2023-24 Insider Information Thread

[AHF]

23 minutes ago, bird_dirt said:

This is exactly why I’ve been looking at any suggestions for trading Hunter with serious skepticism. 
We had no good depth last season, and are even worse this season with Bey out. 

I fully agree.  I expect us to keep Hunter or only trade him in a deal that brings back someone who can guard big wings.

2 minutes ago, txsting said:

If we want to pump up the size on the wing, why do we not play JJ there?  Does that expose him athletically too much or something?

As shallow as we were at SF, we were even more shallow last year at PF.  We had JJ and then....???????  You can't play JJ at SF when your next best PF is someone who plays smaller than JJ (Bey).  I do think JJ has potential to get some minutes at SF but am skeptical that he will be able to step in and defend wings effectively across a significant set of matchups.  He obviously also needs to improve his jumper if he will be spending more time on the perimeter.  I see JJ ideally as a mix of minutes at the 3 and 4.  But last year we did not have the depth to play him anywhere but PF.

[KB21]

4 minutes ago, txsting said:

If we want to pump up the size on the wing, why do we not play JJ there?  Does that expose him athletically too much or something?

He wouldn't get exposed athletically, but as Glenn has said on a couple of podcasts now, do you really want Jalen to be guarding on the perimeter, fighting through screens, and putting that kind of pounding on his knees the way Hunter has to this point?

[txsting]

2 minutes ago, KB21 said:

He wouldn't get exposed athletically, but as Glenn has said on a couple of podcasts now, do you really want Jalen to be guarding on the perimeter, fighting through screens, and putting that kind of pounding on his knees the way Hunter has to this point?

No I'd rather have Jimmy Butler to do it quite honestly.  

[KB21]

1 minute ago, txsting said:

No I'd rather have Jimmy Butler to do it quite honestly.  

There is maybe a 2% chance of that actually happening though.  Miami will trade him, but they are going to want a ransom for him.  

[benhillboy]

Landry on 92.9 now, noting notable of course.  He did confirm Sarr declined the workout, his agent gave an explanation, and danced around the question of “untouchable” players, leaning towards there aren’t any.

Edited Tuesday at 01:58 PM by benhillboy

[kg01]

14 minutes ago, txsting said:

No I'd rather have Jimmy Butler to do it quite honestly.  

I think most here don't acknowledge just how unavailable Butler generally is due to injury and attitude.  Sounds good on paper but, if we get him, better have a solid backup option.  And at the money he's seeking, that backup is gonna need to be a gleaguer. 

[txsting]

I think it's entirely too much talk about 'fit' on a team that is this unsettled.  Every draft has players who turn out to be excellent.  We need to identify that player (BPA strategy) and take him #1.  I personally think Sarr has the highest upside in this draft and fits the modern game best.  If you end up with fit problems but you take the best player, you can work with that.  As I've tried to argue, JJ shouldn't be considered untouchable.  Right now JJ could be traded for the value of what he MIGHT become, in addition to the value of being on his rookie deal.  In two years he can only be traded for what he has proven to be, for better or worse.

Some have argued JJ can't fit with Sarr.  Even if you're right, who cares?  The name of the game is to try to identify SUPERSTARS and acquire them for your team.  We have the opportunity to finally select #1 and that is the way I would play it.  We have really only two at-bats to do this with.  We have the #1 pick, so that is one swing.  And secondly, we have a solid array of tradeable talent that might be able to bring in an aging star like Butler or PG.  That's the second swing.  That's all we get for awhile until we decide to tear this down from the top (meaning Trae).

[REHawksFan]

2 hours ago, KB21 said:

Not trying to push for Risacher, but for those who feel like center is our biggest need, here you go:

This team is DESPERATE for a wing.  

I agree they are desperate for a wing, but I'm not confident ZR is the answer to that riddle.  I'd try to address that problem with the DJM trade.  Even if you keep DH but have him come off the bench and have a legit NBA starter at the 3, it's an upgrade.  ZR starting as a rookie doesn't look like an upgrade over some of these players to me.  

[sturt]

33 minutes ago, AHF said:

We had JJ and then....???????

Well, then, you had $25m-ish more in the bank... and that surely counted for something on the scoreboard, didn't it???

And just watch and see, that 2nd round pick is going to turn into the next Paul Millsap. Take that to the bank.

Too.

 

Curious... I don't live there... does APR get crucified on Atlanta talk radio anywhere close to what his piece of work deserves?

[BangHolman]

What worries me most about Sarr isn't what position he'll play (he's a 4), but that he doesn't want to slow play his development into a successful career as part of a winning team. I think he has all the potential of a JJ or Cam coming out, but which one is between the ears? His willingness to jack up shots as "the man" on a loser instead of contributing off the bench as he develops is giving me Cam vibes, not JJ.

[kg01]

9 minutes ago, benhillboy said:

Landry on 92.9 now, noting notable of course.  He did confirm Sarr declined the workout, his agent gave an explanation, and danced around the question of “untouchable” players, leaning towards there aren’t any.

Can we appoint somebody else to do media for Laundry?

You got it wrong, kg.  Laundry's been appointed to do media ... for me.  Mwahahaaa

[Afro]

18 minutes ago, KB21 said:

There is maybe a 2% chance of that actually happening though.  Miami will trade him, but they are going to want a ransom for him.  

Plus, Butler would still probably only be available half the time lol

[KB21]

3 minutes ago, REHawksFan said:

I agree they are desperate for a wing, but I'm not confident ZR is the answer to that riddle.  I'd try to address that problem with the DJM trade.  Even if you keep DH but have him come off the bench and have a legit NBA starter at the 3, it's an upgrade.  ZR starting as a rookie doesn't look like an upgrade over some of these players to me.  

Here's the problem with this.  Who is going to give up a young wing that can shoot three-point shots and play defense on the perimeter?

[txsting]

3 minutes ago, BangHolman said:

What worries me most about Sarr isn't what position he'll play (he's a 4), but that he doesn't want to slow play his development into a successful career as part of a winning team. I think he has all the potential of a JJ or Cam coming out, but which one is between the ears? His willingness to jack up shots as "the man" on a loser instead of contributing off the bench as he develops is giving me Cam vibes, not JJ.

Mental makeup is so much of the package.  I'm sure it gives the FO some concern that they haven't even been able to interview Sarr (i think that is true).  That would bother me, because I'd want to evaluate a man based on trying to determine his value system and what drives him.  You can't do that if you can't establish a relationship and a line of communication.

[Afro]

8 minutes ago, txsting said:

I think it's entirely too much talk about 'fit' on a team that is this unsettled.  Every draft has players who turn out to be excellent.  We need to identify that player (BPA strategy) and take him #1.  I personally think Sarr has the highest upside in this draft and fits the modern game best.  If you end up with fit problems but you take the best player, you can work with that.  As I've tried to argue, JJ shouldn't be considered untouchable.  Right now JJ could be traded for the value of what he MIGHT become, in addition to the value of being on his rookie deal.  In two years he can only be traded for what he has proven to be, for better or worse.

Some have argued JJ can't fit with Sarr.  Even if you're right, who cares?  The name of the game is to try to identify SUPERSTARS and acquire them for your team.  We have the opportunity to finally select #1 and that is the way I would play it.  We have really only two at-bats to do this with.  We have the #1 pick, so that is one swing.  And secondly, we have a solid array of tradeable talent that might be able to bring in an aging star like Butler or PG.  That's the second swing.  That's all we get for awhile until we decide to tear this down from the top (meaning Trae).

I'll add to this a little bit. With the new tax aprons and their penalties, there is also something to be said for having a team chocked full of assets and cap space even if it's not the greatest fit.

I'm not necessarily arguing that this should be the path, but I envision a lot of these expensive teams are gonna have to be sending out good/great players for cap reasons. 

Is just treading water with Trae/JJ/#1/assets from other deals a good place to be? Idk. It worked for the Celtics I guess. Granted, completely different situation lol. I just mean how they took all the guys other teams didnt want anymore ala Horf and Staps. 

 

PS: I could be completely wrong. I haven't paid thatttt close attention to the new CBA rules lol. 

Edited Tuesday at 02:16 PM by Afro

[txsting]

3 minutes ago, KB21 said:

Here's the problem with this.  Who is going to give up a young wing that can shoot three-point shots and play defense on the perimeter?

Probably nobody, but you could acquire one on the back side of his career who can provide that punch.  Much like we did once upon a time with Millsap.  That is - if you have everything else you need to take a swing at really competing.

[sturt]

Sure is more fun being an observer to all this... just taking it in like one would a movie, contemplating the human condition and specifically how people envision an applied form of social engineering.

 

This 2024 draft, from what I can tell without having done any real deep dive, would have the June 2023 version of me hitting new levels of frustration because there's no totally satisfactory answer just looking at the options in play. Repeating, I'm sure, what's been said a lot, this is a draft that a contender should be trading up into the top 5 to get their complementary piece that makes them serious contenders in the coming seasons... not a draft that appears to feature a candidate for becoming one of a middling-or-lesser team's key 3 during his rookie contract (... maybe later).

[RedDawg#8]

Risacher = Josh Childress for me

 

[txsting]

1 minute ago, sturt said:

Sure is more fun being an observer to all this... just taking it in like one would a movie, contemplating the human condition and specifically how people envision an applied form of social engineering.

 

This draft, from what I can tell without having done any real deep dive, would have me hitting new levels of frustration because there's no totally satisfactory answer just looking at the options in play. Repeating, I'm sure, what's been said a lot, this is a draft that a contender should be trading up into the top 5 to get their complementary piece that makes them serious contenders in the coming seasons... not a draft that appears to feature a candidate for becoming one of a middling-or-lesser team's key 3 during his rookie contract (... maybe later).

Agree this is great fun and it's a hell of an argument/discussion.  It's more fun right now than it will be when the window of possibilities narrows and we have made our decision.

[kg01]

4 minutes ago, KB21 said:

Here's the problem with this.  Who is going to give up a young wing that can shoot three-point shots and play defense on the perimeter?

Here's where we need NOP to come off Jones.

Or here's where we need our scouts to identify the 'next' Jones, the wing from MIN, etc.

2 minutes ago, txsting said:

Mental makeup is so much of the package.  I'm sure it gives the FO some concern that they haven't even been able to interview Sarr (i think that is true).  That would bother me, because I'd want to evaluate a man based on trying to determine his value system and what drives him.  You can't do that if you can't establish a relationship and a line of communication.

All true, in general.  But then I always recall folks saying the best interviewer from the '18 draft, in regards to all the self-motivation, values, etc., was none other than Mo Bamba. (yikes)

IOW, it's all an inexact science.

If it's me, I take Sarr anyway.  Worst case, you hold him hostage til WAS or whoever else ups the ante.