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.
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624 comments Add your comment
Reggie
May 14th, 2009
12:58 pm
Sekou
Guys like Antonio McDyess & Marcin Gortat, I think are great fits for the hawks. What are the chances of the hawks going after one of those two guys?
kurih
May 14th, 2009
12:58 pm
barkingbulldawg@201am- how do you account for a hawks team that was worse last year, pushing a celtics team that was tougher last year to 7 games
Ayanna
May 14th, 2009
12:59 pm
Okay, fellow Hawks fans it’s time for us to think rationally and stop being so emotional. I will be the first to admit that I based my previous comments on attachments to my favorite player on the Hawks team. Admit it there are certain players that you just don’t want to see leave the team. But just like many have said before it’s all about business. So somebody’s gonna eventually have to go.
I’ve read comments of Hawks fans clowning Cleveland about Lebron going to New York. Who are we to talk when we don’t even want to let go of our so called okay, mediocre team with an honorable mention player. We say we want a championship team but we don’t want to make sacrifices to get there. The team may not need blowing up, but I tell you what it sure does need something.
I was tripping at first, but I’m not anymore. You can’t get something for nothing. I’m not so sure Mike Woodson is to blame anymore because on national tv I saw him tell the team to drive to the hole or get inside the paint or something like that. But right after he advised the team on this, I saw our coach on the floor (Mike Bibby) take a jumper. But that’s just one incident that I saw with my own eyes. So just say this we don’t know if it’s the coach messing up plays or the players not listening to the coach.
Forget it let’s just get right down to business:
1. Keep Woodson for at least to the end of his contract (one more season)- the economy dictates that.
2. Trade Joe Johnson-He’s the most valuable player on the team right now, teams will probably be more willing to part with players i.e. that point guard/ center that we need. If you don’t trade him before 2010 you risk loosing value that could get you those players the team so desperately needs.
3. Keep Josh Smith-He is a future All Star/Superstar if he could just get someone to help him establish an all around game and teach him how to be a professional and channel that emotion into his game in a positive way that helps the team not hinder it.
4. Keep Zaza Pachulia-He’s not afraid to bang around and be the enforcer on the team. Say what you will about his coordination, but the dude’s got heart.
5. Keep Flip Murray, Mario West, and Thomas Gardner-Flip, Mario, and Thomas seem to have that determination to succeed that inspires a team.
6.Get rid of Mike Bibby, Randolph Morris, and Speedy Claxton. These guys to me just don’t seem to want to be an Atlanta Hawk. There’s something about Mike Bibby I just don’t trust. Going against the coach’s advice on National tv confirmed my suspiscion.
7. Keep Al Horford-His long term value far outweighs his short term value. He’ an All Star waiting to happen. Plus he has basketball IQ and an awareness of the court. Who knows maybe in a few years along with Josh Smith we’ll be calling them double trouble.
8. Marvin Williams and Acie Law IV-You can keep them, trade them, get rid of them. Either way you can’t go wrong.
ZacheryGoldsmith
May 14th, 2009
1:00 pm
Fred: I totally agree with your blog. Josh Smith is totally uncoachable. I saw during the regular season where Josh Smith was dribbling the ball a lot, turning the ball over and making a bunch of mistakes and I said to myself, when the playoffs begin, maybe those things will get corrected. WRONG. During the playoffs Josh Smith was doing those exact same things and cost us a few playoff games. Smith wasnt the only culpret, but he couldnt help himself (as Hawks broadcaster Steve Holman pointed out at a critical time in the game when Josh Smith dribbled down the court and promptly turned the ball over as he has done during the regular season thousands of times). Josh Smith has the jumping ability AND the shooting ability to be a miniature LaBron James. The queston is WILL JOSH work in the offseason to become this type of player. If he does, the Hawks should be winning the title soon. But first lets fire Woodsen, replace him with Avery Johnson before you even begin another season. I cannot stomach another season under Mike Woodsen because Woodsen will not discipline the team to become great.
phoenix falcon
May 14th, 2009
1:00 pm
the hawks need a COACH, the talent is there, the coaching is not.
Daniel
May 14th, 2009
1:04 pm
Trading Joe Johnson is a terrible idea. How is Phoenix doing now?
Those kind of moves always end up hurting in the long run. We don’t need to panic. With a better inside presence, Joe will be a great 1B type of player. We all recognize he is not a stand alone superstar. There are plenty of options at point without using a trade. Now in terms of a big we may have to make a move, but Marvin is the most likely choice of trade bait.
Daniel
May 14th, 2009
1:05 pm
Woodson disciplined Josh several times throughout the season. He is not the problem. Bench depth and a big with scoring ability are our problems. Obviously, we need to address point first.
SilverSlipper
May 14th, 2009
1:07 pm
Dont you dare bring in Dwight Howard. Howard is a dunker who is a great shot blocker. Thats all Howard is. Howard cannot take over a game in the fourth quarter with offensive skills because he doesnt have any. When you watch the ESPN highlights on Howard, you see him flex his muscles like Superman, block shots and dunk the ball about 10 times a game. Thats what Dominique Wilkins used to be until he learned how to shoot. Dont bring in Howard unless you’re bringing him here to win the slam dunk contest.
Ayanna
May 14th, 2009
1:07 pm
Whoops, I forgot about Othello Hunter and Mo Evans.
9. I say keep them, these guys showed promise. They’re just quite easy to forget.
Joe Johnson
May 14th, 2009
1:10 pm
I can’t seem to shake you guys. Everywhere I turn, you’re all up in my face. What’s up?
Jacques
May 14th, 2009
1:12 pm
Don’t worry, Hawks fans: this post-season was just a heat check.
newkid
May 14th, 2009
1:13 pm
After having ‘evaluated’ for a year, even if Sund were to have taken a decision 30 seconds after the last loss to Cleveland it could hardly have been termed a ’snap’ decision. And if, consistent with timing that comports with the terms of the Collective Bargaining Agreement, Sund were to make several moves this summer that involve saying goodbye to several players currently on the roster, I hope we don’t irrationally conclude that he’s inadvisedly ‘breaking up the team’. There are perhaps team-building moves that could have – and maybe should have – been made last year that were postponed (for whatever reasons) to this year. Those ‘last year’ moves, when coupled with moves contemplated for this coming off-season, may appear to some too much to do at once. Multiple moves this summer shouldn’t necessarily be viewed as the sort of fire sale BK executed shortly after his arrival, or some ill-advised moves in the late 1990s.
In his year of evaluation I hope Sund hasn’t gotten so enamored with the home grown pieces that he refuses to pull the trigger on measured moves that are calculated to catapult this team to the next level. There seems to be an awful lot of ‘home cooking’ affecting the cautions being offered up in these parts. Sure we’d like to retain ‘our own’ pieces, but only if we can’t markedly improve the team’s chances of hoisting the O’Brien trophy by moving one or more of ‘our own’ along for someone else’s. And if those we move along happen to do exceptionally well elsewhere, while we enjoy the parade on Peachtree, then we should wish them all the best. No need to fear someone going off and becoming a star elsewhere, so long as we become a better team as a consequence.
bigjohnhawksfan
May 14th, 2009
1:13 pm
Definitely keep Othello. He looks like he has the size and speed to make a difference.
cleveland steamer
May 14th, 2009
1:15 pm
As long as by “home grown pieces” you mean Dwight Howard, I’m game.
Ayanna
May 14th, 2009
1:23 pm
Definitely trade Joe Johnson if it will get the team that true point guard and center. Anybody know of a way for the Hawks to get Danny Granger? He just got the most improved player award. He’d be great on a team that has improved to the point of being an okay team. Is he a forward or a guard? We should make him our new shooting guard.
Astro Joe
May 14th, 2009
1:33 pm
Sekou any word on the injuries to Horford and Marvin? Will they require surgeries or will rest and rehab get them back into shape?
GeeMack
May 14th, 2009
1:37 pm
Guys chill with the fire Woody talk. The man has done an excellent job. If any one thinks this team underacheived you are sadly mistaken. That’s the only way a coach should be fired.
The way to improve the team is to make tweaks not overhaul the team. Ther two guys that can improve this team K. Hinrich and C. Kaman. Too many big men in LAC. Too many PG’s in Chi town.
In house adjustments move Josh to the 3 he is not a PF. Thats why we getting killed on the boards. Move AL to the 4 he is not a center. Make Woody hire and offensive coordinator like Clevland did this year and they had more movement in their offense. Hinrch is just as good of shooter as Bibby but better defender and penetrator.
kirkinga
May 14th, 2009
1:41 pm
When it comes to Mike Bibby, opinions have been made since he first arrived and precious few have changed during his tenure with the Hawks. Those of us who favor Bibby remember what it was like before he got here. We see the wins, we see the ability to hit the big shots.We see the command he has of the team. We also see that the detractors are sometimes correct in that his defense is poor and he doesn’t penetrate.
For the anti Bibby people,you will know them immediately as the first thing out of their mouth will be something about defense, penetration and quickness which is what they value the most.They see what the Tony Parker’s and Rondo’s do to Bibby and that dominates their perception of him. There is also a belief that a quick and speedy PG that plays defense will naturally command the respect of his teammates, will willingly penetrate to hit big shots, and is the obvious choice for instantly improving the Hawks some x number of games.
And of course there are the Acie Avengers who believe he has been wronged by the evil and incompetent Coach Woodson and want Bibby gone so Acie can take his rightful place as PG of this team.
Sure some will take a seemingly middle ground and talk about contract dollars, but with few exceptions, minds have been made up for a year and half now.
Sekou’s source is right, it really isn’t about Bibby’s skill set so much as it is about “fit” and wins. As a pro Bibby guy I’m not saying he is the only good option available, but letting him get away changes the chemistry of this team in a way none of us will really know until the season is over.
Go Hawks!!
SSI FAN
May 14th, 2009
1:48 pm
Don’t be shocked when word that the ASG is actively marketing all of its assets becomes public.
If the Hawks have Horford and Smith as starters in the frontcourt, they will either be too small or they will not have enough outside shooting.
RealSquawk
May 14th, 2009
1:51 pm
This isn’t yahoo fantasy basketball. This is a very important offseason so before you call for the firing or the trading of anybody you need to look at your losses and your gains.
On Mike Woodson like someone said earlier when they put the cameras on him he seems to say the right things even in the huddle. Which means people just aren’t listening to him. The real important knock on him is his bench development. It’s important we have lost some valuable assets due to his inability to show patients with people. Royal Ivey provided that energy and skill on the defensive end like Mario West, but he is a little more solid offensively. Salim Stoudamire if you do not know has been signed to the Bucks they signed him this year so he could be with them throughout training camp for the upcoming season.
To keep this short. Keep Marvin, Joe, Zaza, Flip, Childress, Al, Mario, Morris, Gardner, and Law, and I guess Evans even though he was disappointing on the court.
The rest can go or stay.
Josh Smith is the x-factor. Everyone is screaming trade Joe or Marvin, but the really we should be looking to move smooth.
IF:::: We can get an expiring contract. Unprotected lottery picks for this draft and possibly the next.
Why you ask?
Out of all the players on our team he would provide the largest return.
Now to be honest I am probably picking Marvin over Smooth anytime I am picking team.
Marvin is younger.
He is more talented.
He is more athletic than you think.
He is bigger than you think.
He can be coached.
He has the most potential.
I know what you are thinking Marvin? the most potential? Marvin has done everything asked of him. When they asked him to pick up the slack scoring BOOM he did it.
Come back with a three point shoot BOOM he did it.
If we asked Marvin to come back two inches taller he would do it.
The only reason people aren’t high on MArvin is because he is the FOURTH scoring option on our team.
Smith on the other hand has spent summer dribbling working on post moves and working on jump shots and guess what he is not proficient in any of those areas and he constantly reminds us of that.
Keep them all if we can. But we are going to trade someone it is going to be Smoove.
RealSquawk
May 14th, 2009
1:53 pm
O and on Bibby as long as he comes reasonably priced and our future point guard is waiting in the wings I am down.
cp
May 14th, 2009
1:55 pm
I don’t like it but I’m sure Woodson will be back another year. If that’s the case then they really need to hire someone to take over the offense. We as fans knew our offense scheme or lack of a scheme was terrible but hearing commentators and analyst clown our so called offensive scheme night in and night out was embarrassing. I’m also not a fan of that switching defense. Good teams took advantage of us all year with that crap…I’m not going to say much about Law. Anytime you say that a guy we took 11th in the draft should get some pt it gets twisted into you thinking Law will be a star.. Nobody said Law will be a star but it would be nice if a guy you took that high in the draft got some consistent minutes so you can see what you have and don’t have in him. And to the person who acts as if Salim is out of the league, he is with the Bucks now he signed a multi year deal… If Brandon Bass is a free agent I would love to have him coming off the bench..I would keep Hunter and get rid of Morris..I would also take Sessions over Jack but having either one would not hurt.
Hawk Eye
May 14th, 2009
2:25 pm
Al Horford,Josh Smith,Dwight Howard,Joe Johnson,Al Brooks could be an epic win..heh
ATL Fan
May 14th, 2009
2:26 pm
Fantastic stuff Sekou. Look forward to reading more as this crucial postseason unfolds!
Daniel
May 14th, 2009
2:29 pm
RealSquawk-
I like your take on Marvin and agree with most everything you have said; however, his injury history (esp. the back) really makes me nervous to keep him long term.
SilentAssasin
May 14th, 2009
2:46 pm
Fire the coach immediately and trade Marvin Williams for LaBron James.
Shannon
May 14th, 2009
2:54 pm
If that post was from the real Michael Gearon Jr. then you better pay attention and get a new coach or there will only be a few “head in the sand” fans left next year!!!!! Fire Woodson now!
robin
May 14th, 2009
3:07 pm
The Hawks need what they have needed for years-a dominant center! We haven’t had one of consequence since Tree. Defense wins championships, not assists or slam dunks…
steve
May 14th, 2009
3:17 pm
Re-sign Bibby, get his replacement in place (if not Law, get someone else), get a solid 30 MPG Center – Keep Marvin and I say we are legit contenders for next year, barring injuries.
Melvin
May 14th, 2009
3:19 pm
Ayanna, you want the rest of the bloggers to think rational and not emotional and you suggest we trade Joe and keep Mario, Hunter and Gardner. Are you rooting for or against the Hawks???
Realsquawk,
When comparing Marvin and Josh, I noticed you didn’t use any stats to support your suggestion. Do you care to explain why?
Funny how many folks say Josh has the most trade value and find him easy to replace….
O'brien
May 14th, 2009
3:21 pm
I also think Woody will be back. And that’s fine, as long as he brings in somebody to help with the offense. Woody used to play Flip and Acie together, with Flip handling the ball, and Acie standing around at the 3-pt line. That makes no sense, because we know Flip isnt passing the ball. When Bibby is struggling, give Acie some of his minutes (with the starters), and bring Flip off the bench. And can we get a big man coach? I dont think Tyronne Hill (sp?) is the answer. I like the mention of one of the Davis guys, if they are available (Antonio/Dale).
It’s ironic that Woody is a defensive minded coach, but he does nothing to help cover up Bibby’s liabilities. I am okay with Bibby coming back (at the right price, and for 2 years). Acie Law needs 12-16 minutes every game, and resign Flip. As someone else mentioned, I also like Brandon Bass and Matt Barnes.
Rick Sund
May 14th, 2009
3:26 pm
We will NOT re-sign Bibby!! We’re trying to make room for T-Mac, and you want BIBBY?!
Gardner WILL start at the 2 next season. And you know what that means…
Dee White How Hard
May 14th, 2009
3:28 pm
Man, hell naw I ain’t playin’ for Ah-lanna.
I hate y’all!
Glen "Big Fatty" Davis
May 14th, 2009
3:33 pm
I can hit buzzer-beaters, but Josh Smith can’t? LOL, Hawks fans!!
Excuse me while I watch ANOTHER elite Boston team, the Bruins, slaughter the Canes tonight.
JASon
May 14th, 2009
3:34 pm
The one thing I can complain about with Woodson is 1)learn to adjust in certain situations (such as when Joe is not producing), and 2)teach the team how to play defense. They clearly are having trouble.
And all I know about Josh Smith is: dude missed like 200 jump shots in that series. And he kept shooting them! He’s a nice guy I just feel like he’s hurting us with his selfish play, more than he is helping us in the successful aspects of his game.
Go Hawks! Atlanta is proud of you!
buttstank
May 14th, 2009
3:35 pm
FIRE RICKY AND WOODY!!!!!!!
Hoppin' Bruh
May 14th, 2009
3:37 pm
Woody should learn how to adjust in certain situations (such as when Joe is TIRED).
jhan
May 14th, 2009
3:42 pm
Mike Bibby sure was LESS than clutch when we really needed him. He averaged 10pts,4asts,2to’s in 33mins per game during the Cleveland series. If that is clutch then I must not understand the definition of the word. He also did this against a poor defender in Mo Williams.
It’s hard for me to imagine Acie would have done worse.
Tonight's Predictions
May 14th, 2009
3:56 pm
Orlando and Houston win. You know I’m right!!
Tyger
May 14th, 2009
4:00 pm
HAWKS OFF-SEASON EASY BUTTON, 1.0
1. AC Law is the point guard.
This is one of the worst examples of player non-development in the history of the NBA. Woody’s on the verge of ruining another excellent draft pick just like Salim Stoudamire. This is totally unacceptable and amplified during an economic downturn, i.e., not good business.
2. JJ is not an elite player.
However, he still is the Hawks’ best all-around player. His size and skill set bemoan his productivity. Nevertheless, JJ is a key, to move him, would be utterly stupid. We need to lower our expectations and accept that he’s Robin, not Batman. Remember, the broohaha over JJ was that he was being overpaid – but we needed an anchor and we still do.
3. Jsmoove is the small forward.
Re-defining roles is necessary to move to the next level. Surely, Smoove can play some PF, but he has to develop his outside skill set. Not just 3’s, but the intermediate game, handles and footwork to elevate his game to the elite level. Decision making will always be a challenge for him, and we have to be careful. We dont like reckless, we do like fearless.
4. Horford is the Power Forward.
Nothing more obvious on the forefront. Al is a beast when healthy, but needs to be moved permanently to power forward. He’s been burdened, he will always be broken down when we need him most. He needs to further develop his very limited offensive game and he too will begin to challenge for elite status.
5. SHAQ IS BATMAN!
He is the inside presence we need; he can free JJ and make Horford, Smoove better as well, while providing the leadership we need to make a championship run. He is 37 and expensive, but also the answer for the next two seasons. True big men are hard to find and scraps are not the answer. Rather than dismantle a good core, address the problem.
Re-signing Bibby, Marvin, Flip, ZaZa and continuing to pay Speedy is fruitless, unless you address your main problem. Those funds are better spent on the solution to your problem. A creative package of Marvin, #1, #2 pick for Shaq should be easy.
rainman
May 14th, 2009
4:03 pm
Sekou — thanks for your opinion on the players trade value & the front line — I wasn’t one of those calling for Woodson’s head.
So, you think Speedy could actually be of some value when it comes to balancing out salary in a potential trade? That would be ironic, since that ahole has given nothing and can’t even show up for a mandatory post-season meeting.
I hear ya about the defensive priority for the center (ala Tree Rollins), but I don’t remember you saying if you thought Josh had the range to play 3 most of the time if Al is at 4. I personally think we need to keep Marvin for our primary 3. I guess it’s the same deal this year with Marvin (as it was last year with Josh), where we see what the market dictates — having the right to match any offer.
dap01
May 14th, 2009
4:08 pm
AC would have out performed Bibby in the playoffs. He would have save many points on defense alone.
What good is 10 pts per game if the opposition scores at will against you?
Daniel
May 14th, 2009
4:10 pm
Tyger- your take makes absolutely no sense.
Jay
May 14th, 2009
4:13 pm
Keeping everone together may resukt in a few more wins but not a championship. Why? Because within this group there is a serious lack of trust. In successful organizations, coaches trust players, players trust coaches, and players trust each other.
The Hawks look like and perform like world-beaters when share the ball on offense and cover for one another on defense. Conversely, when the trust isn’t there, they look lost and confused on the court; jacking up ill-advised jumpers and playing matador defense.
GM Sund, your mission, should you choose to win a championship, is to find and eradicate whoever and/or whatever it is that prevents this team from constanly employing trusting one another.
Jay
May 14th, 2009
4:14 pm
Sorry, that last line should be “trust in one another”.
doc
May 14th, 2009
5:04 pm
jhan, agreed. scary to think what will happen when he slows down. fine if there is a monster on the block, keep him if not too much a liability
J.J.M.
May 14th, 2009
5:04 pm
if you think josh smith cost us a FEW playoff games you clealry didnt watch the playoffs.
James
May 14th, 2009
5:13 pm
Ramon Sessions can replace Mike Bibby or Andre Miller the hawks first need to trade Acie Law for another draft pick in the draft and get Johnny Flynn from Syracuse to replace Acie Law as the backup.
404atlhoops
May 14th, 2009
5:19 pm
Hello all. I haven’t been on here in a while so here is my two cents on the Hawks.
RealSquawk,
Ditto on your comments about Marvin. I am a huge Marvin Williams supporter. Williams has a skill set that enables him to be consistent 18 point scorer a night. He has a mid-range game to go along with being a three point shooter and Williams can put the ball on the floor to get to the rim. Now he needs to develop a post game. Marvin Williams should be the number 2 option behind Joe Johnson and not Josh Smith. I like Josh Smith but I think Williams has a better all around game.
Tyger,
Smtih cannot play the small forward position because he’s not a 3 for the exact reasons you stated. You can’t have a 3 that is uanble to knock down the jumper consisently or has questionable ballhandling skills. If a team does, then they are very limited on what they can do from that position. Dominique had no left hand but he was such a bona fide scorer he could get away with it. I do agree with your take on the Hawks needing a true center. However instead of pursuing Shaq, I would go after younger centers in Tyson Chandler or Chris Kaman. These guys can grow with the current nucleus the Hawks already have.
Deezanutz
May 14th, 2009
5:26 pm
Sekou did you go to GA Tech? I used to know this sucka square that went to G Tech with the same name.