NEED EXPLAINATION

[ATL_BALLER]

I simply do not understand the Hawks. Someone please explain them to me--

When I look at this roster, I see some respectable talent. JT, Reef, Theo--that is a nice core trio.

Why, then, are they so bad--even apathetic? It's one thing to lose--but no other team in the league gets embarrassed on a regular basis like this group.

In the post-game press conferences, they always talk about playing with more passion, righting the ship, etc...

As an avid and loyal fan, I see ZERO evidence of heart.

Why don't they care? And why doesn't anyone in management hold them responsible when they don't?

Seriously, enough is enough. I say blow up the team, fill it with hungry youth and unknowns, and let them show us what it means to actually play with passion. If they lose, so be it.

At least they'd give us something to be proud about.

[Diesel]

Everything needs evaluation....

1. DO the Hawks have the right coaching?

2. IS JT the right guy to be playing PG?

3. Does Reef have the right stuff to be the focal point of the offense.

4. Is having Theo enough for the Hawks defensive woes?

5. Do we have enough Rebounders?

6. IS Glover the right guy to play SG?

We have to evaluate all those questions and more. Then at the end of the day, we have to figure out what needs to stay, what needs to be changed, what needs a little tweaking.

However, like I told you guys before the season begun.... We can't walk around blind to the facts about our team. We have far more problems than Big Dog. IN fact, we see that without big dog, the problems still persists. NOW we see guys who were preaching Addition by subtraction (KB) now talking about all the HS prospects coming out in the draft.

I knew this would happen. It's sad because we have had some mighty good pieces to come through but because we won't take the time to evaluate every aspect of this team and to make a blueprint for winning, then we will always be stuck losing games we should win. Our talent does not mean anything because we don't have a good blueprint. We're like a skyscraper that is made of some of the most expensive materials known to man... Gold, Silver, Platinum, Cobalt... However, our skyscraper sits atop a very thin layer of Sticks.

[Weez]

I'm at a cross roads:

I realize that what the team truly needs is a superstar...but those really can't be obtained through trade, only through draft...and it's obvious that Reef isn't quite enough, period.

Now whether you trade him, make him available in the Bobcats draft (would only work if they took him ~ huge fiasco if they didn't), I don't know.

But this year, this squad...Stotts needs to take a page out of JVG's playbook and force the offense to run through Reef, play inside out. We've got the athleticism in Dion and SJax to make for following slashers and an outside shooter in JT (plus the swings).

I'm still for trading Reef and this year's pick? to Chitown for Curry and Crawford (we'd have to put in a little more, and figure out a way for them to include Robinson).

[TROUBLEMAN69]

First of all, this team does not get embarrassed more than any other team in the league. They have had one [censored] poor game, and that was the game on the road to a Warriors team that lost 2 home games to the Eastern Conference last season.

2nd, who in their right mind would want Eddie Curry? He is a bum, who can't rebound or play defense. I would rather keep Reef, before I traded for that crap.

TROUBLEMAN

[Weez]

He's an offensive machine, and a possible star center in the making. Would it be going out on a limb? Yeah, it would. But someone started a good point last year ~ what are we going to do when Reef's contract is up in two years? He's not worth resigning at current value unless something happens in the next two years. He's a man of character, would he do a KGish thing and take a pay cut (under max deals he'd be eligible for 12.5% raises starting at his current pay of approx. 14 million).

[TROUBLEMAN69]

Have you watched Eddie Curry play? That dude is not an offensive machine. Shareef is starting to remind me of Steve Smith. When Smitty was here, he was criticized because he wasn't the type of player that was going to take 20 shots per game, even though the Hawks needed that from him. In my opinion Shareef is a little too unselfish.

TROUBLEMAN

[Playmaker0017]

Trouble,

Shareef is DEFINATELY too unselfish.

What did he say after the game... I could care less about my numbers, so long as we win...

I know the thought... but, he has to understand that his numbers contribute.

Play.

[CBAreject]

Reef for Curry and Crawford????

First, Chicago wouldn't do it, and they should be shot if they did. Second, Reef for either one of those players is a good trade in terms of talent OR contracts. Both of those guys will improve...Reef will not. Crawford plays like he wants to win....Reef does not. Curry? I like him. He's a little soft still, but I still think he's one of the best centers ALREADY. He's a big body, and we just don't have that.

Curry at center and Theo at PF would be a nice combination. Crawford and JT in the backcourt would, too.

Too bad the Bulls aren't stupid enough to do it. At any rate, I'm glad you're not our GM because you would let this deal go by the boards if we ever had a chance at it.

[TROUBLEMAN69]

You are right, I wouldn't do this deal. How do we know that Curry is going to improve? He still can't rebound. His offensive moves still stink. I heard one announcer compare him to Stanley Roberts. Chandler is showing me a lot more than this guy. I like Reef, and I believe he brings more to the table than either of these guys.

As far as my gm skills go, reading some of the post and trade ideas on this site make me glad that a lot of your peers are not gm's. I don't know if I read your post or not, so I'm not necessarily including you on that list. I believe the Hawks are a player away from contending in the East. The only problem is, will the Hawks be able to obtain that player after Brandon's contract is expired. I know, if we trade Reef for Curry and Chandler, we will get killed on the boards, because that slob Curry rebounds worst than Theo.

TROUBLEMAN

[ATL_BALLER]

Yes, they do get embarrased more than any team in the league--when you consider this basic core has been together for a couple years now.

Without Big Dog, this team has already had their standard 2nd half meltdown in all 4 of their losses.

Bottom line: This current core group isn't working, and sadly, I have little faith that it's going to. If we could add an unselfish superstar that elevates the game of everyone around him -- ala Kidd -- perhaps things would be different. Again, I don't see us doing that either.

JT, Reef, and Theo are all "nice" players. I propose starting all over with an entirely different cast--

[Gambit99]

I have Chandler on my fan team and he's been rebounding great. I would do this deal, but Chi would have a riot if they took it, so why dream.

[KB21]

That's the difference between Shareef and a superstar player. A superstar player feels that his contributions causes the team to win.

It's a refreshing attitude in today's NBA, but Shareef has to be more assertive in getting his points on the court. He's one of the most efficient scorers in the NBA. Now is the time to find out if he can be the focal point, and if not, then we probably need to see what kind of deal we can get for him around the trade deadline.

[Playmaker0017]

KB21,

That is exactly the point I have been trying to make. The coaches need to make a concerted effort to make Reef the focal point. They need to ANNOUNCE that Reef is the focal point. They need to tell Reef to take 20-25 shots a game.

If he can't handle it after the fact... I'll say, I was wrong... trade him or move him to second option when you bring in Kobe.

Play.

[pathway23]

That reminds me of what "The Stinger" Mike Glenn used to say about Reef when he was on the Grizzlies when the played the Hawks. He said Reef was unstoppable, he is money on the low block, that we had to focus our defense on stopping Reef. I know he is capable of dominating, he just has to get that mentality.

[Weez]

there's several ways to figure out Reef/1st for Curry/Eddie Robinson + filler.

~ we could move Theo to pf...it'd be risky for them but the incentive would obvoiusly be the 1st (we'd have to protect it) and getting out of ERob's horrendous contract.

[TROUBLEMAN69]

Yeah, but the deal is not Chandler it is Curry. If Chandler was included instead of Curry, then yeah I would consider it. I'm not big on giving up 1st round picks though.

TROUBLEMAN

[TROUBLEMAN69]

Who is going to rebound? Curry averages about 4 or 5 boards a game. He is in constant foul trouble or in the doghouse, so he doesn't play major minutes now. Moving Ratliff wouldn't solve anything, because he still wouldn't get many defensive rebounds because he is constantly trying to protect the players around him with blocked shots, which means he can't get his body on anyone for rebounds.

Also, what role would Eddie Robinson play on this team. For the amount of money he is making, is he a better option than Glover or Jackson? No, he is not, and then the Hawks will be stuck with another bad contract. I'm a terrible gm, but you guys are not looking at that part of the deal.

TROUBLEMAN

[TROUBLEMAN69]

The core of this team has been together for 1 full season. Remember, Theo played in about 4 games 2 years ago. Last year, this team had the coaching and chemistry issues. So far, the Hawks have played 1 bad game, and already people are ready to blow them up.

TROUBLEMAN

[cyman3]

Curry is a JAMAAL MAGLOIRE clone...

but u dont see Jamaal all hyped up...

Kidd can rebound better than Curry.

Ratliff rebounds like GARNETT compared to Curry... lol