tomac

I think the key to all of this is how ATL's front office views Kobe Bufkin. Size wise, the are the same. Kobe was also know for being a defensive guard in college. If he can score efficiently (as he has been doing in his recent G-League stint), then trading DJ makes a ton of sense. Use the draft capital to get another proven all-star somewhere down the line.

I disagree with Bud Ball not being compatible with Trae. Bud knows how to shape his offense around a star. He also knows how to integrate a true secondary star. Look at his work with Giannis and Middleton. People forget that Giannis was a ball dominant "Point Forward" before Bud showed up.... I do love the idea of Mark Jackson though.

Atkinson We need "Bud Ball" back in the ATL.

I fault McMillan for not pulling Trae off-ball in the offensive sets. There were others from Kev to Gallo who could have initiated the offense. It's as if Nate hadn't anticipated that this would happen. We saw teams aggressively trap Trae in last year's playoffs. Coaching should have had the team prepared. None of the basic tenants of a motion offense were run with Trae as an off-screen option.

It's Atlanta bias; not Trae bias. As far as the Miami series is concerned, they made it a point to have someone other than Trae beat them. They concentrated their energy on one player, and the rest of the team (including the coaches) did not carry their weight. Spoelstra outcoached McMillan in every facet of that series.

I still have high hopes for him. Honestly, I'd like to have him back if the fit in the locker room worked out.

Nah. Haven't posted over there in forever. I'm typically around Hawksquawk every week, but mostly as a reader.

I've wanted Lavine in a Hawks uni for a very long time. He's the perfect 2 next to Trae.

If he works on his floater and his J, he's an allstar-level talent. He needs to be attached to Trae at the hip. We will have the best second unit in the NBA.

The Utah trade for 'Nique was the best.

Definitely Mark Jackson

My target would be Zack Levine. I'd give up Huerter, Dedmon, and a second rounder to sweeten the deal. Draft Wiseman or Toppin.

I thought those who declined the invitation weren't eligible to be selected at all.

That's a little short-sighted. Development takes time. Vets can teach teammates a ton of things that may not have immediate dividends. These guys have to learn what work ethic, physical maintenance, and professionalism in the NBA look like. Some of those things simply may not translate into wins in just a few months.

I'll be interested to see how Houston holds up against length and athleticism. They'll catch hell with both the LA teams. It wouldn't surprise me if they struggled with teams who have good guard play as well (like Portland). The difference in those kinds of match-ups will be rebounding.