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Al Harrington Article - I want to stay

BBallPrincess

By BBallPrincess
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BBallPrincess Newbie

BBallPrincess

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"I want to stay in Atlanta!"

“He’ll be ready about 2:30, after he gets out of church.” says Reginald Marable, Al Harrington’s personal assistant, as we eat at Chili’s in Jersey City, on an early Sunday afternoon.

We pull up about 2:35 and park not to far from the Colgate sign with the Statue of Liberty in the distant view, Al’s 6’9 lean athletic body steps out the car and walks towards the water. “Initially you say, the Hawks!” Al says with a tone of disbelief in his voice about how he felt when traded to the Hawks. “You sit and look at what was left of that team, and you ask yourself, the Hawks? I finally just looked at it like a challenge. I was going to get the opportunity to be a leader of a team, be that 1-2 guy.”

That first season the Hawks ended the year with a degrading 13-69 record. Who was to blame? The coaches? Al? The team? “You can’t really blame anybody,” he admits. “You can’t depend on 18 year olds to win games, with no experience. Besides, I was wondering if I was even good enough” he says, as he looks onto the water. “It’s hard going thru something like that, and I never want to go through it again.”

Now heading into his 9th season in the NBA, Al looks to set up the next 6 season of his career. “Atlanta is my 1-2 choice, then Chicago. I know they like me a lot, and then there’s New York. I like the Lakers a lot too,” he says laughing. “I just like LA period, I wouldn’t mind playing in a market like that!” But there’s something else there. Does he want to stay (with the Hawks)?

“I want to stay. They don’t have to give me a max deal to stay. I would take less money.” He says as he looks down on me with his famous Colgate smile. A bit of chemistry, a pinch of experience, and a dash of Joe Johnson-the Hawks improved this year to a 26-56 record. “If I stay in Atlanta, I know exactly what I’m gonna get. I know the players, the coaches, and the philosophy. I wouldn’t have to adjust. Besides I think you have to keep your core guys together at least three years to see what they’re going to do.”

As Al looks forward to July 1st, when he able to do his Free Agent visit’s he says in closing, “Maybe Atlanta can get something done so I don’t have to go visit nobody. Until then I’ll just keep my options open and we’ll see what happens.”

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Yeti Newbie

Yeti

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IF Al stays then we need to move Smoove or Marvin. They are my favorite players but we can't keep all three and still hope the young guys develop. Notice how much Marvin improved at the end of the season when he played more? Personally in that case I hope we move Marvin. With Al here we are not going to make a great step forward and it would be best for ATL and Marvin to move him - maybe to Seattle for a big man. Not because I dislike Marvin, but because he wouldn't develop here. And I'd like to see the kid have a chance. The Hawks would be a lot less interesting then - at least for me.

This whole thing is getting more depressing from day to day. frown.gif

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Iman Newbie

Iman

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I like the article. I assumed it was from SI,etc.

We dont need Al, we'll probably need him even less after the draft. He gives us depth but his money could be spent elsewhere to give us a better team. I'll probably be most upset if we do resign him, would prefer a sign and trade, wouldnt be too disappointed if we just let him walk.

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Diesel Grand Master

Diesel

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All season long...

People said.. "Al's going to want the max".

Now Al comes out and says he would take less money to stay!!!!!!!

I think when they sit down together,

BK wants Al here, Al wants to be here... I believe a deal gets done...

So much for the haters.

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Plainview1981 Mentor

Plainview1981

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Quote:

All season long...

People said.. "Al's going to want the max".

Now Al comes out and says he would take less money to stay!!!!!!!

I think when they sit down together,

BK wants Al here, Al wants to be here... I believe a deal gets done...

So much for the haters.

1.I don't believe it's been proven that this "article" is actually real.

2.Keeping Al is just a big headache... Al hurts you either as a starting SF or a starting PF. He can't defend EITHER position... He's too slow to start at SF and too undersized to play the PF spot. Sounds like a player the hawks had before...

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ATLBob Newbie

ATLBob

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In absolutely no universe does it make sense to trade Smooth or Marvin so that they'll have a better chance to develop, ie more playing time on another team. The only way the Atlanta Hawks hope to see both players develop is in a Hawks uniform. Really, y'all are killing me. Do you really think that BK even considers trading the player he chose with the #2 pick in last year's draft? Who on the Supersonics entire roster would you rather have? 30-yr old Ray Allen? We ain't trading for Rashard Lewis, he's a 3.

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Quote:

Do you really think that BK even considers trading the player he chose with the #2 pick in last year's draft? Who on the Supersonics entire roster would you rather have? 30-yr old Ray Allen? We ain't trading for Rashard Lewis, he's a 3.

No, he obviously isn't thinking about it, but he should be and I believe that is the point. It is just a small sliver of why BK is a bad GM.

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Diesel Grand Master

Diesel

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Really it depends on what we get back...

A player with equal potential at a position of need automatically is a strong consideration. Just because we drafted these guys doesn't mean that we should keep them no matter what. That's homerism 101.

But sometimes in order to make the team better, you make the deal.

For example...

All day long on HS and sometimes in the press, people talk about us giving up Diaw.

However, if it came down to us Keeping Diaw (knowing what we know now) or us giving up Diaw and getting JJ... Who would keep Diaw... Those are the only options. We make the deal or not... who's not going to make the deal to get JJ?

All day long, people bellyache about having given up Diaw but Nobody wants to go and undo the deal. If Phoenix came to us on draft night and said, we'll trade you Diaw and your 2 picks back for JJ.. Who's going to take the deal??

NOBODY.

Because we all know that JJ has made our team better.

The same is true with trading the others. IF it makes us better at the place of need, it may happen. For instance, Who wouldn't trade Marvin for Livingston or Gordon? Who wouldn't trade Smoove for Bosh?

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mudderfudder77 Newbie

mudderfudder77

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You're especially delusional thinking that Marvin for Ben Gordon straight up is of equal value to us. Marvin for Livingston yes. Gordon and the #2 for Marvin, sure.

LOL... Marvin was a #2, Gordon a #3, and you think Gordon plus a #2 for a player who hasn't proven anything yet is fair?

Gordon isn't a star, but he has averaged 20pts a game in the playoffs and averages 19 a game as a starter. So lets not completely undersell him like that.

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