2024-25 Insider Thread

[bleachkit]

1 hour ago, deester11 said:

Jeff..this ain't it. I get he's  not a Hawk anymore, blah..blah..blah, but DJM was not average. He did all this team asked him to do including playing 2nd fiddle to Trae. He was not the problem, the fit was. He's above average..it's disingenuous to say otherwise.

For Trae to be this once in a generation talent he sure does struggle closing out basketball games.

[Hawkish]

30 minutes ago, ShooterSays said:

Sac pick + whatever we can get for Capela.

I’d feel a lot better about our off-season and future if we could land Kessler.

I’d rather keep the pick.  

[GameTime]

46 minutes ago, theheroatl said:

I’m not expecting any further moves from Atlanta.

Maybe Trae traded at the deadline if the tank is on.

 

Looking forward to seeing rookies and rooting for the Lakers to suck. That’s about it.

Tank for..... San Antonio?

[SalvorMallow]

27 minutes ago, bleachkit said:

For Trae to be this once in a generation talent he sure does struggle closing out basketball games.

Trae in the clutch this season:

• USG: 35.8%
• TS: 62.3%
• AST%: 30.6
• AST/TO: 2.14

DJ in the clutch this season:

• USG: 32.6%
• TS: 46%
• AST%: 16.4
• AST/TO: 1.38

[deester11]

6 hours ago, bleachkit said:

For Trae to be this once in a generation talent he sure does struggle closing out basketball games.

There are takes. And then there's this.

[REHawksFan]

6 hours ago, bleachkit said:

For Trae to be this once in a generation talent he sure does struggle closing out basketball games.

There's certainly no shortage of ignorance in your Trae takes. Kudos.

[bleachkit]

27 minutes ago, REHawksFan said:

There's certainly no shortage of ignorance in your Trae takes. Kudos.

He's going to put up big counting stats on a losing team, I'll certainly give him that. 

[deester11]

39 minutes ago, bleachkit said:

He's going to put up big counting stats on a losing team, I'll certainly give him that. 

The teams have been so well put together for Trae. No excuses. Lmao. I'd rather you just say you hate him and stop capping. 

[ShayD]

1 hour ago, bleachkit said:

He's going to put up big counting stats on a losing team, I'll certainly give him that. 

Maybe if he had another teammate that provides Allstar level impact they wouldn't lose so many games. Tatum has Brown, White etc, Giannis has Khris and Dame, Brunson has Bridges and Randle, Haliburton has Siakam, Paolo has Franz(debatable), Butler has Bam, Embiid has Maxey and PG. What does Trae have? A promise of JJ or declining Capela?

Edited July 9 by ShayD

[JTB]

7 hours ago, ShooterSays said:

Sac pick + whatever we can get for Capela.

I’d feel a lot better about our off-season and future if we could land Kessler.

It’s going to take this to get it done more than likely but we’d have to be absolutely sure this is the right deal!

I like Walker…he could probably avg 16/12 with Trae on more efficient numbers than CC. His shot blocking ability is superb compared to CC and so far he has better touch around the goal than CC. I saw that he’s working on his 3s, he doesn’t have a broken jumper, it’s just not reliable.

he certainly ain’t no Ayton but with better wings , this may be the way to go. A combo of Walker and OO along with Nance and hopefully Bruno is a better big man rotation.

I threw in Clarkson because we’d have a hell of a bench between him and Bogi, potentially Hunter if not traded. I really don’t think Hunter should start unless we are also starting Risacher.

[AHF]

15 minutes ago, JTB said:

It’s going to take this to get it done more than likely but we’d have to be absolutely sure this is the right deal!

I like Walker…he could probably avg 16/12 with Trae on more efficient numbers than CC. His shot blocking ability is superb compared to CC and so far he has better touch around the goal than CC. I saw that he’s working on his 3s, he doesn’t have a broken jumper, it’s just not reliable.

he certainly ain’t no Ayton but with better wings , this may be the way to go. A combo of Walker and OO along with Nance and hopefully Bruno is a better big man rotation.

I threw in Clarkson because we’d have a hell of a bench between him and Bogi, potentially Hunter if not traded. I really don’t think Hunter should start unless we are also starting Risacher.

At this point, I am thinking keeping CC is the first salary dump move for next season.  Let CC play out the last year of his deal and then replace him with a cheap player and you’ve dumped say $18M in salary without having to do another trade where the or one of the main things you get is salary relief.

[Packfill]

18 minutes ago, ShayD said:

Maybe if he had another teammate that provides Allstar level impact they wouldn't lose so many games. Tatum has Brown, White etc, Giannis has Khris and Dame, Brunson has Bridges and Randle, Haliburton has Siakam, Paolo has Franz(debatable), Butler has Bam, Embiid has Maxey and PG. What does Trae have? A promise of JJ or declining Capela?

Isn’t JJ as good or better than Frank?  Serious question. 
 

Also Brunson cooked last year despite (or because?) Randle being out. I hope Trae can do the same now that the team has “solved” its fit issue by unloading DJM. 

[bleachkit]

46 minutes ago, deester11 said:

The teams have been so well put together for Trae. No excuses. Lmao. I'd rather you just say you hate him and stop capping. 

Hate? He's seems like a nice guy. I have no hate for him. But I don't think he's cut out to be a number one option. He could be a solid to great number 2. 

Edited July 9 by bleachkit

[kg01]

9 minutes ago, AHF said:

At this point, I am thinking keeping CC is the first salary dump move for next season.  Let CC play out the last year of his deal and then replace him with a cheap player and you’ve dumped say $18M in salary without having to do another trade where the or one of the main things you get is salary relief.

"What?!  Have you been reading my notes?  I've been hacked!" - Laundry 

7 minutes ago, bleachkit said:

Hate? He's seems like a nice guy. I have no hate for him. But I don't think he's cut out to be a number one option. He could be a solid to great number 2. 

Its not "hate", per se.  But you're acknowledging he needs help (by saying he shld be a #2) but ignoring the fact that he needs help (by criticizing is ability to close - which is weird).  What is he supposed to do in your world?  Shy away from the opportunities? 

[gurpilo]

At this point, instead of Walker Kessler I would go for a stretch 5 as Kelly Ollynik or Orlando Robinson, makes more sense and will have a better impact on the team, provide some options for the team and are adequate defenders. I would cut Bruno, Zeller or Liddell to sign them, of course is not going to happen.

[bleachkit]

34 minutes ago, kg01 said:

"What?!  Have you been reading my notes?  I've been hacked!" - Laundry 

Its not "hate", per se.  But you're acknowledging he needs help (by saying he shld be a #2) but ignoring the fact that he needs help (by criticizing is ability to close - which is weird).  What is he supposed to do in your world?  Shy away from the opportunities? 

Perhaps "close" is not the right terminology. But we aren't winning games, not enough games to be taken seriously. We brought DJ in, he put up numbers, but it's been decided by the board now that DJ was/is not a winning player. Well what exactly makes Trae a winning player? That ECF appearance is getting further and further in the rear view mirror. This is starting to look like Bradley Beal and Wizards situation. If we have another 35 to 40 win season, that's exactly what it's going to like to everyone but Trae loyalists, who continue singing his praises seemingly no matter what. 

[JayBirdHawk]

57 minutes ago, JTB said:

It’s going to take this to get it done more than likely but we’d have to be absolutely sure this is the right deal!

I like Walker…he could probably avg 16/12 with Trae on more efficient numbers than CC. His shot blocking ability is superb compared to CC and so far he has better touch around the goal than CC. I saw that he’s working on his 3s, he doesn’t have a broken jumper, it’s just not reliable.

he certainly ain’t no Ayton but with better wings , this may be the way to go. A combo of Walker and OO along with Nance and hopefully Bruno is a better big man rotation.

I threw in Clarkson because we’d have a hell of a bench between him and Bogi, potentially Hunter if not traded. I really don’t think Hunter should start unless we are also starting Risacher.

 

40 minutes ago, AHF said:

At this point, I am thinking keeping CC is the first salary dump move for next season.  Let CC play out the last year of his deal and then replace him with a cheap player and you’ve dumped say $18M in salary without having to do another trade where the or one of the main things you get is salary relief.

Utah has the capspace to take Capela if needed without sending us back matching salary. Walker's salary is $2.9 million.

But Utah may need to keep enough capspace to renegotiate and extend Lauri, if they are keeping him, so may need to send out some salary.

[ShayD]

1 hour ago, Packfill said:

Isn’t JJ as good or better than Frank?  Serious question. 
 

Also Brunson cooked last year despite (or because?) Randle being out. I hope Trae can do the same now that the team has “solved” its fit issue by unloading DJM. 

GMs apparently think Franz deserve 200mil+. That's allstar impact money. Landry does not think JJ deserves anywhere close to that. Also Randle was voted into Allstar game last year, above Trae Young, so he is an Allstar according coaches and players. And Knicks were winning games with both Randle and Brunson.

Edited July 9 by ShayD

[ABH]

2 minutes ago, ShayD said:

GMs apparently think Franz deserve 200mil+. That's allstar impact money. Landry does not think JJ deserves anywhere close to that. Also Randle was voted into Allstar game last year, above Trae Young, so he is an Allstar according coaches and players. And Knicks were winning games with both Randle and Brunson.

I think I deserve 1 million just pulling for this team

[JeffS17]

6 minutes ago, bleachkit said:

Perhaps "close" is not the right terminology. But we aren't winning games, not enough games to be taken seriously. We brought DJ in, he put up numbers, but it's been decided by the board now that DJ was/is not a winning player. Well what exactly makes Trae a winning player? That ECF appearance is getting further and further in the rear view mirror. This is starting to look like Bradley Beal and Wizards situation. If we have another 35 to 40 win season, that's exactly what it's going to like to everyone but Trae loyalists, who continue singing his praises seemingly no matter what. 

Trae is a low floor, high ceiling, player, which in my opinion, is why he is so polarizing to so many people.  Unlike guys like Lebron, Luka, Embiid, and other tier 1A players, Trae cannot carry a team of bums to the playoffs.  He can look quite bad (inefficient chucker who turns it over forcing passes) with bad teammates.  The flip is he can be elite (on offense) with good players with good chemistry with the skill sets needed to surround him.  He generally raises the offensive ceiling of the players he's playing with.  It's partly why JC got that ridiculous contract and guys like Alex Len/Dedmon look like they belong in a rotation somewhere.

I actually agree with you that he struggles to close games but mostly because that's when teams start attacking him on defense.  I'm hoping Daniels shores up that problem as Quin will be able to better scheme with actual POA defenders on the floor.  If you look at clutch time stats from last year, another glaring piece is how awful Capela is.  He's good on the defensive end but he drags down the whole team on offense.  Okongwu was our best player on the floor by net rating in the clutch last year, which is not surprising to me because refs tend to not call ticky tacky fouls in pivotal moments.  Most of the team was garbage though which is why we lost so many games.