Sekoe on Al's FA---pro's and con's

[DrReality]

Harrington may be too expensive

By SEKOU SMITH

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Published on: 04/23/06

Everyone's saying the right things in April.

Hawks co-captain Al Harrington wants to come back to the place and the team he's called home the past two seasons. Hawks general manager Billy Knight wants him back.

But the mutual admiration that colors April fades in July, when a free agent like Harrington becomes the hunted for teams desperate for that one player they feel can put them over the top.

So unless the Hawks are willing to show Harrington the money — we're talking about a deal in the five-year, $50 million range, for starters — the Hawks' most seasoned player might be calling Chicago, New York or Los Angeles home next season.

"Right now, I really don't even know what to say about it," said Harrington, whose summer recruiting visits won't start for months but will no doubt include the aforementioned cities. "You realize the gravity of your situation once the season ends. It's one thing to talk about it. But to be on the brink of what could be your biggest summer ... it all hits home then.

"And now, it's really in the hands of my agent [New York-based Andy Miller] and the Hawks, to see how the details get worked out."

Knight said the Hawks' feelings about Harrington haven't changed a bit since they traded for him two summers ago, when he was coming off a breakout season in Indiana.

"We like Al and we'd like to keep him," Knight said. "We're very happy with him and what he's brought not only to our team but to our franchise. He's been the consummate pro. Al's been great for the two years he's been here and we'd like it to continue in the future."

GO OR STAY

Whether Harrington is re-signed, signed and traded or leaves without the Hawks receiving compensation (the least likely scenario), the ramifications for the immediate future of the franchise are immense. All we can do now is wait patiently until July, when the free agent circus begins.

PROS of KEEPING HARRINGTON

Only nine of the NBA's 30 teams can claim two players among the league's top 30 scorers. The Hawks, with Joe Johnson (20.2 points a game) and Harrington (18.6), are one of them. Having two proven scorers of that ilk could be crucial for a team in search of a playoff bid next season. The Hawks swapped one 18-point scorer for another when they traded Stephen Jackson to the Pacers for Harrington. Trying to pull that off again could prove difficult.

Teams from Boston to Seattle are screaming for veteran leadership. Not the 32-year-old kind, but those six-, seven- and eight-year veterans in 25- and 26-year-old packages, a la Harrington, who jumped straight from high school to the NBA. If the Hawks' co-captain truly is one of the elite free agents on the market — and only Ben Wallace ranks consistently as high among most pundits — why would the Hawks let him leave?

Finally, there's Boris Diaw's Law. In short, there needs to be a fear of giving someone up that you'll wind up kicking yourself over later. Harrington could be next in a long line of ex-Hawks whose true value isn't realized until they're gone (think as far back Dominique Wilkins and Steve Smith and as recently as Nazr Mohammed).

CONS OF KEEPING HARRINGTON

If Harrington returns, the obvious crunch on playing time and production will impact young forwards Marvin Williams, Josh Smith and Josh Childress. Surely, there's ample room for two of these guys. But four? A nucleus with so many similarly sized players should produce a logjam at some point, sort of like the one in Indiana ran into, when Harrington fled so he could prove himself elsewhere. If he stays, maybe someone else goes.

While coaches gush about veteran leadership, NBA executives cringe at the price tags. The Hawks have avoided risky, high-priced free-agent options in the past (see: Kenyon Martin, Erick Dampier, Carlos Boozer, Eddy Curry) in favor of more cost-friendly young options (Zaza Pachulia). Minus concrete evidence that one path leads to immediate success over the other, perhaps the risk is too great with in-house talents like Smith and Childress on the free-agent horizon.

The exceptions to Diaw's law: Jackson and Antoine Walker, two the team couldn't show the door quickly enough. Truth is, there are always calculated risks involved in player transactions. Too much fear when it comes to making moves can hurt a franchise as much as moves that turn out bad — how many different point guards could have helped the Hawks this season had a trade deadline deal involving Harrington been done in February? At this stage of the game, the Hawks have to be willing to gamble a little bit.

[BusBoyIsBack]

I wish we could sign him to a short term deal. I don't think Marvin Williams is ready to carry the load by himself just yet. Al's 18 PPG is significant production that would be missed.

I have a question though for those who have watched the games. Does Marvin Williams seem to show effort on D? I think if Marvin used his athleticism like JOsh Smith we could have yet another exciting young shot blocker on this team. I know Al Harrington's a defensive liability which is why I wouldn't want to sign him to a long term deal. But like I said I don't think marvin is ready just yet.

[Weez]

you do realize that there is simply no way that Al is going to sign any sort of 'short-term' deal right?

he's due for his 'big pay day,' his 'due', & probably his last one...he's not signing short term though the general 'point' of your statement has it's own merit...it's simply not a realistic possbility at this point.

[exodus]

Marvin's ability on D is one of the things that have impressed me the most about him this year, especially during the second half of the season. He rarely gets beat off the dribble. He does a good job of moving his feet to stay in front of the other player and consistently challenges their shots.

I have seen him get switched off on point guards and still stay in front of them when they try to drive.

He also refuses to give up layups. if someone is coming down the lane Marvin will either challenge the shot or give a hard foul every time.