Hoopinion: SI.com: The Point Forward: LaGree: Average Hawks in Need of Financial Creativity

[Hawksquawk]

Given the opportunity to help fill in for the vacationing Zach Lowe, I jumped at the chance to play Nate Robinson to his Rajon Rondo at The Point Forward on SI.com. They asked me to write about Rick Sund's belief in improving by staying the same:

Given that Philips Arenas has been, on average, at 75 percent capacity this season and that the franchise has not won a second-round playoff game since 1997, deciding to stay below the luxury-tax threshold is perfectly reasonable.

The lack of creativity in spending their limited resources is less so. Does any team (at least as 2011 dawns) need Mo Evans and Damien Wilkins? Both Jason Collins and Etan Thomas? Simply limiting themselves to one aging role player per position would create some financial flexibility while freeing up a couple of roster spots for younger players capable of augmenting the core in the present and possibly providing greater value in the future.

Unless the organization is willing to accept diminishing returns from their long-standing belief in sticking with more of the same, cutting back on aging role players may be a necessary change.

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