Reading between the lines from the Insider

[Admin]

Quote:

---

Sources say that the front office and coaching staff are split between Paul, Deron Williams and Marvin Williams at this point.

---

I would take that to mean that Billy really wants to draft Marvin, while Woody and the rest of the staff prefer Paul and/or Deron.

It has been talked about before, and judging by the way Billy has handled the veteran players thus far I would say that his goal is to take Marvin and have Chillz, Marvin, and Smooth be our 2,3,4 of the future. He seems to want to draft a tall Euro PG with a later first round pick if we can acquire one, like Ukic. I would have a hard time imagining Al re-signing with us to go back to being a 6th man for us, so I would imagine that we would be looking to move him at the deadline for a veteran player (I think we have enough draft picks coming up).

On the other side, it seems that the coaching staff seems to want to get a player that can come in from day one, make everyone else better, and grow with Chillz, Smooth, and Harrington. I honestly have to believe that Billy really likes Harrington and will eventually decide this is the best route to go so that he can re-sign him for a reasonable deal to be our PF of the future (when I am in favor of). Choosing Deron or Paul with the 2nd pick probably seems too high, but if there isnt a deal worth making down to 3 or 4, then we just bite the bullet and take the PG. We would then be set with our starting lineup with positions 1-4 for a long time. That would be an extremely solid nucleus. FA would then have to be used for bigs and depth and probably a shooter unless we can get one later in the draft.

Thoughts??

[mrhonline]

I think you have it spot-on.

Knight doesn't want to pass up the best talent b/c that's what GM's are supposed to do.

The coaching staff will ultimately be evaluated on wins - and to do that next year they need good players at all five positions, not just talent.

We'll see who wins...

[Diesel]

Yeah...

Another thing to that is what BK said about Woody when he hired him. He said that Woody was not a yes man and would stand up to him and that that was a reason he wanted Woody.. I think this is one of those times...

The other day in interview Woody said something to the effect that getting talent is good but sometimes you have to go with classic positions (or something like that). I took that to me that Woody was not interested in duplicating a position if a truly talented player in a needed position came along.

[DawsonsCreek]

I agree. There is no room, for Al, if Marvin is here. So I think that you have to trade Al, before he leaves on his own terms at the end of the year. I think Atlanta is more able to fill holes if Al stays. Atlanta doesnt have to waste time swapping out the same players at the same position if they keep Al. Coming away from this draft with a star quality pg and a quality big man would be real nice in addition to the 3 starters atlanta already has. On the other hand im not opposed to the team drafting marvin either. We will see what happends.

[mrhonline]

That said, I still think the Hawks should trade down with either Portland or New Orleans and get at least a second rounder if they don't intend on keeping Marvin.

If not a second rounder, then a young, role player. Maximize the value of the pick, I say.

[Diesel]

If we draft MWill and have plans to move Al or Smoove and get either Paul or Williams, I'm Ok with it...

However, I don't think Williams is head and shoulders better than what we have nor do I believe he's a better choice than Paul or Deron!

[mrhonline]

Quote:

---

However, I don't think Williams is head and shoulders better than what we have nor do I believe he's a better choice than Paul or Deron!

---

You're certainly entitled to that opinion (I'm really high on Deron, FWIW), but I'm not sure the Hawks feel the same way.

Everyone talks about Portland as being the main cog in the draft, but it may just turn out to be Atlanta.

[Diesel]

I really think either team would definitely be Game..

Realistically, It would have to be PTL because we still want our choice.

If we moved with PTL, this is the trade I want:

#2 for #3/Outlaw!

[unknownjdb]

Shyte, I'd be interested in #3/#35. Get Head or Stoudamire AND Morris in the 2nd round.

This year without FAs...

D.Will / Ivey

Chillz / Head / Delk

Smoove / Diaw / D.Smith

Harrington / Drob

Anderson / Morris / Collier

Grow as a unit this year then...

Next Season...

D.Will / Ivey

Head / D.Smith

Chillz / Diaw

Smoove / ???

Morris / Anderson

Consentrate on another C and a PF to back up Morris (if we don't get a FA big in before hand or through trade) in next years draft and I'm seeing good things happening.

[KB21]

This is why coaches should never be general managers.

Look at the history of the draft. More teams have made drafting mistakes because they ignored taking the most talented or the best player available to draft need.

Mike is looking at this from the "we need to win now" standpoint. Billy is looking at this from the "what's best for this team long term" standpoint.

In my opinion, if you pass on Marvin Williams, then you make the deal with Charlotte and take Felton and May. Getting those two won't be better than getting Marvin, but it will be better than taking only Deron Williams or Chris Paul.

[Admin]

Felton and May could turn out to be better than Deron or Paul, but I would err on the side of caution and take what most consider to be the star PGs of the draft. Right now Paul is the safest bet because he has been great from day 1. Both Deron and Felton had much poorer years last year compared to this one. Personally I take Deron because I want someone that can shut down the opposing PG and he is the only one that can do that.

Contrary to what you said though, taking Deron or Paul is not because of trying to win now. You act like we are talking about signing Karl Malone and Gary Payton instead of drafting a very young very talented PG that can the captain for the next decade. Drafting a PG wont help us to win now, but it will help to make our other young investments better players and it will help to make us a better team now which will help build confidence, sell tickets, get us nationally televised, and will also help attract future FAs.

Bottom line for me is this. I am going to pretend that I am Billy and that I have worked out Marvin, Paul, and Deron (as Billy really has) and no other top prospect (besides Bogut who probably wont be around). I have decided that both Paul and Deron have very bright futures and I am going to do my best to trade down to 3 or 4 to get one of them. If we move to 4 and Portland takes Webster or Green, then I try and move back to 5. Hopefully I can pick up some young players or future pics by doing this. If not, I look to see what the best package I can get for Marvin is. If the best package that I can get for him is Felton (not quite on the level as Deron and Paul and thats why I didnt work him out) and May (would love to get him, but not at the cost of losing one of the big 4 and will try and get him another way) then I stay where I am at, make the gutsy call and take my new team captain and drive on. The only way I take Marvin and not trade him is if he truly blew me away in the workout and I was 100% confident that he is a cant miss sure fire superstar in the making.

[KB21]

Well, I'm playing Billy now. I see a serious problem with Chris Paul's lack of size and Deron Williams's lack of top flight athleticism, and it is enough to make me think that neither will be upper level point guards in the NBA. I believe Chris Paul will always have defensive struggles in the NBA against bigger guards, which just about every team will have. I believe Deron Williams is going to struggle to penetrate on the quicker guards he will be facing in the NBA.

I see Marvin Williams though, and I see a guy who has all the tools to be a great player. I see a 6'9" guy with a sweet shooting stroke and elite athleticism. Long, athletic, can play multiple positions, has a great work ethic, and has great character.

I then think about the possibilities of having a combo of Marvin Williams and Josh Smith at the forward spots, and I see the potential of having the best forward tandem in the NBA.

I see a definite gap between Marvin Williams and the two point guards.

I can guarantee you though that Mike is only thinking about this in a win now fashion, because I bet you he can't say with conviction why Deron or Paul should be the pick other than the fact that they are point guards. I bet you Mike would say "just take one of them. I don't care which one." If Billy comes to Mike and says "Mike, we have a deal in place that will get us two picks for the price of one. We will move down and get Raymond Felton, a point guard, at five and your godson, Sean May, at thirteen", I bet you that Mike would not have a problem at all with the deal.

[tmac13]

I could understand the Hawks making the 2 for 5 and 13 trade to get a point and a center, but I can't understand why they would do it to get a point and another 4..I truely believe either Smoove or Marvin can do a better job at the 4 in the NBA than May..May lacks hops and length..He will struggle to get his shot off or be any factor blocking shots. If the plan is to get a point and a 4 I would just take Marvin, let him and Smoove sort out the 3/4 positions, and take a chance on someone like Gilchrist or Robinson in the 2nd round.

[KB21]

May has a 33" vertical and had better lateral agility times than Chris Paul had.

[Plainview1981]

If they are going to draft Marvin why not use Harrington

in a trade to move up and get another PG? There is simply

not enough room for all the forwards.

None of these forwards can play center so one has to go.

[Spiral]

I think Harrington/#31 might could pull #3/Patterson. I don't think BK wants to deal Harrington though.

[Packfill]

Quote:

---

I see Marvin Williams though, and I see a guy who has all the tools to be a great player. I see a 6'9" guy with a sweet shooting stroke and elite athleticism. Long, athletic, can play multiple positions, has a great work ethic, and has great character.

---

If Marvin has "elite athleticism" then so does Luke Jackson, since he is stronger, can jump higher and run faster. The point is, those test mean nothing.

Marvin is the safe pick at 2, I just can't help but think that a quality point guard is more important in terms of building a championship contender then an all-star forward.

It just seems that lots of uber talented forwards never led their teams to a championship: Dominique Wilkins, Tracy McGrady, Charles Barkley, Karl Malone, Grant Hill, Alex English, Kevin Garnett, Chris Webber, etc.

In the playoffs it always comes down to guard play and interior defense.

[Nicholasp27]

nobody is denying that we need a good point guard TO CONTEND

the thing is, we AREN'T contending this year...or even next!

so we don't yet need that good point

all a good point will do is get us back to mediocrity and never let us get to be elite

it's too early to jump the gun and waste our only #2 ever on a pg, of which there are 35+ ones that could lead the right team to a championship

[chickenstanly]

Don't you all remember that everything hinges on whether or not Kwame is still available?

Well, this time I'm sure he is! Just trade the #2 to Washington for him.

Seriously though, it's nice to see all of you engaged in a legitimate debate this time as to who should be our pick.

This is the way it should be in a situation where one is choosing "in the dark", so to speak.

Lary Bird - Slow, can't defend

Magic Johnson - No outside shot, bad knees

Julius Erving - No outside shot, can't handle the ball

Michael Jordan - No outside shot, only average ball handler

Charles Barley - Overweight, undersized, no outside shot

[Packfill]

We aren't going to contend next year? You're kidding right?

I am fully aware that the team will not be in position to compete for a championship for at least 3 years. But, you need an experienced floor general to lead you and Paul/Williams would have the experience they need by the time the rest of the team is ready to contend.