I say keep Walker.....

[ATL_BALLER]

I don't think he has low trade value - there's no question he's our most attractive commodity right now (to a contender).

That's why I am FOR dealing him-

[Inside_Man]

Toine has very good skills. Particularly scoring skills.

Contrary to what some may think, I don't hate him. I admire his game, but feel he throws up too many threes and his free throw shooting costs games.

However, he's ultimately not BK's style of player. He's not where this team is going.

The good news is this team is going. It has a direction. Management has a plan, which is something that never existed in the babs era.

As to attracting free agents... I think they'll be beating down doors to play with Smoove. Write it down.

[Iman]

I cant believe BK traded JT/Hendu for Walker because he ever thought Walker would be part of the team he planned to put together. Walker is multidimensional but whether we can agree on his skill or his value, it still seems apparent that BK wanted Walker for capspace and trade value. The main stopping blocks to retaining Walker are salary and defense. Both are Walker weaknesses and things BK seems to value. Even with Dalembert and JSmoove playing beside him, Walker would still cause our interior defense to be too porous to ever be the kinda team BK and Woody want.

I must be one of the block headed people who dont get it because I DO think free agents will come here. We supposedly offered Dalembert way less than he wanted, and I dont doubt we did that as much to cause someone to overpay for him than because we wanted him. Same might be said about Kenyon but he is an agressive player, maybe BK really wanted him even though he is somewhat undersized. I do think superstars such as Kobe are going to pick where they want to go, most others go for money. Plus everyone knew we'd be horrible this year but knowing we have capspace and young talent they can see us getting better soon. Orlando signed Tmac and Grant from a very similar situation. I doubt we go for the big signee such as Ray Allen, he or Michael Redd might sorta pick where they want to go. Dalembert, Swift, etc are pretty much just going for money. We even bring the commodity of playing time. If we let Walker go I have no doubt the player or two that replaces him will better fit our team. He's gone, only question is do we trade him before the deadline, sign n trade him, or just take the capspace?

[Lascar78]

Smooth is not even close to being the ballhandler Toine is. If he had the ball in his hands as often as Toine does he would most certainly have more turnovers than Toine.

And Al has changed the culture here? Here's a reminder: Al, Toine, Smoove, and Chill are all in their first season in atlanta. The culture has changed. The results have not changed because this new cast has no history playing together, and we don't have enough talent. Toine should be the last one blamed for our poor results. Without him, the only close games would have been the Indy game and the bucks game.

It's not a matter of Toine on his own attracting FA's. It's a matter of having enough talent to attract a free agent. If you trade him for someone of equal talent, that's fine. But he will not just walk. If so, we will get no free agents. Like last year. Jon Barry can't be your top FA acquisition if you want to go anywhere

[Diesel]

Quote:

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Ratliff, Rahim, Wallace, and Mohammed really had more market value individually than Walker currently has, and look what the Hawks recieved for them.

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Let's see... Theo just got replaced as starting C by Pryz?

Reef splits time with Darius Miles...

Wallace got a ring, but since has become nothing more than a mediocre role player.

However, the market doesn't decide Walker's value to US... (but if it did, he'd still be very valuable.... Betcha that Seattle, NJ, NY, and Houston all put in a bid before it's all over). ,,, But the point is that we decide how valuable he is. Being that he is leading us in just about every category, how can you deny his worth to US?

[Diesel]

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It's about changing the culture here - and so far, Toine has not done that. To that end, the more SMOOV is on Sportscenter, and at the rate he will continue to improve, HE will be the one to rejuvenate the franchise and attract the talent.

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Talent isn't attracted by Sportscenter Highlights... Ask McGrady why he left Toronto... They had all the Sportscenter Highlights and Coverage in the world.

Talent is attracted to winning. To answer the question, Tmac left to play with Grant Hill or Tim Duncan. It didn't work out. However, Toine puts us in a position to be competitive.

Another part of changing the culture is familiarality... Ask Kobe about that with his Shirt being 72nd overall in sales. People don't like to guess who is on the team every year. I say we have a good thing now. We have Smoove, Chillz, Walker. OK, let's build through the draft and FAcy and get a few more pieces. Let these guys become fan favorites. Every trade loses about 1/50 of the fan base. That's a lot when you think about it.

However:

Who remembers: Hanno's Fans? WHo remembers IraNewbill Fan? Who remembers JT31Fan? These are just a few guys who have come through and gone. Some check by occasionally, but they represent a larger group of physically present fans.

Right now Smoove, Chillz are getting lots of fans. The National games should be rolling through next year. However, for us to be successful, we have to be more than a Highlight reel and I think Walker brings that dimension.

[Diesel]

[Diesel]

I think you have to look at the whole picture...

The whole picture states that Walker was not just something to do...

After the draft, remember we had Chillz, Ivey, Smith and Smith... No new PG, No new C. No new PF. Then all the sudden it was like BOOM... Two moves.

The first was Jax for Harrington... (I think).

The second was JT/Hendu for Walker/Delk.

Now, look at both...

We were going to lose Jax for nothing. Harrington had asked to be traded because he was tired of being 6th man. BK got what he could get.

Look at the second.

We didn't have an overwhelming need for Walker. IN fact, the trade made us less a PG. Why did we do it?

Look at US, Look at Walker.

First off, our own is Belkin. You remember Boston Celtics co-owner (at one time). Loves Walker. The one who said that he wants to keep Walker but he would leave the basketball decisions in BK's hand in the same article I quoted...

Secondly, BK keeps preaching Versatility and how he loves big men who can pass and play more than one position. That's part of why he drafted Gasol when with Memphis.

I just think that there's more to Walker being here than just chance or dumb luck...

We specifically went after him in trade.

[Dakin]

THe Hawks will never be a condender with Antoine Walker as the #1 option.

[Dakin]

did anybody see him just throw up that prayer on the 1 on 2 break? I don't know what the guy's thinking sometimes. It seems like he's constantly trying to prove something: refusing to pass out of double teams, taking crazy fade aways etc.

[Employee8]

Quote:

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did anybody see him just throw up that prayer on the 1 on 2 break? I don't know what the guy's thinking sometimes. It seems like he's constantly trying to prove something: refusing to pass out of double teams, taking crazy fade aways etc.

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Dakin, I don't know if you know this but every summer(while with the celtics) he'd actually play pickup games with His Airness(MJ). He probably developed some bad habits 'cause he saw MJ do ridiculous-looking acrobatic shots and probably thought "HEY! I CAN DO THAT!"

And as for Walker being the #1 option? GET ME ANOTHER PLAYER ON THIS TEAM THAT DEMANDS A DOUBLE-TEAM AND YOU CAN SWITCH THAT #1 OPTION TO THAT PLAYER!

Otherwise, Walker is our #1 option...actually by Default. Although if Smoove could just better develop his Ballhandling skills, he'd be the #1 option and have Walker being his Scottie Pippen....I'd have NO PROBLEM with that whatsoever.

[bballfan]

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THe Hawks will never be a condender with Antoine Walker as the #1 option.

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and the Celtics will never win one with Paul Pierce as the number 1 option.

Shouldn't you be more worried about your own team.

It is pretty obvious you are a Celtic troll who only show's up here to bash Antoine.

[bballfan]

Quote:

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I cant believe BK traded JT/Hendu for Walker because he ever thought Walker would be part of the team he planned to put together. Walker is multidimensional but whether we can agree on his skill or his value, it still seems apparent that BK wanted Walker for capspace and trade value. The main stopping blocks to retaining Walker are salary and defense. Both are Walker weaknesses and things BK seems to value. Even with Dalembert and JSmoove playing beside him, Walker would still cause our interior defense to be too porous to ever be the kinda team BK and Woody want.

I must be one of the block headed people who dont get it because I DO think free agents will come here. We supposedly offered Dalembert way less than he wanted, and I dont doubt we did that as much to cause someone to overpay for him than because we wanted him. Same might be said about Kenyon but he is an agressive player, maybe BK really wanted him even though he is somewhat undersized. I do think superstars such as Kobe are going to pick where they want to go, most others go for money. Plus everyone knew we'd be horrible this year but knowing we have capspace and young talent they can see us getting better soon. Orlando signed Tmac and Grant from a very similar situation. I doubt we go for the big signee such as Ray Allen, he or Michael Redd might sorta pick where they want to go. Dalembert, Swift, etc are pretty much just going for money. We even bring the commodity of playing time. If we let Walker go I have no doubt the player or two that replaces him will better fit our team. He's gone, only question is do we trade him before the deadline, sign n trade him, or just take the capspace?

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Kenyon Martin used Atlanta to get a max deal from NJ then took the money and ran to Denver.

Why would any free agent want to come play for this team unless money is thrown at them?

Every free agent so far has used the Hawk's to drive up their price for another team. It is delusionel to think anyone would come here unless they got a huge gift contract.

In the outside world the Hawk's don't matter. Recently Cedrick Maxwell the Celtics announcer said that it doesn't matter what the Hawk's do on the court, fans don't show up anyway. That is just their atmospehere.

No player wants to deal with playing for no fans and losing. I am sorry but yiou make no sense at all saying anyone would want to play here.

[Dakin]

Celtic Troll??? hahaha.

That's funny since I was born in atlanta and have been watching the Hawks since 1986. But if it makes you feel better to think that everyone who doesn't worship Walker, is a "celtic troll" then go ahead. I am a big hawks fan, I mean BIG. Watching the celtics game I was screaming at my television at the way WAlker was playing. Aquiring Antoine Walker in his walk year was a good move financially, but keeping him around is definitely not a good move for this franchise.

[Kaviar1]

You ever notice how everyone's creditional's get questioned

everytime Big Walk is brought into question?

One nice thing about it he is traded, maybe this Board can get back to what it once was, a decent exchange of basketball knowledge and information, instead of "As The Toinne's World Turns".

[MoonKnight]

Atlanta is a powder keg waiting to explode regarding basketball. All we need is one exciting player (JSmoove may in time fill that role) and winning basketball and we would compete for any FAs we want. Heck if Denver had not matched our offer IMO Martin would be a Hawk now. I remember others talking about the Falcons in the same vein you are talking about our Hawks. Gee....... Do you think you could easily get playoff tickets tonight at the Georgia Dome?

[Employee8]

Quote:

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You ever notice how everyone's creditional's get questioned

everytime Big Walk is brought into question?

One nice thing about it he is traded, maybe this Board can get back to what it once was, a decent exchange of basketball knowledge and information, instead of "As The Toinne's World Turns".

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Probably Tip will leave but I won't. I love J-Smoove!

(I will keep tabs on Antoine and how he is doing of course....)

Now that said, Who will it be?

CHRIS PAUL or RAYMOND FELTON?

[bballfan]

Quote:

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You ever notice how everyone's creditional's get questioned

everytime Big Walk is brought into question?

One nice thing about it he is traded, maybe this Board can get back to what it once was, a decent exchange of basketball knowledge and information, instead of "As The Toinne's World Turns".

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Every single one of your whopping 31 posts has been about how everyone sucks. You have nothing positve to say at all.

Blaming Antoine for people having an opinion now that doesn't prove your case.

Again your 31 POSTS, Please don't even try and say you are a poster who has talked basketball. Your mostly a trouble maker who never even mentions the good.