Bazemore = Best Hawks Player.

[Diesel]

Bazemore is the best.

 

The question is how far can we go with Baze in the lead and no Dennis to hold everybody back??

 

[hazer]

We can go to around 5th-10th in the lottery with Gaze at the helm.

[TheNorthCydeRises]

We can go to the very top of the lottery with Baze as the best player.  If he's our best player, there's literally no team in the league with a worst best player.

[KB21]

2 minutes ago, TheNorthCydeRises said:

We can go to the very top of the lottery with Baze as the best player.  If he's our best player, there's literally no team in the league with a worst best player.

Perspective.  With the trio of Baze, Collins, and Prince as the best three on the team, Atlanta is very clearly a bottom 3 team in the NBA.  Take one of those away, and I don't think there is any question that this is the worst team in the NBA.

[JayBirdHawk]

Bazemore IS NOT the Hawks best player!

[Spud2nique]

2 minutes ago, JayBirdHawk said:

Bazemore IS NOT the Hawks best player!

Agreed!

Prince

Collins

 

[Gray Mule]

"Oh, what a tangled web we weave!"

We haven't even tipped off the first time in the pre season and already we can't agree on how great or how bad our beloved Hawks team is to be.

Some of us believe and hope that this Hawk team will be a very good team.  No one of us believes that this team will be great.  We're not that bad in our judgement.  There are others who believe that this Hawk team is as sorry as it can get right now and that the powers that be will strip down our roster still further.

Strangely enough, almost all the sports writers agree that we are bad.  Really bad.  To me, it's so sad that we apparently have nothing left to believe in.  We have tanked.  We got not one but three 1st round draft picks.  Those non believers know that all three will not be very good this season.  Hawks probably have three more draft picks coming next summer.  Those in the know have told us that these will not help at all.  After next season and the draft, they expect the Hawks to flush the pot and begin again.

Remember, believing does not make it so.  Neither the good or the bad.  The bad says that this team is destined for 15 wins and may climb way up and somehow get to 20 for the entire season.  The good says that this Hawk team may be capable of winning half their games which would be 41. 

[Diesel]

On 9/1/2018 at 10:30 AM, JayBirdHawk said:

Bazemore IS NOT the Hawks best player!

Quote

 

Lastly, the best player on the Atlanta Hawks right now is easily Kent Bazemore. While many might sardonically snipe at his admittedly massive contract, Bazemore has improved dramatically throughout much of his Hawks career – culminating in his excellent campaign last season, when he truly grew into a defensive terror and offensive initiator who was able to score efficiently and with ease at all three levels on the court.

Bazemore provided multiple clutch performances last season – besting the Pelicans with a game-winner, blocking former teammate Jeff Teague on what would’ve been a game-winning layup and stealing two straight passes against the Magic to seal a late victory.

Effective on both offense and defense, Baze was among the leaders in total steals, steals per game and steal rate before his season was ended prematurely by a bone bruise in his right knee.

Baze did it all last year, but some still managed to jeer his efforts. Real fans, however, realize that he is clearly the best player on the Atlanta Hawks and will be for however long he remains on the team next year.

Even if Taurean Prince makes a leap, Baze is too consistent and too good of a shooter and facilitator to relinquish his crown on the Hawks’ roster.  The only way he would not be the best player on the Atlanta Hawks is if he was traded to another team, which is definitely a distinct possibility.

 

 

[TheNorthCydeRises]

Kent Bazemore last season

12.3 ppg - 3.8 rebs - 3.5 asst - 1.5 stls - 2.4 TOs

42% FG - 39% 3FG - 80% FG

ADVANCED STATS

• 14.5 PER
• 55% TS%
• .059 WS/48
• 0.4 ( Box +/- ) 
• 1.1 ( VORP )
• 101 Offensive Rtg ( basketball-reference )
• 108 Defensive Rtg ( basketball-reference )

If this is our best player, Lord help us.  Because if he tries to play like he's our best player, these numbers will go further down.

 

 

[Diesel]

8 hours ago, TheNorthCydeRises said:

Kent Bazemore last season

12.3 ppg - 3.8 rebs - 3.5 asst - 1.5 stls - 2.4 TOs

42% FG - 39% 3FG - 80% FG

ADVANCED STATS

• 14.5 PER
• 55% TS%
• .059 WS/48
• 0.4 ( Box +/- ) 
• 1.1 ( VORP )
• 101 Offensive Rtg ( basketball-reference )
• 108 Defensive Rtg ( basketball-reference )

If this is our best player, Lord help us.  Because if he tries to play like he's our best player, these numbers will go further down.

 

 

I expect that you can expect a bounce in scoring and maybe even assists.    Without Dennis here to ballhog, you will see him doing a lot more scoring and passing. 

[Gray Mule]

The biggest little word in the English language, "IF!"

If Jeremy Lin is reasonably healthy and able to play and if Trae Young has a decent season for a young rookie, Then I believe this season's Hawk team will be better at the point guard position than last year's team.

Now, if the above is true, other Hawk players will show improvement.  If Kevin Huerter and Omari Spellman are good enough to push the starters, this will be an improvement.  Dedmon, Len and Spellman have the center position covered.

Our secret weapon that has been forgotten, will play very few minutes but will be a great tool for maturing our youth.  Our own veteran leader, Vince Carter.

If none of this works, we are doomed, as many believe.  However, some, if not all, will be who we, as Hawks, are this upcoming season.

IF  -- IF -- IF

[bleachkit]

Schlenk has been trying unload him for sometime now. Terrible signing by Bud. Giving average players top dollar or near top dollar is a sure way to end up on the treadmill.

[TheNorthCydeRises]

3 hours ago, Diesel said:

I expect that you can expect a bounce in scoring and maybe even assists.    Without Dennis here to ballhog, you will see him doing a lot more scoring and passing. 

You'll also can expect a bounce in turnovers, if he's trying be a poor man's Joe Johnson.   He and Dennis had the same turnover rate last season.  Give him more responsibility, that turnover rate goes up.

On a team like this, I have no problem if he's the 3rd option in the offense, so that he can try to be effective in a complimentary role.

[Diesel]

9 hours ago, bleachkit said:

Schlenk has been trying unload him for sometime now. Terrible signing by Bud. Giving average players top dollar or near top dollar is a sure way to end up on the treadmill.

I suspect that before it's all over, he will be one of the most sought after 3 and D guys in the league. 

[hazer]

19 minutes ago, Diesel said:

I suspect that before it's all over, he will be one of the most sought after 3 and D guys in the league. 

Cool. If that’s the case then we get a decent player and 1st round pick outta Gaze. Expected haul for “one of the most sought after 3 and D guys in the league”, or naw?

[JayBirdHawk]

On 9/2/2018 at 6:49 PM, Diesel said:

 

Still doesn't make it so.

[bleachkit]

5 hours ago, hazer said:

Cool. If that’s the case then we get a decent player and 1st round pick outta Gaze. Expected haul for “one of the most sought after 3 and D guys in the league”, or naw?

We'll be lucky to get bad of chips for him. Teams are in no rush to take on his salary. He's an average player. 

[hazer]

7 hours ago, bleachkit said:

We'll be lucky to get bad of chips for him. Teams are in no rush to take on his salary. He's an average player. 

I know ?

[JayBirdHawk]

22 hours ago, TheNorthCydeRises said:

You'll also can expect a bounce in turnovers, if he's trying be a poor man's Joe Johnson.   He and Dennis had the same turnover rate last season.  Give him more responsibility, that turnover rate goes up.

On a team like this, I have no problem if he's the 3rd option in the offense, so that he can try to be effective in a complimentary role.

Exactly, we all saw what happened when Baze was thrust into a role he should have never been in, trying to live up to contract in his first year...

[PSSSHHHRRR87]

Baze is our best player yet some say we have a deep team... HA!