Has everyone forgot why we need a pg?

[hotboyj]

I mean it should be no contest.

I guess everyone forgot the article pointed conclusion.

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/columns/stor...doug&id=2053126

One paragraph

"The Milwaukee Bucks, though, might be a better team to study. Last year, they made the playoffs behind Michael Redd, Desmond Mason and a combination of two point guards: Damon Jones and T.J. Ford. While they re-signed Redd over the offseason and Mason has had his best offensive season as a pro, this year's Bucks ended with a dreadful record."

I remember everyone read this article and was like yeah man Paul/Deron all the way.

The pg is what bring's your team out of the hole. Not the big guy who can shoot.

[pathway23]

I'll be fine with taking Marvin provided we are able to get at least a Jack or Ukic at PG by a draft day move to get in the 1st round.

If we can't move in the first round then I might be satisfied with Gilchrist at 31 and trust that BK and Woody could work with his attitude.

[Lascar78]

look man we need everything. We need another forward, we need a shooter, we need a PG, we need a C. A PG improves his teammates more than any position, so we clearly need a true PG at one point. The question is do we need one right now or would we be giving up the first superstar we've ever had a shot at drafting? I'm not concerned about winning next year, which is what it seems you're worried about.

I do believe that Deron would improve our team the most immediately, for sure. But I'm ok with not taking him if it is to take a guy who will put us in contention every year. I don't know if Marvin is that guy, but he could be.

I feel very conflicted about the issue because I love great playmaking more than anything else, but there are easy arguments to be made both ways. I would be fine with us coming out of this with Deron if that's who BK chooses. He certainly would do wonders for Chill and Smoove's games

[Wretch]

I am ALL FOR taking a PG. As I have said over and over again Paul is my guy. He's got everything you need from a star PG...minus 1 or 2 inches that makes him a "lock."

BUT...

The one thing that I know for sure is that you NEVER overlook the star for that 'solid' peice that you need. Worst case scenario? A team like the Pistons has Dwayne Wade or Kirk Hinrich that they can either keep or dangle for a top teir player that they could REALLY use.

IMO...you go with the the absolute best player available. If they all look REALLY REALLY good, then you take the pivot player over the perimeter player or you simply take the position that you need. This year, I think we are going to take a PG. There are simply too many that are too good that we can pick up AND get something else with it.

[Lascar78]

Are you just not worried at all about the fact that he has consistently struggled against taller PGs, apparently including his recent workouts against other PGs? I don't put too much stock into just height, but Paul's consistent struggles against taller guards do worry me a good bit. I mean he's still a top 4 pick and all, but does that not worry you one bit?

[hotboyj]

We already have a star in the making in Smoove, so why do we need another?

Being the next, u passed on MJ, is scarry to yall.

But to me being the next, you wasted the #2 pick on that guy is even scarrier to me.

Randolph Morris "could" be the guy who puts us in contention next year.

I just thought the whole reason yall wanted Marvin over Deron/Paul is because you didn't care if we contended next year.

And please stop thinking getting a pg is something we can "eventually" do.

[Lascar78]

Smoove doesn't have the tools to be a superstar. He can be an all-star, and he most certainly is a crowd pleaser. But I don't see him as the kind of player who is going to carry a team in the playoffs year after year. I mean I love the guy, but he doesn't even really know how to dribble the ball. Marvin is a potential superstar. He has no obvious flaws, and has a great basketball IQ.

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And please stop thinking getting a pg is something we can "eventually" do.

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I'll stop doing that when you think that getting a superstar is something we can "eventually" do

[AHF]

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And please stop thinking getting a pg is something we can "eventually" do.

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There are good, not great, PGs in the draft every year. On the other thread I mentioned 5 potentially outstanding PGs that are expected to be in next year's draft. This is an unusually strong class of PGs but none of them have been pegged as superstars - not even Deron or Paul (with the exception of Deisel's opinion on Deron).

IMO, landing a true superstar is more important than anything else we can do in the draft.

[emorystar]

Josh Smith = no superstar

Marvin Williams = superstar

Billy Knight realizes this, and is why he will draft Marvin Williams.

[hotboyj]

Everyone keeps referring to get your supertar.

Orlando had T-Mac and they still were the worst team in the league.

Lakers have Kobe and they're a top 10 pick.

Wolves have Garnett and they are in the lotto.

LeBron is in the lotto.

It seems to me there are alot of superstars in the lottery.

NJ has Carter, Kidd and Jefferson and they are an 8th seed.

Philly has Iverson and they got kicked out in the 1st rd.

Houston has 2 superstars and they were kicked out in the 1st rd

Having a superstar means nothing without a team.

[emorystar]

So are you saying you wouldn't want Kobe, TMac, KG on the Hawks?

We have neither a superstar NOR a team. If Josh Smith is our best player, we won't get out of the lottery.

[AHF]

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Everyone keeps referring to get your supertar.

Orlando had T-Mac and they still were the worst team in the league.

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He has also led several teams into the playoffs and is a borderline superstar.

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Lakers have Kobe and they're a top 10 pick.

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They have won 3 titles with him.

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Wolves have Garnett and they are in the lotto.

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They have also won the most games in the league with him.

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LeBron is in the lotto.

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Don't you think several playoff teams would trade basically their entire roster for him?

It seems to me there are alot of superstars in the lottery.

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NJ has Carter, Kidd and Jefferson and they are an 8th seed.

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Kidd and Jefferson have made two finals; Carter one game short. Jefferson is nowhere near a superstar.

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Philly has Iverson and they got kicked out in the 1st rd.

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Philly made the finals with him.

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Houston has 2 superstars and they were kicked out in the 1st rd

Having a superstar means nothing without a team.

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Your definition of a superstar includes:

Yao Ming

Tracy McGrady

Jefferson

Carter

Kidd

Iverson

Garnett

Lebron

and presumably

Shaq

Duncan

Nowitzki

Amare/Nash

That said, who are your non-superstar, non-Detriot teams you would prefer to be?

Memphis, Denver, Seattle, Sacramento, Washington, Chicago, Boston, Indiana (is Jermaine ONeal less of a superstar than Jefferson), Charlotte, New Orleans, Golden State, New York, etc.?

[Wretch]

He is not a defensive stopper, but he's not a liability either. That's what people are taking from it because that's what they want to hear to justify passing on him.

I heard from one workout that he struggled a little vs a taller guard. I heard from the NO workout that he completely erased concerns that he would have difficulty defending at the NBA level.

People have gone out and compiled statistics that he allowed a few more ppg against taller guards and scored less, I did my own research and saw that the best guards didn't smoke him night in and night out (not even close) and Paul either got his or he got to the line - and knocked them down.

I've read scouting reports that says he isn't a good on the ball defender; but I've also seen the vote tallies for the ACCs all defensive selections.

The only real consistency I've really found in people's evaluation of Paul is they are afraid of how short he is; and even that is a subjective fear considering players like Isiah Thomas, Blaylock, Iverson, Mike Bibby, and Stockton have all been just fine; and for every one of them, there are two more 6'1"/6'2" pgs that are equally as impressive on both ends of the floor. If anything, it doesn't mean that he can't defend because he's too small, but that Paul needs to work on some aspects of his defense - which he

has admitted.

All that being said, I have to go with what I've personally seen of him. And I've seen, I REALLY like. I love his all around game, but what really stood out to me was how differently Wake looked when he was on the floor vs. when he wasn't. He did for Wake what Bogut did for Utah - take them both away and what do you have? Clearly not the same team.

I am not totally unconcerned though, but that's due more to what I've read (ironically) than anything else.

[Lascar78]

I'm not just talking on D though. He's struggled offensively against tough taller guards. I saw him struggle alot every time he played jack. He still got some wins, but he struggled alot even on offense.

I would give him the benefit of the doubt and assume that as his game develops he'll learn how to overcome that, but in college he did struggle on both ends against tall physical guards.

As far as their teams, I would say Paul at least had Williams on the inside whereas Paul had no one, but Paul did well in the ACC whereas Bogut was in the MWC. Utah's tournament run impressed me and I would take Bogut with no hesitation. After that, I'm really fine with all 3 of them.

I really don't like the nutcracker move, but I guess I can overlook it if he wears our uniform

About that nutcracker move, was that right before or after his grandpa died? If it's right after I might excuse him partially

[AHF]

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Having a superstar means nothing without a team.

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Let me say that I agree with this to a point, but it doesn't take nearly as much of a team.

If you could list for me the # of NBA champions without a top 3 player in the league on the roster outside of the city of Detroit over the last 20 years I would be interested to see them. By my count that list goes from:

no one

to

nobody

[Lascar78]

yeah it's true that you need a team AROUND your superstar. But you do need the star, generally speaking.

And the complimentary players to complete a team are much more available than superstars.

[AHF]

Looking back, the last team to win an NBA championship without a top 5 player on their roster outside of the city of Detroit was the Seattle Supersonics of 1978-79. Considering a lot of players weren't born then, I am going to say I prefer the strategy that maximizes my chance for a true superstar.

In fact, all of those teams had a top 15 player of All-Time according to basketball reference's Hall of Fame monitor (Shaq, Moses, Magic, Kareem, Bird, Jordan, Hakeem, Duncan - fill that out with Oscar, Wilt, West, Pettit, Russell, K. Malone, Cousy).

[Sage11]

Sooo do we draft Marvin, and ship Smooth, Chill???? I ask this because I do not see all three staying and developing into all-stars which they may eventually become. Somebody will shine the pine.

Everyone knows that I was high on Andrew, since the Bucks will take him at 1, I just think it is prudent to address our other need at Point with the 2nd pick.

If BK drafts Marvin, he better be(come) a superstar or both may be looking elsewhere for work. Evenso how will marvin, smooth and chill get the ball, who runs the offense, We can't depend on everyone playing create your own shot street ball crap. I have never seen a football team win with a subpar QB and neither will the Hawks do anything without a solid PG, no matter how talented the swing men are.

To me this draft is simple and has always been simple, you draft the best player, if none stand head and shoulders above the rest, you address needs. Marvin has vast potential, but he does not stand head and shoulders above his peers currently. In this draft we address needs.

[Traceman]

Paul has never said what precipitated the "nutcracker" move but he has implied that there is more to the story. Whatever it is (or isn't), I simply think that he is an ultra-competitive guy who did something out of character in the heat of battle. I have read that he is a really good kid but he is by no means the choirboy that many think he is. That kind of reminds me of another great PG by the name of Isiah Thomas who had that angelic smile but who would do ANYTHING to win.

[AHF]

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Sooo do we draft Marvin, and ship Smooth, Chill???? I ask this because I do not see all three staying and developing into all-stars which they may eventually become. Somebody will shine the pine.

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I agree with the majority of people here who see them all shining after Al is shipped. If I ranked the three according to superstar potential I would rank Chill last.