Three Needs...In This Order

[TheTruth]

I like to make posts that get people thinking...instead of just espousing popular sentiments. So, I will give you the three needs our team needs in the immediate future:

Most Important Need: 3 pt Shooting

We are at the bottom of the league in terms of three point shooting. It's sad really. Teams have gotten smart and decided to play a lot of zone on us--which we have a hard time shooting out of. Having several legit 3 pt shooting threats opens the floor and makes everything else that much easier. It changes the way the opponent defends and makes things easier for your big men. It also can be a huge momentum-shifter that can either get you back into games (like several teams have done against us) or quickly extend leads (like the Lakers did to us in the 1st half). Of our starting 5, JJ is about the only one who takes a 3 pt shot with some regularity (AJ shoots them, but not very many and he doesnt play 40 mpg like JJ does). We need another shooter who can come off the bench to 1) Knock down those three pointers and 2) Give JJ a rest from his logging of too many minutes. Lue is nice and all, but I am looking toward the future. Lue plays little Defense (check his +/- ratio after games) and will likely be gone at the end of the year. Having a good 3 pt shooter means little if the other team is going to get those points right back because he can't play defense...

Second-most Important Need: Consistent PG play

What a difference a few months make. Immediately after the draft, we were lauding the depth at PG we had. Unfortunately, it didnt quite turn out the way we wanted. Speedy is not fit to play this season; Acie, until recently, has played like a shell-shocked player; and T Lue has been, well, T Lue. Had it not been for AJ's surprising play at the beginning of the season, we would really be screwed. We all know Acie was drafted to be the "PG of the future." It was great to see him get 8 assists in about 20 minutes the other night, but he needs consistent minutes and consistent play (both shooting and dishing) in order to turn into the "PG of OUR future." AJ is a serviceable PG that is decent, but he probably won't be back next year. Lue is nothing more than an undersized SG in a PG's body that is a shoot-first, shoot-second, pass-third type PG. Plus, he is such a liability on Defense. Like AJ, you cant put him on the quick PGs becuz he will get lit up all night every night. Not to mention that he will even more likely be gone at the end of the season. Needless to say, we need another PG sooner than later.

Having consistent PG play makes the life of every player on the court that much easier.

Third-most Important Need: Defensive Big Man

People have joined the debate of whether Horford is a better C or PF; this leads to the subsequent discussion of where do you start him and how many minutes does he get at each position. My answer is simple: If we are going to be a consistent running team, he will be just fine at Center. If we are going to be more of a half-court offense type team, we really need to try to get someone bigger. As most will tell you, the Hawks look good when they run. Our starting five (especially when Acie starts) is one of the most, if not the most, athletic bunch in the league. They are long, strong, and can run up the court with ease. It is truly amazing to see someone of Horford's size run the court like a Guard would. From my perspective, it seems as though the Hawks will be better suited to run the ball, keep Horford at Center, and look to acquire a RESERVE big man (at LEAST 6'10) that plays good defense and is a sure rebounder. If you are going to be a running team, you got to play Defense or else you will be like the Suns (score 105+ easily, but cant blow teams out because your defense is so average that you allow teams to score 95, 100 points each game).

This reserve big man would help ease the pressure off Horford (who already logs 32 mins a game), and won't cause such a hole in our defense when he is out of the game. The big man could log about 15-20 mpg tops and be an inside presence to help guard bigger players as well.

Also, let's keep in mind that Horford is averaging 9.6/10. He is a rookie! He will develop more moves and will likely be a much better defender as he adds weight and strength. Furthermore, he will likely score more too as his game develops. However, Shelden and Pachulia are largely not very good (although a change in scenery would do them both some good), and Pachulia especially is no defensive stalwart. Shelden does not get PT, and the only excuse I hear from Solomon haters is that he is "too weak." Sigh. And Lorenzen Wright...well, nothing needs to be said.

Bottom Line is that we need another big man off the bench who WILL get the PT to rebound and defend when Horford isnt in.

Thoughts?

[Guest Walter]

...we still have not only this many needs but many of the same needs as we did 3 years ago. GMs that can't build a team much less can't draft in the lottery to save their life shouldn't have their job after 5 years!

I would add two things...

1) We need an offensive big, post player just as much as we need a defensive one. We can't play inside/out with anyone we have. We NEED that option, especially should we ever make the playoffs. If we can't get both, I'm not sure which I would insist upon. Example? Gasol at center would have been ideal next to Horford. A Curry, Horford, & JS frontline rotation might be pretty good. Defensively Diop might help alot. I could go either way on this depending upon the day. Biedrins might represent the inbetween.

2) We could look to solve our Pg situation and perimeter shooting in the same player. Ehem, Calderon is shooting 45% from 3 this year. Ehem.

W

[Peoriabird]

Agree with your assessment but none of it will happen this year!

[coachx]

We have disagreed alot over the last few years but I agree on the Eddie Curry experiment.

I would probably ony start Curry on certain nights but he would alwayse get his 25 mpg and could really stop our scoring droughts when the jumpers are not falling.

I applaud Steve Kerr for taking a risk......its time we do the same.

[txsting]

Nice post. I agree that we should continue to build toward an athletic running team. Against 75% of our competition Horford should be at C. But we do need someone to bring in who can compete better than Zaza or Lo. I am thinking along the lines of Petro, Diop, etc.

The other way we can go at big is much tougher - to trade either Marvin or Josh plus expirings plus maybe our 2010 1st rounder to get a starter as a "4.5" or 5. That deal is much more unlikely because of the complexity and cost, so I won't be expecting this. But the short list would be guys like Bosh, Biedrins, Aldridge.

I don't really see why or how we could acquire a shooter who is a 2/3 and expect to get him minutes, without moving Childress. For those who are talking Mike Miller - Miller is great but do you really want to lose the versatility and spark of Childress? Miller is a starter and all-around talent. You don't hire him for 20 minutes a game off the bench. Now, let's say you can get him for expirings, since the Grizzlies have lost their damn minds. Totally different story. Now you can really look to shop a Marvin for a two-way big man (see paragraph 2) and potentially upgrade the team. Again, very complex, not going to happen!

So, I really think the shooting upgrade has to come from the PG position. AJ is shooting very well but doesn't look for offense. When he is hitting shots, guess what, we win. Walt, tell me how you acquire Calderon and I'm with you (Chillz + Acie?). Otherwise, we have to look down market. Names: Blake, Watson, Ridnour, Navarro, etc. Guys who can coexist with the development of Acie but who each can both look for their shot and distribute the basketball (upgrade over AJ).

I think the easiest path, and therefore the most likely, would be to put together a deal with Seattle for Petro and Watson or Ridnour. Something involving expiring contracts, non-core players, and possibly a draft pick.

[Nicholasp27]

what about marvin + expirings for mike miller and 1 of lowry/conley/critt?

lowry/law

jj/chill/mario

miller/chill/mario

smoove/horford

horford/shelden/solo

trade slim/zaza/expirings for a big man that is better for us than zaza

[BusBoyIsBack]

The sad thing is that we could have ALL THREE of those teams on the team. Ironically all in guys who were the 2nd picks in our drafts

PG play? Acie Law IV needs more minutes. Kid was building confidence in that game he had a career high assists in

3 point shooting? Where's the freaking Sniper?

Defensive Big? On paper, Solomon Jones has the highest extension in the ENTIRE NBA. Put him in the game!

[TheTruth]

Quote:

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The sad thing is that we could have ALL THREE of those teams on the team. Ironically all in guys who were the 2nd picks in our drafts

PG play? Acie Law IV needs more minutes. Kid was building confidence in that game he had a career high assists in

3 point shooting? Where's the freaking Sniper?

Defensive Big? On paper, Solomon Jones has the highest extension in the ENTIRE NBA. Put him in the game!

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Totally agree about Acie. Let's hope he takes over when he gets his time to shine.

The "Sniper" is unfortunately stuck on the bench because Woody has lost faith in him.

Yes, I love Solo. But, my opinion doesnt count. Woody doesnt like him. He seems to think he is "too weak and skinny."

If you arent going to develop the talent you have, which is shameful and your job as a coach, then you either let them rot on the bench (which is currently what is happening) or use them to get someone you WILL play.

[txsting]

That's an interesting proposal. You know it's a pretty fair deal when you land on the fence. On one hand, I hate to give the best player in the deal. I think Marvin will exceed Miller within two years, and he's fairly close now. Conley and Critt are both good talents, not so much Lowry if you ask me. I'm not sure Conley or Critt really help us win right now, though.

Our real winning days are probably 2 years off, almost no matter what we do. Given that I think I would be patient and hold Marvin for the future or for a better deal. But it's close. We have this year and next to really determine what kind of arc Acie's development will have. I think we have to see that through unless something blows us away. Like someone said, we may already have many of these answers on our roster.

[Guest Walter]

Quote:

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I applaud Steve Kerr for taking a risk......its time we do the same.

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I applaud him for acknowledging the risk he is taking. He knows that his neck is on the line over this but he honestly felt that the "Sun's experiment" could not contend for a championship.

Now, looking at our team over the last 3 years it's laughable to believe we couldn't be vastly improved with a creative, bold move. We've needed a GM who isn't ego first and foremost and who can make a bold, creative move. BK is the last guy to do this and the last guy you want doing it.

W

[Traceman]

Trading Smitty for Rider and Jimmy Jackson and Mookie for what eventually became JT was the beginning of the worst era of Hawks basketball ever.

Trading Gasol for Reef was a bold move and look how that turned out. Trading Deke for Theo and trading for Dog were bold moves too.

Sometimes, building slowly is the way to go. At this point, unless the ASC is willing to spend right up to the luxury tax, I think keeping this core group of JJ, Smoove, Marvin, Chillz, Horford and Acie is the way to go.

[BusBoyIsBack]

Quote:

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I applaud Steve Kerr for taking a risk......its time we do the same.

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The Suns take a risk because Steve Nash is 34 and Amare may not have that many years left with that microfracture.

I equate it to the short window that DWade knew the Heat had which is why he tried to come back from that injury.

We are in no such rush. The oldest guy in our front court is 22. The oldest player in our starting rotation in AJ, has a rookie ready to take the reigns. Joe Johnson is only 26.

It makes no sense for us to get impatient after building this team the right way

[Guest Walter]

Quote:

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The Suns take a risk because Steve Nash is 34 and Amare may not have that many years left with that microfracture.

I equate it to the short window that DWade knew the Heat had which is why he tried to come back from that injury.

We are in no such rush. The oldest guy in our front court is 22. The oldest player in our starting rotation in AJ, has a rookie ready to take the reigns. Joe Johnson is only 26.

It makes no sense for us to get impatient after building this team the right way

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We could trade for a guy TEN YEARS YOUNGER for all I care. It's just that 5 year's into the rebuild we still lack:

1) a center/offensive post player,

2) a Pg,

3) a perimeter shooter without significant liabilities.

4) enough talent

5) a good enough coach

If BK were in the real world he'd be an exiting CEO paid millions just to leave quietly. Instead, he gets free pass after free pass from some inane fans.

W