After much thought....this just might work.

[thecampster]

I have thought long and hard about this.

PG - Dennis is fleeter afoot than almost every point in the league. 

SG - Both Baze and Bembry are lightning quick for SGs, especially on D. Baze - average instincts, Bembry great defensive instincts.

SF - Prince is a glider, agile but not super fast. Fantastic instincts. (Hampered by bad handles).

PF - Collins loves to run and is a nightmare cover due to speed, agility and body control. Great instincts. Ersan is pro, master at taking a charge and is crafty.

C- Dedmon - quick for a bigman, very athletic, lacks fundamentals and polish.

 

I see a pattern. Up and down our roster, nearly every player has at least average instincts, good foot speed, high IQ. Almost all lack offensive polish, most are solid if not great defenders.  This team is going to try to win in the full court with steals, rebounds and running like they stole something. Even Plumlee, the scouting report on him is that when healthy he is athletic with good instincts. 

I think the plan offensively is going to be to try to run teams off the floor.......in the half court.  Constant movement, screens, hands up. Free Dennis up but keeping everyone active and then going full vulture forcing teams into mistakes initiating their offense.  I'm not sure they are planning to win via skill, but through BBIQ, movement and wearing teams down. Our first unit might be the quickest in the NBA, our second unit may need to play 7 to score.

[hazer]

Eggzackly, same thing I've been thinking. Run,  gun, defend. Will be exciting if nothing else.

[Diesel]

4 hours ago, thecampster said:

I have thought long and hard about this.

PG - Dennis is fleeter afoot than almost every point in the league. 

SG - Both Baze and Bembry are lightning quick for SGs, especially on D. Baze - average instincts, Bembry great defensive instincts.

SF - Prince is a glider, agile but not super fast. Fantastic instincts. (Hampered by bad handles).

PF - Collins loves to run and is a nightmare cover due to speed, agility and body control. Great instincts. Ersan is pro, master at taking a charge and is crafty.

C- Dedmon - quick for a bigman, very athletic, lacks fundamentals and polish.

 

I see a pattern. Up and down our roster, nearly every player has at least average instincts, good foot speed, high IQ. Almost all lack offensive polish, most are solid if not great defenders.  This team is going to try to win in the full court with steals, rebounds and running like they stole something. Even Plumlee, the scouting report on him is that when healthy he is athletic with good instincts. 

I think the plan offensively is going to be to try to run teams off the floor.......in the half court.  Constant movement, screens, hands up. Free Dennis up but keeping everyone active and then going full vulture forcing teams into mistakes initiating their offense.  I'm not sure they are planning to win via skill, but through BBIQ, movement and wearing teams down. Our first unit might be the quickest in the NBA, our second unit may need to play 7 to score.

So I guess Baze is the fall guy when this doesn't work?

[ATLBob]

4 hours ago, thecampster said:

I have thought long and hard about this.

PG - Dennis is fleeter afoot than almost every point in the league. 

SG - Both Baze and Bembry are lightning quick for SGs, especially on D. Baze - average instincts, Bembry great defensive instincts.

SF - Prince is a glider, agile but not super fast. Fantastic instincts. (Hampered by bad handles).

PF - Collins loves to run and is a nightmare cover due to speed, agility and body control. Great instincts. Ersan is pro, master at taking a charge and is crafty.

C- Dedmon - quick for a bigman, very athletic, lacks fundamentals and polish.

Constant movement, screens, hands up. Free Dennis up but keeping everyone active

Biggest problem I see there though if you're actually talking about scoring is shooting.

Dennis can't (still or yet, take your pick).

Baze wasn't great last year at it (so fingers-crossed).

Prince shot well last year, but no one was trying to take his shot away either.

Collins has been a pleasant surprise in summer league, where he's better and more athletic than folks, but he hasn't show any indication of stretching yet. That will need to be developed (if it can) over time.

As it stands, Ilya is the best 3pt-shooter on the team atm.

Where is the space required to make this all work going to come from?

[Thomas]

Marco is a career 38% shooter from three and hit 36% last season so there is some help at backup SG anyway. Guess Moose, Ersan and Marco are it for right now with decent three point percentages that have NBA experience. Ersan not so much last year but a good career shooter. Dennis shot 34% and hopefully improves this year. Dorsey is a question as to how well he adapts to our game and if he ever cracks the rotation, sure blew folks away during the NCAAs with his threes.

[ATLSmith]

I totally agree.  

Furthermore, Bud values defense because when you get a stop and beat the other team back in transition it's basically a free bucket.  This team is going to absolutely punish teams who turn the ball over.  Remember that 60 win team?  Of corse you do.  They ranked 5th in steals and 14th in fast break points that year.  This years team might not get a ton of steals bit I wouldnt be surprised if they were top 10 in fast break points.

Their improved speed, especialy at the 4 and 5 spot, will allow the Hawks to improve the pace of their pick and roll and pick and pop.  It will be very difficult to defend.

Shooting does worry me a bit though.  Bud values shooters because when the ball swings to the open man they have to be able to make the uncontested shot.  Right now their shooting looks like it will be average at best but maybe they will surprise us all.

Defense, quick transitions,  a solid pick and roll game, and very good shooting all made the 60 win team possible.  The Hawks are trying to get back to that.  This is year one of a rebuild so it won't be perfect but they have a solid foundation to work with.

[Sothron]

I don't think Collins is faster than Millsap. Dedmon is faster than Dwight.

I agree with the overall assessment of where the team is heading.

[hazer]

1 hour ago, Sothron said:

I don't think Collins is faster than Millsap...

Oh he's faster:

 

[hazer]

He goes from way out at The Logo to throwing it down over 2 defenders in under 2 seconds. He's just so smooth he makes it look easy, not fast. 

[Wurider05]

make no mistake about it. Defense is going to be our calling card. 

[capstone21]

This team will grow together and with some additional talent added over the next couple years we might become competitive again but this season you should expect wins in the 20s.

[sturt]

3 hours ago, Diesel said:

Baze is the fall guy

Not to contribute to hijacking the thread, but if I may offer this aside before getting back to the meat of the OP...

I've been among the most insistent that Baze can play up to his contract. It might be his ceiling. But I believe he's capable of improving on the season before last, which was the expectation when the contract was offered.

And/but I do believe the fall guy statement will be true because even a Baze who plays up to his contract is not likely to be a lead dog scorer, and because it's that that fans first look to assess whether a player is playing up to his contract, he's going to be the natural default fall guy if we don't meet expectations.

3 hours ago, ATLBob said:

Biggest problem I see there though if you're actually talking about scoring is shooting.

Dennis can't (still or yet, take your pick).

Baze wasn't great last year at it (so fingers-crossed).

Prince shot well last year, but no one was trying to take his shot away either.

Collins has been a pleasant surprise in summer league, where he's better and more athletic than folks, but he hasn't show any indication of stretching yet. That will need to be developed (if it can) over time.

As it stands, Ilya is the best 3pt-shooter on the team atm.

Where is the space required to make this all work going to come from?

I disagree about Dennis. That, in fact, was the breakthrough positive of this past lost season... Dennis can actually shoot the ball with some consistency after all.

Baze will never be a great shooter, but if he can be even merely 2015-16-ish, he can be adequate, which is an improvement.

Prince? Spotlight is on Prince. He will get every chance this year to prove himself worthy of his draft pick. I worry less about his shooting overall, and more about his turnovers, me.

Collins could be a God-send. By the way, if we're going the Christian route, I prefer John III over John the Baptist.... since, that's actually his name after all. (And I feel obliged to say, if you're a newcomer to Christianity like candidate Trump was, that's "third John," not "John three.") But to the point, he looks very much the part of a Danny Roundfield do-it-all type as he develops.

As to the best shooter on the team, Ily seems to be the 3rd best, and that's even including Moose numbers from before his breakthrough last season...

Then, as you might have read since I keep saying this, there's a certain 2016 Hawks Summer League PG, who was torching the competition last we saw him, and who has been on my radar and who puts even these guys in his rear view in terms of distance shooting...

... ie, Kevin Pangos.

And then, there's always the chance, too, that this guy will show up and do what he's more used to doing...

[hazer]

50 minutes ago, capstone21 said:

This team will grow together and with some additional talent added over the next couple years we might become competitive again but this season you should expect wins in the 20s.

I've been guessing 27-32 wins. If a couple of players really step up and they steer clear of the injury bug, 35 is possible.

[sturt]

8 hours ago, thecampster said:

I see a pattern. Up and down our roster, nearly every player has at least average instincts, good foot speed, high IQ.

Notably, Bud's words in his SL sideline interview the other day specified that players should know by now that if they want to play for him, they have to show they have a share-the-ball mindset and a high hoops IQ.

I think this is why ultimately, I'm going to be really sad if/when Simmons signs with someone else. He fits exactly the profile discussed in the OP. And like Baze, while he took a step back in the shooting department last season, we know he's capable of, at least, being adequate based on the previous season.

[hazer]

9 minutes ago, sturt said:

Not to contribute to hijacking the thread, but if I may offer this aside before getting back to the meat of the OP...

I've been among the most insistent that Baze can play up to his contract. It might be his ceiling. But I believe he's capable of improving on the season before last, which was the expectation when the contract was offered.

But I do believe this will be true because even a Baze who plays up to his contract is not likely to be a lead dog scorer, and because it's that that fans first look to assess whether a player is playing up to his contract, he's going to be the natural default fall guy if we don't meet expectations.

I disagree about Dennis. That, in fact, was the breakthrough positive of this past lost season... Dennis can actually shoot the ball with some consistency after all.

Baze will never be a great shooter, but if he can be even merely 2015-16-ish, he can be adequate, which is an improvement.

Prince? Spotlight is on Prince. He will get every chance this year to prove himself worthy of his draft pick. I worry less about his shooting overall, and more about his turnovers, me.

Collins could be a God-send. By the way, if we're going the Christian route, I prefer John III over John the Baptist.... since, that's actually his name after all. (And I feel obliged to say, if you're a newcomer to Christianity like candidate Trump was, that's "third John," not "John three.") But to the point, he looks very much the part of a Danny Roundfield do-it-all type as he develops.

As to the best shooter on the team, Ily seems to be the 3rd best, and that's even including Moose numbers from before his breakthrough last season...

Then, as you might have read since I keep saying this, there's a certain 2016 Hawks Summer League PG, who was torching the competition last we saw him, and who has been on my radar and who puts even these guys in his rear view in terms of distance shooting...

... ie, Kevin Pangos.

And then, there's always the chance, too, that this guy will show up and do what he's more used to doing...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Agreed: Dennis, Marco, Taurean, Ersan, and Mike can all shoot.

[Thomas]

1 hour ago, hazer said:

Agreed: Dennis, Marco, Taurean, Ersan, and Mike can all shoot.

Gives us one cat at all five positions with a three pointer with the way Bud will play them.

[Diesel]

2 hours ago, hazer said:

He goes from way out at The Logo to throwing it down over 2 defenders in under 2 seconds. He's just so smooth he makes it look easy, not fast. 

SUMMER LEAGUE...

[Diesel]

1 hour ago, sturt said:

Not to contribute to hijacking the thread, but if I may offer this aside before getting back to the meat of the OP...

I've been among the most insistent that Baze can play up to his contract. It might be his ceiling. But I believe he's capable of improving on the season before last, which was the expectation when the contract was offered.

And/but I do believe the fall guy statement will be true because even a Baze who plays up to his contract is not likely to be a lead dog scorer, and because it's that that fans first look to assess whether a player is playing up to his contract, he's going to be the natural default fall guy if we don't meet expectations.

I disagree about Dennis. That, in fact, was the breakthrough positive of this past lost season... Dennis can actually shoot the ball with some consistency after all.

Baze will never be a great shooter, but if he can be even merely 2015-16-ish, he can be adequate, which is an improvement.

 

 

So... when it all goes to crap... It's Baze's fault...

Got it... You know they don't tell you in the media guide who we are blaming...  Let the Squawk know that newly married Baze will be the blame for this season. 

[Buzzard]

2 minutes ago, Diesel said:

SUMMER LEAGUE...

 

2 minutes ago, Diesel said:

 

So... when it all goes to crap... It's Baze's fault...

Got it... You know they don't tell you in the media guide who we are blaming...  Let the Squawk know that newly married Baze will be the blame for this season. 

The Bazemore contract is all on Bud. No one is blaming the player for getting paid. This is another classic example of a raw executive outbidding himself. That happens a lot in the NBA; but that does not mean we, as fans, have to like it.

[PSSSHHHRRR87]

15 minutes ago, Thomas said:

Gives us one cat at all five positions with a three pointer with the way Bud will play them.

This.  We don't have a single player that plays Bud ball and can shoot outside of Ersan and Marco (and they're projected to be subs).  We are going to be on the wrong side of many routs this season.

And since when is Schröder a shooter?  A guy that can shoot the ball is not a player that I cringe every time he shoots.