I was wrong about Mike Muscala and the Hawks needing another Big....

[atlhawks1]

I have to admit, i was wrong about Moose. I was wrong thinking the Hawks needed to trade Horford or sign another big before the trade deadline. I was wrong for suggesting the Hawks try and get Plumlee from the Nets. Funny how getting MINUTES has shown that this kid can play. Im liking what i see out of him. On offense, he can score from outside, has a inside game, and can pass the ball. He has a athletism i didnt know he had either, which was one reason i like Plumlee. On defense, he is quick enough to rotate off his man to give help. Mostly, im loving how he is enabling Horford to slide over to the 4 while Millsap is out. The Hawks have a versatility upfront that i didnt know exist. I admit, i was wrong. LOVING what i see out of Moose........

 

Imagine how its gonna be when Tavares gets here. The Hawks are soo deep its not funny. 

Edited April 8, 2015 by atlhawks1

[GameTime]

#SampleSize

[NBASupes]

I been saying we don't need another big. We got Walter coming and that's enough. We clearly need another wing player with potential. Someone we can develop who can be very good in the future.

Edited April 9, 2015 by nbasupes40retired

[FrankWhite]

#SampleSize

Sure, but we can only judge him on the games he's played, and based on that the kid can play.

[DrReality]

He's perfect for Buds system

[RedDawg#8]

Its the old argument we dont just want size for the the sake of size. We have bigs who can do a little bit of everything on the floor. It makes every guy on the floor a threat to score and allows us to play multiple defensive coverages. Which is why I dont ever see us jusr going out of our way to bring in a pure "rim protector" type. We have a great stable of guys that we will continue to add to through the draft and develop either overseas or the d-league. I love the way our franchise is being ran now. Absolutely love it

[benhillboy]

Bud and Dan simply revising the blueprint on team building is all. Moose is yet another prime example of what this franchise is about: building blocks on top of building blocks.

Edited April 9, 2015 by benhillboy

[DJlaysitup]

I had no idea (who could) that Mooose-scala would bring it this late in the season the way he has. It's almost "Dennis-esque. Are we just getting lucky or is this something we deserved for a long time - or - do we just have much better "player pickers".

I'm not even sure how tall Muscala is...but he's pretty F'n tall. He's getting some good shots and holding his own on rebounds and even a block here and there. He's no Elton when it comes to flat out physicality...but he seems to be hanging in there.

[benhillboy]

Are we just getting lucky or is this something we deserved for a long time - or - do we just have much better "player pickers".

All the above. Having a raving mad genius patrolling the sideline has a little to do with it as well.

[willthepureshooter]

Muscala = Brad Miller.. And they laughed at me when I made the comparison.

[DJlaysitup]

All the above. Having a raving mad genius patrolling the sideline has a little to do with it as well.

Yeah...I'm not ready to anoint Moose as the next big thing by any means...he is a second stringer for sure...but he seems to be a fairly good second stringer - faster than I expected (by the way - he is 6-11)...and he is kind of rangy (meaning he has long arms and good feet and can get to the ball on D).

I think he is a "keeper". To be fair to Pero though - he actually is pretty quick around the court on his feet and is larger....physically....when Pero sets a screen it is "set"...no question about it. Opposing players see Pero set a screen and just think "f - it".

.

.

Edited April 9, 2015 by DJlaysitup

[nitte]

Same for me. I was disappointed when we didn't improve our big man rotation before the deadline. Apparently Bud knew Muscala would come through.

[RedDawg#8]

Ita about scouting and development. There arent that many players that get drafted each year that are ready to contribute right off the bat. And since we keep making playoffs we will almost never be in position to nab those few guys that are. So its about taking players who may not have athleticism or star power or an ability to dominate but have BBIQ, tangible skills like shooting ability cause the ball dont lie whether you are a star or a bench player, and most importantly a competitive streak. Competitivenes is what elevates a guy who may be average to be able to hang with anyone one the court and be willing to put in the work off the court to improve because they want to be the best. And thats who we have assembled here. Muscala is only doing what he did in college but against better competition now which was probably his only red flag, that and his narrow frame. He, just like Dennis, Demarre, Baze etc are all competitive guys who arent going to back from a challenge but will also put in the work necessary to improve. Thats the difference. Lord I just wish Bud could have gotten his hands on Al 5 years ago. He is already great now, just imagine the beast that he would have become with the proper coaching.

[JTB]

I been saying we don't need another big. We got Walter coming and that's enough. We clearly need another wing player with potential. Someone we can develop who can be very good in the future.

I agree with moose being developed and big edy coming over next season hopefully we clearly need another wing player to go along with Bazemore, DMC, Thabo, & Korver

I want the Hawks to go after Kawhi but I'm just pipe dreaming

[JTB]

Ita about scouting and development. There arent that many players that get drafted each year that are ready to contribute right off the bat. And since we keep making playoffs we will almost never be in position to nab those few guys that are. So its about taking players who may not have athleticism or star power or an ability to dominate but have BBIQ, tangible skills like shooting ability cause the ball dont lie whether you are a star or a bench player, and most importantly a competitive streak. Competitivenes is what elevates a guy who may be average to be able to hang with anyone one the court and be willing to put in the work off the court to improve because they want to be the best. And thats who we have assembled here. Muscala is only doing what he did in college but against better competition now which was probably his only red flag, that and his narrow frame. He, just like Dennis, Demarre, Baze etc are all competitive guys who arent going to back from a challenge but will also put in the work necessary to improve. Thats the difference. Lord I just wish Bud could have gotten his hands on Al 5 years ago. He is already great now, just imagine the beast that he would have become with the proper coaching.

Dude!....really good truthful post!....this is the reason I log into the squawk daily! To read good awesome shit like this.

Really good read and yes I wish bud had got his hands on a couple of use to be Hawks as well lol

Muscala = Brad Miller.. And they laughed at me when I made the comparison.

I love the comparison....good find!

[Dejay]

If Muscala continues to develop and Tavares is what we all hope he end up to be when he gets over here, that is a frightening tandem coming off the bench. It's one thing to have big guys in your second unit; it's another animal when you have big guys who can play...

[Randy]

Yet another second round (or later) pick who exceeded expectations.  We've got quite a pack of them now.  I've always had high hopes for Moose - glad to see he's getting to play some now, in a Hawks uniform, rather than Mad Ants.  

Edited April 9, 2015 by Randy

[hazer]

A bench of Moose/Edy, Scott/Moose, Sef/Scott, Blaze/Sef, and Shredder/Mack makes Hawks formidably 3-deep.

[lethalweapon3]

A couple fun things to note:

 

(1) Moose is the sole flesh-and-blood member of the Hawks roster that came by way of Danny's Joe Johnson deal. Brooklyn's conveyed 2013 first-round pick was used by Atlanta to take Shane Larkin, who in turn was flipped to Dallas for Jared Cunningham, Bebe Nogueira... and Muscala. Indeed, the cap space allowed for more crucial members of the team to get signed in the ensuing offseasons. But among actual players (Farmar, Morrow, Petro, Stevenson, Jordan Williams) and picks acquired thanks to the Joe deal, Moose is the survivor. There's a 2017 second-rounder coming, too, and whoever we wind up swapping for in 2015, assuming he sticks. But for the moment, Moose is it.

 

Morrow is a top bench option in OKC, Farmar's in Turkey, and Petro's in Puerto Rico. DeShawn was in Aisle 7 at Publix last we saw him, Jordan Williams was last seen in the Naugatuck Valley League. Cunningham's wrapping things up in the D-League with the Idaho Stampede. Larkin is just now getting his starting gig back with the Knicks. And Bebe?

 

(2) Oh yeah, Bebe! I remember him. I still believe he'll have a prominent role in this league in due time, especially if the 22-year-old can overcome his past knee tendinitis issue. But for now, the well-coiffed center who was so sure he was headed to a team that would grant him significant NBA minutes has 23 minutes, six points, 11 rebounds, 2 steals. Not average... total. In six NBA games, not counting the four-game D-League vacation in Fort Wayne. One appearance since the All-Star Break for Bebe, who's buried on the depth chart behind Jonas Valanciunas, Tyler Hansbrough, Chuck Hayes, and Greg Steimsma.

 

When the Hawks first sent first-rounder Nogueira and early-second-rounder Muscala to Spain back in 2013, it was hard to imagine that Moose would be the one playing decent NBA minutes by the end of 2015.

 

~lw3

[Dejay]

Bebe, we hardly knew ye...

 

As been stated before, we are entering unchartered territory in Hawks basketball. A team who clinches the top seed before April? A possibility of having a lottery pick? Tons of cap space available? Now actual player development being seen on the court during a...gasp...actually basketball game that counts? Having to use every connection available to get in the building now instead of just showing some old college ID at the gate and getting in for free? Where are those Chic FIl-A deals when you need them?

 

And it isn't just Muscula that's showing something. Have you seen what Carroll has done lately? Somewhere in town, Steve Smith is going 'if we had someone like that instead of Ty Corbin or Henry James, we might have done something in the playoffs...'

Edited April 9, 2015 by Dejay