Suddenly Hawks are a perfect fit for Mario West

[jerrywest]

I don’t like Josh as small forward at all. However, with Joe Smith with his killer mid range jumper playing at Power Forward, I don’t mind Josh getting a few back up Small forward minutes. With Mo, JJ & Josh, I think our back up small forward minutes are well covered. Als we already have 5 experienced men for big positions.

We have a glaring weakness when JJ+Crawford play at Small forward and Big guard positions.

I don’t like the Bibby+Crawford+JJ playing together as it makes us too small @ 1-2-3 positions. If Teague isn’t ready or plays weak, we will need a big defensive guard to play with JJ+Crawford when we go small. That way crawford could guard the PG and JJ could guard the SF. I don’t like little PGs like Knight. We need a strong minimum wage veteran PG who will shut up and play defense if necessary. This guard won't need to score or handle the ball much as Crawford+JJ will take care of those and more. Since Crawford rebounds worse than Mugsy Bogues, we need this guard to rebound well. This guard will be left open and he'll have to attack the rim like a mad man for dunks and rebounds.

Mario has a role next year, more than ever.

[Swatguy]

Bibs, Flip and Joe did real well last season. I believe Bibs, Jamal and Joe will be even better.

'Rio needs to be in the gym right now, shooting three's and working on his handles.

If Mario can not shoot And handle the rock he can't help us.

The novelty is over.

[jerrywest]

Bibs, Flip and Joe did real well last season. I believe Bibs, Jamal and Joe will be even better.

'Rio needs to be in the gym right now, shooting three's and working on his handles.

If Mario can not shoot And handle the rock he can't help us.

The novelty is over.

Flip is't in Jamal's league as far as scoring goes. Jamal is close to JJ as a scorer.

However, Flip could guard the shooting guard which Jamal can't do. Flip+ Bibby could work defensively at 1-2 for some time.

Bibby+Crawford could be one the worst defensive combo of all time.

Crawford's ball handling, scoring and lack of defense and lack of rebounding give West a great opportunity to earn some minutes next year.

Last year we lacked scoring - Bad for West.

Flip could play defense on SG - Bad for West.

Flip could rebound better than Crawford - Bad for West.

Flip couldn't handle the ball - Bad for West.

Fip couldn't score like Crawford - Bad for West.

All the above issues are gone. If West had a role last season, this season he should have a much bigger role.

[sillent]

Yeah I would not mind keeping West even if he's forced again to be good practice for Joe and Jamal. We are pretty deep at all/most positions and it would not hurt to have a role player that leaves it all out on the court(at least when he actually gets on the court).

[ATLNY7]

Didn't the hawks offer Mario West a contract? Why hasn't he signed it yet?

[DrReality]

I think Rio will have his work cut out for him this year. The talent has improved considerably. He is as much a fan favorite as his is a talent, maybe more.

[MaceCase]

Didn't the hawks offer Mario West a contract? Why hasn't he signed it yet?

It is odd but at the beginning of the summer reports were that we extended a qualifying offer to him of somewhere around 1 mill. I may be incorrect but I believe that after a certain date the team can't rescind that offer but at the same time we are hearing that he will have to battle for a spot on the team and may not even show up to begin with. This leads me to believe that the team either rescinded his QO earlier, most likely around the same time Solo's was, or that we never offered a QO in the first place considering that I find it hard for a player of Mario's limited talent to not jump at a guranteed million dollars. All business dealings have been a little strange this offseason from the QOs to reported deals taking a month to actually be official.

[DrReality]

How can someone with his limited skills turn down a mil?

[jerrywest]

How can someone with his limited skills turn down a mil?

Like Lee and Robinson, West's contract won't expire until an NBA iimposed deadline. West will almost surely sign it on the last day. He has no reason to sign earlier.

Hawks let Solo go because Solo asked them to. Hawks wouldn't have matched Pacer's offer, and Solo, a restricted free agent, didn't want to wait 7 days before everything was finalized.

If West has an offer from another team that Hawks wouldn't match, West would ask the same thing.

When Solo/West got the offers, I think, Hawks only had JJ/Josh/Horford/Acie/Speedy/Mo/Morris signed.

Since then we have signed/acquired Marvin/Bibby/Zaza/Smith/Crawford/Collins/Teague.

[MaceCase]

I'm not sure that that correlates. Lee and Robinson haven't signed their miniscule QOs because they are worth considerably more and are holding out for a better deal. Mario's QO on the other hand is worth more than his talent and I don't see why he would turn it down or wait it out because I doubt any team is willing to offer him more money or more years. This leads me back to the conundrum, accepting the QO is a guranteed contract, why would a player with a guranteed contract be fighting for a roster spot? Is this management sending out the wrong info if any or another Sekou gaffe?

Hawksfanatic where art thou?

[TheNorthCydeRises]

Now more than ever, Mario West should NEVER play, unless we have 2 guards hurt. And now more than ever, Josh Smith should NEVER play the 3.

I would only consider Smith at the 3, if we had a PF or C that was a good scorer or defender. Calling Joe Smith a "deadly" mid range shooter, is misleading as heck. Big Z ( Ilgauskas ) is a "deadly" mid range shooting big man. Joe Smith is nowhere near the threat that Z is. Joe Smith may not be a better mid range shooter than Horford.

Shoot, he's just Joe Smith folks, not Bill Laimbeer.

JJ

Bibby

Crawford

Teague

Mo Evans ( the guy you're forgetting )

. . are the guys that will guard the 1 or the 2. If Teague can come in and effectively guard the PG position, he'll be the guy that plays most with Crawford in the game.

If Teague isn't ready, and if Woody wants to play Crawford more at the point, you'll see a Crawford - JJ backcourt, with Evans wither playing the SF or Evans playing the SG and Marvin at PF.

And the advantage a Bibby - Crawford attack gives you, is obviously on the offensive end, especially from 3 point range ( if both are hot ). With these 2 at the guards, JJ could essentially become a LeBron James type playmaker/scorer, because of the options he'll have.

If you double him, he has Crawford or Bibby to toss the ball out to for 3. Add Marvin to that mix too, if Woody wanted to get really creative, and play Marvin at the 4 for a short stretch.

PG - G - SF combos I'd rather see, before I'd want to see West or Smith play in those spots:

Bibby - JJ - Marvin

Bibby - Crawford - Marvin

Bibby - Evans - Marvin

Bibby - Crawford - JJ

Teague - Crawford - JJ

Teague - Crawford - Marvin

Teague - Crawford - Evans

Crawford - JJ - Marvin

Crawford - Evans - Marvin

Woody isn't crazy. He won't play Bibby and Crawford together much, unless both are red hot from the outside. But you do have to play them together some, with JJ at the 3, just to see how lethal of a scoring trio they can be.

[TheNorthCydeRises]

As a matter of fact, as a mid-range shooter, Joe Smith is actually more comparable to Josh Smith, than anybody else. he shot 33% on his jumpers.

This is why some of ya'll really need to stop overhyping some of these moves we made. Joe Smith isn't a great mid range shooter. Collins isn't a great interior defender. These guys are just merely fill-ins for our main guys. Joe Smith should never play more than 10 minutes a night.

[joeschmoe]

As a matter of fact, as a mid-range shooter, Joe Smith is actually more comparable to Josh Smith, than anybody else. he shot 33% on his jumpers.

What is your source on his jump shooting %?

[jy23]

As a matter of fact, as a mid-range shooter, Joe Smith is actually more comparable to Josh Smith, than anybody else. he shot 33% on his jumpers.

This is why some of ya'll really need to stop overhyping some of these moves we made. Joe Smith isn't a great mid range shooter. Collins isn't a great interior defender. These guys are just merely fill-ins for our main guys. Joe Smith should never play more than 10 minutes a night.

I'm also curious as to where these numbers came from

[mrhonline]

He's taking that from the 82games.com jumpshot %.

NBA.com hotspots data confirms it. Joe Smith is really not a good jumpshooter anymore.

[jy23]

He's taking that from the 82games.com jumpshot %.

NBA.com hotspots data confirms it. Joe Smith is really not a good jumpshooter anymore.

ok, I see it now. But with him being such a good shooter throughout his career I don't think one year just negates the fact that he has a decent jumper. Jumpers tend to be the last thing that a player loses, hopefully for our sake last year was a fluke.

[TheNorthCydeRises]

ok, I see it now. But with him being such a good shooter throughout his career I don't think one year just negates the fact that he has a decent jumper. Jumpers tend to be the last thing that a player loses, hopefully for our sake last year was a fluke.

Hopefully you're right.

I know everybody wants a balanced lineup in which we can go 10 or 11 deep. But if guy like Joe Smith is playing close to 15 - 20 minutes a night, that means that one of our young frontline players is struggling or hurt.

Me personally, I want Josh Smith and Horford playing somewhere between 32 - 36 minutes a night. And if I'm the coach, I'm not cutting those guys down to 26 - 30 minutes a game, just to play the guys that we added to the team more minutes.

And I'm one of those guys that likes Marvin playing PF in short stretches. He was pretty good last year, when he played the 4. But that may not be possible if we want to not only get Joe Smith playing time, but also get Horford some minutes at the 4.

Since we pretty much know what the roster will be, this could be the Hawks 11-man rotation, if a priority was made to play everybody:

PG: Bibby ( 30 ) - Teague ( 12 ) - Crawford ( 6 )

G: JJ ( 28 ) - Crawford ( 20 )

F: Marvin ( 32 ) - Evans ( 8 ) - JJ ( 8 )

PF: Smoove ( 32 ) - Joe Smith ( 8 ) - Horford ( 8 )

C: Horford ( 24 ) - Zaza ( 18 ) - Collins ( 6 )

Total Minutes:

JJ - 36

Horford - 32

Smith - 32

Marvin - 32

Bibby - 30

Crawford - 26

Zaza - 18

Teague - 12

Evans - 8

Joe Smith - 8

Collins - 4

The rotation and minutes breakdown I'd rather see:

PG: Bibby ( 30 ) - Teague ( 12 ) - Crawford ( 6 )

G: JJ ( 28 ) - Crawford ( 20 )

F: Marvin ( 28 ) - Evans ( 12 ) - JJ ( 8 )

PF: Josh Smith ( 34 ) - Horford ( 8 ) - Marvin ( 6 )

C: Horford ( 28 ) - Zaza ( 20 )

Total minutes:

JJ - 36

Horford - 36

Josh Smith - 34

Marvin - 34

Bibby - 30

Crawford - 26

Zaza - 20

Evans - 12

Teague - 12

Collins and Joe Smith would only play, if guys were in foul trouble or if someone was hurt. They wouldn't be part of a regular nightly rotation.

Edited September 7, 2009 by northcyde

[jerrywest]

Mario is back.

http://www.ajc.com/sports/atlanta-hawks/fan-favorite-west-back-273410.html

The Hawks signed guard Mario West to a 10-day contract Tuesday, bringing back the fan favorite and former Georgia Tech star.

West, who had been playing for the Maine Red Claws in the NBA's D-League, was at the team's practice Tuesday morning.

West made the team two seasons ago as an undrafted rookie out of Georgia Tech and Douglas County. He played in 117 games for the Hawks over the past two seasons, starting five. The Hawks cut him in training camp this season.

"It feels kind of like a reunion," said West. "It's kind of like these are my brohters. I went away for a little bit and now I'm back and hopefully I can stick."

Coach Mike Woodson did not hide his pleasure in having West back on the roster. The coach and player traded trash talk as they played a lighthearted game of one-on-one.

"I love everything about Mario West," Woodson said. "I've always loved what he's done for our ballcub from day one. He pushes practice. I'm not scared to throw him in the game and he has to defend the best player on the opposing team. So it's good to have him back in a Hawk uniform."

West took the roster spot of forward Othello Hunter, who was put on waivers last week.