Success Criteria for the draft

[OGRat]

I've seen a lot of posts here proposing Hawks draft selections, but I am wondering what people think would make this draft successful. As I attempt to place some of your comments into the proper context, I can't help but wonder how much agreement there is on the following:

What is the goal of rebuilding? Playoffs, Championship, Profitability, Full arena, other?

How long should it take for the Hawks to rebuild?

Where should the draft fit into the overarching rebuilding plan?

What are the must haves coming out of this draft for the Hawks?

What are the must haves coming out of next year's draft?

Does anyone care to share a complete plan?

[TheDude]

i want to start a young nucleus of uptempo, heady, hard-working players. the playoffs would be out for a season or two of course but I'd like to see considerable progress as they mature and get playing time.

Then after a season or two, bring in the missing pieces via free agency.

[OGRat]

Doc,

At what point would you say the rebuilding is over and we are now just like any other team attempting to compete?

[Diesel]

First off, I think that we are in no rush to rebuild. We should rebuild through the draft. Secondly, I have 2 players targetted that we need:

Howard and Livingston.

That means that we need 2 picks.....

Being that we are in no rush, I don't care so much about Jax resigning. I would rather have 1 or 2 solid veterans who could teach. I think we don't have a coach right now for a reason. Knight wants to rebuild starting today.

So...

Here's my plan.

Make a deal to get #2 from LAC before they get too ansy....

I would trade #6 and #17 if that's what it took.

Then make a trade to get #3.

My revised trade...

JT to Indy.

Harrington/Filler (if Needed)/2007 pick(Highest)from Hawks to Chicago.

#3/Robinson to Hawks.

At 2 and 3, I would take Livingston/Howard....

At 35 I would look for Andre' Emmett.

At 38, I would look for Andre Brown.

At 43, I would have to take Damien Wilkins.

In free agency, I would look at Blount, Foyle, and Pryz as Cs and take 2 out of 3.

I would also take Sura (cheap)... Like I said we're in no hurry.

I would sign up a PG like Arroyo....

What we have:

Livingston, Sura, Erob, Howard, Blount...

With

Arroyo, Diaw, Emmett, Wilkins(IL), Hansen, Brown, CC, Hendu(IL), Pryz.

I would let them play and come up together until I can fill the need at Sf, C, and SG.. In years to come.

By 2007, I feel that they should be a very strong Playoff team/Title contender. They're young. Athletic. Fun to watch.

At the end of this year for example, we lose CC/Hendu. We really haven't spent much money in FAcy so I think that we would have lots of Money to spend in a FA market filled with good SGs... I would try to target Tmac if Possible... If Not, i would throw money at Richardson or Jefferson.... Actually Both....

Livingston, Richardson, Jefferson, Howard, Blount...

Hmm...

[OGRat]

What is the goal of rebuilding? Playoffs, Championship, Profitability, Full arena, other?

Ans: By 2007, I feel that they should be a very strong Playoff team/Title contender. They're young. Athletic. Fun to watch.

How long should it take for the Hawks to rebuild?

Ans: You discuss moves spread over 2+ offseasons and 2007. So that's 3 years of rebuilding.

Where should the draft fit into the overarching rebuilding plan?

Ans: Not sure here. How's this?

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Howard and Livingston would be used to attract FAs next off-season?

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What are the must haves coming out of this draft for the Hawks?

Ans: Howard and Livingston.

What are the must haves coming out of next year's draft?

Ans: I would let them play and come up together until I can fill the need at Sf, C, and SG. In years to come.

[Wretch]

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What is the goal of rebuilding? Playoffs, Championship, Profitability, Full arena, other?

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What many people don't realize is that the Atlanta Hawks are a different kind of franchise. I don't know that there is another professional sports team with an equally apethetic fan base. The Hawks are NON-EXISTENT, and nothing short of an exciting, championship calibur team is going to wake up the city to their pro basketball team.

So, playoffs is good, but it is not enough to get profitability and a full arena. Not unless the team is young and exciting. That's what we should be shooting for right now...getting players in here that perform AND can be marketed. Down the road (3 to 4 years) we need to make sure these guys can take the team over the top.

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How long should it take for the Hawks to rebuild?

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Rebuilding the image of the Hawks is most important right now. The Hawks need an identity in the worst way. There isn't a team in the NBA that has suffered for an identity as long as we have...since the early 90's. This isn't hard to do. Change the owners (done) change the GM (done) change the coach (good as done) remove the players identified with the losing atmosphere (mostly done). Bring in talented, exciting players with potential (?)

Within 2 years, we should have a team on the floor capable of playing for an 8 seed - but competing, playing hard, and exciting non-the-less. We should have a personality to center the team's identity around too.

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Where should the draft fit into the overarching rebuilding plan?

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The Hawks do not have an identity that is marketable to free agents. If we want them here, we'll have to overpay them. It's great that we have the money to go after a KMart or Kobe, but realistically, we shouldn't put our hopes into being able to recruit them. It'll take more than just money and a "nice" city to live in. We have to have a talented team on the floor, to make high profile FAs take notice.

But the same guys that we are willing to throw 6 to 13 million dollars at are the same guys taken 1 through 13 in the NBA draft - that come for no more than around 3 million dollars, that we lock up for 5 years if we want, that we have the opportunity to protect should they try to sign with someone else.

The draft should be the focus of our rebuilding.

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What are the must haves coming out of this draft for the Hawks?

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The Hawks must acquire a personality out of this draft. Someone with game AND flair. Howard is the perfect fit with local ties to boot. The ability to entertain as well as play is another must. We can't build a team like the Pistons and expect the fans to come out nor can we rally our fanbase around a robotic personality like Tim Duncan. We need a KG, 'Nique, or Kidd type of potential.

Outside of a specific player, I feel that one goal for this draft should be to acquire at least 2 1st rounders, preferably snagging another lottery pick.

Best case scenario would be Howard at 2 and Livingston at 3. Diesel has got a nice proposal for getting the #3 here), but I think we should keep it and look at trying to work with the Clips on that #2.

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What are the must haves coming out of next year's draft?

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Too early to say. This will be known once the draft is over, if we've taken on any contracts, and who we resign.

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Does anyone care to share a complete plan?

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Use Diesel's trade proposal (and the mafia if neccessary) to wrestle that #3 out of Chicago. Use #6/#17/something to inspire the Clippers or just call their bluff on keeping Howard or dealing with someone else. Keep an eye on Phoenix with that #7, but try to come away with Howard and Livingston. We should take a look at Duhon in the 2nd Round.

Re-sign Jack (6 - 7 mill) if he goes because JT goes f#ck 'em.

Re-sign Sura (3 mill)

Re-sign Collier and Pryz (bread/water).

6-7 mill for bad contract from Chi or Phoe (for the #3/#7 deal)

6 mill for our rookies this season

Plus 10 million for Hendu, Crawford

Boris at about 1.5 Million

Hansen at the minimum

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Around 34-36M, around 9 - 10 under the 45M cap with 11 more falling off in 2005.

PG Livingston/Duhon/

SG Jack/Sura

SF Sura/Boris/FA (?)

PF Howard/FA (Swift?)

C Collier/Pryz/FA (Blount?Foyle?)

We could also package some picks to move up into the late teens...maybe pick up a big body like Ramos or Jefferson (*shudder* 3 Hssrs?). Whatever we do, keep enough change to sign a possible lottery pick next season + a Max FA; we've got a good FA year coming up plus another draft where we are likely to be drafting high - no sense in burning ourselves out in one off-season.

[Wretch]

I just posted like, the same thing. Maaaaaaaaaaaaaann...if we could get Livingston AND Howard? OMG! And it's possible too...

[Diesel]

Well, the full arena will come when the people determine that the ownership is willing to do what it takes to win and they have a plan to win.

The goal is to stockpile the talent neccessary to compete for a championship.

Livingston/Howard is my goal because I see this duo as being potentially better than Stockton/Malone. These are the two best talents in the draft. If we get them, we have time to wait on their development.

As far as How long, I suspect that if we save money in this offseason (not get too eager to get a free agent because we have the money).. then by next offseason, we will have as much money to go after other free agents.

As I thought about it, My targets in next offseason are Richardson and Jefferson.

The question.. Will NJ resign Jefferson. Well, if they overpay Kmart, they might not, but then again, they might be out of Alonzo's contract and Kittle's contract is up soon too.

Will GS put up a fight. My thought is NO.

Now, think about that team...

All young.

Livingston, Richardson, Jefferson, Howard, and Pryz (or Blount or Foyle)...

That's a squad that can compete. It's a squad that's offensive and defensive. They will fill the seats... If we don't get Jefferson...

Livingston, Richardson, Diaw, Howard, Pryz...

Still a pretty interesting group...

[OGRat]

Wretch,

I tend to agree with you, but I think that the new owners have a small window of opportunity to win the city over. They can not dally in making some definitive moves.

Mr. Blank set the precedent that the new owners will be measured by, and so far they have not measured up. I believe the city will start making a judgement decision when the season begins. There would need to be some type of buzz and excitement surrounding the team. If the players on the floor generate the excitement....good. However, the owners will need to make an impact this year.

[TheDude]

2 years before i expect to see better results from the rebuilding procedures.

I'd love to get Howard and Livingston. That would be a coup if we were able to do that. But you would think that if it was possible, that Knight would get it done because of the potential of both. I'm not saying he won't but it's doubtful for reasons I don't understand.

As much as I like Howard, I really like Livingston's potential. 6 foot 7 point guard? Who would be able to guard him? The SG from the other team couldn't cuz he should be responsible for our SG (who shouldn't be the undersized Terry because he would have been traded). We could be unstoppable.

Is it possible to do a sign and trade with Jax in order to get something in return? Why would the other team do a sign and trade, rather than just trying to sign him as a free agent?

Is JT to Phoenix for the #7 too much? How about JT/2nd rounder for #7/Joe Johnson. I think they would do it because it would give them their point and then they can focus on Kobe for SG.

[Diesel]

Blanks first draft was to do all that he could to get Micheal Vick... A franchise player.

But Vick didn't play right away.

Our owners are in the same boat. Give the people a timetable. But at the same time, give them something to look forward to.

Us getting Howard will cause a buzz.

Us getting Howard/Livingston would cause a big Buzz.

If we brought in those two and brought in a coach that would let them play.... We would be moving forward. The Atlanta fans won't be on board until we're on TV.

The only move that our owners can do to "win over the city" is bring in Kobe or Iverson or Tmac. I don't see it happening. Therefore, we still have plenty of time.

BTW, I'd still trade JT/Diaw/#17 to Orlando for Hill/#1.

[Diesel]

All of the top 4 teams are open to trading down or trading into another draft.

One big thing is Charlotte. Depending on What they get out of the expansion draft. If they get pieces that they like... They may be willing to trade their #4 for Terry and maybe 2 of our 2nds.

Chicago might be willing to work a deal through Indy.

After #4, the draft loses it's luster to me.

[TROUBLEMAN69]

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Blanks first draft was to do all that he could to get Micheal Vick... A franchise player.

But Vick didn't play right away.

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Blank did not draft M. Vick. Vick was drafted during the Smith's watch.

TROUBLEMAN

[OGRat]

I think that the first 12 picks can be valuable to a rebuilding team, our second round picks are virtually worthless unless we can use them to get another lottery pick.

Diesel, I noticed that you justifiably never mention your second round picks as having any potential for contributing more than bench time. I'd be surprised anyway. If they stick with the team, I guess they save us money on finding free agent bench players.

Does anyone in the second round stick out as having a possibility to start sometime in the future? What about Jackie Butler? I know he's another HSer but he did pretty well for himself in Chicago (averaged a double double)?

[ATLien_]

Blank did do a good job coming in as a owner, but to be honest without Vick the Georgia Dome would still be empty. Vick sellsout games by himself.