Jefferey Denburg article

[Guest]

http://espn.go.com/nba/columns/denberg_jeffrey/1533453.html

[KB21]

http://espn.go.com/nba/columns/carter_fred/1533536.html

My Comments:

The Rights:

1. Drafting Jason Terry. I agree. He may not be the prototypical point guard they wanted, but he's got game and is better than anyone drafted behind him. And he's getting better.

2. Trading for Shareef Abdur-Rahim. I agree as well. Losing has gotten to him, but he's got the talent to elevate his game when the team wins. He's the best scorer and passer on the team right now.

3. Trading for Theo Ratliff. Again, I agree. He's not a bruiser, but he can do something that most centers can't. He can guard a guard on the perimeter.

The Wrongs

1. Lon Kruger. Yep. The college to NBA track had already been proven. Kruger is a fantastic coach, but that's for the college game.

2. Trading Tinsley. This is debateable, IMO. Indiana just signed Tim Hardaway because Isiah doesn't have confidence in Tinsley. They also tried to get Gary Payton at the deadline.

3. Rider. Yep. There's no positive spin that can be put on that move. It has set the franchise back 5 years.

[Guest]

The problem with fred Carter is that he is an idiot.

[KB21]

Then he's an idiot that knows more about the game than you do.

[Guest]

Looking at his breakdown I'd suggest that he doesn't.

[Guest]

He says:

"Atlanta, too, but he'll block better than three shots per game when healthy and give Atlanta an intimidator in the

lane"

kwame Brown didn't look so scared of Theo tonight

and neither did Mehmet Okur againest Detroit.

[Jamil]

I agree with him about the drafting of JT that it was a good decision but it was a no brainer for Babcock because Avery was clearly out of the question. It was time for Mookie to go anyway.

The SAR deal has not panned out as it should have. I'm sorry, but when you bring in a maximum-salaried player you expect results, in the wins column. People can talk all day about his statistics but since this hasn't translated into wins, you have to wonder what we gained. You also have to consider that he hasn't been a factor in attendance. Gasol comes at a quarter of the cost and is arguably as good as SAR is.

Obviously the hiring of Kruger was a wrong, and the Rider deal should've resulted in Babcock's immediate firing.

It would be nice to have Tinsley, but I think a more damning decision to the team was the Robinson trade. There's no denying that he has had a negative impact on the team. I never liked him before and it discusts me that he's a Hawk now. My hope is that out new GM's first order of business is unloading him.

One more WRONG that Carter should've mentioned was the playoff guarantee. Yes I know that it was Kruger's idea, but that could only have happened with Babcock's approval. It has resulted in one of the biggest embarrassments in franchise history, right up there with the Rider deal.

[Diesel]

In reply to:

---

If the Hawks can't get a real point guard, how will they fare with Terry? It's a good question. He wanted $50 million last summer. They offered $36 million and he decided to play out the string. All he got by waiting was a smaller paycheck and the chance (however slight) the Hawks won't come back at all. They do like his offensive game. They simply don't like his lack of stature.

---

Take it for what it is. A Hawks insider saying... They don't like Terry's lack of Stature...

i.e., They don't think he can be a Sg at that size... And they have given up on him as a PG.

Can anybody say... Hello Van Gundy?

JVG said basically the same thing last night. I think he might be moved to either coaching or the front office or both.

[Blunt91]

If Van Gundy is hired as our coach Terry and Robinson are as good as gone. They can be "Dog's For Life" on another team.

[Omni]

The talent the Hawks have on their roster is good. In JT, SAR, and Big Dog the Hawks have three guys that can give 17+ points a night. Theo is a defensive hound in the middle and his blocks per game cannot be underappreciated (though it would be nice to see his rebounds go up). Ira Newble is a great defensive spark, a good 6th man. Put a good point guard in there and you've got some major potential. All that's missing is a strong coach to put it all together. A coach like Van Gundy is who the Hawks should have hired instead of Kruger, somebody to teach defense and dicipline. Babcock's thinking in putting this team together was not wrong...his coach selection was and that cost him his job.

[Guest]

I think this new GM gives JT a less chance at a bigger

payday.I was fearing that he was actually going to

get it...However,now I think JT remaining a Hawk

is totaly questionable.

[Diesel]

He was very very clear and to the point last night.

He said either you are a PG when you come out of College or you are NOT. Fratello then begin to press him about Player development and Van Gundy said that he would rather have Childs or Ward than some guy who has to learn to be a NBA PG (that's JT).

I don't know about you... I'd rather not have a coach who doesn't appreciate player development. I've watched DJ develop. I've watched Payton develop. I've watched Kenny Anderson Develop. I've watched Kenny the Jet Smith Develop. Any coach who doesn't believe that PGs or players can develop is not good in my estimation. I'd rather have Fratello.

[Guest]

and I also watched Charlie Ward and Chris Childs "develop" into fine bu pg's that were forced to start...but they didn't take shots from the other players, which I think is what VG wants from his pg...

[cyman3]

Van Gundy only likes Ward/Childs cuz they are only role players. hes never too high on the PG spot.

He had spree and houston, two players capable of avg 20 ppg. With a SG/SF like those 2, u dont need a good PG. U just need one that can play DEFENSE, pass, and hit the open 3 = childs and ward...

w/o houston and spree... childs and ward are solid BACKUP PGs... but not starters in my book