sturt

Don't think this is debunkable... but you're welcome to try, if it's important to you to do that...

So, Kirschner invited Hawks fans to submit their trade ideas to him, and he would take the "best" of those, and give feedback. Occurs to me, why not review the reviewer? Here are screenshots of a few (not all, so as to not offend anyone or beg for copyright issues)... I excluded the ones where he believed one side or the other definitively would rule out the trade... What do you think of his perspectives? #1 #2 #3 #4 #5

Well, wait. 8-3 since Dre got back, and McM has mainly had a fully available roster for the first time this season. Again. I would just repeat. Don't let the 2 losses in 3 games bum you (universal you) out.... in the last 11, we've beaten the best team in the league and have a 7 game win streak. We have 2 games in the next 6 days. We're going to get some rest this week... for a change. Then, we've got 3 in 4 days again, but it's not too much to imagine... by any means... that we go into those 3 in 4 days with 2 wins, and some momentum that allows that to expand to 5 wins... or at least 4 of 5. Thus, going from 8-3 to 12-4... I'm no math whiz, but my calculator says that's .750 ball (!).,.. is not even remotely a pipe dream... and neither is 13-3, but let's stay conservative. Believe I also read that we have one of the easier schedules in the league remaining. We're young. We're hungry. We haven't any invincible opposition ahead of us. This group has post-season experience, and more importantly post-season success. Believe in what you've seen this group do. It was no illusion. And it's an improved group over last year.

Friends. Don't let any single game or couple of games get you too pumped or too bummed. I present to you Exhibit A. This is a season where by almost any measure, there are no invincibles above us. There just aren't. And Exhibit B. This is the rollercoaster ride of one of the participants in this Sunday's big event... maybe @TheNorthCydeRises would like to comment on what he's just experienced. I'd especially love to hear about that first Ravens win, and then, that Jets loss.... hehe. Just sayin.

Working theory here is that the team spent a lot of energy, both physical and mental, in winning that PHX game, and that... (a) the TOR game was largely a consequence of drained emotional energy coupled with being on the road and playing in a near-empty arena, and (b) this game tonight was more a testimony to what happens to legs after 3 games in 4 days--shooting suffers. But as we all know, this is crunch time. Whether you call them "excuses" or "reasons," doesn't matter. This team and coaching staff have to answer the bell practically every game now. If we were a team of a narrow 7-8 man rotation, I'd be discouraged. But we're a team with a 9-10 man rotation. Believe our guys are capable. With just two games this week, and against teams on the down side of the competitive cycle, would like to think we'll get our legs back, and go into those 3 games vs BOS, CLE and ORL next week with a serious chance to sweep.

@Sothron reports that Nate was quoted as bestowing the term "core" on Trae, JC and Dre recently... still not sure when, but I'm sure he did b/c Soth don't make things up, of course. That, then, is what seals the deal for me that all talk of JC (or Dre, or Trae) being on the market is almost certainly out of gas.

Let's just win a trophy with this group, and come back next year and win a second. What do you say, Trae?

( Just sayin. )

Yes, Thad and Nate are mutual admirers, so we'd have that going for us. Hard to see Thad coming here, though, if he's not guaranteed a place in the rotation, ie on the second unit. There almost certainly will be other playoff teams that can offer that. The dream today is a trade for Kenny Hustle and Moose from OKC, and Thad signed from SAS after a buyout following the deadline... but it's probably an either/or proposition, not both.

Dunno, Jay. I read a lot of posts and threads complaining that we just weren't big enough to take the physicality of a team like MIL. A lot. (I didn't agree with them.)

It will be so so so interesting to see how TS plays this, given his pre-2020-21 season mention that he was feeling like (paraphrasing here) the success of 2020-21 MIA had demonstrated that a 3rd C really isn't all that important in the post season... and then, we saw him opt for not having a 3rd C at all for all that time until Big2O got back. And/but many Hawks fans' biggest criticism last post-season around these parts was that we weren't big enough to stay with MIL, and needed to do something about that. Me, personally, I just like the idea that you've got someone on the bench who can play a Hanson brother (ie, goon) role as necessary. Dieng's not shied away from asserting himself. But I'm also keeping my eye on what happens with Thad Young this week... what a super acquisition he would be if we could somehow bring him on after a buyout.

But neither is TLC, Dieng nor Knox under contract for next season... so you're giving up a #1 CHO for what purpose again??? And considering the Windhorst rumor... didn't you just sign KVon to a contract you like? The only contractual advantage would seem to be a deal involving BogBog, but count me with those who think BogBog's secure for this season... at minimum. Yes. Agreed. That's another possibility.

Fwiw... how I sees it today, Sun 2/6/2022....

If you like to look at numbers, Hart is the better overall asset, but with a sub-par 3 pt shot. A lot of people adored KVon's defense last post season. If you're one who think that his defense will get to that level, now that the team has some relatively passable health, probably should prefer to hold on to him, and on a contract that many if not most believe to be team-friendly especially given the impending anticipated inflation of the market. Not hard for me to believe that the GM is looking under every rock and trying to figure out some way to add back to the rotation a solid #2 SF... but it strains credulity that he's going to subtract one to add one, unless one somehow envisions Knox or TLC are supposed to have a rotation role for the balance of 2021-22. Thus, I could eat these words... that goes without saying since I'm not Mr. Omniscient... but this Hart thing doesn't seem to have any rational legs to me.

These two sentences vividly illustrate, to me in February 2022, the term...

Had no idea that McM said that. Interesting. Will make it a point now to watch last night's postgame interview. Makes me think a couple of things. First, what was a safe bet is an even safer bet today that none of those three are going to be traded in the next 5 days. Second, taken with the presumption that what we were hearing 3 weeks ago had some legs, at that point that the GM becomes persuaded that this mix of players isn't going to get it done, JC and Dre will be simultaneously the most expensive players for others to acquire and the most heavily marketed in order to acquire the biggest bounty coming back... "After all," the GM will say, "I'm giving you part of my core."

Spud... Mule... not that it's that important... but this might help relieve those confused looks you're giving me (?).

... (not sitting)

Didn't want Cam to be traded, but I was ignorant of the entirety of the situation. Knowing what I/we know now, yes it really had to be done, and yes, it really was wise of the GM to get it done several games ahead of the deadline in order to take a surgical approach to what this roster needed/needs. Was it standing pat, no, but that's really beside the point... it had to be done, soooo... it had to be done. Is trading anyone on the roster now who is in the rotation... for picks or otherwise... "standing pat?" Not sure how anyone would argue that it would be. So, no. And by the way... isn't my new avatar lovely? (It's also temporary... until Thursday, of course.)

Have to go 4-2 before the break to get to .500 -- a status we last enjoyed on December 10. Sure would be nice to get a trade deadline infusion to give us a little boost.

Hmmmm.... could it possibly be that Jalen gets some minutes tonight??? You remember... Jalen... Our first round pick. Just a thought.

True. And unlike a lot of unprecedented stuff of the last two years, it's not actually all that covid-related.