Atlanta Hawks: ‘Detroit model’ still a lemon
So if you are trying to be a championship contender, would you rather be GM of the Knicks or the Hawks right about now?
In Atlanta, you have a roster that’s been built on the Detroit model, which is historically flawed because a superstar player has almost always been necessary to win a title. But you do have two All-Stars, an All-Star (if enigmatic) talent, a promising young point guard and a solid veteran point guard.
In New York, you have the opposite problem. The Knicks have two superstar talents and not enough around them. Howard Beck of the New York Times breaks down the dilemma face by the Knicks:
As [Donnie] Walsh noted last week in announcing his decision to step down, “we have the stars” required to be respectable. “They will do what they do, and we’re lucky to have them,” he said. But, he noted, “You need more than that” to contend for championships.
The proof is in the playoffs, where each conference finalist had invaluable supporting players: Joakim Noah and Luol Deng in Chicago, Serge Ibaka and Thabo Sefolosha in Oklahoma City, Tyson Chandler and Shawn Marion in Dallas, Udonis Haslem and Mike Miller in Miami.
They are not stars, but they are indispensable in a title chase — the players who “fill in the blanks,” as Walsh said — setting hard screens, pouncing on loose balls, hitting timely jumpers, guarding top scorers, challenging shots in the paint. The great teams have such players in abundance. The Knicks have a dearth of them.
Chicago, Oklahoma City, Dallas and Miami also had at least one player named second-team All-NBA or better, like all but five champions and 10 runners-up in the league’s history. Rick Sund suggested the only way to get those kind of players is by picking No. 1 or No. 2 in the draft or spending free agent cash.
I don’t have to remind my blog people of the many ways the Hawks have messed up selecting a future superstar in the draft before Sund got here. Nor do you need to be told that Sund just gave away a pick to Washington because of his mistake in signing Bibby to that deal. And you already know the No. 1 reason the Hawks don’t have the ability to sign a superstar is because Sund gave J.J. the richest contract in the league but didn’t get anywhere close to superstar-level or even usual J.J.-like production. (The deals for Bibby and Marvin didn’t help, either.)
There’s another way in addition trades and free agency, of course. Top 10 players can be acquired in trades, which isn’t easy to do but is not without precedent. Looking back since 1980, there are a handful of such players who joined new teams through trades and helped them win titles: Kareem, Dr. J (who was actually “sold” to the 76ers by the Nets), Tiny Archibald, Moses Malone, Pippen (after the Sonics drafted him No. 5 overall), Barkley (after he became disgruntled in Philly), Penny (after the Warriors drafted him No. 3 overall), Mutombo (sorry to bring it up), J. Kidd, and Kobe (after the Hornets drafted him No. 13 overall).
So if you doubt the Detroit model is a winner, and you are convinced the Hawks need to get a superstar to be real contenders, then hope Sund can somehow get one through a trade. Sund apparently considers the trades for Jamal and Hinrich to be major deals but neither required the Hawks to give up a major piece.
Getting a superstar would require that kind of bold move, which is tricky since Atlanta lacks coveted assets like draft picks and cheap/productive/promising players. Making such a move while also keeping enough help around for the acquired superstar makes it trickier still, as the Knicks are finding out.
Sund has been involved in some major swaps. In 2000 with Detroit, he traded away Grant Hill in his prime to Orlando for Ben Wallace. Eventually Wallace became the kind of elite defender who made the Detroit model work, to the point that he was voted second-team NBA in 2006. And while with Seattle in 2003, Sund traded away Gary Payton, who was just starting his decline from All-NBA, and got Ray Allen, who would make second-team All-NBA in 2005.
Speaking of trades . . . .
Rusty Simmons of the San Francisco Chronicle reports: “League sources said the Warriors also have discussed [Monta] Ellis, among a variety of other players, in trade talks with Atlanta, Chicago, Memphis, Orlando and the Lakers.”
It’s always hard to know exactly what to make of “trade talks.” But I can’t think of a reason why the Hawks would be interested in Ellis, who has $33 million and three years left on a deal that includes a player option.
Simmons says the Warriors are looking for defensive help and want a big guard, a swingman and a post presence (and who doesn’t want one of those?). For what it’s worth, J.J. is a big guard who also can be a swingman, and Josh is a good defender who can play the 3, but look at the Golden State roster and tell me if there’s anyone the Hawks need/want?
Notes
- Marvin had outpatient surgery today to alleviate what the team says is an “isolated bulging disk” in his lower back. The Hawks said Marvin is set to begin rehab immediately and is expected to return to full basketball activities in six to weight weeks.
- The Arkansas Times talked to J.J., who says he might consider playing in Europe if there’s a lockout but added:” [I]f you go over there and get hurt, your contract is void.” That’s a lob for my blog people.
- The Hawks are in draft mode. They will start holding workouts for prospects next week but, unfortunately, there will be no media access. A list of prospects hopefully will be forthcoming.
- Teague has two basketball camps next week: June 13-15 at Salem High in Conyers and June 16-18 at Wheeler High in Marietta. Registration info is here.
- Al also has two camps: June 25-26 at Emory and June 28-29 in Lansing, Mich. Registration info is here.
Michael Cunningham, Hawks beat
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488 comments Add your comment
Ra'mon
June 8th, 2011
8:48 pm
The funniest part is, all last off season and the beginning of this season I lobbied for the Hawks to trade Horford, Crawford, and a pick for D. Williams. But everyone thought he was unavailable. But he was actually the only superstar available that the Hawks could have acquired in the last 2-3 years.
I do wonder if Phoenix would take a deal of Al and Kirk for Nash and Gortat.
Steven A.
June 8th, 2011
8:53 pm
Allow Jamal to walk or trade him. Below is a possible list of Free Agent reserves that will fit under the salary cap. Provided CBA does not drastically
change.
1. J R Smith 5 million Zsa Zsa pachulia 4 mil
2. Aaron Aflalo 4 million Marvin Williams 7 mil
3. Aaron Gray 800,000 Magnum Rolle 400,000
4. Kwame Brown 1 million
5. Ryan Hollins 800, 000
Steven A.
June 8th, 2011
8:56 pm
Move AL for Greg Oden and Brandon Roy. Heard through my sources in
Portland that Brandon Roy will be made available..\
Al Horford SHRINKS in BIG moments.
Marcus
June 8th, 2011
9:14 pm
No thanks to Brandon Roy.That seems like duplication of what we have with no improvement in areas of need, esp. considering JJ’s max contract and B. Roy’s suddenly 80-year old knees.
Steven A.
June 8th, 2011
9:26 pm
Brandon Roy will be an upgrade over Jamal, provided he stays healthy.
I would start the following;
Pg Jeff Teague
Sg Brandon Roy
Sf Joe Johnson
Pf Josh Smith
C Kwame Brown/
Steven A.
June 8th, 2011
9:29 pm
The only way the Hawks compete with Bulls/Heat is to move JJ to the 3
and acquire another young scorer, maybe Nick Young.
GT Alum
June 8th, 2011
9:37 pm
Tyce -
I don’t think we’re necessarily saying that you can’t build a team without a superstar, just that it’s a lot harder, and that your team’s management has to be very shrewd to do it. So far, none of us have that much faith in the people in charge of this team.
As far as JJ, you’ve hit upon most fans’ issue with his re-signing. It’s not that the Hawks re-signed him, it’s that they gave him a max contract. The Hawks’ FO has pretty much said that the reason they paid him that was because they were afraid he would go somewhere else. So, it wasn’t so much paying to keep him as it was paying him to keep from losing him. The Hawks’ FO felt taking the chance that JJ would leave could be a major setback for this team. A lot of fans feel it didn’t necessarily have to be a MAJOR setback, and could’ve been happy taking a small step back if it put us in a better chance to become true contenders long term.
Grandmaster JeJe
June 8th, 2011
9:43 pm
Detroit never had a superstar, but Chauncey was damn close.
Sheed was damn good and Ben Wallace was a top defensive player of the decade
What do we have that compares to the 3 above players?
Nothing
Amazed Marvin is even mentioned in this blog.
Most blogs, MC doesn’t even mention Marvin and we don’t even notice, because Marvin SUCKS
GT Alum
June 8th, 2011
9:44 pm
Steven A. -
Al Horford SHRINKS in BIG moments.
So you’d rather have a C who’s played all of 1800 minutes in the 3 years since he got drafted? You might be buying low, but you also might be buying a lemon.
Anyway, it’s a high risk move, so I’m pretty sure the Hawks won’t do it.
Grandmaster JeJe
June 8th, 2011
9:50 pm
LOL @ Brandon Roy
You cats realize doctors said he has 2 years left, playing 20 minutes EVERY OTHER GAME until his career sadly ends?
No Thanks. I’d even take Marvin Williams over that…I think
Grandmaster JeJe
June 8th, 2011
9:56 pm
Northcyde from last blog:
That idiot GM of ours . . . SMH.
I was driving through Alabama last night, reading this ish on the interstate ( yeah I know, don’t read your phone and drive ). LOL . . Sund had me in shock, disbelief, saying WTF, and damn near swerving on the road reading that bunch of BS.
MC’s interview was GREAT. He asked all of the right questions, even re-asked questions to get him to either clarify his point or give him an out, and Sund still either didn’t answer the question, or went into some tangent that had nothing to do with the question.
His entire interview sounds like a little kid that does something wrong, just because everybody else is doing it.
MAMA SUND: “Ricky . . why did you get your clothes dirty?
SUND: “Mom . . but everybody else was doing it. So why should you get mad at me for getting my clothes dirty?”
MAMA SUND: “Boy . . how stupid are you? If everybody jumped off of a bridge, are you gonna jump too? Boy . . Ima whoop your azz. Get out of those clothes . . NOW !!!
The arrogance, the smugness, the pile of BS that he spits, just all irritates the hell out of me, more than any player, coach, or owner associated with the Hawks. I don’t like that dude at all.
His claim to fame was trading for three players that other teams didn’t want ( Bibby, Jamal, and now HInrich ). And they all were guards, despite the need for us to desperately upgrade the depth of the frontline.
Honestly, he hasn’t made one risk taking move in his entire tenure as GM. The core was built by Billy Knight, not by Rick Sund. All Sund has done, is kept the team that was assembled when he got here, basically together.
It’s incredible that JJ – Smith – Horford – Marvin and Zaza have all been together for 4 years now. JJ – Smith – Marvin for 6 years.
With Sund up against the luxury tax threshhold, his strategy of trading expiring scrub contracts for unwanted decent players isn’t going to work anymore. He now has to THINK about how to improve the team roster wise.
But he’s already laid the law down. His job isn’t to make the roster better, his job is to tell the “core” to get better mentally and physically, even if he doesn’t get them help.
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.
I think we as a team, to answer your question, we have got to stay more focused during the 82 games.
Everything that dude said is about the players improving on what they currently are, NOT what he can or SHOULD do to improve the team overall.
Sund probably laughed after MC conducted that interview, thinking he’d just got one over MC and the fans with his answers . . . while MC probably laughed too, in disbelief, shaking his head.
FIRE SUND
doc
June 8th, 2011
10:00 pm
najeh, can we bring riles in the swap?
Grandmaster JeJe
June 8th, 2011
10:17 pm
MC,
I can’t believe with all that money not going toward the Thrashers that ASG won’t go to the next level and try go into the LT, i.e. trading Smoove and taking on extra salary.
*I added the Grandmaster to my name due to my lifelong love of chess…And I am still Searching for Bobby Fischer
ILL-Logical
June 8th, 2011
10:18 pm
Before anyone strokes out about the Hawks’ situation, consider the following:
There will be lockout in the NBA. Stern is going to crush the union once and for all but at the cost of hurting a business that doesn’t have the market position of the NFL. And the NFL is doing a grat job of trying to commit hari kari.
Second. The ASGP has no intention other than selling the Hawks. Period!
So let’s take a deep breath and continue to try to make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear.
Grandmaster JeJe
June 8th, 2011
10:19 pm
To the cat who wanted Dorell, he is one of the most improved players.
No way we get him
ILL-Logical
June 8th, 2011
10:19 pm
*great*
Grandmaster JeJe
June 8th, 2011
10:20 pm
Since my mentor Worldwide Clyde added ‘Worldwide’ to his name, I felt it was only right I made the proper adjustments to my name
FIRE LD
KevinM
June 8th, 2011
10:30 pm
Since no mention of LD lately, it appears he will be back for the thrifty ASG. He and Sund on one year contracts won’t entice ANY free agent to come here.
We will be back to Collins, Thomas, Rolle, Armstrong and Zaza as we need 6 limited centers on the roster to combat one Dwight Howard.
What about the rest of the league?
With our cap issues, and if we even get games in this season, we might end up with the worse bench money can’t buy. We’re up against the cap, and we have to have 13 players. Well, we will have 8, so those remaining 5 will be nothing short of SL and D-Leaguers.
We will be the last GM job for one Rick Sund. There is little to look forward to as long as he believes we have enough pieces…..
cp
June 8th, 2011
11:06 pm
I’m just glad to not be reading any silly Thabeet trade proposals on here. Its very hard to be excited about this team moving forward. Sund isn’t a clever enough gm to make a bold move to improve or at least shake up the team. Another year of mediocrity is coming
Dark Karma
June 8th, 2011
11:07 pm
Marvin had outpatient surgery today to alleviate what the team says is an “isolated bulging disk” in his lower back. The Hawks said Marvin is set to begin rehab immediately and is expected to return to full basketball activities in six to weight weeks.
Is that what made his ass stick out, and had him walking like he was 936 years old?
The Hawks are in draft mode. They will start holding workouts for prospects next week but, unfortunately, there will be no media access. A list of prospects hopefully will be forthcoming.
For what reason? We gonna draft Pape Sy’s cousin in the 2nd round? Or do we need another pick to trade for cash, so that Mike Gearon can get a few more lap dances?
Teague has two basketball camps next week: June 13-15 at Salem High in Conyers and June 16-18 at Wheeler High in Marietta.
Needs to schedule a third one. For him. With Dell Curry or somebody. Learn a jumpshot. A real one.
Al also has two camps: June 25-26 at Emory and June 28-29 in Lansing, Mich.
Al needs just one camp. For him. With Rick Mahorn, Karl Malone, and Dale Davis. The three of them should whoop up on his ass until he gets back to being Mr. Rugged.
SteveW
June 8th, 2011
11:16 pm
Depending on your definition of superstar, I just don’t get Sund saying you only get superstars drafting 1 or 2. Consider:
2008 – Russel Westbrook #4
Eric Gordon #7 (headed towards superstardom it looks to me)
2006 – Rudy Gay #8
Rajon Rondo – #21
2005 – Chris Paul #4
Danny Granger #17 (no superstar, but a really good player)
David Lee #30 (see above)
2004 – Iggy #9
Al Jefferson #15
2003 – DWade #5
But let’s see if there are any superstars at #’s 1 and 2 (and sometimes 3): Here is a list of non superstars at those spots
2008 – Beasley at #2
Mayo at #3
2007 – #1 Greg Oden
2006 – Bargnani #1 and Adam Morrison #3
2005 – Bogut and Marvin were #’s 1 and 2
2004 – Ben Gordon #3 and Shaun Livingston # 4 (I had to throw that one in).
This is a partial analysis – but I think you can get superstars or near superstars alot lower than 1 and 2 in the draft according to past history.
SteveW
June 8th, 2011
11:25 pm
I mean Thabeet was #2 in ‘09, while Harden at #3, Evans at #4, and Curry at #7 have all out performed him.
And if you go by the All Star team:
Amare was a #9 pick
DWade was #5
Ray Allen was a #5
Chris Bosh was #4
Kevin Garnett 5th pick
Horford 3 and JJ 10
Paul Peirce 10
Rondo #21
West:
Kobe #13 pick
Chris Paul #4
Ginobili was a 28th pick in the 2nd round (58th overall)
Gasol – #3 pick
Westbrook #4
Dirk was a 9th pick
DeRon Williams #3
It is bogus to say unless you draft 1 or 2 you can’t get a superstar.
SteveW
June 8th, 2011
11:26 pm
Carmelo was a #3 pick also, not 1 or 2
Grandad
June 8th, 2011
11:33 pm
SuperStar model Detroit model;
it makes no difference really because you must have
good players period.
What is a SS, sometimes espn, et al, makes up superstars.
I’m not sure that Melo or even Amare are superstars.
I can’t stand LeBron but…he is a SuperStar.[actually a SuperDuperStar]
Wade, Dirk, Kobe, as well, but at some point there’s a drop off.
Detroit’s model had Chauncey, who in my eyes was a SS.
My definition of a superstar is, on top of being an excellent player himself:
“a player who makes his teammates better”.
I just think the superstar / top ten thing is media driven.
Is Al a SS ? … No.
Is Joe ? … Heck no.
What about Josh ? … He could have been, but sadly, no.
In the case of the Hawks;
we / they have pieces, albeit mismatched.
We must move some of the pieces to find better matches.
Then we should eliminate players who are a detriment;
as Pat Riley would say:
“your either in or your out”
and we have some overpaid “outs” that need to go.
Basically what I’m saying is;
in our situation, we must put together a team in the truest since.
Then find a player or two who are Chauncey Billups type supers.
Oh yeah we still need a 7 ftr and more rebounding, regardless
of all the other foofaraw.
SteveW
June 8th, 2011
11:40 pm
4 out of the top 10 scorers in the NBA this season were drafted 9th or below, 1 in the second round, and another 26th in the first round.
As far as rebounds go, the top rebounder was drafted 5th (Love)
3rd was drafted 19th – ZRandolph
5th was drafted 14th – Kris Humphries
7th was drafted 30th
8th was drafted 15th
SteveW
June 8th, 2011
11:45 pm
All NBA – on the 2nd team All NBA, not a single player was drafted 1 or 2
On the 3rd team, only 1 player was drafted 1 or 2
Of the top 4 vote getters behind them, none were drafted 1 or 2
Now on the 1st team, 4 of 5 were 1 or 2’s.
But Sund is still putting out bogus stats.
Booo!
June 8th, 2011
11:48 pm
Grandad,
Chauncey Has been my favorite player for the last decade. I dont care what anyone says he’s the best PG in the league if you ask me. All of these so called “superstar PG’s” can keep their high usage rates and first round exits’. I’ll take chauncey over all of em’.
SteveW
June 8th, 2011
11:48 pm
According to All NBA voting, only 5 of the top 19 players in the NBA were drafted at 1 or 2 in the first round.
Grandmaster JeJe
June 8th, 2011
11:53 pm
FIRE LD
Grandmaster JeJe
June 8th, 2011
11:55 pm
My bad before. Deron has been to WCF, not CP3
SteveW
June 9th, 2011
12:01 am
The Pistons went like 11 deep in ‘04. What a team!
And to compare anything the Hawks are doing with a starting 5 of:
‘Sheed
Ben Wallace
T Prince
Rip
Billups
Is an insult to basketball. Those guys would beat the Hawks 4-0 on the court, and then beat them to a pulp in a back alley afterwards.
SteveW
June 9th, 2011
12:11 am
An unflattering assessment of Magnum Rolle from Draft Expess:
“Magnum Rolle too physically weak to get much done inside at WAC level, let alone NBA. Fades away on every shot, doesn’t hustle. Can’t defend”
But on some other spots on DE, it has some encouraging things to say about him..
I think anything over 10-15 mpg is expecting to much of Rolle during his career at this point.
DC
June 9th, 2011
12:15 am
I’d welcome Ellis, because frankly, I’m just dying for a change of scenery. The Hawks have become so methodical. I wonder who we’d trade. I personally hope Horford Hinrich and Williams for Ellis, Wright and someone else. Of course this whole scenario is unlikely, but that would be great. Then we’d have Teague Ellis Johnson Smith Pachulia. With Williams coming off the bench, maybe a guy like Udoh or a first round pick would be thrown in. I actually love Ellis’ game and I think it could excite the city of Atlanta. Teague-JJ-Ellis backcourt is much more deadly than Teague-JJ-Crawford. I’d welcome Ellis with open arms.
Grandad
June 9th, 2011
12:21 am
Booo!
I’m right there with you my friend.
Chauncey Billups: -aka- “MR Big Shot”
Drafted third overall in the 1997 NBA Draft by the Boston Celtics,
Billups was traded to the Toronto Raptors
Billups then played for the Denver Nuggets,
who traded him to the Orlando Magic.
He was injured & never played a game for Orlando
Billups was then signed by the Minnesota Timberwolves
In June 2002, Billups signed with the Detroit Pistons
free agent to be the team’s new starting point guard.
Now Sund + Pendergraph, get out there and do your job.
Find some players…..they are out there…..but you gotta work !
Quit wishin’ & hopin’ for one to fall in your lap.
Now get busy.
SteveW
June 9th, 2011
12:27 am
There are some freakish similiarities between LD’s treatment of Jeff Teague and LD’s accusations against Roy Williams:
LA Times article:
“Drew’s troubles transcended the fans. Larry Drew Sr., the Atlanta Hawks coach, said his son contemplated leaving after a freshman year in which he barely played. As a sophomore, playing alongside the Wear twins, Drew started 36 of 37 games and averaged six assists, tied for second in the ACC.
But Drew never felt completely comfortable, his father said. And the family became upset about the way the change in the starting lineup was handled.
“Nothing was said to Larry, nothing was said to me,” Drew Sr. said. “That was a little hard to swallow.”
Williams disputed Drew’s claim, saying he talked about the lineup change “openly in front of the team before it happened. It was not a surprise to Larry. In fact, the day before the [next] game I talked about making three changes in the starting lineup.”
I wonder if LD talked with Teague’s family every time he tried to destroy Jeff this season? After all, Jeff would only be a Sr. in college if he would have stayed.
More from the LA Times:
“”Coach Williams wanted to put a lot of trust in Larry because he has a special relationship with all his point guards, but they bumped heads at times,” said Deon Thompson, a former Torrance High star who was a teammate of Drew’s for two seasons with the Tar Heels. “He was just a laid-back kid, so it was hard for Coach Williams to light that fire in him at times.”
So LD has to hire Van Exel to light Jeff’s inner dog, just like LDII needs his inner dog unleashed.
Weird.
darrell starks
June 9th, 2011
12:30 am
Here is the time to get rid of joe, the warrior’s need a big guard 2 go with curry.
GO HAWKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Grandad
June 9th, 2011
12:30 am
I think Golden State had in mind:
Joe
-for-
Monta + biedrins
Jerry West is wanting a big defensive minded guard to pair with Curry.
Plus they wish to dump Biedrins contract.
Under the old rules the trade would work with them taking Marvin as well.
If we could somehow get pick # 11, I would be all over that one.
darrell starks
June 9th, 2011
12:32 am
http://games.espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=3jyjjg9
darrell starks
June 9th, 2011
12:34 am
STARTER TEAGUE, ELLIS, JOSH, HORFORD, BIEDRINS
SIGN FREE AGENT ALTHORTON AND WILCOX
BENCH HINRICH, DAMIEN, AL THORTON, WILCOX, ZAZA
RESERVE COLLINS, PAPE SY
GO HAWKS!!!!!!!!!!!!
SteveW
June 9th, 2011
12:42 am
JJ, Marvin, and Josh for Ellis, Wright, Lee, and Beidrins?
JJ for Ellis and Beidrins I’m not sure I would do. Ellis is younger, but small and no D.
Unless you had him in Jamal’s role, and started Teague and Hinrich. Hmmm…
SteveW
June 9th, 2011
12:45 am
I like Curry better than Ellis.
But I’m not impressed with Beidrins at all.
darrell starks
June 9th, 2011
12:48 am
http://youtu.be/F1iXKX3F8lw
darrell starks
June 9th, 2011
12:49 am
Bring home RICK SUND
ELLIS, BIEDRIN FOR JOE, MARVIN
GO HAWKS!!!!!!!!
darrell starks
June 9th, 2011
1:28 am
http://youtu.be/Ar-JA5Zh36g
darrell starks
June 9th, 2011
1:34 am
Hire Bill Laimbeer and i gurantee this team compete for tittle.
GO HAWKS!!!!!!!!!!!!
Michael
June 9th, 2011
1:42 am
David McDavid and Steve Belkin continually show they are the smartest guys in the room.
Realsquawk
June 9th, 2011
1:57 am
Darrel Starks I like the way you think.
Buddy Grizzard
June 9th, 2011
1:58 am
FC Barcalona is waiting Joe! Your jet is standing by at Hartsfield!
Worldwide Clyde
June 9th, 2011
2:12 am
Marvin and Joe for Monta Ellis and Udoh
superiorblogman
June 9th, 2011
2:41 am
Simple as I have stated many times.
Josh, Marvin, and Zaza for Monta and Biedrins: Try to get Wright or a pick also.
Monta is top 10 scoring and number the 3 in steals. He takes the same amount of shots as Mr. MVP but shoots a higher percentage. Anyone claiming he is a ballhog is a fool.
He would be your leading scorer, assist man, and steals guy if he put up same numbers he did this year with the Hawks next year and I love that because Joe is not a #1. Al nor Josh are capable of taking the load off of Joe and making him the #2 guy. G State is not taking Joe, they are selecting Alec Burks or Klay Thompson with there pick that’s why they want wings and bigs in the trade. We give them some of both.
Lastly, I like Josh Smith’s potential but his defense is blown out of proportion. He averaged 1.6 blocks this year which is not even top 10. He is not a good man to man or position defender. Monta Ellis is the best value you can get for him because you will not get a legit Center worth getting for Josh. Noone is trading you Bogut, Bynum, or Brook Lopez for Josh Smith. Chris Kaman would be a worse player than Josh only good to him is that he has an expiring contract. Monta Ellis is flat out better than Josh.
Get her done Sund.
Josh, Marvin, Zaza for Monta, Biedrins, and a filler