ESPN: Eastern Conference Power Moves

[CJB]

Here's the Hawks:

Current projection: 28-54 (26th in NBA) | Playoff/Title odds: 0%/0% | 5-year WARP: 99.0 (11th)
What their approach appears to be: Developing
What their approach should be: Developing
Plan of action: The Hawks probably held onto their second-round-upside core for too long, but GM Danny Ferry pushed Atlanta off that treadmill by unloading Joe Johnsonon Brooklyn last summer. Now he's doing his due diligence by meeting with hometown heroDwight Howard, but with that acquisition unlikely and Chris Paul off the board, Ferry would do well to bank his cap space for next season's talent-rich summer.

What Ferry must avoid is latching onto next-level free agents in order to save face after missing the home run signing. It's a good time to develop Dennis Schröder, Lucas Nogueira and John Jenkins. The question is whether franchise stalwart Al Horford would be willing to wait out a full-on rebuild. The Hawks would have no shortage of suitors if he were made available.

Power move: With Howard and Paul off the table, Ferry lets Smith walk and deals Horford to Cleveland for Tristan Thompson and Tyler Zeller.

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One thing, IF we traded Al (we won't), we better get more than that for him!

http://insider.espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/9446196/nba-eastern-conference-team-do-develop-contend

[JohnnyCASH]

lmfao tyler zeller GTFO