Merged: HOOPSWORLD: Atlanta's Trade Scenario

[IHeartAtlanta]

http://www.hoopsworld.com/Story.asp?story_id=18628

[gutz]

we won't do any trades. This article pretty much says that but I believe it's time to trade Smoove for an elite PG if possible. How can Sund say they think they are in good shape? That is our biggest weakness IMO. We need a true floor general that can dish, defend and score. Bibby is only avg. 3.8ast. a game and can't defend a lick

Edited January 31, 2011 by gutz

[Supporter]

We overrate our guys way to much. No way in hell are we in the same league as the spurs.

[sturt]

We overrate our guys way to much. No way in hell are we in the same league as the spurs.

To be fair, what he actually said is, "in some ways they're analogous to us." And then, he went on to explain the ways they are analogous... notably none of which made the assertion that we are as good as the Spurs.

[ATL_BALLER]

To be fair, what he actually said is, "in some ways they're analogous to us." And then, he went on to explain the ways they are analogous... notably none of which made the assertion that we are as good as the Spurs.

Yes, but it still hints at the delusion of the front office. We all know how this season is going to end - though even a second round birth is iffy with this prone-to-collapse bunch. It's a shame, because with a more aggressive approach, this team does have a couple of pieces to make a legit run.

[AHF]

It always bothers me when I see things like this:

Also count the Hawks among the teams that are steadfastly staying below the NBA's salary cap

News flash: The Hawks are over the salary cap and under the luxury tax line.

It is a wonder fans can stay on top of this but the NBA writers can't seem to grasp simple CBA terms.

[gutz]

Yes, but it still hints at the delusion of the front office. We all know how this season is going to end - though even a second round birth is iffy with this prone-to-collapse bunch. It's a shame, because with a more aggressive approach, this team does have a couple of pieces to make a legit run.

Actually we won't even get out of the first round this year since it appears we are going to get the #5 seed which mean we won't have home court advantage and will have to play Orlando. I don't see us getting out of the first round unless we overtake Orlando or Chicago for the 3rd or 4th seeds and that is highly unlikely with this bunch of clowns

[Plainview1981]

This team doesn't have the ability to beat Boston, Miami, Chicago or Orlando in the playoffs. Which means an early exit.

But ownership thinks being 12 games over .500 is a really impressive feat.

Yes, but it still hints at the delusion of the front office. We all know how this season is going to end - though even a second round birth is iffy with this prone-to-collapse bunch. It's a shame, because with a more aggressive approach, this team does have a couple of pieces to make a legit run.

They know how it's going to end also. But they don't care.

[sturt]

Just for the record, I stopped actually reading anything Hotlanta writes awhile back... I just like to look at the pictures. :biggrin:

[Sothron]

When he's right though he deserves to be agreed with. I agree with him. This team as presently constructed might not even make it past the first round let alone somehow beat a team in the second round. We have huge holes at PG, Center and the bench.

[pimp]

http://www.hoopsworld.com/Story.asp?story_id=18628

Like every other team in the NBA right now, the Atlanta Hawks are exploring ways that they might improve their roster before next month's trade deadline. This year's deadline, isn't like those of recent seasons, as there is a significant unknown awaiting teams as they head into the summer and next offseason. Because the NBA's Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) is set to expire, many teams are hesitant to take on long-term commitments without knowing exactly what those commitments will look like under a new CBA.

Count the Atlanta Hawks among those teams. Also count the Hawks among the teams that are steadfastly staying below the NBA's salary cap, as they can't afford to pay so much as a dollar of luxury tax and forfeit their share of the money dolled out by the teams who are over the cap. There are still a few teams willing to spend, such as the Los Angeles Lakers, Boston Celtics, Orlando Magic and Dallas Mavericks, but most teams are taking the conservative approach with the new CBA looming, and the Hawks would only make a trade if it significantly improved their team. There will be no minor tweaks this year.

"We like where we are, but that doesn't mean we wouldn't do any trades," Hawks GM Rick Sund tells HOOPSWORLD. "Everybody in the league looks to do trades. You always have dialogue with your colleagues in the league. If you can make your team better, you do it, but we're not looking for lateral moves. In the past, you'd do some lateral moves sometimes, but we're not looking for lateral moves this year. If we can do something that makes our team better we'll definitely pursue it, but right now I don't see a trade out there that helps our team and keeps us under the cap. We've got to get bang for our buck."

While the national media focuses primarily on the Miami HEAT, Boston Celtics and Orlando Magic in terms of possible NBA Finalists from the Eastern Conference, the Atlanta Hawks have quietly making progress.

"We got our 30th win before February, and that was something we wanted to accomplish," says Sund. "This is an amazing stat, too: We've gone 14 straight months now with a winning record, which ranks as the best stretch for the Hawks franchise in Atlanta. That's remarkable when you consider where they were. Three years ago they were 37-45, then they got to 47 wins, then 53. Who knows if we can get 53 again, but we're in that 50-win club. If you can get 50, that's generally home court and that can get you through the first round and you're kind of one of the elite teams. Then you've got to go from being one of the elites to being a championship-caliber team, and most of my colleagues consider championship-caliber to getting to the conference finals. There's only four teams left, and that's our challenge and our goal. They won 50, they've been to the first round for two years, got swept in the second round, but now I think they believe they can play every team in the league. That's been our process, and we'll see how it works out. I think it's a compelling year for us, because we're had six or seven consecutive years of improving our record, and it's the first time, I think, that a team has ever improved for seven consecutive years."

Atlanta's big move over the summer was simply keeping Joe Johnson in town, and many felt that wasn't enough to keep the Hawks competitive in an ever-changing East. Sund, however, thought that keeping the same core group in tact could give his team an edge come playoff time.

"I think continuity could give us an advantage, but we'll see how that plays out. I think there are probably four or five legitimate teams that might have a shot at the Eastern Conference Finals. We're getting close to what the West has been, where you could be the third seed playing the sixth seed and it might be pretty tough. All of a sudden Chicago and Atlanta in there, New York is up and coming, so the playoffs will be more interesting instead of just the first four seeds automatically advancing. Prior to this year I don't think the Hawks were mentally ready to beat the second round opponent. That's the process, the maturing process. They think that now. They believe they can beat that next team, and that's our goal. We want to go from an elite team to a championship-caliber team."

While the Hawks are exploring trade options, they truly believe continuity will be the key to getting out of the second round of the playoffs this season, must as continuity has helped the West-leading San Antonio Spurs.

"Chemistry is so important, and if you look at San Antonio, in some ways they're analogous to us," Sund explains. "They got through the first round last year and got swept in four. We got through the first round last year and got swept in four. They didn't really make any major changes and we didn't make any major changes. They're a more veteran team than us, we started the season with three starters who are 24 or younger in Horford, Josh and Marvin. Joe, Bibbby and Jamal are all in their primes, so that combination is good. But we think continuity and chemistry are important for us, just as they have been for San Antonio."

The real key for the Hawks, though, is Joe Johnson. Many pundits raised their eyebrows when the Hawks made Johnson one of the richest players in the NBA last summer, but the Hawks believe he's the one who will take them all the way.

"Joe's the guy," says Sund, without hesitation. "He's been an All-Star caliber player, but I think last year he crossed the line to all-pro. When you're all-pro you're one of the top 15 players in the league. He's got to maintain that, obviously, and this year he got off to a slow start with the surgery and missed games, but this month we're 10-4, we're (30-18) on the road, and that's the maturing process. A playoff team has to win 14 on the road. A solid, elite team has to win between 17-19 on the road. Elite teams get into the 20, 22, 24 area. We're knocking on the door of that right now, and that's who we are. Joe's at the heart of all of that."

Johnson was as good as ever in January, averaging 26.0 points and shooting 50% from the field in leading the Hawks to a solid month. Trade or no trade, it's Johnson who will take the Hawks as far as they go this season, and they believe a trip to the NBA Finals is a realitic goal.

Time will tell, of course, but the Hawks look as good as anyone in the East outside of Boston at this point.

Read more NBA news and insight: http://www.hoopsworld.com/Story.asp?story_id=18628#ixzz1Ci8pbUNI

[frosgrim]

Thanks for posting that piece.

Not sure what to make of Sund's comments. Some obvious issues to be reinforced:

1) It's not just a matter of paying the luxury tax, it's loosing out on revenue sharing from the teams paying the tax. The ASG is banking on those dollars.

2) They seem to be in talks about getting another piece. My take is that they did have talks about Carmelo but backed out when they couldn't make a trade fit into the tax threshold.

3) There is a good bit of hyperbole from Sund. To claim that Bibby is in his prime is certainly a stretch.

[terrell]

Thanks for posting that piece.

Not sure what to make of Sund's comments. Some obvious issues to be reinforced:

1) It's not just a matter of paying the luxury tax, it's loosing out on revenue sharing from the teams paying the tax. The ASG is banking on those dollars.

2) They seem to be in talks about getting another piece. My take is that they did have talks about Carmelo but backed out when they couldn't make a trade fit into the tax threshold.

3) There is a good bit of hyperbole from Sund. To claim that Bibby is in his prime is certainly a stretch.

Saying Bibby is in his prime is a lie.

[Wretch]

"Chemistry is so important, and if you look at San Antonio, in some ways they're analogous to us," Sund explains. "They got through the first round last year and got swept in four. We got through the first round last year and got swept in four. They didn't really make any major changes and we didn't make any major changes. They're a more veteran team than us, we started the season with three starters who are 24 or younger in Horford, Josh and Marvin. Joe, Bibbby and Jamal are all in their primes, so that combination is good. But we think continuity and chemistry are important for us, just as they have been for San Antonio."

Yeah...and San Antonio has 5 starters...we have 5 starters too! That must mean we're a contender!

They've got a core that has been to the finals and won a championship we've got a core that...oh wait. Well, we've got a core that's at least been to the...oh wait no...they haven't done that either. Well, Joe Johnson was on a Phoenix team that (etc., etc., etc.). We are not like San Antonio anymore than a thrasher is like a hawk. (Pun intended.)

...and all I got from this article is "Blah, blah, blah...spin. Blah, blah, blah, luxury tax. Blah, blah, blah...don't expect anything major. We're winning and we like that."