Hawks not Sold on JT

[Guest]

Its becoming increasingly apparent that the Hawks arent sold on JT as PG of the future. Too many insiders and the workouts themselves speak loudly about their observations. Supposedly, looking for a backup PG, they try out several PGs and lastly inquire into the availability of Baron Davis???

I know many will say that only means JT will permanently move to the SG spot. I disagree. JT is no Allen Iverson, his contract is coming to an end and the Hawks have to decide if he's a MAX contract player.

MAX players are All-stars. JT is not an All-star. JT cant defend from the 2. JT creates too many unnecessary mismatches at the 2.

Hawks would be better off with a traditional pg, like Dickau or Frank Williams and playing DJ at the 2, where they intended. DJ was a 6th pick, JT was 10th or 11th, there investment is higher in DJ.

JT is a fine player, but he's not worth the MAX and creates matchup problems when not played at the 1. Apparently, the Hawks are not convinced his the long term solution at the 1. Otherwise, they wouldnt look for big pgs.

[jaywalker72]

I agree with you on that point alone.

JT must be a PG to make the Hawks successful. We yield too much either on defense or talent by simply trying to find a tall guy to play the point.

All I know is that Pete has said (to me directly) that JT is the PG, unless they brought in someone better, and then he listed Kidd, Baron, and Andre Miller as the benchmarks in the East.

To me, Jamal Crawford, Dan Dickau, and the like don't even come close to the play of Terry last season, so I can't believe that this is what Pete says when he says "someone better".

I think what we are hearing are these "insiders" who know NOTHING about the Hawks.

They use the Hawks as a convienent place to drop off unwanted parts or excess players, and make up reasons why they fit.

Do we remember the trade deadline insiders who swore we were interested in Travis Best?

Don't get caught up in the all the talk. The Hawks want some size in the backcourt, especially off the bench, where we got killed last year when JT finally had to take a break.

Babcock was never sold on Vaughn, and certainly would like to upgrade our bench play in the backcourt, so that we don't have a repeat of last year, where we basically had three guards after the annual Dion Glover injury (Terry, Johnson, Vaughn).

[Guest]

Do you think JT is a MAX-player???

[Guest]

I think a lot depends on the outcome of some other things. Does Baron and Andre get the MAX? Does JT shine during his first full year at PG? Does the team have the other pieces to make the team a real winner at the point the decision must be made? Does DJ become a Tracy McGrady this year?

My initial thoughts are NO! I think he is really good, but not an All-Star. I thinks he averages about 19PPG, 7APG this year at the PG position. I think he gets a contract in the neighborhood of 7M/Yr.

Just for foder, let me answer the above questions.

Andre gets Max from someone other than Cleveland...

Baron gets Max in New Orleans...

JT puts up 19PPG, 7APG for the entire year...

Hawks make the playoffs, but fail early...

Hawks still need that SF for the future...

DJ turns in a stellar year 15PPG...

[Guest]

So, its pretty clear that JT is not a MAX contract player. Would he accept less than a MAX contract and will anybody pay him a MAX contract?

I believe JT would be dissapointed if he didnt get a MAX contract. Why?

1. He and SAR are the two stars of the team.

2. Arguably, considering the talent, he deserves it.

3. Problem is, his role is illusory. What???

4. Yes, if we distributed the talent amongst 3 stars, or 5 good players JT wouldnt shoot as much, therefore, his scoring would be down. The only reason people think JT is great is b/c he can shoot.

5. A true PG shouldnt shoot as much as JT but considering the shape the team has been in, what choices did they have. On a good healthy team he would not be a star player, he would battle for playing time.

[Guest]

JT could very well walk away a Max player especially if he does two things; 1) leads the team to the playoffs, and 2) increases his production...

I see number 1 as a strong possibility as JT should have a full seasaon's help form both Ira and Theo. It's easy to write Ira off as a scrub because his production is low, but you can't deny the intangibles that he brought to the lineup and the fact that we had a FAR improved team when he was on the floor...Well, same goes for Theo, he brings a strong understanding of the game and defensively acts as a 'floor coach' directing traffic and giving orders.

I see number 2 as a strong probability, because even tho his scoring slumped oh-so-slightly, JT still managed to improve in other areas such as passing and stealing in the lanes. This year should be his first full season at the point, and if played there consistently, he should be able to increase his production as he's done every year since he went pro...

All that said, I don't see us being players in the Miller/Davis deals as they don't address any of our needs, unless it's a 3-way to land the SF that we do need. All this ESPNage about the Hawks need a PG crap is just bla bla bla to me, talking to hear themselves talk. We may very well go after a PG in the draft because that would address a need, the backup spot, but we don't really need a premier PG (and no Dickau and Williams aren't premier PGs) as a starter. We have one. As far as the Hawks still looking for 'big PGs', think back to last season when junkmail went down and for some brief periods we saw JV and JT on the floor together, JT will probably see minutes at the 2 as long as Dion keeps going down, which at this point is almost as inevitable as junkmail taking a dive, but I would'nt expect to see him there for more than 5 or 6 minutes a game when we need some instant offense.

HDS428

[Guest]

Now I disagree with some of your points.

JT is an above average player who is good in the clutch. That seperates him from the others. He has to play PG to fulfill his potential due to his size, but many (and I mean MANY) teams would love to have JT as their PG.

He brings quickness, speed, ability to push the floor, passing skills and yes the ability to shoot, and then shoot, and then shoot some more.

Is Sacramento bothered that they have Bibby now. In essence he is a lot like JT. Sure his numbers don't show it because of the talent on that team, but he is by no means fighting for playing time. He is the man that makes that team run so well. He is clutch and can "SHOOT".

That is JT. When players of the nature of Toni and SAR turn to JT o put up the ball, they don't do it so they can rest. They do it becasue that is the way to win games. You use the talent that is on the court to capatolize on the mismatches that you have. If DJ becomes a 15PPG player, does that take away from JT. I think not. In fact it probably adds to him. JT is a pusher. If DJ runs the floor with JT, JT will have more assists. If DJ drives to the lane more, JT will have more assists. If DJ spots up for his mid range jumper (3 pter too), JT willhave more assists.

What if JT ends up being a 17PPG, 10APG player, is he now a superstar? Is that better than a 19PPG, 7APG player?

I don't think he is a MAX player, but he may be.

[Guest]

Just to expand the 'Sacramento' analogy: look at the difference Bibby made on that team. He might not be the first option, but he made the difference in an 'Early Exit' team and a 'WC Contender' team. do you think SAC would'a went that far with JWont lobbin behind-the-back passes into the fifth row? I don't think so, dude. I think we should put less emphasis on keeping up with the Millers, and really look at JT's importance to this team. I personally would give him the Max and sleep very well at night having done it.

HDS428

[Traceman]

He wouldn't start at PG for a few teams like NJ, SEA, CHA, HOU and CLE but he would certainly get PT on ALL those teams. A LOT of PT. Actually, I think he would start at SG for NJ, SEA, CHA and CLE. I know he would if I was the coach.

JT probably isn't a max player at this point in his career but he is worth a big time, long term contract. If the Hawks offered him 7yrs/$77 million, I think that's fair.

You say if we distributed the talent among 3 stars that JT wouldn't score as much. How many teams have 3 stars? There simply aren't a lot of teams that do. In addition, if we did have another big-time scorer on the roster, more than likely, JT's assist numbers would go up a little as well.

[Guest]

Frank WIlliams???Granted I rarely watch college ball,but I

wouldn't expect some late first rounder that shoots 37% to

start over JT at point.375 shooting in college?If he was shooting

for [censored] he wouldn't even get a wif.

What are these natural PG's you are talking about?Andre Miller/

Jason Kidd/Stockton.

Baron Davis/Steve Francis/Sam Cassell/Darrell Armstrong/Tony

Parker/Steve Nash/Nick Van Exel are all shoot first PG's.Steve

Francis is a example,he only averages around 6APG as a PG.

There will be more JT's in the league soon than Andre Millers

lI can tell you that.

[Guest]

You guys all continue to compare JT to the other PGs in the league, which is ok, if he were to actually play PG for an entire season.

Problem is as soon as he struggles, Kruger will move him, i.e. protect him, by playing SG, with less responsibility. Just run up and down with abandon and jack it up. Yes, it works now for the lowly Hawks who cant score, but we expect to be better this year, right?

So, to improve with the rest of the team. No more protection, he must run the show which means getting people involved, fewer turnovers and handling the press.

Hopefully, he can do it. I like JT, he's a nice lil guy, but he has to stay at the PG position permanently to get full value out of everybody.

[KB21]

There was hardly any talk of Mike Bibby until he was traded to a team that had more than one player he could pass the ball to.

JT really excelled at the end of last season. He really seemed to be turning the corner on getting his shots as well as setting up his teammates for shots. JT had a 3:1 assist to turnover ratio last year. He didn't turn the ball over nearly as much as he did in his first two years. Not to mention that JT is also coming close to breaking 2 steals per game.

This is one of my beefs with Babcock. He can't make up his mind on what he really wants to do, and all he is doing is setting his coach up for a failure by waffeling.

The Hawks should be looking at JT as the long term point guard while trying to add another guy who can score around him. I still feel JT will get his shots, but the fact that the team would have a small forward/shooting guard that could hit shots as well would help improve his game overall. I see JT as a 20 ppg, 8 apg player.

[Guest]

You also have to wonder if Mike Bibby isn't having a Derek

Fisher type of thing going on.Remember how Fisher couldn't

miss a shot in last seasons playoffs?Look at him this year,

same old Fish that is inconsisant.

Did Bibby have one of those type of playoffs you think?

[Guest]