This Team Aint Going Anywhere

[frankthetank966]

Huge Hawks fan, have been through the 90s and will continue to support this team. However, losing Horford clearly shows he was our best player. This team has no offense and cannot rebound.The Hawks either need to acquire a big man by trading some picks or tank. I don't see any reason to be a middle of the pact team again. As soon as we get into the playoffs we would be crushed without a big man.

[AHF]

This team didn't have any hope to do anything meaningful in the playoffs with Al so I don't think this radically changes the outlook for this year. The hard calculas is that tanking does nothing for us if the Nets don't finish with a better record than us and that is still a big unknown.

The time to tank was before the season started and we passed on that for this "make the playoffs, get bounced in the first or second round" plan so I don't have any expectation that there will be a major change. I do expect that Ferry will try to take someone in a trade but I think he will always be looking to do that.

[Jody23]

The last few games have made your points painfully obvious to me. Finishing in the middle of the pack just for the sake of saying "we made the playoffs" would be pointless. And with Chicago now joining Orlando, Boston and others in tanking, I'm becoming more confident that Brooklyn will make the playoffs.

[Vol4ever]

But the ASG thinks its a good thing to make the playoffs. They can then make the argument that they have made the playoffs and are trying to improve the team while keeping the payroll down.

[HawkItus]

Do you guys realize how hard it is to tank this year? You would have to gut this team and get rid of great contracts. Even then you may not be bad enough to effectively get a top 5 pick.

[AHF]

Do you guys realize how hard it is to tank this year? You would have to gut this team and get rid of great contracts. Even then you may not be bad enough to effectively get a top 5 pick.

The ship has sailed. The time to do that was this summer.

[macdaddy]

[Admin]

This team didn't have any hope to do anything meaningful in the playoffs with Al so I don't think this radically changes the outlook for this year. The hard calculas is that tanking does nothing for us if the Nets don't finish with a better record than us and that is still a big unknown.

The time to tank was before the season started and we passed on that for this "make the playoffs, get bounced in the first or second round" plan so I don't have any expectation that there will be a major change. I do expect that Ferry will try to take someone in a trade but I think he will always be looking to do that.

^^^^This

[Admin]

But the ASG thinks its a good thing to make the playoffs. They can then make the argument that they have made the playoffs and are trying to improve the team while keeping the payroll down.

This is the first year we've actually kept the payroll down. We've got too much talent to be able to tank and I wouldn't want to see us get rid of Lou, Teague, Al and Millsap just to have a shot at a top pick that may or may not work out and would be playing with a stripped down roster.

[NBASupes]

I would be cool trading Milsap for a lotto pick.

[ATL_BALLER]

The hard calculas is that tanking does nothing for us if the Nets don't finish with a better record than us and that is still a big unknown.

Actually, I wouldn't mind seeing us both in the lotto, and having two shots at the top of the draft.

To your point, though, it's too late for our tank, and sadly (and unsurprisingly), the Nets are starting to figure it out. I definitely see them getting in as at least a 6th seed.

Sigh.

[tbhawksfan]

There's no reason to think Brook will finish with a worse record than us now. I hope Ferry wasn't "planing" on Brook to finish worse, like many around here. We have basically no control of Brooks pick, but we do control our own destiny. That's why I've always leaned towards the trade the non-essential guys for the rebuild mode. No interest in a 3 seed when we finish 20 games behind #2 and get embarassingly bounced early in the playoffs.

It's now totally clear that if we are serious about building a CONTENDER, it would be smart to trade all assets that won't meaningfully contribute to our FUTURE winning.

It was the smart move before Horf's injury, now it's the only serious move

[Sothron]

Our wishing and hoping is not going to change anything. Ferry is opposed to tanking and I think he feels a team that shows it can at least compete against elite teams has a chance to convince a star player to come here and make it "their" team while still fitting in the system.

If Ferry wanted to tank we would have done it during the summer. Horford would have been traded, Teague would not have been matched and no Millsap unless we needed him just to meet the min. salary cap obligations.

We're in Jan. Half the season is basically over. There's no way we could lose enough games to truly tank to compete with teams putting out NBADL starting lineups that have been tanking since the season started.

Edited January 7, 2014 by Sothron

[Guest]

There's no reason to think Brook will finish with a worse record than us now. I hope Ferry wasn't "planing" on Brook to finish worse, like many around here. We have basically no control of Brooks pick, but we do control our own destiny. That's why I've always leaned towards the trade the non-essential guys for the rebuild mode. No interest in a 3 seed when we finish 20 games behind #2 and get embarassingly bounced early in the playoffs.

It's now totally clear that if we are serious about building a CONTENDER, it would be smart to trade all assets that won't meaningfully contribute to our FUTURE winning.

It was the smart move before Horf's injury, now it's the only serious move

Of course Ferry knows he has no control over Brooklyn. Did anyone see Brooklyn struggling as much as they did? NO. It was only when us fans realized the swap of picks was available it became a big deal on the Squawk and we dreamed of the possibility of making the playoffs AND getting a lottery pick.

Who are the "non-essential guys" you would like to trade? What would you expect to get back for them if they are non-essential?

Which assets are you trading that won't contribute to our FUTURE winning?

[Sothron]

I would be cool trading Milsap for a lotto pick.

We both know that isn't happening.

[Diesel]

First to some I say... Welcome. Welcome to right thinking. However, here's my deal. We have to plan not panic. It's not too late to tank, there is a lottery. Moreover, there's some great players who will be available at 4-10. However, what we must do is plan sufficiently. If Asik were available for anybody but Millsap, I would say take him.

At this point, having Asik alone will not help us in our main problem areas. Scoring. Horf is not going to be that much help either. You guys say Horf was making a difference? Not really, Horf still has no goto move. He helped in that we had another option but playoff ball would have gotten us killed.

For those thinking Brooklyn is out? Have you looked at their roster? Those guys were just sleeping. If Kidd can divorce himself from iso play, Brooklyn can still finish 3rd in the East. That means, we go out and get our own lottery pick.

So here's what not to do:

1. Don't trade Millsap.

2. Don't put in players that are producing well for players that do nothing.

Here's what to do:

1. Trade Lou for potential.

2. Play some of the youth. Scott, Dennis should get some playing time.

3. Bring Mayor Cunningham back.

4. Take advantage of any trade that will make us better next year.

OR

Trade for Asik and Afflalo and shoot for the moon this year with Asik, Sap, Korver, Afflalo, and Teague.

[frankthetank966]

First to some I say... Welcome. Welcome to right thinking. However, here's my deal. We have to plan not panic. It's not too late to tank, there is a lottery. Moreover, there's some great players who will be available at 4-10. However, what we must do is plan sufficiently. If Asik were available for anybody but Millsap, I would say take him.

At this point, having Asik alone will not help us in our main problem areas. Scoring. Horf is not going to be that much help either. You guys say Horf was making a difference? Not really, Horf still has no goto move. He helped in that we had another option but playoff ball would have gotten us killed.

For those thinking Brooklyn is out? Have you looked at their roster? Those guys were just sleeping. If Kidd can divorce himself from iso play, Brooklyn can still finish 3rd in the East. That means, we go out and get our own lottery pick.

So here's what not to do:

1. Don't trade Millsap.

2. Don't put in players that are producing well for players that do nothing.

Here's what to do:

1. Trade Lou for potential.

2. Play some of the youth. Scott, Dennis should get some playing time.

3. Bring Mayor Cunningham back.

4. Take advantage of any trade that will make us better next year.

OR

Trade for Asik and Afflalo and shoot for the moon this year with Asik, Sap, Korver, Afflalo, and Teague.

Why are you obsessed with AA?

[Diesel]

Why are you obsessed with AA?

He's 28. Has a very good contract. Putting up good numbers across the board. Has a game that would fit with what we need to make Bud's offense works and he could easily be the face of our team. He's a young Joe Johnson with better outside shooting. I see the combo of him and Korver in the swing positions as being a tandem like Fire and Ice from NCState... jk.. I think he and Korver would stretch defenses and hurt them with penetration and outside shooting.

I also like Rodney Hood and Smart but if Afflalo is going as cheap as some say... I would like for us to make a play for him.

[ATL_BALLER]

Before Horf went down, I held a quiet hope that the Hawks could actually shock in the playoffs. Team was really coming together, and who knows what could happen in 7?

In spite of what's been said, I believe Horf absolutely was a game-changer for this season. With him in tow, I was hoping we would add to the equation for that playoff push. Now I don't know what the hell we do.

[Diesel]

Before Horf went down, I held a quiet hope that the Hawks could actually shock in the playoffs. Team was really coming together, and who knows what could happen in 7?

In spite of what's been said, I believe Horf absolutely was a game-changer for this season. With him in tow, I was hoping we would add to the equation for that playoff push. Now I don't know what the hell we do.

That's just it Baller. Horf is a difference maker in the season. However, post season, teams can't win without a penetrator, rebounding, and set plays. Whereas we have the set plays and sometimes, we have the rebounding, I don't think it matters that much in the playoffs. We become a live by the three, die by the three team (ala Denver, Phoenix). We don't have the inside anchor that we need to play through tough playoff matchups. The one time we had that was when we had Crawford/Joe/Teague playing. We beat Orlando with good outside play and smart defense. We then played Chicago strong until they released Asik and Taj and their bigs on us and controlled the paint. In the playoffs, if you can't control the paint or get the easier buckets, you will lose. Unfortunately, even if Horf would have stayed healthy, as is, I think we'd be that team that comes in fun to watch but gets ground down in a halfcourt series. We've been that before.