Hey KB!!!!

[Diesel]

I know you know this.

Tell me what you can about Morris Austin (I think his first name is Morris) He plays for MSU.

Also, Since we have a second and a first... What do you think about Keith Bogans from Kentucky playing with the Hawks?

I myself would like to see us acquire Luke Ridenour.

[KB21]

His name is Mario Austin.

He's right at 6-9, 260 lbs. Very athletic. Runs the floor like a deer. Plays solid defense, though isn't a shot blocker. His offensive game is his forte. The guy is a virtual clone of Karl Malone. If he gets the ball in the post, he's either going to score or draw a foul. He isn't an above the rim type of player. Very, very good post moves. Big, soft, strong hands. He's improved his range enough that he is a good threat out to 15 feet now. He may be the best big man in college basketball this year. He's an NBA power forward.

He's got a teammate that is very underrated. Derek Zimmerman is an underrated point guard. He's about 6-3, 190 lbs. He plays bigger than that because he is strong and can absolutely jump out of the gym. He's a great penetrator and has evolved his game from being a tremendous scorer in high school to a true point guard. Very, very good defensive point guard. Blocks a lot of shots on the perimter due to his leaping ability. Averaged over a block a game last season. His one weakness is his jump shooting. He's not a very good shooter. He knows how to run a team though.

I think Bogans is a lot like Dion Glover, and I'm not sure that fits what we need.

Luke Ridnour is very, very good. What will be interesting to see is how Dan Dickau does the rest of this season. It wouldn't surprise me to see him made a starter at some point, and we could go into next season with a Dickau/Terry backcourt or a Dickau/? backcourt. Terry could be trade bait either at the trade deadline or in the offseason. Mike Wilks has probably earned a spot as the back up point guard, but he may continue to start until Dickau is ready.

[KB21]

....from NBA Draft Report. This is the rankings of the players in the 20-30 spots, where our Indiana pick will likely be:

20. Brian Cook 6-10 240 SF/PF Illinois

21. Ricky Paulding 6-5 208 SG Missouri

22. Robert Whaley 6-9 240 PF Barton County CC

23. Reece Gaines 6-6 185 PG/SG Louisville

24. Carlos Delfino 6-7 215 SF Argentina

25. Dwayne Wade 6-5 210 SG Marquette

26. Luke Ridnour 6-1 180 PG Oregon

27. Jarvis Hayes 6-7 220 SG/SF Georgia

28. David Lee 6-8 215 SF/PF Florida

29. Shavlick Randolph 6-10 225 SF Duke

30. Nick Collison 6-9 250 PF Kansas

A lot will depend on the future of Jason Terry. If we intend to keep him, then Reece Gaines is probably the best fit. A 6-6 ball handler with good shooting and passing ability. If we go with Dan Dickau, then a guy like Jarvis Hayes would be a great fit. Dwayne Wade would probably be a good fit alongside Terry as well, because he is a good ball handler and has some point guard skills. However, he's probably closer to 6-3 than 6-5.

If we are still unsure of the point guard spot, then Luke Ridnour is an option. NBA Draft Report also has TJ Ford and Chris Thomas rated in the 30s due to their size (both are around 5-10), but from what I've seen, they may be the best pure point guards in college along with Chris Duhon.

[Diesel]

I'm thinking that Terry could be traded for a SG. However, there are not many teams that need him... I mean lately, PGs have been doing pretty good all over the league.

BUT. There are a few teams..

Utah, LAL, Minn, maybe Orlando, Boston, NY, and Seattle.

Now first off, Seattle is not in desperate need of JT, but he would be a great acquisition for them because he can be a replacement for GP whenever he decides to quit. Also, he can play alongside GP now.

First Utah. Stockton is getting old. Jackson is Old. Raul may never play? Getting Terry could help them. Playing for Utah would help him alot. He needs that kind of structure and then learn how to play his game within that kind of structure with their new wave. The trade would be: JT to Utah for Stevenson. There would probably be fillers used to make it work too. Maybe we get Kirlenko or Padgett out the deal as well.

LAL. They could always use Gaurd help, but I doubt they go after JT. Phil Likes Big Gaurds. Plus, they don't have the talent to give.

Minn. Another team that was depleted of PGs, but Troy Hudson and Rod Strickland is holding it down there.

Orlando has always had questions about Armstrong. They picked up Vaughn in the offseason but getting JT wold help them a whole lot. The trade would be JT for Miller/1st.

Boston. Like Orlando could use a good PG. Delk and Williams seem to play the same game as JT though? JT would be a better scorer.

NY. To go along with Houston, JT could play point. Would he prosper in NY? Who's to say... But NY would definitely love us if we traded Big Dog and JT for Spreewell. BUT... I don't think Spree is that good anymore. We would have to get their first rounder (unconditional).

Seattle. It's good politics to send JT to Seattle. Like I said before he and GP could play together, then he could branch out and take over GP's spot. The trade would be something like: JT/Nazr to Seattle. Barry/Radmo to Atlanta??

[KB21]

It is time to face up to the reality of the situation. I made a post above about Shareef's need to demand the ball more and step up in a leadership role. But, that's not really the problem this team has. Glen Robinson isn't the problem either, though many want to scapegoat him for whatever reason.

The New Jersey Nets don't have a single go-to scorer on their team. Jason Kidd elevates the game of everyone around him though, so the need for a go-to guy isn't really there.

The problem with the Hawks is that they don't have a point guard that makes the guys around him better. Jason Terry is a very good player, but he doesn't elevate the games of those around him. The Hawks just don't have that one player that makes everyone better.

Terry has a lot in common with Gary Payton, except that Payton has that innate ability to make other players better.

[Diesel]

IF We replaced Terry with Jason Kidd, our squad would go to the finals and might win it. It's just too many weapons.

However, with Terry, we stall. Honestly though.. Most of it was coaching. Lon didn't have the ability to use the talent he had and to mold his system around that talent.

The bigger question will be, will JT step up as a PG who is able to make Big Dog/SAR/Theo Better?

If not, we might need to trade for a defensive ball handling SG and go for Luke..

[chillzatl]

I mean kidd in atlanta? c'mon. THat's just not even fair to joke about.

[Diesel]

Everybody knows that Kidd is going to San Antonio in the offseason.

The question is... What will San antonio take for Parker??

Paker, SG, Big Dog, SAR, Theo.

Hmm.

[chillzatl]

with Duncan going to NJ. I've heard a LOT more talk about it going that way than kidd going to SA. Besides, both players know where they would have the better team, New Jersey. They are a better, younger, deeper team than SA, if you subtract kidd and duncan.

[Diesel]

In NJ... They have too much money in contracts to go after Duncan. I mean, there's DEKE! There's Kittles. There's Rogers. There's Childs. There's quite a few players under big contracts in NJ.

However, San Antonio has set the table. They could afford a maxed out Kidd, Duncan, and One other 7-8 million dollar player. Because they get out of Duncan, Smith, and Robinson's contract. The only long contract in SA is Rose, Bowen, and Parker. It would be quite easy for Kidd to end up IN San Antonio... With Duncan... And for them to pick up a guy like...Brent Barry or Wesley Persons....

[TrentL2]

You have a case there, Diesel, but I won't happen. Mark my words. Kidd does not play for San Antonio next season.

[MoonKnight]

JT, while playing the point, has never had a 2 beside him who could handle the rock or occasionally run the O. Consider Payton... throughout his career there has always been a 2 beside him who could handle the rock and initiate the O at times (Nate McMillian, Hersey Hawkins, Brent Barry). Consider who has played beside JT while he played the point (Ira, DJ). You make Payton (especially early in his career) the sole ballhandler and we will see if he remains as proficient. Give JT a true 2 beside him and I believe he will also make his teammates better and be more proficient.

[Diesel]

I relate JT to Cassell but even with Payton.. There's a major difference.

These guys both no how to run an offense and how to take over a game.

JT doesn't have that knowledge. There have been times when JT has had better in the backcourt. I remember we had JJ and I remember we had JR. Say what you want. IF we had a Sg who could handle the rock, he would have to run the offense. History reminds me that JT is one who would defer his responsibilities as Floor Leader to someone else and set up for a shot.

I think Babcock purposely got rid of a couple of Guys so that Jt would be forced to play the 1. He's still rather timid as a 1. It's disturbing because a guy like Jamal Crawford who people thought would never be anything has started playing PG and coming on of late. Same for Dooling.

JT has to do something.

[KB21]

And to be honest with you, he'd be a great fit at the 2 spot right now.

The problem he had while he was with us was that we tried to make him the #1 scoring option. He had his 25-30 point games, but he's more of a #2 or even a #3 scoring option.

I really think Jim Jackson got a raw deal from the fans of the Hawks while he was in Atlanta. The guy was a decent player on a bad team and an all around good community guy.