I think this might be the turning point in our franchise

[SeminoleDoug]

I don't post here very often. I live overseas and I am very busy right now in life. But I really am excited about the future of our franchise. It was a rough year without Horford. Honestly, I didn't get to watch any games (time difference and life). But what's happening right now against the Pacers could finally be the pivotal point in our team's history in Atlanta. I've been rooting for this team for more than 25 years. I can remember all of the bad years. And all of the disappoinments. But this really might finally be it. Honestly, after beating the Pacers late in the season (and knowing what a bad matchup we are for them due to being able to take Hibbert out of the paint), I almost picked us to beat them. But, I've seen us F it up so many times before, I just couldn't trust them. But I love what I'm seeing and we only need to win 2 of 4...with two more games at home. And Indiana looks terrible.

Why am I so optimistic about the future? Just because of two games or one series? Hardly. The Wizards won the first two in Chicago..They've got 4 games to win 2 more,,,with 3 at home. Sure, the Wizards beat us 3 out of 4 (including one game in ATL that went into OT). But, that's a lot better than Chicago, which swept us and kicked our butts. The Wizards have won one playoff series in the last 30 years. One playoff series...in 30 years. They hadn't been to the playoffs in like 6 years. We've won 3 playoff series in the last 5 seasons...if we win in the first round this year and then it's 4 playoff series in 6 season. Sure, the Wizards won't be easy. But I'll take our chances.

And if we can make it to the Eastern Conference Finals, we'll probably lose. I know we split the series with Miami during the regular season, but I'm honest with myself. But here's the point:

Imagine we did make the Eastern Conference finals. Imagine we win 2 of the next 4 (with two at home) against a team we've shown we can beat (we've won 4 of the last 7...including twice in Indiana). Imagine the Wizards win two of the next 4 (against a team that they're 4-1 against this season)...with 3 more home games. And then imagine we manage to beat a tough young team with a 2nd year head coach who has won 1 playoff series in 30 years.

We, at worst, would head into the offseason having made the Eastern Conference Finals. We'll have more than $13 million in capspace, I believe (and flexibility...pieces we could move if we wanted to). We'll have two first round draft picks. We'll have a great head coach and a great GM who both learned from the best run franchise in the NBA. We'll have a legimite case to make to free agents that we can be a winning team (and a pretty fun city to live in...depending on your definition of fun, maybe. NBA guys love ATL...we're just a small market who has never won before).

My idea is to pay whatever we need to pay to sign Lance Stephenson from the Pacers. If we do that, our back court next year is: Teague, Stephenson, Mack, Lou Williams, and Korver could play a little bit at the 2 (spending most of his time as our starter at the 3). Korver starts at the 3, but splits time with Carroll. Then you've got Millsap and Horford as a great team in the front court (being backed up by Scott and Antić). You'd need to try to draft a couple of big guys. Of maybe trade up to get one good big guy to join Horford, Millsap, and Scott, But then you'd have a team that could compete with any team in the East (and you'd cripple Indiana at the same time).

This is all only possible because of Danny Ferry. And the people who wanted to keep Joe Johnson and his hideous contract will be proven definitively wrong. I knew the minute we hired Danny Ferry he was going to turn it around. Some people are just winners. Billy Knight is obviously not one of them. Sund was a decent bridge from that disaster of Knight, but we might have finally found our savior.

Go Hawks!

[ngc7]

great post!

[BrazilianHawk]

We already have our big guys. Muscala is slowly proving he belongs, and Bebe could be a nice surprise if he leaves Spain for the Hawks (which I suppose he will do).

great post nonetheless, I believe signing Stephenson could go a long way. Just not sure why would I want to bench Carroll, playing the way he is.

Korver could be more of a thread coming off the bench, so teams wouldn't plan to stop him night in and night out. Could be next 6th man of the year.

Teague / Stephenson / Carroll / Millsap / Horford could be a hell of a defensive lineup and still very capable in the offensive side of the game.

[DrReality]

Korver could be sixth man of the year coming off the bench. Was thinking it would be nice to have ZaZa on the floor for us.

[frosgrim]

Great OP. I'm not sure Lance is the guy that would fit in with what the Hawks are trying to build. We are a ball and player moving team. Lance is an iso first guy that needs the ball in his hands to be effective.

IF we can pull off the frist round upset that would be a good step forward. Getting the Wiz in 2nd round certainly would interesting; however, I don't think we match up well with them. Wall is a up and coming PG. Teague tends to have a hard time against scoring PGs. We don't really have a good answer for their bigs, but Bud may come up with a way to neutralize that issue. Point is, I don't take it as a given that we'd get past the Wiz in the 2nd round. This is Hawkland and we've NEVER gotten past the 2nd round. For me, i'll take it one game at a time.

[GameTime]

Lance Stephenson may be what destroyed the Pacers locker room. I have to read more on the situation, but that is a game changer for me even wanting him on this team. At this point I rather target Danny Granger for cheap (I still think he can be a 20 point scorer) and draft a SG/SF with potential for Bud to build.

Edited April 25, 2014 by GameTime

[hawkman]

Granger seems like a better fit. He looks like he may finally be healthy again and would be a better bargain than Lance. I like "Born Ready" but I also am not ignorant to the fact that he may not be the best teammate. Granger doesn't have that issue.

[anxietyreigns]

Great OP. I'm not sure Lance is the guy that would fit in with what the Hawks are trying to build. We are a ball and player moving team. Lance is an iso first guy that needs the ball in his hands to be effective.

IF we can pull off the frist round upset that would be a good step forward. Getting the Wiz in 2nd round certainly would interesting; however, I don't think we match up well with them. Wall is a up and coming PG. Teague tends to have a hard time against scoring PGs. We don't really have a good answer for their bigs, but Bud may come up with a way to neutralize that issue. Point is, I don't take it as a given that we'd get past the Wiz in the 2nd round. This is Hawkland and we've NEVER gotten past the 2nd round. For me, i'll take it one game at a time.

.

[Guest]

I can only focus on Game 4.

[Admin]

I can only focus on Game 4 and my duties in the kitchen.

Fixed

[Admin]

No way I want Stephenson on this team, it would be like JR Rider all over again.

[Guest]

Fixed

Somebody got jokes.

[capstone21]

I agree about avoiding Stephenson...locker room problem

A lot of talent but yes an ISO player which is what we are moving away from.

[SeminoleDoug]

I can see that maybe Stephenson has some locker room problems. I don't have time to follow the entire NBA. Barely have time to still follow the Hawks. But, I guess if we can pick up a really good SG or SF...and draft a really good big man in the draft (we'll have two mid to mid-late 1st round picks to work with)...then we should be very, very good. I don't see a team other than the Heat that should be better than us, frankly.

[dirtypuppet]

Honestly, a player like Trevor Ariza seems like a much better fit than Stephenson. More of a Spurs type of 3&D platyer and I was surprised to see he's only 28.

I see him as the sort of under the radar Ferry type of signing and I hate to root for guys like Lance with questionable attitudes. Can't deny his talent but I just don't see him fitting into what we're building.

[Mdizzle5]

Players like Lance need teammates and coaches that will check them when they're out of line. I think that would (MAYBE) tone down the locker room chemistry risk.

[LamarHampton]

we'll have two mid to mid-late 1st round picks to work with)...then we should be very, very good.

I only know about the one. We have two? Or are you talking about last year with Schröder and Bebe?

[Nicholasp27]

We only have one first rounder...we had rights to swap pick with nets but now we won't since ours is #15 and theirs is 19 or 20 or something

Hayward would be a better look than Stephenson...granger would be nice if he is actually getting healthy

Lots of good sg/sf prospects in the draft at #15 and Bebe will add to our big man depth

[Hawkeyes007]

I really don't like Stephenson. He plays out of control, talks trash and every time he makes a shot he starts flailing around like it was a game winner in the first quarter. I also don't know how good he would be for our team in regards to attitude. He mopes around when things don't go his way and when he gets frustrated he locks in on isolation offense. Like in game three there was 3 seconds left and the Hawks were up by about 11 and because he was mad he ran over and fouled. Then he walked over to his bench shuffling his feet ignoring the game like someone took his sucker. He really irritates me.

[Jdawgflow]

He reminds me too much of josh smith. We don't need his attitude. We need professional dudes out there.