Atlanta Hawks: Rick Sund Q-and-A
More from my interview yesterday with Hawks GM Rick Sund.
MC: What is your evaluation of the season?
Sund: There are two seasons. Once you become a real playoff team, there are two seasons. I thought we had an unbelievably great first season: 40 wins, key people hurt, the players and Larry [Drew] kept their focus. We ended up having the fourth-best record in the East. I thought with all the adversity it was really a great year with the compressed schedule and all the obstacles a team has to climb, which every team has those obstacles. I thought it was good.
The second part of the season is the playoffs and that’s disappointing. I think a great thing when you go through the [exit] interview process you get to talk to the players, and to a man—I still have a couple to do—but to a man they all think we should still be playing. And that’s a good thing. There’s disappointment in their heart. They look [at the playoffs] and feel they are good enough to be playing at the championship level.
MC: When you evaluate the team, are you able to separate out the effects of all the injuries from where you need to get better?
Sund: Two-and-a-half weeks after the season, you are a little bit more pragmatic. The emotions are out of the focus. When you look at it and you have to say, the last four years this team in the Eastern Conference has had the third-or fourth-best record either by the end of the regular season or by getting through the first round and getting to the second round. We’ve had the third- or fourth-best record in the last four years. Our goal is to get into those top two [in the East], because that’s when you have a legitimate shot to get to the finals. That’s that championship level. That’s the NBA’s version of the Final Four. You want to be one of those top two teams playing at the end of May and into June because you’ve got a legitimate shot to win a championship. We’ve fallen short of that. That’s our goal. Having said that, we have to look at our club and say where are the areas we can improve, what can we do without taking a step back. So we will have to explore all opportunities.
MC: The team’s deficiencies were mostly on offense, which came to fruition against the Celtics, a very good defensive team. From a personnel standpoint, how can the team improve offensively?
Sund: Again, you say separate the injuries, you really can’t, because if your key personnel are core members of your club, you are going to miss the points that that person may bring or the rebounds. I think we were one of the better defensive teams in the league, something last season we really wanted to focus on. I think Larry and the team did a great job. Points-wise it was Chicago one, Boston two, Philly three, Miami four, Memphis five, we are sixth. Defending in certain areas [like] field-goal percentage. In all of that, we really improved. I think that was the strength of our team. Now we have got to focus on, can we score a little more. Having said that, our offensive efficiency—which I know you are a big stat guy—was really good in the fourth quarter, particularly the last five minutes of the game. Joe [Johnson] in particular [was good] in crunch time. We were good in the fourth quarter, we were good in overtime games, close games. You are always looking at how you get better. I think some of that will come, if the team is the same, from [Jeff] Teague. Teague is going to continue to get better. He got a lot of easy shots for us in the playoffs for some of our players. Joe really improved his 3-point shooting. Marvin [Williams] shot the 3-pointer pretty good. You are asking me questions that really Larry should answer but I think, overall, the dialogue from the coaching staff and the management last year was [about] defense. We’ve got to focus on that and we can manufacture and we have enough talent to get shots.
MC: Why do you think things like good offensive efficiency in fourth quarter didn’t translate to the playoffs?
Sund: I haven’t really zeroed in on that. I think with the exception of the blowout game, all of the games—and we pretty much dominated Game 1-you take those two games out and the other four games were pretty close and could have gone either way. It was a missed shot here and a missed shot there.
MC: We saw the tension between Joe’s deliberate style that he likes to play and LD’s motion offense, something that he expressed his frustration about at one point. Can that tension be resolved with this personnel?
Sund: That question should be to Coach.
MC: Do you plan to extend a tender to Ivan [Johnson]?
Sund: I’m not going to comment on that right now.
MC: Will you try to sign Josh Smith to an extension?
Sund: I’m not going to get into contract stuff.
MC: Josh had a great year production-wise but–
Sund: I think it was the best year Josh has had, at least in the four years I’ve been here. I’ve said it for the record and I’ll say it again: Irrespective of how the voting came out, he should have been an All-Star. I thought Josh had an absolutely terrific year. He did a great job of making sure, hey, we lost some huge production with [Al] Horford and he picked it up.
MC: But his offensive efficiency fell off, and a large part of that is because he’s taking more shots away from the basket and not shooting–
Sund: You have to ask those questions to Larry.
MC: But from a personnel standpoint, do you think he fits with what Larry is trying to do offensively?
Sund: Yes.
MC: Does that mean the migration away from the basket–
Sund: Those are questions you have to ask Larry. I think he’s an All-Star player. He played a total All-Star caliber play this year. He’s been exceptional in the post. I thought his defense was great. He’s one of the better passing power forwards in the league. I think he had a very good year.
MC: Is it your perception Josh is still happy being here with the Hawks?
Sund: I’m going to have his exit interview sometime this week. But, yeah, when you read the things of him saying . . . He’s such a competitor. I was talking to his dad the other day, and he mentioned we all think we should be playing, and that’s great. And [Josh] is one of them.
MC: Can you discuss tour team salary situation going forward?
Sund: I don’t like to talk about it until we find out what the taxes are and the league does its audit. We are in a situation where we have six guys under contract and we will have to fill in either via trade, first-round pick, second-round pick. How much room [under the tax level] do we have to use the mid-level, the bi-annual. We have all of those exceptions. Its’ too early to say.
MC: Is it possible you may have to build the same way as last year, when you had to find some value with minimum-salaried guys?
Sund: Many of the good teams are going to have to finesse their way around and look at that as an option. If you don’t want to be a perennial taxpayer, you have to look at those options. . . . I thought our team this year had a legitimate chance to get to the one or two spot [in the East]. We ended up with the fourth-best record in the [East] but we thought we could still be playing. I asked ownership if we think we are going to have a chance to make a run at it, we are going to have to dip our toe into and go into the tax and pay a little bit of tax. And they did it with no problem. We are an official taxpayer this year and I thought that was a good move for us given the injuries.
MC: I know you probably haven’t had much chance to study prospects in detail, but do you have an idea of the quality of depth in the draft?
Sund: I’m a real division of labor guy and that’s Dave Pendergraft and Mike McNeive, they focus on that all the time. I am getting more involved. During the year I go out and see some people but really focusing in on the groupings, where we pick at 23 who is going to be there, who do I really need to look at, who do you like in the combines, who do you not like. Chicago [combine] has become a really good tool because it’s basically all interviews for two or three days. That’s turned out to be really more productive than even in the past, when they just play.
MC: Have you gotten a feel from Dave and Mike on what they think about the draft prospects?
Sund: They’ve handled the draft pretty good the last couple of years. We got a good player in Teague and we got a good player in [Jordan] Crawford, which we parlayed into [Kirk] Hinrich. They feel that we will get a quality player at the 23rd pick, or there are quality people there. There are a few people they like that they might want to move down to get. Who knows. It’s way too early to tell. The lottery is tonight and next week is when it really starts to focus.
MC: How do you think that Crawford trade turned out now that Hinrich’s contract is expiring?
Sund: We felt we could make a run last year. Not quite as good as this year [but] we had to get through Orlando. It was the first time in four years we didn’t have home-court advantage and many people picked Orlando to win the conference. And then we took the best team record-wise [the Bulls] where we won the first game and then won another game. Hinrich didn’t play in that [series]. We like to think if Hinrich did play we would have advanced that round. It’s just unfortunate he came in with the injury this year. But I don’t think there’s any question in my mind that we wouldn’t have advanced to the second round last year without Kirk on our team.
Michael Cunningham, Hawks beat
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535 comments Add your comment
KevinM
June 1st, 2012
9:54 pm
“BIG DOG
June 1st, 2012
8:23 pm
Terrance Jones in beast mode”
Dog, let me put a scare into you….do you know who TJ is being compared to at the NBA level? Do we really want to go this route? None other than Marvin…I don’t see it and I don’t see the other ones in him as well….Rashard Lewis and Jason Thompson. None of these guys are as powerful as TJ.
Me being a UK guy. I liken TJ to more of a power player who has moves in the post and can face the basket. BD, if he comes here, he is not going to get any development benefit. He needs a coach who can push him to achieve greatness….LD is no such coach. He would rather let him languish on the bench until he is forced to play him.
Now, you keep Josh and Al and Ivan…there is no room for TJ.
And if Josh is intent on being a SF here, move him. I don’t want him as my 3. I want him on the inside where he is one of the best IMO. He’s as good as Zach Randolph and that cat is a handful when he gets it going.
But we need a guy who can shoot the long jumper and a guy who can run the team should something happen to JT.
I will pine one more time for Doron Lamb. You can have Waiters. I don’t think he is a natural shooter. I see him more of a Afflalo than a scorer.
I might accept a draft pick of Draymond Green, being that he was elite at MSU. But if Josh is here, you’re wasting that pick like you did with JC2. All Crawford did was slow down the development of JT and he isn’t a PG. But LD thought he was…..like Woody thought Diaw was….ugh.
KevinM
June 1st, 2012
9:57 pm
LD + any rookie we draft has me concerned. He has very little interest in developing a player. Must be that chip he keeps on his shoulder and perhaps he had to do it his own way back in the day.
I am sure Sund has a salary number in mind with our draft choice as opposed to a talented player. This choice has to fit into a slot and I’m guessing he doesn’t want to pay him more than a vet minimum.
Astro Joe
June 1st, 2012
9:58 pm
BIG DOG, not only is Sullinger not 6′10″, I have my doubts that he is 6′8″. And no way he will be on the draft board past pick 18.
Ray
June 1st, 2012
10:05 pm
Telling you now draftees that you won’t see at #23
Jared Sullinger
Perry Jones
Terrance Jones
I like us picking the Center out of Illinois or North Carolina for the longest that was what we needed is a C.
We’ll need another SG, but either we trade up or go get someone like K-mart(Kevin Martin).
KevinM
June 1st, 2012
10:20 pm
If you are hoping Dion Waiters drops to 23, you are wanting a defensive type guard. He has that Marvin Williams in that he was a key bench contributor but couldn’t crack the starting lineup.
Ra'mon
June 1st, 2012
11:33 pm
G’dad, I have a question for you. Who was a greater player, Bill Russell or Tim Duncan? I know Russell had more rings but played against less teams with less games.
Grandad
June 1st, 2012
11:42 pm
0`B
If I played Teaguer alongside a true pg;
say Nash or even Lowry,
I would play Jeff at the [2] on offense and match the other one
[whichever] on the weakest link – opponent guard.
Usually the quicker guard being the opponent`s pg.
Therefore JT would [most times] defend the point.
On some occasions Lowry, even though only 6-0,
is very strong, a great rebounding pg,
so he could handle himself vs most [2] guards.
KL was considered a combo guard for too long.
Now a true pg. / Still defensive match-ups would be accordingly.
Grandad
June 2nd, 2012
12:10 am
Rufus
Sir:
With all due respect, I must disagree;
concerning your statement about rookies.
“Any of those combinations are better than bringing in Rookies”
The rookies I`m recommending are / would be better than
the same old, same old, year after year, run of the mill,
never get any better, strive for mediocrity, Rick Sund plan.
These young men of which I speak are smart, talented, driven,
and loaded with potential.
Re-loading with scrubs – means we will most likely stay the same.
However, these kids I mention,
would bring, excitement, energy, & hustle.
I`m not saying each would be a Hall 0` Famer nor even an All-Star
but;
LBJ, Bill Russell, John Havlicek, Chuck Nevett, John Salley,
Ndudi Ebi, Rondo, Michael Olowokandi, Popeye Jones,
Elgin Baylor, Jack Haley, DrJ, Nique, Sheldon Williams,
Geert Hammink or Michael Jordan,
all had to be a rook; … one time or another.
Grandad
June 2nd, 2012
12:21 am
cp
We will have to trade up to get either Harkless, Nicholson, or both.
Which is why;
I am wishing for a trade / trades for Xtra picks.
All the while keeping our 23;
because Machado is moving up as well.
and we would need to use 23 to get him.
However I would not select Machado;
if there were not prelininary choices.
That is why we need a GM -NOW- !
As J.Shultz said:
This is preparation time … Right Now !
‘`Proper Planning Prevents Piss Poor Performance`’
The 6 “Ps” of success;
an old Army Sgt. told me that one a long time ago.
Grandad
June 2nd, 2012
12:36 am
Ra`mon
Bill Russell;
hands down, no more questions asked !
” but played against less teams with less games ”
I was not aware the NBA played less games regular season,
I`m assuming you mean play-offs ?
Doesn`t matter:
Russell`s teams;
traveled by train often in the early yrs,
players were not coddled as today, did not have team chefs,
trainers were not professionally trained as today,
diet and nutrition was abysmal, by todays standards,
the gyms were horrible, the lighting was dark,
but the worst was the floors did not have the trampoline effect
of todays floors [technology huh];
And the shoes;
by today`s standards, the players played virtually in house-shoes.
Meaning a thin (and I mean thin) layer of support.
I played in Chucks;
I know of what I speak.
“Talk about trampoline effect”
The worse thing was the landing = no support;
and;
those hard floors = hardwood with concrete underneath.
No arthroscopic surgery, No microfiber surgery !
Many times players just went on and played with “trick knees”.
-or-
Ended their careers !
Don`t give me this about that … Todays sissies vs the Old Guys !
G-dad has spoken on the subject !
____________________________________________
*disclaimer
Thate rant was not against Ra`mon !!!
Grandad
June 2nd, 2012
12:38 am
Duncan = Great / Russell = GREATER !
Ra'mon
June 2nd, 2012
12:49 am
Its hard to find good footage on Russell’s game in his prime. And I’m only 29, so can only go by the tales of others. So trying to find a player today who is most closer to Russell’s game.
Ra'mon
June 2nd, 2012
12:52 am
‘Most closer’ I know is terrible grammar, lol.
Ra'mon
June 2nd, 2012
1:00 am
D. Caracter from the Lakers will be playing the Hawks Summer League this season. He’s a 6′9 PF from UTEP. Don’t know any more about him.
ryan
June 2nd, 2012
2:41 am
This interview is embarrassing, good grief he sounds like a guy who once out of here
Boston whips Miami tonight with a lineup that included Marquis Daniels and Keyon Dooling
The last two teams in the East are playing without Chris Bosh, Avery Bradley and Jeff Green- and I have yet to hear Pat Riley and Danny Ainge whine about their circumstances
If ISO Joe is really worth the money then he should be able to carry this team like Lebron and Rondo do
But we all know the reality is that Joe is more of a complimentary piece than a superstar
Just Joe
June 2nd, 2012
5:49 am
Caracter has always had skill, just plagued by poor conditioning and a bad attitude. Had to transfer from Louisville before landing at UTEP. I think he had a knee injury with the Lakers. He’s the guy most pointed to when people talked about how big of a waste the Pape Sy pick was, as in, we could have used this guy.
Just Joe
June 2nd, 2012
6:04 am
Now we just need to get Malcolm Thomas in here for mini camp and summer league. That kid is way too athletic to not be in the league. 6′9″ PF with a 7′2″ wingspan. First rookie team in d league. First team in d league. First defensive team in d league. In playoffs, 18 pts, 12 rebs, 2 assists, 1 block, on 61% shooting over 34 minutes per game. He was over 2 blocks per game in the regular season.
Just Joe
June 2nd, 2012
6:05 am
I said Thomas was a PF, but he actually plays both forward spots.
Just Joe
June 2nd, 2012
6:16 am
Draft express, in their mock, has us taking a guy that we haven’t talked about much, Arnett Moultrie from Mississippi St. I like his rebounding, but for a big guy, he doesn’t block many shots. Not too sure about his motor either. Does he want to be great, or does he want a check?
cdog
June 2nd, 2012
11:46 am
rick sund comments about being a “perrineal tax payer” tells the story what he’s about.he’s more concern with money than he is winning a championship. he’s possed with the orlando majic.someone remind him that the NBA has more teams than the majic.he virtually gave away the extra second round pick then gave up jordon crawford for nothing, deadweight in kirk hinrich. sund should not try and comeback next season. he’s only damaging the hawks by his lack of doing nothing.please do us a favor and leave.
cp
June 2nd, 2012
12:29 pm
@Grandad. Yea you’re right. We would have to trade up to get either guy. After the combine we should get a good feel about who will be rising and falling.
@Just Joe. If im not mistaken Moultrie actually played the sf positin for a while. He is very versitile but like you I dont like the lack of shot blocking for a guy so long and athletic.
dap01
June 2nd, 2012
12:39 pm
Sund is the only GM in the history of the NBA that would trade 2 #1 picks, an expiring contract for KH.
Sund is only a yes man. The Hawks are merely happy to be an NBA team, they have no desire to win.
The ASG is horrible.
Buddy Grizzard
June 2nd, 2012
12:50 pm
“D. Caracter from the Lakers will be playing the Hawks Summer League this season. He’s a 6′9 PF from UTEP. Don’t know any more about him.”
Supposedly he had offers overseas and the Lakers offered him a guaranteed contract as a second round pick, something that’s practically unheard of. I saw him play his rookie season with the Lakers and he didn’t look terrible, just a bit overweight. Not surprised he didn’t stick there because the Lakers power rotation is hard to crack. If he can get his conditioning right, he could join Ivan as a low-cost rotation big man.
Buddy Grizzard
June 2nd, 2012
12:57 pm
“Sund is the only GM in the history of the NBA that would trade 2 #1 picks, an expiring contract for KH.” – dap01
If LD had never played Green or Pargo a single minute in the Celtics series and had given all those minutes at PG and SG to Teague, Kirk, T-Mac and Joe, the Hawks might still be playing. Hard to judge the Hinrich trade when LD decided to play minimum salary vets that no other team wanted rather than the player we gave up two first round picks to get.
This to me is evidence of LD thumbing his nose at Sund. Obviously picking up LD’s option was an ownership decision. Sund hasn’t signed a one-year extension yet because he’s probably holding out for more money. He’s probably told the owners, “you won’t let me replace this complete joke of a coach you’ve just extended and you want me to rubber stamp your decisions and act as a proxy. Fine, it beats playing bingo, but I want more money.”
will
June 2nd, 2012
3:34 pm
Rick Sund, does not have a glue of what is going on!!!
First off the core of the team was build by Billy Knight, and nothing has really changed.
Billy Knight was a dam fool for quitting, his job as gm. He let these people run him out of town.
Grandad
June 2nd, 2012
5:41 pm
Enter your comments here
High-sider
June 2nd, 2012
7:56 pm
““Sund is the only GM in the history of the NBA that would trade 2 #1 picks, an expiring contract for KH.” – dap01
If LD had never played Green or Pargo a single minute in the Celtics series and had given all those minutes at PG and SG to Teague, Kirk, T-Mac and Joe, the Hawks might still be playing. Hard to judge the Hinrich trade when LD decided to play minimum salary vets that no other team wanted rather than the player we gave up two first round picks to get.” – Buddy Grizzard @12:57pm, 6/2/2012
The “Hinrich trade” isn’t hard for me to judge at all; it [the trade] proved to be a failure, a flop, and a complete disaster. In the 2011-2012 regular season, Hinrich averaged 6.6ppg, 2.1rpg and 2.8apg. In the 2012 playoffs, Hinrich averaged 5.7ppg, 2.0rpg and 1.0apg vs. the Celtics. In the playoffs this year vs. the Celtics, Kirk Hinrich went scoreless from the beginning of the 3rd quarter of Game 2 to the end of the 4th quarter and overtime of Game 3. In other words, Kirk Hinrich went scoreless for 6+ quarters [78 minutes] of playoff basketball. Kirk Hinrich scored a combined total of two points from the beginning of the 3rd quarter of Game 2 to the end of the 4th quarter of Game 4 vs. the Celtics in the 2012 playoffs. This time Kirk Hinrich scored only two points during 10+ quarters [125 minutes] of playoff basketball. From Game 2 to Game 4, Hinrich accumulated [approximately] 85 minutes and 17 seconds of playing time. This [amount of playing] shows [that] Hinrich had an ample opportunity to score the basketball. Hinrich attempted a total of 30 field goals [shots] in six playoff games vs. the Celtics; that calculates [out] to six field goal attempts per game [6 FGA's/game]. Hinrich showed himself to be a “shooting guard” who didn’t “shoot.” Finally, for those enamored with +/- statistics, Hinrich finished the 2012 playoffs with an aggregate +/- statistic [number] of -17, which was tied for [the] 4th worst on the Hawks [team]. What is your assessment of that “Hinrich trade” now?
Rusty
June 2nd, 2012
8:37 pm
High-Sider you are 100 % right. KH isnt a very good PG &as a 2 guard he isn’t a good enough scorer to be playing first string, it was a horrible trade.
Astro Joe
June 2nd, 2012
9:16 pm
Over the next few weeks, don’t be surprised if a large number of teams outside of the lottery try to trade their first-round pick. Multiple sources have told HOOPSWORLD that a lot of teams are trying to get rid their pick, which could make for an interesting draft night. “Almost everyone wants to get out of their pick in this draft,” said one Western Conference executive. “For some teams, it’s hard to take on money for multiple years in this economic climate, especially if the player would not make an impact and help the team win immediately.” HoopsWorld
High-sider
June 2nd, 2012
9:29 pm
^Correction: “…Hinrich attempted a total of 30 field goals [shots] in six playoff games vs. the Celtics; that calculates [out] to [five*] field goal attempts per game [5* FGA's/game]…”
Ra'mon
June 2nd, 2012
9:47 pm
AJ, thankfully the Hawks can not trade out of this years first round.
High-sider
June 2nd, 2012
9:49 pm
Rusty, I hear you loud and clear about Hinrich.
northcyde
June 2nd, 2012
10:08 pm
Astro Joe
June 2nd, 2012
9:16 pm
Over the next few weeks, don’t be surprised if a large number of teams outside of the lottery try to trade their first-round pick. Multiple sources have told HOOPSWORLD that a lot of teams are trying to get rid their pick, which could make for an interesting draft night. “Almost everyone wants to get out of their pick in this draft,” said one Western Conference executive. “For some teams, it’s hard to take on money for multiple years in this economic climate, especially if the player would not make an impact and help the team win immediately.” HoopsWorld
**********************
Translation: This draft isn’t nearly as good as people think it is. Hawks actually NEED to use their pick though. Glad those idiots can’t trade it, as Ra’mon said.
Ra'mon
June 2nd, 2012
11:00 pm
When you think though, with Kirk’s contract expiring, and Mo Evans expired last season. The Hawks would have JC2 on the roster, whoever they drafted last season on the roster, to go along with this season’s draft pick. So the Hawks would’ve had THREE players who have yet to reach their prime on the roster going into next season, instead of having Kirk.
Ra'mon
June 2nd, 2012
11:09 pm
Rick Sund good moves were:
-Trading for Jamal Crawford
-Re-signing Zaza for what now seems to be a reasonable contract for back up center
- Drafting Jeff Teague
- Extending Al Horford
- Not re-signing Josh Childress
- Signing Flip and Mo the first season
Sunds moves that were terrible
- Re-signing Mike Bibby for longer than a 1 or 2 year deal, when there were no other offers
- Re-signing Marvin Williams for anything more than $6 mil a season annually and longer than 3 year max
- Trading Jordan Crawford, a draft pick, Mo Evans, and a contract that should’ve never been offered (Bibby) for injured prone Kirk and a journeyman bean pole in Armstrong.
- Re-signing Collins
O"Brien
June 2nd, 2012
11:38 pm
Ra’mon,
I think trading for Bibby was a good move.
Was the re-signing of JJ a good move or a terrible move by Rick?
O"Brien
June 2nd, 2012
11:41 pm
Good to see OKC tie it up at 2. Its amazing what can happen when you get your draft picks right (Durant, Westbrook, Harden and Ibaka).
I am guilty of bringing up the Marvin over CP3 and Deron draft, so I cant help but wonder if Portland fans are wondering “what-if” they had drafted Durant.
Hopefully Boston can win tomorrow and tie up their series at 2-2
Grandad
June 2nd, 2012
11:41 pm
I`m nor would I ever defend Sund !
The only bad side of yjr Kirk Hinrich deal was;
giving up the #1 pick in last yrs draft.
I said it at the time.
losing Bibby and Jordan Crawford were a positive
not to mention gaining Kirk.
High-sider
June 2nd, 2012
11:43 pm
“…Sunds moves that were terrible
- Re-signing Mike Bibby for longer than a 1 or 2 year deal, when there were no other offers
- Re-signing Marvin Williams for anything more than $6 mil a season annually and longer than 3 year max
- Trading Jordan Crawford, a draft pick, Mo Evans, and a contract that should’ve never been offered (Bibby) for injured prone Kirk and a journeyman bean pole in Armstrong.
- Re-signing Collins.” – Ra’mon
What about [the bad "moves" of] initially offering and signing Joe Johnson to a max[imum] contract and “squandering” [not re-signing] Jamal Crawford?
O"Brien
June 2nd, 2012
11:44 pm
AJ,
I think some teams in the lottery will trade their pick for the right player too.
Ra'mon
June 2nd, 2012
11:51 pm
O’B, BK traded for Bibby, not Sund.
G’Dad, I truly believe the draft pick and JC2 were all in one, so they go together. And if Sund hadn’t re-signed Bibby to that deal, then we wouldn’t have needed to deal for Kirk, because would’ve had flexibility to add a mid level guy.
High-sider, Sund didn’t sign Joe. There’s no way he did THAT deal. That was all Gearon. Gearon is always concerned with luxury tax, so I know he would be the only one who has the say so on giving a very top max deal to any player.
Ra'mon
June 2nd, 2012
11:54 pm
G’D, I actually believe that the Hawks would’ve been able to sign Sekou’s ol’ favorite player Lou Ridnour that off season, if they didn’t re-sign Bibby for more than a season. And it would’ve been at a much cheaper price than Kirk’s $8 million price tag, and the draft pick.
Grandad
June 3rd, 2012
12:13 am
northcyde
This is a *’`deep`’* draft !
Teems that are wishing to get out;
are those with decisions, from 4 – 8, 9, 10.
Those carry the Big rookie contract nimbers and
the likelihood of getting a plyr just as good from
15 – 25 are about the same.
Projected lottery picks such as:
Bradley Beal … John Jenkins or Kevin Murphy may be better.
*[for less $]
same;
Perry Jones, Arnett Moultrie;
Andrew Nicholson will be better
Kidd Gilchrist some say Moe Harkless will turn out to be = or better ?
Why pick Drummond @ # 3 when some have Sullinger
-now- going @ #17.
Who`s to say Sully will not be better ?
last yr or yr before “Sullinger was Drummond” a top 3 projection.
Jeremy Lamb – high lottery – see Bradley Beal !
Damian Lillard @ pg, why would you want to waste a #6 pick [Prtlnd]
when Kendall Marshall will be available after him at 10 or below ?
Thomas Robinson; considered the 2nd or 3rd best player
in the draft;
but he is going to be a workmanlike player,
not a Star. [ probably a 16 & 12 guy] @ best.
Then there is Harrison Barnes ?
He is the ultimate gamble ” All ” or ” Bust ” ?
____________________________________________
nc
This is where a Team like our Hawks must make Hay.
Teams wanting to get out of the 1st round.
Josh wants out of ATL.
What better scenario ?
Lowry wants out of Houston – Houston has two 1st round picks.
‘`Let`s Make a Deal`’ … -Monty Hall-
Hawks Blog Legend Worldwide Clyde
June 3rd, 2012
2:51 am
FIRE SUND
EmirS.
June 3rd, 2012
3:26 am
One of many:
http://www.nba.com/2012/news/features/scott_howard_cooper/05/30/mock-draft/index.html?ls=iref:nbahpt1
Josh Wants Out!
June 3rd, 2012
8:57 am
Kirk is better than Bibby.
that is my take on the trade.
Big Ray
June 3rd, 2012
9:02 am
Sund could break a hip, tap-dancing like that at his age.
I like how he defers stuff to the head coach, who has no clue….and MC knows this, so don’t be looking too hard for an LD Q&A.
Big Ray
June 3rd, 2012
9:16 am
Hilarious that some folks are still pi$$ing and moaning about the Hinrich trade. As if NOT doing the trade would have changed our fortunes in this year’s playoffs.
Without pulling up a pile of narrow-minded stats on how much the guy scored or didn’t score, I can tell you a few things that have relevance:
1) Hinrich and Collins helped win the series against Orlando in the playoffs last year on the defensive end . Meanwhile, Jamal helped us win on the offensive end .
2) Had we kept Bibby and Jordan Crawford, we likely would have lost to Orlando last season. Why? Bibby would not have shot well, and would have defended even worse (Jameer would have lit us up), and Jordan Crawford would have never even seen the floor for more than 2 minutes per game, IF THAT. Don’t believe me? Here’s another one for ya…
3) If Hinrich wouldn’t have gotten hurt at the end of the Orlando series, Jeff Teague would have never played. And y’all know it. Even you Hinrich Haters know it .
4) Hinrich is an example of another fine veteran player obtained by the Hawks AFTER he is able to consistently give what he’s given to other teams for years. He gave us one year of it while playing in Larry’s confused offense.
Some of you need to stop blaming Hinrich for what he can no longer do, get your heads out of your bungholes and realize that HC Larry Drew is a big part of the problem. He doesn’t know when to play certain guys. Using Hinrich as a pg is no longer a good idea, but LD doesn’t get that. He also doesn’t get that you put him in the game with somebody who can cause the defense problems, getting a guy like Hinrich an open shot or two. Kirk doesn’t have the ability anymore to create his own shot off the dribble, he lacks the footspeed and our team sucks at setting screens.
It’s coaching, folks. On top of that, Sund is an idiot who will do what his owner wants, and the owner(s) is an even bigger idiot.
Big Ray
June 3rd, 2012
9:20 am
I do find it funny that scoring is our team’s problem, as evidenced against Boston. Jordan Crawford would seem like the bench solution to that, no?
Not so, and for a number of reasons. Larry Drew is reason number one, as he does not know how to develop young guards (or anything else for that matter) and had the gall to say that he felt Crawford didn’t know the difference between good and bad shots….while showing he didn’t have the ability to teach Josh Smith the same lesson. Moron.
From a paper standpoint, keeping JC2 would have solved a lot for us, at a much cheaper rate than what we were paying for JC1.
Here’s the good news – Hinrich’s contract is expiring.
Here’s the bad news – he could be retained by this farce of an organization, and used in exactly the same fashion.
Big Ray
June 3rd, 2012
9:23 am
McGrady’s problems are also an indictment of Larry Drew. The man is a fool. He needs to be kept on the bench next to a REAL head coach.
In the meantime, I wonder how Mike Woodson will do up there in New York?
He has a fully outfitted, talented team from the PG to the Center position. There won’t be much in the way of excuses for him.