Atlanta Hawks: Joe Johnson shoots Js
Just 10 days after he had surgery to remove a loose body from his shooting elbow, Hawks guard Joe Johnson was making jump shots today at Hawks practice.
Johnson took some midrange jump shots near the end of the team’s practice. He said the first 10 attempts felt awkward because it had been so long since he got shots up.
“For the most part if was pain-free,” he said. “But we are taking it one day at a time. I may have a little soreness tomorrow. We are trying to get it as strong as possible.”
Johnson and the team said his activity today is not an indication that he will return sooner than the minimum four weeks announced when he had the procedure on Dec. 2. But coach Larry Drew took it as a sign that Johnson at least might be on the short end of the four to six week timetable.
“Heck yeah,” he said. “It was good to see him out there. I don’t know what the timetable is as far as his comeback. But I am very encouraged that he is able to be out there just to shoot. We will see how it goes as he continues his therapy.”
Johnson has been durable during his career and is reluctant to sit out games due to injury. The team wasn’t even aware of the seriousness of the elbow injury until the pain became too much for Johnson to ignore and he sought medical treatment.
But Johnson said sitting out might end up being the best thing for both him and the team in the long run. The Hawks have won five of seven games without Johnson, whose uncharacteristic shooting woes were in stark contrast to the accuracy of the rest of Atlanta’s regulars.
“Things happen in mysterious ways,” Johnson said. “This could be a blessing in disguise. It can help me feel better or give me a break, and let the guys go out there and figure things out [without him]. Who knows? So far, so good.”
The Hawks have managed to win without Johnson but Drew said he looks forward to getting him back healthy and productive. Johnson has generally fit in with Drew’s philosophy of sharing the ball and spreading around the scoring (he leads the team in assists per game) so if he can improve his shooting accuracy while maintaining that approach Atlanta’s offense should be enhanced.
“He has missed a lot of good looks, shots that he normally makes,” Drew said. “We are just hoping the problem was the elbow and we can get the ‘old Joe’ back.”
Johnson’s return also would allow Drew to cease the lineup shuffling that’s included using Marvin Williams at shooting guard. Drew has used Johnson to defend point guards, shooting guards and small forwards, and the recent addition of Damien Wilkins as a defensive specialist should help ease the burden on Johnson.
Johnson was struggling and the Hawks have managed without him but he is the team’s top dog and their longtime mainstay.
“I do like the fact that we are less predictable [without Johnson] but I also know that with Joe in the lineup, he is a go-to guy,” Drew said. “I know in most cases he is going to command a double team. It is just a matter of making the right play out of the double team which he has shown the willingness to do. His presence [is important]. I know when he is out there, I can see the body language of our players they swell with confidence with his presence.”
– Al Horford (hand), Mo Evans (knee) and Josh Powell (knee) missed portions of practice today. The Hawks said all are expected to play tomorrow at Detroit.
MC
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157 comments Add your comment
Zach
December 13th, 2010
4:14 pm
First?!? Good for Joe!
Boooo!
December 13th, 2010
4:14 pm
Actually, I was first but the blog moster ate my last tow posts -_-
Whatever…
Boooo!
December 13th, 2010
4:15 pm
On another not, GO Joe GO!!!!
Rufus1
December 13th, 2010
4:16 pm
More truth About the Hawks Elite status…
They continue to try and discount the Hawks, but the Road record and their stats tell the different…LOl.
These are probably the same fools that think 2PAC is still alive….unwilling to accept the truth.
This article is also for people on this BLOG who discount the HAWKS….GET A CLUE!!
http://www.sbnation.com/nba/2010/12/13/1869673/miami-heat-boston-celtics-spurs-lakers-nba-best-teams
Silky-D
December 13th, 2010
4:16 pm
First???
Carmelo
December 13th, 2010
4:17 pm
Carmelo for Joe anyone?
Silky-D
December 13th, 2010
4:17 pm
Ahhhhhhh
JeJe
December 13th, 2010
4:24 pm
““Things happen in mysterious ways,” Johnson said. “This could be a blessing in disguise. It can help me feel better or give me a break, and let the guys go out there and figure things out [without him]. Who knows? So far, so good.””
LOL @ “let the guys go out there and figure things out.”
Like he is not part of the problem with the team. He better have a better mentality than that when he returns and share the damn ball.
When JJ returns, start Collins and bench Marvin. Bringing Jamal, Damien, Teague, Powell, and ZaZa as your 2nd unit is damn potent
Jimmy
December 13th, 2010
4:26 pm
I hope Mo Evans’ injury will sideline him for the season..
Westurd
December 13th, 2010
4:27 pm
This time that JJ has been down has been the most exciting period for the Hawks over the last year or two. Not necessarily the type of ball they are playing, but the unpredicatability of the line ups, the players stepping up, signing of Damien Wilkens and also shifting (hopefully not starting) Marvin around.
Joe being out has forced Drew to do all the things he said he wanted to before he got hired and how he has had the chance…..he has gone big, shifted starting line ups, played Al at the 4, and allowed Jamal to get more touches helping him out of his slump.
The obvious question now is what will these Hawks look like when Joe comes back. Go Hawks.
Miss ev
December 13th, 2010
4:29 pm
Good to hear that Joe is doing well.
Rufus1
December 13th, 2010
4:33 pm
When Joe returns…
Hawks will be top 2-3 teams in the East, beacuse JJ will make us better than the Heat.
Rufus1
December 13th, 2010
4:34 pm
“because”
Astro Joe
December 13th, 2010
4:36 pm
Good comments from Joe and LD. Thanks for the update, I was wondering when we would get our first update on Joe’s recovery. Like LD said, he messed a lot of open shots early in the season, hopefully Joe will make sure that he comes back when the elbow is ready. The Hawks have had a nice run without him but I agree with Sund and LD… this team is better with Joe (a healthy one).
KevinM
December 13th, 2010
4:40 pm
Westurd, I think we all know what we will look like when Joe returns….that is the uneasiness we will have going forward.
Now, does it make sense to take a look at a big man at this time? DA on NBA.com reporting:
Grizz willing to deal Thabeet……..and shopping him hard……the big man is owed 24.6M/3+years over the remainder of his deal….is there enough there to say he just needs a fresh start?
Alsandair Barnes
December 13th, 2010
4:41 pm
Trade Joe Johnson for Carmelo Anthony.We don’t need him & he quit on the team last year.Plus,the hawks are better without him.It was a mistake to sign him for that crazy deal anyways.Joe Johnson & Jamal Crawford for Carmelo Anthony & J.R Smith.
Dale
December 13th, 2010
5:02 pm
Get rid of Marvin…we should have grabbed TaShaun Prince when we had the chance……..Joe for Carmello..Mmmm interesting but, keep Jamal Crawford. His image is good for the team…Hawks have looked pretty good since the absence of Joe. Just think, a few defensive stops in San Antonio and we could have won that game….same thing when we were in Miami…Go Hawks….Marvin and Mo need to go….Hey that ryhmes….
Hip Hoppy
December 13th, 2010
5:03 pm
What about Joe start earning those millions that was GIVEN to him ?
Astro Joe
December 13th, 2010
5:05 pm
KevinM, if Thabeet can’t earn his $8M on an average (at best) Memphis team, how will he earn that contract on a team like the Hawks? While you “can’t teach size”, you also can’t have a guy who is physically incapable of maintaining rebounding position and struggles with making defensive rotations. The chance for thw Hawks to develop a center came when they had pick #31 (which would have been a $1M salaried player). I don’t see making that kind of gamble on someone making almost 2X as much as Zaza.
Maybe Portland can trade Oden for Thabeet.
Westurd
December 13th, 2010
5:09 pm
Can we create a “fantasy blog” on another site? We can blog about trading for Carmelo and CP3……both will never happen and everyone knows it.
drmaryb (*_*)
December 13th, 2010
5:21 pm
Warrior Joe!
When Joe fractured his orbital bone in Phoenix, he didn’t miss a beat and balled in that play-off series with a face mask! That’s when he became relevant.
A fractured orbital bone is 911 Serious Injury. He payed against doctor’s orders I’m sure!
He is a tough guy and may return before 4 weeks. I sure hope so.
_____________________________________
IDK how to pull Top PG Stats Current:
But, I found this list from HoopsWorld Fantasy Board from 10/13/2010:
*******
With the Top 100 Overall ranking in the books and on the site, it’s time to begin breaking down the performers at each individual position.
As always, these rankings are based on 9-category leagues (points, assists, rebounds, steals, blocks, three-pointers made, turnovers, FG%, and FT%).
And please note that any player with point guard eligibility in Yahoo! Fantasy Leagues will be listed; which means that many players will be ranked at multiple positions, i.e. point guard as well as shooting guard, etc.
1 Chris Paul. 21 Brandon Jennings
2 Dwyane Wade. 22 Jrue Holliday
3 Deron Williams. 23 Jamal Crawford
4 Stephen Curry. 24 Tony Parker
5 Chauncey Billup. 25 Jason Terry
6 Jason Kid. 26 Rodney Stucke
7 Rajon Rondo. 27 Jameer Nelson
8 Steve Nash. 28 Andre Miller
9 Tyreke Evans. 29 D.J. Augustine
10 Monta Ellis. 30 Beno Udrih
11 Darren Collison. 31 Mike Conley
12 Derrick Rose. 32 Rodrigue Beaubois
13 Raymond Felton. 33 Jose Calderon
14 Russell Westbrook. 34 Luke Ridnour
15 Mo Williams. 35 Lou Williams
16 Devin Harris. 36 Jonny Flynn
17 Aaron Brooks. 37 George Hill
18 Baron Davis. 38 Ramon Sessions
19 Gilbert Arenas. 39 Jeff Teague
20. John Wall. 40. Kirk Hinrich
wow! That was a ton of work on my blackberry … I’m not that smart w/techno!
I have no clue were to get LIVE stats, but I guess these are last season numbers. I’m sure the top guards have risen to the TOP! Like Rondo, Rose, CP3, Deron, Wall … Etc. But, I didn’t see Bibby in top 40.
NORTHCYDE. Help!
KevinM
December 13th, 2010
5:21 pm
Astro Joe, you know what? I take Thabeet/throw-in for Marvin/Zaza or Collins today!
Damien Wilkins has won me over enough in 15 days! We then have a potential big man who has 3 years left, 5.1/6.4/and the final year of 8.4M and we get him a Patrick Ewing and put them to work. Heck, give me Akeem/Clifford Ray and let’s see where that takes the big man.
Easily worth the swap today! Problem is, you gotta convince Memphis to take back one of the most inconsistent players in the league that has started the past few years.
KevinM
December 13th, 2010
5:24 pm
And Astro, that puts Thabeet as the highest paid bench player we have going into 2011 should we not bring back JC1. I like the idea if Quik Rick can pull the wool over Chris Wallace’s eyes.
MsDee
December 13th, 2010
5:30 pm
Wow..Nash at 8 while Kirk at 40!!!!
MsDee
December 13th, 2010
5:31 pm
From previous blog
@JeJe,
Dont act like it isnt possible to trade good for ‘garbage’ cause like the saying, ‘ones trash could be someones treasure” or something like that! LOL! We traded Jon Barry for TLue when TLue had gas still in the tank, and lets not forget Acie & Speedy for Jamal…It just depends what one team is looking for and what one team just dont need anymore!
I’m not going to give up on the idea of getting Nash on this team..HE IS A DOUBLE/DOUBLE PG FOR GOD’S SAKE!! How can he NOT help this team????? With his crafty style to score AND his willingness to pass the rock AND his ability to take over the game when NO ONE ESLE seem to know how (JJ), is exactly what we need on this team!! Come SUND, PLEASE MAKE IT HAPPEN!!
drmaryb (*_*)
December 13th, 2010
5:35 pm
P.T.I.
Talking ’bout Donald Sterling heckling Baron Davis courtside with obscenities!
LOL! Is Baron available? What’s his problem in clipper-Land?
drmaryb (*_*)
December 13th, 2010
5:41 pm
Ms. Dee
I heard Nash was 3rd or 5th recently. That list was pre-season.
Najeh Davenpoop
December 13th, 2010
5:45 pm
Nice to hear that Joe is getting healthy. I’m still waiting to see whether he will fit in to the offense when he returns or whether he is going to revert back to his iso form.
Najeh Davenpoop
December 13th, 2010
5:46 pm
Donald Sterling is a disgrace to the human race, and it’s sad that David Stern hasn’t forced him out of the league yet. Larry Ellison, one of the richest men in the world, tried and failed to buy the Warriors a year ago. If Stern cares at all about his league’s image (and surely he does, by instituting relatively pointless rules like making players wear suits during their postgame press conferences) he would seize the team from Sterling and try to sell it to Ellison.
Najeh Davenpoop
December 13th, 2010
5:48 pm
Listing players by fantasy stats doesn’t really prove much. When it comes to fantasy, Mike Conley has been a top 5 point guard this season.
KevinM
December 13th, 2010
5:49 pm
DMB, sounds like Baron is stealing money….if he isn’t in shape, what excuse does he have?
Yet Del Negro tries to continue to try and find a way to motivate him….he already allows him to play only on one end of the floor…..that contract…man, just like Elton Brand.
SWAT Native
December 13th, 2010
5:52 pm
I agree with several others (including Joe) that Joe being out may be the best thing that has happened to the Hawks for a while because it is allowing the other players to step up without him. When Joe comes back healthy, I think the Hawks are a much tougher team than they were before.
JeJe
December 13th, 2010
5:56 pm
LOL @ people wanting Baron.
Overweight, out of shape, injury prone, and has 3 years left of 13M a year. I’ll take Rashard Lewis first
drmaryb (*_*)
December 13th, 2010
5:57 pm
ESPN PER LIST:
1
S Samuels, CLE
36.41
2
C Wilcox, DET
27.60
3
C Paul, NOR
27.27
4
A Ajinca, DAL
25.99
5
R Westbrook, OKC
25.41
6
D Nowitzki, DAL
25.20
7
L James, MIA
25.19
8
K Bryant, LAL
25.10
9
D Howard, ORL
24.62
10
A Horford, ATL
24.54
11
D Williams, UTH
24.51
12
K Love, MIN
24.50
13
M Ginobili, SAS
24.03
14
D Wade, MIA
23.94
15
S Nash, PHO
23.75
16
A Stoudemire, NYK
23.68
17
P Gasol, LAL
23.47
18
T Thomas, CHA
23.10
19
D Rose, CHI
22.18
20
K Martin, HOU
22.11
21
J Smith, ATL
21.96
22
K Durant, OKC
21.64
23
P Millsap, UTH
21.63
24
T Duncan, SAS
21.60
25
J Evans, UTH
21.53
26
K Garnett, BOS
21.46
27
N Hilario, DEN
21.32
28
D West, NOR
21.27
29
E Gordon, LAC
21.24
30
B Griffin, LAC
21.18
JeJe
December 13th, 2010
5:58 pm
Once Joe returns, shop ZaZa+Mo around for the best possible backup C, and either start Collins, or start Damien at the 3 and bring Duck off the bench
newkid
December 13th, 2010
6:01 pm
” The chance for thw Hawks to develop a center came when they had pick #31…” Will someone please say that again.
Ken Strickland
December 13th, 2010
6:07 pm
I don’t understand this sudden to go all out to acquire a player like Thabeet. Even a team with money to spend, and the willing to spend it, wouldn’t be stupid enough to spend $8.4M a yr on a back project center that can’t earn more than 8.4MPG on a team like Memphis.
For those who are obsessed with wanting us to acquire CAnthony, why not get NBA LEAGUE PASS and follow him? Why, because it doesn’t take a high IQ to realize he’s not coming here. First, the Hawks can’t afford him without purging their roster, which isn’t going to happen, and secondly, he want’s to be close to his home state of NY. That alone eliminates the Hawks, and makes the Knicks and Nets his top choices.
PLEASE, GIVE THAT DELUSIONAL FANTASY A REST. Injuries will be the only way we’ll add anyone new this season. I don’t even see us trading Jamal Crawford this season.
JeJe
December 13th, 2010
6:13 pm
What’s this garbage about Thabeet making 8M a year?
Dude makes 4.7M on his rookie contract. Some of you people just make ish up LOL
wxwax
December 13th, 2010
6:33 pm
What’s the polite way to ask Joe Johnson to take another six weeks off?
I like how the team is playing without him. Let’s see how far they can take it.
jtshoopsblog
December 13th, 2010
6:35 pm
Hope when JJ comes back. he’ll be playing much better than he has been.
JeJe
December 13th, 2010
6:37 pm
If JJ had just rested all summer or just taken the first month of the season off, we’d have 3 or 4 more wins right now. Damnit
JeJe
December 13th, 2010
6:37 pm
*If JJ had rested in summer, we’d have 4 wins more at least. If he had returned in December we’d have 2 more (MIA and SAS). This team is playing well
northcyde
December 13th, 2010
6:39 pm
LOL @ drmaryb .. .. . I think Bibby was ranked #60 last year. I would bet this year though, that he is in the top 40, based off of how well he’s shooting the ball.
As for Thabeet. I live in TN and see the Griz on Sportsouth just as much as the Hawks ( due to the Griz now having priority over the Hawks on SS this year ).
Thabeet is garbage.
He’s not as good of a defensive player than Collins, despite he can get more blocks.
He doesn’t rebound.
He doesn’t hustle.
He shows no desire to be a better player.
Memphis could desperately use a quality big on their frontline. But Thabeet is so sorry, that they’d rather play Zach Randolph at C at times, than to throw Thabeet’s sorry self out there.
KevinM . . . he’s garbage.
As bad as the quality of our bench is at times, Thabeet wouldn’t even see the floor for us.
wxwax
December 13th, 2010
6:39 pm
ps Do we really want to talk about how Johnson makes grown men “swell”?
I didn’t think so.
Steven A.
December 13th, 2010
6:43 pm
Smartest move Hawks could make would be to work out a deal for Hasheem Thabeet. Under good mentorship, he will be a solid defensive minded center.
JeJe
December 13th, 2010
6:48 pm
LOL @ Steven A. I’ll take back Solomon Jones for the Vet Min before I pay Thabeet
JeJe
December 13th, 2010
6:49 pm
It’s not like we have Olajuwon or Ewing as our bigs coach. We have TYRONE HILL
northcyde
December 13th, 2010
6:58 pm
Jeje . . what games do we win, if JJ wasn’t in the lineup?
Just don’t throw comments out there. Which games do we win?
lewis
December 13th, 2010
6:58 pm
JJ,
Do not pull a Mo Evans and come back before you’re ready. We don’t need you in pain for the rest of the season continuing to miss open jump shots.
Section 303
December 13th, 2010
7:01 pm
Whoever said that Thabeet would be a good pick up is crazy. The guy can’t play. Just face it. He’s not even a “project” at this point. He’s just a complete bust.
Forgive me if I could give two sh#ts that Joe Johnson is feeling better. He’s just stealing money from the organization at this point.
JeJe
December 13th, 2010
7:01 pm
northcyde,
What I meant was:
If JJ had rested over the summer, we’d have more wins now. If he had rested in November, I’m pretty sure we would’ve won most of those games, GIVEN THAT WE HAD ONE OF THE EASIEST SCHEDULES IN NOVEMBER. We would’ve won those first 6 games, and chances are we could’ve stolen a few of those losses back. This is all, of course, if we had Damien back then.
Sorry if people can’t grasp this, but this team is more unified without Joe and our defense has been DAMN good since we got Damien. Hopefully Joe fits back in when he returns
northcyde
December 13th, 2010
7:22 pm
StevenA . . . Zaza is better than Thabeet.
Seriously, how many Griz games have you watched and said to yourself . . . “Boy, that kid Thabeet is a player. He’s going to be a beast one day.”
LOL @ some on this blog. They hate Marvin’s mediocrity so much, that they would trade him for garbage like Thabeet, or another mediocre player like Hinrich.
Then on the flip side say . . “We don’t ned our 4 time all star SG. Let him sit out more games. Forget that he can replace the mediocre SF that we all despise. Let JJ sit. As long as the current roster can beat those sorry teams, and beat a top 10 team once every 2 months . . we’ll be happy . . until we get a #7 seed and lose in round 1″
JeJe
December 13th, 2010
7:28 pm
Lol northcyde.
It wasn’t Marvin for Hinrich people wanted to do. People here want TO TRADE JOE JOHNSON FOR KIRK HINRICH.
And with JJ now, we’re playing fine without him through this horrendous schedule. Let him take his time to return SO HE IS COMPLETELY FRESH FOR THE 2ND HALF OF THE SEASON
Blast
December 13th, 2010
7:57 pm
One thing I’ve always loved about the Hawks is their ability to rebound early from injuries, especially Josh, Joe and Al. Really nice to know Joe is already shooting pain free after only ten days off surgery.
I just hope when he comes back, that he buys into the total team offense and not bog it down holding the ball too long. Been great to see Joe go backdoor and get the pass right under the rim. Also nice to see him coming of screens and firing the ball right away. Hope the time off heals his entire iron man body, and also gave him time to see how well the team is playing together, and how more potent we could be when Joe buys into the concept.
I wish folks will read the entire story before posting fantasy trades. Carmelo said he only wants to play in NY, nowhere else! Why y’all waste your time playing virtual GM? Thabeet? Please…….
Blast
December 13th, 2010
8:21 pm
A little respect for Hawks. Mark Stein ranked them 11 in the league’s power rankings, Up from 15 last week.
Still think Bulls are ranked too high, though.
oldtimer
December 13th, 2010
8:54 pm
Joe doesn’t have to prove anything any more. He has a rich contract. The ISO Joe has been a good strategy that worked for Woody and Joe both.
It had Joe as the centerpiece, made him an all star (a starter for that matter last year though one chosen by coach), and it helped Hawks achieve better records every year.
Now, it is all about winning for Joe. He has his contract. For him the ISO Joe is not beneficial. He has reached the point where for him, like others of his caliber, it is about winning. That is why Joe will fit in with the new system, and make Hawks a much better team.
Rufus1
December 13th, 2010
9:09 pm
DO SOME OF YOU EVEN WATCH THE NBA?????
Thabeet> better than who? Memphis would trade him for Zaza in a new york minute.
Better without joe>…Did you watch Dwade posting up JC1 or the turnovers in the 4th Qt against the Spurs?
Stars like JJ, create easier scoring opps. for their teams…That is why they are paid so much. Without JJ we have lost in the 4th Qt too 2 of the 3 best teams e have faced.
O'Brien
December 13th, 2010
9:36 pm
Although Marvin has not lived up to the #2 pick or the contract, he has been a good player for the Hawks at times.
You look at a guy like Thabeet, and Adam Morrison, and you realize that the Marvin pick isnt that bad.
I’m looking forward to JJ coming back. Hopefully being healthy will help him get his shooting stroke back.
And I’m with Ken. Can we please stop talking about trading for Carmelo. We dont have anything Denver wants, and Carmelo only wants to go to the Knicks.
SteveW
December 13th, 2010
10:21 pm
I’m certainly not against obtaining Thabeet. I have never seen anyone rebound pushing people hard in the back like Thabeet on a consistent basis. Dirty, and can hurt someone. More than the NBA usual, and haven’t seen the refs call it either, but he sends people flying.
What would I give up for Thabeet? Not much, certainly not JJ as someone suggested. Maybe Etan and a 1st pick. Picking 17-24 it’s so problematic, and Thabeet may be worth it.
Glad we got Wilkens, what a fine pickup. Hope we keep him after JJ gets back. Sund may surprise us, you never know what he might have up his sleeve.
SteveW
December 13th, 2010
10:24 pm
I for one say keep JJ out and let him recover as long as possible. It will be good for him, and get him fresh for the rest of the season. Hate he’s probably going to miss the All Star game however. Hope Josh and Al go.
wiener schintzel
December 13th, 2010
10:28 pm
Marvin is that bad! He could be good, but he just doesn’t give an eff! Watching Marvin and thinking he is going to get better is like boning the nasty chick every week hoping she will get hotter.
It ain’t personal Marv, just can’t stand watching you one game and then you disappearing for the next 15.
Hawkeye
December 13th, 2010
10:29 pm
http://games.espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=23zr2w7
1. I think we can make this trade without giving up JC1.
2. Saves us $. We can finally get rid of marvin and zaza’s contract.
3. Will make us a younger team
4. Gives us trade chips.
5. Gives us a solid backup PG in Hinrich.
ant banks
December 13th, 2010
10:29 pm
wow…what did we do to deserve a new post? christmas, maybe? thank you, kindly, suh
Hawkeye
December 13th, 2010
10:36 pm
STARTER:
C- Collins
PF- Horford
SF- Smith
SG- JJ
PG- Bibby
2nd unit
C- Etan/ Thompson
PF- Powell
SF- Thornton/ Pape
SG- JC1/ Wilkins
PG- Hinrich/ JC2
We can make adjustments depending on the match up,
ant banks
December 13th, 2010
10:40 pm
HAWKEYE,
stop wit’ the efffin’ pipe dreams. we don’t want marvin and zaza. why in the eff would washington? they would get 11mil in salary for 4more yrs FOR WHAT?
STOP WIT’ THE TRADE ISH PEOPLE!! NO ONE WANTS OUR GARBARGE!!
Hawkeye
December 13th, 2010
10:48 pm
Or we can trade Marvin and Mo for Diaw. Diaw can play multiple positions and he’s a good passer and defender. His skill set might fit well in LD’s system.
Hawkeye
December 13th, 2010
10:50 pm
Ant
We got bibby and crawford for garbage. So how is it impossible?
ATL RAISED INDY LIVING
December 13th, 2010
10:51 pm
NO WONDER MO EVANS AND JOSH POWELL GET MORE MINUTES THAN THEY HAVE EVER GOTTEN…BOTH OF THEM HAVE INJURED KNEES AND I AM SURE THAT DOESNT COME FROM PLAYING ON THE COURT…COACH DREW HAS BEEN A LITTLE HAPPIER LATELY..I WONDER IF THAT IS RELATED TO THE ” KNEE ” INJURIES OF MO AND JOSH….OH NO SAY IT AIN’T SO
cp
December 13th, 2010
11:16 pm
smh seriously have the people who want Thabeet seen him play? This dude is hot garbage. He brings nothing to the court other than being tall and he cant even take advantage of being tall. Dude does not play defense, doesn’t rebound, cant score, cant do anything but collect that check…
Hopefully Joe comes back and continues to buy into the system. He was missing a lot of wide open shots. I think he just wasn’t used to it or that elbow was causing the shooting slump. If he starts knocking down those open jumpers, and I know he will then the Hawks will be a whole lot dangerous………..AND No More Mo Evans.
Ken Strickland
December 13th, 2010
11:16 pm
The way the Hawks have played so far, especially without JJ, I’m convinced there won’t be any roster moves until the upcoming off season. When JJ returns, it will be interesting to see who’ll be removed from the 12 man roster, assuming DWilkins is retained. I see Jordan Crawford initially as the odd man out.
In addition to giving the trade CAnthony suggestion a rest, the trade or bench Marvin Williams suggestions need to be put to rest as well, because it’s not going to happen. LDrew will be given the entire season to take this roster as far as it can go. Changes and adjustments will be forthcoming after the season, when it’s been determined what’s needed most and what’s available.
The Hawks are still learning how to play under LDrews concept of playing total TEAM defense and offense. They’re also learning how to adjust to his willingness to make adjustments, in order to create matchup advantages, like changing the starting lineup and moving players to different positions.
I think Sund is committed to seeing how much LDrew can get out of this team as it’s currently constructed. He was certainly patient with Woodson in that regard, and obviously didn’t make an issue when he continued to start underachieving MBibby and MWilliams. That’s especially true in the case of Bibby, who became both an OFF and DEF liability.
This isn’t a fantasy league basketball forum, so try to contribute something other than a bunch of mindless fantasy trade scenarios, or rantings about who should be permanently benched and/or who should start, especially when you know darn well it’s not going to happen.
lewis
December 13th, 2010
11:36 pm
Ken i think you have Sund’s commitment mixed up with ASG’s cheapness and indecisiveness
JoJo the Godfather
December 14th, 2010
6:19 am
I still want a “capologist” to answer whether or not we can keep Wilkins for the rest of the year and still avoid the luxury tax.
JoJo the Godfather
December 14th, 2010
6:29 am
I think the thing to remember with Thabeet is that IF HE WAS ANY GOOD, then he wouldn’t be available. Memphis needs bigs as bad an any team. Some team out there will take a chance on turning his career around. I just don’t think that the Hawks are in the position to be that team.
J from the A
December 14th, 2010
7:38 am
smdh @ all the people that have so much anger and hate toward JJ for something he never did …
get over yourselves. Seriously.
dukester
December 14th, 2010
7:40 am
Good morning all. I am trying to figure why Thabeet is being mentioned when we had a chance to get Jason Thompson!!! And hardly no one complained about that. I remember blogging all day about how we messed a opportunity. All they wanted was Teague.
J from the A
December 14th, 2010
7:42 am
QUOTE (Hawkeye):
http://games.espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=23zr2w7
1. I think we can make this trade without giving up JC1.
2. Saves us $. We can finally get rid of marvin and zaza’s contract.
3. Will make us a younger team
4. Gives us trade chips.
5. Gives us a solid backup PG in Hinrich.
END QUOTE
When I first saw this trade proposed on a previous blog, I was about 70/30 on it, leaning toward not liking it. But The more I think about this trade, the more I like it.
Alsandair Barnes
December 14th, 2010
7:55 am
Just get rid of Joe Johnson.Thats the move !!!!!!!
dukester
December 14th, 2010
7:58 am
@ J from the A Good morning first of all. I agree JJ has brought this team from 13 wins to now like it or not. JJ accepted us when we were nothing. He signed a contract when he could have pulled a Carmelo and said ” I aint signing”. Second imagine this team last year minus JJ and free agency came and we signed him we would all be saying “o man we have a big name free agent we might win a ring”. Is he all that he can be? No but he belong to us and I am glad to have him. I remember the time when we wished we had a player like Joe.
Also dont get me wrong I am all for trading Marvin and ZaZa to anybody even Iowa barnstormers for their mascot. But that trade you guys have just posted will not happen. Sund would nt even trade Teague for Thompson straight up so what’s the use.
O'Brien
December 14th, 2010
8:09 am
Ken S,
I do think Marvin will come off the bench sometimes when JJ comes back and LD wants to go with his big lineup. I think LD will go with Twin/Al/Josh/JJ/Bibby.
And I think that will help Marvin, because he wont have to defer to JJ as much.
And for those who want Thabeet, the guy will make over $5 mil next season. What have you seen from him that suggests he is worth that kind of money?
JeJe
December 14th, 2010
8:21 am
FIRE SUND
AND DO NOT RUSH JOE BACK. MAKE SURE HE IS PERFECTLY HEALTHY
O'Brien
December 14th, 2010
8:31 am
I appreciate JJ signing with us when he did, but he had some of his own reasons for signing with the Hawks.
To sign with us, we gave him $20 mil his first year, and $70 mil for 5 years. Phoenix was not offering him that.
He wanted to be “the man”, we gave him the opportunity to be the man. He enjoyed having the ball in his hand so much, that there was even discussion to him playing PG for us (although that didnt last).
He wanted to be close to his family in Arkansas, we are closer to Arkansas than where he was in Phoenix.
So although we werent that good, he had some good reasons for signing with us that were beneficial for him too.
dukester
December 14th, 2010
8:49 am
@ O Brien I agree it was a win win situation. The 123 mil that Joe just signed for doesnt bother me as much as ASG thinking that they dont need to go out amd finish the drill. I like the whole “core” phrase they like to use. Only one thing the core is half rotten. Marvin,Zaza, and Bibby being resigned a couple of years ago took the wind out of me for this franchise. I mean we have 70 million going down the drain in those 3. I mean Bibby cool but maybe a 3 year 6 million dollar deal would have been better.
i_am_soulstar
December 14th, 2010
8:58 am
Thabeet? I wouldn’t trade Mo Evans w/ a non-expiring contract for him, and that’s saying something. The guy has the same situation as Marvin. Mediocre to average player picked in the lottery that can’t live up to expectations. It’s not his fault, but let’s not make him our burden.
I never thought the Hawks could get to the ECF even though I’m a longtime fan, but if Joe comes back playing like Joe of old and fits into the current scheme, they definitely have the pieces to be make it happen this year.
It’s funny that this is mostly made possible by the evolution of Josh Smith and Al Horford as basketball players. We keep making trade proposals, but these guys who’ve barely tap danced on 25 keep getting significantly better each year.
Who would’ve thought Al Horford would be receiving honorable mention for MVP consideration?
It’s probable that Mo Evans gets pushed out of the rotation once Joe returns. I really hoped Mo would use Joe’s abscence as an opportunity to show why he believes he’s “undervalued,” but 2.5 mil/ year is starting to look generous with how he’s been playing.
terrell
December 14th, 2010
9:06 am
If this team struggles when Joe comes back, the Joe haters(JeJe) will be out in full force. lol! I must admit though. Havent really missed JJ that much my damn self. I actually liked Marvin’s big behind at the 2. Causes all sorts of matchup problems. Especially if he decides he’s going to actually contribute that night. However, the team is better with JJ, as long as we dont revert back to give the ball Joe and let him dribble for 20 sec. Remember LD, inside out, not outside in. KEEP FEEDING HORFORD.
Bibby/JJ/Josh/Al/Collins
Jamal/Marvin/Damien/Powell/Etan
Teague/JC2
End of the bench
Zaza/Mo
tony
December 14th, 2010
9:08 am
Here’s a trade I think most will agree.
games.espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine
Send MV and JT to Washington for Kirk Hinrich. JT is not a true pg and MW is not a starter. Kirk Hinrich(pg) is a leader and a terrific defender.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gUD9p9awoog
Kirk Hinrich(pg)………….Mike Bibby
Joe Johnson(sg)………..Jamal Crawford
Josh Smith(sf)…………..Damien Wilkins
Al Horford(pf)…………….Josh Powell
Jason Collins(c)…………Zaza P
Ken Strickland
December 14th, 2010
9:16 am
LEWIS-Being cheap means an unwillingness to spend money period, like the LA Clippers. The ASG spent to resign Marvin, Horford, Smoove, Bibby, Zaza and JJ. There are fans who still whine and complain about the amount they paid Marvin, Bibby, Zaza and JJ.
There’s a difference between being cheap and being unwilling, at least at this point, to go into luxury tax territory. It would be stupid to go into luxury tax territory before you’ve reached the point where you’ve become a legitimate title contender. And as most of us should know by now, the Hawks haven’t reached that point yet.
Also, why would Sund or the ASG spend themselves into luxury tax territory for Woodson, a HC that was on the hot seat? With them wanting to see what LDrew can do with what we already have, I don’t see them doing it for him in his 1st yr. If the players, and team overall, demonstrate steady progress in picking up LDrew’s OFF/DEF concepts, and have a solid showing in the playoffs, they might be willing to dip their toes into luxury tax territory. Of course that’s assuming they can get the player(s) they feel can get the tean to the next level.
Right now, they’re waiting to see if LDrew can do a better job of preparing the Hawks for the playoffs than Woodson. I think management would be satisfied with the team getting through the 1st rd without struggling through a 7gm series. I also think they’d be elated, and willing to spend, if the team came close to duplicating the teams rousing 07 performance against the Celtics, even if we lost.
After 6yrs under Woodson, the Hawks became a solid regular season winner and playoff participant, but we struggled mightly in the playoffs. After an outstanding 07 1st rd performance against a far superior Celtic team, we regressed and struggled to win two 1st rd series against inferior teams. After reaching the 2nd rd, we completely fell apart and were swept and embarrassed in record fashion.
I’m very optimistic about this team under LDrew. He’s doing everything he said he’d do, and the players, as well as the team, have responded and started to show the results, even without JJ. We’ll go into this yrws playoffs with a demonstrated ability to win on the rd. Imagine if we could have won just one gm in Boston. We’ll have an OFF that will make the DEF work, and get our key players easy scoring opportunities. We already see the improvement in our DEF, although there needs to be more consistency. COME PLAYOFF TIME, THE ATLANTA HAWKS WILL BE A LOAD FOR ANY TEAM TO CONTEND WITH.
So many of you are still doing what Woodson did, which contributed mightly to his demise, and that’s micro managing the regular season, when playoffs represent the teams ultimate goal.
yodaddy
December 14th, 2010
9:32 am
I don’t care how much money Hasheem Thabeet makes the boy is TRASH and is overpaid.
I’ll take ZaZa Pachulia a 100 times out of 100 over Hasheem Thabeet. He’s 7 ft something and can’t even rebound or block shots. He can’t even body up anybody. Thabeet is the absolute worst…wasn’t he sent down to the D-League earlier this year???
Thabeet would make this team worse. I’d rather deal with 0 pts and 2 rebs from Marvin Williams or 2 pts 2TO’s and 5 fouls from ZaZa rather than 8 minutes of ZEROS from Thabeet. The boy is garbage…PERIOD.
yodaddy
December 14th, 2010
9:35 am
Tyrone Hill was a beast on the boards
JeJe
December 14th, 2010
9:51 am
I AM NOT A JOE HATER.
HE HELPS OUR TEAM, BUT WE ARE FINE WITHOUT HIM FOR NOW, AND HE SHOULD TAKE HIS TIME TO RETURN SO HE CAN ACTUALLY BE FRESH AND PRODUCTIVE IN THE PLAYOFFS RATHER THAN USELESS AS HE HAS BEEN IN PAST YEARS.
I’M READY TO GET PAST THE 2ND DAMN ROUND THIS YEAR
J from the A
December 14th, 2010
10:02 am
@Dukester:
Good morning to you, too.
Re: JJ: I could not agree more.
Re: Teague for Thompson: If I was Sund, I would not have pulled the trigger on the Thompson for Teague trade UNLESS the Hawks had a definite replacement for Teague lined-up. Hawkeye’s proposal takes care of my (and perhaps Sund’s???) PG replacement concern. Of course, for this trade to happen, three parties would have to agree.
J-bone
December 14th, 2010
10:19 am
Let Joe Be Joe. Also liking Big Al @ the 4.
oldtimer
December 14th, 2010
10:20 am
Tony, i would not trade Marvin AND Teague for Captain Kirk.
Marvin takes a lot of abuse and rightly so, but he is still a big small forward who is relatively athletic and runs well, probably our best wing defender and can average around 10 points. That is a lot to give up for Captain Kirk.
Also as much abuse as Teague takes, remember this is only his second year. He is showing signs of growing up. Really it is just his first year if you consider how little playing time he got last year. And he doesn’t make that much so he is not really a burden for the Hawks. So I would keep him and see how it works.
So not to repeat what others have started, but we can not afford a trade as you state.
Hawk n the Ham
December 14th, 2010
10:32 am
Speaking of little playtime……where on earth is Jordan Crawford? Seriously, I thought he would be a regular in the rotation after JJ went down.
Wally Walker
December 14th, 2010
10:40 am
I second the motion to trade Marvin and Teague for Hinrich for numerous reasons: Hinrich is a true point and a floor leader who can penatrate/shoot. Marvin is still young and has skills, but after JJ returns. He certainly becomes a bench player maybe even 7th ot 8th. A new start is probably what he needs. Next, Teague has skills, but he’s not a PG and the Hawks need a true PG and don’t the luxury of a tweener clogging the guard rotation. The salaries work (around 9 mil) and its a good trade for both teams. The Wizards get faster in the back court and more versatility at the 6th and 7th positions. The Hawks get actually what they need a PG.
Next, trade Mo for anybody’s 2nd round pick, Wlikins has surplanted his role and the trade gets the Hawks out of luxury tax area. It is clear that JC1 will not be moved this year and the Hawks are wanting for the fallout of the NBA finances before desiding to offer him a deal or not.
Go Hawks!
dukester
December 14th, 2010
11:21 am
@J from the A about Teague why not trade him. I mean I like the kid but we could pick some one up off the street to bring what he brings.
Personally I dont think the hawks would do that trade that was posted. My point is we are happy with the job that Collins is doing at center. Jason Thompson would have been a beast at center for us. He would be the better in all categories rebounding, defensively, and scoring. He is young and athletic matching him with Josh and Al would have been a knightmare for most front lines.
JeJe
December 14th, 2010
11:33 am
Marvin and Teague for Hinrich?
You want to trade 2 players (one of which starts for us), for a 6″3 combo guard? WTF is your obsession with Hinrich? You don’t trade 2 players for Kirk freaking Hinrich
yodaddy
December 14th, 2010
11:39 am
The Wizards do not need Jeff Teague when they have two PG’s locked up long term…..Gilbert Arenas and JOHN WALL.
I don’t understand how some of you think. Why would they want to acquire another point guard (a less productive one at that) and a small forward that averages less ppg than the player they are trading? Makes no sense whatsoever.
Why would they trade a “leader” for two disappearing acts and no cap relief??? Keep in mind they are already the worst team in the league (or amongst the worst)…they don’t need two more inconsistent young thundercats, they need some veteran leadership. Some CONSISTENCY.
Yeah maybe the salaries work…but that’s where it ends. Also why would they trade to make a division foe better??? So they can stay at the bottom? And that’s not to mention that their small forward (Al Thornton) is better than the one they would acquire. And if he’s not better the difference between the two is so insignificant that it doesn’t even matter. So in essence they would trade their sixth man for two bench players.
JoJo the Godfather
December 14th, 2010
11:45 am
I’m not sure about the whole Kirk Hinrich idea. Look at a comparison to Jeff Teague (who many think should never see the floor):
Hinrich turns 30 next month, makes $17M this year & next combined, averages 33 minutes a game, 10.7 pts on 47% shooting (36% from 3), 4.5 assists, 2.9 rebs, 1.14 stls, with 1.64 turnovers.
Teague turns 23 in June, makes less than $5M this year & the next 2 combined, averages 13 minutes a game, 4.0 pts on 42.5% shooting (30% from 3), 2.3 assists, 1.5 rebs, .55 steals, with .77 turnovers.
If you gave Teague 33 minutes a game, any chance his production would match or be better than Hinrich’s? To me, Hinrich’s value is less than half of what he’s getting paid. I know there are intangibles & his defense is solid, but that’s what we pay veteran minimum guys like Wilkins & Powell to provide (intangibles & defense).
yodaddy
December 14th, 2010
11:51 am
Jason Thompson is redundant because we have players with his similar size that does what he does better than he does it. Thompson is not a banger…he’s finesse. Oh great another finesse power forward that has no where to play.
I guess he’d be a decent starting center…but why would Kings trade him for Jeff Teague an unproven backup point guard at best? Why would the Hawks trade their only backup point guard and their only quickness in the backcourt on defense when they already have lets count em (Smith, Horford, Zaza, Etan, Collins, Powell and Marvin Williams) 4 PF/C, 2 C, and 1 SF/PF on the roster?????
Why do the Hawks need to trade for another PF/C without giving one we already have up?
northcyde
December 14th, 2010
11:53 am
Drmaryb . . . here you go.
Up to date efficiency rankings per position according to hoopsstats.com:
PG – Bibby ( 30th . . . he was 39th last year ) . . Teague ( 49th )
G – Johnson ( 10th ) . . Jamal ( 21st ) . . Damien ( 53rd ) . . Jordan ( 62nd )
F – Marvin ( 23rd ) . . Evans ( 69th )
PF – Smith ( 8th ) . . Powell ( 54th )
C – Horford ( 3rd ) . . Zaza ( 48th ) . . Collins ( 70th ) . . Etan ( 80th )
*******
Overall Player Rankings league wide:
Horford ( 7th )
Smith ( 23rd )
Johnson ( 73rd )
Jamal ( 116th )
Marvin ( 141st )
Bibby ( 143rd )
Zaza ( 241st )
Powell ( 242nd )
Teague ( 264th )
Damien ( 272nd )
Jordan ( 318th )
Collins ( 342nd )
Evans ( 346th )
Etan ( 366th )
By the way . . . . Thabeet ( 371st )
yodaddy
December 14th, 2010
11:57 am
To get Jason Thompson the Hawks would want to give up Zaza Pachulia or Etan as well…too bad the Kings (or any team for that matter) don’t want Zaza Pachulia or Etan Thomas.
Rufus1
December 14th, 2010
11:58 am
Good teams are different than Bad teams….
When some of you guy talk about these trades I think you miss some important points.
1. If a player can’t dominate on a Bad team, what is he going to do with less minutes and less scoring chances on a GOOD TEAM.
2. In the East we have a ton of very, very, very good wing players….more than great PG. So with Marvin, Damien, Joe and Josh on the wing, that is our only defensive advantage.(ask, Iggy and Granger)
3. Teague needs atleast a year under this coach, because his defense could be very importatnt to the Hawks in the Playoffs.
4. Last… Jamal is becoming a solid defender at the PG position and the chemistry is very good with him at PG.
The Hawks are built to win the east. We are 5-2 without are best player and ASG wants to know how good we will be with JJ under LD. The Hawks are a legit contender for the ECF crown….. “It ain’t broke, so don’t fix it”
JoJo the Godfather
December 14th, 2010
12:02 pm
northcyde….yet Mo Evans (346th) is in our top 8 in minutes per game…time for a change?
tony
December 14th, 2010
12:08 pm
AMAZING! The hawks fans just don’t get. If you people can’t see a quality player who has all the tangibles to impact your team maybe you need to learn some things from the Laker fans. Here’s what they say about Kirk Hinrich.
neemz69,
I’m a Lakers fan and for a long time I have been for Kirk coming to L.A. The miss and final piece for the Lakers is a defensive point guard who can shoot the 3. Kirk Hinrich is just that.. Fisher doesn’t have much gas left in the tank, Farmar has a piss poor attitude, and Shannon Brown as much as I like him, is better suited off the bench for this team. I’m sure Hinrich would love a bigger role as well.
1.Kirk
2. Kobe
3. Ron Ron
4. Gasol
5. Bynum
6. Odom
How do you stop that?
silverdex,
the lakers should get kirk in the trade deadline this coming season!!
nightprowler10,
Did you see him guard Kobe? What a champ.
bwillie007,
Lakers need to figure out a way to get Hinrich. If they found a way to snake him, it is game over for everybody else in the NBA next year. None of their point guards can play a lick of defense and Hinrich would feel the ideal role in the triangle offense.
jayhawks311,
hes such a good defender, better than rose…
rose is ridiculesly good, however hinrich is alot more experienced and doesnt turn it over nearly as much as rose
vytiaco,
kirk needs to come to la and run the triangle. a tall pg exactly what phil wants. trade farmar for kirk.
I will keep lobbying for this young man because I know he’s the missing piece for the hawks. We need a pg who can lock down the opposition pgs. You limit teams when you can shut down their pgs. More important Kirk is a floor leader.
Rev in Tampa
December 14th, 2010
12:09 pm
Ken Strickland is correct in urging patience for this year’s Hawks team. There are several reasons for patience
1. The Hawks, namely Jamal & Joe, are still adjusting to the motion offense. It seems as if Jamal is finally starting to adjust his game to the system and it is exciting to watch.
2. The Hawks are still experimenting with the line-ups. Jason Collins has become a pleasant surprise and he is EARNING more minutes than any of us expected. Wilkins has brought a whole new intensity to the defense. Mo has taken a few steps back since his jumpshot has disappeared. Teague is not contributing as much as Drew had expected. Marvin, unfortunately, is doing what many had expected.
3. What will happen when Joe returns? Who is the odd man out? Who will sit the bench when Drew goes with a bigger line-up?
4. What have the Hawks learned from Joe’s absence? What has Joe learned about playing within the flow of the motion offense? I remember the year after Dominick Wilkins graduated from Georgia that the Bulldogs made it to the NCAA Final Four. Hopefully Joe has learned to trust his teammates more and, more importantly, the rest of the Hawks won’t stop moving on offense when Joe gets the ball in his hands.
5. Have the Hawks learned to play with more mental toughness? I am still angry about the Celtics game. The Hawks were PATHETIC in that game. The organization should have refunded the ticket sales back to the fans. But they have played with noticeably more heart since then. Can they keep this level of intensity even when they run into adversity? What will happen when they get behind by fifteen in the first half against a quality opponent? Will they roll over or play through it?
6. Playing all of these scrub teams at the beginning of the season has allowed the Hawks to work on some of the issues listed above while adding some W’s to the win column. But it still leaves us with uncertainty regarding how good this team really is. Have they progressed, regressed, or stagnated? I think it is impossible to know at this point given the questions that are still being answered. Seeing good effort against the elite teams will go a long way to answering these questions. Even though the Hawks lost by double figures against the Spurs, they played very well until the last 4 minutes.
If the Hawks continue to play well I believe that the Hawks organization will look more seriously at the needs the Hawks have as they move toward the trade deadline. I am glad that Sund was more patient than I would have been. I would have traded Jamal before the season to bring more balance to the roster, but I am now seeing him as an essential part of this team. He is a dagger aimed at the heart of the opposition’s defense. He is unstoppable.
Granted, calling for patience is not very sexy. Someone said, “Patience is a virtue that carries a lot of WAIT.” Ken Strickland and Rufus1 have been unshakable in their confidence and I enjoy reading their postings.
I almost jumped off the ship with a large millstone around my neck after the Celtics game. I am still hesitant in my hope for this team but my confidence is growing that they will be a very much improved team when the playoffs start than they were last year at the end of the season. They may not win as many games during the regular season as they work through the questions that lie before them, but it is likely that they will perform much better in the playoffs.
Rufus1
December 14th, 2010
12:17 pm
@Rev in Tampa
The playoffs are all that matter!
JoJo the Godfather
December 14th, 2010
12:25 pm
tony…how old are those comments? Farmar doesn’t even play for LA, and Kobe went off for 32 on better than 50% shooting in LA’s only game against Washington this year.
JoJo the Godfather
December 14th, 2010
12:32 pm
My guess is that Jordan Crawford gets some run tonight in Detroit. Much like how LD finds minutes for Teague when we play Indiana.
SteveW
December 14th, 2010
12:39 pm
JoJo – Your the capologist here! That being said, wouldn’t Damien’s contract be prorated at about 80% of the Vet minimum of $854,000.00, because we signed him about 20% way thru the season? We have $759,000.00 or so left under cap space, so yes, I think we can sign Damien and be under the Luxury tax. Barely.
Of more concern to me is he is our 15th guy, which means we have no more flexibility, none, done, nada, unless we do a trade.
Which means, what if Bibby strains a quadricep, and is sidelined 2 months, but not the rest of the season. We then don’t get the injured player exception which only comes when NBA doctors determine the player is gone for the remainder of the season. We then have to play 2 months with Jamal and Teague at PG.
Wish we would have left Sy in Le Havre.
tony
December 14th, 2010
12:39 pm
JoJotheGodfather, what different does it makes how old those comments are? What matter is that the Laker fans knows more about basketball than the hawks fans. Believe me, if Hinrich was a bad player like you people think he is, they will bash him like you people.
I was lobbying for the hawks to sign Raymond Felton during the off season but you people bash him too. You people are pathetic.
JoJo the Godfather
December 14th, 2010
12:45 pm
SteveW…I’m not worried about the 15th spot as much…If we find a deal out there, I could see us releasing Etan Thomas to free up a roster spot…We’d eat the rest of his salary, but his value to the team is only in the case of injury and to bang with guys in practice.
JoJo the Godfather
December 14th, 2010
12:49 pm
tony…the point is that Hinrich is a 30 yr old PG that COULD be in decline…maybe your recommendation is a year or two too late???
JoJo the Godfather
December 14th, 2010
12:53 pm
tony…and while you lobbied for the Hawks to sign Felton this offseason, you must have ignored the fact that we had no cap space (with or without Joe) to sign him for what the Knicks paid.
hinrich is a nice player, but he is overpaid just like several other players on our roster.
SteveW
December 14th, 2010
12:58 pm
JoJo – And in playing the Magic, Etan is a huge set of biceps designed to play 3-5 minutes against Dwight as well. Also, didn’t a couple of those guys, Collins and Etan? sign guranteed contracts, meaning basically that we can’t release them? I think Collins even had a no-trade clause in his if I remember correctly.
It would take an amateur capologist ot determine if by keeping Wilkens, could we release Etan, sign someone else, and still be under Luxury tax? It may not come to that however.
I’m just looking forward to a healthy JJ getting back, and seeing what this team can do the remainder of the year. I predicted 46-36, but better in the playoffs, we’ll see. We may be headed towards another 50 win year.
PS – LD can coach! And I like his lineup rotations. Now if he can: Develop Teague, Marvin, and ZaZa this year,and Crawford and Sy for next season make this man Coach of the Year! Maybe Coach of the Decade! Ha!
JoJo the Godfather
December 14th, 2010
1:02 pm
guaranteed contracts only mean that you’re guaranteed to get paid, not guaranteed to be on a team’s active/inactive roster…we could cut Joe Johnson tomorrow and he could go live out his life on a beach somewhere, but he still gets paid.
SteveW
December 14th, 2010
1:02 pm
JoJo – That would be nice about Jordan tonight, but I’ve quit guessing LD’s minute/player rotations. It doesn’t seem to follow the obvious many times. But I do hope Jordan gets some PT, because it is looking more and more like he’s JJ’s backup next season. Not hearing anything about Jamal re-signing.
Rev in Tampa
December 14th, 2010
1:02 pm
JeJe is the CAPOLOGIST on the Hawks Blog.
tony
December 14th, 2010
1:03 pm
Lets see here. JJ 29 yrs old
JC1 30 yrs old
Mo Evan 32 yrs old
Oh yeah, Steve Nash is 36 yrs old. You prove my point JoJo the Godfather. The Laker fans are much knowledgeable than the hawks fans.
SteveW
December 14th, 2010
1:05 pm
JoJo – the point being, if we released Etan, kept Wilkens, we would be over the luxury tax signing another guy. But I don’t think Sund and ASG would care if we were just a few hundred thousand over, if it meant a winner on the court.
I keep having this nagging feeling I would like to have Jarvis Hayes and Josh Boone as scrubs on this club, instead of Sy and Etan. But maybe that’s just me. Too many ex Nets may bring bad luck however!
JoJo the Godfather
December 14th, 2010
1:12 pm
I’m an LD fan as well, but you can tell he’s struggling with his rotations at times. Maybe it would be easier on him if he had less options.
JoJo the Godfather
December 14th, 2010
1:25 pm
tony…the word could was in caps for you.
if those thoughts are from last year, I wonder if those same Lakers’ fans would choose trading an asset for Hinrich at $9M over signing Shannon Brown & Steve Blake at about 2/3 the cost.
drmaryb (*_*)
December 14th, 2010
1:27 pm
Rev In Tampa!
Great Commentary up there! Nice! LOL re: CAPOLOGIST … TOO Funny.
I really enjoyed reading your post though. Especially about Patience and Wait!
JoJo the Godfather
December 14th, 2010
1:28 pm
SteveW…i don’t think the Hawks would release a player (Etan) just to sign another (Hayes or Boone or DaSean Butler)…but if the Hawks traded a player for two in return, you could see one of the incoming players or Thomas released.
Fundamentals
December 14th, 2010
1:35 pm
When is the last time Carmelo got to the WCF? When has he shown great leadership, great effort w/o counting the Olympics? Dude won’t help us.
Thabeet is a project I would’ve taken prior to becoming a playoff team. Right now we don’t need projects, we have Sy for that and folks are pissed. We need players who can contribute daily! Thabeet isn’t that type of player.
Joe needs to rest the full term. Not b/c we’re winning or we want to see the team without him. That’s just plain stupid. We need him to rest so he can actually get to 100% so there will be no excuses this year in the playoffs. Get 100% healthy, get rested, get back in the groove in Feb and show us our 124 million reasons why you are the man…when it counts…down the stretch and in the playoffs!
Fundamentals
December 14th, 2010
1:44 pm
We do need patience here. The team is definitely gelling and headed in the right direction. Trades most likley won’t come b/c they’ll need to be obviously beneficial for both teams to happen.
The real question for our future is what will ASG do w/ the luxury tax issue? Will LD progress this season enough to entice Sund/ASG into the tax? What will the new CBagreement hold for us in terms of cap space?
We are an elite team when you pro-rate our budget compared to others. Sad thing is there is no adjustment for us in the playoffs. We just come up 20-30 million short.
Hopefully progress = more fans = more income = more buyin by ownership = more $$ = more players = more wins = championship, but like I said, I said hopefully…to date it’s not happened.
yodaddy
December 14th, 2010
2:10 pm
@ Tony
we like Kirk Hinrich…but the Wizards aren’t going to like Marvin, Zaza or Teague for him…makes no sense
KellieJenee
December 14th, 2010
2:23 pm
Get well soon Joe!! I’m looking forward to your return. It’s nice to see the Hawks doing well!!! I knew this team was capible of doing better, but I was WORRIED after that Boston game. Thankfully you’re back on track, we just need to get Joe back and hopefully everyone can stay pretty healthy the rest of the season. LETS GO HAWKS!!! LOVE YA’LL!
northcyde
December 14th, 2010
2:40 pm
@ Jojo . . . I said at the beginning of the season that I hope Jordan would take Mo’s minutes, because he is OBVIOUSLY more talented than Mo.
As of right now, Mo’s ONLY value to the team, is as a defender. . . and his defense isn’t even that good.
His ranking shocked me though. I knew he was bad, but not THAT BAD. Even Jordan has a higher ranking than him.
So when JJ comes back, he’s the guy that needs to be sent under the bench. Damien can guard the 2 or the 3 much better than Mo. So if Mo can’t be a deadeye shooter anymore, there’s no reason why he should get any minutes now. Give his minutes to JJ at the 3 or Damien at the 3.
JJ should be out until the end of the year. We play an insane 10 games in 18 days. So Mo has 10 games to prove his worth.
Start making shots and playing good defense . . or else.
terrell
December 14th, 2010
2:50 pm
Obrien, Marvin might be better than Thabeet and Morrison, but the fact remains the same. We NEEDED a pg, not another wing player. That’s why the Marvin pick was so bad.
terrell
December 14th, 2010
2:52 pm
Not to mention, they hyped Marvin up like he was the next coming of MJ. Thabeet and Morrison never got that much publicity.
terrell
December 14th, 2010
2:56 pm
But your’re right Obrien, at least Marvin contributes every now and then.
terrell
December 14th, 2010
3:10 pm
Jason Thompson has 1 good game(vs the Wizards), and now he’s a beast. lol!
Ramon
December 14th, 2010
3:27 pm
Terrell, sorry but Thompson was a good player on the Kings for the last 3 seasons. He’d be our best big on the bench easily. And he does rebound better than Zaza or Powell.
Really?
December 14th, 2010
3:42 pm
Lmao, at Joe trying to rush back, so he’ll have an excuse for not living up to his contract.
Really?
December 14th, 2010
3:47 pm
So Ramon, your’re willing to give up Marvin and Teague for another bench player? Zaza and Teague for Thompson? Maybe. Marvin and Teague for Thompson? No way. Zaza and Mo for Thompson? Hell yeah!
ILL-Logical
December 14th, 2010
3:51 pm
What if Joe is not irreplacable and could net either a take charge point guard/ a major force in the middle?
The answer is that he will remain first on the payroll and last in the hearts of many Hawk fans.
The better news is that he should have fresh(er) legs when he returns.
lewis
December 14th, 2010
3:54 pm
Sund told Portland to go away when they inquired about Jamal
possible old news
Really?
December 14th, 2010
3:54 pm
Ramon, I might could go for something like Marvin/Mo/Teague for Thompson/Udrih. Btw, is Thompson still available?
drmaryb (*_*)
December 14th, 2010
3:57 pm
NorthCyde Baby!
Just looking over my List you provided and, I LOVE YOU so much for doing this.
And, if you weren’t married already, I would snatch YOU up!
Tell, the wife no harm, just congratulations to her! -smiles-
Anyway, I was surprised to see the numbers on my favorite team:
Overall Player Rankings league wide:
Horford ( 7th )
Smith ( 23rd )
Johnson ( 73rd )
Jamal ( 116th )
Marvin ( 141st )
Bibby ( 143rd )
Horford, Smith ahead of Johnson? I guess Al & Josh are so improved over last year. Definite All-Stars – those two! Horford is also ranked the 3rd Best Center leaguewide! We got him for a steal for sure. Josh, married now, has played unbelievable, his jumper looks legitimate to me, all confidence driven, no doubt!
Which, brings me to Coach Drew and the phenomenal job he has done instilling confidence in these guys and with a Tony Dungy “aura of respect”.
I.E. No yelling and Screaming on the sidelines.
Kudos to Coach for a fine job of – Asset Management!
Of all the guys on the team, I guess Joe and Jamal have had to make the bigget adjustment to the new offensive system. Everybody, really.
Jamal ranked ahead of Marvin and Bibby is no surprise. Jamal is a perfect fit on this team and all the – (trade jamal’s) are ludicrous! Jamal is The Difference! On this team he has DWade singing Hawks praises and Spolestra sent The Hawks some shout-outs too! Right before they kicked our butts. But, why shop Jamal when Marvin and Bibby are on this roster still?
But, all who doubt Joe’s shooting elbow was a problem, I challenge you to have a “Loose Bodies” removed from your money making body part and get back to me.
Surgery is never a minor thing and 4-6 weeks recovery should tell you how serious an injury that is.
Get Well Soon Joe! We miss you Baby!
dukester
December 14th, 2010
3:58 pm
@terrell regarding Jason Thompson. I am not sure why some on this blog keep knocking the skills of one Jason Thompson its evident you dont know the young man. He has logged 41 double double nights since his rookie season. He plays defense has had several 4 block nights in his short NBA career. How many center do we have that have done that besides Al Horford. Yes! he is a center. He is 6′ 11″ 250 lbs. Some will say “we have enough forwards he is not a center”. A list of other 6′ 11″ centers in the league Dwight Howard, Sam Dalembert, Erick Dampier is 6′ 11″ the boards were on fire to have him. Tim Duncan is 6′ 11′ he is a center also if need be. Bottom line man look Thompson is not the player that will put us over “the top” but what he is a guy that is 10x better than Jason Collins he is younger more athletic and we could have had him for a back up point guard. Sund dropped the ball that’s who you should be angry with and tearing apart not Jason Thompson.
drmaryb (*_*)
December 14th, 2010
4:04 pm
Really?
Joe does not have to live up to his contract! It’s Guarunteed!
He will continue to do what he always did – That’s what got him paid!
2nd Round sweeps and all! I’m not saying Joe is not a winner and doesn’t care about winning. But. Like LeBron, DWade and Kobe? He need help too!
Looks like we got some home-grown “Organic” help coming from Josh and Al!
Now! We need a PG and Big Center to fill us out!
drmaryb (*_*)
December 14th, 2010
4:16 pm
Jason for ZaZa? What’s the Hold up? I might even send Teague out there and let Jamal run the Point.
My X-Ray Sales and Service guy turned me onto him, 2 years ago, I had never heard of him. Yeah, said Jason is his Sister’s Boy. So, I started checking him out
He has a slim build like our old Solo. Is very active and has a bottom lip that “dribbles” like a Saint Bernard.
If Jason could put some muscle weight on, then you could compare his height to Dwight. Not till then. IDK … We Got Needs! PG & BIG CENTER. Bigger, than Al at least!
Really?
December 14th, 2010
4:45 pm
Dukester, so why did Sacremento draft Cousins? Makes no sense. And we need a banger at center. Not another undersized center. Trade was probably a rumor anyway. Why would Sactown want Teague, when they already have Evans and Udrih?
Really?
December 14th, 2010
4:47 pm
@dukester, Not trying to speak for Terrell. Just asking?
Ken Strickland
December 14th, 2010
4:51 pm
REV IN TAMPA-When you’re on a journey, you focus on reaching the end of that journey, rather than focusing on the many obstacles along the way, and getting side tracked along the way. Stay the course REV, it’s a process.
I’m glad someone else has noticed Jamal’s improved DEF at PG. He’s really started to do an excellent job of intercepting and/or deflecting passes into the paint. He’s also doing a much better job of staying in front of his man than Bibby.
There’s another benefit to JJ being out, and that’s the addition of DWilkins. By the time JJ returns, Damien should be pretty well acclimated into our system, and should be more productive on both ends of the floor.
Man, with LDrews willingness to adjust his lineup to create favorable matchup advantages, imagine a big lineup like this: PG-JaCrawford, SG-JJ or DWilkins, SF-Marvin or Smoove, PF-Horford or JPowell, and C-JCollins. While we might not have a consistent matchup advantage at C, we certainly have the capacity to create consistent matchup advantages at every other position.
By the time playoff time comes around, we should be ready to make some waves. And unlike last yr around playoff time, we know we can and will go deep into our bench and get production from players other than JaCrawford. We now know we can and will get consistent production from bench players like JCollins, JTeague, DWilkins and JPowell. If Woodson was still the HC, with the exception of JaCrawford, these players would have been all but ignored in the upcoming playoffs.
LDrew is slowly overcoming the issues of the past and winning the players over while molding the Hawks into a very versatile and solid team.
Rev in Tampa
December 14th, 2010
5:17 pm
Wow, its cold today! We didn’t even get over 60 degrees here in Tampa.
{MAC-Town Georgia 478}
December 14th, 2010
5:29 pm
“Blazers have asked about Crawford, but they were shot down.”
http://insider.espn.go.com/nba/features/rumors
K-Dogg
December 14th, 2010
5:43 pm
Trade Joe for Melo huh i guess you guys dont watch espn and see that melo wants to go to New York!!! Come on get a clue of get off the comment section of this!!!! Start trying to figure out oterh ways to get betetr then living in a fantasy land yall are too old for that!!! Next yall going to say trade Twin and Marvin and Crawford for Dwight Howard!!!!!!!!!!
drmaryb (*_*)
December 14th, 2010
5:43 pm
I like these Hawks! I wouldn’t make any lateral trades. No more PF/C are needed. Let Collins do his thing! He’s doin’ fine. Can’t give up on JT0 either.
We are set! I don’t see any BlockBuster trades coming this season.
Let’s Go Hawks!
K-Dogg
December 14th, 2010
5:47 pm
Man i am about as big as a Hawks fan as there is on here but i have read this book before and know how it ends. Hawks lose in the 2nd round hallar at me after the deadline if the Hawks make a move if not i’ve got better things to do then to wish on a star!!! Plus this allways happen when Joe is out the team plays good team ball! This is a good team period but like i always say their is a reason why we have an awful record vs certain teams!!! We are still undersized. Im glad though Drew is trying new things with the big lineup that woody would not do but at the end of the day Twin aint going to get it done and we should have eitehr got Shaq or an Athletic big when we had a chance!!!! Se ya!!!!!!
Rufus1
December 14th, 2010
5:57 pm
O yea of little faith…..
Say it out loud…”THIS ISN’T WOODY’S TEAM”
I shared the belief with a small few on this blog that WOODY was the Main problem(i,e KEN)…WOODY is now gone and you have already seen the improvement.
LD has Jamal playing defense and got twin in shape. In 20+ games he has developed a bench and have already won 8 road games. The Hawks are starting to play TOUGH, defense and TEAM MORAL LOOKS GREAT.
I know in the town you are use to disappointment, but with the hire of Mike Smith and Maybe LD….THE FUTURE CAN BE DIFFERENT.
hbcuclassics
December 14th, 2010
5:59 pm
HBCU Classic Sports
Post-Season Recap
D2 – Rd. 1 Wingate 63 Morehouse 41
Shepherd 40 Shaw 6
D2- Rd. 2 Albany St. 30 Wingate 28
D2 – QF Delta St. 28 Albany St. 7
FCS – Rd. 1 Ga. Southern 41 SC State 16
FCS – Rd. 2 NHampshire 49 Bethune 29
Turkey Day Classic
Tuskegee 17 Alabama St. 10
Pioneer Bowl
St. Augustine 20 Ft. Valley St. 9
SWAC Championship
Tx Southern 11 Alabama St. 6
hbcuclassics.com
Sautee
December 14th, 2010
7:11 pm
Rev,
Rubbing our noses in it, eh?
Jamillion
December 14th, 2010
7:22 pm
Hey tony, how bout we trade marvin for kirk and trade kirk to la for queue blake. Who is a good nice point. All these trades make no sense unless they involve a nice big and a legit point
drmaryb (*_*)
December 14th, 2010
7:29 pm
SIZE Matters!
K-dogg said it best, when he said:
“… This is a good team period but like i always say their is a reason why we have an awful record vs certain teams!!! We are still undersized.”
Nuff’ Said!
drmaryb (*_*)
December 14th, 2010
7:31 pm
Jamillion is on POINT!
Miss ev
December 15th, 2010
1:56 pm
I would like to know from all the jj haters do y’all think that the hawks would have made the playoffs these last 3 years with Joe be honest don’t freaking lie would they have,the only other really good player on this team is Josh,so seriously would they have made the playoffs.