Honestly, I think they'll go the player development route...

[ATL_BALLER]

Notice how DF always refers to building a 'program', and one that's 'sustainable'.

That means no quick strike with big ticket free agents this off-season ('twas a pipedream anyway). It means relying on the draft over the next couple of seasons (hopefully hitting pay dirt as the Spurs have done), and developing those moldable players into a clearly defined system.

Despite Cal Bowdler's proclamations, I see a process that takes two-three years, at least. All while preserving cap space - not just for FAs but to facilitate trades for more young, system assets.

I hate to be the buzz kill, but all signs point that way, to me - esp in light of the Snyder and Ham hires.

[TheFuzz]

I think that's the backup plan more or less, and I'm perfectly ok with it. Of course, if we can get one or both of CP3/Howard we do it.

[NBASupes]

We have a cap floor, we have to spend a large portion of our cap. I wouldn't mind taking Nash away from LA for free.

[GameTime]

We need talent to develop. So I guess it is the tanking route.

[NBASupes]

We need talent to develop. So I guess it is the tanking route.

Pretty much. It's Dwight and CP3 or tank. We need to face it. This KG/Doc trade has made it impossible for CP3 to come to Atlanta by himself. Now with D12, that's still our calling card but we need to face the facts. LAC is a better spot for D12 and CP3 then us.

They would have depth like JT, Lee, and Jamal. They could still trade for Granger if they wanted to. They would have a good PF in KG who is still a good player. They would have two superstars in CP3 and D12. They can offer D12 and CP3 max which we can't offer since we have to be under the cap to sign both players and they don't.

Now what we have is simple. We have the fact that Blake is just a Vince Carter highlight reel type of player who isn't build for the playoffs. He's a PF who doesn't defend well. He will never be that impactful and Lebron isn't going to choose LAL with Blake over Cleveland or Miami. On top of that, they turn LAC into superpowers. That just will never happen. It would be in their best interest for that never to happen for LAL. So I think we are still at a major advantage over LAC simply because of the LA factor like it was for ORL and us with D12. It is like trading Melo for Joe Johnson because you better get something instead of nothing. Capspace>>>>Mediocrity especially if you are a extremely marketable franchise like the Lakers.

Edited June 17, 2013 by Leadership

[Randy]

Overall I agree. Don't blow big money on a free agent who may not be healthy (Howard, Bynum), may be past his prime (Is Nash a FA?), may be a head case (Josh Smith), is a prima donna (Howard, Josh) etc. .

Another strategy is to go for restricted free agents, sort of like Houston did. You give them an offer (maybe front load the first year, instead of the last) so that the current team doesn't want to match it. So you could get some young talent that can be developed.

[MaceCase]

I think that's the backup plan more or less, and I'm perfectly ok with it. Of course, if we can get one or both of CP3/Howard we do it.

Yup, I think it's about 80% likely (some might find that generous or even understated) that the Hawks miss out on Dwight and/or Paul so Ferry is putting in the framework to have the proper scouting and development background for the "talent acquisition" stage.Where teams like the Kings and Bobcats fail is that they get too caught up with drafting the biggest name rather than the best player and then further hamper theirselves by having a new head coach on the sideline every year ruining any continuity. Ferry looks prepared to do it nice and slow if need be but most importantly, right.

[ELxDxB]

I'm good either route we go, but my gut feeling tells me this is the route we will be taking too. I'm really hoping that our scouting department comes trough, unlike the BK era. The hiring of Bud and Snyder were great moves as far as getting people that have a good track record of player development (which seems to be a theme with DF this off season).

Anyway; If this is our route, then I feel comfortable with the new faces we have in place. My confidence is high that they'll build a cohesive team that can win in both seasons!

[Guest]

I'm good either route we go, but my gut feeling tells me this is the route we will be taking too. I'm really hoping that our scouting department comes trough, unlike the BK era. The hiring of Bud and Snyder were great moves as far as getting people that have a good track record of player development (which seems to be a theme with DF this off season).

Anyway; If this is our route, then I feel comfortable with the new faces we have in place. My confidence is high that they'll build a cohesive team that can win in both seasons!

No one can convince me we had a scouting departed during the BK error era.

[JETSET]

The only way this is the route we take is if Howard/Paul turn us down. Ferry isn't going to turn down Paul/Howard if they come knocking on our door.

[YP2K]

No one can convince me we had a scouting departed during the BK error era.

The error that brought us to the highest we've ever been... This franchise stinks!

The developmental route would be a big disaster of an off-season; but, with that said, I am all for tanking the season if DF fails to deliver the players we need to compete.

[Alex]

I think it's going to be a very rough 2014 season for the Hawks. I have never bought into Paul and other guy dream. Nor have I wanted to go that route either.

[ATL_BALLER]

If (and sadly, when) we don't land the big fish, there's no one else out there that excites me in the slightest (even a healthy Bynum doesn't satisfy the culture shift we need and that Bud spoke of). So, it's probably going to be a painful and prolonged process, but at least there is direction, leadership and draft savvy at the top now, so alas we must be patient with some homegrown and developed talent.

[Guest]

I agree that if we don't land cp n Dwight then we need to go full on tank mode...I'm talking Orlando Magic/Charlotte Bobcat style. Least that way we can bank on a top 5 pick in 2014. I want Wiggins/Parker.

[KB21]

Those of you who want to tank are ignoring the fact that tanking very rarely works.

[KB21]

http://www.grantland.com/blog/the-triangle/post/_/id/54121/solving-the-real-problem-with-the-nbas-tanking-epidemic

After four years — the amount of time on rookie scale contracts — about 31% of the teams with top three picks hadn’t made the playoffs even once. Almost 26% of these teams’ best showing was only the first round. And a further 22% of teams topped out in the second round. Only 17% of teams have managed to do better than the second round, with only two teams managing to win an NBA championship within four years of drafting their top three pick. Who were these two teams? In 1999, San Antonio won a championship in Tim Duncan's second season. And in 2004, the Detroit Pistons won a championship in Darko Milicic's rookie season. But Milicic only played in 159 regular season minutes that year. So we are being generous when we say that two teams have managed to win a championship within four years of landing a lottery pick.

I also like this, as this is the way the Hawks will hopefully be run:

The Spurs lucked out in nabbing Tim Duncan in 1997, but they maintained their success by continually mining gems from the bargain bin or latter half of the draft. In watching Kawhi Leonard, Danny Green, and Tiago Splitter team up last week to dismantle the Thunder on Monday night, it’s not a stretch to envision the Spurs continuing to win 50 games a year. They draft the right players for the right coach and have a system in place to make them better.

Leonard is a great example of this. Acquired in a trade for George Hill after being drafted 15th overall by the Pacers in 2011, the young forward was long and athletic but wasn’t overly skilled and possessed a middling shooting stroke. Most projected him to be just a high-energy defensive stopper.

In his first season, Leonard filled that role while also shooting 37.6 percent from beyond the arc — a higher mark than he had at San Diego State despite the closer 3-point line. Against the Thunder two days ago, Leonard scored out of pick-and-rolls and created space to drain jumpers that beat the shot clock. A player projected to be a specialist went to the Spurs and now flashes All-Star potential. This is not a coincidence.

You draft players that have the right character and mindset, and you think of ways to make them better. Kawhi Leonard was considered to be as flawed as any player in the 2011 draft. He wasn't a great shooter as his 47% eFG during his final year at SDSU shows, and he wasn't a dynamic offensive player that caught the eyes of the fans. He was a tremendous rebounder for his position that that played high energy defense. He wasn't a selfish, me first player that took plays off and pouted when he didn't like what was going on. He had the right mindset for the Spurs, and they obviously felt that he had enough skill level that they could make him a better perimeter shooter by having him shoot the corner three.

[Guest]

I understand what your saying KB21... But I feel like hawks haven't ever really fully tanked...marv and shellhead didn't count. I feel like Ives in the movie the great escape when the Germans kept finding the underground tunnels after they were built. I just can't take another unsuccessful rebuilding process ...I can't ....I won't

[AHF]

I understand what your saying KB21... But I feel like hawks haven't ever really fully tanked...marv and shellhead didn't count. I feel like Ives in the movie the great escape when the Germans kept finding the underground tunnels after they were built. I just can't take another unsuccessful rebuilding process ...I can't ....I won't

The Hawks definitely tanked. They just had a combination of bad luck (didn't win the lottery in a year with a Dwight Howard, etc.) and piss poor execution (Marvin, Childress, Shell, etc.).

[KB21]

I understand what your saying KB21... But I feel like hawks haven't ever really fully tanked...marv and shellhead didn't count. I feel like Ives in the movie the great escape when the Germans kept finding the underground tunnels after they were built. I just can't take another unsuccessful rebuilding process ...I can't ....I won't

Marvin and Sheldon are the typical results of a tanking team. There is a reason it has been 10 years since a team truly tanked to get the top pick, and that was when Cleveland got LeBron.

[NBASupes]

The Hawks definitely tanked. They just had a combination of bad luck (didn't win the lottery in a year with a Dwight Howard, etc.) and piss poor execution (Marvin, Childress, Shell, etc.).

Extremely poor drafting. I seen Shelden being a bust a mile away. I seen CP3 and Deron being much better than an overhyped prospect who couldn't even start for his college team. BK is and was an idiot.