Iman

I think Howard's plans will help his career. He grew up in a Christian environment where he thinks it's important to spread his beliefs and he also feels he was God given his basketball and leadership skills to help. I think he'll be a humble young player and he'll work his butt off to be a superstar. Early on I dont think he'll sound much different than alot of athletes we hear that wanna thank God for their victory, etc, and at least he'll be sincere when he says it. Once he makes it near the top he'll come on stronger to spread "the word" in many ways but I dont think it will influence his basketball actions. Many people criticize MJ or Tiger for not doing good once they made it to the top, that definitely wont be the case if Howard becomes a star, who knows what he may do. I'll be rooting for him even if he's not a Hawk. I saw a few TV interviews and they all seemed to emphasize the cross on the logo thing. To him it is an interesting concept and longterm goal but it's not like that's really how he plans to spread the word, it's just where in a perfect world his quest might lead. I dont get the impression that he wants to preach in the locker, etc. I think he understands how that can be viewed. I think he just wants lead by example and see where it goes from there.

I think the draft comes before free agent signings and I think Billy will go with most talented and then sign free agents from there. I like that approach better, I think in order to eventually become a championship caliber team we are gonna have to draft some future superstars. Drafting Iguodala and Harrison sounds more like drafting role players. I'd like to see us draft Howard if we move up or Smith at #6 and then someone else with star potential at #17. Luke Jackson, Kirk Snyder, Vujacic or someone like that. Two high schoolers wouldnt even bother me, Howard then JR Smith or Josh then Jefferson. That's why I dont wanna give up #17 either, with this draft that still could be a star. I like Kmart and Stephen Jackson but I think all these rumors are just rumors and in the end Billy wont overpay. Maybe the new owners will talk him into it. I'd like to see JT/Sura/Josh Smith/Kmart/Przy starting myself. Then as Diaw gains more experience start him in place of Sura. If we dont make any draft pick trades then I wanna see lotsa playing time for all 5 picks plus Diaw and to some degree keeping Stephen Jackson also will probably hurt that too, depending on who we draft.

Doesnt sound to me like that's the minority, I also would not give up both our first rounders this year to move up. A second rounder or two or the future Phili first would fit best to me.

I dont mind drafting potential but I dont see the potential in an under 6 foot tall poor shooting point guard. Duhon woulda probably been a top ten pick a few years ago and now you can probably get him in the second round. I think Telfair would slide the same way if he went to college. Plus it's hard to use a guy with so little experience as a reliable backup point, we'd have to have someone else also like we did with Dickau. I'd much rather use one of our second rounders to pick up a bigger backup point with some college experience. I like Chalmers from Xavier myself.

Rejected. I might do JT/Diaw/#17 for #1 but certainly not if I had to take on Grant Hill's contract. Try again.

You're overanalyzing. Not looking at the Clipps from a they want Kobe view, they need a point guard. They could draft Howard for us, we draft Gordon or Harris for them and throw in some picks, that should work.

Jay Bilas had Kirk Snyder listed #6 I think. Then had Josh Smith #17, seems about backwards versus other mocks, but who knows, it's gonna be a wild draft.

I'm in up thru Kwame but I'll pass on your draft and fillers. I especially dont want Foyle and Humphries. Give me Jamal Crawford, Sura, and Przy again as free agents. Then I'd draft something more like a Jefferson or maybe Ramos, whoever Billy sees has the most upside and I'm sure that wont be Humphries. I hear the Lakers like him, that must be because they miss the guy he reminds me of, Madsen. You drafted more second rounders than you had left, but a second rounder like Jin would be nice since Francis now is used to playing with that type player. Tony Allen, Romain Sato, Delonte West or someone like that would be nice too. Francis/Sura Jamal Crawford/Hansen Stackhouse/Josh/Chris Crawford Kwame/Jefferson/Ekezie Przy/Jin That team would be fun to watch to me, especially if you Josh was good enough to keep Stackhouse for the bench.

I think that would be a playoff team but it would be tough to ever get much better. I guess with Hendu and Chris Crawford's money and then getting rid of JT we might could pick up a bigtimer, and then be a challenger, especially if Devin Harris exceeds my expectations. But I wouldn't do it. I think Kmart and Jax may both get offers larger than we should pay. I also would not sign both Kmart and Swift, we'd be athletic but a little stuck with small ball and absolutely no post offense. I'm actually mainly hoping for Jamal Crawford and some of last years guys such as Sura and Przy myself. Luckily the draft comes before free agents anyways and I think that's where our future will come from. If we cant get Howard, Kmart becomes a higher priority (but we still cant overpay). After Howard, I trust Billy Knight to find us the best talent and I doubt it'll be Devin Harris, more likely Josh or Livingston. Then I wouldnt mind a talent search European PF or even Jefferson with our second first rounder. Fun to think about anyways, hopefully we get lucky Wednesday nite!

Nope, I'd trade JT and pretty much anything but a first round pick, including a 2007 one. Diaw maybe but I'd rather trade JT/CC/and 2 of our second rounders.

I'd look for a better deal but if we dont luck up in the lottery I guess I would offer JT and our #6 (especially if it's even lower) for the top pick. Neither Okafor or Howard is a guaranteed future star but at least you know you got a lot, at least in my mind. Josh seems like a nice prospect but he may be taken before we get to him and I'm not even sure he's better than JR Smith who may fall to us at #17. Just like I'm not completely sure that Livingston at #6 is much better than Nelson or Telfair who we may be able to get at #17 also. JT is a solid NBA scorer but he has his flaws. I think he could be a great off the bench sparkplug but I dont think we'll use him that way anytime soon. I'd still rather package him or something else to get a shot at Howard or Okafor though.

Fun read. I agree, it's gonna be exciting seeing what Knight decides to do this offseason. Even the rookie camp will be very exciting again. The lottery drawing and a coaching decision should be or next big event.

I could live with that but I dont see it happening. I do hope for those two draft picks though. You hear all this talk about Knight wanting to go long and athletic. To me that leaves out Cardinal, Knight, and even Foyle. I bet we do keep Sura for a proper price but I bet Stephen Jackson takes a deal at least as bit as JT's, probably 4 yrs guaranteed. Then I see us getting Stromile Swift or possibly Kenyon Martin. Then I also see us picking up a couple of cheap centers like maybe Pryzbilla and then drafting the other. I also see us picking up another PG in the draft as a backup unless we can get a deal on Jamal Crawford. I'll also go ahead and call JT a SG since I see him out there with another ball handler. Sura/Vujacic(sp?)/Duhon or similar draft pick JT/Delonte West? or Xavier SG(whoever falls to us) Stephen Jackson/Diaw Josh Howard/Hendu or Crawford(whichever's not on IR) Swift or Kenyon Martin/Pryz/Korean Jin? or another C

From the little I've read/seen, Josh reminds me of a modern day, slightly larger Dominique. If we pick around number 6 then I hope we take him. JR looked to be a very good shooter to me. I didnt feel like his shot selection was bad, I felt like he knew he was taking outrageous shots and normally wouldnt do that but was just showing out at an exhibition. I guess he reminded me of a SG version of Marbury. I'd like to see us luck up in the lottery and get Howard with our early first rounder and then JR at number 17 would go well with him to me. Then make sure we take some more ready for the NBA players in the second such as Duhon, etc.

I dont think the Hawks will make any offers. I think his price will be too high even if we trade JT and are in need of a PG.

You called it, and they heard..lol. Hopefully they werent considering Doc so waiting did not matter. I still think it'll be Fratello although I wouldnt mind Del Harris. Maybe Kenny Smith? I think new ownership understands the make some publicity thing. It would be fun to watch Kenny on TV thru the rest of the season if we signed him soon wouldnt it!

I'm with Lascar, step two, and I also hope we already had an agreement of sorts with Fratello and will announce soon. Musselman kinda reminds of a young Fratello but I think we need the media attention Fratello and a few high end draft picks and free agent signees will bring us.

I agree, I'd rather use one of our 2nd round picks on some lesser known point guard (not Duhon) than blow one of our first rounders on one. The exception to me would be if somehow Livingston fell to our mid first pick. Actually I might consider Tellfair there also, mostly just for the hype, so far I dont see him as much more than that.

I havent watched or read that much on Sato but you're one of the first I've heard say that he was not a good outside shooter. I think he would be an major upgrade over Hansen in pretty much all areas other than maybe ball handling. Chalmers and Sato would be an interesting duo to pick up if possible. I doubt we pick him anyways, my guess is that Billy Knight will draft all relatively unknowns (small school, European, etc) in the second round hoping to get lucky. Then sign known free agent talent when looking for dependable backups.

That does sound right now that you mention it, I think there was a team option on Pryz but I didnt think it was for that much? I like that starting 5 though, assuming we cant move up even further and get Howard. I hope we do move up with just draft pick or non-starter swaps. Either way, I liked Leon Smith a few years ago when we only really had Dermarr potential to look at, but now I'd pass on him. What happened to your idea of a second round pick for Duhon, I like that much better than Brevin Knight. I actually thought that was one of the best things about the Reef trade, it allowed us to dump overpaid, horrible shooting, Brevin Knight. If we have Sura, JT, and Diaw we can just draft a backup PG, even if it's a second rounder and not Duhon it wont matter, unless Sura gets hurt they wont get many minutes anyways.

I like most of it, especially Sura and Jackson at those figures or maybe even less for Sura but a little more for Jax. I'd like to see us pick up Swift if we cant get Howard, I think he would fit well with our current roster if we keep most of it. I'd like to get lucky in the draft and get to take Josh Smith in the first and Sato in the second but I doubt either fall to where we'll be. I think it's more likely we end up with a European center or PF with our first pick and then someone like Jameer or Kirk Snyder or maybe Devin Harris if he falls that far with our second first. That would eliminate the need for Brevin Knight which I'd never do anyways. I like Przybilla's athleticism and the way he outlet passes. He's really designed for this team we have now but I bet we can get him for more like $8 million for 3 years if we dont end up with Swift and a drafted center or even Collier. With all our draft picks coming up do we need another project like Leon, especially for more than maybe $1mill for one year. But really signing a bunch of midlevel players keys on us getting a good top pick like Howard or Smith to build around. If not we just need to get solid over the next year or two until we can sign a superstar.

Of course we have no idea where we'll draft, who'll be in front of us or even who will come out, but it does look pretty likely that me may not get Howard or Josh. First I hope we get lucky in the lottery and get a top3 pick. If not I still think some team above us will go for a European. Also maybe Luol Deng and/or JR Smith will come out and be in the top few picks. I dont really want Livingston with our top pick or Deng but would probably take JR Smith. If not I bet Billy Knight can find us the best available European. Then I'm looking at Tony Allen or Kirk Snyder with our mid first.

I think one might take the GM job and the other Coach but no way either, especially Fratello, would take assistant in my opinion. The only way I could see us getting both would be if Doc wanted to be GM and if Fratello really wants to coach again and if he'll take a reasonable salary. The most likely scenario is Doc as Coach and maybe Wittman or maybe Willis as an assistant if we're thinking 80's Hawks.

Yup, it was a bad comparision. I thought all the commentary pretty much sucked. Maybe it's because I wanted to know what was happening and they just wanted to gab. No matter how tall Hakeem was his fall away jumper was unstopable. Okafor may be slightly undersized for a power game like he plays. Either way I'm more worried about his back but I'd still definitely take him top3, probably after Josh or Dwight in our case given what we need, etc.

Thanks for the info, I woulda been pissed if I missed it!!