Billy Knight dropped the ball !!

[JTFan31]

IMO I think Knight dropped the ball. I dont question his trade of JT and Hendu for Walker and Delk. Although you all know I love JT as a player and person. PG or not, to me he is a heck of a player and will always be. Mostly every player in this league has defiencies and JT has them, but so does every player in this league. Actually I think Walker and Harrington will be a great tandem, possibly one of the top ones in the East and for all that matter in the league....god just imagine if you could of gotten Walker and still would of kept JT, :P.

This JT trade just didnt come out in a week. Obviously, JT trades was being talked about before the draft. Now we are so shorthanded in the PG position and the picks of Childress and Smith, I do not question but I do question the pick of Donta Smith. I think Knight should of gone with Duhon in that pick. Duhon will have a good career in this league, someone that can run your team and he can shoot lights out, with tremendous range. I feel that Knight should of selected Duhon over Donta.

[KB21]

No way!!

Chris Duhon doesn't shoot the ball well enough and isn't athletic enough to play in this league. He may bounce around from camp to camp, but he won't last. If Atlanta wanted him, they had the opportunity to get him. They thought more highly of Royal Ivey though, and I agree with them. Ivey is more projectable than Duhon because of his size and athleticism. Royal Ivey will be given every opportunity to develop into the Eric Snow type of point guard that both Billy Knight and Mike Woodson believe he can be. In the mean time, the Hawks will go after a guy like Damon Jones or Maurice Williams to play point guard.

Donta Smith has a bright future in this league though, IMO. He's long, athletic, and is a very versatile player. Donta was considered a first round pick going into the draft, so Billy Knight was simply taking the best player available at that pick.

Duhon will never make it in this league.

[emeans]

I disagree....There is no way I am taking Duhon over Smith. Now maybe you meant Duhon over Ivey....I may can understand that because Duhon was picked right after Ivey.

Smith was a bonified 1st round talent. People were surprised he dropped to the 2nd round.

Smith really impressed me during the Summer League even more than Childress.

[DJ_Money]

If Billy had planned this in advance of the draft, he likely would have jumped all over Nelson at #17. You don't draft rookie starters, especially not PGs, in the 2nd Round.

From everything we've seen Billy do and from what I've read, it sounds like Billy wants to accumulate talent, regardless of position. Walker is simply a more talented basketball player than JT and when presented this deal, he had to take it.

[KB21]

I believe Billy went into the draft with an idea that he was going to move Jason Terry, but he did not let that affect his mission to draft the best available talent. Had Shaun Livingston fell to the 6th pick, I believe he would have been the Hawks pick. After the draft, Billy Knight said the top three players on his board were Dwight Howard, Shaun Livingston, and Josh Childress. Once Livingston was off the board, I do not think Billy was enamoured enough with any of the point guards to take one over Childress, and even though he may have liked Jameer Nelson, I don't think he liked him enough to pass on Josh Smith's potential. Right now, the Josh Smith pick is making Billy look like a genius.

Billy Knight loves the draft, but he doesn't overvalue the draft. He knows the value of the draft is to acquire a surplus of talent. He realizes that drafting the best player available is better than drafting for need. When you draft for need, you tend to overdraft players, and you will pass on a better player simply because you perceive a point guard or a center as a need.

[GameBreaker]

Shouldve drafted Jameer Nelson.

[Diesel]

We shouldn;t have drafted Nelson. J-Smooth dropped from #3 to #17, he will turn out to be a steal. I still here the words of his coach... He's the best player that I have ever coached.

Talking about the guy who coached Stack, Mello, and others....

I think we scored huge with J-Smooth even though the popular opinion don't.

BUT....

We should have traded for Nelson.

When Denver had him, they would have taken Diaw for him easily. Hell, they would have given us something else in return...

I would still trade Diaw for him now. With things as they are, Diaw usefulness to us is limited. I don't see him beating out Al and I don't think he will help the development of J-Chill or J-Smooth.

If we could get more than Nelson for Diaw, I would be all over it.

[KB21]

He's a long athlete who has the versatility to play three positions on the floor. He's probably the second best athlete on the team (Best is Josh Smith). Right now, his value to us is as a defender and a ball handler. Considering that JChill doesn't look to be ready to handle the starting duties at shooting guard, it is very likely that Boris will be the starting shooting guard for the Hawks this season.

You don't trade a 6'9" athletic, ball handler for a 5'11" rookie point guard.

[Diesel]

Quote:

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You don't trade a 6'9" athletic, ball handler for a 5'11" rookie point guard.

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Unfortunately Diaw is only 6'7". Still... The question is where do we put him. I don't think Diaw will be our starting SG. I think it would be either Barry or Sura and they are the transition for J-Chill. I know Diaw will not be our Starting Sf. Al Harrington is it and J-Smooth is in the wings.

Now, we get to your trade. Do you trade for a rookie PG? Well, Diaw's future with this team is that of a Defensive specialist off the bench. Right now, we need PG help in a major way. What accolades did Nelson have? Wasn't he the player of the year? Wasn't his team undefeated for most of the season and it was because of him/West. This guy has the potential to be a very special PG in this league. Diaw only has the potential to be a defensive stopper off the bench...

KB, you trade for future! Not for present or past.

[JTFan31]

Well Diaw is really 6'8 according to NBA.com.

I have mix feelings about this trade. Nelson for Diaw. Yes Diaw is 6'8 and very versatile, can rebound, play good D, handle the ball and very good court vision. While Nelson was College player of the year, and has great potential and IMO the only reason he slipped was that he was a 6'0 PG, had he be a 6'3 or higher, he would of most likely be a top 10 player. No doubt Nelson has the tools to be a very good PG in this league. He is strong, can penetrate, great quickness....basically has the game. The only reason I wouldnt of liked the Nelson pick was because we had JT at the time, and anyways no way I would give up Smith at 17 for Nelson. Jameer had a very impressive summer League, he avg 12 ppg, 5.0 apg, 3.0 rpg and 2.0 spg. Nelson will be special and yes this time I am with Diesel, if the proposal would be Diaw for Nelson, I would happily be all over it.

[Diesel]

I have a feeling that Nelson will mirror Baron Davis... With less shooting from outside but more ability to run an offense.

PGs should be measured by strength... not size.

I think Nelson is strong enough to be a really good PG in this league right now. While, I think Livingston will take a few years to come into his game because he lacks the strength.