A big idea: Hawks should take Augusta’s Siler in Round 2
I stand before you a weary man. I’m tired of hearing that Al Horford isn’t a center (because he is) and that the Hawks won’t amount to anything until they find a center. But being my dogged self, I wasn’t willing to sit idly by as the conversation raged on the ol’ blog. I actually went out — at the prodding of reader JSS, who put a bug in my tin ear — and found the Hawks a center.
Actually, Rick Sund and his crew beat me to it. They had Garret Siler of Augusta (Ga.) State in for a workout last week. But I’m not just giving him a look. I’m saying: Take him in Round 2! Make him the draft’s 49th pick! And then hire Tree Rollins, who helped groom Shaquille O’Neal in Orlando, as a special assistant and let him spend two years tutoring the big man.
Garret Siler is, as we say in the trade, a great story. He attended a fine arts school — he was a singer and played in the band — until moving to Richmond Academy as a senior. That’s where Dip Metress, the coach of Augusta State, saw him, and there was a lot to see. Siler was 7-foot, 370 pounds. And, according to Metress, he “scored less than 50 points” that entire season.
Siler was, in sum, raw. When he arrived at ASU, he could, Metress says, do two things: “Catch the ball — he’s got great hands — and make a layup.” Everything else was a mystery. Metress again: “He hadn’t ever played [until that senior year of high school]. It was like I was his middle school coach.”
Siler redshirted his first year at ASU. As a freshman he averaged 5.3 points and 2.3 rebounds. As a fifth-year senior, he averaged 16.2 and 7.7 and led the Jaguars to a 30-5 season and NCAA Division II semifinals. “It’s indescribable how far he’s come,” Metress says. And then: “Every month he’d do something he couldn’t do the month before.”
Loading ...The big man is still raw — he fouled out of 25 college games — but no longer as big. He’s down to 278 pounds — “He’s lost almost a human being,” Metress says — and that reflects a steep recent decline. Siler weighed 298 when he made all-tournament at the Portsmouth Invitational, a postseason camp for NBA hopefuls. (Metress: “I tell people that Jerry West logo [the official NBA brand] is greater motivation to lose weight than any coach.”)
Siler averaged 16 points and eight rebounds at Portsmouth, catching more than a few eyes. Metress says the Miami Heat, which has the 60th and final pick in Thursday’s draft, has flown Siler down twice for workouts. “If you’re going to take a risk,” Metress says, “you take it on size. He’s not going to shrink … If you’re willing to work with him, he’s got so much upside … And he’s a true low-post player. He doesn’t try to be a guard or a forward.”
At No. 49 there are no sure things, only varying shades of gambles. Garret Siler would be a massive gamble, literally and figuratively. But better him in Round 2 than Priest Lauderdale, who hadn’t a prayer, in Round 1.
And what, you’re asking ever happened to the 7-foot-4 Lauderdale, who was the Hawks No. 1 pick (28th overall) in 1996? He wound up playing basketball in Bulgaria and became, according to the Sofia Echo, the tallest Bulgarian citizen. And now you know … the rest of the story.
For your viewing pleasure: Here’s a clip from Chris Kane of Augusta’s WJBF-TV of Garret Siler after his return from the Portsmouth Invitational.
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97 comments Add your comment
Herschel Talker
June 23rd, 2009
2:45 pm
Twelfth!
Bobby Cox must go!
Herschel Talker
June 23rd, 2009
2:46 pm
MB – you took my idea about Danny Bautista and then posted it down lower. That is only one of many. I don’t know why you were focusing on Charlie Leibrandt. That wasn’t even that big a deal.
Marcus
June 23rd, 2009
2:55 pm
hey, worth a shot, esp. if we get a PG for the future at pick 19. Then Sund is really up-against-it when it comes to FA.
Mark Bradley
June 23rd, 2009
2:59 pm
If you’re going to take a down-the-road guy, down-the-draft is the place. (And actually, Siler is a down-Interstate-20 guy.)
Joe's place Joe speaking
June 23rd, 2009
3:18 pm
Hey mark I can’t get the video. Is it me? Or is it a error on the video?
Meidzo in Decatur
June 23rd, 2009
3:25 pm
Andrew Bynum was not a superstar in High School, he was a late bloomer. The Lakers took him and basically “redshirted” him in the NBA (working with Kareem). Before his injury, he was one of the most promising Bigs in the league. I always wished we could get a “Project” and develop him!
Astro Joe
June 23rd, 2009
3:26 pm
Mark, Tree Rollins? Fine, anyone but Tyrone Hill. And whatever happened to Antoine Carr? Now there’s a guy who could teach Siler, Horford, Smith and every other Hawk how to play well on both ends of the floor. Again, anyone but Tyrone Hill (or Alton Lister). Our young bigs need a quality big man coach to tutor them.
Astro Joe
June 23rd, 2009
3:27 pm
And did I mention that Antoine Carr would be a really, really, really good big man coach because he actually played both ends of the court very well (superb turn-around jumper as a Hawk and great low-post defender in his Utah/San Antonio days).
BoricuaHawkFan
June 23rd, 2009
3:28 pm
I like it!
NoleRick
June 23rd, 2009
3:31 pm
Sounds good to me. Although I agree Mark, Horfy is a center, it would be nice to see him play the 4 with a bigger body clogging up the lane.
Melvin
June 23rd, 2009
3:34 pm
I say pick him if he’s on the boad in the 2nd round. If he can’t play at least he will scare a few people walking on to the court….
Astro Joe
June 23rd, 2009
3:34 pm
ANTOINE CARR! BIG MAN COACH! Come on, say it with me… ANTOINE CARR! BIG MAN COACH!
Matty Ice-man
June 23rd, 2009
3:40 pm
Mark,
I have two words for you: Priest Lauderdale
I got a better idea
June 23rd, 2009
3:42 pm
what about alade aminu from ga tech instead? he actually played against real competition in college and is a legit 6′11. i’d take him and hope that siler goes undrafted so the hawks could pick him up then
Ron Roberts
June 23rd, 2009
3:45 pm
I like this idea for three reasons; 1. He is physically capable and has shown the ability to get exponentially better each year. 2. I grew up in Augusta, and it’s good to see an Augusta State guy get some attention at the NBA level – just shows how far that program’s come in the last 5-10 years, and, 3. Augusta’s sort of an untapped market for the Hawks to draw from. Having lived most of my life there, I can tell you, there’s hardly a blip on the local radar whether the Hawks are doing well or not, and in a time when money’s tight, drawing from a larger fan-base can’t hurt.
O'Brien
June 23rd, 2009
3:46 pm
AJ,
Woody needs a better coaching staff. I wish he had at least one assistant who was a former NBA head coach. But I wish they had a better big man coach. Dwight Howard has Patrick Ewing, Bynum has Kareem, the Hawks have Tyrone Hill. Nothing against Hill (who averaged 9.4 points, 8.6 rebounds and 0.5 blocks), but the Hawks need somebody better. Maybe Hakeem wants a job.
Mark,
I would prefer the Hawks take Siler at #49, instead of Mullens at #19.
cp
June 23rd, 2009
3:53 pm
Ehhh I would probably take alade aminu over him too. I think this guy goes undrafted so just sign him as a free agent. I dont like his rebounding numbers. A guy that size playing in that weak division should be better on the boards. Add in the fact that I have no confidence in the coaching staff developing the kid. I still prefer guys like Meeks or Danny Green in the second round. I think we can get this kid as a free agent.
81Dog
June 23rd, 2009
3:55 pm
Mark, dont forget what I consider the ultimate waste of a draft pick by the Hawks (and that is really, REALLY saying something): big Jorge Gonzales, who never played a second in the NBA, but made it (somewhat) as a wrestler named El Gigante. Big Jorge was about 7′2″ and about 800 (ok, that’s hyperbole, but not by a lot) pounds. He had the mobility of your average glacier (pre-global warming melt, which may add a tick or two of speed).
When you talk bad Hawks draft picks, you cover a lot of ground, the late 80s Hawks were notorious for wasting picks on foreign players they knew little or nothing about, but El Gigante was a bust among busts, if you ask me.
niremetal
June 23rd, 2009
3:58 pm
I like this idea a hell of a lot more than trading Marvin for Caron.
niremetal
June 23rd, 2009
3:59 pm
O’Brien,
Just because you can play doesn’t mean you can coach or teach. Just sayin’.
Terrell
June 23rd, 2009
4:01 pm
At pick 19 we need a pure shooter like Ellington and then we can take this kid in the 2nd round. Our PG of the future is on the roster already. Law does everything right a PG is suppose to but Woodson didn’t take the time to play him. This year is his time to show he belongs and he will.
Astro Joe
June 23rd, 2009
4:03 pm
81Dog, our current GM knows a thing or two about chasing after big men in the draft. Dude used 2 lottery picks while hunting for Big Foot. Heck, Sund may choose Siler at #19 (he’s probably better than Sene or Swift).
But if we bring in a quality big man coach, well, that may turn that pick into a dominant center for the next 12 years. What? Do I have a big man coach in mind you ask?
ANTOINE CARR! BIG MAN COACH! ANTOINE CARR! BIG MAN COACH!
(Or Antonio Davis, he’s already doing some coaching at the high school level I believe and lives in Atlanta).
Ted Striker
June 23rd, 2009
4:05 pm
I say just skip taking a pick after the 1st round and maybe a few other teams will go along with the idea too. The NBA could have 1 round, let everyone else be free agents and not much would change.
Dewayne
June 23rd, 2009
4:05 pm
Hell, how about Patrick Ewing or Moses Malone? I believe they were pretty good big men in their playing days!! Tree could teach the low post guys some moves and position on the boards!!! Hell ask Dennis Rodman hahahah
GTSteve
June 23rd, 2009
4:09 pm
Hey how about Antione Carr to tutor the bigs, he was pretty good
jdewayneatl
June 23rd, 2009
4:23 pm
This would be a good move. I like this. The second round pick won’t see the court much anyway. Why not have a project in the locker room. It would be like drafting a Euro player that will never step foot on American soil to play an NBA game… What’s that big time Center’s name from Australia the Hawks drafted like 8 years ago? Where is he? Why did he sign up for the draft if he didn’t wanna play in the NBA?
BrittishAnger
June 23rd, 2009
4:27 pm
Modifiable depth…it’s what having the legit big man provides us and what we really need…He may be no seven footer, but he could be a major sleeper pick for whoever grabs him, and I think somebody will, so don’t hesitate and think he’ll go undrafted; we aren’t the only team trying to build bigger….
STRETCH
June 23rd, 2009
4:29 pm
The Spurs just traded Bruce Bowen, Kurt Thomas and Oberto to the Bucks for Richard Jefferson. Gonna be a busy NBA off-season!
dap01
June 23rd, 2009
4:29 pm
Terrell: I agree. Sounds like a good plan.
BrittishAnger
June 23rd, 2009
4:30 pm
@jdewayneatl
David Andersen…plays with Barcelona now…
shresee2
June 23rd, 2009
4:40 pm
I am so glad Mark you said that. I was impressed with him after reading how he did in the predraft workout, plus his background. Very intelligent young man good character. It has been said he may not be drafted at all. I was hoping he would be a consideration as a pick-up after the draft by the Hawks. I think he has all the skills to be a very good big man, I hope if he is drafted the Hawks will give him a chance to grow, both he and Al could use a really good post move. Al is doing very well playing out of position, but playing center is a tough job. I would not mind him being the 49th pick at all.
gram
June 23rd, 2009
4:46 pm
niremetal- if the Hawks are fortunate enough for the Wiz to choke and send us Caron for Marvin, we would be idiots not to take it. (I’ve been wishing this would happen ever since Mark wrote it last week)
I also think this guy should be available as free agent eventhough Miami has shown interest. If he goes undrafted it would be a sinch to get him due to his homestate connection.
Sund should threaten Woody that he will be fired if he doesn’t get a better bigs coach. Any idea of a project is a wash with Tyrone Hill coaching
gram
June 23rd, 2009
4:54 pm
Mark,
am I the only one who thinks the hawks should try to get rondo. the celts are rumored to be shopping him everyday, which i dont understand since he is one of the top 4 or 5 pgs in the league. marvin and speedy’s contract? sign and trade with bibby? what are your thoughts?
Matty Ice-man
June 23rd, 2009
4:59 pm
Mark, two words: “Priest” and “Lauderdale”
Dr. Mark Martinez
June 23rd, 2009
5:01 pm
ANTOINE CARR! BIG MAN COACH! ANTOINE CARR! BIG MAN COACH!
Um, how about Antoine Carr…enigma! Always hurt, never fulfilled potential, always outhustled by Cliff Levingston.
JM
June 23rd, 2009
5:02 pm
I’ll admit I’m highly biased being an ASU student, but I think this would be a great pick for the Hawks. In the second round, especially late in the second round, you’re almost always drafting a project with long-term potential. Siler would certainly be a project, but he’s also got upside that you’re not going to find with most players in the second round. He was the only D2 player at the Portsmouth Invitational, and not only did he hold his own with highly-regarded D1 players, he excelled. The fact that he’s even being considered a potential draft pick despite playing D2 ball speaks to how highly scouts are intrigued with him.
jdewayneatl
June 23rd, 2009
5:10 pm
I checked out a link to a Lakers blog. The Lakers are looking to unload some draft picks. The Hawks could trade for their First round 29th pick or Second round 42nd pick (depending on how high the team wants to move up) for a future Second round pick. In this scenerio, the Hawks will have the 19th, 29th or 42nd, and 48th pick. At 19 grab Wayne Ellington. At 29 Patty Mills or Toney Douglas should be available. Douglas may fall to 42 but there’s no guarantee. And at 48 select Siler.
The Hawks get a sharp shooting SG, a defensive PG, and a Big man project.
jdewayneatl
June 23rd, 2009
5:13 pm
Video Link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ovylhcmb5KA&feature=player_embedded
Blog Link:
http://lakersblog.latimes.com/lakersblog/2009/06/mitch-kuphcak-exit-interview.html
Dave
June 23rd, 2009
5:20 pm
Good idea if they aren’t going to resign Solomon Jones. We do not need two projects on the bench. Still say Josh Smith for Chris Bosh is the deal and trade the 19th pick for a rising point guard. Sign Gortat from Orlando to handle the bigs for now and resign Murray. Sign and trade Marvin for a shooter or keep him. Do not sign Bibby and you have the money for Bosh. Line up front line rotation Bosh, Horford, Gortat, Williams, and Siler. 2-3 rotation Williams, Johnson, Murray. new PG, Evans, Law, and West. Pretty good team with defensive stoppers and good shooters. By the way if Rondo is available or Rafer Alston jump on it! Very fast team with those guys, wouldn’t miss Josh at all!
ILL-logical
June 23rd, 2009
5:23 pm
As some of the commenters have pointed out , picking this kid would require the team to hire a big man coach to develop him. Everyone who believes Woodson is going to go for that ,raise their hand.
And Mr. Bradley, therein lies the rub: all decisions regarding personal must meet the Woodson test because as of this date he is still the head coach( with no staff as of July 1).So go fiqure.
But I like your thinking here. A lot.
Nookah
June 23rd, 2009
5:26 pm
Mark, very good suggestion. I really like the idea and I think we should take the gamble.
However, you are ignoring one glaring fact…….WOODY IS OUR HC!!!! (I’ll borrow a line from Big Ray on Sekou’s blog….) He will become a menmber of the YMBA (Young Men’s Bench Association).
Woody has no clue how to develop players, not even to employ the right coach for them (Tyrone Hill is the perfect reason why I say that).
Go Hawks anyway!!!
Mark Bradley
June 23rd, 2009
5:28 pm
To answer Joe’s question from a while back: The video is working for me. Just played it again.
I agree, O’Brien. Mullens is a project at No. 19, which in my view is too high to take such a guy.
And JDwayne, thanks for the links. I can tell you from a previous conversation with Rick Sund that the economy is the great variable in free agency this year. Even teams that traditionally spend might not spend this time around.
tony
June 23rd, 2009
5:29 pm
I said 3 months ago that we should draft Siler. Before we draft Siler lets see if we can trade Acie Law to Sacramento for 1 of their 1st round picks or their 2nd rd pick so we can use that pick on Josh Heytvelt-6′11 and draft Eric Maynor in the 1st round. If Maynor is off the board, then we should take Jrue Holiday(pg) or Jeff Teague(pg) and take Siler if Josh Heyvelt is gone. We finally have a chance to draft a pretty good pg.
jdewayneatl
June 23rd, 2009
5:31 pm
BrittishAnger,
Thx. Now what is Barcelona doing for Atlanta… nothing. Siler will be able to provide a big body on the practice squad if nothing else.
Mark Bradley
June 23rd, 2009
5:44 pm
Tony, if this draft is deep in anything, it’s point guards. There’ll be a good one available at No. 19.
GA Faithful
June 23rd, 2009
5:45 pm
the hawks management will make stupid picks as they do most of the time…Siler looks legit even if he is a “project” but if he’s there in the first round i’ll bet you a bag of beans the hawks will pass…
GA Faithful
June 23rd, 2009
5:46 pm
****sorry i meant second round not first
The Man Amongst Men
June 23rd, 2009
5:47 pm
As a former teammate of Garret’s and a lifelong Hawks fan, i would love to see him with the Hawks..He has gotten alot better, and still has the potential and the work ethic to be even better. I say lets do it!
The Truth
June 23rd, 2009
5:59 pm
STRETCH
That move by the Bucks, may have taken Charlie V and/or Sessions off the table. They picked-up 3 expiring contracts in 2010 giving them some badly needed cap relief next year and got a salary relief of about 3M for this year. Nice move for them, but it maybe bad news for teams who had their sights on these RFA players. Dam!!
BrittishAnger
June 23rd, 2009
6:00 pm
I’m still interested what Sund is planning on doing with Randolph Morris this summer, much less what he has been up to since the season ended. He was our first attempt at cleaning up our front court, and turned out to be as much a bust at his height as poor ol’ Shelden. I know he’s still under contract through at least this year, though it remains to be seen what he is beyond a 1 rebound, 4 foul and 2 turnover average this season. Don’t the Trailblazer’s have 6 picks in this draft, at least 4 in the 2nd round and a couple in the first if I remember right, send Morris along with Claxton and a Snow-cone for one of those picks and get them out of Atlanta….Heck, make it a snow-cone and a 6 month subscription to Entertainment Weekly….that oughta even things out….
jdewayneatl
June 23rd, 2009
6:05 pm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7SmhKMYH4CI
I’m linking today. This is just one highlight of the kid but it shows that he has power. I think I’m drinking the Kool-aid.
Mark Bradley
June 23rd, 2009
6:06 pm
Randolph Morris didn’t play in Game 2 of the Cleveland series, the night Marvin and Horfy sat out and the Cavs led by 36 and Joe got hurt. Morris was dressed and healthy and didn’t play. That told me something about his future. It told me he doesn’t have one as a Hawk.
jdewayneatl
June 23rd, 2009
6:08 pm
The Truth,
I concur…
David Smith
June 23rd, 2009
6:15 pm
I would love to have him if he is still on the board when we pick at 49. I’m hoping that we will draft a point guard with our 19th pick (unless we trade up) so we can kill two birds with one stone. Sund still makes me nervous regarding his recent draft history but, if he can get us two quality young players in this draft then he will have exceeded my expectations.
j
June 23rd, 2009
6:23 pm
The Hawks NEED to get Rondo. No question about it, the Hawks should trade Josh Smith for Rondo or something like it. I cant believe the Celts are even shopping him
BrittishAnger
June 23rd, 2009
6:33 pm
Hmmm….Oberto might be on the radar regarding back up big men soon, according to Rotoworld, along with Bowen too….strange things become stranger…
A package with Claxton and Morris is worth $6 million in dead space and financial freedom in the 2010 space race…know anybody worth six mill worth taking for those two and that lovely Entertainment Weekly subscription we spoke of earlier?
Najeh Davenpoop
June 23rd, 2009
7:15 pm
“At No. 49 there are no sure things, only varying shades of gambles.”
This is the truth.
I have no problem with the Hawks taking Siler at #49. I’d be really surprised, though, if he or anyone else picked at that spot plays more than 40 minutes this coming season.
Najeh Davenpoop
June 23rd, 2009
7:15 pm
I meant 40 minutes total, not 40 minutes in a game.
JSS
June 23rd, 2009
7:24 pm
Mr. Bradley, Thanks for the nod… I know a lot are projecting Garret as a project because of his D-II pedigree; but take it from me on this one, his performance against double and triple teams against two 6-9’s muscle heads from Winona State (MN) in the 2008 D-II Championship still has me shaking my head in amazement… He owned the paint, went strong to the rim (I MEAN STRONG) and passed out of double teams to his teammate AJ Bowerman who went for 20 points in the first half (No Kevin Willis in him)… If the guards hadn’t had brain freeze and stopped feeding him in the post-repost situations; they would have won that game going away… Yeah, he guarded the rim too (sound familiar?)
Yes he needs coaching, and being around Al Hortford and his work ethic will not hurt… He is a scrapper, and this team needs that badly to add to Al and ZaZa (if he sticks around)… He is smart, gifted beyond basketball (ANOTHER THING THIS TEAM NEEDS), and he is used to being hollered at (i.e. Woody); he won’t shrink and sulk (aka JSmoove)… He played with an athlethic dynamo in Bowerman and their guard Smith, and he knows how to pass out to the 3 (see life made easier for JJ, Bibby, and Flip)… If we follow the Lakers’ example, work him up to 10 to 15 mins in the beginning of the season, I think we’ll have some thing to make us deep…
I read the Portsmouth accounts last night, he made All-Tournament and he shot over 60% from the field and near 70% from the line… He out played the boys from the big schools including the Tech kid who had a fine tournament too…
Thanks for the indulgence…
ant banks
June 23rd, 2009
7:53 pm
WIZARDS HAVE JUST TRADED THEIR 5TH PICK TO MINNESOTA!! MINNESOTA HAS THE 5TH AND 6TH PICK!!! WTF!!
jdewayneatl
June 23rd, 2009
8:19 pm
I think the summer begins today. The Hawks have no choice but to make the right moves or else its back to the times of old. The Southeast Division just may well be the toughest division in the NBA. I wonder what Minnesota is trying to accomplish.
Mark Bradley
June 23rd, 2009
8:37 pm
If the Celtics are shopping Rondo, it says something about Rondo.
If you can’t play for Doc Rivers, you can’t play.
ant banks
June 23rd, 2009
8:55 pm
garrett siler? why, we have one of those already. his name is randolph morris. i can’t believe that the hawks could do nothin’ with him? i mean they snatch this guy off the street and gave him 800k jus because he was 7ft?
garrett won’t be anything more than a randolph morris.
ant banks
June 23rd, 2009
8:59 pm
garrett siler? see sean may
cp
June 23rd, 2009
9:01 pm
Mark they say Rondo is very moody or hot and cold as they stated in an article I read. He is not a Woodson type pg because he cant shoot. Would be an upgrade over Bibby though.
The Smartest Guy In The Room
June 23rd, 2009
9:10 pm
I think Siler would be a solid pick in the 2nd round. I’d go with Ty Lawson in the first, if he’s there.
Big Ray
June 23rd, 2009
9:11 pm
O’brien,
Sund says that picking up assistants is the Head Coach’s job. If he means that, then we’re counting on Woody to bring in the right guys. Heh. I’m not going to go there. Perhaps I’ll just take Sund’s word on that, and assume that if we don’t have a good batch of assistants, Woody is the reason why. Wait for it…wait for it…wait for it…
Mark,
I agree with you. Siler is not a bad pick at all at #49. Something tells me Woody would like him better than RandMo. Talk about a waste of size.
Big Ray
June 23rd, 2009
9:14 pm
JSS,
Nice post. Nice. I’d be willing to take a flier on Siler. We took one on a skinny guy named Solomon. He didn’t turn out too bad (still skinny though, I don’t care what weight they list him at).
Big Ray
June 23rd, 2009
9:15 pm
Ant Banks,
He could be like May, although if he can stay healthy, he’s already better than May. Besides, May is a 6′7″ PF. At least Siler is a true big guy at his size.
ant banks
June 23rd, 2009
9:25 pm
BIG RAY, ARIOSE, MB, TRUTH, ‘POOP,
someone mentioned that the lakers can’t afford their 30th pick, could the hawks package somethin’ or cash to get the 30th pick from the lakers? 19th and 30th pick would be nice to get ty lawson 19 and toney douglas 30, and siler and 49
Mel on a car phone
June 23rd, 2009
9:26 pm
The Hawks need more size. If they don’t use a 2nd round pick to address that, they’re definitely going to need to take care of that problem in some way this offseason. They should keep Zaza around if the money is right. Then add a true center to come off the bench. If you can do that and then add a kid like Siler, it’d be great.
OK, I’ll hang up and listen.
Mark Bradley
June 23rd, 2009
9:30 pm
Mel on a car phone … remember Ralph from Ben Hill? He called into a show I was on — WGST some 20 years ago, as I recall — when the mobile phone craze was just beginning to hit. He said, “This is Ralph on a mobile home phone.” I laughed then. I laugh now.
ant banks
June 23rd, 2009
9:32 pm
MEL,
great phone call!! listen, zaza made 4mil this yr. he may want 7 or 8. i don’t think he is worth that. i think that solo could be develop to give what zaza gave us. and siler may be a decent pick up at 49. hawks centers: horford, solo, siler
JSS
June 23rd, 2009
9:48 pm
I’m goig to call it a night guys, enjoy the Draft… I wasn’t trying to win a battle on this kid; but I tire of seeing other teams picking up quality in the later part of the draft when we can’t even seem to get quality at the top of it… The Cap is not going up, so I think ZaZa’s price is going to come back to reasonable… The question then becomes Bibby and the other FA’s…
Thanks again for the indulgence… I can now return to my evil side on Jeff Schultz’s blog…
GO HAWKS!!! The team Atlanta can again be proud of!!!
Mark Bradley
June 23rd, 2009
9:48 pm
I’m not sure the Hawks are eager to have to pay a second rookie guaranteed first-round money, Ant. Not with so many free agents to sort through. Not in this economy.
The Truth
June 23rd, 2009
9:49 pm
jdewayneatl
Minnesota is one of those teams that is exactly tighter then the Hawks when it comes to payroll. They will no doubt, shake-up the draft order with back-to-back picks. Here’s a scenario:
Since the Wizards was projected to take the PF Jordon Hill with the 5th pick; now, I doubt Minnesota will make that pick since they have acquired the PF Etan Thomas from the Wazards. If they don’t make that pick, then perhaps Jordon Hill falls to the Suns with the 14th pick. That means the Suns projected pick of PF James Johnson falls to Detroit who was projected to pick the PF/SG Earl Clark. That makes Earl Clark available to the Hawks if they have any aspiration of an upgraded PF/SF at the 19th pick. Maybe with this pick, Marvin finally has a real backup with length instead of Mo Evans.
willie
June 23rd, 2009
9:54 pm
Sure…take a chance on Siler. Mid to late second rounders are huge gambles anyway. Regarding our first pick…am I the only one that finds it hard to believe that there are 6-8 point guard prospects in this draft that are good enough to start in the NBA? As hard as they are to find, that seems impossible to me. Plus, aren’t most teams moving away from pure point guards? Let’s not reach for one of these guys unless we are sure. With the 19th pick, you are just looking for a solid contributor that has the potential to start. In my opinion the best pick is Hansbrough (if he is there), even with the size and athleticism weaknesses. This team needs energy, work ethic and toughness. I would welcome him with open arms. Don’t get me wrong…if you are sure that one of these PG’s is a lock, go for him. I’m just having alot of trouble buying it.
rabiddawg
June 23rd, 2009
10:15 pm
Just wanted to weigh in on this one. I live in and grew up in Augusta. I have attended numerous ASU games. This kid is a potential beast. He dominated the D2. He was a man among boys out there. Also, a good friend of mine taught him at Davidson Fine Arts and said that he is a great kid. I am a hawks fan and would love it if they selected Siler. That would be a risk because he was in D2 but… you can’t teach size. The NBA drafts on potential and he has a tremendous upside. I like it…
D-Bo
June 23rd, 2009
10:16 pm
Can’t teach size.. In the second round you expect to find role players that can help you 3-5 years down the road. The second round is where you take gambles on raw players and hope they pan out. Off the top of my head, I think of Wilson Chandler – Knicks took him in the 2nd round out of DePaul, very raw and a few years later he’s starting, looking like a very good player for the future, and a diamond in the rough. Do it baby, let’s get Siler in a Hawks uni.
ant banks
June 23rd, 2009
10:18 pm
why did this siler kid go D2? no major program pursued him? further more, dude had to be atleast 6-8 thru four yrs of high school, what coaches let him walk around that size and didnot get him to play bball earlier in his career, like 6th grade
Neki Ecko
June 23rd, 2009
10:19 pm
Let me see, would Siler would be a good pick at #49, maybe if you going to have somebody help the younger fellow out, not have at the end of the bench.
But if these three trades (Oberto? was traded to Pistons for Amir Johnson) it is going to be a very busy next couple of days, maybe next couple of months
Mark Bradley
June 23rd, 2009
11:06 pm
I must say I don’t get the Sean May comparison. He’s not nearly as tall as Siler but had a far more complete resume — high school All-American, Final Four MVP. Has he been a great pro? No, but he’s injury-prone and undersized. I never saw him as an NBA center.
Mel on a car phone
June 24th, 2009
12:29 am
Mark Bradley
Haha. Yes, I remember Ralph from Ben Hill. Didn’t he end up getting a show on WGST (or some other AM station in town) for a short time? Seems like it was on during the early evening…maybe 7-9PM or something like that.
ant banks
June 24th, 2009
12:44 am
MB,
i was referrin’ to him bein’ outta shape like sean may is outta shape. both men seam to struggle wit’ weight issues.
JSS
June 24th, 2009
5:05 am
Ant
I’m going to go thru this Siler timeline for you, so please bear me…
QUESTION:
why did this siler kid go D2? no major program pursued him?
ANSWER:
He attended Augusta’s Fine Arts High School. He’s purported to be a talented singer and process some other musical talents. Now for all not familiar with Richmond County or that section of East Georgia; it is not a hot bed of hoops talent outside of impoverished Hancock County (the NBA’s Grant brothers). People believed his talents laid outside athletics, simple as that in fact.
QUESTION:
further more, dude had to be atleast 6-8 thru four yrs of high school, what coaches let him walk around that size and didnot get him to play bball earlier in his career, like 6th grade
ANSWER:
It is not an indictment of Siler that he did not pick up the game earlier. It is an indictment of amateur and local recreation programs that did not recognize or cultivate his talents earlier. Now, this an excellent story for any real sports journalist, the state of such programs (outside of the AAU hoop exploitation mills that favor select players). Somewhere in the 11th grade, someone noticed him. He was in excess of 350 pounds at that time. Every fat kid is not a Sean May or Kevin Duckworth. I’ll come back to this point shortly. He transferred out of the Fine Arts High School to Richmond Academy (a former sports powerhouse in East Georgia). No one has never said that has not a hard worker, but it took time. He was a piece of clay. Fortunately the ASU coach had the foresight to see something in him as Mark Bradley pointed out in his web posting. The kid has far exceed any of those expectations. Just like Paul Evans did at the Naval Academy in the case of David Robinson, the coach work his butt off and was rewarded. Now I’m going to show a bias here, every great player does not benefit from playing DIVISION 1 or being pursued by them in this area. It is a wasteland in my opinion. I say thank goodness for Division II and III where players could develop outside of the grinder of D-1.
QUESTION:
MB, i was referrin’ to him bein’ outta shape like sean may is outta shape. both men seam to struggle wit’ weight issues.
ANSWER:
Since the day he arrived at ASU, Siler has worked to get in better shape. A guy who is “outta shape” fluctuates, this does not seem to be his case as Mark noted in his article while quoting Coach Mettress. He’s been on a decline weight wise and on the accent talent wise since being redshirted as a Freshman. I’m also going to speak to a key factor, MATURITY. He’s had 4 years of college (be it that was at Augusta, no offense intended). Look at his youtube interview at the Pacers camp
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1j8fr_6BUKM
Now, tell me that he’s not a person you’d like to have on a team as a person? Compare that with DeMar Johnson, or in athletic terms for a big man Sheldon Williams who we now know did not have any more upside? Look, who was last great American born big man outside of Shaq that you can name that developed by a D-1? By the way, Tim Duncan and Patrick Ewing do not count. Now it is up to him and the training staff to work to see what his maximum fat ratio is going to be…. If I’m kid, and I want to develop, I take more than a glance at the Augusta State program now… I don’t drink from the big school D-1 fountain as gospel, the be all, end all… I went to a lesser known (not necessarily smaller) D-1 school, Eastern Michigan. Six mile east of the University of Michigan. Grant Long, the former Hawk was in my graduating class. I can’t tell you how many more hyped players there were in Michiigan at that time. Antonine Joubert, Roy Tarpley, Rumeal Robinson, Steve Smith at MSU… Grant did not get a whiff from Bill Frieder (then U-M’s coach) or from Jud Heathcote (MiState). Now he was not the most talented (in outward terms), but he got the max of what he had… Can you say that about the rest of them, and I include Steve Smith in that mix? If Siler has 1/10 of what Grant had, and I think he does, we will have a contributing force if we choose to keep him…
I hope that helps to clarify some issues…
CJ
June 24th, 2009
6:28 am
Wow, Mark….thanks for finally jumping on the wagon with those of us who know a little something about Garrett and the ASU program. He’s a great athlete and Coach Metress has more where he came from. I had mentioned G.S. in a post a few weeks ago after the Portsmouth Invitational and how he did there. This kid has nothing but UP potential!!!
CJ
June 24th, 2009
6:29 am
If he ends up going to Miami, I’ll never watch the Hawks again!!!
Big Ray
June 24th, 2009
6:50 am
Siler lost a lot of weight. Again, if he stays healthy, the Sean May comparison goes out the window. May is an “undersized” PF anyway, not a center.
Lots of trades and jockeying in the draft going on already. Are we going to make a move (one that makes sense, that is), or are we going to do our usual thing and “stand pat” while other times actually try to get better? I realize standing pat is sometimes a good strategy (if you want to call it strategy), but around here it has never amounted to much…kinda like all that noise Billy used to make about “cap space.” Never did us any good, but save the ASG some dough. I’m just so happy about that.
ant banks
June 24th, 2009
11:13 am
JSS,
thanks for the update!! i swear i had never heard of this dude til i came here. if you all say that siler has the upside, let’s get him at 49. but one question for you JSS, if we pick up siler, who will be a project, what will we do with randmo? randmo is garbage and when i initially read mark bradley’s comments and yours i associated siler with another randmo or outta shape player like may.
what do we do with randmo if we get siler? i don’t want a bench of siler, randmo, solo.
JSS
June 24th, 2009
1:08 pm
I have always wanted Chris Mihms who is in Memphis now after being crowded out by the Lakers. Randolph has not shown that he’s got a fire in the belly… it mystifies me, the question is really between Hunter and Morris to fight it out for the final roster spot in my eyes. I think we have an idea of what he has become of their faith in him… We all know how hard it is to get of Woody’s doghouse… Pres. Bill Clinton may have a better chance of scoring… I think being an NBA 5 scares Randolph, can’t get away with any of the stuff he did in the SEC… Hunter is a strange hybrid like most of the Hawks forwards… I think we’ll see what kind of competitor all three men are when the Hawks go to the Rocky Mountain Shoot-out if they pick Siler. I think this is a win-win for Solo, less playing out position, and his attributes (length, foot speed for a big)…
So what did you think of the interview?
I hope that helps…
ant banks
June 24th, 2009
3:46 pm
JSS,
i am willin’ to take a chance on siler. the mear fact that this guy lost 100lbs in a year shows resolve. i have been tryin’ to lose 50lbs for 5yrs and ain’t dropped an ounce.
what do you make of the celts shoppin’ rondo to whoever? would you consider acie, 19th pick for rondo?
JSS
June 24th, 2009
4:47 pm
Only if the Hawks learn how to set some picks… Perkins, Garnett, even Big Baby set picks, then roll to the basket unselfishly… That is the anti-Hawks… They hate to rebound and scrap… I like Rondo on a certain type especially since he’s not a shooter… Do you think he compliments JJ and can he keep JSmoove from getting into a funk or the Woody doghouse? And will he be willing to deal with Woody if he can’t deal with Doc? Questions… questions, and damn questions…. The team that could really use Rondo are the Clippers (like going to hell, but he could turn them in a 40 win team, the Rockets [two points/ 1-shooter, 1 speed and d], or the Pacers [they benefit from his toughness])…
Jagfan
June 25th, 2009
1:54 am
I haven’t seen anyone mention yet that Siler just set the all-time NCAA record for career field goal percentage. He made 78 percent from the field his senior year. I know the competition wasn’t great, but that is still a jaw-dropping number. Also, he shoots free throws better than Josh Smith.
Magan Ngoto
June 25th, 2009
11:28 am
no more Acie Law guys, he’s been traded to the Golden State Warriors along with Speedy Claxton for Jamal Crawford. So i guess heel be playing PG for us.
we still nead a true PG, maybe a trade for jarret jack?
but i think we need a pg pick @ #19, playing behind crawford.
yea, i hope my cuz gets drafted in the second round, we need a true 7 footer and i think he could eventually hold his own in the nba, considering strength/weight/size/etc
Mark Bradley
June 25th, 2009
11:37 am
I agree, Magan. Take a look here.
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[...] correspondent suggested the Hawks make Garret Siler their No. 2 pick in last month’s draft. Astonishingly, Rick Sund and Dave Pendergraft failed to heed that [...]
Bradley's Buzz: So maybe Wren was right about Smoltz | Mark Bradley
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[...] not going to get off this hobbyhorse until the Hawks break down and sign Garret Siler, the free agent from Augusta State, to a contract, [...]