Schlenk on 680 The Fan This Morning (Friday 6/9)

[lethalweapon3]

Should be around 8:30 AM with the morning show crew (Nick Cellini, Chris Dimino).

680 The Fan is simulcast locally on 93.7 FM (oh, all those years when the sports stations' AM signals would fade out by dusk, especially outside 285. Don't miss that at all). They've got a Listen Live link here: http://player.tritondigital.com/15081

Also, while listening to 92.9 earlier this morning, with the renovations ongoing at Philips Arena, it sounds like this year's Hawks Draft Party will be up the street at the College Football Hall of Fame.

~lw3

[lethalweapon3]

My speed-typing sucks so assume it's all paraphrasing rather than direct quotes.

Cellini: Can you make fans feel better about the 7-year comment?

Schlenk: Was just being honest (about the time it took at GSW), hopefully we’ll make things happen sooner than that. Sometimes it takes a few breaks, when the right time comes, hopefully we’ll be ready.

Cellini: At GSW you made the most of every opportunity you had.

Schlenk: Draft is not an exact science… you can be there for years making mistakes that don’t work out. You can get good players all over, you just have to find them.

Dimino: Hard/realistic to build positions 1-thru-5 anymore?

Schlenk: Everyone wants to pigeonhole guys into positions. We want guys with length, skill, (Bud loves) shooting, ballhandling, BBall IQ. If you don’t have BBIQ it will be hard to move forward.

Cellini: (Hubbub over) Dwight’s 3s? Did you direct him to work on that.

Schlenk: Just heard about it myself this week. If he can do it great, but at least he’s working!

Dimino: Call his agent and tell him, “Heck, no!” (or something like that).

Schlenk: We haven’t had any convos about telling him to shoot 3s. [note: unclear whether "We" includes Bud]

Dimino: Sap’s free agency status

Schlenk: We’re gonna focus in on that. We value everything Paul brings to the table, what we wanna build here, he embodies all of that. We gotta ID what our tolerance is, our threshold for re-signing him.

Cellini: Finding good draft fits

Schlenk: Guys we had who were undrafted (Baze), you can get guys anywhere (Delaney). You just have to know what you’re looking for, the kind of guys who can fit into your system.

Dimino: Treadmill perspective (being stuck in the middle of the pack): is it a real thing?

Schlenk: I’ve used that term before, you can be “stuck in the middle” for sure, the way you get out of that is to maximize flexibility. For every player, as long as their value around the league is seen, you can maintain flexibility.

Dimino: Star who can call other stars. We haven’t had one.

Schlenk: Certainly we’re looking for That Guy. KD didn’t come (to GSW) because of some great sales pitch we made in The Hamptons. We need to get a core group of guys, and let others see the fun they’re having and the looseness they’re playing with and want to be a part of it.

(Christopher) Rude: What will it take to get to GSW’s and CLE’s level.

Schlenk: We can freely acknowledge we’re not on GSW level right now. This is cyclical, your goal is to get to the top and find ways to stay here. CLE, as long as LeBron can stay where they’re at, they’ll be in contention… when these guys start to come down hopefully we’ll be prepared to move up.

Dimino: Would you have stayed in GSW if you weren’t convinced with ATL’s group?

Schlenk: Praised comfort level with ATL ownership, their passion for the community. If you have owners that are invested emotionally and physically… these owners have the passion to make the Hawks a top team in the league.

Schlenk: (Free agents/Roster movement) It’s all about how the league perceives that player.

~lw3

[macdaddy]

I didn't hear it but sounds like Sap is gone to me unless he's going to take a 3 year or discounted deal.  

Definitely sounds like rebuilding.  'takes time' 'be ready' 'wait for cavs and gs to decline'

 

[NBASupes]

Just now, macdaddy said:

I didn't hear it but sounds like Sap is gone to me unless he's going to take a 3 year or discounted deal.  

Definitely sounds like rebuilding.  'takes time' 'be ready' 'wait for cavs and gs to decline'

 

I heard Zion Williamson, Bol Bol, Ayton, Porter Jr., Bagley III

[TheNorthCydeRises]

If the Hawks do go into rebuilding mode, the fan base needs to lay off of Dennis during this period.  If he turns into a top 10 PG, but has no help, the patience level with him needs to be high.

Hopefully the S-Man will choose wisely in the draft, and pass on those "potential" guys and take guys that can help us from day 1.

[AHF]

4 minutes ago, TheNorthCydeRises said:

If the Hawks do go into rebuilding mode, the fan base needs to lay off of Dennis during this period.  If he turns into a top 10 PG, but has no help, the patience level with him needs to be high.

Hopefully the S-Man will choose wisely in the draft, and pass on those "potential" guys and take guys that can help us from day 1.

I don't mind a guy being worthless on day 1 like Dennis was if he has more development ahead of him.  I'll happily pass on an NBA ready Michael Carter-Williams, Greg Monroe, Brandon Jennings, Eric Gordon, etc. for a Dennis Schröder, Dirk Nowitzki, Michael Redd, Jimmy Butler, Giannis, etc. type who can't produce nearly as much from day 1 and takes a few years to develop into a real contributor but becomes a star.

[KB21]

24 minutes ago, TheNorthCydeRises said:

If the Hawks do go into rebuilding mode, the fan base needs to lay off of Dennis during this period.  If he turns into a top 10 PG, but has no help, the patience level with him needs to be high.

Hopefully the S-Man will choose wisely in the draft, and pass on those "potential" guys and take guys that can help us from day 1.

Not many rookies can come in and make immediate impacts where they actually help you win games.

At least Travis knows that if he decides to rebuild, it could be a very long process.  I hope those of you supporting this idea are prepared to spend the next 6-7 years in the lottery.  It's probably going to cost the team Bud and maybe even Schlenk at some point.  

[sturt]

Based on the summary (didn't listen), sounds like just more GM speak... yada, yada, yada... which I don't hold against Schlenk, because really you can't say anything of any significance. It's a poker game and you just can't allow anyone to see your cards, even the customers/fans in your corner. Right now, one man's "they're rebuilding" is another man's "dang, he's leaving the door open to get Sap back?!?" It's a mish mash, and it shouldn't be any other way two weeks since he came on-board, and two weeks out from draft night.

For somewhat obvious reasons, what I'm anxious to see and hear at this point is not so much about whether they draft a particular player that I like (because God knows, this is the ultimate BPA draft where we're concerned, ie, there is no position where we don't have a self-evident need of some kind), or pick up a particular player in free agency... which are the traditional things we think about this time of year... and more about the degree to which it's evident that Bud is visible and considered part of the roster-building process.

That is, if it begins to appear or sound like he's kept at a distance, that's going to bother me in a big way, as I'd think it would every other person here who wants him to be here long-term. And the converse is true, of course.. the more we see evidence that he's still involved (though obviously not the final say), the more it gives me some comfort for the long term--that whatever the big picture plan is, Bud's satisfied that he's legitimately in that partnership relationship that Schlenk advocated in his presser, and it wasn't just empty hyperbole that is typical of new GM pressers.

[macdaddy]

1 hour ago, lethalweapon3 said:

We gotta ID what our tolerance is, our threshold for re-signing him.

To me this means no max.  Also, i hope it means a professional offer and negotiation.

[ISOJOE]

vor einer Stunde, NBASupes sagte:

I heard Zion Williamson, Bol Bol, Ayton, Porter Jr., Bagley III

Stop it ! As @Lurker said, "we need to slow TF down"

[sturt]

37 minutes ago, KB21 said:

 I hope those of you supporting this idea are prepared to spend the next 6-7 years in the lottery.  It's probably going to cost the team Bud and maybe even Schlenk at some point.  

I agree. At least, that's what most of us recognize that the history is. You want to be the coach that replaces the rebuild coach. It's just rare that there isn't some point in the timeline that ownership or the GM or both say "this coach took this roster as far as he could take it, and it was just time."

And yet, every situation is its own situation. History is only history, and while it is the best information on which to predict what will happen, it is also true that history also says there will be outliers. In other words, the fact that I'm a 40% FG shooter doesn't dictate what's going to happen on my next shot.

For that reason, I keep harping on this thing about expectations.

If Bud remains one of the clear axles driving the car, and has his fingerprints on how the roster is built, I think he will be inclined to stick around

If not, I think it's just natural to think, he'll just be biding his time until Pop retires or until another attractive coaching position opens up.

So, if Schlenk meets his expectations in terms of truly doing this partnership thing for real, and not just lip service, I like our chances

Then, from where Schlenk and ownership are concerned, once again if that partnership thing is real, then it's a matter of Bud always meeting preseason expectations...

If full rebuild mode happens, then it will be fairly easy relatively speaking to meet expectations that first or second year into it simply because expectations will be so low... where it gets harder is thereafter where every year expectations are ratcheted up.

If it's not full rebuild, then every off-season presents a new question of where preseason expectations will end up, based on what new talent has been acquired (or old talent, lost).

So.... in a sense.... if one agrees with all of that in the main.... then, Bud's job security is actually a little better with a full re-build because at least he's practically guaranteed a couple of years, and the heat doesn't turn up until later... if one doesn't occur, then the heat pretty much begins right now with the 2017-18 team's success or lack thereof.

Where am I wrong?

[macdaddy]

Just now, ISOJOE said:

Stop it ! As @Lurker said, "we need to slow TF down"

Who's TF?

[ISOJOE]

Just now, macdaddy sagte:

Who's TF?

I guess he used an abbreviation.

[Lurker]

Bud is too good of a coach to actually bottom out but without Millsap, the team is bad on its own. Not bottom out bad, but 25-30 win bad unless you make a significant move, like getting Gordon Hayward (lol).

[macdaddy]

Probably Tim Frazier of the Pelicans.  Dude's quick.   

[sturt]

@TheFuzz... I think your name's been called.

[sturt]

17 minutes ago, macdaddy said:

To me this means no max.  Also, i hope it means a professional offer and negotiation.

That's not really a revelation to my mind, but a given... it's very much a sequel to last year's Horford adventure, imo, where they're willing to go more money than others will go, but "tolerance" having more to do with how many years. Just imo.

[Guest]

2 hours ago, lethalweapon3 said:

Cellini: Can you make fans feel better about the 7-year comment?

Schlenk: Was just being honest (about the time it took at GSW), hopefully we’ll make things happen sooner than that. Sometimes it takes a few breaks, when the right time comes, hopefully we’ll be ready.

I actually think that 7 years is accurate when you build from scratch. I compare the stage that we are currently in, to the 2012 Warriors if you want a direct timeline comparison.

 

Hear me out, they got their starting point in Curry in the 2009 draft, we got Dennis in 2013. They got their second piece of the puzzle in Klay 2 years after in 2011, we got our 2nd piece to the puzzle 3 years after Dennis in Prince in 2016. 

 

The Warriors next HUGE piece was the following year after Klay, 2012, when they got Draymond, to me, that's where I think Schlenk picks it up.

 

pg- Curry 2009

sg- Klay 2011

pf- Draymond 2012

 

pg- Dennis 2013

sf- Taurean Prince 2016

pf- 2017?

sg- 2017?

c- 2017?

 

We are in the summer of 2012 if you did a straight parallel comparison to where the Warriors franchise were and our today.

 

We have 2 solid foundational pieces in Dennis and Prince. I think this is the draft where we get our Draymond, that 3rd piece in this funky sausage Schlenk martini concoction...:-|

 

ps Coincidentally I think get a pf in this draft, where at 19,31 or 60.

 

Expect a 4-5 year retool 

 

vs

 

A 7 year Sixer style tank. That simply doesn't happen with great coaches like Bud. If you give Bud, me, @kg01, @lethalweapon3, @AHF And @JayBirdHawk, we'd prolly still win 30 games lol.

 

Look for us to be a championship threat starting in 2021 in my honest opinion...possibly 2022. But I'm hoping once we are there, our window is open for at least 3-5 years. 

[AHF]

I don't see Schlenk's language supporting a "tear everything down and tank" type of rebuild.  Flexibility is the term for hovering closer to the middle while accruing young players and draft assets ala the Rockets.

[Guest]

2 minutes ago, AHF said:

I don't see Schlenk's language supporting a "tear everything down and tank" type of rebuild.  Flexibility is the term for hovering closer to the middle while accruing young players and draft assets ala the Rockets.

Exactly what I see and hear as well. We aren't a Philly complete tank team. We are more of a Rockets opportunistic pounce on a trade or free agent after saving up team.

 

I can see Schlenk turning mad cheap and saving a lot of money to become flexible. God I wish we did this last year so Schlenk would avoid Dwight and Baze. We panicked on those signings cuz of stupid ass Alice Horbag.