Harrington's comments about Chicago

[Spiral]

You shouldn't beat around the bush so much. I wish you'd just tell us how you really feel.

[Devon]

I know... I should just speak how I really feel and not mask my true feelings.

I'm sorry but with every passing game I'm embarassed by this team, by this city's lack of support (which I understand though), the obvious lack of leadership, the obvious idiocy/ostrich "head in the sand" approach of the Upper Level Management, the wasted space that is our "coach", etc...

This city will rally behind a winner, these Hawks haven't won in nearly a decade and even then we never really won anything. Why should we support a team that is going to put up BACK TO BACK 60-Loss seasons?

Why do you stick with a coaching philosophy that is obviously clueless?

Why do you give a GM so much control to produce ZERO results?

We need a total upheaval and it isn't going to get better until things change...

[KB21]

Wow. The stupidity on this board grows everyday. Here is yet another idiot that believes Billy Knight should have either kept the team he inherited intact or basically turn over 100% of his roster in a little over the year while putting a winning team on the floor during that same time span.

How much sense does that make?

None.

The Hawks ended the 2003-2004 season with these players:

Jason Terry, Bob Sura, Stephen Jackson, Chris Crawford, Jason Collier, Boris Diaw, Jacque Vaughn, Joel Przybilla, Zeljko Rebraca, Mamadou N'Diaye, Michael Bradley, and Travis Hansen.

How many of those players are still on this team? How many teams have that much roster turnover in a little over a year and put a winning team on the floor?

It is damn idiotic to expect Billy Knight to put a winner on the floor in that short of a time span, especially when everything he does is done with the long term future of this team in mind.

The things Billy has done. First of all, he completely turned over a roster that had a bunch of overpaid, unathletic players that couldn't win. Next up, he put the team in great salary cap position, allowing them to pursue free agents like Joe Johnson. Third, he's done a fabulous job in the draft, adding the type of young, long, athletic talent that he wants to focus this team around.

It's not too hard to see the potential this team has when they have Joe Johnson, Marvin Williams, and Josh Smith on the floor at the same time, and that potential is all because of the draft moves Billy Knight has made.

[mrhonline]

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There is no way I could see Chicago sending the Knicks pick for a player they can sign outright at the end of the season. I think at most Paxson would be wiling to send Sweetney and the Bulls first, but not a chance Paxson trades a potential top 5 pick for a FA.

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MF77 is right, as usual.

Any luck on working out that trade we agreed to mudder?

[ggp]

Very good point. From the Bulls point of view, there probably isn't much available at the top of this draft that they are interested in. Aldreidge, the Italian and Gay are not going to upgrade the team as much as Al.

[mudderfudder77]

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There is no way I could see Chicago sending the Knicks pick for a player they can sign outright at the end of the season. I think at most Paxson would be wiling to send Sweetney and the Bulls first, but not a chance Paxson trades a potential top 5 pick for a FA.

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MF77 is right, as usual.

Any luck on working out that trade we agreed to mudder?

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Unfortunately, as of yet, Chicago's receptionist has refused to give me Paxsons cell phone number. What gives? Any word from BK?

[mudderfudder77]

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Very good point. From the Bulls point of view, there probably isn't much available at the top of this draft that they are interested in. Aldreidge, the Italian and Gay are not going to upgrade the team as much as Al.

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But from Chicago's perspective its not "either / or", I'm sure Paxson feels like he can do both. Sign Harrington outright - or give up a player and future pick - and still draft a big with NY's first rounder.

[mrhonline]

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Unfortunately, as of yet, Chicago's receptionist has refused to give me Paxsons cell phone number. What gives? Any word from BK?

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Well, I found out that BK doesn't take calls. Telephones annoy him.

He also doesn't have a secretary. People annoy him.

I'm hoping he'll answer my Morse code wire message...

[Guest Walter]

Walker couldn't get us more than a 17 pick and you thought it was a good deal for us. Al will NOT get a top 6 pick or a lottery pick. Ridiculous.

W

[KB21]

Is Antoine Walker a young player that has improved in every season he's been in the league? NO.

Is he a 25 year old forward that has is averaging 19 ppg, 7 rpg, and 3 apg while shooting 45% from the floor? NO.

Al Harrington has more value than Antoine Walker because he's younger and better.

[exodus]

He is also a ufa and any team that trades him is at risk of losing him. Boston lost Walker and Washington lost Hughes last year. Any team that trades for Al could lose him for nothing just like we could if we don't trade him.

[mrhonline]

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Is Antoine Walker a young player that has improved in every season he's been in the league?

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The added range to Harrington's game this year is the only substantial improvement he's made in five years. He's statistically the same player today that he was in Indy, minus the recent improvement in range (which is a waste if he stays at PF, IMO):

Per40's

2002 -> 17.5/8.4/47.6% eFG

2003 -> 16.2/8.3/44.1%

2004 -> 17.2/8.3/47.5%

2005 -> 18.2/7.2/46.8%

2006 -> 20.0/7.4/48.4%

He's improved his scoring, but he's also gone from being the third or fourth option on the Pacers to the Hawks' first or second option.

[Vol4ever]

that is why he got fired in Miami.

[Spiral]

He was not fired, he re-signed. He made the playoffs every year he coached the Heat. His overall record is 112-73. I wouldn't call that a "bad coach."

[Popeye]

I would take Van Gundy anyday over Woodson

[bralin1]

I would take Van Gundy's cocker spaniel over Woodson.

[Diesel]

Actually, if you want a statistical argument, you just made one for Al being a better player.

You say that his shooting going up is the only change that was made since Indy.

Hello?

While you're using numbers that have been projected... (means nothing)..

That % means a whole lot.

You say that AL has gone from being a 4th option on a championship quality team to being a 1st/2nd option on a gutter team and his shooting % has gone up? WOW! That speaks volumes..

What happened to Kobe Last year?

When Shaq Left and Kobe had to assume the scoring duties, his percentage when in the tank. And Kobe was a 2nd option not a 4th option previously.

Do you know how rare it is for a player to project certain numbers while playing say 20 mpg... then when given 38-40 mpg he actually gives those numbers... I think you will not find many cases where that happens and you will definitely not find many cases where their FG% goes up with more time as the lead scorer in the position that AL was in ..

[exodus]

Al is shooting 46% this year and the same last year. Not exactly a selling point for a so-called post player.

[Diesel]

I don't know if you can just classify Al as a "POST PLAYER"..

He has post offensive, but he's been a SF most of his career until he comes to Atlanta "city of Sfs"...

If he goes to Minny, he's going to be a Sf. If he goes to NY, he's going to be a Sf. If he goes to Houston, he's going to be a Sf.

As a Sf, he has very good numbers.

I mean, even when Smoove is on the floor, Al is not the typical Pf. But we play Zone, so it's hard to know who is what.

All you do know is that Al has an inside out game. I think it's that versatility that BK is sold on.

[exodus]

He can also play pg, as evidenced by his 4 rebounds in 36 minutes. Definite pg numbers.