For all the pessimists...

[ATL_BALLER]

I'd like to know exactly what you would have done to make this offseason a success--outside of D12 and CP3. I'm talking specific names and realistic scenarios via the draft, free agency and trades.

Even the tanking crowd - how would you have set up this team, beyond just letting the rookies play?

I know there have been similar threads, but thought I'd create one dedicated to what you would've done differently across the board vs. just lamenting where we are.

Side note 1: I'm absolutely fascinated by some of what I've seen thus far. Names like Mayo, Kaman and Brewer would've switched your position? Wow.

Side note 2: Wretch - I'm especially interested in your answer. You haven't admitted to endorsing an all-out tank, just 'fishing in the lottery.' So, what would you have done to create a team that just misses the playoffs?

[Admin]

The most important thing to the pessi's is #YAYPOINTS and #OMGDUNKS. Nothing else matters! Thanks to Dr Zachariah for those trending Hawksquawk topics.

[Hairydawgz]

The most important thing to the pessi's is #YAYPOINTS and #OMGDUNKS. Nothing else matters! Thanks to Dr Zachariah for those trending Hawksquawk topics.

Pessi's. haha!

[ATLnightwing]

I'd like to know exactly what you would have done to make this offseason a success--outside of D12 and CP3. I'm talking specific names and realistic scenarios via the draft, free agency and trades.

Even the tanking crowd - how would you have set up this team, beyond just letting the rookies play?

I know there have been similar threads, but thought I'd create one dedicated to what you would've done differently across the board vs. just lamenting where we are.

Side note 1: I'm absolutely fascinated by some of what I've seen thus far. Names like Mayo, Kaman and Brewer would've switched your position? Wow.

Side note 2: Wretch - I'm especially interested in your answer. You haven't admitted to endorsing an all-out tank, just 'fishing in the lottery.' So, what would you have done to create a team that just misses the playoffs?

Jennings/Schröder

Korver/Williams

Millsap/Scott

Horford/Carrol

Dalembert

3rd or 4th seed in my opinion

[ATL_BALLER]

Side note 3: For all the 'treadmill' talkers, the reality is: we have no clue what to expect. We've completely reshuffled the deck (and still aren't done), and brought in a new coach, which seems to be an overlooked and underappreciated addition in terms of potential impact.

Yes, we're still sans a superstar, but at the end of the day, there's no telling what this team can or will do.

[Packfill]

If the "tank" was on, then obviously Ferry could have done alot more to ensure that path was followed to its reasonable best. This would likely have involved doing a sign and trade with Smoove in exchange for some bad expiring contracts, which would tie up roster and cap space with low value on-court assets. Couple that with throwing minutes at a bunch of teenagers and you are well on your way to the bottom.

I do think the Millsap signing is a hedge by Ferry in that he may need to execute a Horford trade mid-season or next off-season inorder to complete the rebuild.

[AHF]

Schröder / Jerryd Bayless

Jenkins / Lou (inj) / Cunningham

Earl Clark / Wesley Johnson

Horford / Scott / Ivan

Maurice Speights / Bebe / Mascala

After striking out on Dwight/Paul - keep your flexibility and build through the draft. Try to unearth some nice young talent on short contracts with team options (ala Earl Clark, etc.).

[Final_quest]

AHF, I don't think that team would meet minimum cap floor. I think the deal Utah got with Golden State is one I am envious of. Take on bad contracts for one year and get two first rounders and two second rounders.

[AHF]

AHF, I don't think that team would meet minimum cap floor.I think the deal Utah got with Golden State is one I am envious of. Take on bad contracts for one year and get two first rounders and two second rounders.

There is no penalty for failing to hit the minimum cap floor. You just pay your team more (i.e., you are penalized by paying everyone extra so you pay out your minimum floor amount) and their underlying contracts are still low priced for next year if you want to exercise that team option. So I fail to see the problem.

The Utah deal was very good. I would totally have done that and then they could have made the trade with someone in the East rather than someone in their own conference.

Edited July 11, 2013 by AHF

[Admin]

There is no penalty for failing to hit the minimum cap floor. You just pay your team more (i.e., you are penalized by paying everyone extra so you pay out your minimum floor amount) and their underlying contracts are still low priced for next year if you want to exercise that team option. So I fail to see the problem.

The Utah deal was very good. I would totally have done that and then they could have made the trade with someone in the East rather than someone in their own conference.

And Ferry would have had the fans in Atlanta storming his office with pitchforks for throwing in the towel on the Dwight dream.

[AHF]

And Ferry would have had the fans in Atlanta storming his office with pitchforks for throwing in the towel on the Dwight dream.

Schröder / Jerryd Bayless

Jenkins / Lou (inj) / Cunningham

Earl Clark / Wesley Johnson

Horford / Scott / Ivan

Maurice Speights / Bebe / Mascala

After striking out on Dwight/Paul - keep your flexibility and build through the draft. Try to unearth some nice young talent on short contracts with team options (ala Earl Clark, etc.).

[Admin]

You couldn't have struck out on Dwight at that point when Golden State and Utah made that trade. So again it's throwing in the towel on the dream.

[Wretch]

I really have to fight the urge and rattle off what I was SCREAMING for us to do 4 years ago. Back then, some of us realized that one of Josh/Horford should be dealt. It was painfully obvious after that historic playoff blowout. But anywho...

Right now? A lot of these guys have committed to teams but...

There is no point in building around Horford, just like last season there was no point building around Josh. I kept saying that we should have just started the rebuild. This year's ceiling is the 2nd round as is next years. In 2015/2016, Al will be approaching free agency and at 30, likely his last big deal. He's a collegiate champion and he wants to see something beyond the 2nd round to be sure. As a manager, there is no way I would bank on him being here after 2016. He could, but I'm not the kind of person that relies on iffy things like that.

Given that we are not going to be a contender this year or next, it kind of spells out the writing on the wall for me. This would have been the year to put a decent team around him...not 2 seasons from now. A two year Horford with bird rights is a good bargaining chip. It's probably not popular with you guys, but I'd entertain deadline offers and would likely deal him. I'd rebuild. Pretty simple and straightforward. As long as we're rebuilding, I would have taken a chance on a guy like Tyreke Evans.

Plan B? Not taking?

I would have targeted Al Jefferson, Iggy, & Corey Brewer. Those are the only FA's I gave much thought to. I would have looked at bringing back Ivan, Korver, & Teague.

To be honest, I've not studied the FA market this year. I just figured we'd rebuild if we struck out (don't know how many times I said that last year...). Last year, my view on it was:

Plan A) Bring elite talent (CP3/Howard) in to pair with Horford...and I thought that was a longshot until the season played out into the perfect storm.

Plan B) Rebuild (and I'm keeping Teague & Ivan)

Those are the only two options that made sense to me. I was lukewarm on the idea of a plan C) Pairing Jefferson and Horford. I've always liked Corey Brewer and on this "winning" team, Iggy wouldn't have been a bad option to look at. No interest in Bynum, unless it were a plan D (for Danny) - try really hard to make the playoffs and screw rebuilding.

[Final_quest]

Disagree that last year was about building around Josh. Last year was about clearing the roster. We took on all one year deals. Also they tried to move Josh at the break, but did not get a reasonable offer.

[AHF]

You couldn't have struck out on Dwight at that point when Golden State and Utah made that trade. So again it's throwing in the towel on the dream.

Paul let the world know he wasn't coming to Atlanta through his agents in June.

Howard met with Atlanta on July 2nd and it was reported in the press he had picked Houston on the 5th:

http://www.cbssports.com/nba/blog/eye-on-basketball/22650744/report-dwight-howard-will-sign-with-the-houston-rockets

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nba/2013/07/05/dwight-howard-houston-rockets-contract-decision-los-angeles-lakers/2492347/

Golden State pulled the trigger on July 5th. So it is a bit unclear whether Ferry had legit hopes that would have blocked doing that deal. I suspect we were already done at that point but I totally acknowledge that if we weren't that I would try to get Golden State to wait (and make the trade with someone out of conference) but I'd rather miss out on the trade like that than a legit shot at Dwight so if it was choosing between taking our shot at Dwight or the deal, then I am missing on Dwight and the deal and going to the lottery. It isn't, however, clear to me that we couldn't have pulled the deal off.

[Admin]

Paul let the world know he wasn't coming to Atlanta through his agents in June.

Howard met with Atlanta on July 2nd and it was reported in the press he had picked Houston on the 5th:

http://www.cbssports.com/nba/blog/eye-on-basketball/22650744/report-dwight-howard-will-sign-with-the-houston-rockets

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nba/2013/07/05/dwight-howard-houston-rockets-contract-decision-los-angeles-lakers/2492347/

Golden State pulled the trigger on July 5th. So it is a bit unclear whether Ferry had legit hopes that would have blocked doing that deal. I suspect we were already done at that point but I totally acknowledge that if we weren't that I would try to get Golden State to wait (and make the trade with someone out of conference) but I'd rather miss out on the trade like that than a legit shot at Dwight so if it was choosing between taking our shot at Dwight or the deal, then I am missing on Dwight and the deal and going to the lottery. It isn't, however, clear to me that we couldn't have pulled the deal off.

The Utah - Golden State went down before Howard notified any of the teams that he had eliminated them. So that would have been throwing in the towel as far as the fans are concerned. Not only that but it would have seemed that we were trying to help another team get Dwight and that would be even worse than Dwight simply turning us down when we gave our best effort to get him.

[Wretch]

Disagree that last year was about building around Josh. Last year was about clearing the roster. We took on all one year deals.Also they tried to move Josh at the break, but did not get a reasonable offer.

Well, that's the part we'll all disagree on until we can look back on all this with perspective. From where I sit, Ferry wanted to "evaluate" Josh Smith. So he surrounded him with a team that could win games. We won games, but he all of a sudden figured out who Josh was. There's no difference between a deadline deal or a summer deal. You want a guy gone, you deal him. We kept him because Ferry wasn't sure what Josh was. I guess we knew because we watched him all these years but W/E.

This year, unless we tank it, I expect to see Ferry do the same thing and build around Horford. Gutting the roster is what Boston did and what Billy Knight did. When you gut your roster and bring back replacements...you're not really gutting. Marvin was moved for a more productive player. Joe was moved for younger SG just a tier below him in scoring.

From where I'm sitting...not gutting/rebuilding/starting over. Especially when you've got Teague/Horf/Smoove still in place and the same coach.

[AHF]

The Utah - Golden State went down before Howard notified any of the teams that he had eliminated them. So that would have been throwing in the towel as far as the fans are concerned. Not only that but it would have seemed that we were trying to help another team get Dwight and that would be even worse than Dwight simply turning us down when we gave our best effort to get him.

I am not as clear about the timing as you are since I think there is a very good possibility that Ferry knew we were out of the running by the 4th but it is just speculation.

At the end of the day, I would have taken my shot at Paul/Howard and would have tried to get Golden State to delay on the trade with the pitch of letting them keep a 2nd round pick and sending their picks to the EC rather than a WC rival. If Golden State pulled the trigger, too bad for me...I was going for Howard first. If I found out Howard was not coming to the ATL before it became public, I would go for the GS trade. Either way, I would have then turned to building through the draft and maintaining cap flexibility.