Trade season in full swing
The only place Josh Smith will have to worry about guarding Jamal Crawford next season is in practice, now that it appears Crawford is headed for the Hawks via trade.
HAWKSVILLE - One by one the texts and phone calls started coming in late Wednesday afternoon.
Hawks players wanted to know if what they were hearing was true. So did other team’s players, scouts, coaches and an assortment of other people.
“Are we really going to get Jamal Crawford?” one player asked via text. “Is this serious?”
“You really think this is going to happen?” another asked. “Man, he gets buckets. Major buckets. We could be explosive with him and all our other cats coming back.”
“This is a crucial move for them,” a Western Conference scout told me, “because it was obvious in the playoffs that they needed another scorer with some size that could create a shot.”
Not a single player, coach or executive from anywhere that I communicated with Wednesday objected to the move for the Hawks. Not one person.
Truth be told, they were going crazy about it, with one guy calling is a “master stroke” since the Hawks moved two for one without sacrificing draft picks now or in the future.
For years folks have complained around here about the Hawks not being active enough during trade season (the time before the draft through the start of training camp when all the league’s best wheeling and dealing is done). Well, you’ve got your wish.
And you can dissect it every which way now that it appears that Crawford will join the Hawks in exchange for Acie Law IV and Speedy Claxton being sent to Golden State (the only detail left is for Crawford to sign an agreement saying he won’t exercise the opt-out clause in his contract).
Of course, the Hawks aren’t the only team working the trade season to their advantage. Deals are to be had for teams looking to add and subtract players and salaries in an effort to retool for the coming season. LeBron James and Shaq appear to be headed for a whirlwind season in Cleveland. Mike Miller and Randy Foye will bolster the playing rotation for Flip Saunders in Washington after the Wizards pawned off a lottery pick and some spare parts for real players in a deal with Minnesota. And Richard Jefferson’s arrival from Milwaukee (for scraps) breathes new life into a San Antonio team that seemed headed for an eternal ice bath in the playoffs.
There will surely be more craziness to come, perhaps even during tonight’s draft. But make no mistake about it, the teams moving and shaking now are the ones positioning themselves for the future (immediately for teams like the Hawks, Spurs, Wizards and Cavaliers and not-so-immediately for the Timberwolves and Warriors).
I’m an advocate of bold moves. I’m a fan of bold moves that produce immediate results. And for a franchise that for the longest time was immune to them, the Hawks have a decent track record on their most recent deals of that nature.
In the summer of 2005 they went after Joe Johnson, then a restricted free agent in Phoenix, and immediately changed their fortunes (it didn’t happen overnight but going from 13 wins to 47 in four years started with that bold stroke). 1-for-1.
They swung for the warning track with Claxton the following summer, hoping like crazy that he could solve their point guard quagmire and deliver them to playoff contention faster than a rookie or youngster only to have that plan blow up in their face after Claxton’s knee’s gave out. 1-for-2.
They gambled on Mike Bibby being able to get them over the proverbial hump and into the playoffs at the trade deadline two years ago and cashed in with back-to-back trips to the playoffs, including home court advantage this season en route to a trip to the Eastern Conference semifinals. 2-for-3.
The Hawks' point guard of the future could be Wake Forest star Jeff Teague.
The played roulette last summer with their own free agents, Josh Smith and Josh Childress, allowing the market to set the price on what they should be paid and lost one (Childress to Greece) and hung on to the other one (Smith, who signed an offer sheet from Memphis that the Hawks matched before the ink dried), and then followed that up by adding veterans Flip Murray and Mo Evans to help fill the void. Murray finished in the same spot in the Sixth-Man voting that Childress did the year before and Evans stabilize things late in the year when Marvin Williams went down with a severe back injury for the final month and half of the regular season. 3-for-4.
This deal for Crawford makes sense for so many reasons, as the digital tag-team duo of Mark Bradley and Jeff Schultz have already pointed out in separate takes on this latest roll of the red, white and blue dice.
Crawford certainly sounds like he’s pleased with the move, especially when you consider the situation he’s coming from in Golden State. And just like when the Hawks acquired Bibby and the skeptics wondered how he’d fit, things worked out because Bibby was a seasoned pro that knew what was expected of him when he came here and he delivered. I suspect Crawford’s situation will be similar in that he’ll come here realizing that this is his chance to shut up his doubters and prove that he can be a part of a winning operation.
Much like Bibby was when he arrived, Crawford might be a short term solution to a problem in need of a long-term answer. There’s no doubt the Hawks are still in need of their “point guard of the future.” And that’s where the true beauty of this deal for Crawford has been a bit overlooked. The Hawks didn’t have to include the 19th pick in the draft to get the backcourt insurance needed if unrestricted free agents Bibby and Murray aren’t re-signed this summer (and Crawford’s arrival doesn’t necessarily signal the departure of either guy. In fact, the Hawks would be best suited to find a way to keep them all in the fold if they want to solidify their ranks).
They still have that draft chip to snag the guy they want and need. They have studied all their point guard options up close and personal the past two months. They’ve seen Jeff Teague, Ty Lawson, Toney Douglas and Eric Maynor in person, had them all in for workouts at Philips Arena and had a chance to ponder what each one would look like alongside Johnson, Smith, Al Horford and the rest of the gang.
Whatever happens, they won’t go into next week’s open of free agency from a position of weakness where Bibby and Murray are concerned. They’ll operate from a position of strength with a chance to nail down the present and future at the position all at once.
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
1,267 comments Add your comment
Sautee
June 25th, 2009
2:32 pm
Samuel,
Big congrats on your daughter’s success!
Your “daddy pride” must know no bounds about now. Go ahead and burst, man. you and she have earned it.
Anakin Joe
June 25th, 2009
2:32 pm
Chuck, I was sitting with my newspaper at lunch and thought the same thing. I wouldn’t be surprised if Sund takes Casspi and keeps him in Europe. Mo Evans’ salary is comparable to #19, so next season, Casspi would fit into the salary slot. And if the rumors are true, Marvin will be offered his QO only (which I think is a bad move) and we bring back our starting front-court for one more year.
My other thought was if they plan to S&T Marvin, they may pick Sam Young now and try to move Marvin in July. Get Minnesota to choose a PG at #18 and then S&T Marvin to the Wolves for Cardinal and #18 in July. The T’Wolves GM would have re-made his roster in one summer to have a rookie backcourt (like maybe Evans & Flynn) with Marvin, Al Jefferson and Kevin Love. That would be an amazing young nucleus to draw the fans. Sam Young becomes our SF and #18 our PG of the future. Cardinal is one of those bodies to help our shot-happy backcourt. That would give Sund 3 players at around $11M.
Najeh Davenpoop
June 25th, 2009
2:34 pm
After watching plenty of point guard highlights on Youtube, here are my point guard rankings from the Hawks’ perspective (meaning taking into account how well they would fit with Woodson and the current scheme). I didn’t include Rubio and Curry because every projection says they will be gone long before #19, and I didn’t include Jrue Holiday and Tyreke Evans because to me they are NBA 2-guards.
1. Jonny Flynn, 2. Eric Maynor, 3. Ty Lawson, 4. Brandon Jennings, 5. Jeff Teague. 6. Toney Douglas.
There is a big gap to me between 4 and 5 as far as ability as a point guard though. Teague and Douglas to me are scorers in point guard bodies — Teague is impressive as a scorer but I have a hard time seeing him fit the Hawks’ system, and Douglas is a good college scorer who seems more like an NBA defensive specialist to me. Flynn, Maynor, Lawson, and Jennings have all shown to varying degrees the ability to pass and set up teammates with shots. I have Maynor ranked higher than many people do because I think he fits the Hawks system great — he comes into the league with NBA 3-point range, pretty good passing ability and the ability to score from anywhere on the floor. Strength is his main issue, since he’s really skinny.
And like I said earlier, if everything is equal I’m taking Jennings ahead of any of these guys. I just don’t know if he will succeed here with Woodson as coach considering how much he has to develop.
bigdave
June 25th, 2009
2:35 pm
what do they plan on doing with Varejao?
Najeh Davenpoop
June 25th, 2009
2:39 pm
“Najeh- youtube mean nothing. Go check the Yi, and you’ll think he is a combo of Hakeem and Larry Bird.”
That’s a fair point, but you have to know how to watch Youtube highlights if you’re going to quote them too. Anybody’s Youtube highlights will show them scoring, dunking, hitting big shots, etc. It’s about whether you can picture those skills translating to the NBA, based on the way they pulled off those moves. In Yi’s case, he looked a little too awkward in his Youtube highlights for me, which raised a red flag before the 2007 draft.
I agree with you that Youtube is a far from perfect way of evaluating players, but considering it’s pretty much all I have as someone sitting on my couch with a laptop, it’s a lot better than nothing.
Oh yeah, and the choice of music for Yi’s highlights was a pretty big red flag too…
Anakin Joe
June 25th, 2009
2:39 pm
Samuel, congrats to you and your daughter. I want a signed Wheaties box after she wins Gold in 2014.
Sautee, it was one of the few times that Ford has soruced a Hawks rumor. If we know anything, we know that Team Dime is large, social and seemingly well-connected.
I’d feel light years better if we end up with Jack this summer. That would actually be an attempt to address some of our problems (leadership void, lack of work ethic and poor perimeter defense). At best, the Crawford move means that we aren’t taking a step backwards. I’m still looking for the move that allows us to take a step forward.
Melvin
June 25th, 2009
2:39 pm
Anakin Joe,
I’m sure there has to be a better market for Marvin then #18 and Cardinal. You could had least given us the #5 or 6 in this so called weak draft.
Big Ray
June 25th, 2009
2:40 pm
Najeh,
Makes sense to me. I think you’re right, but a step backwards may have been coming anyway. I’m not saying that it was for sure, but with all the bases we had to cover, it was as likely as not.
Chuckw,
That could happen. Good things have come from the D-league, and some not-good things as well. I don’t know. Looking forward to the draft, though.
Astro Joe,
I can’t even touch that one. Absolutely masterful. I’ll bet you NEVER got hit in a dodgeball game. NEVER. Gosh, if I had known all you were doing was enjoying a 47 win season and not calling for Woody’s head, I’d have ignored the other 99.9% of what what you were saying….heh heh heh…
Anybody seen Honest Abe????
Anakin Joe
June 25th, 2009
2:42 pm
Najeh, I agree with your PG ranking except I would probably flip Teague and Douglas as I place a little more value in Douglas’ ability to defend for our team than Teague’s ability to get to the rim.
Anakin Joe
June 25th, 2009
2:43 pm
I want to know where is mykhalc to give us his Crawford’s scouting report. Or did he appear on last night’s blog.
Big Ray
June 25th, 2009
2:44 pm
Melvin,
I can’t even comment on that Brian Cardinal thought, other than to say I DO NOT want the player OR the contract. I don’t think I need to say why, either.
I think we all are looking for that move than can help us take a step forwards. I seem to remember being told repeatedly last summer that I was being way too impatient, GMs don’t need to show their cards before it’s time (or choreograph their moves), and a bunch of other noise.
Well here it is in early offseason, and the shoe is squarely on the other foot.
Anakin Joe
June 25th, 2009
2:47 pm
Be honest Ray. You know that I used the term “shot-happy backcourt” a few dozen times during the season. And I talked about expanded roles for our front-court WAY before yesterday. Come on now. I’ve been screaming organic growth for years now. And that wasn’t directed to crusty backcourt vets, but to our frontcourt (including Chill at the time).
SB
June 25th, 2009
2:48 pm
Good move by the Hawks. I think he starts at point guard, I don’t see the ASG paying someone more than 9 million to come off the bench. We are not Den, Dal, or SA. He doesn’t have Bibby’s shooting touch, but he is bigger, more athletic, and a better defensive player. He will also penetrate, which is something we have not had at the point guard spot in a long time.
The Hawks should try to trade up to get Jennings. Outside of Rubio he has more talent than any other guard in this draft. Woody’s track record hasn’t been great with young talent, but this kid has a certain determination about him that could make him different than past draft picks. His confidence is high and he’ll have a mental toughness that the other rookies will not have.
Anakin Joe
June 25th, 2009
2:50 pm
Ray, I’m not asking him to show me his cards.. I will wait for them to be played. I just think that he led with a 5 of diamonds with Crawford… and in spades, you rarely lead with a 5. But the game continues. Hey, if you guys could complain about everyone of 35 losses, then surely I can moan about a $20M contract for Ricky Davis/Flip Murray/Jamal Crawford.
KevinA
June 25th, 2009
2:53 pm
Hey Speedy is gone along with Acie who was never going to play under Woody. Now is the time to trade Crawford for a draft pick. What ever we get – who cares. The idea was to dump Speedy’s contract. This gives us the money to resign Chills. Win Win. Same team as last year + one Chills.
Bibby’s haircut will pay for ZaZa and Marvins raise. With Chills onboard there is no reason for Flip unless he will sign for min raise. Evans also.
With Woody there is no reason to think deep bench. There are only deep splinters there.
bigdave
June 25th, 2009
2:56 pm
if Jamal comes in here and wins “6th man of the year” what we paid for him will be null and void… he is 2x better than Flip; shooter, ball handler, free throw% and distributer… how many times did we see Flip iso at then end of the quarter to only turn the ball over.. not as likely to happen with Mal’…
Anakin Joe
June 25th, 2009
2:57 pm
Melvin, I think Marvin for an expiring contract and a “PG of the future” may be about all you can get. Let’s face it, not too many teams are missing their SF of the future. That’s what I believe reduces Marvin’s value.
bigdave
June 25th, 2009
2:58 pm
lol @ “Bibby’s haircut”
Wabe
June 25th, 2009
2:59 pm
Ken Strickland, i understand everything you just said about Hansborough, but let’s be honest, if any of the big name PGs are on the board, wouldn’t they play out as MORE VALUABLE assets than just another big body we can throw into the game for a couple minutes?
Say for instance, Brandon Jennings. If Jennings is still on the board? Would the Hawks pass on him for Hansborough?
I personally think instead of taking a BIG that you may have to develop, you let Bibby go to ease some cap space to help sign some BIGS that are free agents.
THIS DRAFT IS PG HEAVY – IF THE HAWKS TAKE A PLAYER LIKE HANSBOROUGH – a type of player that you can aquire in any draft -I WONT KNOW WHAT TO THINK.
It’s not like his talents are unique…well actually they may be. Have you seen the kid play in the post? He has ZERO technique. Let’s be real, he’s not gonna be banging bodies with college kids anymore, the chances his approach works in the NBA are SLIM. He’s developed a decent jumper from about 10-15 feet from the basket, but even with that, he doesn’t seem like the type of player that YOU CANT PASS ON.
KevinA
June 25th, 2009
2:59 pm
Using this backdrop, we should trade JJ for Rondo. Rondo can get the ball to the front court which is our dream. This team might be to most effictive running team with good defense in the league.
MBZ
June 25th, 2009
3:03 pm
Strickland,
Didn’t say i dont like Hansbrough I just dont know if he is going to be a Louis Scola or a Mark Madsen. We need to be sure… And DraftExpress just updated theier mock draft. Maynor and Lawson are projected to go before 19
Wabe
June 25th, 2009
3:05 pm
It’s like we have the conversation EVERY SUMMER.
There are big name PG’s coming out, and the Hawks start talking about taking more BIGS.
Let’s make sure we don’t have this conversation NEXT SUMMER – SOLIDIFY THE BACKCOURT!!!!!
Anakin Joe
June 25th, 2009
3:05 pm
ESPN is saying if Brandon Jennings isn’t selected at #10, he may slide to the 20s. That sounds strange. They said he may opt to not sit in the green room so that he isn’t looking like the sad lonely puppy.
Wabe
June 25th, 2009
3:08 pm
There are questions about his ‘professionalism’ – but honestly – if Jennings is sitting there when the Hawks pick and the Hawks don’t take him for another mediocore BIG…
I don’t even know what I’d do.
Doubt he’ll fall to us anyway though.
Najeh Davenpoop
June 25th, 2009
3:11 pm
Let’s play a game. Everybody compare Tyler Hansbrough to an NBA player who is not white.
I’ll start: Udonis Haslem.
Harry Hawk
June 25th, 2009
3:14 pm
I can’t wait to see a Jamal/Joe starting backcourt. They’ll have to saw the ball in half.
mykhalc
June 25th, 2009
3:18 pm
give Crawford a season to play under the BRAINLESS ONE…he’ll opt out…NO DOUBT!!!!
Sautee
June 25th, 2009
3:18 pm
OK Najeh, how about Reggie Evans? Energy guy, good rebounder. Not a lot of offense. Sound like PsychoT to you?
KevinA
June 25th, 2009
3:20 pm
If players like Drew Gooden are playing for less than 2 million why would we pay a Crawford 9. If Woody instructed Marvin to take over 1,000 attempts a season I’m sure he could average 20 a game also. Same with Josh or Al. JJ gets the shots – gets the points. It’s all about balance.
Believe in shot percentage – not points. Believe in defense – not average points per game.
Ariose
June 25th, 2009
3:24 pm
Poop, Brandon Bass & Chuck Hayes lol.
Wabe
June 25th, 2009
3:25 pm
You guys still aren’t getting it…
You have to
1)Be on the court (something Marvin’s having problems doing)
2)Take your attempts when you get them (I kinda disagree with you here Kevin because Josh takes his shots when he gets them – he just doesn’t make the most of his attempts)
WE TRADED 2 NONFACTORS FOR A FACTOR – PLAIN AND SIMPLE – I DONT KNOW WHY YOU GUYS ARE STILL DEBATING WHETHER IT WAS WORTH IT – Speedy alone was making 5 mil a year just to sit on the bench and recover from injuries…
Anakin Joe
June 25th, 2009
3:26 pm
Najeh, Najera.
Ariose
June 25th, 2009
3:29 pm
The Hawks Will be fine at the guard spots for the upcoming season, but if you look at the supersters in the NBA Kobe, Wade, LeBrick James Etc. They are all prolific at getting to the FT. line. Getting Craford didn’t and doesn’t solve that.
Hansbrough, Marvin, and to a lesser extent J-Smoove are good at getting to the line at a high clip…….so, it’s a yes to Hansbrough if he’s there at 19 IMHO.
Sund needs to get us one or two more picks in this draft though….we can give up next years picks….theres not gonna be anhbody special next year.
KevinA
June 25th, 2009
3:29 pm
We do not have a back court player that shoots a decent shooting percentage. Maybe we need to think pass first and good defense? That means Crawford, JJ, Flip, Bibby are all peas in a pod.
JJ at pg – he demands the ball anyways, pretty good handle and defends pg’s fairly well. They say the experment failed with him at the pg spot. Maybe he would look better with a more matured Chills, Marvin, Josh and Al to pass to. And when he is hot? He dosen’t need to pass the ball, he has it. With a cheap Bibbby off the bench we could be very tough.
Wabe
June 25th, 2009
3:29 pm
Why are you comparing him to Drew Gooden?
Compare him to what we traded…look what they were making.
Sure he’ll be making more than both combined – but his production also doubles what those two contributed on the court…
By the way, make that 6 mil a year for claxton.
bigdave
June 25th, 2009
3:31 pm
najeh… Darius Songaila… thats what he would be in the league at best… but Darious actually has skill.. i liked his college game waaaay more than Mr. Travel… Travel… Every Time
more goodies from Crawwdy: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w0b65_mNrLU&feature=related
peep that ole’ nasty behind the back crossover… he’ll definitely pull that out at The Highlight Factory
KevinA
June 25th, 2009
3:32 pm
Wabe look at fg%. Al, Josh, Marvin shot much higher. So did Chills, even Solo.
Anakin Joe
June 25th, 2009
3:32 pm
Here’s another, Najeh… Malik Allen. The guy who I think plays for Milwaukee. I think he will be a much better shooter than people think. That’s why I say Najera or Allen, because those guys can consistently make open 15-18 footers.
bigdave
June 25th, 2009
3:32 pm
and i only say Darius b/c both of them can shoot… Tyler just out muscled the boys in school.. doubt it will happen in the league…
Melvin
June 25th, 2009
3:33 pm
If Brandon Jennings is available when the Hawks pick, thank the Basketball Gods. Now only if I had Sund cell number when that happens…
Anakin Joe
June 25th, 2009
3:34 pm
Ariose, the Knicks paid the Lakers $3M for #29. That’s when I know the ASG are ready to show and prove, when we see cash transactions.
Melvin
June 25th, 2009
3:34 pm
Najeh,
AC Green…
KevinA
June 25th, 2009
3:34 pm
Wabe – it was a good trade to get Crawford – I disagree with nothing you say except now it’s time to trade Crawford for a pick or player to dump salary. We don’t need more of the same.
bigdave
June 25th, 2009
3:34 pm
o… snap.. thats not white…? hmmm… Sheldon “The Landlord” Williams
Wabe
June 25th, 2009
3:36 pm
I agree with you 100% Kevin. You’ve got the right idea. But the point I’m trying to make to you about Marvin is his STRUGGLES to stay on the court. He can’t shoot a high percentage if he’s hurt, as was the case for much of the season and in the playoffs. I think the move the Hawks made for Crawford was honestly a stop-gap measure to ensure that they have a viable option if a player like JJ or Marvin were to get injured…
BOTTOM LINE – THE ADDITION OF CRAWFORD IS AN ASSET..depending on how he meshes with the team/coaches and how he’s utilized.
Wabe
June 25th, 2009
3:37 pm
I got you Kevin.
SB
June 25th, 2009
3:41 pm
Got to disagree with you Wabe. Josh shot.492 from the field for the season. He did make the most of his shot attempts, just to many jumpers.
cp
June 25th, 2009
3:41 pm
I think Jeff Foster is a free agent. If so I would rather sign him than Pachulia. He is not a good offensive guy but we don’t need offense. What he does is rebound rebound rebound and block shots. I say we offer the money we have for Pachulia to Foster.
I think Teague fits in with this offense because he can shoot. The knock on Maynor is his jumper. Woody likes guards who can shoot. The only way I pass on both guys is if Jennings is there. The kid has a chance to be real special.
bigdave
June 25th, 2009
3:45 pm
not only does he reb. and block shots, Jeff Foster will foul the hell out of you… he gets his money’s worth every time… talking assault and battery…
id still prefer ZaZa though…
Melvin
June 25th, 2009
3:45 pm
Anakin Joe,
Who do you want to see wearing a Hawks Jersey #6 next year, Mario or Jamaal? If it was up to me, Mario would be finding a new number (if not area code)……