Dejay

There's a matter of common sense and arithmetic. Greenberg was dead on while Golig is still sniffing the fumes from his old locker room because it makes perfect sense. If its to move from 17th in the draft to 13th, of course not. But if tanking gives you a better possibility of getting a guy who can change the whole paridigm of the franchise (Oden, Durant possibly?), you have to seriously consider it. You think Cleveland is regretting their idea of laying down like dogs, only to end up with Labron James? They were in worse shape than the Hawks before that day. Now they're one of the network darlings and haven't seen an unsold seat in their building since. Sure, it doesn't guarantee anything in the lottery, as we and Celtic fans will surely attest, but having an extra ping-pong ball or two can make all the difference. It can be the difference between drafting Gary Payton and drafting Rumeal Robinson.

Everything is possible although with the lease deal the Hawks have with the arena, it is very doubtful. Belkin and his gang would have to give up an assload of $$$ to get out of that deal and any elected official who signs off on it will be left hanging out to dry come re-election time. But as I've stated before, if it were to happen, I'd never watch another NBA game again. I don't want this team to leave, only to have the lightbulb pop on in the front office like it did with the Rams, Grizzlies (Vancouver would've loved those playoff appearances the last three years), Ravens, Avalanche, Flames, Hurricanes, etc. With the Phoenix Coyotes being the exception, every team that moves always has a quantum leap in success in terms of on-field performance. You don't think the folks in Cleveland would've loved to have seen the Browns win a Super Bowl there instead of having to stomach watching Art Modell hoist the Lombardi trophy in Baltimore? It still makes my blood boil thinking of the Flames winning a Stanley Cup and playing for two more since leaving here in 1981; those title runs in the mid-late '80s would've done wonders here, especially considering how wretched the Braves and Falcons were at the time. Not disrespecting the Thrashers because I love 'em but there was history with the Flames; they were getting big crowds when the other three teams couldn't give away tickets in the '70s. That, along with the run they had later could've made things really special here. I want my payoff from the near 30 years of having to stomach the bad draft picks, the jacked up trades, in the form of a championship parade down Peachtree Street, not having to watch it from Louisville or Las Vegas. And judging by this board, I'm not alone.

You took the words right off my laptop. As for logos, the one on your avatar would work for me. They need to get rid of those jerseys, though. What good has come from wearing them??

Sura, Rebracka, Pryzbilla, et al would've never seen the court in Hawk gear if I had anything to do with it. I don't care if they're fully healthy; they would still attend games in Armani suits (it worked for Alan Henderson who feigned injuries left and right so he wouldn't have to play). And if Terry Stotts didn't like it, he could go back to being an assistant coach somewhere else. BK's entire plan hinged on him getting the top pick and drafting Howard or Okafor to be his new foundation to rebuild the franchise. He should've never allowed his coach to play guys who wanted to pad their numbers for another payday while sinking the team further into oblivion.

To draft MW when the entire world KNEW that you needed a point guard in a point guard loaded draft should be grounds for dismissal. That's a draft where we'll be looking back on it ten years from now and wonder why he wasn't fired the second after stepping off the podium. We wouldn't be waiting/praying/hoping for MW to come out of his shell and become a player; we'd already have one. If BK would've had his ish together, the Hawks wouldn't have $13 million commmitted to FOUR BACKUP POINT GUARDS NOW . And that's just ONE of his picks, folks. I would go down the SW road but its too congested with traffic right now for me to bother. As for Childress, he is a good role player and 6th man but as I've stated a million times, you don't draft role players to come off the bench with the 6th pick; you draft for starter material (i.e. Deng/Iguodala). If given the choice to fire just one of them, the first one off the island would be BK by a landslide.

It was the only time I've ever seen Sura play hard and play hurt since entering the league. BK made the Rasheed deal to bring those guys in with the notion that Sura would opt for the injured list like he's always done. It backfired once Sura decided that it would be in his best interest to play for another contract, while screwing the Hawks out of any chances at Howard. They were beating teams they had no business even competing with, including a good Sacramento team. A few more losses would've netting them Howard or Okafor at worst. Instead, they ended up with a good role player at 6; good, but not game changing, which is what the Hawks were looking to get with their lotto selection.

BK has as good a chance of getting another gig as an NBA GM as Georgia State has of joining the SEC. Are you kidding, KB? As much as I've complained about Woodson, it isn't fair to expect him to do much when he's totally handicapped by the complete incompetence of the front office. This guy has two legit starters (JJ and Smith), role players (Zaza, Childress, MW), career backups (Wright, Shelden, insert any point guard on the roster here), and others who should be logging minutes in the CBA or NBDL. Phil Jackson, Pat Riley, and Red Auerbach in their primes couldn't win 40 games with this bunch. Swim this thought in your head for a second, KB; the Hawks have $13 million committed to four backup point guards. THIRTEEN MILLION DOLLARS FOR FOUR BACKUP POINT GUARDS. You can't tell me with a straight face how many guys in the know laugh their asses off at the notion of that. BK is the only guy I've ever seen who has made folks on this forum reminisence of the 'good ole days' with Babcock running the show and getting the team bounced in the second round of the playoffs. That speaks more volumes than War and Peace, folks. We used to revile the thought of Babs screwing up in the draft; he now looks like Jerry West in his Laker days compared to BK. The best position in the draft used to be the first pick; nowadays, its the first pick AFTER BK IS DONE. If I was an NBA GM, I'd be sure to trade up or down to the very pick after the Hawks because you know that move would payoff in spades. The Bulls, Sixers, Hornets, Jazz, and Blazers probably all send Christmas baskets to BK for his jacked up picks and leaving much better talent on the boards for them to get.

but funny as hell. Candice isn't bad on the eyes at all. As a UT alum, I'm glad to see her lead her team to the Final Four, especially after watching the men's squad fold like a cheap card table in the second half to Ohio State in the Sweet 16.

As I've stated a million times, unless Marvin becomes a 22/8 guy, BK will always be vilified for making him the #2 pick. Felton and #13 or even a future first-round pick looks like gold compared to waiting, praying, wishing, and hoping that MW will one day be everything that BK claims he would. There would still be at least $6.5-10 million available to bring in some REAL help in the post (sorry but Wright isn't doesn't count) because we wouldn't need Claxton or AJ on the roster. And please don't get me started on the Sheldon pick. To promise a guy at #5 without checking out the merchandise is like buying a Jaguar on Ebay for $100K, only to be sent a poster of one.

When the fans get it right FAAAAR more often than the guy who is supposed to be in 'the know', what does that say about the person in charge? It says to me that he really doesn't know what he's doing and when you're in the position the Hawks have been in for the last eight years, you have to ensure the fans that he no longer makes decisions for the team. Think about it for a second; this team has $13 million tied into four career backup point guards, which could've easily been avoided if Deron or Paul was drafted. Even trading down to get Jack or Felton would've produced more in terms of additional picks and/or a veteran who isn't completely washed up (see Wright, Lorenzen) than having to later break off $25 million to Paul's backup. That one move would've made the Hawks playoff contenders LAST YEAR, which would've prevented them from having the 5th pick, which would've prevented them from embarrassing themselves by picking Sheldon so high (he likely would've been available at 12-15, anyway). Yet, here we are again, hoping that the ping-pong balls fall their way, knowing that they've gone snake eyes for the most part ever since the lottery system was enacted in 1985.

BK couldn't say that he didn't have the high draft picks to get players. This team would be playoff contenders TODAY if any two of those guys (CP/Deron, Josh Howard, Roy, Deng/Igoudala)are on the roster. That's been the most damning of BK's tenure here; he was supposed to be this scouting/personnel guru when it came to evaluating talent and the best he's been able to do was draft bench guys and role players with top-10 picks. When your team has missed the playoffs for the better part of a decade, screwing up on high picks like BK has done only makes it more painful to follow the franchise. BTW, nice reference on the Access Atlanta forums. Those were the good ole days when we used to only complain about not advancing in the playoffs and why Ty Corbin is still the starting small forward. Sigh....

If you think that Roy would be getting Ivie-like minutes on this team of misfits, you have to be kidding yourself. The most ignorant thing I've said on this board? Surely, you must be joking so put down the Duke colored glasses, son.

Yep, you pretty much said it all. There was no need to take an undersized power forward with a short reach and no power moves in the paint let alone guarantee him with the 5th pick of the draft. Again, if he was all that BK thought he was then why go and spend a second round pick and free agent $$$ on guys playing the same position? A simply awful selection. PULL THE TRIGGER AND FIRE KNIGHT!!! GAME, SET, MATCH.

I don't care how Roy wouldn't have 'fit' on our team, he holds far more value in a trade than SW ever would. As I said before the draft, SW's skillset is what second rounders (like Solomon) and second-tier free agents are for, not the 5th pick of the draft. You simply don't promise a guy with a high-end draft pick without testing him out on a court to see if he's everything you thought he would be. Hopefully a new coach (and GM) will get Sheldon to play up to his ceiling, however low we think his ceiling is right now.

I also agree with Hot's accessment of this team and have said this in earlier posts. JJ and Smith are the only guys on this team who would start on the majority of other rosters in the league. The rest would be coming off the bench right now (Childress, Lue, Zaza, MW, Speedy, AJ, Salim, Wright) or playing in the NBDL (Sheldon and Ivie). Take a serious look at that for a second. Out of all the lotto picks and cap space BK has had to work with, that's the best he's could do? And with the exception of Smith, the rest of his first round selections have been mediocre at best and that's only because Childress's and MW's recent play moved the bar from awful. And who's still left on the 'SW will be a player in the league' island because Gilligan and the Skipper are looking for a place to land their boat.

Simply awesome, baby!!!

You just echoed everything I've been feeling since the '05 Draft. Sure Paul isn't the savior as Plastic Man would feebly try to tell you last night but he sure turned water into wine and brought the dead back to life when the Hawks came into town. Nineteen consecutive points created directly or indirectly from Paul; nah, I sure wouldn't want a guy who makes clutch plays like that when it matters most on my team. Beaten horse? Of course, of course. But the Keefe, Koncak, Edwards, and Dion Glover picks were beaten horses. So were the Henderson, Crawford, and Koncak extensions. So were the Glenn Robinson, J.R. Rider, and Nique trades. A 2nd, 5th, and 6th pick overall in the draft over the last three seasons and the best we can do is...well, you get the point. Its truly sickening to think of how historically bad this franchise has been from a management side of things over the years.

Just because Paul makes clutch plays to help his team win tonight and I talk about the fact that BK screwed this franchise up royally with his jacked up picks (the Williams boys with the 2nd and 5th picks) and free agent signings (Claxton and Wright), you want to come back with some weak ass comment like 'get off his nizzuts'? Honestly, is that the best you can do? I'm mad about the whole situation, not just the fact that Paul or Deron Williams isn't here but the fact that $13 million is being spent on FOUR BACKUP POINT GUARDS when one draft pick done right would've alleviated the entire situation. End of story. You can't win this argument. Let me rephrase that; you WON'T win this argument. Even the most ardent of BK supporters can't deny that he 'effed up six ways to Sunday on the '05 pick. When Marvin start becoming everything that we all HOPE he'll be, then the debate can begin again; until then, its a one-sided affair. GAME, SET, MATCH. Goodnight....

Means that CP3 finished the 4th by going 4 of 5 and making plays when needed most. Oh BTW, if 24/13/5 isn't lighting it up, what did Clankston do? I'll take those numbers all day long, twice on Sunday, and sleep good at night, especially when he does the most damage in crunch time. Broken record, beaten horse, whatever.

The Marvin over Paul/Williams pick will haunt this franchise the same way the Nique trade and Koncak pick has until he grows up (soon) and become the game changing 24/8 guy BK claims he'll be. Talk about playoff picture; if Paul had been drafted, the Hawks would've been in the playoff picture LAST YEAR. Remember, they lost 40 of 56 games by >10 points; you're telling me that CP3 wouldn't have made the difference in at least a dozen of those games? As for Sheldon, well, I tried my best to see BK's rationale on drafting him so high. I think its more of a time-space continuance thing. If Paul was drafted, the Hawks would've been drafting much lower, which would've made the Sheldon pick not look nearly as bad. Instead, BK fouled up the pick, gave $25 million to his backup, bought into Sheldon wayyy too early, and still waiting on MW to justify it all. Good grief...

Yep, BK passed on Paul to later hand $25 million to his backup with the warped idea that he could do better. Now THAT'S original, folks. I couldn't even imagine the look he had on his face while watching CP3 light up Clankston and Co. Yes, it's been beaten to death, already but c'mon. Unless Marvin turns out to be more than just a 16/6 guy (which is the most I can see him doing as of right now) this stands to be one of the all-timers in terms of bad draft picks.

If I had a dollar for every viable player or all-star caliber one that BK, Babs, or Kasten missed out on over the last quarter-century, my student loans would be paid with interest. My $64K question of the week isn't why but when; when are we going to get someone competent in the front office to run things? If any of you went to the basketball reference website to see the list of guys the Hawks could have had and passed over, it would absolutely sicken you. It appears as if every first round pick with Babs and now, BK, is an episode of Def Comedy Jam in the making as far as the rest of the basketball world is concerned. How many times have we seen David Stern almost double over with laughter before revealing another Hawks bust..err...pick? With the exception of Smith, is there another pick of BK's that folks here wouldn't be debating for the next several hours? Uhhh, nope. Outside of the JJ trade, what other trade or free agent deal BK's made to actually improve the team (and no, purging salaries to tank don't count, especially when Sura and Co. decides to play hard and cost you a shot at Howard or Okafor)? I know there's a ton of negativity on this board and folks are attempting to take the high road and stay optimistic. But let's call it like it is. This is a rudderless ship with a fractured ownership group who spends more time in court than over their product, an arrogant and incompetent GM who's built as many playoff teams here and in Vancouver as I have, and an assistant coach who's over his head as the head guy. For all of this 'rebuilding' this team still only have three real players on the entire roster (JJ, Smith, and, okay, I'll give you Childress). The rest are career backups (AJ, Lue, Wright, Claxton, Zaza), shouldn't be getting an NBA check (Ivey, Richardson), or don't know what they are or if they'll ever be what they want to be (both Williamses). Utah and Orlando were in the same position our team was only a couple of years ago; now both of those teams are in playoff position (Utah's about to win the division), while we're talking about Indy's pick and it's not even March yet. Even Wikipedia mentions that this franchise holds the longest streak of not drafting an All-Star or Pro Bowler of any team in pro sports; shouldn't that tell you something regarding the sort of direction this organization has been under?

If I recall, Kasten's hands were forced by Ted Turner and Terry McGuirk to hire a baseball mind to run the show, fire Russ Nixon, and bring Cox back into the dugout. They were sick of the losing and wanted someone with a clue to run things. That happened in a Cincinnati hotel room while the Braves were on a road trip in the summer of 1990. While I'll give him credit for bringing in Schoerholz, its too bad the same duo never forced him to remove Babs; he didn't leave the ivory towers until the damage had already been done.

You mean the same Stan Kasten who drafted the likes of Don Collins, Al Wood, Keith Edmonson, and Jon Koncak over the likes of Rolando Blackman, Fat Lever, Karl Malone, Larry Nance, among others? THAT Stan Kasten? The same one who enabled the most incompetent GM east of Elgin Baylor's office to detonate the franchise well before BK could finish the job? That Stan Kasten? The one who's negligence is one of the reasons why Philips stay empty even to this day? The one who gave final approval for the infamous Nique for Manning deal as well as the Henderson/Koncak/Crawford extensions as well as trading for Glenn Robinson and J.R. Rider? The same one who was literally booed for 20 minutes straight while Nique was getting his jersey retired? The same one who has as many NBA championship rings from his leadership as I do? OKAY.....

To quote Boyz to Men.... "Its so hard, to say goodbye, to...." Who the HELL I'm kidding? Goodbye, au revoir, get gone. Are you ready to put that Diaw-flavored kool aid down now? Dale Russell and the I-team couldn't have exposed him as a bigger fraud than JJ and Co. did tonight. He might have been injured but I doubt it; otherwise, he wouldn't have returned in the second half. Get used to leaving sooner than expected, Phx fan; Mavs or Spurs fans will be telling you the same thing in the second round of the playoffs.