Sothron

The plan is to trade for KAT, yes. I just worry if we have enough assets to get him. The one thing that will put other teams off is his salary. Going from the first apron to the second is a huge deal.

I'm trying so hard not to make something of someone saying six minutes total all season of a rookie in garbage time gives you an informed opinion of them. Bro... Good win tonight. I missed last night and this night's game due to Columbus River Dragons (we won both games btw). This team is really playing with more energy. It is really a good sign to see all the injuries and we still find ways to win.

You mentioned Shaq because he's a white American player? Oh wait, he's not. Insert strawman. Being a white AMERICAN superstar is what I am talking and only have been talking about. Jokic is not that. Luka is not that. Steve Nash was not that. The last white AMERICAN superstar player was Bird and he got marketing deals out the whazzoo back in the day. Saying Flagg being a white AMERICAN superstar in the making has no impact on his market appeal is, again, frankly silly.

I just have to point out, again, we have one of the lowest payrolls in the entre NBA and have been every year under Ressler. He's only the seventh richest owner in the ENTIRE league. You aren't going to win if you aren't willing to pay for the talent. Landry Fields asking for patience when we're what 3 years removed from the ECF run is rich. I know, I know, my sources and those with @NBASupes and @Mikey and I believe @thecampster keep saying expect big trades in the summer. I will believe it when I see it.

Shaq is the only center, ever, to sell shoes. You are moving goal posts at this point. Flagg is a unicorn as a white American superstar with freakish ability. Jokic is none of those things. Shaq is none of those things. Saying Flagg being a white American in addition to his basketball skills has no impact on his marketing appeal is frankly silly.

He is European and a center. Centers never sell shoes. Flagg is neither of these things.

I can't possibly disagree more

A white American superstar hasn't happened since Bird. Jokic and luka are foreign guys. Flagg is crazy athletic and a home grown white kid. He's the unicorn of unicorns for marketing and any team that drafts him.

I have reached the point I hate Ressler more than I hate the A$G. Those idiots never had the money necessary to actually own either the Hawks or Thrashers. So it was more lack of money than wanting to win on their part. Ressler? He is the seventh richest owner in the entire NBA and has consistently had us as one of the lowest payrolls in the entire NBA. And yet he pays lip service to wanting to win. Jacks up ticket prices...and fails to deliver a winning product to explain the price increase. We need Messy Ressy gone.

Landry needs to take classes in PR. Not joking or being insulting. He doesn't know how to speak well to the media. The Trae question was an easy softball to get behind and go to bat for his superstar player. He can't tell the truth which is Ressler is cheap af. We have the sixth LOWEST payroll in the NBA and we get worse every year because we trade players to avoid paying the LT.

How are we getting Cooper Flagg? if he has the season we expect at Duke he's the no brainer unicorn #1 pick in 2025. A white American superstar in the draft? When's the last time that has been a real thing? Teams will be shooting their own players on the bench to tank for this kid. We don't have our pick next season. We're not getting him unless we trade for him at that draft.

We have the sixth lowest payroll in the NBA. And yet Landry Fields came out talking about how we have to watch our cap space and can't make short team goals. This team needs to make a big trade this summer to give the fans any reason to seriously invest in this franchise as long as Ressler owns it.

Only team we'd trade Trae to is SAS to get our firsts back plus theirs. And no I don't think that is going to happen.

This summer is where we make trades. Don't just give up on the franchise yet. They refused to take bad deals for our players.

If we don't make a trade I hope this will restore some confidence in the FO. Remember the media had us giving away DJ to the Lakers for a ham sammich? Or the Knicks for Ewing's old socks?

Because making trades in the summer is a thousand times easier to do than during in season. Teams are more willing to move players/picks and pick a path for their franchise in the short and long term. For instance, the TWolves can't keep KAT past this season. They just can't. No team is going to go into the 2nd apron level so KAT has to go. We want to trade for him as do the Knicks and other teams. If Ressler is serious about paying the LT it means our FO will not be forced to trade players for nothing. It means we can actually add to the roster instead of trimming it.

our FO is not dumb. I have to repeat that. The biggest problem we have is Messy Ressy. No FO can overcome a cheap, meddlesome owner. I've heard that he's going to go for the LT this summer and is willing to pay it so we'll see.

I honestly don't understand the Pels here. They are keeping Zion, BI, Herb, Murphy off the table and yet want Dj and OO. That's...just not possible. They are offering us CJ and JV and two picks but that is nowhere near equal value. For one thing CJ and Trae would be a nightmare on defense. Unless NO gets their head out of their ass I don't see a trade at this point. This is looking more like summer trades than anything else.

last I heard was Pels are trying hard to get DJ/OO without giving up Zion and BI and we want one of those back for that kind of return.

Pelicans are trying to get both Murray and OO without giving up Zion or Ingram. I don't know how they think they can do that. I'm surprised Grimes for AJ didn't happen.

if you can find the draft threads back then I wanted us to draft Dyson but he never fell to us. He's a very good POA defender. Everything else is a work in progress except his passing.

I don't think people understand that POA defense and wing defense are not the same. Our POA defense has been awful for years now. Hunter is not a POA defender. Blaming him for POA defense is like blaming one of our bigs.

it isn't a lock but it means the talks are serious. My gut feeling is the deadline is going to push the Pels to either give up what we want or the Hawks table this until the offseason.

can confirm obvious: DJ held out for possible trade reasons. Pels talk is getting more serious. This might have to wait until the offseason to make a trade happen.

Herb Jones and Tre Murphy would be ideal for this team. Jones solves our POA defense and Murphy is a solid starter or sixth man for the inevitable Hunter injury.