This Message Board

[ag82]

I don't have much to say about this team these days. Our ceiling is round 2 of the playoffs and our "star" is incredibly frustrating. What's there to be excited about?

[Ruckus]

I just don't agree with building around Smoove. Don't care for his attitude and low BBIQ. I think it will be a disaster for this team if we re-sign him to a long term contract.

I think many others do to. And those people get tired of arguing this point to people that don't get it. It like debating a brick wall.

[Jody23]

I'm posting a lot more here now, than I did last year.Of course that means that I'm posting a lot less on the AJC blog.Here's a question . . . does the decrease in posts correlate with the decrease in actual fan support the Hawks are receiving at the arena?

Maybe. Maybe not. I can't really say. I do think that diehard fans who post here and/or who attend games are taking a cautious wait and see attitude toward the future of this team and rightly so. We've all seen how this story can end. We've all seen this team put in a position to potentially succeed in a very large way only to see that potential squandered by terrible draft selections and bad contracts. I believe a large contingent of fans are waiting on the Hawks to give them a reason to believe that things a different now.

[Jody23]

I think many others do to. And those people get tired of arguing this point to people that don't get it. It like debating a brick wall.

While I do believe Ferry will re-sign Josh, I don't believe he intends to over pay him or "build" solely around him. While I don't think Ferry's always made the best moves in his career as a GM, there's no way you see LeBron and Duncan up close and decide that Josh is the guy to build around. That's not a slight at Josh. It's just the truth.

[DJlaysitup]

I miss Woody

(plus I've slowed down on my drinking and there is no exodus to argue with)

Edited December 25, 2012 by DJlaysitup

[Vol4ever]

While I do believe Ferry will re-sign Josh, I don't believe he intends to over pay him or "build" solely around him. While I don't think Ferry's always made the best moves in his career as a GM, there's no way you see LeBron and Duncan up close and decide that Josh is the guy to build around. That's not a slight at Josh. It's just the truth.

I'm just still hesitant to buy in on Ferry because he is paid by the ownership group. While I like what he did moving JJ and Marvin the ownership group still looms in the background.If we resign Smith and don't bring in two better players, then we are in trouble. In regards to two better players, just don't see who they are,of the free agents in the offseason we know CP3 and D12 are not leaving LA.We are really in a bad situation this season. We are too good to get in the lottery and on the other hand we are not committed enough as a franchise to get a major free agent. I'm just not optimistic looking to the offseason.

[Wretch]

I'm just still hesitant to buy in on Ferry because he is paid by the ownership group. While I like what he did moving JJ and Marvin the ownership group still looms in the background. If we resign Smith and don't bring in two better players, then we are in trouble. In regards to two better players, just don't see who they are,of the free agents in the offseason we know CP3 and D12 are not leaving LA. We are really in a bad situation this season. We are too good to get in the lottery and on the other hand we are not committed enough as a franchise to get a major free agent. I'm just not optimistic looking to the offseason.

That right there...

That sums up my feelings 100%. Especially the last part. You can't maintain a "pretty good" team. You either have to reach contender status or you have to shake things up. One or the other...and even the contenders shake things up. And if you're not in the draft, then what exactly are you doing?

You have no hope of getting past the top teams. You really aren't a lock to beat anybody in the middle of the pack. You're not even gambling on drafting the kind of talent that will put you over.

What you're doing is...nothing. Sad to say, but we've done that for a long time. I know people hate the 20 win years, but that was an exciting time for me. Just the idea that we could be drafting franchise quality talent and that we could mold and shape this team...the hope we had in those guys and watching them grow up. That was fun (as was all the arguments about who was going to be what and why we should draft/trade for a certain player).

Not saying that in particular is what I want to see...because I ***really*** wish we could add the right talent to this core...but I would prefer starting over to middling around with a team stuck in stasis.

[Vol4ever]

[quote name=Wretch" post="590843" time="1356408849] That right there... That sums up my feelings 100%. Especially the last part. You can't maintain a "pretty good" team. You either have to reach contender status or you have to shake things up. One or the other...and even the contenders shake things up. And if you're not in the draft, then what exactly are you doing? You have no hope of getting past the top teams. You really aren't a lock to beat anybody in the middle of the pack. You're not even gambling on drafting the kind of talent that will put you over. What you're doing is...nothing. Sad to say, but we've done that for a long time. I know people hate the 20 win years, but that was an exciting time for me. Just the idea that we could be drafting franchise quality talent and that we could mold and shape this team...the hope we had in those guys and watching them grow up. That was fun (as was all the arguments about who was going to be what and why we should draft/trade for a certain player). Not saying that in particular is what I want to see...because I ***really*** wish we could add the right talent to this core...but I would prefer starting over to middling around with a team stuck in stasis.

because I ***really*** wish we could add the right talent to this core...but I would prefer starting over to middling around with a team stuck in stasis.

Wretch who do you think that could be added to the core in regards to a reasonable trade to make us contenders?

Me? I think if we brought Gasol in.........I know, I know he is getting some age on him and is owed quite a bit of money.......but he would make us a contender this year if we didn't have to give up a core player. Gasol is a top 3 low post skilled player in this league today!

[Wretch]

because I ***really*** wish we could add the right talent to this core...but I would prefer starting over to middling around with a team stuck in stasis.

Wretch who do you think that could be added to the core in regards to a reasonable trade to make us contenders?

Me? I think if we brought Gasol in.........I know, I know he is getting some age on him and is owed quite a bit of money.......but he would make us a contender this year if we didn't have to give up a core player. Gasol is a top 3 low post skilled player in this league today!

I just don't see anybody available in FAcy this year that would do it. The time to go after Dwight and CP3 was a couple of seasons ago, but...that's what we should have done. We should have went hard after one of those guys.

I think an intriguing and more realistic possibility is Al Jefferson. if "win without losing" is the plan, then That's the guy I would target. He would give us a sick frontline...but it'll be a tough sell if Dallas has serious interest in him.

[macdaddy]

I'm baffled by the lack of interest too. I don't see where this year's team is anymore inconsistent than the previous years. I don't see where this year's team is worse than last year's. I don't see where this year's potential (even without a trade) is less than last year's. Does anyone remember that we failed to make it out of the FIRST round last year.

I think this site is mostly armchair GMs. Now we have one who was able to shed almost all our long term financial committments and end up with a team as good or better it is not as much fun to second guess. What he does next is completely unknown but there seems no joy in the fact that we are having a really good season and we have a more enjoyable team to watch. I don't understand it.

How is this more of a let down because these guys are all on ending deals? Watching the dysfunction of our old core was about as disheartening an experience i can think of. Frankly these guys are a breathe of fresh air.

[macdaddy]

http://espn.go.com/nba/team/rankings/trended/_/name/atl/atlanta-hawks

[Sothron]

I'm baffled by the lack of interest too. I don't see where this year's team is anymore inconsistent than the previous years. I don't see where this year's team is worse than last year's. I don't see where this year's potential (even without a trade) is less than last year's. Does anyone remember that we failed to make it out of the FIRST round last year.

I think this site is mostly armchair GMs. Now we have one who was able to shed almost all our long term financial committments and end up with a team as good or better it is not as much fun to second guess. What he does next is completely unknown but there seems no joy in the fact that we are having a really good season and we have a more enjoyable team to watch. I don't understand it.

How is this more of a let down because these guys are all on ending deals? Watching the dysfunction of our old core was about as disheartening an experience i can think of. Frankly these guys are a breathe of fresh air.

I can answer your question rather easily with a question of my own to you and to everyone else:

Is this team an actual contender or just a playoff pretender that has a second round exit as a hard ceiling?

I think we all honestly know that answer to that question. As Wretch pointed out already this fanbase is getting tired of "Good but not great".

[macdaddy]

I can answer your question rather easily with a question of my own to you and to everyone else:

Is this team an actual contender or just a playoff pretender that has a second round exit as a hard ceiling?

I think we all honestly know that answer to that question. As Wretch pointed out already this fanbase is getting tired of "Good but not great".

Ugh. So how is this different than last year or the year before? We haven't been a contender in decades so why suddenly have people lost interest this year? The question isn't why the average atlantan isn't interested. It is why are Hawks fans less interested this year than last year. We are less a pretender this year than last.

[Guest]

I can answer your question rather easily with a question of my own to you and to everyone else:

Is this team an actual contender or just a playoff pretender that has a second round exit as a hard ceiling?

I think we all honestly know that answer to that question. As Wretch pointed out already this fanbase is getting tired of "Good but not great".

EVERYBODY on this board should understand that this team as constructed is not a contender, but we were also not that last year. What we are is a team that has a chance to surprise and maybe do something unexpected (but if we don't most see this as a retooling/rebuilding year anyway), a team that is playing a more desirable and watchable game of basketball and a team that has the flexibility to makes changes wether through trades and FAcy going forward which we did not have before. We were stuck in a malaise knowing that the 'original' core would only go so far to that hard ceiling. We now have options going forward and that is exciting.

[buckeye242424]

It's nice to see the "usual suspects" postings this thread... I check in myself everyday, but don't post much. I think we're all just sitting on our hands. I don't know about everyone, but I.m shocked that were 16-9 with this group. I was totally prepared to be a mediocre/almost bad team this year. We're not, and the Hawks are a surprise. I hope it lasts, but I'm pessimistic. And while I think we're good, the second round is the ceiling with this team.... But hell, that's what it's been the last 6 years... I love that we have so much money to play with and we don't suck... I guess that's my whole point.

[benhillboy]

We're third in the East after Christmas with a better projected outlook as far as health than other teams considered top contenders after just dismantling the top defensive team in the league. I don't see what's to feel apprehensive about. We're arguably the only team young and good enough in the East to be compared with the Thunder or Grizzlies model out West (with the prediction we show Indiana we're better head-to-head). All these kids can do is beat who's put in front of them. As long as they do it a good clip, I'm behind them 100%. I'll let the postseason with the matchups and the offseason with the expirings and the money play themselves out before I jump to conclusions or shortchange their outstanding start.

[Sothron]

Ugh. So how is this different than last year or the year before? We haven't been a contender in decades so why suddenly have people lost interest this year? The question isn't why the average atlantan isn't interested. It is why are Hawks fans less interested this year than last year. We are less a pretender this year than last.

So to sum up your post and JayBird: nope, still not a contender.

[bird_dirt]

i think the answer to the OP is really quite obvious. marvin was traded away and we didn't acquire oj mayo. with marvin gone, we lost close to half the posts and threads made here due to diesel going quiet, and since we didn't get oj, joker/nbasuper made good on his promise of not following the hawks anymore (or at least not posting here), so there goes another good 20% of our posts. those two seemingly minor move and non moves just cost the squawk roughly 70% of its traffic.

[macdaddy]

So to sum up your post and JayBird: nope, still not a contender.

So to sum up your position: you are only really interested if we are unquestionably a contender?

[ag82]

Ugh. So how is this different than last year or the year before? We haven't been a contender in decades so why suddenly have people lost interest this year? The question isn't why the average atlantan isn't interested. It is why are Hawks fans less interested this year than last year. We are less a pretender this year than last.

That is exactly it. It isn't much different than the year before or the year before that. We all know how this ends and it isnt in a championship or even a conference championship.What is there to get really excited about as a fan this year? We are just middle of the road and seem to be staying that way atleast for a while.Maybe the lack of excitement is also from nobody knowing how we are going to get to the next level. We aren't doing it through the draft and no big name free agents will come unless we overpay.