Hawks met with Bill Walker

[Admin]

Decent player but doesn't really help at the SF position like we really need. Probably nothing to this but wanted to pass it along anyway.

Bill Walker: Recently I met with people from the Memphis Grizzlies in Las Vegas and previously with the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Atlanta Hawks. It was not a personal type of interview, just business. They want to know how you are going react to certain things and see what your responses are. I think if you go in there with that type of attitude, willing to accept criticism, you'll be fine. HoopsHype

[Robdawg]

Decent player but doesn't really help at the SF position like we really need. Probably nothing to this but wanted to pass it along anyway.

yeah I saw that on hoopshype earlier today, I really don't see anything big from it. honestly I really don't know anything about him.

[suiluap]

Dafuq is wrong with Ferry's interest in undersized SF's... He should take a look at solid defender Shawne Williams and sign him. After NYK re-signed Novak, they're out of race of Shawne, so Ferry should try to sign him. He shouldn't be allowed to play against Jazz this year but who cares.

[PSSSHHHRRR87]

Looks like all he does is dunk and get rebounds. Athletic SF, but I don't see being our starter; more of a guy to just fill the roster. Can play defense and has a bit of nastiness too...

[hawkman]

Bill was a MONSTER before the knee injury, but he's a shadow of what he once was. I'd take a look at Al Thornton or Anthony Randolph if I was Ferry. Both have produced decent numbers when given consistent minutes.

[gurpilo]

We just have one roster spot unless we cut someone else, we should probably sign a big not another backup SF

[Admin]

We just have one roster spot unless we cut someone else, we should probably sign a big not another backup SF

We need a starting SF first and foremost. Korver is only a borderline SF and he's backup quality, not starter material.

[WraithSentinel]

Right now Smoove is the only one capable of starting at SF on this team. Our roster has a lot of pieces. We have no idea who will be starting outside of Smoove and Horford. Will Horford and Smoove be our C/PF combo or PF/SF combo?

[hawkman]

We need a starting SF first and foremost. Korver is only a borderline SF and he's backup quality, not starter material.

Do you think Anthony Randolph could start? It's slim pickings out there at the 3 right now. There's no real 'proven' guys out there. Maybe Ferry is looking to trade for one?

[Admin]

Right now Smoove is the only one capable of starting at SF on this team. Our roster has a lot of pieces. We have no idea who will be starting outside of Smoove and Horford. Will Horford and Smoove be our C/PF combo or PF/SF combo?

Smoove at SF is a bad idea. It takes him away from the things that he does best, which is scoring in the paint and rebounding and encourages the things he does worst, taking long jumpers.

Do you think Anthony Randolph could start? It's slim pickings out there at the 3 right now. There's no real 'proven' guys out there. Maybe Ferry is looking to trade for one?

I don't know enough about Randolph to say but I believe he's nearly 7' tall and primarily a PF but he's so skinny he might be able to play a tall SF.

[Bruhman91]

Dude a scrub

[MaceCase]

It's all part of the plan to get OJ Mayo to sign by having his best friend and high school/AAU teammate on the team.

[gurpilo]

We need a starting SF first and foremost. Korver is only a borderline SF and he's backup quality, not starter material.

At the wings we have L. Williams, Jenkins, Morrow, Stevenson and Korver and I agree none of them are starting material but probably Jenkins or Morrow will start at SG. At PF and C we have Horford, Zaza, Petro, Ivan Johnson and Jordan Williams, only Horford is starting material. So the question is where Smith plays? and I really think that Ferry is seeing him as SF, I would not understand Korver signing if Smith is not going to play SF, also on the FA list I don't see any SF that could start on any NBA team just more backup SF and we don't need more of them as we already have Korver and Morrow, only if we could deal for James Johnson.... so I am beginning to think that the rotation is going to be Teague/Harris Jenkins/L. Williams/Morrow Smith/Korver/Stevenson Horford/I. Johnson/Scott Zaza/Petro/Jordan Williams Scott and J. Williams ar probably gone to NBDL, I also hope we cut Stevenson but we have bigger hole at the bigs than at the wings, Petro and Ivan Johnson are not quality backups, we need to sign someone to be quality backup for Zaza. Edited July 15, 2012 by gurpilo

[Robdawg]

Dude a scrub

tell scrublove to make a mixtape lol

[Peoriabird]

At the wings we have L. Williams, Jenkins, Morrow, Stevenson and Korver and I agree none of them are starting material but probably Jenkins or Morrow will start at SG. At PF and C we have Horford, Zaza, Petro, Ivan Johnson and Jordan Williams, only Horford is starting material. So the question is where Smith plays? and I really think that Ferry is seeing him as SF, I would not understand Korver signing if Smith is not going to play SF, also on the FA list I don't see any SF that could start on any NBA team just more backup SF and we don't need more of them as we already have Korver and Morrow, only if we could deal for James Johnson.... so I am beginning to think that the rotation is going to be Teague/Harris Jenkins/L. Williams/Morrow Smith/Korver/Stevenson Horford/I. Johnson/Scott Zaza/Petro/Jordan Williams Scott and J. Williams ar probably gone to NBDL, I also hope we cut Stevenson but we have bigger hole at the bigs than at the wings, Petro and Ivan Johnson are not quality backups, we need to sign someone to be quality backup for Zaza.

You don't think that Benson will make the team?

[Admin]

At the wings we have L. Williams, Jenkins, Morrow, Stevenson and Korver and I agree none of them are starting material but probably Jenkins or Morrow will start at SG.

At PF and C we have Horford, Zaza, Petro, Ivan Johnson and Jordan Williams, only Horford is starting material.

So the question is where Smith plays? and I really think that Ferry is seeing him as SF, I would not understand Korver signing if Smith is not going to play SF, also on the FA list I don't see any SF that could start on any NBA team just more backup SF and we don't need more of them as we already have Korver and Morrow, only if we could deal for James Johnson.... so I am beginning to think that the rotation is going to be

Teague/Harris

Jenkins/L. Williams/Morrow

Smith/Korver/Stevenson

Horford/I. Johnson/Scott

Zaza/Petro/Jordan Williams

Scott and J. Williams ar probably gone to NBDL, I also hope we cut Stevenson but we have bigger hole at the bigs than at the wings, Petro and Ivan Johnson are not quality backups, we need to sign someone to be quality backup for Zaza.

Stevenson can play SF and I suspect he will with the other SGs that we have if we keep him on the team. Now do I want him starting at SF? Heck no, in fact I'd prefer if we dropped him from the team as he's fallen off quite a bit from what he used to be.

My preferred options would be going after Chris Wright, Dominic McGuire, Jared Jeffries, Matt Barnes or Josh Childress if he becomes an UFA.

Wright could probably be had cheap and he had a huge game against the Spurs to end the season last year with that being his 1st start with 25/8 in 46 minutes so Ferry is probably aware of him. He's 6'8 220+ lbs and looks like he can fill it up when given the chance.

Dominic McGuire would be my preferred choice if we could get him for the bi-annual exception, which I believe we have available to us. He's 6'9 230 lbs and doesn't need the ball a lot on offense.

Ironically both Wright and McGuire are from the Warriors and I'd expect that they'll at least let one of them get away. Wright is a RFA so they could match him and for as cheap as we'd be signing him I suspect that they might. McGuire has less upside but he's unrestricted so we could sign him outright.

---

Regarding Ivan I strongly disagree as I think he's a high quality backup and fill-in starter in the mold of Udonis Haslem where he's highly effective using his high motor and rebounding skills. He's limited defensively but we'd just need him to rebound and score some when he's in the game and he's got an excellent mid-range jumper.

[Admin]

You don't think that Benson will make the team?

I'd be surprised if Benson makes the team with the roster as it stands now. I'd love to see him become a quality backup player but he's so darn skinny and foul prone that I don't see him being capable of staying on the floor long enough to become that type of player. I definitely hope that I'm wrong though!

[Plainview1981]

This is an old school hawks move. I'm glad they brought back Ivan Johnson though. He and ZaZa should be able to handle the PF/C sports for the most part.

[Peoriabird]

I'd be surprised if Benson makes the team with the roster as it stands now. I'd love to see him become a quality backup player but he's so darn skinny and foul prone that I don't see him being capable of staying on the floor long enough to become that type of player. I definitely hope that I'm wrong though!

Didn't say he should start and play 30minutes per night but you can't deny that this big guy has some shooting touch.

[Admin]

Didn't say he should start and play 30minutes per night but you can't deny that this big guy has some shooting touch.

I know but I'm more concerned about him defending and rebounding and not fouling at a high rate.