I have a dream...

[ATLscrubLove]

That once we are eliminated from the playoffs, Smoove and Larry Drew will both ride into the sunset together and never return.

[Nicholasp27]

Smoove should be gone If he is not then something is seriously wrong

[ATLscrubLove]

Smoove should be goneIf he is not then something is seriously wrong

And if he is retained... I'll be done.

[Nicholasp27]

I feel bad for fans of the team he goes to

[PSSSHHHRRR87]

There is a lot of pressure for Horf and Smith to perform. When you are the only two players on the court that the defense respects, it quickly becomes 5 on 2. These guys need help... I would not mind seeing Smoove retained, so long as Danny makes other BIG moves. Way I see it, we need two things:

[*]A big, all-around center that can score and defend aka Bynum, Howard, or the likes. [*]A go-to scorer. Unfortunately, I don't see any in the draft or free agency this season. Maybe Tyreke or a cheap Harris could get through a season or two, IDK.

Honestly, I have been on the bandwagon that wants Drew out of town, but we do have to consider what he has done with this team this season. I believe the problem with Drew is he lacks a player to be a crutch to lean on when he needs a basket... When the team is starting to fall behind, the guy that gets that bucket that ends runs. Joe wasn't that guy and no one on this current roster is capable of consistently being that guy. Jackson had Jordan and Kobe as a crutch. Pop has Parker, Ginoboli, and Duncan. Sloan had Stockton and Malone. Thibs had Rose. Even Vogel has George and Granger. Collins leaned on Holiday and we see what happened... Is Doug Collins a bad coach because Jrue Holiday couldn't live up to the expectations? Is Carlisle a bad coach because his lack of a reliable scorer (Remember, Dirk was hurt most of the year)? Of course not. All of the great coaches have those players that they can lean on when the team needs a basket and to be fair to LD, he hasn't had that. He has tried leaning on Smoove, but Smoove isn't an offensive player. He has tried leaning on Horf, and it worked for a while, but once Horf's shot cooled off that went away. He has even tried leaning on Teague, but Teague just seems he wants no part of being that guy (although I believe he will within the next couple of seasons)...

With that said, Danny either needs to add to what we have in a serious way or just wash the slate clean and start complete over. I would not mind retaining LD and Smoove, so long as we bring in another big time player. If Ferry sees that that is likely not going to happen, then it's time to push them both out the door and start anew.

[niremetal]

There is a lot of pressure for Horf and Smith to perform. When you are the only two players on the court that the defense respects, it quickly becomes 5 on 2.

So backing off 10 feet when someone gets the ball on the perimeter and begging them to take a jumper...qualifies as respect?

[Bonkers]

So backing off 10 feet when someone gets the ball on the perimeter and begging them to take a jumper...qualifies as respect?

I was just about to say that lol

Josh should be gone. No if's, and's or but's about it

[Nicholasp27]

There is no excuse for smithHe needs to go no matter who we bring in. Period.

[PSSSHHHRRR87]

So backing off 10 feet when someone gets the ball on the perimeter and begging them to take a jumper...qualifies as respect?

...and when Smoove is on the block where he belongs, he gets double teamed... I'm not saying that Josh's low BBIQ isn't a thing to consider on whether he stays or goes... My argument with this statement is that this team is full of one dimensional players. Does anyone respect Deshawn or Ivan when they are on the floor? Tteams only have to worry about Korver on the outside and teams collapse on Teague and Harris once they get to the basket. No one respects Teague and Harris as jump shooters. Really, Horford and Lou are our only multidimensional players and Lou is done til next season. I have always said that someone isn't a failure until that person is placed is the best possible situation to succeed and still fails. Josh and Horf need help. We need a dominate center and a multidimensional scorer at the SG position. Tyreke this year and Granger next year (if Josh is gone that is)?

[gsuteke]

Smith is the most talented player on the team. Unfortunately he is either extremely stubborn or extremely dumb. He doesn't come across as being dumb. That leaves stubborn. Coaches certainly are in his ear about these things.Smith will have a huge night game 2 or 3 and the "Smoove" fans will be out in force with the "I told you so's". They don't get it. It's not about his talent it's about his brain. We all know he's talented. The team that pays his 14 million per year is going to set their franchise back the length of his contract.

[niremetal]

...and when Smoove is on the block where he belongs, he gets double teamed...

When Mugsy Bogues was on the block, he was double-teamed. No team leaves a player in single coverage within 5 feet of the basket (unless he's being guarded by an elite on-ball post defender...which the other team invariably assigns to Horford rather than Smoove, when we play a team that has one).

[MQDnATL01]

Smith should be gone no matter what happens. 15pts and 8rebs are not playoff stats for a max player.

[DrReality]

Ferry will be under the gun and he knows it

[yungsta]

Smith should be gone no matter what happens. 15pts and 8rebs are not playoff stats for a max player.

I am more pissed about his FT's to three point attempt ratio.

he shot 4 three pointers and he shot only 2 FTs. This guy is suppose to be our POWER FORWARD.

and those 2 FTs were basically gifted to him late in the game and he wasnt even trying to score he was trying to pass.

I dont want him back at any cost. He is the type of player you dont win big with. He is mentally weak,low IQ, soft, AND has a bad attitude. I dont care how talented he is. Mental toughness is half of the game and the most important half and he just doesnt have it and never will.

[Bahamut]

I was impressed with Al's effort. Still amazed that we got hustled by a half-court team. The lack of rebounding was disgusting.

[PSSSHHHRRR87]

All I am saying is if this team had a true center that could give us a true post presence and had a SG that isn't ISO-OhNoJoe, I believe the feeling for both LD & Josh would be a completely different. Tyreke as our SG, Bynum/Dwight/Jefferson/Peks as our center, and I believe we would have a team. Teague could focus on being just a PG (9 ppg, 7 asts), Horf could be our stretch 4 (16 ppg, 8 rebs), Josh at 3 playing basically defense + 12-16 ppg, a post-playing center at 15 ppg, 10 rebs, and Tyreke, Lou, and possibly Jenkins as our main scoring threats and Korver too, if he resigns.

This team currently as constructed has Josh, Al, and Teague doing EVERYTHING which is highly flawed. You can't expect Horf to be a stretch 4 AND a presence in the post, all the while playing the wrong position. You can't expect an defensively-minded guy like Josh to consistently give you points and production on the other end. You can't expect Jeff Teague to be both your PG and SG. Some teams get lucky and find players that can do just that, but the Hawks isn't one of them. These guys need help.

[Nicholasp27]

If we had more talent it would be even more frustrating when smoove takes those low percentage shotsU are still under the delusion that he will change and take better shots but that isn't happening

[Cwell]

...and when Smoove is on the block where he belongs, he gets double teamed... I'm not saying that Josh's low BBIQ isn't a thing to consider on whether he stays or goes... My argument with this statement is that this team is full of one dimensional players. Does anyone respect Deshawn or Ivan when they are on the floor? Tteams only have to worry about Korver on the outside and teams collapse on Teague and Harris once they get to the basket. No one respects Teague and Harris as jump shooters. Really, Horford and Lou are our only multidimensional players and Lou is done til next season. I have always said that someone isn't a failure until that person is placed is the best possible situation to succeed and still fails. Josh and Horf need help. We need a dominate center and a multidimensional scorer at the SG position. Tyreke this year and Granger next year (if Josh is gone that is)?

they don't double him because he's a threat to score. They double him because he has terrible ball handling skills and is prone to panic and turn the ball over by throwing it right to a defender Edited April 23, 2013 by Cwell

[Cwell]

All I am saying is if this team had a true center that could give us a true post presence and had a SG that isn't ISO-OhNoJoe, I believe the feeling for both LD & Josh would be a completely different. Tyreke as our SG, Bynum/Dwight/Jefferson/Peks as our center, and I believe we would have a team. Teague could focus on being just a PG (9 ppg, 7 asts), Horf could be our stretch 4 (16 ppg, 8 rebs), Josh at 3 playing basically defense + 12-16 ppg, a post-playing center at 15 ppg, 10 rebs, and Tyreke, Lou, and possibly Jenkins as our main scoring threats and Korver too, if he resigns. This team currently as constructed has Josh, Al, and Teague doing EVERYTHING which is highly flawed. You can't expect Horf to be a stretch 4 AND a presence in the post, all the while playing the wrong position. You can't expect an defensively-minded guy like Josh to consistently give you points and production on the other end. You can't expect Jeff Teague to be both your PG and SG. Some teams get lucky and find players that can do just that, but the Hawks isn't one of them. These guys need help.

I agree with most of this but there's not much they can do at this point. This roster is just horribly put together, so Jeff, Josh and AL just have to be our only real threats

[DJlaysitup]

Two options with Smoove (and our ownership):

1. He stays because other teams don't outbid us and we keep him. If that's the case he will probably always be difficult and blame the Hawks for his lack of big-time success.

2. He will get a better offer and move on - then - being who he is - he will work his @ss off and play smart to prove to the league that it was Atlanta that was holding him back. Hell, he'll probably shoot 77% on free throws for Houston or whoever gets him.

Hey - if it's a no-win situation - let him go and rebuild...JMHO.