Rising Or Fallinng

[DrReality]

Falling teams include hawks, Dallas, Denver and Detroits. risers include: Blazers, 76ers, and Hornets.

Atlanta Hawks: Three months ago, the high-flying Hawks were the talk of the NBA. After sneaking into the playoffs, Atlanta came out of nowhere to shockingly force the Boston Celtics to a winner-take-all, seventh game in the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs. The Celtics eliminated the Hawks in Game 7, but it appeared the feisty Hawks had taken a huge step forward. They had a roster teeming with young, talented athletes and, after years of ineptitude, it seemed they were coming together as a team. However, that momentum may have grinded to a halt as Atlanta management has bumbled negotiations with key players. Last month, Josh Childress took the unprecedented step of signing with a team on a different continent (Olympiacos in the Greek League.) Josh Smith, an ultra-talented, productive, and exciting forward is a restricted free-agent and still has not been signed. It is unclear if Atlanta will pony up and sign Smith to a long-term contract. Following the 2008-2009 season, Marvin Williams will become an restricted free-agent, and Mike Bibby will be unrestricted. In the summer of 2010, superstar Joe Johnson's deal expires. At some point, the Hawks have to decide what type of organization they want to be perceived as. Either they will be content with mediocrity, or commit to keeping vital pieces in Atlanta. With so many other teams in the East improving, Atlanta will have a difficult task qualifying for the postseason going forward. The Hawks should be a team on the rise; instead they appear headed in the wrong

http://www.hoopsworld.com/Story.asp?story_id=9670

[ATLBob]

Falling teams include hawks, Dallas, Denver and Detroits. risers include: Blazers, 76ers, and Hornets.

Atlanta Hawks: Three months ago, the high-flying Hawks were the talk of the NBA. After sneaking into the playoffs, Atlanta came out of nowhere to shockingly force the Boston Celtics to a winner-take-all, seventh game in the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs. The Celtics eliminated the Hawks in Game 7, but it appeared the feisty Hawks had taken a huge step forward. They had a roster teeming with young, talented athletes and, after years of ineptitude, it seemed they were coming together as a team. However, that momentum may have grinded to a halt as Atlanta management has bumbled negotiations with key players. Last month, Josh Childress took the unprecedented step of signing with a team on a different continent (Olympiacos in the Greek League.) Josh Smith, an ultra-talented, productive, and exciting forward is a restricted free-agent and still has not been signed. It is unclear if Atlanta will pony up and sign Smith to a long-term contract. Following the 2008-2009 season, Marvin Williams will become an restricted free-agent, and Mike Bibby will be unrestricted. In the summer of 2010, superstar Joe Johnson's deal expires. At some point, the Hawks have to decide what type of organization they want to be perceived as. Either they will be content with mediocrity, or commit to keeping vital pieces in Atlanta. With so many other teams in the East improving, Atlanta will have a difficult task qualifying for the postseason going forward. The Hawks should be a team on the rise; instead they appear headed in the wrong

http://www.hoopsworld.com/Story.asp?story_id=9670

Speculative garbage.

[Chris18]

It's still too early to tell if we have lost momentum from the series with Celtics but if Smoove isn't re-signed then we will have none going into next season.

[Buzzard]

Falling teams include hawks, Dallas, Denver and Detroits. risers include: Blazers, 76ers, and Hornets.

Atlanta Hawks: Three months ago, the high-flying Hawks were the talk of the NBA. After sneaking into the playoffs, Atlanta came out of nowhere to shockingly force the Boston Celtics to a winner-take-all, seventh game in the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs. The Celtics eliminated the Hawks in Game 7, but it appeared the feisty Hawks had taken a huge step forward. They had a roster teeming with young, talented athletes and, after years of ineptitude, it seemed they were coming together as a team. However, that momentum may have grinded to a halt as Atlanta management has bumbled negotiations with key players. Last month, Josh Childress took the unprecedented step of signing with a team on a different continent (Olympiacos in the Greek League.) Josh Smith, an ultra-talented, productive, and exciting forward is a restricted free-agent and still has not been signed. It is unclear if Atlanta will pony up and sign Smith to a long-term contract. Following the 2008-2009 season, Marvin Williams will become an restricted free-agent, and Mike Bibby will be unrestricted. In the summer of 2010, superstar Joe Johnson's deal expires. At some point, the Hawks have to decide what type of organization they want to be perceived as. Either they will be content with mediocrity, or commit to keeping vital pieces in Atlanta. With so many other teams in the East improving, Atlanta will have a difficult task qualifying for the postseason going forward. The Hawks should be a team on the rise; instead they appear headed in the wrong

http://www.hoopsworld.com/Story.asp?story_id=9670

This writer is jumping to conclusions. When the off-season ends is when grades should be passed out, not before..........

[AtLaS]

Speculative garbage.

He's actually pretty spot on from my perspective.

[ATLBob]

He's actually pretty spot on from my perspective.

We lost one player to date. The article makes it sounds as if we've blown the team back apart.

Edited August 4, 2008 by ATLBob

[foeteen14]

We lost one player to date. The article makes it sounds as if we've blown the team back apart.

Oh yeah! We're going the right direction this summer! Straight to the top

[Buzzard]

We lost one player to date. The article makes it sounds as if we've blown the team back apart.

I agree man. We lost our 6th man and replaced him with a needed outside scoring threat who also happens to be a better defender....

If we would have paid Chilz more than the 35 mill we offered, we would have been bashed just as much for overpaying him as we did for losing him. Samething for Smoove...I guarantee you no matter what we do, someone in the press is going to bust on us for it. Sign Smoove for 72 mill and we will get bashed. Trade him and we will get bashed....

This is just a normal off-season in the press for us.

[DrReality]

It's like he is making the assumption that we won't resign Smith. And that is not the case het.

[ATLBob]

It's a youtube off.

Someone get David Bowie in here quick!

[ATLBob]

It's a youtube off.

Someone get David Bowie in here quick!

Um ... this was supposed to be in another thread ... Doh!

[Swish]

It's still too early to tell if we have lost momentum from the series with Celtics but if Smoove isn't re-signed then we will have none going into next season.

Actually it will be negative momentum...

[mattlanta]

I agree with the others here. Although it's just 'negative hype', you still shouldn't speculate upon any team in the NBA until the offseason is finished. I have a feeling that many writers and journalists are thinking about us negatively because of our front office though. I can't say I really blame them seeing that we've proven to be quite 'cheap' this offseason struggling to even offer a contract to one of our key players last season and certainly struggling to resign one of the youngest up-and-comers in the NBA.

Actually it will be negative momentum...

What do you mean...?

[ATLBob]

What do you mean...?

He means that is we lose Smoove, the momentum wheel won't just stop climbing the hill, it'll be rolling back down. Gravity's a puissant broad.

Resigning Chillz, while nice-sounding, just wasn't that important. We wanted him, but he wasn't worth $7,000,000 annually, or ending IMO.

I wish Chillz had signed, but he made a profitable decision. I also think that he failed to handle himself very graciously during the fallout.

Additionally, I don't view this as a catastrophe at all. I see it as a lateral move really. We lose a few things (continuity foremost), but we do gain more consistent minutes for Marvin, the opportunity to go smaller on the perimeter at times with Law, Bibby, JJ (and/or Evans) (think about it, do you really see Marv and Chillz sitting at the same time if both are here). Also, Evans is a superior defender, shooter, and isn't going to be upset that he isn't starting.

Why all the umbrellas?

[ATLBob]

I know someone's just itching to write " we lost a sixth overall pick for nothing. Sure, but we did get four servicable years out of him. Chillz helped us rebuild and make the playoffs for the first time in ages. Then he helped us look good while we were there.

Look at the bright side. We could be debating the pros and cons of signing Deng, Gordon, or Iggy to probably more money than is fiscably resposible to pay them and resigning Smoove.

Would this team be complete with any of those guys (except Smoove, of course)?

Possibly, but I'd be pretty uncomfortable saying so.

Edited August 4, 2008 by ATLBob

[Kimsey]

I actually liked the article. The person made it seem like we did some semi incredible things and we need to spend to make money. We have some ingredients in place.

Give JS the longest deal available because he will be a very tradeable piece if he is still unhappy a couple years from now. In 2010 he could legitimately put up 23 and 10 with all his other "side stats". How much will a 24 year old JS be worth starting to reach his peak signed for the forseeable future be worth?

[Swish]

Libid,

Bob explained my thought there.

[Vol4ever]

He's actually pretty spot on from my perspective.

I actually agree myself. I can't understand those that are defendinbg this oprganization. At some point you just have to face the facts.

[Buzzard]

I actually agree myself. I can't understand those that are defendinbg this oprganization. At some point you just have to face the facts.

If we fail to resign Smoove or give him away for nothing, I will start facing those facts you are talking about. Losing Chilz to 10 mill a year was justified and does not bother me at all...