Ilgauskas gets release from Wizards, Hawks make pitch
Hawks hope to convince Big Z to leave Cleveland behind. (giantbomb.com)
The Wizards and center Zydrunas Ilgauskas completed a buyout agreement this morning and the Hawks have already made their pitch for the 7-foot-3 center to join them instead of returning to the Cavaliers.
“Once he clears waivers and becomes a free agent (on Monday), hopefully he will consider us,” Hawks general manager Rick Sund said today. “We talked to his agent. He knows we are interested, as are a couple other teams.”
Hawks coach Mike Woodson and some key players said Ilgauskas would be a great fit.
“He’d bring ‘veteranship,’” Woodson said. “And he can still play. He’s a big presence on the block, he can make shots, he can make free throws, he can rebound and he can block shots. ”
Hawks forward Joe Smith said he plans to contact Ilgauskas, his teammate during Smith’s two stints in Cleveland during the 2007-08 and 2008-09 seasons.
“I will try to reach out to him and see what he’s thinking,” Smith said. “I hope his mind is not made up.”
It is widely assumed Ilgauskas will return to the Cavaliers, who drafted him in 1997. He has said his “heart is in Cleveland” but his agent said Ilgauskas will consider signing with the Hawks and will take his time with the decision.
Dallas, Denver, and Utah also are expected to recruit Ilgauskas. The Cavs would have to wait 30 days after they traded Ilgauskas (March 19) to re-sign him while any other team can sign him after he clears waivers on Monday at 2 p.m. No team in the league has the necessary salary-cap space to claim Ilgauskas off waivers.
In order to become a free agent and join a contender, Ilgauskas gave back $1.5 million of the prorated portion of his $11.5 million salary due, according to the Washington Post. The Hawks have both their mid-level and bi-annual salary-cap exceptions available but it’s not expected that Ilgauskas’ prorated salary will be large enough to need them. That puts the Hawks and his other suitors on roughly the same level with salary offers.
Ilgauskas’ motivations aren’t clear beyond his desire to play for a team capable of making a deep playoff run. If he’s looking for playing time the Hawks and Jazz appear to offer him the best opportunity for minutes among the teams reported to be interested.
Hawks forward Josh Smith said Ilgauskas would play a big role for the Hawks.
“I will try to get his number from Joe and give him a call and tell him how much we want him here,” Smith said.
“We need a guy like that,” said Hawks All-Star center Al Horford. “I hope our people can make that happen because he would be a big key for us.”
Ilgauskas would add three things the Hawks can use: size, shooting and playoff experience (64 games).
“He’s a guy that is good with shooting on the pick-and-pop,” Horford said. “He’s a big body. We already have some of those but you need as many as you can get for the playoffs, especially an experienced guy like that.”
Ilgauskas, 34, had foot problems early in his career but played in 73 or more games in each season from 2002-08. He played in 65 games last season and 53 this season, when he was relegated to a backup role behind Shaquille O’Neal.
“He’s just as healthy as anyone else,” Joe Smith said. “He didn’t have any problems in both years I was with him.”
The Hawks likely will try to sell Ilgauskas on playing time in their power rotation. In Cleveland he was playing a career-low 20.5 minutes per game in a frontcourt that included O’Neal, Anderson Varejao and J.J. Hickson. Now the Cavaliers also have power forward Antawn Jamison, who was acquired from Washington in the three-team trade that included Ilgauskas.
Ilgauskas would stand to get significant minutes in the Hawks’ power rotation. Jason Collins, the only 7-footer on the roster, has played sparingly. Zaza Pachulia (6-11), the primary reserve at center, has struggled lately. Horford (6-10), the starter at center, could play power forward alongside Ilgauskas with Josh Smith at small forward, a position he played early in his career.
“I’m down for whatever position they want me to play,” Josh Smith said. “If it means going big for matchups, that’s cool.”
The only true center playing significant minutes behind Utah’s Mehmet Okur is third-year player Kyrylo Fesenko. The Nuggets start Nene at center with defensive specialist Chris Andersen backing him up. The Mavericks recently acquired center Brendan Haywood to back up longtime starter Erick Dampier, who is out with a hand injury.
The Cavaliers, who lead the Eastern Conference, appear to have the best shot at the Finals among the teams pursuing Ilgauskas. The Hawks are seven games behind Cleveland in fourth place and could try to sell Ilgauskas on being the player to help them reach the next level in the playoffs.
“We are playing well,” Joe Smith said. “We’ve got just as good of a shot at the Finals as anyone.”
The Hawks do not plan to pursue veteran guard Larry Hughes, who recently was waived by the Sacramento Kings. It is believed the Hawks aren’t inclined to use their 14th roster spot for a perimeter player, which also means Mike James wouldn’t be considered after he gets an expected buyout from the Wizards.
The Hawks also are not expected to pursue 7-foot center Mikki Moore, a free agent who is looking to get back into the league after heel surgery in December.
MC
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206 comments Add your comment
MsDee
February 25th, 2010
3:47 pm
Daniel,
I hear what you are saying but wouldnt you take that chance of JJ playing 3 in the very early part of a game which is the 1st quarter? The Hawks play switching defense anyway..so JJ is still playing defense out of position..again, I just dont see the problem with Marvin coming off the bench..
Truth-Serum
February 25th, 2010
3:50 pm
Just because Smoove is a team player and a great guy doesnt mean its a wise idea to move him to the 3. You wont find a kid to disagree with eating bags of candy after Halloween but that doesnt make it a wise decision.
The Truth
February 25th, 2010
3:52 pm
AJ
Using my favorite line regarding Big Z; WE SHALL SEE!!
Astro Joe
February 25th, 2010
3:53 pm
I’m glad Sund is not interested in Hughes nor Mikki Moore. And I personally don’t want Mike James either. I’m waiting for the next crop of bought-out vets to see what else might be on the menu. Surely the Nets will drop some of their players. I understand chasing Z but wih only one spot available and no need to rush, I’d wait until closer to the 3/1 deadline before chasing just any player that is available. Imagine if Sund reaches a deal for Hughes and the next day, someone like Mike Miller is suddenly available.
Traceman
February 25th, 2010
3:54 pm
Rod,
I like Big Z and I think he would be a GREAT fit as our backup Center but I think you are giving him more credit than I am. At this stage of his career, he is not as good as Al is at Center. In addition, I think Al would be terrific at PF but I am not sure that he would be as good as Smoove is there. Al made the All Star game at Center because the competition was lesser but Smoove is having the better season. If Al was competing for an All Star spot with LeBron, KG, Bosh and Pierce, I don’t think he would have made the All Star game either.
As for whether Smoove would be better at SF than Marvin, RIGHT NOW, I agree with you that he would because Marvin is struggling tremendously. We just need to get Marvin back to playing the way he is capable of playing.
When he’s playing well, Marvin is a solid SF. Last year, Smoove only averaged .9 more rebounds than Marvin even though Marvin was playing SF and he was playing PF. Marvin also shot the ball well and defended well. Even in this bad year, Marvin stays in front of perimeter players MUCH better than Smoove does. Smoove is EXPLOSIVE but he not that quick laterally and his perimeter defensive fundamentals are well below average. When he gets caught on the switch by a guard, he usually gets beat and then tries to block the shot from behind whereas Marvin is generally able to stay in front of them.
Bottom line, moving Smoove to SF would not be best for the team short term or long term. We need Smoove to remain in the position where he is arguably our most important player.
Rod from College Park
February 25th, 2010
3:58 pm
Traceman,
“Marvin is struggling but benching him for the likes of Zaza or Mo is not the answer. His biggest issue right now is confidence and I don’t think benching him is going to help in that regard. Neither Mo nor Zaza is even close to Marvin from a talent perspective and neither has ever produced to the level Marvin produced at just last year as a 22 year old. Last year, Marvin’s efficiency rating was better than Jamal’s is right now so I know the guy can be productive, he just has to find his game.”
Your loyalty to Marvin blinds you from seeing how terrible his is. First thing please stop with the age thing. Marvin has been in the league for 5 years. So he is 23, Durant is 21, so is Tyreke Evans. Does him being 23 mean that he will stop being goofy when he is 25? Does it mean that he will learn how to exploit a mismatch at 26? Secondly you state that Mo and ZAZA don’t have the talent that Marvin has. Actually Mo Evans is more athletic and has just as much talent as Marvin. Before he came to Atlanta, he was considered a top notch defender of his position which should be the 2 not the 3. He can actually dribble with his head up, in more than one direction. He can finish without falling. He can shoot the 3 with the same accuracy as Marvin. He is just 6′4 and Marvin is 6′9. The other fact that should be taken into consideration is that neither Mo or ZaZa has ever played on a team where they were not guarded, or defended by guys 4 to 5 inches shorter than them the majority of the time, like Marvin is. The numbers below support the fact that they have had similar or better numbers in their career than Marvin has put up this year, with fewer minutes, and I little under what he put up last year, so your statement is actually not true.
ZAZA
05-06 ATL 78 78 31.4 0.451 0.000 0.735 3.4 4.5 7.9 1.7 1.1 0.5 2.31 3.67 11.7
06-07 ATL 72 47 28.1 0.474 0.000 0.786 2.8 4.2 6.9 1.5 1.1 0.5 2.25 3.71 12.2
Mo Evans
07-08 ORL 68 47 23.9 0.489 0.396 0.691 1.3 1.8 3.1 1.0 0.6 0.1 0.59 1.94 9.3
Please notice the year that you referenced that was so great for Marvin, Mo shot a higher percentage from from the field (48%) and 3 point line (39%)than Marvin did, which would be critical in this offense. His ppg were not as high, but he played almost 11 minutes less per game. Zaza’s numbers need no explanation. You find your game in college or your first cuople of years in the pros. The guys you will refer to that found their games later like say a Jermaine O’neal, did not get heavy minutes at the start of their careers like Marvin. A slump does not last a whole season. It’s very rare that a good player regresses to the extent that he can’t knock down wide open shots for a whole year. If you want to support him, that’s you perogative, but don’t get mad when people who have eyes and watch the games point out the fact that he brings very little to this team for a pretty good price tag.
Michael Cunningham
February 25th, 2010
4:08 pm
@Astro: Hawks say they will add 14th if it’s the right guy, not just Z. you are correct, not much out there right now. D. Gooden might have been a decent possibility but GM Dunleavy says Clips are keeping him. haven’t heard any other intriguing names headed for the buyout bin.
@ Truth Serum (you’re not the same guy who was causing trouble on here before, are you?): agree it’s not a good idea to use Smoove at SF extensively but couldn’t work in small spurts against other big lineups?
@ everybody wondering if Woody would play Z: he’s been very enthusiastic about the possibility of getting him so i’d say yes. but you know how that goes.
O'Brien
February 25th, 2010
4:08 pm
“The Hawks are seven games behind Cleveland in fourth place and could try to sell Ilgauskas on being the player to help them reach the next level”. MC
I dont think there is anybody out there (Big Z included) who would beleive that if the Hawks signed Big Z, he would take us to the next level.
Rod,
Right now, Marvin is probably the 3rd best SF on the team (JJ first, then Josh second). It would be good to see Marvin step his game up in the playoffs, because that will catch everybody by surprise, and imagine how much better the Hawks would be.
AJ,
I hope Sund has a plan B, but I wont be surprised when for whatever reason, we dont add anybody.
Rod from College Park
February 25th, 2010
4:11 pm
Traceman,
I actually have no problems with your reponse above my last post, but the Marvin is a solid defender part which I disagreed with last year also. Marvin can’t check any 2’s either, and although YOU claim Marvin moves laterally better than Josh, the deal braker is that Josh has the ability to recover and alter or block the shot which Marvin does not have, and he has better timing and feel for the game. Kind of like how Deion was in football.
ILL-logical
February 25th, 2010
4:12 pm
Well, now that our esteemed scribe has ‘fessed up to understanding what the deal is with this whole Big Z thing-especially from the Hawks’ front office- we can all move on; there is nothing to see here.
What was revealing were the barely muted screams for help from Al and company for a bigger presence in the middle. The elephant in the room is no longer unobtrusive.The question now is who is going to take the blame when our interior defense is shredded by pentrating fast guards and our “bigs” get pounded on the boards? Are there going to a choruses of I am shocked to see that we are not capable enough in the middle? Or will a certain coach be punished for not developing the guys he had?
Stay tuned , it is going to a lively debate.
(Native American prayer dance sounds here)
Mike is Back
February 25th, 2010
4:12 pm
MC, great stuff as always…Hard to imagine Big Z passing up an opportunity to reunite with LBJ. Not to mention all the fouls calls he would be giving up. Lol
On the subject of Marvin, I think in a system like Woody’s Marvin will always have his peaks and valley until he develops a go to play. He wasn’t able to maintain his new found three point stoke…I think that has limited his scoring…and hurt his confidence… Now he gets most of his points off hustle plays…when he hustles. lol
I still think he is a much better defender than most give him credit for. When you break down the offensive schematic of the Hawks…Marvin is your fourth or fifth option…so it is a catch21 for me. I want him to score more and play aggressive on the offense…but not at the expense of destroying the chemistry on the team, taking ill-advised shots. He plays the role Woody has design for him. He has always feed out his jump shot…if he could get his shot going on a consistent basis…everything else would come much easier for him. I think he will get it together before the playoff.
sam'l
February 25th, 2010
4:14 pm
IF….the Hawks get a chance to bring Z, and I don’t think they will, he should get an extremely thorough and probing physical before anything is ever done. I would err on the side of caution here because you want someone who can take some wear and tear from Cleveland,Orlando and LA..
I like the guy’s work effort and discipline.
Some of the questions that are piling up…What is wrong with Bibby? Is he really too old or injured to play? Is Marvin just too spaced out or does he have some REAL ISSUES we don’t know about. Pachulia sometimes seems terribly lost which I don’t remember is a baseline condition for him. Evans can shoot, Teague can dish, Mario can pester. All the subs can sit down on the plane or on their day off and study out of bounds plays, new wrinkles, the opposition’s likely moves and work on specific roles with Woody. (a la LA’s Tyronn Lue getting cornrows and pestering Iverson which happened in the finals a few years ago). Obviously, some serious study has to be done for D. Howard alone. Hawk’s intuitive thought has to improve. Spacing, time management, defensive moves to force traps, offensive moves to create openings. Hard to think creatively when you’re always scared something weird is going to happen (time clock mistake, fouls people don’t see, losing 18-point leads through laziness, which I think is what happened, franchise going out of business)
One thing I will say, Jose Smith does really nice when he jumps out, steals and goes the distance. Way to go Josh. And really, the man obviously has the strength to increase his range. Nothing wrong with a jumper if he hits it. I would practice and practice on that until it is second nature.
This guy gets a lot of credit from me, because he has grown!
wcj
February 25th, 2010
4:14 pm
Will Mike Woodson play big Z? don’t sign the guy and leave him of the bench. He can help the hawks by moving AL to powerforward. Mike Woodson might be the one who sinks the U.S.S. Big Z battle ship.
sam'l
February 25th, 2010
4:16 pm
Who is Jose Smith anyway?
bigdave
February 25th, 2010
4:29 pm
Josh Smith can play the SF position..
ive had a change of heart at the idea of Josh Smith playing the 3 for the Hawks and only the Hawks. i dont think it increases his work load on the offensive end anymore than what it is now. nor does it exploit his weaknesses anymore than our current set up. at first the idea of him moving further away from the basket seemed ludicrous however, outside of his occasional iso post up where is he anyway… Marvin just sets up behind 3 b/c someone has told him he can hit that shot consistently. Josh is a better passer/play maker, finisher, and im not so sure he isnt an equal ball handler. Josh would be much more active and could post up smaller 3’s if we wanted to give him his occasional iso.
if Z were to come here id consider starting him immediately. however, folks… he’s going back to the Cavs.
Astro Joe
February 25th, 2010
4:41 pm
@MC, that’s good news. Now we just need to see if “the right guy” becomes available.
There are plenty of players available who Woody never played because he is such an oppressor of bench players. Guys like Obinna Ekezie, Cedric Bozeman, John Edwards, Peja Drobnjak, Slava Medvedenko, Este Batista, Lorenzen Wright, Jeremy Richardson, Othella Hunter and Salim Stoudemire. You’re new around these Atlanta parts, MC, so you don’t know about the incredible bench talent that Woody has refused to play over the past 4-5 years. I mean, just look at the big numbers Solo Jones is putting up in Indy or Acie Law, Royal Ivey, Ty Lue and Anthony Johnson. All of those guys wasted away in Atlanta and became significant contributors in the past year or two with their new teams. Right?
Daniel
February 25th, 2010
4:43 pm
So MC, If we accept that this whole thing is for show, then what do the Hawks gain by putting themselves out there? Is it really “due diligence”? Part of the league mandate to pretend that other teams have a chance? To try and snow the fans that they are trying to get better? I don’t see the upside in involving your name with a situation that has no chance of working out in your favor. Maybe I am missing something here.
Traceman
February 25th, 2010
4:46 pm
Rod,
First of all, Marvin was NEVER the prospect that Durant was so no need to even put him in the conversation.
Second, PLENTY of players figure it out late. Chauncey Billups, Gerald Wallace, Steve Nash, Antonio Daniels, Brendan Haywood, Chris Kaman and Hedo Turkoglu come to mind right off the top of my head as talented players who didn’t approach their best play until later in their careers.
Third, if you think Mo Evans has as much TALENT as Marvin then I have to question your ability to evaluate basketball talent. That is BEYOND preposterous. Mo has maximized the talent he has with hard work and he should be commended for that but his talent is nowhere near Marvin’s talent. Marvin was the number 2 overall pick based on his talent. Mo wasn’t even drafted. Nine SGs were taken in the 2001 draft and Mo went undrafted. The likes of Jeff Trepagnier, Jamison Brewer, Kyle Hill and Maurice Jeffers were considered more talented than Mo coming out of college and were drafted while he was not. The great GA Tech superstar ALVIN JONES was drafted and Mo was not. That’s all that needs to be said about talent.
The fact that Marvin is often guarded by guys that are significantly shorter than he is SUPPORTS the fact that he is talented. How many guys his size have the ability to effectively play on the perimeter? Dirk and Durant being able to play on the perimeter at an even bigger size than Marvin is part of what makes them Superstars.
Your numbers are hilarious. You think you are actually SUPPORTING your contention that Mo and Zaza (ZAZA!) are comparable to Marvin talent-wise based on the fact that their numbers in the BEST years of their CAREERS is comparable to Marvin’s numbers in the WORST year of his career? At 22, Marvin put up numbers ON A PLAYOFF TEAM that neither of those guys will EVER achieve.
So yes, I WILL continue to support Marvin because I know he has talent and as long as he keeps working hard, he will find his game again.
Traceman
February 25th, 2010
4:59 pm
@ BigDave,
I think most of us believe that Smoove can and SHOULD play SF in certain situations. I just think he should start and play the vast majority of his minutes at PF. Nothing wrong with playing him a few mpg at SF with Al or even Joe Smith at PF and Zaza (or in my dreams Big Z) at Center. What I don’t want to see is Josh get all messed up trying to play 2 positions when he is just now starting to play PF at an All Star level. Look at Kirilenko. That is EXACTLY what happened to him.
Jon Megrue
February 25th, 2010
4:59 pm
This is funny, I traded for Ilgauskas on NBA Live and he was a Hawk at the beginning of the season. Make it happen!
Ted M
February 25th, 2010
5:07 pm
Hawks have both exceptions – What does that mean as far as what the Hawks can offer Z?
Najeh Davenpoop
February 25th, 2010
5:09 pm
Of course Big Z would be an upgrade for the Hawks, considering that our own Z sucks at every aspect of the game right now. I still think it has less than zero chance of happening. I don’t see any incentive whatsoever for Ilgauskas to go to any team but the Cavs. The Cavs have a better record, better chances of winning, and it’s not like he’s going to get a ton of minutes here or in Denver anyway.
I wouldn’t mind bringing Mikki Moore in for a workout though. He won’t solve our size issues inside since he’s built like a stick figure, but he will bring energy and rebounding. You know, that stuff Zaza used to provide when he was good.
Najeh Davenpoop
February 25th, 2010
5:11 pm
I think Josh will struggle both offensively and defensively if he was playing small forward. That’s not a good fit for him.
If Ilgauskas is brought in, it will and should be as a reserve whose minutes vary depending on the matchup. Changing the entire game plan to accommodate him wouldn’t be a good idea.
terrell
February 25th, 2010
5:26 pm
Thabbeet sent to D-League? A top 5 pick? Wow! Guess it’s better than rotting on the bench.
Westurd
February 25th, 2010
5:27 pm
Marvin = 0 for 4 shooting with 2 rebounds in 20:00 mins last night?
WTF?
eric
February 25th, 2010
5:36 pm
2 Words…. Get Him!!!.. to add Get Z and we take The Big 3 down….
Jody
February 25th, 2010
5:40 pm
ILL-logical,
Great post. After hearing the comments from Al and Josh, folks won’t be able to ignore the huge elephant (lack of size) in the room much longer, although I question why it was ignored in the first place.
The Truth
February 25th, 2010
5:48 pm
Let me understand this now; Sund stated previously that he had not plans in filling the 14th roster spot. Suggesting we will stay the course and we are just fine with what we have. The trade deadline came and left. Then the Big Z opportunity emerged in which he stated that he will make an exception for Big Z and pursue him. That news even got the players salivating over the prospect. Now consensus suggests the likelihood that Big Z will probably not signed with the Hawks and that there is really an imaginary plan B that Sund is really pursuing (after the trade deadline) to acquire help for the Hawks in the playoff.
This is amazing really some stuff.
The Truth
February 25th, 2010
5:50 pm
Correction: “This is really amazing stuff”
Traceman
February 25th, 2010
6:00 pm
This is a little off topic but I have to say that we have some TERRIBLE fans in this city. TERRIBLE! Can our fans possibly be less energetic?
Most teams as good as the Hawks enjoy a significant home court advantage but we sure as heck don’t. It’s bad enough that no one goes to the games but if you do go, can you at least cheer a little and try to create some semblance of a home court advantage? Good grief! I found myself yelling “D-FENSE!” on one end and “LET’S GO Hawks!” all alone for a significant stretch of the 4th quarter while the fans around me just sat on their hands. If you are not going to cheer for your team in a tight 4th quarter, why even show up?
If the crowd is anywhere near as bad versus DAL tomorrow night as it was last night, the Hawks are in trouble.
Clyde
February 25th, 2010
6:11 pm
If Z doesn’t come here Sean Williams is still available
Melvin
February 25th, 2010
6:23 pm
Clyde,
Last I read, Sean signed to play with some team in China….LOL.. You are a diehard Sean Williams fan or relative….
Rod from College Park
February 25th, 2010
6:24 pm
Traceman,
Marvin was the prospect that Durant was, that is why he was drafted #2 in the draft ahead of two of the best point guards of this generation. The Hawks were not the only team in the league who rated him so high. He was not projected to be the scorer Durant was, but I remember comparisons to guys like Kevin Garnett. Durant was used becuase of you constantly bringing up Marvin’s age.
Second, out all of the guys you listed, I will only compare Hedo Turkoglu, and Gerald Wallace because they play the same position, and since you have so much basketball knowledge, you should know that point guard and center are much harder positions, and require a little more skill than a wing player. Again both guys, Hedo and Gerald got much fewer minutes than Marvin early in their career, and by their 5th year in the league, they had pretty much become above average players. Gerald was 15 and 7.5 and Hedo was 14 and 3.5, and considered a 3 point specialist.
Third, I don’t know how you define talent. Marvin was drafted based on potential or upside, not talent. He was not more talented in basketball than Chris Paul or Derron Williams. Mo can do everything Marvin can do. He can shoot just as good or better, he handles the ball better, he can defend his position better, he can jump, he finishes better, he is more fluid, he is just as athletic, he is faster, quicker with or without the ball, he is just not as tall, and does not have a 7 foot wingspan. Marvin is a better rebounder because of his size, and free throw shooter. According to your statement talent is based on your draft position. So Marvin is more talented than Chris Paul huh?
The fact that Marvin is guarded by shorter players supports the fact that teams don’t repect his offensive game, and can afford to put guys 4 to five inches shorter than him to contain him. That is total disrespect in the NBA. Do you watch the Hawks? Do you see what Joe Johnson, Josh Smith, or Horford do everytime a much smaller man is guarding them? How you think that that shows Marvin’s talent is beyond me.
This is your statement:
“Neither Mo nor Zaza is even close to Marvin from a talent perspective and neither has ever produced to the level Marvin produced at just last year as a 22 year old.”
I simply responded to your statement and showed you that they had produced close to that level. What does a playoff team have to do with it? Again I don’t know how you define talent. Is talent getting your shot blocked by players smaller than you on a consistent basis. Is it falling down when you try to convert a layup? We were told that he worked hard this summer. If you want to support him, go ahead, I will continue to bash him until he turns uninvisible. Also please stop with the Josh had a bad year last year nonsense. He was our best player in the playoffs. He played hurt at the beginning of the season, and even when Josh was not playing as well as we were used to, he never was invisible when he was on the court.
Michael Cunningham
February 25th, 2010
6:38 pm
@ O’Brien: “I dont think there is anybody out there (Big Z included) who would beleive that if the Hawks signed Big Z, he would take us to the next level.” well, that’s why it’s called a “sell.”
in this case, the next level would be the East finals, and you and me and maybe Z aren’t buying it but who knows?
@ Astro: “So MC, If we accept that this whole thing is for show, then what do the Hawks gain by putting themselves out there? Is it really “due diligence”? Part of the league mandate to pretend that other teams have a chance? To try and snow the fans that they are trying to get better?”
due diligence, yes. league mandate to be part of the show? naw, the show is just from the perspective of Z’s agent and the Cavs. a show for Hawks fans? i suppose it could be that but why do it now? they already said they were going to carry 13. i think they figure Z is headed back to the Cavs but why wouldn’t they at least give it a shot? what’s the harm, really? if by some miracle he ended up somewhere other than Cleveland and the Hawks didn’t take a shot i think some of my blog people would burn down Philips.
Michael Cunningham
February 25th, 2010
6:41 pm
aw, man, it turns it into a real smiley? sorry, O’Brien, that’s pretty lame.
doc
February 25th, 2010
6:49 pm
this idea of going after z reminds me of the disguise the nfl uses to interview minority candidates for head coach positions after the decision of whom they are going to hire has been made. sorry, dont buy it and it is an atrocious situation to allow the rich to get richer and keep the playing field from ever being level. the ruling over the score clock still rankles me along with all the other petty stuff that goes on.
thanks MC for letting us play along, continue your fine job.
mine does too and i hate them.
Ken Strickland
February 25th, 2010
6:57 pm
ASTRO JOE-you should seriously consider getting a job with the Republican party because you really love spinning BS.
DANIEL-everyone, especially NBA players, coaches and GM’s, aren’t as dumb or as deep in denial as the majority of you WOODY LOVERS appear to be. They study film, watch from the bench, hear about it from their coaches during meetings and notice who they’re playing against when on the court. COMEON DANIEL, FOREST FOR THE TREE’S, FOREST FOR THE TREES.
Ree Roe
February 25th, 2010
6:58 pm
MC, are there any other players the Hawks would consider adding?
-REEmind me who’s Roe???
Ken Strickland
February 25th, 2010
7:07 pm
DOC-the NBA will always be willing to make it possible for the rich teams to get richer. After all, it’s the rich teams that are willing and able to go over the salary CAP, and incur the luxury tax, which they pay directly to the NBA.
Astro Joe
February 25th, 2010
7:20 pm
Strickland, you need to adopt the Democrat’s motto:
YES WE CAN!
Stop hoping for Woody to fail… because if Woody fails the whole team fails. Just because you can see Philips Arena from your backyard, it doesn’t make you a basketball expert.
Does any of that sound familiar? KEEP HOPE ALIVE
Joe
February 25th, 2010
7:38 pm
The Hawks need him more than any other team.
MyView
February 25th, 2010
7:41 pm
I too thought it to be a slam dunk as far as Big Z going back to Cle, but if he has to wait 30 days along with the fact that his reduced role will be reduced even greater with the addition of Jamison.
MC… How many players do the Cavs have on their roster anyway? Seems like they should be at or near the maxium number of stuffed suites unless Z would mean waiving someone else.
vava74
February 25th, 2010
7:51 pm
MC,
if I’m not wrong, you beefed up your post after my comment overruling it (the commentary).
Basically I think you should focus on surveying any rumours on other possible (and actually viable) buy-outs rather than just joining the “normal media” band wagon (as a beat writer I am giving you the credit of beeing an actual reporter and not just a “re-writer of AP news’ feeds).
Najeh Davenpoop
February 25th, 2010
8:17 pm
“Marvin was the prospect that Durant was, that is why he was drafted #2 in the draft ahead of two of the best point guards of this generation. The Hawks were not the only team in the league who rated him so high. He was not projected to be the scorer Durant was, but I remember comparisons to guys like Kevin Garnett. Durant was used becuase of you constantly bringing up Marvin’s age.”
Criticizing Marvin for being a mediocre player is fine, and I am right with you on that. Criticizing him for his draft status at this point is pointless. He didn’t put a gun to Billy Knight’s head and force him to draft him #2 overall. Expecting him to live up to Durant or whoever is an exercise in futility.
What we need to be hoping for at this point is that Marvin will develop into a consistently reliable player, which he still has not become. I would love to see him be our Bruce Bowen, a guy who will lock down the opponent’s best perimeter player, who will space himself well on offense, who won’t turn the ball over, and who will be automatic from 3. The Hawks would be so much better at pulling out close games if he could do those things.
Najeh Davenpoop
February 25th, 2010
8:19 pm
And also, Durant scored 25 points per game in college. Marvin didn’t even start. Not all #2 picks are created equal, since not all drafts are created equal.
JohnnyWalking
February 25th, 2010
8:49 pm
Good ole Danny Ferry working the loopholes. They had this deal set probably a month ago. We are gonna cut ya, but bring you back when you get waived because no other team in the League has enough cap space to sign you off waivers. The NBA needs to wipe this out with the next CBA. The CAVs players get ALL of thier money up front?? No monthly paychecks??? Yeah ole Ferry working the system.
JohnnyWalking
February 25th, 2010
9:18 pm
Now Shaq is out with a thumb injury for 3 to 6 weeks. WOW!! What IF Big Z sticks it to the Cavs and goes with another team NOW. WOW!!!
Ree Roe
February 25th, 2010
9:25 pm
True indeed Shaq has been diagnosed with a severely sprained thumb & will miss the rest of this game vs. BOS, but they haven’t set a timetable for how long he’ll be out, yet. The Big Z race just got more interesting…
-REEad up on Roe!!!
Najeh Davenpoop
February 25th, 2010
9:28 pm
Go Cavs.
JeJe
February 25th, 2010
10:06 pm
This pathetic ownership took 2 months to sign Joe Smith TO A VETERAN MINIMUM CONTRACT?
Does anyone here actually think we are getting Ilgauskas?
No. We have the worst ownership in sports and a dreadful GM who has no sense of urgency when he talks. he almost thinks we are title contenders this year and no one is leaving in free agency