Marc Stein Kills Billy Knight Again

clrumph · May 27, 2007

Check out these comments about Billy Knight from this excerpt from his lateest blog:

If you watch Saturday's highlights, you will inevitably focus first on the crossover dribble Deron Williams used to send Jacque Vaughn tumbling to the floor and free himself for an uncontested layup.

But that was merely his flashiest move.

And with his size, strength and better-than-advertised quickness, Williams is convincing Jerry Sloan to let him check Parker at one end ... even when it's Bowen waiting for him at the other end.

He's draining his 3-ball, too. Williams hit four triples in five attempts in racking up 31 more points, to go with 34 in Game 2 and 26 in Game 1.

He's making up for all those times you didn't get to see him play this (breakout) season, because he's so far removed from the NBA mainstream here in Utah, and he's making me think of Hawks general manager Billy Knight every time I watch him play.

As in: Can you believe that the Knight Hawks thought it was a good idea to pass up Chris Paul and this kind of talent to draft Marvin Williams in 2005?

They passed up two franchise point guards in a sport where you're always looking for point guards and centers first?

In fact, this kid is making folks ask lots of questions these days.

"I'm having fun right now," said Williams, who also happens to be making the Jazz look increasingly smart -- as he works so well with in tandem with Carlos Boozer -- for picking him ahead of Paul.

ncthompson11 · May 27, 2007

That was a pretty sick cross over last night. Everyone has said such a mistake it was take marvin instead of a guard except for the owners, and I dont think Knight has ever admitted the mistake has he?

pimp · May 27, 2007

It was a dumbass pick.

It was dumb then,It's dumb now, and it will forever be viewed as dumb.

Until he gets a starting quality pg on this team, he will be dumped on by the fans and media.

Swatguy · May 27, 2007

Quote:

It was a dumbass pick.

It was dumb then,It's dumb now, and it will forever be viewed as dumb.

Until he gets a starting quality pg on this team, he will be dumped on by the fans and media.

Hindsight.

Again, as this year that draft was viewed as a two horse race (did I say race?). The entire NBA nation had Bogut-Marvin as 1-2 or 2-1.

BK can redeem himself this off-season.

troubleman · May 27, 2007

Quote:

It was a dumbass pick.

It was dumb then,It's dumb now, and it will forever be viewed as dumb.

Until he gets a starting quality pg on this team, he will be dumped on by the fans and media.

Hindsight.

Again, as this year that draft was viewed as a two horse race (did I say race?). The entire NBA nation had Bogut-Marvin as 1-2 or 2-1.

BK can redeem himself this off-season.

Hindsight for some of you and the media, but I know I wasn't one of those who saw it as a 2 horse(player) race.

pimp · May 27, 2007

Quote:

It was a dumbass pick.

It was dumb then,It's dumb now, and it will forever be viewed as dumb.

Until he gets a starting quality pg on this team, he will be dumped on by the fans and media.

Hindsight.

Again, as this year that draft was viewed as a two horse race (did I say race?). The entire NBA nation had Bogut-Marvin as 1-2 or 2-1.

BK can redeem himself this off-season.

Hindsight.

We already had plenty of horses ((Harrington,Diaw,Jsmith.Childress,Donta smith))

What we needed to do was give the jockey whip to a pg,

and let him ride the horses we had

KB21 · May 27, 2007

Marc Stein is just like all of the other hypocrits at ESPN. He, just like everyone else at ESPN, had Marvin as one of the top 2 players in the draft and didn't have Deron rated that high.

However, after the fact, they slam the Hawks for taking the guy many felt was the #1 or #2 player in that draft over two point guards that had questions about their game coming out.

Notice that they only criticize the Hawks. How about Larry Harris in Milwaukee? All he did was take the underwhelming Andrew Bogut with the top pick.

Plainview1981 · May 27, 2007

Quote:

Marc Stein is just like all of the other hypocrits at ESPN. He, just like everyone else at ESPN, had Marvin as one of the top 2 players in the draft and didn't have Deron rated that high.

However, after the fact, they slam the Hawks for taking the guy many felt was the #1 or #2 player in that draft over two point guards that had questions about their game coming out.

Notice that they only criticize the Hawks. How about Larry Harris in Milwaukee? All he did was take the underwhelming Andrew Bogut with the top pick.

Don;t usally agree with you... But you make some good points here. However, it's Billy's job who is the best player and not Mark Stein.

That's the difference. It's Billy Knight's job to be right.

pimp · May 27, 2007

They had TJ Ford and Mo Williams at pg, and nobody at C and Pf.

They filled a need with the bpa.

We had nodody at pg or C, and ended up taking our 6th FORWARD.

TheDude · May 27, 2007

Quote:

Marc Stein is just like all of the other hypocrits at ESPN. He, just like everyone else at ESPN, had Marvin as one of the top 2 players in the draft and didn't have Deron rated that high.

However, after the fact, they slam the Hawks for taking the guy many felt was the #1 or #2 player in that draft over two point guards that had questions about their game coming out.

Notice that they only criticize the Hawks. How about Larry Harris in Milwaukee? All he did was take the underwhelming Andrew Bogut with the top pick.

agreed...not only that but although we needed a point, it wasnt like we had all the talent we needed and just missed needing a pointguard. we were still in a talent gathering stage of our development. and marvin's potential was said to be of that greater than anyone else in the draft.

AtLaS · May 27, 2007

Quote:

marvin's potential was said to be of that greater than anyone else in the draft.

So BK is supposed to draft upon what other people say? Marvin was not THAT far ahead of Paul/Deron, it wasn't a Durant situation where you couldn't pass him. Workouts should've solidified the fact that Marvin shouldn't have been our pick when he came in an inch shorter than reported, out of shape, and weak.

sturt · May 27, 2007

Quote:

Marc Stein is just like all of the other hypocrits at ESPN. He, just like everyone else at ESPN, had Marvin as one of the top 2 players in the draft and didn't have Deron rated that high.

However, after the fact, they slam the Hawks for taking the guy many felt was the #1 or #2 player in that draft over two point guards that had questions about their game coming out.

Notice that they only criticize the Hawks. How about Larry Harris in Milwaukee? All he did was take the underwhelming Andrew Bogut with the top pick.

Don;t usally agree with you... But you make some good points here. However, it's Billy's job who is the best player and not Mark Stein.

That's the difference. It's Billy Knight's job to be right.

It is.

I have no problem with criticism of Knight... I've done it myself on occasion, in particular how such a reputed poker player could have let the Sheldon thing leak out seemingly so easily last pre-draft.

What I DO have a problem with is that there seems to be no sense by otherwise-intelligent people (at least, that's my assumption) of FAIR criticism.

Consider for instance... Billy's never been one to do what the media or the fans want him to do... Sheldon's a case in point. So how is it that one might suggest that BK let the fans choose MWill?... nahbabanah... BK chose MWill NOT because he thought MWill would be the best player in 2005-06 or even 2006-07, but because he thought MWill, over his CAREER, would be the best pick... that's by BK's analysis.

How people don't respect that is beyond me, but there's almost nothing in anyone of BK's detractors to hint that they get that... I, for one, don't want a decision maker who has self-security issues, and lets people other than those who he considers to be his closest confidantes to influence his decision making.

And here's the other part to this... BK gets dismantled for picking MWill, for picking SWill... and, okay, there are still some expectations of those guys that in their first and second years aren't fulfilled...

Yet, who among you got excited when ZaZa was signed?

Sheesh... that was a HELL of a signing, and took some real talent evaluation to have projected such a bargain-basement center to be as productive as ZaZa has been.

We all recall vividly BK being roundly criticized by a certain ESPN "expert" on draft night for choosing Josh Smith... a HELL of a choice in the bottom half of the draft.

And there are others who exceeded initial expectations: Boris Diaw (albeit in another system, but the GM picks the players and let's the coach coach)... Second rounders like Salim Stoudamire... Royal Ivey... and most recently Solomon Jones.

I mean, how is it even remotely possible that any of us observers who don't get paid to do this would be as able to identify talent?

Yet, so many have the testicular fortitude to just bash the guy on the basis of two or three players whose careers are in their infancy?

It's admirable that BK doesn't feel compelled to launch into a tirade from time to time via Sekou's interviews and such... he's got a lot of artilery, but also has the self-control not to use it.

Kudos to you, BK... you're a grown, mature man employed to excel in a kids game while being evaluated by other adults who think that because they played high school ball, they know just as much as you do... and who can act very childish in their criticisms of your ability... and yet, you aren't so thin-skinned that it gets to you.

I'll say it again... kudos. Glad you're GM of the team I root for.

pimp · May 27, 2007

The criticism of BK is well deserved.

Since Bk has been here, the Hawks have needed a starting

pg and center.

3 years later, and we still dont have a starting point guard or Center.

Zaza is not a starter.He would be a GOOD backup, But we need a Starter that can get defensive rebounds.

All Zaza does is rebounds his on misses on offense.

I wont even say anything about his defense.Also,

The backup centers have been alful. Kevin Willis, Lo Wright and Ekezie

We passed on some good young pgs, because BK prefers vet pgs.

But the only pgs he brought here, are career injury-prone backups

A washed up Kenny Anderson, T-lue,Not-so-Speedy Claxton, and AJ.

2 of the 3 worst years in Hawks history have come during BK's riegn.

I just don't see why anyone would think he's doing a good Job.

BusBoyIsBack · May 27, 2007

This draft can't come soon enough.

If BK plays his cards right he could really make all these doubters look stupid.

Acie Law and Yi Jianlian/Joakim Noah would do just that.

It would be awesome because to the ignorant mass out there this would be a terrible draft, but when these two players are added to our starting 5, we'll see who gets the last laugh.

Yeti · May 27, 2007

Quote:

Don;t usally agree with you... But you make some good points here. However, it's Billy's job who is the best player and not Mark Stein. That's the difference. It's Billy Knight's job to be right.

Right on !!! Billy should be MUCH better than any of us or the sportswriters. It's not acceptable to be "OK". He should be one of the best in the world. But he seems to live on a different planet.

I am really afraid he is going to screw up this great opportunity with two picks. My dog could do better than Billy ... and he's been dead for five years.

May 28, 2007