Something to think about regarding FA playing here

[vdclover]

People say that we will have to overpay to get any decent FA's or FA won't want to play here, that will be somewhat true, but there's a big difference between this off-season and lasts'.

It was clear why FA's did not want to play here last year despite the fact that we had the Cap space, Not only were we a bad team, we were a faceless team, who did we have to attract any FA's? (JT, Boris, Crawford ), if I’m not mistaken didn't we have only about 5 players under contract after last season. You could understand why if you were a FA the Hawks would not be on your wish list of teams to join.

Fast-forward a year and alot has changed, I would argue that the Hawks will do well without having to give superstar money to a average player, not only do the Hawks have the Cap room, but they have players that other players want to play with, playing with the likes of J Smooth, Chill, & now Williams will attract FA's. We are also a team on the rise, we are young and do not have any bad contracts that will restrict us. When the trade deadline was coming, A.Walker was quite vocal about wanting to stay here (he saw the direction this team is going), any of the young FA C or PG will see the Hawks as an opportunity to be a starter and surround themselves with some great young talent.

Also, don't forget that the city of ATL is quite attractive to the players (weather, nightlife, etc)

Just my opinion

[Packfill]

I think childress, smoove and Marvin are at least a year away from having the game to "attract" free agents. They have talent, but they will need to prove it on at least some level before any veteran would consider them worthy of hitching his cart to for purposes of winning a championship.

[Nicholasp27]

first, name a player other than KMART that turned down our money? we didn't give damp as much as dallas did; we don't know what we offered pryz, etc...

we do know that we offered KMART the SAME as denver, a playoff team, and so he chose denver over atlanta...

we did NOT have a player say "i'm turning down the extra mil u wanna give me to play somewhere else for less"

in fact, we got jax the year before for 1mil/year after he turned down 3mil from San Antonio!

second, this year is MUCH DIFFERENT from last year

a) we now have ownership...last summer we didn't

b) we now have a coach...one mentored by brown who proved to be a good player developer

c) we now have smoove/chill/al(?)/marvin

d) we have shown we know how to draft, so future looks bright

e) we can offer more money than someone else if BK wants a player badly enough...we didn't do that in last year's weak facy class

[swolehawk2]

We really don't need to spend a bunch of money in free agency unless we see somebody we REALLY want...since our kids still have to grow...no need to try and get into a win now mode.

[Inside_Man]

Quote:

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We really don't need to spend a bunch of money in free agency

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Incorrect.

The rules are a team HAS to spend 75% of the salary cap. So we HAVE to spend another $14 mil. and that doesn't include MWill's rookie contract.

[Lascar78]

yes but we've also got very few players signed. What he was getting at is that we don't have to sign a BIG FA this offseason. Even relatively cheap players to fill most of our roster would cover most if not all of that 14 mil

[swolehawk2]

Exactly!

[Final_quest]

I think we make a run for Dalembert, Curry, and Chandler, but most likely we will not sign those guys. So we will have to take Gadzuric or Jerome James. Then we make do at PG or sign Earl Boykins. If we can bring over David Anderson that would be our backup center/PF.

Someone else posted this scenario and it seems likely for the 05-06 Hawks.

[Plainview1981]

If they sign Stoudamire to a SHORT term contract

I will feel alittle more positive about what is

going on. We need some kind of leadership and

playmaking to help bring the young guys along.

It isn't as much about wins because the Hawks

aren't hitting 20 wins no matter who they sign

for next year. It's about developing the players

the team already has. There is currently nobody

on the roster to help do that.

[swolehawk2]

Actually, a lot of development took place with Chill & Smoove last year...especially Smoove's jumpshot..... without a natural PG...although I am not against looking at a natural PG in free agency...I really don't think it is as important RIGHT NOW as people make it out to be...I really think we need defensive toughness and rebounding inside ..Like Dalembert...Gadzuric...Jerome James..I think that is much more important than a natural PG....actually I think we need to develop our young players more defensively ....I think the offense will come more naturally.

[Inside_Man]

Quote:

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If they sign Stoudamire

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The Hawks will avoid anyone with character issues like the plague. They have young, impressionable guys on this team, and they will make sure to bring in only solid citizens. MWill reads Harry Potter books! That tells you something. Chillz is a Stanford dude. Damon Stoudamire won't, and shouldn't, get a look here.

[Plainview1981]

MWill reads Harry Potter books! That tells you something."

And? I wish Harry Potter would go away.

Walker had some character issues..... From what I hear

this Stoudamire they drafted has some character issues.