Sothron - Update please?

[gutz]

With all this Yi talk going on and majority on this board pretty much agreeing he needs to be our pick at #3, Sothron do you have any other inside info you can provide? Have you heard anything since all the Hawks personnel went to see Yi or are they still in LA evaluating him?

I really believe we should take Yi at #3 and then either trade the #11 for Jack/2ndrounder(portland has 4 2nd rounders so we should be able to get one easily) or just draft best PG available at #11 in Law or Critt. This is the draft plan I have finalized on unless some huge trade offer is proposed. Thoughts?

[Sothron]

Knight took the people with him to try and build a consensus among all the owners and FO staff. He (Knight) doesn't want to be on an island if he decides we can't get a fair value for #3 and decides to use it on an unknown like Yi. There is still the big three (Yi, Horford, Wright) but Yi is someone that Knight has been looking at for years I was told and he (Knight) thinks he can be another Gasol or Dirk if he is given the chance to play up to his skills and not forced in a system (like Darko) that takes away those skills.

Would I be shocked if we kept the pick and drafted Yi? Not one bit. Would I be shocked if drafted Horford or Wright? Not one bit. There's still the dark horse in Conley that could be picked at #3. Nothing is set in stone. I still think a trade is more likely than a draft pick but if we stay there and I had to pick one name RIGHT NOW then I would say Yi is the favorite.

[jerrywest]

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Knight took the people with him to try and build a consensus among all the owners and FO staff. He (Knight) doesn't want to be on an island if he decides we can't get a fair value for #3 and decides to use it on an unknown like Yi. There is still the big three (Yi, Horford, Wright) but Yi is someone that Knight has been looking at for years I was told and he (Knight) thinks he can be another Gasol or Dirk if he is given the chance to play up to his skills and not forced in a system (like Darko) that takes away those skills.

Would I be shocked if we kept the pick and drafted Yi? Not one bit. Would I be shocked if drafted Horford or Wright? Not one bit. There's still the dark horse in Conley that could be picked at #3. Nothing is set in stone. I still think a trade is more likely than a draft pick but if we stay there and I had to pick one name RIGHT NOW then I would say Yi is the favorite.

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Sounds like BK has already zeroed in on Yi and wants to get unanimous consent. you know Yi is dynamite in workouts. He will blow away the contingent like he did to Noah, Ford and the rest. Owners will see big $. JJ's agent will see millions of extra allstar votes and bigger shoe contracts.

[wolvetigers]

I think the Hawks would like to take YI with the 3rd pick, however the problem I see is fitting into Woodsons system. I personally dont think Woodson is capable of coaching a team with alot of talent. He is from the Larry Brown school which likes to play defense which is good, but his substitution patterns are horrendous and I'm not sure he knows what to do with the talent. If the Hawks dont make the playoffs he is gone. Anyways

I like Conley and feel that he would be a tremendous asset to the Hawks, however YI will be an amazing player in the right situation. I wouldnt be suprise either way. BK is feeling alot of pressure for not selecting a pg in the last two drafts. I have heard from a reliable source that the Hawks are looking strongly at Law / Critenton with the 11th pick. Keep in mind that we have speedy under contract for the next 3years for 17mill. We are not going to turn the keys over to a Freshman. Thats why i think Critenton will be behind Speedy.

So this is where youve been hiding Sothron. I remember you and Jaywalker from the espn board.

[Sothron]

lol wow talk about old times Yes, jaywalker and myself used to live quite vicariously on the old ESPN board for the Hawks before many of the oldtimers moved to realgm.com (thanks to jay) or to here at Hawksquawk. My workplace has put realgm.com on its perm ban list as of last year so I spend almost all my Hawks time here on the Squawk.

[Diesel]

Knight took the people with him to meet the ambassador!

[DrReality]

Please note this is a MARKED DEPARTURE from how we have heard him operate in the past. He did what he wanted regardless of what anyone thought. Now he takes a group of people so they can all agree????????????????????

What does that mean. Means that BK is under a lot of pressure and he knows that this pick will have a definate impact on his future.

For us that is a good thing. Hopefully he'll make decsision out of the braintrust in the organization and not a maverick.

[Swatguy]

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Please note this is a MARKED DEPARTURE from how we have heard him operate in the past. He did what he wanted regardless of what anyone thought. Now he takes a group of people so they can all agree????????????????????

What does that mean. Means that BK is under a lot of pressure and he knows that this pick will have a definate impact on his future.

For us that is a good thing. Hopefully he'll make decsision out of the braintrust in the organization and not a maverick.

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It is not a departure. BK has often taken groups to scouting venues before. BK has taken players on trips with him. He doesn't open up for the media.

[Diesel]

BK is not the type of guy to seek approval. Look at AHF's picture if you need proof. I've heard him on the radio say that if they want, they can fire him but he's going to do things his way. I believe my source... Just like the Houston Organization had to go to China to talk to Chinese officials, the Atlanta Organization had to too. Yi will be picked #3 if we don't trade the pick!!! The deal has been made and I hope that we have been OK'd!!

[AtLaS]

Soth I know you keep mentioning trading the pick. Do you mean just the #3 or both picks? And if just the #3, how sure are you that BK would like Critt or Law at 11?

[Blunt91]

If we pick Yi at 3 then maybe it is better to go with Law at #11. I know Critt has more upside but we don't need to make two potential picks. Someone needs to be able to step in right away and help. I will also say that I am only giving Yi 1year to get adjusted to the NBA. He isn't some 19year old who has only been playing Professional ball for a few years.

[Sothron]

It wouldn't surprise me if they traded the 11th pick for Jack and something else like a second rounder perhaps if a larger deal for the 3rd pick couldn't be worked out.

[mrhonline]

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It wouldn't surprise me if they traded the 11th pick for Jack and something else like a second rounder perhaps if a larger deal for the 3rd pick couldn't be worked out.

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That does seem to be the plan. Yi/Jack would make me happy, but I also doubt that's the end of the Hawks' moves for the summer. Someone would have to be sent packing...

[Guest Walter]

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That does seem to be the plan. Yi/Jack would make me happy, but I also doubt that's the end of the Hawks' moves for the summer. Someone would have to be sent packing...

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I think Yi needs to be our man. A Pg at 11. But we still need a trade for a big. I'm not against the 11/Lo/AJ or Lue for Pryz/Jack or Sergio/2nd. I'd do a Childress/AJ for Pryz/Jack or Sergio as well.

W

[Guest Riv]

Trade Chillz/11/Salim for Jack/Pryz/#37? Too far fetched?

[KB21]

It's too one sided towards Portland.

The only credible player the Hawks get in that trade is Jack, and Jack isn't worth giving up Josh Childress and the 11th pick to get.

You guys still do not realize that value of Josh Childress. He is not someone you just throw into a deal. He is not Boris Diaw. He's a much better and much more valuable player than Boris Diaw.

[Sothron]

I agree that I value Chill more than Boris "Never Shoot or France dies" Diaw. I do have to note that Pryz and Knight distinctly do not like one another. Pryz was asked to do a lot of dirty work inside here in Atlanta, he did it, and he expected to be kept. Instead Knight didn't want him and Pryz is still upset about that. Jason could shed more light about this if he wants to talk about details but I think it would take some serious coaxing on both parts to get Knight to trade for Pryz and to get him to agree to it.

For my part I can definitely live with a Jack/Pryz for #11 and Claxton. I would pawn off our bad deal for their bad deal but Pryz can actually A. defend and B. rebound.

Actually that deal would be sweet for Atlanta. If we presume we take Yi at #3 and he starts at PF his weaknesses (defense and rebounding) are made up for Pyrz starting and Pryz's weakness (modest offensive post game) would be more than made up by Yi's offense.

Jack/Lue/AJ

JJ/Chill/Salim

Marvin/Chill/Smoove

Smoove/Shellhead/Yi

Pryz/Yi/Zaza

This would force another trade though. There's simply not enough minutes for Marvin/Smoove/Shellhead/Yi or "X" rookie PF. Oddman out would be either Smoove or Shellhead.

[jaywalker72]

Terry Stotts had a special relationship with Joel, and the Stotts dismissal combined with Knight wanting to keep Collier over Joel probably doesn't make things sweet for Joel to come back.

It's surprising because Collier wasn't Billy's mythical type player. If you believe that Billy likes longer players then you would think that Przybilla, who can block shots and get the ball down the floor quickly after a rebound, would fit that mold better than Jason, who was not long, did not block or rebound well.

[Sothron]

You know how much I like Pryz Jay so I would love to see him back in Atlanta for more than a cup of coffee to borrow one of your expressions.

[DJlaysitup]

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Please note this is a MARKED DEPARTURE from how we have heard him operate in the past. He did what he wanted regardless of what anyone thought. Now he takes a group of people so they can all agree????????????????????

What does that mean...

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My guess is that BK is bluffing on Yi. It's almost too obvious though and BK hasn't been much of a poker player in the past. Still, if he knows he has trade interest from Portland (for Conley at the 3), what better way to bring in additional competition/bidders for that pick than to demonstrate serious interest in Yi.

Looking at the #3 pick as a pick (and not a person) for trade purposes, the more interest the Hawks can generate league-wide in the third pick, the better for us in a trade scenario. I hope that's what he is doing.

There have been comments on the radio (like by Bernie) that the team needs veterans. Realistically, the BK/Woody team aren't going to survive a 33 win season next year while waiting on more rookies to develop. Logic would say that we have to at least compete for a playoff spot till the end of the season for ownership to keep confidence in these guys. The five year plan is already looking more like a seven year plan...no way is even the ASG gonna let them get away with expanding it to a ten year plan