Are we doomed to be passed by Cleveland and NJ?

[Diesel]

Not this year but in the future prolly next.

Yes, they are bottom Feeders, but if you watch them play, they are better coached than us. What they lack in talent, they make up for in coaching and in positional stability. When we had the chance, we were to cheap to go after AJ or Scott. Even though they are feeling pains now, they both had PGs and Cs who can play the game. They will get high draft picks. As I think about us, we have good talent, but we are missing important pieces and we have not developed what we need. It's an interesting world we live in. One moment you're on top and the next, everybody has passed you.

[niremetal]

Um...no.

[buckeye242424]

I don't see the Cavs passing up the Hawks next year, unless they make huge moves. The draft class this year doesn't have the one guy that can turn a team around on his own.

[GameTime]

Cleveland and NJ No. New York and Philly Yes.

[Buzzard]

Cleveland and NJ No. New York and Philly Yes.

I agree with all the above and will add watch out for Indy. New coach Vogel seems to get it and they have solid young talent at every position. They lack solid depth and need one or two more of their players to mature into floor leaders. The Pacers are my second most favorite team to watch now. I could be a little biased as Indy is the closest NBA city to Cincinnati, but I do like what they have been doing lately as a team.

Edited February 14, 2011 by Buzzard

[Wretch]

For all the mistakes this club has managed to repeat, it's funny to me that the biggest mistake may very well be one that we haven't made before. When we *finally* went into full tank/rebuild mode, I made the comment that this was new to us. When had we ever been players in the Draft? When had we ever drafted a superstar? When we started picking these guys in 2004 (technically 2000, but Babs traded away so many picks....), it was like people didn't understand the process...

The draft is a crap shoot. There are so many uncertainties. You're not guaranteed this. Tanking doesn't guarantee that. Etc. etc. etc. But the bottom line is, was, and always will be that the heart of the NBA is born in the lottery in the top 10 picks or so. Getting in there is CRITICAL for a rebuild, as is managing it properly. Both concepts seemed to escape the franchise and the fans. It was all so new. I guess people just didn't understand.

We're here again. Not with the lottery, but a new situation. We drafted these guys. We rebuild this team from scratch and we're at a crossroads. Have we ever truly been here before? Yes, we've rebuilt...but not like this. The JT/SAR years were one thing...but this is new. We're winning. We're leaning on these guys we drafted. We acquired some very good pieces.

Now what?

I don't think management really knows what to do. Stick with the plan started in 2004? Finish developing these guys? Trust in this core we've built? I don't think some people really get it either...

Because despite all the crap shoot, uncertainty, statistics on superstar rookie talent...the biggest truth is still that the phenoms that put teams on their backs, the same guys we would die to sign as a FA or trade for...that's who NJ and Cleveland is drafting. Maybe it won't be them. Who knows. But if we have peaked, and I'm leaning towards that being very likely, then as we sit here at 4-6 in the East...these teams WILL come up from below us and eat our sh!t for breakfast.

(Ya'll eat pieces of sh!t? Huh? What's the basis? We ain't going nowhere but got suits and cases.........)

[Buzzard]

Because despite all the crap shoot, uncertainty, statistics on superstar rookie talent...the biggest truth is still that the phenoms that put teams on their backs, the same guys we would die to sign as a FA or trade for...that's who NJ and Cleveland is drafting. Maybe it won't be them. Who knows. But if we have peaked, and I'm leaning towards that being very likely, then as we sit here at 4-6 in the East...these teams WILL come up from below us and eat our sh!t for breakfast.

(Ya'll eat pieces of sh!t? Huh? What's the basis? We ain't going nowhere but got suits and cases.........)

Or not, like you said its a crap shoot. First off the lottery balls bouncing your way, 2nd someone takes the guy you really wanted, 3rd you get the guy you want but he turns out to be less than the players taken after him. Chicago spent well over a decade worth of picks in the lottery, some theirs and some were others, after Jordan, Pippen, and Rodman and they are just now reaching contender status. GS and the Clips have been in and out, mostly in, for over two decades. Something similar can happen, and most likely will, to NJ and the Cavs.

Very few teams, if any, get every pick right and it almost always takes more than just one good pick to turn a lottery team into a contender. The teams that we need to worry about passing us by are the ones that have been in the lottery a couple of years now and have drafted and traded well. Chicago, Knicks, Philly, and Indy. And I still like the Bucks if healthy but not as much as the other four.

Edited February 14, 2011 by Buzzard

[Randy]

Crap shoot for sure. Or worse. We've had a bunch of lottery picks. Weren't Chillz, Acie and Sheldon all lottery picks or darn close to it? (Not sure about Acie, but think he went 10th). But they were all drafted up there. Then there's Marvin - drafted No. 2. Another lottery pick. I'm betting you could field a really good team with guys we passed up. Of the guys we have drafted Josh Smith is the only one who exceeded expectations. He was like 17th pick or something, and I recall on draft night, one of the talking heads said he might be a big bust. Al Horford is the only other guy we got in the draft and I think he is about what you'd hope for in a no. 3 pick.

[Wretch]

Well.....I'll tell you what's not a crap shoot. When you find out exactly what your team is made of and capable of.........

Nope. No uncertainty about that at all and fairly predictable results.

[HawkItus]

I think people are over reaching to understand a slump( and yes we are slumping), instead of just sitting backing and reading the situation. If you haven't noticed even with our slump you have the other teams around us slumping. This Hawks team does this around the All-Star break. We have bad wins and dumb losses. Smoove gets a little side tracked because he feels he got slighted in the All-star vote. Joe regresses after his all-star push. Horf needs a little rest after the beating he takes in post. It's okay. We look to be a 51-win team. We'll get our shot. That is all you can ask for. The Celtics look old, Miami is not intimidating, Orlando is not the beast they used to be. Just calm down. We led the Bobcats by 22, we just need to finish.

[DeacKillsaDevil]

Well coached or not, you need players in this league.

[Joker]

I think people are over reaching to understand a slump( and yes we are slumping), instead of just sitting backing and reading the situation. If you haven't noticed even with our slump you have the other teams around us slumping. This Hawks team does this around the All-Star break. We have bad wins and dumb losses. Smoove gets a little side tracked because he feels he got slighted in the All-star vote. Joe regresses after his all-star push. Horf needs a little rest after the beating he takes in post. It's okay. We look to be a 51-win team. We'll get our shot. That is all you can ask for. The Celtics look old, Miami is not intimidating, Orlando is not the beast they used to be. Just calm down. We led the Bobcats by 22, we just need to finish.

The only time we played good overall Basketball this season was the first six games. After that, it's been down hill, even in most of our wins.

[ATownWhatup]

how could you even think that?

[Diesel]

I think people are over reaching to understand a slump( and yes we are slumping), instead of just sitting backing and reading the situation. If you haven't noticed even with our slump you have the other teams around us slumping. This Hawks team does this around the All-Star break. We have bad wins and dumb losses. Smoove gets a little side tracked because he feels he got slighted in the All-star vote. Joe regresses after his all-star push. Horf needs a little rest after the beating he takes in post. It's okay. We look to be a 51-win team. We'll get our shot. That is all you can ask for. The Celtics look old, Miami is not intimidating, Orlando is not the beast they used to be. Just calm down. We led the Bobcats by 22, we just need to finish.

I'm not even looking at it from this perspective of what we're doing now. I'm looking at management and the facts that we will probably lose Craw for nothing. We will probably stay pat and let Marvin finish his mediocre career as a Hawks. We will probably fail to gain any talent where we're picking.

As far as Cleveland and NJ.

Both have high picks coming. Both have cap space. NJ is a destination that might be enticing to good FAs. Both have owners who will spend money to put out a better product. Both have good GMs and Coaches.

[Joker]

I'm not even looking at it from this perspective of what we're doing now. I'm looking at management and the facts that we will probably lose Craw for nothing. We will probably stay pat and let Marvin finish his mediocre career as a Hawks. We will probably fail to gain any talent where we're picking.

As far as Cleveland and NJ.

Both have high picks coming. Both have cap space. NJ is a destination that might be enticing to good FAs. Both have owners who will spend money to put out a better product. Both have good GMs and Coaches.

Plus +1 in that perspective.

[Wretch]

I'm not even looking at it from this perspective of what we're doing now. I'm looking at management and the facts that we will probably lose Craw for nothing. We will probably stay pat and let Marvin finish his mediocre career as a Hawks. We will probably fail to gain any talent where we're picking.

As far as Cleveland and NJ.

Both have high picks coming. Both have cap space. NJ is a destination that might be enticing to good FAs. Both have owners who will spend money to put out a better product. Both have good GMs and Coaches.

For what it's worth, also add to that Diesel that Cavs management is HELL BENT on winning before LeBron.

Edited February 14, 2011 by Wretch

[HawkItus]

Well in that since you are talking about the NBA in general. Look NJ probably looked at us a few years back and said "are we destined to be passed by the Hawks?" The system is setup to raise up the worst teams and punish the good teams. If a bad team just plays it half way competent they will be a 50 win team in the future. It's and old saying I've heard in sports for a long time....getting good is easy, staying good is genius.

[Joker]

For what it's worth, also add to that Diesel that Cavs management is HELL BENT on winning before LeBron.

The Gund family was hell bent on winning??? Dan Gilbert is but I don't know about the Gund Family?

[QuantumHawkz]

Not this year but in the future prolly next.

Yes, they are bottom Feeders, but if you watch them play, they are better coached than us. What they lack in talent, they make up for in coaching and in positional stability. When we had the chance, we were to cheap to go after AJ or Scott. Even though they are feeling pains now, they both had PGs and Cs who can play the game. They will get high draft picks. As I think about us, we have good talent, but we are missing important pieces and we have not developed what we need. It's an interesting world we live in. One moment you're on top and the next, everybody has passed you.

COM'ON MAN!.......How can you say that about a playoff team?

[HawkFoLife]

No...not really..

Although you never really know what's around the corner..

I can't see Cleveland or NJ being on the same level ..

Maybe in 2 years..and that's a big MAYBE..

Next.. :newspaper:

Edited February 15, 2011 by HawkFoLife