Bulldog

What do people think of Coach Woodson's performance? A lot more was expected of the team last year than they achieved. There are other coaches out there like Stan Van Gundy, and possibly soon Flip Saunders or even Larry Brown. Would anyone prefer to get one of these more experienced guys in, or does Woodson deserve another season to improve?

A small move that could make a big difference might be to bring in free agent PJ Brown. He would be a good veteran presence for the young guys like Shelden and Horford if picked. He is also tough can play the 4 and 5 and rebounds well which would be good for the team. He would probably play 20 minutes a game but could be got cheaply. It's a question of whether he will sign to try and get a ring somewhere else.

these all work under the salary cap. check them on realgm's trade checker. then the team has Bird rights over Josh Smith, so the cap is unaffected. I still like the Miller, JJ, Smoove, Shelden, Camby starting 5 these moves create myself with Horford, Acie Law and Childress off the bench. i think that team has more overrall talent than Cleveland (besides Lebron, which is big I realise...)

the height has nothing to do with it. The Hawks shouldnt draft another 6'8 wing man. a 6'8 banger type is fine. I would draft Charles Barkley and he is 6'5 as he would fill a need for a quality enforcer. People are down on the Shelden pick because of what else was available like Brandon Roy. Even having said that I dont think it was a terrible pick. Shelden had his moments and will improve.

yup - I agree with you completely.

Noah if he is there. If not I would like to see Tiago Splitter. Someone is going to get a steal there. The guy averaged 10 and 6 for a team that got to the Euro Final 4. The guy can play, he's big and he's tough. I think he can produce right away (say 6 and 5 type numbers) and start in 3 years.

If the Hawks made the Speedy and Marvin for Miller and the #12 trade. The Hawks could then Send Zaza, Anthony Johnson and the #12 to the Nuggets for Camby and the Nuggets 1st rounder next year. The Hawks then draft Horford and Conley (who still could be there at #11) or Acie Law. Then the Hawks have Miller, JJ, Smoove, Shelden and Camby. That is a much improved and better balanced first 5. Then there is still Horford, Childress and Conley/Law to develop along with the other role players and money to play with in free agency. The PGs are also much improved with Miller, Lue and Conley/Law. That team has a better chance at winning.

would you keep all the wing players and risk the pick on Conley then? I just dont think that is going to improve the team next year. The Team needs to find the winning culture in a bad way. That means at least a PG and some veteran leadership - plus a better balanced team. I dont think Speedy and Childress would be enough to land Miller. I concede that maybe Speedy and Marvin may be better for the team however than Speedy and Smoove.

You may be right, but I think most people are agreed that one of J Smith, Marvin and Childress could be traded and give the team a better balance by addressing a need such as a PG. Miller hasnt seemed to fit in Philly so something could be done there. Maybe trading Speedy and Marvin (rather than Smith) might be better for the Hawks, but if the team wants to move forward it will have to shake things up and make a decision or 2 that might sting in the short term. Miller brings veteran leadership which is needed and talent in a position that is badly needed. I think he is a better bet than the risk on Conley. An example - Marcus Williams was far higher rated out of college and he has taken time to make an impact let alone lead a team. He looks like he could get there, but coming into the league at PG is the hardest position. Conley would take time and may never get there. Miller is a proven all-star PG. Those are my reasons for going down that road. Then there is still the #3 pick to add to the mix...

If Conley is a risk then here are 2 alternatives. I am sure a lot of you will scream and shoot them down, but Conley could easily bust. If this was a better year for PGs I dont think he would be even considered a #3 pick. Given the need for a PG however I understand people saying forget the "take the best guy" we need a PG... 2 other options. #1 trade for Andre Miller. He is a severely under-rated player and is the calm distributor type PG the team needs. Philly needs something back to do this - so the Hawks give up Speedy and Smith for Andre Miller and the #21. Philly then has Iggy, Smith and their #12 to build around. The Hawks get the PG they need and can pick anyone they think will fit at the 3 and maybe package the #11 and #12 for another vet or to climb up the draft board. #2 Steve Blake. Ok he is not the marquee name people want to bring in. But he is the distributor type PG the team needs and can be got as a free agent fairly cheaply. Trade Speedy for anything the team can get, and then they have a PG who can shoot the 3 and distribute. This guy is getting better and better and Iverson and Melo were loving playing with him in Denver after he was given meaningful playing time. The Hawks wing guys could say the same.

Looks like Jermaine O'Neal will be heading to LA for Odom and Bynum. I suppose this will improve LA as O'Neal wont have the pressure of being the main man and can just live down low doing his thing. Odom though is quite under-rated and can do a lot of things, so they will need all those assists from somewhere. Walton will have to step up. Maybe if they get another centre or versatile forward (Matt Carroll) with their exception the Lakers will look quite strong for next year.

if its just to get attention that is pretty uncool. the rest of the team must be pretty tired of it. thats one reason why he would be hard to trade anyway as few teams want to take on that attitude. also as he has a "no trade" clause he can choose where he goes, cutting down the Lakers options. he has apparently said he would only sanction a move to one other team, which is suspected to be Chicago. But as they are a low post scorer away from challenging for rings I doubt they want to take the risk of bringing Kobe in.

http://www.realgm.com/src_wiretap/ he has confirmed again that he does want to be traded. but what would the Lakers accept for him. Only an all NBA player or maybe 2 all-stars... so where does that leave them? They might accept Parker and Manu, but the Spurs wouldnt do it. Garnett straight up? Maybe but I am not sure the Wolves would do it... Dallas have said they dont want him... the Knicks dont have enough... the Bulls - it would have to be something like Kobe and Kwame for Ben Wallace, Deng, Gordon and Sefolosha... which is too much for Chicago to give away... I dont see a trade out there...

Frye would be good value for the #11. There is a big risk on any player at the 11 spot. I would take Frye over Hawes any day...

Terry is a good player but more of a scoring tweener guard - the Hawks need a distributor at PG to feed all those wing men.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/writ...awks/index.html More on Randolph + Jack to Atlanta plus other options... I think the option must be Conley Jr if possible by trading down, but that is a big risk... Move over, Kevin McHale and Danny Ainge. You've got company on the list of personnel bosses sure to be feeling the heat this offseason. Hawks GM Billy Knight will be sweating it out as well, and not just because of the soaring temperatures sure to hit the Peach State. Now in his fourth season as the man in charge in Atlanta, Knight has little to show for his rebuilding efforts. The Hawks are 97-231 over that span. They showed some improvement this season, but still missed the playoffs for an eighth straight time -- the longest such active streak in the NBA. Like McHale in Minnesota and Ainge in Boston, Knight is starting to hear about it from the fans. That's why the former Pacers star is such a key figure heading into the June 28 draft. His legacy -- and the Hawks' fortunes -- could depend on what he does with the No. 3 pick to help a team that has gaping holes at point guard and center. Will he draft for need and select a point guard such as Mike Conley, even though most scouts have the Ohio State freshman listed somewhere down in the 6-10 range on their draft boards? Will he take the best player available from a group that includes North Carolina's Brandan Wright, Florida's Al Horford, Joakim Noah and Corey Brewer, Kansas' Julian Wright, Georgetown's Jeff Green and Chinese 7-footer Yi Jianlian? Will Knight, who also has the No. 11 pick, try to trade down in the draft, perhaps to get Conley at a lower spot? Or will he decide the Hawks are already too young, and trade one or both picks outright for a veteran to join his long-armed young forwards Josh Smith, Marvin Williams and Josh Childress? "We really think that [No. 3] starts the rest of the draft," Knight told reporters after the lottery. "We'll have to look at all of those guys after those top two [Greg Oden and Kevin Durant]. ... We know we'll get a good player. We'll get two good players or perhaps we'll make a trade and get a veteran player to add to our team. But we know we're going to come out on the other side of this process with some assets." One juicy rumor making the rounds is that Knight might try to trade the No. 3 pick to the Blazers, perhaps in a package that would send Zach Randolph and Jarrett Jack to Atlanta. The deal does make some sense, though it might require a third team to make the salaries match up. Randolph would give the Hawks a legitimate low-post scorer (and potential All-Star in the East) to go with Joe Johnson, while Jack is a former Georgia Tech standout who showed promise as the Blazers' starting point guard this season. Why would Portland agree to such a deal? For one, Oden reportedly wants to play with his buddy Conley. Oden has even hired Conley's father as his agent. While the Blazers might have the same trepidation about using such a high pick on Conley, it is a more reasonable gamble for them given that Oden is going to be their franchise player. Randolph, meanwhile, is largely expendable now that LaMarcus Aldridge has shown he is a potential stud at power forward. True, Randolph is at that level now, but he is also a questionable character who won't be happy splitting time next season. By shipping him out, the Blazers could clear minutes for Aldridge, get rid of Randolph's massive remaining contract (four years, $61 million) and continue their cleanup of the Jail Blazers image. Or Knight could turn to his old mentor in Indiana, Donnie Walsh, and try to acquire Jermaine O'Neal and Jamaal Tinsley. Or maybe he could call up the Grizzlies and try to pry Pau Gasol, a player Knight actually traded for (from the Hawks, coincidentally) when he was running the show in Memphis. The important thing for Knight is that he show some creativity. The Hawks likely won't have significant salary-cap room to sign a free agent, but they have some decent veteran players with expiring deals in Tyronn Lue ($3.5), Lorenzen Wright ($3.25) and Anthony Johnson ($2.9) to offer as sweeteners in any package. Knight should be able to do something to at least get the Hawks to take the next step. Hawks fans have been waiting long enough. Some of Knight's past decisions -- from including Boris Diaw in the Johnson trade to passing on Chris Paul and Deron Williams in the 2005 draft -- have left his critics with plenty of ammunition. If he doesn't find a way to get Atlanta back into playoff contention next season, the pressure on Hawks ownership to make a change might be too great for him to survive.

Pavlik-Miranda was huge! Taylor-Spinks was awful. I still think Calzaghe is the dominant man at the middle weights and would like to see him fight Taylor or Kessler, but Pavlik has put himself right in the mix. He looks to have good hands, power and a chin, so he's looking good. Hatton-Castillo could be the next barn burner...

Finals with 3 different teams says a lot. Shaq has been dominant for a long time. He would be the most dominant since Jordan, but Duncan one behind him.

1. Portland - Greg Oden. With their roster there is no way they pass up Oden for Durant. They have some skilled wing players and need the big man to anchor the middle. Case closed on who #1 is now... 2. Seattle - Kevin Durant - a no brainer after Oden is off the board. 3. Atlanta - I see the pick being traded in a package for Conley Jr with maybe Milwaukee at 6. So Milwaukee take Al Horford here. 4. Memphis - Yi Jianlian - 7 feet and loads of potential. Has looked good in international competition. 5. Boston - Brandan Wright - can score inside and is a great athlete.

Which low block scorer will Chicago get this offseason. They obviously want one of Gasol, Garnett or ONeal, but they may have to give too much away to get one of them. There is not a lot on the free agent list unless they go back to Detroit to get McDyess, but that is a level below the other guys. Do you think they should risk chemistry by sending Gordon, Tyrus Thomas and a pick to Memphis?

the worst thing is that Duncan stepped on the court from the bench area when Elson was fouled while holding the ring on a dunk - and no suspension...

I could see Artest working in LA. The only other place I could see him is Chicago if they trade Deng as part of a package for Gasol and need help at the 3, as Ron played pretty well there. Although Skiles + Artest - ooh that wont be pretty.

was just about to ask the same thing... I think he has to be. If you look at the replay with the angle looking at the bench, he clearly reacts immediately after seeing the foul, comes off the bench and onto the court. Against the rules and the NBA will have to suspend him. Big loss for the Suns in a crucial game. Time for Diaw to step up to the plate.

I think you're right actually. I dont think they have the pieces for Kidd but maybe Monta Ellis (although G State will want to keep him now).. or Stackhouse is a free agent as is Earl Boykins who can light it up...

Manute Bol had that one game where he drained 6 3s..!!