Players I think the Hawk are looking at in the draft

[Swatguy]

I believe Greivis Vasquez is the sleeper on the draft. The guy has size, point skills, and loads of leadership experience. Lance is another sleeper.

[Admin]

You left out what I think is the biggest possibility. JJ wants to play for a winner and that means whatever team he signs for will need to have an established talent base. They will have a SG to move. Whatever team signs JJ is going to want to move dead contract weight. This sets the Hawks up to take back something of real value from another team by packaging the 24th pick which is guaranteed but low money to another team for a player from their roster that won't count against our cap just like JJ does and we move down in the draft out of the first round to draft a player with a non guaranteed contract. This helps give us the money to sign Chillz and 1 lower tier free agent. I think this is much more probable than the Hawks standing pat at 24. An example of this kind of player would be taking Eddy Curry off the Knicks hands for one year and getting a player thrown in to equal JJ's salary. We do the Knicks a favor by eating 1 year of Curry's contract and giving them the money to sign talent that fits the system. They repay us with a player and draft considerations. We send the 24th pick over this year so they aren't cap dinged for not having 9 players under contract.

What that means is we'd be drafting for someone else.

We may very well trade JJ in a SnT to someone but I HIGHLY doubt that we'll do that this week before the draft and before he's had a chance to test the waters in FA.

And I'm not going to expect that we'll get anything more than a future 2nd round pick and a large trade exception for him (like the Sonics got from the Magic for Rashard Lewis) but I'm hopeful we might get more.

[Admin]

I agree in general with you. I think Hawks see the most potential for an actual rotation player as a combo guard. They don't expect a big man to fall and they know that having a second ballhandler is a good idea next to Bibby. Personally, I think Jones and Williams make the most sense. At least one should be there.

Yep I agree with this and did notice that several of the 2's that we're looking at are more of a big combo guard than a traditional SG so it stands to reason that we want a guy who is a solid ball handler, especially with the notion that we're going to become a motion offense oriented team that relies on players making smart decisions with the ball.

[Admin]

Excellent analysis Dolfan. I also wouldn't count out the possibilty that with our 1st round pick being late (24) we might pick a young Euro/International player who will stay overseas. That might free up dollars to bring Chillz back. Chillz would be a nice piece to have for a new uptempo offense. Obviously $ is a major factor with our franchise at this point and we really aren't hurting for young guys.

By not resigning JJ and not having to spend 1st round draft pick dollars maybe we can actually use our exception(s).

I totally agree with you that: "We're going to need to sign a veteran (PG) that can play solid defense but can also run a motion based offense and who can also mentally handle the strong chance that at least in the beginning he is going to be inactive or sitting on the bench as the 3rd PG."

I really hope we get Pape Sy in the second round...(cool name).

It's a good thought but as was mentioned below we won't find a comparable player in FA for comparable dollars to the 24th pick. But I absolutely hope that we bring Childress back this year, whether it's with JJ or without.

[Admin]

Good post, Dolf. I was waiting to get home to do the same but you pretty much touched on all bases. I agree completely with the reasoning, Joe may be gone this year, I don't see Chills being back whatsoever, Bibbs is a year older and Teague is an unknown. Beyond that both Jamal and Mo expire after the season meaning only Teague, Bibby and Marvin make up our entire perimeter depth in 2011. There are just too many areas to address on this team for us to think that all we need is a C going forward over the next 5 seasons.

Very good point and I think most of us fans get too caught up in thinking that next years roster will be the roster that we have for the foreseeable future when we should be looking at our roster and how it might look in 5 years. I imagine that they see Horford, Smoove, Marvin, and Teague as long term pieces (or possibly trading one of them for a comparable long term contract) but beyond that who knows who will be here and right now we have to plan for life without JJ or Chillz and draft based on that assumption, which clearly shows a need for backcourt help in the form of a 1/2 combo, a 2 or a 2/3 combo player.

[Admin]

I agree man. SG/SF and possibly a PF are the two positions that we have the best chance at drafting a player who can play this season. The second round is a waste IMO, unless we can move up into the top ten at least. If not, I like drafting a Euro who may turn out to be a solid player in two to three seasons....just like we did last season.

I've got a feeling that Sund would like to move up in the 2nd round and that's why we're looking at guys who are in that top 10 range but in all likelihood we're probably going to draft a euro with that 2nd round pick and stash him overseas ... and never bring him over. I hate to be negative about it like that but if the past is any indicator of the future then that's what we're probably going to see happen.

[Buzzard]

I've got a feeling that Sund would like to move up in the 2nd round and that's why we're looking at guys who are in that top 10 range but in all likelihood we're probably going to draft a euro with that 2nd round pick and stash him overseas ... and never bring him over. I hate to be negative about it like that but if the past is any indicator of the future then that's what we're probably going to see happen.

If we cannot move up in the 2nd, I think that is the best strategy. I would rather take a flyer with our late 2nd and try to hit a homerun than take someone we know will be out of league in less than three years.

[tremor]

I understand your point but I look at it this way, Zaza is our center on the second unit and there is not really any prospects that will be on the board for us that will immediately supplant him. Now who do you prefer helping him out on D with that second unit, someone like Joe Smith or Amir Johnson? We have no shot blockers on the second unit and I don't see the need of getting another lumbering Center that can't really play next to Zaza so I rather have a PF type that has the agility to play helpside D in the same manner that Smoove does in the starting lineup. Rebounding and shot blocking translate very well from college and are a value to any team.

My thought is rather to split all PF minutes between JSmoove and Horf and try to bring big body that can be put at C for some minutes against Superman and not be totally crashed.

[MaceCase]

My thought is rather to split all PF minutes between JSmoove and Horf and try to bring big body that can be put at C for some minutes against Superman and not be totally crashed.

Both start and have to be spelled completely at some point. That doesn't take into account foul trouble, injuries, or a player deciding to put up threes at the beginning of the shot clock. I believe more in having a useful rotation player for the year than a bigger stiff that will be mostly needed for 4 games and maybe a playoff matchup during the year. I say this with a clear eye on our draft position, you are more likely to find a productive collegiate player that dropped because of being undersized (Millsap, Blair) than a true center with any amount of polish or upside.

[hawkman]

Yep I agree with this and did notice that several of the 2's that we're looking at are more of a big combo guard than a traditional SG so it stands to reason that we want a guy who is a solid ball handler, especially with the notion that we're going to become a motion offense oriented team that relies on players making smart decisions with the ball.

I agree with this, and that's why I think Sund will break away from his prior tendency to draft a project big and pick up one of the combo guards available in this draft. I know a lot of people see a weak draft after the top 10, but I think any one of the combo guards that will be available in the 20's will have a good career in the NBA. My gut says Dominique will be the guy at #24 this Thursday, but I wouldn't be upset if we get White/Williams/Anderson. Even a Lance Stephenson would make sense.

[Buzzard]

Chad Ford has us taking Lance Stephenson at #24, a raw SG that we aren't even working out and that DX has projected to go with the 11th pick in round 2.

I like Stephenson but not with our 24th pick LMAO. He has a history of trouble before college and then a very sub par freshmen year. Would take him in a heartbeat, just on potential ( has been compared to Steven Jackson), with our late second round pick. He may just drop that far...I hope he does.

He is worth a mid second round flyer IMO but no way in hell I take him in the 1st with all his baggage...

[Guest Walter]

I really have become a big fan of "Nique II" at Pick #24 as of late, and hope the Crawford promise from a team above (praying it's the Wolves) means Jones will be available. Terrico would be terrific too if he can improve his passing skills significantly under Drew. (aside: I didn't know Drew II led the NCAA's in assists per 40 mins last year w/ UNC, son is learning from somebody).

Still wish we could trade down for two picks between #28-40. In addition to one of Jones/White/Torrance/Vasquez being available, I'd like to see a shot at Alabi/Seraphin or a rebounding SF-PF option (James/Robinson/Garcia/Hobson), all of which I worry will be gone by Pick #53.

~lw3

While I also wouldn't mind ending up with a center prospect, the above is the best option IMO. Washington at 30/35 would be ideal but IMHO too much to expect.

Walter