The off-season according to Travis Schlenk

[Guest]

Thanks @JayBirdHawk...I was gonna add pick #60 to Dwight and Delaney but I think your right it might take their next years pick back. 

You should try to put a roster together Bird...I think you would put a pretty good one together.  

 

Almost makes me want to create another and it's an ideal time as I just had an implant tooth surgery so I will be on the couch watching the finals...half conscious..lol..

 

I kind of want to do a roster where we DONT rebuild...but that's even harder with the trades etc.

 

 

[Guest]

I really wanted to see some Schlenk role play rosters from @AHF @lethalweapon3 @Thomas@JayBirdHawk @kg01 @AUhawksfan @turnermx @LamarHampton@TheNorthCydeRises @Dolfan23 @GameTime @SalvorMallow @macdaddy @ATLHawks3@hawkman @HawkItus @MaceCase @SothronAnd anyone else that I may have forgotten...

 

Just wanna see how you guys think? :-) It would take about 30 minutes or so though so it's time consuming...mine took 1.5 hours. Lol.

[Guest]

1 hour ago, Spud2Nique said:

I really wanted to see some Schlenk role play rosters from @AHF @lethalweapon3 @Thomas@JayBirdHawk @kg01 @AUhawksfan @turnermx @LamarHampton@TheNorthCydeRises @Dolfan23 @GameTime @SalvorMallow @macdaddy @ATLHawks3@hawkman @HawkItus @MaceCase @SothronAnd anyone else that I may have forgotten...

 

Just wanna see how you guys think? :-) It would take about 30 minutes or so though so it's time consuming...mine took 1.5 hours. Lol.

I would love to - just too much work.

[Admin]

3 hours ago, JayBirdHawk said:

I would love to - just too much work.

Well the kitchen isn't going to clean itself! 

:ducking

[Guest]

20 minutes ago, Dolfan23 said:

Well the kitchen isn't going to clean itself! 

:ducking

In before the...waaaarrr..

[Thomas]

Don't want a fun as heck hobby to include a chore. So I'll just marvel at what you guys come up with.

[Guest]

13 hours ago, Dolfan23 said:

Well the kitchen isn't going to clean itself! 

:ducking

Unlike you, I can multi-task. 

[Guest]

38 minutes ago, JayBirdHawk said:

Unlike you, I can multi-task. 

Goooooooootttttt heeeeeeemmmmm....

 

Is anyone else's stomach turning a bit? Butterflies?

[TheFuzz]

I'll take a stab. I'm gonna try and be realistic and fairly low key here, no blockbusters.

Draft

We could use a young combo guard and (especially) some young big men, preferably dudes who can shoot.

Targets I like: Markannen, Mitchell, Kennard, Swanigan, Ntilikina, maybe John Collins or Hartenstein? Pretty lukewarm on the last 2.

IF we can, look to use Dunleavy's contract and one of our extra picks to move up and snag Markannen. I think he's the real deal.

Assuming we can't trade up, we come away with Kennard and Swanigan. If Kennard ever learns to defend (unlikely) he'll be fantastic, he's got all the tools on offense, can shoot the shit out of the ball and has some serious shake with his fakes. Reminds me of Dragic minus some driving, plus some shooting. Swanigan plays hard and has some versatility at the big man slot.

Trade

First: look at Paul George and Carmelo. I'm not sure we have quite what it takes to land either (George in terms of picks and Melo in terms of contracts), but if we can grab a hold of one of them that changes our trajectory significantly. I'm assuming we don't quite land one and try to trade Dwight.

Offer for George: Bazemore, 4 picks

Offer for Melo: Bazemore, Bembry, Delaney, 1 1st.

Finding a trade partner for Dwight is tough. I like him fine and would be ok with keeping him, but he's a little old and would probably cause a ruckus if we're not competing.

Offer this to Washington

Dwight

for

Gortat, Smith, Satoransky and a 2nd

If they take it, great, if not, fine.

I'd also offer Dunleavy and a 2nd to Toronto for Cory Joseph, who I assume would take that offer.

Free Agency

Millsap: For what it's worth I'm also fine with keeping Millsap. He's a fantastic player (top 3 PF probably) and I think he'll age well. Offer him 4 yrs $100/M or so, if that ain't enough let him walk.

Resign Ersan to 3 year $30M

Resign Hardaway to 4 yr $48M

Sign Donatas Motiejunas to 3 yr $20M: health is a big Q, as is rebounding, but he can shoot, pass and post. Think he'll be a good value signing.

Sign Rudy Gay to 2 yr $16M deal: try and recuperate some value from the dude. I've always liked his game, just think he's needed the proper coach.

Final squad (assuming Melo/George and Howard trades fall through...).

Schröder/Joseph

Hardaway/Kennard

Prince/Bembry

Ersan/Rudy

Howard/Motie

Not super exciting, but decently competitive, hopefully fun to watch with some youth (room to improve) and assets. Bank on continued growth from Dennis & Prince, and be prepared to trade away some of our value contracts for picks.

 

[Guest]

The fuzzy wuzzy one from way downtown....

 

BANG!

Ps that won't be my nickname for you moving forward...I just heard it aloud and I just can't...

[TheFuzz]

12 minutes ago, Spud2Nique said:

The fuzzy wuzzy one from way downtown....

 

BANG!

Ps that won't be my nickname for you moving forward...I just heard it aloud and I just can't...

You know all about getting banged by fuzzy ones way downtown, eh?

I kid! I kid! Is that too risque for this board?

[macdaddy]

1 minute ago, TheFuzz said:

You know all about getting banged by fuzzy ones way downtown, eh?

I kid! I kid! Is that too risque for this board?

 

[Guest]

3 minutes ago, TheFuzz said:

You know all about getting banged by fuzzy ones way downtown, eh?

I kid! I kid! Is that too risque for this board?

 

[Marvin24Williams]

@NBAsupes

not bad but I vomited at the Mirotic signing. he is awful

[lethalweapon3]

I am Sausage.

Here is my Party.

 

Trades:

POR receives: Kent Bazemore, Pick #31, Minnesota's Precious 2018 1st-Rounder (Top-14 Protected)

ATL receives: Maurice Harkless, Al-Farouq Aminu, Pick #26

Blazers get a couple dashes of momentary cap relief, a chance to screwjob a bitter division rival (Batum/Martell/Roy, etc., I digress), and their best defensive option at either of the wing spots (sorry, Jake Layman).

Hawks get a (very) late bloomer, a True To Atlanta candidate, and a flippable 1st-Round pick. Which they flip.

http://www.espn.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=ya8tgwww

 

PHI receives: Pick #26, DeAndre' Bembry

ATL receives: Pick #39, Richaun Holmes, OKC 2020 1st-Rounder (Top-20 Protected)

http://www.espn.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=ycmgebkx

Sixers (currently w/ 4 second-round picks) get another bite at the apple in the 1st round, and a nicely-groomed, defensive-minded wing that the Big 5 locals know well.

Hawks get out from under an extra guaranteed contract, get a backup C Dwight respects, and get a replacement future 1st to toy with.

 

Picks:

1 (19) - Isaiah Hartenstein (Deutschland/Zalgiris): Dennis says "I-Hart" American-Germans. Big, agile, future go-getter stretch-5 and P&R defender. Could be The Pride of Erie in 2017-18. Not a fan of his crazy agent, though. With respect to the late Gene Wilder... is it Hart-n-STINE, or Hart-n-STEEN?

2 (39) - Josh Hart (Nova): Ya Gotta Have Hart. 2018 Malcolm Brogdon Second-Round Pick Award Nominee. Ready-for-prime-time as a reserve.

3 (61) - Aleksandar Vezenkov (Bulgaria/Barcelona): Imminently stashable Cypriot-Greek-Bulgarian forward. Can shoot like a mug, so there's that. Spends eternity in Stashonia unless something crazy happens.

 

Free Agents Retained:

Tim Hardaway, Jr. - Junior Mint! Swiftly negotiates a 5-year deal, squashes all comers. Atlanta's offer will be competitive enough that it won't totally feel like were bidding against ourselves. But can we stick some playoff incentives in this thing?

 

Free Agents Lost:

Paul Millsap - But not before he pinky swears that he'll sign with a Western Conference club. Despite our owner's best schmoozing skills, becomes this year's Farewell Felicia when his agent insists on the 5-Year Max. Look us up in 4 Years, Anchorman!

Jose Calderon, Thabo Sefolosha, Ersan Ilyasova, Ryan Kelly, Kris Humphries, Mike Muscala - Thanks for Playing.

 

Free Agents Added:

Patrick Patterson (2 Year deal)- No longer Project Patt. He'll start in Sap's stead as he's the bulkier, more experienced and stretchier among he and Harkless, unless he's still dealing with injury. Fell out swiftly in Toronto, which works out great value-wise for Atlanta's 2-Year guaranteed offer with a make-good Player Option on the back end.

C.J. Miles (4 Year deal) - He can shoot for Miles and Miles. Becomes Atlanta's super-sub filling in behind T-n-T. Makes his free throws and on-ball defends, too, although he might want to try passing every once in awhile. Two years guaranteed, two years of player options after that.

Tarik Black (3 Year deal) - Moose Fades to... Dwight gets his "little brother" church buddy back from those Houston days, but only after Lakers don't pick up his contract guarantee (No more room at the inn for a $6.7 Mil third-stringer behind Zubac and Mozzie). With Black/Holmes/Patterson providing depth, Dwight can foul to his heart's content.

Beno Udrih (1 Year deal) - "Our New BU Point Guard" will be... BU! VetMin, baby! Praised for his short stint in Detroit (consider the alternatives, tho) despite missing time with a knee injury. Miami kinda owes him a solid, so maybe that'll work in our favor whenever we play our division rival. Guaranteed to do better than JayBird's fan-fave, Jarrett Jack. ;-)

 

Depth Chart:

Dennis Schröder / Beno Udrih / Malcolm Delaney

Junior Hardaway / C.J. Miles / Josh Hart

Taurean Prince / Maurice Harkless

Patrick Patterson / Al-Farouq Aminu / Isaiah Hartenstein

Dwight "Threezus" Howard / Tarik Black / Richaun Holmes

Team Salary guesstimate: $106 Million ($5 Mil above Salary Cap, $15 Mil below LuxTax)

 

I am Sausage. Maybe Toast, too?

~linkw3

[Guest]

Love it @lethalweapon3. Love the Baze for Hark n Chief. I heart Stein you will have a field day though with that one in the game previews. Lol. Love the CJ Miles addition too ( great minds lol). 

 

You didn't give us a win projection. You did say possible toast lol. 30-35 wins with that group?

[lethalweapon3]

1 minute ago, Spud2Nique said:

Love it @lethalweapon3. Love the Baze for Hark n Chief. I heart Stein you will have a field day though with that one in the game previews. Lol. Love the CJ Miles addition too ( great minds lol). 

 

You didn't give us a win projection. You did say possible toast lol. 30-35 wins with that group?

Ewww I gotta do a win projection, too? I'll go the rosy route and give em a whole 45.

I like the depth and fit around Dennis and Dwight better than 2016's 1-through-15, and I like the potential organic growth of Dennis/Tim/Taurean in the starting unit. But there's no parade-route planning needed with this group, either. I really gotta see how the other East squads shake out (Toronto? Miami? Charlotte? Indiana?) to be cozy with that number.

I neglected to mention in making the case for Beno that he's a sneaky Spurs Guy, so that signing would placate Bud. And I wanted a low-pressure backup that's not going to draw out some player's fanboys/fangals to bench Dennis everytime he gets in a funk.

~lw3

[skimaskway23]

Lethal weapon did good but I rather have bembry develop than give him away for peanuts

[Peoriabird]

4 minutes ago, skimaskway23 said:

Lethal weapon did good but I rather have bembry develop than give him away for peanuts

This is what I can't understand about our fans...They seem eager to just give our players away.  I kinda remember this being the case with Falcon players a couple years ago.  Matt Ryan in particular.

[lethalweapon3]

12 hours ago, Peoriabird said:

This is what I can't understand about our fans...They seem eager to just give our players away.  I kinda remember this being the case with Falcon players a couple years ago.  Matt Ryan in particular.

No doubt, before 2016 kicked off, many of us Falcons fans were like, "Reigning league MVP; Up-and-coming Second season Heisman winner off an All-Rookie season; Super Bowl winner... hmmm... is Matty Ice (Past age 30, career-worst 21/16 TD/INT ratio, career-high 12 fumbles, career-low QBR, no winning seasons and no playoffs since 2012) now the 4th best QB in his own division?"

Fortunately for us, the NFL Trade Machines aren't so flexible (and fortunately for Matt, his O-Line became much less of a sieve). I wasn't looking to dump Matt, but I was a torch-carrying proponent of dumping "Dimwitroff" and going the Schlenk route, letting some new Falcons honcho decide what to do with a guy who was looking more and more like Matty Melt.

Usually, when GMs preach about "flexibility" without being fans of 'blowing it all up", moves like Bembry's are what they have in mind. I'm a fan of DeAccent' for several semi-biased reasons. But this is one of those where Sausage would kick the can down the road (to 2020), rather than holding out for a guard's jumpshot to come around through player development, a first-round guard he personally didn't pick. He's seen enough to wait-and-see on Prince, who he also inherited, but unfortunately not Bembry (that's more Bud's fault than DeAndre''s).

In so doing, Schlenk would be hoping he'd get a chance to pick his own developmental first-rounder, while getting a playable second-stringer (that can already shoot a little, and is less than a year older) at another position on a more flexible deal than Bembry's (and the guy they'd otherwise pick from the Dump Baze deal's) rookie scale contracts. Philly would have the same grumbles about "just giving away" Holmes that we'd have about Bembry. Of course, it's Philly, so grumbling is the default position.

~lw3