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[Sothron]

Hi my name is Sothron and if you read my sig you will know that I have been a fan of the Hawks and all Atlanta sports teams for a long time.

Why do I mention this? I do so because I have been given tonight the most likely scenarios to take place on draft night and I fully expect on Thursday to be given the scoop on what we are actually going to do.

The problem? I am not Chad Ford who has no allegiance to a team and would happily spill the beans if he could. I am a Hawks fan first and foremost. It should be obvious that if I post in a public forum what exactly we are doing, knowing full well other teams and media types like Ford are checking this board, that I would be compromising the Hawks ability to make trades or conduct a draft.

If you do not understand that or disagree please back "Back" on your browser button or the big green arrow and disregard this post. Just pretend it is not here. Because it will make you feel better and trust me...trust me...it will make me feel better.

For those of you remaining (hello!) I *have* been given permission to present some likely scenarios that we will be doing. Note that "likely" does not mean "absolutely will do". I *can* say that I absolutely will NOT under any circumstance repeat what we are actually doing to anyone.

So that being said let me turn your attention to what I *have* been allowed to say:

1. DO NOT stop watching the draft until it is over. In fact you may have to wait for a couple of days after the draft to know what exactly we are doing. Due to the vagaries of the salary cap and next year's draft (we won't have a pick) we may very well be drafting two guys for other team(s).

2. Reread number one. There is a very good chance that the people we draft are not going to stay here.

3. If we keep the picks for real then nothing I have told you has changed over the last few weeks: Horford, Yi and Conley as a dark horse at #3 and Law, Critt or Stuckey at #11. If Conley fell to #11 I do believe he would be drafted there over the other point guards.

4. On the trade front out of the scores (and I mean scores) of offers Knight has received the most likely (stress that word) trades to happen would bring the following players to Atlanta:

Gasol

Calderon

Amare

KG

Camby

Andre Miller

Ridnour

Jermaine O'Neal

Jack

Randolph

Bynum

Unlikely:

Dwight Howard

Kidd

Kaman

Biedrins

Ellis

Richardson

And pretty much all of the off the wall scenarios you may have heard. Orlando will be faced with our offer for Howard again tomorrow night and while they will consider it they will most likely NOT sign off on the trade. Why? Because they value Howard as a big man, a face of a franchise and the fact a major trade with a division rival by its very nature is extremely unlikely to happen.

I only elaborate on that deal because it was something I was told specifically we were pursuing and while the FO would love to add him we're (probably) not going to land him.

While the above two lists are things I *can* tell you guys the players and other teams in those deals are things I can *not* tell you. I can tell you that at least two of those trades are mutually dependent on each other. That means if one trade will not go through then we will not do the other one. It should be obvious which two players fit that scenario.

I realize most (if not all?) of you guys would love for me to tell you right now what exactly we are doing but I hope you can understand why that would be disastrous for the team not to mention my sources trust in me would dry up faster than a rainstorm in Georgia's drought. I am not sacrificing years of trust, let alone friendship, over this. If this site had a private board for hawksquawk supporters only I would ask them for permission to reveal that information but even then I don't think they would.

If I receive any more information between now and draft night that they sign off on my being able to post I will update you guys then.

[exodus]

So we have to wait until July to know who we are getting?

[GHook]

Thanks Sothron, always look forward to your posts.

Surprising that Amare is 3rd most likely scenario. Phoenix is willing to trade with us even though they have our first rounder next year?

Can you provide us with a possible scenario? I assume this has something to do with a 3 team KG trade. KG going to Phoenix, Amare coming here, on our end I'm guessing both picks, expirings and/or Chill?

[BHayley]

I really wish some of those players would be listed under "UNLIKELY." Thanks for the info though. Less than 2 days!

[ncthompson11]

Thanks for the info. this is going to be an interesting few upcoming weeks. Things can either be great and turn sour, or terrible to good.

[gutz]

Sothron thanks for the update!! Keep them coming whenever you can. But are you saying you know what we are going to do but can't tell us?

[Sothron]

Quote:

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So we have to wait until July to know who we are getting?

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The owners are hoping we can have everything finalized on draft night before we have a press conference the next day revealing the new players. HOWEVAH according to sources that may not happen. Everyone would like to see it but it may be later than we want before we know for sure if the picks are staying or not.

[AtLaS]

... please say it's not true.

[Sothron]

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Sothron thanks for the update!! Keep them coming whenever you can. But are you saying you know what we are going to do but can't tell us?

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I have been told three trade scenarios that are likely and how both picks will go if our draft board matches the actual draft. I will know on Thursday (probably) what we are doing but yes, I am not allowed to repeat it. Sorry to be a tease but I hope you and everyone else can understand why.

[sturt]

Ya know, Soth... if you ever need a job, I'm sure you can get plenty of references if you'd like to apply to write teasers for TV shows.

[Frenzy]

I want Amare!

[Mutombo_55]

Thanks for the info. This is going to be a crazy and exciting (hopefully) summer.

[Sothron]

lol thanks, I would love to get a job better than helping to oversee insurance product information when its dumped in my lap as a project where I work.

[jezmund]

Thanks Sothron. If nothing else, you give us a more inside feel than a Chad Ford or some ESPN bobblehead. Interesting to see Kidd and Kaman on that list. Interesting that a lot of those names are ones that we throw around on here that we assume are BS rumors. Obviously these names are really being thrown around. I hope you and they are wrong about Dwight.

Players I don't want to see regardless of cost:

Zach Randolph

Jermaine O'neal

Luke Ridnour (Unless we give up Speedy for him)

Players that I would be OK with but wouldn't give up much for:

Andrew Bynum

Chris Kaman

Andre Miller

Monta Ellis

Jose Calderon (Assuming can be resigned for fair value)

Marcus Camby

Jarrett Jack

Andris Biedrins

Players that I would give up the right significant pieces for:

Pau Gasol

Players that I would give a mixture of major pieces for:

Amare Stoudamire

Kevin Garnett

Dwight Howard (Would give up significantly more for Dwight than I would for either KG or Amare)>> I'd offer #3/Marvin/Childress/Zaza for starters.

[gutz]

If we could get Amare and keep JJ, Smoove and Marvin we could win the East next year!!! that would be insane to get him and it's very unlikely either way.

[skaughtybee]

Quote:

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Quote:

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So we have to wait until July to know who we are getting?

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The owners are hoping we can have everything finalized on draft night before we have a press conference the next day revealing the new players. HOWEVAH according to sources that may not happen. Everyone would like to see it but it may be later than we want before we know for sure if the picks are staying or not.

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This sure sounds like Horford to me. We draft him, knowing that he has the most trade value, while still being a safe pick *if* the player desired in some of these scenarios isn't there at 11.

So the question is - who are we rooting for to slip to 11?

[BHayley]

Chad Ford gives great Hawks information. Read his blog and listen to him on TV / radio. Very good guy who said that if we get a bigtime player, we'll be a big contender in the east.

Rich Bucher is the guy who I don't like as much. He blatantly says Kobe will be gone without any proof

[sick_five]

One question Sothron... with you knowing the likely scenarios... how excited are you about the possible team after this week?

How good do you think these next few days can be for this franchise?

[BHayley]

MIKE

CONLEY!!!

[volman]

Sothron, thanks for the information. I can appreciate your loyalty to your friend/source..a good Christian thing to do. (Not saying people who aren't Christians wouldn't or you aren't if you aren't loyal)

I think getting Amare to Atlanta would be incredible!

It looks like you think that Gasol and Calderon could be future Hawks, but I would much rather have Amare here.

Does it feel like Christmas to anybody else? I can't sleep at night!