Official Optimistic Thread

[TheFuzz]

No bad contracts. One fantastic signing (Millsap), one solid one (Korver). A VERY nicely done draft by Ferry. A promising young head coach. A team without headcases. A decent set of trade chips. A top 5 forward/center who may take the next step to a top 3 one.

We won't defend a lick, but we'll run teams out the gym and shoot the lights out. PnR teams to death. Work hard. Be present in trade rumors. We've been linked to virtually every free agent on the market. We'll have capspace in the future.

We may or may not make the playoffs. Honestly, when you're caught in the middle and have a stud like Horford, the best you can do is continue to collect assets around him. Tank? Did the Blazers tank to get Lilliard? You can find gems all over the draft. I think we've already found one in Schröder, and another possibly in Muscala.

[coachx]

So far we are better team the last year with the exceptions of ZaZa and Teague.Assuming we resign Teague and sign a veteran C with a pulse then I see a team that will be better then last year.

[Gray Mule]

What's not to like?

We're missing some of my favorite players - Zaza is gone and a couple more

still haven't re signed. They may yet.

We have some very young center prospects from the draft plus an exciting

young PG. We still have Horford and Korver.

Personally, I believe we're younger, smarter and still not finished.

GO HAWKS!!

PS - We just won by not signing that center with no knees! Poor Cavs.

Edited July 11, 2013 by Gray Mule

[AHF]

I am a fan of what we did with the draft.

[cam1218]

Don't forget C-Viv reported we are allowed to make trades too! Still a lot of time left! I'm happy with everything to this point. It hurt missing on the potential big three but that wasn't likely anyways.

[terrell]

Jennings/Korver/R.Brewer/Milsap/HorfordSchroeder/Lou/Carroll/Scott/DalembertJenkins/Gary Neal/BebeWe'll be ok.

[TheFuzz]

Should say, did not mean to be confrontational. Just feels really negative around here.

[Johnnybravo4]

we have a team full of boring mechanical players. No one is going to see Al shoot elbow hook shots or Milsap turn around jump shots. If y'all actually went to games yall would know that 75% of our fan base are Young working class and professional African Americans. We don't give a rats ass about fundamental basketball. You can't recreate the Spurs model of Euros and unathletic choir boys and expect them to draw. We will continue to have half filled arenas which will discourage free agents. Even if we draft well... which we never have and Ferry never has.... they will be on the first thing smoking when they become FA.

[taz]

Well then maybe we should get some mexicans in Atlanta or something. People that will appreciate hard word

[taz]

The reality is if you moved Phillips to a suburb the attendance would be much better. Nobody wants to go into the city on a weekday and only around 700k actually live in the city. Without a solid public transportation system and with the interstate being a nightmare for most people it's not hard to see why fans don't come even when we're winning.

My main point is people that live in the ATL are usually fashion concerned spoiled kids who would rather be seen out at the club than doing anything else. Move the arena to Gwinnett and watch the attendance skyrocket

Edited July 11, 2013 by taz

[cam1218]

The reality is if you moved Phillips to a suburb the attendance would be much better. Nobody wants to go into the city on a weekday and only around 700k actually live in the city. Without a solid public transportation system and with the interstate being a nightmare for most people it's not hard to see why fans don't come even when we're winning.

Cobb refusing to allow MARTA really hurts our attendance. Driving down there does suck, parking is horrible too. I would have gone to so many more games if I could MARTA my way down. Most people living close to the arena aren't going to go to the games.

[ATLBob]

This is the Optimistic thread people!

Please report negative sentiments to the Official Pessimism thread (that's where mine are).

So, reasons to be sanguine:

1) Millsap is a good player.

2) DMC will be pretty easy to like too (as a role player).

3) The Euro rooks are interesting. Nowhere near ready, but interesting nonetheless.

4) Hawks still have Horford (wish he could play PF, but oh well).

5) Hawks still have financial flexibility (relatively speaking).

6) Josh won't be jacking ill-timed 3's anymore (except for when we play Detroit).

7) Hawks won't have another Dwightmare anytime soon.

8) Bud has been in a winning culture ( I know having TD helps A LOT, but still).

9) Korver can still shoot (he can, right?)

10) Um ... Hawks aren't finished adding pieces to the roster?

[Cthulhu]

I appreciate this threads efforts, but it's a reach...

[IllestPamfilis]

I'm loving this thread, atleast some of us know that this new staff is going to make the Hawks more relevant than ever. This is their FIRST YEAR of molding their own team. Give it another year or two and let's see where we are at. I'm ecstatic on how it's going so far. PATIENCE, PATIENCE, PATIENCE people.

[NBASupes]

No Jeff Teague or Josh Smith. Yeah, I am happy as heck now. I can finally watch real Basketball again.

[Watchman]

Let's bring back DeShawn and Dahntay to fill up the rest of the cap requirements and unleash the tanking.

[benhillboy]

They 73 posts deep on the darkside. Having agreed and argued with basketball minds the likes of RC Buford, Pop, Timmy, LeBron, and Coach K, I trust that Ferry knows more about how to win in a constantly evolving game and business more than any of us. If not, we'd be in the hot seat he's sitting in. I'm ecstatic we didn't hand the keys and majority of our payroll to any of the big name divas, and frankly I'm not sure Dan wanted any of em as much as he just wanted to gather information. Let's Go.

Edited July 11, 2013 by benhillboy

[Eddielives]

we have a team full of boring mechanical players. No one is going to see Al shoot elbow hook shots or Milsap turn around jump shots. If y'all actually went to games yall would know that 75% of our fan base are Young working class and professional African Americans. We don't give a rats ass about fundamental basketball. You can't recreate the Spurs model of Euros and unathletic choir boys and expect them to draw. We will continue to have half filled arenas which will discourage free agents. Even if we draft well... which we never have and Ferry never has.... they will be on the first thing smoking when they become FA.

Well how about that. I'm sure there are plenty of areas you can find streetball being played and enjoy the lack of fundamentals and unclean characters to suit your fancy. And it's so nice to see yet another jaded fan with crystal balls to caress while they can see the future of John Jenkins, Dennis Schröder and Nogueira. So wish I had your powers and cultural enlightenment!

[AHF]

Let's bring back DeShawn and Dahntay to fill up the rest of the cap requirements and unleash the tanking.

I have a hard time seeing us tanking well after the Millsap acquisition. He along with Horford, Lou, Jenkins, etc. should prevent this team from being anything worse than mediocre even if we don't sign a solid PG.

[Watchman]

I have a hard time seeing us tanking well after the Millsap acquisition. He along with Horford, Lou, Jenkins, etc. should prevent this team from being anything worse than mediocre even if we don't sign a solid PG.

I think you are overvaluing everyone outside of Horford, Millsap and Lou. And those three are not enough to earn a playoff berth. Let's tank.