2024-25 Insider Thread

[Afro]

Whilst looking at Landry tweets I was bombarded with the realization that Delon Wright signed for less than Cody Zeller. 

Im having a great time.... Lol

[MarylandHawk]

15 minutes ago, Wretch said:

You are having a hard time with my comments because the Squawk is and has always been very polarized.  We have these extremely binary discussions that boil down to opposite camps of either "you like the thing" or "you don't like the thing" and you guys get so caught up in the back and forth that you have difficulty processing when someone isn't trying to take a side.

So we're clear, I'm concerned about retaining our star and in light of that, confused about the overall direction/strategy of the franchise going forward moreso than specifically what they're putting on the floor, in this moment, today.  I'm not committing to excitement and I'm not down on the team.  I am taking a wait and see attitude if that makes more sense to you.  I don't have questions about the roster as it's pretty obvious to anyone looking at it what we got.

For extra clarity, things I am NOT saying:

• We're not trying to compete
• We can't win with this team
• I am not excited by the potential in the players we have
• I don't trust Landry
• I don't trust Korver
• I don't trust Quin
• I want to trade Trae
• I wish we kept DJM
• I think Dyson Daniels has no potential
• I don't like Risacher and I think he is going to bust

Trae has 2 years and a player option.  I am of the opinion that if we're going to try to build a team to keep Trae in a Hawks uniform, we should not make considerations beyond the '25/'26 season.  I love Trae, I think he's a superstar, and I believe he is a 1A.  I love his attitude and how he plays the game.  I think he is the most amazing Hawk that I have seen in nearly 40 years of watching this team.  Even if he requested a trade, I would still root for him because I like his attitude... I like him more than I have any Hawk - including Nique. 

I am not convinced that short of a deep and amazing playoff run, with a legitimate 1B beside him, that we would be able to retain Trae beyond 2026 and that will significantly affect his trade value...

**►!IF!◄**

...we at some point tried explore it.  I completely understand why people would think otherwise. Agree to disagree and let's move on from that.

As it pertains to what we have on the floor.  I don't know.  That's not a knock against Trae or the team.  It's just...my couch GM assessment of where we are. 

• I don't hate us this year
• I am a Trae "stan" and have very few criticisms of his game.  He needs his compliment like any other star.
• I love Jalen Johnson, and have been championing him since his SL debut.  I'm stupidly interested in seeing if there's any more growth in him.  Especially this year with DJ leaving an opening for 1B. 
• I'm intrigued by the potential that Risacher has to be CnS. 
  • I think we have some great basketball minds in the front office, so I have faith that they at least believe that they made the right draft pick and worked hard on making the decision. 
  • I've seen a thousand rookies and he's that, so the proof will be what it actually translates to.
• I'm not a "DE-fanse or bust" person, so I'm a bit worried about offensive production in general. 
  • I've been pining for a legit sniper in the starting lineup for years now.
• I like the potential of DD as a defender and playmaker and I'm interested in seeing how the chemistry works with Trae.

I have questions like everyone else...  Will OO step into the starter's role and consistently provide offensive production outside of the paint?  What will we do with Clint?  What will we do with Hunter - I like our chances with him in that bench role.  Will Risacher bloosom sooner than later and push someone out of the starting lineup?  If no one steps up as a 1B, can we do it by committee like 2015?

I'm not confused and I'm not going to preach gloom and doom.  I'm just taking notes and observing.  I am put off with our ownership and how they've made a mess of being gifted a talent like Trae.

If there is any hard takeaways from me here:

1. I have ZERO confidence, negative confidence, that OUR OWNERSHIP will actually let the basketball minds do their jobs without meddling or "cheaping" out.  I will believe it when I see it and I'll die on that hill.
2. If we don't already have what we need to compete at a high level, and are not making plans for a splash this season, then I have less than 30% confidence that we can obtain it within the confines Trae's contractual commitment to the franchise.

 

Bump this a thousand times. 

[Bonzaii58]

This is the first time I’ve seriously felt like we’re trading Trae. 

[Wretch]

44 minutes ago, Jody23 said:

 

LOL, right on que.  Again...  I don't know how I feel about what's going on...because I don't know what they're doing.

[Afro]

3 minutes ago, Bonzaii58 said:

This is the first time I’ve seriously felt like we’re trading Trae. 

I've been feeling like it for a couple weeks and I think he might have even asked for a trade. Didn't "demand" one though and gave them some time to figure it out. 

Would make a lot more sense why we're getting super young guys and draft picks with rumors like Hunter for 1st and wing filler. 

Then again, we're probably just cheap lol. 

The question to me is are they acquiring guys because they fit with Trae.... Or are these just the type of guys Landry/KK want? 

Edited July 10 by Afro

[warcore]

50 minutes ago, Jody23 said:

 

I can't think of anyone that does a better job of saying absolutely nothing. 

Kick rocks, ya jackass. 

[JeffS17]

Based on Landry's response here and other evidence from this offseason, I think Trae tried to force their hand to trade the #1 pick for win-now pieces, and we didn't acquiesce, and Trae privately asked for a trade out or at least asked them to explore it.  I do think all of the smoke around teams that would be interested was real and we probably did talk to them and see what the value was, but it wasn't enough to even consider trading him.  So there's some tension there, and that tension that will be resolved if we do well next season and probably worsen if we do not do well.  So we could be looking at a public ask out next offseason.

Just reading the tea leaves here.

[TheTruth]

31 minutes ago, macdaddy said:

Exactly!  Why's he so scared to say:  Of course! Trae is our star.  We want to win a championship with Trae.  

No one is going to care that he said it if he turns around and trades him later. 

Quite possibly the easiest question he gets as a GM, and he....airballs the answer.

Good grief.

[Jody23]

Trae's leverage will continue to grow as the months go by while the Hawks leverage will continue to diminish with comments like the ones from Landry today.  On another note, Djurisic says Trae texted him which is good sign Trae will be on the team this season.

 

[kg01]

12 minutes ago, Afro said:

Whilst looking at Landry tweets I was bombarded with the realization that Delon Wright signed for less than Cody Zeller. 

Im having a great time.... Lol

I dont know if I'm laughing to keep from crying or I'm laughing like the joker because I rigged State Farm to blow sky high. 

But the best part is this clown is angling to trade the only allNBA talent we've sniffed for literal decades.  To do what?  Rely on his vision for the future?

[Bonzaii58]

7 minutes ago, Afro said:

I've been feeling like it for a couple weeks and I think he might have even asked for a trade. Didn't "demand" one though and gave them some time to figure it out. 

Would make a lot more sense why we're getting super young guys and draft picks with rumors like Hunter for 1st and wing filler. 

Then again, we're probably just cheap lol. 

The question to me is are they acquiring guys because they fit with Trae.... Or are these just the type of guys Landry/KK want? 

You could be right. He has been very silent lately on social related to hawks things. This makes me sad. And I’m also wondering who could the hawks be targeting to replace him? Would it be a trade for picks? 
 

Hindsight is 20/20 but Reed Sheppard was my favorite draft prospect but we’ve always had Trae. If our hunch is true then I really wonder why he wasn’t the pick especially if he highly ranked on our board. 
 

Ugh so many questions right now about this team. I was hoping we would be in a better place at this point in the off season 

[Wretch]

1 minute ago, JeffS17 said:

Based on Landry's response here and other evidence from this offseason, I think Trae tried to force their hand to trade the #1 pick for win-now pieces, and we didn't acquiesce, and Trae privately asked for a trade out or at least asked them to explore it.  I do think all of the smoke around teams that would be interested was real and we probably did talk to them and see what the value was, but it wasn't enough to even consider trading him.  So there's some tension there, and that tension that will be resolved if we do well next season and probably worsen if we do not do well.  So we could be looking at a public ask out next offseason.

Just reading the tea leaves here.

I definitely think there's some truth in there.  I don't know how much truth, but there's some fire in all that smoke.  Either way, I am 100% certain that we have a REALLY short window to work with.

[kg01]

20 minutes ago, Afro said:

How f***ing hard is it to say yes 

Even if your lying, say yes to maintain some semblance of leverage.

I guess he's just used to opposing GM's absolutely raking him over the coals anyway. 

[terrell]

26 minutes ago, macdaddy said:

We are better right now than last year's roster because we have improved our D and we have a backup PF.

But to be a contender we need to be much better.  We went to the ECF because we had shooters and bucket getters.  And our defense was just ok.  

We have shooting potential now but we still lack bucket getters outside of Trae and we have no experienced depth at positions 1-3.  

All of that's fine if this is a building year.   We can't fool ourselves into thinking this is a top 4 team in the east. 

Is Lou Williams still around? lol

Can we trade Zeller for Gallo? 

Edited July 10 by terrell

[MarylandHawk]

11 minutes ago, JeffS17 said:

Based on Landry's response here and other evidence from this offseason, I think Trae tried to force their hand to trade the #1 pick for win-now pieces, and we didn't acquiesce, and Trae privately asked for a trade out or at least asked them to explore it.  I do think all of the smoke around teams that would be interested was real and we probably did talk to them and see what the value was, but it wasn't enough to even consider trading him.  So there's some tension there, and that tension that will be resolved if we do well next season and probably worsen if we do not do well.  So we could be looking at a public ask out next offseason.

Just reading the tea leaves here.

Unfortunately I think you are on the money with this. For my sanity, I hope Trae goes into “Killa mode” and elevates the team as a result and we keep moving in the right direction with him. 

[Jody23]

Letting it leak that Reed Sheppard was a serious candidate for the number one pick, at the time, seemed intentional and kinda petty imho.  Even if that were true, everybody knew you couldn't play him and Trae together.  There was no good reason to allow that info to become public.  They may not be seeing eye to eye with Trae right now, but that wasn't the way to play your hand.

[Afro]

7 minutes ago, kg01 said:

Even if your lying, say yes to maintain some semblance of leverage.

I guess he's just used to opposing GM's absolutely raking him over the coals anyway. 

I know we have posters who are gonna get annoyed of nitpicking Landry... 

But there's a reason every other GM just says "yes".

3 minutes ago, MarylandHawk said:

Unfortunately I think you are on the money with this. For my sanity, I hope Trae goes into “Killa mode” and elevates the team as a result and we keep moving in the right direction with him. 

Or at least he says "alright, the packages aren't up to your standard? I'll get you a better package you bitch" and goes ham lol. 

[Afro]

I think this might also give us a reason as to why the Lakers are always the ones who are involved in the Traed(purposeful misspelling lol) talks. Other than the obvious NBA media BS. 

They're the only ones that probably have the urgency to trade for Trae now cause LeBrons bout in the NBA grave. 

Teams like the Spurs can just wait 2 years. 

Edited July 10 by Afro

[warcore]

I think Billy Knight's d*ck would make a better GM than Laundry. 

[Vol4ever]

24 minutes ago, JeffS17 said:

Based on Landry's response here and other evidence from this offseason, I think Trae tried to force their hand to trade the #1 pick for win-now pieces, and we didn't acquiesce, and Trae privately asked for a trade out or at least asked them to explore it.  I do think all of the smoke around teams that would be interested was real and we probably did talk to them and see what the value was, but it wasn't enough to even consider trading him.  So there's some tension there, and that tension that will be resolved if we do well next season and probably worsen if we do not do well.  So we could be looking at a public ask out next offseason.

Just reading the tea leaves here.

I agree with your assessment and Trae wants to win now.........I would not be surprised to see him traded and us not get anything near what the Hawks believe his value is.  We hung around on Collins too long, we hung around on Murray too long.