If it's not built right, then one player is not to blame.

[Diesel]

A SG who doesn't rise up in the BIg games.

A SF/PF who makes bad decisions.

A PF/C who adds a winning attitude but isn't offensively independent. Nor is he a C.

A slashing PG... OG in disguise.

A nice guy coach who was picked by the players because he was a nice guy coach with a fun offense.

This is THE CORE of this team.

We all pick our problems on this team, but they all culminate together to make a problem.

Let me say this to start. A contract is not a problem on the court. I Just listened to Barkley talk and I like Barkley, but I wouldn't make him GM of nothing basketball. Barkley has a great personality and he shoots from the hip and he is an NBA allstar but what does he know about putting together a championship team? Barkley is a guy whoose picks are usually wrong on TNT but we don't watch him for his expert opinion, we watch him because he's entertaining and sometimes he says something that makes you think. Same with the Jet. So now that one of Barkley's opinion is right, we're expected to believe that he knows how this team should be built into a championship team? Me and Barkley has the same number of championships.

Here's what the problem is...

1. Coaching philosophy and command.

2. A Center.

3. Clarity on role.

I've heard all the knocks on Joe. There were very similar Knocks on Dirk before he took Dallas to the NBA finals (the first time). I remember, Dirk was overpaid, soft, disappeared in big games, whoose best years were with Nash. You know what Cuban did? He kept building.

Not to say that Cuban is a basketball mastermind, but as owner, he didn't mind going out and getting what the experts said he needed.

I've heard the knocks on Josh... However, I believe the Josh's main problem is a lack of respect for the coach and his team. He sees himself doing all that he can for the team and some of those bad shots are his attempt to do his best. What he needs to consider is does this fall in the team's plan? AND.. Am I abandoning the teams plan because I doubt it will work? To me, Josh doesn't respect LD. IF he did respect LD or LD's POV, he wouldn't try to take over but would try to play his game within the offense.

I haven't heard much knock on Horf since he came back... but Horf is not a C. Horf is a PF. KG proved this. It's not a knock on Horf at all... I think Horf played great. However, when we matched a C on KG and moved Horf to PF, I think we played better than when we tried to guard KG with Horf. KG just shot overtop our 6'10 big man.

Jefferson Teague is one of my favorite players on this team. His future is bright. i think he could be one of the top 3 Guards out of his class. BUT... there's a confidence issue. I don't think there's a guy that Teague can't just blow by... especially if he has a pick. However, we'e too busy changing up the plays to suit one or two guys that we don't run our offense. The PG is the extension of the coach. The PG has to run the coaches plays on the court. Teague has to learn to be a better Boss on the court. I wouldn't send Teague to practice with basketball players over the next 3 months. I would send him to shawdow some of the owners of the Hawks. I would send him to shawdown Gearon, Levenson, etc... Not as some publicity stunt or not as some celebrity apprentice, but as a grunt. A guy that runs and gets stuff for the Boss. I would let him sit in meeting and look at how the boss runs the show. Then I would have him translate that to the court. Being a PG is about being a manager on the court. Teague has to learn that.

What about the coach?

No time to retrain a coach.. moreover, the team will more than likely have it's coaches personality (at the end of the day).

"Management must speak with one voice. When it doesn't management itself becomes a peripheral opponent to the team's mission."

-Pat Riley

We need a new coach who is all about control. Someone who is not afraid to bench a star and who demands respect at all times.

We need a starting C who is at least 7 feet tall and plays good defense and rebounds well.

We need to resolve Horf and Smoove. Either they co-exist or we trade one.

We need our PG to run the show.

We need owners who are willing to spend the money on the right things... starting with the coach.

We need a GM (Seeing the Sund may retire or become a consultant) who has vision and respect for the fundamentals of winning basketball.

[Joker]

I usually dislike most of your threads but this one was decent. I disagree with our main issues.1. This team is built around a superstar without a superstar.2. True center is an issue but it's not a critical one.3. Lack of a very good to elite true PG or #1 option will be the death of this team.4. Josh Smith might not be affordable and he's not a championship player to pick over Joe no matter how bad Joe contract may seem at the moment. There is a reason why Joe gets All NBA selections and is a 6th time All Star.5. Jeff can't run the show. He has no PG skills whatsoever. Smith has the best court vision and passing skills on the team. Not to mention Jeff isn't that good of a scorer and his PnR ability is still poor unless it's using to the pick to create offense for himself which only works when he's slashing.

Edited May 14, 2012 by nbasuperstar40

[Jody23]

A SG who doesn't rise up in the BIg games.

A SF/PF who makes bad decisions.

A PF/C who adds a winning attitude but isn't offensively independent. Nor is he a C.

A slashing PG... OG in disguise.

A nice guy coach who was picked by the players because he was a nice guy coach with a fun offense.

This is THE CORE of this team.

We all pick our problems on this team, but they all culminate together to make a problem.

Let me say this to start. A contract is not a problem on the court. I Just listened to Barkley talk and I like Barkley, but I wouldn't make him GM of nothing basketball. Barkley has a great personality and he shoots from the hip and he is an NBA allstar but what does he know about putting together a championship team? Barkley is a guy whoose picks are usually wrong on TNT but we don't watch him for his expert opinion, we watch him because he's entertaining and sometimes he says something that makes you think. Same with the Jet. So now that one of Barkley's opinion is right, we're expected to believe that he knows how this team should be built into a championship team? Me and Barkley has the same number of championships.

Here's what the problem is...

1. Coaching philosophy and command.

2. A Center.

3. Clarity on role.

I've heard all the knocks on Joe. There were very similar Knocks on Dirk before he took Dallas to the NBA finals (the first time). I remember, Dirk was overpaid, soft, disappeared in big games, whoose best years were with Nash. You know what Cuban did? He kept building.

Not to say that Cuban is a basketball mastermind, but as owner, he didn't mind going out and getting what the experts said he needed.

I've heard the knocks on Josh... However, I believe the Josh's main problem is a lack of respect for the coach and his team. He sees himself doing all that he can for the team and some of those bad shots are his attempt to do his best. What he needs to consider is does this fall in the team's plan? AND.. Am I abandoning the teams plan because I doubt it will work? To me, Josh doesn't respect LD. IF he did respect LD or LD's POV, he wouldn't try to take over but would try to play his game within the offense.

I haven't heard much knock on Horf since he came back... but Horf is not a C. Horf is a PF. KG proved this. It's not a knock on Horf at all... I think Horf played great. However, when we matched a C on KG and moved Horf to PF, I think we played better than when we tried to guard KG with Horf. KG just shot overtop our 6'10 big man.

Jefferson Teague is one of my favorite players on this team. His future is bright. i think he could be one of the top 3 Guards out of his class. BUT... there's a confidence issue. I don't think there's a guy that Teague can't just blow by... especially if he has a pick. However, we'e too busy changing up the plays to suit one or two guys that we don't run our offense. The PG is the extension of the coach. The PG has to run the coaches plays on the court. Teague has to learn to be a better Boss on the court. I wouldn't send Teague to practice with basketball players over the next 3 months. I would send him to shawdow some of the owners of the Hawks. I would send him to shawdown Gearon, Levenson, etc... Not as some publicity stunt or not as some celebrity apprentice, but as a grunt. A guy that runs and gets stuff for the Boss. I would let him sit in meeting and look at how the boss runs the show. Then I would have him translate that to the court. Being a PG is about being a manager on the court. Teague has to learn that.

What about the coach?

No time to retrain a coach.. moreover, the team will more than likely have it's coaches personality (at the end of the day).

"Management must speak with one voice. When it doesn't management itself becomes a peripheral opponent to the team's mission."

-Pat Riley

We need a new coach who is all about control. Someone who is not afraid to bench a star and who demands respect at all times.

We need a starting C who is at least 7 feet tall and plays good defense and rebounds well.

We need to resolve Horf and Smoove. Either they co-exist or we trade one.

We need our PG to run the show.

We need owners who are willing to spend the money on the right things... starting with the coach.

We need a GM (Seeing the Sund may retire or become a consultant) who has vision and respect for the fundamentals of winning basketball.

I think you're spot on all the way around on these points D. Especially regarding the 4 and 5 positions. Talent is important, but it's no good if it lacks size, discipline and respect for the proper way to play the positions/game.

[Diesel]

I usually dislike most of your threads but this one was decent. I disagree with our main issues.1. This team is built around a superstar without a superstar.2. True center is an issue but it's not a critical one.3. Lack of a very good to elite true PG or #1 option will be the death of this team.4. Josh Smith might not be affordable and he's not a championship player to pick over Joe no matter how bad Joe contract may seem at the moment. There is a reason why Joe gets All NBA selections and is a 6th time All Star.5. Jeff can't run the show. He has no PG skills whatsoever. Smith has the best court vision and passing skills on the team. Not to mention Jeff isn't that good of a scorer and his PnR ability is still poor unless it's using to the pick to create offense for himself which only works when he's slashing.

1. Disagree. We're not built around anything. We're built around a montra Long, athletic.2. True C is and has been a major issue. Look at the teams that have beaten us in the playoffs recently.Orlando.. D-12.Bulls... DRose waltzing down the lane for the layup drill.Celtics... KG putting up historic numbers from the 5 spot. When you watched this last Celtics series, their unstopped weapon was drive in and score on the inside. And you say that C is not critical?3. elite PG or #1 option... Definitely would be nice to have. I think we have to explore what we do have and make a decision on what it is. At this point, it's easier to get an elite PG.4. i don't think players should be judged by their contracts. Players should be judged by their contributions on the court. Many here miss the whole contribution on the court or they undervalue it because of contract. When it's all said and done, a lot of the praise that Josh gets is because he doesn't have to deal with pressure that Joe does.5. I've never been on board of your Jeff hate train. I don't think Teague is that bad. I think the major problem with Teague is coaching. When your coach is wishy washy, your PG will be the same. I must admit that I like the job that NVE did with Teague in bringing out his inner scoring guard. I just think that there's not enough discipline on this team to point a finger at the PG. When your bigs bring the ball up and are praised for doing it, what message does that send to your young PG.Going forward, we need a coach who is so disciplined that it hurts. A my way or the hwy kind of guy. These spoiled players need that.

[Joker]

1. Disagree. We're not built around anything. We're built around a montra Long, athletic.2. True C is and has been a major issue. Look at the teams that have beaten us in the playoffs recently.Orlando.. D-12.Bulls... DRose waltzing down the lane for the layup drill.Celtics... KG putting up historic numbers from the 5 spot.When you watched this last Celtics series, their unstopped weapon was drive in and score on the inside. And you say that C is not critical?3. elite PG or #1 option... Definitely would be nice to have. I think we have to explore what we do have and make a decision on what it is. At this point, it's easier to get an elite PG.4. i don't think players should be judged by their contracts. Players should be judged by their contributions on the court. Many here miss the whole contribution on the court or they undervalue it because of contract. When it's all said and done, a lot of the praise that Josh gets is because he doesn't have to deal with pressure that Joe does.5. I've never been on board of your Jeff hate train. I don't think Teague is that bad. I think the major problem with Teague is coaching. When your coach is wishy washy, your PG will be the same. I must admit that I like the job that NVE did with Teague in bringing out his inner scoring guard. I just think that there's not enough discipline on this team to point a finger at the PG. When your bigs bring the ball up and are praised for doing it, what message does that send to your young PG.Going forward, we need a coach who is so disciplined that it hurts. A my way or the hwy kind of guy. These spoiled players need that.

1. Naw, Horford has superstar potential but can't create his own shot. Joe is a Robin not a Batman. He is much better in that role than in this one. I am not sure about Smith. I just don't think he's a championship piece.2. We do need a true center but it's not keeping us from contention is my main point. D12 would dominate v. most centers not named Perkins, Bynum, and Chandler. He kills most guys in the league. D. Rose didn't waltz to the lane, he just couldn't be stopped period. It seems as if you are saying we need a Tyson Chandler more than a true center. I hate to break it to you but there is only one of those guys and he's in NY. Most true centers aren't that good. We just need another one with size but more talent than Collins or Damp.3. It's kind of tough to get either one. This is were the front office gets the big bucks. Knowing your personnel, knowing your system, knowing what to look for, etc.4. Players should be judged by all of the above including contracts. Many of us still judge Marvn for where he was slotted in the draft and who he was ahead of.5. Coaching is the worse excuse ever. Coaching doesn't effect a player's talent from showing it generally speaking. Development is from within, your supporting cast and system as well. Teague game is fairly decent for this system. It could be much worse, he could be in Memphis where he weaknesses will be on full display. Teague could probably get a lot better with a post player like Tim Duncan, Shaq, or someone who you can run an offense through but Teague isn't blessed to be in the environment. He would trive in that situation. John Wall could be so much better with vets who can play instead of the trash Washington has. Sometimes situations can hurt the player but Flip Saunders is a good coach, so are you blaming him for personnel issues?

[Diesel]

So one of my dream scenerios after listening to Josh fantasize about the Celtics fans...wasSmith for some combo of Steisma and Bradley + Filler.I love Bradley's defense.I love Steisma's defense.These two guys inserted right into the starting 5 with a new coach who is a discipline driven defense guy... would make us successful.

[Joker]

Bradley wouldn't be useful on this team. Stim wouldn't be as well. A lack of a PG kills our chances of developing a lot of players in the NBA.

[Diesel]

Bradley wouldn't be useful on this team. Stim wouldn't be as well. A lack of a PG kills our chances of developing a lot of players in the NBA.

OK, we get it, you hate teague...Have hated him since draft day... FINE.However, Teague is not our problem.Sorry... I don't care how much you hate him... Teague is not our problem moving forward and teague has no effect on the guys we pick and weather or not they will be productive. That's BS...You say bradley will not be effective? His defense will not be effective? BS.You say Stime's defense and rebounding would not be effectiving from the 5 spot?? BS.Dude it is freakin tiring to hear everything you say go back to "I hate teague". I would rather you just make that your sig and let's be done with it. Because the truth is...It's not Teague's fault!!Teague is actually better than any of us expected him to be!!!Teague was a crappy PG in college with a crappy A/TO ratio and he's much better now!!So you can take your Teague agenda elsewhere... And I'm being nice.. However, between your hate of Teague and your affection for a guy who puts up 4 points on (1-7 shooting) in a season ender makes you seem less and less credible every moment. You are converting yourself into a troll. And the sad part is nobody knows why??

[Joker]

I never hated Teague. I only hate him as a starter. I see use for him. Hate is someone like J.R. Rider or SAR. I hated those two players with a passion.

Edited May 14, 2012 by nbasuperstar40

[Joker]

OK, we get it, you hate teague...Have hated him since draft day... FINE.However, Teague is not our problem.Sorry... I don't care how much you hate him... Teague is not our problem moving forward and teague has no effect on the guys we pick and weather or not they will be productive. That's BS...You say bradley will not be effective? His defense will not be effective? BS.You say Stime's defense and rebounding would not be effectiving from the 5 spot?? BS.Dude it is freakin tiring to hear everything you say go back to "I hate teague". I would rather you just make that your sig and let's be done with it. Because the truth is...It's not Teague's fault!!Teague is actually better than any of us expected him to be!!!Teague was a crappy PG in college with a crappy A/TO ratio and he's much better now!!So you can take your Teague agenda elsewhere... And I'm being nice.. However, between your hate of Teague and your affection for a guy who puts up 4 points on (1-7 shooting) in a season ender makes you seem less and less credible every moment. You are converting yourself into a troll. And the sad part is nobody knows why??

Teague is a crappy starting PG. He he's a combo guard who can't score at a high level and he can't run an offense. I liked some of the games Jordan had in Washington but Jordan is a crappy starting SG.Bradley defense is effective anywhere. It's his offense that won't be.Not really, he is a liability on offense and his defensive movement on defense. Name teams who run better half court sets than Boston and use very little athleticism in the paint like Boston? He needs to be in the right fit.Diesel, you don't understand Basketball and personnel groupings at all. Once again, I don't hate Teague. I want him on the squad.

[NineOhTheRino]

ATLANTA, GA (Aug. 19, 2005)-- Gaining the services of their most talented free agent acquisition since Dikembe Mutombo ('96), the Atlanta Hawks have obtained Joe Johnson from the Phoenix Suns for Boris Diaw and two conditional first round picks, it was announced today by Executive Vice President/General Manager Billy Knight.

The high-flying Johnson, who begins his fifth NBA season in 2005-06, was one of the catalysts behind the resurgence of the Suns and their 62-20 record, which garnered the franchise's first Pacific Division title since 1994-95. The 33-game improvement ranks as the third-best in league history.

"Joe has tremendous upside and provides our franchise with a player whose talents are worthy of All-Star consideration," said Knight. "He has the versatility to play several positions for Coach (Mike) Woodson. Not only is Joe extremely gifted on the offensive end, his size on defense will give us a tremendous advantage against most teams. When you team him up with a combination of Josh Childress, Josh Smith, Al Harrington, Marvin Williams, Salim Stoudamire and Zaza Pachulia, we feel we have one of the best up-and-coming rosters in the league.

"I also want to express my appreciation to all who had a hand in getting Joe to Atlanta. The faith and confidence shown by our ownership group will never be forgotten, and the cooperation shown by Suns management, and Joe and his agent Arn Tellem spoke volumes to me. They have been unbelievable through this whole process and words can't explain how grateful we are to them for their character and integrity through it all, for all of them sticking to their word and backing us up all the way."

"Billy Knight has done an extraordinary job of assembling a strong nucleus that features some of the youngest, most athletic and energetic players in the NBA," said Hawks Co-Owner Michael Gearon. "This is an exciting day for the franchise and we are extremely proud to welcome Joe Johnson into our Hawks family."

With career highs in points (17.1 ppg), rebounds (5.2 rpg) and three-point accuracy (a franchise record 47.8%), Johnson is a durable player who has appeared in 276 straight games (which currently trails only Toronto's Morris Peterson's streak of 279 games) and logged the most minutes played per game on Phoenix's squad last season (39.5 mpg). His versatility was evident when you consider that he was third on the team in scoring, second in assists behind NBA MVP Steve Nash (3.3 apg), and fourth in rebounds and steals (0.96 spg).

"I am extremely excited to add a player of Joe's background to our team," said Hawks coach Woodson. "He is a great young talent in our league and when you couple him with the young talent we currently have on the roster, I can't wait to see them mesh as a unit. Joe has continually improved his game each and every season, and now he is poised to become one of the bright stars in the Eastern Conference. He is a very easy going person and Atlanta will soon learn how important it was for Billy and our management group to finalize this deal."

An excellent shooter, Johnson connected on 46.1 percent of his attempts from the field and finished the season as only the fourth player in league history to make at least 150 three-pointers and shoot over 45 percent from behind the arc in the same campaign.

Johnson tallied 20 points or more on 30 occasions last year, including a season-best 30 three times (at Seattle on March 6, at Memphis on February 1 and vs. Utah on December 15).

During the 2004-05 Playoffs, he was briefly derailed by a fractured left orbital bone, which caused him to miss six of Phoenix's 15 postseason games against Dallas and San Antonio (four against the Mavericks and two vs. the Spurs). Despite that setback, Johnson raised his season averages by tallying 18.8 points on 50.4% shooting from the field - 56 percent from long distance.

He was originally selected by the Boston Celtics with the 10th overall pick in the 2001 NBA Draft as an early entry candidate, but was traded in midseason to Phoenix (along with Milt Palacio, Randy Brown and a 2002 first-round draft pick (Casey Jacobsen) in exchange for Rodney Rogers and Tony Delk).

Johnson participated in the Rookie Challenge at the 2002 All-Star Weekend in Philadelphia and finished with 12 points, seven rebounds and four assists as the Rookies scored a 103-97 win over the Sophomores. He was named NBA All-Rookie Second Team in 2002, the first Sun to garner that honor since Shawn Marion in 1999-00.

In his third NBA campaign, Johnson was third in balloting for the 2003-04 Most Improved Player Award after recording 16.7 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 4.4 apg and 1.1 spg in 40-plus minutes. He was one of only 11 NBA players to average more than 16 points, four rebounds and four assists, and eight of those players were 2004 All-Stars (Kobe Bryant, Kevin Garnett, Tracy McGrady, Ray Allen, Vince Carter, Baron Davis, Paul Pierce and Steve Francis).

A 2001 early entry candidate from the University of Arkansas, Johnson scored 15.0 points and pulled down 6.1 rebounds in two years with the Razorbacks (.466 FG%, .406 3FG%, .753 FT%) after attending Little Rock Central (Ark.) High School. He earned All-America honors as a sophomore and was named All-SEC in both seasons.

Nothing in this press release suggests the Hawks expected Joe to be a Superstar.

[Joker]

I like that trade more now than I did at the time. Joe exceeded my expectations. It's Atlanta fault for passing on Rondo for Shelden, Deron or CP3 for Marvin and Deng for Chillz.

[Diesel]

The start of the wrong building was picking Marvin.I would have said Chillz, but Chillz was the first pick of the rebuild nd you can get past one failed lottery pick.. but Marvin's pick was a pick in a draft stacked with talent at the pG position.The second part was drafting Shelden.The third was never being serious about getting a big man after acquiring horf.The fourth was never trying to get another star.

[SalvorMallow]

So one of my dream scenerios after listening to Josh fantasize about the Celtics fans...wasSmith for some combo of Steisma and Bradley + Filler.I love Bradley's defense.I love Steisma's defense.These two guys inserted right into the starting 5 with a new coach who is a discipline driven defense guy... would make us successful.

The conversation is about the elite talent needed by the hawks. How does Bradley or Stiemsma come into the picture?

[NineOhTheRino]

The start of the wrong building was picking Marvin.I would have said Chillz, but Chillz was the first pick of the rebuild nd you can get past one failed lottery pick.. but Marvin's pick was a pick in a draft stacked with talent at the pG position.The second part was drafting Shelden.The third was never being serious about getting a big man after acquiring horf.The fourth was never trying to get another star.

You can stop with Marvin. The drop off between Marvin and CP3 is enough to where BK may never be offered another GM job. Edited May 14, 2012 by NineOhTheRino

[tonegully]

A SG who doesn't rise up in the BIg games.A SF/PF who makes bad decisions.A PF/C who adds a winning attitude but isn't offensively independent. Nor is he a C.A slashing PG... OG in disguise.A nice guy coach who was picked by the players because he was a nice guy coach with a fun offense.This is THE CORE of this team.

I dont care what anyone says. Its our coaching thats holding back our team and our players. It has for years.- Elite PG. We are not getting an elite PG. No one wants to play here so you can go ahead and get rid of that thought. PGs are not made overnight, they are made over time. Teague rode the pine his whole rookie year under Woodson then under Drew couldnt do anything without permission. Also you need to use the ablities the player on your team has. To me Teague should be slashing and attacking like Rose or Westbrook. This offseason he needs to work on finishing at the rim and mid range to the 3point line shooting. Also i bet the coaching staff hasnt told teague to sit down and learn these freakign plays. I wonder what they do in practice. Who do we have to teague how to be an elite and help him develop vision? SMH. -You go to war with the Soldiers you have. You train your unit as you want them to fight. You put them in their place when they dont follow your instructions or directions. Thats the type of coach this team needs to have.We continue to live in the fanstasy world about free agents and making trades. You guys know and I know its not going to happen. No one wants Marvin, No one wants Joe's contract. No one wants anyone on the bench. We have Smoove and Horf thats the only real tradable peices we have. We need those guys.IMO Smoove doesnt want to leave ATL. He wants to win in ATL who wouldnt want to win in their hometown. Smoove wants to be coached. You cant become great without being coached. Ask Jordan first people he thanks are Dean Smith, Phil Jackson, and Doug Collins. Thats my opinion on that. Smoove has to be on the box. without him we have no rebounding when he is posted at the perimeter. Work on post moves in off seasonHorford. He should be the captain hands down by himself. He needs to play PF and C at times. You cant deny that 15ft pulls them big boys from the paint. So you can use that to your advantage. Cant trade Horford. Also work on post moves in the off seasonJoe, To me his problem is that he is so passive. Its easy to fix that. Give 5 seconds to pass, shoot. or attack if he cant do it. Yank him out the game. Also he ISO days are over with his jumper is sweet. Why isnt he running around and coming off screens like Allen. I think Joe is best when he shoots in rhythm. Even when he misses it looks like its going in. Get your cardio up in the off season Joe, you need to lose another 15 pounds.Thats just my take on it.

[tonegully]

joe doesnt look right in that Suns uniform lol

[benhillboy]

The drop off between Marvin and CP3 is enough to where BK may never be offered another GM job.

I wouldn't even talk basketball with Billy Knight, let alone offer him a job after that debacle. It makes Jordan-Bowie look pedestrian. At least Bowie was a big and was somewhat serviceable. I think Knight has been ousted from NBA brass circles for his lifetime, and rightfully so.

[Diesel]

The conversation is about the elite talent needed by the hawks. How does Bradley or Stiemsma come into the picture?

I recognize that we already have talent. I think for many fans, they believe that we have to have a big 5 plus elite players on the bench. NO.. In basketball, you have to have a good compliment of skillsets. Right now, we are weak in low post scoring and man defense on guards. Bradley is the best young guard defender I have seen in a long time. He basically shut down Joe in the clutch and did the same with Wade. This young fella can guard big guards.Stiemsma is questionable. I like his size and what he does with it. He's somewhat athletic. I'm not saying he is elite at all. However, if we were facing losing Josh to nothing or trying to get something from Boston, these are the two I want. Not Bass and Pietrus.

[Joker]

Diesel is trolling us. No way in hell will any trade Josh Smith for Avery Bradley and some big man scrub. Stop it, what's next, Amare and Shump for Smoove. You are going way too far in the wrong direction.