Hawks now out of Dwight sweepstakes ( obviously )

[ATLscrubLove]

Yes, we can land some good players. But good players don't get you out of the second round. We might as well have kept Joe if the plan was to sign someone like Harden.

Let's be honest Im not sure if anything can get us out of the 1st-2nd round regardless. This city has a curse.

[AHF]

Harden is not leaving OKC, Curry is not either unless he is injured again this season and if he is I don't want him. For all his talent he is always injured. Ibaka is just a good pf. I think he was really exposed in the playoffs...can't guard big men or the perimeter and he is just a help defender (like Josh) who gets a lot of weakside blocks as a result of his atheltism. His offense is subpar. Bynum if staying healthy is def a max player but he can't stay healthy.

This is why I think we are better off tearing down and going into the lottery rather than ending up overpaying Ibaka and Curry. (Harden is interesting since OKC was reportedly trying to deal him for Brandon Beal, though. You wonder if they question whether they can afford him long-term.)

[capstone21]

I sincerely hope that if we miss out on Howard/CP3 we just sit on the cap and not give max deals to the Al Jeffersons or Steph Curry's of the world just because we have the cap space. The whole reason to start over IMO is to get actual superstars either through free agency or the draft.

I agree...I don't think we just give the money away to the lower tier players...however...I would like us to pursue those players (or players of their caliber) if they would sign more reasonable contracts

[capstone21]

This is why I think we are better off tearing down and going into the lottery rather than ending up overpaying Ibaka and Curry. (Harden is interesting since OKC was reportedly trying to deal him for Brandon Beal, though. You wonder if they question whether they can afford him long-term.)

...but they didn't do the deal....and it was a rumor... They are worried of not being able to keep both Serge and Harden...I would def keep Harden first but it will come down to them next season amnestying Perkins to keep them

[Sothron]

I agree...I don't think we just give the money away to the lower tier players...however...I would like us to pursue those players (or players of their caliber) if they would sign more reasonable contracts

That's just it though...there won't be reasonable contracts. Look at this offseason and last several offseasons. Teams who miss out on the big names completely overpay to either keep their own guys or go get a good to average guy. Take Hibbert for instance. This guy won't probably ever sniff 15 points a game and he just got a max contract. Rudy Gay has a max deal and he can barely score 20 points a game and that's the only thing he brings on a court. Asik is getting 8 million a year. Insane. So this offseason someone is absolutely going to look at Al Jefferson or Milsap or Curry and overpay. I don't want any part of Grade B guys. This whole rebuild must net us legit superstars or else it was for nothing.

[GameTime]

What is the point of dropping Joe if we are gonna give Ibaka/Harden/Curry max contracts next year?If no Dwight, Josh is gone. Does Horford want to rebuild? If not he is gone. So we are stuck with maybe Teague.

Edited July 9, 2012 by GameTime

[thefloydian]

What is the point of dropping Joe if we are gonna give Ibaka/Harden/Curry max contracts next year? If no Dwight, Josh is gone. Does Horford want to rebuild? If not he is gone. So we are stuck with maybe Teague.

The only way any of this makes any sense is if they completely blow the team up and try to snag that Shabazz kid in the draft.

[Bahamut]

No matter what happens on Wednesday, we need a real coach IMMEDIATELY.That's the most important personnel decision Ferry has to make, after dealing with Josh.The Falcons changing OC and DC could end up being their most important move too, but time (and their record this year) will tell.

[EazyRoc]

Joe Harden was a much better player this past post season and he's only 22. The fact is you need a guy who can score in iso situations and James Harden is that guy. Will he leave OKC ? That all depends on what he's motivated by. Does he want to be third fiddle in OKC ? Does he have the desire to be an All Star and more than a Sixth man ? Does he want to another shot at a ring with KD and Westbrook ? I don't know, but he's just as much worth a max contract as Joe was when he left phoenix.

[ATLscrubLove]

Joe Harden was a much better player this past post season and he's only 22. The fact is you need a guy who can score in iso situations and James Harden is that guy. Will he leave OKC ? That all depends on what he's motivated by. Does he want to be third fiddle in OKC ? Does he have the desire to be an All Star and more than a Sixth man ? Does he want to another shot at a ring with KD and Westbrook ? I don't know, but he's just as much worth a max contract as Joe was when he left phoenix.

James Harden is good but he was terrible in the Finals, I don't think he is worth a max deal. Maybe worth around $13 mill a year tops. He will end up leaving OKC purely because I don't see the Thunder having enough cap to resign him.

[Seano]

The Hawks have two Allstars...so Ferry's first job is to fill out the roster, sign Josh Smith, and look to sign Harden, Ibaka or Even Bynum next year. Btw - and since when is a second year player (teague) averaging 12.6pts 4.9ast in the regular season and raising his point total to 14ppg in the post season suck?

Good points. Whether we sign or trade Josh, the end result of the Joe and Marvin trades is that we are currently set to have tons of payroll flexibility next offseason, and with a 2013 free agency class including players like Chris Paul, Andrew Bynum, Steph Curry, Al Jefferson, Andre Igoudala, Manu Ginobili, James Harden, Serge Ibaka, Taj Gibson, Paul Millsap and etc etc etc, we can be a serious player for some of these players.

[Watchman]

Joe Harden was a much better player this past post season and he's only 22. The fact is you need a guy who can score in iso situations and James Harden is that guy. Will he leave OKC ? That all depends on what he's motivated by. Does he want to be third fiddle in OKC ? Does he have the desire to be an All Star and more than a Sixth man ? Does he want to another shot at a ring with KD and Westbrook ? I don't know, but he's just as much worth a max contract as Joe was when he left phoenix.

That's the point. Joe was never a max contract player. Neither is Harden.

[ATLscrubLove]

To the people saying we have 2 stars, you are false. Though Smoove put up the numbers he still wasn't an allstar. Also, you have to remember the only reason he put those numbers up were because Horford was out. Not saying he wasn't deserving of being an allstar but Horford is really the only true allstar on the team.

[EazyRoc]

That's the point. Joe was never a max contract player. Neither is Harden.

Joe produced well for the contract he got after leaving Phoenix. It's the next contract he got that sucked.

[Guest]

Were we ever really in the "D12 Sweepstakes"?

[Watchman]

Were we ever really in the "D12 Sweepstakes"?

I don't think so. Just wishful thinking on the part of a lot of our fellow-posters.

[MaceCase]

So how do we know Horford is on board with being the centerpiece of a rebuilding team? Clean house!

Being under contract for 4 more years.

[ATLscrubLove]

I don't think so. Just wishful thinking on the part of a lot of our fellow-posters.

I still think the Hawks could easily get the trade done, the only problem is Dwight wasn't willing to commit past this season. The Magic would trade hands down if Horford was involved but the Hawks never offered him. Good move by Ferry not to trade the whole team for a rental. Never actually offered him.

[Johnnybravo4]

Idk.why we wouldn't call Howards bluff. If we traded for him he couldnt sign with the Nets because they are now capped out and we would own his bird rights.

[sturt]

I still don't think it's over... even tonight, there are some fragile moving parts. I think the Nets are in a place where they have to go to incredible extremes to get it done. I think Ferry is smart to sit on the sideline and just let this thing play out, and if it can't happen, DH could practically fall in our lap.