Okay so Knight says that we will have more

[Admin]

flexibility this summer to make some moves to make the team better......I wonder what the chances of us going after Odom are? I think that Diaw will start at SF and play point forward for us unless we can sign Odom, in which case Diaw would move to SG. This board has been in love with the idea of getting Odom for years now, despite his bad weed habit, and it has always just been a wish because he use to have so much value, but how much does he have now? Do we have the room to go and get him and resign JT? Could we possibly even sign a guy like Piatkowski on top of that? How does the salary cap work as far as paying the luxury tax? Does it go by how much salary you have on the books at the beginning or the end of the year? If its at the end then we can use Brandons money to sign Odom and JT I believe with part of our MCE and then go after Piatkowski and possibly Willis?

[Guest]

So it's ahrd to see us getting Odom.We'll probably come

around with Darrell Armstrong.

[Diesel]

We're sitting at about 45 milllion right now. If we resign JT at even 6 million... We will be sitting at 51 million. That menas that with 2 roster spots left, we have about 5-6 million to spend on free agents before hitting the Luxury tax.

In essence, I don't think we will use the MCE. Mainly because it does help us to lose money. McDavid wants to stay as close to getting a rebate as possible. He needs the Hawks to turn a profit. That means that he needs us to spend as little as possible.

I'm telling you, I wouldn't be surprised if he GUTS the team:

JT/Hendu/Theo/CC to Miami...

Grant to PTL

Jones/Allen/R.Butler to Memphis

Davis/McInnis/Persons/Knight/Battier to Atlanta.

Davis/SAR/Battier/Persons/McInnis.

would be our starting 5.

Next year, we'd have 30 million in Salary cap Savings....

We might be able to resign Davis and go after Kobe....

Davis/SAR/Battier/Kobe/Dickau

If Kobe is not in Jail?

But there's Ray Allen too??

[KB21]

But you should be getting use to that.

First of all, the Hawks will be around $41 million when Brandon's contract comes off the books. They will be between $46-47 million when Terry's contract is done. They were at $52 million in payroll, not counting JT's ~$3 million if he takes the 1 year deal. Math lesson - 52 - 11 = 41

The Hawks will be able to use their MCE without fear of going over the luxury tax, even though Brandon's contract doesn't come off till February. They also have no fear of using it because they won't go over the luxury tax next year either.

Which was one of the main points in getting this deal done. Jason Terry will get the long term deal he deserves sometime next week, in my estimation.

[Diesel]

It's funny that you believe that Terry will take an offer of 5 to 6 million dollars starting...

Where have you been. He's turned down bigger offers than that and it's reported that he's looking for 7 year 65 million. Do the math. That starts at about 8-8.5 million.

Secondly, there's Still 2 players left to be signed.

Let's do some math...

41.5 + 7.7 mil = 49.2 million with 10 players under contract.

Secondly... The MoRE we spend.... The More profit the owners LOSE.

If Terry gets signed... Look for the MCE to stay PUT.

Read what McDavid has said... He's after the dollar.

[Guest]

D - what the [censored] is going on? do you want McD, even if he was in place, to be trying to get in on the over priced bidding wars going on this summer? Who could we have acquired? What would you have wanted done?

I agree it's frustrating, but come on man, when you really sit back and look at things, this delay in sale, assuming that it means we retain JT at a resonable price, may be the best thing that happened to this club, as it tied our hands for a summer, barring us from making any stupid bonehead moves...

[Playmaker0017]

Weasel,

I have to echo that opinion.

Sure, there was talent to be had - but at that time we didn't have money or the core of our team set.

We knew Big Loaf was gone, but when and where was the question.

I said from the get-go if all we do this offseason is lose Big Loaf for a rotten apple core ... I'd be happy.

Well, I am happy. Sure we lost one guy for sure and possibly a couple guys. That stinks.

But, let's be honest... we lost an NBDL player?! Do you think he can't be replaced? We might have lost a guy with a broken neck! MAybe he cashes in, maybe he doesn't. But that is a toss up ... you could win by signing him, you could lose. We would blame them either way!

What would you have done different?

Play.

[mrhonline]

I imagine that Knight wants to split the MLE (or less) between two players to bring in at the swing positions...

Glover is a distinct possibility at the 2 b/c he gives needed scoring, but another scorer is going to be necessary at the 3...

[Playmaker0017]

MrHOnline,

I look at this year as "Wow, I wonder what Reef's stats will be like", because there is going to be NO winning.

If we win games, it will suprise me.

People here will probably freak... point out that we made dumb moves .... point out that JT isn't a PG ... point out that Billy Knight stinks... point out that Reef has never hit a clutch shot or won in this league....

But, I already expect us to stink.

So, personally, I think you will see us pick up some NBDLers and let the season roll. Next season or mid-season we might make some good moves for our advancement.

Let's all go ahead and say it... WE WILL NOT WIN THIS YEAR. That way no one has to listen to Diesel and HotLanta complain...

Play.

[mrhonline]

As long as the players brought in are cheap, on

If you're gonna rebuild, do it right.

[Playmaker0017]

MrHOnline,

Exactly.

The players we bring in aren't stars. They aren't superstars. They will be scrubs that are around for a year or two.

We are rebuilding. You can rebuild one of two ways... spending ALL your money on veteran talent or through the luck of the draft.

What is weird is that we might have both this year.

I just don't want to hear everyone nag Diaw about not being a scorer. Guess what?! He isn't! He is not going lights out anytime soon. He's a freaking late round pick. If he plays well, we should be happy. If he goes 8-10 PPG, 5-6 RPG, 4-6 APG... I am completely and utterly happy with our pick.

I don't want to hear comlaints when we pick up yesterday's laundry from the NBDL. We dipped into that pool twice with decent success. Ira and that PG kid everyone loved.

There is no indication that we can't do it again.

Play.

[Lascar78]

"People here will probably freak... point out that we made dumb moves .... point out that JT isn't a PG ... point out that Billy Knight stinks... point out that Reef has never hit a clutch shot or won in this league..."

Are you forgetting the crazy one handed game winner that sent MJ packing anf got Reef booed? lol That was one crazy @ss shot

[Guest]

not only that, and my dislike for GRob ON THIS TEAM aside, moving him allows for two things - the team to truly move into rebuilding mode again, perhaps doing it right this time without pete at the helm.

two, and this one I'm really excited about, it allows us to play Diaw at sf, the position he should have been playing. We knew coming in that his 3pt shot was somewhat inconsistent, that he was either a "pg" or a point forward but we were going to try and force him to plya sg in order to start him...now we don't have that problem.

I've liked what I've seen from him. He could turn otu to be a very nice plyaer in this league if he get s alittle more aggressive...now we can start him off on the right foot, at the right position...something that we didn't do with JT (should have started in the L at the point) and something that the Grizz didn't do with Reef (he's a pf, plain and simple).

Diaw will now start learning on the right learning curve, and that's important....

[Playmaker0017]

Lascar,

Yes, but I am sure people will point out that the season was over and that it didn't count.

Play.

[Playmaker0017]

Weasel,

The Grizz started Reef at PF. Under Brian Hill, Reef's best coach to date... Reef was PF and aggressive.

It wasn't until the Grizz got Sidney Poit... errr... Lowe and some other retard that Reef was switched to SF and told to take jumpers. Those two coaches todl him to wait for the defenders to collapse, so he could give it to Dickerson or Bibby. I used to dub it the "gaurd-gaurd" offense. Because, the ball was stripped from Reef in the post and he was moved away from his comfort zone and asked to become a passer.

That is the reason I think he is timid today. He never used to wait of the double. He used to spin baseline.

Oh well. Glory days.

I love Diaw. I love that type of player. He may be an NBA bust, but I like what he has the potential to do, which is create assists, hustle and be a role-player.

Play.

[Diesel]

I've never claimed that we were a big player in the FA game.

However, I would have rather had an owner with Deep Pockets and an eye for winning.

As much as you sell him, JT is not a WINNER... BUT he has value. I believe our team was a PG, a Shooter, and a Scoring C away from being Eastern Contenders.

What I would have done is see is if were possible to get some talent for JT and Theo.

Namely:

Theo to Dallas for NVE.

JT to Miami for Wade/Allen.

[Playmaker0017]

Diesel,

I don't think we have seen enough of McDavid to know one way or another on his winning ways.

I would gladly rid myself of JT. I would need something good for Theo.

Play.