ggp

it will be for Charlotte's picks (Felton and May). Great combo..... the players that have been together for a few years. If the trade takes place, expect us to take a SG in the second round.

Add a PG and a developmental guy with our last pick. After the draft, call David Andersen and invite him to Atl. Let the dust settle, allow the youngsters to play another season then add the missing piece next year.

Aaron Miles and Orien Harris. Both are accurate passers and excellent on defense.

Man, there is a lot of talk and rumors going around. Fire and brimstone, chaos, wrath of God sort of stuff...Dogs and Cats sleeping together. I was reading all the fun rumors and that scene popped into my head. Just having fun

Marvin Williams with the #2 makes sense. He is the greatest talent and will grow up quietly on this team. Add a PG later. End of drama.

Jay Bilas? Wasn't he the guy that proclaimed Josh Smith a bust? Why would you quote that moron?

Saban?! Are you kidding? Forget the Fins, they are buried for years to come. Saban or no Saban.

I agree with your under rated list. Jack was tremendous at GT. Say what you will but he carried that team. May is a man and should be considered a Charles Barkley type player. I would not doubt his ability to step up in the NFL. Diogu and Hodge are also excellent prospects. I would be happy to see any of these guys in a Hawks uni.

BK plays this draft stuff very close to the vest. I had no idea that he would draft Childress last year. The choice really shocked me. Today I think that his choice was a good one. The choice of Josh Smith was not much of a surprise, but the quality of that choice was shocking. Whoever BK takes, I am officially on board. As of now, I am expecting the unexpected.

another wild option would be to draft Marvin, trade for the #5 and #13 and end up with Anthony Bynum and Roko Ukic. Who knows.

Hereis the article from Draftexpress Word on the Street: Atlanta making a move on Ukic? Jonathan Givony - President Printer Friendly Page June 27, 2005 Atlanta making a move on Ukic? Reports out of Houston suggest that a deal is on the table which would see the Rockets trading out of the 1st round. The player that Houston is supposedly targeting, Luther Head, might not be on the board at 24 according to what his agent Mark Bartelstein told us earlier today. It’s his belief that Head will end up being selected “in the teens,” which would mean that the Rockets would have to select from a crop of raw European small forwards and big men or reach for a college player who is a little bit lower down on their board. The Atlanta Hawks are interested in trading up from the #31 pick to #24 in order to secure the services of the Croatian PG Roko Leni-Ukic, should he end up slipping to that spot. The problem is that Ukic is receiving major interest from both the Toronto Raptors at #16 and the Phoenix Suns at #21. The Raptors have already filed for a visa for Ukic to live in Canada (this is necessary for non-EU or US citizens), which most likely means that he is at least on their board.

Word on the Street: Bynum to Portland at #6? Jonathan Givony - President Printer Friendly Page June 27, 2005 Bynum to Portland? Initial reports by DraftExpress regarding a second private workout with Andrew Bynum appear to be right on the money. Multiple sources have confirmed that Portland indeed did workout Bynum on Thursday in their facilities, and that the Trailblazers will be making a move on draft night to trade out of the #3 spot and take Bynum. According to what we’ve heard, the Lakers are out of the picture right now as a new team has emerged with a better offer. That team appears to be the Utah Jazz. A deal that could very well go down on draft night to satisfy both sides would be Portland sending Utah the #3 pick along with Ruben Patterson in return for the #6 pick, Kirk Snyder and Gordan Giricek. The deal works under RealGM.com’s trade checker. With the #3 pick, the Jazz would select Deron Williams, and with #6 Portland would take Andrew Bynum. The Jazz would try to fill their gaping hole on the wing with the #27 pick by selecting Matt Walsh. The problem is that both the Hawks and especially the Bobcats are aware of what’s going and could make a move to sabotage the trade by either taking Deron Williams at #2 or Andrew Bynum at #5.

Quote: http://www.ajc.com/sports/content/sports/h...05/27draft.html That's a great article, and to print an article like that, I believe the AJC has to have an idea that Atlanta will draft and keep Marvin Williams. I also just can't see Billy Knight passing on a player like this. My feelings exactly. Moving on to the second round, we can draft Nate Robinson, Aaron Miles or Orien Harris. Any preferences?

Good idea, draft as many Forwards as possible. Very "Forward Thinking."

I am one of the guys backing the drafting of a PG with our first pick. However, I have a very strong feeling that BK and the front office has finally tipped their hand. A struggling NBA franchise needs to use all the marketing it can muster to attract fans. It is my belief that BK and company have already alerted the AJC of their choice. The reason I say this is the recent article in the AJC: With M. Williams, Hawks could get 'a lion' By SEKOU SMITH The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Published on: 06/27/05 NEW YORK — Marvin Williams has a tattoo across the top of his back, spreading the length of his broad shoulders, that reads "Heart of A Lion." Like his ferocious side, that tattoo is never seen because his clothes hide it. Associated Press (ENLARGE) Marvin Williams' talent is 'scary,' says Sean May. EMAIL THIS PRINT THIS MOST POPULAR But it's that burning desire to be great that drives the 19-year-old Williams, who could be Hawks property Tuesday night if he's picked, as most project, with the second pick in the NBA draft. "I'll go get a tattoo before I go to the dentist," Williams said with a playful smile. "I hate going to the dentist." That tattoo is part of the intriguing contradiction that has come to define Williams up until this point. He's a humble and eloquent teenager who defers to his elders everywhere but on the playing floor, where he's shown glimpses of his immense talent and seemingly endless potential. Considered a complete talent and the most gifted player in the entire draft, he's also, per his coaches at North Carolina, one of the hardest working players they've ever had. He's as tenacious as he is likeable. If it were up to his teammate at North Carolina, Final Four MVP Sean May, the Hawks would never get a shot to pick Williams. "If I'm Milwaukee, I'm taking Marvin Williams," said May, himself a likely lottery pick. "For Milwaukee, it's probably better for them right now to take Andrew [bogut]. But if it's me, I'm taking the kid. If you want an immediate impact, you go with Andrew because he can come in and play right away. Marvin, it may take a little more time, but in the end . . ." The Hawks could use both, an immediate contributor and a potential star. They could also use a point guard, of which there will be plenty in this draft, and dead-eye outside shooter. But that's what free agency is for. Unless they swing a deal or buy a pick, both possibilities, they'll only get one shot to get it right early in this draft. "I can tell you with certainty that we're going to get a good player with our pick," Hawks general manager Billy Knight said late last week after watching both Williams and Bogut, as well as projected top picks Chris Paul and Deron Williams, all work out at Philips Arena. "I was impressed with all the guys we brought in. They all showed me some things that I hadn't seen prior to those workouts." The usually laid-back Marvin Williams showed off his obvious athleticism, but he also displayed a smooth shooting stroke that few knew he had as a freshman sixth man on the Tar Heels' national championship team. May admitted that Williams was without a doubt the most talented player on a team that could yield four high first-round picks Tuesday — Williams, May, point guard Raymond Felton and shooting guard Rashad McCants, and a fifth in the second round, senior forward Jawad Williams, who started in front of Marvin Williams. "The thing I like about him is that he could have come into the NBA out of high school and been a top 10 pick, but he's probably one of the most humble people you'll ever meet. You don't want a kid with a huge ego." But what about a kid with a huge appetite for contact and an even larger desire to do the dirty work on a team that won 13 games last season? The Hawks are building around a nucleus that already includes three players — Al Harrington, Josh Childress and Josh Smith — whose skills appear to be similar to those of Williams. A point guard is as big a need as another combo forward, and a legitimate big man is what nearly every NBA team searches for this time of year. Yet there's solid reasoning for drafting a player similar to what you already have. Phoenix won a league-best 62 games this past season playing with league MVP Steve Nash running the show and Amare Stoudemire manning the post and Shawn Marion, Joe Johnson and Quentin Richardson all filling in various capacities from shooting guard to small forward. It is obvious that the marketing machine is running. I hope Marvin works out for us. Maybe we can draft a steal of a PG in the second round.

Quote: I can understand the reasoning of why BK might be interested in picking up Marvin. But if you need a "superstar" to contend then how do you explain the Detroit Pistons' success? The Hawks have a chance to add a can't miss point guard who can contribute right away. Contrary to popular opinion, the hawks are not that far away from being a respectable franchise that can attract free agents. But you have to show some stability at some point. Redundancy at a certain position doesn't help and trading away your best player(s) every season sure doesn't help either. We have some good young players at positions 2-4 who showed some great promise in their first year as Hawks. Give them a chance to build on that by drafting a floor general who can maximize their respective potentials. This is what I have been trying to say in a much less eloquent way. A franchise PG is like a franchise QB...adding one to your team can snap a perenial looser into a franchise on the rise. Mike Vick changed the Falcons on the field as well as in the front office. Suddenly, free agents wanted to play for the Falcons. The same sort of phenomenum can happen if we draft a franchise PG. Centers, Forwards and SG's get better looks at the goal. Everyone improves their production because they get the ball in their hands a split second sooner. Suddenly, the Hawks look like a team that can actually contend. Now, add a fantastic Forward. You get a guy that can put points on the board....great. But here is the catch; he has to get the ball in his hands. The offense has to be geared to get him the ball. That one-dimensional type of O is much easier to stop. BOTTOM LINE: If a franchise Point Guard falls into your lap...DRAFT HIM.

Sirius is sweet. I bought it for the NFL. I love listening to the Falcons by the pool in South Florida.

OK, I registered. Let's see what happens.

Quote: Quote: When Bogut worked out for Milwaukee on Monday, he easily predicted a starting lineup for the Bucks that included himself. Asked if he had an idea about Atlanta, he answered, "No, not yet." But after gathering his thoughts, he finally gave an answer. "At point guard Tyronn Lue, Josh Childress and Josh Smith, Al [Harrington] at the four, and myself at center," he said. "Depending on the situation at point guard, that's how it might look. I love Boguts passion for the game. The fact that he knows the starting lineups and bench players for every team in the league and that he is a huge fan of the game impresses me so much. Maybe its just me, but I dont see that same sort of passion from Marvin about the NBA. Then again I havent heard of too many prospects coming out that seem to be as knowledgeable as Bogut about the league. Who cares whether Marvin is a fan of the game. He is a talented player that takes care of his game. Leave the fanship to the fans.

Quote: It's a tough call. I can't honestly say that Deron Williams and Chris Paul are that much better, if any, than Raymond Felton. Felton is obviously the more explosive player of the trio. He's the fastest in the open floor and probably has the best passing instincts of the bunch, though it would be close between Felton and Williams. Felton and Williams are also both very good on the ball defenders. I think Felton will be a little more turnover prone, because he has the propensity to get out of control at times. I love Sean May though. That guy is a beast down low. He won't be a star, but I think he somewhere in between Elton Brand and Carlos Boozer. So, what's the problem with the rumored trade? Felton is an upgrade and May would be the interior enforcer that we need. I don't know these prospects very well, but both Felton and May have pretty good reviews. May has been compared to Charles Barkley ( a tough, undersized rebounder with a very good outside shot) ...not bad. Felton is a pass first PG with a developing outside shot. Assuming Harrington is too pricey to resign, having a player like May would be a good thing. This team is so far off that a great prospect like Marvin will not turn the ship around. A great talent like Marvin would probably elevate the team to mediocre. Imagine that, a Hawks team that wins 50 games every year and gets spanked in the playoffs. Been there, done that. Nothing wrong with the rumored trade. I believe in BK.

Marvin has been compared to James Worthy a lot on this board. I see him as another Al Harrington. If you remember, Al was hyped to be a physical wonder out of High School. Marvin's outside shot is better than Al's but not by much. The way I see it, Portland wants Marvin. Marvin's promising talent and good character make him an ideal addition to that troubled team. However, Harrington is just as good. So, why wouldn't Portland trade their #3 for Al Harrington? It may have something to do with the cap implications. If you agree with the above statements, what would you do with this draft?

I don't agree. To end up with Bogut, the Bucks will have to draft Marvin by choice. Keep in mind that we have a lot of cap room and can sign Dalembert, Brown, Curry, or even Gadzuric (spelling). We also have David Andersen waiting in the wings. From my point of view, the Bucks already have a decent Center and what they really need is a player like Marvin Williams. If I were BK, I would sit tight and let the chips fall. Drafting Marvin is nearly as good as drafting Bogut. To shore up the Center position, we have plenty of options...no sweat. Even though Bogut is a nice player, we will be better off drafting Marvin and trading Harrington for a PG. If we draft Bogut, we will be forced to resign Harrington and still over pay for a PG like Watson....that is much less cap friendly than signing Kwame then drafting Marvin and a PG.

This is a PG heavy draft. As a matter of fact, this draft has the most quality PG's that I have ever seen. The Hawks should take the best player available (Marvin) and use Harrington as trade currency for another first round pick. Drafting Ukic or Jack would require more patience from fans, but all in all not a bad move. The two moves to make in free agency would be to add a Center and a PF.

Quote: If the Hawks aquire another first round pick, and we select Marvin Williams with our second overall pick. The point guard we better be selecting is Ukic. Why? I am asking because I really don't have a good feel as to which PG prospect would be best for our team. All I here about the prospects is: Paul is the best all-around PG, Deron is the best defender and passer, Felton is the quickest, Jack is the strongest and Ukic is the tallest.

The Bucks really want to keep their star shooting guard M Redd. He is a free agent and has expressed some disatisfaction with the personel on the Bucks. If the Bucks front office does not include Redd in the draft decision, Redd could easily walk away. Several teams like Washington and especially Denver are rumored to go after Redd once free agency gets started. Who do you think Redd is pulling for between Bogut and Marvin? It is strange that the preference of a shooting guard can effect the fortunes of our own franchise.