The uncomfortable truth

[exodus]

is that the Hawks future depends on Marvin.

JJ is a star, no question. But he can only do so much himself. Smoove has the makings of a very strong all around player, but his skills are too limited to be a go to scorer.

I think Shelden will become a solid complementary scorer as well.

However the Hawks need a secondary scorer who is capable of averaging 20 ppg, who can shoot from the outside and break down the defense. I don't see them getting this player from the draft. It is doubtful they will be getting any more top 5 picks and it is also unlikely they will be able to acquire such a scorer through free agency or trade.

That means that it falls on Marvin to become that player. If he doesn't mature into a big time scorer then the Hawks aren't going to be contenders any time soon even if they do get help at center and at pg.

[SmooveTheFuture]

We are in big trouble Marvin is still a long ways away from being a big scoring threat in this league. I dont think we have to put the progress of this franchise just on him. We just need another player or players to play better step up and get better. It starts with defense our defense from center spot PRETTY MUCH NON EXISITENT zaza is horrible defender and we still are without a franchise PG 3 years into the rebuilding process. People dont realzie how bad Zaza's Defense hurt's us this guy lets anyone come into the paint and do watever they want. We have no one in the middle to block shots keep them out of the paint and play tough. We are getting killed in the paint night in and night out it gets old. If the Hawks had a franchise PG and a Defensive Center the team would be winning a ton more ball games. I guarntee this team would look so much better with better defenders at two critical spots on the floor. Shelden and Marvin arent producing enought for being top 5 picks so that hurts us big time. Lue and Salim are two players that are selfish and look to score 1st we dont need that. We need players who play team basketball and move the ball not shoot everytime they touch the rock. That hurts the team offense more then it helps. Neither of those guys can penetrate well and make horrible decisions they play zero defense as well. Lue is a career back and we are counting on him to be a scoring option for us no thank you. It all depends on the production of the young guys I dont think it falls just on Marvin he has enough pressure trying to live up to where he was picked. The problem with the Hawks right now also is you can say we have one of the most atheltic teams in the NBA and we fail to run the basketball when that would clearly put us at an advantage. It just mind boggling how we dont wanna run with the kind of freakish atheltes on this team. How many people can stop a break with Smith, CHildress and Marvin on the wings not many.

[AHF]

I don't think our future is so entirely dependent on Marvin as Exodus states, but he is right that Marvin is a critical piece of that future and that we will need him to step up as a consistent and dangerous scorer. He needs to keep developing his game and increasing his aggressiveness and he should get there.

[hawkman]

Hmmmmm. There just happens to be this player from Philly who can do all of what you mentioned. And he's available for relatively cheap too.

[exodus]

I am not interested in a ball hog who leads the league in shot attempts and shoots 41%.

[exodus]

Quote:

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I don't think our future is so entirely dependent on Marvin as Exodus states

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Keep in mind i am talking about becoming a title contender, not a bubble playoff team.

[Sothron]

I agree. Iverson is a ballhog who plays zero defense and is an aging star with an ego much larger than his ability ever as. No way in hell do I want him ruining this team with his attitude and ballhogging, no defense attitude.

[hawkman]

Well, eveyone is entitled to their opinion. I just don't know if Marvin is the answer. He has the tools to be that second guy but not the mentality. It was once said that it is much easier to tune an aggressive player down than to make a passive player more aggressive. Marvin seems to be a jump shooter by nature who is perfectly comfortable with the catch and shoot game. He seems a little out of control when he tries to slash and he doesn't have the upper body strength to finish in traffic. Maybe the second scoring option should be Salim, he seems to be a natural scorer. He can score in a variety of ways and is also a decent free throw shooter. Maybe we should give it some thought.

[exodus]

Quote:

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Maybe the second scoring option should be Salim

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A turnover prone, undersized 2 is best suited as a scorer off the bench.

[DJlaysitup]

Quote:

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We are in big trouble Marvin is still a long ways away from being a big scoring threat in this league. I dont think we have to put the progress of this franchise just on him. We just need another player or players to play better step up and get better. It starts with defense our defense from center spot PRETTY MUCH NON EXISITENT zaza is horrible defender and we still are without a franchise PG 3 years into the rebuilding process. People dont realzie how bad Zaza's Defense hurt's us this guy lets anyone come into the paint and do watever they want. We have no one in the middle to block shots keep them out of the paint and play tough. We are getting killed in the paint night in and night out it gets old. If the Hawks had a franchise PG and a Defensive Center the team would be winning a ton more ball games. I guarntee this team would look so much better with better defenders at two critical spots on the floor. Shelden and Marvin arent producing enought for being top 5 picks so that hurts us big time. Lue and Salim are two players that are selfish and look to score 1st we dont need that. We need players who play team basketball and move the ball not shoot everytime they touch the rock. That hurts the team offense more then it helps. Neither of those guys can penetrate well and make horrible decisions they play zero defense as well. Lue is a career back and we are counting on him to be a scoring option for us no thank you. It all depends on the production of the young guys I dont think it falls just on Marvin he has enough pressure trying to live up to where he was picked. The problem with the Hawks right now also is you can say we have one of the most atheltic teams in the NBA and we fail to run the basketball when that would clearly put us at an advantage. It just mind boggling how we dont wanna run with the kind of freakish atheltes on this team. How many people can stop a break with Smith, CHildress and Marvin on the wings not many.

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That's it in a nutshell STF...well said.

[DJlaysitup]

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I agree. Iverson is a ballhog who plays zero defense ...

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Do you even watch NBA basketball? That is the MF-in stupidest quote I have ever seen.

AI averages more assists than ANYBODY on our current team. So that makes him a ballhog? see TLue.

PS: see steals stats - no AI can't control the phuckin paint.

[exodus]

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AI averages more assists than ANYBODY on our current team. So that makes him a ballhog?

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So by your definition Stephon Marbury isn't selfish at all, he is a great playmaker.

[DJlaysitup]

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...Keep in mind i am talking about becoming a title contender, not a bubble playoff team.

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Well howdy-do Ex....you only want a top 4 team. How the *&^ are you gonna get one? I'll take a contender over a loser any time.

[DJlaysitup]

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Quote:

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AI averages more assists than ANYBODY on our current team. So that makes him a ballhog?

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So by your definition Stephon Marbury isn't selfish at all, he is a great playmaker.

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I can't remember bringing Stephon Marbury into this conversation.

[exodus]

I am just going by your definition of what makes a team player. You are saying AI isn't selfish by pointing to his assists.

You can make the exact same argument for Marbury. If the argument is valid for AI then it is valid for Marbury.

[DJlaysitup]

he would make us decent. (IMO)

[DJlaysitup]

We ain't getting a "stopper" center.

[gutz]

Yeah Stephon Marbury was dishing out 8+ assist a game for his career. He has since been unhappy in NY and his play is showing because of it. At his best in Minnesota and NY Marbury was a great player that got his teammates involved like a guy named Kevin Garnett who still yearns for Marbury to return to Minnesota. To say Marbury has been a ballhog his entire career is just stupid and you obviously don't watch these guys play.

[DJlaysitup]

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Yeah Stephon Marbury was dishing out 8+ assist a game for his career. He has since been unhappy in NY and his play is showing because of it. At his best in Minnesota and NY Marbury was a great player that got his teammates involved like a guy named Kevin Garnett who still yearns for Marbury to return to Minnesota. To say Marbury has been a ballhog his entire career is just stupid and you obviously don't watch these guys play.

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WTF? Marbury now? GET A I NOW....not hard.

[chillzatl]

that Josh Smith is a skill limited player. It's also clear why we drafted Marvin despite having a couple other SF's on the roster. He has skills that nobody on this roster has at that position.

I agree that, baring a crazy trade or two, our future hinges on Marvin's development. That said, I'm not worried about it because I think he'll be a all-star caliber player in the league. He has all the physical tools and skills to be that type of player.