Atlanta Hawks: Rick Sund Q & A
Finally caught up with Rick Sund today. Here’s the transcript of the interview. . . .
Q. I haven’t talked to you since the end of the regular season. You did better in the playoffs but you did worst during the regular season . . .
I pretty much predicted that. I did a radio show and they brought that up that you pretty much said the team wouldn’t be as good during the regular season but better in the playoffs and that’s pretty much what we were.
Q. But do you look at regular season, where you had some blowout home losses and the offense and defense regressed and . . . .
I think other than–Oklahoma City and Chicago were the only two teams that didn’t have a lot of highs and lows during the season. Certainly LA did and Dallas did and Miami did. Your [media] colleagues had Spoelstra fired three times. So it’s been up and down and we fell right into that. We’ve been up and down. I’d like to think that helped us. I’m hoping that was one reason we were stoic during the playoffs.
Q. Do you think this core group has peaked?
No.
Q. How can it be better?
In some ways it might be a little bit like Dallas, although we were younger than Dallas. Dallas went three straight years with disappointing playoffs and eliminated in the first round and I think that prompted Cuban the other day to grab the mic and say, ‘For all you people that didn’t believe in us . . . ‘ Because they kept their core group together including Kidd and Nowitzki and Marion and they got criticized for that quite a bit. And they got beat pretty much embarrassingly, by their standards, in the last three years. I think we have learned along the way. We will look at the possibility of making our team better. We do every year. We’ve made two major trades the last two years and we will continue to look and see if there is something that makes us better.
Q. You look at Dallas, they did make a trade that helped them so . . .
Yeah, well, you asked me about the core group and that’s what I’m responding to. The core group of our players have, I think, improved every single year. I’ve had that question every year, even the year I got here: Can this core group get even better? And they have, I think, in terms of ultimately the playoffs.
Q. So you are not inclined to break it up?
I didn’t say that. I said we will continue to look. Your question was, ‘Can this core be competitive again?’ I think we were pretty competitive in the playoffs. I think we can continue to do it but I think we will look, like we do every year, to see if we can do something to make our club better.
Q. Maybe that was the wrong question, then. Do you think this group is good enough to reach your goals?
Hopefully. Hopefully.
Q. The CBA is up in the air. As it looks now you don’t have a lot of flexibility so how can you improve the team considering those constraints?
I can’t even answer that until we know what the rules are.
Q. Are you hoping to end up with more flexibility in the new CBA?
We can’t even comment on the CBA and I won’t. I think, for good reason, we have one voice, that’s David Stern. Until we get what the new collective bargaining is, it’s very, very hard to assess.
Q. Listening to Al and his comments, it’s clear he prefers to play the four and thinks he’s more effective there. Would you look to get a full-time center to accommodate him?
I don’t know. So many of the players that are really, really good, and Al is one of those, they have the ability to play dual positions. I think he’s established himself he can play five; he’s established he can play four. That’s a good combo for us.
Q. You are just back from Chicago and Minneapolis. You don’t have the No. 18 pick that you traded, but you do have the second-round pick. Any hope of getting help from the draft?
We look at the last 10 years who has been drafted between 45 and 50, because that’s kind of a grouping. It’s too early. The Chicago combine is over, the group workout in Minnesota is over. We have got some group workouts we are doing here in June and you are always hoping you can get someone who has an upside of some sort. It’s difficult to find someone to come in and find someone who can play right away. When you have a good team, it’s difficult to get someone who is drafted [even] in the first round to come in and play right away.
Q. You said after last year you are of the mind that you don’t need an MVP candidate to be a championship contender but when you look at it historically, almost every single champion has had that first team All-NBA guy so how . . .
It is going to be very hard for us to get that MVP candidate unless you pick one or two [in the draft]. And we are not picking one or two. Or unless you happen to have–a few years back when they had free-agent money, to get one in free agency. It’s going to be tough, so we are going to have to do it the hard way. We are going to have to do it similar to what Detroit did in their day, when they had the Eastern Conference finals five straight times, went to Finals and one won, where it is a collective effort. Unless we get an MVP or unless someone emerges as that kind of guy.
Q. Do you have that kind of guy?
I don’t think we have an MVP candidate.
Q. What I mean is, do you have that guy on your team who can emerge into that kind of player?
Time will tell on that. It depends on what happens in the next year or any kind of player transaction or in the future. But basically we have pretty much built it around get as much talent as we possibly can, blend it around and have a team effort. Now we’ve got two players on this roster who have made All-Pro, we have got two players made All-Star and another one knocking on the door. We’ve got a player in Hinrich who has been kind of that gritty, tough complimentary player and has made All-Defense. So it is going to have to be a collective effort.
Q. How is Teague’s health?
He is coming along fine. No surgeries.
Q. After what Teague did against Chicago, do you feel good about point guard with him and Hinrich?
I felt good about it before Chicago with Hinrich and Jeff. He should be a senior in college, graduating this year. He’s just a young guy. He’s always had some real great physical tools. He just had an opportunity where he got an opportunity for consecutive playing time and he responded well. And that’s what you have to do in this league, when your opportunity comes, take advantage of it. And to his credit, I think most of the time he has had an opportunity. . . . . Even a year ago, when we said, ‘We are going to let you play, don’t worry about it win lose or draw,’ and he had a nice game against Cleveland. This year against Boston and it was a situation where Jamal missed four or five games, Joe didn’t play, and Jeff played real good in that game. We did the trade where Mike left and he got significant minutes and in that time. To his credit he has done a really good job for a young player and only getting spot play, role playing, that when he got an opportunity to get consistent minutes he responded pretty well.
Q. Do you see that continuing going forward as far as him getting consistent minutes?
I think so. For him, it was a real confidence booster. Because it’s hard when you are a role player and waiting for your opportunity and your turn as a young player, you need to take advantage of that. And he did and that’s good for him and good for us.
Q. When there was trade speculation last fall about Josh, you talked to him and reassured him. Now that there is more speculation, and he seemed frustrated with a lot of the criticism he got during the playoffs, do you talk to him again?
No, I’ve talked to him a number of times—collectively, our team—and the age of the Internet, bloggers make trades and then media feel compelled to write, and don’t worry about that. If an opportunity presents itself to improve our club, they know we would do it. Bibby got traded, Mo got traded, we traded for Jamal, we traded our draft pick—they know we will pull the trigger. But one thing I’m not into is addition by subtraction or shopping one guy or two guys. We are looking to see what makes us better as we go forward.
Q. But I think the difference this time with Josh is the frustration is coming from him as far as saying ‘I’m taking too much of the heat.’
He hasn’t expressed that to me.
Q. Is there any chance Pape Sy will be in the plans next season?
Too early to tell. He’s under contract so he will be here unless he is involved in a trade or something. We will go forward to see how his improvement is. He didn’t get a chance for much playing time, although with Chicago I think it was good that he was on the roster because with Hinrich being hurt and a few games at the end he got to get out there and play a little bit. But he’s a a young player, too.
Q. Larry was in his first year as a head coach. How did he do?
I make comparisons to Larry with Nate McMillan. I was with Nate his first full-time year, first training camp. One time I had a kind of a real nice talk with Nate, I said, ‘You will be better in year two than you were in year one, you will be better in year three than year two, you will be better in year four than year three. Because even tough you were an assistant coach and you were a player it’s completely different position when you move over 25 inches.’ I think Larry got better. I think he was very good in the playoffs. I think his confidence level and his belief in the players and the players’ belief in him improved and that’s just the maturation process that coaches go through.
Q. Why was the team so much worse at home this season?
I don’t know. I didn’t think we would get 34 wins again at home. I felt one thing is for sure, we are a more comfortable team on the road today than the year before.
Q. I only keep bringing up the blowout home losses because you don’t usually see that with winning teams.
Every team has clunkers. We had more than you normally do. The big thing is, Can you bounce back from the clunkers? Do the clunkers affect you going into the playoffs? And they didn’t. Our team seemed to show some resiliency to those. Hopefully you don’t have them again. But we had more than you would expect.
Q. Who do you see as the teams you are chasing? Obviously there is Miami now, is it still Boston, Chicago . . .
We said last year before the season started, we wanted to keep the teams behind us, behind us and make strides in front of us. And Cleveland became Miami with LeBron. I think we made strides on Orlando and we didn’t keep Chicago behind us, they leapfrogged everybody. We did keep everybody else behind us. Again, we need to do that. It’s the same goal as Orlando, Miami, Boston. I think it is pretty much going to be the same. The league gets better. There is no question the Eastern Conference was better this year. That’s another reason I didn’t think our record would be as good but by the time the playoffs came around I thought we would be better.
Q. Larry’s offense didn’t go the way he planned as far as getting team to play that style all the time. Do you still think this . . .
I don’t know. You have got to ask that question to Larry.
Q. Joe got the contract and he had his worst year since he’s been here. He’s getting older, he had the injury, so are you concerned . . .
Well, I don’t worry about the old. When I am seeing Jason Kidd and Nowitzki and the Wades and all these people in their 30s, that doesn’t bother me. Joe has got a durable, strong . . . and he did have a lot of injuries and he had an elbow situation and pre- and post-surgery he is such a tough guy he played with that. Not really [concerned]. I was really happy with Joe’s playoffs. I thought he played really well, particuarly the games that we won, he stepped up big time, particularly in the fourth quarter. I think that’s part of the experience, being into it and the pressure. There are only three teams that have made it to the conference semifinals three consecutive years: L.A., Boston and us. Two of those teams have won the championship. Another thing with Joe, if it is correct I didn’t verify it, Joe has been to the second round a number of times and three with the Hawks. Carmelo Anthony, who was probably one of the most sought after players during the trade deal, he’s only made it to the second round once. [Note: That's correct.] Chris Paul has only made it to the second round once. Deron Williams has only made it to the second round once. All the years Kevin Garnett was with [Minnesota], he only made it once. Joe has made it three times. So he’s done a pretty good job of being the best player on your club in terms of getting there. Now his challenge and opportunity is getting to that next round. I think he gave a pretty good effort in the Chicago series.
Q. During the playoffs Joe expressed frustration with whether it was best share the ball or for him to try to do more. It seems like he never really . . .
I don’t know. That’s between him and Larrry. But from my perspective I thought he did a pretty good job. When the game was on the line, those close games. . . . You take any team. Oklahoma City. Some games Durant was really good in the fourth quarter, some games it was Westbrook; other games [Durant] was terrible in the fourth quarter. Take Miami. There were people that were criticizing Bosh in the first round. Somebody has got to do it. Most of the time, a lot of the time, it’s your best player. Other times it’s not. When Boozer did it for Chicago they were really good in those games. I try not to get too high on the highs or too low on the lows. The playoffs can really cause that. The highs and the lows of the playoffs are unbelievable from a fan and media perspective. Miami loses to Chicago in a fashion where Chicago pretty much dominated and dictated that game, and everyone wrote Miami off and said that’s it. There is no way that Miami is good enough, blah, blah, blah, blah. Dallas wins the first game, loses the second game, and [they said] ‘There is no way Dallas is going to be able to go into Oklahoma City as loud as that is and the enthusiasm.’ You don’t get too high on it. It’s a progress or it’s a leapfrog. Chicago leapfrogged. Ours is more of a progression and I think Joe did a pretty good job.
Q. When you say ‘progression’ it sounds like you think you are close to breaking through to that next level?
I thought we were pretty close this year, yeah. I really do. I think a good thing is, last year they were embarrassed in the second round. They didn’t play very good. Orlando manhandled them and they didn’t handle it very well. So they were disappointed by the embarrassment. This year they were disappointed that the opportunity was there, they were close, and they didn’t get there. There’s a big difference in the two. Big difference. I think that’s a progression. I heard Nowitzki say that the other day, ‘Hey we weren’t very happy with the last three years.’ They were concerned because they lost their last nine games to playoff teams in the Western Conference. Then they played New Orleans the last game of the season, it was meaningless, and they won. It’s all, What is your mindset? How does it go in the first playoff game, how does your momentum go? For us, they were focused in the Orlando series. They were focused in the Chicago series; Chicago beat them. But they were focused. It wasn’t a situation of them not competing or giving up. I think they thought it was going to be easier last year in the Orlando series and it wasn’t.
Q. What does the team need, in your opinion?
They need to continue to get the maturity. They need to continue to become the physical team they were in the playoffs. I think they need to deal better with the 82 games when adversity comes. This was a strange year because the whole league was like that with the exception of those two teams [Chicago and Oklahoma City]. Erik Spoelstra was fired three times by the media. You had a situation where the Lakers, three or four games before the All-Star game, ‘They’ve got to break it up. They’ve got to make a trade.’ And then they came out of the All-Star break and they win 17 of 18 games. You’ve got a situation in Dallas where Nowitzki gets hurt they lose six or seven in a row, he comes back they lose two or three more. Nobody picked Dallas. I’ve never seen a season—and maybe it’s because the league has gotten better—that was so up and down and all over the board with the playoff clubs. I think we as a team, to answer your question, we have got to stay more focused during the 82 games. We haven’t proved we are championship-caliber. We knocked on the door; we want to get there. Sometimes you will see really good championship teams coast through the year and say, ‘We are waiting for the second season.’ We can’t do that, even though we are one of the teams that the last three years made it to the second round. I think we have got to focus on that a little more during the season. I think that’s got to be one of our priorities because it helps with with positioning. I think we got a little lax on that because we have gone three straight years. Certainly we got lax at it when we got locked up the last couple weeks. Some of that, though, may have helped us because it got Teague more minutes.
Q. Those are mostly intangibles you are talking about. From a personnel standpoint, what do you think the team needs?
I don’t know. We are still in the process of evaluating that.
Q. Are you talking to Jamal about a contract extension?
I’m not going to discuss contract stuff. Jamal knows that we want to do everything in our power to bring him back but we don’t know what the [CBA] rules are yet.
Michael Cunningham, Hawks beat
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445 comments Add your comment
Najeh Davenpoop
May 29th, 2011
5:49 pm
Haha thanks Big Ray, glad you enjoyed it.
brigadierjerry
May 29th, 2011
6:42 pm
One thing I would say in regards where the Hawks are at right now which are one or two pieces away from really being a contender:
There’s a huge misconception on this board and in sports in general that the sooner you blow it up the sooner you’re able to rise again into a contender. That’s not really supported by logic. Teams only ‘blow it up’ when new ownership or management takes it over and it was a bad situation to begin with…
The Mavs, Lakers, Spurs have shown the way on this point–maintain at 50 wins per year, and hope that with good luck and/or good smart trades you’re able to catapult up to 60 wins and a #1 seed and possibly a run to the Finals, and if you’re lucky you build off that one special year into a dynasty. It’s much easier to add a piece or two to a 50 win team and make them champions than it is to make the 7 to 10 moves needed to make a lottery team into a champion. It’s simple math–would you rather be 1-2 moves away from a championship next year, or would you rather be 7-10 moves away from a championship in the next 3-5 years?
Think about the Lakers in 06-07. They thought hard about blowing it up, trading Kobe et al, but eventually decided against it. Lucky for them that they didn’t, because the following year they made one move (acquiring Gasol) and that catapulted them from a 40 win team to a repeat champion in the next 4 years.
Think about your house. When the walls need painting and there’s a leak in the roof, do you start consulting with demolition services, or do you grab a bucket of paint and some shingles? Having a nice house is like having a 50 win team, you live in it year after year in a relatively happy manner, and make improvement year after year until it’s something special. What you don’t do is blow it up because you wish it was better–sure you might have a nice house 5 years later when it’s finally rebuilt, but you’ve been living under a rock in the meantime.
Horford + Sy for Rockets picks Travis Leslie+Motiejunas + Thabeet & Hill
May 29th, 2011
6:57 pm
@superiorblogman
Did you see his measurements? He’s 6′8.75 248 lbs. The most comparable guys to him
Lebron James: 6′8 7′0.25
Josh Smith: 6′8.25 7′0
Michael Beasley: 6′8.25 7′0.25 240
He looks like Michael Beasley to me. Tall guys try to penetrate and defense collapses he has to pass or shoot.
He looks like David West with ball skills idk if that screams superstar.
He is not a superstar.
Grandad
May 29th, 2011
7:37 pm
Goodness Gracious Sakes Alive;
Concerning the draft……………….
Any choice we get in the 2nd round;
take the Best Baketball Player on the Board.
[-don't take a Big just to take a Big-]
several reasons:
(1) last yr we took a good young Big [..Pleiss..] then sold him
(2) best player = *a player with a discernable skill
* discernable skill = he must be a master of at least one
(3) A player can always be traded
* (a real basketball player, r e, Jordo Crwfrd)
(4) It’s better to trake a player who can “play”
whether now or eventually than………Solomon Jones
__________________________________________________
Singleton will contribute / [start] -Immediately- !
Gotta Get Into Mid 1st Round !
Double Zero Eight
May 29th, 2011
7:42 pm
As long as Sund is the GM, there will be no meaningful
trades and the Hawks will be mired in mediocrity!
Horford + Sy for Rockets picks Travis Leslie+Motiejunas + Thabeet & Hill
May 29th, 2011
7:49 pm
“The Mavs, Lakers, Spurs have shown the way on this point–maintain at 50 wins per year, and hope that with good luck and/or good smart trades you’re able to catapult up to 60 wins and a #1 seed and possibly a run to the Finals, and if you’re lucky you build off that one special year into a dynasty. It’s much easier to add a piece or two to a 50 win team and make them”
{Kobe Bryant} + Lamar Odom + Kwame Brown + rookie Andrew Bynum
became Kobe Bryant + Pau Gasol + Andrew Bynum + Lamar off the bench.
Kobe has lost the ability to put people in foul trouble. He and Joe Johnson are spot up shooters in ideal situations ie with Chris Paul or Rondo.
I’m in the western conference. Duncan’s footspeed has gotten worse each year. Ginobili is a Hall of Famer and was the best 4th quarter clutch scorer in the league.
Duncan played only 30 mpg and his speed got exposed in the playoffs.
Mavs had Desagna Diop and Erick Dampier and turned Damhim into
champions than it is to make the 7 to 10 moves needed to make a lottery team into a champion. It’s simple math–would you rather be 1-2 moves away from a championship next year, or would you rather be 7-10 moves away from a championship in the next 3-5 years?
Think about the Lakers in 06-07. They thought hard about blowing it up, trading Kobe et al, but eventually decided against it. Lucky for them that they didn’t, because the following year they made one move (acquiring Gasol) and that catapulted them from a 40 win team to a repeat champion in the next 4 years.
Kobe is not a post up player or 7′0 rebounder and got Pau to compete and Bynum barely draws double teams.
It starts with defense and rebounding. Horford is the only one on this team and he cant shoot over Pau or Dirk or Taj Gibson or Carlos Boozer or Brandon Bass or Ryan Anderson.
You guys say Tim Duncan because Tim was unathletic and assuming. However a 7′0 with a 7′5 wingspan takes up a lot of space. And his scoring was enough to have Oberto as a PF/C helper.
Dirk is 7′0 scores 24 and 7 reb.
Horford is Amare with 1.0″ less wingspan and 0.25″ less height.
Zach Randolph has a 6′11 wingspan.
Donatas Motiejunas has a 6′11 wingspan.
Kevin Love. 6′11.5
Chris Kaman 6′11.5
Blake Griffin 6′11.25
wonder why they have compact fluid mechanics. That’s why. Horford will never have that. He has intangibles like strength but his strength is not going to help him play defense score or overcome his wingspan and become Amare.
the experiment is over.
Horford + Sy for Rockets picks Travis Leslie+Motiejunas + Thabeet & Hill
Travis Leslie = Tony Allen with longer arms= ability to cradle the ball when he turns the corner= jump into defenders= defense and offense= superstar in the playoffs
that’s an Iguodala type. Iman Shumpert has wingspan tied with Gilbert Arenas. Heck we could have Shumpert, Leslie, and Motiejunas+Jordan Hill+Thabeet +
Marvin Williams to the bench.
*all for m*****f***ng Al Horford.
Dejuan Blair is more better than Horford. Horford will never put anybody in foul trouble.
Spurs
Tim Duncan. 7′0 2 way player with 7′0 David Robinson/6′10 Oberto etc. = fta
Celtics
Garnett: 7′0 with 6′10 Perkins + 6′7, Pierce (7′0 wingspan)
Lakers
Gasol: 7′1 scorer + 7′2 Bynum + 6′8 Ariza/Artest (7′0 wingspans)
Mavs
Dirk Nowitzki. 7′0 scorer with 7′0 Chandler + 6′8 Marion
:::
Hawks
6′8 Josh Smith + 6′9.75 Al Horford + 6′8 Marvin Williams
“Do you blow it up???”
um yeah? Al Horford is more Oberto with a jumper than anyone else.
Horford will never have the 6′11 fluid armspan of Randolph or the 7′1.75 extension of Amare.
He’s a 10 & 10 guys. not Tim Duncan, not Nowitzki, not Zach, not Amare, not Blake, etc.
Even if we did manage to trade Marvin for a center there will always be a role player who can guard Horford and outscore him.
David Lee. fluid on offense, short for defense
6′9,7′0 wingspan
Al Horford. bulk for offense, bulk for defense
6′9.75, 7′0.75 wingspan
Grandad
May 29th, 2011
7:49 pm
Discernable Skill
Master of at Least One
example – Jon Diebler the Ohio State Univ
skill = shooter
scale of – 1 – 10 = “10″
Ra'mon
May 29th, 2011
8:00 pm
Here’s a question, would you guys rather have Joe Johnson or Russell Westbrook?
Horford + Sy for Rockets picks Travis Leslie+Motiejunas + Thabeet & Hill
May 29th, 2011
8:05 pm
Horford is a 25 years old, 4 year vet with 3 years college experience
guys, peaked and he is not able to do anything elite.
Zach Randolph had 1
Horford + Sy for Rockets picks Travis Leslie+Motiejunas + Thabeet & Hill.
{The Mavericks would not have made the seven-player trade with the Washington Wizards unless they saw Haywood as a significant part of the franchise’s future.
“Centers come into their own right around 29, 30 years old,” Mavericks owner Mark Cuban said. “That’s where he is now. His numbers show it. All the evaluations we’ve done of him show it. Hopefully, he’ll be a long-term piece for us.”
That sounds good to Haywood, who arrived in Dallas on Monday along with Caron Butler and DeShawn Stevenson.
“If I play well, I definitely see myself being here,” Haywood said. “It’s a great city. I’m going to be playing with great teammates. You have an All-Star in Dirk Nowitzki, and you have a Hall of Fame point guard in Jason Kidd. I don’t know any big man who wouldn’t want to be here.”}
Ra'mon
May 29th, 2011
8:30 pm
Or better yet, what if the Hawks just let Crawford walk. And they also found a way to trade a way Zaza. So they could turn and sign Kenyon Martin and Dalembert to lead the front court off of the bench. If both would agree to sign for 4-7 mil (2-3 years), that would be exactly what the Hawks need.
Imagine this roster:
Teague/ Kirk/ Joe/ Josh / Horford – Kenyon Martin, Dalembert, Wilkins, Sy, FLIP MURRAY, Collins, and someone else. That would be a defensive rebounding team, that is only missing a shooter or two from being ready to contend with anyone in the playoffs.
Horford + Sy for Rockets picks Travis Leslie+Motiejunas + Thabeet & Hill
May 29th, 2011
8:47 pm
Jon Diebler is offense. This is not college. Jump shot comes and goes.
Defense flows into Offense. Keep thinking Horford will become Stoudemire just like you keep thinking Joe Johnson is 6′7 and Josh is 6′9.
The funny thing is Horford has more impact on defense than Amare has on offense. Amare’s defense can be hidden sometimes with a center.
How many power forward/centers have abused/locked up Al. Andrea, Dirk, Garnett, Brandon, Amare, Bosh.
Hinrich and Marvin are $8 mil backups. Too bad deal with. Marvin can be amnestied for Grant Hill.
Hinrich can be resigned or traded for a good efficient PER backup.
Jeff Teague/Joe Johnson/Josh Smith(236lbs)/Donatas Motiejunas(7′0)/Hasheem Thabeet
Kirk Hinrich/Travis Leslie/(Marvin Williams)/Jordan Hill/Zaza Pachulia
Grandad
May 29th, 2011
9:04 pm
Ra’mon
Russell Westbrook over Joe / anyday, everyday !
*[regardless of salary]*
Horford + Sy for Rockets picks Travis Leslie+Motiejunas + Thabeet & Hill
May 29th, 2011
9:12 pm
Joe Johnson has less wingspan than Mike Miller. How many rebounds does he get?
Josh Smith is a bulked up small forward, I’m sorry, but when was the last small team that won?
1970s Washington Bullets?
Jordan posts up more than Horford. Is Horford’s post game better than Jordan? no.
Horford has peaked. The small ball experiments. Its over.
No Hinrich’s defense is not ever going to overcome Joe’s putrid rebounding. Sorry defensive unit.
No team outside top 12 defensive unit has ever one the title.
Josh Smith is the only top 12 defensive player on the team. Take away horfords 15 and 9 and put in Thabeet’s 8 and 8 + Hill as our Amare-esque/PJ Brown off the bench.
Travis Leslie and Motiejunas are steals. This trade is perfect. Hinrich has a negative +/- over FOUR YEARS as a shooting guard. Teague, Hinrich, Joe Johnson, Horford, Smith is one of the most idiotic lineups we’ve seen and why no one respects the Hawks.
You don’t have Hasheem Thabeet/Jason Collins you get beat by the Orlando Dwight Howard’s.
The goal is CHAMPIONSHIP here.
whens the last time someone started 2 point guards and won? Joe Johnson does not defend or rebound enough to join the frontcourt of already bad rebounders.
Horford + Sy for Rockets picks Travis Leslie+Motiejunas + Thabeet & Hill
amnesty Marvin and only put 1 point guard out there.
Horford + Sy for Rockets picks Travis Leslie+Motiejunas + Thabeet & Hill
May 29th, 2011
9:32 pm
@ Ramon
Jamal Crawford is leaving due to Marvin and Joe’s $. That’s a given unless the salary cap is raised and the team wants to resign Jamal.
” Teague/ Kirk/{Joe}/ Josh / Horford – Kenyon Martin, Dalembert, Wilkins, Sy, FLIP MURRAY, Collins, and someone else. That would be a defensive rebounding team, that is only missing a shooter or two from being ready to contend with anyone in the playoffs.”
Um no. That first Nellieball lineup is a regular season lineup. Dalembert wants to go to NY or MIA. not a backup in ATL for Al Horford.
We need Josh Smith to lose weight to increase everything he does well. This team is built around Josh Smith at the 4 is like building Shawn Marion at the 4.
That will never work you need a low post presense/mid range scorer.
Al Horford will never be a twin tower. Sam Dalembert better term into Tim Duncan for Hoorford to work,
Horford is Oberto with a jump shot.
Ra'mon
May 29th, 2011
9:41 pm
Granddad, do you think OKC, would go for a deal of Joe for Westbrook (and a bad salary of theirs, don’t think they really have one, but fillers).? Possibly Joe and Teague for Westbrook and Perkins (no way they think Perkins is the answer after this playoffs).
hawksfancents95
May 29th, 2011
9:44 pm
ra’mon
id take JJ. RW is a SG who is small so he plays PG in the NBA. he thinks he is the best player on OKC and takes unneccessary shots and about 20% of the time he brings the ball up he doesnt even pass the ball. not a pg but still a great player. i also think he had more turnovers than assists in the DAL series? thats awful for a PG or anyone
as for everyones outlook on the 11-12 season, i think we are still in great shape. we will get a few key bench guys and i think we will get a great pick at #48. everyone says this draft is weak and i agree to a degree in the aspect that there arent really any guys who jump out as the next kobe,bron, dwight etc. i do think there are a lot of valuable role players in this draft that can have an immediate impact even the 2nd rd guys. im lookin at these guys as our possible 48th
nolan smith-backup pg if we go teague kirk joe josh al. i think is underrated and will be solid in NBA
jon leur-would be a versatile backup big man that has great fundamentals, will be very consistent
nikola vucevic- 7′0 big wingspan, somewhat athletic for size could be a good project
travis leslie- everyone is comparing to tony allen, i like tony allens game, would be a great backup SG so kirk could be our backup PG which would give us a solid 4man rotation
e’twaun moore-i had purdue winning the NCAA tourney before last season but with robbie hummels injury that couldnt happen, etwaun has been overlooked and is a great PG/SG combo
keith benson- could be our C we desperatley need. athletic and long
jeremy tyler- seems everyday he moves up draft boards but with his unknowns he could still be in our lap at 48. (he is my most hoped for guy if still available)
my 1st concern once/if CBA gets worked out is moving marvin. i am so tired of his mediocrity and careless attitude. i thought joe showed no emotion but marvin is worse. i would honestly and im being 100% serious would take anybody ANYBODY for marvin in a trade. a pick would be greatest but whatever as long as i dont see #24 williams in a hawks jersey next fall im happy. its weird to say but i do think he will be a lot better once he leaves wherever he goes but for some reason it is not working here.
MC- good interview. you got most of the questions we are concerned with out there and it was nice to see a little insight into the hawks future that revolves around the SUND.
Horford + Sy for Rockets picks Travis Leslie+Motiejunas + Thabeet & Hill
May 29th, 2011
9:55 pm
Hey just noticed Josh Smith is unrestricted in 2 years and Joe will be 32.
O boy what team will he sign with? Dallas? BOS? Or will he blow out his knee playing the 4 for Atlanta?
Horford is not an “All-Star”. He is a gimmick center and mediocre power forward. Al jefferson, and Nene would be an “all star” if they played C in they replaced Horford on the Hawks.
He’s an All-Star by default.
Does that make them centers?
O'Brien
May 29th, 2011
10:12 pm
Ramon,
I like dalembert if he can be had for a reasonable price. As long as he keeps his head in the game, he is an athletic center who runs the floor well, and would fit our speed.
During the season, I was open to trading dalembert for Jamal.
As for Perkins, he was not a good match for the athletic Chandler. And this is Perkins first year back from injury.
Grandmaster JeJe
May 29th, 2011
10:34 pm
The ace is back.
FIRE LD
LOL @ Rick Sund’s comments. The same BS. The guy is unsure if this core is good enough. That’s nice to hear
Ideal plan is for LD and Rick Stunk to both expire after this coming season and the ASG sells the team
Horford + Sy for Rockets picks Travis Leslie+Motiejunas + Thabeet & Hill
May 29th, 2011
10:49 pm
“as for everyone’s outlook on the 11-12 season, i think we are still in great shape. we will get a few key bench guys and i think we will get a great pick at #48.”
people think Jordan Crawford was a good pick. Check Jordan Crawford’s measurements and stats he will never be a good defender and relies on his offense to make it up.
Best case scenario is Monta Ellis/Marcus Thornton if he gets a post game.
He actually shot a worse FG% than Monta. To pick a combo guard when we had a SG trying to be a PG (Jeff Teague) shows this organization.
“Everyone says this draft is weak and i agree to a degree in the aspect that there arent really any guys who jump out as the next kobe,bron, dwight etc. i do think there are a lot of valuable role players in this draft that can have an immediate impact even the 2nd rd guys. im lookin at these guys as our possible 48th”
Travis Leslie is projected to be taken by the Lakers a few picks ahead of the Hawks. He’ll be gone.
“nikola vucevic- 7′0 big wingspan, somewhat athletic for size would be a good project”
vucevic measured similar to Lamarcus Aldridge with only a 25″ running vert, He is not athletic. His max reach is 11′ 5.5″.
He’s a stiff.
“travis leslie- everyone is comparing to tony allen, i like tony allens game, would be a great backup SG so kirk could be our backup PG which would give us a solid 4man rotation”
Tony Allen has a 6′9 armspan which limits his creativity with the ball. 6′4 cannonball to the rim.
height, wingspan/handle, vert
Travis Leslie: 6′4.25, 6′10.5, 40.5″ vert
Dwyane Wade: 6′4.75, 6′10.75 35″ vert
James Harden: 6′5.25 6′10.75 37″ vert
only big men with a 6′11 wingspan
Donatas Motiejunas 7′0 PF 230
Blake Griffin 6′10 PF 250
Troy Murphy 6′11 PF 250
Zach Randolph 6′10 PF 255
Kevin Love 6′9.5 PF 255
keith benson- could be our C we desperatley need. athletic and long
he’s 217 lbs. Camby is taller and even weighed more upon drafting.
Yi Jianlian: 7′0.25, 7′3.75 wingspan 246 lbs.
Keith Benson: 6′11, 7′3.76 wingspan 217 lbs.
Basically this guy could allow Yi Jianlian to back him down. at center. Hell no. Dwyane Wade outweighs him.
based on us needing a dirty rebounder who can block out
jeremy tyler- seems everyday he moves up draft boards but with his unknowns he could still be in our lap at 48. (he is my most hoped for guy if still available)
my 1st concern once/if CBA gets worked out is moving marvin. i am so tired of his mediocrity and careless attitude. i thought joe showed no emotion but marvin is worse. i would honestly and im being 100% serious would take anybody ANYBODY for marvin in a trade. a pick would be greatest but whatever as long as i dont see #24 williams in a hawks jersey next fall im happy. its weird to say but i do think he will be a lot better once he leaves wherever he goes but for some reason it is not working here.
MC- good interview. you got most of the questions we are concerned with out there and it was nice to see a little insight into the hawks future that revolves around the SUND.
Slimjr
May 29th, 2011
10:55 pm
“SLIMJR-As long as the team is owned by the ASG posse, and someone in that posse want’s to function as a behind the scene GM, our GM’s will be little more than puppets. Former GM BKnight resigned because the ASG wouldn’t allow him to do his job and make key decisions, like firing the HC he hired.”
@Ken
We will rejoice once this team is sold. If I recall BK tried to fire Woody on three separate occasions and was turned down by Gearon… I think a few of us believe its Gearon whose pulling the puppet strings from his 5th avenue penthouse and he is probably the biggest hindrance to this teams advance towards a finals appearance…I agree with you, Sund is taking the heat for his boss Gearon…And its ugly how he’s articulating his ideas of progress for this franchise….
“SlimJr!
Nephilim’s! LOL! Wow! I really learned a lot from that link!
Thanks – a – Mill! Too bad the Hawks can’t get one of them to man the paint!”
@drmaryb
Glad you enjoyed the link ref Giants in the Earth! Look up Maximus, a giant Roman Emperor from 200bc..Legend says at 8’6” he could out run horses!!! Could lift tonnage with one hand! Ate 40 lbs of red meat along with drinking gallons of wine everyday..A beast..Hawks would not lose another game if he played the 5??? LOL
jamillion
May 29th, 2011
10:57 pm
MAN I CAN NAME 10 PFS BETTER THAN AL ONE IS ON OUR TEAM,BOOZER,ZACK,ALRIDGE,DIRK,BOSH,KG,DUNCAN,WEST,LOVE,MILSAP,GASOL,BLAKE,LEE. YEAH @ THE 4 HE WILL NOT BE A ALLSTAR ANYMORE HE’S TOO SLOW AND REFUSES TO GET DIRTY NOR DOES HE HAVE A HIGH VOLUME OFFENSIVE GAME TO OFFSET THIS
AND WHEN HAS BYNUM BEEN AN ELITE CENTER? ALL THIS DUDE IS STAY HURT AND STAY IN TROUBLE. ELITE CENTERS IN MY BOOK POST UP DOUBLE DOUBLES CONSTANTLY HE DOESN’T
THE ONLY ELITE CENTER IS DH SO PLEASE STOP THIS ELITE CENTER COMPARISON. THERE ARE NO MORE HAKEEMS,EWINGS,ROBINSONS,SHAQ,MUTOMBO,DAUGHERTY,SABONIS,THAT ERA IS GONE
Grandmaster JeJe
May 29th, 2011
10:57 pm
LOL @ Najeh’s comments. Deron and Melo only going to 2nd round once. THEY WENT TO WCF
RICK SUND DOESNT EVEN KNOW WHATS WRONG WITH THE TEAM
LOL
Horford + Sy for Rockets picks Travis Leslie+Motiejunas + Thabeet & Hill
May 29th, 2011
11:05 pm
Hasheem Thabeet is a 7′3 10 and 10 center.
” Dalembert “fits our speed”.”
LOL just because you play undersized doesn’t mean you have speed. Atlanta ranked 27 out of 30.
The heavier Josh becomes the slower the team becomes. Josh is the only guy who will run the wing and can take it to your chest or post up early off rim runs.
Joe is a trailer. Hinrich is not a finisher. Teague is close to being an 8 fta per game guy.
Horford is 3 fta per game on average. We have no rebounds we take the ball out the opposing defense is set you have no speed.
sorry putting Crawford and Hinrich for small lineup doesn’t actually increase our “speed” it just makes us a jump shooting team in half court that relies on a guy Carmelo’s size to “post up” bigger stronger players.
Only 2 more years Josh Smith, then LAL or MIA will get you in shape to play you at the 3. ATL you can have Joel Anthony to move Al to power forward lol.
Slimjr
May 29th, 2011
11:06 pm
“And I always thought that Al was going to be this team’s Tim Duncan? In the playoffs, he plays more like Elle Duncan.”
@KevinM you got Jokes!!!!!!!! LOL
Grandmaster JeJe
May 29th, 2011
11:15 pm
I feel like Wade is always injured or has a headache, yet Miami still wins
Buck stops here.
Mavs in 5. They will win game 1
Grandad
May 29th, 2011
11:27 pm
Ra’mon @ 9:41 pm
“do you think OKC, would go for a deal of Joe for Westbrook”
Short answer…No.
Longer answer…..I wouldn’t, if I were them !
Slimjr
May 29th, 2011
11:31 pm
Wow more and more folks are turning on AllstarAl after his playoff contributions the past couple of seasons..His bar appears to be set pretty high since he’s been to multiple Allstar games……
Grandad
May 29th, 2011
11:35 pm
H+SyforRpTL+M+Thbeet&Hatter
-evenin’ my friend-
Slimjr
May 29th, 2011
11:38 pm
Hey Rick, got some advice for ya…Never,never, ever drink before an interview.. Enough said….
Wabe
May 29th, 2011
11:39 pm
This interview just makes me think worse of Rick Sund than what I’ve already been thinking of him.
I mean really, he comes off clueless and trying to spin his bullstuff or he comes off defensive because he knows folks are catching on to his bullstuff.
This guys still yapping about the ‘05 Pistons. Did he not see the how the final 4 teams left in the playoffs were constructed? Did he not see that each one of those teams had a superstar or superstars. I understand what he says that those types of players are hard to come by. But, notice his response in how to attain one of those players. Either through the draft or through FA if there’s enough cap space in place…
Well, it’s hard to have cap space when you throw 120+ million dollars at JJ.
And then when talking about players who could potentially emerge, this guy mentions Kirk Hinrich? Does anybody here really see Kirk Hinrich in the longterm plans for this club? I really see this bozo making the same mistake he made with Bibby when he resigned Bibby to an extension, and the second the ink dried, Bibby seemed old, slow, and bummish. I could honestly see that happening again with Hinrich the way Sund speaks of the dude. Hinrich’s is 30+, and if Sund honestly sees this guy of all the guys on our ‘young roster’ as a guy who could emerge, then I’m wondering if he knows what he’s doing.
Just comes off clueless. And based on his interview, I don’t expect much change next season as far as the roster’s concerned.
The Real Mandingo
May 29th, 2011
11:48 pm
Championship Pedigree -
In defense of the ASG and Hawks mgmt., the Hawks organization has been trying to assemble players with championship pedigree and/or experience. Although I don’t agree with some of the past selections, Hawks mgmt. has at least made the attempt to bring in players who played on championship teams . The following recent former and current players (that I can think of) with championship or championship runner-up experience prior to joining the Hawks include:
1. Al Horford – 2006 and 2007 NCAA Champion (Univ. of Florida)
2. Marvin Williams – 2005 NCAA Champion (UNC)
3. Mike Bibby (former player) – 1997 NCAA Champion (Univ. of Arizona)
4. Joe Johnson – 1998 High School State Champion (Central High School – Arkansas State); please verify
5. Jamal Crawford – 1998 High School State Champion (Rainier Beach High School – Washington State); please verify
6. Kirk Hinrich – 2003 NCAA Champion Runner-up (Univ. of Kansas); lost to Syracuse Univ. in 2003 NCAA Finals
Please feel free to add to this list.
The Hawks organization demonstrates it is trying to pick winners (winning players) and develop a championship culture and atmosphere.
James
May 29th, 2011
11:53 pm
Chicago is gonna be looking for a SG so maybe the Hawks can trade Joe Johnson to them.
EmirS.
May 30th, 2011
2:33 am
Some of the trade ideas you fellas come up with…are just plain”lolrofllmfaohaha, you just made my day” types.
If I was a GM of any of those teams…I probably wouldn’t even reply back.
Again nice suggestions as far as to improve our team. But to me a decent trade proposal is one that the other team would make becomes it comes with benefits.
Unless the trade proposals are just for sh!ts and giggles…then have at it!
Najeh Davenpoop
May 30th, 2011
3:59 am
“Here’s a question, would you guys rather have Joe Johnson or Russell Westbrook?”
Even if they were the same age, Westbrook is the better player. Being nine years younger, going with Westbrook is a no-brainer.
Najeh Davenpoop
May 30th, 2011
4:04 am
I saw Allen Iverson hanging out the other day in Buckhead. I bet for a minimum salary he could still give the Hawks 80% of what Jamal provides.
Najeh Davenpoop
May 30th, 2011
4:21 am
OK, I was trying to hold back hoping someone else would address this, but I can’t help it.
“people think Jordan Crawford was a good pick. Check Jordan Crawford’s measurements and stats he will never be a good defender and relies on his offense to make it up.”
“Horford has peaked. The small ball experiments. Its over.”
“He looks like Michael Beasley to me. Tall guys try to penetrate and defense collapses he has to pass or shoot.
He looks like David West with ball skills idk if that screams superstar.
He is not a superstar.”
“Horford is Oberto with a jump shot.”
Look, I have done my fair share of criticizing Al Horford for his underwhelming playoff performance and I am all for pointing out flaws of various players and addressing why they wouldn’t necessarily help this team. But I’m pretty sure I’m not the only one who sees the irony in criticizing the performances of all these players who have actually, you know, PRODUCED, when the main focus of your trade proposal is acquiring
Saer SeneHASHEEM FREAKING THABUST, the #2 pick who is so bad that he makes Marvin look good by comparison, andNikoloz TskitishviliDonatas Motiejunas, who is just the latest in a long line of 7 foot Europeans who wanted to stand on the three point line all day jacking up jumpers and disappointed in the NBA as a result. You are going about offering valid but relatively inconsequential criticisms of all sorts of flawed but productive players (seriously, who gives a sh-t if one guy has a wingspan 2 inches longer than another guy if he does jack sh-t while the other guy produces?) while asking the Hawks to trade an All Star — yes, a flawed one, but still a good player — for a bunch of players who have done absolutely nothing and show relatively little potential to ever accomplish anything. Where’s the logic? (copyright Ken Strickland)Horford + Sy for Rockets picks Travis Leslie+Motiejunas + Thabeet & Hill
May 30th, 2011
4:23 am
yay non defender who gives up more points than he produces. At least he sells tickets. Thats a good return for the Hawks.
lol.
Amare, Pierce, Anthony, Lebron, who will ?Horford? beat out
if we consider Al Horford as a PF he is not an All Star. Al Horford as an All Star is a technicality.
Horford + Sy for Rockets picks Travis Leslie+Motiejunas + Thabeet & Hill
May 30th, 2011
4:25 am
the ‘05 Pistons
Jeff Teague-Chauncey Billups
Joe Johnson-Rip Hamilton
Josh Smith-Tayshaun Prince
???-Rasheed Wallace
???-Ben Wallace
::::::
Marvin Williams could have been Paul/Deron- Darko Milicic could have been Carmelo
Al Horford -Rasheed Wallace??
SoL Heart Hawks
May 30th, 2011
4:28 am
One day after this was written I had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Sund & talking Hawks + all things hoops for several hours. This guy knows NBA he cares deeply about this franchise and I was truly impressed I will not get into the candid off the record topics & stance’s held out of great respect for Rick but I will tell you this I liked everything I heard and the down to Earth straight shooting manner it was said. I do not envy his job & believe he has done a great deal with an unideal ASG say what you want but I know now first hand what a quality GM & person Rick Sund is. Hawks fan dream come true last night im still in a bit of disbelief that I actually Bro’d down with Rick & got to talk about every topic thats been on my mind to do with my favorite team & I walk away from the experience more optismistic & in Love with my Hawks. ps. Go to the games folks we need that revenue to make the moves we as Hawks fans dream of ya heard?!!!!
Samuel
May 30th, 2011
5:46 am
If you think the Hawks are going any where with Sund leading the helm, your’e sadly mistaken. Anybody who would pay Joe Johnson that kind of money doesn’t have a clue. I’m convinced the hawks are more into putting people in the seats than winning a championship. There’s no comparison to Dirk and Joe johnson other than one’s a Superstar and the Hawks forward isn’t.
Grandmaster JeJe
May 30th, 2011
5:54 am
This franchise is still a joke.
We got embarrassed two years in a row in the 2nd round. Now we lose in 6 to a very overrated one seed (I REPEATEDLY pointed this out before the Playoffs) and our incompetent front office believes we’re making strides
MC, I will personally wire you $100 if you bluntly ask Rick Sund “What the hell is wrong with Marvin? He was a 2 seed, is an awful player, and is a career underachiever so why is he still on this team?”
terrell
May 30th, 2011
6:27 am
Why is Sund always trying to compare the Hawks to another team? I almost stopped reading when he said the “core” hadnt peaked yet. Said it before, and I’ll say it again. SUND IS JUST A YES MAN.
terrell
May 30th, 2011
6:32 am
Hawks didnt get better this year in the Playoffs, Orlando just got a lot worse. Only team to get blowed out in an elimination game this year, and you call this an improvement? Not to mention the blowouts at home in the reg season, and only being a couple of games over 500. INSANITY!
terrell
May 30th, 2011
6:33 am
Understatement of the year
“I dont think we have an MVP candidate”. lol!
terrell
May 30th, 2011
6:34 am
Hadnt been on the blog in a while. Cant wait to read some of the comments. Get my laugh on. Haha
terrell
May 30th, 2011
6:35 am
‘Havent”
terrell
May 30th, 2011
6:36 am
Major trades???
terrell
May 30th, 2011
6:42 am
If Teague is not the starter next year, I’m done. And when did he get SIGNIFIGANT min after the Bibby trade? Are you kidding me?
terrell
May 30th, 2011
6:46 am
Everything in my power to bring him back? Why?