louwill16

Hawks nation, While we may have started what many to have considered second tier players in the win tonight, tonight's Miami triumph may prove to be the most assuring win of the season. Kent and Dennis along with Jenkins and Scott are starting to prove that coach Bud is the next great mind in NBA player development. I mean, it wasn't 2 years ago when I was sitting in my apt. Marveling at the talent Bazemore displayed in the summer league for GSW. The problem, no coach had an idea of how to contain it. GSW shipped him to LA where he showed some of that talent but let's face it, Coach Bud will find a way to realize the potential in this man. Bazemore is just one of many men who have played in the summer league in recent years that came out to defensively dominate the Miami Heat tonight. Several Summer league stars were on display for the NBA's most deep team. I'll be frank. Last year, I had come to the belief that Dennis was going to be a major flop. But the strides he has made throughout the summer and over even the last few months are remarkable. After watching tonight, would you even think about trading Dennis for Dragic? I certainly wouldn't. Dennis was quicker and smarter on both ends contributing to the dreadful night for Dragic. I look no further than Coach Bud. You look at a guy like Jenkins. Very little playing time this season but ready to contribute despite his injury history and lack of experience. Now we see why the Hawks have not moved the shooter. Maybe, just maybe, Bud sees with the right development that Jenkins can become a Korver one day. And do we have to even mention Mike Scott. Put simply, Bud has turned him into a prominent stretch 4. Playing against former and current all stars Wade, Deng, and Dragic, these former Hawk afterthoughts, are just that good. The Heat could not breath. Let us take this time to credit coach Bud. Obviously, he has done amazing things for Korver, Teague and DMC, but it does not stop there. Bud works on development throughout the roster and will continue to produce top tier talent as an in tonight's product. Enjoy it Hawks fans. For me, it's been a lifetime of love and heartbreak. Great to see us have a real coach after years of watching Stotts, Woodson, and Drew create shambles of drafted talent.

I agree this would be an awful trade. Houston insider said they've had discussions. I think Teague would become a damn all star in Houston. I hope Bud's not biting on this

Insider tells me hawks in preliminary discussions to send JT to Houston for Pat Bev and 1st. Organization must have seen something like like from Dennis as I dont see Beverly as the Bud style of guard to lead this team

Wade out is a nice break for our boys. With the way the officiating has gone so far, we need it. Gotta get a win. We look like an improved team from last season in the eye test

Aloha guys, Awesome comeback win over the jazz tonight. After we got damn robbed by the refs against Charlotte and San Antonio, I knew our team would have to be gritty and tough. We won't get respect from the officials all year. Talent and coaching need to show through. On another note, just came across this great article detailing the rise back of the PAC man logo and the fall of josh smith who sports the tattoo. Although, he was a hometown boy, his style likely wouldn't have fit buds. Thought I'd share. let's get it done hawks! http://www.thesneakerpimps.com/sneaker-pimps-fantasy-basketball-blog-tattoo-tuesday-josh-smith-detroit-pistons.html

Kevin Love has been sighted tonight partying at Flip Flops in midtown. Although the deal to Cleveland seems like a certainty could Danny Ferry throw a much needed curveball here and have a deal minny likes more for the swing 4? Since the wiggins deal is no certainty lets have hope hawks fans. It's been an underwhelming offseason but as is we're still better off than many teams and have many improving players like DMC. Have a little hope hawks fans. We may have the best coach in the NBA.

I think the move towards sapps is amazing. Wonderful to see that management and coaching has moved away from tanking. It was about 2 weeks ago, that it seemed Buds was confused, as if he was given the order to lose. Maybe he shunned that notion and just win baby! As always, I believe Indy isn't miami and we always have a chance against them.

All comes back to the point that now that we finally have a real coach we have nearly no developmental talent. Possibly Dennis?? When I consider great young talent, I think of players who are battling for playing time in their first year. Ferry has not drafted one of these players in the first round. Granted, not loads of rotational guys have been drafted in our pick range over the last few years, I'm tired of excuses. Several GM's have made the right picks when they needed to do so. If Ferry has the confidence to trade away our young talent to tank, like we are seeming to do at this point (losers of 13/14), he better have confidence in his picks. Not sure if I do. Our players sure are not playing like they believe in anything that may or may not be coming next year.

The city of Atlanta has rarely had the patience to see through winning. ATL Falcons firing Reeves strikes a chord, after which Mike Vick was not properly coached and watched. GT firing Paul Hewitt a mere 5 years after a national title appearance, only to lose for years now. On the other hand, we wait around on lame goats such as, Woodson and Drew. This city deserves better than subrate coaches. When NY hired Woody, I laughed. The thought in mind is that he knows how to manage elite vets but can't handle any sort of developmental responsibilities. It is very clear now in New York as they regress. Not one player on the hawks developed under woody. I would go as far to say that all of our players, if they developed, found ways to excel on their own in every way. We seem to find patience or ill will in all of the wrong situations.

I'm worried of the same. It seemed like when Josh and JJ broke in, they were trying to crash the party and the status quo. We flatlined with that nucleus but did we ever provide them with any sort of coaching?? As a fan, I knew from the onset that Woodson was not a real coach, and Drew was clearly and AAU coach. In the NBA the stats gurus are winning right now, and the hawks are following the model. Don;t get me wrong Millsap was a great signing but let's be honest we could have brought in another big time free agent like Josh or Big Al to complement. I'm for one tired of money sitting on the table. Doesn't have to be long term. When does the new "future" begin?

As a winner, playing Teague, Koever, and Millsap minimal minutes in a close game against golden state is ridiculous and must come from the top. I'm not sure Bud would ever make those choices on his own free will. Not to mention, the defeated look the boyz portrayed on national tv Wednesday night resembles a tank feeling from the top.

That's totally possible, or it's not you know? We could draft and impact player or not. I'm not sure at this point that I expect Ferry to draft a great player. I did my due diligence and researched his picks in Cleveland and found nothing of any worth. I have found nothing of any superstar worth for the hawks so far. However, I do believe Bud might be a real coach that we have not had since Lenny which would be nice. Now, all the sudden we have little developmental talent. Shocking!

P.S. College rarely, if ever translates how "experts" believe it will in the draft. All of us in ATL knew Shumpert was a stud at GT yet he was critisized for entering the draft only to "surprise" at the combine, same for Thad Young. The point is, I don't believe in many NBA Gm's to do the research and make the right choice over a proven player who could be aquired by trade. If they are the sort of GM that watches and analyzes college, D-League, and Euro games, they will make excellent selections mid-round. With that said, go for the wins always. I watched this team lose for too many years, while nearly every fan walked away, wouldn't watch or respect this team. The playoffs matter. Winning over years matters to this city. The braves struggled and struggled and struggled but after years and years of winning the fans continue to support.

I'm from Marietta and reside in Honolulu. Of course, I understand the implications of this draft. Are you questioning me? Keep in mind, I hold the team's best interest at heart. I hope the best for the team. I just don't expect us to draft an amazing player, nor to I think that the draft presents any guarentees ever. The draft is always a toss up. For example, the blazers drafted Lilliard 2 drafts ago. We have not had such luck. How can I trust Ferry to make the right pick in the top 10 possibly over a top 20 pick? Please don't doubt my worth as a fan. I've stuck with this team through thick and thin. We could draft Marvin again for god's sake, or perhaps Shelden?? That's not what I'm looking for.

I realize I'm not a regular on the forum every week, but I continuously check in to see how the true fan base is feeling. I think that the first part of the season was a great success, but far from the success that I expect out of a great franchise. I believe in the atlanta hawks and always will as a great franchise. Although experts seem to believe we are on the upswing, this is far from the truth. With J-Smoove, J-Chills or Jamal at times, and JJ we had a young and exciting nucleus. Truthfully, I felt as if we were one injury here or there from the conference finals which is my goal as a fan. A title would be great, but so would a conference finals birth. Watching us against Boston in 08 was an amazing experience that I will never forget. In the following years, we were bounced by Dwight Howard and the Magic, and Lebron James and the Cavs as a young team. 2 elite players in their prime. Our fan base and ownership showed shame, when we need love and consistency. No shame in losing to these guys at the time. In the coming years, we had our chances. Our best chance may have been the year we lost in the first round against the celtics, with al horford returning from pectoral injury. Finally, Teague had his chance to break out of Bibby's shadow, the only diff in the team. How far would we have gone? Well, the celtics went on the smash the sixers, and make the conference finals. That could have been us, had we the benefit of a healthy Al, or hadn't blown game 2 in typical fashion. But, so happens when you don't have a real coach. Everyone loves to criticize JJ and J-Smoove but they brought the most exciting and productive talent we have seen since Steve Smith. I'm really not sure of the Ferry plan, but I'm not sold on John Jenkins, Dennis, and Bebe. Mike Scott has earned his colors, but wouldn't Ivan fill in just as well? We are regressing by losing stars every year. Cap space never amounted to anything for a team that has no history, according to the young NBA players. Moreover, ATL is the best place in the world for an up and coming young man. What could these talented players have done with a "real coach" like Bud? Didn't they deserve a chance? Seems like we finally got a coach and now we don't have the talent all the sudden. Sorry, I'm not in favor of Drew and Woodson ever being real coaches. They wasted and ruined players for years. Drew stunted Teague, insisted on trading Morrow for Dante Cunningham(insane). Woodson stunted everybody including Smoove, Law, Chills, Zaza, much like he's doing with Shumpert in New York, that guy just hates young guys not over the age of 21(a la Al horford.). To the true point, can everyone not see that Ferry is tanking? Our best player, Jeff Teague is getting benched on the regular for D-League prospects and Millsap is being held out for ?????? I'm not really sure. MRI has revealed nothing. We are losing games. I'm not for, Teague and comp. developing a losing mentality once again like Josh had to try to break out of but never was able to. Do we really trust Ferry to draft a star, or are we going to foster a new losing atmosphere? I for one, believe in winning and think we have the talent to at least make the playoffs in the east.