Conley's shooting.

[buckeye242424]

Most people are 50/50 on drafting this kid #3, from what I have read. I agree that this is a very lofty pick for Conley, however considering our past, I will give my reasoning on why we can't pass him up.

1. His stock seems to be dropping because his lack of jumper past 15 feet. Ok, well, that has been his downside to his game since I've watched him (a little in HS, and every game at OSU). I'm not going to lie people, he's not a great shooter, from the 3 pt line. However, this is his ONLY weakness. Not to mention, when the game was on the line - crunch time, he doesn't miss. He's clutch, which is just as important.

2. Quickness and explosion. Nobody in this draft compares to the athletic ability he has (point guard wise). His speed is going to create so many opportunities for the athletic swing players to get easy dunks and points. People want the Hawks to run, there's no one better to be a catalyst on the running game than Conley. He's freakishly fast.

3. Passing. Check out the assist to turnover ratio. His ability to find the open man, and not turn the ball over is crucial and a definite need for this young team.

4. Did I mention atheltic? Check out his wingspan, and his 40 inch verticle leap. There's a reason why he was able to score, not being able to shoot past 15 feet. He hangs in the air, mastered the art of the floater. He can use both hands in mid-air (something I'm sure he worked with Oden on when he couldn't use his right hand). He can finish at the basket with lay-ups over people a foot taller because of his long arms and verticle leap. Size is not an issue.

5. Scoring - Do the Hawks need a scoring PG? I think not. Conley is good enough to get 10-12 points a game by penetration and fast breaks. We don't need someone to light it up every night. We need someone to lead the team, take care of the ball, lead our breaks, and play solid defense. Conley fits that bill EXACTLY. As a matter of fact, he's better than perfect for the Hawks. It's a perfect fit.

6. 19. Not that we need another young project....but he's not a forward. He's a point guard. A point guard that has won his whole life, and is a leader still being a teen. OSU was 35-4 for a reason, and it all wasn't Mr. Oden. Which brings me to my final point on why the Hawks would be STUPID to pass on Mike Conley.

7. NEED - The most obvious reason. The Hawks need a young, talented point guard. Duh. We've been screwed over in the draft, well documented, by passing on francise point guards in the past. We've been called a laughing stock for passing on Paul and Willaims, etc. Well, here's another francise type player staring us right in the face. #3, #7, #205...I don't care. Take him when we an get him. He's there, it's a need, nuff said.

8. One more. We still have an 11 pick. It's not like our whole draft is based on one player. We're still going to get a great player at 11.

Take Conley and move on with a smile. PG for the next 10 years, and he's damn good!!

[Diesel]

I think what you need to understand is that in the pros, the 3 pt line is further back than in college. Moreover, we need a player who can create space in the defense. MCJ will never be able to do that. Finally, because this is pro basketball, his game will change. He will have to endure pounding every day. He's only 170. That's a recipe for injuries. I'm fearful of taking Conley Jr. especially at 3.

[buckeye242424]

Creating space will not be a problem for Conley. There will not be many, if any, PG's quicker than he is. He can get around anyone. If anything, his ability to create space and open up opportunities for his teammates is a strength. For sure, it's not a liability.

[buckeye242424]

I'm well aware that the 3pt line is further back. I don't anticipate Conley taking many 3's as a pro. He doesn't have the range. Moreover, the Hawks don't need a PG with 3 pt. range. We need many other things first.

[Diesel]

Why did Jameer Nelson drop so far in the draft a few years ago?

[Diesel]

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Moreover, the Hawks don't need a PG with 3 pt. range.

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Do you really believe that?

We are the worst 3 pt shooting team in the NBA....

Why wouldn't we need a 3 pt shooting PG?

[mrhonline]

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Why did Jameer Nelson drop so far in the draft a few years ago?

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Three reasons, not just one:

Poor shooting from long-range (notice that Nelson is career 36% 3 pt. shooter in the NBA)

Poor decision-making (Conley is one of the best ever for a freshman)

Too short (Nelson is probably 2 inches shorter than Conley)

[buckeye242424]

My point is that the Hawks don't need a PG with a main focus on the "3". If that's the case, we should draft Lee Humphrey at 3.

Career % from 3 point range.

Law - 33%

Critt - 35%

Conley - 30%

Not much of a difference. Considering Conley's ONLY weakness is shooting, this is pretty good. His game suits the Hawks perfectly.

[Peoriabird]

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Creating space will not be a problem for Conley. There will not be many, if any, PG's quicker than he is. He can get around anyone. If anything, his ability to create space and open up opportunities for his teammates is a strength. For sure, it's not a liability.

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What you don't seem to remember is that teams were giving the hawks any jump shot they wanted except when Joe was shooting. I know you don't expect Conley to drive thru a zone or cluttered lane and just shoot over bigs or pass in traffic. The hawks need better outside shooters period! They were getting open shots last year and couldn't make them consistently. It is a pipe dream to think that a Tony Parker type point guard would all of a sudden open the lane up for the Hawks on the offensive end. If anything, it would do the opposite!

[buckeye242424]

Like I said, if a point guard knocking down three's is our most glaring need, draft a shooter. If that was the case, why did we sign Speedy? I'm sure when BK signed Speedy, it was because of his shooting abilities.

Not so. We all have seen his shot. Speedy was SUPPOSED to bring leadership, ball control, the ability to run the break, and get others involved. Not knock down 4 three's a night.

[Peoriabird]

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If that was the case, why did we sign Speedy?

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It was a desperation move on BK's part because his other options fell through.

[Peoriabird]

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Not so. We all have seen his shot. Speedy was SUPPOSED to bring leadership, ball control, the ability to run the break, and get others involved. Not knock down 4 three's a night.

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And it didn't work because he could shoot. He lowered the team already poor shooting!

[Peoriabird]

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Like I said, if a point guard knocking down three's is our most glaring need, draft a shooter.

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Its not just 3's that the Hawks couldn't shoot! They were poor at shooting mid range 2's also!!

[TheDude]

well i think having a point next to joe who can shoot a long shot IS actually pretty important...however we see what lue could do but his lack of being able to do other things offensively was hard for our team..pound it in and pull it back out what his deal..

but think about the characteristics of a point guard and think about of those what can be fixed easiest....

size

athleticism

shooting

quickness/driving

bball iq

length

defense

leadership

of all those things, shooting is probably 2nd easiest (behind defense) to improve on so i wouldnt think of conley as a finished product, especially as i expect him to work solely on that during the offseasons...i'm still on board the conley express...but i do think the rest of his workouts will be very important...

[DJlaysitup]

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well i think having a point next to joe who can shoot a long shot IS actually pretty important...however we see what lue could do but his lack of being able to do other things offensively was hard for our team..pound it in and pull it back out what his deal...

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Agreed, we can't just poo-poo outside shooting. I remember plenty of games where JJ was getting his points and lighting it up pretty good. Then came the third/fourth quarter double-teams. If the game stayed close we even saw the occasional triple-team at crunch time. If we would have had a better supporting cast (from the perimeter), we would have won more games in the meat of the season.

Of course coaching can be blamed to an extent too. No way should the book on beating a team just be "double JJ"...Woody should have seen that coming and designed some plays to make opponents pay for that kind of strategy.

[BusBoyIsBack]

Conley lovers are something else.

They are so certain someone like Brandan Wright or Noah can't develop a mid-range game yet Conley will turn around all his shooting woes just like that.

And to say he would be arguably the quickest PG in the league is another joke. So I suppose he is as fast Tony Paker? Please.

He is Mrs. Oden and if he doesn't learn how to shoot the defense will sag off of him in the NBA and he won't exactly be a good compliment for Joe Johnson.

Do you know the biggest difference between the Cleveland Cavaliers right now and the team they had last year?

Last year Lebron kicked it out to Eric Snow. Now he has Daniel Gibson.

If Conley can't make a 3, that is a HUGE problem because we don't have Tim Duncan or Greg Oden to make up for that

[Guest Walter]

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Do you know the biggest difference between the Cleveland Cavaliers right now and the team they had last year?

Last year Lebron kicked it out to Eric Snow. Now he has Daniel Gibson.

If Conley can't make a 3, that is a HUGE problem because we don't have Tim Duncan or Greg Oden to make up for that

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While I think we need a pure Pg more than Gibson (shooter/scorer), we would be smart to seek out a Pg that can perimeter shoot. JJ plays runs the offense alot. He needs a guard that he can kick out to just like a Pg needs a guard he can kick out to. I think in the long run that guy is going to be Crittenton, but right now it's Law. I'm still all for Crittenton, however, as he can do it all at 6'5" and is a pure Pg.

W

[emeans]

I agree with the Diesel on this one. 3 is a serious reach for Conley, even though our history should.

The mark of a good GM is getting the value out of the pick you sit at. Just like we stretched for Shelden last year, we are stretching for Conley. That shows very poor GM skills to always stretch for a pick.

A good GM would get all the value the No. 3 pick deserves and a little more!!

Conley at 3, like Shelden is giving away a lot of value!! If you have to trade this pick to get the value you deserve then so be it!!

[AHF]

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Do you know the biggest difference between the Cleveland Cavaliers right now and the team they had last year?

Last year Lebron kicked it out to Eric Snow. Now he has Daniel Gibson.

If Conley can't make a 3, that is a HUGE problem because we don't have Tim Duncan or Greg Oden to make up for that

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While I think we need a pure Pg more than Gibson (shooter/scorer), we would be smart to seek out a Pg that can perimeter shoot. JJ plays runs the offense alot. He needs a guard that he can kick out to just like a Pg needs a guard he can kick out to. I think in the long run that guy is going to be Crittenton, but right now it's Law. I'm still all for Crittenton, however, as he can do it all at 6'5" and is a pure Pg.

W

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I am still very nervous about Critt's ballhandling and decisionmaking. Did you watch his games in the ACC and NCAA tournaments? Yeesh. If we draft him I will root for him without reservation and cross my fingers but those ballhandling and decisionmaking skills worry me a lot. My brother is a die hard Tech fan and likes Crittenon but doesn't think much of his chances of succeeding early in his career as a player.

I view Critt as a project who will hopefully blossom a few years down the line.

[Yeti]

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I agree with the Diesel on this one. 3 is a serious reach for Conley, even though our history should.

The mark of a good GM is getting the value out of the pick you sit at. Just like we stretched for Shelden last year, we are stretching for Conley. That shows very poor GM skills to always stretch for a pick.

A good GM would get all the value the No. 3 pick deserves and a little more!!

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But the point is that BK can't get an even trade -- the other GMs are probably just salivating thinking of the trash they'll give BK for the pick.

"a good GM is getting the value out of the pick " - I agree. But it is in the context of the team you have. If we get the BPA for ten years and they are all forwards then we have "won" on paper but will have a crappy team.

We have two picks and most people agree we have two needs: PG and C. So lets just plan on getting the best players for those positions with the picks we have. Don't get fancy, don't worry about "reaching" -- just get the job done.

(By the way Buckeye242424, I was more impressed with your argument before I read your handle.)