sillent

Pacers are better Cavs are the Cavs Raptors lost Biyambo(Playoff heart) Celtics are better(Still not by much Al isn't that significant of a difference) Imagine us with just Al and Teague as our primary stars Knicks are better barring injury Heat are in ???( will they retain Wade they already lost Deng and Joe) Pistons are better (if/with internal growth but no major changes) That's 7 teams and if everything goes right our way I don't see us lower than 4th and if the Heat don't keep DWade it might be 6 Magic Lost Olidipo and Ibaka/Biyambo can't run the team Wizards already missed the playoffs last year and haven't gotten better pieces Bulls might be in rebuilding mode Bucks look good on paper but they have the last couple years now and have disappointed Hornets lost Al Jefferson but might be able to make a playoff spot The Rest of the East Nets, 76ers aren't really in question currently Besides the Cavs I think it will be a battle between Us, the Pacers, the Raptors and Possibly the Knicks . I think the Raptors will drop slightly in the rankings which leaves Us and the Pacers fighting for that second position. Unless the Cavs trade Love and get better Us(Hawks), Pacers, Raptors and Knicks all have a fighting chance of taking that top spot in the regular season. The Celtics may be able to fight their way into the 3rd or 4th conversation. Either way the Magic, Wizards, Heat and Hornet are all in our Division and at the moment we look better than all of them.

They will if Dwight can tell his redemption story lol... Alot of people are tired of hearing about LeBron and seeing him in the finals.

You know this is a Hawks fan site right? Stop trolling and go to your team if you feel that way because every player we currently have on our team Kent, Schröder, Mike Scott and even Korver to an extent played their hearts out in the playoffs. Our so called stars (even though Teague is still my boy) Teague and pillow soft Horford didn't come thru. I believe Horford averaged less than 10 points and 10 rebounds per game especially against the Celtics and Cavs. Those are bum numbers

Lol People are literally giving them a ring before it's won. Last I checked rings are won on the court. Last I checked they still play 82 games where chemistry,health/injury, mid year trades, match ups and many other situations have been factors. Can we atleast let the season play out 1st lol

I'm so tired of people complaining about being mediocre yet being scared of change. People complaining about not getting a star and than complaing once they come. Dwight has always beasted Horford and is still arguably one of the best C's in the league when he is on his game yet people still complain. If we got Durant people would find some reason to complain smh... Until we learn as fans to not only appreciate what we have and/or trust the process of change we won't get superstars on our squad. Who would want fans like us? The Sacramento Kings have better fans than us. Let's worry about us 1st before we complain about a new product we haven't even seen play on the court for us yet. We know what Dwight is capable of Rebounds/Dunks/Defense. Just so happens to be key things we needed most. Let's say what he's not after he proves that. You can't compare him on our team and him on a Lakes Kobe/Pau or a Rockets(no defense James Harden) compared to our team ball alla Magic ish squad. Some players are better fits in different systems. He didn't lose much of what he had he just had to play in a different system which tells me we still have a star on our hands. Only thing I'm worried about is his free throws lol

So when Dwight Proves he is capable of being his old self in our system??? Dwight had to deal with the frustration of not being involved with the Lakers and Rockets. Sometimes with players it's all about the fit. Watch what Dwight can do with a spread offense and team basketball barring injury.

We complain about getting stars and than we get one who used to be a super star Dwight Howard and we complain? That's why "stars" don't want to come here. As far as I know basketball is played with one ball, it's actually played it's not just what's on paper and it's a long season and in a long season anything can happen. Let's stop crying and complaining about what we are not getting and not doing and worry about winning. That's how the Warriors got in this position because they brought it every night and they started winning. We were on the verge of being the Warriors East 2 seasons ago and then we regressed. We can't blame them for continuing greatness we gotta tie up our laces come out there with heart, pride and win. 3-5yrs ago nobody was talking about the injury riddled Curry like they are now. Draymond was a poor man's Paul Millsap and Klay Thompson couldn't play D. They all individually stepped up their games and collectively have been a massive threat and now are what you see today but it starts with practice, heart, determination and grit. Let's stop complaining and Play Ball.

I'm am seriously tired of hearing people crying over Al and what our organization is doing. We've gotten tougher, more grit, more heart and more athleticism. Paul Millsap has carried our team these last 2 seasons. I love Jeff Teague but I respect letting him go to back to Indiana allowing Schröder to get his time as a starter and picking up (T Prince) DeMarre Caroll 2.0. Al is a solid player but he has gotten soft after his injuries and is content with mediocracy. Paul urged our team to step up in the playoffs so that we could stick together and Al was just horrible for someone that's supposed to be our star. Channing Frye was out playing Al. Jeff tried although injured, Schröder poured his heart and Al pretty much showed he had no heart. I'm happy he is now gone because we are now a more grittier team. Celtics and Memphis showed just how important Grit is... Dwight is hungry and ready to prove a point and always punked Al by the way throughout their careers. Paul is still a workhorse. Kent Bazemore has the opportunity now to improve enough to be recognized as an allstar. Tim Hardaway has to prove better than what he has shown and although Dennis will have growing pains he too has a winners mentality. All of our draft picks are athletic, can rebound, defend and pass the ball and are decent shooters that can get better. Most importantly they are scrappy and gritty players. I'm loving the direction that our team is going. Kyle had a horrible year but he still plays with heart and will look great with Dwight and so will Paul, Baze and Schröder. Mike Scott and Mike Muscala should be alot better and Edy Tavares should get some PT this upcoming season. We just picked up a back up point guard Malcom Delaney which I think will be a nice explosive addition off the bench and we also picked up 6'9 PF Matt Costello from Michigan State who reminds me of a Tyler Hansborough another player with grit. I would not mind trading injury prone Splitter and although I would like to keep Khris Humphries for backup center/pf (rebounds,athleticism a little defense and 3point shooting) but with all the extra editions that might be a little more far fetched. All and all we are younger, tougher,more athletic and hungry and I think we are going to surprise alot of teams next season. Let's stop crying about pieces gone and really understand the moves we made and what that means going forward. We are equipping our team to be something very special and sometimes it's harder to see until it's all said and done. I remember noticing the same thing when Danny Ferry 1st took over and made alot of moves to make us tougher and although we didn't look too good on paper we played like a hungry team and people could see our potential. We were upset about getting DeMarre and didn't realize how good Paul was our team came out with heart and shocked the league. I'm saying it's about to be a round two and we are way more talented now than we were than. If Dwight can stay injury free our coaching staff will find ways to keep him engaged and an engaged Dwight is a beast hands down. Him and Paul together might prove to be the best front court in the league and looking at the New Warriors with Durant and the Cavs and other high Caliber teams our front court is going to be the only edge we have over most but it's a great edge to have.

I was a little upset about the Teague trade but I get it it's Schroeders time to grow into his own and atleast Teague went to his hometeam.(Just so happens to be big competition smh). All we've been doing this offseason is getting rid of mediocrity and complacency for players that are hungry and have heart and grit. All 3of our draft picks have this component as well as they all play D, rebound and can shoot the 3 or develop into one that can as well as athletic. Dwight and Bazemore are athletic hungry and have grit. Paul Millsap is a work horse who should be kept over Horford and every other player we have has heart hustle and grit. I loved Teague and I liked Horford but at the end of the day they picked up the habits of my old favorite player Josh Smith which was being very talented but not caring enough to go further than just making the playoffs. The new ownership wants to go further than just staying pat and I agree we have to clear out the old regime to make that happen. I would say bye to Horford or possibly sign & trade.

Imagine Kyle Korver and Jason Richardson teaching our young guns how to consistently make shots from long range. Our team 3 point contest would be ridiculous!! Yeah we lost DeMarre but it's power in numbers. Not to mention seeing big Tandoms like Mike Muscala and Paul or Tavares and Al or Splitter and either or... Looking at the schedule got me even more excited when I look at the teams that are actually a threat when we're playing our best and I couldn't find many.

That wasn't an excuse to fail 2 years ago when we 1st started this "rebuild" and Horford got injured early. We also had a couple more injuries late in the season but still inched into the playoffs and battled the #1 seeded Pacers to the brinks. It's good once again we're being overlooked because we love being underestimated!!

Every year we've shown progress and I refuse to believe we've peaked after 2 seasons. We kept 4 allstars from last year. We added more versatile players to an already versatile team. All but possibly 2 people on our entire team are threats from the outside and the 2 that aren't are inside threats especially on defense. We actually have bigs and most are versatile. All of our wings can shoot and the majority are pretty good defenders. Jeff Teague, Dennis Schröder and Shelvin Mack is arguably the best point guard trio in the league and all have room for growth and can continue to improve. Al and Paul are one of the most versatile front court duos in the league and our wings collectively can have plenty of impressive outtings. All of these weapons integrated into our system/development and with the chemistry we already have makes it hard to believe that we can't keep excelling!!! We are deep enough now to where even if we lose Mike Scott It just gives more playing time for one of our many bigs combo. (Still would've been nice if we held on to Daye a little bit longer smh). Even if injuries occur (although of course I'm hoping for all our players to have good health through out the season) we are now deep enough for other players to step in and step up. MOST IMPORTANTLY WE GOT RID OF OUR WEAKNESSES (Pero Antić), Lack of Size, Lack of Inside Presence on Defense and Rebounding are more equipped for every different playoff match up when healthy. Run and Gun/ Grind It Out/ Big Ball/ Small Ball/ Match Ups/ Pace and Space we need it we got it and it's going to be a fun season GO HAWKS!!! AND ONE IF NOT ALL 3 PLAYERS ( KENT BAZEMORE, TIM HARDAWAY JR, JUSTIN HOLIDAY and possibly even Lamar Patterson and Terran Petteway) will be pleasant surprises and one can even be a candidate for most improved player....

I would say he was reaching with a lot of players except for the fact that I realized he was comparing them with Splitter. Let's be honest teams aren't waiting in line to woo Splitter to any team. He is more valuable to us because he fits a glaring need with or without Pero and he is familiar with our system so he should fit in seemlessly. DeMarre was nothing to get excited about until after being in our system but let's not go overboard

Carroll has improved vastly in our system. Johnson has yet to be in our system. Your point is completely moot knowing we have the player development to actually develop talent. DeMarre was garbage in everything but defense before he got here. Wesley at least comes with some natural skills and athleticism.

Not at all but it seems like some of y'all are operating on blind pessimism. When I see people say Bazemore can't shoot and plays out of control it makes me wonder if you have actually seen him in enough games to critic. I know it's some bandwagoners that came aboard late so maybe y'all/they missed alot of things that are players were doing and are capable of. Our team really wasn't the same since after the allstar break we kinda just coasted thru. DeMarre stepped his game up a bit more because he felt slighted & it carried into the playoffs.

Jumped the gun on thinking how much we would miss Danny Ferry & thinking Bud & company may not be as capable. Great job of addressing needs & keeping the main core intact. We were able to keep all 4 of our all stars and although DeMarre was our heart & hustle on most occassions he's going to get exposed in Toronto on offense if they don't pass the ball like we were. He was great in our system but looks horrible on most occasions when he tries to take the offense in his own hands. Tim Hardaway Jr. will be a major surprise and allows us to excel in a run and gun offense or half court. Our need (bigs) make us more potent with the half court grind it out game as well as rebounds & our other young bigs Mike & Mike can continue to stretch the floor & will be more improved with something to prove. The slight by DeMarre should give the other 4 starters an extra chip on our shoulders and Bazemore now has a true chance to come into his own similar to what DeMarre did after a year in our system. You don't mess with greatness only tweak it and we got rid of all our dead weight (Pero, Brand)!! All of our players are now highly capable of giving us good production on the floor.

Pettaway could possibly sneak in too.

U forgot Indiana with PG 13 & Monta & company & still can't sleep on Boston, Charlotte & Orlando. The East might not be head to toe with the West but both conferences are getting a lot tougher at least on paper. Still say we are top 3

Splitter is a 100% upgrade from Pero last year. Pero fid absolutely nothing that we need from a big man. Rebounds, Block Shots or even be an Inside presence. To top it off he wasn't even doing good with the shots he took the most (3's) so it will be a welcomed change to not be playing 4 on 5 when our backup big is on the court.

Kent Bazemore is Josh Smith in smaller form minus everything that frustrated us as fans. He's a lefty with a competent shot. Makes 3's on way more of a consistent basis. Not a momentum killer knows when to drive & when to take the shot. Great finisher & very athletic.Has a high motor & uses it to go hard on defense & offense. Doesn't waste his energy on complaining to the refs. The only positive Smoove has on Bazemore is his height. Stop sleeping on Bazemore because if Josh played like this consistently he would not only be an all star but a superstar. Not saying Kent will be but he has at least all star potential.

It's funny how most including myself didn't think Carroll was a legit starter when he got to our team. People are sleeping hard on Bazemore but I believe he's going to wake a lot of folks up this year as a starter. Than it'll be DeMarre who??

I actually like all 3 but it would be tough for me to choose over Gerald Green & Perry Jones but Gerald would probably be best for this team.

Kent Bazemore is a smaller Josh Smith without the annoying weaknesses like his shot (selection) or hustle & energy without stopping to complain to refs.

Jeff Teague PG/SG* Kyle Korver SG/SF* Kent Bazemore SF/SG* Paul Millsap PF/SF* Al Horford C/PF* Dennis Scroeder PG** Tim Hardaway Jr SG/SF** Thabo Sefalosha SF/SG** Mike Scott PF/SF** Tiago Splitter C** Shelvin Mack PG/SG*** John Jenkins SG*** Austin Daye PF/SF/SG*** Mike Muscala C/PF*** Honestly speaking I expect all of our players to get better or at least more consistent in this system and collectively we look deep......