Atlanta Hawks: Crawford, cash and a mysterious Frenchman
Crawford to Hawks.
When the night was over the Hawks had made a trade, saved some cash, earned some additional cash and drafted Xavier guard Jordan Crawford and Pape Sy, a mysterious prospect from France.
First, the deal on Crawford and the cash. He was one of a handful of players the Hawks liked who were still on the board. They weren’t sure he would be there if they traded down but had three other players in mind if he wasn’t (one of them was Dominique Jones, who was picked at No. 25).
Rick Sund said Atlanta had the “luxury” of deciding on a shooter, wing, guard or a big project center.
“We decided to go with the best available player,” he said.
Moving down three spots in the first round saves the Hawks about $190,000 for the two guaranteed years of Crawford’s contract. They also sold the rights to German center Tibor Pleiss to Oklahoma City for close to $3 million, the maximum amount allowable under salary-cap rules.
While the Hawks could have selected a project center or wing with that pick, Sund suggested the money earned from selling the pick would be used to add proven players to the roster.
“I think we need more veterans,” he said. “We are one of the youngest teams in the league still. I think we need to fill out the rest of the roster with veterans.”
Atlanta selected Texas forward Damion James with the No. 24 pick and traded him to the Nets for the second of their first-round picks (No. 27 overall) and their second-round pick (No. 31). The Nets selected Crawford for the Hawks at No. 27 and Pleiss at No. 31.
Sund said Crawford is a shooter and scorer. He said the Hawks didn’t make the pick with the thought of losing J.J. but acknowledged he could provide a bit of insurance
“The [27th pick] is not going to replace Joe,” Sund said. “[Crawford] does give us some options. But that didn’t enter into our analysis at all.”
Crawford led the Atlantic 10 in scoring but might have gained his most fame for dunking on LeBron James.
“People always bring it up, but I don’t really like talking about it because I don’t like living in the past,” Crawford said by phone.
And now about this Pape Sy dude. When he came in for a Hawks workout, so little info was available about him that no one could come up with a bio or detailed statistics. Not only was he not included in any of the mock drafts, there didn’t seem to be any evaluations of the guy out there. I saw him listed as 6-7 in one place, 6-10 in another.
But Atlanta’s European scouts saw Sy playing for Le Havre in France’s Pro A League. So Sy came in for a workout–paying his own way, according to L.D.
“I’d never heard of him,” Drew said.
Sy was in a workout session with Darington Hobson and Stanley Robinson.
“I thought those guys would eat him up,” Drew said. “But this guy challenged those guys. He didn’t back down.”
Drew liked Sy so much that he was nervous other teams would figure out his potential. The Hawks weren’t sure if Sy had worked out for any other teams.
“I was very impressed with him,” L.D. said.
Drew said he thinks Sy is long enough to play center as well as power forward can play both the wing and power forward.
– Couple Chills notes: The reports about Washington negotiating with him are false because, as I said, he can’t talk to another team without permission from the Hawks. Also, the Hawks officially extended the qualifying offer of $4.8 million to retain Josh’s rights and the ability to match any offers he receives as a restricted free agent.
MC
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215 comments Add your comment
MsDee
June 25th, 2010
6:10 am
Oh, there is necessary talent, we just have to go out and make it happen..I still like McGee, Siler, and a truly developed R. Morris..yeah, I said it, R. Morris.
MsDee
June 25th, 2010
6:10 am
And none us those guys are, “wasted, old farts” like yourself, Mr.Bibby.
Mike Bibby
June 25th, 2010
6:13 am
MsDee, I concur (lol)
I was just thinking of UFA’s but if we can get rid of my horrible contract in the process of acquiring a big in a trade then i’m all for it!
JSS
June 25th, 2010
6:13 am
Actually Pape Sy #10 plays for STB LeHavre (up on the Northern French coast of Normandy) in the Pro A League. That should make it easier for you guys to look him up. LeHavre is the city, not the whole name of the team. His teammates include Andrew Lovedale (the power forward on Stephan Curry’s Davidson NCAA Elite 8 team) and for you SEC folks Ansu Sesay.
http://www.stblehavre.com/spip.php?page=menu2011&id_rubrique=15&var_mode=recalcul
Notso Fast
June 25th, 2010
6:15 am
The Hawks will never win “big time” because with them it’s all about money and how little they can spend. Most ownners think that you have to spend money to make money and the team with the best players will win most of the time. It is time for new ownership even if they have to leave Atlanta.
Mike Bibby
June 25th, 2010
6:17 am
From LeHarve’s website (translated)
Following Ian Mahinmi formed STB Le Havre, drafted by the San Antonio Spurs in 2004, Pope’s turn to be drafted SY NBA by the Atlanta Hawks in the 2nd round, 53rd choice.
So it is a surprise for the basketball to be drafted as Havre was not included in the “forecast” very wise in the NBA.
However, the Atlanta Hawks were able to assess the level of SY during Pope camps he conducted in early June.
The question is whether Pope SY will play next season in the NBA, a second round does not guarantee a binding contract. For him to prove in future camps it can be a useful link in this team to become NBA.
Mike Bibby
June 25th, 2010
6:22 am
By “Forecast”, I think they mean “on the NBA’s Radar” baisically.
JSS
June 25th, 2010
6:28 am
Oh by the way, let’s not the same mistake as fans as we made with Boris Diaw…
vava74
June 25th, 2010
6:30 am
The same guys complaining that Sund did not select any of the prospect/raw/flawed C’s in this draft ARE EXACTLY THE SAME guys who have been saying that Sund is a bad GM giving as an example that he selected 3 stiff-Cs in 3 years in a row while he was a GM in Seattle.
“you can’t teach height” is one of the lamest sentences ever pronounced about basketball and it seems that everyone is taking that as the most significant bearing for their analysis of the draft.
That is also the same argument to consider Siler a better prospect and a diamond in the rough whilst going completely over the fact that size is almost his only asset.
If Siler was any good, why did he go undrafted and has not attracted any interested beyond the chinese league?
The same basic principle applies to 95% of the 6′10” to 7′1” stiffs that come out of college as raw C prospects.
What would be the use for the Hawks of someone like Thabeet which came lauded as a better prospect than anyone we let “pass up” and ended up in the NBDL.
As for Pape Sy, there I can agree and I am a bit bewildered: Sy said to Hawks’ TV when he was interviewed after his workout that he is fast, can handle the ball and plays point guard in France!!!
Now Drew says that he can play PF and C???
Mike Bibby
June 25th, 2010
6:39 am
“Last season, the Hawks carried the minimum amount of players required by NBA law last season. They consistently eschew quality toward the end of the bench for as yet undetermined reasons. They had the opportunity to greatly improve the quality..or at least the potential quality of the bench by simply taking advantage of the situation in front of them.”
http://www.peachtreehoops.com/2010/6/25/1535940/atlanta-hawks-choose-cash-over
AKM
June 25th, 2010
6:43 am
Truthspitter just spaat the truth
Smiling In Chy-town!
June 25th, 2010
6:48 am
Winner: Chicago Bulls
Terrific move by General Manager Gar Forman to get rid of Kirk Hinrich’s near-$10 million per season salary along with the No. 17 pick to Washington. This allows the Bulls to be major players in the free-agent market and potentially even add a pair of max-salary guys.
AKM
June 25th, 2010
6:50 am
Ms dee yoou think mcgee is a proven center. Wtf. He can’t even guard spencer hawes correctly how the hhell you expect him to guard bynum howard or shaq. Whitesade was 14 in most mock drafts. He could’ve been a steal for us. But the hawks had to pick some retard. And secondly the spurs did need a big man. The only other big they had was mcdyess who sucks so get your facts straight retaard
O'Brien
June 25th, 2010
6:51 am
First of all, let me say that I like the Crawford pick. He’s a scorer, and he provides some options. I did not like the fact that we sold the #31 pick. And I dont know enough about Papa Sy to like or dislike the pick. Puls at #53, it’s really no big deal.
Although I dont like selling #31, I will reserve judgement on Sund for one reason. His talks about adding veterans. From ajc.com;
“I think we need more veterans,” Sund said. “We are one of the youngest teams in the league still. I think we need to fill out the rest of the roster with veterans.”
The Hawks traded the rights to Pleiss to Oklahoma City for cash. Sund said the Hawks did so because they want to fill out the roster with veteran players.
As long as the Hawks fill out the roster with veterans, I’m okay with that. I just hope they are not talking about over the hill vets (Joe Smith, Jasn Collins, RandMo etc) who sign for the minimun.
Najeh,
With the Bulls trading Hinrich to Washington, they now have space for almost 2 max free agents straight up. That means they can sign LeBron and JJ for $15.5 mil each, and not have to do any sign and trades. So I think JJ walks away from the Hawks, and we get nothing in return.
As for Salmons, He is scheduled to make $5.8 mil this year if he didnt opt out. Why would he sign for the mid-level (roughly $5.8 mil)?
dap01
June 25th, 2010
6:55 am
Can we have one sports writer in Atlanta who will ask some obvious questions to Sund such as:
1. What is more important cash or players?
2. Why pass on very good center prospects when they were available?
3. Why chose #2 picks every year with no intentions of them ever playing?
4. Why can other teams pick good #2 picks yet we always pick someone no one knows or will ever know.
5. Do you expect to win a championship by accident or should you actually try to copy teams that have actually won a championship.
6. Why do we need a 6 foot 7 center?
We are the laughing stock of the NBA.
The Hawks is losing this fan after 20 years of stupidity.
dap01
June 25th, 2010
6:57 am
Why should we believe Sund? He wants to fill our roster with veterans, yet last year we had only 13 and not 15 players.
Truth-Serum
June 25th, 2010
7:01 am
Sund has been rated amongst the lowest GM of all times,in fact I recently published a top 10 All time worst list from a respected insider who had both Knight and Sund on the list.
I thought is was in Idiotic move to fire Woodson, not because I like Woodson so much as because there was no upgrade to Woodson and it would shake the harmony between JJ and Woodson who like each other very much. In one move we got rid of a progressive coach and after we could not find any one better on the market we hired his assistant(?) realizing in hind-sight that Woodsons was not only a good coach but a good value for the money and a tie that would keep JJ here. Sund then hope that by hiring Drew JJ may stay for the assistant. YEAH, RIGHT! When you fired Woodson you told JJ what you think about a guy he respected very much.
When Sund hired Drew I could not stop laughing for 2 days. I had to be one of the stupid moves of all times. But I will now say that last nights draft up staged that on the stupid scale.
WTF is this guy thinking?
Who hired this idiot?
Time to rebuild
Lottery in 3 years
Truth-Serum
June 25th, 2010
7:05 am
Who’s the worst GM in the NBA?
By: John Paulsen (jpaulsen@bullz-eye.com)
03/07/2007
Paulsen Home / Sports Channel / Bullz-Eye Home
ALSO: Got an opinion on who is the NBA’s worst GM? Let’s hear it at The Scores Report!
Over lunch, I asked a friend of mine, “Who’s the worst GM in the NBA?”
His answer?
“Besides Isiah Thomas?”
Over the past few years, Thomas has certainly staked his claim as the very worst in franchise management, but I don’t think it’s fair to rush to judgment. There are some other perennially awful teams in the league, and in most cases, poor management is to blame. So who else should be in the conversation? I came up with a list of nine GMs who are leading teams that have gotten appreciably worse (or haven’t improved much) over the last few seasons:
Isiah Thomas (Knicks), Kevin McHale (Timberwolves), Billy King (Sixers), Billy Knight (Hawks), Danny Ainge (Celtics), Rick Sund (Sonics), Chris Mullin (Warriors), Bernie Bickerstaff (Hornets) and Larry Harris (Bucks).
dap01
June 25th, 2010
7:05 am
The Clippers are a better run organization.
Truth-Serum
June 25th, 2010
7:07 am
Outside of Dick Motta here is Sund’s legacy for Coaching Hires
♦ 2. John McLeod (Dallas, 1987-89): Also a veteran coach who had reached the finals with Phoenix. In his first season with Dallas, McLeod coached the team into the Western Conference finals (Sund’s only conference finals appearance). But the Mavs failed to make the playoffs the following year and Sund surprisingly fired him only 11 games into the 1989-90 season. GRADE: C.
♦ 3. Richie Adubato (Dallas, 1989-93). This started a string of colossal failures by Sund. Adubato mostly had been an assistant, with one unsuccessful year as head coach in Detroit. He made the playoffs in his first season with Dallas but exited quickly. In the next two-plus seasons, the Mavericks went 52-141. He was fired after a 2-27 start in 1992-93. GRADE: F.
Quinn Buckner made the mistake of trying to emulate the ways of Bob Knight, his former college coach.
Quinn Buckner made the mistake of trying to emulate the ways of Bob Knight, his former college coach.
♦ 4. Gar Heard (Dallas, 1993): He took over as interim in 1993 and couldn’t stop the downward spiral. Record: 9-44. GRADE: Incomplete.
♦ 5. Quinn Buckner (Dallas, 1993-94): The grease fire of Sund’s hires. Buckner, who had no coaching experience, attempted to replicate the dictatorial ways of his college coach, Bob Knight. Didn’t go well. Dallas started the season 1-23 and finished 13-69. When it was over, Sund was gone too. GRADE: F.
♦ 6. Doug Collins (Detroit, 1995-98): Collins had a decent coaching run in Chicago but couldn’t win a title. He was replaced by his assistant, some guy named Phil Jackson. Collins lost in the first round twice in two seasons with the Pistons, then was fired in year three following a 21-24 start. GRADE: C.
♦ 7. Alvin Gentry (Detroit, 1998-00): Gentry is having a great run with Phoenix in the Western Conference finals. That wasn’t the case in Detroit. He mostly was a well-traveled assistant (save for one season as head coach in Miami) before he took over for Collins. The Pistons missed the playoffs in that first year and made a quick postseason exit the following season. Gentry was gone after a 28-30 start in 2000-01. GRADE: C-minus.
♦ 8. George Irvine (Detroit, 2000-01): Sund’s time in Detroit clearly was running out (the Pistons hired Joe Dumars as vice president of basketball operations in 2000). Hiring Irvine didn’t help his cause. Irvine’s record: 46-60. After the season, he and Sund both were gone. GRADE: F.
Bob Weiss represented one of Sund’s biggest coaching mistakes.
Bob Weiss represented one of Sund’s biggest coaching mistakes.
♦ 9. Nate McMillan (Seattle, 2001-05): Sund inherited McMillan, who had taken over as interim the previous season. He kept him. The Sonics made the playoffs in two of the next four seasons and won 52 games and a division title in 2004-05. But after the season, he opted to leave for Portland, taking a reported five-year, $30 million offer over Seattle’s four-year, $18 million deal. GRADE: B.
♦ 10. Bob Weiss (Seattle, 2005-06): The only explanation is that when McMillan left, Sund went insane. Bob Weiss? He was fired after 30 games (13-17). GRADE: F.
♦ 11. Bob Hill (Seattle, 2006-07). A step up from Weiss. But not by much. Totals: 53-81 in a season and a half, no playoffs. Neither Hill nor Sund (who had several draft mistakes in Seattle) survived. GRADE: D.
Pace Mannion
June 25th, 2010
7:07 am
The Hawks had a chance to add Dexter Pittman to their frontcourt at 31, but picked some euro stiff and sold his azz cuz the Spirit are broke!!!…..Pathetic!!!
JSS
June 25th, 2010
7:08 am
Vava74…
I rarely disagree with you on matters; however, your points on Siler just aren’t right on the facts. 1. Siler was the overall #1 pick in the NBDL draft for the Utah Flash. The Hawks and Utah were very interested in him, but lets be honest, NBA teams are cheap! If you can get a player to work on his game and you don’t have to pay him as a contracted player, they will. 2. At that time, his agent was contacted by the Shanghai team. Yao Ming spoke personally with Siler and promised the young man that he’d enhance his chances and development by playing for his team and be paid considerably more than he would in NBDL. The kid and his agent did their homework. So he went to China, then and only then… From all accounts he was all they asked for and more 76% FGP for the whole season. I watched 4 or 5 of their games online, he was a force when he wasn’t in foul trouble. Shanghai’s advance to the CBA’s semi-final prevented him being sought after before the roster restrictions took effect. So, on July 1st, we will all see if there is a market for Siler now. Still, there is no need to bash the kid for not sitting on the end of someone’s bench when everyone said he needed to play and develop…
Truth-Serum
June 25th, 2010
7:10 am
Who’s the worst GM in the NBA?
By: John Paulsen (jpaulsen@bullz-eye.com)
03/07/2007
Paulsen Home / Sports Channel / Bullz-Eye Home
ALSO: Got an opinion on who is the NBA’s worst GM? Let’s hear it at The Scores Report!
Two Hawks hires made the list. No that Sund has control of the team expect us to be lottery in 3!
Billy Knight (Hawks), Danny Ainge (Celtics), Rick Sund (Sonics)
Truth-Serum
June 25th, 2010
7:11 am
*Now that
MsDee
June 25th, 2010
7:24 am
I’m curious, all u guys who have been complaining like girls, tell me this..if the Hawks bring in a proven center that can start RIGHT NOW, not sit on the bench if they were a 2ND ROUND PICK, get some great free agents and clear up bench waste with extra pocket change they received from a 2Nd ROUND PICK who they were NEVER EVER EVER EVER going to use, and finish the 2010-2011 season with a record of 58-24 and reach the semi-conf finals with a 4-2 series lost to Chicago, would you cry babies finally put yall thumbs in yall mouths so we, the true die-hard fans, could appreciate the success in our team without all the noise from yall???
AKM
June 25th, 2010
7:29 am
MsDee 58-24 are you high. you think we should get mcgee. you think randolph morris is good. you are really stupid.Hassan whitside was a gem and we took some retard from germany. o boy i cant wait to win 58 games and go to the semi conf with randolph as our center.
voice of reason
June 25th, 2010
7:30 am
its pretty impressive that all of us, from mechanics to mall workers, feel that we are qualified to run a nba franchise. take a look at the team assembled last year. they were very impressive. we think sund stinks? come on… where would our team have been if we didn’t have jamal crawford? we would have been lucky to make the playoffs. crawford was a monster that literally won games for us. who brought this guy to atl? rick sund. the guy is an employee of asg. we can’t blame him for not spending money he is not authorized to spend. he works within the parameters of his job, as we all do.
as for the draft, we all know its a complete crapshoot. there’s no real guarentees for any draft pick, regardless of the position he’s taken in. ex: jordan went where? not #1, but kwame brown did. how about kobe? he was a mid-late 1st rounder. think of all the other 100’s of players drafted high in the last 10 years that aren’t even in the league anymore. any 7ft center not in the top 5 picks is gonna produce the same basic stats. so who cares if we didn’t draft a project center? we can pick one of those up off the street.
i personally think sund is doing a great job. has made basketball relevant in atlanta again.6-7 years ago we didn’t even think atlanta would win 10 games. all that being said, no i’m not happy we can’t attract the high profile free agents either. with the team we have, it would be a perfect fit for d-wade or lebron. we have all the pieces in place to support thier aggresive styles. all the other players are top shelf guys that know their roles and are already used to complementing the #1 guy. the biggest problem with joe was iso-joe. and when the game was getting to crunch time, he wasn’t explosive or aggresive enough to get to the hole. that’s what makes jamal crawford so good.
so hang tight hawks fans, we’ll continue to improve…. one step at a time.
MsDee
June 25th, 2010
7:44 am
AKM,
And I cant wait til u be my 1st little baby to put his thumb in his mouth for good..coocie coocie coo..”u little MANIAC u”..
MsDee
June 25th, 2010
7:49 am
AKM,
Do I need to read my last comment now for u too..I never said we would have a record with 58-24 with McGee, R. Morris, or Whiteside or any 2nd rounder. With McGee or even R Morris, we would improve and have a better chance in the post, not with an UNPROVEN 2ND ROUNDER center who would start on any top 5 team. I came up with the 58-24 assumption in hopes that cry babies like yourself would put a sock in it already! I NEVER said it would happen..though I wish it would!!
MsDee
June 25th, 2010
7:50 am
insert “UNPROVEN 2ND ROUNDER center who wouldnt start on any top 5 team.”
JeJe
June 25th, 2010
8:03 am
LOL. Saving $190,000. The moronic ASG, with its 7 owners, had to save that much money!
LOL
“Sund suggested the money earned from selling the it would be used to add proven players to the roster.”
Is Sekou Smith still writing these blogs?
Vishal
June 25th, 2010
8:21 am
That was an abysmal draft. I’m off the hawks till something changes in the front office or the ownership. I can’t take this defeatist attitude.
Jay
June 25th, 2010
8:26 am
Hmmmm…..we got a proven scorer, saved 200k and made 3 mill dollars for our cash strapped owners. We have a possible trade piece in Childress. We have another possible trade piece in Jamal Crawford since we drafted Jordan Crawford. This draft turned out a lot better for the Hawks than I thought. It means there’s a good chance JJ gets resigned and we can add a free agent. Personally I can’t name one center selected in the late first to second round in the last 10-15 years that has made an impact in the NBA. I hate ASG, but some of you really got your panties caught up your butts and can’t look at this draft from an unbiased perspective. Any center selected in the spots we had would not have helped us until 3-4 years from not if ever.
GeeMack
June 25th, 2010
8:27 am
Truth-Serum
Way to start the morning.
We are trying to be optimistic about the new coaching hire, but you trying to kill it.
Good information though.
D21
June 25th, 2010
8:29 am
“Drew said he thinks Sy is long enough to play center as well as power forward”
???
Did he really see him at workout ? Or who said such a thing ?
Pape Sy started to play with Le Havre team in Pro A (best french league), and he played PG and SG.
How is it possible that he can play C or PF in NBA ?
Maybe in Billy Knight dreams… but in reality, he can’t
Reub
June 25th, 2010
8:31 am
Can someone post a link to some footage of Pepe!
JSS
June 25th, 2010
8:38 am
@ Reub…
It is on the STB Le Havre site
vava74
June 25th, 2010
8:41 am
JSS:
“From all accounts he was all they asked for and more 76% FGP for the whole season. I watched 4 or 5 of their games online, he was a force when he wasn’t in foul trouble.”
Have you seen the average size and weight of Siler’s opposition Cs in the chinese league?
Plus, constant foul trouble in a league where size, bulk and talent is “suspect” to say the least is not a telling sign that his ability as a player is beyond raw?
Did you watch online – last off-season – the Hawks open media day?
His footwork and basic fundamental bball skills were atrocious and a far cry from what RandMo displayed, even on the most basic exercises.
People around here say that Marvin is clumsy… imagine what people would say about Siler in an NBA match.
Could he still develop into a serviceable bench player? Sure, I am all for the romantic view on sports and investing in someone who is willing to work and learn but to try and make Siler be something he clearly isn’t is day dreaming, in particular when we are talking about building a team which is supposed to finally get past the second round of the playoffs.
People over react to Howard’s importance and try to find a guy who can defend him when in fact the problem is not who can you get to defend him but who can you attack him and displace him to make him a lesser factor defensively (in foul trouble or out of the correct defensive position).
The biggest issue about Howard is the PASS he gets from officials to bully, push and charge without being called for even 25% of his fouls simply because he is a valuable comodity to the league.
Any guy like for instance Diop could defend him man to man if the let him and to be frank, I think that Collins could be effective too if given a fair chance by officials.
So stop trying to find a Howard stopper since unless you find a player who can be seen as a star center of equal value for the NBA, you will not get the calls which allow you to beat Howard.
And if you come with a plausible argument of saying that, for instance, Perkins defended Howard effectively I tell you this:
Perkins is effective against Howard because he plays for the Celtics who are a franchise which more often than not will be the good side of calls made by officials.
If Perkins played for the Hawks whilst playing against Howard he would foul out in 15 minutes, just like Collins.
The ORL – CHA series was only a mascarade devised by the NBA to make everyone believe that Howard’s play was getting called fair and square and that he was not in fact being consistently benefited by biased refereeing throughout his career.
JoJo the Godfather
June 25th, 2010
8:43 am
If the trade had been announced as the Hawks trade Damion James for Jordan Crawford and $3M cash, we would not have had all of this uproar. I completely understand the preference of choosing $3M over a player that may not even make our active roster, especially in this economy. I completely understand drafting Crawford over Alabi or Whiteside. Crawford can score, right now, in the NBA. You can not teach his range or ability to get his shot off. With Whiteside or Alabi, you’re hoping to be able to teach them how to rebound and defend in the NBA (there are as many as 7 or 8 centers drafted every year that never develop this ability and never see meaningful playing time). There will always be a spot for a scorer with legit 3-pt range….Oh, and I couldn’t care less about pick #53, hopefully he’s a player though….Solid draft Hawks.
Ramon
June 25th, 2010
8:43 am
I don’t know what you guys are complaining about. Crawford is a legit player. And for those who say Whiteside is a better player than Crawford right now, I say keep dreaming. If you’ve watched ANY of Crawford game, you’d know he is a player who shouldn’t have fell that far. You guys look at the starting lineup and say we need a center. While most people look at the starting line up and say we need a SF, because we have a starting center. Why draft a center that late in the first round who won’t be able to play for another 2 seasons while you wait for him to develop. When you can take a player who can play NOW. Crawford will average over 20 ppg in the Summer League. And then most of you will change what you were saying. Crawford has the ability to score in so many different ways, even with the ability to post up smaller players. I’m excited about it.
And also selling the pick, to me is a smart thing. IF you have 13 roster spots, one of them shouldn’t be taken up by a player who isn’t able to contribute in THIS season. I would take Brad Miller over Whiteside any day!
DHD
June 25th, 2010
8:52 am
“I give up on the Hawks.” Why now? I can see it 5 years ago, but look at the record each year since. Is THAT not good enough??? You weren’t a true fan to begin with. You’re a bandwagon fan.
JSS
June 25th, 2010
8:53 am
Sy is #10 in the STB -vs-Cholet clip, #4 on the clip menu
Pull up 3 pointer, driving lay up (last highlight)
http://www.stblehavre.com/spip.php?article312
ILL-logical
June 25th, 2010
9:00 am
Context,people,context: The ASG members are keeping a tight control of the finances so that they can cash out before the lockout season.Period.
How? First, they let Joe walk. He burned bridges but the ASG guys who voted to bring him here at a terrible price are now in check.
Second, they hire the least expensive coach-over Sund’s objections- and pay for his salary by trading draft picks. The upside is they know this coach and he will work harder for the money than any outside hire.
Third, the current GM is a place holder. He was hired to stop the trend of the last GM who was hired-and hired a coach- to blow up the roster. That was his sole purpose and when that was achieved both he and his hire at head coach were no longer needed. The fact that the former head coach got 2 extra years was a fluke sinc he ultimately fired himself by not completeing the goals clealy set out for him when he signed his contract. They were in order : advance in the playoffs each year AND develop the young players (that were being paid millions of dollars).
The wining record improvements were a given since that is what you hire coaches to do;win. but when you don’t develop the only rookie that you have on the roster and get smoked in the playoffs , you basically do not merit consideration for future employment under the previous terms and conditions.
Last, @ davenpoop 1:06 am. Your comments come the closest to what appears to be the grand scheme of things-if such a term can be applied within the context of the Stern created misfortune known as the ASG- Jamal and his $10 million expiring contract will be used to get a center and the general public will see the name Crawford and assume that he is that guy.
Not a pretty picture but hey…… . BTW, john salmonds would be a horrible move: there is a reason that he ,like Ronald Murray move from team to team on an almost annual basis.
wolverine
June 25th, 2010
9:04 am
Rick Sunds tenure as the Hawks GM will be determine this summer. A decent draft but to be honest the draft is irrelevant for the Hawks this season. I think its good we have a good SG project in Crawford, provided that he is able to grow with Teague in our backcourt. That will be the first test for Larry Drew.
All signs point to Joe Johnson leaving. So the real question remains can Sund pull off some type of trade that can inspire Hawks fans to attend games. It will be tricky, but if Chris Paul is available then Sund needs to work some magic. This will become Horfords team…unless Paul comes here which is unlikely…but Sund Has to do something…This is the moment. Deliver !!!
Ken Strickland
June 25th, 2010
9:10 am
Some of you can’t seem to think beyond your own emotions, or personal agendas. First, we already have a starting center(AHorford) and a backup(ZPachulia), and any center available to us in the draft would have been nothing more than a backup behind Zaza.
Using only a minimum amount of common sense and intelligence should tell you we could very well lose our leading scorer and best player to FA(JJohnson), and our #2 scorer is in the final yr of his contract(JCrawford). Knowing the team could be on the verge of losing its two leading scorers in consecutive yrs, and that both are SG’s, why in the hell would anyone be stupid enough to think drafting a 3rd string backup center should be the teams #1 priority?
We can go out and get a FA center, since there’s certainly no shortage of pretty good options available that would certainly be better than any center that was available to us in the draft. We could also get a veteran center in a sign and trade for JJ, if he doesn’t resign, or JChildress, if he doesn’t resign.
Constantly making an issue over the ASG’s financial woes is a complete waste of time, because it’s not going to change a damned thing. And spending money alone won’t make this team better, as some of you seem to think, just ask the Knicks. The Hawks just helped solve what could potentially be their biggest problem this season and next, and gave themselves an additional $3.2M minimum to go with their MLE to add more talent.
Some of you are acting like a typical play ground punk who wants to take his ball just because things didn’t go his way. I can see us signing a veteran SG like JSalmons, and if Crawford develops quickly enough, Jamaal Crawford could be moved at the trade deadline.
Bottom line, there are simply too many options available to the Hawks at this point for anyone to start whining and crying with all of this name calling and predictions of doom and gloom.
casual observer
June 25th, 2010
9:10 am
Sad, sad sad!
Not the Hawks draft but all the nonsense on this blog. Very few here can even produce a coherent sentence but are delusional enough to believe they are more qualified to be the GM of the Hawks than Rick Sund.
One of you repeatedly cites Danny Ainge as one of the worst GM’s in the league along with Rick Sund. Off the past three years in Boston I would say Sund is in good company. Do you guys even read what you write?
And please stop all of this “the Hawk owners are broke” nonsense. An unwillingness to throw money down a hole as Dallas seems to do every year to untalented centers should nominate their entire front office in the “worst of” category.
Most of you have lobbied to have Allen Iverson, Rasheed Wallace or Latrell Sprewel become a member of the Hawks at the end of their careers. Well, the teams that signed those guys must have been thrilled with the result? No one benefits from a cancer, and basketball teams suffer more than football or baseball due to the smaller roster.
The Hawks have a roster of solid citizens – OK one or two do not take coaching – the last bum was Stephen Jackson as I recall and despite his talents on the court there has been little success for the teams with Jackson since he left Atlanta. The growth of this team would have suffered hugely with a Jackson, Iverson, Wallace or Sprewell on the roster. Chemistry matters!
“That was an abysmal draft. I’m off the hawks till something changes in the front office or the ownership. I can’t take this defeatist attitude.”
The defeatist attitude is coming from this blog, not from the team or the front office.
By the way, do any of you future owners and GM’s ever consider the other 12 guys may not want JJ back?
Navigator
June 25th, 2010
9:12 am
The say the trade to get Crawford wasn’t affected by the probability that Joe Johnson will wind up in Miami, yeah and pigs can fly! It was a good move, and I just wish the Hawks would just say it that way. ESPN said the French kid had impressed the scouts in try outs with his offensive abilities, so why wouldn’t you take a kid that can help you in a few years and let him practice and play against a good team.
drmaryb
June 25th, 2010
9:15 am
Dang!
I fell asleep at #21. That draft was very hypnotic to me.
Waking up was like X-mas, I couldn’t wait to see who would be sitting under my tree:
A smiling Crawford, A Frenchman, $3 Million & Me!
Whoopee!
JSS
June 25th, 2010
9:16 am
1. There is nothing romantic in my view of Siler, either he works or he doesn’t… As a Hawks fan, give me someone who works on his game. The kid has done it on every level, he’s not on a plateau yet. 2. What did you not see or read where I said I watched 4 or 5 Shanghai games online in real time, as well as countless other teams in that league? Look, Perkins is who he is, as well as Howard. The Hawks problem is they can not guard on the wings or the perimeter first and foremost. They caught hell every which way when it came to Orlando and Cleveland. 3. Even Sekou Smith made a point of saying that kid played surprisingly well last summer when paired off against Andrew Bynum during some Summer games here in Atlanta. He was not pounded by either of our incumbents in the post during camp. He certainly was not pounded by Randolph Morris or Courtney Sims! 4. Being based in reality, we’ve all wanted people who show an inkling of being willing to compete, goodness if the 2nd round didn’t show a need for that, I guess nothing will… If he can give us 10-15 minutes of servicable play then what is the big deal in bashing him? Simple question, Are we getting that from Jason Collins or Randolph Morris?
Ken Strickland
June 25th, 2010
9:19 am
CASUAL OBSERVER-I don’t know why you chose that name, because your insight demonstrates you’re a lot more than just a CASUAL OBSERVER. WE DO HAVE OUR SHARE OF CRY BABIES ON THESE BLOGS.