Will this lineup work?

[JTFan31]

I think this is a question we have been asking ourselves as of late. We have been winning lately with the change of starting rotation with Dion and Ira. This team is clicking better, fewer turnovers, fewer desparation shots, etc...

We have been playing better team defense, Theo is getting looks at the basket...Ira has improved tremendously with his 3 pt shooting that we were desperately lacking this season.

But the question is whats next for the Hawks?

Here are the options I think we should do:

- Definitely trade Big Dog and get back in return not a superstar but a 2 or 3 that will contribute either starting or coming off the bench.

- I think we should keep Dion, Dion really clicks with this team, he plays good solid defense, rebounds well, shoots the ball very well, especially the 3's and bring the ball up.

- Keep DJ (only if he shows signs that he can comeback)

- Definitely keep Ira, he is the $hit and he is definitely not a CBA player, he can play in this league with the best of them. Ira is my second favorite hawk. He hustles like a monster, never falls out of the game plan, doesn't ask for the ball, he lets the game come to him. Plays the opponents best offensive player, I mean guys where-else can we another Ira, I don't any out there.

I would love to next year DJ comeback healthy and crack the starting lineup with Dion. Dion at the 2 and DJ at the 3, then have Ira backing these guys up. Trade Big Dog for a player that will contribute for this team immensely and also get some help for the inside.

These are Dion's numbers ever since he cracked the starting lineup:

39 games, 12.4 ppg, 2.4 apg. 4.7 rpg.......not too shabby.

These are my expectations for next year

[Gray Mule]

Could the Hawks find a way, a three way trade or

whatever it takes, to trade Big Dog for Battier? PLEASE!!

To me Battier makes perfect sense to fill the roster spot

with the departure of Big Dog. Big Dog is not a bad

player. In fact, he is a very fine scoring threat and can

fill the bucket with the best of them. He grabs his

share of rebounds. To break 20 points on any given night

is nothing unusual for him.

I really like Newble and I think Battier is much the same

type player. Defense - Hustle - Rebounds - pretty good

on offense. {Won't lead the league, but won't hurt you

with the ball either}

I know, I know, I keep harping on getting Battier. The

squeaky wheel gets the grease and I hope someone hears

me saying, over and over, get Battier for the Hawks.

[Traceman]

the same role. Both players are much better at SF than SG. Both players are average ballhandlers at SF and below average ballhandlers at SG. Battier is a better shooter and Ira is a little more athletic. Both have great attitudes and both play hard all 99% of the time.

I guess what I'm saying is that while Battier certainly would be welcome on this team, I don't know that he fills what I see as our most pressing needs of size up front and/or ballhandling SG. Do you see playing Battier and Ira together? I think we would be a LOT better defensively if they played together but I think we would struggle with the same problems we have now offensively because JT would be the only above average ballhandler on the floor. If we trade Dog, I'd rather see us get a big PF/Center or a ballhandling SG in return than Battier but I would welcome Battier if we could fill those two needs another way.

[Gray Mule]

Ira plays Big Dog's position when Big Dog is out. Who

would back up Ira if Big Dog is no longer a Hawk? I

believe that between Ira and Battier, we would have

that position well covered 100 % of the time. I would

much rather have these two than what we have now.

Either one could slip over to the 2 guard occasionally, if

necessary, and give Glover a break. Depends on who we

have behind Glover. Where do we play DerMarr if he

comes back healthy?

We need another big horse, a banger, to play inside.

We need a 3 point threat {DerMarr?] to add to what

we already have. Ira has improved his shot and is

somewhat of a threat from outside. He's not afraid to

take it inside.

Defensively, when SAR takes a break, we very well could

have Ira and Battier on the floor together. Neither is

really big to bang with the big P.F. boys, but I'll bet that

they could hold their own for short periods of time.

Just trade Big Dog for Battier and we'll figure out the rest!!

[Guest]

Neither Ira nor Battier could play the four at all, for any stretch of time. Perhaps GRob could...but the others would just get abused...

[Gray Mule]

No. Not for any length of time, but either is tough

enough and big enough for limited minutes. Neither would

get pushed around very much.

A two or three minute stretch could be exciting!

I would like to see Theo try the power foreward for a few

minutes at a time, too.

Big banger needed for some of those "Few minutes" periods

of time. Tractor Trailer type of player. Maybe a young

kid we could develop.