Did anyone see this article?

[KB21]

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/basketball/...ght-draft_x.htm

It's a USA Today/AP article. This may have been in the AJC as well. Some interesting quotes from Billy:

Quote:

---

"We're going to look at this the same way as if we had the No. 1 pick," Knight said Wednesday. "This No. 2 pick is the same for us as the No. 1 pick. First of all, we could be getting the same guy. Second of all,

this is a franchise sort of pick. This guy will be part of our organization for a long time.

"

---

It's hard to read anything into Billy's statements, but everything he has said and done to this point has to do with the long term future as opposed to the quick fix. Some may interpret it differently than I do, but the quote above tells me that he is going to get the player that has the greatest long term value.

Quote:

---

"We have the No. 2 pick in the draft and I'm pleased with that because I'm confident,

I'm very confident

we're going to get a good player," he said. "We're going to be able to get somebody we feel will be able to help us for a

long time

."

---

Something tells me that Billy has a pretty good idea of who Milwaukee will take and leave available for this pick, and something tells me that Billy thinks this player is head and shoulders above everyone else in the draft when it comes to long term value.

I just think everything right now is pointing towards the Hawks taking Marvin Williams.

[Plainview1981]

It's tough to know how much they really mean and

how much is a line of crap. It's part of what makes

it fun around draft time. Even though I don't know

alot about these players it's still fun reading about

it. To me it doesn't sound like he wants to move down

though but who really knows?

The only problem is that how do you expect to win for

the future without a center or PG? I mean, there is

the Bulls... But who else? I don't know what other

picks Billy has other than the second... But it would

be nice to move up and get a PG with another pick.

I just dont believe players like Josh Smith can be

the best they could be without a really good PG. And

rebounding is really needed.... It's sickening to

watch a team give up lots of offensive rebounds. If

I was a coach that one be one thing that would drive

me crazy is other teams getting extra offensive rebounds.

[emeans]

Billy Knight is NOT going to trade this pick. There are two consensus No. 1 pick candidates and he is going to get one of them.

This is why Billy says "this is a franchise sort of pick. THIS GUY will be part of our organization for a long time."

Notice he didn't say THESE GUYS will be a part of this organization and he didn't say THESE are franchise pick(S). He is going with Williams or Bogut point blank.

He may try and move up into the 1st round without giving away his No. 2 pick, but he is not giving that pick away.

I also don't think he is even considering trading Al Harrington like so many of you guys in your fantasy trades think. He may try to move Diaw and a future 1st round pick, but he is not about to give away his best player....at least not right now. Not enough talent on this team right now to do that unless it is a drop dead blockbuster deal for Atlanta. It really has to tremendously help Atlanta in order for him to do that.

[Diesel]

The thing that you get from what BK said is that we are not going to trade down.

However, thats about all you can read into it. I think BK is happy with the position and knows that the position will yield a player that will be here for a while. However, there's no way to tell who he's talking about.... Weather it's Bogut, M-Will, D-Will, or Paul... All could fit the bill.

The other thing that you must ask from what BK said... Is this..

What is the lifetime of our other players? Will they be here for a long time. ..

[Guest]

From what I have read, there are three top picks in this draft.

Bogut is a solid Center prospect. Ligitimate 7' Centers are rare and that is why Bogut is a top draft choice.

Williams is an extreme talent. There is a glut of similar sized players, but he seems to have the physical and mental qualities to be a true star in the league.

Paul is the best player at his very important position. Deron and Felton are good, but Paul has elite level quickness and the mental fortitude to star in this league.

So, I think that BK is saying that we will be able to draft someone that can help this team immediately. That is all. He has not tipped his hat towards any one player.

[KB21]

That's true, but I don't think Billy is looking at this as a situation where he has to take a point guard and a center this year. He's got two first round picks in 2006 to play around with, and he may be able to add another first round pick to the mix with a possible deadline Al Harrington deal.

Chances are, the Hawks will not win very many games again next year and will be in the mix for that #1 pick, though they will be competitive with their young talent. They could be in a position to get a center like Greg Oden with a top pick and then come back with a tall point guard like Ronnie Brewer with the second first round pick.

[chillzatl]

I was listening to 2livestews talking to him a week or so ago and he said basically the same thing. This was before we even knew where our pick would be. He said basically "having a top four pick basically means we're going to get a guy who can help us. We're confident that wherever our pick falls, we'll still be able to get a good player that will help us."

Now that's from memory. But he's basically saying the same thing now. He thinks that any of the top 4 picks are good players that will help us. So no matter how it shakes out, he's going to get a guy that he's happy with.

You're reading too much into it. He's not tipping his hand at all.

[Final_quest]

I agree with KB that it appears the Hawks are picking Marvin Williams, but it's hard to be sure. If you are interested, even remotely, in trading your pick perhaps the best thing to do is to try to inflate the value of it and let other teams know they would have to make a considerable offer to get the pick. There will be a lot of BS between now and the draft.

Also, there are other ways to get a PG and C besides from the draft. We have a lot of space to sign people, but that space gives us the ability to make trades as well. Take on a big contract and get a draft choice for the future PG. Then sign Gadzuric. We might have another year of subpar centers, but it looks like the Hawks are not going to force anything.

[DominiqueWilkins]

Billy Knight knows he would perfer Bogut, because of the needs Atlanta has, but he'll have to play his "draft game", and hope the Bucks pass on Bogut.

[Yeti]

I don't think Paul belongs in that group. In fact I'd pick Deron over Paul. Paul didn't show much in the games I saw, he's short, and I worry about him mentally after slugging Hodges in the groin and getting himself taken out of the tournament. We don't need a troublemaker - we've had enough of those in the past. (If you want a fast short guard try Nate Robinson with a much later pick.)

Don't we still have next year's Lakers pick? If so, maybe we can trade it to someone for another 1st pick this year. Might even throw in Diaw. (Actually I like Diaw, but I don't know why.) Then we could go after Ukic or Jack. (Is Jack really good or are we "homing"? I only saw Jack once and I think it was his worst game, so I really don't know.)

I'll be happy with Marvin or Bogut. I just hope they don't get desperate for short term results and trade down to get more "above average" players and pass on a franchise pick. If we are going to really rebuild, let's take the time to do it right. Otherwise we'll start looking like the hawks of the last ten years.

But I am high on Billy and Woodson. I think they will do us proud.

Yeti

[tmac13]

In 2 different interviews with Belkin he has emphasized our high pick this season along with our caproom to make significant improvement for next season..I don't think ownership expects to be in the championship mix but I do think they expect to be a 30 plus win team..Belkin seems a little impatient and another 15 win season might mean BK's job.

[KB21]

Billy made it clear when the Atlanta crew pushed for his extension that he was not looking for a quick turn around. Belkin may have majority ownership, but he does not overrule the other owners. I believe Gearon and Seydel are on the same page as Knight.

[Final_quest]

Good question about if Jack is homing it or not. I like Jack because he's tough and competitive, he's good at finishing games, but not really a pure distributing PG. I would say Deron and Felton are more pure PGs. Jack is a little more like Steve Francis, but less of an athlete. He's not gonna fly to the rim like Franchise. Certainly the extra ticket sales for Jack is a consideration, and Jack does bring scoring to the table as well. It depends on what kind of PG Atlanta wants.

Maybe we could sign Bobby Jackson from the Kings and rotate him with Jack. These guys are both in your face PGs.

[tmac13]

Jack is also a turnover machine..While that doesn't completely scare me away it is a concern because that has been a Hawks team problem since our slide began after trading Mookie.

[CBAreject]

we're going to be disappointed.

I'm thinking 25 wins is the max. We might finish last again. Charlotte is going to be improved significantly and NO is going to have some capspace to play with. Also, NOLA wasn't all that bad last year. They won quite a few games after starting out horribly (1 and 16 or something). NOLA should win 20+, and I think Charlotte will, too.

It will be 2006 before we win over 30 games, in my opinion, and I'm not disappointed with that.

[Nicholasp27]

ogden here we come!

[Wretch]

They key is where he said, "we could be getting the same guy." Obviously, there is no could be with Chris Paul. He'll be there at #2 maybe even at 4 or 5. So, it has to mean Bogut or Williams. But I don't think you can say which one for sure he's targeting...

Being top 3 picks, both come with expectations of being a cornerstone player.

[tmac13]

Surely after what just happened in the lottery noone here could realistically expect to get the number 1 pick even if we had the worst record..With the lottery you can't even hope to get Ogden..

[Nicholasp27]

?@after what just happened

yeah, we BEAT THE ODDS to get a top 2 pick...we had

anyway, with the lottery, you CAN hope to get him, no matter if u are #1 or #14...as long as u miss the playoffs, u can hope to get him

that's the point

[thecampster]

I'm really glad you aren't running the Hawks.

Here is what the team has as assets in no particular order.

On the roster for sure next year and at their "natural" position:

PG: Tony Delk, Royal Ivey,

SG: Donta Smith

SF: Josh Childress, Boris Diaw

PF: Josh Smith, Al Harrington

C: Pedrag Drobnjak, Jason Colier

That's nine players when you should carry 14 (2 on il). 5 roster spots.

Cap room: 24 million.

Draft selections: 2nd, 31st overall, 2 future firsts (there's one out there for 2007 I'm pretty sure).

Collier will most probably be waived.

Tradable commodities. Sign and trade of Lue, Diaw, Harrington.

What can 2 picks in the top 31 plus Lue, Diaw and Harrington and 24 million dollars net.

Diaw and Harrington would be gone in my world clearing another 7 million.

Jason Williams is 8 million per. Kwame Brown is 3-5 millions per. Bogut, Jack (moving up by sending Diaw and 31st). Ray Allen at 12-14 million per (most we'll have to pay as there isn't alot of other money out there to sign him.

Next year's line up is:

PG: Jason Williams, Jarrett Jack, Tony Delk

SG: Ray Allen, Donta Smith, Royal Ivey

SF: Josh Childress,(Smith and Smith will fill in at the 3)

PF: Josh Smith, Kwame Brown

C: Bogut, Drobnak, Ekezie

Plus player or players acquired in moving Harrington and Lue.

Anyone who doesn't think a team of Jason Williams, Ray Allen, the 2 Josh's and Bogut with a bench of Jack, Kwame, Drobnak can't pull more than 25 wins in the NBA isn't much of a basketball fan.

Bogut is a passing center (See Brad Miller's improvement for Sacramento) with size. Josh and Josh will be solid second year players. Ray Allen is money from the outside. Jason Williams is a fun to watch, Solid NBA point guard. Not top 5 but highly servicable. I see good ball movement and spacing with this group. Multiple players able to shoot from the outside and pass efficiently, creating athleticism matchups for Allen, Childress and especially Smith cutting to the lane.

I see above average trasition game and young legs all around for ball hawking defense. On the substitution end, most teams would like to have the problem of subbing in a Jarrett Jack. Most backup point guards in this league are awful. The starters are great and the backups absolutely stink. This is why Ben Gordon was so good off the bench last year and Jarrett Jack was every bit as good as he was 2 years ago in college (it was the rest of the yellow jackets vs. okafor which was a mismatch).

Kwame's homecoming is just what the doctor ordered for him and Drobnak proved he was a very good backup center last year. You can't argue his numbers off the bench last year.

Selling this team short at 25 wins would be a diss-service. The real question is what does Billy do with 24 milion dollars, 3 player commodities to trade and great draft flexibility to get us back to the playoffs. That's a lot guys. A whole lot to work with.