If we get the #1 pick in the draft........

[dakast]

I know i'm new here and I know this will not be popular, but i'll say it anyway.........

If the Hawks are lucky enough to get the first pick in the draft they should try and trade it to Orlando for Dwight Howard. I'm not sure if the Magic would go for it but shipping the #1 pick and Marvin to Orlando for Howard and a conditional pick in the '08 draft wouldn't be a bad idea.

If we were able to get Howard we would have a very good young center who is ready to lead this team NOW. We wouldn't have to struggle through the next two seasons as our Center of the future learned how to play the game. Also, in moving Marvin we would finally be able to move Josh back to the small foward position which is his natural position and also let Childress come off the bench as a small foward instead of making him log time as a backup shooting guard. With Josh back at SF, Sheldon could finally be given the chance to start at PF which would finally give him enough minutes to learn the game and actually get better. A front court of Sheldon Williams and Dwight Howard could be pretty dominant for years to come (not to mention we would have Zaza and Solomon Jones coming off the bench and that ain't that bad).

With this done, the Hawks could finally focus all of their attention on upgrading the point guard position (finding a quality SG to back up Joe Johnson and split minutes with an undersized Salim Stoudamire shouldn't be that hard........SGs come a dime a dozen in the NBA).

Like I said, this probably isn't the most popular idea.....but I think it's the best way to go if we want to win now, and not have to worry about grooming young talent or trying to lure big name free agents to a team that is having major ownership problems.

[Packfill]

If the Hawks get the number one pick in the draft they should take Oden.

[Guest Walter]

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I know i'm new here and I know this will not be popular, but i'll say it anyway.........If the Hawks are lucky enough to get the first pick in the draft they should try and trade it to Orlando for Dwight Howard.

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I think that would be a very popular move in Atlanta since Howard is from here, but perhaps not a very smart one. The one clear advantage is that Howard is contributing NOW. I think Oden will be better, but the difference may not be so great and could go for this. Let me give it some thought...

W

[macdaddy]

Let me give it some thought? That's not what this board is all about! You read part of the idea and then trash it or say the guy's a genius. There is no middle ground here.

I'd do it. I think Oden will be great but Howard already is. Plus I think Howard will be very durable. I don't see Orlando doing it though unless they are high on Marvin. I don't see the Hawks doing it unless they win the mega millions. At this point we are going to be paying JJ and Smoove and surrounding them with draft picks and the cheapest vets we can get.

[dakast]

I think this could actually work out well for both teams. Orlando would walk away with Both Oden and M. Williams...two young guys to build a team around, and of course the Hawks would get the young center they've needed as well as someone who could actually put butts in the seats at Phillips Arena.

Our lineup would be good enough to challenge in a weak easteren conf....

PG - ?????/ Speedy Claxton/ Tyronne Lue

SG - Joe Johnson/ Salim Stoudamire/ ?????

SF - Josh Smith/ Josh Childress

PF - Shelden Williams/ Solomon Jones

C - Dwight Howard/ Zaza Pachulia

In my opinion that's pretty darn good, but a lot would depend on what PG we drafted or signed threw free agency.

[dakast]

Yeah, I wasn't really sure how the money part of it would work out.

[macdaddy]

I think the money for the Hawks side would not work out unless they just gamble on increased revenue from a contending team. A starting lineup with JJ,Smoove, and Howard I think would contend in any conference. Those are 3 unique offensive threats and tough defenders kinda like Billups, Rip, Rasheed.

[exodus]

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I think Oden will be great but Howard already is.

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Howard is NOT a great player now. I am not the least bit impressed with a guy of his size and athleticism to be scoring only 17 ppg. he is a turnover machine (averaging 3.9 TOs per game) and certainly an underachiever defensively.

The only thing he does really well is rebound and dunk. His post game is weak. he can't score outside 5 feet.

I'll take Oden.

[ATLJA316]

I'd do it in a second...

but would Orlando?

[scottt]

We take Oden. End of story. I think I would rather have Oden, Marvin and capspace then DH.

[dakast]

You're being pretty tough on a kid with only a few years experience in the NBA. Sure, Howard still has parts of his game that he needs to work on, but the fact is he's still three years ahead of Oden skill wise. In the long run Oden may turn out to be a better center than Howard........but getting Howard would make us a better team NOW.

Howards scoring would take pressure off of Joe and his rebounding would take pressure off of Josh. Plus the subtraction of Marvin would make room for Sheldon to become our starting PF. "On paper" we'd be pretty dang solid defensively.

I'm not saying this is the only way to go for the Hawks, but I don't think that it's a bad idea.

[exodus]

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Sure, Howard still has parts of his game that he needs to work on, but the fact is he's still three years ahead of Oden skill wise

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He is ahead of Oden in terms of physical development but Howards skills haven't progressed much. He still can't make a midrange j at all, still has minimal post moves and still turns it over way too much.

Considering how many minutes he has played the last 3 years i would have expected a lot more progress.

[Traceman]

I would not trade Oden for Howard straight up as things stand right now - let alone throw Marvin in the deal. Like you alluded to - Howard is getting ready to get a max extension and Smoove is likely going to be looking for a near-max extension as well. Add JJ to the mix and we would likely have $35M to #37M tied up in 3 players at that point. All that, and I am not sure that Oden is not going to be BETTER than D Howard anyway!

[Highpozt]

Oden all the way -- a true athletic 7'0" Center with NBA size I neam LBs) and only 19 years old if he enters this year. Not since Yao have we had a true Center in the draft. Bogut and the kid from Italy are not true Centers. I would be skeptical with selecting Oden if Josh Smith maturity did not surface when JJ got injured. But with Marvin and Shelden Chill with one more year and Josh Smith becoming a ballers I thinkk Oden, JJ and JSmith will be a solid 1 2 3 punch.

[dakast]

I can understand why so many people are high on Oden, he's really a great talent........but, he lacks when it comes to scoring. I think the duo of Dwight Howard and Sheldon Williams would offer us the scoring and defense that we really need.

[Guest Walter]

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Let me give it some thought? That's not what this board is all about! You read part of the idea and then trash it or say the guy's a genius. There is no middle ground here.

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LOL What was I thinking? I'm still thinking about it. I'll bash/applaud it later.

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I'd do it. I think Oden will be great but Howard already is. Plus I think Howard will be very durable. I don't see Orlando doing it though unless they are high on Marvin. I don't see the Hawks doing it unless they win the mega millions. At this point we are going to be paying JJ and Smoove and surrounding them with draft picks and the cheapest vets we can get.

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I would actually think we could hold out for more than just Howard. They are about to pay him an awful lot. Oden would be relatively cheap for us. I don't think we need to add MW, certainly. Still thinking. Still leaning Oden. But interested nøne the less.

W

[Guest Walter]

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We take Oden. End of story. I think I would rather have Oden, Marvin and capspace then DH.

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Howard is about to get PAID. We're better off with Oden financially and in the middle to tlong run also production-wise IMO. Really interesting notion though. Apparently tougher for me to decide than some.

W

[exodus]

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I can understand why so many people are high on Oden, he's really a great talent........but, he lacks when it comes to scoring.

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Howard is the one who lacks scoring ability and he has been in the league 3 years.

Oden played most of the season with one hand. he dominated Floridas front line in the Finals dropping 25 on them. He already has more post moves than Howard.

[Guest Walter]

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he dominated Floridas front line in the Finals dropping 25 on them. He already has more post moves than Howard.

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That was a fun performance to watch. Some of the blocks he was getting against the UF bigs...he simply palmed the ball and pushed the opposing man back to the floor with it. They looked helpless. Just a powerful display.

I really think that, unlike some who won't back up their criticisms, that the NBA is made for a guy like Oden. I think he's really going rather quickly.

W

[BusBoyIsBack]

Lmao @ people bashing Howard.

The man is 2nd in the league in double doubles every year and is 21 years old and he isn't great?

Please.

He's practically at superstardom.

No way would the Magic make that deal for an unproven guy.

Also no way we land that pick.