Hawks move past the break
Just in case you were asleep or otherwise dwelling under a rock (though I’ve heard you still have access to Geico insurance that way), it’s been reported that the Knicks have acquired CarmeloAnthony. Ok, so the rest of the league can get going with any other trades now, right? That may or may not include the Atlanta Hawks, who are apparently at least seriously considering a move for a point guard. Whatever follows over the next couple of days could prove to be interesting. Maybe even for diehard Hawks fans.
Challenge or empty talk?
Rick Sund’s challenge to the players certainly isn’t of Mark Cuban-like proportions. In fact, it sounds more like a challenge to the fans (or any other non-organizational personnel) than to the players. What does a challenge to the team mean at this point? He gave them the best possible comfort zone by “hiring” a coach that they knew quite well. He kept largely the entire roster intact, which meant there was no one to get used to in the locker room. And he wants them to do what, exactly? Act differently than they have before? Excuse me, but where exactly is the challenge in this? Play well, or else? Anybody would flinch at the ire and boldness of the Dallas Mavericks owner (Cuban), who is liable to order his GM to orchestrate a trade if he is unhappy enough. The notoriously slow-to-speak, slow-to-move Sund? Far less likely. Perhaps even more so of his boss (es), who are much quicker to…oh, nevermind.
Suffice it to say that we can likely tell the future. Sund isn’t going to be making any big moves. Perhaps this is as well, as there isn’t likely a big move that could catapult the Hawks past the Eastern Conferences best in the last 30 or so games. Moves like that are usually made in the offseason, or at least with the next season in mind. Just ask the Knicks, who are suddenly looking more star-studded on paper, but aren’t liable to go beyond their current position unless the Magic and Hawks collapse down the stretch (stay tuned).
But, as AJC columnist Jeff Schultz has noted, Sund is traveling with the team during the remainder of their road stretch. So, perhaps that means the organization will at least cast some bait, with a willingness to snatch the rod up if anybody bites. Will it amount to anything? Hard to say.
How serious is the point guard situation?
Again, you’d have to be ignoring all things Hawks-related to not know and hear about the team’s issues at the point. It isn’t just the local media, it’s everybody who has anything to say about Atlanta’s NBA team. What doesn’t bode well for Hawks youngster Jeff Teague is the fact that while every pundit and expert is at least willing to hint at the fact that Mike Bibby isn’t up to the job, practically no one is mentioning the second year point guard as the answer. Some of us disagree, some of us don’t. It is rather interesting indeed if the Hawks manage to find themselves a point guard through trade. Why? Because it isn’t just an indication that Bibby has faded. It’s also an indication that Teague isn’t ready, if nothing else. Again, stay tuned.
The question is, who can the Hawks get, and are they serious enough to “settle” for someone that isn’t necessarily at the top of their list? While many may prefer Devin Harris or Ray Felton, neither guy may be available for what the Hawks could offer (and who really even knows what THAT is). So, it could be Sessions or somebody even less desired, coming to town. Or, maybe nobody at all. Time will tell just how committed the Hawks are to addressing the point guard position for what seems like the millionth time in the last four to five years.
I know this much – if the advent of another point guard on the roster isn’t enough motivation for Teague to do some very serious work on his game this offseason, and come into training camp with a chip on his shoulder – then nothing ever will be motivation enough.
Hawks vs. Lakers
As if playing the NBA champions after the all-star break wasn’t daunting enough, they might actually have some motivation. First, they went into the break with a three game losing streak. On top of that, some are questioning Kobe’s ability to stay on top. Great, as if a League MVP type caliber with a Michael Jordan-esque pride (and capability) needs motivation. The Hawks could be walking into a buzzsaw. Or, they could leave Staples center with the Lakers staring a fourth loss in a row. Want to be against the Champs at home with some things to prove?
The keys to winning this game are few. The Hawks have to get all-star performances from their three team captains. They also need a good performance from their bench. Knowing the Hawks, there really is no way to tell how this may turn out. Fact is, more folks may be paying attention to what the GM does (or doesn’t do) than to what the team does. At least for a couple more days, anyway.
By Big Ray, Hawks Fan Nest
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290 comments Add your comment
Astro Joe
February 23rd, 2011
7:29 pm
OB had it right last night, it looks like the Wiz wanted JC2.
vava74
February 23rd, 2011
7:31 pm
Spears announced : Agreed according to sources
Astro Joe
February 23rd, 2011
7:32 pm
Looks more officiaql now:
SpearsNBAYahoo Marc J. Spears
Wiz agree 2 trade G Kirk Hinrich & C Hilton Armstrong to ATL for G Mike Bibby, F Mo Evans, G Jordan Crawford & a No. 1 pick, sources tell Y!
Astro Joe
February 23rd, 2011
7:34 pm
It looks good in every language!
ultimatenba ultimatenba
Vía Yahoo!,AHawks cierra el traspaso con WWizards. Mike Bibby, Maurice Evans y Jordan Crawford por Kirk Hinrich, Hilton Armstrong y 1a ronda
niremetal
February 23rd, 2011
7:34 pm
I’m curious as to whether CLE is involved and how, though. They might just be taking one of our guys in a salary dump from WAS.
Melvin
February 23rd, 2011
7:37 pm
I just got home from the gym. Read the Hawks are close to acquiring Hinrich is music to my ears…YEAH Boy… CFTSOC, oh yeah, I’m a Hinrich fan as well…. Get it done Sund..
vava74
February 23rd, 2011
7:38 pm
And no CLE and no Sessions apparently, which IMO is a shame.
Two new PGs if combined with Jamal and Bibby leaving would be golden for me.
I would not mind keeping Bibby as a backup though.
niremetal
February 23rd, 2011
7:38 pm
Just a hunch, but if the deal with WAS is what’s reported, I don’t think we’re done dealing. We’d have a glut of centers and a thin backcourt. So Smoove might still be on the block.
Melvin
February 23rd, 2011
7:39 pm
David Alridge is about to talk about the possible Hawks trade on NBATV in the next segment…
Astro Joe
February 23rd, 2011
7:42 pm
ajcsportseditor ajc sports editor
Hawks trade Mo Evans, Mike Bibby, Jordan Crawford to Wizards for Kirk Hinrich and Hilton Armstrong.
Astro Joe
February 23rd, 2011
7:43 pm
Done deal. Pop the champagne… or ripple.
Melvin
February 23rd, 2011
7:44 pm
bye,bye Bibby…
vava74
February 23rd, 2011
7:44 pm
To be perfectly frank, I am fed up with Josh.
I think LD’s offense who was showing promise broke down when Josh started jacking up more and more jump shots.
Early in the season, in particular early in games, the ball rotated until an open quality shooter/shot was available, often with back door cuts by JJ, Al and Josh.
Now, the first opportunity for a jump shot is taken without looking into the paint.
If we got rid of Bibby’s decomposing carcass and Josh and Jamal’s me, me, me games, we would certainly improve dramatically.
Melvin
February 23rd, 2011
7:46 pm
Pop champagne… the ASG made a move. Who cares if it’s good or bad. Sund actually made a move…
Najeh Davenpoop
February 23rd, 2011
7:48 pm
“Just a hunch, but if the deal with WAS is what’s reported, I don’t think we’re done dealing. We’d have a glut of centers and a thin backcourt. So Smoove might still be on the block.”
I could see another trade happening too, but I doubt the Hawks are going to put together a deal that big within less than 24 hours. I think it’s more likely they deal Jamal, or maybe they find a taker for Marvin.
Astro Joe
February 23rd, 2011
7:49 pm
This is why a GM like Grunfeld acquires a player like Hinrich. He essentially got last year’s 1st round and some future 1st round pick from us for a few month rental of Hinrich. Yes, I’m glad that Sund pulled the trigger, but Grunfeld (at least in this case) masterfully played the Hinrich move. I’d love to see our GM do that.
Melvin
February 23rd, 2011
7:49 pm
Vava,
you like to place the blame of the Hawks failures at one person feet. First it was Jamal, now its Josh. I agree with Nire, this collection of players have too many warts and a change in the top 6 rotational players were needed. I also, think coaching has contribute to some of the problems on the floor. So in closing, I think its a collection of problems that the Hawks experience this season. Hopefully this trade will pump new life into the Hawks…
Melvin
February 23rd, 2011
7:51 pm
Well, I guess Teague will be starting tonight…. Maybe this will answer some questions about him going forward….
Astro Joe
February 23rd, 2011
7:53 pm
Man, I don’t know. Damien is already here and was redundant (and better) than Evans. JC2 didn’t play. Yeah, we have a ton of (bad) centers but I wouldn’t forecast another move. We actually have the right number of wings and PGs (3) for a change.
Astro Joe
February 23rd, 2011
7:55 pm
Melvin, good point… Teague gets to start. And I forgot, we only have 2 PGs (again). Maybe Teague gets back in the rotation with a good showing against Nash.
vava74
February 23rd, 2011
7:58 pm
Melvin,
Actually you are wrong: I place the failures and the laxative culture we have at the feet of the guys who have shown to be laxative:
Bibby is a lazy guy who does not take care of his body and at 32 moves like he is 40. Also, every single game AFTER a few days of rest he ALWAYS plays bad.
3 Days Rest 6 6 31.3 0.385 0.361 0.750 0.5 2.3 2.8 4.2 0.5 0.0 9.3
All averages much worse than with less rest.
Jamal is me, me, me. I don’t think he is a bad dude. He is very talented individually but he simply does not understand the game (which is collective).
Josh does not know his limitations and tried to do things he can’t instead of focusing in doing what he is built for.
vava74
February 23rd, 2011
8:03 pm
I may have not been clear on Bibby: I think he is a party goer and when gets a break, he gets wasted.
Melvin
February 23rd, 2011
8:13 pm
Rumeal Robinson, Dan Dickau, Salim Stoudamire, Acie Law, Jeff Teague, Mike Bibby… after all that, I damn sure welcome Kirk Hinrich….
niremetal
February 23rd, 2011
8:16 pm
Uh? Laxative, vava? So you’re saying the team has a collective case of the $hits?
Najeh Davenpoop
February 23rd, 2011
8:17 pm
“Actually you are wrong: I place the failures and the laxative culture we have at the feet of the guys who have shown to be laxative:”
I can’t tell whether this was intentional or not.
Melvin
February 23rd, 2011
8:26 pm
Has Hinrich took his physical yet? Did I mention how I like this trade…LOL… Fly him to Phx tonight…
Melvin
February 23rd, 2011
8:27 pm
Marvin, ZaZa and Jamal. We may need one or two you all locker space…. Let’s make another trade Sund….
Melvin
February 23rd, 2011
8:30 pm
MC just tweeted that Teague will start tonight.
vava74
February 23rd, 2011
8:32 pm
Yes, laxative: they crap their pants when faced with adversity
I meant lax but I think both fit
Astro Joe
February 23rd, 2011
8:34 pm
I just hope that Captain Kirk is healthy for the remainder of the season. He tends to get nicked up (as I recall). I’ll say this, trading Bibby is more of a cultural trade than trading anyone outside of our 3 captains (sorry, I can’t call them our big 3). Bibby was the guy who got the team over the hump and into the playoffs. He seemed to be one of the few who bridged the gap between Joe and the younger players. Kudos to Sund for not only bringing in a guy with the needed skill set but also shaking the team’s stagnant culture.
vava74
February 23rd, 2011
8:36 pm
And give me a break, its 1.30AM over here! I am pumped up waiting for another trade and maybe, just maybe, I will stay up to watch Teague being butchered by Nash.
Man, the kid finally has a break and has to face Nash? F*cking hell! Why couldn’t he get to start a game against a guy like Udrih?
vava74
February 23rd, 2011
8:40 pm
A funny tweet:
KDonhoops:
RT @mhaubs: Please tell me Shelden Williams has “SHE WILLIAMS” on the back of his jersey. If he does it, I think Candace Parker should, too! [via Twitter]
N.D.T.K.A.
February 23rd, 2011
8:48 pm
Anything to get rid of Bibby and bring back some form a decency at point guard in the form of Kirk Hinrich is welcome relief…
Hate to lose JC2 but Bibby and Mo are gone. Now we find out if L.Drew can get these guys to play defense, unselfishly, and at the rim.
newkid
February 23rd, 2011
8:50 pm
This move is at least partially intended to ensure reasonable financial opportunity exists to join the Superman sweepstakes. Clearing the multi-year financial obligations to last year’s 1st and either the ‘11 or ‘12 1st, and taking on a couple of contracts that both expire before it’s D12 time is astute (for a chump like Sund). We’ll soon see just how much near-term benefit this brings.
O'Brien
February 23rd, 2011
9:01 pm
AJ,
Sund is a reactive GM. It looks like Grunfeld was actually proactive. I had a hunch the Wizards wanted JC2.
I am glad we got Hinrich, because that changes the starting lineup. Hinrich plays better defense than Bibby, and I don’t think he will be content to hang around the 3 point line all game.
Does Hinrich have what it takes to talk to Josh about his shot selection, giving up the ball on the break etc?
vava74
February 23rd, 2011
9:03 pm
Actually, I stand corrected when I said that Hilton will probably dunk more than Zaza and get blocked less.
According to 82games.com he is blocked 35% of the times he tries to score with jumpers close to the rim and 24% in total.
Zaza? 23%
Big Ray
February 23rd, 2011
9:10 pm
New blog up, guys. And…the advent of Teague the starter….;)
rammer jammer
February 23rd, 2011
9:11 pm
doc ray, najah, clyde, dr. mary b, where you at? Can we talk?
Melvin
February 23rd, 2011
9:15 pm
A steal and 3pt shot for Teague on one possesion… Pop Champagne
Horford is our Savior
February 28th, 2011
1:52 am
Atlanta…Imagine if we could buy alcohol on Sunday
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6TOM_UuQzc0