Offense or defense...Lets debate

[Peoriabird]

I continue to hear a lot of advise on this forum on how to improve the Hawks and most of what I hear is a recipe designed to improve Our already top 10 offense and very little on how to improve our bottom 10 defense.  I even hear phrases like "lets go all in on the offense" by trading for a bunch of offensive players which to me is ludicrous because 1) offensive players are typically way more expensive and often times less valuable than their defensive counter parts and 2) No team has one it this way and 2) Trae young isn't a historic player like Magic, Jordan, Lebron etc which creates a ceiling on how good the offense can be on a nightly basis and in the playoffs.  A good case study of this very point is the Dallas Maverick who made it to the conference finals in 2022 not with their offense but with their top 4 defense in the in the entire league last year.  This year, they were the 6th seed until they traded all of their defensive players and now a month or so later they are completely out the play in.  Thoughts

[JayBirdHawk]

We don't have one standout defensive player on this team. No defensive impact metrics at POA, on the wing, paint or rim protection that stands out or that a team fears.

[Peoriabird]

Defensive players are easier and cheaper to acquire

[Gray Mule]

I've always thought that "Offense excites the fans and Defense wins championships."

[Gray Mule]

34 minutes ago, JayBirdHawk said:

We don't have one standout defensive player on this team. No defensive impact metrics at POA, on the wing, paint or rim protection that stands out or that a team fears.

To me, our best defensive player is the little pest that is the #3 PG.  It's shameful that I must go down to the end of the bench to find a player to brag about.

Edited April 8, 2023 by Gray Mule

[JayBirdHawk]

45 minutes ago, Peoriabird said:

Defensive players are easier and cheaper to acquire

Who are some of the cheap defensive players you would like the Hawks to persue?

[Peoriabird]

Find someone like Nic Claxton!   There are a lot of guys like him waiting to be uncovered either thru the draft or languishing at the end of someone's bench

[JayBirdHawk]

6 minutes ago, Peoriabird said:

Find someone like Nic Claxton!   There are a lot of guys like him waiting to be uncovered either thru the draft or languishing at the end of someone's bench

Find???? You say they are easy to acquire and cheap. Claxton is being paid $11 million and about to be a FA, how much do you think he'll command based on him being the Nets rim protector? So not exactly cheap.

So give me some more names.

Edited: Claxton has 1 year at $8 mil.

[Peoriabird]

He was a 2nd round pick Bird!  So go find someone like this guy! 

[JayBirdHawk]

44 minutes ago, Peoriabird said:

He was a 2nd round pick Bird!  So go find someone like this guy! 

Are you looking for someone to replace Clint immediately, be the fulltime backup behind OO, or someone to develop into Claxton 3 years from now?

[Peoriabird]

Whatever!  It won't be hard to replace Capela's impact in that he doesn't add to the team's success anymore.  Okungwu is much more impactful than clint is now even though Okungwu remains a mediocre rebound.  What you gain in Okungwu on offense and perimeter defense overwhelmingly make up what you loose in rebounding.  But its time to move on from this guy and find a 7 footer either as a back up or if lucky a starter.

[Diesel]

2 hours ago, Peoriabird said:

Defensive players are easier and cheaper to acquire

So by your logic, these players should be cheaper..

Now, we could probably get Pat Bev.. because he's 34 years old and on the down side.

We could probably get Kyle Anderson.  But why...

But what cheap player on this list, would you get and where would you put them?

 

[JayBirdHawk]

34 minutes ago, Peoriabird said:

Whatever! 

Not much of a debate then to just say 'find'.

I'm seriously asking who we should target wether in trade, FA or draft...that meet the cheap and easy to find.

[Peoriabird]

So most of the guys you listed @Diesel aren't 2 way players???  Such an ignorant rebuttal

[Peoriabird]

@JayBirdHawk  I'll let the gm's of the world figure out the details but it is obvious to me that Shlenk went out of his way not to acquire a defensive big starting with drafting fatso over Mitchell Robinson.  There were also plenty of opportunities to acquire players like one of the lopez brother etc but Schlenk wanted another wing.  Dude never drafted a center ever except bruno in the 2nd round.  And please don't mention fatso..I don't know what he was.

[cam1218]

I’m all aboard with the concept, but I agree that it is a lot easier said than done. What I do wish we would have, are players that can play shutdown defense if we need a stop. Most of our defensive stands late in games are just missed shots.

[JayBirdHawk]

5 minutes ago, Peoriabird said:

@JayBirdHawk  I'll let the gm's of the world figure out the details but it is obvious to me that Shlenk when out of his way not to acquire a defensive big starting with drafting fatso over Mitchell Robinson.  There were also plenty of opportunities to acquire players like one of the lopez brother etc but Schlenk wanted another wing.  Dude never drafted a center ever except bruno in the 2nd round.  And please don't mention fatso..I don't know what he was.

Not to rehash TS' entire draft history which is lacking in bigs, but he did make the trade for Capela and drafted OO.

[theheroatl]

Can we get Derrick White and Kyle Anderson?

I’m thinking we even try and get Draymond to help instill a defensive culture if we run out of options.

We need 2-3 defensive studs to make an impact.

It’s always been about our defense. We suck on defense and Philly rolled right through us at will.

Edited April 8, 2023 by theheroatl

[theheroatl]

37 minutes ago, Diesel said:

So by your logic, these players should be cheaper..

Now, we could probably get Pat Bev.. because he's 34 years old and on the down side.

We could probably get Kyle Anderson.  But why...

But what cheap player on this list, would you get and where would you put them?

 

Alex Caruso, Jarred Vanderbilt, and Anderson will do the trick

 

Edited April 8, 2023 by theheroatl

[Peoriabird]

The Hawks mostly need a defensive center like Nic Claxton and stop focusing of freaking offensive wings. Heck we had a defensive wing that we let walk for peanut last year