Rebuilding the Hawks article from Hoopsworld

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Rebuilding the Hawks

By Patrick J. Austin

for HOOPSWORLD.com

Jan 17, 2004, 08:26 Email this article

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It's turned into another disapointing season for the Atlanta Hawks. Inconsistency and a lack of effort have made this team a contender...for the No.1 pick in the draft. This team hasn't even won consecutive games this season. The trade deadline is just around the corner and many teams have shown interest in our Big 3(Jason Terry, Theo Ratliff, and Shareef Abdur-Rahim). I think we should blow the team up and start over. We need to bring in some youth so the few remaining Hawks fans can have hope for the future.

I will gladly take on the task of rebuilding this team. I have come up with three trades that would turn the Hawks back into a respectable franchise. Here they are...

-Trade No.1 is a simple swap between Atlanta and Seattle:

Hawks get: Vladimir Radmanovic, Brent Barry, Jerome James, Vitaly Potapenko, there 2004 1st round pick, and 3 million dollars in cash

Sonics get: Shareef Abdur-Rahim and Nazr Mohammed

Trading Shareef would be tough. He is putting up very good numbers and is a really nice guy. But the fact is, he will never be a great player, just a very good player. Acquiring Radmanovic and Seattle's 2004 1st gives this team some much needed youth. Vlad is a lanky combo forward with a good shooting touch. He reminds me of a young Toni Kukoc, without the handles. Brent Barry, Jerome James, and Vitaly Potapenko are all solid role players who have contracts that are expiring or will be expiring by 2005(when the Hawks plan to make a run at a big time free agent).

The Sonics jump all over this deal since they definately get back the best player and almost definately secure themselves a playoff berth. A trio of Ray Allen, Rasard Lewis, and Shareef Abdur-Rahim would be VERY tough to match up against.

-Trade No.2 is a 3 team deal between Atlanta, Cleveland, and Indiana:

Hawks get: Al Harrington, Jamaal Tinsley, Scott Pollard, and the Pacer's 2004 1st round pick

Cavaliers get: Theo Ratliff and Chris Crawford

Pacers get: Zrydunas Ilgauskas, Jacque Vaughn, and Stephen Jackson

The Hawks pick up more youth and potential in Al Harrington, Jamaal Tinsley, and the Pacers 1st. I think Al Harrington can become a star. He has shown flashes of brilliance this season and is just waiting to bust out. Jamaal Tinsley is that pass-first point guard we have been lacking for many years. Scott Pollard isn't the greatest big man, but he does some things well. He works hard and knows his role on a team.

The Cavs are built to run and Theo Ratliff fits perfectly into an up and down system. Furthermore, Paul Silas likes his big men to play good defense, and we all know Ratliff can do that. Chris Crawford is really just a filler added to make the numbers work.

The Pacers become legitimate NBA title contenders with this deal. A frontcourt of O'Neal, Ilgauskas, and Artest would be the best in the East(by far) and could definately match up against the top teams in the West.

-Trade No.3 is a deal between Atlanta and the L.A. Clippers:

Hawks get: Chris Wilcox, Keyon Dooling, and Olden Polynice(would be waived)

Clippers get: Jason Terry and Travis Hansen

The Hawks keep the youth movement going by adding Wilcox and Dooling. C-Wil has been playing well this season, but is stuck behind Elton Brand in L.A. I think if he got a chance to get consistent minutes, he could turn into one of the best big men in the league. Keyon Dooling has been a bust so far, but he still has potential. If he doesn't work out in Atlanta, then we could just let him walk and get the 3 mill in cap space.

The Clippers do this because they are very weak in the backcourt. Adding Terry would help. Many would argue that Terry isn't a true PG, and that is true. But I think if Terry is paired with a second ball handler like Marko Jaric, you would J.T.'s play improve dramatically.

2003/2004 Hawks Roster(to finish out the season):

PG-Jamaal Tinsley/Keyon Dooling/Dan Dickau

SG-Brent Barry/Dion Glover

SF-Al Harrington/Boris Diaw

PF-Chris Wilcox/Vladimir Radmanovic/Alan Henderson

C-Scott Pollard/Jerome James/Vitaly Potapenko(IR)

This team should play bad enough to get a top 3 pick in the draft.

POSSIBLE 2004/2005 Hawks Roster:

PG-Jamaal Tinsley/Dan Dickau

SG-Boris Diaw/Pacers Pick(Rickey Paulding or Marcus Moore)

SF-Al Harrington/Sonics Pick(Darius Rice or Victor Kryapa)

PF-Chris Wilcox/Vladimir Radmanovic/Alan Henderson

C-Hawks Pick(Emeka Okafur or Pavel Podkolzine)/Jerome James/Vitaly Potapenko

*Note: I would leave Scott Pollard off the protected list for the expansion draft and I believe he would be taken by the Bobcats.

-This new core of players is extremely young and talented. They have the potential to be VERY good. We will still have a boatload of cap space in 2005 since the highest paid player we will have on payroll is Al Harrington(7 million).

So those are my ideas to rebuild this team. All of those trades work under the cap. If you have any comments or suggestions, please e-mail me at doggyfizzle@rock.com or, if you AOL Instant Messenger, IM me at PatJAustin123.

[pja123]

So what do you think of my trade ideas? Out of the 3, I think the second one is probably to most lopsided towards the Hawks. It could be balanced out by Jamaal Tinsley going to Cleveland and the Cavs sending J.R. Bremer to the Hawks. Or maybe the Pacer's 1st could be sent to Cleveland.

Give me your thoughts.

[codyatl]

I like those deals [censored] i like anything to rid ourselves of our current roster. The only problem i see is at center. while i would love to have okafor as I have posted many times that I hope we can draft him, he will not be an nba center. at only 6 9 he will have to move to pf.

[pja123]

Yes, he would be an undersized center, but it doesn't mean he can't play the position. Look at Ben Wallace and Kurt Thomas. Those guys play the C spot and they are similar in size to Okafur.

I think Emeka has the potential to be another Zo Mourning. If he dedicates himself and adds more muscle, he could be even better than Zo.

[Weez]

Wallace rarely plays C now.

[macdaddy]

I thought it would be impossible to have a worse back court than we do now, but the Tinsley/Diaw combo really accomplishes that. I can see them just passing it back and forth until the shot clock expires.

The only thing I like is getting Radmanivic. The worst part of the deal is making the Pacers much better.