A deal for Gortat shows Ferry's vision for this hawks team becoming visible

[JTB]

Ferry's vision for the hawks look alot like the spurs roster if this trade goes down for gortat and man i love it! this is building a team!....let's look at what this team is with gortat in the picture and not smith:

Teague- this young man will finally have control of the damn ball. finally!!!!!!!!!! there is no joe, there is no smith, there is no ignorence on the court! teague is not done improving and I am in belief that he can become a top 15 pg in this league. Teague does alot of things right, he just needs to keep working on his game.

horford- first off i do not believe this man has hit his ceiling! come on guys I truthfully believe horford has something to prove. with gortat i think we will see more inside the paint action coming from horford and mainly becuase he will be posting up guys that are his size.

our post defense- with gorat and horford our post defense will be just fine. there are no worries in the inside.

our perimeter defense- will be fine as well with the players we have

Im just saying smarter play, smarter players....players actually getting a chance to be more than what thry are showing now (horford,teague) thats a good thing. we know what josh is, we knew what joe was. I like this move by ferry and most of should.

[drzachary]

I think our defense takes a dip, but the offense would greatly outweigh that decrease.

[MrMeltdown]

Not going to happen and it should not

[Atlantaholic]

I think our defense takes a dip, but the offense would greatly outweigh that decrease.

You could replace Josh with a broomstick and the offense would improve lol

[yungsta]

cant be the spurs without a duncan..

[BrandonJ0]

pull the dam trigger already

[frankthetank966]

Y'all are pathetic. Gortat is not even close to the same caliber player as smoove

[DrReality]

But what josh brings to defense he offsets on the other end w his bonehead plays

[wolvetigers]

But what josh brings to defense he offsets on the other end w his bonehead plays

I totally agree...Gortat is slightly better than Zaza...BUT will not improve the Hawks on both ends of the floor - Some hawks just dont get it...we should look to get Greg Monroe and Draft Picks from Detroit and call it a day

[Admin]

I totally agree...Gortat is slightly better than Zaza...BUT will not improve the Hawks on both ends of the floor - Some hawks just dont get it...we should look to get Greg Monroe and Draft Picks from Detroit and call it a day

Josh doesn't improve us on both ends of the floor. Quite the opposite as he holds us back on the offensive end. Sure let's call up some other teams and take their young studs they aren't looking to trade and make them give us draft picks too lol

[Admin]

Y'all are pathetic. Gortat is not even close to the same caliber player as smoove

Its easy to hurl insults but how about you back up exactly how Smoove is such a higher caliber player. Just to help you out, Gortat is close as a defender, a better rebounder, a better shooter with better efficiency, a better FT shooter and the only area where there's a big difference is Josh is a far better passer. Please feel free to add to this though.

[macdaddy]

Its easy to hurl insults but how about you back up exactly how Smoove is such a higher caliber player.Just to help you out, Gortat is close as a defender, a better rebounder, a better shooter with better efficiency, a better FT shooter and the only area where there's a big difference is Josh is a far better passer. Please feel free to add to this though.

I had been actually hoping for this possibility for a long time but now when i think about pulling the trigger i'm on the fence. On the defensive end i think Josh is by far a superior player because he's more versatile. If we're lining up teague/harris/korver/horford/gortat who's going guard lebron, jj, durant. Korver? we'll get crushed.

On the offensive end i was always impressed with Gortat but on a terrible phx team his numbers aren't very impressive. Don't get me wrong i see the need to move Josh and rid ourselves of boneheadedness but that's still a lot of points and assists to make up on offense in addition to losing ground on the defensive end.

Horford is great but he isn't a star or a scorer. It seems like in the absence of another move we've got to bring back a scorer for Josh. Like i said i'm on the fence and i really like Gortat. I'm just throwing this out there.

[wolvetigers]

Josh doesn't improve us on both ends of the floor. Quite the opposite as he holds us back on the offensive end.Sure let's call up some other teams and take their young studs they aren't looking to trade and make them give us draft picks too lol

Point taken...Josh is a liability on the offensive end with his shot selection...but if Ferry trades Josh for Gortat then the Hawks would take a huge step back...I agree that Josh is polarizing at times with his attitude, shot selection and immaturity - and I do agree its time to trade Josh...but we simply can't trade him for a guy (Gortat) with a career average of 8.5pts, 6.9rbs......please keep in mind that Zaza's career average is 6.8pts, 5.5rbs...

Edited February 1, 2013 by wolvetigers

[Wretch]

Moving Josh would be addition by subtraction. This team is like a bike chain with one warped link. At any given moment, the whole thing could slip off. Josh Smith is the least most capable scorer on this team, but he takes the most shots (and many of his shots are terrible). if you get rid of Josh, then put the ball where it SHOULD BE. You also cut an assload of thrown away possessions on bad shots (and turnovers).

At the same time though, don't kid yourselves into thinking we're building a Spurs-like team from spare parts. That's like picking up random parts for a Mustang - a door, steering wheel, headlights, and an axle - and saying, "GWARSH! I reckon we gonna have us a Mustang!" You still need an engine. I don't know what you guys are thinking, but typically speaking...teams identify the players to build around and go from there (even if they trade those conerstone players later on down the line). Trying to do that in reverse really hinges upon a homerun free agent signing. Good luck with that here.

[Admin]

Point taken...Josh is a liability on the offensive end with his shot selection...but if Ferry trades Josh for Gortat then the Hawks would take a huge step back...I agree that Josh is polarizing at times with his attitude, shot selection and immaturity - and I do agree its time to trade Josh...but we simply can't trade him for a guy (Gortat) with a career average of 8.5pts, 6.9rbs......please keep in mind that Zaza's career average is 6.8pts, 5.5rbs...

You can't look at career averages, especially when talking about a guy who spent his first several years as a backup. I know that Josh is the better and more versatile player but Gortat has proven to be a quality starter who defends opposing C's pretty well. Are there better players that I'd rather trade Josh for (e.g. Cousins, Monroe, Drummond) hell yes but as far as I'm aware those guys aren't available to us and for me I'd MUCH rather get Gortat, plus Dudley plus a 1st round pick than re-sign Josh or lose him for nothing.

[Admin]

I had been actually hoping for this possibility for a long time but now when i think about pulling the trigger i'm on the fence. On the defensive end i think Josh is by far a superior player because he's more versatile. If we're lining up teague/harris/korver/horford/gortat who's going guard lebron, jj, durant. Korver? we'll get crushed.

On the offensive end i was always impressed with Gortat but on a terrible phx team his numbers aren't very impressive. Don't get me wrong i see the need to move Josh and rid ourselves of boneheadedness but that's still a lot of points and assists to make up on offense in addition to losing ground on the defensive end.

Horford is great but he isn't a star or a scorer. It seems like in the absence of another move we've got to bring back a scorer for Josh. Like i said i'm on the fence and i really like Gortat. I'm just throwing this out there.

Last I checked Josh was never able to slow down any of the Lebron, Carmelo, Durant types of superstars as they've all had monster games against him. Of course Korver is nowhere near the defender is, but I don't consider trading Josh to be the only move we'd make and we'd have more than enough cap room to go out and sign Iggy to a big contract or go for another SF in FA or the draft.

One thing that Gortat is very good at (if memory serves) is that he's a very good PnR C and Al is also very good at that. It just so happens that Teague is becoming better and better at running that with Al and I think if we could run that on either side of the court on a given play it could really make our offense dangerous.

[Admin]

Moving Josh would be addition by subtraction. This team is like a bike chain with one warped link. At any given moment, the whole thing could slip off. Josh Smith is the least most capable scorer on this team, but he takes the most shots (and many of his shots are terrible). if you get rid of Josh, then put the ball where it SHOULD BE. You also cut an assload of thrown away possessions on bad shots (and turnovers).

At the same time though, don't kid yourselves into thinking we're building a Spurs-like team from spare parts. That's like picking up random parts for a Mustang - a door, steering wheel, headlights, and an axle - and saying, "GWARSH! I reckon we gonna have us a Mustang!" You still need an engine. I don't know what you guys are thinking, but typically speaking...teams identify the players to build around and go from there (even if they trade those conerstone players later on down the line). Trying to do that in reverse really hinges upon a homerun free agent signing. Good luck with that here.

Ferry might be planning on building around Al (or Josh) plus Teague and then hoping that one of his draft picks turns into a star. But I do agree, usually you build the team around the star / superstar player and go from there.

[benhillboy]

I'm not gonna front like I've seen a whole lot of Gortat. From what I have seen, he's smart. Advantage over Josh. For what it's worth, I think he and Nash developed the best scoring assist duo in the league by far last season. Not saying that Teague is Nash passing, but Gortat definately has the knowledge and skill to increase production in that area tremendously, Zaza and Al take notes. Ferry is extremely shrewd in improving the team through competition and player to player tutelage in practice. Everyone owes their good three point shooting to Kyle stirring it up in practice. We've heard Devin and Lou have had a good impact on Teague taking the next step. Gortat has been to a Finals. Maybe Al hits the weights a little harder to bang with Gortat in practice so those little weak fall-aways in the middle of the lane can instead be and-1 layups. I think Ferry is one of the great minds in basketball today. Far be it from me to question anything after sticking with Drew and having this team of cast-offs and underachievers pass and defend like they do. Seeig Gortat outplay Silly Dwight, and undoubtedly relaying knowledge about how to beat two of his old teammates (which isnt too hard these days) was all that Ferry needed to see I guess. Player scouting on the court is very underrated, I'm guessing that Ferry values this a lot. I'm behind whatever he does or doesn't do.

Edited February 1, 2013 by benhillboy

[Admin]

I'm not gonna front like I've seen a whole lot of Gortat. From what I have seen, he's smart. Advantage over Josh. For what it's worth, I think he and Nash developed the best scoring assist duo in the league by far last season. Not saying that Teague is Nash passing, but Gortat definately has the knowledge and skill to increase production in that area tremendously, Zaza and Al take notes. Ferry is extremely shrewd in improving the team through competition and player to player tutelage in practice. Everyone owes their good three point shooting to Kyle stirring it up in practice. We've heard Devin and Lou have had a good impact on Teague taking the next step. Gortat has been to a Finals. Maybe Al hits the weights a little harder to bang with Gortat in practice so those little weak fall-aways in the middle of the lane can instead be and-1 layups. I think Ferry is one of the great minds in basketball today. Far be it from me to question anything after sticking with Drew and having this team of cast-offs and underachievers pass and defend like they do. Seeig Gortat outplay Silly Dwight, and undoubtedly relaying knowledge about how to beat two of his old teammates (which isnt too hard these days) was all that Ferry needed to see I guess. Player scouting on the court is very underrated, I'm guessing that Ferry values this a lot. I'm behind whatever he does or doesn't do.

What if he re-acquires JJ?

[coachx]

Point taken...Josh is a liability on the offensive end with his shot selection...but if Ferry trades Josh for Gortat then the Hawks would take a huge step back...I agree that Josh is polarizing at times with his attitude, shot selection and immaturity - and I do agree its time to trade Josh...but we simply can't trade him for a guy (Gortat) with a career average of 8.5pts, 6.9rbs......please keep in mind that Zaza's career average is 6.8pts, 5.5rbs...

We all know he waisted away on th bench behind Dwight Howard for a few years.

Lets look at what he has done since becoming a starter since he would be starting in Atlanta:

2009-10: 13 ppg / 9.3 rpg / 1.3 blkpg / 56.3 FG% / 59.8 TS% / 5.1 win share / 18.8 per

2010-11: 15.4 ppg / 10.0 rpg / 1.5 blkpg / 55.9 FG% / 57.8 TS% / 7.6 win share / 21.2 per

2011-12: 11.6 ppg / 9.0 rpg / 1.8 blkpg / 52.3 FG% / 55.3 TS% / 3.3 win share / 16.5 per