Dejay

Yet people on this board want folks in town to continue to wait it out and not be so impatient. Because we all know there are so many perennial contenders in the NBA who are under the cap like the Hawks currently are, aren't they? My $64K question of the week is what happens if they miss the playoffs again? What does that do to the psyche of Smith and Childress, especially considering how strapped the ownership is. Does anyone REALLY believe that the ownership will have it together by the time free agency hits next year after the appeals are done to make the splash many on this board is hoping for? After all, isn't that the reason they are holding on to this capspace, so they can bring in more talent along with being able to sign their young guys 2-3 years later?

I would surely hope that SW and Marvin are everything we (and BK) hope to be, if not better. Otherwise, we'll be looking at those draft picks and what could've been for a long time (as would ESPN, Foxsports, and CNNSI), just we did during the Babcock/Kasten years.

And that's my point. I don't think there were any 'Over the Lines' episodes on ESPN detailing how the Bulls' dynasty would crumble because of the cap back when they were winning titles. And there wasn't any hints of problems with the Spurs, Kings, Mavs, Pacers, Heat, Suns, or Lakers for that matter because they've been in contention for the better part of a decade now. Last I checked, neither of those squads ran a bare-bones operation to get there like this one has. NOT A SINGLE ONE. I'm not advocating that the Hawks should go on a spending spree for the hell of it but my goodness, this idea of not spending any $$$ unless it becomes painfully obvious for them to do so (JJ, Claxton, Zaza) gets pretty old, especially to an already impatient and apathetic fanbase.

Quote: and u won't win a championship with overpaid, mediocre players You mean like Miami just did with Antoine Walker and Jason Williams???

Which is exactly why I'm against this 'wait a few more years while we play the young guys and hope for better' mode that BK has the franchise under right now. If they continue this and don't get to the playoffs soon, it won't matter how much the Hawks are under the cap. Both Joshes and MW will be looking elsewhere once their rookie contracts are up because of the hopeless situation here. How many playoff contenders would love to have either of those guys, especially considering that the grunt work (i.e., player development) was already done on the Hawks' dime? This 'wait 2-3 more years and we might have something' plan is the same thing that Rankin Smith tried with the Falcons, which pretty much explains why they've never had consecutive winning seasons in their 40-year history. It seems to always blow up in your face because guys you're banking on get tired of planning tee times and vacation cruises in mid-April while their colleages elsewhere are positioning their teams for playoff seeds and homecourt advantage. You don't think there wouldn't be at least a little frustration on Smith's and Childress's part if they miss the playoffs for a THIRD STRAIGHT YEAR? You don't think a couple of players on other teams would throw hints of leaving to play for a 'real team' once their contracts are up while they're playing out the string (again)? That's not selfish, that's human nature.

If capspace was a banner, the Hawks would have a dynasty by now. ESPN would be running specials on what it would take for other teams to overcome the Hawks run of capspace banners and talk about Charlotte becoming a top contender for next year. They would be interview Babs and Kasten, along with talking to former Bulls GM Jerry Krause about to build a team well below the salary cap in hopes of getting a team to the playoffs 7+ years later.

Yep, because BK's track record and lineage of playoff runs and conference championship appearances in his career as a GM is FAR better than this fan's opinion. I mean, he's constructed as many playoff teams (and nope, don't give me the Grizzlies, who started winning once Hubie and West got there) as I have over the past decade so this fan can't be THAT far off. As I said before, if this this team as is goes 42-40 and makes the playoffs (hell, even if they go 37-45), I'll be the first one lined up to say that I was dead wrong. Like a lot of folks, I've been here long enough to have done that before. But if this team flounders or better yet, they bring in some players for Harrington and starts winning, would you guys do the same??????

Do I think the young guys will improve their game from a year ago? Of course I do; we ALL DO. Enough to win an additional 15+ games to get to the playoffs? Uhhh, nope; not without some additional help, which could be had from what is obtained from the Harrington deal along with the signing of Lorenzen Wright. While Harrington has his shortcomings, he was still the team's second leading scorer and lone threat in the post. To say that his production could be easily replaced by 2nd and 3rd players who have yet to show their stuff on a consistent basis is rather foolish, IMHO. Speaking of improving, did I mention the names of Murphy or Jaric as far as trading Harrington for? Did anyone on this board? I'm pretty sure your boy, BK, can do better than that. Don't you agree, KB???? You see, as a fan, I could give a fat baby's ASS about the luxury tax or salary cap flexibility. I really, REALLY could care less. I care about winning championships, PERIOD. When the Lakers had their run of titles, I don't think there was anyone at the parade that was thinking, 'yeah, we won it all but boy are we in for some salary cap issues in the next 5 years'. Whether the payroll is $38 million or $138 million, I DON'T CARE; as Al Davis would say, JUST WIN BABY. GAME, SET, MATCH.

Or.....we could continue to flounder around the 25-30 win mark for the next 2-3 years and lose them ANYWAY once they're tired of watching the playoffs from the plasma screens in their living rooms. Now that this deal's dead in the water, what's the solution, KB? Since no one else other than Charlotte has the room to bring Al in without trading salary back, it seems like the Hawks would have to get someone back. I'm hoping that the person's at least decent and could help right now.

There are some players available on the teams mentioned who can help the Hawks right now and not in 2009. I was against this Indy deal from jump street; can you imagine trying to sell a mid-late 1st round pick to prospective ticket buyers when many knew Harrington would eventually be shown the door the instant Marvin Williams's name was announced in the draft over a year ago? Its high time to move on and get some guys who can help the team win THIS SEASON.

I'm with you, Diesel. The fastest way to erasing a debt is increasing revenue and in their case, they need to win, period. But as you stated, winning an extra 6-10 games while praying that they are within hailing distance of the 8th seed won't cut it. Fans here have been accustomed to 90+ win seasons from the Braves for damn near a decade and a half now so what's going to get them to pay $$$ to see the Hawks and Grizzlies get it on? Hell, the Falcons were one playoff win away from a second Super Bowl birth a couple of years ago while the Thrashers are closer to the playoffs than the Hawks and they weren't even around when this playoff drought started. To move folks to show up, you must have a product that they believe will be in championship contention; since this franchise has stripteased the fans here for so long, they won't bother unless drastic improvement is made on the court and in the standings.

Dion Glover. He was also taken in the first round after suffering a knee injury while at Tech. One of his 'strengths' was supposed to be his athleticism but he never really had a chance to show it because he was so bad with his shot and handles. I could beat him in a game of H-O-R-S-E around the arc. Too bad Babs didn't think enough to look at other guys who were available like Foster, Devean George, Kenny Thomas, or that Kirilenko guy. I heard he was pretty good. Alan Henderson. He brought style and grace...to courtside fashion because he rarely played after signing his extention. For all of the 'talent' that he had at IU, he never put up the numbers that his contract suggested that he would; not even close. Sure the Hawks had a lack of power players on the roster at the time he was drafted (Long and Lang were the only players 6'9" and over) but they would've been better served with Michael Finley. Adam Keefe. How could we forget about this stiff? I was at the CNN Center when this fiasco took place. The folks there almost threw a riot over this one; even Babs and Kasten couldn't calm the masses down while Bob Weiss had a grin talking about how we would love him because he was a, get this, a 'below the rim type of player'. WTF??? Remember how loaded that draft seemed to be? Even though most of the crowd was screaming for Harold Minor (why???), I would've settled for Robert Horry, Anthony Peeler, hell, even Bryant Stith or p-whipped Doug Christie would've been better. But the underdog I was hoping was a guard from Alabama who I got to see rip my Vols apart up, close, and personal. Imagine Sprewell riding shotgun with Mookie back then; you wouldn't have been able to safely pass the ball anywhere around the perimeter. Instead, we all got to see a guy with a shorter vertical than most toddlers and even less game.

It would be a moment where we all would all be beyond plastered. Could you imagine when that moment comes what it would be like on this board? Our longtime loyalty from back in the AJC forum days being paid off with David Stern handing the trophy to the Hawks? Better yet, the soundbites from the likes of Walton, Ford, Williams, and countless others who made a living badmouthing our team and city all of the sudden acting as if they were longtime fans only for Marvin or JJ to verbally tear a crater-sized hole in their hindparts? There wouldn't be a dry eye in the house (certainly not on this board). As long as they don't collapse like the Falcons did in '99, they wouldn't need concerts or giveaways at the gate to bring the masses in for quite a while.

I took the family to watch the Hawks and Jazz play. I had excellent seats but after tix, food, parking, etc., I found myself on the net looking at my checking account the next morning and didn't like what I saw. While its great to do these things every once in a while, you cannot justify it on a nightly basis unless the team is winning. Yet the media finds the time to hop on their soapboxes as if its our civic duty to make millionaire owners even richer when its hasn't been remotely deserved. I'd love to ask him whether or not he'd be willing to spend his $$$ on such a lousy product; I doubt he'd bother to respond or talk about being a season ticket holder for (insert bad team here) back in 1964 when they went for a whopping $10.

There isn't enough water in the Chattahoochee to put in the bucket from the lines of fans willing to spend $$$ to do that to BK, Belkin, and members of the ownership group. I would've emptied my checking account from it.

I'm not ready to give them a 4-1 start but it should be better than the 2-16 start from a year ago. They don't have the excuses of having to start out on the road to be home opening fodder for western teams now. A .500+ record or near that after the first 20 games is optimistic but possible.

Being a native Atlantan, I take MAJOR ISSUE with his assessment of the fans here. It amazes me how quickly the media types are to tell us how to spend our hard-earned $$$ when most of them get free credentials, parking passes, and a fresh buffet waiting on press row. I have a question for him; would he take $$$ out of his pocket to see this team? If not, then why should he expect a transient fanbase (many of which have no clue as to whether the team still exists until their hometown teams come to town) and disgruntled longtime residents (who's seen the Adam Keefes, Dion Glovers, and Ed Grays trotted out for years and know better) to do likewise? This team hasn't given us anything, and I mean ANYTHING, to get excited about in almost a decade yet we are expected to show up, spend $$$, and watch the owners laugh their way to the bank like Cub fans do at Wrigley. They sell out almost every year while Tribune shrinks the payroll, guts the farm system, and tell them about the budget while pocketing their $$$. What changed there besides the exchange of funds from the fans' pockets to the owners? Nothing. So on behalf of the City of Atlanta and its metro area, forgive us for having the common sense to not spend our $$$ on a product that hasn't sniffed the playoffs since Clinton ran the show or drafted an All-Star since the days of Reagan, Ms. Pac Man, and the Commodore Vic-20. Please forgive us for actually having expectations for our entertainment $$$. Forgive us for having numerous attractions and 11.5 months of good weather to distract us from watching them and the Wizards get it on in mid-February when they're already out of playoff contention. Yeah right, F!CK the national media and their Pollyanna views on supporting a franchise who can't get out of their own way and haven't in a long time.

ROFLMFAO!!! That is toooooo funny, D!!

KB, the sky must be falling because we are in agreement with yet another topic. Rumeal was complete GARBAGE when he was drafted; his claim to fame was hitting two free throws in the national championship game against Seton Hall. For his college success, he had plenty of help; I could've looked like the next Isiah (the guy Babs actually compared Rumeal to) if I had Glen Rice, Sean Higgins, Loy Vaught, and Terry Mills riding shotgun with me on the court. Its pretty telling when then-Nets coach Chuck Daly once said if they had one more guard, Rumeal would've still been in Atlanta (while Rumeal was still in NJ no less). I'd think he'd be a more reliable source in regard to NBA talent than any of us. As for the rest of his picks, there wasn't one that could not be at least second-guessed. When Alan Henderson is considered to be one of your better selections, there is a major problem with your drafting process. You're telling me that Michael Finley couldn't have helped Lenny and Co. out when they were dying for a small forward who could chew gum and dribble the ball?

I'm still trying to figure this guy out but I know one Hawk who carried the team when John Drew and Eddie Johnson were on their, well, 'binges' and that was Dan Roundfield. He could score, rebound, made some All-Star teams, and even made the NBA's All-Defensive teams a number of times in the early '80s. And yep, looking back at the draft picks that Babs conjured up in the '90s made me throw up in my mouth a little. Adam Keefe? Stacey Augmon? Doug Edwards??? It's no small wonder why Smith, Blaylock, and Co. had to play almost 40 minutes a night to have a chance at winning.

That's my opinion. If Marvin, Childress, Sheldon, and rest play well and they start winning, I'll be the first in line to admit my guilt and say that BK was a genius. It's all about the results on the court now. Let the performance there speak for itself.

Just like Childress will be getting behind JJ, Smith, and Marvin???

True, but to be really honest, I could give a fat baby's ass about the other 5-7 teams who passed him up. The fact remains that THIS TEAM KEEPS PASSING UP those kind of players year after year with the exceptions being outnumbered almost 7 to 1. This is been going on since I was in grade school, before BK, before even Babs. When will they get this right for a change?

Exactly. I'm still getting over the MW over Paul selection and even coming to grips with Childress over Iguodala/Deng but Sheldon over Roy/Foye? Oh boy.

It more like one is a wealthy CEO whom shareholders and clients adore (Schoerholz), another is highly successful, respected amongst his peers, and is looking to make partner in the firm (McKay), and the other is cleaning lettuce during second shift in a McDonald's with a Master's Degree with dreams of joining Mike Rowe on 'Dirty Jobs'(BK).