AnnArborHawk

Al wouldn't leave the NBA because he's a competitor. He knows the highest level of competition is in the NBA and he seems like the type that lives for that challenge.

Quote: First I don't know how someone can say you sound like a person who asks the government to solve all their problems based on knowing all of one paragraph about a person. Pardon if I generalize someone by saying it sounds like they like to generalize people. I didn't say he WAS one of this people....just that he was SOUNDING like one of them with the statement he made. Don't read too much into it. That generalizations thing was good though...nice work.

Quote: Quote: I don't know what you expect Mayor Franklin or Governor Perdue about it. You sound like one of those people who wants government to step in and fix all your problems. I vote no to that, sir. I guess you make a valid point, got any other way I can help fix the organization? Complaining on hawksquawk and not buying tickets doesn't seem to do anything. This is true. Atlanta's been not buying tickets for a long time and the ASG is still around. Unless you have the cash to buy the Hawks or are creative enough to pull off some type of buyout where you take the Hawks public (Hawks shareholders' meeting has a nice ring to it), I'd suggest picking another team to support and getting the NBA package on satellite.

I don't know what you expect Mayor Franklin or Governor Perdue about it. You sound like one of those people who wants government to step in and fix all your problems. I vote no to that, sir.

As long as we can an equal number or more players in return it's possible... Keep in mind, 2 of those players under contract are Solo and Speedy, so we basically have our starting line-up from last year and Acie. If Sund makes any kind of trade, it would be one to turn one of our players into multiple players who can fill holes. Everyone wants to post the big one....but truth is, we're much more likely to trade one of our starters (Bibby or Marvin) for a couple role players than the other way around.

Seriously...we've got 8 players under contract, so there's no way we're giving up 3 of them to get one player in return

Quote: I don't get it? Sure, I'm upset Chillz left for Greece, but here is the bottom line: The Greek offer was way more than we or any other NBA team could have given him. I don't blame Chillz for taking that deal at all. I would take it too. How is any of this the fault of the ASG? People who blame the ASG don't realize that these guys didn't get rich by spending beyond their means - like everybody else in this country. Offering Childress $36M over 5 years was a more than fair offer in the NBA market. Childress chose to take the money that no NBA team could offer him - can't blame him there. But you also can't blame the ASG for not financially handicapping the organization with a wild offer.

By this time next year, most NBA fans and even the casual Hawks fans will have forgotten Josh Childress ever existed. Then 10 years down the road someone will mention his name and get the "wow, did you just go Josh Childress" reaction.

Quote: 1) You retain childress' rights Not sure that one's worth anything. This guy just went to every NBA team's blacklist. You'd have better luck getting back on an NBA roster if you committed a felony than if you were the first American player to leave behind an NBA contract to play in Europe.

Quote: Actually it would be (if VC goes untraded) Harris Carter James Sean Williams Lopez Which is much more intimidating. The roster you cite is underwhelmingly pathetic. Try to look up the roster before you try it off the top of your head. I have a hard time seeing how this team is any better than the Cavs, considering that if VC is still around he'll be on the downside of his career.

Quote: Is K. Rush still out there ? Split the MLe between either Brown/Morris at Center and Rush as the wing. Sounds good to me. I like Maurice Evans too. I would be very happy if we could pick up Brown and Rush to add to our bench. If we can do that and manage to keep the Joshes, I think we can legitimately set the 5th seed as our goal.

Maybe the whole Greece ploy will help the Hawks get better SnT offers for him...

I'd do it, but I doubt Denver does. They wouldn't trade one expiring contract for a lesser one plus an underachieving RFA they'd have to pony up for or risk losing next year.

http://www.ajc.com/hawks/content/sports/ha..._olympikos.html

It's a good question, and I'm no cap expert, but I think it changes the game entirely. Right now we're at 51.7M (counting QO to the Joshes)...taking his off the books brings us down to around $47M (still counting Josh Smith's QO) - which is a little more than $11M under the cap. I could be wrong (and I'm sure someone will correct me if I am), but I think we can spend that $11M (since we already have accounted for Smith's QO) up to the cap, so long as we do it before we (if we) resign J. Smith. We could, theoretically, spend that $11M, then resign Smith, then spend our MLE and fill out the roster with minimum players. Again, not an expert...just going off what I've read and what's on http://hoopshype.com/salaries/atlanta.htm.

Quote: I looked into SMF's but those free ones worry me. It does seem to have a lot of options. I also don't think that they offer a threaded view even inside of the topic and without that it can be hard to tell who is replying to whom. Yeah, now that I think about it, you're right. SMF doesn't do threaded views. Well I'm on board for anything...just thought I'd throw a few options out there (I always go for the free stuff

Quote: Prince/Billups./Amir Smoove/Speedy/Zaza Yeah, and they should have to throw in Sheed and Rip for Bibby and Solo too.

I like SMF (simplemachines.org)...there's also Phorum.org

If Childress becomes the first American player with any significant ability to walk away from an NBA team for a FIBA contract, there will be a lot of undesired consequences. We all recognize it will make the Hawks look like idiots, but I think he also runs the risk of being unofficially blacklisted by the NBA. Think about it...if he becomes the first talented American player to leave the NBA for a Euroleague contract, any NBA team that signs him to an offer sheet would be, in essence, condoning this option. If anything, they want to discourage it. I think league execs could blacklist him just to make an example out of him to discourage other players from doing the same.

If we can't get Smith and Childress resigned, that leaves us with NO depth. Lineup would be (just guys under contract): PG Law SG Iverson SF Johnson PF Horford C Nene Bench: Solo We'd have to pick up 9 scrubs from the summer league team and whatever's left on the FA market to round out the team. I think that would make us a much, much worse team.

Calling this a 'fiasco' is a little much. As coachx mentioned, none of the top RFAs have signed, and there's a reason for that. There is a process to this. With no teams left (except cheap old Memphis) with cap space, the Joshes have lost some of their leverage. So now they're out trying other means to give themselves leverage in negotiations with the Hawks...saying they want a SnT, visiting European teams, etc. In most years, other NBA teams with cap space can be used for leverage. This year, that's not the case, so the Joshes are doing what they should be doing...finding whatever leverage they can. Hopefully the ASG is doing what they should be doing and continuing to negotiate. Just as bad as refusing to budge on a lowball offer would be signing whatever number the agent throws at you and financially handicapping the team. It's a process, and it's one that all teams with RFAs are going through.

Quote: Quote: Zaza/Brown/Morris Horf/Solo Smoove/Marvin JJ/Chillz Bibby/Acie/Speedy That team in my opinion would be very competitive. I don't think you'll get enough floor spacing playing Smoove/Horf/Zaza together too often, unless of course Josh Smith improves shooting. I think you need another shooter.

Quote: I'm sure that Woody's style can be hard on young guys at times but I think it is something that most of them can get past. As for who the two were that "let him have it," I'd bet the farm on Salim and Zaza as they were CLEARLY the two most disgruntled guys on the roster last year. Trace, I think you're dead on there. Has to be Salim and Zaza. JJ said he wants Woody back. Marvin, Horford, and Chillz don't seem the type. Solo, J-Rich, and Mario wouldn't say anything because they don't have any pull and if they play "me or Woodson" they get canned. That really only leaves Law (possibility - but doesn't seem the type), Zaza (definitely is one), Salim (most likely), and Bibby (possibly). You could throw Speedy in there, but Speedy might be surprised after 2 years (of sitting on the couch eating Cheeto's and watching old episodes of Who's Line is it Anyway with Wayne Brady) to find out that Woodson's still the coach. I wonder if anyone's told him?

Quote: They may ask themselves.....Is this kid coachable ? Do we want a 22 year old pre-madona who thinks he knows it all ? These are the questions everyone should be asking about Smith right now. Maybe if enough people around the league balk at him over these issues, he'll finally grow up.

Quote: very raw If you've been in the league 4 years and are still considered "raw" it's either because you're athletic but have no basketball skills or have both but are not very smart. Everyone talks about how great Josh is going to be, but his head might get in the way.