How bad did we screw up by not resigning Smoove?

[bumpyphish1]

I think this may rank up there with the Shelden pick. I am usually pretty supportive of BK, but thinking about how much more we are going to have to pay Smoove now makes me want to pull my hair out.

[BHayley]

How much did Smoove want this last offseason? It seemed like we offered 9 million and he wanted 11 mill a year.

Anyway, as great as he is, he still is a completely horrendous shooter from anywhere outside 10 feet and he can't control the ball. I hope Philly goes after Brand and leaves us with Smoove or he signs with us for less or something.

I'd place more blame on ASG than BK. As incompetent as he can be at times, I completely despise the ASG at this point

[Spiral]

I feel our failures are in this order...

1. Billy Knight

2. Atlanta Spirit Group

3. Mike Woodson

As far as not re-signing JS this past off-season; I do think it was a mistake, but not to the magnitude of the Shelden pick. At least not re-signing Josh is a correctable mistake at this point. The 2006 draft was terrible. Almost everyone taken in the first round of that draft carries more value than Shelden does now. Shelden isn't worth what he makes and he's on his freakin rookie contract. IMO, the Shelden pick and the situation that surrounded it was Billy Knight's greatest infelicity since he's been the GM.

[Admin]

I agree with you there Spiral and I'll say that unless something dramatic happens the Shelden blunder will probably cost BK his job in the long run. Shelden is still a smart and talented basketball player and proved he could play on this level last year but at this rate he sure doesn't look capable of playing in the NBA anymore.

I don't think a mistake was made with Smoove, he may not have wanted to sign this past offseason anyway and it was a good risk on our part not overpaying for a very inconsistent player coming into this season. After this year we will let the market set his rate and either re-sign him or use him like the Suns used JJ and get something good out of it although I greatly prefer us signing Smoove to a long term deal.

[BHayley]

And let's make no mistake about it:

Josh Smith WANTS to be here. He loves Atlanta, and we love him.

Does he have any major endorsement deals?

Couldn't some shoe company sign him to a ridiculous contract and we can pay him less than what he paid Joe.

BK may very well lose his job because of the Shelden pick. This past summer, on 790 before the draft, he was very positive, saying Shelden would get more minutes, but that hasn't been true.

I really don't dislike Woodson that much.

If the guy could just use more bench players and never use Lue again, we'd probably give up 5 less points per game and probably be .500 or better. Instead, our starters are gonna start burning out at this rate one-by-one, and we won't have anything in the tank for the playoffs.

WOODSON, USE THE BENCH

[TheNorthCydeRises]

When the bench (( bleeps )) up in the game, will you promise not to complain?

I mean, people act like the solution is so simple, but they flat out ignore the lack of production by some of these guys. People hate Zaza and Lue because of their inconsistent play, yet, deny the fact that those two were supposed to be integral parts of our rotation.

So if Salim gets into a game, and goes 0 - 4 FG in 4 minutes of PT, don't complain.

When Shelden gets into a game, and can't stop people or even grab rebounds, don't complain.

When Mario gets into a game to be a defensive stopper, but gets scored on anyway ( like Brandon Roy did to him in the Portland game @ ATL ), don't complain.

These players just need to start producing . . . period.

If other guys on other teams can do their jobs playing limited minutes, our guys should be able to do the same thing. Salim shouldn't need 4 shots to get "warm". Shelden shouldn't need 3 minutes of PT to grab one rebound or stop somebody just once. Zaza shouldn't be totaly clueless on defense when they come into a game. Acie shouldn't look like a lost puppy when he gets into a game.

If these players want significat PT, tell them to (( bleepin )) produce when called upon.

[Hawk88]

I am not sure they screwed up at all. Had Jsmooth signed a fat contract he just mind be sitting on his ass, pouting and who knows what else.

He is playing lights out right now, just maybe because he is in a contract year.

Long term, I am not so sure about J Smith keeping his head on straight. I think he is a baby Ron Artest and we can and should get a ton for him right now.