Buyer beware!
The Hawks gambled on and won big on Joe Johnson. The Hornets ... not so much with their acquisition of Peja Stojakovic. It's buyer beware during NBA free agency.
HAWKSVILLE - Don’t we get this feeling around this time every summer?
While the rest of the NBA seems to move at a breakneck pace in the summer, things here in Hawksville seem to move in that Matrix-styled slow motion, the one where is dancing on the rooftop avoiding those bullets from the agents.
It’s always bothered me in the past. But not so much now.
Not with teams (Portland) being made a fool of in their pursuit of players that may or may not push them to the next level. Toronto’s pending acquisition of Hedo Turkoglu certainly looks like a playoff-making move for a franchise that (even with Chris Bosh and Jose Calderon last year) couldn’t muster more than 33 wins. The Raptors finished third to last in the Eastern Conference, meaning Turkoglu’s addition alone (they don’t have any more free agent cash to do anything else) will have to account for their summer stimulus plan.
Maybe it works. Maybe it doesn’t.
But when I think about all the deals that get done in these desperate summers (the ones where there aren’t a bunch of teams flush with cash and the free agent market is generally considered thin, by historical standards) and I cringe at some of the disastrous purchases that have been made.
Remember when Chicago thought they were snatching the championship momentum from Detroit a couple years ago by stealing Ben Wallace away for $64 million? Or how about the Hornets righting their champion-’ship stock with Peja Stojakovic with a similarly bloated contract?
And we don’t even have to travel back that far. Just look at last summer, when Philadelphia thought it was remaking itself into a title contender with the acquisition of Elton Brand (who, his his defense, had his season cut short by a severe injury). I point these instances out to illustrate just how cautious a team needs to be when dipping its toes into the murky free agent waters.
That said, I’d love for the Hawks to get all their business done now and make a sizable splash while doing so. I just don’t see it happening. They are close to terms with Mike Bibby, per my sources (and that report out of Philadelphia that suggested the deal was done was not only highly speculative but also way premature – a text message from someone with knowledge of the negotiations poked fun at the report thusly, “so the deal is done, huh? That’s news to all of us still trying to sort it all out.”) on a deal that solidifies the backcourt. Beyond that, the Hawks have negotiations to tend to with all of their own free agents (Zaza Pachulia and Marvin Williams first and foremost) as well as deciding how to proceed with Josh Childress, whose NBA status will have to be decided in the next 10 days.
That’s where things get a bit tricky for the Hawks, who in my estimation have to two extremely important factors weighing in their favor.
First, they don’t have cap money burning a hole in their pocket right now. When teams do, there’s a rush to spend without taking into account the flip side that things could go terribly wrong if you don’t spend wisely (the Chicago-Ben Wallace deal seems like a prime example, but I’d dial it back to the Eddy Curry-Knicks summer as well, you’ll remember that’s the summer the Hawks hosted Curry and tried to entice him. Good thing they lost out on that one, huh?).
Also working in the Hawks’ favor is that they’re not a team desperate to crawl out of a lottery hole (though I’m sure you remember the feeling). When the Hawks acquired Joe Johnson four years ago, they were flush with cap space and that summer’s free agent crop was considered thick. They eye-balled Ray Allen first and missed out, but wound up landing the right player at just the right time to help in their transformation from doormat to eventual playoff team. Like I said earlier, maybe it works. Maybe it doesn’t.
When you’re coming off back-to-back playoff seasons, the need for prudence in all matters can’t be stressed enough. One false move (or non-move in the Hawks’ case this summer) can set you back. Sometimes it can send you back as well, all the way back to Jersey for the lottery ceremony.
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609 comments Add your comment
D-Bo
July 5th, 2009
1:11 pm
I do love Sessions but I think Milwaukee has the edge in getting him.
I also don’t believe the Suns would take both Josh and Marvin. They just drafted Earl Clark, I don’t know if they would want to add two guys that are in the same versatile mold of Clark.
Interesting though.
terrell barron
July 5th, 2009
1:11 pm
No Mike Bibby no postseason? I dont know about that. We were playing pretty good with Anthony freakin Johnson at point. Bibby is o.k., but come on, there are a plethora of other pg’s who coold’ve led us to the playoffs. It’s not like we were that far away.
darrell starks
July 5th, 2009
1:12 pm
TRIBE CALL GUEST man me and you are on the same page i dont no what they thinking.
GO HAWKS!!!!!!
darrell starks
July 5th, 2009
1:17 pm
DOC i agree with you im not putting it all on bibby every body have to step up to including joe joe the machine.
GO HAWKS!!!!!!!!
Stating the Obvious
July 5th, 2009
1:17 pm
Yeah, because trading for Jamal Crawford really showed that Sund was sitting on his azz doin nothing.
Idiots.
niremetal
July 5th, 2009
1:19 pm
TB/KevinA/Wabe/Melvin/Sekou,
We should start a pool about how many games this one goes…
real#1hawksfan
July 5th, 2009
1:23 pm
Doc,I think a good comparison for Bibby is Derek Fisher, do u think that as a leader, which a lot of yall seem to think Bibby is,Fish would have let Tony Parker go for what he went for? Hell no. After the 5th or 6th time he ran past him Fish would have put TP on his @$$, as a leader. People Bibby will not make us any better next year than we were this year. Use that money in another way that is all im askin.
Melvin
July 5th, 2009
1:23 pm
Nire,
They may run out of TV time before this match is over… Classic
real#1hawksfan
July 5th, 2009
1:26 pm
Over/Under, 40 games?
A Tribe Called Quest
July 5th, 2009
1:27 pm
“Tribe,
No player has been signed yet by any team. And the only players that has committed are Charlie V, Ben, Artest, Ariza and Hedo. None of those players were on the Hawks radar.”
So who is on our radar besides are own hall of fame free agents? I swear to God that Sund has not called one free agent besides some piss willy former Seattle Supersonic or our 3 and the amazing Marvin Williams who is a career underachieving stiff
KevinA
July 5th, 2009
1:28 pm
They both look pretty fresh, Amazing serves.
niremetal
July 5th, 2009
1:29 pm
Man…amazing match.
Here’s a toast to Federer AND Roddick.
KevinA
July 5th, 2009
1:29 pm
under 40 – 34-32
KevinA
July 5th, 2009
1:30 pm
Anybody know the record for the longest game in a final?
real#1hawksfan
July 5th, 2009
1:30 pm
Roddick cant catch a break against the big dogs
Melvin
July 5th, 2009
1:32 pm
Last man standing, Federer. What a way to make history….
Mitch
July 5th, 2009
1:37 pm
1st of all Bibby was the only player that showed up in the playoffs AT ALL… Flip got torched every night by D-Wade when he was in the game, and Bibby stepped his defense up in the playoffs. Every point guard in the NBA gets torched by Tony Parker so thats nothing, and Devin Harris is just as quick so thats not that big of a deal. Plus if Mario stays with us he can lock those boys down. Bibby finds Smoove great, not selfish and knocks down 3’s more consistent than anyone on the team. WE HAVE TO SIGN HIM, we don’t need Flip who wouldn’t pass the ball if he was covered by all 5 men on the court. J-Craw will take his job easy and do it better.
D-Bo
July 5th, 2009
1:41 pm
Exactly Mitch.. thank you.
real#1hawksfan
July 5th, 2009
1:42 pm
Mitch, let me get some of that what u smokin!
real#1hawksfan
July 5th, 2009
1:48 pm
Josh Smith stepped up in the playoffs. Bibby did exactly what he did in the regular season, shoot 3’s and get burned. This guy couldn’t check an empty box with a number 2 pencil. Check Joe’s numbers since the bibby trade, scoring down, assists and turnovers up, that means he’s handling the ball most of the time. We’ll do just fine with Crawford and possibly Sessions as I mentioned earlier.
terrell barron
July 5th, 2009
1:48 pm
Where was Bibby in the 2nd rd? It was Josh Smith who showed up in the Playoffs, not Mike Bibby. I like Bibby, but dont get it twisted.
terrell barron
July 5th, 2009
1:50 pm
MIKE BIBBY IS NOT WORTH 3 YRS. 20 MILL$ AT THIS POINT OF HIS CAREER. PERIOD! END OF STORY!
real#1hawksfan
July 5th, 2009
1:51 pm
Thank You terrell barron
real#1hawksfan
July 5th, 2009
1:55 pm
We got it crunk Sekou, talk to ya peeps!
D-Bo
July 5th, 2009
1:55 pm
We all know the front office isn’t real aggressive when it comes to trades, so I wouldn’t count on getting anyone better than Mike Bibby. You may not want him but he’s better than having a Flip Murray run the team, we have no choice.
terrell barron
July 5th, 2009
1:58 pm
How about 2 yrs 10 mill for Bibby? Thats souns about right. Take it or leave it. What if we struggle, and Woody is fired? Would the new Coach still want to go with an aging pg, who is basically the Coach himself or would he just rather play the up and coming Jeff Teague and Coach him up? My point is, Woody NEEDS Bibby because he cant Coach. With a better Coach we wouldn’t need Bibby.
Ariose
July 5th, 2009
1:59 pm
Cruelest Match EVER!!!! I hate Federer….Get em’ next time Andy…
darrell starks
July 5th, 2009
2:01 pm
2009 ATLANTA HAWKS
STARTER JAMAL, JOE, MARVIN, JOSH, AMAR’E OR BOSH
BENCH TEAGUE, FLIP, MOE, WILCOX, ZAZA
RESERVE WEST, SOLO.
GO HAWKS!!!!!!!!!!
real#1hawksfan
July 5th, 2009
2:01 pm
Bibby doesn’t run the team, Joe does. And although Flip likes to shoot, if he’s handed the reigns he would be no worse than Bibby. Flip can guard the point better than the 2, and better than Bibby can anyday, which is why Wade torched him. By the way can anyone guard wade? didn’t think so.
terrell barron
July 5th, 2009
2:03 pm
And I dont plan on Woody being here too much longer.
real#1hawksfan
July 5th, 2009
2:04 pm
Bosh is on a v-line to Dallas or Houston next year, he should be out of our mix
doc
July 5th, 2009
2:05 pm
real #1, didnt say he shouldnt have done it but if horford allowed himself to be pushed around and anyone could have decked parker at any time then the whole team is soft. that is my point and you seemed to miss it. it wasnt just bibby nor is it every game. we all know his virtues and liabilities, just being fair and it you go back i said we might have done better overall if he hadnt come in and a different style of pooint were here. just the same he does some things extremely well including get in woody’s face when he needs it. heh heh heh
we need at least one person able to do it on this team. he might be worth his wieght in gold, wait i guess they are paying him more than that just dont know the going rate of gold is.
it is all good. oh real, do you have a cousin who lives near by that is a marvin hater named rod?
O'Brien
July 5th, 2009
2:07 pm
tb,
I am okay signing Bibby for 3 years, $20 mil ONLY IF the 3rd year is a team option.
Unfortunately for us, Woody believes only Bibby can play point for him. I would have preferred Jack or Sessions (younger, cheaper, better defensively).
Bibby gets a lot of praise because of the stability/shot making/swagger he provided. However, he is what he is. And I think he would be a great PG off the bench. But 2 years from now, how effective will he be playing 36 minutes each night? I hope we dont overpay.
doc
July 5th, 2009
2:08 pm
terrell, i guess we just said the same thing about just a little different and you might like the way i said what i did. i’d take 6 and three but it will be more like 7 and 3 is my guess unless someone swoops in and offers 8 and three.
RAD
July 5th, 2009
2:10 pm
The reason that I didn’t/don’t want the Hawks to re-sign Bibby is because Bibby is Woody’s security blanket. If the Hawks re-sign Bibby, it would mean Teague would get limited minutes. With Bibby gone, that would force Woody to actually have to coach and be creative with the PG rotation.
real#1hawksfan
July 5th, 2009
2:12 pm
No I don’t but since we are on the subject of Marvin let me vent! If we’d picked Paul or Williams or even Roy, or even Stuckey. we wouldn’t even be talkin about Bibby. Lets all get together, find billy Knight,and whoop his @$$
Big Ray
July 5th, 2009
2:13 pm
Tennis, guys? Really? Tennis? Holy hell, I prefer Canniblogging to that
But nobody asked me…
Samuel,
I like that plan way better than I do the idea of trying to hang around and just making the playoffs for the next 6-8 years.
Jhan,
We definitely have to have a guy (actually, two or three is better) who the team listens to. It works better that way, especially when you don’t have a coach that just exudes leadership and commands his team’s attention. Bibby is one guy that others will listen to, but a guy like him can always use some help. That’s what frustrates me about Joe Johnson. He asked for veterans to help run things, but he has to realize that he’s one of those guys. We didn’t drop a talented forward, two first round picks, and 70 million for a guy to just come in score. Sure, he also gives you a handful of assists and rebounds, but if we were paying for stats, we could have paid a hell of a lot less. No, we paid for a guy to build around. And you only build around guys who can give you more than just stats.
I’m done asking him to be that stand alone leader, but I do expect him to take part in the responsibility of leadership. In the meantime, I hope Bibby (if he’s around) continues what he has done, and Crawford can also help out. Flip and Mo weren’t bad, but journeymen are not what you count on for leadership.
I’m hoping we get another veteran big man who will also fit this role. We need stronger leadership in the worst way.
Clyde,
Having trouble funding that annual trip to Rio? Try “Ken for Blogger of the Year” and “Fire Ray From the Blog”. Don’t know if they’ll sell as well as your old tags, but whatever gets you to Rio.
Just don’t try anything like “Fire Al, sign Sean”. You’ll go bankrupt in 2 weeks.
terrell barron
July 5th, 2009
2:16 pm
So the Sixers offered Bibby a 1 yr. deal?
O'Brien
July 5th, 2009
2:19 pm
I know Sund is trying to give Woody the players he wants. But yet he didnt want to give Woody an extension.
And who knows if Sund could fire Woody before his contract expires (when BK couldnt).
terrell barron
July 5th, 2009
2:22 pm
Andre Miller is 2 yrs older than Mike Bibby? Wow! I would think it was the other way around. And yes I’m looking around on Pro Sports Daily. I really need to seek help. Cant get enough Sportstalk. lol!!
terrell barron
July 5th, 2009
2:25 pm
Obrien, I think Teague is going to FORCE Woody to play him, even if we do re-sign Bibby. I think he’s that good.
terrell barron
July 5th, 2009
2:27 pm
Obrien, how about the 2nd year being a team option. lol!!
Sekou Smith
July 5th, 2009
2:33 pm
The Stoudemire to ATL rumors were generated out of thin air. The Hawks have not been in that discussion this summer (though the STAT to Golden State rumors were flying furious at draft time). I’m not sure what to make of this rampant debate about the Hawks contending for a championship (they’ve yet to make the conference finals, which would be a rather important first step). It takes time when you’re not willing to blow up your entire program and go for broke the way the Celtics did.
And if any of you are willing to surrender two starters for one and his name isn’t Kobe or LeBron, you’re crazy. Why on earth would a 47-win team give up two starters for a cat off a team that didn’t make the playoffs? Hell, Cleveland got Shaq for Ben Wallace and a bench warmer (Pavlovic). Come on, man. Can we at least keep the conversation reasonable around here?
Debate keeping Bibby all you want. If you’d had Bibby the last year and a half for what he’ll probably make on his next deal, everyone would be smiling about what a great deal he was. So why complain about paying him the going rate for a starting PG now?
Once again, the pursuit of bigs is a much more immediate concern for the Hawks. And while they need to resolve things with Zaza (stay or go, whichever one, just get it done) they have reached out to others (as already mentioned in previous blogs Rasheed, Gortat, McDyess, Birdman Anderson and others). I could live with Zaza and McDyess added to the mix, you’d probably have keep Solomon Jones in the fold, too.
But we’re talking like the Hawks stunk last year and didn’t make the playoffs or something. They were a good team, one of the final four in the Eastern Conference. I don’t know that the roster overhaul being suggested here is necessary.
Are they going to move any faster in free agency? We shall see. Are they ever going to move as quickly as we’d like? I doubt it. But that’s to be expected. Check around on some of these other blogs and you’ll see your sentiments are shared by fans in Portland, Toronto and Dallas. That’s just the nature of the beast, I suppose.
real#1hawksfan
July 5th, 2009
2:42 pm
But come on Sekou, Zaza and Mcdyess? Have u seen what the top three teams have done already, and Orl or Bos is going to add Rasheed. How about Washington and Detroit, not to mention Chicago? If we want to keep up I think we have to make a splash or we could be on the outside looking in. Bibby aint that splash. We were lucky to get to the 2nd round last year with the way we played against Miami. We have got to get better just to stay afloat. Bringing back this same roster would be a disaster in an ever improving conference.
D-Bo
July 5th, 2009
2:52 pm
There we go Sekou..
This team is very young, so you assume all the youngin’s are going to be improving and I expect us to be an even better team next year even with the same roster. Then add in Jamal Crawford, Jeff Teague, and a McDyess/Bass, maybe we can make a splash and surprise people.
Orlando and Boston can go after Sheed all they want, he’s nothing more than a ‘chucker’ at this point in his career and he plays defense when he likes. I wouldn’t be inclined to bring him in here. You know what your going to get out of McDyess and Bass is a very solid looking young guy, and even Frye would be an intriguing fit in Atlanta.. So many better options out there for a team like the Hawks, then Rasheed Wallace.
UGA
July 5th, 2009
2:53 pm
Sekou,
If Flip is not re-signed or even if he is, is their a concern about a TRUE back-up point to Bibby?? (I am assuming Bibby is staying)
Thanks.
terrell barron
July 5th, 2009
2:59 pm
Sekou, when Bibby got his last deal, he was at the peak of his career. He’s no longer the player he was back then. Your’re looking at it the wron way my man, IMO. We should pay Bibby what he’s worth RIGHT NOW. Nothing more, nothing less. Who cares about what he made last year, the year before that, etc..??
pd
July 5th, 2009
3:02 pm
sekou u are dead on about the bloggers. the hawks were good last season they just need to upgrade the bench and settle their free agents and hit the workouts this summer hard. i am really hyped up about this team for next season. resign bibby and zaza please.
terrell barron
July 5th, 2009
3:05 pm
UGA, his name is Jeff Teague. Yeah, I know he played more at sg than pg as a freshman, but when Ish Smith got hurt, he took over the reigns. Smith came back, but Teague never gave him his old job back. And did I mention he was an All-American PG last year?
terrell barron
July 5th, 2009
3:08 pm
And UGA, since when did Bibby become a TRUE pg? He plays more sg than pg.