Should Horford Retire a Hawk?

[Diesel]

After the cleveland series it was a given that we needed wing players who are more talented offensively regardless if AL is moved to the PF or not

I

 

I don't see our wing players as a problem at all.  When healthy, DMC, Korver, Sef, and Baze are a very capable bunch.  IF we add Hunter to that in the draft.. or even if we consider ________ as a third stringer, we're still looking good.

[bumpyphish1]

Bottom line.

 

IS Horf a Hawks Lifer?

 

UNEQUIVOCALLY, YES.

[bumpyphish1]

...and we should approach this offseason knowing that we will need to give Horford whatever it takes next offseason.  I think as someone who will have earned upwards of $50M from us,  it wouldn't be unreasonable for us to hope he'd take $16M per for the good of the org.  Or course with the increase in the cap, things could get skewed and that "reasonable" number could be more like $18-$19M, I donno.

 

But yes, he is our franchise player.  Along with Dennis, Horford is our most valuable asset.

[Johnnybravo4]

He retires 4th best Hawk of all time behind Petit. Nique and Pistol

[thescout5]

Horf also got outrebounded badly vs TT//mozgov.Hawks need to do something and don't say Antić will be the answer. I' m so tired of Antić's play get somebody legitimate in here.

[macdaddy]

I don't see our wing players as a problem at all.  When healthy, DMC, Korver, Sef, and Baze are a very capable bunch.  IF we add Hunter to that in the draft.. or even if we consider ________ as a third stringer, we're still looking good.

 

I like all those guys but capable doesn't win championships.   Sure defense and rebounding is important but if you can't score then it means squat.   And scoring is difficult in the playoffs.  Mozgov would be nice for us but he's looking great because he's getting fed by a guy who's drawing attention from the entire defense.   

[AHF]

He retires 4th best Hawk of all time behind Petit. Nique and Pistol

 

Agree with the sentiment, but think Pistol is way overrated.  Entertaining and talented for sure but like a less successful Allen Iverson for his career.  He never played on a team that achieved anything since he was in high school.  His college teams were barely over .500 (like 49-35 or so) and never made the NCAA tournament.  In the NBA he only played a full season on one winning team in 9 years in the NBA (a 10th and final year was split on a dismal squad and a stellar Boston squad where he came off the bench).  That isn't a coincidence.  If a guy like Pistol is your best player, you are not going to do much because he hogs the ball and isn't efficient with it and he plays no defense.  At least Horford has been in the playoffs every year of his career because he is a winner that is very easy to build a successful team around on both sides of the court.

[Diesel]

I like all those guys but capable doesn't win championships.   Sure defense and rebounding is important but if you can't score then it means squat.   And scoring is difficult in the playoffs.  Mozgov would be nice for us but he's looking great because he's getting fed by a guy who's drawing attention from the entire defense.   

 

Maybe I didn't use strong enough language.  With those 4 wings, we had a historic winning streak.  I think they are well capable of being championship quality.

[macdaddy]

Maybe I didn't use strong enough language.  With those 4 wings, we had a historic winning streak.  I think they are well capable of being championship quality.

 

I want to believe that but the only similar example i can come up with is of course the Pistons, but Billups, Rip and Prince were pretty damn good despite not being traditional superstars.    I want to believe that what we saw in January will translate to championship basketball as is but on our first try it wasn't a successful attempt.   I'm willing to give it another go though because we had some real injury issues and Bud I think is still learning.    

 

If we bring basically the same team back I think we need to bolster the bench with some capable, experienced vets.   

[TheNorthCydeRises]

WLOC2: The Ghost of Sund

[BigDog90]

As we all know, decisions are being made this offseason concerning DMC and Sap.  You may feel one way or another, but here's the bottom line when it comes to this team.

 

Horf.

 

Should Horf retire as an Atlanta Hawk.  His contract comes around next year and it will probably be his last productive contract.  The question is should he be a Hawk for life?  Believe it or not, as I see it, that will dictate how we move this offseason.

 

My thinking Sap can work with any true Big.   Like Gasol/Sap would be a good matchup.  Lopez Sap would be good also.

Horf would need a PF who can go inside and get Boards (if we don't have sap).  That's why we talk about LA and Monroe so much.  Horf is a standstill face up midrange shooter on offense.  To be effective, he needs a formidable player in the post or a guy who can play far out and even be a three point threat (like Sap was).

It would make no sense to Duplicate Al by bringing in another midrange shooter who doesn't do the dirty work in the lowpost.  Moreover, it makes no sense pushing Al to the 4 because he loses all of his speed advantages and he doesn't have a true goto move.

 

Now, let's take the White Elephant and point him out.

 

Horf is undersized against a few of the bigs we encounter.  I was watching last night's game and how Mozgov was Dunking on the Warriors but how Bogut was trying to hold his own against the attack (and didn't do that well but wasn't bad). If Horf has to matchup with Mozgov (who seems to be getting better) I don't see him winning the matchup.  Nor do I see him handling Lopez either.  So do we lock up Horf for the next 6 years and call him a career Hawk or do we look for somebody who can handle these bigs.  Many people point to the coming of Walter and say that is the answer.  I don't know. Maybe in 3 years, but our window is not that large.

 

Bottom line.

 

IS Horf a Hawks Lifer?

It depends on how well Tavares develops. This could be a situation like the Nuggets had this season when they had Mozgov and drafted Nurkic. Nuggets dealt the older starter and let the rookie develop.