Al Horford Future Superstar?

[Buzzard]

I think those of you who do not believe Al has a chance at the HOF are wrong. Its no coincidence it took Al five seasons to show this. He needed ISO JJ to go to NY, and we could have seen this three years ago. What I am stating is the obvious, three more touches a game is all it took for Al to get his avg up to 17ppg.

He has always been a solid rebounder and money when he touches the ball, he just needed those touches to prove it. Some of us don't appreciate Al because he is not flashy. GM's around the league appreciate him, you can bet the bank on that. Fans around the league are hyped about Jefferson and Millsap being free agents, I would take Al's all around game over both of them any day of the week.

Edited May 14, 2013 by Buzzard

[benhillboy]

Al is a great player. He isn't a Great player. He would be if he added a board, a block, and about 4 more points to his average by way of a drive move off a jumper fake in thie high post and a confident go-to move with counter in the low post.

Edited May 14, 2013 by benhillboy

[TheNorthCydeRises]

So me and my girlfriend just had a conversation about Horford and she strongly disagrees with me about him being a good player and him having the potential to become a great player and even a superstar in the NBA. It's my opinion that Horford has the goods to lead a team and will be a force within the league especially if we can put him at his natural position of power forward. When I told her I would like him to become the Tim Duncan of Atlanta her reply was "he is not as good Duncan and never will be!" So what's your opinion of Al Horford?

hawks logo2.jpg

Your girlfriend is a smart woman.

However, I will say this.

It will be VERY INTERESTING to see what Horford can do, if all of a sudden he became the #1 option. If he were to suddenly get 18 shots per game, I do believe he can become a guy who could average 20 - 21 ppg, still grab 10 rebounds, and still shoot 50% FG ( although it wouldn't be in the mid-50's, it would be right around 50% ).

If Horford could average 20 ppg - 10 rebs, it still wouldn't make him a "superstar", but it would put him in that Lamarcus Aldridge, Zach Randolph, Al Jefferson type of offensive threat. That's why I still think the target for Ferry in the offseason, should be Al Jefferson.

Instead of relying on schizophrenic jumpshooting guards to provide scoring, we could legitimately construct a frontline that could get us 40 - 45 points and 20 - 25 rebounds on a nightly basis. And with Jefferson here, Horford would have an excuse to extend his range out to the 3 point line. If he became a guy who could make the corner 3 point shot at say, a 38% clip, while Jefferson did his work on the inside, that would be big time for the Hawks.

I look at what Memphis has done since the Pau Gasol trade, and believe that if we can't get a superstar scorer, that's the way we have to build our team in ATL. Construct the strongest frontline possible, so that we can control the boards and let them determine our fate on offense. Get a PG that can at least run the show, make timely offensive plays, and play defense. And bring in role players that fit the "identity" of the team.

And for me, I hope that identity resembles one that is a tough defensive team that can win games, even when a game is ugly ( ala Memphis ).

"Pretty Basketball" only wins, when you have dynamic guards or a wing player who are basically unstoppable on the offensive end ( Lebron James, Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry, etc ). If you don't have those types of players, the only way you can beat the "pretty" team, is to punch them in the eye and make them ugly.

That's why teams like Memphis and even Indiana are legit threats in the playoffs.

[Buzzard]

That's why teams like Memphis and even Indiana are legit threats in the playoffs.

Neither is there yet and their downfall will be their scoring or lack there of. Their two leading playoff scorers, Conely and George, shooting .400% from the field or less will not get it done against the Heat, Spurs, or ( dare I say it ) Warriors.

[KB21]

Neither is there yet and their downfall will be their scoring or lack there of. Their two leading playoff scorers, Conely and George, shooting .400% from the field or less will not get it done against the Heat, Spurs, or ( dare I say it ) Warriors.

The thing about Memphis is that they may have the best front line in basketball right now. There isn't a team that can really match up well against them with Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph down low. Maybe Indiana. The difference between Memphis and Indiana is that Memphis has a point guard that can create offense for others. Memphis doesn't have that go to scorer, but I'm not convinced they need one as they are a very efficient scoring team.

[Wretch]

Your girlfriend is a smart woman.

However, I will say this.

It will be VERY INTERESTING to see what Horford can do, if all of a sudden he became the #1 option. If he were to suddenly get 18 shots per game, I do believe he can become a guy who could average 20 - 21 ppg, still grab 10 rebounds, and still shoot 50% FG ( although it wouldn't be in the mid-50's, it would be right around 50% ).

If Horford could average 20 ppg - 10 rebs, it still wouldn't make him a "superstar", but it would put him in that Lamarcus Aldridge, Zach Randolph, Al Jefferson type of offensive threat. That's why I still think the target for Ferry in the offseason, should be Al Jefferson.

Instead of relying on schizophrenic jumpshooting guards to provide scoring, we could legitimately construct a frontline that could get us 40 - 45 points and 20 - 25 rebounds on a nightly basis. And with Jefferson here, Horford would have an excuse to extend his range out to the 3 point line. If he became a guy who could make the corner 3 point shot at say, a 38% clip, while Jefferson did his work on the inside, that would be big time for the Hawks.

I look at what Memphis has done since the Pau Gasol trade, and believe that if we can't get a superstar scorer, that's the way we have to build our team in ATL. Construct the strongest frontline possible, so that we can control the boards and let them determine our fate on offense. Get a PG that can at least run the show, make timely offensive plays, and play defense. And bring in role players that fit the "identity" of the team.

And for me, I hope that identity resembles one that is a tough defensive team that can win games, even when a game is ugly ( ala Memphis ).

"Pretty Basketball" only wins, when you have dynamic guards or a wing player who are basically unstoppable on the offensive end ( Lebron James, Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry, etc ). If you don't have those types of players, the only way you can beat the "pretty" team, is to punch them in the eye and make them ugly.

That's why teams like Memphis and even Indiana are legit threats in the playoffs.

I agree with a lot of this. I think the way Horford and Jefferson play, and their approach to the game...I think they just fit like a hand in a glove. Really, Al fits well with any big that can draw attention in the post...because of that jumper and how he moves without the ball. I think his game would really go to the next level if he had the right players next to him....but he's still not the guy you want to put the scoring load on.

On a side note...I don't want to come off sounding like a true Plan B supporter. I mean, I like Jefferson and I wouldn't be upset at all if we went that route. But my preference is to avoid the whole floating around the middle of the pack thing while we wait for a superstar to fall out of the sky. Really...it has to happen THIS offseason for me. Otherwise, we're wasting time with pointless playoff disappointments and a mid/late 1st rounder.

[NBASupes]

This Al Jefferson talk is out of hand. That would be a horrible match. I do not see how it would work. When I ask you guys, you start creating strengths neither player has and not actually truths in each of their game. I would completely be against the signing of Al Jefferson. Rebuilding is a better option than Al Jefferson.

[Buzzard]

This Al Jefferson talk is out of hand. That would be a horrible match. I do not see how it would work. When I ask you guys, you start creating strengths neither player has and not actually truths in each of their game. I would completely be against the signing of Al Jefferson. Rebuilding is a better option than Al Jefferson.

Its not a stretch to say Al and Al could play well together. Jefferson is a top five scoring post player and Horford can make a living 10 to 18ft out. Offensively they compliment each other very well.

My concern is Jefferson's defense but it can't be any worse than playing ZaZa at the center spot; and from a efficiency standpoint, heads above our current combo of Horford and Smoove.

[Brotha2ThaNite]

Please stop misusing the word "great." Al is good but not great.

People keep talking about him in the PF spot. He played the PF spot in the playoff and another PF did very well against him.

Al needs to work a lot on his post game this summer.

[capstone21]

Al would be the perfect player for a team like OKC. he, Durant and Westbrook would be the perfect combo.

[batfanjordanv]

He can be a second option on a championship team, depending on who the first option is (Joe was not it).As a first option, we saw what Al could do, and that's get us to the playoffs but not much else.But, I don't think that Timmy D would've won a ring without David Robinson and then Tony and Manu. Al does remind me of Duncan, though.

[Guest]

He can be a second option on a championship team, depending on who the first option is (Joe was not it).As a first option, we saw what Al could do, and that's get us to the playoffs but not much else.But, I don't think that Timmy D would've won a ring without David Robinson and then Tony and Manu. Al does remind me of Duncan, though.

Al was never a CONSISTENT 1st option so its hard to say. This year he had more available shots with Joe gone but I wished LD would have run the PnR or PnP more often. It's as if LD game plan was Al gets featured for a few games, then it's Josh's turn, then Teague's.

[AHF]

He can be a second option on a championship team, depending on who the first option is (Joe was not it).As a first option, we saw what Al could do, and that's get us to the playoffs but not much else.But, I don't think that Timmy D would've won a ring without David Robinson and then Tony and Manu. Al does remind me of Duncan, though.

Al reminds me of a homeless man's Duncan. You know, none of the post play and a fraction of the defensive impact. Actually, I am selling Horford short here but he is pretty different from Duncan in terms of his game. The raw numbers also show a wide disparity in actual production:

At age 26, in the playoffs Horford had 16.7 ppg on .527 TS%, 8.8 rpg, 0.8 bpg

At age 26, in the playoffs Duncan had 20.9 ppg on .577 TS%, 13.0 rpg, 2.8 bpg