Even BK Must Get Frustrated

[AnakinJoe]

He always projects as someone who is poised and arrogantly unflappable. But even Billy Knight must get frustrated working under these circumstances. A quick recap:

Summer, 2005. BK attempts to acquire Joe Johnson. This initiates the ongoing divorce of the ownership group. The only other signing that season was to resign Lue.

Summer, 2006. BK attempts to sign a veteran PG. He starts with Cassell and moves to Craig Claxton. Literally, a day after the first rumor was printed, Belkin is in court seeking an injunction. Judge initially rules that Hawks can only sign 1 year deals, then changes it to no more than a 4 year deal.

Summer, 2007. BK suggests immediately after scoring 2 lottery picks that he may trade one or both for veteran players. He talks about needing to take the next step and looking or immediate production. Big names are tossed about. Hawks appear in the middle of rumors for Gasol, Camby, Ridnour, Calderon and even Amare. Ultimately, we draft 2 more rookies. Likely the only team to have 8 players on their rookie deals in the NBA. Despite BK (and Woody's) assertion that we need immediate help, we bring in "older youth" to the team in Horford and Law.

Same summer, knowing that qualified assistants won't likely take a job with a 1 year contract (has to be 1 year to tie-in with the contract of the head coach), BK is forced to hold back 2 assistants from lateral positions. Essentially, he's a GM with a lame duck coaching staff managing a youthful team. The guys on this team with 1 year left, all the old heads, coaching staff + Lue, AJ and Lo. Youth is guaranteed a paycheck next season, everyone else is a crap shoot. Who's running the asylum?

(And you can probably put Smith's extension on this list as well).

Every deal or attempted deal is like pulling teeth. And I'm guessing that the other 29 teams must ask Billy "did your Mommy or Daddy say that you can talk to us?" before even beginning discussions. Tough working circumstances, even for someone as annoying and aggravating as Mr. Knight.

[Lacsho]

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Every deal or attempted deal is like pulling teeth. And I'm guessing that the other 29 teams must ask Billy "did your Mommy or Daddy say that you can talk to us?" before even beginning discussions. Tough working circumstances, even for someone as annoying and aggravating as Mr. Knight.

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AJ I think BK has done a pretty good job considering the circumstances. His dummy move was when he let everyone in the world know that we were picking Shelden with the 5th pick. I'm just saying we could have moved down to four or five picks and still got Shelden. I still like the Marvin pick, and I know that is not a popular statement around here, but I just think Marvin is going to have a great year. Honestly, I wanted Conley this year, but I think Horford and Law were the best choice.

No one gives BK props for the good moves, everyone just sits back and waits for something negative to happen, so they can blame BK. The JJ deals looks good now, and so does the deal with Indy. Hopefully, we make the playoffs this year so Phoenix doesn't get a lottery pick. I remember last year on one of Sekou's blogs I think Doc and Ken said hold off on lynching BK, and I believe they were right.

[Weez]

It's a funny thing that you mention the JJ trade...

the Hawks actually made the national media conversation last year...in talking about how they botched the development of Diaw, gave him away. Now? I didn't really mention anyone taking back those comments this year (what with Diaw drawing his new, BIG deal, yet conversely seeing much less production and playing time as he showed up to camp overweight AND had the foce that is Amare Stoudemire to fight with)...

No one says, well, Atlanta actually looks, at worst, even in this trade (granted the pick is to come next year), as JJ was an all-star and Diaw saw a significant decline in pt and production...

[vdunkndunk]

If the Hawks make the playoffs next season, even as an 8th seed, the JJ trade will look like a stroke of genius. Basically, that means the Suns would get a 21 pick (which they sold for cash), Boris Diaw (who is essentially a bad contract for them now), and a 15 or 16 pick.

Personally, I'd rather have JJ any day over all that garbage. The whole key to the trade was landing a top 3 pick, which was incredibly fortunate, along with the 11 pick, which was actually the ideal scenario with the Indy pick.

And now it seems like our draft picks are actually performing in the RMR and getting praised in the national media, which is almost unheard of. Could it be that our luck is about to change?

[Hawk88]

Phoenix is paying Diaw 9 million a year for like 3 more years! They are screwed, Nash made him look good the first year but we all knew Diaw can't shoot.

Think Phoenix would rather have signed Johnson at 12-15 a year for an all star vs. Diaw at 9. It's not even close.

End the end if your draft picks are top 5, they aren't worth much, especially for the Hawks.

Phoenix even sold one this year for 3 million. The JJ trade is looking better for us every year, and when Diaw is a complete bust, we will be the winners.

[GoDawgs21]

Honestly, I have said this before Boston was supposedly interested in Shelden ALOT. They were picking around 8 or 9.

I think this was the reason for the leak. I think BK wanted to scare Boston into trading up. What is there to lose? If you think Shelden is a guy you want, you get him or you get something in a trade and take the second rated player onyour board at 8 or 9.

Teams do this all the time say they like this guy or that guy to up their value. If you are trying to trade a pick and you think a team likes a guy, then why not tell him you are taking him its not a horrible play like many make it out to be.

[Dexmethylphenidate]

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Phoenix is paying Diaw 9 million a year for like 3 more years! They are screwed, Nash made him look good the first year but we all knew Diaw can't shoot.

Think Phoenix would rather have signed Johnson at 12-15 a year for an all star vs. Diaw at 9. It's not even close.

End the end if your draft picks are top 5, they aren't worth much, especially for the Hawks.

Phoenix even sold one this year for 3 million. The JJ trade is looking better for us every year, and when Diaw is a complete bust, we will be the winners.

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Diaw shoot 52%FG his first year and 54% in his second year so he can shoot.

[KB21]

Minnesota was picking 6th as well, and they were also very interested in Shelden Williams. In fact, during the Amare trade talks, it was rumored that Shelden was a player the Timberwolves wanted in the deal.

[AnakinJoe]

I always thought that the reason for the "promise" was to re-pay Arn Tellum for delivering JJ to the Hawks. I always thought that Tellum "lead JJ to us" and we thanked him by drafting another of his client's, Shelden, a few spots too early. The fact that they share the same agent seems a little too convenient. Also, consider that BK NEVER worked out Shelden. He has worked out every other player he selected before and after the '06 draft. A lot of circumstantial evidence, but that will always remain my belief for the "promise".

[BusBoyIsBack]

Im still laughing my ass off at people who said we got ripped off by the Suns

[Lacsho]

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I always thought that the reason for the "promise" was to re-pay Arn Tellum for delivering JJ to the Hawks. I always thought that Tellum "lead JJ to us" and we thanked him by drafting another of his client's, Shelden, a few spots too early. The fact that they share the same agent seems a little too convenient. Also, consider that BK NEVER worked out Shelden. He has worked out every other player he selected before and after the '06 draft. A lot of circumstantial evidence, but that will always remain my belief for the "promise".

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There could be a pattern b/c he represents Law too. After Law's workout with us, it was rumored that we made him a promise. That's why he stopped working out for other teams. It's evident BK is comfortable dealing with Tellum. Perhaps this is just good old speculation, who really knows what going on with the Hawks management and ownership?

I'm just a passionate fan riding with my home team.

[Diesel]

Tellum has BK in his back pocket and I too thought it was because of JJ.

Tellum is the only agent brash enough to announce that his players have promises.

Tellum is a bully and he gets his players where he wants them to go.

[Diesel]

Law is BK's kind of PG.

I think BK's main decision was Law or Critt. Both guys fits his criteria. I think Law had to have shown himself much better than Critt. Not just based on the fact that we picked him, but also when you hear their conversation after the workout. And also somethings Sekou's spies said.

[Lacsho]

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Law is BK's kind of PG.

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Yep