Premium Member sturt Posted July 13, 2007 Premium Member Report Share Posted July 13, 2007 We've been postulating this and that idea for the last 6-8 weeks as to what can be done to strengthen the roster. For quite awhile many of us have been all about the big acquisition: Gasol... Stoudamire... or even some momentary talk about Garnett or O'Neal. Now that some of that has died down, I'm beginning to take, what seems to be, a more modest and sober look at what this roster has versus what it needs. Interested, of course, in others' prescriptions, but here's mine, and I think many if not most will disagree... 1) Perimeter defensive specialist, ideally someone in the 6-5 or 6-6 range. 2) Low post defensive specialist and minutes-eater. That may not seem like much. It certainly shouldn't cost a whole lot. I didn't say "veteran low-post scorer" because, like several others, I'm simply on the Horford bandwagon. I think he's capable and going to prove to be worthy of the #3 pick. And, I continue to think that few of us really appreciate the find that ZaZa has been... it's pretty incredible statistically, definitely one of the top 20% of centers in the league... and yet, his age suggests that he won't hit his peak for another 3-4 years. It would be nice if Anderson would finally take the NBA challenge, though, and let us see whether all the pomp about his play for the European champ, CSKA, translates to America to some noteworthy degree. He potentially would represent an intriguing addition to the frontline. But back to the weaknesses I've proposed... Somewhat ironically, there are two players who have earned great reputations both in and out of Atlanta uniforms, and who continue to be productive yet seemingly affordable are available in free agency... except that we're not in a position right now to do anything with that. As recently as 2005, an analyst writing for 82games.com cited statistics demonstrating DerMarr Johnson to be one of the top 5 defensive wing players in the league. Admittedly, I haven't seen DerMarr on the floor in quite awhile, so don't take my bringing his name up too seriously... but it is that kind of player I'd most like to see added to the roster. And you know who I'm going to mention on the other: Deke... I mean, what else can you say about the old man that hasn't already been said... it's not outside the realm of possibility that he could be basketball's answer to Julio Franco before it's all said and done. He just keeps justifying his place on NBA rosters, long after he should have went into politics and become a world leader. That's how I see it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BusBoyIsBack Posted July 13, 2007 Report Share Posted July 13, 2007 Good Luck finding #1 #2 is on our bench right now Solomon Jones is that dude He just needs to keep getting stronger Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BHayley Posted July 13, 2007 Report Share Posted July 13, 2007 No, our number one need is OFFENSE. We need another SCORER! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member sturt Posted July 13, 2007 Author Premium Member Report Share Posted July 13, 2007 Quote: Good Luck finding #1 Anthony Johnson to MIN Trenton Hassell to ATL (Trade works, though just barely.) Quote: #2 is on our bench right now Solomon Jones is that dude He just needs to keep getting stronger I might buy into that one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djcorley Posted July 13, 2007 Report Share Posted July 13, 2007 No, what we NEED is Marvin to take the leap in his 3rd year that Smoove took last year in his...scoring problem solved! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swatguy Posted July 13, 2007 Report Share Posted July 13, 2007 Quote: No, our number one need is OFFENSE. We need another SCORER! Jarvis Hayes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member Diesel Posted July 13, 2007 Premium Member Report Share Posted July 13, 2007 Unfortunately, A lot of Hawks fans are believing that the same Hawks unit for last year will be on the floor this year with no changes. Their minds have not revolved to the point where they can see out of our situation. I think when we look again, what we can see is that our team will be much better without much contribution from the draft picks. Namely because if we are healthy, we have a very good team. I think we heard every complaint there was about Speedy Claxton. However, when Speedy is healthy, he is one of the best defensive PGs in the game. That includes defending on the perimeter. I haev hope that Claxton will prove that he can stay healthy for most of the season and add with his play, some great perimeter defense. I also hope that he can train Law to be just as good a defender. I think at Center, Shelden plays much better than he does at PF. There were many complaints about Shelden being picked 5th. However, when the regular season came around, he played very well until injured. I think he's an automatic double double if we play him and use him right. I think what is and what was needed is offense. I think we suffered because most of our points were midrange shots. We don't have a post scorer. With Darko going to Memphis, maybe it would benefit us to ask about Gasol. JJ is a very good player, but he can't be allowed to dominate the ball. Woody's offensive schemes have to be made more obvious to the team because now we look like we're playing a lot of one on one play. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member sturt Posted July 13, 2007 Author Premium Member Report Share Posted July 13, 2007 Quote: Unfortunately, A lot of Hawks fans are believing that the same Hawks unit for last year will be on the floor this year with no changes. Their minds have not revolved to the point where they can see out of our situation. I got this far, and realized that this is going pretty much where Diesel always goes... Leaving no room for the natural development of 21 year-olds to become better, more mature players because the following season they've become 22 year-olds. That's just short-sighted, and perhaps even something bordering on paranoia. Not buying it. Sorry. There's a new Diesel trade practically every day. There's a new Diesel post (alarmingly probably to his therapist) every half-hour on the average, calculating his post count and start date. Diesel is Diesel... he's all about CHANGE, and that's not... ummm... going to change. I think the roster is pretty close to blossoming, as many others evidently do... I'd like to see the tweaks mentioned I've mentioned in this thread, but my greater attention is now going to turn to Woody, I think... Can Woody get enough minutes for everyone on a roster this deep in talent? I'm not selling him short, but I think it's a valid question with him coming from a Larry Brown system that isn't generally considered to be flexible and one that capitalizes on more than the typical 8-man rotation. No one deserves to see his team finally see some success given all that he's poured into this project than Woody. I'm optimistic and hopeful... and even at the risk of being called naive. November 1 can't come soon enough. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member sturt Posted July 13, 2007 Author Premium Member Report Share Posted July 13, 2007 Sorry... I got in a conversation about something that's actually important in real life, and ended up with some typos, yet too late to correct them... Mainly, I'd like to correct his one... I'm not selling him short, but I think it's a valid question with him coming from a Larry Brown system that isn't generally considered to be flexible and one that capitalizes more on the typical 8-man rotation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djcorley Posted July 13, 2007 Report Share Posted July 13, 2007 You should have finished reading Diesel's post... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member sturt Posted July 13, 2007 Author Premium Member Report Share Posted July 13, 2007 Quote: You should have finished reading Diesel's post... My bad... indeed, I should have. But then again, it did end up predictably, didn't it (major acquisition)...??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frosgrim Posted July 13, 2007 Report Share Posted July 13, 2007 Sturt, I agree we have to have another perimeter scorer. I would prefer a slasher-type who can get his own shot. This guy would be able spell JJ and give us more scoring depth at the 2. Unfortunately, there really aren't too many of those guys in the league that the Hawks can trade for. One poster mentioned Jarvis Hayes, and I agree he might be the best available. He's a FA, so we don't have to make a trade. The problem is that I don't think we have the cap room to sign Jarvis. Tony Allen is an interesting player with the Celtics. With Ray Allen on board, the Cs don't have nearly the need for Tony. They do need a point, so we can send AJ for Tony Allen. Not a bad trade for us, Allen gives us a perimeter shooter who can play defense. Antoine Wright with the Nets might be another guy we could target. However, I think we'd have to move one of our bigs to get him (Shelden or Zaza). So, this is probably not the right move. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Packfill Posted July 13, 2007 Report Share Posted July 13, 2007 The lack of EXPERIENCE and reliance on POTENTIAL is the rosters primary weakness. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member Diesel Posted July 13, 2007 Premium Member Report Share Posted July 13, 2007 I don't see the harm in asking about Gasol... Let's be honest here, how many teams have been championship teams without a major trade acquisition. Most if not all championship quality teams get there because they have enough good sense to realize that their pieces are players as well as commodities. Sometimes in order to get what you really need you have to trade value for value. I'm not saying we should go all out for Gasol. Truly, his salary is another issue... BUT we should not be above asking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member sturt Posted July 13, 2007 Author Premium Member Report Share Posted July 13, 2007 ...first. But, yes, history shows that, for those who get there and stay there for a period of time, there's sometimes (often?) an additional talent booster shot. I get the impression that, perhaps, we don't disagree all that much on that point. More than Gasol's salary is the problem that, acquiring him would require a major shake-up of the roster at this point, and I've just calmed down and sobered up to the idea that we're probably better served to let this roster take us where it will for this season... again, with the tweak of identifying a couple of players, perimeter and low-post, who can play the role equivalent to a shut-down cornerback effectively... Which, conventionally-speaking, is something else that most championship teams have in their quiver, but that we don't talk too much about around here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coachx Posted July 13, 2007 Report Share Posted July 13, 2007 Quote: 1) Perimeter defensive specialist, ideally someone in the 6-5 or 6-6 range. 2) Low post defensive specialist and minutes-eater. I think we got it all covered already. (With the exception of adding another All Star caliber players which every tream in the league could use another of). Sure improvements can alwayse be made but the asking price is noramlly not very pratical. I think #1 and #2 "needs' are already filled on our current roster. 1. Josh Childress (6'7'') can do this both at the SG and SF positions. Chills is a very good defender and does not mind playing a "role." Is he Bruce Bowen ? No, but Chills is pretty good. 2. Umm..., Horford, Shelden, ZaZa, and Solomon do this by committee. No problem doing a little hack a Shaq (we can even throw in Lo for a few fouls). DO we need another minutes eater? Looks like we have 4 minutes eaters. Not to mention Smith already eating 35 mpg and leading the league in blocks. Shelden, Horford, adn ZaZa are more then competent partners to play position defense next to Smith and Solomon is another shot blocker off the bench. I do think we could use a defensive wing the most but Chills can fill that role. There are more scoring specialist at wing in the East then ever before. Hope Chills feet are totally healed b/c we NEED him this year big time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coachx Posted July 13, 2007 Report Share Posted July 13, 2007 Quote: Quote: Good Luck finding #1 Anthony Johnson to MIN Trenton Hassell to ATL (Trade works, though just barely.) Quote: #2 is on our bench right now Solomon Jones is that dude He just needs to keep getting stronger I might buy into that one. That could work. Corey Brewer will eat most of Hassels minutes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
exodus Posted July 13, 2007 Report Share Posted July 13, 2007 Quote: 2. Umm..., Horford, Shelden, ZaZa, and Solomon do this by committee. If we could play all four of them at the same time then maybe they could do a good job defending the center spot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thesheedera Posted July 13, 2007 Report Share Posted July 13, 2007 Is Childress really a good defender? I know he tries hard and has the right attitude, but I feel like I've seen him get blown by so many times that I question how good he really is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frosgrim Posted July 13, 2007 Report Share Posted July 13, 2007 Even with Childress, we still need a scorer off the bench that can play defense and get his own shot. We have a shooter in Salim, but he can't play a lick of defense. Maybe Law can fill the role of off-the-bench scorer for us. The problem with that is that, IMO Law, is the starting PG by the end of December. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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