BK has fooled you all!

[Wurider05]

For a guy who doesn't like to show his hand why is everyone so certain that he will draft Shelden Williams. Other than the obvious choice of picking either Marvin or Bogut we have never really known who BK was going to draft. We don't even know who the number one pick is going to be for the most part. We don't know who will fall our way. I read the other day that Tyrus Thomas doesn't even know if Chicago will take him with the second pick even thoug the rumors of a promise have been going around for over a month. I got a feeling that this may just be a smoke screen. The only way I see us drafting Williams is that we are doing it for someone else. BK has never been this easy to figure out!!!

[HawksFan87]

Picking Sheldon at number 5 is a mistake,Hopefully it wont happen, I hope Belkin get's the team so he can pick a real PG or real C for this team next year.

[sinctybldh]

I was listening to Dan Patrick the other day and I believe it was Adam Katz that said that the guarantee for Sheldon Williams could have came from Minnesota or Atlanta. It would be extremely foolish for BK to guarantee Sheldon anything at pick 5 when he will for certain still be there at pick 5.

[deester11]

I still say Shelden is not worth the #5 pick. Even if we thought so...why would we tell the world we're gonna take him? Dumb if you ask me!

[unknownjdb]

IMHO, not selecting a player at a certain pick for the simple reason that they are sure to be available is idiotic. You're basically stating that if Gay and Morrison are the only players left out of the top six in this draft, you have to select one of them because they are there. The second tier of players should still be considered at the lower portion of the top tier of selectors.

Top Tier

Aldridge, Bargnani, Gay, Morrison, Roy, Thomas

Second Tier

Brewer, Carney, Foye, O'Bryant, Rando, Redick, Simmons, M.Williams, S.Williams

[KB21]

The Hawks haven't told the world they are going to draft Shelden. They have said that their pick will be a big man, and the media has speculated that it will be Shelden.

Chances are, it will be Shelden. However, the Hawks have not come out and stated that they will be drafting Shelden Williams.

[deester11]

KB...I could care less if they whispered it, emailed it, Snail mailed it, sign languaged it, posted it, paper planed it, raffled it, Fed-exed it, UPS'd it, blackberried it...whatever. I don't like Shelden at #5. Again, hopefully someone likes him more and trades for him. Maybe we parlay it into Foye...and O'Bryant or something like that. Wishful? Seems so, but that's my hope. Doesn't have to be popular.

[sinctybldh]

I feel the exact same way about Shelden. I don't like "safe". I want a player that has huge upside even if the pick is considered risky. I would rather we pick O'Bryant than pick Shelden because of his height and position that he plays. The guys I prefer are Aldridge or Roy.

[WraithSentinel]

We got enough players with upside. We need to start surrounding them with establish players. Players who can play now. How long are we going to play this potential game? I want to start winning now. We got our core of young players in place. Start surrounding them with proven players. Shelden is a proven player.

[TexasPete]

When we draft Shelden at #5 it will re-inforce that a promise was made to him. We don't even work him out and we are sold. We are the only team in the top 5 that doesn't work out a top 5 player! That is professional negligence. I have been reading this KB guy's posts and I have never seen a guy defend someone to the extent that he defends Billy KNight. If Knight selects Darius Washington at 5 he will come on here and start building a case on why Knight is a genius and that Darius was the only man for the Hawks. He must be either a relative...or the man himself. You would think that someone couldn't agree with another person 100% of the time.

The manner that we have conducted this draft is a joke. How can you not take a look at the top 6 players? Not even ONE? BK is full of a false bravado that is delaying our ascent back to respectability. We keep drafting forwards, neglect the PG position, draft high lottery players that end up off the bench...and draft players suited for an up tempo style and then keep a coach who likes to slow it down and slug it out in the half court. This organization makes no sense and Belkin may be lousy but he couldn't possibly be worse than what is in place now. These guys don't even look remotely professional...how about just working some guys out to make it look like we are interested?

[Jdawgflow]

Are you related to Hotlanta?

[deester11]

I want a winner now! I want a respectable team now, but more than that, I want a team that can grow together. Veterans are needed...yes, but how about a PG to grow with our young-uns? Now with a few pieces, they will be more respectable, win more games...and be on the cusp of good/great things. Shelden because he's proven should be our pick? NONSENSE! If he were such a commodity with teams needing interior defense, I would think someone would make us an offer to help us improve 2 positions in this draft. Look at the FA PG's and you may get a serviceable one for a year or more, but that's a huge "may."

If we can't get Roy, Aldridge or Foye...then we can look at Williams. (IMHO of course).

[Diesel]

You guys are so against Shelden...

But tell me.. realistically when we pick.. Which of these fictional players is better for us than Shelden?

Moreover, what about Shelden "on the court" makes him a mistake at 5??

Shelden Williams was the 2nd option on the team that held the #1 position in basketball and of these guys who are to be selected in the first round, he averaged 22 ppg, 12 rpg, and 3.6 bpg while shooting 60% from the field.

Tell me, what makes him "a mistake"...

the fact that you didn't watch Duke play all year and when the draft gurus first listed Shelden he was listed at 17?

Or

the fact that you didn't watch Duke play all year and when you saw that he was 6'9" and should be a Pf, your mind said.. "what about Marvin?"

[Diesel]

Getting Shelden doesn't stop us from getting a PG.

none of the guys you mention will be ready to lead a team any time soon... Moreover, didn't we get JJ for that purpose?

We can easily get a PG in FAcy that fits our need and has much needed experience. Hell, there's a whole slew of guys who will be better than the PGs in this draft. Hell, we can go sign Gilcrhrist up on July 1 and I betcha he would do better than these guys you mentioned are going to do.

[deester11]

Diesel, if you can hate on Marvin all the time, I can hate on Shelden all the time. I don't care for Shelden...that's my thought on that that. I have never pigeonholed Marvin in any category. Everyone seems to think the foundation is Marvin, Smoove and JJ..even Zaza. Do you not think Brandon Roy could move in and be what we need? I beg to differ and I don't want Gilchrist anywhere near the Hawks.

I just disagree that Williams at 5 is a good pick. Good for you if you think so. I dont.

[TexasPete]

What position does Shelden play in your scenario? Don't say the post..PF? So, does last year's #2 stay on the pine? That is really smart...how about getting a REAL 5 in a trade or through FA? Why draft another forward?

[Diesel]

Help yourself...

But at least have some valid reasons.

My statement on Marvin still remains true. If he is not better than CP3, Deron, and JSmoove then he was a wasted pick for us. Check the records, this is what I said from the beginning.

What are you willing to commit to other than you hate Shelden because he will take time from marvin?

I would think that would be reason for you to welcome him. Because if Marvin is playing off the bench, you have another excuse for his sorry play. You can say that Shelden/Smoove is stopping his growth..

yeah, if you want to hate on Shelden, you surely can't fault him for being 2 time defenisve player of the year. You surely can't fault him for being a wooden finalist. You surely can't fault him for being 1st team all american. You surely can't fault him for being a dominant HS Bsketball player from OK. YOu surely can't fault him for being needed in the Atlanta Hawks rotation. Marvin wishes he could carry that kind of hardware.

So you go ahead with your baseless hate... It won't change our need for him.

[Diesel]

Post PF. Yes indeed.

Does Marvin sit the bench. I think Marvin and Smoove rotate at the position of Sf.

Don't penalize Smoove because BK picked Marvin and didn't need to. Don't penalize our PF position by moving Smoove to that position when he's more naturally a Sf.

There's a skillset neccessary for the PF position that has been defined over several years of basketball history. This skillset has evolved from what you're trying to take it back to which is some kind of playstation hope that anybody can play Pf.

That may work on your playstation but in the real world, the results are that the team who tries that formula gives up 50+% FG% per game.

Redundancy at the Sf position is no reason for us to deny ourselves the best PF to come out since Howard/Okafor.

[Popeye]

Yep we need a defensive minded big and we don't care how tall he is but how big he plays.

Yes his forehad is huge and he isn't going to get a whole lot better but he will start to contribute right away.

Just imagine that we can get a 13ppg 9rpg and about 1.5-2 blocks per game this offseason.

That's huge for this team.

put me on Shelden bandwagon!

[deester11]

You really spew nonsense sometimes you know that? First of all, Marvin was drafted on his potential. Every scout that saw him said that he would not be ROY and I guess in your eyes because you pick up hardware as a great player in HS, or in college you're going to be stud in the NBA. That's stupid and you can quote me on it. Many players win accolades as Marvin did when he came out of high school and also in college. I'm sorry was Marvin ACC Rookie of the Year? Doesn't mean anything now does it?

I know you think we all read message boards and magazines to base our thoughts on players, but I know basketball as much as you do. Challenge me on it, I don't care. I didn't say you were wrong for hating Marvin, but you base numerous threads bashing him. I hope he continues to develop and proves that he was worthy...not for you and I, but for him.

I base my thought that Atlanta doesn't need another 6'8" forward. They need a true C or a PG. Again, it's my opinion, not yours!