Sund speaks on 790AM

[niremetal]

The frustrating part is that a 2-3 year window merits a proven coach, which explains why the Hawks are looking at unproven assistants. Huh?

What "proven coach" is out there that has shown he can take a team past the second round? I only see Avery Johnson and Byron Scott, and they did NOT impress me as coaches in the playoffs. Not to mention that neither of them were exactly offensive gurus as coaches, and that was our biggest area of coaching weakness.

I don't buy into the "retreads who have not proven they can win anything are better than assistants who have not been given the chance to win anything" argument. It's not like Rudy T is a potential candidate.

Edited May 17, 2010 by niremetal

[Wretch]

It's not as drastic, perhaps. It does mean at least a couple years in the lottery before relevance, and then a few more after that before contention. And that's probably the best case scenario, unless we stumble into drafting the reincarnation of Magic or Michael. But I still prefer that to kidding ourselves into thinking that a core of Crawford/Smoove/Horford would give us a shot at anything more than the 8th seed.

I'm so with you on this. It's been fun watching this team grow, but it's not fun watching this team come up short. I want a real team and that core...will be hard pressed to cut it

[mrhonline]

What "proven coach" is out there that has shown he can take a team past the second round?

Here's a better question - what's the likelihood an unproven coach will be able to get this Hawks' team with its 2-3 year window past the second round?

I'm fine with an unproven coach, but not at the same time you pay Joe Johnson way too much money right about the time he's gonna start declining. It doesn't make sense.

[GameTime]

Rick Sund says Joe Johnson can lead this team to a championship. Drew parallels to Billups and Nash, two guys who develop a top dog mentality later in their career.

Wow. I have no words.

Yeah Sund is ticking me off a bit on this interview. What is he gonna do if we don't get Joe? I guess absolutely nothing. This can't happen this year.

Edited May 17, 2010 by GameTime

[Wretch]

What "proven coach" is out there that has shown he can take a team past the second round? I only see Avery Johnson and Byron Scott, and they did NOT impress me as coaches in the playoffs.

I don't buy into the "retreads who have not proven they can win anything are better than assistants who have not been given the chance to win anything" argument. It's not like Rudy T is a potential candidate.

Just to throw this out there...

I don't know if I'm the only one who looks at it like this, but when I think about a proven coach...I think about guys that I know who can push this team to do better. For me, it's not so much about getting a guy with rings so much as it is getting a guy that knows how to get the most out of talent and a guy who knows how to react to what's going on IN GAME. (IOW the OPPOSITE of Mike Woodson).

[mrhonline]

I simply want to see some appearance of a single, coherent plan to win a championship sometime in the future. It may not happen, but at least there's an attempt.

[NJHAWK]

He committed $42M to a marginal starter/solid bench player in Marvin. He matched a $58M offer to Smith. He paid an aging PG $19M. He gave the backup center, what, $18M? He's gonna offer Joe something in the $90M range. He traded for Crawford, paying him over $10M this coming season.

Woodson gets to use the luxury tax excuse, Sund does not.

Wow looking at all those #'s you posted its really an eye opener. :questions: or a jaw dropper :shock11: ASG does seem to spend money just not as wise as they could.

[NineOhTheRino]

Sund trading Smoove for a center would let me know he's serious about being a contender.

[mrhonline]

Sund trading Smoove for a center would let me know he's serious about being a contender.

It's the same for me. It may not be the best move to make long-term, but it's the one a contender would make. If you don't wanna do that, then don't bring Joe back.

[GameTime]

Wow Sund told Woody to play Teague the small minutes he even played. Did not know that. Sund is saying keeping the MLE. So what is gonna be done this offseason?

[NJHAWK]

Smoove untouchable? he can't shoot! Name me 1 big time PF in NBA history that has Josh's limitations on the offensive end.

He cant shoot and he plays defense great when he feels like it.

[NJHAWK]

Joe Johnson is still an asset though. I think you have to bring him back if he wants to be here unless somebody knocks your socks off with a s & t. Now if he doesnt want to be here then you just have to hope a s & t can be worked out that gives the Hawks something of value even a T.E. Joe is 29 which is not anchient, he still has alot of value. If he has another great season and hopefully a much better playoff next year he is a tradeable asset even if we get knocked out in round 2 again. At least if we keep him and things dont improve for the team as a whole we can trade him for a different piece.

[Buzzard]

Rick Sund says Joe Johnson can lead this team to a championship. Drew parallels to Billups and Nash, two guys who develop a top dog mentality later in their career.

Wow. I have no words.

Sund is wanting to resign JJ (supposedly) and even if he does not; do you think he would blast his leadership skills. He has to be politicaly correct when dealing with players in the press. Who would want to play for a organization that dogs out its own players, both current and former, in the media?

He is just being professional IMO.

[Crank]

Smoove untouchable? he can't shoot! Name me 1 big time PF in NBA history that has Josh's limitations on the offensive end.

I dont think hes untouchable but there seems to be a lot of people who do while also saying we cant lose JJ because the team may not even make the playoffs well that pretty much imo removes the untouchable tag from Al and Smoove .

This is the most important offseason in the last 20 years for us and will set the tone for what we will be seeing the rest of the decade . If Sund thinks JJ can lead the team to a title well go out and get him some serious help that signifies just that .

[LouFan]

I would definitely trade Josh Smith. The guy has low BBIQ and acts like a child. He also has no shot, while being in the league this long is unacceptable. I think he was untouchable under Woody... Not now.

Marvin Williams is good to keep as a bench player. He will help solidify the bench, that is what he did in college. And without an ISO-JOE offense, I think he will play better.

Joe Johnson staying is key. I am very interested in seeing how he would do under another coach... A coach that can call offensive plays. Sund's comments are a little extreme, but I do think JJ will mature and improve.

We have to keep Horford. I mean look how he has improved over the years in a position that he doesn't play. That says a lot about how hard he works, and imagine if he actually played his normal position... He is the only heart we have on the team.

JC is a suspect player for me. I do not like the MIA type of performance in the playoffs, and not to mention he takes horrible shots.

This is not a big team. We have to play to our strengths, which is running the ball up the court and passing the ball. AKA: Phoenix. Which hopefully the coach will address. A good X's and O's coach.

[NineOhTheRino]

I dont think hes untouchable but there seems to be a lot of people who do while also saying we cant lose JJ because the team may not even make the playoffs well that pretty much imo removes the untouchable tag from Al and Smoove .

This is the most important offseason in the last 20 years for us and will set the tone for what we will be seeing the rest of the decade . If Sund thinks JJ can lead the team to a title well go out and get him some serious help that signifies just that .

the only guy on this team that's untouchable is Marvin and that's because nobody else wants him at that price. Josh, while not untouchable imo, is the only guy with any significant trade value.

My deal with Josh is that I don't see him as a necessity but as a luxury. If the Hawks plan on sniffing Orlando they better go out and trade for a quality big.

Edited May 17, 2010 by NineOhTheRino

[mrhonline]

Hawks apparently ready to bid against themselves for Joe Johnson Edited May 17, 2010 by mrhonline

[niremetal]

Hawks apparently ready to bid against themselves for Joe Johnson

Like I said, the Hawks face a choice of two evils from their fans: Re-sign JJ to a huge deal and get labeled stupid, or let him go elsewhere and get labeled cheap.

[Buzzard]

Hawks apparently ready to bid against themselves for Joe Johnson

Paul Pierce is four years older than JJ and I see them as extremely similar players. If we want to compete for a championship in the near future; losing all-star players is not a good plan. If we want to go with a new five year plan on the cheap via the lottery once again, that is the good plan.

Paul is worth max or near max money to the Celtics; JJ is damn sure just as valuable to us.

Edited May 17, 2010 by Buzzard

[mrhonline]

There's one HUGE difference between Pierce and Johnson - ability to get to the FT line. That may not seem like much, but it's essentially the difference between a 2nd option and a 1st option in the NBA.

(Plus, it helps to be surrounded by the Hall-of-Famers and an amazingly quick PG. If the Hawks can do that for JJ, I'm all for keeping him).

Edited May 17, 2010 by mrhonline