Hawksquawk... TIME TO SPEAK UP...

[Diesel]

First off, I don't want 82 posts by Busy...

However, I want to hear from every squawker, every lurker, every Hawks fan who just happened by...

Here's the question:

What purpose do you think the Hawks have for picking Horford? What did we draft him to do?

[AHF]

In my mind, the pick makes sense only if we drafted Horford with the intent to give him serious minutes at the center position. I expect him to be a big part of filling the almost total absence of interior scoring offensively and to defend against opposing centers much of the time.

For a team that is largely based on perimeter shooting, some success in the post offensively would give some nice balance to our team.

[bfwolf]

I agree that is the only way this pick makes sense. I don't believe he can be an effective NBA Center, which is why I don't like the pick.

[AtLaS]

Obviously he'll have to play 15-20 minutes at center. However, if it doesn't work, he still has great trade value and was the consensus 3rd pick in the draft.

[Mutombo_55]

every team needs a big man or 2, and Horford will be ours.

You can't just have small forwards playing every position, and its obvious to most that Shelden is not the answer.

I don't like the pick though if we're going to be playing him out of position at center.

[coachx]

Simple answer.

To be a legitimate low post threat on defense as well as offense.

1. Have a player with offensive back to the basket skills which is required to run a succesful offense

(Offensive post moves better then anyone on our roster)

2. Rebound better then any one on our roster

3. Play better post defense then any one on our roster

4. To finish in the paint after contact. (something no one on our current roster can do)

5. To upgrade our center position over ZaZa and Lo

6. To guard Tim Duncan or other big PF's who give Smoove trouble at PF. (Sheldon is too slow to guard most PFs). Jefferson, for instance is ready to bea beast at PF for theCeltics. I don't think Smoove can bang with him.

I see Al Horford playing 30 MPG his rookie year. I see 20 MPG at center and 10 MPG at PF (on average). I see in my crystal ball: 10PPG, 55 FG%, and 10 RPG, 1.3 BPG, as a rookie for Horford. Pretty darn good for a 21 year old rookie.

So Diese, what player in the draft can do these things better then Al Horford other then Greg Oden ?

[Traceman]

He was drafted to be the low post presence this team so desperately lacks on BOTH ends of the floor. He will provide that low post presence from both the PF and Center positions. In addition to that, more than any other player, he was considered to be the player in the draft most worthy of the 3rd pick. Whether you agree with those statements or not, the Hawks have already stated that is why Horford was drafted.

[Beelzebob]

Quote:

---

In my mind, the pick makes sense only if we drafted Horford with the intent to give him serious minutes at the center position. I expect him to be a big part of filling the almost total absence of interior scoring offensively and to defend against opposing centers much of the time.

For a team that is largely based on perimeter shooting, some success in the post offensively would give some nice balance to our team.

---

I concur.

[exodus]

I think they drafted Horford for the same reasons they drafted Shelden last year, to be a post defender and post scorer. They are obviously hoping he will be better than Shelden but that remains to be seen.

The fact that Smith is our starting 4 and will probably remain so indefinitely means that there aren't going to be that many minutes for Shelden/Horford at the 4.They will have to spend some time at center.

I don't think either one of them is a starting calibur center on a good team although they can both probably defend the C spot better than Zaza. That is faint praise though.

[thesheedera]

I think the Hawks picked him because they aren't convinced that Zaza or Shelden are legit NBA starters long term (at either position), and they feel Horford can be a legit starting post player for the franchise.

I personally think it only makes sense if he can either

1) Play center, or

2) Play PF so well that he moves ahead of Shelden and forces the Hawks to choose 1 long term starter among Smith/Marvin/Childress for the "SF" spot. Smith is the obvious choice at this point, but at the same time his trade value may be so significant that he's worth more in a trade than he is on our roster. For example, if he can get us a starting center, I'd ratehr keep Marvin and get the center. Likewise, if Marvin's trade value is high enough he'd be the best one to trade.

I can see the multiplayer rotation at SF, PF and C working for a while, but eventually someone will earn each of those positions, and decisions will need to be made as to what to do with the guys who fall short.

[aznsensation]

The only purpose was that he was the best player available.

[AtlantaCham]

I think we drafted him to play center - mainly to rebound and play low post defense. Hopefully a few blocked shots and maybe even 10 - 15 ppg.

Whether or not he can accomplish that remains to be seen, but I guess he was seen by management as the safest pick. I would rather have had Yi or Conley, but I don't think this pick is a disaster and I expect him to be productive player.

[gsuteke]

Quote:

---

Obviously he'll have to play 15-20 minutes at center. However, if it doesn't work, he still has great trade value and was the consensus 3rd pick in the draft.

---

this is the same thing we said about Shelden and I can't remember him getting any significant time at the 5.

to answer Diesel's question I have no clue what Billy Knight's mindset was in selecting Horford, however I will say that he damn sure better have consulted Woodson to see how he plans on using Horford.

the Hawks were in a bad spot because they ultimately didn't believe in Conley it seems and there were no Center prospects in the draft outside of Oden.

in short outside of a trade BK's options were extremely limited.

[BusBoyIsBack]

He was picked because he was the best player available at a need position in our minds.

It just so happened he also happened to be arguably the best player available in the draft as well making that a perfect intersection of getting talent and a need.

Giving our coaching staff the BOD, he will be a 4/5 on this team logging potentially 20 minutes at C this year and will eventually take over as our full-time Center.

If he plays exclusively at the 4, that would be a mistake.

Because

A)A talent like Marvin Williams is left off the floor

B)A lack of talent like Zaza Pachulia IS on the floor

[AtLaS]

Quote:

---

this is the same thing we said about Shelden and I can't remember him getting any significant time at the 5.

---

It's obvious that Shelden didn't have near as great a chance to play at the 5 as Horford. There are MANY more people that project Horford can play center as opposed to Shelden. Almost every draft site has Horford listed as a PF/C, that's not the case with Shelden.

[AnakinJoe]

They drafted the BPA ready to make a contribution. BK and Woody are on borrowed time and ownership is not likely going to allow them to trade for nor sign an experienced contributor. So other than organic growth, a ready-for-prime-time-player is the only way to deliver incremental wins. Also, after a season full of injuries, they probably don't feel like a team could have too much depth. Bottom line, their butts are on the line and they won't be able to use injuries as an excuse and ownership won't pay for experienced talent, what else could they do to address a short-term issue, job security?

[djcorley]

I think his ultimate meaning is yet to be determined...

However, immediately I think he helps in the area the Hawks lack most...

Defensive Rebounding and Post Defense..

Our presence there was basically non-existent and I think he helps in those areas immediately.

Eventually(maybe even later in his 1st season) he gives us some offense on the block...but, that will take a little time.

He needs to be Dennis Rodman for us...that's what we need him to be!

[BusBoyIsBack]

Quote:

---

It's obvious that Shelden didn't have near as great a chance to play at the 5 as Horford. There are MANY more people that project Horford can play center as opposed to Shelden. Almost every draft site has Horford listed as a PF/C, that's not the case with Shelden.

---

Exactly.

Shelden was considered undersized for a POWER FORWARD.

Horford is definitely a better fit at Center. More length and athleticism. And only an inch shorter than the average C.

Horford just needs about 10-15 pounds to be highly effective fulltime Center

[ncthompson11]

The horford pick at 3 has to be for our future center. A guy who will step in right away, similar to what shelden was supposed to do last year(and could have if he got more minutes). another safe pick by BK and may be the best player in this draft when its all said and done.

also there wasnt anyone else really for BK to pick at 3 besides conley. The hawks have said they didnt want him because he couldnt shoot so horford was the only option.

[thesheedera]

I see a lot of high hopes for his post defense. I don't have the highest expectations for his defense in all honesty, I think his future as a pro has a lot more to do with his upside on offense. We don't have a single offensive post presence right now and it screws up our offensive chemistry.

Zaza's a black hole, he shoots a low percentage, he's turnover prone, and he's streaky. When he's on, I love his offensive game, but he's so eratic that I don't have faith in him as a long term solution. His best quality (offensive rebounding) is in actuality just a result of his terrible shooting percentage. kudos to him for going after the rebounds on his own misses, but he should be making more shots in the first place.

Shelden is great at trash points, opportunistic put backs, tough boards, loose balls and the occassional jumper when the defender dares him. He isn't yet a guy you feed in the post and watch him go to work. I have said many times that his offense is underrated and his d overrated, but I don't think he has enough size to make his way with just brute force, and he lacks the fluidity you need if the brute force doesn't do it for you. He's a solid NBA role player, and there's nothing wrong with that.

If Horford isn't a guy we can feed in the post and expect efficient and consistent production, then he's a mistake. I know he hasn't yet shown that he's a "volume scorer", but I love watching his combo of strength and agility when he has the ball down low. He has the tools to be a really solid offensive big man - mid to high teens scoring - on an efficient high percentage.

That's where I expect the guy once he's seasoned.