Babs addresses pg situation and info on Nazr

[Blunt91]

I thought I would email Pete to complain about our lack of depth at the pg postion and the status on Nazr. He gave his response as follows.

Nazr is making good progress and has started the underwater treadmill and will start weight-bearing work next week.

We are not happy with our number of turnovers each game, and we are talking to teams daily about trade options that will address our weaknesses. Dickau was actually making very good progress in practice until his injury was daignosed....he had been playing with the torn meniscus all season, but was so tough that he practiced through the pain everyday. It was affecting his shot and his ability to move as quickly as he wanted, but in six weeks he should be ready. We don't, however, expect a rookie to lead our team at this stage, so we are looking at alot of options. I apologize for the sloppy play to date, but we did not expect more from Dickau at this early stage....it will take him a good season to get acclimated to the NBA as it does for most late first round picks.

Thank you for your concern and your comments.

Pete Babcock

-----Original Message-----

From

[hds428]

We need a real backup point guard, there's no way around that. I'm sorry but Dickau is'nt the instant savior that many fans and media proclaimed him to be. He doesn't need to be on the floor for more than a handful of minutes every few games, if at all. In the past I would argue for playing Dan, but I don't think this is a rebuilding/developmental team anymore. That's what the majority of fans say and what the message from the front office seems to be: Win Now. Rookie point guards don't Win Now, but Email is becoming a liability. With benches in the league getting deeper and more specialized, we need an effective bench to keep pace. All of the other tools are there; The Scoring Rebounders (Nazr/Hendu) The Slashing Sparkplug (Dion) The Hustlers (Crawford/Ham). What's needed is a guy who can bring them all together, provide some leadership and direction and execute the coaches gameplan (some clutch outside shooting would be nice too). Solid play from the bench would go a long way toward solving our problems, as for the rest, I think Michael Lee summed it up really well in his AJC column. Turnovers and lackidasical play should be nothing more than early season issues, and should (hopefully) be memories by mid January.

[Diesel]

Look at these two Babcock Statements...

In reply to:

---

We are not happy with our number of turnovers each game, and we are talking to teams daily about trade options that will address our weaknesses.

---

In reply to:

---

We don't, however, expect a rookie to lead our team at this stage, so we are looking at alot of options.

---

It sounds pretty obvious to me that JT is on the blocks. Babcock said that we are talking to teams daily about trade options. Secondly about Dickau, he mentioned not expecting him to LEAD our team.... What about JT??? Isn't he supposed to LEAD our team...

I believe this. IF there's a trade Out there, Babcock is at the point where he will make it.

MY guess is that it would be one for an established PG.. Secondly, I think that it would be maybe a 5-6 player deal. Thirdly, I believe that it would involve us getting rid of CC's contract.

Here's my prediction of what Babs might be trying:

JT/Big Dog/CC to Memphis for Jason Williams/Drew Gooden/Shane Battier.

[Blunt91]

Yeah that is what I was trying to get across to Pete. I had stated Terry can't continue to log 40mpg and that Email doesn't know how to run an offense and that Dickau hadn't shown anything before going down with the injury and also that Mahloney will help but isn't the answer either. I noticed Pete commented on Dickau but not Email, maybe he agrees with what I am saying but decided to stay away from commenting about him. I know he doesn't believe in cutting players with contracts and would prefer to trade someone instead. I know we must keep in mind of luxury tax but this might be a good time to try and bring back Brevin Knight. Some of you don't like him but he is a smart player and a leader. The rumor is he might be the odd man out in memphis because West likes Earl Watson better. The grizzlies just might listen if we had something to give.

[Blunt91]

First of all, maybe I should have posted my message I sent him because in my opinion I think we are trying to get rid of Emanual Davis. Babcock has stated in the past unless someone is willing to give us a Baron Davis or ANdre Miller type PG JT isn't going any where. Jerry West will not let Gooden or Battier go anywhere. Jason Williams is basically the same type of player as JT. Brevin Knight is the one on the trading blocks not Williams.

[Guest]

The thought crossed my mind as well. Esp. considering what we all know JT is asking for in terms on contract and the fact that Robinson and SAR are locked up for several more years.

I think it's a possibility that he might try to trade JT in a package deal with CC and perhaps someone else...but then I started thinking about who it'd be for...and on first thought, couldn't come up with anyone.

Diesel, I know you want Battier, but the trade certainly wouldn't be with Memphis - JWill is the only starting caliber pg they have and he has yet to prove that he has the control to run a playoff caliber team. Babs would want a more "sure thing," a steadier hand. I think they remain high on DD as a future prospect and will probably elect to keep him around.

[Guest]

If we traded for Jason Williams I'd laugh my a**

off.Lon would really be overmatched.Not to mention

Babs would look terrible.Jwill is a loser as a person

and as a player.

[Guest]

Lon and Pete thought Dickau would be getting

big minutes.I believe Lon even said so after the

draft..

[hds428]

I don't see JT going anywhere honestly. The starters do a great job, but how many times have we seen them pile up 20 point leads and then the bench comes in and next thing you know we're down by five. I could see a minor trade to improve the bench but this team does'nt need another blockbuster trade.

[Traceman]

going to trade JT unless they get a top flight PG in return and there are only a few that qualify. Since I don't see Kidd, Francis, GP, Davis, Nash, Bibby or miller coming here for JT, he is not going to be traded. Jason Williams? HAAAAAAAAA! What a joke. He is the primary reason we used to beat SACtown at least once a year. He can't run a team and defensively, he makes JT look like the Glove. Why in the [censored] would we trade JT, Big Dog and CC for Battier, Gooden and Glover. Gooden is the only one I would REALLY want of the 3 and his position is the same position as our best player. Big Dog fits this team much better. Battier is a role player. I put him only slightly above Ira and CC. J Will is a HUGE step down from JT. If Babs makes that deal, he's an idiot.

[chillzatl]

you are reading way to much into it. We have nobody else who can handle the ball. That's why we have turnovers. JT is NOT a high turnover player. He wasn't last year. Over the previous few games (until the last boston game) he had significantly cut down his turnovers. The night before 12 assists, 1 turnover. The night before against the T-wolves 8 assists 0 turnovers. The night before that against the Raptors, 9 and 2. He was getting back to where he needed to be. He is not on the blocks.

Backup is what we need, or a starter with ball handling skills. Right nwo we don't have another hanlder on the team. Our offense sputters to a crawl when JT's not out there. IT does that sometimes even with him there, but still. When he goes out of the game, if our second unit can't out hustle the other team, we are dead. Because they certainly can't out-execute other teams.

Also it's easy to see that a lot of our team turnovers are due to lack of chemistry. Guys not being ready for a pass, not being in hte right spot or getting the pass too early. That's all due to them not being adjusted to playing together. That's going to take time. Certainly more than 13 games. I can't see them making any major, knee jerk change at this point. We've seen this team be very good for stretches against very good teams. That shows they have the potential. They just need to be able to play that way more consistantly.

[Guest]

Brent Barry or Doug Christie sure would be nice...

[Guest]

and both completely unavailable

[Guest]

If we trade JT I'd like him to be packaged with

Big Dog or Shareef.Those two lack of ability and

speed hurt us on defense.One of them needs to

go.

[d2v16DKG]

I'm sorry you're not a Hawk fan talking like that. Maybe a Celtic infiltrator or a terrorist. Trade JT, Big Dog, and Reef; in otherwords are most consistent players to date you want to trade. You make me sick! Stop infiltrating our website, don't the Celtics have their own website?

[JTFan31]

This team is totally lost when JT steps off the floor, no way are they gonna trade the heart, soul and leader of this team, they must be that stupid, especially not for J Williams......come one Diesel you need to come up with a better deal than that or that other deal you threw out there.....JT/BigDog for Jones/Best........is this a joke?

If JT is gonna be traded it will be for Kidd, Payton, Francis, Baron, A. Miller, Nash and I dont see those guys going anywhere. JT is the leader and captain of this team, JT is the heart and soul of this team......

You have to remember this the teams runs very very well when JT is in the lineup, the teams stalls once JT is off the floor, the problem is not scoring or JT running the team, because honestly he is doing a da-mn good job doing it, but the problem is the backup PG, perimeter defense, TO's and opps. 2nd chance pts.

[Guest]

A terrorist?Why don't you get a life you moron.lol

A f***in terrorist?Why don't you do yourself a favor

and commit sucide to make sure your seed doesn't

affect the world later in your life.

"Trade JT, Big Dog, and Reef; in otherwords are most consistent players to date you want to trade."

Consisant at being mediocre?You [censored] right they

have been consisant at that.

"gelling"together isn't gunna make their slow asses

play defense.We simply have too many slow footed

bad defensive players on the team.Big Dog is a

overweight and slow.

[Guest]

You have to remember this the teams runs very very well when JT is in the lineup, the teams stalls once JT is off the floor, the problem is not scoring or JT running the team, because honestly he is doing a da-mn good job doing it, but the problem is the backup PG, perimeter defense, TO's and opps. 2nd chance pts."

Yeah is that why the team struggled to get a single point

late in the Celtic games?

[chillzatl]

yeah we sucked against boston. Get over it. It was only one game against a team that IS BETTER THAN US. We had played other good teams and not done that. Until you see it happen consistantly, you should be a little more open minded and optimistic about it NOT being the norm. You are carrying on like this is the norm. Like we've played heartless in every game we've played. Give it a rest already.