I have a dream...

[yungsta]

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.

I do fully expect him to criticize the fans, and the hawks organization through the media if/when he leaves. It already started last year in the playoffs when he talked about how great the celtics fans were and how he didnt see any hawk fans in boston and earlier this season he talked about how hard it is to play in atlanta.

I have said this for a couple of months now but I think jbrick already has a foot out the door and is not invested in this team anymore and is just waiting for the offseason so he can leave.

[DJlaysitup]

I do fully expect him to criticize the fans, and the hawks organization through the media if/when he leaves. It already started last year in the playoffs when he talked about how great the celtics fans were and how he didnt see any hawk fans in boston and earlier this season he talked about how hard it is to play in atlanta.

I have said this for a couple of months now but I think jbrick already has a foot out the door and is not invested in this team anymore and is just waiting for the offseason so he can leave.

Well to be a little bit fair - we do have fans chanting "MVP..MVP" for other players when we are still going to the playoffs.

Our fans do stink....at times.

"There are times in life when you look at how you are being viewed by most all around you - and you think - why are all of these people treating me like I'm a jerk?"

...then you think some more and think...well...??

Edited April 24, 2013 by DJlaysitup

[DJlaysitup]

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.

You are right (for the most part) PSSS...Thinking that a team that has a starting front line of 6-9 1/2, 6-8, 6-7 is really going to compete in the NBA is silly. Granted when Smoove is "on" he plays like he is 6-10 (ish)...but those days are dwindling. He usta play that way every other game - now it seems more like one-in-three.

We basically have a college sized team playing in the NBA.

Wichita State (final four team) went 6-10, 6-9, 6-6....and they were good.

[yungsta]

I blame Billy King for using all of our lottery picks on tweener SF/PFs. That has really hurt us in the long run.

You are right (for the most part) PSSS...Thinking that a team that has a starting front line of 6-9 1/2, 6-8, 6-7 is really going to compete in the NBA is silly. Granted when Smoove is "on" he plays like he is 6-10 (ish)...but those days are dwindling. He usta play that way every other game - now it seems more like one-in-three.

We basically have a college sized team playing in the NBA.

Wichita State (final four team) went 6-10, 6-9, 6-6....and they were good.

I blame billy king. He used all of our lottery picks on tweener SF/PFs and we are still feeling the effects of it today. We never got a legit center and by the time we started being competitive we had no cap space because we overpaid to keep our own players and could only sign guys like jason collins, etan thomas, and erick dampier.

[Nicholasp27]

Billy Knight

[yungsta]

Billy Knight

yea him I always get billy knight and billy king's name mixed up

[Plainview1981]

I had a dream that I woke up and Canicka was laying next to me.

Basketball wise... I had a dream that we didn't have a PG play SG, a SG playing SF, a SF playing PF and a PF playing center. I had a dream that we had players that can get to the free throw line. Yeah, it got the team 6 playoff appearances in a row, but the returns are diminishing now. The combo of Josh and Al provide us some highlights, but they also have a weaknesses when they're at the 4 and 5 spots. If we had guys at SG and SF who could rebound it would help. The trio of Teague, Harris and Kyle give the front court no help on the boards, and Ivan and Scott don't seem to be all that great on the boards either. It's a problem.

[Buzzard]

Ferry has a lot of options but they are primarily at center. This years draft is loaded with center prospects and free agency has more decent Power Fowards and Centers than SGs and SFs. I've no doubt we will boost our center position one way and/or the other. Filling the 2 or 3 with a legit ( tall enough ) SG or SF is going to be his biggest challenge.

Edited April 24, 2013 by Buzzard

[ATLscrubLove]

I don't even like black chicks but Chanicka is pretty hot.

[Bahamut]

I had a dream that I woke up and Canicka was laying next to me.

Talk about going hard in the paint.

Edited April 24, 2013 by Bahamut

[PSSSHHHRRR87]

If you look at this team as constructed and even the team during the Joe years, it has always been flawed. Take this year's team into consideration... Josh at the beginning of the year was asked the question: "Will you limit your long range shots this season?" (something to that affect), Josh responded by saying:

"You haven’t seen the roster?” Smith turned around a reporter’s question about his long-range shooting plans on a rebuilt Hawks roster. “We’ve got Kyle Korver, Devin Harris, Louis Williams, Anthony Morrow, Anthony Tolliver. Am I missing anyone? Jeff Teague. … So there we go. That answers that question. I didn’t even say my name did I? Call me mid-range shawty.”

By him saying this, everyone assumed that the Josh had seen the light and would switch his focus to defense and getting a few points in the paint... Problem being that is that all of the guys he named aside of Tolliver are ALL GUARDS (even Tolly prefers to just shoot three's). As the team is constructed, the only forwards that this team can rely on for points is Horf and Smoove. If Smoove backs off of his offensive production, then who is going to be the guy that helps Horf? Everyone says, "I wish Smoove would quit shooting", but if Josh doesn't get 20 pts, then who will? Ivan? Zaza? Scott? Tolly? Petro? Who else does the Hawks have at the 4 or 5 that would make up Josh's 20 pts if he did what everyone wished and just switched to being defensive minded player? Did the Hawks really expect to get all of their offensive production from two positions? I'm not trying to make excuses for his shot selection, but if Josh doesn't score, then we don't win. Basically, the Hawks rely on a defensive guy for 25 ppg... We might as well be asking Teague for 10 rebs/game while we're at it. You get a dominate center, i.e. Dwight, Bynum, Peks, etc and a SG that is a multidimensional scorer, and I believe that Josh WILL back off offensively and slip into a defensive role. I believe he'll become our Iggy; a defensive-minded stat stuffer that chips in like 12 ppg.

And to those that say, "It's been a decade and he still hasn't changed", I want you to name a time in last 10 years that Smoove could just be who he is and not be expected to perform offensively. Name a time when the Hawks had a true center, a multidimensional SG, a SF that can contribute, and a good PG. He's had undersized Horford playing center, run-to-the-corner guys in Bibby & Marv, and ISO-Joe. Although Joe was a great player, he is another example of a guy being misused in Atlanta... We asked a great spot-up shooter in Joe Johnson to be Kobe. ISO-Joe was almost as bad as Josh's shot selection and just as flawed...

[Nicholasp27]

Excuses excusesHe is our least efficient forwardAnyone else on the team taking his shots would be better

[Guest]

The problem for me is not that Josh should not shoot - IT IS THE KIND OF SHOTS HE TAKES - 3-4 3 pointers a game, long shots with 17 or more seconds on clock, those are the kind of shots that are turnovers. Josh can easily get 20 points taking 9 to 12 shots a game if he played closer to the basket and ran the floor hard. He is just too inefficient and inconsistent because of his shot selection.

Name a time when the Hawks had a true center, a multidimensional SG, a SF that can contribute, and a good PG. - If we had all that we would be in the running to be championship contenders.

If you look at this team as constructed and even the team during the Joe years, it has always been flawed. Take this year's team into consideration... Josh at the beginning of the year was asked the question: "Will you limit your long range shots this season?" (something to that affect), Josh responded by saying:

"You haven’t seen the roster?” Smith turned around a reporter’s question about his long-range shooting plans on a rebuilt Hawks roster. “We’ve got Kyle Korver, Devin Harris, Louis Williams, Anthony Morrow, Anthony Tolliver. Am I missing anyone? Jeff Teague. … So there we go. That answers that question. I didn’t even say my name did I? Call me mid-range shawty.”

By him saying this, everyone assumed that the Josh had seen the light and would switch his focus to defense and getting a few points in the paint... Problem being that is that all of the guys he named aside of Tolliver are ALL GUARDS (even Tolly prefers to just shoot three's). As the team is constructed, the only forwards that this team can rely on for points is Horf and Smoove. If Smoove backs off of his offensive production, then who is going to be the guy that helps Horf? Everyone says, "I wish Smoove would quit shooting", but if Josh doesn't get 20 pts, then who will? Ivan? Zaza? Scott? Tolly? Petro? Who else does the Hawks have at the 4 or 5 that would make up Josh's 20 pts if he did what everyone wished and just switched to being defensive minded player? Did the Hawks really expect to get all of their offensive production from two positions? I'm not trying to make excuses for his shot selection, but if Josh doesn't score, then we don't win. Basically, the Hawks rely on a defensive guy for 25 ppg... We might as well be asking Teague for 10 rebs/game while we're at it. You get a dominate center, i.e. Dwight, Bynum, Peks, etc and a SG that is a multidimensional scorer, and I believe that Josh WILL back off offensively and slip into a defensive role. I believe he'll become our Iggy; a defensive-minded stat stuffer that chips in like 12 ppg.

And to those that say, "It's been a decade and he still hasn't changed", I want you to name a time in last 10 years that Smoove could just be who he is and not be expected to perform offensively. Name a time when the Hawks had a true center, a multidimensional SG, a SF that can contribute, and a good PG. He's had undersized Horford playing center, run-to-the-corner guys in Bibby & Marv, and ISO-Joe. Although Joe was a great player, he is another example of a guy being misused in Atlanta... We asked a great spot-up shooter in Joe Johnson to be Kobe. ISO-Joe was almost as bad as Josh's shot selection and just as flawed...

[Buzzard]

People here want the perfect lineup and that just does not happen. Every team has a weak spot at one or more postions. Perfect example is the Heat with Chalmers and all those old shooters. Chalmers is good enough just as Fischer was on those great Laker teams. The Spurs have not had a all-star type SG, SF, or Big playing beside Duncan in ages.

Most great teams are built around two or three players that are perfect for the positions and duties they are asked to play. Then they fill in the blanks.

The Pistons is what most fans here point too. Well when we get All Stars ( Billups, Rip, and Big Ben ) and former All stars ( Wallace ) still playing at a high level then we can be the Pistons.

We need to round out our lineup and hopefully Ferry can pull something off.

Edited April 24, 2013 by Buzzard

[DatWerkk]

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

Promises, promises.