Filling out the 03-04 roster...

[DJ_Money]

Right now, our roster looks like this...

Dickau/

*blank*

Robinson/Crawford

SAR/Henderson

Ratliff/Mohammed

This is how I would go about filling out the remaining 5 roster spots, in chronological order, sorta...

1. With the 21st Pick, the Atlanta Hawks select Aleksandar Pavlovic.

6'7" SG/SF from Serbia. Athletic, Good ballhandler, long wingspan, great offensive player could be a good defender. Hopefully, can contribute like Ginobili does for SA now, and will become a great player in 2-3 years.

Dickau

Pavlovic

Robinson/Crawford

SAR/Henderson

Ratliff/Mohammed

2. With the 37th Pick, the Atlanta Hawks select Kendrick Perkins.

6'10", 280 lbs. Big, bruising PF/C out of HS in Texas. Doesn't try to play the perimeter like most young players today, strictly an inside force. Will get time once Hendu or Nazr inevitably get hurt, hopefully will be able to contribute in 2 years.

Dickau

Pavlovic

Robinson/Crawford

SAR/Henderson

Ratliff/Mohammed/Perkins

3. Resign Jason Terry, 5 yrs/$35 mil.

This is a no brainer. We've gotten rid of Nique and Smitty, letting JT walk would be equal to that. You've got to keep the few remaining fans happy. We're not going to find a better replacement, so he stays be default.

JT/Dickau

Pavlovic

Robinson/Crawford

SAR/Henderson

Ratliff/Mohammed/Perkins

4. Sign Lucious Harris, 2 yrs/$8 mil., team option for 3rd year.

We offer Harris a chance to come to Atlanta and be our starting SG. He's most known for being a lights out shooter, which is the one thing this team has lacked for years. He's also a good ballhander, when NJ inserts Johnson/Harris in the backcourt, Harris is the playmaker. Would be an excellent compliment to JT. Averaged 16 ppg during Dec., while starting for the injured Kittles. (Oddly enough, the only game in which he didn't score in double figures was a 1-8, 4 point performance against us.)

JT/Dickau

Harris/Pavlovic

Robinson/Crawford

SAR/Henderson

Ratliff/Mohammed/Perkins

5. Resign Dermarr Johnson for the league minimum.

JT/Dickau

Harris/Pavlovic

Robinson/Crawford/Johnson

SAR/Henderson

Ratliff/Mohammed/Perkins

Hopefully, with Babcock gone, we will catch up with the rest of the league and put the IR to use:

During the summer league, two guys I really want to look at are Richard Jeter and Luke Recker.

Jeter is the 6'6" PG from Atlanta Metro College. Maybe not a "true" PG, but is an excellent penetrator. Needs time on the court to develop his skills, but this is the best we can offer. We can just hope he develops in practice into a quality PG, Jeter at PG would allow us to move JT back to SG.

Recker was a star for Miami during the summer league last year. He's never going to be a star in the NBA, but he's an excellent shooter.

---------------------

So, we end up with...

JT/Dickau

Harris/Pavlovic

Robinson/Crawford/Johnson

SAR/Henderson

Ratliff/Mohammed/Perkins

IR: Jeter, Recker

This team won't win a NBA title, but I would hope it could at least contend for a playoff spot, while we all wait for that magical summer of '05...

[KB21]

It's going to be tough, because we currently have only 7 players signed and are still over the salary cap. Resigning Terry alone puts us over the luxury tax threshold.

I've got a feeling you will see the Hawks resign Terry and give DerMarr Johnson a small contract, but they will likely fill out the rest of the roster with rookies and NBDL players.

[Boondocks]

DJ,

well some may have noticed I really like Pavlovic, he's rumored to not be there when we pick.

Pavlovic was measured at 6'8" with shoes, is very quick, great frist step, excellent ballhandling, high riser, good shooting form and footwork.

Problem is, he aced his workout for the celtics. They are looking to take him with the 16th pick.

Substitute pick may be Boris Diaw, but when he starts working out (still playing french playoffs) he may rise out of our range as well.

Carlos Delfino appears to be an option, and perhaps Reece Gaines (although I doubt it).

so a ranking of

1.Pavlovic

2.Diaw

3.Delfino

4.Gaines

and taking the highest available would seem to fill our need

[Packfill]

That is a very reasonable look at the Hawks '03-'04 roster. Unfortunately, Pavlovic and Perkins may not be available at those spots - but they are exactly the type of players the Hawks need. Needs are:

(1) They need a wing that has a good handle, is athletic, can defend and hit an open shot to keep the defense honest - they don't need a big time scorer. Pavlovic, Gaines, Diaw, Delfino (inj?) and Moore if he shows anything in workouts all fit the bill.

(2) Big bruiser down low. They have Theo as an athletic shot blocker but they need a banger/rebounder down low to take advantage of certain matchups. Ideally, someone who can play center. First round options are Badiane and Sofoklis. In the second round, Perkins is an option, as are Marcus (inj?) and maybe Lang.

[Guest]

I'm really hoping that Lang is going to be around for our second round pick...it'd be nice to do with him what the Blazers have done with Randolph, bringing him along slowly....

[jezmund]

If you guys really think he is the real deal than why not go give that JT for Barry/#12 trade a shot. It's basically JT, whom we are going to have to sign long term for a nice sum of money for a solid, vet SG with handles/athleticism and good young SF with handles/athleticism as well getting paid rookie salary for the next 4 years. At #21 we could look at Barbosa or Bell.

Dickau

Barry

Grob/Pavlovic/CC

SAR/Hendu

Ratliff/Nazr

That's what we would have. Obviously some more moves would need to be made. I would shop around Dickau/Grob/ Nazr and possible sign-and-trades with Glover.

[Traceman]

I'm not sold on DD as a starting PG in this league yet. Saying that I would be uncomfortable with him as our starting PG is a HUGE understatement. He looked awfully slow to me last year. Hopefully, it was because of his injury but until I see differently, I don't know. I'd MUCH rather start the season with JT and Glover in the backcourt again than to start the season with DD and Barry back there.

As for Pavlovic, he is just another foreign name to me because I have never seen him play. All these foreign guys sound great but it is next to impossible to know for sure unless we see them or unless we hear a scouting report from someone we know and trust. I know there are some good players in Europe but there are so many that are considering declaring for the draft this year that it is more difficult than ever to determine who is the real deal and who is the next Frederic Weiss.

[DJ_Money]

The Celtics are also rumored to have made a promise to Marcus Banks, the PG from UNLV. They need a 3rd scorer, but they can't come out of the draft without a big man.

I still don't want anything to do with Lang. When a guy has a weight problem as a teen, you know there's a problem.

I don't want to give up JT to get Pavlovic. If we did make a JT for Barry/#12 trade, I'd look to get Barbosa at #12, then one of the athletic wings (Pavlovic, Diaw, etc.) at #21.

...and I agree about Dickau. He's simply not ready to run a NBA team. I really don't ever see him as a quality NBA PG, but he'll hang around as a BU.

[dickaufan12]

Didn't you see Dickau in college? He's actually quite a bit faster than he looked last season. Knee surgery tends to slow you down a little bit, especially when it takes away more than half of your developmental time.

[DJ_Money]

College and the NBA are two totally different games, pal.

[JaHawk10]

Just remember: he had 10 assists against Dallas.

OK? Point is? Dallas, although i love them are not exactly a defensive-minded team. I really hope DD pans out as a player, but the fact is, he's nowhere near ready of taking over a starting spot in the L...

[Hawksman]

JT/Dickau

Glover/Johnson

Newble/Diaw/Howard/Crawford

Reef/Hendu/Perkins

Ratliff/Mohammed/Hendu

I think we will trade for a PG. I would like to trade Big Dog for Reece Gaines and a future pick. Anyway, I think Big Dog is gone. One of the best shooters and a very nice guy that does not fit with our style of play. We will be very athletic next year I think.

[dickaufan12]

If you think that Dickau lacks quickness, what words do you use to describe players like Darvin Ham and Alan Henderson? And they had no excuse to be so slow! I don't see anyone here itching to get rid of them! Most people here have no patience. Sometimes you have to wait a year or so for a player to get great. Just because he didn't average 20 points per doesn't mean that he sucks. You have to remember: he barely averaged 10 minutes per, and most of that was mop up time.

[DJ_Money]

When I look for a PG, I want a guy that is quick.

When I look for a PF, I want a guy who is strong.

Compared to Dickau, Henderson and Ham are slow, as you would expect. But when you compare Dickau to most Guards, he is slower than most.

You're grasping at straws here, making excuses for Dickau. He didn't get much PT because he didn't earn much PT.

...and I never said that Dickau sucks. I don't expect a backup PG to come in and score 20, drop 10 dimes, and get 5 steals. I want him to come in and keep the offense running. Dickau didn't show the ability to do that this year.

Oh...and if you say "No one is itching to get rid of Henderson", then it's obvious how little time you've spent on these boards. Ham is a FA, so he's not our problem anymore.

[dickaufan12]

Well compared to Dickau, it's obvious that people here want him gone more than Henderson. Like I said, there are a few "fans" here that are too worried about the here-and-now, and can't wait a year to see team chemistry develop. If you change around the elements of a team every few months, no one gets used to anyone else, and they look like a 7th grade team against the powers of the NBA. It's clear that the view of success with some is hazy, because if it was, you'd want to keep around players with potential. Dickau's career is starting like several other very good guards' did. Give it time. And if it seems like I'm standing up for him- good call. That's why I'm here.

P.S.- It's hard to keep the offense going when you're on the floor with the likes of Darvin Ham and Jermaine Jackson. That'd be a challenge for John Stockton.

[PoppaFritz]

I'm not going to get into this...but 2 things. At least you know Dickau is going to play hard and work hard (unlike some other so called "professionals"). Also, we've seen in the Finals that shooting the basketball is a rarity these days. As Dickau became more comfortable during the year he began to show his ability to shoot the ball. I'll leave it at that.