The Hawks draft a shooter, and now the real work begins
John Jenkins: From Commodore to Hawk. (AP photo)
It’s an Atlanta tradition, just like lousy weather for the old Peach Bowl was. The NBA draft rolls around, the Hawks make their first pick … and we all say, “Really?”
Yes, there have been exceptions. Namely, Al Horford and … er, Al Horford. But we only have to call the roll of infamy – Keith Edmonson, Dallas Comegys, Roy Marble, Adam Keefe, Priest Lauderdale, Ed Gray, DerMarr Johnson and the Williamses Marvin and Shelden – to feel bad all over again.
Most franchises look on the draft as the quickest way to improve themselves. More often than not, the Hawks’ draft has reminded us why we’ve come to distrust this organization. But this draft, I’m happy to report, had taken on a shiny glow long before Thursday night’s doings commenced. And by that I mean: In the grand scheme, this draft suddenly didn’t seem so important.
The Hawks announced Monday they’d hired Danny Ferry as their general manager. It was such a shrewd move you had to remind yourself that these were the Hawks who’d made it. In a perfect world, a team would like its GM to have more than four days to prepare for the draft, but the Hawks’ world has never been anything close to perfect.
Besides, what was the worst Ferry could do on short notice: Pick some guy from an ACC school named Williams? Been there. Done that. Twice.
Soon Ferry will have to make far bigger decisions that whether to exercise the draft’s 23rd selection on a backup guard or a backup center. (Because that’s usually the best you’ll do at No. 23 – find someone to flesh your bench.) Much more important will be the new GM’s take on the Core Four: Does someone need to go? (Yes, I say.) If so, who? (Start with Marvin Williams. Amnesty him if need be.) And what of Josh Smith?
The Hawks’ most talented player has asked to be traded enough times that the reported requests have run together. The not-exactly-hot rumor before this draft was that the Hawks had shopped him to the Lakers for Pau Gasol. (Who, under the heading of Small World, the Hawks had technically drafted in 2001. But they traded Gasol to Memphis for Shareef Abdur-Rahim.)
At best, this seemed an old rumor. At worst, it was a bad one. It’s hard to imagine a four-days-on-the-job GM trading away his best player. This isn’t to say Ferry won’t choose to trade Smith a month from now, but no basketball man of sound mind moves in such haste.
Instead the Hawks settled for making a fairly safe Round 1 pick: John Jenkins of Vanderbilt. He’s a great shooter, which isn’t the same as being a great player. Given time, Jenkins could become the new Jamal Crawford – an off-the-bench scorer who can change games.
Said Ferry: “He almost makes it a four-on-four game because you can’t leave him … He can space the floor for our core group.”
Nobody should be disappointed by this pick. That said, there was a more tantalizing option available.
Perry Jones III of Baylor is the kind of player – long of limb – that former GM Billy Knight made a habit of taking among the draft’s top 10. To have gotten such a talent at No. 23 would have been a risk worth taking. Does Jones always play to his gifts? Obviously not, or else he’d have been gone in the lottery. (There was also a late report of an unsound knee.) But a team that has Smith and Horford might have nursed Jones for a year or so and used him for cover in case Smith leaves – he’s a free agent at next season’s end – or Horford becomes the Hawk who’s traded.
But that, I should stipulate, is picking nits. There’s not much chance Jenkins will become an All-Star, but he also shouldn’t go the way of Ed Gray. He’s a worthwhile addition. The Hawks are a bit better today than they were yesterday. And now we stand back and watch Danny Ferry go to work and endeavor to make them a lot better soon.
“We’re going to be looking at a lot of things,” Ferry said, “whether it’s a trade or free agency — especially a trade. The roster at the end of the year may look a lot different.”
And that wouldn’t be so bad. This roster, at least at its top end, has looked essentially the same since 2007. This GM will be charged with doing many things, but he must be an agent of change above all.
By Mark Bradley
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195 comments Add your comment
Bird
June 29th, 2012
10:43 am
Before the draft, Horford stated that the Hawks needed to draft a shooter. Looks like he got his wish.
Native Son
June 29th, 2012
11:02 am
Collins….gone; Stackhouse….gone; Hinrich….gone; Tmac….gone; Green….gone; Duh,Duhda Man….gone
Great job Hawks setting up for what kind of team we’ll have in the next year, or two.
Peace; from the “Most Native Son”
DHD
June 29th, 2012
11:31 am
We already have an outside shooter….Josh Smith. One of the all time great long range shooters. At least he must think so.
Skeezix
June 29th, 2012
11:37 am
Great shooter! Great pick! This kid is a real gunslinger. You have to have that outside threat to keep defenses honest.
atlnative
June 29th, 2012
12:04 pm
The Atlanta Hawks never draft players that fill a need. The Hawks need a center and a power forward. Rebounding and defense are the key elements of a winning team.
just wondering
June 29th, 2012
12:36 pm
Could we not have traded Josh to the Celtics for their pick one spot up and another (or a couple) future first rounders?
Would have been nice to put Melo in at center, slide Al to PF, get another draft pick, and free up cap room for the coming season.
Rick Norton
June 29th, 2012
12:40 pm
Pro football is always restructuring contracts to create salary space. How about Joe’s? Bayou Bomber
Bayou bomber
June 29th, 2012
12:44 pm
Good pick. Although I was hoping for Fab. Give Ferry some time then evaluate.
Mike
June 29th, 2012
12:55 pm
Firat of all, i am so enjoying this with so much crying and whinning and etc. etc. etc about this. If yall dont like the picks I understand but we have to see the big picture against here and now.
Right now, we got a core group that has 61m between them with two of them (Smooth and Zaza) that they expired next year, two contracts (JJ and Marvin) that is very hard to move (Marvin has a option but it probably going to be pick up), then you have one contract (Al) that is good value but also give you the greatest trade value but he is one of the faces of this team, then you have Teague that will be RFA next year as well, so you have to match that offer.
This team doesnt have a perm bench player except for Zaza or Marvin and everybody else is vetmin or castaways. See, these picks isnt sexy or good to most ppl but fits into what the Hawks needs and that is depth in position that Al, JJ, Smooth that has to play 40+ mins.
Right now, the truth worth of this team will be when the summer is over and training camp starts until then, stop crying and support this team good or bad.
Disgusted
June 29th, 2012
1:04 pm
This is not a bad value pick at number 23, if his shooting is what its cracked up to be at this level.
Guys like thiis play more than 10 yrs and always have a role on winning teams.
Any team can use a shooter who can bring a team back in the game. He might or might not be a starter but will have a valuable role in this league.
He can be a servicable defender if he has the wrk ethic.
Its better than the Williams brothers of suck. I sure hope Marvin is gone this off season.
Disgusted
June 29th, 2012
1:08 pm
“Could we not have traded Josh to the Celtics for their pick one spot up and another (or a couple) future first rounders?”
Boston would chew up Josh Smith and spit him out alive. No way would Danny Ainge or the Boston media put up with Josh. He would be booed outta that town.
I am a Celtics/Hawks fan and I do not want Josh on the Celtics. Don’t want Marvin either, Marvin is a last resort player, he is so mediocre.
NoLoveForJoe
June 29th, 2012
1:12 pm
If the hawks can use the amnesty clause on joe johnson they shouldn’t hesitate. Free up the $20+ million you’ll be paying his worthless ass the next half decade.
Mr Atl.
June 29th, 2012
1:19 pm
I am the biggest hawks fan have been since the eighty’s and watch every game i can. If we lose Josh Smith we lose a good rebounder a great shot blocker and a pretty good passer. He is the highlight factory try doing anything you can to keep him .Bring in his old shot blocking buddy and try battleing Miami for a title. with Josh and Howard defending the paint miami ain’t got a chance. If your goal is to truely challenge for a title why would you give up your best player by far. Look at the numbers haters they don’t lie.
Trade Joe
Trade Horford
same old hawks
June 29th, 2012
1:23 pm
Draymond Green would have been a major upgrade over Marvin Williams on the first day of training camp. Stupid.
STRETCH
June 29th, 2012
1:24 pm
Amico: Seeing some follow-ups on my reports last month Celtics have strong interest in O.J. Mayo. So do Lakers. Twitter
Braves Fan
June 29th, 2012
1:25 pm
Hope he doesn’t turn out to be another Rodney Monroe. For those under 30 or so…Monroe was probably the best perimiter player in the country in the early ’90s out of NC State. Think he played one year as a pro.
True Hawk
June 29th, 2012
1:30 pm
Once again Mark Bradley shows he should be working at the Varsity and not writing about sports. Putting Marvin Williams in that group of no shows proves it. Did we draft Marvin too high? Yes. But none of that group ever scored 28 points in an NBA game except Marvin. None of them ever averaged 10 points a game and 6 rebounds except Marvin. You forgot one of the worst moves made here: Jon Koncak, who was a multi-year starter. But what can I expect from a guy who thought “Big Country” Bryant Reeves was a better draft pick than Shaq. Most people here can’t tell you who “Big Country” is. I can tell you he wound up back in the country without making even a whisper in the NBA. That’s right Mark, it’s me and I told you I would never let you forget that. My wife knows more about sports than you. John Jenkins is a decent pick at 23 and a shooter. In the NBA you win by putting the ball in the basket more often than the other team, so if he can translate his college skills to NBA intensity he will be fine. Mike Scott is interesting because he is mature and a good scorer in a basketball conference on a mediocre team.
SeaAtl
June 29th, 2012
1:36 pm
Another terrible draft – don’t be distracted by the hiring of a new GM days before – and the Hawks will forever regret not instead selecting Perry Jones. Typical, though, so no reason to be too upset.
SeaAtl
June 29th, 2012
1:38 pm
Also, how is Perry considered a good GM – this is the guy that put a team together that, when Lebron left, was an embarrassment to professional sports. Ferry put together the cast of characters around Lebron that finished in last place once Lebron left. And y’all consider him a good hire? Sad – in Atlanta too many of you drool over a “national” name. This is a bad hire.
same old hawks
June 29th, 2012
1:47 pm
Um, a shooter is only good if he can get open. You only get open with good ball movement. I know the Hawks would like to think they didn’t really pay Joe 100 or so mil but you did and shooters don’t get open with Iso-Joe on your team.
jeff
June 29th, 2012
2:11 pm
anyone who thinks this is a good pick because “he fits well”, or he can “straight score off the bench” clearly doesn’t get that even if he turns out to be a great shooter off the bench, we still have no chance. its clear that our starting five don’t match up at all to some of the better teams in this conference, and a key piece off the bench won’t change that at all. to anyone who says that he can be the new jamal crawford, I have a question: did we stand any chance in the playoffs even when we had jamal crawford? we needed to take a chance at perry jones, cause with him best case is he turns into the star he’s supposed to be. worst case he is a bust, but at 23 its worth taking the risk. john jenkins will help us continue to wallow in mediocrity and thats it
MS. Bully
June 29th, 2012
3:43 pm
I’m just glad he is not at Vandy anymore.
Native Son
June 29th, 2012
4:47 pm
Leave Marvin Williams alone!!! He was doing fine until Joe showed up..er.. I mean came to the Hawks. Joe became the focal point, and effectively stunted marvin’s development, and it’s a matter of are the Hawks maximizing on the attributes he’s capable .of. He hasn’t been challenged on the team yet, so maybe jenkins will give him some extra motvation. I do agree he should flourish off the bench though.
Peace from the ” Most Native Son”
John Jenkins
June 29th, 2012
5:22 pm
Superiorblogman – I’m glad you’re superior at one thing: being an idiot. You obviously have not seen Jenkins play. He’s been one of the best scorers in college basketball for two years. He won plenty of games for Vandy on last second shots from ridiculous distances. He also single-handedly kept them in many games. It’s a great value at 23. I suppose you would have drafted another Marvin Williams’ type. Good thing you’re not drafting.
John Jenkins
June 29th, 2012
5:32 pm
@ SeAtl – So I guess the Hawks, (and everyone else that passed on Perry Jones), will regret that decision, huh? There were obviously red flags with Jones (hence his dramatic fall from grace). What the Hawks DON’T need: another “athlete” who underachieves, is characterized as lazy, and has a history of injury concerns. How many times have the Hawks made that decision in the past…
superiorblogman
June 29th, 2012
6:23 pm
John Jenkins is a horrible pick. Vlad Rad that is all he is a shooter who when he is not hitting shots is useless. He will have 30 + DNP’s coaches decisions this year. You could have gotten a rotation player in Moultrie, PJIII, or Wroten and you draft this guy in the 1st round? Just stupid. Jenkins or Lamb would have been fine at 43 but not 23. Lamb is better than Jenkins anyone because he can actually do more than just shoot. Ferry is incompetent just like Sund was. Billy Knight is underrated he is the reason for 5 of our 6 players right now even being on the team. He did not give Joe that contract, nor Marvin his contract. Sund, was by far worse than Knight. Sund only got Teague of the current 6. Gave away 1st round picks for Kirk Hinrich. Sold away picks for cash. Signed Joe to that contract. Signed Marvin to that contract. Failed to ever get the type of Center we need. Sund is by far worse than Knight and Ferry seems to be following in Sunds footsteps.
Knight got us:
Joe
Marvin
Josh
Al
Zaza
Bibby
Sund got us
Hinrich
Teague
Crawford
Ferry got us
Nobody because that is what the specialist Jenkins is not even a rotation player.
Let’s see Ferry build on the positives that Knight laid as the foundation
What can Ferry add to
Joe
Josh
Al
Marvin
Zaza
?
superiorblogman
June 29th, 2012
6:24 pm
John Jenkins is not even a rotation player but a specialist
John Jenkins
June 29th, 2012
7:00 pm
Superiorblogman – And your assessment is based on what, exactly? He was the SEC’s leading scorer for 2 years, averaged 42 in high school, an all-american, two-time first team all-SEC…sounds like more than a specialist to me. Again, you obviously have not seen him play very much, or just don’t know much about the game (or you’re a bitter Tennessee fan…).
superiorblogman
June 29th, 2012
7:10 pm
John Jenkins
June 29th, 2012
7:00 pm
Superiorblogman – And your assessment is based on what, exactly? He was the SEC’s leading scorer for 2 years, averaged 42 in high school, an all-american, two-time first team all-SEC…sounds like more than a specialist to me. Again, you obviously have not seen him play very much, or just don’t know much about the game (or you’re a bitter Tennessee fan…).
Graduated from Mississippi State and saw the guy play several times. A specialist is someone that is only on the floor for one thing like Novak, Daquean Cook, James Jones, and so on. That is what Jenkins is a specialist just like Vlad Rad was last year. Vlad Rad went weeks without even playing because his special skill was not always needed. You can make all the claims you want against me but my claims are against the management for picking a player like this out of place. They could have got Jenkins or Lamb at 43. They reached on a specialist not even a rotation player. Jenkins was the #1 option at his school. He is simply a guy that you put in and get him 3 or 4 shots and if he is on then he stays in, if not you get him off the floor because he will hurt you so much in other ways. Keep on making claims against me while I simply state points to why this is so bad. Moultrie, PJIII, and Wroten are all multi-dimensional rotation players while Jenkins is a one dimensional player that will not even see the floor in a lot of games. We had over half of the teams roster spots to fill going into last night and we filled a 3 year guaranteed spot with a specialist.
superiorblogman
June 29th, 2012
7:12 pm
Jenkins a specialist nothing more at the NBA level just like Cook, Novak, James Jones. Too many roster positions to fill to be giving guaranteed money to specialists.
John Jenkins
June 30th, 2012
4:51 am
Then why was he the SEC’s leading scorer for two straight years? Moultrie averaged 14/game in the same conference against the same competition. It’s unfair to judge his defensive ability at this stage since Vandy played so much zone. He improved dramatically from his freshman to junior year on defense, taking it to hoop, and creating his own shot. You’re not giving a guy that averaged 20/game while being targeted against every team he played any credit at all, which is foolish. There were obvious red flags concerning PJIII as well. Marvin Williams was also considered a “multi-dimensional player”. Moultrie is pure potential. Why not draft a guy that has proven,against top-notch competion, that he can score the basketball?
John Jenkins
June 30th, 2012
4:54 am
And, yes, you will continue to ignore facts, stats, and experts and hate on him before he’s even suited up. I hope he proves you wrong.
richy
June 30th, 2012
7:20 am
Players make careers out of shooting the three ball. Upside hasnt won any championships last time I checked. Jones is Josh Smith 2.0 without the shot blocking skills or rebounding. Not what we needed. And how can you judge Ferry off of a draft he only had days to prepare for? Give me a break!
richy
June 30th, 2012
7:31 am
Perry Jones may very well succeed in OKC but players like him need two things to prosper. Coaching structure and veteran or mature leadership. Two things the Hawks just dont have. Jones would not have a chance in ATL.
superiorblogman
June 30th, 2012
3:23 pm
Moultrie averaged a double double in the SEC that is far from potential. Wroten averaged 17 pts 5 reb and 4 assist as a freshman. If these guys are pure potential and Jenkins is such a great combination of potential and production why did they all go within 5 picks of him. We made the worse pick in the 20’s and we reached the most we could have left Jenkins on the board and got him or Doron Lamb at #43. Moultrie and Jenkins or Moultrie and Lamb would have been a great draft. By the way, Mike Scott who Sund Jr. picked in the 2nd rd has more medical issues than Sullinger and PJIII put together considering he actually missed a year with his issues. None of your arguments hold water. Bad drafting by another bad GM. Billy Knight was the best GM the Hawks have had in my time caring for the Hawks. Billy Knight’s problem was he drafted talented athletes in the lotto when he needed them to produce. Billy Knight drafting talented athletes in the mid to late 1st rd when you don’t really need them to produce equals want the C’s, Bulls, and OKC did on draft night. Billy Knight also atleast realized that we needed a PG and went out and got one through signing Speedy and getting Bibby. Sund still has yet to realize we need a C. Has made 0 moves to go get one. Ferry comes in and continues the same dumb shi…
superiorblogman
June 30th, 2012
3:26 pm
Billy Knight would be great for this team now. He loved talented athletes the problem was he loved them in the lotto where you need them to be good but if you draft talented athletes in mid to late 1st you win every time like Boston,Okc, Chicago, and Memphis did on draft night.
John Jenkins
June 30th, 2012
3:33 pm
Ah, the true colors of a bitter Mississippi St. fan. No matter how many stats are presented to you, you look the other way. It would have been a great draft if they had drafted your guy, Moultrie. I suppose they should hire Rick Stansbury as an assistant coach too. Go ring your cowbell and learn how to make a cogent argument.
superiorblogman
June 30th, 2012
3:36 pm
Would have been a great draft if they had selected PJIII at 23 and Lamb or Jenkins at 43. Would have been a great draft if they had selected Wroten at 23 and Lamb or Jenkins at 43. Would have been a great draft if they had selected Moultrie at 23 and Lamb or Jenkins at 43.
Michael
June 30th, 2012
6:57 pm
Doron Lamb is a much better player than Jenkins. Lamb went in the second round. Lamb plays better defense, handles the ball better, drives better, shoots just as well from outside and finishes at the rim. Jenkins shoots and that is it. Dumb pick and a wasted chance to garner an extra pick since NO other team would have drafted Jenkins in the first round. Reach is an understatement.
Jenkins own teammate, Taylor, who can drive, play lock down defense, block shots, is taller and can play SG, SF and some PG, would have been a better pick and he went early in the second round.
Maybe Jenkins is going to be solid (never a starter), but if you covet a player that is not rated anything near what you draft him at, then trade back with someone, anyone. Don’t waste a chance to get another pick, even if it isn’t till 2015 or something. Just plain stupid, to covet a mediocre college player that can shoot and nothing else. This is most like JJ Redick. JJ works hard and made himself into a 6th or 7th man (not a real starter). Jenkins is going to have to work even harder just to become a 7th man and get decent minutes…and it is just not likely to happen. He had mid-second round pick written all over him. Instead he goes where Doron Lamb should have gone…the Hawks would have been okay had they drafted Lamb at 23, but instead go for the lesser player in Jenkins. So sad. Do they have ANY scouts in the organization? Does anyone watch college games? It appears that if they do, the scouts are drunk, asleep or dead when the games are played.
Michael
June 30th, 2012
7:00 pm
As for PJIII, too many in love with his measurements and hype. He has never produced at a level commiserate with his measurables. He also suffers from extremely low self-esteem. This means a few missed shots, a quick benching or off court trouble and his career will likely be over just like that. Bad self-esteem and a game that squashes those with little confidence do not mix well. PJIII was high risk, medium reward.
Jenkins may have been a terrible pick (at pick 23 anyway, okay at pick 40 or so), but at least he has no issues with self-esteem and lack of hustle.
superiorblogman
June 30th, 2012
8:38 pm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3EKo2KyMDog
Hoss Cartwright
June 30th, 2012
9:41 pm
I didn’t follow Vandy basketball and I doubt most of you all didn’t either, but wasn’t the kid Jenkins their primary ball handler. He probably has a better than average handle and much better than Hawk fans are lead to believe.
John Jenkins
July 1st, 2012
2:26 am
@ Micheal: Yeah, watched alot of college games. And apparently you are either drunk or stupid to claim that Doron Lamb is even close to the player that Jenkins is. Are you kidding me? Again, Jenkins led the SEC in scoring for 2 years. What did Doron Lamb do exactly? It’s not like Jenkins was the only option for his team, either. All five of their starters averaged double digits, and three of the five were drafted. Nobody but you, Michael, believe that Doron Lamb shoots or scores as well as Jenkins. Numbers don’t lie. Enjoy the KoolAid that SuperiorblogBulldog drinks thinking Jenkins could have been had at 43.
John Jenkins
July 1st, 2012
2:32 am
@ Hoss – Brad Tinsley was the primary ballhandler for the Commodores. Jenkins did handle the ball, but he ran mostly off screens to catch and shoot within their offense. He improved greatly on his ball handling skills from his freshman to junior year. All the kid has done has improved on all of his stats while being the leading scorer in the SEC for 2 straight years and being, statistically, the best 3 point shooter in all of college basketball.
John Jenkins
July 1st, 2012
2:42 am
One more thing Michael. “Mediocre college player”…2 time scoring leader in the SEC. 2012 All-American (honorable mention All-American in 2011). 1st team All-SEC 2011-2012. SEC’s “Sixth man of the year” and all-freshman team his freshman year. Led all players in NCAA in 3 pt shooting in 2012 (leader in % in 2011). Doron Lamb did not even average 14/game. 1.5 assists/game. Almost 3 rebounds/game (but not quite). My suggestion? Go buy a dictionary. Look up the word “mediocre”. Put Doron Lamb’s face next to it. I think that you will find comfort in that.