No need for snap decisions
The only thing that rages more than Josh Smith's emotions is his over-the-top talent . The Hawks would be wise to find ways to help channel that emotion in a positive direction.
HAWKSVILLE - Raise your hand if you thought we’d all end up here.
Go ahead, raise it up high. Let the rest of us see you. I need to make sure we count the hands.
Good. Now that the roll call is over, it’s time to get down the serious business that will be retooling this Hawks roster for next season. In case you missed it, nearly half the roster is going to be diving into the free agent waters this summer.
That means there’s a chance that the Hawks team you saw on the floor in the Eastern Conference semifinals against Cleveland will be no more as of July 1, the date the free agent negotiating season kicks off. That also means that the ball switches from Mike Woodson, Joe Johnson, Mike Bibby and Josh Smith’s court to that of Hawks general manager Rick Sund.
And judging by his 30-plus year resume in the league, Sund is well aware that now is not the time for snap decisions. Those are the things, as my guy Jeff Schultz alluded to his in his column from Game 4 of the Cleveland series, that can implode a franchise. Sund needs to do what his predecessor did not after last year’s Game 7 loss to Boston, and that’s take a week or so to decompress from this experience before coming to any conclusions about this team.
(Injuries to both Al Horford and Marvin Williams complicate any postseason studies into their performances, so basically all you can go off of is their healthy regular season work.)
We, on the other hand, don’t have to wait for anything to start making our assessments of what we saw, what we liked and disliked and what we think needs to be done to improve for the future (a wise . We can dive right in, as I know you have been doing for days. So without further ado, here is one thing that can’t wait:
Since he’s the one player Hawks fans ride worse than any other, it’s only fitting that we address Josh Smith first. No fewer than a dozen people came up to me in the minutes after the game to insist that he was the reason the Hawks lost yet another game. He wasn’t locked in on defense, I was told, and he was the one giving up all the big shots, and he let Anderson Varejao work him on the boards the entire series and that’s ultimately what cost the Hawks.
I’ve written it before and I’ll write it again, once again Smith serves as the easy scapegoat for the Hawks’ larger problems (their paper-thin depth, their flawed offensive scheme the wordsmith Mark Bradley nailed in his recent column and their inability to get ball pressure on the ball at the outset of offensive possessions, just to name a few).
In addition to outscoring all the Hawks other starters (26 to 25) in Game 4, Smith led the Hawks in scoring (17.1), rebounds (7.5), blocks (1.5) and steals (1.1, he tied with Flip Murray) in 11 postseason games. He only shot 42 percent from the floor and a putrid 13 percent (2-for-15) from beyond the 3-point line. But he raised his dismal free throw shooting percentage from the regular season up to 72 percent during the playoffs.
The point is, for every deficiency he has (and five years into his career, Smith, like scores of other pros in the same situation, still has plenty) Smith has a matching skill that can’t be overlooked. His mission this summer, forget about the 3-point line and hone the post skills that few teams can deal with. Take a page out of the book of New Orleans Hornets forward David West and come back with a money 16-footer that makes teams pay for leaving you open on the wing.
I place as much of the responsibility for that happening on Smith as I do his employers. There has to be some sort of marriage of philosophies this summer to make sure that he comes back next season a more polished player and one that fulfills his role as the Hawks’ truly most dynamic player.
We’re going to toss Bibby’s name around quite a bit in the coming weeks, so let me start by insisting that you consider what the Hawks looked like before he showed up and then compare that to what they looked like in his 130 games in uniform. It was a different world, folks. So keep that in mind this summer as the Hawks start weighing their point guard possibilities – and they are endless, what with the free agent market, the draft and whatever sign-and-trade possibilities might be out there.
Bibby’s status as an unrestricted free agent means he’ll have suitors other than the Hawks capable of presenting him with the opportunity to play at least three or four more years (Bibby’s been around for 11 years but just made 31 today). “The Hawks can get someone that’s a better defender and better distributor at that position, but I don’t know that they’re going to get a better shot maker or a better fit for their
Hey Hawks, what are you going to do with Mike Bibby?
team,” a scout friend told me via email earlier today when I inquired about his assessment of Bibby’s situation with the Hawks. “There’s not a team in the league that doesn’t need a guy who’s going to knock down the big shots he does. And the funny thing is, for all the talk about his big salary this year ($15 million in the final year of his deal), you know you’re going to get him for half that or even less on this next deal. He’ll actually be a bargain on his next deal, compared to what he was.”
Bibby is and remains the biggest question mark of the Hawks’ free agents. If you keep him, his successor has to be located immediately and then groomed (what the Hawks did the past two years with Acie Law IV was anything but grooming him) to eventually take over the starting job. If you decide against keeping Bibby, you almost guarantee that you’ll have to locate your new starter via some sort of trade. Because there is little to no chance of finding a point guard ready to be pressed into immediate starting service in the June draft, not where the Hawks are picking (deep in the first round at either 19 or 20).
The Hawks could pull a fast one and snag their point guard of the future and Bibby’s immediate replacement all at once. But as an Eastern Conference executive explained to me Tuesday morning, they’ll have to find someone else’s “garbage” (it wasn’t garbage in the sense you might think, he meant a guy that someone deemed expendable) and make him their own – sort of like what Cleveland did with Delonte West, who has blossomed into one of the league’s top young attack guards (a point guard in size but whatever he wants to be because of his tenacity and fearlessness). Guys that fit that mold to me, and I think there are plenty, including former Georgia Tech star Jarrett Jack, Lakers backup Jordan Farmar (he’s under contract for the next two years and under siege by Shannon Brown), Milwaukee’s Ramon Sessions (unrestricted free agent and ready for prime time) and Portland’s Sergio Rodriguez (still under contract for another year but clearly expendable with Steve Blake and Jerryd Bayless on the roster). There are
Might former Georgia Tech star Jarrett Jack be in the Hawks' future plans at point guard? We'll find out this summer.
also veterans like Philly’s Andre Miller (unrestricted), Chicago’s Kirk Hinrich (hefty salary for the next three years but absolutely expendable with Derrick Rose at the helm and Ben Gordon an unrestricted free agent), Charlotte’s Raymond Felton (restricted) and Utah’s Ronnie Price (unrestricted).
Again, the Hawks’ options are limitless, especially when you consider that basically half the players on their own roster are free agents of one form or another. But make no mistake, figuring out what to do at point guard remains the Hawks’ highest priority.
And there are several reasons why – the first being their utter refusal to draft the right point guard year after year during the previous regime. The most important, however, is that point guard play in the NBA has become the equivalent of quarterback play in the NFL. Either you have a veteran hand capable of orchestrating almost any situation, a guy that can make everything run smoothly (Kurt Warner anyone) or you have the young phenom (the Falcons’ Matt Ryan comes to mind) that simply will not be denied. If you get caught between those two extremes, you’re gambling with your team’s future.
If you don’t believe quality point guard play can make the absolute difference between mediocre and championship worthy, you should spend a few minutes reading one of the best stories I’ve read about that very subject (courtesy of Tom Friend of ESPN’s Outside The Lines). Seriously, if you don’t do anything else, read this story from top to bottom to see how the right guy at the most important position on the floor (or field) can make all the difference in the world for a team … sort of like Bibby did for the Hawks the last year and a half.
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
624 comments Add your comment
Big Ray
May 18th, 2009
8:35 pm
I don’t think the 2010 free agent “storm” is going to be all that they’re making it out to be. There might be a big move or two, but not mass hysteria.
Then again, we see what happened when Pau Gasol got traded to L.A. That caused quite the chain reaction. Let’s just say that every move afterwards was dumb as hell.
Still, what holds the most danger for us, I think, is not getting Joe to stick around. And getting it done early. Why? Because he could very quickly become some team’s “consolation prize” when they miss on Lebron, Wade, or somebody else. Either convince him to stay and sign a nice extension, or trade him for the best value fit you can get.
But if we get him to stay, I still say we have to do one of two things: change the offensive system so that others can flourish, and help bear the scoring load….or get somebody else in here than represents a very solid scoring threat by themselves. Option 2 works better if that person is a frontcourt player. Option 2 also probably requires moving a starter…
Big Ray
May 18th, 2009
8:35 pm
Hms,
My guess is that it was the guy who posted it. Feel stupid now?
Melvin
May 18th, 2009
8:54 pm
Samuel,
I think whomever wrote that article doesn’t know the inside scoop on the ASG organization nor did they do an accurate job scouting the Hawks team. As AstroJoe pointed out, where are all these guys that has the same skill sets. Maybe similiar in size (Joe, Marvin, AL and Josh) but they all have different skill sets.
Astro,
From now on, I will refer to you as WPBG (Woody’s Personal Body Guard). Can’t nobody defend that guy like you can. I know Woody is/would be impress will some of perspective that you used to support his decision making or lack there of.Woody couldn’t dream of some of the explanations you comeup with. If that guy come up with the swine flu you would know exactly who and when he came in contact with the infected person. I think Woody should be banned from doing interveiws and allow his spokeperson AstroJoe to speak for him. I guarantee we would hear more than we didn’t play good defense tonite….
WAF
doc
May 18th, 2009
8:57 pm
though i agree with samuel that one more year with the team intact is preferred and bringing in one more player would be ideal, i doubt it is going to happen as the basg do not control much this time around. we have no idea what they are willing to afford either. if i could i would add a big that is experienced willing to play a role even sheed if willing, add chills to that, give josh and al 15 footers and i would take my chances for getting woody higher in the coy ranks.
again, it is, that it aint going to happen. so with three to consider being marvin, acie and bibby and keeping one i would pick bibby in a heart beat. why? you know he will play injured. the other two wont and we saw it demonstrated when bibby got here and repeatedly that the other two wouldnt.
a lot of potential pawns to fall this summer.
The Truth
May 18th, 2009
8:58 pm
Ray
I really don’t think JJ is going to have a problem resigning with the Hawks. The Hawks offer JJ something he may not find anywhere else. He can be showcased here and be “The Man” on this team. Since he is preceived to be the second or third option on other teams, he would take a back seat if he left. Remember, aside from the money, his main reasons for coming to ATL was ego driven.
Ray Jr.
May 18th, 2009
9:00 pm
First I would like to say good year HAWKS you guys gave your all.
Now own to whats needs to be done: I say the team we have is good we just need to address some key areas. Bring in a true center, another shooter and a vet for more leadership. Also use more of our bench let them grow.
Now for the coach, I would like to say woody is a good coach and he really has done a decent job with this team, but now I believe he has taken this team as far as he can. TIME FOR T CHANGE…..
I say bring in Avery Johnson, I believe he could really light a fire under this young team.
Astro Joe
May 18th, 2009
9:01 pm
Ray, Joe’s agent would be a fool to try to negotiate an extension a few weeks after his client’s post-season performance.
Samuel
May 18th, 2009
9:08 pm
True. That was definately a “my bad”. I’m an amature I must admitt. I can’t hold a candle to you “Fire Woody” guys.
Melvin,
I thought I was the #1 Woody Spokesman. Darn, I’ve lost ground.
Hms,
A guy by the name of Faulkner would write page and page of story without ever sticking in an apostrophe or as much as a crooked comma and he is today counted one of the greatest writers who ever split an infinitive.
Melvin
May 18th, 2009
9:14 pm
Astro,
You may get your wish…
It seems clear now it’s an either/or with Hinrich and Ben Gordon, and I think the Bulls may make a bid to re-sign Gordon. Here’s one scenario: There’s a question in Atlanta whether they bring back point guard Mike Bibby. I personally doubt it the way Bibby slumped as the playoffs went on.
Atlanta can get enough under the salary cap to absorb most of Hinrich’s contract. If that contract comes off the books, the Bulls should be in good position to extend a fair offer to Gordon—should they want to, of course, which I really don’t know.
Samuel
May 18th, 2009
9:14 pm
Yea Truth,
But I think JJ is thinking twice about wanting to be “The Man”. I believe he would be happy to take his Millions and be the “semi-man” after this year.
Careful what you wish for.
Astro Joe
May 18th, 2009
9:14 pm
Melvin, I watched Minority Report last night and I was inspired to continue to swim upstream and defend Woody where appropriate. Like I said, I struggle to defend not playng Acie (and I defended the Acie draft pick). I don’t get a chance to attend too many games in person, but I had good seats for Acie’s rookie debut against Dallas and I became an immediate fan. But dude seems to be approaching Speedy fragility. And I really wonder if he has lost some of his teammates (we know that Speedy has lost his teammates due to his inability to shoulder the load). But yeah, I’ll jump on here and will be Joe Cochran (Johnny’s incompetent cousin) every now and then. And chances are, when we eventually replace Woody, I’ll likely defend the new guy too.
Hoops
May 18th, 2009
9:22 pm
Big Ray,
If we are to improve the Hawks and have a chance to move up and compete in the top 3 of the East, we have to move a starter and maybe two.
Look, Marvin is stiff. Watch him walk. He is always going to be a threat for a back injury. That’s just how he is built. I like him, but I think we could move him and get better. We could trade Marvin to the Bucs and get Sessions and a draft pick. That would give us a PG that has a bright future and can defend. Jarrett Jack is a FA. Mike Conley has 1 year left and so does Russell Westbrook. These players are gettable with Marvin and AC.
I like Josh Smith, but he is a tweener. He cannot shoot outside and struggles with the big PF inside. I know we could get a quality 5 for him. M. Gasol or trade up and get Thabeet. Don’t forget that Rasheed is a FA.
The Hawks have many options! Make a move!
Astro Joe
May 18th, 2009
9:26 pm
Melvn, need to check with Manny or niremetal or another of our resident financial experts about what it would take for the Hawks to get under the cap to absorb almost $9M. I’m guessing that we would need to renounce the rights to both Childress and Marvin. I wouldn’t do that for Hinrich.
Melvin
May 18th, 2009
9:28 pm
Looks like Josh is on somebody’s radar…
Cuban’s ambitious target, in his words, is a “young perennial All-Star.” That probably translates to pressing Toronto about its willingness to part with Dallas native Chris Bosh, but since the Raps continue to say they have no interest in moving Bosh, I could see the Mavs’ sniffing around Atlanta to see if Josh Smith will be made available.
Ariose
May 18th, 2009
9:28 pm
….All i’m sayin’ is, If i’m sund, I would gamble and take a one year flier out on Rasheed. If, at the least, all he does is play defense and use his length to battle those damn 7+ footers that EVERYONE seems to have but us, I think we can possibly get to the ECF…..that’s if everyone stays healthy through the post-season.
Ariose
May 18th, 2009
9:33 pm
…..and if we meet up with the magic in the playoffs, we won’t have to double cause’ Rasheed has Howard’s number for some reason lol.
Ariose
May 18th, 2009
9:34 pm
Enter your comments here
Melvin
May 18th, 2009
9:38 pm
Astro,
I read somewhere that we have 40 million allocated for next year salary cap before signing or resigning any FA. Fact remains that Sund has alot options this summer between salary cap flexibility, draft picks, restricted FA’s (Marvin and Josh C), rights to Andersen and the Turkey pg and Speedy’s expiring contract. If he can’t get the job this summer with all those options then it’s time to find a new GM (yes, even after 1 season of work). Arguably, he has more options in one season then BK had during his entire tenure. Get it done Sund.
doc
May 18th, 2009
9:44 pm
yeah, samuel you might not have the commas but at least you got the capitals.
samuel you need to come around more often. you and aj can be the tag team known as woody’s woodpeckers. right now you only qualify for the terse clyde counterpart at your rate of contribution here. aj has said a lot while you were gone guy.
aj gets the cape, defender of the coach, until we go south then he will do his anakin reprise. we know what true heart lies within joe.
Astro Joe
May 18th, 2009
9:47 pm
Melvin, Dallas doesn’t have much to offer for Smith. Ownership may bite if they offer Stakehouse’s partially guaranteed contract (then he gets cut and they save money). Or, they could offer Josh Howard, which would lead to a S&T with Marvin. Personally, I’d keep Marvin over Josh Howard. I don’t see Howard having as much success against guys like LeBron, Pierce, Hedu and Beasley. Again, I don’t really like what Dallas has to offer.
The Truth
May 18th, 2009
9:52 pm
Samuel
That may be true about JJ not wanting to be the “The Man” anymore. If that is his thinking, than maybe we should part ways with him anyway; No guts no glory. We need our star player to have some “Backbone”
O'brien
May 18th, 2009
9:54 pm
Ariose, I would be okay with Rasheed for 2 years, and he says he wants $8 million. Maybe we can get him for a little cheaper (maybe him and Woody are still cool from when Woody was an assistant). Sign him, and bring Al off the bench as our backup PF/backup center. When Rasheed’s 2 years are up, then we will know if Al will be an allstar PF, and then we can decide to trade him or trade Josh (or maybe Josh will have the handles and range to play some SF).
Hms
May 18th, 2009
10:08 pm
Samuel, did Faulkner write for UNDER THE BLEACHERS too? I’m an amature I admitt. Funny sentence because the words amature and admitt sure prove that you are telling the truth. I didn’t know you wrote the article though. Maybe you will become famous as Faulkner, whoever that is. If he writes like that no wonder I didn’t read him.
Astro Joe
May 18th, 2009
10:11 pm
Melvin, I like this site for salary info.
http://www.shamsports.com/content/pages/data/salaries/hawks.jsp
Like I said, we’d have to decide to walk away from Marvin and Childress to get down to $41M. That would be a bold, bold move by Sund. He’d essentially be re-making a 47-win team, with only Horford, Smith & Joe remaining from the core.
Samuel
May 18th, 2009
10:13 pm
Doctor,
I’ll do my best. School’s almost out. Then i’ll be able to devote more time to the blog. I actually coached tennis this year after a couple of years off.
This Summer i’ll post around 6:30 then hit the water to catch them Bass at dawn. Shower and take my mid-day nap. Blog a little more then get back in the water to catch that “top water” action at dust. The blue gill and shell crackers (we call em Strawberries in Mississippi) should be beading pretty soon. I got my crickets ready. It don’t get no better.
I’m also getting my little queen ready for Nationals this year. Big Ray, we’re comming to Savannah this year to defend our crown in June.
Big Ray
May 18th, 2009
10:21 pm
Melvin,
No, what you would hear would be “we didn’t play with energy…” instead.
Couldn’t resist.
Something tells me Astro Joe would make a much better publicist than body guard. Just a hunch. As long as the pay is equal, right? Heh heh heh.
Astro Joe,
Yeah, his agent WOULD be a fool to do it this soon. I’m talking about not trying to wait until the last minute, is all. While a new contract won’t be an immediate focus, Joe is still an all-star. Still, some decisions have to be made.
I wouldn’t doubt that Acie has lost the confidence of some of his teammates. Who knows if he ever had it? I don’t know what to say about his injuries. And as you may have noticed, I don’t blame Woody for not playing him as much when he has two vets that can score, as options. But I can’t get away from the idea that both guys COULD in all reality, be gone after the season. I’m not talking likelihood, just possibility. And that leaves Law.
Having said that, I don’t think Law is here for the duration, and I’m not married to the idea of keeping him anyway. Asset management can never be emphasized enough. Trade him now if he’s not going to be utilized, and while teams stilll look at him as somebody with potential. Let him sink to Stoudamire’s level and he’ll not be of much worth. Besides, there are other likeable options out there.
What we need more than anything else at the moment is one that will produce and be given adequate playing time. Or vice versa.
Samuel
May 18th, 2009
10:22 pm
Hms,
I really should be better at spelling and grammer. My sixth grade English teacher must be rolling over in her grave. I really should spell check and check my grammer like you guys but i’m kinda lazy.
Besides, you don’t have to be able to spell to be a coach. Just roll out the dodge balls and watch the fun.
Big Ray
May 18th, 2009
10:28 pm
Hms,
Dude. Don’t be a blog heckler. What are you, a disgruntled Boston fan? Or are you Adam Wojnaroski in disguise. I can’t stand you…er, that guy.
Samuel,
Best of luck with your girl. I’m sure she will shine as brightly as ever. As long as she has fun and does her best, it will be all good. Congratulations on her and your achievements!
The Truth,
JJ may or may not want to be “the man” anymore, but he sure still wants the ball.
I wonder. Does Rasheed Wallace want to come to the ATL? His skill set matches what we would need if we ended up with a frontcourt that had Al at the 4, and Josh at the 3.
Big Ray
May 18th, 2009
10:32 pm
LOL….
Sam,
Was that really you at 10:22? Heh heh heh…by the way, where will the gymnastics competition be held in the SAV, or did they tell you yet? I assume it will be in the Civic Center. Just a guess.
Astro Joe,
I don’t really want anything out of Dallas not named Brandon Bass. He’s the Leon Powe of the West.
doc
May 18th, 2009
10:36 pm
samuel, yes life is good, nothing better than sitting over an active blue gill bed right around a good soft rain. just frying them up with some hush puppies, maybe, or even while sipping scotch while they cook and washing them down with a cold brew.
samuel, i know this will please you to no end, i understood every word in your article, enjoyed it and agreed with most of it. heh heh
while at the site, i did take time to check out your predictions for the western conference first round though. i doubt you took it to vegas seeing how you have to truck a rising gymnastic superstar around to gyms. my last is leaving high school this spring, fella it goes fast. enjoy!
Big Ray
May 18th, 2009
10:36 pm
Ariose,
Seems to me that we’ve had 7-footers before. We just always get the wrong kind. Priest Lauderdale…ugh…. ‘Sheed could do some good here. I’ve been kinda sour on him, but that’s because he can put up better numbers. But I don’t blame him if he’s not motivated to play in Detroit. It’s funny. Since Larry Brown left, things went to crap up there. Flip had ‘em winning, but not contending with the same fervor. Ben Wallace has turned into a strong-armed nobody again. Just like he was in Washington. Dumars has made one bad move after another.
‘Sheed might actually want to come here. But like you say, a couple years is an ideal situation. Plug the gap, so to speak. Hmmmm.
doc
May 18th, 2009
10:37 pm
samuel, are shell crackers what we call them out of the ogeechee river as red bellies?
Samuel
May 18th, 2009
10:44 pm
Ray,
Unfortunately,
We have produced a “beast” in my house. It’s definately “no fun” if we don’t win or at least place in the top three. My little one has grown accustomed to winning. She went through a little slump on the “beam” this year and fell in three straight meets. Her strong all around game still pulled her through. She’s a work-a-holic at age 10. A coaches dream. We try to tell her that we are proud of her, no matter what but she really hates to lose.
Yall know how I feel about Sheed. I would love to see him in a Hawks uniform.
Astro Joe
May 18th, 2009
10:45 pm
OK, this will undoubtedly come across as hating but I won’t have any problems sleeping, so here it goes. So no one is concerned about the possible impact that Rasheed could have on Josh? After watching Josh complain after every foul or non-foul (and didn’t he get a tech in the last game or two of the Cavs series), is no one else worried about adding the ultra-emotional Rasheed to a highly-emotional Smith? One is combustible while the other is flammable. Is that the right combination?
Night all, my pillow is sweet talking me right now. Can’t r-e-s-i-s-t, zzzzzzz.
Samuel, I just registered for Bleacher Reports so that I can check you out more often. Come strong man, I only like to read strong material. Sekou & Hacks set the standard.
Samuel
May 18th, 2009
10:58 pm
http://www.theseap.com/wp-content/uploads/image/baitshop/fish/shellcracker.jpg
Big Ray
May 18th, 2009
11:04 pm
Samuel,
Hey, self-motivated is the best kind. Like you said, a coach’s dream. Sounds like a terrific girl, and she will do well. Think you can get her to help Randolph Morris out? He needs help.
Astro Joe,
I hear what you’re saying, but I think ‘Sheed is past those days. He’s older now, and you know what? I think he has something almost nobody on this roster has: the ability to do what Josh Smith WANTS to do, and the testicular fortitude to not only get in Josh’s ear when he really needs it, but whoop his ass in practice. He can teach him how to be what he wants (and really what many of us want) Josh to be. Josh has never had that. And since ‘Sheed is an emotional player himself, he will understand all too well how Josh ticks.
I may be going out on a limb with this, but there is a very strong possibility that Rasheed Wallace could do more FOR Josh than anything else at this point. The kid is mostly flying blind, and Woody can’t teach him what he needs to know from anything other than a coach’s perspective. I think Josh needs a player’s perspective to help bridge that gap. I think he would need that no matter where he was playing, or for whom. Again, he’s never had that kind of veteran guidance.
To borrow a quote from Niremetal, ‘Sheed was the technical foul magnet for a while there but “he argued calls after the play, not while the ball was in play, like Josh does. When the ball was in play, you were hard-pressed to find a more focused person on the court. He always sees the whole court, all the time.”
Admittedly, I’ve been a Rasheed detractor for some time now, annoyed with his lack of production vs. his talent curve. But the fact is, he has something we haven’t had in who knows how long, and I think he would be worth the money for more than just what he can do in individual statistical categories. He’ll grab Josh by the ear. He’ll add toughness. He can teach Horford some stuff, too. Imagine having him to go up against in practice, instead of just Zaza, Solo, and RandMo. Sheed would make you work for everything. Rebounds. Everything.
Having said that, and believing every word I just typed, I know I could be dead wrong. Maybe we’ll get the chance to see. Maybe not.
Big Ray
May 18th, 2009
11:05 pm
Joe,
Samuel has been writing for Bleacher Report for a while. Might have been longer than us 1 and a half hacks (I can’t seem to find the other hack these days).
doc
May 18th, 2009
11:20 pm
hmmm close:
http://www.gafishfinder.com/view_fish_type.php?fish_id=19
yeah ray and think how sheed can show josh the way to stroke a three, that ought to make the coy woody contingent real happy.
Najeh Davenpoop
May 18th, 2009
11:45 pm
I think Josh may be able to relate to Rasheed Wallace since both are similar in a lot of ways, from the versatility matched by few others, to the great athleticism, to the tendency to fly off the handle. The one thing that worries me is that Sheed never quite put together his whole package of skills to become that star many said he’s capable of being, largely because he has always been, and continues to be, a big man enamored with his outside shot. That’s exactly the future we don’t want to see out of Josh Smith.
I would like the Hawks to bring in a veteran big man who can get Josh Smith to realize his future is in the low post, and get him to channel his emotions in a positive way on the court. I doubt Sheed is the ideal guy to do that. In fact, looking at the Pistons’ roster, Antonio McDyess would come a lot closer to fitting that bill.
MannyT
May 18th, 2009
11:54 pm
Astro to say Woody is not responsible for player development, but to then put it on the assistant coaches that work for him is akin to trying to throw some guy that reports to you under the bus to your customers while you try to be the teflon don.
Unless I missed the Dan Snyder/Jerre Jones move, the assistants came after Woody was in place. Maybe he needs to figure out how to manage his direct reports if he isn’t getting what he wants out of them. He cannot fire Josh, but I think he can ditch assistant coaches.
Pulling an example from your Star Wars side… Imagine this chat with Yoda. I doubt he would give me the screw up, I did not. Young Anakin was just an *&(#%!. Blame me, should you not…even though he did bring down the Jedi. hmmm I blame Obi Wan!!
I think the Jedi Master would give more of a humble, For Anakin, responsible we all are. His salvation, too is ours.
A long while back I put coaches into 3 buckets.
The guys that suck and will get fired regardless.
The guys that are average will do what most other coaches do. They often get fired once the locals lose interest in the one or two things they do well.
The guys that are good and great get more out of the less than stellar players.
Woody is an average NBA coach. Unlike most of the world, I can see that as a wonderful thing. Like an average NBA player is still a millionaire, an average NBA coach is a fine level of achievement. Now if you want more for the Hawks, he will have to learn some new tricks or we will grow tired of the old ones and at some point he suffers the fate of most NBA coaches–fired.
I am not saying fire Woody now. I am saying that the things he doesn’t do well now are the same things he did not do well last season, and the season before, and so on…and so on.
One of those areas of development is getting more out of the middle of his bench. I am not asking him to make RandMo into Olajuwon. I am saying that he needs to do more with players 8, 9, 10 and maybe 11.
I am confident that Mr. Fantastic would agree. Now if I can only get some Sue Storm action
BWAF
Ariose
May 19th, 2009
12:00 am
Poop, now thats just not true. When sheed was in Portland, there was not another Big Man better than him, no not even Timmy. Sheed used to lay it all on the line and play with so much heart and intensity. This postseason he had nagging injuries, but he toned it down on the techs, probably beczuse he realized that he finally needed to be a claming influence with Chuncey gone and a bad role-model in A.I showing up.
I think the drive and passion of our players and their will to win will re-invogorate ‘Sheed and make him care again….you KNOW woody WILL BENCH HIM if he shows out too much and is Lazy on the court, belevive it. So they may help each other. We got a motivated Sheed, and woody looks good ofr once lol.
And J-Smoove only had two techs on the year so how is he like sheed? When Zaza get’s T’s for being stupid don’t you see all the guys riding him telling him that was stupid(well, thats cause’ zaza is usually the team scapegoat) bit they know how topolice themselves. Remeber thet team meeting the had in the Heat series’. Smoove may look at the ref while no watching his man when he’s really frustrated but the man NEVER goes too far like ‘Sheed has in the past. I know because ‘Sheed used to be one of my favorite players and I watched him all the time(I hate laz Sheed though). Y’all are not being fair to smoovein that regard…
MannyT
May 19th, 2009
12:02 am
I am a fan of Hawk for a game (Sheed), but I really think that is a bet your job move for Woody. If Sheed/Obi-Wan turns Josh to the good, great things can happen, but if we get Anakin Josh, you may as well put him on the next commercial/in game ad as the Face of Destruction and get him one of those fine black helmets with the iron lung in it.
The question is how fast are his skills falling off and how much of a distraction will it be for him that he can no longer do some of the things he used to do with ease.
May the force be with you, O B WAF
Big Ray
May 19th, 2009
3:48 am
WTF??
One minute, we’re saying how Josh Smith would be an all-star if he just acquires a reliable jumper.
Next minute, we don’t want him learning to shoot from the outside (let alone 3-point land) because we’re afraid he’ll do it all the time.
WTF!!
I don’t see Josh patterning his game after ‘Sheed’s game of the last couple years. Young fella likes to dunk and what not WAY too much for that. I see him mixing it up and becoming an offensive headache for opposing teams. Yes he does need badly to hone and rely on his ability to score inside. But for crying out loud, improvement and versatility should never be frowned upon.
Rasheed Wallace knows how to score inside. He just doesn’t do it all the time. Like Ariose said, he was an absolute terror in Portland. His role changed somewhat in Detroit. But the ability has always been there. Unlike Smith though, ‘Sheed has always been able to hit that outside shot pretty well. Well enough to respect it. That’s all I want from Smith, and without it he becomes/remains a one dimensional player. Even when you’re that athletic, the better teams and coaches learn ways to stop you, or at least slow you down. And if all you have is one way of scoring, they’ll find a way to plug it.
Not only that, but there’s always this talk of bringing in a rugged, low post-dwelling center, and moving Josh to the 3. If that happens, we’re going to need better shooting from Josh anyway. He won’t have to provide a lot of perimeter scoring, but he has to have the ability to get some done when necessary.
Do I want to see Josh doing what ‘Sheed has been doing the last couple years? No. But I don’t think he’ll resort to that either. He doesn’t now, and he won’t later.
Big Ray
May 19th, 2009
3:49 am
MannyT,
Great points, and excellent Star Wars references!
Big Ray
May 19th, 2009
3:53 am
I don’t think Rasheed is an ideal fit, either. But when was the last time “ideal” even factored into the equation around here? If we can do better, then we definitely should. If we can’t, I don’t think that’s a bad way to go.
McDyess is definitely not a bad addition. He may do more for Horford than he would Smith, but you never know. He’s a good example RIGHT NOW of what to do when you are somewhat limited athletically, but I remember the old McDyess…prior to the injury. He would go up 40 inches on you for the dunk on one play, and drain a 17-foot jumper on the next…
Big Ray
May 19th, 2009
4:46 am
From Sam Smith up in Chicago:
It seems clear now it’s an either/or with Hinrich and Ben Gordon, and I think the Bulls may make a bid to re-sign Gordon. Here’s one scenario: There’s a question in Atlanta whether they bring back point guard Mike Bibby. I personally doubt it the way Bibby slumped as the playoffs went on.
I’ve long thought the deal that made the most sense for both teams with Hinrich was with Portland. Their GM is a Kansas guy like Hinrich and Steve Blake would be an ideal and cheaper backup combo guard. But the talk is the Trail Blazers will sign the 76ers Andre Miller as a free agent. Then they’ll use their extra pieces, perhaps including Blake, to make a deal for a banger up front. Then the 76ers would need a point guard, and that could be where Bibby goes if the 76ers lose Miller, which seems likely as the free agent boycotted the team’s final meetings.
Of course, there’s also the doomsday possibility that no one comes as a free agent and you are stuck with the Ron Mercer option. There’s going to be lots of competition. The talk already has been Cleveland, which can get under, will make a bold push for Joe Johnson. Heck, the Knicks could offer ownership in the Rangers if they get desperate. What makes sense to us rarely makes sense to players. But then, Chicago is a major market, and that could be a heck of a team.
Don’t you just love rumors?
Samuel
May 19th, 2009
6:52 am
Yea Doc,
A sunfish. They don’t get quite as big as them strawberries but I think they fight a little harder, pound for pound. The meat is a little more tender too.
Astro Joe
May 19th, 2009
9:25 am
Manny, I understand, Woody manages assistants. So if assistants don’t get players developed, Woody should replace assistants, right? Do you do that during the season or after? We saw in the last off-season the addition of Jim Todd, Ty Hill and Mark Price (as a consultant). Woody is responsible for the development of the players, for free throw shooting, for turnovers, for defensive rotations, for moving screens, for poor foot work, for fast break opportunities, for points in the paint and a whole lot more. He is both responsible and accountable. But with all that said, I still can’t recall reading or hearing a quote where the young superstar credits his head coach for teaching him a fundamental basketball skill. When Michael Beasley or Derrick Rose give Spoelstra or Nel Negro credit for tirelessly working with them on their fundamental skills, give me a holler.
Astro Joe
May 19th, 2009
9:34 am
Rick Sund is doing his media tour this morning. I heard a portion of the 790 The Zone interview and then he was going to do 680 The Fan. I know that 790 usually posts their interviews on their website after the fact, so it will be interesting to hear the final product. He said that Woody is definitely coming back next season, that no one on the team is untouchable (but some are less likely to be traded), that the coaching staff must provide a report card on each player as part of the exit interview, that he liked what he saw from Acie prior to the injuries and he liked the 3-guard rotation (Bibby, Joe & Flip). For at least the portion that I heard, he refused to provide any “inside info” and was mostly spinning things in a positive direction. Maybe he loosened up later but he refused to discuss Woody’s areas for improvement and wouldn’t comment on Joe’s post-season performance (other than saying “I think he was hurt”).
O'brien
May 19th, 2009
9:55 am
It’s no surprise that Woody is coming back. I just wish he hires more seasoned assitants.
When Sund came here, he said he liked Acie. And even now, he still says he likes what he saw from Acie. But yet Acie gets no PT. So now what? Keep him for another year and see if he stays healthy and gets more PT?
One thing Sheed will add is the fire that the Hawks are missing. I dont want Sheed making any guarnatees before a game, but he is willing to step up and take responsibility, moreso than JJ. He has been to the playoffs a number of times and has won an NBA championship. Maybe coming here will motivate him to prove his doubters/detractors wrong.