Hawks courting Joe Smith?
Joe Smith (32) gave the Hawks all they could handle as he and his Cavaliers swept the birds out of the playoffs in May. The Hawks are in the process of recruiting him to help solidify their frontline rotation.
HAWKSVILLE - Who said the Hawks were done chasing big men this summer?
You didn’t hear it around these parts, at least not officially (from me).
Barring a last minute change of plans, veteran big man Joe Smith is scheduled to visit town on Wednesday, according to two of my best spies. And the Hawks are not out of the running for Ben Wallace, who has yet to agree to terms with Detroit (though, one of my best spies up north insists that it’s just a matter of time before Wallace returns to the Pistons).
A 6-10, 225-pound veteran of 14 NBA seasons, Smith showed he has plenty left in the tank against the Hawks in the Eastern Conference semifinals, averaging 4.8 rebounds, 3.3 points and 1.2 blocks in a little over 21 minutes per game. He’s got that “old man” strength that belies his seemingly slender frame. I watched him push the Hawks’ around in that series whenever he was on the floor.
Smith’s numbers (10.8 points and 5.5 rebounds) in the Cavaliers’ first round sweep of Detroit were even more impressive. He’s capable of that kind of production off the bench for a quality team, which speaks volumes for the type of veteran and pro that he has become since being the No. 1 overall pick in the 1995 draft.
Pair him on the frontline with Zaza Pachulia behind Josh Smith and Al Horford and the Hawks’ paper-thin frontcourt rotation suddenly takes on a different look. While it’s far from the “championship move” many have argued for around here, it’s certainly a move in the right direction (provided the Hawks are able to recruit him and sign him at some point between now and training camp).
The Hawks’ other big man options aren’t exactly ready to fade into the background. I mentioned Randolph Morris the other day and he’s shown well so far. Jeff Schultz caught up with him after Tuesday morning’s mini-camp practice for an interesting update on what he’s been up to this summer.
Another player to keep an eye on for a training camp invite is Othello Hunter. His minutes were sparse as a rookie last season, but the strides he made (physically and in his game) have been stunning to see from a year ago this time. It’s not clear right now what his future is with the Hawks. There are only going to be so many roster spots to go around. And without a guaranteed contract heading into camp, he’ll be gambling a bit if he comes to camp with the Hawks. But I like his game and what he brings in terms of a no-nonsense reserve that’s going to get to it whenever he’s asked.
I spoke with an Eastern Conference executive Tuesday afternoon that wanted to know what the Hawks were going to do with Solomon Jones. Funny, Jones asked me the same thing last week. I answered his question with the same question he asked me. He’s a restricted free agent, so you almost expect his summer to last a bit longer than most. Still, he’ll become an option for not only the Hawks but plenty of other teams looking to fill out the rotation with a long and athletic (even if he’s still a bit undersized) big that can play spot minutes when necessary.
Garret Siler has his chance to make an impression over the next 36 hours or so. He played well enough in summer league to get some looks from several other teams, so the Hawks will have to make a decision about what they want to do with him regarding training camp. One hilarious story that’s already made the mini-camp rounds is that it takes an entire roll of tape to properly tape up one of his ankles. I have to admit he is one of the largest human beings I can remember cutting corners in the hawks’ locker room during my time here. It’s on the floor, though, and particularly against Morris, Hunter and guys like Earl Barron, where we’ll be able to gauge Siler’s readiness for the rigors of the NBA.
There are still a few names left on the free agent radar, the most notable being Johan Petro. He hasn’t signed anywhere yet and could still be an option for the Hawks should things not work out with one of the other guys mentioned above.
Enough about these big men already. It’s time for some actual scrimmage action here shortly (the next time the Hawks have a mini-camp that has more drills than scrimmages in the first two days we should stage a non-violent protest in the name of the game). The blog will be open for business all night. I’ll be dipping back and forth between the blog and Twitter throughout the evening if you want to join the party.
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922 comments Add your comment
nunna yo bizznezz
July 23rd, 2009
4:41 am
whats all the talk about othello hunter for now??
all of u are late!!
i was on here telling u what this kid could do if only given the chance to play..but,mr.sekou smith nicely and quietly told me to simmer it down when i was suggesting he should play more during the playoffs,lol…
he was part of the run the hawks bench provided in the late weenings of game 2..
and,he is super fast up and down the court..great on weakside help..and like i said earlier this year,if he would bulk up some,i see him as a mini dwight howard..rebounding/scoring/shot blocking/and one of the best passing big men on this team if he is not the best!! and i bet that mr.smith could even testify to some great looks in the passing game this guy had so far..(would you please)?
maybe randmo knows that no matter what he does now or even in pre-season,woody is not gonna play him..so why should he be enthusiastic??
well,for one,he should show us and other teams that it was a horrific mistake for him to be on the bench like he was last year,and show some pride..but,who knows..i like him,and i hope he does get some playing time..
but as for othello hunter,this kid is ready to show what he is made out of,and like i said,look out for the passing game more than his rebounding and putbacks!!
p.s.
is thomas gardner in mini camp also??
he is one who will challenge crawford for playing time,IF!!
(and thats a big IF)!!
he gets playing time..
all of u will see what i saw last year,and that is,the undrafted hunter,and the 2nd year pro gardner should have been playing and are better than we think they are…
nunna yo bizznezz
July 23rd, 2009
4:44 am
let me correct myself..
all of u will see what i saw last year,and that is,the undrafted hunter,and the 2nd year pro gardner should have been playing and are better than (YALL) think they are..
I KNOW!!
JSS
July 23rd, 2009
6:58 am
This is my last post on the Siler situation (and yes it is a situation because he has options).
http://www.ajc.com/sports/atlanta-hawks/augusta-98353.html
Sekou’s article is very interesting to me.
What can we say about this forum and Siler?
There are two camps: Pro-Siler and a Siler’s “nothing special” camp.
What is strange about the whole thing is that it gets a bit personal.
These camps are exemplified by Melvin (Pro) and Niremetal (Nothing Special}.
I won’t go into the minutia. However, the mini-camp instead of clearing up issues, it seems to further muddy the waters.
So, taking into account Sekou’s article and the argument put forth by the Pro Siler camp and the fervant dismissal of the same by Nire; what consensus is there? I look forward to your responses (if you care to participate)…
The Truth
July 23rd, 2009
7:44 am
This is foolish, considering what Siler would cost, this is a no-brainer. Get Siler in camp with a multi-year min deal, and I doubt it puts a dent in ASG budget; would not even show-up on radar; even penny-penching SUND could appreciate that. Anyone opposing this guy just loves to debate for the hell of it.
Now let me continue my vacation break. Where did I put those golf clubs…
MannyT
July 23rd, 2009
8:47 am
If you are Philly, why wouldn’t you reach out to Jamaal Tinsley? They can probably get him for almost nothing now that he has a pile of cash coming from the Pacers. Give him a year deal to show he can play (while mentoring Holliday on how PG works in NBA).
I’m not sure that the D-League is a great place to stash a big man. The experience of banging in pro practice is likely better than knocking around some undersized centers w/o NBA skills.
While it’s true that all teams passed on Siler in the draft, I suspect part of that is about fit and not over reaching to get a raw player. Someone will give him a shot to make a NBA team. Based on Sekou’s article, he will have some choices as far as training camps. Hopefully it will be the Hawks because his bulk would be helpful even if only in practice.
In Soviet Russia, no need to discover twitter because for over 60 years, government follows YOU!!
BWAF
Deep
July 23rd, 2009
8:50 am
SILER-
He’s still a kid…… at least keep him around for a couple of years to see if he can develop… Even though Dwight Howard was praised highly, he didn’t come out swinging from the get go…. it took him a couple of years to develop into an NBA player…. at Siler’s height, weight, and athletic ability why not…… THINK ABOUT THIS…. He hasn’t played, been coached, or physically trained above basically a community college level and he’s already playing better than Randmo, Hunter, etc. in scrimmage…… what does that say..??… lets see what professional trainers and coaches much less his own growth can do for him… Plus like Truth said he will cost next to nothing…….. KEEP HIM AROUND!!!!
wordsmithtom
July 23rd, 2009
8:51 am
Sign Silo…..
If the Hawks can spend money on no-bang Eurotrash, they can drop a dime on a kid who shows willingness to stay in the paint and BANG. He’s large, young, and has UPSIDE… Plus, he’s big as a silo. Sign him, let him bang in preseason, and then let him play developmental league with assurance he’ll be back for the spring grind if he stays in shape and keeps up the good work.
I like that Woodson had positive comments on the kid.
Big men develop more slowly, and Silo didn’t even start playing until senior year of high school. Very green. VERY BIG. And willing to BANG.
SIGN HIM….He might be the next Cattle Car…for you who remember Antoine Carr.
Deep
July 23rd, 2009
9:00 am
Also remember we don’t need him to start… all he needs to do is develop into a third or fourth center
Daniel
July 23rd, 2009
9:00 am
Man, guys we are some desperate Hawks fans. Debating D-league level talent and standing behind our opinions as if they were facts.
I know that it is just the time of the year, but I can’t wait to discuss the actual pro team that will play in meaningful games.
None of us know what Siler will be, not even the basketball experts that have watched him work out. He clearly is big and he clearly is NOT ready for the NBA. What he will become and is it worth the investment? Who knows.
I do know that outside of Teague not a single player in mini-camp will have any effect on the Hawks season.
Let’s sign Joe Smith, Nesterovic and another guard(Flip,Lue,Jackson, etc…) Get Marvin done. Then we can play some ball!
ILL-logical
July 23rd, 2009
9:06 am
In re Siler:
The article outlining Siler’s show of strength raises an interesting question. If the roster players in this camp can’t handle his strength, how would they fare against the Shaqs and D Howards of the world who are just as big or bigger/ just as strong or stronger than Siler?
With regard to the primary issue raised here, I believe that given the Hawks glaring need for height and heft , Siler represents an opportunity to do some strategic player development. I again cite the case of Bynum, Andrew as a compelling example of how strategic player development can pay off for both the club and the player.
I therefore would ignore the woeful precedent of the Woodson doctrine eg, no player development, and sign siler to a rookie contract; hire a “consultant” such as Antonio Davis to tutor him this summer and then play him in the NDBL for seasoning. Within a 2 year time frame , Siler’s skill set should be refined enough for him to become a critical piece of a championship contending Hawk team.
ILL-logical
July 23rd, 2009
9:08 am
Silo. I like that.
wordsmithtom
July 23rd, 2009
9:24 am
Sign Silo.
Put some corn in da crib. Let it pickle and when hard times come next spring, bring him back to “Hack-a-Shaq”. He’d relish the role. IMHO
Hoops
July 23rd, 2009
9:27 am
Daniel,
I agree with you, but there will come a time a year or two from now, when Joe Smith and Nesterovic are done and Siler is ready. We would be smart to keep him and see how he develops He has size and bulk. If he continues to improve at the rate that he has in the last year, we may be pleasantly surprised in a year!
doc
July 23rd, 2009
9:52 am
nire, it seems a guy, siler, who has played the game less than 5 years, (is it?) and certainly never at the highest college level is holding his own against a guy who has been in the nba going on three years and at a major college level for two years before that, after being brought along in one of the best aau programs in the usa. he is also bigger framed than rand mo and will be able to carry more beef whereas randmo has already shown he cant. seems to me siler may have something special in spite of your protests. get the kid on board for three years at minimum and see what we have. doubt we can find anything before then in the draft any better in the meantime. good use of resources if it is a minimum contract. besides the kid is really smart coming out of one of the best high schools in ga.
Anakin Joe
July 23rd, 2009
10:14 am
nire, didn’t Sekou just say that Siler appears 2 inches taller and 40 pounds heavier? As you have said multiple times, the beat writer who has actually seen these guys up close and in person is a better source than just about anything else. I personally don’t have the expectation that dude will ultimately emerge into a starter. But could he blossom into a rotation player? Could he become a “change of pace” big man who provides a dimension that most teams don;t have coming off the bench? If his size and still developing skills is already a challenge for guys who have played some of the league’s elite, then I don’t think he can simply be tossed aside. We should have an advantage since the guy’s from Augusta. Sund has an extra $2M in his budget, spend a portion of that and send RandMo on his merry way.
Melvin
July 23rd, 2009
10:38 am
I guess the Blog gods ate my first post.
JSS,
I tend to agree with Nire on alot different topics that’s not related to Rick Sund (notice when I took a jab at Sund last nite only to receive a counterpunch in return,lol). But I am surprise he is Anti-Siler after one of his most reliable sources (Sekou) has spoken highly of him. Even Woody had good things to say about the kid. You’ll be darn hard to find anyone who has said anything negative about him aside from Nire. Like many others, I don’t see any harm in adding him to the roster. He’s a player that will cost the Hawks minimum but with high reward potential…
bigdave
July 23rd, 2009
10:43 am
even assuming we get Marvin signed, im still a little concerned about the SF position…
Brandon
July 23rd, 2009
10:57 am
Joe’s Place Joe Speaking regarding Joe Smith
From Sekou via twitter: The media hasn’t been invited. Ha. He’ll be making the rounds Thursday and Friday morning, I’m told.
Hoops
July 23rd, 2009
11:00 am
Melvin,
It’s real simple. Now that the secret is out on Silo (summer league showing), if the Hawks don’t sign him someone else will and we will regret it down the road!!!
Melvin
July 23rd, 2009
11:02 am
Highlights from yesterday min-camp. Hunter almost separated his shoulder on that And-1 play…heh,heh
http://www.nba.com/hawks/video/2009/07/23/Scrimmage3.nba/index.html
Melvin
July 23rd, 2009
11:07 am
Hoops,
I hope the big men doesn’t leave camp without a signed contract….
Big Ray
July 23rd, 2009
11:37 am
I’ve voiced my fears about Siler being a second RandMo, but watching him play shows me they aren’t the same person.
I feel like he’s worth a cheap investment. Probably moreso than RandMo, though the jury is out. I also like Othello Hunter, but I’m not willing to make it an Othello vs. Garrett debate. Hunter is a guy I’d like to keep for various reasons and certain situations. But I’d also like to keep a sizeable big man or two. Look at it this way: Morris has what, a year left on his contract? Give Siler a contract as well, and we should be able to see in this coming year who is worth keeping more. I doubt that Siler will prove to be less useful than Morris. And we’re not necessarily talking about real time game play ALONE, either. We’re talking about practice in general, garbage time during games, AND real time play.
I’d take a chance on Siler with a minimum contract. You can’t teach size, and he seems to be a smart kid who is also self-motivated. You also cannot teach self-motivation.
At the risk of making is sound like I’m piling on, I have to say that there are some very good points on Siler, made by Doc, Astro Joe, Melvin, and others.
Hoops
July 23rd, 2009
11:42 am
Melvin,
I don’t know if they will sign him before he proves himself in training camp against the big boys, but I’m sure that he will get an invite to camp! I won’t be surprised if Solo and Morris are traded before training camp starts. That would really open the door for Silo!
Big Ray
July 23rd, 2009
11:45 am
Melvin,
Three things stood out to me in that clip.
1)Siler is truly a beast of a man. He’s huge. And strong.
2) Jeff Teague IS a point guard, even if he fits the combo guard profile as well. Dude has a slick handle in traffic, and clearly he can pass the ball well.
3) Randolph Morris has offensive polish. He has more outside ability than Siler any day, and can even handle the rock just a bit.
Again, the competition isn’t high level here, but the way a guy moves is what you notice.
Daniel
July 23rd, 2009
11:51 am
Big Ray- Siler would be an upgrade over Randolph Morris? Man, talk about faint praise. That is like saying getting hit in the head with a stick is an upgrade over getting stabbed in the gut.
Hoops- I believe Solo is UFA so no trade there. Do you really think we could get anything for Morris? His expiring contract is so minimal that it doesn’t even really have value on that front.
Do you want to sign Siler to a training camp contract or are you ready to give him a roster spot?
Daniel
July 23rd, 2009
11:53 am
Big Ray- you are the man. But, c’mon you actually said that Randolph Morris has offensive polish?!?!!! That guys game is the only thing that is offensive. Can you really polish a turd?
Melvin
July 23rd, 2009
11:54 am
Hoops,
Solo is RFA so I don’t think we can trade him. As for Morris, I’m not sure what we can get for value for him. Besides, Morris is in his last year of his contract and seems to be having a fairly decent mini-camp so why not hold on to him and see what he can do this season. As for Siler, the reason why I prefer to sign him now is b/c I don’t have faith in the BASG if it becomes a bidding war for his services. So roll the dice and secure him for at least for 2 yrs now…
I MUS WRITE
July 23rd, 2009
11:55 am
Terrell -Im not the GM -I cant trade anybody…….. I was saing that with Marvin already signed…. Mo Evans is okay but we could easily find a replacement for him….. He’s too dam short and it shows-When i saw him in person we wer eye to eye and I know im too small to be guaring Queen James/ Turkoglu etc….. -He has problems finishing inside and his handles are suspect……..
Im not gonna even mention how many times our supposed defensive stopper got man handled….I just watched a clip of game 3 against the Cavs and Wally Sczerbiack faced him up put the ball on the floor and took Mo for a ride….Foul and the basket DAM….
( Steven A Smith Voice ) ….Wally World.. Wally Sczerbiack?????
I would have gladly traded MO for Matt Barnes…..He’s only making 3 mill this year compared to 2.5 for Mo
Hell I would take Tim thomas over Mo right now….. I dont care what the ladies tell you Terrel -Size does matter- LOL
Theres still hope for u tho-I see those Extenz commercials atleast 10 times a night so….
Hahahahaha I just messing with u dude ……
Big Ray
July 23rd, 2009
11:55 am
Daniel,
It’s easy to say that nobody in minicamp will helps us during the season. Well, you hope for that to be the case, because that SHOULD mean that all of our guys are staying fairly healthy, and they are also playing well.
However, there are always exceptions. And there are nearly always injuries. Granted, we would have to have some serious injuries at key positions for us to need help from the very end of the bench, but that is one reason you sign these guys. And while Sund has made things plenty deep in the backcourt, our frontcourt needs some depth as well. Not just depth for today, but for the future. In the next year or two, a “project” big now could be a 2nd or 3rd (maybe even 1st, though not all that often) guy off the bench at his position.
If you want a good example/exception to the D-League types being a help, there’s Ramon Sessions. A full-time D-Leaguer until Milwaukee became desperate. I don’t think anybody can deny the results.
Having said that, like you, I’m not EXPECTING big help from minicamp participants. But I wouldn’t rule out the idea altogether.
Hoops,
I’d like to get a good read on how much Morris has progressed before shipping him off. Has he learned what his role is, and can he play it? If he’s just not going to get it done, then let him go. If he’s shown marked improvement, then keep him around unless he’s more valuable as a moved asset. In other words, trading him would have to mean that we’re getting something we can make better use of.
As for Solo, like him but don’t know if he’s what we need. We’re not a full-fledged running team, so we do need some size and possibly change of pace coming off the bench. This may seem presumptuous and possibly even foolish, but I’d rather have Hunter than Solo. But if it doesn’t make sense to me to keep two rangy PF types. One of those guys could turn into a Theo Ratliff or Leon Powe type. For some reason, I think Hunter is the more likely of the two. Don’t ask me why, I guess it’s an intangible thing, and I can’t prove it to save my life.
But we also need a bigger guy who can bang. Unless Morris proves to be that guy, I’d just as soon sign Siler, who seems more amenable to the idea.
Melvin
July 23rd, 2009
11:55 am
Big Ray,
Agree with your observations….
Melvin
July 23rd, 2009
11:57 am
Imus,
We need you to get over their to the mini-camp site and tell Woody too sign Siler ….
Big Ray
July 23rd, 2009
11:59 am
IMUS,
I think the issue is that Mo Evans is a 2-guard who is just thick enough at 220 pounds to play a little small forward. When he was in Orlando he started at the 2. That should have told everybody what the deal was right there. Sure, there was no way he was playing the 3 ahead of Lewis or Turkoglu, but the fact remains: he was a STARTER at the 2. He can’t guard most 3s that well. Most of them are 6′7″ or better. The guy gives you a few three pointers once in a blue moon, and might even give you a few hustle plays here and there. Other than that….
Yeah, ultimately replaceable, especially considering that he is used out of position all the time.
darrell starks
July 23rd, 2009
12:00 pm
2009 ATLANTA HAWKS
STARTER BIBBY, JOE, MARVIN, JOSH, HORFORD.
BENCH FLIP, CRAWFORD, MOE, SOLO, ZAZA.
RESERVE TEAGUE, MORRIS, OR SILER
GO HAWKS!!!!!!!!
darrell starks
July 23rd, 2009
12:01 pm
We need to sign flip and bring back solo.
GO HAWKS!!!!!!!
Hoops
July 23rd, 2009
12:01 pm
Big Ray,
I’m just going on what little I have seen from the mini-camp clips, but I would predict that the following players get invited to training camp:
Teague (signed already)
Korolev (great shooter as a back up SF)
Morris (under contract)
Siler (too much promise not to invite)
Hunter (the jury is still out)
*If the Hawks keep more than 13 players, I could see all of these players making the team! Right now, we need to sign Marvin and Joe Smith!
I MUS WRITE
July 23rd, 2009
12:10 pm
Nirmental……. I saw both those guys in person as recently as 3 weeks ago _On paper they look about the same but trust me Siler is alot bigger -that dude is a monster in person…… Morris is a big guy as well but not Siler big- I really noticed his arm length and hand size -big diffeence
Daniel
July 23rd, 2009
12:14 pm
darrell- I hope to God that is not are line up.
Can we please add some QUALITY depth. We have a D-league for players like Siler/ Morris(who does not need to be in the league). Solo is a marginal player at best.
I did like Cenk Ankyol(sp?) shot. Nice stroke.
We need to sign Joe Smith, another veteran front court player(Nesterovic) and one more guard (maybe Flip if the price is right)
That leaves NO ROOM on the bench for Siler/Solo/Gardner/Morris, which is a good thing. We are already young enough as a team in the starting positions. C’mon guys I want to win real NBA games not play 2k9 team manager.
Daniel
July 23rd, 2009
12:18 pm
Big Ray- I did not say no players from mini-camp would help us. Teague is obviously a player.
Sessions is a nice story. He had a solid season on a TERRIBLE team. Don’t get fooled by smoke and mirrors. I hope the Hawks are past looking for nice d-league stories to make their season interesting. We are trying to win playoff games.
Hoops
July 23rd, 2009
12:20 pm
Daniel & Melvin,
According to this link from SI, Solo is a RFA. I can see a team (Pacers maybe) being interested in Solo and we have to include Morris in the trade to make it CBA legal.
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/basketball/nba/06/29/free.agents/index.html
I MUS WRITE
July 23rd, 2009
12:28 pm
Yeah Ray …. you got that man down-occasional 3 and hustle plays……I must be missing something because thats all i saw from the guy -dont know why he’s so highly regarded around here……
Daniel
July 23rd, 2009
12:39 pm
HOOPS- I appreciate the link. And listen, I would LOVE to be able to trade Solo and Morris for anything of value. I would take a high second round draft pick.
But, Solo as a RFA is not the same as Marvin as a RFA. Unless the Hawks could get a couple of teams interested in Solo then you can’t really sign and trade him. I mean why would say the Pacers give up something for Solo, when they can just wait out the Hawks to see if they will make him an offer or outright release him. If the Hawks tender Solo, then they could very well be stuck holding the bag, because another team may not like the contract.
Now, maybe we get lucky and a couple of teams fall in love with Solo and then we could get somehting done. I am just concerned at how likely that would be.
But, Hey if it happens, I would be all for it and will give you props, my brother.
Daniel
July 23rd, 2009
12:50 pm
IMUS and Ray-
I hear what you guys are saying about Mo. Although, he played much better in the start of the season when he was coming off the bench and playing against second unit guys. I think he is quite legit as a 3 in that role.
darrell starks
July 23rd, 2009
12:56 pm
DANIEL if you think signing joe smith is going take this team to another level then the hawks have a problem, solo is younger more athletic and he is maturing, DANIEL since you think joe who is 34year old is so important at this point of his career why haven’t cavs not sign him back and the cav are close to winning a championship?
GO HAWKS!!!!!!!!
Daniel
July 23rd, 2009
12:58 pm
simple answer darrell- money!
Daniel
July 23rd, 2009
1:01 pm
darrell- you choose Solo or Siler or Morris. But, we can’t have all three on this team. Solo is NOT the player that Joe Smith is, c’mon man. I will go out there and say that he will never be.
darrell starks
July 23rd, 2009
1:06 pm
DANIEL what money the guy is a journeyman.
GO HAWKS!!!!!!
Hoops
July 23rd, 2009
1:11 pm
Daniel & darrell starks,
I hear what both of you are saying. I just think that Woodson is going to play 10 players TOPS! Maybe only 8 or 9. If that is the case, then we need to bring players along in the 11-15 positions that have promise and may develop for us in a year or two. I just believe, from what little clips I have seen, that Silo has more promise than Solo or Morris.
If we sign Marvin and Joe Smith, we will have 10 players that can contribute right now! Woodson will not play more than 10 in his rotation!
This could be Woodson’s rotation:
PG-Bibby, Teague
SG-JJ, Crawford
SF-Marvin, Evans
PF-Josh, Joe
C-Horford, Zaza
darrell starks
July 23rd, 2009
1:11 pm
DANIEL i wanted the hawks to sign wilcox but they didnt but signing joe smith will be a roster spot being wasted when we have young player on this team like solo who can develop in to a solid player.
GO HAWKS!!!!!!!!
jhan
July 23rd, 2009
1:19 pm
Mo is a nice option (SG) off the bench. When he’s forced to play SF he gets exposed. Does anyone really expect him to effectively guard the elite SF’s in this league?
ILL – our guys will get pushed around just like everyone else when they try to guard Shaq & Howard. What happens when Stoudamire, Nowitzki, Duncan & the like try to guard them – same thing. Nobody can outmuscle either of those players.
jhan
July 23rd, 2009
1:22 pm
darrell – no way does Solo bring what Joe Smith does. Not even close. Woody will not try and develop Solo next year. He’s playing for a new contract. Joe Smith is the perfect player for this team & especially the coach.