shakes

elaboration: - Trae is extremely difficult to build around, probably the hardest franchise player to build around in the entire league - ATL has arguably the worst ownership and FO in the NBA -the ECF gave people the false belief that the combo above can build a contender -people keep referring back to that ECF run as evidence that it can work with this group rather than focus on everything that has happened since -people don't want to rebuild because they point to the ECF as "proof" that it can work and we just need a few other pieces, completely ignoring the more recent evidence. Conclusion: The ECF was the worst thing that ever happened to this team and has quite possibly set the franchise back a decade. question: without that ECF run do we have DJM on the roster? No. We still have all our draft picks. Yes. Are we in a much better position to make moves around Trae if we don't make that ECF run? Yes

This is what I'm talking about. Keep drinking the Kool-aid.

I was only addressing the part of the post where you said this team can win with Trae. It's that belief that has led to the disaster we now have and the continued hesitancy to blow it all up. That is all the result of the fluke ECF run. unfortunately you hit the nail on the head. This franchise might just be completely screwed till they get a new owner.

The % chance of this team building a contender around Trae is lower than 14% IMO. And even if you don't sag enough to tag Flagg there are still other great prospects at the top of that draft. And you are in place to do it again in 2026. Time for an OKC type of rebuild.

turns out, that fluke playoff run was the absolute worst thing that could've happened this team. The fact that you're bringing it up as a reason to hesitate in blowing this team up shows that the damage done by that ECF run is still happening.

If Hawks were smart (whcih they aren't) and had long term vision (which they don't) they would pounce on this trade to SAS and unload Trae to them, get back all their picks + 1-2 more FRPs or assets. Then unload DJM for 1-2 FRP. Then unload Hunter, OO, Bogi and anyone else who can net a draft pick. Hang onto JJ nad no one else. Put together the worst team in the league next year and go full in the bag for Flagg. As great as Trae is he's too hard to build around for the Hawks owners and FO. Way above their skill level and means. Only a great franchise and FO could make it work arond Trae and this team has neither. Time to accept that and move on to the next rendition. Best way to do that is total tank. Not some half ass tank. Face it, THIS TEAM WILL NEVER WIN WITH TRAE. The sooner the team accepts that (as in must be accepted this off season) the greater chance they have of finally turning this mediocrity standard bearer around.

SGA seeks fouls a lot less than Trae. SGA also moves the ball more. Yet still gets more calls. Trae gets far less calls based on amount of times he seeks contact. Also, Trae gets far less and ones from refs than SGA or anyone for that matter. Gee,wonder why that is?

Disagree whole heartedly with this. Elite players deserve a more favorable whistle than scrubs. Elite players are the ones getting hacked up and down the court and need to be protected. Elite players are the ones who have the ball in their hands most of the game and invite the most attention. NBA isn't communist San Francisco, the bums don't get to eat at the same restaurants as the rich people in the NBA.

SGA never complains and also goes out of his way to have positive interactions with refs = gets calls Trae has whined his way through his entire 6 year career = doesn't get calls

naw, Hunter doesn't get calls cause he's a below average NBA player. refs don't protect bums like that.

good job completely missing the point while at the same time completely proving my point. That's hard to do.

Hunter doesn't get calls cause he acts like a beta so refs refuse to acknowledge him.

of course the refs don't like Trae. Have you seen the way he acts out there? Go watch some OKC games and watch how SGA acts in contrast. It's night and day.

shortest tribute video in the history of tribute videos. It's gonna be several angles of the dunk on Embiid and then several angles of the mangled finger. Roll credits.

yes, please do! Free us from this prison!

I got receipts mofo! Actually I don't, but I got an origin story: It all started all of 1988 when I was a young freshman at Oklahoma University. Got season tickets to the football in the student section. Went to the first game all fired up and it was boring as hell. Fans were way too into the game and not having fun. I went back to my dorm and turned on the TV and the only thing on was Oklahoma State's game. Watched it and Barry had his first start at RB (now that Thurman Thomas had graduated) and rushed for over 200 yards. It was love at first sight. I immediately swore off my own school, gave away my tickets and every saturday I would stay in teh dorm and watch Barry. Decided that whatever team drafted him would be my team. Couldn't watch his games when I was at college so my parents would tape them all for me on VHS tapes and send them to me or i would watch them when I got home for break. My parents had one of those massive satellite dishes so they got all the games. So there ya have it. Never missed a game in his entire career starting his junior year. The shitty part is I only saw him live once. When he came to play the bears I went to the game, great seats on the 50. And then Barry had such a bad game that he later said that game was the game where he decided he didn't want to play anymore Used to get in arguments all the time with people who said Emmit was better. You won't find any of those people nowadays, they'll all deny it or they are dead like John Madden, but back then it was about 60/40 in terms of people supporting Emmit vs Barry. you are right in the sense that football is ALOT different than basketball in terms of legacies being tied to team results.

we don't need Spud. No one on the face of this Earth was a bigger Barry fan than me. Saw every game he ever played starting with his first game of his junior year of college. You are right and wrong. You are right that it's not Barry's fault the GM and owner sucked so much. But you are wrong that people won't hold it against him when talking about his legacy. He gets knocked for never winning and no one puts an asterisk next to their remarks to comment about the inept front office.

You are 100% right. When people look back at Barry Sanders’ career they say he never won anything and barely ever got to the playoffs. No one ever points out the astronomical failures of the GM and owners of the Lions who failed at every turn to put a good team around him. No one remembered that Barry was the ultimate soldier and never complained and just kept his head down and did his job. They remember that HE didn’t win. The same will happen to Trae. Therefore it’s 100% on a superstar to take the reins and do what he can to make sure his team is doing what needs a to be done.

definitely don't want that pick this year. Next year or year after will be much better drafts.

I don't agree with that. If they trade ATL back their picks + 1-2 more FRPs then essentially didn't they trade DJM and 1-2FRPs for Trae Young? That's still a great deal for SAS.

if I had more skills and time I would insert the GIF of John Candy from Planes trains and autos yelling at the other car "you're going the wrong way!"

I agree with this and hate Pop, but the alterative is to have SAS trade Wemby to the Hawks. As as much as SAS doesn't deserve another dynasty, the Resslers deserve one even less. if there has ever been an owner who didn't deserve that it would be Ressler.

for the good of the league and the game in general, the Hawks should trade Trae to San Antonio. The world deserves to see that PnR combo dominate the sport like never seen before.

Let’s get real for a moment. You think comedy consists entirely of just intentionally misspelling words and names. You’re pretty simple minded.

good point. He's definitely the 3rd horseman in the 3 horsemen of white guilt.