2023-24 NBA Free Agency 06/30 at 6PM

[MarylandHawk]

The Hawks can buy 5 more years of my loyalty if they sign Bol Bol. Lol. 

[TheNorthCydeRises]

2 hours ago, Hawkish said:

This sounds good.  Looks like Grant shoots a higher 3P% than Collins.  I believe his handles are better, too.  
 

Would you trade Bufkin for Grant?  I see that as close to an analogy for trading the SAC 1st in a sign-and-trade.  They will likely make the playoffs next year and have a pick in the 16-22 range.  

 

We may need a backup PG after this season, so no. 

With Collins gone, we do have room to play him as a backup 4.  But we're already an undersized team.  Do we really want a 6-6 PF on this team?

[TheNorthCydeRises]

1 hour ago, timebomb said:

The problem with the old and new CBA is it makes you resent or think lesser of players like Russell Westbrook for example was a bum because of the money he was making but he’s actually an amazing player but because of his contract all he got was hate from fans and the media. Dame is the same now because he’s being grossly overpaid and hamstringing a team to the point where they the players themselves want out. Max contracts are out of control especially 2nd max’s. 
If I don’t perform at my job I get fired. Why should anyone be guaranteed anything beyond one or two seasons plus a bonus. This league would be in a much better place if the CBA was more like the NFL’s. Have a salary floor with no fully guaranteed contracts past bonuses. 
Every single team in the league has contracts they wish they could get off of to improve their teams, which would improve the quality of the product. But it is what is. 

 

Most of the guys who get max contracts got it because they were high performers.  But just because one guy is a high performer, doesn't mean that the entire team will be.  The entire organization has to be locked in, to build a winner.

And it doesn't matter what these owners do.  One or more of them are going to pay top dollar to either keep their guy, or acquire another guy.  And because of all of the money coming into the league via media deals, the salaries are going to keep going up and up. 

We as fans can't get mad at people making what we think is an outrageous amount of money.  Guys are going to get 2 - 5 year deals. And to be honest, they deserve every penny.  17,000+ people come to watch these guys on a nightly basis, with average ticket prices around $300.  During the playoffs, that price goes up.

We have an owner that is waiting for the perfect storm to happen, before he pays a decent amount of luxury tax.  You don't pay the tax just to be paying it.  But if you're acquiring high level players that will make a lot of money, then you pay the tax.  

If he wants to run the Hawks like a legit business, fine.  Just don't expect outstanding return on your investment if you choose to let the tax scare you from not building the best team possible.

[JTB]

I wouldn’t mind a bol bol signing. Always great for a nba team to have a good big man rotation.

especially with a guard like Trae.

[Hawkish]

12 minutes ago, TheNorthCydeRises said:

 

We may need a backup PG after this season, so no. 

With Collins gone, we do have room to play him as a backup 4.  But we're already an undersized team.  Do we really want a 6-6 PF on this team?

Me neither — This is why I stated I wouldn’t include the SAC pick in a S&T.

[gurpilo]

We need size, we don’t need another undersized PF.

We are undersized at C, at PF, ok at SF if Bey and Hunter are splitting minutes and undersized at guard on some rotations, we need to improve it. Grant Williams is not a solution. Bamba, Bol, Ayton,  Siakam are steps on the right direction

[TheNorthCydeRises]

2 hours ago, Hawkish said:

This is a disgusting, entitled element of the new NBA.  These players really believe they are special.  If they disappeared tomorrow, my life wouldn’t change.  

 

Why get mad at Dame for trying to go where he wants?  He was more than loyal to Portland and honestly stayed there 3 years too long.

Now he wants to go somewhere he can legit play with another All-NBA player and possibly win a title.

Yes, it will SUCK if he goes right to our back door in Miami. But it is what it is.

Maybe the Hawks should step in and offer Portland something significant, and try to acquire Dame.  Put Dame and Trae in the same backcourt ( which in theory shouldn't work at all on defense, but might be entertaining as hell on offense ).

If Dame gets disgruntled and the Hawks struggle, put him on the trade block and try to flip him for major assets before the trade deadline.

 

Sometimes this is chess, not checkers.  Miami has crap for talent.  We at least have young guys that people might want.

Edited July 4, 2023 by TheNorthCydeRises

[Diesel]

So Am I right when I say that Hawks fans just want somebody?

 

[kg01]

1 minute ago, TheNorthCydeRises said:

 

Why get mad at Dame for trying to go where he wants?  He was more than loyal to Portland and honestly stayed there 3 years too long.

Now he wants to go somewhere he can legit play with another All-NBA player and possibly win a title.

Yes, it will SUCK if he goes right to our back door in Miami. But it is what it is.

Maybe the Hawks should step in and offer Portland something significant, and try to acquire Dame.  Put Dame and Trae in the same backcourt ( which in theory shouldn't work at all on defense, but might be entertaining as hell on offense ).

If Dame gets disgruntled and the Hawks struggle, put him on the trade block and try to flip him for major assets before the trade deadline.

 

Sometimes this is chess, not checkers.  Miami has crap for talent.  We at least have young guys that people might want.

I dont begrudge him for making his preference known.  I begrudge him for trying to hold POR hostage with all his media sycophant allies.  At some point he just has to accept going where TF POR sends him.  Players wanna say 'it's a business' when it suits them.  Well, it's still a business when you don't have a no trade clause and have to go where you're sent. 

[Peoriabird]

7 minutes ago, Diesel said:

So Am I right when I say that Hawks fans just want somebody?

 

Yep and somehow get rid of that cancer Hunter!

[TheNorthCydeRises]

7 minutes ago, Diesel said:

So Am I right when I say that Hawks fans just want somebody?

 

 

No.  I want a SIGNIFICANT player.  And as much as I want to see the kids develop, I would trade the kids to get that guy.

If not Siakam, that's fine.  Target someone else significant that we know can't bounce on us after this season.

[cam1218]

5 minutes ago, kg01 said:

I dont begrudge him for making his preference known.  I begrudge him for trying to hold POR hostage with all his media sycophant allies.  At some point he just has to accept going where TF POR sends him.  Players wanna say 'it's a business' when it suits them.  Well, it's still a business when you don't have a no trade clause and have to go where you're sent. 

I agree 100%. If guys want to hop around from team to team sign shorter contracts. The whole story of things will be bad if he doesn’t get to the Heat is stupid to me. These players make plenty of enough money to sign shorter contracts and control their own freedom instead of signing a max extension and holding a franchise hostage. 

[TheNorthCydeRises]

Just now, Peoriabird said:

Yep and somehow get rid of that cancer Hunter!

Hunter is not a cancer.  He's a recurring case of hay fever.

Not bad enough to put you in the hospital or kill you.  Just pops up from time to time and makes you miserable for a few hours.  Once you get over it, everything is OK.  Then it comes back when the pollen kicks up again.

[Hawkish]

11 minutes ago, kg01 said:

I dont begrudge him for making his preference known.  I begrudge him for trying to hold POR hostage with all his media sycophant allies.  At some point he just has to accept going where TF POR sends him.  Players wanna say 'it's a business' when it suits them.  Well, it's still a business when you don't have a no trade clause and have to go where you're sent. 

Exactly — All players probably have a list of teams they prefer if moved.  It’s the destroying of any negotiation leverage by forcing one team.  No player is bigger than their team/franchise.  The franchise existed before him and will survive his departure.  This is Portland’s opportunity to create momentum into their rebuild.  If players can request trades, teams should be able to choose the best return.  

[TheNorthCydeRises]

10 minutes ago, kg01 said:

I dont begrudge him for making his preference known.  I begrudge him for trying to hold POR hostage with all his media sycophant allies.  At some point he just has to accept going where TF POR sends him.  Players wanna say 'it's a business' when it suits them.  Well, it's still a business when you don't have a no trade clause and have to go where you're sent. 

 

4 minutes ago, cam1218 said:

I agree 100%. If guys want to hop around from team to team sign shorter contracts. The whole story of things will be bad if he doesn’t get to the Heat is stupid to me. These players make plenty of enough money to sign shorter contracts and control their own freedom instead of signing a max extension and holding a franchise hostage. 

 

Honestly, I think that's just people talking.  Dame is a professional.  And if he does get traded somewhere, it's not like he's going to dog it on the court, because everyone will see it.

Portland obviously wants a King's Ransom back for Dame, and I can't blame them for that. Dame wants to go to Miami to win a chip, and I'm sure Portland will try to honor that.

But if they can't, they will do what is best for their organization, regardless of what Dame or his media people want.

 

That's why the Hawks should just toss out something in the air, to mess everything up.  I can imagine the media frenzy if we threw this out there.

 

First off, the media would spin it as we're trying to get rid of Trae, and that it's not possible for these 2 to play together.  At any rate, they would despise it if Atlanta tried to acquire him, because it wouldn't fit their desired destination for him.

[Diesel]

15 minutes ago, TheNorthCydeRises said:

 

No.  I want a SIGNIFICANT player.  And as much as I want to see the kids develop, I would trade the kids to get that guy.

If not Siakam, that's fine.  Target someone else significant that we know can't bounce on us after this season.

OK.. How about this...

 

 

Gets everybody what they want.   We get Wood on a SNT for Clint.  We get a 2026 FRP protected.   Mavs get the best PNR in the game and one of the best rim protector rebounders. 

Hawks fans are happy because we got something. 

Wood is a decent shot blocker.  A decent motor.   He can hit threes at about a 37-38% clip.   Put him at PF next to OO.   Again Hawk fans are happy because OO gets to start at Center. 

It's not the splash that Siakam would be but I don't think Siakam can provide the shooting that Wood will give.   Wood is not a terrible defensive player.   He actually block shots and can rim protect.  The key is he has a motor to run and gun and can play PNR.  Lastly, we get him pretty cheap.  I say a 3 year deal. 

 

 

[Peoriabird]

16 minutes ago, TheNorthCydeRises said:

Hunter is not a cancer.  He's a recurring case of hay fever.

Not bad enough to put you in the hospital or kill you.  Just pops up from time to time and makes you miserable for a few hours.  Once you get over it, everything is OK.  Then it comes back when the pollen kicks up again.

Yep Dre will never get better just like Trae will never get better...may as well gut the team cause they are over the hill at 25

[kg01]

@TheNorthCydeRises, I tend to agree this is probably people other than Dame personally pushing the agenda.  MIA media has removed Riley's member from their collective mouths and are pushing it nonstop.

@Diesel, stop tryna get us Christian Wood.  He's not good.  

[cam1218]

13 minutes ago, TheNorthCydeRises said:

 

 

Honestly, I think that's just people talking.  Dame is a professional.  And if he does get traded somewhere, it's not like he's going to dog it on the court, because everyone will see it.

Portland obviously wants a King's Ransom back for Dame, and I can't blame them for that. Dame wants to go to Miami to win a chip, and I'm sure Portland will try to honor that.

But if they can't, they will do what is best for their organization, regardless of what Dame or his media people want.

 

That's why the Hawks should just toss out something in the air, to mess everything up.  I can imagine the media frenzy if we threw this out there.

 

First off, the media would spin it as we're trying to get rid of Trae, and that it's not possible for these 2 to play together.  At any rate, they would despise it if Atlanta tried to acquire him, because it wouldn't fit their desired destination for him.

I agree with people talking, but I am tired of seeing players sign a deal and then demanding a trade. I’m all for making the most money you can, but at some point they need to stop signing these extensions and asking for trades. Prioritize what is important for your career, mainly flexibility in these cases. You will be rich regardless playing basketball for somebody. 

[GameTime]

40 minutes ago, Diesel said:

So Am I right when I say that Hawks fans just want somebody?