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Hawk's Draft Review: Alternate Reality Version

AHF

By AHF
in Homecourt Classics

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AHF Grand Master

AHF

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We all know how the draft went 1-4: 1. Barngani2. Aldridge3. Morrison4. ThomasBut what would the draft reviews had been like if the Hawks had made a different choice? Fortunately, I am in possession of a [CLASSIFIED DELETION] that allows me to travel between alternate realities. My findings were interesting:Reality #1Hawks Select Shelden WilliamsMedia Review:

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A month ago, Knight insisted the Hawks weren’t yet in a position to draft according to positional need, but what was this pick if not an attempt to address the certain loss of Al Harrington? What was this if not a half-measure for a team that is, under its blunt and self-assured GM, supposed to be painting only in bold strokes? What’s bold about Shelden Williams?He isn’t a point guard, like Marcus Williams (who inexplicably lasted until the 22rd pick). He isn’t a combo guard, like Brandon Roy and Randy Foye (who went just after Shelden Williams). He isn’t even another of Knight’s beloved swingmen, like Rudy Gay (who went just after Foye). All those worthies were available to Knight, same as Chris Paul and Deron Williams and Raymond Felton were a year ago. Yet again, the Hawks have taken a lofty pick and selected someone who isn’t about to change the face of a franchise that could sorely use changing.Grade: C
Reality #2Hawks Select Brandon Roy

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In a draft in which the Hawks had crying needs for a playmaker or a center, the Hawks chose to fill neither. Instead, they chose a shooting guard whose skill set mirrors their star player, Joe Johnson, except that he is not as good. Roy has good all-around skills and is mature enough to contribute in his rookie season, but Hawks' GM Billy Knight clearly didn't learn his lesson from last season when he drafted Marvin Williams, who ended up backing up another of the Hawks young swingmen, over eventual rookie of year Chris Paul. Instead of taking someone who is just a lesser version of Joe Johnson, the Hawks at least could have selected someone like Randy Foye who would have filled the need at point guard and added defensive toughness and scoring ability to this team. Yet again, the Hawks have taken a lofty pick and selected someone who merely duplicates the players already on their roster.Grade: C-
Reality # 3 Hawks select Randy Foye

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In a draft in which the Hawks had crying needs for a playmaker or a center, the Hawks chose a combo guard who fills neither. Do the names Dejuan Wagner, Keyon Dooling and Antonio Daniels mean anything to you, Billy? Foye was a volume scorer who never met a shot he didn't like in college and will not bring the needed playmaking skills to this young Hawks team. Foye is mature enough to contribute in his rookie season, but Hawks' GM Billy Knight didn't fill a need or even go with the biggest upside guys on the board, like athletic center Patrick O'Bryant or potential star Rudy Gay. In passing on a star in the making like Gay, the Hawks only compounded their mistake in last year's draft in passing on pure point guard Chris Paul for Marvin Williams. Incredibly, the Hawks again passed on the best point guard in the draft in Marcus Williams in order to select an undersized shooting guard. Yet again, the Hawks have taken a lofty pick and selected someone who isn’t about to change the face or direction of a franchise that could sorely use a change for the better.Grade: C
Reality #4Hawks Select Marcus Williams

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In an effort to make up for passing on Chris Paul last season, Billy Knight has managed to squander this year's high lottery pick on a guy who has neither Paul talent nor the upside of someone like Marvin Williams by selecting Marcus Williams in the draft. Billed as the best playmaker in the draft, Williams is a guy with character problems off the field - being suspended for running a schemed to buy and sell laptops of other Connecticut students last year - and commitment issues on the court where he showed up out of shape and overweight when it was time for workouts this offseason. If Knight was going to reach to fill a need, the pick had to be potential star center Patrick O'Bryant. Good big men are rare commodities. A future backup point guard like Williams can had for a couple million in free agency. Williams' problems on and of the court led to very credible rumors that he would likely fall all the way down in the 20s this year and Knight selected him at #5 overall. Wow. Billy Knight are you familiar with the phrase "too little, too late"?Grade: D+
Reality #5Hawks select Patrick O'Bryant

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The Hawks needed a point guard or interior defender and selected the 7-foot O'Bryant - the best of a pitiful class of centers this season. O'Bryant was not projected this high by anyone (not even Chad "the Cavaliers should seriously consider drafting Darko over Lebron" Ford) and might not be much better than do-nothing Adonal Foyle right now. Billy Knight reached big time to fill a need with this selection and without a pick next year the Hawks look like they will be stuck watching as many playoffs games as O'Bryant will be watching from the bench behind Zaza Pachulia. This represents a brutal pick that leaves Hawks fans with no hope for the future.Grade: D-
Reality #6Hawks select Rudy Gay

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Apparently, Billy Knight truly doesn't know when to say when. In a repeat of his 2005, 2004 and 2003 drafts, Billy Knight selected yet another small forward to add to this roster. Just to make the pick even more exciting, Knight selected an underacheiver who seemed to be missing any real competitive fire during his days at Connecticut. This is the guy who went from being a prohibitive favorite to be the top pick in the draft to a guy who probaby could have been had by a team like Houston if the Hawks didn't take him. It is difficult to know whether to be more disappointed in the fact that the Hawks drafted yet another unnecessary small forward in the name of taking the "best player available," like he did last year in taking Marvin Williams over Chris Paul, or in reaching for a player who was clearly not the fifth best prospect in this draft. Being a Hawks fan means not having to choose.Grade: F
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DJlaysitup Newbie

DJlaysitup

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Excellent...and right on the money. Part of the problem I see is people look at Shelden and don't think he is the caliber of what they envision as a #5 pick. I can understand that - but the draft isn't like going to JC Penneys. The merchandise changes every year and you can't compare from year to year. Once the top 4 went as they did, what choice was there? We did the best we could and improved our team. Deep down, I think some in the media were secretly hoping that BK would take a guy like Gay just so they could pile on the criticism.

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jezmund Newbie

jezmund

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The funny thing to me is that we are getting slack for taking Shelden Williams at #5 by people who wanted us to take Randy Foye???? Foye didn't crack any top 5's either. He was expected to go in the 6-10 range just like, you guessed it, Shelden Williams.A combo guard is no more a need than a combo bigman (Shelden).

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drzachary Newbie

drzachary

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No offense to everyone else's posts around here. But this easily is the best thing I've read since I've been at this site...And I really like this site too. Great work!!!
Agreed... I'll need to look back through the archives, but it might in fact be the frontrunner for Post Of The Millenium.
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Yubs Newbie

Yubs

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The Rudy Gay one had me rofl. Rudy Gay would have gotten praise if he was picked anywhere in the top 10, but if he was selected by Atlanta, they would have dogged the hell out of him -- and us.

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Vafan Newbie

Vafan

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Thank you so much for this post. Unfortunately, this seems too real. Everyone like to pile criticism on the Hawks. One day guys like Josh Smith and Marvin Williams will turn into all-star caliber players and will shut up all the naysaysers.

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TexasPete Newbie

TexasPete

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Poor, Poor, little baby that Billy Knight. Nobody likes him...it doesn't matter what he does the poor little baby gets picked on. So all the whining lovers of poor little Billy came up with a really funny way to show that nobody loves little Billy.See, it doesn't matter what he does nobody will ever love Billy...he just can't win with fans that poor thing. He is so nice to fans and so what if he keeps drafting the same position and has 6 of the same position. He is our hero. I wish poor little Billy could get some love because he is so misunderstood. We will love him no matter how he bad he does. I just hope that one day our guy will finally catch a break. Maybe if he drafts Greg Oden next year people will love him...if he doesn't draft a forward over him.

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drzachary Newbie

drzachary

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Poor, Poor, little baby that Billy Knight. Nobody likes him...it doesn't matter what he does the poor little baby gets picked on. So all the whining lovers of poor little Billy came up with a really funny way to show that nobody loves little Billy.See, it doesn't matter what he does nobody will ever love Billy...he just can't win with fans that poor thing. He is so nice to fans and so what if he keeps drafting the same position and has 6 of the same position. He is our hero. I wish poor little Billy could get some love because he is so misunderstood. We will love him no matter how he bad he does. I just hope that one day our guy will finally catch a break. Maybe if he drafts Greg Oden next year people will love him...if he doesn't draft a forward over him.
Fans? The DEFT satire that AHF wrote is regarding the media. Try again. Enjoy the joke. Get off the thread.
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Seano Newbie

Seano

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Excellent post. Posted Image

It's so true to. When you are the Atlanta Hawks, it's like you can't win no matter what you do. Somehow, some way, the media will find a way to spin it onto the most negative slant possible.

No matter who we drafted, they would have found a way to rip us. We're just too easy a target right now, and many sportswriters are lazy- so they'll just run with whatever is the current trend. And the current trend is to talk crap and take shots (many of them cheap) about and at the Hawks. The only way to remedy that is to start winning.

Bill Simmons actually had some nice things to say about us taking Shelden- he called it a solid pick at #5. I take his basketball opinion more credibly than most other sportswriters, because Simmons is not just a guy writing sports to earn a paycheck- but rather because he just might be the biggest NBA fan on the planet, and he has been for years and years now. He truly loves the game, and he's a student of it. He really, really knows his stuff when it comes to NBA basketball.

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