My prediction

[Plainview1981]

Being positive here. We get the 2nd pick in the draft(Emeka gets selected #1)

We draft Howard with the 2nd pick

We draft Sasha Vujacic with the 17th pick

We sign Adonal Foyle as a FA

We resign Bob Sura

We sign Brian Cardinal

We sign Brevin Knight

Re-sign Jackson at a decent contract but only like

2 years.

That gives us:

PG:Jason Terry/Knight/Vuljacic

SG:Bob Sura/Boris Diaw

SF:Stephen Jackson/Chris Crawford

PF:Dwight Howard/Brian Cardinal

C:Adonal Foyle

Fill in the rest with 2nd round picks and cheap FA's.

I disslike JT/Jackson. But when I honestly look, we can't

let both of these guys go. Somebody has to score next year.

Knight can groom Sasha(whom should be our future starting PG)and once Sasha can start, I'd send JT packing. I like

Foyle as a decent center for atleast a short while. Brian

Cardinal is a good role player that would probably come

cheep.

[cyman3]

that has to be one of ur most postive posts ever!

lol...

[Plainview1981]

Believe me, Saying we should keep JT and Jackson for atleast

a little while isn't easy. I'm sure the team would still be

bad with that lineup next year(Need more picks) the team

would still be bad enough to get a top pick next year, but

not a total embarassment in the process.

[Iman]

I could live with that but I dont see it happening. I do hope for those two draft picks though. You hear all this talk about Knight wanting to go long and athletic. To me that leaves out Cardinal, Knight, and even Foyle.

I bet we do keep Sura for a proper price but I bet Stephen Jackson takes a deal at least as bit as JT's, probably 4 yrs guaranteed. Then I see us getting Stromile Swift or possibly Kenyon Martin. Then I also see us picking up a couple of cheap centers like maybe Pryzbilla and then drafting the other. I also see us picking up another PG in the draft as a backup unless we can get a deal on Jamal Crawford.

I'll also go ahead and call JT a SG since I see him out there with another ball handler.

Sura/Vujacic(sp?)/Duhon or similar draft pick

JT/Delonte West? or Xavier SG(whoever falls to us)

Stephen Jackson/Diaw

Josh Howard/Hendu or Crawford(whichever's not on IR)

Swift or Kenyon Martin/Pryz/Korean Jin? or another C

[Traceman]

I like what I READ about Vujacic but I've SEEN Jackson play and I think he is underrated. I like the comparison of Jackson as a poor man's Mike Miller. He's not quite as athletic as Miller but I think he's more consistently good. He's an EXCELLENT ballhandler for his size and he could certainly help JT with the playmaking responsibilities. In addition, unlike most of the highschool guys, he will be able to contribute right away. That being said, if JR Smith or Telfair was sitting there at #17, I don't know if I could pass them up.

As for Knight and Foyle, we do need veteran presence but I sure as heck don't want to see Brevin Knight back and if I never see Foyle in a Hawks' uniform, I'll be VERY happy. Foyle is no spring chicken and I think we could get basically what he would bring from Pryzbilla for less than 1/2 the price.

I'd be VERY happy to see Sura and Cardinal as Hawks assuming the price was right. I'd like it even better if Musselman came in as coach.

[Plainview1981]

From what I remember Foyle is pretty athletic. These are't

long time options. Joel shouldn't be brought back at all.

The guy can't even get tipins or open layups hardly. Most

any 7 footer should be able to that. Shooting 30% is just

downright terrible...ESP when a guy plays so close to the

basket. Joel makes Koncak look like a superstar. Just a

terrible basketball player. If we wanted a big body that

can't do anything we might aswell call Greg Anderson.

As far as wanting "athletic" team. You aren't going to

get 12 athletic players and it would be dumb to get that

many athletic players. There is more to real basketball

than that.

The team needs to ditch JT all together within a couple

of years. The team needs a PG and not a Brent Barry. The

thing is JT needs to replaced. What little JT does on the

court doesn't fit on a team that wants to win. Mainly

because he's the biggest libility on defense in the league.

[KB21]

Just because he isn't a prolific scorer or a polished offensive player doesn't mean he is a bad player. Joel is a good rebounder and a good shot blocker. Plus, he was very good at making the outlet pass off the rebound to get the fast break started.

He's a guy who could really blossom under a good big man coach like Clifford Ray or even Larry Smith. I really think he and Jason Collier both made progress in their short stint under Larry Smith, and I wouldn't mind seeing both of them return.

[Plainview1981]

ust because he isn't a prolific scorer or a polished offensive player doesn't mean he is a bad player. Joel is a good rebounder and a good shot blocker. Plus, he was very good at making the outlet pass off the rebound to get the fast break started."

You have to be a polished offensive player to make tipins

or open dunks? Plus he's soft and foul prone. Heck, you

can get guys that can grab a couple of rebounds.

[thescout5]

Unless Josh Smith is head and shoulders above the other players I wonder if he will be a wise pick? If we draft Smith it will be a few years before he develops and hopefully a star.I could see him drafted to please the home town fans but if we go Smith with first pick we have to draft a point guard 17th. I am for drafting Vujacic 17th I read he may have trouble guarding smaller guards.

If the Hawks were smart they would find a way to move there 17th and a few second rounders to get another top 10 pick and draft Devin Harris.Harris can contribute immediately and what are the real chances 2 or 3 second rounders will pan out? I am not sure how many teams would take Terry and 17th since the only way they want Terry is if he signs with them.

Only if the hawks get lucky in the lottery and move up to 2 or 3 pick could we get Howard and maybe Harris.How many years have the hawks looked for a point guard.Since Mookie Blaylock, which is in the 1990's. Most championship teams must have a above average point guard.The Lakers have Kobe and Shaq with Payton and Malone as role players.Unless we draft a superstar with the second pick I would move up to get Harris.

Who plays center? If not Howard who plays power forward and center? We could go a number of ways in the draft all I ask is get the best players when we pick.What about Jin the center from china in the second if the hawks don't trade the picks. Signing Foyle another journey man is not the answer we need a tall center and the second round one should be there granted a project but better than we have now.

I think it will take 2 yrs to build the hawks if they get the right players.If not kobe this year then save the money for the next. Signing Jackson or Sura difficult question and what to do with Terry? That will have to be answered after the draft to see which pieces fit!

[Plainview1981]

I agree.....I think PG's and centers are a big need...But

unless we get EO then we'll probably have to settle with

a PF. Need a PG and not a ball handling SG.

[thescout5]

There are some doubts about Devin Harris as point guard but you could say that for most of the prospects.There are no Stockton's but I would want a point that thinks pass first shoot second.We don't need another Terry and given Harris's excellent defense,above average passing ability and scoring ability he may be the best option.Sasha Vujcaic is my second choice if stay at 17.

[JTFan31]

I agree with you there we need what JT and Jax brings to the offense, if we cant get anything for them then mind as well keep them because one thing they can do is scoring, although Jax can play very intense defense. Why I think Knight like these 2 guys much is not so much their scoring but the energy they bring, JT and Jax bring energy and the speed that they play the game at, they are very enthusiastic players and thats why they want to build around them for now.