Jeff Teague is off of his high horse

[Cwell]

Love Teague. I believe he'll be Mookie 2.0. A lot people forget that this is only his 4th season in the league. Give the man time to continue to hone his skills. Most guys don't hit the prime of their careers until about year 6. Teague will be a stellar player for us and I think those 20 and 10 games will be a regular thing for him in a few years. Then again, he starts doing that, the fans will just want to trade him while his value is high... SMH, hope he retires a Hawk.

aint that the damn truth!!! ATL fans in a nut shell. Complain about being have nots but when they get something worthy they wanna get rid of it for something else unproven smh

[PSSSHHHRRR87]

He's far more dangerous offensively than Mookie and a hell of a lot faster, but he doesn't have that dog in him that Mookie had. The only PG I've ever seen who was more vicious defensively than Mookie was the Glove in his prime and even then it wasn't that much of a difference. I think people forget just how dominant Mookie was defensively and if Teague is ever 1/2 of how good Mookie was defensively I will be thrilled.

I agree with that. Mookie had a prowess about him on D and that is something that Teague is missing. Teague comes off as a nice guy and is quiet. Would love to see Teague start playing with that cockiness that he had earlier in the year. He has really toned that down. I also think having a starting SG that Teague can form chemistry with would be beneficial. It's gotta be hard playing point when you gotta have a different running mate every night. Mookie had Smitty, Teague needs somebody too...

[MrMeltdown]

I don't listen to national media when it comes to us. Last night on ESPN they made several inaccurate statements showing that they dont know or care about us. I am fine with drafting a PG but if you think that guy is going to be as good as Teague anytime soon you are clowning yourself. Teague is having one of the best years in Hawks history for a PG and this is his 2nd year of playing time.

[PSSSHHHRRR87]

I don't listen to national media when it comes to us. Last night on ESPN they made several inaccurate statements showing that they dont know or care about us. I am fine with drafting a PG but if you think that guy is going to be as good as Teague anytime soon you are clowning yourself. Teague is having one of the best years in Hawks history for a PG and this is his 2nd year of playing time.

IKR. I heard Jon Barry comment on Ivan shooting a mid-range jumper saying "that isn't his shot". I responded by saying "and you don't know shit about the Hawks".

I think it would be beneficial to draft a PG that we can groom, but it has to be a different type of PG. Teague is our quick,shifty PG, so we need to draft a big PG, someone like Ty Lawson, Ramond Felton, or Chaucey Billups. Then we need to spend the other first rounder on a guy that is around 6'5"-6'8" to play backup SG/SF. The guys I want are C.J. McCollum and Archie Goodwin.

[Guest]

Teague is developing - that''s all I've got.

[Ruckus]

He steals the ball a lot and is a premier blocker at his position and I think he thinks somehow that compensates for awful man defense. It doesn't.

Wonder what veteran taught him that. Hmmm.

[GameTime]

I agree with that. Mookie had a prowess about him on D and that is something that Teague is missing. Teague comes off as a nice guy and is quiet. Would love to see Teague start playing with that cockiness that he had earlier in the year. He has really toned that down. I also think having a starting SG that Teague can form chemistry with would be beneficial. It's gotta be hard playing point when you gotta have a different running mate every night. Mookie had Smitty, Teague needs somebody too...

How about a Joe Johnson?

[AHawks89]

All these people defending Teague, what if he leaves? Are yall going to follow Teague where ever he goes?

Because I KNOW I AM~

Edited April 5, 2013 by AHawks89

[HawkItus]

So for those who want to give him more time......how long? Why waste the next few years of Horf if we can get someone in to help him play better? I already mentioned Rondo. I just want a PG who can execute the play and not go "f- it" when a team plays hard defense. It's easy to penetrate on bad teams and look good against them. Show up against the Celtics and Indiana. Probe against San Antonio and get your guys good looks.

[Admin]

All these people defending Teague, what if he leaves? Are yall going to follow Teague where ever he goes?

Because I KNOW I AM~

Only those who've had Teague avatars their entire membership and 99% of their posts are Teague hugging, despite his flaws that have cost us countless games, would leave the team upon him signing elsewhere.

[Admin]

So for those who want to give him more time......how long? Why waste the next few years of Horf if we can get someone in to help him play better? I already mentioned Rondo. I just want a PG who can execute the play and not go "f- it" when a team plays hard defense. It's easy to penetrate on bad teams and look good against them. Show up against the Celtics and Indiana. Probe against San Antonio and get your guys good looks.

I'm willing to give him at least 1 more year as the full-time starter and I really feel he deserves a full year without Josh Smith trying to keep the ball out of his hands before I really make any long term judgments on him. I know that doesn't affect his effort or skill defensively, but who knows maybe it will have a domino effect on his game.

I'm not crazy about Rondo since he clearly has temper issues and has caused problems with his teammates and personally I'd rather not have those types of guys on our team. Not to mention the assets we'd have to give him to get him. Teague is younger, cheaper and isn't coming off of a major injury so for me he's a better option for at least another year. Now if Chris Paul wanted to sign here in the offseason then I'd make Teague a 6th man or move him somewhere else, but that's probably not going to happen. I would definitely look to draft a young PG with 1 of our picks this year as well.

[coachx]

So for those who want to give him more time......how long? Why waste the next few years of Horf if we can get someone in to help him play better? I already mentioned Rondo. I just want a PG who can execute the play and not go "f- it" when a team plays hard defense. It's easy to penetrate on bad teams and look good against them. Show up against the Celtics and Indiana. Probe against San Antonio and get your guys good looks.

First, I would love to get Rondo in Hawks a uniform.........but just b/c you mention the name doesn't mean he can be obtained by Atlanta.

The players under a guaranteed contract that the Hawks have this off season are: Horford, Williams, and Jenkins.

I just do not see Rondo as a plausible trade option right now unless the Celtics take Williams / Jenkins / 2 first round draft picks.

We would have to take the option year on Stevenso and include his salary but I don't think that would be enough salary to get back Rondo even if the Celtics were agreeable.

Sure we could offer Josh Smith in a sign and trade but those are extremely hard to pull off with unrestricted free agents.

There is no PG tree where you pick a top 10 PG off like low hanging fruit. Teague, at 24 has the ability to be a top 10 PG and we can probably keep him under a reasonable deal arouind $7 - $8 mill per year.

Edited April 5, 2013 by coachx

[Guest]

Patience Gentlemen.

Is Teague flawed? -yes. Is he improving? -yes. Does he still have room to keep getting better? - yes.

Teague started last year for the first time (3rd season) and averaged 12ppg/4.9apg (and that is with LD saying his job was to bring the ball up court and pass to Joe) - check Rondo's stats when he started games full time in his 2nd season 10ppg/5apg which also coincided with having 3 hall of famers on his team to pass the ball to. The next year he jumped to 11ppg/8apg, this year Teague is averaging 14ppg/7apg. (I know, I know all stats aren't created equal and Rondo is the better player as of now).

There are areas of Teague's game that still needs to develop and there is no reason to believe that he won't. He needs to get stronger and learn to fight through and over screens, he has enough quickness to do that (his teammates also has to hedge harder on some screens to give him time to get over). He is absorbing contact better this season when going into the lane. He has to get rid of the jump pass and improve his decision making especially when playing the good teams (but that goes for all our players in big games - Al disappeared last game). He has too many unforced turnovers (Rondo has averaged 3+ turnovers the last 4 years) Teague is averaging 3 this year. Chauncey didn't become Chauncey until Detroit (7 years into career) where he had players around him. He loses his focus sometimes which he has to correct - working with Nick vanExel has done wonders for him.

WE finally have a PG that we can keep long term and groom since Mookie and at the first sign of adversity in one game the cry is to get rid of him at 24 years old.

[HawkItus]

Patience Gentlemen.

Is Teague flawed? -yes. Is he improving? -yes. Does he still have room to keep getting better? - yes.

Teague started last year for the first time (3rd season) and averaged 12ppg/4.9apg (and that is with LD saying his job was to bring the ball up court and pass to Joe) - check Rondo's stats when he started games full time in his 2nd season 10ppg/5apg which also coincided with having 3 hall of famers on his team to pass the ball to. The next year he jumped to 11ppg/8apg, this year Teague is averaging 14ppg/7apg. (I know, I know all stats aren't created equal and Rondo is the better player as of now).

There are areas of Teague's game that still needs to develop and there is no reason to believe that he won't. He needs to get stronger and learn to fight through and over screens, he has enough quickness to do that (his teammates also has to hedge harder on some screens to give him time to get over). He is absorbing contact better this season when going into the lane. He has to get rid of the jump pass and improve his decision making especially when playing the good teams (but that goes for all our players in big games - Al disappeared last game). He has too many unforced turnovers (Rondo has averaged 3+ turnovers the last 4 years) Teague is averaging 3 this year. Chauncey didn't become Chauncey until Detroit (7 years into career) where he had players around him. He loses his focus sometimes which he has to correct - working with Nick vanExel has done wonders for him.

WE finally have a PG that we can keep long term and groom since Mookie and at the first sign of adversity in one game the cry is to get rid of him at 24 years old.

I guess one of my issues is who is going to develop him. If it is LD......I pass. Let somebody else do that. If we bring in a known teacher then yes, I can perhaps live with Teague and bet on the come.

[Guest]

I guess one of my issues is who is going to develop him. If it is LD......I pass. Let somebody else do that. If we bring in a known teacher then yes, I can perhaps live with Teague and bet on the come.

I doubt LD spends much time with Teague developing his game, that falls more so to vanExel. LD seems to have tight leash on Teague, never allowed to play through mistakes like somebody else. All LD cares about is running his offense more so than defense and rebounding. But I hear you on Teague n LD

[ag82]

I'm not saying Teague is definitely the answer and I admittedly haven't watched many games lately, but he's averaging 17.3 and 7.5 in about 35m in his last 10 games. I hate to rely purely on stats, but we could be doing much worse.

[macdaddy]

I'm not saying Teague is definitely the answer and I admittedly haven't watched many games lately, but he's averaging 17.3 and 7.5 in about 35m in his last 10 games. I hate to rely purely on stats, but we could be doing much worse.

I agree. How many starting PGs in this league are better than Teague defensively? A lot of them are pretty weak. That fact that he is an offensive weapon and become a pretty good distributor this year is a really good sign. Put him next to a decent 2 and I think he'll excel.

I think Van Exel has done a great job with him.

[MaceCase]

I guess one of my issues is who is going to develop him. If it is LD......I pass. Let somebody else do that. If we bring in a known teacher then yes, I can perhaps live with Teague and bet on the come.

He has NVE, Devin who is a very similar PG and I believe we also brought over the coach who Jeremy Lin claims was responsible for his breaking out last season here helping him develop. LD doesn't bother with the micro just like most other coaches, he's working on the macro. Even Pop isn't personally coaching Parker on his shooting or driving, all he cares are if the developed skills of his players fit into his overall schemes and philosophy. If you are saying he isn't utilizing a scheme beneficial to Jeffrey then sure but remember that LD pretty much used Jeff running his O in order to get hired.

[TheFuzz]

We've got that Atkinson coach developing his offense and he's playing really well offensively. He could use some work on defense but he's got the physical tools. Frankly I don't think there's a way to get a clear upgrade and Teague should be fairly cheap.

Slightly off topic, but I think Rondo's pretty overrated. He's a good PG, but towards the bottom end of the top 10 IMO. He's got the skill to be better than that and I'm a fan of floor generals but he pads his assists and has never ran a high octane offense. He had a disappointing season for me.

[Guest]

Jump passes, magnetic screens, disappearing during the game, and not being able to command the ball after a rebound. These are the glarring weaknesses of Jeff and they have always been there as far as I can remember. He improved his outside jumper and finishing at the rim.Like most things in life and basketball, it all depends on the price to determine if Teague is worth it. Kind of pointless to ignore that, but he is certainly not critical to our success.