Change for the sake of change...

[Wretch]

I know it's an impossible pill for some folks to swallow...but people fail to understand the dynamics of what a shakeup does. I think the one thing, and the major thing, that goes unmentioned in sports is the human factor. These guys are not robots. We get so caught up in the numbers and the celebrity status of these guys that we forget that they're just people. Just like that one guy at work that makes everybody laugh and makes the department more productive, there's that guy who brings the whole department down and kills morale. You may have a boss that you really love working for or one that you just "mail it in" on.

Sports is the same way and this is what boggles my mind... I know that some of you guys are like 12 years old and the Hawks are the first pro team you've ever followed. But some of you guys... You act like you've never heard the word "chemistry" before. It's not just a cliche. No it's not measurable, but it is VERY apparent. Did you read between the lines of all the reports here lately? I don't know how long it's going to last, but removing Bibby from the team was more than just shoring up a defensive hole. It flipped a switch in these guys. It was apparent in the Phoenix game. Now you've got guys thinking they could be next. Guys are seeing that this isn't a social club - it's a business. They understand that they have to step up because something wasn't working. Maybe they're just pissed off that they lost a teammate.

No matter the sentiment, the end result is motivation.

Now......

NOBODY is saying that we don't need more tweaking. You can never be satisfied and even the best teams in the league make moves. Nobody is saying we'll definitely get out of the 2nd round. BUT, we have some talented people on this team. We just upgraded talent and not just a better scorer. We've added a better defender, a better penetrator, and a better facilitator - we have added a piece that is going to make everyone BETTER.

Look over the history of the game and you'll find similar moves that on the surface look lateral, but had much more of an impact because of chemistry. One of the best examples ironically is the PG we just shipped out. Look at what happened when he was traded to Sacramento.

[sillent]

That is a great example!! Jason Williams and Bibby trade would have looked llke a lateral move if not a slight downgrade at the time. Jason Williams was an exciting dynamic young point guard. Trading him for Bibby to the Griz didn't look like much at the time but it was the perfect fit for that Kings team and it worked. Bibby coming to us 3-4 years ago was what our team needed at the time to gain that confidence to go against a team like the Celtics. Bibby was already looked at as a big time player around the league because of his Sacramento days. When a big time player tells your team that y'all have tremendous talent and you think he is talented as well that's a big morale boosts.

Hinrich is yet another next step as far as what our team needs to succeed. Hinrich brings the need without the pressure that we would receive if we got a big time name and can't get the chemistry together or win a title. Looks like a small move now but in hindsight stopping dribble penetration was one of our main weaknesses. Now our players have an opportunity to look like the defense team they real are when they don't have to deal with so many blown coverages. JJ was a great defender in Phoenix (This is on a team that didn't have many if any defenders). Marvin's a good one on one defender because of his size and strength and is pretty good in the passing lanes. Horford and Josh can focus more on their men and weak side help. Our whole team is filled with defensive minded players with the exception of an offensive juggernaut (when he is locked into the game). Even Jamal has his share of steals on ball and in the passing lane because of his length(are we forgetting he is 6'5) and quickness.

Just like the Bibby move for the Kings this can be bigger than the player to player lateral move seen on paper for us. Again Kirk is no all star but he is solid and consistent in all the places that count for us. He could be the moral boost this team needs to realize their true potential. Bibby helped them realize their talent. Kirk can help them realizes what they can do with that talent when they play hard nose basketball.

[BusBoyIsBack]

The thing I continue to stress is that it's not just a change mentally for motivation that can wear off easily.

It's from an Xs and Os standpoint an improvement. Again our biggest weaknesses have been dribble penetration on both ends of the floor. Hinrich goes a long way into setting the tone for stopping that penetration on one end of the floor, the most important end of the floor mind you.

The Hawks as currently constructed could finally be an ELITE defensive team with all these long, athletic, interchangeable parts that are not nearly as strapped in trying to give help defense which leads to open players down low and on the perimeter.

[RedDawg#8]

People forget that the same season we got Bibby, before that trade we were a great defensive team, we were in fact winning many games through defense alone cuz our guys lacked direction on offense which is the reason we sought a player like Bibby in the 1st place. Ever since then we have never been as committed to defense as we were pre Bibby, and every transaction we made brought us in guys who could score with liabilities on D like bringing in undersized Flip to play SG or Evans to play SF, or Craw who was never known for D, or even Teague wo has length but wasn't known for D in college.

I hope this marks the turning point where we start valuing complete players or at least guys that play the right way over flashiness and jumpshooters