JETSET

I would like a spot if there is one available

I think all those teams will happily match those guys up against our SG brigade and post them up all day. The reason to put them at PF is their mobility gives them an advantage against larger defenders. That isn't the case with Sap and Horford. It's a strategic weakness for us.

I'm sure Millsap will spend more time than usual guarding the SF's vs some teams.

At least the Pacers are moving George to PF this season. Melo usually spends a decent bit of time at PF and LeBron may play some PF while Love is out

I think we are going to be happy with the player that Hardaway Jr becomes. I expect solid progression from Bazemore as well. I want to see Baze shoot like Demarre did last year.

To be clear, if Mike is not convicted then that does not imply he will not face a suspension. The only thing a conviction does (or plea of no lo or guilty) is guarantee Mike will be suspended. We are literally in a situation where we have no clue on the likelihood of Mike missing any games. Even if you put a subjective probability on Mike's conviction, we don't know if the NBA or even NBPA will push to have Mike face an arbiter on drug charges.

I agree 100% that he may face a suspension either way but I don't think the suspension comes until after the trial. His court date/trial could easily be postponed until after the season with a ltitle manuevering by his attorney.

Coach Bud got a dui on August 28, 2013 and just had his court date at the end of July 2015.

I see no reason to think that Mike's case will be heard anytime soon and I would think his attorneys will do what it takes to have the date pushed back until after the season.

To be clear, I'm not thinking he won't give good effort nor questioning his motivation. Not at all. I'm just saying that few people perform any job well when large life-altering situations are weighing on our minds... just the human condition. As a fan, of course, we hope he is very successful and gets to play the entire season. For his mental health, hopefully this somehow all gets resolved so he's not left hanging.

I have to disagree there. It's not like he's going to be unable to think or do daily activities because he's worried sick about what could happen. It's basketball, not rocket science. If anything, being on the court will allow him to take his mind off of the issue. He even said that being on the court and around his teammates has been comforting during this.

He's not about to do 20 years of jail time or something crazy like that. He probably won't spend a day in jail. The U.S. legal system is very friendly to people with money and he has plenty of it.

Nice thanks! Do you guys think we'd need to rent a car while there? I was hoping there'd be enough cool stuff nearby to take local transit. As JayBird mentioned I know my gf was interested in the Coke place and the Aquarium. Any place with alcohol and she'll be happy too... as you can imagine she needs it to put up with me!

The ride from the airport would be the only driving. I would just take Uber if you want to do something outside of walking distance.

If you are in to music, the tabernacle is across the street from your hotel and it's often included in lists that name the top 10 music venues in the country

Sweet I hope to meet some of y'all. AHF has a good idea to meet for some beers before hand. I know there's been many, many good suggestions for pre-game places to go on here over the years.

Is there any place selling our new jerseys yet?

The Hudson Grille is a nice spot. It's right across the street from Phillips. It's a good place to sit outside and people watch while everyone is heading in to the arena.

All good, but I don't think it's much comfort to Mike that it's comparatively "child's play." It's his life, and while I agree that nothing's for certain, anytime you have in front of you the distinct possibility of prison time, it's going to wear on you. Am I wrong?

I think I would be motivated more than ever to prove to my franchise that I'm worth keeping around. At the media day, Mike said him and Bud are closer than ever and Bud said Mike is in a good place as the season approaches.

Maybe it's just the eternal optimist in me but I think we get good effort from Mike this season.

I will be in 117 all year. I will be a couple of rows behind you near the aisle.

It sounds like Kazemi should at least force the best out of the eventual winner of the final roster spot if he gets cut.

If the CBA is followed, and if what we can read online is legitimate, any conviction at all prescribes a 2 year suspension immediately.

Scott has to get off... *ahem*... Scott-free (dang I'm witty today).

And hopefully we can agree that Kobe at less than optimal psychological health is a different thing altogether than Mike Scott at less than optimal psychological health.

So, do we carry an extra PF on the roster due to not knowing what might happen and when? I dunno.

What I do know is that I sure hope the next CBA contemplates this situation, and makes sure that teams aren't quite so penalized if/when one of their players crosses the line. We're in a real pickle here.

I just don't see a conviction taking place by may. Courts are naturally slow and Lawyers can make them even slower.

I agree about Kobe. Dude's a freak but Mike's situation is child's play compared to Kobe's when you factor in severity of charge, media attention, millions in lost endorsements and the trial taking place midseason.

I think you missed our discussion on how the CBA handles "drugs of abuse" and how Mike is not out of the woods at this point no matter your feeling on the legality of certain drugs.

I know he isn't out of the woods. I just think its likely that he is able to play the full season and it has nothing to do with my thoughts on their legality. Thanks for assuming though.

Think this is all about the Mike Scott's tentative iffy status? I mean, how long does it really take for drug test results to come back?

I just don't know how you go into a season with this situation hanging over your team's head. At best, he didn't test positive, and the league then isn't going to do anything until the court acts, which you have to suspect will go down during the season. That's "at best." What a huge distraction. And even if it doesn't occur until next off-season, still, you have this player on your roster who just can't be all there psychologically because he's staring at a serious chance of prison time.

I dunno. It's a real elephant in our room, having gotten relatively little attention from anyone but us gathered here.

It's his first offense and it wasn't a crazy amount. His chances of prison time are likely under 50%. Courts are slow as hell also. Didn't Bud just have hid court date for the dui he got two years ago? Kobe seemed to do just fine while dealing with a rape case and trial and that's far more serious with an incredible amount of publicity.

I think Mike will be fine this year.

Only 9 more days until preseason game #1

Payton

Kidd

Shaw

Mitchell (Hook)

Ok if you are comparing Kanter to Lillard then I don't believe you ever watch any non Hawk games. Wow. Actually wait you're right, they do have something in common, they both need oxygen to live.

That seems like a good comparison to me.  Lillard is regularly hidden on the weaker offensive player while Matthews defends the PG.

I think 90% of members on this board would pick Lillard over Melo, the real chucker. I think you might realize the difference this year by stats alone. Lillard is a top 5 pg as of today. Not many teams want Melo on their rosters, let alone trade an awesome team player like SAP for him.

Lillard>Melo in real life, fantasy, dynasty, playing house with @kg01 and his fantastic friends, whatever the case may be.

Surely there's a friendly wager out there that can be made on who has the more productive season.

Neither has but Sap is a team player, Melo is a hog about it. Why did you pick him in dynasty? You're better than that.

I took him with the 37th pick.  That was probably the biggest steal in the draft.  He is easily a top 10-15 player in this league when fully healthy and top 25 on a bad day.

Now Damian Lillard at #21 is a different story.  If you want to talk about a me first chucker who provides nothing else for his team, you have your man.

If the Hawks get zero credit for eastern conference 2nd round exits then why should Melo?  

It's probably the way the Hawks have lost in the 2nd round.  It's one thing to lose by an average of 30 points per game.  It's another to extend the series to 6 games while being the lesser team.

When's the last time Melo led a team to anything?   2009 is the answer.

What do you call 2013 then?  54 wins and a game 6 in the 2nd round when he was playing with a bad shoulder on a team where the 2nd and 3rd scoring options were Raymond Felton and J.R. Smith.  They started Felton and Prigioni at the 1 and 2 for some of the Pacers series.

I will never understand why people will post outright untruths.  It's obvious that many of you hate Melo.  This doesn't mean that you have to try and bend facts to discredit him. 

I dunno bro. He doesn't lead his team's to anything. I think you may be overrating him because you picked him in the Dynasty draft this summer.

Not even close.  I just recognize that Melo, when healthy, is a far better player than Millsap. When has Millsap ever led a team to anything? 

that was 7 years ago ... This is a much more battered beaten up broken down version of that player ....

OK.  He is only 3 years removed from taking a NYK squad full of scrubs to 54 wins and the second round with a laundry list of team injuries and a 40 year old PG.

I agree that his mileage and recent injuries are a concern.  That's why it would depend on how he looks in the first half of next season.  I'm not worried about his age as much when it comes to athleticism since his playing style will allow him to remain elite offensively while his athleticism slowly fades.  

Take a look at his 2013-14 shot chart and tell me he couldn't greatly benefit this team.  He can score from every spot on the floor and he is equally good from both sides of the basket.  

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/fancy-stats/wp/2014/06/23/carmelo-anthony-has-plenty-to-offer-in-free-agency/

He did have that one or two good years in Denver but the guy is an established chucker. He doesn't care about any team concept, he just jacks shots up. That seems very anti Hawks philosophy to me. I like Millsap much better.

One or two good years? You are letting your hate cloud reality.

This is how i look at it. As a PLAYER, no, i would rather keep Milsap over Melo. For long term reasons, Melo would be a good fit.............FOR THIS REASON.................Other premium free agents would look at that move as a reason to come to Atlanta. Suddenly, i see a 2016 free agent like Joakim Noah maybe replacing Al Horford. I see something SIMILAR to this. With this type of lineup, Noah and Splitter would be the dedicated rebounders, and Melo and Hardaway the scorers.....

 

c Noah

pf Splitter

sf Melo

sg Hardaway

pg Teague

Horford >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Noah individually and especially when paired with Splitter.

For those of you saying that Melo "could" or "would" be a team player is laughable....LAUGHABLE-Jesus on Big Lebowski. That is like saying a pig could possibly fly. You know, might need to lose a lil weight, get in shape a bit, go on a sensible diet. Stop it! Phil Jackson thinks we are the old Hawks, if this was really offered I'd get on the phone right away and tell him and Jeanie Buss that that $hit don't work here anymore and to take another trip to Montana to clear their heads about what complete morons they are to sign Melo and Kobe. We don't want any part of it.

What do you call the 08-09 season then?  Melo has an above average point guard for the first time in his life (Billups) and he attempts the lowest amount of shots per game since his second year in the league.  He allows Billups to run the offense and they make it to the WCFs behind Melo's 27 points per game. 

Like every one else, I'm not fond of his comments against the Hawks or his history of chasing the money; however, his talent is undeniable and he could get us over the hump.  Does it come without risk? Of course not but most rewards come with inherent risks.