HamHawk

A true center. . . hmmmmmm. I think it's a big man down low that doesn't get backed into the bucket on D. He might be able to be a presence that keeps teams from conducting layup drills all game long. He plays down low with moves that go TOWARDS the hoop, not spin off jumpers. That's what Atlanta really needs to fix our problems in the paint.

ANOTHER PF?? He's a great talent, but we have other needs we'll need to address

It would make sense to handle PG and defensive true C this draft, but we all feel the pain of Hawks drafts consistently missing the mark. . . .

I'm lost by what you mean with a "slightly enhanced version" of our team. We have good, young building blocks in place to be competitive in this generation already. I do agree with you that we are missing pieces though and we have to take a chance. I like thinking outside the box, but I think you can take a risk on a player later in the first round or in the second and get great results from it. Look at it this way; we know we need a big defender in the paint (a TRUE center), and some PG help. Can we get this later on in the draft? Take a look at these draft picks I found from NBA history. . . Bill Laimbeer - 65th overall Steve Nash - 15th overall Manu Ginobli - 57th overall Kobe Bryant - 13th overall John Stockton - 16th overall There are many more examples like this, but you get the idea. Don't you think we can find a stud PG and C with a well calculated and thought out draft strategy? I'm hanging my hopes on two great picks in two first rounds, not a complete retooling of an already young franchise that has improved it's record four consecutive seasons.

I wouldn't trade him for Thabeet. I've been looking at this scenario for the past hour or so and really like the Marcin Gortat pitch (see the topic posted). I think we could slide to the third or POSSIBLY fourth round for a center, but it depends on who will be left at that point. I really like Miroslav Raduljica (from what I've read). A big, solid defender in the paint. That is exactly what he brings and that's what we need. If he's about to go in round 2, we have to get him (or whatever C) in round 2.

Plus I really like this idea from sultan

Our C now really is a #2 C. Gortat would be a nice addition, but I think we still need to look at spending our second pick of the draft on a C. We are just a few key pieces away from being great. Drafting a center along with trading for Gortat will set us up for greatness in years to come. . . .plus there are some solid C, and some not-so-solid C with HUGE upside, that will be available then. Two young capable centers would put us in a good place. A place we haven't been in for ages. . ..

Winning at home is the only reason we're even talking about hosting a series. We're putting our hopes on sweeping games at home I feel like, and trying to win one or two on the road to get us to the big game. I'm not saying we won't make it there, but I will say that we better have some hot players to even consider the dream. Plus, I have to agree with BusBoy. . . .who cares who we play in the first series?? If we show up, we can win. If we don't, then we won't. Plain and simple.

I keep hearing about bringing Bibby back at a cheaper rate, but I have to agree with you on this one. 20 million out there should be enough to get a baller of a starter and we could draft a backup for the cheap money. Yes we're going to end with a winning season this year, but why is the Hawks nation convinced this set will make us true contenders?? Go outside the organization for a PG and draft a defensive beast of a 5 in the first two rounds of the draft. THAT Hawks team stands a shot. . .

True post DJ. Everyone says we need G help or that our perimeter shooting is streaky. Guess what happens when you get a true big man that's a good defender and "go to" moves. A) The other team scores less points because you don't just let them run in with layups all night B) Hawks score more because there is a presence down low. . . .that also brings OPEN LOOKS outside when the defense squeezes inside. . . . that brings shooting percentages up outside. . . .etc. . . .etc. . . .etc. =D

Who is going to trade a Max Center? That is a tough one. I was thinking Clippers since they have two quality centers, but Camby is ancient and Kaman is sitting on a nice long contract right now. We'd have to find a team that has a capable back up center and needs forward help. I'd have to research it. The second option is to find a big man in the draft. That means passing on a guard in the first round to get Aldrich, Vesely (not good defender, but big upside), or possibly Jerome Jordan. Thabeet would be great, but he will never slip that far. Since there just aren't that many big men out there, we may need to think about doing that. If not, we could wait until the second round and if the big name defender centers are gone we pick up Miroslav Raduljica from the International league. At 7' 240 lbs and 21 years of age, he could be the defensive answer we need in the paint for future years. Those are big hopes, but it is possible. . . Bottom line, if we can't make a move for a true C already in the NBA then we need to address this concern with the FIRST TWO ROUNDS of the draft. Benefit of drafting a C?? You can pay young players less, so we wouldn't have to hunt for money in the PF pool by saying goodbye to JS.

The quickness is evident in his defense as well. . .have to love the intensity the team draws from it's quicker players!

I've put this idea in other posts, but I figured it was topic worthy because it's madness. . . someone talk some sense into me please!! Here's my logic on why we may need to think of saying goodbye to Josh Smith: 1) Hawks are getting dominated in the paint. The reason for this is that we don't have a true 5 playing under the bucket. I don't think anyone will disagree that Horford is undersized for the position and he lacks dominant post game. 2) We have two stud PF on our roster, Horford and Smith. Smith is an insane talent and an amazing athlete, and Horford hasn't come into his own yet but is showing immense potential and nothing but upside to his future. 3) True centers cost big bucks 4) THE BOTTOM LINE: We still have Horford cheap and Josh Smith is costing us $6 million more this year (and more money in years to come) than Al. If we rotate Al back to where he's comfortable (PF) and get a true center, we could compete in the paint and possibly make the step into the elite teams in the NBA. We have a lot of talent in Atlanta, just not a true center. I know we could free up money for a big man when we drop Bibby off of our roster or at least get him paid what he's worth. . . about 6 or 7 million less a year. I would hate to see Josh go, but I think Al can hold up the PF position just fine and we could pay max money for a 5 with Josh's 10 million bucks. Anybody want to talk some sense into me?? PLEASE!!! I'm just trying to find a way that we could afford to pay max for a 5 and that's the only way I can see we can free up money. . . . .to trade a talent and an athlete in Smith for a big. Again, PLEASE HELP ME WITH MY INSANE MINDSET HERE! How can we pay for a dominant center???

8s? 9s?? Wow. True we started 10-6. That's where we STARTED the season. We're only 5 games over .500. If we were in the West, we wouldn't be a 4th seed. . we wouldn't be going to the playoffs at all. I have him a 4 for the following reasons: 1) He is a good defensive coach 2) He started our boys off good this year But. . . . 3) Our good start is being overshadowed by poor play down the stretch 4) His non-existent offensive scheme 5) Road wins. . . . remember those? It's be nice to see a coach who can motivate out team on the road too. 6) Better players get most of the credit for our better record. When we had a weaker roster, we had a horrid record. Where was the 8 or 9 rated Woody then? Best way to settle this? Easy. Hire a new coach and see what happens when we use an offensive scheme for a change. =D

Yes please! haha

Refusing to break up our team?? It's hard to imagine any of our players leaving because it fits like a puzzle for the first time in a decade. But it's a puzzle that will only get us a 4 seed in the East. We would be a consistent playoff bound team with our current setup, but never a true contender. If we don't get a true big, we'll continue to get murdered in the paint. We are paying two PF big bucks and asking one of them to be a 5. Can we rotate Al back to PF in a way where we can afford to go get a real big?? . . . . . uh oh, sounds like someone is suggesting restructuring that involves ridding Atlanta of Josh Smith. I know it sounds insane (probably is), but you have to give up big things to get big things. With the amount of money that would save us, we could pick up a dominant big man and change the face of Hawks basketball for years to come. Anyone think I'm insane?? I just might be. But we all know Horford isn't a true center and we get murdered in the paint because of it.

I couldn't agree more about picking up a big. We sit right now as one of the best teams in the east. . . that isn't one one of the elites. I know we're fighting for a first round home playoff series, but we're only 5 games over .500! If we weren't in the shallow Eastern conference, we wouldn't even be making playoffs!! Here is why getting a dominant man in the paint is a necessity: 1) Just because we have multiple PF that can play and no true center, doesn't mean we can roll one of them over to the 5 and expect him to dominate. Al's a great up and coming player, but he's not a center. We can't beat teams like Boston because we can't compete in the paint. 2) We are a great team. . . . at times. When are those times? When we have players hitting from the outside. If we had someone that could be a true force in the paint, we would be much less streaky. Shots from the paint are higher percentage and if the big man gets defended, that means more open looks for our streaky shooters. That turns into higher percentages all round and more points. 3) Big men make everyone better. . . . Did I already write that once?? Oh, maybe because it's true. Very true. If we want to be a team that competes with the elites of the East or anyone out west, WE NEED A BIG!!

We need a true center. Horford would rock at PF (but Josh runs that right now), but he isn't a true center. If we got a dominant center and a coach that would utilize that, we would be elite in the east. We're only successful now because it's the east and you don't need a center out here. Ok, so tossing an aging Bibby to the door, getting JJ to utilize the skill around him (and in him), and finding a coach that runs something other than iso would help us immensely. But having a dominant center to run the paint could rise us to the elite in the league. . . . I'm just sayin.

One of the key "problems" we have as a Hawks nation is two stud PF. Josh Smith is a beast that keeps getting better and better each year, so obviously he deserves credit for our growing success. Al Horford is another young stud, but he isn't a true center. We play him there because we can get away with it in the East. My question is, how long are we going to ride not having a power center?? Don't get me wrong, Horford is tough but he's not a Center. I just think. . . .I hate to say it. . . .that getting top dollar out of one of these beast PF and getting a true dominant center would give us the dynamic we need to rise to the elite in the NBA. Josh Smith makes 10 mil to Al's 4. Nobody, myself included, wants to see Josh go ANYWHERE but Atlanta. But if we can get a true power center out of the deal. . . .I'm just sayin. Let Joe hold down SG for a while. Williams can handle SF. We can handle the PG issue when we quit paying Bibby and Claxton. Getting a beast of a center is key to rising to the elite in the east.