Do we even care about the actual games next season?

[Wretch]

Just wondering because we do have a season to play.

Are we trying to be competitive this season? Does this have any bearing on your particular "Get D12" desires?

Do we think we'll be competitive this season? Playoffs? Lottery? Has Ferry even mentioned anything about the upcoming season and if not, do you think we'll try to field a competitive team? Seems to me that the main (and possibly only) concern right now is restructuring the foundation. That sheds some light on why LD was retained. If it doesn't matter what happens on the court this season that is.

Do you think we'll actually go out there and try to make the playoffs. Do you even care if we make the playoffs? Just not hearing a lot of chatter about how good we think we'll be and what the offense is going to look like without Joe. It seems as if we're looking right past the upcoming season, straight to next summer's free agency. It's like we're tossing 2012/13 out the window, but we're not concerned one way or the other about where we finish.

We're looking at the start of a new era. What are you guys' thoughts on the upcoming season?

[Guest Walter]

I don't unless we go ahead and trade for Dwight or Bynum as part of a 3-way.W

[Guest]

I would prefer to make the playoffs. If we dont I just don't want to see bad basketball - no effort, lackadaisical play etc. I want us to be competitive even if we lose.

[GameTime]

I am more excited for the season this year than last year.

[Admin]

If we don't trade for Howard then I want to see us in the lottery. If we trade for Howard then I want to see us deep into the playoffs.

[Gray Mule]

We've had a 13 win season. Personally, I really enjoyed all 13 victories.

Sure, I'm looking foreward to this season. At my age, you don't even

by green bananas. Why shouldn't I look foreward to this year's team.

Some posters are acting like this Hawk team will be a pushover for

every other NBA team. Really?

We don't even know who will be on the final roster for the coming season.

Question: Was losing JJ the death toll for Atlanta? How about Marvin?

Without these two, are we now nothing, even with the rest of the players?

GO HAWKS!!!

[NJHAWK]

If we dont get Dwight I want us to be a 7th or 8th seed and knock the Heat out in the 1st round or win the lottery. Either way bit will be a fun season. Im hopeing for 82-0 until I see different.

Edited July 6, 2012 by NJHAWK

[Admin]

We've had a 13 win season. Personally, I really enjoyed all 13 victories.

Sure, I'm looking foreward to this season. At my age, you don't even

by green bananas. Why shouldn't I look foreward to this year's team.

Some posters are acting like this Hawk team will be a pushover for

every other NBA team. Really?

We don't even know who will be on the final roster for the coming season.

Question: Was losing JJ the death toll for Atlanta? How about Marvin?

Without these two, are we now nothing, even with the rest of the players?

GO HAWKS!!!

Nice to see the humor in your posts as always GM!

*Side note - I think that GM is the only poster on here who manually inserts carriage returns into his posts. #oldschool

[drzachary]

We're looking at the start of a new era. What are you guys' thoughts on the upcoming season?

Same as every year. I want them to win every single game they play, and for me, the NBA season ends when the Hawks' does!

[tonegully]

I wish we could give JOsh and Horford the season off and just tank if we dont get Howard this year.

[Sothron]

If we don't get Howard before the season I want us to tankity tank tank tank it up. We need a high lottery pick to help replace the talent pool. It also would help entice a superstar to come here.

[benhillboy]

I am more excited for the season this year than last year.

Me too. I'm looking forward to all of our franchise-grown talent (Zaza, Al, Josh, and Jeff) to move the ball without Iso-Joe and have their best seasons.

[Wretch]

Howard is the key for me too. If he comes here, I want to see a MAJOR playoff push. It would be bad for the franchise to make a move of that magnitude, only to produce the same results as the previous 4 seasons. It would be my hope that we could convince him to stay, but man...losing in the playoffs would be an awful scenario with D12 on the roster.Aside from getting Howard, I don't have much interest in the season itself. I am interested to see who steps up in the absence of JJ (lol, we can't argue whether or not Marvin is going to step up). This will be a good season to get a good read on Teague.As far as how I THINK we're going to do... Miami, Boston, Indiana, Orlando, Chicago, & NY are all locks. If Orlando keeps D12, that's a lock. I can't see any of those teams not making the playoffs. Brooklyn should make the playoffs and put on a decent show too. I think that puts us out of the playoff picture. 30-35 wins...late-mid, to late lottery.Of course Horford could break out, Smoove could stop shooting J's, and Teague could blow up. DH will help... We could overachieve...and slide into that #8 spot. But who would we be putting out?

[Joker]

50 wins plus. Horford All NBA 1st team. Smith and Harris all star team. I am more hyped than the last 15 years to watch Hawks Basketball.

[Supporter]

kinda interested to see who becomes an all star/superstar without Joe's presence

[Jdawgflow]

I believe we will be a lot better than many people think. If all goes well, I believe we will be more than the sum of our parts. And who knows, maybe we will see some of our players truly realize their potential now that we no longer have our "superstar" (dont get me wrong, I think Joe is good, but we just didn't have the right chemistry)

[High5]

I am more excited for the season this year than last year.

Me too. I may have been more optimistic about last year's postseason chances, but this season definitely has more intrigue. I still think we're a playoff team and, if that's the case, it's not like we can do worse than losing in the first round.

[Diesel]

It can only be a good thing if we have all this cap space and a high lottery pick..

[Dragitoff]

Actually, if what I was told earlier today is correct, it would be better for this team to not have a lotto pick because of the cap hold. The only benefit a lotto pick would be for us would be a trading piece. This is assuming we have to take back Jason Richardson and cannot move him. If we took back JRich and convinced Dwight, Paul, and Smoove to all sign here, they'd have to take less than max deals, but not by much for Dwight and Paul. Paul $18 million perDwight $18 million perSmith $13 million perRichardson $6.2 millionJenkins $1.5 million (I'm not sure what the actual number is)That's $56.7 million for 5 players. That would leave us just enough room for cap holds for rookie min. players to reach the min. before hitting the cap $470k each for 7 players. If we have a lottery pick, the cap hold would be anywhere between $1.5-$3 million thus making it impossible for us to sign Chris Paul as a free agent (assuming we traded for Dwight). I'm definitely not a cap expert, but that's the way I understand it. Having said that, I'm rooting for us to get Dwight Howard and do the best we can this season in an attempt to convince him to re-sign. Go deep in the playoffs and then get Chris Paul in here to build our dynasty. Even if we don't get Howard in here, I'll still root for the Hawks like I did in the Nique days, the Deke days, and even in the 13 win season days. They are my team as frustrating as they may be some time.One poster commented on how the offense will play. Personally, I wonder if Drew's offense will actually be used now since ISO Joe is out of the equation. Seems like we'll have to use more movement to get open looks for guys.

[Buzzard]

50 wins plus. Horford All NBA 1st team. Smith and Harris all star team. I am more hyped than the last 15 years to watch Hawks Basketball.

I am not as hyped as you, but offensively Harris, Smoove, Horf is not any worse than JJ, Smoove, Horf. We can be just as good this upcoming season as any in our past, if we shore up the rebounding and D. Ferry needs to stay busy, other wise we are going to get our asses handed to us on a nightly basis. These younger teams are getting better not worse, we need to do the same or its lottery time next season.