TheFuzz

Good. He would have been a huge mistake for this team. Not at all what we need. Perhaps it will help set the market for Smoove at a similar level as well.

I like Smoove, but I really think he's gonna end up getting overpaid. I just hope it's not by us.

I'd love Marc Gasol, but I think to get him Memphis would need a little bit more of a return. Hawes isn't a bad choice as a cheaper replacement (I think Gortat would be a better one), but if they're getting Hawes they will probably want another big and a nice shooting guard.

I agree with you 100% and have said the same thing on the Squawk. Not only do the Hawks need a culture change, but the fan base does too. Everyone seems to have this mindset that nothing every will come of the Hawks and that only big market teams win championships. Last I checked, Detroit and San Antonio are pretty small markets. Hell, all San Antonio has for a pro team IS the Spurs.

Sure the Lakers get practically every superstar, but that is because the Lakers are consistently active in the market and are attractive for players to go their. Players know they will have a great chance to get a ring in LA and to sell their brand. The Lakers also play in a city that DEMANDS a superstar and championships. Once Kobe retires and if Dwight isn't there, who is going to come and see the Lakers? Heck, Jack Nicholson, one of the biggest known Lakers fan, was threatening to sell his season tickets during 2010-11 season after just two weeks of poor play. The Lakers have one of the largest fair-weathered fan bases in the league, second to only to the Heat. The Lakers not only need superstars to sell tickets, but they have to win championships too and the Buss family knows that. The Celtics have the most NBA championships in NBA history at 17. Did they sign/trade for their superstars during the first 16 of those championships? No, they built them through being great on draft day and developing talent. Even on their 17th championship that got Rondo, Davis, and Pierce through the draft and Allen and Garnett through draft day trades. They have never been known to sign the big time free agent. Plus, between 1993-2009, the Celtics were horrible.

If you look at the Hawks past, they have a pretty checkered past. We had the Pistol, Roundfield, Wilkins, Mookie, Mutombo, Steve Smith, SAR, and JJ2 and won 0 championships, but, throughout Hawks history, when have the Hawks ever had a capable FO to run the team? When have the Hawks ever been active in free agency and put in bids for the top talents? In the last decade, when has their ever been a time when the Hawks felt that getting to the playoffs wasn't good enough? The tides are changing and the Hawks will be an attractive destination in 2013 and for years to come...

2013 might be getting a little too excited. I'm really stoked to see what's in our future, but even so I have a small feeling that Ferry could just be saying the right things. He basically kept the team at the same level of competitiveness while saving a ton of money. The ASG could just be doing the same thing with a new face. Make the playoffs, save money (though I don't think this is the case). So until he starts turning this team into championship caliber one, I don't think the average fan will take notice.

They got the 6th pick for Wallace so If they are giving up Aldridge chances are they'd want 2 lotto picks and a future first in return. As is the Hawks have zero assets to give them, Al would put them in the exact same situation as keeping Aldridge and we haven't accumulated any enticing additional picks.

If that's the case, he's not worth it.

Ok. I guess I'm crazy. I figured Aldridge keeps Portland in purgatory (8-12 draft range), so they get a nice young piece in Thompson and an extra draft pick while they tank a little bit harder. Golden State gets cap relief and a Thompson replacement in Morrow. I take this one back then.So, what could we do to get Aldridge on this squad?

I imagine Aldridge could be dealt this coming year considering Portland is in rebuild mode. He's another PF, but he's a stud who can score facing up and in the post.What could the Hawks do to acquire him?Maybe something like:Atlanta receives AldridgePortland receives Biedrins, K. Thompson, 1st round pick from AtlantaGolden St. receives Stevenson, Morrow, Williams, PetroEh. Any better ideas?

Hawes' 7.3/24 MPG rebound rate is solid. His 2.6 APG is awesome. He's a poor man's Kevin Love. I would very much like a starting front line of Hawes/Horford/JS. With all our other shooters at the 2 and 3 this would definitely work out well and alot of the parts would be interchangable with ZaZa also an integral part. I would "lose cap space" for this deal and I would do so knowing that at any point next offseason I could trade Hawes for cap space IF I NEEDED TO as he will remain tradable with 1 year remaining as a quality center etc. W

I'm not sure what we have to offer though. I guess Philly could use another PG. Harris? Or maybe they would like Morrow or Korver?

Thought he was joking ^

Ouch. Dead serious. The dude can ball.

No.

Ha. No love for Bo? He's pretty impressive in Euroleague.

I wouldn't want either because those 2 year deals would eat into our capspace. I'd rather let their value go down while they're on the bench behind Bynum than helping Philly get out of their log jam

Not a bad plan. I think by midseason Kwame could be had for a 2nd rounder or 2 and our trade exception.

If we can sign Bo McCalebb for 8 mil or less next year, that'll be a major steal. We should look into signing him.

Free agency is great and all, but we're almost certainly geared up to make a trade. Honestly, I think we're more likely to trade for Chris Paul than sign him. Failing Chris Paul, there are some other good options out there.Aldridge, for one, might want out when Portland struggles (he's another PF, but him, Smith and Horford actually fit ok on paper). He's on a great contract. The Bulls might deal Noah or Deng for cap relief. Gallinari or Iguadola might become available from Denver. Bogut, Gortat, Nene. It's a pretty long list of posssible gets on nice contracts. We should keep an eye out West. One of those stacked teams will miss the playoffs and might want to tank a little bit (I want Marc Gasol on this team so bad...). If we snag a couple of players on good contracts for expirings, we still will have plenty of cap room.Also, this is a side note, but failing Curry and Paul at PG next summer, Bo McCalebb is gonna be real sick if he comes over from Europe.Edit: One more random thought. The Hawks could really use a star. But the fans will start showing up if we have some playoff success. We don't need a superstar to make the ECF, and we could get the support of the fans and free agents if we make it to the ECF.

Cody Zeller. That might sound crazy, but if he plays even better in college next year, you take him. That man is not a center because of those t-rex arms, but he is gonna be a SICK power forward in the mold of Pau and Bosh.

I'd be up for either one since they're both fairly cheap. But I would probably prefer Brown because he's cheaper and MUCH better defensively.

Yeah but the Orlando fans already know that their management and ownership stink. At least instead of losing 4 times a year to Dwight you're not losing to everyone for the next 5 - 8 years as Tonegully suggested.

If the Magic tank for Wiggins next year, it won't be nearly that long until they're relevant...

You're right. We keep suggesting that Ferry will max out a mediocre player. OK. What do yout think his options are. You're believing the Ferrytale that he will bring in Dwight or CP3 or is it Bynum now? About these Ferrytales, what happens to Josh? Are we going to let him walk? The problem is that with the Ferrytale, everybody gets all giddy and think that Ferry is going to do some great Move and bring in Racer X. The problem is that Racer X doesn't want to be a Hawk. Name 1 time when Dwight has said he'd consider Atlanta. After we traded Joe and Marvin and we had capspace for days... Name one time when D-12 said if he were picked up by Atlanta, he'd resign here? Name one time when he said he'd consider Atlanta in his top 5 or 10 destinations? I have heard Paul say that he wanted to play in Atlanta. After the World Games a few years past, he said, I would have loved to be drafted by the Hawks and play with Joe Johnson. Obviously Deron felt the same way. However, the Ferrytale is that if we clear capspace and talk about making things different, FAs will break down the door... Which ones? I have suggested Smoove and Harden for max contracts. That's not an insult. Harden is the third rated FA coming out next year. The only way you will get him from OKC is with a max deal. Smoove is our own FA...he's being made the face of Atlanta. We won't lose him for nothing and he won't stay for less than the max. So what is really your objection? That I used two very likely scenerios? Would you rather I said that Ferry is going to Sweet talk Dwight into coming home? Ferry is going to Drag Dwight away from LaLA land and make him forget about promised riches in Brooklyn?? Welcome to Atlanta.

You're right. At least in the short term, very few free agents will be knocking down the door to play for us. However, we now have a ridiculously large amount of expiring contracts. We can use those expirings to trade for players on longer contracts, who have no choice but to stay with us. Then we can convince them and the rest of the league that we're worth playing for. We could, for example, use our expiring contracts to snag Rudy Gay, Gallinari, Marc Gasol, a couple of the Rockets extra players. Maybe we can snag Pau for pure expirings. We have a lot of options, and I bet you that we will be involved in trade talks pretty much whenever someone is on the block.

macdaddy, I think the trades might depend on where the Hawks is at on the playoff hunt, I think if the Hawks is out of the playoff race then they will be complete sellers but if they are in the playoff hunt and comfort about where they are at, then you might see alittle bit action. At the end of the day, this team finally have choice of where to go in this. This team havent had this much financial freedom since the 80's and 90's. People needs to be patience about this and remember, this team also get revune (sp?) sharing because they are under the salary cap next year(I think).

I'm pretty sure we're just over the salary cap.

Hey y'all! I've been a lurker here for a couple of years, but decided to start posting since we finally have something to be excited about! Figured this'd be a good place to start my Hawksquawk career!

On topic, I seriously doubt it happens, but I really hope Chris Paul realizes the Clippers are pretty mediocre and decides to leave.

Also,

People keep forgetting that al isn't just an Allstar but also an All-NBA player

Also that he has only played 4 seasons

He led the league in midrange jumper % and flirts with 10 rebounds and plays excellent man defense against many positions and in high and low post and perimeter

He has been top 10 in rpg, offensive rating, win shares, Fg%, efg%, offensive rebounds, defensive rebounds and total rebounds and had a 21 PER his last full season

He may not be flashy but how can someone who did all of the above in his first 4 seasons after winning back to back college titles be further from elite than smoove and Teague? And he did it without us playing to his strength, pick n rolls and instead having to watch ISO Joe and ISO Crawford

6th place in the NBA in offensive rating with a 121 points per 100 possessions and some of you act like he is a poor offensive player

^That right there is why I love Al Horford. I hate to conjure some bad memories for you, but he really could use a pick n' roll point guard. Give that man some pick n' rolls (Chris Paul... ) and I think we have ourselves a real stud.