Ratliff Relishes Return to Court

[jaywalker72]

RealGM's Jason Walker will be bringing reports on the players and team as the Hawks go through training camp.

Check back daily for features on different players up until the first home exhibition game on October 8th.

Theo Ratliff is the most watched player in camp this season. His health, his defense, and his demeanor will be monitored by every hopeful Hawks fan, knowing that Ratliff's return is a huge factor in the Hawks guaranteed playoff run.

Read the entire article:

http://hawks.realgm.com/index.php

[hds428]

GREAT article Jay, well written, well informed and well timed. I'm sure I speak for every true Hawks fan when I wish Theo a healthy and productive return to the game that he so obviously loves.

[Boondocks]

True dat, Ratliff is our meal ticket. In the small east and with all the scorers on this team (JT,SAR,Big Dog) a defensive presence like Ratliff is a perfect fit.

[Guest Walter]

With Theo and Newble do we have the EC's best defensive inside/outside tandem? Mutombo's blocks are down to a mere 2 a game and Jefferson, while a good defender, may not be the defender Newble is (Of course, their team defense is much better with Kidd and Mr. flagrant foul, just we have a more balanced team with our better scorers).

Who else? Campbell and Davis? Nah. O'Neal (or Miller) and Artest? Nah. They are both healthier combos than ours because of Theo's past but they aren't near as good defensively. Orlando doesn't have a post player much less derfender. Any thoughts?

W

[Diesel]

New Jersey has Deke/Jefferson.

Detroit has Wallace/Prince.

Charlotte has PJ/Wesley

[chillzatl]

That's stretching it quite a bit thin there. At least see the guy play against real competition before you start giving him props.

[Boondocks]

Have you even seen Prince? He's rail thin. I admit he can lock players down in college but I wonder if his lack of strength wil allow him to do the same while in the NBA.

[Diesel]

Word from Pete Newell's Big man camp is that Rail Thin Prince "Locked Down" Jason Richardson in a one on one drill. Usually, it doesn't mean much, but Richardson is a sandlot/pickup game/summer league legend with pro experience. They also commended Prince on his defense and toughness versus other vets.

Makes you wonder why did they trade White?

[Boondocks]

True, read as well that he played extremely well against Jrich and locked him down at Newell's camp. Still Jrich is just in his second year and the emphasis is put on technique instead of sheer power during the camp. Oh and Jrich is a SG who is smaller then him at normal qua posture. Prince will face stronger and same height opponents on a regular basis, we'll see how he performs.

It's just too early to include Tayshaun, he has to prove himself on a daily basis first.

[Traceman]

league play and having a good performance in some drills at a camp against one player is certainly not a basis under which to deem Prince a great perimeter defender. Let him get out there and match up with Kobe, VC, PP, Mash, Big Dog, T Mac, Stack and some of the other good super swingmen in the league as Ira has before he is mentioned in the same breath as Ira.

I can see Deke and Kidd (he's a better defender than Jefferson right now) being a better combo but no way is PJ/Wesley a better combo (Wesley can't defend anywhere NEAR the number or quality of players that Ira can) and I think Prince needs to at least get some PT (who knows if he will even be a significant part of their rotation) before he is annointed as a good defender, let alone a great one.

[Guest Walter]

as a great college defender). Chillzatl, Prince is the definition of (stretching it) THIN.

W

[Guest Walter]

Kidd is just too good and is capable of guarding either the opposition's 1 or 2, making him also versitile enough to represent a perimeter defender.

Who is Prince going to start over...Miles? WHATEVA!

Wesley? 6'2" Sgs are not top tier perimeter defenders and Wesley is certainly no exception.

W

[BlackHawkDown]

Prince is going to prove to be the steal of the draft. He is an excellent player offensively and defensively.

[Diesel]

http://www.detnews.com/2002/pistons/0207/12/h01-535774.htm

In reply to:

---

Prince, the Pistons' first pick last month, has been smooth and solid at shooting guard and small forward. In three games, he has averaged 7.3 points, made 8 of 17 shots (4 of 7 from three-point range) and played well defensively. He is rarely out of position, and his decision-making has been quick and impressive.

---

I'm not one to argue the importance of Summer League games... However, I will argue what's true and what's not and your statement about Prince not looking good in Summer League is NOT TRUE.

[Diesel]

In reply to:

---

 It was clear from the five games that rookies Okur, a 7-foot forward from Turkey,

and Prince, the Pistons' No. 1 pick last month, are well ahead of the NBA learning curve.

   It was also clear that the jury is still out on White. After a solid start, White's play deteriorated while his frustration grew.

   "He still needs to play a lot more basketball," Dumars said. "That's what this was about. He needs to play."

---

You wonder why Joey D pulled the trigger on that trade?

[Traceman]

league play? As for his D, I didn't see any of their games but my comments were based on what I saw in the boxscores and that wasn't much.

[Diesel]

You stated that he had a bad Summer League. I'm very indifferent towards Summer league but I will not lie about it or make assumptions. His coaches and Joe were very pleased with him. They said that he's above the learning curve. They even felt comfortable trading White away for another big man. 7 pts or no, it doesn't matter. What matters is that he was impressing the Pistons.

[Traceman]

I NEVER stated that he had a bad summer league, I said he "wasn't very impressive during summer league play." Again, please show me where 7.3 ppg makes his play "impressive." DJ DOUBLED Prince's output during summer league and was being called a big disappointment by much of the national media. Just because the Pistons claim to be impressed by Prince's summer league play, that certainly doesn't make me a liar because I was NOT impressed! If the Pistons were really impressed by Prince's 7.3 ppg, that's their perrogative but what were they supposed to say about their #1 pick who is signed long term? DJ scored more than 7.3 ppg in summer league as a rookie and he certainly wasn't very impressive. What makes Prince's lesser performance impressive?

If all that's not bad enough, you said:

"I'm very indifferent towards Summer league but I will not lie about it or make assumptions."

Well then how in the hell do you project Prince to be one of the best perimeter defenders in the NBA despite the fact that he has yet to play ONE GAME in the NBA if you are not making "assumptions" about what he did in summer league play? If you are making the assumption based solely on the fact that he was able to defend ONE 2nd year player well in a one on one drill at a camp, that's even worse!

[Diesel]

OK, so now you want to make it a subjective statement when your intent was to downplay what he did.

Well, i would think if Joe Dumars was very pleased with the 7 ppg (impressed) and made statements that said that He was above the learning curve and that he typified how good a 4 yr player can be then I guess that's enough. Plus Joe followed up by trading away White who played the same position but was "not as polished' as Prince.

If being impressive means Impressing you then it probably would have never happened. It's subjective right? That's BS Trace. You tried to mislead and I called you on it. Own up to it.

[Guest]

There is some reason White was traded.You

just don't trade lotto picks after one year for

no reason.Perhaps the Pistons just saw the

talent.While guys like Dion have had really

good summer leagues based on numbers he

hasn't put it together in the reg season.