The Crystal Ball "What If" thread.

[thecampster]

I'm up very early this morning preparing for another certification exam, reading the news and looking at the standings.  Man the East is bad. Like dog farts after getting into last night's Chinese food bad.  Brooklyn is currently 8th and Orlando 7th. The teams are 7 and 5 games under 500 respectively. Regardless of all the injuries, the 25 game Collins suspension and playing 1/2 a season with only 1 point guard, we are only 8 games behind Brooklyn for the last playoff spot and 9 behind Orlando. We have 35 games to go for the season.

Assuming both continue to win at their same clip. This would leave Brooklyn with about 35 wins and Orlando with 38.  The Hawks have 13 wins right now but are on the verge of trades that could bring them 2 very good players. John is healthy and the rooks are starting to play well. We have 13 wins.  What would you say if it all fell into place and the team finished their final 35 games 23-12 and edged out Brooklyn for the final spot.

 

Crazy, I know but try to stay on topic. What would you say?

[NBASupes]

In the grand scheme, 8 games is not that far if you get hot. Even for the best teams much less the bottom of the east. 

So yes, the playoffs are still feasible but still unlikely

[turnermx]

I would love for the Hawks to make the playoffs but considering what they have gone through as you stated well, if they exceed last season's win total that would be a major accomplishment, just getting to 30 wins and missing the playoffs.

[enrique]

Personally, I'd love it! Realistically I think it is more likely that New Orleans will make it in the West than we will string together a ton of wins in the East while those above us stay pat. It is possible though. We'd have to have a radical transformation on D, RB, 3pt%,...mental toughness. 

On a side note...It was certainly good last night to see players scrapping for the ball and playing with more feistiness (Here's looking at you, Red Velvet! )

[Thomas]

13 minutes ago, enrique said:

I think it is more likely that New Orleans will make it in the West than we will string together a ton of wins in the East

Believe that Ball, Holiday, Ingram, Zion and Favors will indeed make that happen with the big question mark of good health. That is a playoff starting lineup to me the way they are playing right now. A bit of catching up required.

[AHF]

I think we would badly regret it if the two players we acquire to catalyze this run are gone in two years and we missed out on a top pick we could have kept or used in a trade for a better long term piece.  I like the idea of adding Adams but don’t know that either he or Gallo would be here to stay.  

[macdaddy]

3 minutes ago, AHF said:

I think we would badly regret it if the two players we acquire to catalyze this run are gone in two years and we missed out on a top pick we could have kept or used in a trade for a better long term piece.  I like the idea of adding Adams but don’t know that either he or Gallo would be here to stay.  

Big picture, this is how i feel.   I also feel like it's really really unlikely we go 23-12.   We got blown out by Detroit with basically a full squad so inconsistency is likely to continue.  

But I'd be happy for wins and if we can go 23-12 then maybe that means we have turned a corner.  I'm not going to be mad if it happens.

[REHawksFan]

5 minutes ago, AHF said:

I think we would badly regret it if the two players we acquire to catalyze this run are gone in two years and we missed out on a top pick we could have kept or used in a trade for a better long term piece.  I like the idea of adding Adams but don’t know that either he or Gallo would be here to stay.  

Can you imagine knocking the Nets out of the playoff so then their pick doesn't convey AND the Hawks are out of the lottery? Bitter spill to swallow, but just think how much fun it would be for the next 35 games plus the four in the playoffs. 

I'm with you on trading for two that end up walking. BUT.....I'm not certain that anyone here for the next 1 year plus 35 games would necessarily want to leave beyond that. Trae seems like he attracts players and the young nucleus *should* be a plus for attracting or retaining high quality free agents, imo.

Also.....as to the larger question of the thread.......I'd just like to string more than 2 wins together before I get too carried away with going 23-12.  

Edited January 27, 2020 by REHawksFan

[macdaddy]

1 minute ago, REHawksFan said:

for the next 35 games plus the four in the playoffs. 

LOL.  That's some big Hawks optimism there!

[JayBirdHawk]

I can't wrap my head around this one.

I want the team to show improvement for the rest of the season but not at the expense of the years to come. Seems shortsighted.

[JayBirdHawk]

5 minutes ago, REHawksFan said:

Also.....as to the larger question of the thread.......I'd just like to string more than 2 wins together before I get too carried away with going 23-12.  

^This... we play the Raptors, Sixers, Mavs and Celtics next...can we go 2-2?

[REHawksFan]

1 minute ago, JayBirdHawk said:

I can't wrap my head around this one.

I want the team to show improvement for the rest of the season but not at the expense of the years to come. Seems shortsighted.

Honestly, I would be more in favor of the outcome IF it was a product of the young core getting better to end out the season. I just want to see the team grow and get better. I'll let the chips fall where they may at that point. I don't see any need to artificially inflate the win total by adding players that won't be here long term. BUT if the growth and success this year comes from the young guys and / or players that the organization plans to keep long term, then I'm fine with it. 

[AHF]

7 minutes ago, macdaddy said:

But I'd be happy for wins and if we can go 23-12 then maybe that means we have turned a corner.  I'm not going to be mad if it happens.

I’m good with a playoff run spurred by the development and success of our core players.  If we simply make a hot run keyed off a few veterans on .5-1.5 year contacts doing their best Bobby Sura impressions then I question whether there is anything sustainable there.  
 

Both Gallo and Adams are staring at what could well be their final big contracts in the NBA.  I doubt either will sacrifice to remain part of this team.  If I am assessing their value, it is on a short term horizon with an upside for more that is not something aim banking on.

2 minutes ago, REHawksFan said:

Honestly, I would be more in favor of the outcome IF it was a product of the young core getting better to end out the season. I just want to see the team grow and get better. I'll let the chips fall where they may at that point. I don't see any need to artificially inflate the win total by adding players that won't be here long term. BUT if the growth and success this year comes from the young guys and / or players that the organization plans to keep long term, then I'm fine with it. 

Was typing a version of this when you posted.  100% agree.

[Gray Mule]

WHAT IF?  OK.  What if the Hawks trade Parsons and a pick for Adams?  His contract is for the remainder of this season + all the next season.  If he doesn't work out, what did we lose?  One first round pick, that's what.  Do you believe that Adams for 1.5 seasons is worth gambling one 1st round pick?

If Adams proves to be great, he can and will demand a big $$$ payroll, either from us or the NBA.  If he's that great do we keep him or let him walk?  What if he's just not that great?

Does trading for him now and giving up one 1st round pick this summer cripple the Hawks, preventing them from drafting that elite, super future NBA star?  That sounds so bad.  So, the question is, do we gamble now or later?  Is a bird in the hand (Adams) worth more than a bird in the bush (Draft pick) that we know nothing about?

We all know.  Hawks need a center.  Adams is a center.  He's apparently available.  Should we?

 

[Atlantaholic]

We aren't making the playoffs. Best case scenario we finish this last stretch of games playing .500 type of ball. 

[txsting]

We have to stay in the bottom 4, period.  Whatever it takes.  Next year we are going to be better, guaranteed, very possibly a playoff team.  We have to keep these highly valuable assets, either for our own use or potentially in a big trade package down the road.

We absolutely cannot pass Brooklyn or allow them to miss the playoffs.  We should try to crush the Bulls, Wizards, Pistons, and Hornets, and "competitively" lose to everyone else, especially to Brooklyn.

[thecampster]

3 hours ago, JayBirdHawk said:

I can't wrap my head around this one.

I want the team to show improvement for the rest of the season but not at the expense of the years to come. Seems shortsighted.

and there's the rub and the purpose of the thread.

[macdaddy]

4 minutes ago, thecampster said:

and there's the rub and the purpose of the thread.

I just think there is no way that we make the playoffs so I wouldn't even worry about it as far as adding talent.  Knock Travis' team building all you want but it's hard to believe that we aren't right where he wanted us anyway.   Sure he thought we'd have 4 more wins but this is right where they predicted for the most part.  In a way this is better because we can still achieve the goal of of 34 wins and finish the season playing good ball AND still be in the lottery.  

[txsting]

Still though, if you get Adams for the OKC 1st, do it.  We can still do a subtle tank to maintain position, I'm not worried about that.

In my way of thinking, to win with Trae you need to think about Iverson's best team in 2000-2001, the team that made the Finals run.  It was Iverson doing the heavy lifting scoring the ball, and the entire team defending like crazy, especially Ratliff, Mutombo, and George Lynch.  

We need great defense at all 4 positions that aren't Trae, and we need Trae to get better at D.  Adams is a step in the right direction.  Between Cam and Hunter chances are decent that at least one will develop into a puzzle piece.  At some point we will have to ask ourselves some hard questions about Collins and Huerter.  But not today.

[REHawksFan]

1 hour ago, txsting said:

We have to stay in the bottom 4, period.  Whatever it takes.  Next year we are going to be better, guaranteed, very possibly a playoff team.  We have to keep these highly valuable assets, either for our own use or potentially in a big trade package down the road.

We absolutely cannot pass Brooklyn or allow them to miss the playoffs.  We should try to crush the Bulls, Wizards, Pistons, and Hornets, and "competitively" lose to everyone else, especially to Brooklyn.

Cannot sign off on this way of thinking at all. Competitive losing? No thanks. I've seen enough losing and I don't want our young guys getting used to it or it becoming a habit for them. Play hard, try to win every game, and let the chips fall where they may. 

Also, I disagree wholeheartedly that there's any reason to try to protect the lottery picks. By all accounts, this will be an historically bad top of the draft with more "value" toward the middle. So I can't agree with losing intentionally to try to get a Top 4 pick. No one worth that to me.