two things

[Dukegotgame]

i have noticed the popular opinion is that we need to get rid of walker, or he is not in our future plans. why do you guys feel like this? sure he makes some dumb mistakes, but he is a very skilled player. i actually see some fire in him and not the usual lazy attitude. he has shown improvement in atl. i think you all are judged him before he even got here. maybe he finally knows that it is on him here, not dirk or pp. he knows it is him to time to shut ppl up.

now my last thing is i want to see more of josh smith. this kid is being extremely productive in his minutes. he is giving us great effort and hustle. he deserves more pt than he has been getting. his shooting actually is getting much better

[emeans]

To piggy back on Josh Smith. Woodson is starting to wear on my nerves. Josh Smith is probably our best defensive stopper on the team and he is not getting any minutes.

Josh Smith needs to be playing way more minutes. Your best defensive player by far shouldn't be on the bench...the guys athletic wingspan is all over the boards. Josh Smith will miss ONE shot and Woodson will pull him immediately. What the hell is that????? I don't understand, how can a kid grow and get better an you pull him after one or two missed shots. Overall on the court he is not doing any worse than any other player including veterans who can't shoot free throws.

Josh Smith needs to play!!!!

About Walker......Walker is going to come down to Economics. He will be a FA and will command a lot of money next year. You have to way the pros and cons. Will he be worth that type of money for this team which aint winning and is rebuilding?? I don't think BK will tie that kind of money up into Walker next year and will thus trade him and get some players or picks.

[Packfill]

The problem with getting Josh Smith more playing time is that he backs up the Hawks two best players and primary offensive weapons (you could argue that Al and Antoine are the Hawks only offensive weapons).

I agree tha he should get minutes but it is not as easy as that because it means Woodson has to take one of his two primary scorers and playmakers off the floor.

I agree with Walker being a skilled player but it will come down to economics and what the Hawks can get for him in a trade. Would you pay him the max? Because someone will, and will due so on a 6 year deal. I could deal with a three year max deal for Walker but not more. As for a trade, if the Hawks can get picks or a young big man for him in a trade, I would consider it because it would mean that Josh Smith would get alot of more playing time after the trade deadline. It would also probably insure a high lottery pick to be used on either a center or point guard.

[Employee8]

While I would just love to have Antoine remain here with this team, I just don't see him surviving past the deadline this year. I know Antoine doesn't want to be bouncing all over the place like some journeyman but what can you do? I mean....He's going to expect big money, true. But how much is he expecting? 'Cause BK sure as heck isn't going to give him an extension on that 14 mill a year deal....

[bballfan]

Walker has not asked for an extention for max money and I am pretty sure he knows he isn't going to get one.

He is at least a 10 million a year player and IMO he is worth that.

The bargining agreement isn't set for next year anyway and Stern wants a 4 year deal as the max anyone can get.

[Iman]

Walker is generating most of our offense, that's for sure. But, we are a rebuilding team with a GM that most feels prefers to build through the draft. Walker is a sf/pf combo player, we have Harrington and Josh who are also sf/pf players, more defensive ones also. Walker needs rebounding and shotblocking bigmen to play with which happens to be our biggest weakness.

I could go on for days, I wont. I'll even go as far as to say I think we would win as many games this year and more next if Walker was already gone. And that's even if we were not able to replace him with anything. I will admit that I think just about the same applies to Harrington. I just dont think we need them both. I guess one way I can see us keeping Walker is if BK can arrainge a trade for a bigman for Harrington. Then I could see us offering Walker around $7-8mil for a few yrs. Add Swift or another similar player and we'd be ready for the playoffs.

[jrlocke]

Antoine would be a real value around 7-8 million, paying 10 wouldn't be wise for a franchise that doesn't have a true star yet....Antoine is a star but not a TRUE star....what I mean is he cannot be your go to guy but as the second best player on your team he is one of the best because he is so versitale.

The Hawks should drive a hard line with Walker because I don't think the market will be to favorable for him, he has a bad rap and although he is playing some great basketball he hasn't shown that he can make a team into a winner by himself.

Josh Smith is a liabilty in the half court on offense and the last thing this team needs is another dumb pass or turnover....he can't shoot either but I would liek to see him with the second unit pressing and running because Chill, Diaw, Smith and Delk are made to run!

jr

[cyman3]

I want to see us resign WALKER at an avg of 8 million a year. if he doesnt like it, thats fine- im willing to pass on him. if he does, then its a good deal and we should be happy.

the weaknesses in his game doesnt warrant a $10+ million contract. but im sure he can get $8-10 from SEVERAL teams, so he may not choose us over a better team- which again, is fine.

[Nicholasp27]

Quote:

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Josh Smith is a liabilty in the half court on offense and the last thing this team needs is another dumb pass or turnover...

jr

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smoove hasn't had a turnover in the past 2-3 games...last game he scored 8pts on 3/4 shooting, had several assists, 2 blocks, several steals and a few rebounds and NO turnovers in 13 mins...

meanwhile, Walker had NINE turnovers last game...

[Sage11]

That is very good point. Give the man some more minutes, He has "earned" it.

[Employee8]

Quote:

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I want to see us resign WALKER at an avg of 8 million a year. if he doesnt like it, thats fine- im willing to pass on him. if he does, then its a good deal and we should be happy.

the weaknesses in his game doesnt warrant a $10+ million contract. but im sure he can get $8-10 from SEVERAL teams, so he may not choose us over a better team- which again, is fine.

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Great Post! Though I think BK may offer slightly more than 8 million a year to Antoine considering he's been making 14 mil a year....I say between 9 and 10(maybe 9.5 mill)

[Nicholasp27]

exactly

we don't want to blindly give him more time cause he's our future...we're fine to wait 2 years for him...but when he's our best blocker and offensive rebounder and is making the most of his minutes, we wanna see him in there more...build his confidence by rewarding good play, not punishing every missed shot...

[jrlocke]

Quote:

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Quote:

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Josh Smith is a liabilty in the half court on offense and the last thing this team needs is another dumb pass or turnover...

jr

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smoove hasn't had a turnover in the past 2-3 games...last game he scored 8pts on 3/4 shooting, had several assists, 2 blocks, several steals and a few rebounds and NO turnovers in 13 mins...

meanwhile, Walker had NINE turnovers last game...

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My point was in previous games he had turnover problems that was why josh Smith was not on the court.....I agree he should play alot more....he changed the complete complexion of the Knicks game....he and Diaw gave us much needed energy. I think Smith should get more minutes and Antoine/Al less because they have not been able to close out games.

jr

[Nicholasp27]

woodson actually pays attention somewhat...when walker had to miss that ft last game, he put in smoove to get the rebound/putback..

but i still don't know why, when we had to inbound that pass and u knew we'd be foulded (barry was fouled at this point), we even had walker/al in to begin with...put in our best ft shooters...cause u never know what'll happen and who will get fouled...and then after the foul, u have to stop their advance, so why not put in ur best defenders...and if they score, then they may yet again foul us...

i woulda gone diaw/chill/smooth/mccoy/willis, as those are prolly the best defensive 5 we had and can hit fts...

[emeans]

Exactly....If anything Walker would be more of a turnover liability. Josh Smith can shoot the rock and he has 3 point range. He shot the 3 well in Summer League. The difference is that he had more court time to get comfortable. Was Woodson coaching the Summer League team or was it one of his assistants??

All he needs is an opportunity to play. Again he is no worse than Walker or Chillz shooting the 3 and turning the ball over plus he adds a defensive presence that no one else on this team can add.

Play Josh Smith more!!!!

[MoonKnight]

Based on the contracts offered this summer to Cardinal, Foyle, etc., someone will offer AW 10-12 mill a year but I am still not convinced BK will offer him a contract at all. I remember BK's reaction when the subject came up at the press conference with AW before the season. If our record continues to be this poor around the trade deadline then it increases the likelihood AW will be dealt before his contract expires. We have too many needs to tie up alot of money in a talented player with so many holes in his game.

[emeans]

And I totally agree with BK. We have too many needs and young potential superstars in Harrington, Smooth and Chillz to tie up that kind of money in one player.

Lets not forget.....We have some potential superstar talent on this team. If we can get a good big man or a good PG from a trade of Walker then do it.

This is a three year rebuilding deal. The 2006/2007 Atlanta Hawks team will be special....mark my words!!

[Employee8]

Special...whatever.

I just want this team to be Playoff-ready.

[Nicholasp27]

i like walker

but it's hard to see him here long-term...i can easily see him getting 10+ from another team, which we CAN'T afford to do...

he also plays the same positions as al/smoove

we are also 2-3 years away from competing, 3-5 from contending...

we need to go after points and centers...so if we can trade walker for one or we can get a pick that gets one or we can use his cap space to sign one, we'll have to do it...so i would give it 70/30 that bk will trade walker before the deadline so he doesn't lose him for nothing this summer...

[Diesel]

There's not enough proof in Smoove to say that he deserves starting minutes. I think Smoove will probably be a BU until 2007.

About Walker, I think he's more likely a part of our future than Harrington.

Look at the production.

I say we trade Harrington for KBrown.

Brown is 7'0, 270 all muscle... That's our C.