DominiqueWilkins

Ya I think Byron Scott is most likely to be signed as the Hornets new head coach. I don't think Knight is considering him as much as others. I think Scott ranks at the bottom on Knights list compared to many coaches out there, and I hope Scott stays that way if it is actually true. I think alot of people around the league question what Scott did with New Jersey, even if it is hard considering he took the team to the finals 2 times.

Ok so if we sign Kobe we need to build a team around him, which is common sense. I think Kobe is a better leader than T-Mac, and I don't think the Hawks will drop as low as the Magic have. Kobe and T-Mac share alot of the same qualties, but I feel Kobe overall is a better leader. The Magic built a horrible team around T-Mac, and now are in a bind. That is one of the mistakes you don't make during the process. You don't jump the gun to sign players you hope will get along with your star. The Spurs have done a wonderful job each year to complete Tim Duncan, and this years ranks at the top due to David Robinson not being around. There are players the Hawks could go after this offseason that would work very well with Kobe. I say sign Kobe as long as the Hawks are willing to make a game plain each year to sign the right players.

I read alot of the articles also about how the owners seemed to like Terry Stotts. I was thinking myself that they may let him ride out another year, but he ends up being fired. Once I heard/read he was fired I was thinking back on some of those articles I read. The owners seemed to like him in alot of ways, but Billy Knight must of had the final say!! I hope the owners let Billy Knight have the final say, considering he is our GM. We all don't have to trust Billy Knight but he is our GM, and he needs to call the shots until he is untrusted by our owners. I'm going to give Billy Knight this offseason/draft to make a final judgement on him.

I'm sick of Chad Ford and ESPN when it comes to the Hawks. They never have anything good to say, and will they ever? Even if we are one of the top teams in the league they will always have something negative to say. We can't listen to them, as they have no control over what goes on with our team. There are many Hawks fans out there, that are hurt by what has happened over the years. I know alot of them who are ready for the upcoming season, now that the new ownership is in control. They disliked AOL Time Warner so bad they refused to go to a Hawks game, even with free tickets(by myself). This is a new start and our new ownership needs to gain respect from players around the league, and the fans. Chad Ford and anyone else around the league can say whatever they wish, but the Hawks will one day be on top, and all we need to do is add a solid core of guys who work together.

Quote: 1. He will be an established guy as big name as possible; whom the players will respect and the fans will respect. Lets hope this happenes and a coach that can take control of his players!! Nellie? I don't know if that is a wise move if the Mavs fire him. I really don't want the Hawks to hire him as the head coach, and I feel there is a overall better option out there.

Quote: Dwight Howard and Josh Smith. If the Hawks could figure out a way to get these two players in this draft, and then add Randolph Morris next year, it would be amazing. You really are having a wet dream, aren't ya? That would be outstanding if we could come away with Dwight & Josh, but I wont wish to much harder for Morris. I would love to start it off by adding 2 and then hope for next year with Morris.

Quote: I keep hearing people say "he can run the break" and crap like that. Two things you have to realize. One, and this is a minor point, but he was playing HS ball, and not even against the larger populations of schools in Atlanta (AAU is different, granted) I played aganist Dwight Howards AAU team before he joined a few years ago, and let me tell you playing aganist AAU teams alone made me gain more experience. High School ball is a breeze compared to AAU ball, and I would like to see Dwight Howards career averages from his AAU team. I think Dwight Howard has good court vision, but the NBA is a totally different ball game. You don't know the style you will have, because you don't know who your coach will be. People need to understand it doesn't matter what he knows right now until it is tested in the NBA, because of what I just listed. Does Dwight Howard know what type of offense or defense he will be running. NO!

Quote: I was reading this on RealGM forum and it interested me. I would prefer to also get Sura back but other then that I liked the moves made here. It was posted by a guy names PJA. Also I believe Walt is Walter. I wish he would come back here. http://www.realgm.com/boards/viewtopic.php...der=asc&start=0 Looks as if everyone else didn't agree with him!! Which moves did you like that PJA posted?

Quote: I think moving up to get Dwight Howard is what this team has to do from a marketability as well as ability standpoint. I don't think Dwight Howard will become a marketing standout. I compare Dwight Howard to a Tim Duncan personality, and that wont get him to far in the market. Dwight Howard may prove me wrong, but from my understanding the sky attitude doesn't get you to far in the market. Tim Duncan has his share of t.v. air time off the court, but I don't see Dwight Howard becoming as great of a marketing sucess as some may believe. I wouldn't compared Dwight Howard to Shareef Abdur-Rahim being the "hometown hero" because I have seen Dwight Howard become more flashy then Shareef could ever dream of. In the few times I have seen Dwight Howard I saw him throw down more hard slams then I have ever seen Shareef do.

If we have to give up that much to get Dwight Howard I perfer to draft another power forward instead. Tiago Splitter is a guy I really like, who can do just about everything, and we may be able to draft him with our 17th pick. Lets not trade the entire future for Dwight Howard. Say we end up with the 2nd - 6th pick I would trade our lottery pick along with Jason Terry to be in postion to draft Dwight Howard.

It would be a horrible move for Knight to even temp to contact the Howard family. The Howard family has already made it clear they are wanting Dwight to play for the Hawks, and there is nothing more to be said. Knight knows Howard wants to be a Hawks. The family knows the Hawks are most likely going to draft him, and if we are unable to do so we will most likely draft Josh Smith.

You make some strong points!! I have been saying all along to many people, before I joined this board that Stotts would be fired because he couldn't handle the team. He couldn't take control of any of the players during the entire year, and the players flat out didn't respect him. Wheather we are going after a big name coach or a rookie coach, they need to hold the quality of being able to take control of there own players, and be respected. Something Terry Stotts just couldn't do. Quote: Once again I don't think you guys understand why Stotts was fired. He was not fired because they have a golden boy in mind to replace him. He was fired because there's new ownership coming in, intent on showing that mediocrity of the past is no longer acceptable and we are a new franchise. So just about everyone's gotta go except Knight who is the GM who started the wholesale shipping of our players. Regardless of who will replace him, Stotts just had to go. Otherwise people think that the ownership is satisfied with a 28-54 record. Yes it might not be fair (although I think it is), and yes the team got shook half-way through, but that's the way of NBA coaching. Coaches are hired to be fired. There is no reason for Stotts to be the eastern conference dean just because we are sorry for him. The new ownership's biggest task is to get the city of atlanta involved again. Show them that they understand that mediocrity is not acceptable and things are changing. That's what they're trying to do. Now as for wittman himself, I don't know too much about him as a coach. My biggest concern in hiring a coach is is he a good teacher? Will he and his team be ready to teach young players team ball and fundamentals? I know he didn't do so great in cleveland. I'm not going to put too much thought into this because it's a peter vecsey rumor.

Quote: if he can really back it up... in the NBA (not euroleague), then i will let him talk all he wants... til then, hes no different from any other dude... keep ur mouth shut! I agree!! I have seen a few tapes of him, and he made me say "wow" at times, but the NBA is the best of the best, and he needs to watch his mouth before he steps foot on that court.

Knight needs to be on the Pistons front door steps begging for there first round draft pick!! Instead we get the Bucks pick, and thank God they made the playoffs.

Floyd needs to flat out be out of the NBA, because he isn't very good. I will give him credit and say the Hornets had some talent hurt like Jamal Mashburn. The Hornets still have stars on there teams from the center to Baron Davis, and many role players. I give Floyd zero credit for getting the team to the playoffs, because it wasn't his doing. I expect to see him back in college, instead of trying to land with another NBA team. I suppose his wallet fat thanks to the Bulls and Hornets.

I'm a bit iffy about Del Harris, but I do know the players do respect him on the Mavs. Del Harris has coached alot of talent at different times in his career, and he wasn't the best at his job, but has came away with 500 plus wins. The one down fall in his win/loss record our the L's as they are right behind his wins. Reminds me of Lenny Wilkins. Del Harris wouldn't be my top pick by all means.

Quote: well... its like this SHAQ hasnt being play like the #1 center in the league and Kobes been the MVP of the team thus far in the playoffs. had the same poll been taken durin kobe/shaqs first playoff run at the NBA TITLE... more peop would had voted for SHAQ. i cant say anythin about JERRY WEST... since i havent seen him play. The poll states nothing about the present time, and career wise Shaq has been the glue to the Lakers sucess. Shaq should be above Kobe, no doubt.

Fratello would be one of the guys on the top of my list, and I don't trust Scott fully. I think he had some control problems, and was unable to get his team focus. Ya...Ya...Ya..I know he took his team to the championship, but alot that had to do with the players he had. I still think Kidd was the glue the entire time, and Scott received alot of credit until the story ended. How does K-Mart like Scott? We all know Kidd disliked the guy, but any word on how the rest of the team liked him?

Quote: most people read a profile or two on nbadraft.net and draftcity and then act like they really know these players. There are euro games on NBAtv, not that I have it. I didn't get league pass cause I was pissed that Comcast didn't have NBAtv. Of course they've added it since, leaving me in the wind... I mentioned Pavel, because if he is out there with the 17th pick we must consider him. I know there are bad things going around about him right now, but alot of the questions will be answered before draft time. Pavel has alot of ups and downs, but the positive sides out weight the negative sides, atleast I think. Like I said if he even falls to the 17th pick. I know alot of people just guess about players, and don't do to much research. They rely on two websites, and don't try to find things out for there selfs. I on the other hand have done some reserach about the players I listed, and wouldn't of listed them at the picks I did if I knew they would become bust. There are a good bit of overseas players I just don't have a clue about, but majority of the ones listed in nbadraft.net, and so fourth I do have a understanding on. I hope everyone else does a bit of research on a player, before they post how the Hawks should draft them.

Andre Iguodola seems to be a better player at this point, but you never know how anyone will fair in the NBA. Sato is who I really like, and about the only guy the Hawks will have a chance to go after later on. I don't see the Hawks picking Andre with our lottery pick, but Sato will be there later on to grab up. Both are very exciting players, and I have been paying close attention to Sato, because I want him on this team. Why not add a track star? What is the big problem with that, and how does it do anything to hurt his NBA status? Having a track background only makes him that much more positive, because he most likely has a better work ethic in other ways. We wont have to worry about him not going up in down the court, and keeping up with everyone else around the league.

Here is my picks, before reading the rest of the post: If we are stuck with the 6th pick: 6th pick: Josh Smith, Andris Biedrins, trade up to aquire Dwight Howard. 17th pick: Pavel Podkolzine, Tiago Splitter, Al Jefferson, Robert Swift, Sasha Vujacic, JR Smith, Peter John Ramos!!!(most likely wont be around by this time), and Roko-Leni Ukic 35th pick: Ha Seung-Jin, Luka Bogdanovic(outstanding talent) 38th pick: Romain Sato(may go higher)

Kobe along with every free agent we go after must like the coach we have, or there will only be problems. Why should we just sign a coach that one player likes. There are many coaches out there that are capable of doing much better than Scott did with the Nets, and I have some issues about his past coaching job. The team was stacking without having a solid center, and Kidd is the glue to that team. If it wasn't for Kidd the Nets would be lucky to even make the playoffs. Now Richard Jefferson is showing his stardom, and they are having more sparkes on that team than ever before. Scott may be about to lure Kobe in, but we still need to focus on a entire coaching staff as a "Group" from the scouts, trainers, "Center" coach, and last but not least a young talent/rookie friendly coach.

Quote: That series is going 7.....I don't see for the life of me why people think this Series is over. All San Antonio did was protect home court, which is what they were suppose to do. We will see how well the Lakers protect there home court. The Spurs work so well together they can beat just about anyone, and if they win the championship this season they deserve every ounce of credit for it. There coach is amazing, and he is about to bring his troops together as one. The Lakers are in a very hard sitution, because say they win there home court, they still must go back to the Spurs!! Spurs win the series with no questions asked.

Quote: ok, that answers it, bring in fratello. I like the idea of Fratello, ahead of Scott. I heard alot about Scott not doing his job to the fullest, and he was fired for it. The Nets defently have the right man coaching the team!! I hope Knight has done his home work on Scott, and puts him under a microscope before thinking to hire him. What type of coach is Scott to the younger players? Is he friendly to rookies? The last thing we need is a coach to come in here, that doesn't want to give the young talent/rookies a chance.

I am pleased to see Stotts exit, and I was getting a bit worried that Knight would keep him around for another season. The lack of respect the players/fan had for him, was enough for him to exit. I don't see how we would of gained any positive free agents this offseason if Stotts was around. It's not like I see us signing alot of guys or even a star for that matter, but we would of went no where with Stotts around. Most of the free agents our restricted, but we can offer Kobe a MAX contract, and hope he accepts. My point is the % chance of us signing anyone with Stotts around would of been slim, and I just can't picture anyone from Kobe or K-Mart wanting to sign with the Hawks if Stotts were to be there next coach. Knight did the right thing this time, but he did wait a bit to long, unless he knew Doc wanted "control" which Knight wasn't willing to give. Cheers to oh ward.