What the Hawks need to instantly become a good

[Admin]

defensive team. First and foremost, we draft Deron Williams. I know that a lot of people want Bogut and it is hard to argue against that. He is a very skilled, young big man. However, it isnt very often that PGs with the size and skills on both offense and especially defense like Deron come along. I have been saying Jason Kidd/Mike Bibby as the guys he reminds me of the most and it seems more and more people are also starting to feel the same way.

I think that draft night will come down to Bogut and Williams and the deciding factor will be whether Knight believes he can get and 2 of Chandler/Dalembert/Swift. If he feels he cant get any of them to sign, or maybe only one of them then he will probably draft Bogut. I believe that Knight will know at draft time, or will at least have a pretty good idea of the players we will be able to sign. If he feels comfortable that he will get 2 of those players then I have no doubt he will take Williams.

Williams is by far the most NBA ready of the PGs coming out and should immediately improve our perimeter defense and perimeter offense by leaps and bounds. He also makes our interior defense that much better because it will be damn hard for a guard to penetrate past a combo of he and Childress to get into the paint and cause havoc. Throw in Dalembert to anchor the middle and a guy like Swift or Chandler at the PF spot to be the weakside shotblocker and we have the makings of our own version of the 04 Pistons.

[KBatPCSOM]

Well, I don't think Billy Knight should base what he does in the draft on the idea of what he might be able to do in free agency, especially considering that most of the prospects the Hawks will be looking at are restricted free agents. Nor do I believe Billy will do that.

I liken Billy Knight to a guy like Phil Savage in football. He's going to set a draft board, and he's going to draft according to that board.

He's also as tight lipped about what he's doing as Nick Saban is, so all we will hear until the pick is made will be misinformation.

[Admin]

I agree that we wont likely know what his plan is until it happens, but I think that he will have a good idea based on our cap situation and the cap situations of the RFAs teams we will be going after. I think he will use that judgement to determine which direction to go in the draft this year. Realistically we need this years draft and next years draft to really get this thing going in the right direction. In 2006 I believe that there is going to be more talented bigs than in 2005, whereas in 2005 we have the glut of PGs. Armed with multiple 2006 picks I think we will have the ability to get just about any player we will want from that draft through being able to trade picks.

Of course, we could look to draft Bogut this year and hope for Sean May next year, but I think I would rather take Deron Williams and let him learn the pro game and bring in the C next year if we dont get one in FA this year. Perhaps all of these RFAs could be UFAs next year as well. Its also much easier to adjust to being a C than it is for a PG when talking about rookies so I think its imperative we give our QB time to learn the pro game.

[TheRedStripes]

I do agree that Deron Williams is the most NBA ready point guard, i do agree that he would immediately improve the team, i do not agree that he is a jason kidd type player, i also think he wont have much upside and will only be an above average NBA player, when you have a pick that high, you dont take a player like that, you have to get a player with a lot more potential than he has, the only way id be cool with the hawks taking D.Williams is if they trade the pick and move down a bit, they would have to get something more than just D.Williams with a pick that high

KB, i think you are completely right abou BK, he is not going to tip his hand, the guy is so vague when he gives interviews, theres just no way of knowing what he is going to do, it wouldnt surprise me a bit if he knows something we dont know about some of these Euro guys or a high schooler, i think last year he proved to be a guy who goes after the best players available no matter what position they may be playing, he is a GM and knows he can make trades and sign free agents depending on how his players develop, he knows he doesnt have to just fill needs this early in the rebuilding stage

[Guest Walter]

Say we draft Bogut 1st. Who here would trade a future unprotected first for Deron? With he and Bogut we would probably be in the late lottery even next year so the loss might not be all that great. How about Harrington and the LA pick for a bad contract and Deron? Would you do that? Would another team?

Harrington, LA 1st for Jerome Williams and Deron? Deron would have to fall to 7 to justify it.

OR

Harrington or Diaw/LA 1st for Theo Ratliff (and his contract...we can take on more money than we give) & Deron (again, Deron has to be available at 5)

Lineup (FA possibilities not included):

C Bogut

Pf Theo (contract ends the offseason the Josh's become restricted FAs)

Sf Josh Smith

Sg Josh Childress

Pg Deron Williams

I'm only suggesting this because I think Theo can do significantly more than he is is being asked to do for Portland. Might not be a bad compliment to Bogut as well.

W

[KBatPCSOM]

Billy Knight isn't going to take on any bad contracts, and any trade that suggests so can be immediately shot down. I also don't see Billy Knight actively exploring trade opportunities with Al Harrington. He likes Al Harrington a lot, and I believe he will try to work out an extension before October.

[emorystar]

Quote:

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defensive team. First and foremost, we draft Deron Williams. I know that a lot of people want Bogut and it is hard to argue against that. He is a very skilled, young big man. However, it isnt very often that PGs with the size and skills on both offense and especially defense like Deron come along. I have been saying Jason Kidd/Mike Bibby as the guys he reminds me of the most and it seems more and more people are also starting to feel the same way.

I think that draft night will come down to Bogut and Williams and the deciding factor will be whether Knight believes he can get and 2 of Chandler/Dalembert/Swift. If he feels he cant get any of them to sign, or maybe only one of them then he will probably draft Bogut. I believe that Knight will know at draft time, or will at least have a pretty good idea of the players we will be able to sign. If he feels comfortable that he will get 2 of those players then I have no doubt he will take Williams.

Williams is by far the most NBA ready of the PGs coming out and should immediately improve our perimeter defense and perimeter offense by leaps and bounds. He also makes our interior defense that much better because it will be damn hard for a guard to penetrate past a combo of he and Childress to get into the paint and cause havoc. Throw in Dalembert to anchor the middle and a guy like Swift or Chandler at the PF spot to be the weakside shotblocker and we have the makings of our own version of the 04 Pistons.

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I agree with everything you said.

Except I think Chicago will do whatever it can do lock Chandler up. Which sucks for us. I love his game. Dalembert & Kwame would not be bad, though.