Atlanta Hawks: Shaq said to choose Celtics over Hawks (UPDATE: Celtics announce Shaq signing)
It looks like Shaq is taking his power game to Boston.
Shaquille O’Neal won’t be suiting up for the Hawks.
Multiple media outlets reported last night that he was “close” to joining the Celtics, and the team announced today that it has signed O’Neal.
“It is not every day that you can add a player of Shaquille’s caliber to your team,” Danny Ainge, Boston’s president of basketball operations, said in a statement released by the team. “His past experience speaks for itself and we believe that he is a great fit for our roster.”
O’Neal, 38, will play for his sixth NBA team in his 19th NBA season. He won three NBA championships with Los Angeles and another with Miami and now will seek another title with Boston, the defending Eastern Conference champion.
“I am honored to be joining the Celtics,” O’Neal said in the statement. “I have played against Paul [Pierce], Ray [Allen], Kevin [Garnett], Rajon [Rondo], and Jermaine [O'Neal] for many years and it will be great to be able to call them my teammates. I cannot wait to get to Boston to get started in pursuit of another championship.”
Shaq’s signing with Boston means the best center is off the free agent market as the Hawks look for another big man to join their frontcourt rotation. As it stands now, Atlanta has Al Horford, Zaza Pachulia and Jason Collins at center.
Last month Horford said the Hawks need to add an “impact” center and power forward Josh Smith agreed. Said Al: “We need to have someone to come in and have an impact. I think that is the position we need if we want to be any type of contender in the East.”
It doesn’t look like the Hawks will add that player in free agency even as the Eastern Conference has gotten tougher. Miami’s SuperFriends are in Atlanta’s division, Jermaine O’Neal and Shaq joined the Celtics, Chicago added Carlos Boozer and Andrew Bogut is set to return from injury for the Bucks.
It’s not that the Hawks are weak at center–Horford is an All-Star and Pachulia is an effective backup. But the big, physical frontlines of Boston and Orlando figure to be tough challenges for the Hawks in the playoffs.
Horford is undersized for center by NBA standards and Pachulia is not a big defensive post presence. Collins is a true 7-footer but he struggled with his conditioning last season and hasn’t been a rotation player for going on two years.
There don’t appear to be any “impact” centers left on the market after two waves of free-agent signings. Atlanta was said to have some mild interest in Kwame Brown, who could provide some post defense but is limited offensively. Other centers yet to sign include Josh Boone, Francisco Elson
and Brian Skinner.
The news that Shaq could join the Hawks created a buzz among Atlanta fans. All indications are that his interest in Atlanta was genuine.
He told friends early in free agency that he would be open to signing with the Hawks and one of his representatives contacted the team to gauge its interest, according to people with knowledge of the discussions. The Hawks were intrigued by Shaq but weren’t sure if he would be willing to accept a relatively small salary and a bench role as he nears the end of a career that will lead to his induction in the Hall of Fame.
Shaq’s initial contract demands were for a two-year deal that starts at $8 million, according to a person who talked to him about his plans. The Hawks, unwilling to exceed the luxury-tax threshold, weren’t willing to come close to that figure and eventually it became clear that no contending team would pay Shaq big money.
Boston is limited by salary cap rules to offering Shaq a contract starting at the veteran’s minimum salary of $1.35 million for a player with his experience. The Hawks could offer more by using salary-cap exceptions but weren’t willing to go much higher since their team salary is roughly $2.7 million below the luxury-tax threshold.
With the money being equal, Shaq apparently decided Boston gives him a better chance to earn another NBA championship.
MC
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
323 comments Add your comment
newkid
August 4th, 2010
4:32 pm
If a player is seeking a championship ring, and has the option of working for either the ASG/Sund or teams whose acquisition actions clearly indicate a commitment to competing for that championship ring, why on earth would he elect ASG employment? Collins and Powell both signed because they haven’t that option; Joe signed (with the ASG) not for a realistic chance to compete for the O’Brien, but for the additional financial security only the ASG could – and would – provide. If Horford pursues ‘greener pastures’ next summer (although he’ll be limited by his RFA status if a new CBA doesn’t alter it), it’ll be because he too will have become convinced that the ASG are not ‘in it to win it’.
Ree Roe
August 4th, 2010
4:41 pm
Stop the presses! Shaq may not be satisfied with the veteran’s minimum. The Boston Herald reports: “Contrary to recent reports, negotiations between the Celtics and Shaquille O’Neal are still far from resolution. According to a league source, the NBA legend still appears to be balking at what the Celtics are willing to give – a one-year deal worth the veteran’s minimum of $1.39 million. O’Neal, frustrated by a dwindling field of suiters that may only include the Celtics and possibly the Hawks at this point, is still attempting to get more money out of the Cs.”
-REEgularly Roe!!!
Jae Evolution
August 4th, 2010
4:47 pm
Yeah Ree Roe is correct take a look at this link.
http://boston.sbnation.com/2010/8/3/1603402/shaquille-oneal-free-agent-celtics-contract-nba#shaq-agrees-to-one-year-deal-with
Jeff
August 4th, 2010
4:49 pm
Ok- for several weeks we have beat this issue to death. Here is my solution for us fans to show ownership fans do have a say. What we say on this blog isn’t going any where, and in some cases seems to cause more frustations.
MC- Question… Why hasn’t any one from the media (AJC) asked for a interview with a member(s) from the so called ownership group.
Who owns the biggest percentage of the Hawks?
Solution?
1. Quit buying tickets. This speaks l;ouder than words.
2. Quit watching them on TV. This to will speak louder than words.
We can type, speculate, wonder, etc. etc. all we want. But the bottom line is we have a word in this as fans and all we have to do is not show our support for a short time, and they will either sell the team or get someone in the building to help sell tickets.
Believe it or not. It is that simple.
Silvio Manuel
August 4th, 2010
4:50 pm
You are all wasting your time. Before Joe Johnson’s contract is over there will be no NBA as we know it today. Rising fuel prices will force the league to contract and at best you’ll end up with 8 teams, all in the Northeast. The Western teams COULD hang together and we could see an Eastern and Western Conference that only plays each other in the playoffs. Like baseball in the twenties. There will be no airplane travel beyond 2015. Too high a carbon footprint.
And that’s if the planet is still inhabitable in 5 years. A very big IF.
Folks, we are looking economic deflation in the face, and no one in the Sports world seems willing to discus it. But you can BET that the next CBA will have to look at contraction. No other way around this problem of lack of fossil fuels and too high CO2 levels.
I’m Silvio Manuel, master of darkness, and I LOVE telling you bad news.
Blame little Carlitos.
O'Brien
August 4th, 2010
4:52 pm
Hawks have ~$2.7 mil left before they reach the luxury tax. I would offer that to Shaq now. I would also make it a 2 year offer (mutual option for the second year).
Jeff
August 4th, 2010
4:55 pm
Silvio- I need what you are smoking
JASon
August 4th, 2010
4:58 pm
Why doesn’t Al Horford become our “impact center,” instead of complaining that we need one? What a jerk.
Jeff
August 4th, 2010
4:58 pm
I agree O’Brien. Not to mention the discount they received for hiring Coach Drew.
But there is one problem. If Shaq takes it they would lose out on the interest it is drawing in the bank.
vava74
August 4th, 2010
4:59 pm
Welcome back TS, where are you posting from?
I think that “defending at the rim” was a bit too obvious for your “comeback”…
just SHOOT me
August 4th, 2010
4:59 pm
Well at least the world will be over (according to Silvio) before Joe Johnson’s contract is up. That’s encouraging! Thanks for shedding light on the situation Silvio. I think you need to present this topic to Sportscenter.
Ken
August 4th, 2010
5:01 pm
I have a problem with the Hawks seemingly best player not being willing to take less money so the team can sign a quality big man. Joe seems to be content getting all he can for himself to the detriment of the team. When he got the big contract, he promised he would do what he could to get other free agents in here. In reality, he has done nothing at all. Also, in the case of Shag, I think the management cannot handle a big personality like Shaq and are afraid he might be a problem for their cheap rookie coach to handle.
terrell
August 4th, 2010
5:02 pm
Just shoot me said “perhaps we can work out a deal for Kendrick Perkins”. Did you see his injury? If you trade for him, I would shoot you.
Michael Cunningham
August 4th, 2010
5:05 pm
@doc: “MC i know you were a skeptic on shaq being someone who could help because of all the frills around him. do you still feel that way as the dust settles and we are left with three real post players in zaza, josh and al? sorry dont know about you but powell and colllins are suit material for any other contender and i dont consider them as viable options to replace those three or even fill in for quality minutes. we are mighty thin there.”
well, i wasn’t skeptical he could help the Hawks. i just pointed out that he comes along with some baggage. he has to be managed. if things go bad for him he’s not the type to be quiet about it. he sounded humble in the AP interview yesterday but that’s the other thing: he always says the right things at the beginning but then when things go sour he stops saying the right things and stars demanding touches/minutes, lets his conditioning slip, milks injuries, etc.
i’ve seen it before and so has anyone else who has ever covered Shaq. so teams have to decide if they can manage that and if his production outweighs the potential negatives. the Celtics already have a vet group that’s won a title without Shaq so this will be different for him. it’s the first time he will go to a group with guys who have as many credentials as him and they also have more clout with the organization. it could work.
vava74
August 4th, 2010
5:05 pm
OB,
I think that the summer heat definitively had a bad effect on you.
You are speculating since you don’t know:
1. If Drew wanted Shaq or not;
2. If he did want him, what was offered to Shaq by Sund;
niremetal reposted a perfect depiction of the situation as presented by someone at Hawksquak.
Shaq publicly said that in order to play for the Hawks he wanted MORE than the mid-level exception and wanted to START.
There is no way that Shaq is worth a multiple year contract at 7/8 million per as he wanted and there is no way that his game justifies at this stage a starting position and an awful re-shuffling of our line up with possibly J-Smoove having to play SF.
NO WAY.
terrell
August 4th, 2010
5:06 pm
I’m still puzzled to why everyone talks about adressing ouir interior defense, without mentioning one single word about Bibby and his horrendous perimeter defense. Trying to cover him up is what caused the lack of interior defense. But whatever. It’s all Al’s fault. lol!
casual observer
August 4th, 2010
5:07 pm
Same old, same old on this blog. I can ignore this for 2-3 weeks, come back and the same people are writing the same things.
Shaq would be a roll of the dice – maybe a winner but likely not. Shaq’s last year in Miami he averaged 4 points and 2 rebounds in the 4th quarter and overtime. He was a nonentity. What has happened to the last teams he joined? The teams were arguably less successful with Shaq than without.
So easy for bloggers to spend other people’s money and suggest we trade Bibby, Marvin and Jason Collins for Kobe Bryant or Tim Duncan or another NBA star.
IF, a big if, the Hawks intend to run and push the ball (a difficult task in the current NBA where teams send 3 players back on defense when a shot goes up), then Shaq would be a liability not just in the 4th quarter but throughout the game.
There are schemes, offensive and defensive, to deal with a bigger and stronger center, and the Hawks did not adjust under Woodson. Coach Woodson tried to force his system on players not suited and continued to switch on defense in the face of game evidence the “switch” was costing the Hawks games. There is more, but why beat on a former coach?
The Hawks have enough talent to compete at the top of the Eastern Conference – the question is how the coach approaches the problem.
vava74
August 4th, 2010
5:09 pm
niremetal
August 3rd, 2010
10:54 pm:
“Doc,
Huh. I guess it was a dream when our starting center made the All-Star team last year. Weird. Oh wait, what? It wasn’t a dream? Our starting center was deemed better than every other center in the East except Dwight Howard? Oh, nevermind.
The same reports that say Shaq is willing to sign for peanuts to sit on the bench in Boston also said that he was demanding $8M and a starting spot from the Hawks. I’ll just quote CrawfultoCrawsome from Hawksquawk:
Right, its the ASG’s fault that Shaq wants nearly 10 mil to play in Atlanta but is just fine and dandy taking less than 2 mil to play in Boston. Yea I think I’m standing with my original comment about him. It’s the ASG’s fault that they weren’t willingly gutting their roster and investing their funds at Shaq’s behest in a guy who didn’t want to be here beyond collecting a paycheck. That’s the type of person you want to rest your hopes in and make plenty of concessions for at the expense of our other players just to say you got him.
For Atlanta his camp said:
More than the MLE
Starting spot
Ample playing time.
For Boston:
Vet Min
Bench role
whatever you see fit.
Till this moment we can still offer a mil to 2 mil more, do you think he’d be interested? You think we sign JaCo without exhausting that the POS rather play elsewhere for less than we are offering or are you so deadset in your ignorance that you think Collins was numero uno on our offseason acquisition list? If anything the JaCo signing makes even more sense now seeing as we’d need him to check Shaq after the ASG was already well aware that he spurned us.
But go ahead and rewrite history. How were we going to meet Shaq’s demands? By moving to Josh to SF or the bench? By replacing Horford with a guy who HORFORD JUST BEAT OUT FOR THE ALL-STAR TEAM? How do we get Shaq the $8M that he was seeking? The MLE is way below that, so we couldn’t just sign him outright. Should we sign-and-trade Marvin without getting someone who has shown some capacity to play SF? If not Marvin, then who would we trade that the Cavs would be interested in? Tell me, doc, what did you want them to do?
Oh, and nevermind that signing Shaq would have brought ASG more in ticket sales, merchandising, and sponsorships than his salary would cost, so anyone with half a brain who thought about it for half a second would realize that the team probably wasn’t worried about how much Shaq would cost in a monetary sense.
You and AJ will undoubtedly keep being intellectually lazy and spewing the same “ASG sucks” bullsh!t that you have been for years. The “intellectually lazy” comes from ignoring everything that happens that’s inconvenient to your arguments, which is what both of you do. But whenever you see a quote that provides a modicum of support for your intellectually lazy position, well you sure remember those. The fact that the Hawks have already increased their payroll in a year where most teams have significantly cut payroll? Who cares! The trades in the past 2 years for Bibby and Crawford? Pfshaw! Giving out a max contract to a player who is more on the level of Rashard Lewis than LeBron James? Irrelevant, I say!
Let me know when you’ve stopped living in 2006.”
Michael Cunningham
August 4th, 2010
5:10 pm
@ AJ: “MC, is it fair to say that the ASG have placed each and every one of their eggs into the “Larry Drew” basket?”
i’d say ASG is banking on significant internal growth and L.D. obviously is a big part of that. you are right, he’s got a big challenge on his hands. then again, if he somehow finally gets the Hawks to the East finals, dude will be big time.
Michael Cunningham
August 4th, 2010
5:12 pm
@Hawk Man: “The Hawks don’t need gimmicks, they need Jeff Teague to pan out, Josh Smith to stop shooting jumpers and Joe Johnson to win games.”
Teague’s development might be the most important thing for this team because if he doesn’t pan out, what can the Hawks do?
JeJe
August 4th, 2010
5:16 pm
elcome back MC
I heard a Sund interview on 680 last week and let me tell you it was a joke
1) Every single answer was about how we are modeling ourselves after the Spurs/Pistons because we aren’t going over the LT. LOL.
2) He will not make a trade til next summer
3) He says our guys our young veterans, so they now know what losing in the 2nd round means. WHY IS THERE NO MENTION OF US GETTING SWEPT BY CLEVELAND IN 2009? WHY NOW AFTER WE GET SWEPT BADLY BY ORLANDO ARE THE GUYS SMARTER?
I feel this idiot comes on message boards, finds the positive comments, then when asked about how he feels about the team, he’ll quote fans saying something like “Yeah, Big Ray on AJC says we’ll be good and I know he’s a big fan, so I gotta believe we’ll be good”
Idiot
Michael Cunningham
August 4th, 2010
5:16 pm
@HeadlineWriter: “MC…I know it garners attention BUT is your story headline really even journalistically fair? Did the Hawks actually truly go down the path with Shaq to an offer? The teaser headline on the homepage says “Shaq picks Celtics over Hawks”. Pretty misleading if we never went to an offer as it appears he had two to decide and we were turned down? Preliminary discussions don’t qualify as a “turn down” when one party chooses not to proceed to offer.”
fair question . . . if Shaq were willing to do what he’s doing for the C’s, take the minimum and accept being a backup, then the Hawks would sign him. that much is certain. so while there may or may not be an official “offer” for him, that would just be a formality if Shaq came to the Hawks and said: “OK, i will take the minimum and come off the bench.” so i’d say it’s fair to say Shaq chose the C’s over the Hawks.
vava74
August 4th, 2010
5:17 pm
I think you want to read this…
http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/blog/ball_dont_lie/post/Shaquille-O-Neal-a-Celtic-;_ylt=AkwJZ9djw2_02Vh.Q2K5CiK8vLYF?urn=nba-260187
vava74
August 4th, 2010
5:18 pm
I particularly like the following passage:
“It’s just that all these raw stats tell you that the Cavs were so, so much better with O’Neal on the pine. That when things weren’t Shaq-centric, Cleveland tended to dominate. The easy answer to that? Don’t pass Shaq the ball. Don’t make him Shaq-centric. To these eyes, Cleveland didn’t. And yet, the team’s offense stunk with him out there. Tom Haberstroh nailed the best part of it last week:
LeBron with Shaq last year: Cavs +3.4 pts per possession. LeBron without Shaq? +15.7. That experiment was fun wasn’t it?
That’s per 100 possessions, and with the average game working around 93 or 94 possessions, nearly 16 points is a pretty big deal. That’s not an insignificant number.”
Michael Cunningham
August 4th, 2010
5:18 pm
@hawkfan335: “Do you see the Hawks possibly improving themselves at the c position by trading Marvin Williams
and Zaza Pachuila for Emeka Okafor? I know that Okafor does not score a lot, but he can rebound and block shots, which is the primary job of any center and any points would be gravy.”
well, i do think that’s the kind of deal that the Hawks might consider for trading away a “core” guy. but i’d think Charlotte can wait and get something better in return.
truthspitter
August 4th, 2010
5:19 pm
Jeff Teague did not even play PG for the majority of his time in college. So, if he pans out at all it will be midseason or later before he really gets it. People counting on Teague are acting like he is John Wall or someone. The guy can give you 12 pts 5 ast 3 reb and 2 stls on his best day. People this team is taking a step back depending on Teague too much. We need a real move.
truthspitter
August 4th, 2010
5:22 pm
Cunningham do your research, Okafor plays for New Orleans
no justice
August 4th, 2010
5:25 pm
You guys aren’t bloggers, you are speculators. You don’t really know why Shaq picked the Celtics over the Hawks, because he hadn’t talked about it yet. Instead of us waiting until he speaks ( and he will speak) we began calling ASG cheap, sorrow and other names that they may or may not deserve. Patient my friend you will know soon enough.
terrell
August 4th, 2010
5:28 pm
Just shoot me, Joe Johnson is not the highest paid player in the NBA. Some of you guys act like your’re paying his freakin salary. Imagine paying TMac 24 mill, Jermaine Oneal 23 mill, Shaq 20 mill, Ray Allen 19 mill, Rashard Lewis 19 mill, or Michael Redd 17 mill last year. If Joe is overpaid, what in the hell does that make these guys? We had to keep Joe in one way or another if we want to even sniff the Playoffs. Maybe you think he shoulda signed for lesss $? Yeah right. Would you? If he was going to do that, he coulda just went to NY or Chicago.
Michael Cunningham
August 4th, 2010
5:29 pm
@Najeh Davenpoop: “MC, you keep saying this, but if he is not a defensive post presence (your words) then what exactly does he do effectively aside from rebounding his own missed layups?”
that’s funny . . . the key part is “backup” center. i think he’s just fine for his role and his salary. he’s pretty good on pick and rolls and draws a lot of fouls. he improved at the end of last season. i think he’s like No. 20 among centers in win shares. but maybe i should say “adequate” instead of effective.
MsDee
August 4th, 2010
5:30 pm
I am constantly reading how we are never mensioned to be an elite team, how other teams just power jumped us in the ranks, how we are seated 7 and 8 seed already b4 the season even started..
People lack to realize that we have improved 6 consective years while being under the radar. Tell me something, would you rather be mension every single year as being the team to beat for the finals(CAVS) but NEVER make it there, or would u like to have nevered been a thought in the finals, but actually make it there,(Boston)?? I COULD CARE LESS IF WE ARE EVER MENSIONED BY THESE SO-CALL ESPN ANNOUNCERS, CHRIS BROUSARD, CHARLES BARKLEY AND WHOEVER ELSE FIT THE BILL. ALL I AM CONCERN WITH IS HOW WELL THE HAWKS HAVE IMPROVED, ARE WE MAKING THE RIGHT ADJUSTMENTS DURING THE SEASON TO HELP US IN THE PLAYOFFS..The regular season should only be to help us find what works and what doesnt work when playing different teams who we might face in the playoffs. The regular season should not matter how many wins we have cause how did that help the CAVS 2 seasons in a row????? EXACTLY!!
GROW UP HAWKS FANS AND JUST BE PATIENT!!
JeJe
August 4th, 2010
5:32 pm
” it’s the first time he will go to a group with guys who have as many credentials as him and they also have more clout with the organization”
No. Shaq has 4 rings. None of them do.
And Buck Belue sucked earlier on air. Kincade actually made a good argument that we needed Shaq but Boston has a much better chance of winning a ring than us. Then Belue gets all immature and does these idiotic imitations of Shaq and says how Shaq only wants money. The guy is taking the veteran’s minimuum.
WOw.
Michael Cunningham
August 4th, 2010
5:33 pm
@ Ree Roe: “Stop the presses! Shaq may not be satisfied with the veteran’s minimum.”
thanks for link. . . . Boston has used its MLE and BAE so the only way for Shaq to get more money is through a sign-and-trade. Cleveland so far hasn’t seemed to want to play along.
ryan
August 4th, 2010
5:37 pm
I guess if the Hawks want to sell tickets they could sign Allen Iverson but i this ownership is to stupid to do it.
drmaryb (*_*)
August 4th, 2010
5:40 pm
Majority Rules!
Steve Belkin is a Bostonian and always will be! He does not and has never lived in Atlanta.
Nor does he attend any Hawks games. I surprised he approved Joe’s new deal, since he is the only one who filed an injunction to stop the trade that brought Joe here to begin with.
He probably blocked the Shaq deal, so that his beloved Celtics could get a crack at it.
Sorta like Kevin McHale gift wrapping KG to Beantown and his buddy – “Danny Boy”.
He wil never give us Fans an interview, he bought into this team to write off his taxes after showing losses.
I honestly believe these owners need to go and get a real job & hire
a CEO to actually run this Franchise. I mean do they even focus on the
Trashers at all, or just squabble about the Hawks all day?
Jae Evolution
August 4th, 2010
5:44 pm
Shaq has officially signed with the Celtics to a one year deal, not sure how they did this since they would go over the salary, but it’s done.
http://boston.sbnation.com/2010/8/3/1603402/shaquille-oneal-free-agent-celtics-contract-nba#shaq-agrees-to-one-year-deal-with
terrell
August 4th, 2010
5:46 pm
MC, I thought Okafur was in New Orleans?
Michael Cunningham
August 4th, 2010
5:51 pm
@truthspitter: “Cunningham do your research, Okafor plays for New Orleans”
yep. my bad.
Michael Cunningham
August 4th, 2010
5:52 pm
@JeJe: “No. Shaq has 4 rings. None of them do.”
they don’t?
Michael Cunningham
August 4th, 2010
5:53 pm
@Jae Evolution: “Shaq has officially signed with the Celtics to a one year deal, not sure how they did this since they would go over the salary, but it’s done.”
blog has been updated . . . they did it by using a minimum salary exception that can be used for teams over the cap.
ryan
August 4th, 2010
5:55 pm
Hawks fans if there are any left and take the Falcons motto and Rise Up and protest and boycott this ownership send out petitions get on twitter and facebook let your voices be heard. Enough is Enough and its time fore a change .
Ken Strickland
August 4th, 2010
6:00 pm
MELVIN-I answered your question on the last blog. The very serious knee injury to KPerkins, in last yrs NBA finals, along with them getting word he won’t return to full strength anytime soon, is what triggered their desire to sign Shaq. What would you be willing to bet if KPerkins was healthy, Shaq would still be like the Boll Weevil, looking for a home.
They either don’t want, or figured they couldn’t get, RWallace to return for another yr. All of you GLASS HALF EMPTY Hawk fans can entertain yourselves by continuing to whine, cry and complain about the ASG, LDrew, JJ’s contract, not signing Shaq, and/or what you feel we need or don’t have. The Hawks will make liars out of all you doubters, just like they’ve done the last 3yrs.
The Hawks certainly managed to be successful in the 09 season under the following conditions despite:
1-The same ASG making the same so called mistakes, and not signing an impact center.
2-bringing back the same 10 core players from the previous yr,
3-over coming the same chronic whining & complaining from some of the same whiners & complainers who did the same whining and complaining when the ASG traded for and signed JJ to his previous contract?
4-have a HC that didn’t have the ability, knowledge and/or self confidence to prepare the Hawks to be competitive under playoff conditions.
Big Ray
August 4th, 2010
6:01 pm
Vava74 ,
I see that article is about the Cavs, not the Hawks. Last I looked, the Cavs team that Shaq was on was in no way built the way the Hawks are built. So I must be missing your point, unless your point was that one person’s opinion about Shaq and the Cavs is proof that Shaq would never work out with this team. In which case….why am I not surprised that conjecture would be masqueraded as fact…
truthspitter
August 4th, 2010
6:01 pm
That’s okay Cunningham we all make mistakes
Jeff
August 4th, 2010
6:07 pm
I am sure glad to see the optimistic people still blogging.
take 1 step back
August 4th, 2010
6:08 pm
The Hawks have now moved from 4th in the East to 5th, behind Miami, Boston, Orlando, and Chicago. Way to go ASG, you guys really know what you’re doing.
Gwinnett Fred
August 4th, 2010
6:10 pm
The saddest part is this:
If they had let Johnson walk and added Shaq – I would be ready to bet anyone that the attendence figures would not have dropped a bit. May not have gone up, but would not have dropped. And the team would have about $100 million left over to improve the team.
The team has made better roster moves over recent years (of course, with like 7 straight lottery picks, they should be able to) – but when the screw one up (can you say Paul?), baby – they SCREW IT UP ROYALLY!
Ken Strickland
August 4th, 2010
6:12 pm
MELVIN-Aren’t you concerned at all that Cleveland, Shaq’s most recent employer, has been unable to find a single reason to even consider the possibility of resigning Shaq, even though they also lost Ilgouskas? When you look at the reaction to Shaq by teams like the Spurs and Nuggets, both of whom need inside help, it should tell you he’s not worth the effort. Only a team that’s desperate for what he can provide, like the Celtics, were willing to take a chance on signing him.
Sometimes, the best moves are the ones a team doesn’t make, and that’s certainly true in this case.
Billy Bob
August 4th, 2010
6:22 pm
Good
HoosierHawk
August 4th, 2010
6:31 pm
If ASG was thinking about the money they would have signed him, because it would have led to more ticket sale revenue. I bet if you asked the average person in Atlanta, a good number would not be able to name a Hawks player. With Shaq, they would. Not saying it makes us better, but every move this summer has been about being skimp.
Unless we make a blockbuster trade for a center with that trade exception mid season, we are crazy. We don’t want any of the decent project centers because we want a vet. The best center in 10 years is available for freakin 2 million and we don’t do it?