Rebuild patience.........

[EazyRoc]

27 minutes ago, warcore said:

This is correct. One more year of rebuild then compete. 

REASON? Baze and Plum expire in two years and we will have a butt load of money to spend. So, after next years draft, we need to have some positive momentum to entice big name FAs to come here as a place to compete for a ship.

My thoughts exactly.

[Buzzard]

12 minutes ago, AHF said:

I think you are overly optimistic but it would be exciting to turn around so quickly that we barely miss the playoffs this year.  I just don't think that will happen that quickly.

I wouldn't start extrapolating from SL action.  John Wall, Mike Conley, Eric Bledsoe, Patrick Beverly, Darren Collison, etc. are so much less likely to call for a double than the D-Leaguers of SL that it isn't funny.  Let's see how many NBA teams plan to double him and whether it is effective.  SL is not a great predictor of how NBA regular season games will go.

100% agreed.  Nobody knows for sure.  We are all speculating and there are a lot of moving pieces that will influence when we next show up in the playoffs.

I just said what I meant. I don't expect that many double teams either. It is funny though that Trae is double teamed more in summer league than Ayton is. Extrapolate that,

[EazyRoc]

We also have to realize that 38-40 wins will get you in the playoffs in the East for the next couple years. 

[AHF]

1 minute ago, Buzzard said:

I just said what I meant. I don't expect that many double teams either. It is funny though that Trae is double teamed more in summer league than Ayton is. Extrapolate that,

Guards touch the ball a ton more than big men in All-Star games, summer league action and other loosely organized play.  Phoenix has more threats on the floor than Atlanta's team which had a notable number of "zeros" on the roster even for the summer league environment.  Guys want to make the highlight reel picking Trae's pocket and intercepting his passes.  There are plenty of reasons other than sound basketball logic.

[Buzzard]

22 minutes ago, AHF said:

Guards touch the ball a ton more than big men in All-Star games, summer league action and other loosely organized play.  Phoenix has more threats on the floor than Atlanta's team which had a notable number of "zeros" on the roster even for the summer league environment.  Guys want to make the highlight reel picking Trae's pocket and intercepting his passes.  There are plenty of reasons other than sound basketball logic.

And it could be something really simple; like they want to get the ball out of Trae's hands and have been coached up to do so. I think that about covers it.

[GThawks3]

2 hours ago, Gray Mule said:

Eternal optimist.  With King James gone west, why wait?  We have drafted three players, thought to be very capable scorers.  We, the Hawks, already had some pretty good offensive minded players.  Therefore, we of the mind that scoring just might be possible for this season's team.  They may even be able to hit free throws!

Lloyd Pierce is noted as a defensive minded head coach and have assistant coaches who are also of this same mind set.  I have to believe that our present Hawk team consists of players who have a high IQ and will be able to learn how to play a passable defense.

This Hawk team is, for the most part, very young.  They are capable, aye, even expected, to still be growing as young men.  While they are doing this, we expect them to be growing as NBA players.  Remember, draft pick #1 and draft pick #2 both went west.  Hawks are in the east.  See what happened?  Our #3, which became Trae and another first round pick, was the first pick coming east!

Our three teen aged picks will be full of energy and willing to learn.  Our players from last season aren't that bad, in spite of what we may read.  Regardless of which NBA team we look at, the health of their team must be considered.  If this year's Hawk team remains healthy, they will be capable of sneaking into this season's playoff.  Capable of winning it all?  Not at all.  We ain't that good.  Not yet.  But, 8th place?  Yes!

I expect the Hawks to be just in the playoff picture or just out.  Could go either way.  How many wins will the #8 playoff team have?  Hawks will be very, very close to that many wins, however many that is....

GO ATL HAWKS !!

 

I don’t see anyway we make the playoffs this year. Plus in reality...if we made the playoffs as the #8th seed that would be worst case scenario. Hawks would become a treadmill team again very quickly.

I love the way our future is looking with Trae, Prince, Collins but if you really want the Hawks to actually be a  contender for the first time in franchise history...then we need at the very least 1 more top 5 pick. 

[RedDawg#8]

The Draft picks have to pan out. Kevin Huerter could really expedite the process for us if he can ball like JC did for a 19th pick.

Also less likely but still a factor are Bembry and Dorsey. Both have shown superb potential in their 2nd Summer League’s, but they will have to translate it on the court.

A player like Bembry can be a real glue piece if he gets it together. His BBIQ may be highest on the team. Dorsey is showing aggressive play to prove he is more than just a spot up shooter.

If those 3 develop legit roles and become a factor in addition to our 3 piece combo of Trae, Prince and Collins, then finding solid vets to put around them will be much easier than tryna find another JJ to lead the squad.

PG-Trae

SG- Dorsey

Point Forward- Bembry

G/F- Huerter

SF- Prince 

PF- Collins

F/C- Spellman

Just imagine if each of those guys stays healthy and develop to their potential.

 I’m giving us 3 years hopefully.

[hazer]

This is year 2, and depending on what trades are made, probably about a 28-win season and another mid lottery pick. Next year is year 3, and Hawks will probably challenge for 8th seed. 4th year of the rebuild, ‘20-‘21, they’ll definitely be in the playoffs.

[Buzzard]

11 minutes ago, hazer said:

This is year 2, and depending on what trades are made, probably about a 28-win season and another mid lottery pick. Next year is year 3, and Hawks will probably challenge for 8th seed. 4th year of the rebuild, ‘20-‘21, they’ll definitely be in the playoffs.

That is how I see it. If Collins, Prince, Huerter, and Trae are everyday starters in 2019, then 2019/20 is a possibility. If not, then 2020/21.

I would make the 2020/21 bet in Vegas right now for a 100 Bucks.

[kerrypack]

4 hours ago, Vol4ever said:

Just curious but how long are you willing to wait on the rebuild to make the playoffs?  

1-2 years

3-4 years

More than 5

1-2, then i hold my breath.

[Spud2nique]

Back in playoffs in 2 years I think. Trae is going to impact winning faster than other draftees imo. I’m just hoping we bottom out one more year, get a top 3 pick in 2019 and be in the playoffs in April 2020. Maybe as a 4-8 seed.

[CBAreject]

2 hours ago, Final_quest said:

It’s funny to me that people feel like they can legitimately state how long it will take to get to the playoffs again.  What if in our last rebuild we never signed Joe Johnson?  

It’s impossible to know what players land here.  Therefore impossible to know how long a rebuild will take.

1) Signing Joe Johnson made us top out at mediocre.  

2) It is silly to guess when we will be back to the playoffs with so many unknowns, but the question was how long fans were “willing” to wait.  I say whatever it is, I hope we don’t rush it by signing a “good” player to be our centerpiece like Joe Johnson.   We need stars.  JJ was a great #2 or #3.  

[JayBirdHawk]

It'll be what it'll be. I'll still be rooting for the Hawks.

[Macknsweetjones]

RJ Barett here we come

[Final_quest]

On 7/12/2018 at 9:02 PM, CBAreject said:

1) Signing Joe Johnson made us top out at mediocre.  

2) It is silly to guess when we will be back to the playoffs with so many unknowns, but the question was how long fans were “willing” to wait.  I say whatever it is, I hope we don’t rush it by signing a “good” player to be our centerpiece like Joe Johnson.   We need stars.  JJ was a great #2 or #3.  

Signing JJ wasn’t the problem.  It was drafting wrong at the top of the lottery.  If we draft Chris Paul then you have an elite backcourt, but we missed on a lot of other picks, too.  

[CBAreject]

4 hours ago, Final_quest said:

Signing JJ wasn’t the problem.  It was drafting wrong at the top of the lottery.  If we draft Chris Paul then you have an elite backcourt, but we missed on a lot of other picks, too.  

No disagreement.  BK let his vision (longth!) dominate better judgment.  But I do think the move for JJ lowered our ceiling, especially since we ended up trading Diaw and Rondo for the right to bid against ourselves and overpay him.  But he was and still is the biggest player acquisition since Deke, and I really did like him as a player and person.  

[EazyRoc]

1 hour ago, CBAreject said:

No disagreement.  BK let his vision (longth!) dominate better judgment.  But I do think the move for JJ lowered our ceiling, especially since we ended up trading Diaw and Rondo for the right to bid against ourselves and overpay him.  But he was and still is the biggest player acquisition since Deke, and I really did like him as a player and person.  

Speaking of JJ, I read a pretty good article from HoopsHype.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/hoopshype.com/2018/07/11/nba-free-agent-agency-stories-restricted-unrestricted-rumors-trades/amp/

Tell me who player #7 sounds like.

[Peoriabird]

On 7/12/2018 at 6:48 PM, GThawks3 said:

I don’t see anyway we make the playoffs this year. Plus in reality...if we made the playoffs as the #8th seed that would be worst case scenario. Hawks would become a treadmill team again very quickly.

I love the way our future is looking with Trae, Prince, Collins but if you really want the Hawks to actually be a  contender for the first time in franchise history...then we need at the very least 1 more top 5 pick. 

Golden state had no top 5 picks in their rebuild

[Buzzard]

13 minutes ago, Peoriabird said:

Golden state had no top 5 picks in their rebuild

The draft is tough to say the least. It is great to have #1 and a shot at Ayton; but teams do not take the BPA once you get to #2, #3 or so. Instead they take the most hyped player based on physicals usually and the BPA gets taken later.

It seems to me most VPs/GMs are so afraid to make a mistake, they base 75% or more of their decision on physical measurements. Then the player with skills and slightly less physical size or ability drops into someones lap.

[sturt]

I'm not sure we've ever had a GM as draft savvy as Schlenk.

That's a huuuuuge advantage, if in fact, that regard for him proves true.

Still, the jury is very much out on the trade front, and to a lesser degree, the FA front. He could still mess this up, even if he drafts well.

 

 

Expectations? Ask me next year what my expectations are because right now I just think there are too many variables and not enough evidence from which to even set expectations.

Generally speaking, though, my perception of history is that you climb back to playoff relevance, first... THEN... you climb up to actual contention for a conference finals appearance... THEN... you climb up to being in the conversation for an NBA championship.

My guess is, NONE of us think we'll be relevant in 2018-19.

Hence, my two-year hibernation.

Not very many of us think we'll be relevant in 2019-2020. I don't. (But I do think it's more than plausible that we'll have a foundational player emerge by that season.)

I think we could be relevant in 2020-2021, though.

Where it goes from there, though, I won't even hazard a guess, nor set any expectations.