take him off their hands. I would trade him for a box of Krispy Kremes.

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Thanks for making my point, Ex. You're always good to help out a brother in need.

[Packfill]

This is easy, Childress. He is a good solid pro. Problem with him is that he is not a star like Deng and Iggy so he tends to get trashed on as part of the BK bashing.

He was the third best player on the team last year.

[exodus]

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Wright sucks. The Hawks should pay someone to take him off their hands. I would trade him for a box of Krispy Kremes.

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Thanks for making my point, Ex. You're always good to help out a brother in need.

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i went to the games when the Hawks came here and it really stood out to me how lousy Wright is. In one game Woody got so pissed that he pulled him and sent him to the locker room.

I would much rather see Shelden, Horford or even Solomon or Batista get his minutes.

Blo probably won't even be in the league after this season. You can't be underrated when your value is zero.

[mrhonline]

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Blo probably won't even be in the league after this season. You can't be underrated when your value is zero.

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This is probably as good as time as any to reveal this, but I am Lorenzen Wright. I am offended by your remarks.

[AtLaS]

[exodus]

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Blo probably won't even be in the league after this season. You can't be underrated when your value is zero.

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This is probably as good as time as any to reveal this, but I am Lorenzen Wright. I am offended by your remarks.

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Well i'm Mike Tyson and if you don't like what i have to say you'd better keep quiet or i will beat your ass and eat your children.

[Plastic Man]

Smoove. (Yes, I know he's in my avatar. ) We can't win without him. He changes the game like no ther Hawks, just by being on the court.

JJ is a close second. I just wish he had that "killer instinct" to go with his tools.

[coachx]

Nationally I would say Chills is the most underrated but he gets plenty of love on this board.

Since JJ was on Team USA last year and the All Star team I would not say he is that underrated by people now. I have seen in the top 6 SG when ranked by national publications.

On this board I would say AJ is the most underrated. He was the best PG we had last year (even though it was only for 25 games or so.)

[AHF]

On this board, I would say that Zaza is the most underrated. He is a young big man on a cheap contract who produces on the floor. There is no doubt he has his limitations but every team in the league would love to have him on their roster and he would be a valuable member of any rotation. Too many people seem to want to run him off or entirely discount his value because of his defensive limitations.

[Peoriabird]

1. Childress

2. Zaza

[exodus]

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On this board, I would say that Zaza is the most underrated. He is a young big man on a cheap contract who produces on the floor. There is no doubt he has his limitations but every team in the league would love to have him on their roster and he would be a valuable member of any rotation. Too many people seem to want to run him off or entirely discount his value because of his defensive limitations.

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Zaza's limitations aren't just on defense. he shoots a poor percentage for a center, doesn't rebound well and turns it over too much. He pads his offensive rebounding by throwing up crap shots and then following them up but his defensive rebounding is lame.

Granted he did seem to play better the last couple of months. He wasn't diving into people as much and throwing up desperation shots from his hip, trying to draw a foul.

[Swatguy]

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JJ is a close second. I just wish he had that "killer instinct" to go with his tools.

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Where does this come from?? You want him to snarl? Curse when fouled? yell at somebody?

Or do you want him to throw his body at the ground (ala Wade)?

What is it?

[pimp]

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JJ is a close second. I just wish he had that "killer instinct" to go with his tools.

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Where does this come from?? You want him to snarl? Curse when fouled? yell at somebody?

Or do you want him to throw his body at the ground (ala Wade)?

What is it?

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What does anything you said have to do with killer instinct????

I would think he talking about how JJ was not as clutch in 06-07, as he was in 05-06.

I think it's because JJ is too predictable on the last shot.

He takes the same shot on the same area of the floor all the time.

Teams are prepared for that.They get up on JJ and play him tightly, because they know he is no real threat to drive around them.

I think jj should mix it up a little more on his game winning shot attempts this year.

Drive to the baskett, or shoot a floater or pump fake.

Anything to catch the other team of balance.

That's what makes Paul Pierce so dangerous in crunch time.

Your at his mercy because you don't know how he's gonna beat you.

but abyway... i do think JJ is underated

[Diesel]

I would say Chillz.

Chillz does a lot of little things very well but he rarely gets any respect.

I think he's the prototypical Jack of all trades, master of none... and for fans and a media who looks for flash over substance, they give Chillz no respect.

My hope is that Chillz could parlay his skills into a Pippen like effort...but more than likely, he will be traded away to make room to pay somebody else who has more potential but less actually ability.

[mrhonline]

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but more than likely, he will be traded away to make room to pay somebody else who has more potential but less actually ability.

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I don't know about that. I mean, the Hawks are obviously waiting it out at least until February to make the decision, if not until next season.

Things could change by then...