Super Tuesday
The Hawks are the midst of trying to negotiate deals for both Marvin Williams (left) and Zaza Pachulia (center), two key free agents needed to help the Hawks keep pace in the constantly improving (and I mean by the day) Eastern Conference.
HAWKSVILLE - NBA free agents can put pen to paper Wednesday, consummating deals that have been in the works for days (and perhaps even longer for some).
The heavy lifting for the Hawks, however, comes a day early.
Hawks general manager Rick Sund is on his way to Washington D.C., where he will sit down with the representatives for three of the Hawks’ key free agents (Marvin Williams, Zaza Pachulia and Josh Childress) to hammer out the details of at least a couple of potential deals.
With Mike Bibby’s new deal needing only signatures, the Hawks can devote all the attention and resources necessary to the aforementioned players, and yes, that includes Childress (whose saga might not play out until after the July 15 deadline he has to either opt out of his contract with Olympiakos to return home and to the NBA. David Andersen, another player on the Hawks’ shopping list, has the same clause in his Spanish contract).
Folks keep asking what’s the latest on (All THE HAWKS’ SUMMER TARGETS)? So here’s a rundown, early on a day I’m dubbing Super Tuesday, of where things stand with the key players (and for a sobering look at just how crazy free agency is working this summer, check out this dagger from ESPN Insider and Alpharetta’s own John Hollinger):
MARVIN WILLIAMS: Using Charlie Villanueva’s deal in Detroit (5 years, $40 million-range) as your guide, things should get much easier to decipher in the curious case of Marvin Williams. With a qualifying offer of $7.5 million, we’re not talking about anything out of the ordinary her for a guy that’s proved to be a valuable starter the past three years. Finding another 6-9 starting small forward that fits the way he does on this team will not be easy, despite all of the suggestions around here to the contrary. Respected and prolific colleague Mark Bradley has suggested many times that if any of the Hawks’ remaining building blocks was expendable it was Marvin. But as I look across the free agent landscape, I cannot co-sign that theory. Not with the free agent moves/trades that have gone on in the Eastern Conference since draft night. Not with Hedo Turkoglu in Toronto now and Vince Carter in his old spot in Orlando. And not with Villanueva in Detroit and the addition of Rasheed Wallace in Boston. The length the Hawks used to their advantage across the frontline with Williams, Josh Smith and Al Horford is more critical than ever. Even in one of the many proposed sign-and-trade deals offered up around these parts, I don’t see the Hawks adding the piece that could take Marvin’s place on this roster (in fit, size and temperament … three crucial factors that Marvin brings that go largely unnoticed by the public). The Hawks have made clear their preference for Marvin to remain a part of the core of this team and I see no reason why that shouldn’t happen. I can’t see any scenario where he is not a part of this team in the future.
ZAZA PACHULIA: Much has been made in the past 72 hours about Zaza’s impending departure and his being replaced by Andersen, or a combination of players that includes the Australian big man. Slow down with that one. Sources tell me that while initially things didn’t look too good with the offer that was presented to him by the Hawks, the sides are working their way toward more agreeable terms (we’re talking slightly north of the $16 million over four years he signed for the last time he was a free agent but decidedly south of the $33 million over five years Marcin Gortat is expected to receive from Dallas). And in an Eastern Conference littered with bigs like Dwight Howard in Orlando, Shaquille O’Neal in Cleveland and now Wallace, Kevin Garnett and Kendrick Perkins in Boston (and that’s just on the teams that finished ahead of the Hawks in the standings last season), that’s a good thing. Because the Hawks can ill-afford to lose a player like Zaza. He’s the only real bruiser on the roster. He’ll set a hard pick and has shown he’s not afraid to mix it up with the likes of Garnett and Howard. And while I’m not heavy into the stats that seem to guide so many people’s opinions about players, I do believe that some numbers tell a far different story than what the heart and mind can. There were six regular season games and three playoff games during the 2008-2009 season where Zaza played 30-plus minutes. He averaged 9.8 points, 10.1 rebounds (and 4.1 offensive rebounds) in those games. That means when he was needed to play above and beyond his pay grade, Pachulia delivered.
JOSH CHILDRESS: Like Andersen, Childress would do better financially (at least in the next year or two) by returning to Greece for another season with Olympiakos. But if he’s intent on returning to the NBA this summer, and there are indications that he would indeed love to return, things could get tricky. Childress has already visited Milwaukee. And the Bucks could present him with an offer sheet and gamble that the Hawks might not match it (fat chance). The obvious solution for both sides would be a sign-and-trade deal (the starting salary for Childress wouldn’t even be the full mid-level of $5.6 million, though the total contract would be nearly $31 million over five years). The Bucks have all the necessary tools to make something like that happen. Whatever happens, the Hawks need to close the door on the Childress saga that began last summer during his first round of restricted free agency. His jersey number was given away last summer (to Mo Evans) in a way that should have signaled the end of his time with the Hawks to all of us. I know I’ve spent much of the last year plotting hypothetical scenarios in which he could return to the Hawks. I realize now, finally, it’s just not going to happen. So if there is any way to salvage a player (Bruce Bowen has been mentioned) and a possible second-round draft pick out of the deal, the Hawks could finally walk away from the entire mess with some measure of satisfaction.
Resolve two of the three issues above by July 15 and the Hawks will have made some serious headway into a summer that’s long from over. The roster still needs filling out. And that might not come until much later in the summer and possibly even training camp, where a hungry free agent pickup like Mario West won roster spots in each of the past two camps.
The Hawks will still have the resources to chase down another big man (or possibly two) to fill out the rotation, which is still in need of fortification. But the heavy lifting starts today in D.C.
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636 comments Add your comment
JL Burke
July 7th, 2009
10:13 pm
I don’t understand the people who think this year’s team will finish worse than last year’s team, assuming they sign Marvin and Zaza. They have added talent with Crawford and Teague. Every player returning is on the uphill side of his career, except for Mo Evans and Bibby, and the addition of Crawford and Teague still upgrades the backcourt, as a whole. I disagree with those who think the rest of the East has improved more than the Hawks so far this offseason. Boston has improved, but I don’t think Shaq is the answer in Cleveland and I think Orlando might miss Alston and Turkoglu more than some think. Vince Carter IS on the downhill of his career.
Sekou Smith
July 7th, 2009
10:13 pm
Sorry to get back to you so late ken, I had to go to work:)
If the Hawks matched an offer to Childress, everyone would have to swallow some pride and make it work. As for Anderssen (that’s David), there is no rookie pay scale for second round picks. Sorry I gotta run, but I’ve got another story to write and I want to get a little sleep tonight.
Ben
July 7th, 2009
10:26 pm
Thanks for your tireless work Sekou!
I hope everything works out well for us all tomorrow.
Ariose
July 7th, 2009
10:32 pm
Doc, LOL. You KNOW i’m just biding my time until Salim gives me a reason to act out and drag Woodsons name through the mud
O’Brien, I would do it Coach K/Team USA style. The backcourt get’s rotated in and out in five minute spurts. Extreme intense defense/offense for five minutes and then you don’t see the court for the next five to ten minutes. Hubie Brown coached that way, and I would too. Keeps everybody fresh, alert, and playing with maximum intensity for the whole game. Every body contributes, and everybody is happy.
Of course certain circumstances(Close games in the 4th qtr or Matchups) will play a part in the rotations as well, but for the most part, Guys like Phil Jackson(aside from Kobe of course), Stan Van Gundy, and Hubie Brown are able to utilize most of their benches with success. I don’t see why Woodson cannot, and I don’t see Flip having a problem with that philosophy.
Ariose
July 7th, 2009
10:36 pm
Frm Sekou:
“Wafer is so nasty with his. The Hawks could have had him last summer and looked the other way.”
Dos Hawkquis
July 7th, 2009
10:36 pm
Woodson will play the hell outta JJ and Bibby this year. These are the only 2 guys that he TRUSTS. This is a contract year for Woody and he knows that anything short of a 50 win season and a 2nd rd playoff appearance might mean he won’t be able to provide for his family after this year.
Teague won’t get any minutes this year. SORRY!! Woodson will run his 7man rotation full throttle thru the All-Star break. I hope that JJ gets alot of rest this summer.
“I don’t always watch basketball, but when I do, I prefer the Hawks. Stay thirsty my friends!”
Ariose
July 7th, 2009
10:47 pm
1) Woodson wouldn’t have played him
2) Flip is better
But i’m not gonna do wafer like that lol:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xmfXiFhEtvQ&feature=channel_page
ken
July 7th, 2009
10:50 pm
THANKS SEKOU!!!
I know you don’t get it enough, but you keep us on top of things even when we’re over anxious. After the signings begin tomorrow i’m sure there will be many new story lines.
Derrick
July 7th, 2009
11:02 pm
We need Marvin and ZaZa to solidify our frontcourt. As far Childress, the Hawks need to get as much as they can in a sign and trade because it is clear that he does not want to play for the Hawks anymore. The Hawks are on their way to their first 50 win season in a long time if they keep up their off season moves.
Ariose
July 7th, 2009
11:02 pm
AAAAH
Frm Sekou:
“New salary cap numbers (per NBA). New cap is $57.7 million. Luxury tax is $69.92 million. 2008-09 numbers were $58.68 and $71.15.”
“That dunk Josh missed against Miami in the playoffs last year that got him in all that nonsense … he nailed it. Green team won big.”
Ken
July 7th, 2009
11:05 pm
The Eastern conference will be even stronger than last year. Early on, I’d say Boston is at the top with aquisition of Wallace. Cleveland needs an athletic forward and Orlando needs to replenish the ranks. Atlanta is not on that level yet, but still hanging to that fourth spot. The top 3 teams all have consistent post play or a go-to guy in the front court. Horford is undersized against most and Josh is still taking those wicked jump shots(cringe). We still are capable of beating those teams if we give consistently good effort and most important stay healthy! If we secure that depth on the bench, we have good chance of running some teams out the gym along with our extra fire power (Crawford,Teague). Sure to be interesting!
jay
July 7th, 2009
11:09 pm
Outside of the RMo for Howard trade, ha…………..
I know that this blasphemy in these parts but…. what about Shelden? League minimum of course, he would be end of the bench guy, but he would work hard and know the Woody system (whatever that might be). Not his fault that he was the 5th pick, he would have been a 15 to 20 pick outside of the Hawks had not the BK picked him 5th. Both he and Zaza are in NYC, via twitter by the way. Shelden might not want to come back because he would be near his wife and kids in LA but he would fit on the bench for this Hawk team.
Ken
July 7th, 2009
11:18 pm
DISCLAIMER:
Please never mention the names Antoine Walker or Shelden Williams
on this blog. This message will self destruct.
doc
July 7th, 2009
11:32 pm
ariose rofl with some heh heh to boot.
aj sekou just called it nonsense dude. you dont have to be proud just happy. heh heh
niremetal
July 7th, 2009
11:39 pm
Yup, the cap and tax figure are right in line with what was expected. Don’t look now, but if the Hawks re-sign Zaza and Marvin, they might end up in the top half of the league in payroll even BEFORE signing any other team’s FAs.
I haven’t brought this up yet, but the Hawks actually would not have been able to do the trade of Acie and Speedy for Crawford today due to the fact that Speedy was due for a big annual paycut on July 1 (his contract is frontloaded) while Crawford was due for a big annual pay raise on July 1 (because his contract is backloaded). Today, we’d have had to throw in RandMo’s contract to get the deal done. Presumably the Warriors wanted to do the trade before July 1 was for that very reason – they wanted to get the savings from Speedy’s imminent paycut. The fact that the Hawks basically ate $900k to ensure the deal got done says something.
Again, one would think fact that that fact plus the fact that the Hawks have basically guaranteed an increased payroll (thanks to the annual raises for Joe/Josh/Al and the acquisition of Crawford) would convince people that ASG has the means and the desire to spend what it takes to win. But as I said…some people undoubtedly will insist on living in 2006.
Melvin
July 7th, 2009
11:46 pm
Wow, the Salary cap decreased for this upcoming season. And they expect the cap to be even lower next season. That may have a major impact on the overhype FA class of 2010…
Melvin
July 7th, 2009
11:50 pm
Nire,
“Again, one would think fact that that fact plus the fact that the Hawks have basically guaranteed an increased payroll”…
Is that a Fact…lol
niremetal
July 7th, 2009
11:55 pm
Melvin,
Sorry. I must have gotten confused about whether I was writing on the blog or on my bar fact pattern…ha!
Melvin
July 7th, 2009
11:57 pm
Aroise,
LMAO… They even have a George McCloud and Brian Cardinal mix highlights. Where in the heck did they scrap up enough tape to make highlights of those guys???
niremetal
July 7th, 2009
11:58 pm
PS, here’s my link of the day for people who insist on complaining why we’re not signing a mystic All-Star center this summer:
http://www.sportingnews.com/blog/The_Baseline/entry/view/26145/nba_free-agent_watch
Remember this was written BEFORE the free agent period started. And the #2 center in this year’s free agent class? Yup. Zaza. And frankly, I’d put him ahead of Gortat, who for some reason has acquired an aura from the fact that he backed up D-12 (somewhere, Will Perdue is thinking “Damn, why didn’t that work for me?”)
Ariose
July 8th, 2009
12:06 am
….I looked this up b/c I wanted to know lol. Found a lot of different anwers lol….not that u care but i’m posting it just because…
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20071207074042AAQsNZb
Ariose
July 8th, 2009
12:13 am
Melvin, I know right!!! who the hell wants to whatch Sean Williams highlights?? OOOhh….my bad clyde hehehe…..
That guy has mixes to like Evey Williams whos ever played in the NBA lol!
Ariose
July 8th, 2009
12:16 am
*every
Ariose
July 8th, 2009
12:19 am
Did you know that Peregrine Falcons are the fastest animals on Earth? Up to 90mph!!!! And here I was worhipping(not really…just a figure of speech) the ground the Cheetah walked(ran) on all this time.
Melvin
July 8th, 2009
12:20 am
Ariose,
I saw the Sean Williams tab as well but I chose not to waste my 2 mins to watch…:)
KevinA
July 8th, 2009
12:23 am
If we lose ZaZa the blame will directly be placed on Woody. Al took his starting role away, that is a a given. Woody delayed his remergence after injury even after he was healthy. ZaZa argueably played better than Al against big slower bangers. ZaZa just wanted a few more minutes when he felt he was a better fit. (speculation).
Ariose
July 8th, 2009
12:25 am
Nire, We seriously need an infusion of big men in this leauge…
Melvin
July 8th, 2009
12:26 am
Sekou,
Did you notice any improvements in Josh’s game while watching him play in the Pro Am game?
Ariose
July 8th, 2009
12:28 am
*Worshipping lol.
Melvin, There was also a sean Williams Block mix lol….all ten of em’ hehehe…
niremetal
July 8th, 2009
12:39 am
Did they intersperse it with images of his different mugshots?
Ariose
July 8th, 2009
12:48 am
Only at the beginning lol(thank god)….
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7AMRz5pyd0s&feature=channel_page
Ariose
July 8th, 2009
12:51 am
LMFAO at Sarah Palin!!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PZxuI3CoFf8
Ariose
July 8th, 2009
12:55 am
Now THIS Williams might turn out to be even better than Marvin:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rGtIV-NxGbQ&feature=channel_page
Ariose
July 8th, 2009
12:57 am
I.Mus, From the previous blog.
I have to agree with you:
Serena Wiliams > Venus Williams
KevinA
July 8th, 2009
1:04 am
Josh can be the team leader. If we lose JJ after this year we will finally go to a front court offense first.
JJ is a great player but he is fairly paid. Anything over 14 million is a mistake. We have one more year to find out if that is a fact. If Marvin, Chills (I hope), Josh and Al have an improved year JJ/Crawford will not seem so important. Do not diminish the effect of improved play by our young core.
Orlando maybe could have won it all if they went low to Howard. He is not happy with the trade for Carter. He wants the opportunity to take his team to the glory land. Orlando’s biggest mistake was forget the stud in the post.
Atlanta has the same problem. To much front court shooting. ISO Joe and Bibby takes away from our strength. Crawford scares me. Please let me be wrong.
This is why Chills/Marvin are so important. Along with Al and Josh we can be a different kind of team. Flip and ZaZa are important. I think we can win without JJ. Nothing against JJ, we are just a more mature team.
niremetal
July 8th, 2009
1:12 am
I would be willing to lay 4:1 odds that Josh will never be the leading scorer on a playoff time. There’s a reason Josh gets so many looks on the perimeter – the other teams WANT him to take it. He just doesn’t have the consistency (which admittedly can improve with time) smoothness (which rarely improves with time) to his offensive game.
If JJ goes, we need to get someone who scares defenders into double or triple teaming him as much as JJ does. And truth be told, there are probably less than 8 guys in the league who fit that bill better than JJ.
niremetal
July 8th, 2009
1:13 am
*on a playoff team, not time.
Zaza Pachulia Update « nbaroundtable
July 8th, 2009
1:16 am
[...] Sekou Smith — link Much has been made in the past 72 hours about Zaza’s impending departure and his being replaced [...]
KevinA
July 8th, 2009
1:26 am
niremetal, josh will never please you. If Kidd were pg or nash. Would Josh go to super star?
Hoops
July 8th, 2009
1:28 am
When Sund gets this summers signings and re-signings completed, he needs to go ahead and make an extension offer to JJ so we can avoid losing him next summer. If we have a great year and JJ has been re-signed, that may help in drawing interest from another good FA.
Another thought is this:
If I were Sund, I would try to get Marvin’s re-signing taken care of as quickly as possible this summer. That way if he is offered a S&T for Marvin next summer that will improve the Hawks, he will not have to wait until later in the summer like he would have to wait on Josh(Aug. 11) this summer if he was interested in trading him.
chaz
July 8th, 2009
1:31 am
hawks payroll
06-07 48M
07-08 58M
08-09 68M
09-10 ???
if we resign both marvin and zaza, we’ll be somewhere around 64M. how much more will can we expect them to spend in this economy and thinking about JJ next year? any ideas, insights, guesses as to what the hawks payroll will eventually be this year?
niremetal
July 8th, 2009
1:35 am
KevinA,
Come on, dude. How’s it a knock on Josh to say that? I’d say the same is true of every player on our team other than JJ.
And no, if Kidd or Nash were PG, Josh wouldn’t be a superstar, at least not on offense. On the offensive end, Josh isn’t at the level of a Dirk or Amare.
All I’m saying is that if JJ goes, we need someone who is at least as scary to opposing defenses as JJ is. Otherwise, we backslide. Ask Josh, and I’m sure he’d tell you the same thing.
KevinA
July 8th, 2009
2:09 am
niremetal, we just disagree, Josh is unselfish, with a pg that would get him the ball where he is the most efficient he would match the stats of Amera. Josh is still on the upside swing and will be great even without a superstat pg. Kid is ready to rocket.
A Tribe Called Quest
July 8th, 2009
2:09 am
Bibby signing will detract from Teague’s minutes, if Woodson follows his gameplan. But good deal nonetheless.
And that blogotology sh*t makes no sense at all
Hawks Fan In New Orleans
July 8th, 2009
2:12 am
Thanks for the scoop Sekou – I like this new front-office wheelin’ and dealin’
A Tribe Called Quest
July 8th, 2009
2:12 am
ZaZa should be the next priority
KevinA
July 8th, 2009
2:23 am
Al will not rocket but will improve on offense and defense. I will bet he will add two pt’s and add one rebound per game if he goes without injury. I think Marvin is worth 2 pt’s per game. These kids will be more efficient, not requiring more touches. We have tremendous upside. These gains will propel the Hawks to 55+ wins if the back court passes the ball. If Mario could shoot the ball he would be the a big difference maker.
pinoy hawk
July 8th, 2009
2:39 am
Hoops… I agree. Offer an extension to JJ for 4-5 years then sign and trade Marvin for a big (Chandler/Varejao)
Tree Rollins
July 8th, 2009
2:40 am
For the first time in maybe my lifetime i feel like the hawks are really attempting to better themselves…maybe because they saw a post season that lasted more than a week. Its nice to know we seem to no longer be contempt on sucking. I think the bibby signing is a great thing…i like seeing our core stick together and bibby has developed great chemistry with a lot of our players. Bibby though aging and many of u harp on his defense does a lot for the teams mentality….he coaches since woodson cant and he passes since no other guard does and this takes a load of teague and allows him to develop learn from a vet. I was worried if we lost bibby we would average 2 assist a game as a team…can u think of anyone else lobbying one up for smoove…teague is a scoring pg a lot like flip- shoot or turn it over mentality, ive never seen crawford pass in my life…but i look forward to his scoring abilities and if Joe has enough space to pass that means he has enough space to shoot and we know how that goes…so thanks hawks front office for adding bibby giving us some leadership, knock down ability and the occasional lost art of passing. as for the Acie and speedy this seems like a deal that would only go down in playstation and to be honest i feel zaza is the next most important signing….i wouldnt be crushed to see marvin go…though i like marv i think he can easily be replaced. we are looking real good in the backcourt lets just hope josh and al are prepared to play 48 mins bc right now were kinda like the fantasy drafter that gets jacked bout kobe and nash then has to start dampier at center….get josh and al a little help and we will be set. PREDICTION: Josh smith will be an all star this year. he got a lot of pub in playoffs and is becoming known as one of the better players in the league and if he continues to improve…which im sure he will while working out with USA in vegas…he should be a lock for the East squad…he can take joes spot. Im excited for the season, lets get this baseball crap over with
Ariose
July 8th, 2009
3:23 am
Also, R.I.P Billy Mays(the OxyClean guy)