All the right moves
The Hawks will have Mike Woodson back to start another season in the fall.
HAWKSVILLE - Hawks coach Mike Woodson is not going anywhere.
Hawks general manager Rick Sund made that clear on at least three different occasions Tuesday, on two different sports talk radio shows in the morning and later to me in his office.
Not that it was an issue or anything (laugh track goes here).
Woodson has one year remaining on his contract and Sund, while not confirming or denying any details pertaining to said contract, insisted that the Hawks would indeed “honor Woodson’s contract.”
(Last summer there was a legitimate question about Woodson’s future since his contract had expired. But when a coach signs a two-year deal, wins 47 games, a top four seed, and guides his team to the Eastern Conference semifinals in the first, questions about his job security, no matter what any of us here think of his performance, don’t register with the folks in charge of hiring and firing).
Read into that what you will. But it should be noted that several times throughout the nearly 60 minutes we spent talking, Sund praised Woodson and his staff numerous times for the job they did this season.
Sund’s making all the right moves leading up to the July 1 free agent frenzy. He hasn’t closed the door on anything (more below) and hasn’t thrown anyone or anything under the bus heading into the draft and what looks like it might be yet another long summer for the Hawks.
Those of you interested in continuing the debate about Woodson’s future are welcome to do so, but anyone else interested in moving off that topic and onto a few others, the rest of this blog is for you:
AFTER ALL, IT IS DRAFT LOTTERY NIGHT around the rest of the NBA.
And after years of being a major player in the lottery, the Hawks are on the outside looking in for the second straight year (which is a good thing if you’ve also made the playoffs for the second straight year).
Blake Griffin knows that all the ping pong balls in the lottery are pointing toward him as the No. 1 pick!
The Blake Griffin sweepstakes (win at your own peril) are almost over for those lonely teams like Sacramento, Washington and the Los Angeles Clippers – the three teams with best statistical odds of snagging the top pick in what doesn’t have the makings of anything other than a mediocre (at best) draft.
There’s no doubt Griffin is the big prize. But outside of the Oklahoma superstar power forward (and Connecticut center Hasheem Thabeet, Spanish point guard Ricky Rubio and Smyrna native and Arizona star big man Jordan Hill), there’s a consensus that teams will do a whole lot of reaching for impact players in this draft.
“This is basically a two-man draft and Rubio,” a wise Eastern Conference executive told me today. “It’s Griffin and Thabeet and you have to figure out where Rubio fits in there, too.”
So where does that leave a team like the Hawks with the 19th pick (in a draft that is already light on big men and point guards)?
Basically in limbo.
Because if they hold on to their pick and wait and see what shakes out of the lottery and down into their hands, the best they can hope for is the proposition of choosing between the best player available and and someone who strictly fills a need (as opposed to an elite talent at a position that fills a need).
That’s if they hold on to the pick and don’t package it with another asset and move them for something they need more than a rookie swingman (again, you have to figure the best point guards and big men will be gone by 19) or project at another position.
“What they’ve got to do is find a player at 19 that makes the coaching staff play him every night,” that wise Eastern Conference exec told me.
I couldn’t agree more.
The last three players chosen at 19 in the draft:
Cleveland (and Marietta’s own) J.J. Hickson in 2008, Washington and (Atlanta’s own) Javaris Crittenton in 2007 and Toronto’s Quincy Douby in 2006.
Not one of them started a single game during his rookie season.
So if we go on recent history alone, the chances of the Hawks finding anything more than a rotation player at 19 are pretty slim. And in a weak draft, even that might be a stretch.
THAT’S WHY I CAN’T IMAGINE THE HAWKS ARE BANKING ON THEIR DRAFT PICK MAKING – OR BREAKING – THEIR SUMMER, as has been the case in years past.
You can’t with that sort of empirical data as your guide.
Besides, the Hawks have far more pressing issues in free agency, where they’ll have to deal with what Sund referred to as “moving pieces.”
The Hawks have more of those free agent pieces – Mike Bibby, Zaza Pachulia, Flip Murray, Solomon Jones and Marvin Williams (the only one of the bunch that’s restricted, as is Josh Childress, whose rights the Hawks still retain while he is living and working in Greece) – than any team likes.
A big summer for the Hawks could get even bigger if Josh Childress finds his way home from Greece! The Hawks still hold his rights while he's living and working overseas.
Tough choices will have to be made. And anyone not invested for the long run (don’t expect this process to be resolved quickly) is probably in for a tough summer.
I don’t suspect that Sund will be rushed into any deals. What with the tightening of belts all around the league, teams won’t be so quick to spend as freely as they have been in the past.
The free agent marketplace is sure to be constipated, just like all the other markets have been since the global recession began (no, the NBA is not immune).
That might actually work out well for the Hawks, if their quest is to keep the core of this season’s roster together as best they can. And from all indications, that’s exactly what their aim is this summer.
IN TODAY’S FINALE ODE TO THE NBA SUMMER, it seemed only fitting that I pass along yet another pertinent link to a home run story from my main man Steve Aschburner of si.com.
For all the bellyaching folks do about coaches and players (and officials, and beat writers and just about everything else), you at least know when you’ve got a good or a bad one.
But as the elder statesman points out, a good GM is really hard to find.
Here’s a taste:
“Hiring an NBA coach is like hiring a tax accountant: By the middle of April each year, you know exactly where you stand. Hiring an NBA general manager is more like hiring a financial advisor: He takes control of your entire portfolio, makes decisions for some distant horizon and assures you during the bumpy times that the plan is sound, that time and patience are your friends and, by the way, that past performance is no guarantee of future results.
And every once in a while, a franchise ends up flipping its keys to the basketball equivalent of Bernie Madoff.”
Make sure you read the rest!
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484 comments Add your comment
Ariose
May 25th, 2009
4:34 pm
We will be fine as long as we can either trade sppedy or find someone willing to take on a salary dump for a second round pickor something like that.
tony
May 25th, 2009
6:07 pm
Hawks starting line up next season should look like this.
PG-Mike Bibby 6′2 195lbs/AC Law
SG-Joe Johnson 6′7 240lbs/Flip
C- Garret Siler 7′0 305lbs(rookie)/Zaza
SF-Tyler Hansbrough 6′8 245lbs(rookie)/Marvin William
PF-AL Horford 6′10 245lbs/Josh Smith
It’s time for us to start drafting smarter basketball players in terms of making good decision on the basketball court and will play Mike Woodson style of basketball. Hansbrough will be a huge upgrade for us. marvin william is not a starter which is the reason why we should draft Tyler. Hansbrough is the kind of player who knows how to hit the glass and can knock down those mid range jumpers. He is an excellent free-throw shooter(84%) and 51%FG. He is the best finisher around the basket after contact. He makes great decision around the basket. The last player that played for the hawks who could attack the glass was John Drew. He could hurt you outside or inside and he was only 6′4. I hope we don’t pass on Tyler because he will be a force to reckon with.
MJ3
May 25th, 2009
6:10 pm
Marvin ain’t a starter but Hansborough is? Ok…
niremetal
May 25th, 2009
6:21 pm
So what do y’all think? Do the Nuggets hold serve tonight?
O'brien
May 25th, 2009
6:26 pm
With so few teams under the cap and having only the mid-level exception, I wonder what kind of movement of free agents will we see? And at what price? I guess some teams will be willing to go over the cap (but not over the luxury tax).
Does anyone have any news on the status of the ownership feud?
doc
May 25th, 2009
6:32 pm
dire nire financial strength was a relative term.
hard to believe the team that billy knight broke up was worth about 56 to 58 mil on paper. that is the sorry state of affairs he inherited, that much money on a team that couldnt win more than 30 games.
yeah they better.
niremetal
May 25th, 2009
6:38 pm
The last player that played for the hawks who could attack the glass was John Drew.
Uh…Kevin Willis? Dikembe Mutombo? And Horford has averaged 9.7 and 9.3 in each of his first two seasons despite playing out of position. Sheesh.
Ariose
May 25th, 2009
7:16 pm
O.K Maynor or Teauge? Maynor kinda plays like Billups. Nuggets will get it done tonight.
glw
May 25th, 2009
8:52 pm
niremetal,
I do realize that yes, that our cap space is tied up in relation to maintaining rights to Chills and Marvin, but if the Hawks do decide to go in a direction, both could easily be renounced, only if it meant signing a big time free agent player. Actually I think Marvin is an asset worth keeping, he has a the ability to drive and get to the free throw line that is beneficial to this team. I tend to believe that Sund will be conservative,but might make at least 1 key acquistion this summer. I get the feeling that Chillz talents isnt quite viewed in the same way. As much as I like him, Mo Evans and Flip did a good job of replacing him at a cost of only 4 million. Flip will be due a raise, but still the combination of paying those 2 will be at least pretty close to what Chillz is looking for.
Melvin
May 25th, 2009
9:56 pm
I think Denver will win tonight (only if Anthony Carter play limited mins)…
If Sund resign our top 4 FA’s (Bibby, Marvin, Flip, ZaZa) and bring Andersen and Childress across the pond then I would be satisfy with his summer work…
niremetal
May 25th, 2009
10:13 pm
Melvin,
Actually, I think we should set our sights on a different Andersen – the one who’s playing tonight in Denver. If we could get him for the full mid-level and bring everyone else + Chill back, I’d say that’s a good day’s work. But I’m pretty sure that the Nuggets will match up to the full mid-level, since they’re not in luxury tax land yet.
Otherwise, your plan sounds as good as any. I’d just throw in “sign a defensive-minded PF or C” to go along with that, since all the scouting reports say that David Andersen doesn’t play D.
Melvin
May 25th, 2009
10:23 pm
niremetal,
If we get Chillz back, maybe we could package Speedy (6 mil) and Mo (2.5) for another big/player….
Melvin
May 25th, 2009
11:01 pm
Does Kenyon look like Josh standing at the top of the key on offense or what??? No jumpshot (probably worst than Josh) and extremely athletic. I said it before, the Hawks are very similiar to the Nuggets…
niremetal
May 26th, 2009
2:33 am
Smoove is more athletic than K-Mart, but K-Mart is smarter about shooting from the perimeter (read: he doesn’t do it as often) than Josh is. The types of players we have compared to the Nuggets are very different, though. They are full of slashers and guys who can finish in traffic (although that obviously isn’t to say they can shoot well), while our only player who scores most of his points off drives to the basket is Marvin. I think a team far more comparable to us is Portland, but we’ll save that for another day.
Clyde
May 26th, 2009
2:41 am
This blog has turned communist. Everytime I post a Fire Woody they erase it. What happened to freedom of speak around hear?
niremetal
May 26th, 2009
3:35 am
Clyde,
It’s probably the spam filter. It might be set to automatically remove posts that have already been made by the same person on the same thread. Try appending it to the end of a longer post.
Buckwheat
May 26th, 2009
9:54 am
Yes, Clyde- they really need to sure up the freedom of speak around here.
Amember me?
Melvin
May 26th, 2009
10:01 am
Niremetal,
I didn’t say the Hawks are exactly like the Nuggets but similiar if you look at size, skill set and athletic ability. Melo, Kmart and NeNe is very similiar to Marvin, Josh and Horford minus Melo scoring abilities. JR and Birdman brings scoring, toughness and energy off the bench similiar to FLIP and ZaZa. Mo Evans and Dontay Jones are both slashers and spot up shooters. Now Klenza (misp) is the wildcard. We don’t have a bench player similiar to his abilities (JChillz anyone). As for Billups, it will take Bibby and Joe to offset his effectiveness in running the offense. However, I think their offense should be the Hawks blueprint. Spread the floor and and push the ball up the court after every made or missed basket.
Rod from College Park
May 26th, 2009
10:35 am
Niremetal,
“They are full of slashers and guys who can finish in traffic (although that obviously isn’t to say they can shoot well), while our only player who scores most of his points off drives to the basket is Marvin.”
How does Josh average 17ppg? He surely does not make any jumpshots? Marvin scores most of his points off of drives to the basket? Sometimes I wonder to you actually watch the games. Melvin I agree with your comparison, we should play a style similar to Denver. We do have similar athletes, and should push the pace every chance we get. We all know that Woody will not change his style of play, so I guess we are sstuck with what we have.
niremetal
May 26th, 2009
10:55 am
Between his layups and drawing contact and getting to the line, yeah – Marvin scores mot of his points off drives to the basket. At least he did in Jan/Feb/May of this year.
Ariose
May 26th, 2009
11:45 am
Check out this Guy Lester Hudson’s stats. He might be Flip Murray 2.0….Better Shooter Though.
http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/Lester-Hudson-5065/
Ariose
May 26th, 2009
11:46 am
He May be there when we pick in the second round.
kwooden1
May 26th, 2009
12:03 pm
This is my next iteration on what the HAWKS should do this off-season.
1) Wait and match any offer to Marvin below 9M
2) Resign Bibby (7M), Flip (4M), and Solo (1.5M)
3) Let Zaza walk (Hate to say that)
4) Draft BJ Mullen (if possible)
5) do a Sign and Trade with Denver – Speedy(5M) + Acie(2M) for Klieza(6M)
6) do a Sign and Trade with the Bucks – Evans(2M) for Sessions (1.7M)
Starters (same)
PG – Bibby
SG – JJ
SF – Marvin
PF – Smith
C – Horford
Bench
PG – Sessions
SG – Flip
SF – Klieza
PF – Solo
C – Mullen
This does nothing for the starters and if Mullen can’t play everything falls apart, but this leaves room to extend JJ and Horford. It also leaves a little room to give Marvin a bigger contract if he improves again next year. It also forces Woody to develop Solo and Morris, along with giving him a more veteran backup PG and giving the team another scorer off the bench in Klieza. (Denver doesn’t need him now)
Nire, Manny I hope my Sign and Trades are realistic, Klieza and Sessions are restricted FA’s according to the sites I’ve looked at.
Big Ray
May 26th, 2009
1:10 pm
Niremetal,
You seem to forget that Sekou reported that 8 different teams (that he knew of) inquired about Childress. So that’s 8 different sign-and-trade ideas (or whatever) that got ignored or vetoed, along with not signing him. Funny, you say that Sund figured he wasn’t worth signing. That’s strange. The very week that the initial Olympiacos offer made the papers, Sund and his toady were up in D.C., trying to get him signed for roughly 5 years and $33 million, as I recall.
I also seem to recall that Flip and Mo were signed AFTER it was determined that Chills was a goner. NOW, as you say, we have no rights to a former lottery pick player who was essentially our sixth man, a guy playing over 30 minutes a game for us at three different positions….and all we have a right to do is re-sign him ourselves, or match any offer he gets. This isn’t bad asset management? I agree that nobody saw the Olympiacos offer coming. And I understand the idea of not wanting to pay him $7.6 million per (though 5yrs/$33mil comes out to $6.6 mil/yr…not exactly a huge distance).
But these guys never even MADE Chills an offer, until AFTER he was made an outrageous offer from outside the NBA. And Sund said it was a priority to re-sign both. So you make a somewhat decent offer to one Josh a year and some change ahead of time, but no offer to the other Josh, and decide to brush away all sign-and-trade offers in the process. Pardon me if I agree to disagree on this one.
And no, this is not a debate concerning the amount of money Olympiacos offered him vs. how much the Hawks offered him, or how much he was worth, the MLE, or anything else. It’s about TIMING. Childress got no offer of any kind until after he got one from Greece. Sorry, but in my book, if you don’t think a guy is worth keeping around, you trade him. Especially if he’s in the top 6 of your rotation.
Call it what you will. As cheaply as we signed Flip, I’d have rather done so while keeping Childress. Mo was definitely cheaper, but he sure doesn’t bring what Childress did. I guess you get what you pay for, huh?
ESPN Programming Change
May 26th, 2009
1:20 pm
Starting in June, “Jim Rome is Burning“ will be replaced by ”Joe Johnson is Tired.“ If the ratings are high enough, we’re planning to produce ”Mike Woodson is Fired,“ but don’t get your hopes up.
terrell barron
May 26th, 2009
1:21 pm
Tony, WTF? Tyler Hansborough starting for us next year is laughable. Hahahahahaha! Can you say, Mark Madsen?
Big Ray
May 26th, 2009
1:21 pm
Kirkinga,
Very interesting point of view, and I can’t argue with much of it. Regardless if I wanted to or not, it was very well stated. I’ve always thought that GMs are guys that will come in and act like (and say) that they don’t want to “rock the boat.” But in reality, they always want to make the little world they preside over in their own image. I’ve yet to see one that didn’t.
I agree that this is more about what you want out of Woody (or any coach of the GM’s choosing) than it is about what he deserves. I believe that Woody gets both ends of the spectrum: not enough credit for what he’s done from some, and too much credit from others. And that has nothing to do with anything, of course.
Let me say this, though: all we have is one report of one series of meetings, wherein Woody has not been extended, nor has it been discussed. On the one hand, I want to say that the summer is not over yet. On the other hand, all roster movements should really come after a decision is made on the coach. Of course, having said that, the guy is still under contract for another year. I definitely would not want this decision right now, but then again, I can probably tell you what mine would be. But, that’s because I speak lazily from the armchair, not the hot seat. And I don’t know what Sund knows.
I tend to stick with my guns on what I said about Woody, because I feel like improving year to year is not the same as winning year to year. But again, you are correct in that Sund should know by now if he wants the guy. Hmmmmm. Well, we shall see what the future brings. In the meantime, I wonder if he will do with this roster, and if it will be a portent of things to come.
Also, if Woody is as lame-duck as you say (and I’m not arguing either way), then what might Sund’s plans be for that position?
gusman354
May 26th, 2009
1:23 pm
LOL HAWKS FANS!! SAY IT WITH ME LETS GO HEAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!
terrell barron
May 26th, 2009
1:46 pm
Melvin, I’ve never seen Kenyon shoot a 3. Cant say that about Josh.
Hoops
May 26th, 2009
1:48 pm
kwooden1,
Why would Denver do that sign & trade? No way they would do that! Also, why would the Bucs do that sign & trade? No way!
The Hawks will only have about 18 M below the cap to sign with unless thay renounce someone. I understand that they can go over the cap to resign their own RFA’s, that’s why Marvin’s deal will end up like Josh S. last summer. It will take awhile. The Hawks will try to make all the deals that they can before they resign Marvin or Childress unless there is a sign & trade deal for them. Sund will earn his money this summer!
Ariose
May 26th, 2009
2:04 pm
K-Mart Shot and Made a 3pt FG in a game a few months ago twoards the end of the regular season…..the game was on TNT…
Melvin
May 26th, 2009
2:19 pm
Terrell,
Did you watch the game last night? Kmart attempt a 3 (which was an air ball)last night. Now I agree with you and niremetal, his shot selection is much better than Josh but at the same time his shot (along with post moves) is worst than Josh.
MannyT
May 26th, 2009
2:23 pm
Ray, should I call Mo, Chills Light
Might Chills stay in Greece and get better press coverage due to a new teammate?
http://www.talkbasket.net/news/pao-and-oly-are-the-first-to-talk-to-jeremy-tyler.html
kirknga, will you be teaming with Clyde to make one of those office novelties that looks like a guy balancing and wobbling on a base? I suspect it would look just like Woody. Not picking a side, but acknowledging your point about the deliberate moving GM, Sund-dial.
BWAF
Sekou Smith
May 26th, 2009
2:37 pm
New blog is up peoples. Had a long weekend of BBQ and basketball. Playtime is officially over, though. We’ve got to get geared up for the draft and free agency. New blog up!!!!!!!!!!