Sund: "We're pretty close"

[ATL_BALLER]

As predicted, the off-season rhetoric has begun. Big fat UGH.

[ATL_BALLER]

Of note:

...surprisingly, they had better postseason results than in the franchise’s previous 12 trips to the playoffs. Because he puts more stock in the latter than the former, Hawks general manager Rick Sund said he doesn’t believe the team has peaked, even though it again fell short of advancing to the Eastern Conference finals.

Really? Then why, in all interviews prior, did you note that the team's 'regular season record has improved 5 straight years' as the crux of keeping the beloved core together?

[ATL_BALLER]

Oh, then there's this interview.

Last year, he had the stones to compare us to San Antonio - this year to Dallas. How convenient.

I'm not bitter or anything. OK, I'll stop talking to myself now.

[ATL_BALLER]

OK, OK, one more thing: This guy did a good job breaking down Sund's 'insight':

“I think other than–Oklahoma City and Chicago were the only two teams that didn’t have a lot of highs and lows during the season. Certainly LA did and Dallas did and Miami did. Your colleagues had Spoelstra fired three times. So it’s been up and down and we fell right into that. We’ve been up and down. ”

Yeah, I remember all those times when LA and Dallas and Miami were losing by 30 at home to .500 teams.

“In some ways it might be a little bit like Dallas, although we were younger than Dallas.”

Yeah, I see where the Hawks have a future Hall of Famer as a go-to guy on the current roster. Of course.

“When you have a good team, it’s difficult to get someone who is drafted [even] in the first round to come in and play right away. ”

Sure, if your coaching staff is comprised of incompetent buffoons who don’t know anything about developing young players.

“The core group of our players have, I think, improved every single year.”

I guess Jeff Teague is the only member of the core group.

“Or unless you happen to have–a few years back when they had free-agent money, to get one in free agency.”

Which, of course, the Hawks couldn’t do because Sund decided to give $20 million worth of annual salary to Marvin Williams, Mike Bibby, and Zaza Pachulia in the summer of 2009.

“And to his credit, I think most of the time he has had an opportunity. . . . .”

…to collect splinters on his *ss.

“I make comparisons to Larry with Nate McMillan.”

Coming from a front office that likes to compare Smoove to LeBron James, maybe they should stay away from comparisons altogether.

“There are only three teams that have made it to the conference semifinals three consecutive years: L.A., Boston and us.”

I’m surprised it took him this long to pull that out of the deck.

“Carmelo Anthony, who was probably one of the most sought after players during the trade deal, he’s only made it to the second round once. ”

He has also made it to the conference finals once, which is something this franchise HAS NEVER DONE IN THEIR ENTIRE EXISTENCE IN THIS CITY OMG QUIT SPINNING EVERYTHING YOU DOUCHEBAG SUND ASDLKFJAS;LDKFJA;SDKFJA;SDLKFJ

“You had a situation where the Lakers, three or four games before the All-Star game, ‘They’ve got to break it up. They’ve got to make a trade.’ And then they came out of the All-Star break and they win 17 of 18 games.”

Which of course amounted to sh-t because they got embarrassed in the 2nd round and are now facing an offseason of turmoil and almost certain roster changes. Maybe they should have made that trade after all.

Just inane.

[TRUEINTELLECTPLAYA]

Sund the ASG and Larry Drew are a worthless trio, bottomline

[DarnShadyRefs]

Guys relax.............Sund's speak is encrypted message. It will make more sense with the help of this:

[thescout5]

Sund and Hawks management are living in a fantasy world. The Hawks aren't any closer that they were 3-4 yrs ago. Sure the Hawks beat Orlando but they couldn't play defense and every now and then even a blind guy gets lucky. As long as Hawks management has this" were close" attitude the Hawks will never make it to the championship,NEVER. Every year the following happens in the playoffs.

1. The glaring observation the Hawks don't play as a unit but play individual one on one ball.

2. Lack the ability to play defense vs superior teams

3.Have no go to players other than Smoove.

4.JJ disappears when it matters most vs elite defenses.

5.Get badly beat on the boards due to lack of big men

6.Have no inside game and rely on outside shots that eventually does the offense in.

7.Smoove taking dumb shots when he should be playing low post and using his size to his advantage.

It really gets old after 3-4 years of the same recipe of losing. Sund and Hawks management don't see these weaknesses and our living in a dream world.Why should we expect any free agents to come after all they couldn't pony up money to get even Shaq here but instead sign the mighty Josh Powell and Jason Collins two stiff players.ASG wishes to field a team just good enough to make the playoffs but won't spend any more money to go further and have a chance at a championship because they'll lose all that revenue that goes in their pockets. Teams that really want to win champiomnships find ways to add to what they have or make a huge trade and get better that way. The last two years Hindrich and Crawford have been them main acqusitions two decent players but their not going to put the Hawks any further than where they are today.

Until the Hawks get new ownership and have an owner dedicated to do what it takes to win it all will always be frustrated coming up short every year.

Edited May 28, 2011 by thescout5

[TomSelleck]

The organization doesn't care about championships. They just want to keep their jobs, win 45-48 games every years, and hopefully win a 1st round playoff series.

[Diesel]

You all are typical.. but some of the worst fans int he world.

Now, beating Orlando means nothing?

Now, winning 2nd round playoff games means nothing?

Let me clue you in to something.

In the 64 years of basketball championship History..

The Lakers, Celtics, Bulls, Spurs, and Pistons hold 51 of those bad boys...

5 teams 51 championships out of 64.

5 teams...

Now you guys can continue talking like every franchise has won a championship...

You can talk like it's something that's easy to do and Sund and ASG are stupid for not doing it yet.

But simple math reveals that at the least...

12 teams have not won championships..

However, we know better because there are some teams who have won two....

Point is that everybody doesn't win a championship.

In fact, next year, you know who will be in the race for the championship? The Lakers, Celtics, Bulls, and Spurs.

Let's not underestimate what we have accomplished.

Now, you can get your flamers out but while you're trying to disregard what I have said.

51 out of 64.... 5 teams.....

[buckeye242424]

Sund and Hawks management are living in a fantasy world. The Hawks aren't any closer that they were 3-4 yrs ago. Sure the Hawks beat Orlando but they couldn't play defense and every now and then even a blind guy gets lucky. As long as Hawks management has this" were close" attitude the Hawks will never make it to the championship,NEVER. Every year the following happens in the playoffs.

1. The glaring observation the Hawks don't play as a unit but play individual one on one ball.

2. Lack the ability to play defense vs superior teams

3.Have no go to players other than Smoove.

4.JJ disappears when it matters most vs elite defenses.

5.Get badly beat on the boards due to lack of big men

6.Have no inside game and rely on outside shots that eventually does the offense in.

7.Smoove taking dumb shots when he should be playing low post and using his size to his advantage.

It really gets old after 3-4 years of the same recipe of losing. Sund and Hawks management don't see these weaknesses and our living in a dream world.Why should we expect any free agents to come after all they couldn't pony up money to get even Shaq here but instead sign the mighty Josh Powell and Jason Collins two stiff players.ASG wishes to field a team just good enough to make the playoffs but won't spend any more money to go further and have a chance at a championship because they'll lose all that revenue that goes in their pockets. Teams that really want to win champiomnships find ways to add to what they have or make a huge trade and get better that way. The last two years Hindrich and Crawford have been them main acqusitions two decent players but their not going to put the Hawks any further than where they are today.

Until the Hawks get new ownership and have an owner dedicated to do what it takes to win it all will always be frustrated coming up short every year.

Wow, this thread is full of hate...

I don't understand why you consider Smoove our only go to player, but mad when's he's taking dumb shots....seems contradicting to me. Any teams go to player is going to take dumb shots...see D.Rose.

I don't think Smoove is our number one option...

[QuantumHawkz]

You all are typical.. but some of the worst fans int he world.

Now, beating Orlando means nothing?

Now, winning 2nd round playoff games means nothing?

Let me clue you in to something.

In the 64 years of basketball championship History..

The Lakers, Celtics, Bulls, Spurs, and Pistons hold 51 of those bad boys...

5 teams 51 championships out of 64.

5 teams...

Now you guys can continue talking like every franchise has won a championship...

You can talk like it's something that's easy to do and Sund and ASG are stupid for not doing it yet.

But simple math reveals that at the least...

12 teams have not won championships..

However, we know better because there are some teams who have won two....

Point is that everybody doesn't win a championship.

In fact, next year, you know who will be in the race for the championship? The Lakers, Celtics, Bulls, and Spurs.

Let's not underestimate what we have accomplished.

Now, you can get your flamers out but while you're trying to disregard what I have said.

51 out of 64.... 5 teams.....

THANK YOU! It's like people on here just forget that we improve every year.Whether in reg. season wins( in years past) or in the postseason( like this year)We're always improving.And to all the "joe haters" in hawksquawk, joe doesnt need to be an NBA batman, he's the Atlanta hawks batman WHEN he needs to. But when your on a team with horford, smith, krik, and teague why have batman alone when you can have the Justice League. Cause as much we may dislike the ASG and Sund, it looks like their doing something right.

[Marvin24Williams]

We could beat any team in the ECF imo. If we would've gotten past chicago I believe we could've taken Miami. I mean, you look at out roster and there's one thing that stands out more then other teams: Our scoring ability. You look at 4 of our 5 guys in the starting lineup: Teague, Joe, Smoove, and Horf. They're all scoring threats and can defend their own positions pretty good. Now, if we can somehow Sign an SF whose a knockdown shooter and can defend their position, then we're set. Sliding Marv to the 7th or 8th man, moving Hinrich to the backup pg, and resigning Crawford will make our bench that much stronger.

Hinrich

Crawford

Marvin

Powell?

Zaza

That's a damn good bench.

Edited May 28, 2011 by WhassupHawks

[Buzzard]

Then over half the league has. I am not hating our team and the fact they played well in the playoffs; but over half the teams in the league have won a championship, so that puts us in the bottom half of franchises. Especially when you take into account we have never gotten out of the 2nd round...

I do agree with Sund and think we are close but these three things need to happen.

1-Teague plays as well next season as he did in the playoffs.

2-Hinrich is healthy.

3-We come up with a better Center than ZaZa or Collins.

1,2, and 3 happen, I have no doubts we could compete with anyone.

Edited May 28, 2011 by Buzzard

[Buzzard]

Then over half the league has. I am not hating our team and the fact they played well in the playoffs; but over half the teams in the league have won a championship, so that puts us in the bottom half of franchises. Especially when you take into account we have never gotten out of the 2nd round...

I do agree with Sund and think we are close but these three things need to happen.

1-Teague plays as well next season as he did in the playoffs.

2-Hinrich is healthy.

3-We come up with a better Center than ZaZa or Collins.

1,2, and 3 happen, I have no doubts we could compete with anyone.

Had to add this to those three points...Jamal Crawford. Chicago all but shut him down but without Jamal's 20ppg against Orlando we lose that series. Can Teague and Hinrich replace what Crawford and Hinrich did is a big question mark if Jamal walks.

[TheNorthCydeRises]

Sund irritates me. He tries to spin everything.

This team was getting ROLLED in a few of those games after the New Year. We were easily playing the worst out of all of the playoff teams going into the postseason. I mean, we looked straight up horrible. But because we pulled up a plane that was in a nosedive ready to crash nose first, and managed to pull up and crash softly on its belly . . . "we're close"?

Close to what?

I'm not going to totally diss this team and their effort once the playoffs started. The Orlando series was great, and they did manage to take 2 games vs Chicago, with a chance to win a 3rd game. And while we as fans may be frustrated that we can't get further than the 2nd round, these group of guys are arguably the 2nd best group in Atlanta history. I'd put the JJ, Smith, Horford group slightly over the Mookie, Smitty, Deke group . . but under the Nique, Doc, Willis group.

Sund needs to be very careful going into this offseason, thinking everything is fine. We have some serious issues on this team that need to be worked out. We have deficiencies in this roster that need to be addressed. This roster desperately needs to be balanced out and bench roles need to be set. And hopefully Coach Drew will be a better manager of the roster in his 2nd year.

But "close"?

Close to winning the division? Close to getting a top 2 seed, so that we'll have an easier road to the EC Finals?

We're not going to be "close", until we start challenging for the best record in the conference.

[thescout5]

Sund irritates me. He tries to spin everything.

This team was getting ROLLED in a few of those games after the New Year. We were easily playing the worst out of all of the playoff teams going into the postseason. I mean, we looked straight up horrible. But because we pulled up a plane that was in a nosedive ready to crash nose first, and managed to pull up and crash softly on its belly . . . "we're close"?

Close to what?

I'm not going to totally diss this team and their effort once the playoffs started. The Orlando series was great, and they did manage to take 2 games vs Chicago, with a chance to win a 3rd game. And while we as fans may be frustrated that we can't get further than the 2nd round, these group of guys are arguably the 2nd best group in Atlanta history. I'd put the JJ, Smith, Horford group slightly over the Mookie, Smitty, Deke group . . but under the Nique, Doc, Willis group.

Sund needs to be very careful going into this offseason, thinking everything is fine. We have some serious issues on this team that need to be worked out. We have deficiencies in this roster that need to be addressed. This roster desperately needs to be balanced out and bench roles need to be set. And hopefully Coach Drew will be a better manager of the roster in his 2nd year.

But "close"?

Close to winning the division? Close to getting a top 2 seed, so that we'll have an easier road to the EC Finals?

We're not going to be "close", until we start challenging for the best record in the conference.

ASG doesn't care about having the best record. The strategy is to just make the playoffs and anything can happen.It's kind of like some how the Hawks will solve all these problems I mentioned just by bringing back the same crew and a few has beens.Meanwhile the Lakers,Celtics,Spurs,Dallas,Miami will be reloading and getting pieces capable of getting them back to the championship or close to it.

[Diesel]

Then over half the league has. I am not hating our team and the fact they played well in the playoffs; but over half the teams in the league have won a championship, so that puts us in the bottom half of franchises. Especially when you take into account we have never gotten out of the 2nd round...

I do agree with Sund and think we are close but these three things need to happen.

1-Teague plays as well next season as he did in the playoffs.

2-Hinrich is healthy.

3-We come up with a better Center than ZaZa or Collins.

1,2, and 3 happen, I have no doubts we could compete with anyone.

I agree with you. We are closer. But it's time that we realistically evaluate and I agree with your valuations. The thing is we have so many fans who are used to being in the gutter that we don't know how to live in upscale neighborhoods. I have framed it a "Welfare Mentality" previously. We don't expect anything out of our Hawks so when they do something, we often point out the negative without celebrating the accomplishment. In fact, we have a fan base that devalues the accomplishments. However, I'm here to say that I won't let our accomplishments go unnoticed.

1. We were one of the top 8 teams in the league based on the playoffs (Fact).

2. We beat the team that gave us a historic beating last year (fact).

3. We finish our first round in less than 7 games for the first time in about 30 yrs. (Fact).

4. We took Homecourt advantage from the top seed in the NBA by winning game one on the road for the first time since I can recall (Fact).

5. We won a second round game for the first time in at least 15 years (Fact).

This playoffs, we played like we were more than happy to be there. We played like we should win the 2nd round. I still believe the refs had too much of a hand in game 5 and Chicago did beat us in game 6 but I can't be mad... Most of the people who complain about our post season believe that we should have been Swept in the 1st round. To them I say... F U.

Now, I don't know what to say about our fanbase who is conditioned to believe that being in the lottery is better than being in the playoffs?

Welfare mentality.

[NekiEcko]

I agree with you. We are closer. But it's time that we realistically evaluate and I agree with your valuations. The thing is we have so many fans who are used to being in the gutter that we don't know how to live in upscale neighborhoods. I have framed it a "Welfare Mentality" previously. We don't expect anything out of our Hawks so when they do something, we often point out the negative without celebrating the accomplishment. In fact, we have a fan base that devalues the accomplishments. However, I'm here to say that I won't let our accomplishments go unnoticed.

1. We were one of the top 8 teams in the league based on the playoffs (Fact).

2. We beat the team that gave us a historic beating last year (fact).

3. We finish our first round in less than 7 games for the first time in about 30 yrs. (Fact).

4. We took Homecourt advantage from the top seed in the NBA by winning game one on the road for the first time since I can recall (Fact).

5. We won a second round game for the first time in at least 15 years (Fact).

This playoffs, we played like we were more than happy to be there. We played like we should win the 2nd round. I still believe the refs had too much of a hand in game 5 and Chicago did beat us in game 6 but I can't be mad... Most of the people who complain about our post season believe that we should have been Swept in the 1st round. To them I say... F U.

Now, I don't know what to say about our fanbase who is conditioned to believe that being in the lottery is better than being in the playoffs?

Welfare mentality.

Diesel, I am thinking that you are missing the point all together.

Let me ask you a question:

With present squad that Hawks have, do you think we can get to the ECF? Right now, Heck NO

I know that you want to throw out stats, then let me throw some to you.

0-17 in the second round since Hawks coming to Atlanta

0 ECF App

2-16 in the last three second round contest with this current squad

With no cap room, new CBA, no 1st round picks and might lose J. Craw to FA. We are close alright, close to the middle section, good enough to get the playoff but can get to the ECF/Finals

We Hawks fans are tired and want to go the ECF just one time (i hope to you think that too, Diesel) East is getting stronger every year and cant be taken lightly (Phil, NY, Cha, and NJ-because of cap room), we need a change because right now, we wont be the Heat/Bulls/C's in 7 game series. Plus Orlando was way weaker this year than last year so that doesn't count at all.

Changes need to happen, no matter what. Standing pat might cost us spots in the playoffs picture or maybe out of the playoffs.

[mrhonline]

0-17 in the second round since Hawks coming to Atlanta

0 ECF App

2-16 in the last three second round contest with this current squad

This is an excellent counter to Diesel's points.

D, you are quick to point out the Hawks' failures in rebuilding as a reason NOT to rebuild. Yet, wouldn't the same logic apply to the Hawks' inability to get past the 2nd round?

In reality, you are the one advocating the "welfare mentality" by supporting the Hawks' management in their fear of taking risks. You're perfectly content with suckling the 2nd round just so that you can avoid failure.

Edited May 29, 2011 by mrhonline

[coachx]

Diesel, I am thinking that you are missing the point all together.

Let me ask you a question:

With present squad that Hawks have, do you think we can get to the ECF? Right now, Heck NO

I think Atlanta proved they are very close to the ECF. I'd love to see us get another crack at the Bulls with Teague having a year to grow and a healthy Hinrich next year.