Everyone, come back down to earth with me, please.

[chillzatl]

Just a few short months ago, most everyone here seemed to understand and accept that fact that we were a rebuilding team. It seemed that most people were content with that and happy with the situation we were in. We had/have a lot of financial flexibility and a lot of young players with tons of potential.

But now, after making a trade or two, it seems that a lot of people, most people in fact, are back on the sauce, thinking that "we need this" or "we need that", like it's going to make us a contender next year.

Everyone needs to come back to earth. We are still building this team. It will not be finished this season and nor should it be. It is stupid for us to rush out spending money on these 2nd and 3rd rate guys, like Dampier, just for the quick thrill of making the playoffs in a very thin eastern conference.

Say it with me...MAKING THE PLAYOFFS THIS YEAR IS NOT OUR LONG TERM GOAL! If it happens, great. But that is not the goal behind everything BK is doing.

I know that realization may hurt to some of you. But that IS NOT the goal here. The goal is to build a contender. Lon Kruger is gone ok. There is no more playoff guarantee. Everyone here needs to take off the rose colored glasses and start looking long term, again.

[Inside_Man]

1) Lots of minutes for the young'uns.

2) A high lotto pick - (because we're lucky, not lousy)

3) Some signs of Chemistry between the players.

4) Evidence that we drafted well this year.

5) Offense from Boris.

[Wretch]

We're getting focused on the here and now. We made some good moves, but we still have a long way to go before we absolutely have to have THAT center or THAT point guard. The goal of this sqaud is learning who and what it is. We're all about acquiring talent and developing talent.

We're trying to fill holes, but we won't even know where the real holes in this team are until at least midseason...and another year or so before we know exactly who we have.

[Diesel]

I don't think we have a losing team.

We have lots of chemistry.

That will take away from that high draft pick.

I would like to see us in the running for Aldrich or Randolph M. I think either would make a good young C prospect.

I don't think we should tank this season either. Mainly because of the new CBA yet to come AND the biggest FAcy market in a while....

Therefore...

I suspect we will be competitive enough to attract FAs but not competitive enough to win all out. Competitive enough to miss the lottery, but not competitive enough to get a great player.

Forecast..

Next year...

We may draft a PG...

Resign Walker.

Try to pick up Theo.

[chillzatl]

we can find respectability and create an environment of success around our young core, AS IS.

We can become good enough to attract better FA's next year, AS IS.

We don't have to have anything at this point, because frankly, there is nobody available that has the talent to make us a contender this season or next. So knowing that, why would we want to pay some guy a mid-level contract just to fill one-dimensional need?

I want to see what we've got and give the young guys plenty of opportunities to be all that they can be.

[andycard69]

I would like to add a vet PG and another C. I think that our playoff chances hinge on the development of our young guys. Diaw, and the Josh's will be expected to be major contributors.

[Buzzard]

There is nothing wrong with "dreaming" of the playoffs. Especially in our division/conference. Its not like we are facing Duncan, Garnett, Kobe, TMAC, Ming, or Norwitski every other week.

The playoffs are do able with just a couple of more solid moves. Maybe it happens this year, maybe next. But that is every fans dream (expectation for some of us).

[Wretch]

And he dealt away 3 lottery picks trying to get there - effectively mortgaging the franchise's future which we are now paying for. There is nothing wrong with having aspirations for a team, but have realistic expectations and make decisions accordingly.

You wouldn't expect a team in our position to overpay (signficantly) for suspect talent any more than you would expect a contending team, who is under the cap, to pass on a key talent.

We don't know what we have yet, so why are we trying to fill holes? I'll tell you one thing that is for certain. If Smooth becomes anything close to Nique-like, it will make someone else expendable. That means a trade would be forthcoming...and who knows who will be available then?

We need to slow down and concentrate on the things that will help our young guys - like getting a point guard that knows how to run an offense, like Kenny Anderson.

[DominiqueWilkins]

Alot of people do indeed need to come back to earth, because even off the internet I have talked to some friends, and they feel as if the Hawks will be contenders.

NOT GOING TO HAPPEN.

I have also told them so many times that we don't even know if Walker is just going to be a 1 year rental(most likely will).

Our rebuilding process is far from being over with.

[chillzatl]

Everyone here has dreams of this team making the playoffs. But we have to be realistic. You say that with "a couple of solid moves" we oculd make the playoffs.

Well, giving away all of our cap room for a guy who can get us 9 rebounds and 8 points IS NOT a solid move. Giving it to a guy because he's 7' and gets 3 blocks per game, IS NOT a solid move.

But I think we can make the playoffs as is. We have the talent and this the east. it's just a matter of how they play together and how they grow over the course of the season.

[Gray Mule]

Filling the final 12. We can't know how we will do when

we don't even know who will be playing, can we?

How will our draft picks preform in the N.B.A.? Don't

know that one either.

How will all these players fit together, once the final 12

are assembled?

How will our rookie coach and his staff of assistant

coaches handle all this?

I expect lots of close, low scoring games. None of

those 120/115 final scores. A lot of those 88/83

scores with the Atlanta boys winning some and loosing

some. Not a lot of blow-out games, either victories or

defeats.

Long, lean, long armed, defensive, ball handling players

that our G.M. is putting together will mean lots of

defensive stops and rebounds. Lots of Zoom - Zoom type

fast breaks and running plays. Not a lot of standing

around on either end of the court.

No more, "Welcome to our lane! Would you like to try

your hand at dunking the ball? We won't get in your

way."

I expect every opponent to know they have been in a fight every time they set foot on the hardwood against the Hawks.

If they beat us, they earned every bit of it. We didn't

roll over and play dead or "Sleepwalk" thru half a

quarter of every game. They did that thru three

different coaches, until the latter part of last season.

Hopefully, we've seen the last of that. EXCITEMENT, that's

what I expect this season - Don't dissapoint me Hawks !!!

[Buzzard]

Quote:

---

Everyone here has dreams of this team making the playoffs. But we have to be realistic. You say that with "a couple of solid moves" we oculd make the playoffs.

Well, giving away all of our cap room for a guy who can get us 9 rebounds and 8 points IS NOT a solid move. Giving it to a guy because he's 7' and gets 3 blocks per game, IS NOT a solid move.

But I think we can make the playoffs as is. We have the talent and this the east. it's just a matter of how they play together and how they grow over the course of the season.

---

I asked a hypothetical question (if we took on Bradley and his 8 mill a year contract who do you think we should also get) and from your response and all cap usage, I guess you answered it. . . . even if they gave us Nowitzki you would not think it would be worth taking on a stiff like Bradley.

[Sage11]

I for one do not believe that we can or will make the playoffs as is. I also accept the fact that we have some more building and developing to do before we become real contenders. It is also presumtious to assume that this team will have chemistry. I HOPE that we will have a good developmental year, I HOPE that our young players will get the playing time needed to excel as NBA players. I HOPE that Coach W can coach. I HOPE that GOOD chemistry develops between team mates. I am a realist that expects and demands the best. As such I do not "expect" this new team with missing pieces to surprise the NBA. Nevertheless, I would be happy if all the factors above do fall into place and that we mature as a team.

[Employee8]

It's good to have low expectations going into this season.

That way, WHEN the Hawks make the playoffs, it will be all the more exciting and satisfying.

[Sage11]

that everything about this team is new. With new comes some transitional bumps. Adjustments are the rule of the day here and I account for that. As I said I expect the "best." However I do not expect a newborn to be able to drive an SUV either. Some growth and development must occur and I am waiting on it and expect it to happen. I like what has occured thus far with the team and hope we can gel together as a team.

[Gray Mule]

Seems that you and I are on the same page. Learning

together, both players and coaches, means there will be

a lot of mistakes made along the way.

The game will not flow smoothly as the season begins.

There will be times when both they and we will have to

ask, "My goodness! What happened?"

But, as the players begin to learn to play together and

know what their team mates are capable of doing, there

should be less and less of that. Things will happen,

but they will know and understand what and why.

Hopefully, as they mature, they will begin to form as

a team, knowing what is expected of them and how to

cover for one another.

Then we eliminate those "Should have, Could have, ought

to have" remarks and replace them with "We did it!"

Looking foreward to all that!!

Go Hawks !!

[Sage11]

We are on the same page. Allow time for development and winning will eventually come.....

[JTFan31]

I look at this team and I see alot of potential. Add to this a starting caliber PG and a starting caliber center and I believe as the season progresses you will see a better and better team each night out. Meaning two very significant signings like Pryz for our starting center and a caliber starting PG and I think we have something to look forward to next season.

[emeans]

Exactly...

This team will get better as the season matures. They are going to lose in the beginning trying to learn each other and find out each others strengths and weaknesses. The Preseason will be huge for this team.

They will probably get more out of the Preseason than any other team in the league this year because of all the changes.

I am really excited about this team. For the first time in a long time I feel that we athletically can compete. The Xs and Os I hope are in good hands with Woodson. I haven't felt that way in years. I either felt we were too old and slow or just flat not talented enough to compete.

This team will lose, but they are going to open some eyes up and I really think that is BK plan all alone. They have to build credibility before they get the marquee FA and they will do just that this year.