Atlanta Hawks: Assistant GM Dave Pendergraft on the draft
Hawks general manager Rick Sund gives much of the responsibility for the NBA draft to assistant GM Dave Pendergraft and director of basketball operations Mike McNieve.
Some excerpts from Pendergraft’s chat with reporters:
On having lots of open roster spots:
“That’s what I tell the [draft-eligible] players. Come July 1 we will have only six guys under contract. In a perfect world our 23rd pick becomes a rotational player and our 43rd pick will be talented enough to join our roster. That’s the best-case scenario. We feel like we will be able to get a good player at both positions.”
On chances of getting rotational-quality player with 23rd pick:
“That’s our hope. At 23 there are some guys that have potential and you have to wait on it and then there are several guys that might not have as much potential but you can put them in the game the first two or three years, whether it is four-year players or physically they are more mature. It’s just going to depend on who’s there. We would like to get a player that can come in and play for us next year.”
On if the potential 2013 free agency of Josh Smith and Zaza Pachulia will influence the selection:
“You always look to the future on the decisions you make. But rarely where you are picking where we are picking do you take a player on positioning. You take the best player, the best talent you can get at that time. You always look to the future and [if] there are two players that are basically equal talent and you feel just as good about then maybe you will look to the future and maybe for the organization this is the right thing to do. Not every year is the same. The decision that we make the last week in Thursday, it will be well thought out with [consideration of] the six players that we have [under contract], free agency in mind and the best player that we feel like is left on the board.”
On which college skills and production are good predictors of NBA success:
“Shooting and rebounding. Generally if you shoot well in college that’s an NBA skill that comes to the next level. And if you rebound the ball well in college that’s generally a skill that comes with you as well.”
On building a roster for summer league:
“We are an attractive destination just because of our roster spot. We’ve got some of the better players that were in the D-League last year. Statistically, they were some of the better players. We are going to wait and hold a couple spots to see who falls through the cracks in the draft like we always do. The good thing about this year’s summer program is there is a lot of interest in it.”
On if Sergiy Gladyr will join the summer league team:
“We don’t know yet. Pape Sy will. We will play him at a different position in the past. We experimented with moving him to the point but the learning curve wasn’t fair for him and his natural position is probably a two. We are going to bring him over and he will be involved with us this summer. Sergei, we don’t know. We are going back and forth with his agent. He has made strides in the ACB. But is he ready? We are not looking for future prospects in our summer program this year. In the past we said, ‘Let’s just bring him in and watch him for 10 days and maybe down the road there will be a future.’ Well, there is some urgency in our summer league this year because of the roster spots. That being said, Sergei may be two or three years down the road and maybe next summer will be the best opportunity for him.”
On if he can say which players have committed to the summer league team:
“Not yet because still holding a couple spots. We will release that when we get it solidified, which we think will be 24 hours after the draft. The bad news is none of our Hawk players are playing. Most teams have two or three of their guys in Vegas playing and we will have all rookies.”
On the predraft workout process:
“Usually we want to keep the last week of draft open. But because of scheduling conflict we go into the last week and have Monday and Tuesday of draft week open. That’s the unusual thing this year as opposed to the last three years. I think our numbers will be up because, although we’ve seen a lot of players at the New Jersey combine and the Minnesota combine, we wanted to be sure that the No. 23 pick would at least come to Atlanta at some point and time. So to facilitate the workout and including our 43rd pick our numbers are probably a little higher than usual.”
On how workout groupings are decided:
“It’s totally the availability of the players. We are not a lottery team so there are probably a pool of 15 players that teams are picking where we are will bring [them] in. Most of the workouts are coming after the predraft camp. You try to match up guard to guard and big to big and then a combination of both. . . . You try to make it that way but there are things you can’t control, the players can’t control, the agents can’t control. It’s hard to make it work out. ”
Michael Cunningham, Hawks beat
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211 comments Add your comment
hawk21
June 17th, 2012
6:51 pm
I am watching the finals (Championship), who are playing center for both team? OKC-Perkins/Obaka? Then Miami-Haslem? You can see that all are not true centers! What is wrong with our fans. Resign Josh, keep everyone the same. Shop MW,Kirk and 1 rd pick! Release Twin, Stack, Vlad!!!!
Slimjr
June 17th, 2012
6:57 pm
Yea but who playing the SF for OKC and The Heat? Hmmmmmm?
We have “it was a good #2 lottery pick” playing the SF for the Hawks…See the difference? Hmmmm
Major difference/drop off….lol
northcyde
June 17th, 2012
7:31 pm
SlimJr . . exactly.
Heat’s top 2 players: Lebron and Wade
Thunder’s top 2 players: Durant and Westbrook
Hawks’ top 2 players: Johnson and Smith
Only way to beat those types of teams is to become as strong as possible in your starting unit, and hope your bench doesn’t completely suck.
northcyde
June 17th, 2012
7:32 pm
Even the Heat and Thunder’s #3 player . . . Bosh and Harden . . . could legitimately be the #1 guy here.
steven a smith
June 17th, 2012
7:38 pm
Chris Kaman will be an excellent veteran addition. Starting center for the next 3 years while we groom a younger player,
tony
June 17th, 2012
7:49 pm
The former and present owners of this franchise have disppointed the fanbase for 44 years. I think it would be in ASG best interest if they would allow the fans to choose the hc and players whom they believe will bring a championship to Atlanta. ASG will be well appreciated if they did this.
glw
June 17th, 2012
7:54 pm
northcyde,
you mentioned the Hawks have about 10 million for 7 players. So would you say assuming no trades are made, the Hawks will follow a plan of something like this?
I figure the 1st rd pick will be slotted at 1.2 or 1.3 million and Ivan is tendered and is resigned for about 1 million, I would go as far as to say at least 1 player will be a young developmental player like maybe Pape Sy or the 2nd rd pick, who they dont have to pay but 500K for.
That essentially means that the Hawks would have 7 million for 4 players. So at best maybe they use the mini mid level or something in the 2-3 million range to sign 1 player and the remaining 3 players would be guys on the vet minimum, assuming its in the 1.3 or 1.4 million range.
tjhook
June 17th, 2012
8:15 pm
@northcyde,
Immature doesn’t always means stupid. Immature can simply be the inability to accomplish stated goal. Joe’s quietness, Marvin’s softness, Horford’s inability to successfully push team over hump strategically . . . they all play a part. Horford is unfortunately lumped in with the group, but JJ, Smoove and Marvin are the true culprits . . . and these three offer the greatest variety of talent on the team. So that is why I reference immaturity.
Teague is just a year late, a season short. LD should have played him in his first season- he did not. That attitude in my mind meant that LD can only trust and reach veteran players. Besides,the most important thing is this is LD’s PROVE IT season. He was lucky to get that – so he should play for now
Andre Miller for leadership. Then you can look at bringing in Pargo again or even Donald Sloan.
tjhook
June 17th, 2012
8:15 pm
And I’m not sure if we could sign Andre Miller as a mid-level guy, but if we can, the team should.
Grandmaster JeJe (GM)
June 17th, 2012
8:23 pm
Finished reading Donaghy’s book.
Smh. Grandad was right.
Priest Lauderdale
June 17th, 2012
8:27 pm
I am hoping they draft my son.
Slimjr
June 17th, 2012
8:42 pm
Grandmaster JeJe (GM)
June 17th, 2012
8:23 pm
“Finished reading Donaghy’s book.”
I got to get a copy of that book!
Did not Tim accuse the old ref that Barkley kissed on the lips and raced up and down the court a few years ago during AllStar festivities as being corrupted? Hmmmm
Actually he accused several refs still employed today of being part of the Chief Gangsters Cartel?
Where there is smoke, there is usually fire…
steven a smith
June 17th, 2012
8:45 pm
Give Hasheem Thabeet an opportunity. “Low Risk” type of player. vet min. for 3 years… Jeff Green would be another guy who can hel this team at the 3 and 4.
High-sider
June 17th, 2012
8:52 pm
When is a “jump stop,” a “jump stop” and [IS] NOT a travel[ing violation] and when is an “up-and-down,” an “up-and-down” and [IS] a travel[ing violation]? What’s [really] the difference? I saw LBJ come to a “jump stop” after soaring through the air for about ten to fifteen feet like he [LBJ] was “broad jumping” in the Olympics.
Slimjr
June 17th, 2012
9:00 pm
its call a pro hop H-s..LOL!
Slimjr
June 17th, 2012
9:01 pm
We called it a travel in the play grounds of Da Bronx….
Slimjr
June 17th, 2012
9:03 pm
Wade cant throw it in the Ocean…His game has been off for a while…
High-sider
June 17th, 2012
9:22 pm
‘Rio Chalmers’ Game 3 first half stats vs. the Thunder: 0-4 from the field, 0pts, 0rebs, 1ast, 1stl, and 1trnover in 17:27 of playing time
And some of you [bloggers] want[ed] this guy [Chalmers] playing for the Hawks? Dude [Chalmers] lacks consistency – straight up.
The Heat [team] needs a 6th-man like Jamal Crawford to provide scoring off the bench. ‘Rio [is] not getting it done [at all].
High-sider
June 17th, 2012
9:36 pm
@Slimjr
So, Slimjr, can I take a 19-ft. “pro hop” [jump stop] from the 20-ft. arc, come to a stop and then take a one-foot shot at the basket? LOL
Rufus1
June 17th, 2012
9:41 pm
CP,
I love players who attack the rim. We have too many jump shooters on this team. imagine how back court of Teague and Cunningham would effect Joe, Al and Marvin.
If we could get a White/Nicholson/Taylor/ and Cunningham, I would be very happy.
I want the Hawks to trade next years #1 for Clev or OKC #1
High-sider
June 17th, 2012
9:55 pm
Grandad, you’re tellin’ me that Coach Spo’ is credited for “fixing” D-Wade’s [perimeter] shot? Have you seen D-Wade’s jumper lately? And he’s [D-Wade] somewhat mediocre from the FT line.
Those were stupid, terrible fouls by Chalmers and Ibaka on [the] 3pt. shooters [Fisher and Battier].
WHY ARE THEY STILL HERE ?????
June 17th, 2012
10:21 pm
WHY DO YOU ALL DISCUSS THIS WASTE OF A FRANCHISE ?
THEY MUST BE SOLD AND MOVED, THIS TOWN DOES NOT NEED nba BASKETBALL, WHAT A BORING AS HELL SPORT !!!!!
MOVE TO SEATTLE ASAP PLEASE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
darrell starks
June 17th, 2012
10:24 pm
# 23 Fab Melo
# 43 Eric Griffin
GO HAWKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!
darrell starks
June 17th, 2012
10:25 pm
I heard about this guy last year, i have never seen Eric play but drafting him in second round is not a reach.
GO HAWKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!
darrell starks
June 17th, 2012
10:27 pm
http://youtu.be/Zr-s7HIOS9Q
GO HAWKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Slimjr
June 17th, 2012
10:43 pm
Wow Miami trying to lose this game? 9 TO’s in the 4th?
Miami’s coach is scratching his head!
Grandmaster JeJe (GM)
June 17th, 2012
10:56 pm
I believe every single thing Donaghy said about the state of officiating in that book
Smh
Slimjr
June 17th, 2012
11:02 pm
doc, WiltJr 29 and 14. Has made 25 of 29 free throws..Getting it done Sir?
Kevin Loughery[.417 career winning %] could win with this Miami Franchise…Not impressed with
Erik Spoelstra at all….
James Harden went 2-10..Ouch!
northcyde
June 17th, 2012
11:10 pm
glw
June 17th, 2012
7:54 pm
northcyde,
you mentioned the Hawks have about 10 million for 7 players. So would you say assuming no trades are made, the Hawks will follow a plan of something like this?
I figure the 1st rd pick will be slotted at 1.2 or 1.3 million and Ivan is tendered and is resigned for about 1 million, I would go as far as to say at least 1 player will be a young developmental player like maybe Pape Sy or the 2nd rd pick, who they dont have to pay but 500K for.
That essentially means that the Hawks would have 7 million for 4 players. So at best maybe they use the mini mid level or something in the 2-3 million range to sign 1 player and the remaining 3 players would be guys on the vet minimum, assuming its in the 1.3 or 1.4 million range.
********************
That 10 million I was talking about, would be if we were to trade Smith + Marvin for Gasol + 1st round pick ( next available that Lakers could trade )
As of right now, if we keep the team together, we’d have 6 players under contract at 60.9 million. We need at minimum 7 more players. If the luxury tax line is somewhere around 70.3 million . . that’s about 9.4 million for 7 players.
So let’s do what you did:
1st round pick . . 1.2 mill
Ivan Johnson . . . 1.0 mill
2nd round pick . . 0.5 mill
Total . . . . . . . . . 2.7 mill
So now you’re at 9 players and 63.6 million. We need 4 more players with about 6.7 mill to spare
Bi-Annual Guy . . 1.9 mill
Vet Minimum . . . 1.3 mill
Vet Minimum . . . 1.3 mill
Vet Minimum . . . 1.3 mill
Total . . . . . . . . . . 5.8 mill
13 players . . . . . 69.4 mill . . with still another mill to play with. So maybe you add a 14th guy like a Pape Sy or a big man for 500K. Or you dabble in that 2 – 3 million range for that player you really want in free agency, then fill it out with vet minimum guys.
Or you give Ivan a raise and/or another guaranteed year, to make sure he sticks around. I think Ivan at 2 yrs – 2.5 mill ( 1.25 mill a year ) would be a good bargain for the Hawks. Even if you go 2 yrs – 3 mill, that’s a good deal.
We’re going to have to make sure we get this 1st round pick right, with a guy who can play and contribute right away. And we need to find at least 2 free agent guys who can contribute on a nightly basis. That would give us a solid 10 players to roll with.
northcyde
June 17th, 2012
11:17 pm
If no trades happen amongst our regular guys, here is your 2012 – 13 Hawks
PG – Teague
G – Johnson
F – Marvin
PF – Smith
C – Horford
PG –
G -
F –
PF – Ivan
C – Zaza
G -
F/C –
C –
Plug in where you want the 1st and 2nd round draft picks to go . . . along with the one Bi-Annual guy ( whom I doubt will be good enough to replace a starter ) . . and the 3 vet minimum guys.
northcyde
June 17th, 2012
11:26 pm
The Hawks got that “rebate” for all of the vet minimum players they signed last year, so instead of 1.3 mill, we paid 0.85 mill. So re-calculate that last part of the salary breakdown:
Bi-Annual Guy: 1.9 mill
Vet Minimum: 0.85
Vet Minimum: 0.85
Vet Minimum: 0.85
Total: apprpx 4.5 mill . . . . add that to the 63.6 mill for 9 players . . . that’s 68 mill for 13 players.
Still 2+ mill under the Luxury Tax, which gives you room to pay 3 mill for a free agent that you really want, and still fill out the rest of the roster while staying under the Tax.
UGA
June 17th, 2012
11:30 pm
So if the Hawks sign Pargo or Willie Green they only pay .850?
UGA
June 17th, 2012
11:32 pm
I’d like to see if we can find some way to split the mid-level exception and use it for a combo guard like Randy Foye and a SF like Josh Howard. I think that would be reasonable for those two plus they could each help us
KevinM
June 17th, 2012
11:34 pm
So n’cyde, we did or didn’t pay the tax last year? All we heard was the ASG saying we went over to get help when Al went down.
Have we been suckered once again by the ASG?
glw
June 17th, 2012
11:35 pm
@northcyde
Ok, that sounds about right, I doubt that they would want to add a 14 players if it gets them too close to the luxury tax. Maybe if it gets late in the season and they want to pick up a vet minimum guy for the playoff run, I think they might.
Assuming they bring in 4 veterans, I figure it will be
1. veteran pg
2. shooter
3. wing defender
4. big man
Slimjr
June 17th, 2012
11:40 pm
H-s, Shaq just said on NBA TV that the “PRO HOP” Lebron executed in the game was a legal play as long as you land on two feet and does not matter how much ground you cover on the landing…
He said Coach Tom Penders taught him that move way back in college….
UGA
June 17th, 2012
11:44 pm
Here is who I think we will look at:
PG: Tinsley and Pargo
SG: Green, Foye, Arenas, Redd
SF: Korver, Howard, Ronnie Brewer
C: Ryan Hollins and Collins
Slimjr
June 17th, 2012
11:48 pm
UGA, don’t drink and drive! LMAO!
Slimjr
June 17th, 2012
11:54 pm
Hey UGA, after reading your list again, I better not drink and drive…hehehehe
You wrote “look” at. Not sign up…
Only takes 5
June 18th, 2012
12:04 am
The Atlanta Buttheads would not know a ballplayer if they went to the Hall of Fame everyday for a year. POPSY?????? l make jokes about them drafting popsie and they actually still talk about him in summer league. lol We will never, or NEVER draft Byrd, Jordan, Bryant, or James, etc.. l keep up with the draft to get a laugh at whom the hawks will pick. hahahaha. Fans of hawks have to laugh to forget the pain.
glw
June 18th, 2012
12:04 am
@UGA
At PG, I think Tinsley would be a good pick up or maybe Derek Fisher, not sure he would come here though. Delonte West has a screw loose, but might be a good pickup too though not a true pg
For a shooter, I have always been intrigued by Roger Mason Jr. he seems to bounce around a lot though. Deshawn Stevenson would work good here too. I love his defense and plays with a chip on his shoulder.
Could you imagine a 2nd team that consisted of Delonte West, Deshawn Stevenson, Zaza, and Ivan? They might not outscore a lot of teams, but they sure would hurt somebody.
High-sider
June 18th, 2012
12:09 am
D-Wade [is] doing an interview on ESPN with the eyeglasses and no lenses. What a “look”! [LMAO]
northcyde
June 18th, 2012
12:20 am
Knock off another 1 million off of that total, if they simply decide to go with a cheap vet minimum guy, instead of using the Bi-Annual on somebody.
Knock off even more money if they decide to stock the team with a bunch of young guys that they brought in for summer camp.
Would the fans be mad if these were the Hawks additions next year:
- Jeff Taylor ( 1st round pick ) . . 6-7 . . 213 lbs
- Kyle O’Quinn ( 2nd round pick ) . . . the 6-10 . . 240 lbs PF/C from Norfolk St
- Pape Sy ( 6-6 . . 185 lbs )
- Scoop Jardine ( the PG from Syracuse, currently projected to go undrafted ) . . 6-3 . . 200 lbs
- Yancy Gates ( the PF/C from Cincinnati, projected by most to go undrafted ) . . 6-8 . . 290 lbs
- Veteran free agent ( probably a shooter/scorer at G or F ) . . hate to say it, but this sounds a lot like Jannero Pargo
**************************
2012 – 13 roster
PG: Teague – Pargo – Jardine
G: Johnson – Sy
F: Marvin – Taylor
PF: Smith – Ivan – O’Quinn
C: Horford – Zaza – Gates
This would give you a core 8 players + Taylor being in the rotation as the 9th guy. The rest of the guys could fight for playing time. And instead of bringing in “old big men”, we go with the youth movement on the frontline, with O’Quinn and Gates possibly being a replacement at backup center for Zaza ( whom we should NOT overpay for, to keep here ).
And we’d deal with the Smith situation at the end of the year.
High-sider
June 18th, 2012
12:22 am
@Slimjr
Slimjr, on that “pro hop” or “jump stop” [aka long jump or broad jump], LBJ looked better than Mike Powell, Bob Beamon and Carl Lewis on their best days in the Olympics. [LOL]
I also heard what Shaq said about LBJ’s “jump stop” on NBA TV.
northcyde
June 18th, 2012
12:28 am
KevinM
June 17th, 2012
11:34 pm
So n’cyde, we did or didn’t pay the tax last year? All we heard was the ASG saying we went over to get help when Al went down.
Have we been suckered once again by the ASG?
*************************
The Hawks were stupid last year. They didn’t need to sign Jerry Stackhouse to the team. We had more than enough guards. But we went over the tax only because we signed Stackhouse, and then Dampier later in the year. They didn’t have to do both.
Hinrich being off the books helps out this year. LOL . . that’s who I forgot in that shooter/scorer role. Hinrich has said that he’s not going to play for the vet minimum. The Hawks may offer someone like him 2 mill for 2 years to come back. I bet that would fire up the fan base.
Yeah . . the Hawks would bring back Hinrich and Pargo . . maybe draft a wing and a big . . and sign a young wing and a big.
Najeh Davenpoop
June 18th, 2012
12:28 am
Wow. Must be nice to lose $800 million in 2 weeks and still be worth nine figures.
northcyde
June 18th, 2012
12:30 am
Add Ivan to that “bring back list”
- Pargo
- Hinrich
- Ivan
- 1st round pick
- 2nd round pick
- young free agent
- young free agent
pg
June 18th, 2012
12:31 am
Hawks Coaching and management are stuck on the highway with no gas or a clue of where to go! This can be fixed, maybe let Williams, ZaZa, Hinrich, Jeff and all the names on the bench go and take that money and try and bring Dwight Howard or some TRUE BALLER here. Draft real players, use lack of players on contract to get some real under the radar talent. But this is WAAAAAYYYY over this ownership and management head. So we will continue to go one and done.
northcyde
June 18th, 2012
12:36 am
2 years for 4 mill ( 2 mill a year )
Buddy Grizzard
June 18th, 2012
12:40 am
FTPB:
“Yes, Buddy give Sund credit for drafting Teague. The same Rick Sund who told us he doesn’t deal with the draft in his own front office.
And Pargo is not the answer as a backup, but since we are cap-strung, it may be him or LD’s pet Pape.” – KevinM
If Pendergraph found Teague, Sund is the GM who hired Pendergraph. At the end of the day Sund is the GM. If that pick is a bust or if it turns into a competent starting point guard, the credit or the blame goes to Sund for either spotting the talent, or putting the team in place to spot it.
Think OKC where Sam Presti, who talked the Spurs into drafting Tony Parker, is GM. He brought Troy Weaver with him. Weaver (whom we should be going after as our next GM) helped convince the Thunder to draft Westbrook where most agreed he was a reach. He also helped convince the organization to draft Harden. But at the end of the day, Presti is the genius because he brought Weaver with him to be part of his staff. If Westbrook was a complete bust, Presti would take the blame for it.
Also, I’m glad we agree Pargo is not the answer as the backup point guard for the Hawks. His performance in the playoffs, which likely cost the Hawks a shot at going to the ECF, should show any serious basketball observer that he is an end-of-the-bench scrub, not somebody who should have ever had his number called ahead of a legit rotation player like Hinrich. And Pendergraph acknowledges that Sy can’t play point, so that’s not the answer either. I’m 100% on board with going after Andre Miller. I wanted him so bad in that draft where we got Jet with the next pick after he was taken.