The Pick is Horford, Yi is OUT...

[TexasPete]

Thats my guess based on the way other teams are behaving. I think a logical person would agree that without any trade we would be down to Conley, Yi, or Horford. I do think they like Conley but see similar value down at 11 in their minds.

That narrows it to Horford and Yi. Based on the Celts working out Yi again and the Bucks and Bobcats asking permission to draft Yi, the other GM's seem to think that we are taking Horford. They could be wrong but usually those guys have some insight through agents and players.

I would say trading the pick is at least a 50% chance right now. But if we keep the pick I believe its Horford. I do think the owners are likely intrigued with the marketing aspect of Yi but my guess is that BK sees Horford as less a dupe than Yi. BK has now been quoted talking about the new NBA 5's and how Horford can play there. He says Horford has great versatility and you need that in todays game.

I think its 90% Horford.

[AtLaS]

Horford and Conley are the only 2 acceptable picks at 3.

Yi may be marketable, but winning is also marketable. Drafting Horford or Conley gives us the best chance to win.

[mrhonline]

I agree, and would add that in the event the Hawks work out a trade after the draft, Horford would give them the most flexibility.

[jerrywest]

Your subject line sounds like Yi has some problems.

I think BK is setting Grizz up for a Gasol trade. If he shows any weakness toward Yi, Griz won't deal Gasol for #3+fillers.

[TexasPete]

We better make sure we get our PG in any case and I don't mean Ridnour.

I'm actually intrigued with Stuckey. He and JJ in the backcourt could be sweet.

Yi cannot play center plain and simple. And we have forwards out the wazoo. If Horford can play some post then I can see why we would pick him. In the East the centers aren't too tough.

I'm still on Conley but prefer Horford over Yi easily.

[TheDude]

in my opinion, the likeliness of thursday events will be, in order of likeliness:

1- trade for gasol, with BK getting what he wants

2- drafting horford and law

3- drafting law at 11 but trade down from 3 to couple spots below.

[ncthompson11]

I dont agree with that atlas on how Yi cant help us win. The way Yi can score could have him being one of our top options from day one. Hortford would help us greatly but conley may be too young to lead us next year. We already have guys similar to hortford but probably the closet thing we have had to yi is shareef. Yi has been the man in china for years now and Im sure he would be fine with leading the hawks next year.

[TexasPete]

If you think Yi is coming in here and leading us in anything your nuts. Yi would not even start next year. Being the man in the lousy CBA and the NBA are night and day.

Yi would be a pick more for the future.

[sinctybldh]

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We better make sure we get our PG in any case and I don't mean Ridnour.

I'm actually intrigued with Stuckey. He and JJ in the backcourt could be sweet.

Yi cannot play center plain and simple. And we have forwards out the wazoo. If Horford can play some post then I can see why we would pick him. In the East the centers aren't too tough.

I'm still on Conley but prefer Horford over Yi easily.

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I like the thought of Stuckey too but it will make me question why we didn't get Brandon Roy last year.

[TexasPete]

Not getting Brandon Roy was a mistake. No sense in making it twice right?

[TexasPete]

Donnie Walsh, Indy GM, was quoted as saying about the Hawks...

"It'll be Horford, I think he's going big"...

Donnie knows BK better than anyone.

[txsting]

I think you're right, it's looking more and more that Horford will be the pick at #3. I highly doubt BK can move fast enough to get ANY trade done.

Even though I like Yi and think he might be able to do more down the road, I can't deny that picking Horford is at least getting solid value for the pick. It also is probably a better short-term move.

Publicly leaning toward Horford is clearly the right play in order to drive trades as well.

And Acie Law appears to have emerged as a clear favorite at #11, and rightfully so for this team. I wonder what BK will do if a quality big like Noah slips to #11 and he has to make a choice between Noah and Law. I hope he will able to swallow hard and pick the PG.

[ncthompson11]

Yis game just seems like he could break out next season right away and give a team 14-17 ppg.

[Dexmethylphenidate]

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Yis game just seems like he could break out next season right away and give a team 14-17 ppg.

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Not at the center position.

[Diesel]

Not this year.

His height and wingspan is impressive. IF we put him on the wing and play Shelden or Zaza in the middle... Yi and Smoove's help defense will make our overall defense better. That of course is in the zone.

Offensively, It's hard to find a Pf or a Center that will be able to really match up with him. He's fast enough to blow past them. He can finish well. He also can shoot from the midrange fairly well. I think when it's all said and done, he will be a 13-16 ppg player his first year if given more than 26 mpg.

[OdentonFalcon]

Horford is a joke, Yi is the real deal.

[Diesel]

I won't say Horford is a joke. I think he will be a Steady PF. Maybe a 10-9 guy. I think Defensively, he's overrated. I think offensively, he's overrated by some here. He doesn't create for himself. What Horford has going for him is that he has a true NBA Body. But so did Dale Davis and Elden Campbell and a whole lot of other guys who were not volume scorers in college and never converted to volume scorers in the pros.

I won't say Yi is the sure SUPERSTAAR... But he's definitely something that this league has never witnessed before. A 7 footer with that kind of speed, body control, BBIQ, and Charisma. I want to say work ethic, but I want to see him a few months before I can say that... I just don't see passing over this kind of superstar potential to take a guy who's just going to be safe and steady. I feel we have safe and steady with Shelden. However, right now, only Smoove has Superstar potential and he doesn't have as much as Yi. Yi is a 7 footer. FAST. Agile. This guy is going to be on eof the best 7 footers in the league. Get Yi here, get him down there to work out with Hakeem... AND there you go.. Yi, Shelden, and Smoove the three forward rotation! That means every skillset represented...

[MikeWilksBooth]

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I dont agree with that atlas on how Yi cant help us win. The way Yi can score could have him being one of our top options from day one. Hortford would help us greatly but conley may be too young to lead us next year. We already have guys similar to hortford but probably the closet thing we have had to yi is shareef. Yi has been the man in china for years now and Im sure he would be fine with leading the hawks next year.

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You are seriously a moron....I'm not even going to pick that post apart.

[ncthompson11]

"Not at the center position."

He obviosuly cant score 17 ppg from the low post but he can step away from the basket at times and most centers usually do not stand under the goal the whole game. Actually he would proboaly do better playing against other teams centers because he would be quicker and can take them away from the goal. Real match up problems with Yi and Smoove as our big men.

and go ahead and pick it apart you jackass. If you think mike conley can lead us next year I guess your the moron.