JayBirdHawk

I hope they spend as much time and money upgrading the team as they do the Arena. Focus People!

Interesting article from 2020 when Trae moved to Klutch; https://theathletic.com/1900730/2020/06/30/inside-the-pursuit-why-trae-young-signed-with-klutch-sports-and-what-it-means/

Now we know why...... Omar Wilkes, one of the NBA's most prominent agents, is leaving his post at sports agency Klutch Sports Group, founded by super-agent Rich Paul, to join digital sports platform Fanatics Inc.

Interesting that Ant was also with Wilkes at Octagon. Wilkes left Octagon this week to take over Klutch's basketball division. Founder Rich Paul, who previously headed the basketball department, is planning to focus on his role as CEO and continue his work expanding the agency's football and baseball business. It's unclear if any of Wilkes' other clients will follow him to Klutch. Potential No. 1 overall pick Anthony Edwards, Toronto Raptors forward OG Anunoby and Young's Hawks teammate Cam Reddish were among Wilkes' clients at Octagon.

I think AntMan also left Klutch to join CAA??

He ended up at Klutch because his original agent, Omar Wilkes of Octagon went there, but he still remained Omar.

Plus we are taking on Levert's $16 million? Yuck. Why wouldn't NOP want Okoro to replace Herb?

How long they're gonna milk this grade 1 hamstring strain? Now it's a bad back too?. The decline also started BEFORE the injury.. 29.1 PPG on 55/47 shooting in the 14 games before IST final 20.6 PPG on 46/35 in the 14 games after IST final Teams got tape and his hot streak ended.

Missed that. Thanks. So we're essentially swapping Murray and 10 for Herb and #21???

Cavs have pick #20, not #21. I don't think the Pels are giving up enough to get Murray AND 10 AND Allen. Hawks should still be getting a future pick from NOP. Questions: 1. Is it worth moving down 10 spots to get Herb? What is Herb's value as a stand alone picknin this draft? 2. Who do we draft at #20 - Ware?

Travis had the right idea with drafting length around Trae. Just didn't pan out for various reasons: Huerter: 6'-7" - not a lock down defender, but I remember saying he wasn't all bad with his anticipation and quick hands. Then Jokic broke him and he wasn't the same. And he provided the shooting and floor spreading. Reddish: he didn't want to master the role he was given. I remember saying despite his horrible offense, it was his defense that kept him on the floor. But he had visions of offensive grandeur that derailed the intent. Hunter: Injuries OO: switchable defensive big.

I'm still want it.

1. Alex Sarr Paul Kane/Getty Images (Perth Wildcats: Forward, International, 7-1) Previous rank: 1 (-) / Best rank: 1 / Worst rank: 3 Alex Sarr remains the projected No. 1 pick for the second consecutive edition of the HoopsHype aggregate mock draft, narrowly beating French forward Zaccharie Risacher. Sarr climbed up draft boards following strong performances against the G League Ignite towards the end of 2023 and hasn’t looked back. Since then, teams have seen an increased motor – his biggest knock coming into this season – along with intriguing shot-blocking skills and long-term potential as a floor spacer beyond the arc. However, multiple NBA talent evaluators believe he could be up to two years away from making a significant impact. “Sarr disappears on the floor at times,” an NBA scout told HoopsHype. “I don’t know if he’s going to be this crazy rim protector like everyone thinks he is. Maybe that has to do with his body size and not being able to absorb contact. He needs to get stronger. Obviously, everybody is thinking of the pick-and-pop potential with him.” Currently, Sarr has the physique to guard fours and would struggle against more physical centers in the NBA. If Sarr can hit the weight room diligently, he could become a center years down the line and cause potential mismatch problems on the perimeter offensively while patrolling the paint as a shot blocker and having the foot speed to switch on ball screens defensively. “There are a lot of bigs that come out, and if you’re not a Top 5 guy at that position, teams like to get bigs on the scrap heap that fill specific rolls they can trust and know what they’ll get from them,” an NBA executive told HoopsHype. “Taking a big at No. 1 in the draft is always a question in this day and age and tough to do.” More: Alex Sarr: NBA draft scouting report and intel 2. Zaccharie Risacher Ian Langsdon/AFP/Getty Images (JL Bourg-en-Bresse: Wing, International, 6-8) Previous rank: 2 (-) / Best rank: 1 / Worst rank: 10 French forward Zaccharie Risacher ranked No. 2 overall for the second straight HoopsHype aggregate mock draft, but it’s essentially been a coin flip between him and Alex Sarr in the polling process. Risacher offers upside as a 3-and-D wing player whose size and fluidity will allow him to guard three NBA positions. He’s converted 38.7 percent of his threes this season, with the ability to convert catch-and-shoot opportunities, and also uses a slide step to create space beyond the arc. “Risacher is going to be a high pick, but he could be two years away,” a longtime NBA executive told HoopsHype. “With that said, I think a lot of the prospects in this draft are also in that category.” Risacher won’t fill the box score with stocks or assists, but his shooting and on-ball defense give him a chance to be a good role player. More: Zaccharie Risacher: NBA draft scouting report and intel 3. Matas Buzelis Ethan Miller/Getty Images (Ignite: Forward, G League, 6-10) Previous rank: 4 (+1) / Best rank: 3 / Worst rank: 10 Matas Buzelis handles the ball well for his size, moves fluidly, can make plays for his teammates, and is a shot-blocking presence. Despite Buzelis’ good form, his shooting was inconsistent with G League Ignite. He’ll need to add strength to his frame if he’s going to play minutes at power forward in the NBA and guard effectively. “Is Buzelis going to be tough enough?” an NBA executive questioned. “He’s beaten out some high school guys when he was in the system the last couple of years, and he’s done some special stuff at those levels against players his same age. When he started going against grown men it was a different story.” As for the label from some executives that he’s considered soft, Buzelis pushed back on that narrative at the G League Showcase when chatting with HoopsHype. “They can watch the film and see if that’s true,” Buzelis said. “I don’t think it is.” Furthermore, Buzelis wants to challenge potential No. 1 pick to a one-on-one during the pre-draft process. More: Matas Buzelis: NBA draft scouting report and intel 4. Robert Dillingham Andy Lyons/Getty Images (Kentucky: Guard, Freshman, 6-2) Previous rank: 6 (+2) / Best rank: 2 / Worst rank: 12 Robert Dillingham is a combo guard who many NBA executives believe can be a microwave scorer and can occasionally make plays for his teammates thanks to his ability to break down the defense off the dribble. The 19-year-old guard was also highly efficient from the field (.475) and beyond the arc (.444). “Dillingham is small in stature and is more of a shooting guard than a point guard,” an NBA executive told HoopsHype. “He’s a volume shooter. When he gets hot, he can win you a quarter if you leave him in. He’s a streaky player who plays off his emotions. They used him well there at Kentucky, where he played somewhat limited minutes, but he was able to do his thing and impact games. He’s shot the ball well this year at over 40 percent from deep, so you can’t argue that. I worry about him and who he guards in the NBA.” Dillingham’s shot selection, lack of size, and overall effort on defense have been some weaknesses identified by NBA talent evaluators. Some NBA executives believe he’d be better as a scoring point guard, while others question if he can play point guard as the lead floor general for stretches, but the consensus is he could be a great sixth man similar to Lou Williams. More: Rob Dillingham: NBA draft scouting report and intel 5. Nikola Topic Altan Gocher/Middle East Images/AFP/Getty Images (KK Crvena Zvezda: Guard, International, 6-6) Previous rank: 3 (-2) / Best rank: 1 / Worst rank: 9 Nikola Topic has great height and strength for the NBA point guard position, is a willing passer who thrives in pick-and-rolls and makes his teammates better thanks to his high IQ, and can finish around the rim. “Topic is a basketball junkie,” an NBA executive told HoopsHype. “His family’s in basketball. He gets the ball up and down the court and makes the right read. He’s shooting in the low 30s from three-point range, and he needs to improve that. He’s a winning player who makes the right play.” Topic’s most glaring weakness is his three-point shooting, as the executive noted. However, the 88 percent foul shooter gives plausible belief his outside shooting can improve, though it may never mirror his success at the charity stripe. Despite his size, Topic doesn’t have great length, has average athleticism, and is less inclined to create his shot effectively, which are also questions NBA executives have about his long-term upside. More: Nikola Topic: NBA draft scouting report and intel 6. Donovan Clingan Christian Petersen/Getty Images (UConn: Center, Sophomore, 7-2) Previous rank: 11 (+5) / Best rank: 3 / Worst rank: 11 After winning back-to-back championships at UConn, Donovan Clingan’s stock has never been higher. “Clingan is one of those big guys that can move their feet, run the court, give extra effort or multiple efforts,” a longtime NBA scout told HoopsHype. “Guys like that, when they jump, they can get right back up off the floor. He’s got to work on his shot. That’ll come with time. They want him to be able to stretch the floor a bit because it opens up driving lanes for guys. He covers up the rim, and he’s more athletic than you’d think.” Clingan is one of the top shot blockers and rebounders in the draft who could thrive in drop coverage defensively. The 20-year-old center can score inside, but the big question among NBA executives is if Clingan can expand his range to the elbow and sink the occasional 15-footer to keep the defense honest and open up more spacing on the court. “Could Clingan become a young Zydrunas Ilgauskas?” another NBA scout pondered. “He makes jumpers in practice, and I think he can shoot more than he’s shown.” The questions surrounding Clingan’s range will be answered in private workouts for NBA teams high in the lottery. In a draft with a lot of uncertainty, Clingan offers executives a solid floor as a strong defensive center who can score adequately around the rim with potentially untapped upside as a shooter. More: Donovan Clingan: NBA Draft scouting report and intel 7. Reed Sheppard Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images (Kentucky: Guard, Freshman, 6-3) Previous rank: 8 (+1) / Best rank: 3 / Worst rank: 8 Reed Sheppard is arguably the best shooter in the draft (52.1 percent from downtown), has active hands on defense (2.5 steals), and can make plays for his teammates as a playmaker (4.5 assists). “Sheppard is going to play point guard in the NBA, and he’s played some of that position with Kentucky,” an NBA executive told HoopsHype. “What will translate is his shooting and that he’s an extremely smart basketball player. He does a good job off the ball in terms of shooting the gaps and getting steals. He’s got really quick hands. Now, he doesn’t move his feet well laterally, so he may struggle there. He’s not a bad passer, either. He could be a backup point guard type of player.” Sheppard is crafty on both ends of the floor but defensively gambles a bit too much despite his high steal rate, and his size and average lateral quickness are among the concerns for NBA executives. “If the draft started tomorrow, Reed is going in the lottery,” an NBA scout told HoopsHype. “I don’t think he can guard well as far as his foot speed, but he makes an impact every game and finds a way. He’s got these quick hands and anticipation. He gets it done.” More: Reed Sheppard: NBA draft scouting report and intel 8. Stephon Castle Christian Petersen/Getty Images (UConn: Guard, Freshman, 6-6) Previous rank: 15 (+7) / Best rank: 2 / Worst rank: 9 Stephon Castle and Dalton Knecht made the two biggest jumps in the lottery. Castle is a stout on-ball defender, drawing some comparisons to Marcus Smart from NBA talent evaluators with more height and similar strength. He rebounds well for a guard, can get downhill off the dribble, and makes a play for his teammates if the defense collapses. “Castle is strong, quick, and gets guys moving,” an NBA scout told HoopsHype. “He can get downhill, and he can really pass. He can handle the ball, and he doesn’t take sh*t. He’s not a shooter. A comparison for him is Evan Turner, who was a good player in the league for 10 years.” The scout mentioned the biggest concern among NBA executives – Castle’s shooting woes. Castle shot 26.7 percent beyond the arc. Some also wonder if Castle, considered more of a combo guard, could ever run an offense full-time as a lead floor general. “I don’t see him as a point guard,” a longtime executive told HoopsHype. “I don’t know if he’s got the skill set to be a point guard. Just because you can handle the ball and pass a little doesn’t mean you’re a point guard.” More: Stephon Castle: NBA draft scouting report and intel 9. Ron Holland Ethan Miller/Getty Images (Ignite: Forward, G League, 6-8) Previous rank: 10 (+1) / Best rank: 3 / Worst rank: 15 Ron Holland entered the G League season as a candidate to be the No. 1 pick. While the Ignite star has fluctuated between the 9-10 range in consecutive mocks, he’ll be a high lottery pick with a strong floor and potentially significant upside, depending on the situation he ends up in. “Holland is the kind of player that’s hard for me to see as your lone ball handler,” an NBA executive told HoopsHype. “I think he’s going to have to play the two in a lot of lineups. If that’s the case, you run the risk of him becoming a player like Dejounte Murray, but stronger, where you have to play him with another predominantly good playmaker that’s small. If that’s the case, it’s going to be hard for you to switch as much and be as physical. I think he tries. He’s tough-minded. I don’t know, outside of being a transition player, if he’s going to be a halfcourt player just yet. Maybe he develops some playmaking, and the shooting becomes real. If I were him, I’d go to a team and defend his butt off and see where it goes from there.” Holland remains one of the most versatile players in the draft who can play the two, three, or small-ball four. He’s at his best attacking downhill, has a high motor, and is always willing to guard the opponent’s top perimeter scorer. His swing skill will be his three-point shooting. “Ron can get downhill whenever he wants,” his teammate Izan Almansa told HoopsHype at the G League Showcase. “He can change the game going downhill. He can shoot, and he hustles. He plays defense. He’s versatile and does a little bit of everything.” Holland was also willing to share the spotlight with fellow projected lottery pick Matas Buzelis by choosing to ultimately play for Ignite after initially committing to Texas. “Ron is a dog,” Buzelis told HoopsHype at the G League Showcase. “He’s super aggressive and will never back down to anybody. He’s got a lot of skill, but he also involves his teammates at the same time.” MORE: Ron Holland: ‘I feel like I’m the one that stands out because of my motor’ More: Ron Holland: NBA draft scouting report and intel 10. Cody Williams Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports (Colorado: Wing, Freshman, 6-8) Previous rank: 5 (-5) / Best rank: 5 / Worst rank: 13 Cody Williams is a bit of a polarizing player in the lottery as some NBA executives believe he should be in the conversation for the No. 1 overall pick, and others believe he’s closer to the No. 1 overall range. “I think Cody Williams could be the best player in the draft based on his versatility,” an NBA executive told HoopsHype. “Williams is very talented and comes from a nice bloodline,” a longtime executive told HoopsHype. “He’s gotten better as the year’s gone on. I just don’t know if he’s an alpha type of player.” Williams moves fluidly with great size for a wing player, great touch around the rim with either hand, a soft jumper, moves the ball on offense, and can defend several positions on the ball. Given his athleticism, the 19-year-old forward should produce more stocks, and several executives wonder if his three-point percentage would hold up with more attempts. Overall, Williams’ versatility checks off enough boxes for executives to take him high in the lottery with the floor of being a solid role player and the upside potential of breaking out into a future star like his brother, Jalen, on the Thunder. More: Cody Williams: NBA draft scouting report and intel https://hoopshype.com/lists/2024-aggregate-mock-draft-donovan-clingan-and-zach-edey-rising-before-combine/

#1......WE'RE WAITING. #2.....Marvin #3.....Pau and Horf #4.....Hunt #5.....Trae #6......OO Time to complete the set. Get that #1 pick. Let's go Lottery !!!

Damn Riley went at Hero too, called him fragile: we can send Hunter to Riles in a Butler trade. Here's the thing though, if you trade for Jimmy you'd better give him an extension or he's going to be disruptive.

I think the bigger thing with Jimmy is his availability during the regular season. Apparently he's playing when he wants to: Wes Goldberg: Pat Riley when asked if Jimmy Butler can still be the top player on a championship-winning team: “Yes… but it will take some changes” in his availability. – via Twitter wcgoldberg Pat Riley, Jimmy Butler, Miami Heat Brady Hawk: Pat Riley on Jimmy Butler playing more games in the regular season: “That was discussed prior to last year. We had a discussion with his agent about that.” – via Twitter BradyHawk305

Those weren't deals that they should have accepted. My issues with those deals came from the premise/rumors that the Hawks were also looking to cut salary. True or not it devalued Murray's value and created that perception.

I just hope the Hawks don't end up being the sucker team like this guy says:

Again...I understand moving off JC's committed future salary, but doing NOTHING AFTER (regardless of trying) while saying 'AVOIDING THE PLAYIN' just doesn't ring true with what ownership tried to sell us.