SWISH9061

I think that of all the moves that Babcock made, this trade will prove to be his biggest mistake - Gasol will show this year that he's much better than Reef on both ends of the floor as he becomes one the elite players in the league And as much as I like Reef I do have to say that he's overrated - IMHO even with his 20/10....

Nice and against Krilenko - who's a pretty good one-on-one defender..

This was by far the best Hawks team that Kasten put on the court. I remember these guys starting out 18-4 (don't know the year) with a with a big win over Magic and the Lakers. They were rolling until Spud got hurt - they were never the same after that....

Not to nitpick but re-signed is a better way to state it as my first thoughts on reading this was that they both had quit on their own. I'm a big fan of Billy Knight and I'm glad to hear that he'll be staying on - I think with the right owner he's the man to turn this thing aroung. As for Stotts, I'm ambivalent on him but I do think he earned another shot...

This deal was made with an eye on the future and from that perspective it makes a lot of sense. Grob had 2 years left on his contract and the chemistry just wasn't right with him. I think Knight did a good job to get what he did as he doesn't have the trade value you feel he does... Let's face it, the Hawks aren't going anywhere this year so the emphasis to me should be on developing young players and freeing up some cap...

doesn't come off the books until January so it provide immediate $$$ relief. However, next summer the Hawks may be a big player in FA...

Hawks win today.. Try this link - if doesn't work go to NBA.COM and get it there... http://www.nba.com/media/celtics/03SL_Hawks1.pdf

I've never understood that logic of 'just making the playoffs' because you'd think the goal of every sports franchise (or any organization) is to be the best - which in sports equates to winning championships. I think if this is the goal of the new ownership then I'm perfectly willing to be patient while we build a championship team. The thing about that 'just making the playoffs' mentality is that it leads to bad trades (Big Dog), forces poor draft decisions (selecting a less talented guy who can help now as opposed to a player with a bigger upside), and hinders the development of young players. In the NBA, you need francshise players to win a championship and we all know that these guys are hard to find. Just as we know that the current Hawks roster has very little in the way of championship quality talent. Yes, we have some good (but not great) players that most of us seem to overrate. Some might think that we're a player (like a big guard with handles) away from being competitive but the reality to me is that we have a bad team that needs a major infusion in talent. So I'm hoping that the new ownership team comes in with their eyes on a championship and will implement a plan to make this happen.

I like this pick too. He can shoot and he's a better athlete than people think.

I haven't seen him play but from what I've read he's athletic, plays good D, is a great passer and is described as being the consumate team player. I think the comparisons to Pippen are valid (including the passive/soft label) and the holes in his game can be fixed. He was the MVP of the French League so the guy must have a solid all-around game as he averaged 7ppg.

Diaw was the MVP of his league - not bad for a guy who doesn't start....

This isVan Gandy's job...he's the man that Alexander wants. JVG has his pick between the Cavs and Rockets and I'm sure he'll go with Yao and Francis over James and whoever... Once they upgrade on Mobley and get a banger up front, the Rockets will take off...

Anthony or Darko - you can't go wrong with either one. It's just a matter of which one is the better fit. I don't know if Dumars was responsible for this trade but I'm loving what he's done with the Pistons.

ESPN still shows #42 belonging to Orlando. I do remember the trade and that it was at their option when to convey it - either 2002, 2003 or 2004. My guess is that they'll wait until next year with the thinking that it will be a lower pick. Also, we have 2 2nds coming from Philly (for Rentzias) in 2004 and 2006.

Couldn't agree more. In spite of all his skills, Big Dog is a poor fit for this team (maybe any team) and he's got to go. So even GRice skills have eroded I'd jump on this trade in a minute. Rice sqauwked about his minutes this year but I think most of that comes from playing on a selfish team....similar to the Hawks. Any potential deal with the Rockets won't include their pick because it belongs to Memphis. And for those of you who want Cuttino Mobley all I can do is laugh at the very thought of this. I live in Houston and watch the Rockets all the time and I can say the Cat is highly overrated and their version of the Big Dog. He may put up numbers but plays no D, can't pass and has an over-inflated opinion of his skills. Talk to any Rockets fan and they'd be more than glad to give him away.