Vacation visions
Might a Smith family reunion (of sorts) be in the works for Joe and Josh (no relation) this season with the Hawks? Time will tell. The Hawks are working on it, though.
THE OPEN ROAD - I’m not supposed to be here right now.
Seriously. I looked it up. Vacation is meant to be “leisure time away from work, devoted to rest or pleasure.”
But the phone doesn’t stop ringing because you want it to (next time, we all need to go on vacation together … or at least at the same time).
After being off the grid (mostly) for an entire family reunion weekend, I’ll admit that I’m a bit foggy on some of the details about what went on in Las Vegas for Josh Smith at the USA Basketball mini-camp and just about any other hot debate that’s gone on around here the past few days (and for the record, I’m told that despite a tepid performance in Saturday’s scrimmage, his time with the USA B’ball folks was a rousing success because it allowed quite a few people that weren’t familiar with him other than what they’ve seen, heard and read to get a much better for feel for him as a person and player).
But I do have some thoughts about a few other things, namely the Hawks’ mini-camp from last week, the state of negotiations with Marvin Williams and the Hawks’ continued pursuit of Joe Smith. So if you’ll forgive your host for leaving the party for a few days (technically, I’m on vacation until August – just in case Wifey decides to check the blog and see what we’ve got going on), here are some of my vacation visions:
JOE SMITH probably didn’t realize he had multiple stalkers until he left Atlanta Friday. That’s when the Hawks’ full court press for the veteran free agent’s signature shifted from face-to-face to long distance. Well, mostly long distance. The Hawks do have a secret weapon in Smith’s Phoenix backyard. Mike Bibby’s basketball royalty in the Valley. And he’s one of several Hawks working hard on the recruiting trail to bring Smith into the fold. Zaza Pachulia knows Smith well from their time together in Milwaukee and said he would use all his Euro-charm (at lunch Friday and beyond) to make sure Smith was aware of just how much he is wanted and needed by the Hawks. All that said, major work must be done to secure Smith’s signature on a contract. It’s not secret the Hawks aren’t paying the same rate for backup bigs that some other teams are (for example, Chris Wilcox got cash – $6 million over two years – in Detroit that he never could have from the Hawks. Same goes for Drew Gooden and the reported $4.5 mil he’ll bring in on a one-year deal with the Spurs). So they have to find ways (PLAYING TIME!!!!!!!!!!) to lure the kind of players they need to help bolster their cause. It probably helps that, in a summer marked by taking care of in-house business (home grown free agents), Smith is the first player outside of the family that the Hawks actually courted. Again, there is major work still to be done on this front.
YOU WERE WARNED THAT THINGS between the Hawks and Marvin Williams would drag out this summer. I wasn’t joking. Nothing has changed. The sides remain on opposite sides of the restricted free agent street right now. I know that other outlets reported that the sides were “close” and all that, but it’s just not true. The sides are talking. And they’ll be back at it this week. Anyone that sees an end in sight has X-ray vision, because I wouldn’t be surprised if things lasted deep into next month. Look back at the Hawks’ dealings with many of their own players in the past (I know Mike Bibby and Zaza coming back as quickly as they did had you juiced but that was out of the ordinary for the Hawks). It usually takes time, especially for restricted free agents.
JEFF TEAGUE is going to make a lot of people forget about the disappointing saga that was Acie Law IV’s tenure with the Hawks. Teague did more than just turn heads during the Hawks’ mini-camp last week. He sparked conversation about point guard play I hadn’t heard in my time covering the Hawks before last week. “He did some things as a young point guard that we hadn’t seen on our practice floor since Chris Paul and Deron Williams were here for predraft workouts,” one Hawks assistant coach told me last week. That’s as strong a statement as I’ve heard from anyone in the Hawks’ camp regarding a young point guard. While they all agree that Teague has plenty of polish that can be applied to his game, there is no debate about who or what the Hawks expect him to become. “I can’t wait to see him in training camp,” Randolph Morris said. “I think he’s going to give people fits with his quickness and his ability to get to the rim whenever he wants to. That’s going to be fun to watch.”
OBSERVATIONS ABOUT A FEW OTHER GUYS that stood out (for various reasons) during mini-camp:
- Othello Hunter was more impressive than any other player in camp, after Teague. His range on his jumper has improved dramatically. But we all know that his chance at making a dent in the Hawks’ roster and playing rotation depends on his ability rebound, defend and provide the hustle plays required of frontcourt journeymen in the NBA. The improved shot is an added bonus. I’d have him locked up on a two-year deal right now. If he keeps improving, someone is going to get a steal.
- Garret Siler’s stock with fans and media types can’t get much higher. He’s become something of a phenomenon around these parts, thanks to some serious hype and the big fella backing it up with strong performances in the Las Vegas summer league and last week. Siler’s raw and would be a super-sized Lunchable for superstars like Dwight Howard, Shaq and Pau Gasol, not to mention brutes like Kendrick Perkins and Brook Lopez. I know you want to believe that he’s the he’s the answer to the Hawks’ big-man problems … but that would mean all 30 teams missed on the guy, twice for some teams, on draft night.
- Randolph Morris has shed the kind of weight all of us “bigger” guys would love to be able to shed. And he did it organically, which makes it particularly impressive. He had his moments during mini-camp but I’m not sure he blew anyone (in charge) away with the work he did. I don’t know what he has to do to make a move up the Hawks’ rotational food chain, though he is under contract for this season, which has to help. But the fact is, even with all the work Morris has done, the Hawks are still hunting reserve bigs.
- Frank Robinson did it again. He showed up. Played his guts out, literally. And his reward, like that of most guys in his predicament, will probably be an invite to training camp. Robinson is the kind of guy that will always make training camp interesting because he’s fearless and is skilled enough to make you wonder why he’s not on someone’s NBA team? He won’t make the Hawks’ roster this season. But I certainly wouldn’t be surprised to see him in the middle of the action during training camp.
- Yoroslav Korolev was supposed to be a bust. When he crashed and burned with the Los Angeles Clippers (they made him the 12th pick of the 2005 draft), he joined the ranks of Darko Milicic, Nickoloz Tskitishvili and Fran Vasquez on the list of worst ever Euro-lottery busts. Korolev was just a kid when the Clippers drafted him but he looked grown up last week. He was much better than I expected him to be and showed off a nice shooting touch from long distance. He’d be worth keeping an eye on for the future.
- Brian Hamilton surprised me as much or more than any player in camp. I honestly wasn’t aware of him at all before last week. But mini-camp is a showcase for under the radar players like Hamilton, a smooth 6-6 swingman that impressed on both ends of the floor. His defense is what made him stand out. Yet he showed plenty of offensive ability and a nose for the ball on both ends of the floor that would make Mario West jealous. He’s another guy that will surely be in someone’s training camp pushing someone under contract to the limit.
Those were just some of the guys that made lasting impressions on me. Hawks coach Mike Woodson remarked several times that it was by far the best (rookie/free-agent) camp conducted during his tenure with the Hawks and I have to agree that it was the best I’ve seen in my time dealing with the Hawks (I missed his first one, when Josh Smith and Josh Childress were rookies). But there wasn’t a single player in town last week that didn’t belong on that floor.
IN CLOSING, I’d be remiss if I didn’t give my man Solomon “Solo” Jones a proper send off here. One of the truly unique characters to grace us with his presence the past three years, Jones is moving on this week to a two-year deal with the Indiana Pacers. Solo is moving on at a time when the Hawks could use a big or two like him, which makes his departure for Indiana all the more perplexing. After all, he was a restricted free agent, due close to a $1 million if he had signed his qualifying offer (the QO was rescinded so he would be allowed to sign with the Pacers without any interruption). I needed an explanation and Solo provided one last week. “The Hawks kept it real with me,” he said. “They told me that my role was going to be pretty much the same as it was last year, and that I wouldn’t have a chance to move up and get more time unless somebody got hurt like last year. And I realize that’s just the way it’s going to be with Josh and Al [Horford] and Zaza already in place. It’s cool. I get a chance to go somewhere else and try and start over and see if there’s a chance to have a bigger role. The Pacers want me up there right away to get to work and that’s a good thing. I’m looking forward to the opportunity. But I appreciate the Hawks keeping it straight with me and not trying to sell me something that they couldn’t deliver in terms of playing time and opportunity.”
If it’s good enough for Solo, it’s good enough for me.
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712 comments Add your comment
niremetal
July 27th, 2009
4:14 pm
Anakin,
Seriously, you’re just being amusing at this point. So…injuries are the reason our offense wasn’t effective, but those injuries weren’t the reason we didn’t get more rebounds? Gee, that makes a LOT of sense.
Oh, and could our issues with offensive rebounding POSSIBLY have anything to do with the fact that Woodson has Josh Smith standing at the 3-point line on most plays? Hmmmmm???
Mike
July 27th, 2009
4:15 pm
Just sign Siler.
Samuel
July 27th, 2009
4:25 pm
I like Solo and I believe he will develop into a decent big that could stick in the league for a while at the 15mpg range. He’s had his opportunity here so it’s time for somebody else. I’d much rather Siler get that spot.
I think we’ll end up with another veteran big before the season, whether it be through trade or FA. I still have trust in Sund.
Anakin Joe
July 27th, 2009
4:44 pm
nire, injuries hurt our rebounding, yes. But if our 4 front court players were perfectly healthy, they don’t match-up as well with other second-round opponents because you MUST have depth and size. Here’s a simple question, what would have been first on your “Post Evaluation List” if you were Sund? To go get a 3-point shooter who makes $20M over the next 2 years to become SuperFlip? On my list, that would have been somewhere sandwiched between new outfits for the A-Town Dancers and hiring a new mascot.
Samuel
July 27th, 2009
4:52 pm
Have no idea where my last post went but here goes again.
I like Solo and I believe he will stick in the league for a while but he probably will never see the court for more than 15mpg. That’s just the way it is. I like Siler more for what we need. Solo is just too light and limited offensively.
I just saw the box score and video stream from the team USA scrimmage. Josh didn’t really have a bad game. 1-4 FG ,6 boards, 1 block and 2-3 from the line. One of his misses was from a half court heave at the end of the period. He just didn’t get involved much in the offense. Guess that’s Woody’s fault.
http://www.iamatrailblazersfan.com/Home/Photos/OfficialGalleryAlbum/tabid/165/GalleryView/MediaView/AlbumID/5144/MediaID/3002/Default.aspx
I’m really not happy with the Marvin Williams situation. Dude is not good enough to be holding us hostage like that. He’s really not.
I’m with Joe on the Crawford signing. For that money, we should have definitely gotten a quality big. I still believe Sund will get us a big. Hopefully soon so we can all relax.
Deep
July 27th, 2009
4:53 pm
The Grizzlies also rescinded a $3 million qualifying offer to forward Hakim Warrick(notes) as a cost-cutting measure, Warrick’s agent Bill Duffy said. Warrick is attracting interest from six teams and it’s unlikely he will re-sign with Memphis at a lower salary, Duffy said.
Deep
July 27th, 2009
4:54 pm
Wonder if the Hawks are one of those six teams?
niremetal
July 27th, 2009
4:57 pm
You think that Horford and Josh can’t outrebound Ilgauskas (whose never averaged 10rpg in his life) and Varejao (who is more hustle than muscle)? Uh…ok. I think they could, if they’re healthy and if we had a coach with an IQ high enough to get them in position on offense where they’re able to crash the boards.
And again, you’re ignoring the huge amounts of pressure that Crawford will take off Joe when you characterize him just as a 3-point shooter. And yeah – getting someone who would take some pressure off Joe would be at or very near the top of my offseason priority list, because it became clear when Joe was gimpy that we didn’t have a Plan B, and that killed us as much as being outrebounded did.
The other big priority would have been finding a coach who didn’t have Josh standing at the 3 point line.
I MUS WRITE
July 27th, 2009
5:14 pm
Dam Anakin, we get it you hate Crawford Jeezuz…… Who are these mysterious big man that you crave for so much? The bigs we targeted DIDNT WAT TO PLAY HERE!!! Crawford makes 9 mill a year ……Speedy and AC Law together made about 8 million a year…
Thats an upgrade all day in my book……. Two corpses glued to the bench for a guy thats a prolific scorer in this league for only 1mill more per year……
Give Sund credit for cutting dead weight and giving us a legit 6th man…….
UGA
July 27th, 2009
5:16 pm
ESPN says Hornets to send Chandler to Cats for Okufor, being deeply discussed right now.
wordsmithtom
July 27th, 2009
6:34 pm
Sekou’s comment has significance. There were no cats at this minicamp that didn’t belong there. Remember the years when we were dragging the lake for the last three guys on the bench? Now, we have a room full of guys who can fill those seats…and keep the rotation players active in practice.
Solo is a prime example. A second round draft pick at a time when Hawks had a hard time finding anything to fill the end of the bench. Good kid, but he couldn’t bang with a cap pistol.
This team is filling out with better players. Will they pull the trigger on a blockbuster before summer is out? Who knows. I’m comfortable with what we have, compared to where we were 2 years ago. And we’re STILL the youngest team in the east. Chew on that one…..
Ben
July 27th, 2009
6:48 pm
Why in the world would the Bobcats trade Okafor for Chandler? Chandler is injury prone with absolutely no offensive game. Okafor is a double double player EVERY Night. Stupid trade for the Bobcast IMO.
niremetal
July 27th, 2009
7:29 pm
I’m with you, Ben. The only explanation that I can think of is that Okafor’s contract is longer and richer. Johnson has been trying to trim payroll in an effort to make the team more attractive to an outside buyer. Only other thing I can think of is that Chandler is a couple inches taller…but Okafor is stronger, smarter, and has a better nose for the ball, which more than makes up for that.
Larry Brown will probably be fuming about this…Okafor was the Bobcats’ best player, IMO.
Kind of an odd trade for the Hornets too, since they are also being really cost-conscious. I guess they figure that Okafor is a valuable trade asset, though.
RotoTimes: NBA Free Agent Update by Cory Elfink
July 27th, 2009
7:34 pm
Mike Bibby, PG, Hawks – Despite the acquisition of combo guard Jamal Crawford from the Warriors, the Hawks re-signed Bibby to a three-year deal worth $18 million. Apparently the Hawks no longer as concerned with their budget as in years past.
Zaza Pachulia, C, Hawks – Pachulia re-upped with the Hawks to the tune of four years and $18 million. He will continue to effectively back up Al Horford.
Marvin Williams, SF – No other teams have had any reported involvement with the restricted free agent, as he and the Hawks are trying to hammer out a deal. Both sides would like to remain together, but Williams could simply take a one-year deal (to maintain his rights, the Hawks have to leave a one-year, $7.4 million deal on the table).
Joe Smith, PF – Not much has been said about the teams that Smith might be hearing from, but the Hawks have recently been rumored to have interest. Smith is a better contributor to a team via his presence rather than his production.
Ronald Murray, SG – The Hawks have added Jamal Crawford and Jeff Teague while retaining Mike Bibby, meaning Murray’s days may be over in Atlanta. He managed 12.2 points in 25 minutes per game last season. He has recently been contacted by the Sixers.
Anakin Joe
July 27th, 2009
7:40 pm
I.MUS, feel free to give him credit. If he had made that deal at the end of the summer and I felt like he exhausted all possibilities to use those assets to acquire any serviceable big (Darko, Battie or Etan to name 3 off the top of my head who have been traded this summer). And then I would have re-signed Flip or brought in McCants or any other “drive first-hired gun” to play the Andrew Toney role. And my basic premise all along is not to look at the acquisition of Crawford alone but the acquisition of the bench scorer AND the bench big. In other words, I’d rather have Battie and Flip than Crawford and Stromile. Or Etan and Flip than Crawford and Ely. Or Darko and Flip than Crawford and Skinner. But again, I place far more emphasis on defense and rebounding than another jump shooter added to Bibby and Joe.
And nire, when I watched Cleveland grab offensive rebounds like they were playing monkey in the middle, it had nothing to do with the placement of the bigs on the offensive end. When the opposing team is grabbing offensive rebounds, that is a lost defensive rebound for the Hawks. That ish has nothing to do with where a Hawk is positioned in their offensive set. And that is my lasting memory of the Hawks series, the inability to stop the cavs from another offensive possession. When you recite that we lost the offensive rebounding battle, you see it as we didn’t grab enough of our own missed shots. I see it as we didn’t stop the other team from rebounding their missed shots. Considering the number of 3-balls we take (which usually result in longer rebounds), our offensive rebounding ills is likely more about our guards not following their shots. Missed 3s don’t typically fall a foot from the rim (where our bigs go to rebound) but much further away.
niremetal
July 27th, 2009
8:02 pm
Anakin,
First off, during the regular, our problem last year was offensive rebounding far, far more than defensive rebounding.
Second, in the Cleveland series, our #1 and #3 rebounders were both gimpy. Horford and Marv didn’t even play game 2. Mo Evans started Games 1-3 at SF in that series, which led to LeBron having two games with double digit rebounds. Horford was in foul trouble most of the time he was able to play. Oh, and in the only game where both Marvin and Horford were in the starting lineup, we outrebounded Cleveland.
Varejao and Ilgauskas are not better rebounders than Horford and Josh, when they’re healthy. And the Cavs’ frontcourt reserves grabbed a grand total of 4 offensive rebounds in the whole series. Giving up offensive rebounds was not our biggest problem.
Anyway, the fact that you think our offensive rebounding issue is guards not following their shots…just wow. Wow. 48 of the top 50 offensive rebounders in the league last year were power forwards and centers. The other two were small forwards. And I promise you that we’re not close to the only team in the league that takes a lot of 3s. The fact that you’d suggest that it’s our guards’ fault. Wow…wow.
Ken
July 27th, 2009
8:02 pm
I think all the negative chatter about Josh Smith is cause everyone sees how good he could be. He was probably if not hands down the most talented (athletically) player at the USA camp. We hate to hate to see him settle for being an above average player when he has the talent to be a great one. Ironically, he’s in the same boat as Dwight Howard, but since Howard is the most dominant force in the league he gets talked about differently (and the finals don’t hurt either). Plus, seeing Josh sulk in games, not have the best shot selection, be inconsistent, and sound lack luster about the opportunity USA basketball has to offer, makes it difficult for outsiders to see in him what we do.
O'Brien
July 27th, 2009
8:19 pm
The fact that the Hawks let Solo go, implies that Solo would be the 5th big man (Al, Josh, ZaZa, FA Big, and then Solo) for the Hawks.
AJ,
I am also waiting for the Hawks to sign a big man, but how can you not be a fan of the Crawford trade? I agree with Nire. JJ played horrible some of those games against Miami in the playoffs. And one reason is they double teamed him. With Crawford out there, he can take some of the offensive load off JJ, and he can give JJ a breather.
Also, if Sund had traded for a big man (instead of Crawford), then Woody would have played JJ 41 minutes per game, and Woody’s offense is guard oriented. Dont you think Woody prefers a guard like Crawford, instead of whichever big Sund might have been able to get? (Plus Crawford is a better version of Flip).
Crawford should have a bigger impact on this team than Darko or any of those bigs would. However, one thing we agree on. The Hawks still need help in the front court.
niremetal
July 27th, 2009
8:37 pm
PS – we’re still not a GOOD defensive rebounding team by any stretch. But the drop in our rebounding from 07-08 to 08-09 was almost entirely on the offensive rebounding end.
Blast
July 27th, 2009
9:16 pm
Looking at Shaq on WWE right now, dude actually looks trimmer. Hawks certainly don’t need a trim, healthy, and fit Shaq playing with LeBron in Cleveland!
Sautee
July 27th, 2009
9:33 pm
Nire,
Think that’s a coincidence? We lost our best offensive rebounder last summer.
Afro man was replaced in points by Flip, but we still miss his rebounding and energy and, most of all, his length in passing lanes.
Sautee
July 27th, 2009
9:35 pm
And did I mention that he was our best finisher at the rim?
niremetal
July 27th, 2009
9:50 pm
Sautee,
No argument here. Chill was very active on the offensive glass and it wasn’t because he followed his own 3s – it was because he crashed the boards. Marvin actually did the same thing this year – he didn’t do it as effectively at Chill, but he crashed the boards significantly more (as did Zaza). The drop in ORBs mainly can be attributed to Horford and Josh. No doubt their respective injuries played a role in that, but Josh has always been a subpar offensive rebounder – no way someone as strong and athletic as him should be getting just 2.0 Orpg. That’s partially on him, no question, since Chill didn’t let the fact that he was on the perimeter keep him from crashing the boards. But a big part of it is where Josh usually is when a shot goes up. You put him closer to the basket and he gets another 1orpg, and we’d go from 20th to 10th in Orpg.
And now, time for me to go into my bunker. See y’all Wednesday night.
Ken
July 27th, 2009
9:53 pm
Sad to hear that Josh isn’t getting all that we expected from his time with USA Hoops. It’s frustrating, he’s still young and has all the talent/ability in the world, but is so immature or maybe he has people in his corner just telling him what he wants to hear. It’s also hard to fault him since he’s such a big part of what we do. He’s not a real power forward, but his athleticism/versatility gives us a unique line-up when we get in transition and ACTUALLY USE our athletic advantage against most teams. Hopefully he will get it together.
Hey, for anyone who got a decent look at mini-camp players, did anyone see if Korolev plays defense at all or how good is his ball handling/does he look comfortable?
v shall c
July 27th, 2009
10:04 pm
AJ, I dont think any of those big men would solve our problems on rebounding, in fact interms of value i doubt we could have gotten much better than crawford for what were basically two expiring contracts. Plus, if we get Joe Smith you’re point is moot since Joe smith is likely to help more than any of those guys would have. (in terms of veteran presence+production)
The thing I’m amazed nobody discusses is how this affects the summer of 2010. If we had kept the expiring contracts and used the extra cap room to sign dwade instead of JJ wouldn’t that be a significant upgrade?
v shall c
July 27th, 2009
10:19 pm
Ok so here’s a question for all of ya’ll.
What was the hawks worst move this summer?
My vote goes to resigning bibby. I think we should have gone with andre miller instead. 3yrs 21mil with 3yr as a team option.
Miller gives u everything bibby does minus three point shooting and that is compensated by the fact that we added a jump shooter in jamal crawford. Plus miller is a much better post up player and he consistently gets to the free throw line. Throw in the the fact that he was running the fast break offence in philly perfectly and you know we missed a golden chance to install a transition offence. Plus he is a facilitating (pass first) PG meaning an instant improvement in production from the bigs; plus we get a better mentor for young teague.
Best of all, he’d be a better match up against small fast guards…. not defensively obviously…he’d be just as bad as bibby…but offensively he could post them up and score on them all day…think billups v/s chris paul in the playoffs.
I’m still amazed how everybody is not talking about this already??
Hoops
July 27th, 2009
10:28 pm
v shall c,
I think the “summer of ‘10 FA explosion” will disappoint most fans. With a expected lower cap, most teams are going to be so strapped financially that they won’t have the space to go after the big FA’s. Also, I predict that the big FA’s (Bosh, Wade, Lebron, etc.) are going to end up taking extensions from their present teams. I’m not saying that will happen with all of the big names, but I think it will with most. Let’s put it this way, the Knicks are making a huge mistake right now. They are passing up opportunities to really improve their team but they are holding out for next summer. The only problem is those big name FA’s are not going to go to N.Y.
Just my opinion.
Yupperz
July 27th, 2009
10:43 pm
“My vote goes to resigning bibby. I think we should have gone with andre miller instead. 3yrs 21mil with 3yr as a team option.”
Weel u see, theres this thing called the salary cap and the Bird exception…
Anakin Joe
July 27th, 2009
10:54 pm
nire, we shot over 50% more 3s in ‘08-09 vs. the previous year. I am quite certain that shooting that many more 3s will have a negative impact on offensive rebounding stats. Despite increasing our 3 point attempts, our FG% actually improved. So while it may initially appear that the increase in 3-point shooting would increase offensive rebound chances, it did not. I’ll tell you what, go out tomorrow and shoot 10 long distance jumpers and watch the bounce off the rim (assuming that you miss). Then go and miss a few 12 footers and tell me if the bounce off the rim is the same. They are not.
And both Horford and Smith had lower rebounding rates (per minute) against the Cavs in the regular season than their season average. I know what I saw in tha Cavs series. And what I saw was a childhood game of monkey in the middle with the Hawks frontcourt stuck in the middle. And this season, when other teams are bringing Bass, Gortat, Ilgauskas, Moon, Barnes, Rasheed and Big Baby off the bench to rest their front court starters, we’ll be bringing in Zaza and Tom McMillan. BRILLIANT!
Anakin Joe
July 27th, 2009
10:56 pm
v shall c, I agree, if we get Joe Smith, my point is moot. I whole-heartedly agree with that. So let’s go get him. Because I understand that Scott Hastings is preparing to return for another tour with the Hawks if we don’t get Joe in here soon. And none of us want that.
Yupperz
July 27th, 2009
11:08 pm
Sautee 2, niremental 1, Anakin Joe -4
Hoops
July 27th, 2009
11:11 pm
Not that the Hawks would be interested, but the Warriors released Jermareo Davidson today. He has never played much. He’s 6′10″, 230lbs and 24 yrs. old. Kinda sounds like Solo.
Anakin Joe
July 27th, 2009
11:28 pm
Hoops, Davidson is from Marietta. And I’m pretty sure that he is even thinner than Solo. He’d be better off learning to play the 3.
v shall c
July 27th, 2009
11:29 pm
@Hoops: I think wade is more likely to stay too…still.. it was a nice dream
@Yupperz: my mistake…i thought we were far enough under the cap to sign miller if we waived the rights to Bibby…turns out we weren’t.
I wonder if we could have got him with 3yrs @ MLE while portland was chasing turkoglu and then millsap?
blue hawk
July 28th, 2009
7:07 am
Crawford is too good (and too expensive) to stay on the bench
where gonna see a lot of line ups with Joe at small forward, and Marvin being a sixth man spelling relief for the shooting guard, SF and PF spots.
it would be good to have 2 scoring playmakers on the floor in Jamal and Joe at the same time
hopefully Woodson does not dumb this one out.
Big Ray
July 28th, 2009
7:53 am
So a player might actually want to get away from Woodson. Wow. Now there’s a concept….
Goodbye, Solo. Many happy returns in Indy. Except when we’re playing you, of course.
Blue Hawk ,
I can see that happening. The key to it is using such a lineup when it can be most effective. Here’s what can go wrong: Woody can get all offensively giddy with the idea of Bibby/Joe/Crawford, and use it against the wrong lineups. But instead of recognizing that Woody is simply using the wrong matchup at the wrong time, some people will inevitably blame the problem on a lack of size….while the size is sitting on the bench. I guarantee it. Just watch.
Like you said, I hope Woody utilizes that lineup where appropriate. If he does, this team can really do some damage that way. But it’s just an option and exploitation of a mismatch. It’s not a regular lineup.
ILL-logical
July 28th, 2009
8:15 am
Somehow some of us are confusing the cough with the cold: Woodson’s “system” does not allow for a sustained low post offense and therefore players who have those skills/ ambitions will not gravitate here unless they are at either at or near the end of their career.
And to compound the felony, inspite of his protestations to the contrary, he is not going to change even in the face of imminent doom-his.
Which sets the stage for this probable scenario; when the ineviatble happens-and it will happen this season; it’s only a matter of when, the whole roster is going to have to be done over. Bibby’s primary value is his ability to bridge the communication gap between Woodson and the players; iso Joe is finished , so where does that leave his career path? And all of the front court players who have spent years playing out of position , where do they go and who makes what adjustments?
Some of this is certainly speculation on my part but the signs are there for a potential snafu that will affect the team significantly. The irony is that it all can be avoided if the one person with the authority to make the changes does so now but their track record to date doesn’t hold out much hope for them or the 2009-10 Hawks.
dap01
July 28th, 2009
8:31 am
No one should mention the word “system” and Woody in the same sentence.
There is no system. That is why there are no offensive rebounds. Is any player is the correct position to get the rebound? What is the correct position?
ISO Joe and Bibby as coach is a mask to hide the blank space that is our coaching.
Hoops
July 28th, 2009
9:26 am
blue hawk,
You are exactly right. We are going to see this line up more than any other:
Bibby, Crawford, JJ, Marvin, Horford
I know that line up is small, but if it is used right it will create nightmare match up problems for most teams. I’m not saying that we will start that line up, but Woodson will go to it often. That’s my prediction.
Hoops
July 28th, 2009
9:35 am
I know a lot of Hawks fans are getting uneasy about signing the rest of our team for this year. I am somewhat also. But, I see the Hawks only signing two more players before training camp. Hopefully those two will be Marvin and Joe Smith. That would give us 11 players under contract going into camp. Then I see the other 2-3 players coming from this group:
West, Korolev, Hunter, Siler
There is always a chance that there could be a trade @ some point after August 11. Maybe Josh, Evans, and Morris to the Timberwolves for Jefferson and Brewer? Probably not!!!
Myrak43
July 28th, 2009
9:39 am
Jonathan Bender
What do you all think about inviting him to training camp. or bring in him in for a physical?
A Tribe Called Quest
July 28th, 2009
9:44 am
WHY DO THE MAVS AND SPURS KEEP MEETING AND SIGNING PLAYERS?
MAVS WERE ABOUT TO GET GORTAT, GOT MARION,
SPURS GOT R JEFF, GOODEN, AND A BUNCH OF OTHER PLAYERS I CANT THINK OF
NOW IT’S TIM THOMAS
WTF ARE THE HAWKS DOING
WE ARE IN THE MOST IMPORTANT SOUTHEAST CITY THAT HAD THE OLYMPICS RECENTLY
JESUS
Myrak43
July 28th, 2009
9:53 am
A Tribe Called Quest
These players have to want to come to Atlanta.
Melvin
July 28th, 2009
9:53 am
I was hoping that the Hawks would sign Tim Thomas to be the backup SF but looks like he is going to Dallas. Foolish me thinking that the BASG would sign a quality FA….
Melvin
July 28th, 2009
10:17 am
Tribe,
Look like you beat me to the Tim Thomas signing. It’s obivious that our owners are cheap. They needed to sign some quality players to boost the depth on the bench and has fail to do so up to this point. Hopefully Sund can come up with a trade b/c it doesn’t look like we are going to sign any worthy free agents. Heck, the Nets are open to trading Yi. Let’s send them Mo Evans and/or additions for him. He would allow us to play alot of different lineups as we could slide him across the frontcourt positions. Yes Doc, I haven’t gave up hope on your boy yet….
Traceman
July 28th, 2009
10:34 am
Melvin, Mark Cuban is playing with monopoly money. He doesn’t worry about the luxury tax, if he wants a guy and he can figure out a way to get him, he just signs him. There are only a few owners in the league who operate like that. Even Paul Allen has reigned in spending in POR.
I think the Hawks are being smart trying to manage the team’s salary over the longterm and they are obviously trying to sign players to contracts that will fit within their longterm goals of keeping the core together.
I think the “core” consists of JJ, Horford, Smoove, Marv, Bibby & Zaza. The only way I see them breaking up that core is if trading one (or a combo) of them results in the return of a superstar like Bosh or Stoudemire.
The Hawks don’t appear to be willing to take on contracts that could interfere with their ability to sign JJ to an extension or that could prevent them from extending Horford the following year. That is why I think the Crawford signing was such a great move. His $10M salary comes off the books just as we will be looking to extend Horford. We could consider resigning Crawford at that time if he fits but it would likely be at significantly less money.
I like what Sund has done so far. If he can get Marvin signed to a longterm deal and get Joe Smith, Ben Wallace or another crafty veteran big man in here, I’ll give him an A+ for the offseason.
Hoops
July 28th, 2009
10:43 am
Dallas Basketball.com is reporting that the Mavs are anticipating Ryan Hollins getting an offer of 1M or more from another team. If that happens they are saying that they will let him go.
That’s a good deal right there Rick! Go get him!!!
Melvin
July 28th, 2009
11:00 am
Traceman,
Tell me how the fans are going to benefit from owners who are not willing to invest the extra dollars that are needed to compete at the highest level. Name a team within the last decade that won the championship that was under the luxury tax.
Hoops,
I’ve been campaigning for Ryan Hollins all summer. I was hoping we can sign him….
kgbsfinst
July 28th, 2009
11:01 am
I would take Crawford and Joe Smith over any of those other combos any day. We did struggle offensively a lot last year, I remember a few games where it took us a good 5-10 minutes to get our offense going. When you start the game down 17-4 because you have missed 10 of your first 12 shots, you have to spend twice as much energy to get back into the game (not to mention your starters are going to be playing more). Although I still see Crawford coming off the bench, if in the first few minutes we are struggling, call a TO and put him in.
As for Joe Smith, this would be a great fit. One thing people aren’t really talking about is his experience, and leadership he will bring. I hear comments on here about Josh not being mature and no basketball IQ and all this stuff, you don’t think a guy like Joe could help that? The impact he COULD have on Josh Smith is worth way more than anything someone like Kurt or Etan Thomas could bring. Lets not forget we are talking about 8-12 minutes a game, thats not going to make or break our season, but a guy that can come in and show Josh the ropes, like when to argue with refs and when to just shut up and play, or when to take a jump shot, and most importantly, when to pick your battles with your coach or to just shut up and walk away.
I’ve said this before and I have to say it again, IMO Josh could be one of the best, and one of the most unstoppable players in the league. The thing stopping him is between his head, wouldnt a vet like Joe IN his ear help? I think so.
A Tribe Called Quest
July 28th, 2009
11:04 am
HAS ANYONE NOTICED THAT NO DRAFT PICK HAS OVERACHIEVED UNDER WOODSON? SMOOVE DOESNT COUNT BECAUSE HE IS JUST ATHLETIC — NO BASKETBALL SKILL
I find it amazing that people legitimately think Smoove should make the olympic or qualifying teams. His game is so damn unrefined, sloppy, and all over the place, that it will just embarrass this city.