The Hawks make a trade, but it’s not the trade they needed
Kirk Hinrich: He's a solid pro, not a savior. (AJC photo by Curtis Compton)
The Hawks needed to make a trade in the worst way, and the trade they made wasn’t the worst ever. It was OK. Not great, not awful. Just OK.
They shipped Mike Bibby, who was too old and not really a point guard anymore and imported Kirk Hinrich, who’s a good player but who hasn’t been exclusively a point guard himself. They shed Mo Evans, who was expendable, and Jordan Crawford, about whose promise they’d raved only last summer, and acquired Hilton Armstrong, who’s averaging 1.9 points and 2.8 rebounds.
Best-case scenario: Hinrich does his hybrid-guard act — he used to be quite good at it, but his numbers haven’t been anything special the past four seasons — and puts the other Hawks in the right position and this team manages to win a first-round series.
Worst-case scenario: Hinrich fails to mesh with Joe Johnson — say what you want about Bibby, but he and Johnson made a nice tandem — and the Hawks, who have bombed out in Round 2 the past two seasons, bomb out in Round 1 this spring.
Either way, the addition of Hinrich and Armstrong is no cause for re-calibration of this team’s ceiling. The Hawks aren’t much different today than they’ve been for the past three years. They’re a pretty good team in an Eastern Conference that keeps getting more competitive at the top.
If the notion was to find a galvanizing talent at this deadline, they failed. The man that would have remade the local club just got traded to New Jersey, and he was, fittingly enough, one of the two famous men on whom general manager Billy Knight passed to draft Marvin Williams in 2005. Utah moved to trade Deron Williams, and the Hawks apparently weren’t in the bidding. (Deron Williams was picked one spot ahead of Chris Paul, and the two have long ranked, to the Hawks’ lasting chagrin, among the NBA’s five best point guards.)
Instead the Hawks landed Hinrich, who’s a solid pro but not an All-Star, and Armstrong, who’s a younger Jason Collins. And it’s clear the Hawks were the desperate party here: Why else trade three players for two and throw in a first-round pick to boot? That’s a high price to pay for a hybrid guard who was made superfluous in Chicago by Derrick Rose and who isn’t needed in Washington because of John Wall.
Say this, though, for Rick Sund: At least he did something. At least he acknowledged what had become blatant: This team as constituted had reached its peak and was on the descent. It hasn’t fallen to pieces yet — it’s still fifth in the East — and it’s surely too talent to collapse utterly, but the talent that had been compiled and nurtured by both Knight and Sund has topped out. It needs something else, even if the something else is little more than change for change’s sake.
Two NBA teams had had the same starting lineup since February 2008: One is the Celtics, who’ve won a title and graced another NBA final; the other was the Hawks, who hadn’t managed to win a game beyond the first round. Bibby was the last of that starting five to arrive — he came by way of a February deal with Sacramento — and he wasn’t the Bibby of old at any time in his Atlanta stay. But he was a solid pro who knew how to play, and without him these Hawks might never have made the playoffs at all.
Now he’s gone, and it was past time for him to leave. This trade is probably enough to keep the Hawks ahead of the Knicks in the East, probably not enough to elevate them above Orlando for fourth place. It gives them hope in the sense that something has been done, but the right something again eluded this franchise. Deron Williams, the guy they needed back in 2005 and needed today, got traded on Wednesday, and it wasn’t to the Hawks.
By Mark Bradley
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272 comments Add your comment
Barry Tompkins
February 23rd, 2011
11:05 pm
I love the Hawks west coast road trips!!
WTF!?
February 23rd, 2011
11:06 pm
GOD MARK BRADLEY!!!!!WHY DO YOU HAVE TO BE SO NEGATIVE RIGHT AFTER ANY ATL SPORTS TEAM MAKES A MOVE!!!!INSTEAD OF FIRING SUND,FIRE MARK BRADLEY!!!
just wondering
February 23rd, 2011
11:06 pm
O’k, we still have him in the instructional league… from Wikipedia (the sports authority)
Sy made his debut for the Flash on January 2, 2011, in a 99-83 loss the Bakersfield Jam. Sy notched 6 points, 3 assists, and 3 rebounds in 25 minutes off the bench.[12] On January 30, 2011, in a game against the Austin Toros, Sy had his best game to date with the Flash, notching 22 points, 2 rebounds, and 1 assist in 26 minutes.[13][14]
So he can’t be that bad. He also played for the French international team. He’s 23.
MB.. .did you fall asleep… a number of us are waiting for comments. You seem to just take a big dump in the middle of everyone’s living room and then go to bed… no exchange but early ones (and important ones making sure you give kudos to the no-life person who waits to sign on first)
g.rhone
February 23rd, 2011
11:07 pm
JJ and Marvin next..
MJC
February 23rd, 2011
11:11 pm
God, you guys are stupid. THIS IS A GOOD TRADE! BIbby can no longer play at a high level, Mo Evans is crap, and Jordan Crawford wasn’t/isn’t going to get any playing time. And do you honestly think we could have done something with the 20-something pick in the draft? Hinrich do everything Bibby does and CAN PLAY DEFENSE! He is also a scrappy player who tries on every play. Anyone who is saying this is a dumb trade DOESN’T KNOW HOW BASKETBALL WORKS!
Jack
February 23rd, 2011
11:14 pm
I completely agree with this. Kirk Hinrich isn’t going to do anything special, and giving away the draft pick shows that the management seems content with the team’s current situation. Why?…
DawgFan
February 23rd, 2011
11:16 pm
I think the News Reporter’s should Coach, they know what’s best for all sports teams
P Rose
February 23rd, 2011
11:17 pm
Only 38 days until Opening Day!
WTF!?
February 23rd, 2011
11:18 pm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qIQc9HPTiDA <——–Kirk Hinrich Ankle Breaker to J.J. Redick HAHA
WTF!?
February 23rd, 2011
11:19 pm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qIQc9HPTiDA <——–Kirk Hinrich Ankle Breaker to J.J. Redick HA
TLH404
February 23rd, 2011
11:19 pm
Please tell me this didnt just happen. PLEASE!!! I know the Atlanta Hawks did not just give up a first round pic to the Wizards for Hinrich. Somebody please!!!!! I’m a die heart Hawks fan but they *&^&%^%*Y*&^ organization man… Geezus!!!
DHD
February 23rd, 2011
11:20 pm
Bradley should buy the team. He knows much more than anybody else about the Hawks.
WTF!?
February 23rd, 2011
11:20 pm
Ripple effect mark bradley……….RIPPLE EFFECT…….
tc
February 23rd, 2011
11:21 pm
not that it matters, but where is this new guy from? Is he from the US? Just curious.
WTF!?
February 23rd, 2011
11:21 pm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qIQc9HPTiDA
niremetal
February 23rd, 2011
11:28 pm
In case you needed more proof that Bradley thinks that everything you need to know about basketball can be learned from reading a stat sheet and watching the occasional nationally televised game)…aw hell, forget it.
MJC
February 23rd, 2011
11:28 pm
Hawks fans are stupid. Hawks fans think this trade is stupid. Therefore, by applying simple mathematical properties to real life, this trade is brilliant.
The Dude Abides
February 23rd, 2011
11:38 pm
At least Frank Wren cares about improving his ball club. Wish we had more guys like him around here, an agressive GM.
The Dude Abides
February 23rd, 2011
11:38 pm
Plus he knows how to draft.
atl
February 23rd, 2011
11:39 pm
@MJC you are right b/c the hawks fans don’t realize that we got rid of that bum mo evans who did nothing for us, I preferred damien wilikins over him
Hawks find point guard in Hinrich – Atlanta Journal Constitution
February 23rd, 2011
11:42 pm
[...] Atlanta Journal Constitution (blog) [...]
superiorblogman
February 23rd, 2011
11:42 pm
Great post Mr.Bradley. The Hawks needed a guy that gets to the FT line. They need to play Teague more. He was doing good tonight then LD just stop playing him. Well let me correct myself they need a real coach to start with. Lastly, Harris, Felton, even Mr. D League, Ramon Sessions, would be better than Hinrich.
RayBud
February 23rd, 2011
11:57 pm
Mr. Bradley…i have a question for you. Rumors have it that raymond felton isn’t satisfied with being in Denver since George Karl named Ty Lawson the “starter for the rest of the season”. We know that Felton and his agent aren’ts satisfied about this. What are the chances the Hawks make an attempt to swoop in on this? Would Felton seem to be a “missing” piece? I would love anyone’s take on this.
Twomuch
February 24th, 2011
12:01 am
All I can say is really Atlanta? You give away three players and a first round draft pick for two players. Kurt Hinrich is okay and the other guy sucks….not sure about this. But the Hawks have bad owners and no room to do anything thanks to selfish Joe Johnson that wanted the max amount of money a player could get. It’s fitting that they named the WNBA team the Dream cause Atlanta’s shot of winning a title in any sports is all just a dream.
Art Vandelay
February 24th, 2011
12:14 am
Don’t blame Joe Johnson for being overpaid. That’s ridiculous. Blame the Hawks for overspending on a guy with max-level talent but league minimum-level leadership qualities and no real desire to play good defense.
T_HEIGHT
February 24th, 2011
12:34 am
WOW Mark Bradley, You thought of all of that by YOURSELF!!!!
T_HEIGHT
February 24th, 2011
12:35 am
ONCE AGAIN, WHO IS RICK SUND!!!! LOL WHAT A JOKE!!!!
Easy Journalism
February 24th, 2011
12:36 am
It must be hard to write a column like “the Hawks should have traded for Deron Williams” without proposing a single way we go about it. Now that you’ve had some time to think about it, Mark, what do you think we would have traded to get him? Oh, you still haven’t come up with anything? Carry on then.
Akintayo Kuyoro
February 24th, 2011
12:37 am
There are 3 important sport teams in ATL 2 of them are committed to winning or at least let the public think that.Why do the Hawks have to be different? It seems like the word “Championship” does not resinate in the brains of anyone in the front office but i guess they cant if ASG does not but the first step is to FIRE sund asap. what do u think Mr. Bradley
tjhook
February 24th, 2011
12:40 am
All of this means we got lots more of bashing of Marvin Williams to do . . . I liked Bibby for us; I just understood he was an athlete with physical limitations. Marvin’s a scrub who think he’s valuable and ONLY Atlanta believes he is. Maybe we can do a three for one with San Antonio: Hinrich, Williams and ZaZa for Tony Parker. The spurs will be needing a center soon and they could rotate hinrich as a third guard with Ginobelli and George Hill. Think about TP running our team
T_HEIGHT
February 24th, 2011
12:44 am
THE GOOD THING ABOUT THIS IS TEAGUE AND DAMIEN GETS TO PLAY MORE I THINK. I ACTUALLY THINK TAKING AWAY MINS FROM BIBBY AND MO EVANS ACTUALLY MAKES THE TEAM BETTER. JOSH HAS TO PLAY HARDER, JOE AND J. CRAWFORD HAS TO PLAY SMARTER. HORFORD HAS TO PLAY TOUGHER. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE ZAZA, MARVIN, E. THOMAS, AND COLLINS TRADED NEXT.
tjhook
February 24th, 2011
12:47 am
And also forward James Anderson. Remember, mcdyess is leaving, Jefferson is older and they have a 4/5 getting groomed in Tiago Splitter. Hinrich may prove his worth yet. I just want someone who gets the greyhounds (Johnson, Smith, Horford, Crawford) to run. And Tony Parker would do an awesome job of it!
tjhook
February 24th, 2011
12:49 am
Hell, I’ll take George hill for Marvin Williams. Stop being a scrub, Marvin!!!
rebuild
February 24th, 2011
12:50 am
everyone who calls mark bradley negative doesn’t know anything about sports. I almost always agree with him because he is a realist…he doesn’t just praise everything atlanta management does, but rather talks about whether they are right or wrong in their doings. this is a flat out horrible trade.. we just gave up last years first rounder and another one for KIRK HINRICH…now we have even less of a future and we are stuck with a mediocre point guard. im irate at how ignorant these fans are, and more importantly how awful hawks management is. just an absolutely ridiculous trade, but im not surprised seeing some of the other moves the hawks have made in the last decade. pathetic absolutely pathetic
Eric
February 24th, 2011
1:19 am
Is it too late to call Billy Knight back??? Maybe the worst trade in Atlanta sports history, all that for a modern day Steve Kerr WOW!!! I want Rick Sund’s head for this.
Eric
February 24th, 2011
1:22 am
Enter your comments here
Twomuch
February 24th, 2011
1:33 am
Blame all of this on Joe Johnson…if he wasn’t getting the max then the Hawks could afford to make different moves. But one thing that Hinrich is; a very good defender and he will match up well against Rondo and the better point guards. Now that I think about it given the circumstances I think this was the best deal they could get. I still blame Joe Johnson for wanting all that money and not being a proven or willing team leader.
B'Red
February 24th, 2011
1:40 am
I dont see any improvement with this trade, New York might overtake them for the 5th seed come play off.
ga female
February 24th, 2011
1:42 am
What everyone is forgetting when they are bashing someone like Marvin Williams is, he is a good guy. A stand up young man. He is my neighbor an lives queitly in a neighborhood. He blends in, like a regular person and is not about the show or partying. He also only played on full year as a Freshman at North Carolina before he was drafted in the First Round. So yes he probably does have more raw talent than Michael Jordan. Unfortunately, he has not had Dennis Rodman in his prime playing on the same team like Michael Jordan did in Chicago.
On the other hand Jamal Crawford and his three dogs totally trashed a friend’s house he rented in buckhead for only a year. Completely trashed the house.
Twomuch
February 24th, 2011
2:01 am
@ga female What does any of that have to do with Hawks making a better team. But you must not know much about basketball to say just because Marvin Williams came out after his freshman year he has more raw talent then the greatest basketball player ever. I won’t say anything else about that comment…..All I can say is WOW…..
Mark Bradley`s Booster
February 24th, 2011
4:27 am
Mark: I remain your Booster on this one. What are your thoughts on the Hawks making another trade today before the deadline? Any chance of this happening?
tony
February 24th, 2011
4:50 am
I was lobbying for the hawks to go after Kirk Hinrich a while back but I would not have giving them a 1st round pick. This team needs a better head coach plain and simple.
Hire Bill Laimbeer.
Deron Williams / Williams Traded to Nets, Latest Star to Head East | Sporty Twits
February 24th, 2011
5:01 am
[...] for relevance. …Hawks get Hinrich, unload Bibby in five-player trade with WizardsExaminer.comKirk Hinrich: He's a solid pro, not a savior. (AJC photo by Curtis Compton)Atlanta Journal Constitution (blog)Wizards trade Kirk Hinrich to Atlanta HawksWashington PostSB [...]
John in Marietta
February 24th, 2011
5:16 am
Dumb trade. A little more should have gotten Deron Williams. Should not have wasted a 1st round pick on Heinrich let alone also including their recent #1 in Crawford. So Hawks tarde two #1 picks for Heinrich. GM should be fired.
Need their #1 to draft a point guard that thery just gave away. Hopefully, they can acquire a veteran PG in the meantime like Fernandez, Jarret Jack or Andre MIller to bridge the gap.
Dumb Hawks management at it again.
explorer
February 24th, 2011
5:53 am
This team is a JOKE! Everybody knows that the Hawks need a BIG MAN in the middle. The year will be just like any other. Will probably make it to the playoffs, but is gone the first round………..AGAIN.
John
February 24th, 2011
6:20 am
Not sure what the GM was thinking here. But at least they don’t have Coach Woodson anymore, who said, “We’ll be one of the elite teams…in about five years!”
Pauly
February 24th, 2011
6:41 am
Hinrich looks like Rudy Giluiani in that photo.
Chuck Taylor
February 24th, 2011
6:44 am
It would be OK . . . if the Hawks moved to Winnipeg.
Larry
February 24th, 2011
6:48 am
Well, at least we get to watch something a little different than the same bunch of double digit IQ tall guys all grossly over decorated with tattoos and earrings!
Atlanta is a city complimented the the highest concentration of highly educated and professional black citizens. There is a reason these folks do not clamor to these guys and fill up Phillips–they want their children to realize that below average intelligence will most likely lead to body piercings, injections of colored ink up and down your arms, lots of illegitimate children and the vocabulary and grammar of a 2nd grader.
Why on earth do you pay to watch this? Does putting a round ball inside of a larger circle do that much for you?
Atlanta Fan
February 24th, 2011
6:48 am
Atlanta Spirit Group = ASG = Another Stupid Trade sell the team and get ownership commited to winning