Advice for new Hawks GM Sund

[Vesper]

AJC Mark Bradley Advice for new Hawks GM Sund

By Mark Bradley | Thursday, May 29, 2008, 07:09 PM

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

The Hawks hold no picks in next month’s draft, but their general manager still faces significant choices. Speaking of Rick Sund, co-owner Michael Gearon Jr. said Thursday: “Every decision with regard to this franchise is going to be his decision.”

Here are the issues at hand, and here, for the new man, is some unsolicited advice:

Mike Woodson: Keep or dump?

This is tricky, given that Gearon has expressed his desire to retain Woodson, whose contract expires July 1. If Sund indeed has carte blanche, he should be able to hire the coach of his choosing. But does any GM want his first move to be a refutation of an owner’s stated wishes?

Luckily, there’s a middle ground here. Sund could offer a one-year extension. That way he could be seen as erring on the side of continuity while committing himself to nothing long-term. And if Woodson balks to the point of demanding more years, the new GM could wind up getting to hire his own man for next season anyway.

Recommended course: Sund should tell Woodson, “Your career record is 106-222. You’re lucky I’m offering another week, let alone another year. Take it or leave it.”

Josh Smith: Keep or dump?

The feeling is that some other team — Philadelphia has long been rumored as a suitor — will make a Joe Johnson-type offer to the free agent. (Say, $70 million over six seasons.) These owners could well be tempted to do a sign-and-trade and let Smith leave rather than match such a windfall. Here’s where Sund’s 30 years of NBA experience must be brought to bear.

No matter what the sign-and-trade package might be, it won’t include any player who fuses proven performance with such untapped potential. Already really good, Smith could/should get way better. It was evident in the Boston series that, for all the Celtics’ depth, they had only one man capable of playing so far above the rim, and that one — Kevin Garnett — is 10 years older.

•Recommended course: Sund should tell his owners, “Nobody in this draft and not many guys in the league can do what Smith does. If we let him leave, we’ll spend the next decade regretting it.”

Josh Childress: Keep or dump?

The Hawks might try to pinch pennies on Childress, who is also a free agent and who could command even wider interest than Smith. Ownership could say, “Do we really need to pay $40 million over six seasons for somebody who doesn’t start?”

Two years ago, the answer would have been no. But it became evident in the playoffs — Childress was, with the possible exception of Johnson, the most impressive Hawk over seven games — that he’s exactly the sort of dauntless sub who makes good teams good. The Hawks have a chance to stay good for a long time if they tend to business this summer.

Recommended course: Sund should say, “If we don’t match, we’ll have to find someone like Childress somewhere else. It’ll be simpler and cheaper to keep what we have.”

Mike Bibby: Keep or dump?

He helped the Hawks make the playoffs but was mostly awful in the seven games against Boston. He just turned 30 and will be a free agent after next season, during which he’s scheduled to make $14.5 million. Sund has indicated to the AJC’s Sekou Smith that he’s high on Acie Law IV.

For a franchise unaccustomed to spending big, keeping the Joshes will represent a massive outlay, and there will be some sentiment to ease the burden. But even if Bibby isn’t the long-term answer, this is no time for the Hawks to get stingy. For the first time in a decade, they’ve got something going.

Recommended course: Sund should say, “We need Bibby because Law isn’t quite ready. If he proves otherwise next season, I’ll try to move Bibby at the trading deadline. But not just yet.”

[TheDude]

that is a good plan, i could be ok with it....

although i do agree that it would be nice to trade marvin and get someone like red back

[Diesel]

Hard to believe, but I agree with everything that Bradley has said.

On top of that, we trade Marvin for Miller.. as I have proposed 5/22.

We bring in Andersen as BU C.

We start developing Solo.

We get an offensive minded top assistant (Porter, Harris, Hill, Hill, CAsey, or even Whitmann).

[macdaddy]

I agree with everything except the coaching decision but how ridiculous is it to fire your GM and bring a guy in and say: 'just keep everything that the previous gm did. he did great work.' With this plan we'll have another year of wondering what these guys could do under a different system.

[Diesel]

As I read about what Sund had to say about his new team, I don't think he's about to change anything. Like I said, prolly until the ruling, he will be a bit of a puppet GM.

[KB21]

I listened to his interview yesterday evening. They asked him what he would do with Josh Smith if he were the GM. To paraphrase his response, Chris said that Josh Smith is a keeper. He agrees that Josh has to become a more consistent player. He said that instead of giving you 45-50 impact games a season, he has to get that number up to 82 games. He has to start bringing it night in and night out. However, he said that if you sign and trade Josh Smith, you will not get anyone of his caliber or upside in return. Basically, he said he would negotiate with his agent, but he would have every intent of bringing him back even if it costs $70 million.

I agree with him. Josh Smith is a player that you pay based on what he will become. If you sign and trade him, that is a trade you will ultimately live to regret. Plus, with his work ethic, I don't see Josh sitting down on his game once he gets that big payday. He will continue to work on his game and improve. All he needs is a coach that he respects and is loyal to, and that isn't Mike Woodson, IMO.

[KB21]

Mike Woodson won't accept a one year deal. If that topic is even broached, I believe Mike will ask for no less than a three year extension, and I don't believe the ownership nor Rick will want to go that long with him.

The ownership offered Billy a one year extension, and I believe that same offer will be on the table if Rick Sund chooses to keep Mike Woodson. I don't see that happening though, and the Hawks will have a new head coach in 2008.

[Diesel]

"Basically, he said he would negotiate with his agent, but he would have every intent of bringing him back even if it costs $70 million.

I agree with him. "

COMPANY MAN.... Already agreeing with the GM!

I don't know company man, 70 million is steep. He has too many flaws in his game for 70 million.

[KB21]

He's also a 22 year old player that hasn't come close to maxing out his ability and has shown that he has game changing ability on both ends of the floor. You aren't going to be able to trade him for another young player that has game changing ability on both ends.

[Diesel]

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He's also a 22 year old player that hasn't come close to maxing out his ability and

has shown that he has game changing ability on

both ends of the floor

.

You aren't going to be able to trade him for another young player that has game changing ability on both ends.

Naw. he doesn't show game changing ability on BOTH ENDS OF THE FLOOR.

Let's be honest. Offensively, he's streaky.. but even in his streakiness, he's never dominated a game offensively. I've never seen a team put a double team on Smoove. IN fact, if there's anybody on the floor that will be wide open, it will be Smoove.

As far as what can we get...

I would say we could easily get Okafor for Smoove.

We could easily get Devin Harris + Filler for Smoove.

The thing is what do we need.

I'm a Smoove fan, but I can't see us shelling out 14 million a year for Smoove. It's too much.

[Dsinner]

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He's also a 22 year old player that hasn't come close to maxing out his ability and

has shown that he has game changing ability on

both ends of the floor

.

You aren't going to be able to trade him for another young player that has game changing ability on both ends.

Naw. he doesn't show game changing ability on BOTH ENDS OF THE FLOOR.

Let's be honest. Offensively, he's streaky.. but even in his streakiness, he's never dominated a game offensively. I've never seen a team put a double team on Smoove. IN fact, if there's anybody on the floor that will be wide open, it will be Smoove.

As far as what can we get...

I would say we could easily get Okafor for Smoove.

We could easily get Devin Harris + Filler for Smoove.

The thing is what do we need.

I'm a Smoove fan, but I can't see us shelling out 14 million a year for Smoove. It's too much.

I wouldn't take Harris or Okafor for Smoove. In fact, as stated earlier, there isn't anyone we could possibly get that would be worth Smoove. Is he worth $70 mil? Nope. Not yet. But he could EASILY reach that. However, there is absolutly no one that we could get that would ever reach a $70 mil game. So why risk loosing a possible $70 mil player when at worst case we end up with a $60 mil player? Cause he will become that for sure.

[Diesel]

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He's also a 22 year old player that hasn't come close to maxing out his ability and

has shown that he has game changing ability on

both ends of the floor

.

You aren't going to be able to trade him for another young player that has game changing ability on both ends.

Naw. he doesn't show game changing ability on BOTH ENDS OF THE FLOOR.

Let's be honest. Offensively, he's streaky.. but even in his streakiness, he's never dominated a game offensively. I've never seen a team put a double team on Smoove. IN fact, if there's anybody on the floor that will be wide open, it will be Smoove.

As far as what can we get...

I would say we could easily get Okafor for Smoove.

We could easily get Devin Harris + Filler for Smoove.

The thing is what do we need.

I'm a Smoove fan, but I can't see us shelling out 14 million a year for Smoove. It's too much.

I wouldn't take Harris or Okafor for Smoove. In fact, as stated earlier, there isn't anyone we could possibly get that would be worth Smoove. Is he worth $70 mil? Nope. Not yet. But he could EASILY reach that. However, there is absolutly no one that we could get that would ever reach a $70 mil game. So why risk loosing a possible $70 mil player when at worst case we end up with a $60 mil player? Cause he will become that for sure.

Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't want Okafor or Harris more than Smoove. However, if we couldn't reach a good agreement with Smoove, Okafor I think is a better fit... and Harris.. I don't like the idea of Harris, but he does have value.