BABCOCK SAID IT... NOT DIESEL.

[Diesel]

I don't dislike JT at all. IN fact, I like him. I think with the right coaching, him and the whole team would prove to be so much better.

However, I can't sit here and say that he's not on the blocks. Babcock did everything else but say it point blank.

However, don't take ANYBODY's Mere words. LOOK AT ACTIONS.

1. We use trade up to get a first round PG.

2. JT doesn't get his extension.

3. Babcock makes statements that suggest that we will need somebody to LEAD this team and also make statements that we are looking into trades.

4. We are at the cap and we are a team that is known for not going over the cap.

All these things point to something that you guys are afraid to admit to yourselves. JT may be on the blocks. There have always been questions about his future... AND the fact that we didn't offer him an extension suggests to me that our powers that be are not sure. At least they are no where as sure as some of you are.

However, Like I said...

LOOK around Look around... These are not straw men you're seeing. These are THE FACTS.

[Diesel]

If Babcock came out and said

" I'm tired of dealing with injury prone players. We are currently entertain trades that will help us keep a healthy team on the floor".

That wouldn't make any suggestions to you?

Would the first thing in your mind be: Theo, CC, Hendu, and Nazr better be on the lookout for their positions?

Yes, it's a vague statement. However, it doesn't take a [censored] brainsurgeon to understand what it means.

You make it out to be that It CANNOT BE RIGHT.

However, ALL I have said is that JT MAY BE ON THE BLOCKS.

Say what you want. Try to discount what was said..

BUT.

The facts are what they are.

JT is a player who is at a crossroads. There's basketball decisions and there are business decisions. Babcock is responsible for both.

For HIm to say " Dickau is not ready to lead the team YET" Suggests 2 things.

1. That Dickau is expected to lead it at some point?

2. That JT is not leading it (coupled with the trade talk) it's easy to get that JT may be on the blocks.

[chillzatl]

We did offer JT an extension, where have you been? He elected to wait and play this season in the hopes of earning a bigger payday.

All that his been proven is that you are taking vague comments and combining them with things that happened MONTHS apart and coming to a baseless assumption that JT might be on the blocks. But the sad fact (sad for you) is that nothing that has happened suggests that JT is being shopped.

It reminds me of those guys who read nostradamus and say that he predicted Bin Laden....

[Diesel]

[chillzatl]

This could be an interesting discussion, like many you start, if you had the ability to accept anyone elses thoughts. It's a persistant flaw for you. All you have to do is watch the games and you can put two and two together. Have you watched any of the games this season?

you said:

"1. That Dickau is expected to lead it at some point?"

Who said that leadership has to start the game? By watching the games you'd see that when JT leaves the floor, we have NO LEADERSHIP. Dickau was brought in because they thought he's a guy who could lead the team in that capacity and possibly become a starter if JT couldn't do it. He was never EVER slated by anyone to be the future PG for this team. He was a backup and POTENTIAL insurance of JT couldn't do it.

WHich leads to the 2nd point you just stated:

"2. That JT is not leading it (coupled with the trade talk) it's easy to get that JT may be on the blocks."

But the fact is, JT is leading the team. WHen he's on the floor, our offense goes. When he sits down, our offense crawls. If you carry this back up to the first point, JT is getting it done, Dickau floundered in every opportunity he was given. All you have to do is watch a game and you can see it. JT leads this team, JT runs the offense and IT WORKS.

Those two things take 75% of your arguement that "JT might be on the blocks" and shoves it right out the window. That's my point and the point of others. IF JT wasn't delivering, your points would be valid. If Dickau had shown the smallest bit of leadership, you might be on to something. But NEITHER of those two things are remotely true. All it takes is a small bit of basketball knowledge and actually watching the games to see it.

[chillzatl]

http://www.accessatlanta.com/ajc/sports/ha...02/02hawks.html

Contract extension deferred for Terry

By JEFFREY DENBERG

Atlanta Journal-Constitution Staff Writer

Jason Terry and Hawks executive vice president/general manager Pete Babcock believe in a long-term relationship, but plans for a contract extension are unofficially on hold.

Terry said more than two weeks ago that he would like to sign a long-term deal before training camp. That did not happen, and it appears a contract will not be negotiated until the end of the season.

"Either way," Terry said. "I want to be with this organization and these players, and whether we do it now or later on, that doesn't change things."

Terry is not unaware of the way contracts work. Sacramento's Mike Bibby played through three years, his team reached the NBA Western Conference finals, and he earned a $70 million contract. Bibby and Terry were teammates at Arizona.

While Terry might be worth as much as a $40 million contract now, he can dramatically increase his value if he takes the Hawks to the playoffs.

"I know that," he said Tuesday during a media session before the first practice of training camp. "I need to take care of the scorers [Glenn Robinson and Shareef Abdur-Rahim] and score when they get doubled. That's the way I am of maximum value to the team."

Last season, Terry averaged 19.3 points, 5.7 assists. If he increases his assists by two and drops two points in his scoring average, he likely will have accomplished his aim.

"It's going to be there for Jason," Babcock said of the money. "I told him that. If he wants it now, we can build in options and things. But if he waits and has a good year, he will get what he wants."

[Diesel]

A BU is merely a reserve who is to babysit the team while the starter is on the bench.

It's a flaw in your argument to believe that a player who comes in for 10-12 minutes a game is leading anything.

Again, I remind you, it's a difference between running an offense and leading a team.

Had Babcock said " at this point, Dickau is not ready to run the offense" then your point would be valid. But the fact of the matter is that he said that Dickau is not ready to "lead the team"... That's totally different.

Why would he be expected to "lead the team" if he's not the starter?

AGAIN... BU's donot lead.

That's like saying Enis Whatley was a team leader for the Hawks..... What did the team ever look for Enis to do, but rest Mookie.

It's like saying that Email is to lead the team... WHEN?

In fact, go over all the press conferences... Look at the press conference for Jacque vaughn. See if Babcock mentioned Jacque being able to "LEAD THE TEAM".

[chillzatl]

Again I say...HAVE YOU WATCHED A GAME THIS SEASON? When JT leaves the game, we have NOBODY who can lead. HAVE YOU WATCHED THE GAMES?? If you had, you couldn't, with any measure of honesty, say that BACKUPS DON'T LEAD! That is an absurd statement to make.

but at the same time, it's not just about backups. It was hoped that Dickau would be able to play along side JT and allow him to fall over more into his SG style of play also. Therefor he would have to be a LEADER. He couldn't do it and E.Davis certainly can't get it done. We need someone else, whether starter or bench, who can keep the offense moving if JT isn't on the floor. Doesn't have to be a backup. As I said, watch a game or two and you will see that.

[Diesel]

http://www.nba.com/hawks/news/vaughn_signing_010730.html

Read what Babcock said about Vaughn.

He didn't say Vaughn was expected to "LEAD THE TEAM"... He said that Vaughn was expected to "Run the point".

Again. Babcock's own terminology is suggesting things to us.

http://www.accessatlanta.com/ajc/sports/1002/29hawks.html

Now read Babcock's words about Terry. He says that Terry is not a true point but he plays the position.....

However, there are erie words right here:

In reply to:

---

"We're not discouraging him from scoring by any means, because he is an explosive scorer," Babcock said. ''It's just not the focal point.

It's winning. If we win games, and he helps us, that's all that matters."

---

So again... Stop fooling yourself. What this means is that when we LOSE.... AND it's because we turned the ball over so much... What do you think it means to Babcock?

[chillzatl]

You are grasping for straws. Trying to find any shred of text that validates what you are saying. Going all the way back to vaughn?? That just proves that what babcock said was vague and you ran wild with it. Just admit it and get it over with.

The simple fact is that JT runs our offense and we win games. We are well ahead of where we were last year and the majority of the turnovers have NOTHING to do with him. He's putting up over 8 assists and 3.5 turnovers per game. THat's more than acceptable. Especially considering that his Turnovers per game have dropped significantly over the last week alone. That invalidates what you said. I know it hurts. But it does.

[Sage11]

Your cap room argument is weak because JT will get paid. To bring someone in to do what he already does will cost us therefore I do not see trading him and gambling with someone else. We will pay him or we will pay someone else. How smart we are in doing so is up to our front office. Trading a proven workhorse is dumb.....peroid. With JT we know what we have (all star performance-now)and there is plenty of upside. Your dogged determination to rid Atlanta of JT is repugnant. What did the guy do to you- not sign a autograph??? Your arguments justifying a trade are not even rational. Trading JT will be one of the stupidest things Babs ever did- similar to trading away Nique. Give up silly arguments and put that Mary Jane down, preserve what little bit of brain power (and respect) you have left dude.

[Sage11]

Sometime speculation becomes suggestion!

Look at the numbers JT puts up, when most of his points are put up and our current roster and tell me that we win games without him....We don't if you do the math. When he is not on the floor the team sucks, we see that with our second unit. Educate me on the so call "improvements" (give me some names)we can make that will not gut this team, that as you say, will make it better. We have a good thing with Jt and I say we need to keep him. Any suggestions you have to replace him with a better player I am open to entertain, yet I know we cannot get a better player than JT and remain under cap.....So all this talk about trading him to give us wiggle room under the cap is mute. JT is essential for the short term and long term success of the Hawks. He may very well turn out to be our cheapest option depending on the size of his contract. This team needs him and knows it and if you watch any games you can see it.

[Guest Walter]

Once upon a time Diesel insisted that we (would?) trade JT in order to start DD (as we would not use a 1st rd pick, even if it was the LAST 1st rd pick, on a BU).

Diesel has been stewing in his own BS for months and couldn't take it, spewing forth the same BS he was stewing in only in a different context.

Diesel, don't let your love for yourself and lack of true confidence turn into hate of JT. You look foolish.

"I'm right no matter what" Diesel, it's time to give it up.

W

[Diesel]

Instead of trying to pin this on me?

Babcock's own words were:

"Dickau is not ready to Lead this team yet".

YOU CAN TALK ABOUT CONSPIRACY THEORIES AND YOUR OWN MISGUIDED ASSUMPTIONS ALL YOU WANT... BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, THAT STATEMENT NULLIFIES ALL YOUR BS.