If we go by what's coming out of Hawks mouths...

[Diesel]

Our pick will be Shelden Williams.

DJLayup reports "Yeah I heard him too. He talked about the draft - emphasized drafting big, a guy with post moves and defensive ability, getting a 3 to 4 year experienced college player, and one who had played in a good system so they knew the game coming in (sounded like he was describing Sheldon to a T)."

Hawks will resign Al Harrington

Sekoe reports "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."

Just by what is being said, this will be our lineup as the season starts...

Lue/2nd round pick

JJ/Chillz/Salim

JSmoove/Marvin

Al/Landlord/Batista

Zaza/Free agent C

[Seano]

Somewhat off-topic, but why is Shelden Williams called the Landlord?

[Plainview1981]

Quote:

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Our pick will be Shelden Williams.

DJLayup reports "Yeah I heard him too. He talked about the draft - emphasized drafting big, a guy with post moves and defensive ability, getting a 3 to 4 year experienced college player, and one who had played in a good system so they knew the game coming in (sounded like he was describing Sheldon to a T)."

Hawks will resign Al Harrington

Sekoe reports "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."

Just by what is being said, this will be our lineup as the season starts...

Lue/2nd round pick

JJ/Chillz/Salim

JSmoove/Marvin

Al/Landlord/Batista

Zaza/Free agent C

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That would mean another 20 win season... You can't have ZaZa and Lue as starters and expect to win games.

[jezmund]

I wouldn't be mad with the Shelden pick assuming he had a good workout but I can't really see why we'd resign Al for the money he'd want (especially after drafting Shelden).

[KB21]

He is called the Landlord because he "owned the paint." He got that moniker in high school after blocking 16 shots in one game during his freshman year.

[Plastic Man]

Quote:

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Somewhat off-topic, but why is Shelden Williams called the Landlord?

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because he "owns the paint".

defensively i like his game. but he seems way too mechanical with his post moves. i think he has ALOT of work to do on the offensive end. his j is decent but otherwise he's garbage on offense. not worthy of #5 pick IMO.

[Buzzard]

Quote:

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Our pick will be Shelden Williams.

Hawks will resign Al Harrington

Just by what is being said, this will be our lineup as the season starts...

Lue/2nd round pick

JJ/Chillz/Salim

JSmoove/Marvin

Al/Landlord/Batista

Zaza/Free agent C

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If we reach for Sheldon at 5, I will be disappointed. O'Bryant is a true center who can add maybe 20 more lbs (that would be 280). If we are going to reach, lets reach for the stars...

Harrington...I remember BK saying similar things about Walker. Great pro, very pofessional, we would like to have him remain a part of our team...I am not buying it. Just to many talented 6'9" players and not enough talent at PG or Center. Plus we need to add a 1st round pick for next year.

Someone will be traded by deadline next year. If not, we are pretty much putting two years worth of rebuilding into this one draft class. That would truly be sad...

[Lascar78]

Quote:

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If we reach for Sheldon at 5, I will be disappointed. O'Bryant is a true center who can add maybe 20 more lbs (that would be 280). If we are going to reach, lets reach for the stars...

Harrington...I remember BK saying similar things about Walker. Great pro, very pofessional, we would like to have him remain a part of our team...I am not buying it. Just to many talented 6'9" players and not enough talent at PG or Center. Plus we need to add a 1st round pick for next year.

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I agree all the way on this.

I really don't want Shelden, and I don't really want Ty Thomas either. Shelden is used to bullying smaller players, and Thomas is too much of a Smith clones. If we're drafting bigs, we need guys who at least have the size to potentially play the C either part time or full time. Aldridge, Splitter, Bargnani, and if you're going to reach down, O'Bryant. If not, let's get a PG prospect. I would certainly feel very uneasy reaching down for O'Bryant, but I would feel just as uneasy taking a 6'9" center wannabe in Shelden, whose game may or may not transfer to the pro level.

As for Al, I think the same as I always have. Al likes BK. BK likes Al. Al will want tons of cash. BK won't want to pay up. Some other team will. Al will be traded. Nothing new here.

[TheDude]

Quote:

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Somewhat off-topic, but why is Shelden Williams called the Landlord?

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because it sounds better than Shelden "Wharf" Williams.

Shelden, engage!

[Buzzard]

Quote:

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I really don't want Shelden, and I don't really want Ty Thomas either. Shelden is used to bullying smaller players, and Thomas is too much of a Smith clones. If we're drafting bigs, we need guys who at least have the size to potentially play the C either part time or full time. Aldridge, Splitter, Bargnani, and if you're going to reach down, O'Bryant. If not, let's get a PG prospect. I would certainly feel very uneasy reaching down for O'Bryant, but I would feel just as uneasy taking a 6'9" center wannabe in Shelden, whose game may or may not transfer to the pro level.

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Agree as well. unless Sheldon or O'Bryant just blow BK away at the workouts, I cannot see taking either of them at 5. To say Sheldon is our guy without having been to one workout is nuts.

He is listed anywhere between the 8th and 12th best prospect at boards and sites I have been to. I do like Splitter; but my understanding is his buyout is so high, he will have to be left in Europe for at least one year possibly two...

Just have to see how things shake out. All the trade rumors going around, you would think no one wants to stay in the top 4...Totally different from last year with exception of Portland.

[chillzatl]

We may well draft Williams. It wouldn't make me cry.

But I dont' buy the Harrington bit at all. Billy is saying what I would expect him to say. He's not tipping his hand. If he wants other teams who are interested in Al to be prepared to deal with him, it's a must that he paint the picture that he would prefer him to stay here. I sure as hell wouldn't go out saying "we don't want to resign him. But we're prepared to do a sign and trade". Becuase then teams would make an offer to Al and wait, knowing that we won't counter and Al will be theirs cheaper than he might be otherwise.

[Lascar78]

exactly. It's the same PR line we've heard all along. Most of us have still assumed all along that Al is a goner. It's the right thing to say regardless of your intent because it strengthens your bargaining position. Same thing with saying that if the best player is a SF, we can take him. It only helps to say these things (in all areas but PR of course).

[Diesel]

"Harrington...I remember BK saying similar things about Walker. Great pro, very pofessional, we would like to have him remain a part of our team."

Nope. This is not true. As a matter of fact, on the day that we traded for Walker, when the reporters asked if Walker would like to be a part of this future, BK grabbed the mic out of Walker's hand and said, "we'll see"... BK never once gave Walker any indication that he was a part of the future plans.

Here's a few quotes...

Quote:

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"This trade will give us the opportunity to continue to develop our nucleus of young players for the remainder of the year," said Hawks Executive Vice President/General Manager Billy Knight. "We're thrilled to be able to make a deal which brings another first round draft choice, while still allowing us salary flexibility this summer. We thank Antoine (Walker) for his contributions to the organization both on and off the court, and wish him the very best."

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Remember, Walker was traded in the season. If BK was interested in re-signing him, he would not have traded him for a first rounder in order to "develop our nucleus of young players".

Click here and listen..

Billy Knight says " Wallker and Delk are players who will be good for our young players"...

Curtis Bunn asked specifically about Walker and Delk being cornerstone of the rebuilding process...

Listen to BK's answer (sidestep).

"Well, everybody likes to put labels......."

[Diesel]

So we take Mullen's word on AI..

But when it comes to BK saying:

Quote:

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"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

."

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Then we just ignore it because BK is saying what you're supposed to say...

That's funny.

[Diesel]

If Al was a goner, he would have been gone at the deadline. Could have traded Al for picks at that time.

He turned down Nene & 2 1st rounders...

And you think that Al is a Goner now that we have LESS control?

Read the signs..

[Diesel]

That would be cool.

Warf!

[Diesel]

In this question and answer that I posted, BK is the funniest most arrogant interview ever!!!

[Lascar78]

Al has more value as a player for 6 years than he does as a 3 month rental

[Diesel]

It depends on who you trade him to.

The same could have been said when we traded Rasheed Wallace to Detroit.

But back to the point.

Denver offered Nene and 2 1st rounders. PERIOD... Sure, we can probably get a better deal in a SNT.. However, in a SNT, AL has to agree. You know that Al isn't going to want to play for a Loser... So automatically, half of the teams in the NBA are out.

Moreover, if Al finds a team that he really wants to play for, we have to try to find a deal that suites us or just watch him Walk. For example, if Al says, I want to go to NJ..

Do you think NJ can give us a better offer than what we were getting from Denver?

[chillzatl]

in one case you have an owner commenting on something that Billy NEVER commented on. On the other, you have Billy Knight himself saying something that contradicts logic and common sense. If he wanted to keep him so much, why not offer him an extension? Logic holds he could probably have gotten him for less money that way. Why take the risk on being pushed to max money for a guy that is not worth it? That's rather illogical, wouldn't you say? It's even more illogical when we need things and have only one truely tradeable asset.