Official Game Thread: Hawks - Jazz

[RetroDetektiv]

So the first half will never happen, it is all about money and there is no way the NBA would ever want to lose a team from a major market.

The second point is valid, I hate watching teams tank, but until there is a change to the system in a real way it will stay. When the collusion started happening the NBA should have stepped in and stopped it, however since it didn't we get teams trying to pull the three big stars away from other teams. If you are not one of those? Well, you are probably not going to be a contender. It is a shame, it sucks, but it means under the current structure you do what you have to in order to win, and right now that is lose. We need to hope the Hawks either lose and miss the playoffs OR they get a miracle in the draft. You need that ONE superstar in order to entice the others. You don't get all three in free agency. Every team starts with that ONE guy in the lottery and then gets people to want to come. It is why we are stuck in mediocrity, we don't really have that one exciting guy that others want to come play with. While I love Horford and Milsap was a great pickup, they are not a Dwayne Wade, Paul Pierce, Kobe, KD, Griffin...those are the guys (or were in some cases) that the others want to play with.

So until they fix the NBA. I hope we lose out and get into the lottery AND make a good pick in that lottery.

You actually add markets ( Seattle and many other cities can make their own teams ) and it increases popularity of the sport .2-4 worst teams go to second league ( D league ) and first 4 teams from second league go into first league.Also have cash prizes dependent on where you are on the final table and not everyone gets equal shares.The draft is also totally unnecessary

Of course that would also mean that some teams will have almost no chance of winning a title but at least every game will be interesting.

[nathan2331]

The relegation idea, while having it's merits, could never work in the NBA (or any major US sport) until more talent arrives in the D-League.

[RetroDetektiv]

The relegation idea, while having it's merits, could never work in the NBA (or any major US sport) until more talent arrives in the D-League.

It is impossible to expect the teams there to grow if they have no chance to go anywhere.In the beginning until the second league catches up they could have a play out ( series to 4 ) for the last 2 teams.If a team could get to the NBA you will see a lot of teams emerging everywhere.If that does not popularize the sport I don't know what will.

[nathan2331]

It is impossible to expect the teams there to grow if they have no chance to go anywhere.In the beginning until the second league catches up they could have a play out ( series to 4 ) for the last 2 teams.If a team could get to the NBA you will see a lot of teams emerging everywhere.If that does not popularize the sport I don't know what will.

I understand what your saying, but the talent pool in other sports is weak compared to world football. A D-league team would be pitiful against NBA talent.

[AUhawksfan]

Well I'm not exactly a fan of the system in place but you're seeing a byproduct of that system. So until that changes, heck yeah I'm going to root for the hawks to lose because it makes sense for our team! For me it's all about looking at the big picture past this season.

I only see NY as having the best chance to overtake us. They have the offensive talent at least to push for that 8 spot and maybe feel like they could make just a little noise in the playoffs. Cleveland just isn't that good and Detroit is way too inconsistent.

[DS17Fanboy]

I want to remind people though(looking at Utah) when "tanking goes wrong". OK they maybe get a maybe all-star, but they gave up on Millsap and Jefferson.

I still dont get these American maths. Maybe its just because Im an European with weird hair.

[lethalweapon3]

Not exactly faces/bodies made for radio, but for those interested, Canicka (Ka-NEEK-uh) and Morgan, the FoxSports South ladies, are on 92.9 FM right now.

http://betaplayer.radio.com/player/929-the-game

~lw3

[Dnice]

^Thanks, should've tuned in during the 1st segment, the hosts are dominating, lol

[Jody23]

I want to remind people though(looking at Utah) when "tanking goes wrong". OK they maybe get a maybe all-star, but they gave up on Millsap and Jefferson. I still dont get these American maths. Maybe its just because Im an European with weird hair.

Utah is not a good example of "when tanking goes wrong". They had both Millsap and Jefferson on their team last year and still missed the playoffs. Those guys put up nice numbers, but don't make your team exceptionally better. They made the right decision by letting those guys go and choosing to rebuild the right way.

[rd79]

Utah is not a good example of "when tanking goes wrong". They had both Millsap and Jefferson on their team last year and still missed the playoffs. Those guys put up nice numbers, but don't make your team exceptionally better. They made the right decision by letting those guys go and choosing to rebuild the right way.

Mmmhhh. What do you expect from a player that makes your team exceptionally better? That he lefts everybody on the team to the next level? Utah's problem is that they play western conference... Somehow the difference between Easy and West must be fixed.

[Jody23]

Mmmhhh. What do you expect from a player that makes your team exceptionally better? That he lefts everybody on the team to the next level? Utah's problem is that they play western conference... Somehow the difference between Easy and West must be fixed.

Millsap and Jefferson are in the East this year and where are there teams currently? Battling for the last couple of playoff spots like they were together last year. When those guys are your best players, the result is going to be mediocrity at best, East or West. That's what I mean when I say those guys don't make your team exceptionally better. Utah decided it wasn't worth it to tie up significant money in guys who couldn't elevate them beyond mediocrity.

[yungsta]

one of the real reasons why they didnt keep milsap or jefferson was because they had a young frontcourt Favors/Kanter/hayward whose rookie deals were ending very soon. They couldnt afford to pay milsap and jefferson along with those 3.

they did the right thing by financially committing themselves to the young guns instead of jefferson/milsap who have already peaked as players.

[DS17Fanboy]

Utah is not a good example of "when tanking goes wrong". They had both Millsap and Jefferson on their team last year and still missed the playoffs. Those guys put up nice numbers, but don't make your team exceptionally better. They made the right decision by letting those guys go and choosing to rebuild the right way.

I just watched Utah vs Dallas and I have seen Utah a couple of times this year. I mean Derrick Favours is nothing special. Kanter a great backup on the offensive glass.

Jefferson and Sap did not "peak" last year. They greatly improved albeit under different teams, but age, exp, and talent wise they could have shown that improvement under Utah as well. I mean Jefferson is something special. Sap is a great starting big, and allstar even.

What course Utah could have went instead of tanking. Simple: they do have Hayward and Burke to develop. They did have two above average bigs who shown they did improve this year.

So what if they lets say draft Julius Randle, does that make them better than having Big Al and Sap? Wouldnt a competing year not be allot better to develop Hayward and Burke?

I think the answers are no and yes. People undersetimate the loss of time when you could have young players developing under a tightly competing team giving its all each game, or have a year where a Hayward and Burke just sputter along not really caring about endresults. People also underestimate long standing players and overestimate all the "future Kobe's" out there, and boy there have been allot of them...

Edited March 13, 2014 by DS17Fanboy

[benhillboy]

Y'all seen Kanter in Shaqtin a Fool with his double-pump jumpers? They're hilarious. I like Hawyard but I'm not sure how much better he can get. If Favors were with better player development he'd have realized his potential by now, now it may never happen. It's almost a waste to draft a stud PG like Burke and have no veteran tutor for him, so there's that.