AJC: Pick for Walker might slip away

[CBAreject]

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Pick for Walker might slip away

When the Hawks traded Antoine Walker to Boston for three veteran players with expiring contracts and a first-round draft pick, the debate raged as to which organization got the better end of the deal.

Nearly a month later, it's clear that the Celtics are making out like bandits. They are 11-1 since reacquiring Walker, leading the Atlantic Division by six games and would be the third seed in the Eastern Conference if the playoffs started today.

As if that's not enough bad news for the lowly Hawks, an NBA-worst 11-54 heading into tonight's game at Chicago, that coveted draft pick is now in question.

Since the pick is lottery-protected, the Hawks could be in danger of losing it until a future draft if the Los Angeles Lakers don't make the playoffs.

If the Lakers make the playoffs, the Celtics get L.A.'s pick and the Hawks get the lower of the Celtics' two first-round picks for Walker.

But if the Lakers don't make the playoffs, Atlanta will get only its current first-round pick. If the pick gets deferred, it is protected through the first 10 draft slots in 2006 and the first five in 2007.

And if that isn't enough bad news for the Hawks, the Lakers trail Denver by 3 1/2 games for the eighth and final Western Conference playoff spot. Nine of their final 16 games are on the road, and of those nine, only Portland is not in the playoff hunt.

That's why the biggest Lakers cheering section every night for the rest of the season is wherever the Hawks are.

"There's no doubt about it," Hawks coach Mike Woodson said. "At the time of the deal it wasn't something we were really worried about, but now we have to sweat it out and see what happens."

The Hawks did get power forward Tom Gugliotta and center Michael Stewart out of the deal, both of whom have given the team a boost on the floor and in the locker room, although not necessarily in the win column. But Gary Payton never made it to town for a physical, and subsequently he was bought out of his contract and re-signed with the Celtics.

Hawks forward Al Harrington doesn't claim to be a math whiz, but he knows what needs to happen for the Hawks to reap the benefits of trading Walker.

"Googs has been a great addition, he and Yogi [stewart] both," Harrington said. "But that pick is something we were depending on. We definitely need the Lakers to get it going."

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I really don't understand the reasoning if Woodson and Knight thought that the Lakers' not making the playoffs was something they didn't have to worry about. They were being pursued by 2 bona fide teams in the Wolves and Nuggets. This really sounds like some pretty lousy planning by the Hawks.

[Buzzard]

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If the Lakers make the playoffs, the Celtics get L.A.'s pick and

the Hawks get the lower of the Celtics' two first-round picks for Walker.

But if the Lakers don't make the playoffs, Atlanta will get only its current first-round pick. If the pick gets deferred, it is protected through the first 10 draft slots in 2006 and the first five in 2007.

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I think BK and Woodson are just blowing smoke. Even we knew the Lakers were in for a race to the playoffs.

Sounds to me that the higher pick may come in 2006 or 2007. I am ok with this to be honest with you. Gives us time to build and then draft for position.

[macdaddy]

BK doesn't make 'mistakes' like this. He accomplished 3 goals by trading Walker:

-got a 1st round pick whenever it is rather than nothing by letting Walker go in free agency. We did not need Walker for the rest of the season.

-Ensured that we would stay at the bottom of the league to get the a high draft pick

-as a bonus rewarded Walker for being a great team player and leader while he was here.

I don't totally understand why analysts who know a lot more than I do about the business don't see that not doing the trade would have gotten us nothing while doing the trade got us something. Good deal for all involved.

[d2v16DKG]

Oh I see, BK traded Walker and purposely got nothing in return to make sure the Hawks suck. Boy, the man's a genius! Let's build a bronze statute in his honor!

[Diesel]

Aside from your BK hate...

The Lakers are not going to get much better next year. Next yr we could get the 11th pick for Walker. Having Walker didn't mean much to us. Had we kept him, what would it have meant? He'd be mad. We'd be out of the playoffs and out of the lottery. Our youth movement would still be on the bench.

What we have now is:

A better picture of what we need in the draft.

A 1st round pick that could be a lottery pick Next yr or the year after.

A bonafide lottery pick this year.

A reputation in the league for being a classy team by not keeping Walker here for nothing but sending him to a team where he can shine.

[Nicholasp27]

if the deal had not included a pick, i'd still have been ok with it...

chill's growth is much better with walker gone

we get to see if we should extend al or trade him by october deadline

more mins for donta, smoove, chill

smoove gets to play sf instead of sg

however, i'd have been somewhat upset with no pick...but bk DID get a pick...he made this deal at the deadline, so it's not like he coulda held out for a better deal...the trade itself helps our growth...and if we get a pick this year, then GREAT...

if not, then it may be a blessing in disguise for our future...after all, we have 4 good rookies this year...add 2-3 more this year and u're talking about trying to retain 6-7 good players in 2 years...talk about clips situation...

it may end up being better for us to have 4 1-2 2-3 instead of 4 2-3 1-2 good rookies...

i REALLY want that second this draft, as i'd love to get a pg with the 17th pick...but if it doesn't happen, it doesn't happen...

bottom line...this was best deal out there...he couldn't have waited any longer

[codyatl]

I believe it was you leading the charge when we traded sar and ratliff that it was a dumb decision to trade them away instead of keeping them and trying to get into the playoffs. Then you blasted those of us who were actually hoping we would lose to better our draft position. I can't understand how you would be content w/ mediocrity. I for 1 am willing to wait for this team to be built to win championships not just to get ino the playoffs.

Now you are mad because we traded a guy that was not going to be here next yr and was taking minutes away form our young guys that need PT. You would rather keep aw and let jsmith et al ride the pine while we watch AW put up shot after shot after shot and we still lose. where is the genious in that? Use your head for something other than a hat-rack and try to understand that we ahve to sacrifice a few yrs to achieve the ultimate goal of winning a championship.

[emorystar]

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I believe it was you leading the charge when we traded sar and ratliff that it was a dumb decision to trade them away instead of keeping them and trying to get into the playoffs. Then you blasted those of us who were actually hoping we would lose to better our draft position. I can't understand how you would be content w/ mediocrity. I for 1 am willing to wait for this team to be built to win championships not just to get ino the playoffs.

Now you are mad because we traded a guy that was not going to be here next yr and was taking minutes away form our young guys that need PT. You would rather keep aw and let jsmith et al ride the pine while we watch AW put up shot after shot after shot and we still lose. where is the genious in that? Use your head for something other than a hat-rack and try to understand that we ahve to sacrifice a few yrs to achieve the ultimate goal of winning a championship.

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Josh Smith was not riding pine. He's been starting since mid December. And great, we trade Antoine. Now it's Tyronn Lue who is putting up shot after shot, and we still lose. So now what?

Also, can you honestly tell me that say a core of Early Watson/Josh Childress/Josh Smith/Al Harrington/Andrew Bogut (which would be a good off-season for us) is capable of winning a championship? I think not. But sometimes, you have to make due with what you got. That's what Atlanta is going to do.

Don't get me wrong, I was against trading away picks for washed up veterans just for a run at an 8th seed. However, I would LOVE to get back into the playoff race. ASAP. I don't think I can handle another 10 win season.

[Final_quest]

I would just like to point out that if the Laker pick next year is 11, we would still not get the pick. We did not make a trade for that Laker pick but for Boston's lowest pick in the first round. Next year we'll still get the lesser of Boston or the Laker's pick.