Show Flip the Money (Sekou blog)

[bumpyphish1]

Sekou's perspective is usually so right but on this, he is so wrong. Flip is good for us because A) Woody lets him be and B) He is a chucker and doesn't 'need' a system

Woody's system is okay for Flip and terrible for Acie. Thing is, if we plan to change coaches anytime, Flip becomes a liability and who knows for Acie. I've got to believe this season will at least buy Woody the duration of his contract (it expires after NEXT season, right?). Therefore, the notion that we should lock an aging Flip up semi-long term is, well, not prudent unless we are committed to Woodson (and even then I wouldn't want Flip that long). Ideally, Sund would have made it a two year deal instead of a 1 year deal originally. Now, I think committing anything more than two years to Flip would be a bad deal for us. A one year offer would be pretty insulting considering his contribution this season but if he'd take it, I'd do it. I also wouldn't shed a tear if we let him walk and Childress came back or we signed someone else better. I just think while he can be a spark, he is more of a 'me' player offensively, and I want to pull may hair out when he is out there on the court with JJ and thinks we should be running ISO-Flip instead of ISO-Joe. Also, his turnovers are an epidemic, while Acie rarely turns it over, has a nice A/T ratio, and would thrive if we were patient in a system each possession. Regardless, his is yet another sub-drama in an offseason that should be very telling of the direction in which Sund intends to take this franchise.

Anyways, my .02. I'd love to hear you guys' take on this. (Story below).

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http://blogs.ajc.com/hawks/2009/03/25/show...fid=blogs_hawks

HAWKSVILLE -Flip Murray’s already made his case.

The Hawks aren’t yet done with this regular season or even the playoffs.

But one thing has become clear, the Hawks’ sixth man of the present needs to remain their sixth man for the future.

Flip MurrayMurray is the Rod Tidwell of this Hawks' season and they'll have to show him the "Quan" this summer.

Someone just jokingly asked me if I was Murray’s agent for writing something like this. Of course, I’m not. But if I were, this would be one client I wouldn’t be worried about heading into the summer.

Some team will show Murray the “Quan” this summer. And the Hawks need to be that team.

After all, Murray’s performance this year isn’t that of some mercenary on his latest job. I asked him after his season-high 30-point night against Minnesota Monday if he was upset about coming out before he could get one more bucket and set a new career high.

He gave me an are-you-serious look I wish I could have frozen and shown to you.

“I don’t care about nothing like that,” Murray said. “That wasn’t about me showboating or trying to get stats. We were trying to win that game and take care of our business. That’s all.”

Murray’s affinity for this team and for Atlanta has been obvious from the start. He was on his way to Russia before the Hawks had to scramble for replacements when Josh Childress bolted for Greece (they got Murray and valuable veteran pick up Mo Evans).

Murray’s history with Hawks GM Rick Sund (in Seattle, which isn’t nearly as colorful as his rise from Philly playground legend to NBA regular ) no doubt played a role in his choosing to remain stateside and play on a one-year deal (at a bargain basement price of $1.5 million). But give Murray credit for making the most of the opportunity.

And as for this summer, when suitors will be lining up to inquire about his services for the future, the Hawks will have one major chip on their side (not that these things are always valid once negotiating time begins).

There weren’t 29 other teams calling him and asking him to delay his departure for Russia.

There was only one.

HAWKS AND SPURS GO AT IT LIVE HERE IN JUST MINUTES

No Tim Duncan for the Spurs as the Hawks try and extend their home winning-streak to nine games and clinch a playoff berth on the same night against the four-time champs.

Duncan is sitting out the second night of a back-to-back for the second time this season, per my Spurs counterpart Mike Monroe. Something about resting the big fella to make sure he’s feeling just right come playoff time.

What a novel approach!

Game time.

[mrhonline]

No, I don't agree with you.

Flip, when giving opportunities to score, has always been a good scorer. I'd like to have him back on a two-year or three-year deal.

[bumpyphish1]

No, I don't agree with you.

Flip, when giving opportunities to score, has always been a good scorer. I'd like to have him back on a two-year or three-year deal.

I'm sorry, but do you see a coach like Popovich or Jerry Sloan wanting Flip on his team, in his system?

[tonegully]

Well we dont have a coach with a system. So might as well keep Flip if Woody isnt going to be fired.

[mrhonline]

I'm sorry, but do you see a coach like Popovich or Jerry Sloan wanting Flip on his team, in his system?

Ummm, both of those teams have score-first PG's...

[Duff_Man]

This is asinine. Flip is one of the reasons we have a winning record and are in 4th in the East. He accepts his role like a team player, and he thrives in it. Right player, right situation.

[bumpyphish1]

Well we dont have a coach with a system. So might as well keep Flip if Woody isnt going to be fired.

That was part of my point. if we are gonna keep woody, i dont really care if we re-sign flip cuz it wont amount to anything anyways. if we plan to get smart and get a new coach, flip is expendable.

I kind of expected a similar reception because Flip's 'stock' as a Hawk is probably as high as it's been, but I'm telling you, committing to Flip as our "6th man" is not the way for us to progress as a team. Trust me.

[bumpyphish1]

Ummm, both of those teams have score-first PG's...

Ummm, I wouldn't call either TP or Deron a "score first PG" especially DW, and even if they were, Ummm, wtf does that have to do with Flip, a reserve shooting guard?

Surely you are not implying that because sometimes Woody has Flip initiate our offense that Flip would be wanted (much less as a PG) by Popovich or Sloan or any coach I would want to coach our team.

Diesel, are you hi-jacking other user names again?

[AHF]

I agree that Flip is a shoot first guy who is ideal for Woody's non-system on offense. He can contribute on other teams as well but he loses some of his effectiveness in a structured offense. He is also having a career year for his efficiency which really increases his value. I think it is a real gamble to assume he will maintain his increased efficiency in future years.

So I see Flip as being definitely worth resigning but I think the Hawks should be price conscious and not give too many years on the deal.

[Diesel]

Fellas,

The Hawksquawk groundhog has spoken.. He says Flip is not good for the Hawks.. therefore, we need to urge Sund to sign Flip for 2 or 3 years. The groundhog picks are 100% wrong, no need to argue.

That is all.

[bumpyphish1]

I agree that Flip is a shoot first guy who is ideal for Woody's non-system on offense. He can contribute on other teams as well but he loses some of his effectiveness in a structured offense. He is also having a career year for his efficiency which really increases his value. I think it is a real gamble to assume he will maintain his increased efficiency in future years.

So I see Flip as being definitely worth resigning but I think the Hawks should be price conscious and not give too many years on the deal.

AHF, getting semi-agreement from you is all I needed, bro. You are one of the relative few around here who actually seems to get IT. My post may have come off as a bit extreme but those of you who don't get my point are free to myre in your own ignorance for eternity as far as I care....

[DrReality]

His mentality is great coming off the bench. It's like he's a hired gun slinger. Come in and shoot things up. Works for what we've got going.

[HawkItus]

Nobody is getting a big deal this summer. Sekou is wrong on that point. I say we resign Flip with a slight raise. And Flip is not that old. He's younger than Bibby.

[mrhonline]

Fellas,

The Hawksquawk groundhog has spoken.. He says Flip is not good for the Hawks.. therefore, we need to urge Sund to sign Flip for 2 or 3 years. The groundhog picks are 100% wrong, no need to argue.

That is all.

Did I miss a joke somewhere? Someone fill me in...

[TheTrueSiete]

Did I miss a joke somewhere? Someone fill me in...

You know... When Diesel says something, he believes "that is all"... Diesel almighty...

7

[DeacKillsaDevil]

Firing a coach who has coached the team to its first winnning season the 98-99 season and potentially the 4 seed in the East is just asinine. We will return to being the laughing stock of the NBA (if we're not still it with the current ownership group). It's not like we have been sitting at this level for a few seasons, and Woodson hasn't elevated us further.

[Diesel]

Firing a coach who has coached the team to its first winnning season the 98-99 season and potentially the 4 seed in the East is just asinine. We will return to being the laughing stock of the NBA (if we're not still it with the current ownership group). It's not like we have been sitting at this level for a few seasons, and Woodson hasn't elevated us further.

Just look at the trends these days:

Avery Johnson, D'Antonio, Eddie Jordan, Sam Mitchell...

A coach really don't have longevity and they can't relax. I think Woody has been shielded by our Ownership issues... but Sund is liable to bring in his buddy Bob Weiss to finish up the job that Woody started.

[benhillboy]

I didn't know Flip was a playground legend, but I can see it clearly. His hanging short-range jumper probably sent many a streetballer home mad. His edge and "No-one-on-your-team-can-check-me" approach is invaluable to the third/ fourth? youngest team in the league. I think as long as Joe is on this team, Flip is almost indespensible. An NBA team should not be without a guard who can finish STRONG (like dunking on Kirilenko, something Joe wouldn't dream of doing.) There was a play were he was isolated against Parker after he had been torching Al (why?), and it seemed as if Parker wanted no part of Flip's crab-stance and focus on the possession, as he gave the ball up to reset. I agree with Flip probably not thriving under a more focused coach as far as running sets and having a cohesive, balanced, and systematic offense, though, because he wasn't heard from in Detroit and clearly, he didn't mesh with LeBron, Mike Brown, or both. As a fan, there is no one on the squad I'd rather see consistently. While Josh can make a play that no one else in the league can make, he comes down 12 seconds later and makes a mistake that no player in the league should make, and while Al can be entertaining at times, I don't see him dropping 30 with ease, and style, like Ron AKA Flipperachi AKA Flipper AKA Flip-the-Switch. He has become a fan favorite, as in the few fans who do show up to the Phil. To the Spirit Moron Group: "Pay the man."

[Swatguy]

I didn't know Flip was a playground legend, but I can see it clearly. His hanging short-range jumper probably sent many a streetballer home mad. His edge and "No-one-on-your-team-can-check-me" approach is invaluable to the third/ fourth? youngest team in the league. I think as long as Joe is on this team, Flip is almost indespensible. An NBA team should not be without a guard who can finish STRONG (like dunking on Kirilenko, something Joe wouldn't dream of doing.) There was a play were he was isolated against Parker after he had been torching Al (why?), and it seemed as if Parker wanted no part of Flip's crab-stance and focus on the possession, as he gave the ball up to reset. I agree with Flip probably not thriving under a more focused coach as far as running sets and having a cohesive, balanced, and systematic offense, though, because he wasn't heard from in Detroit and clearly, he didn't mesh with LeBron, Mike Brown, or both. As a fan, there is no one on the squad I'd rather see consistently. While Josh can make a play that no one else in the league can make, he comes down 12 seconds later and makes a mistake that no player in the league should make, and while Al can be entertaining at times, I don't see him dropping 30 with ease, and style, like Ron AKA Flipperachi AKA Flipper AKA Flip-the-Switch. He has become a fan favorite, as in the few fans who do show up to the Phil. To the Spirit Moron Group: "Pay the man."

...What he said :newspaper:

[Blunt91]

His mentality is great coming off the bench. It's like he's a hired gun slinger. Come in and shoot things up. Works for what we've got going.

Flip is what Salim Stoudamire was suppose to be all those years he was here.