Instant gratification v. building a champion

[ggp]

We all feel the millions of cap space burning a hole in our pockets. We all want to win it all tomorrow. The reality is that if we are able to sign all of the best FA's out there, we will still not be in the finals.

So, what does Mr Knight need to do?

We went into this draft with two outstanding needs: Point Guard and Center. Did we fill those needs?....Maybe.

M Williams was the best prospect in the draft. Paul and Deron are bound to be all-stars , but Marvin will be a STAR. I can say this because he has the physical talent to impress coaches by just glancing at his game. He also has the right attitude and work ethic to maximize his awesome potential. I expect him to do OK as a rookie, but the real payoff will come shortly thereafter. In three years, he will be the dominant Forward in the league...the kind of player that will make you forget what position he plays.

On the surface, we look foolish for not taking a PG like Paul or Deron. However, we now have the luxury of developing Marvin slowly or working a trade using Al Harrington. Rumors are going around that we will trade Al for a good Center. If that happens, then we effectively addressed the need for a Center via the draft. The name that I am hearing most often is Jamal Magloire. I have not seen either player much, but my impression is that Magloire is a better NBA Center than Andrew Bogut. Other possibilies include Chandler, Curry, or even Dalembert.

It is obvious that BK has made room for another Center by releasing Drobs. Drobs was a better Center than Collier, but he is viewed as an expensive back up. Collier may get cut as well, depending on the signing of David Andersen. I am not concerned much about the Center position, I am confident that BK will upgrade that position before the season starts.

I will continue this thread in a later post. I want to address the Point Guard position as well as the immediate future at PF.

[Sage11]

If we do indeed trade AL for a GOOD center, you are correct we would have addressed a need. I believe BK will get the big man we need this summer.

You ask a good question, do you satisfy the masses with a playoff flop or with a champion, I say the latter. I want a champion and I am willing to endure rebuilding to get there. I hate to lose but losing can be temporary if you build the right way-for a champion.

[KB21]

Absolutely!!

I don't want a team that makes the playoffs but has no shot at challenging for a championship because they lack a star player. That's what we would have had if we had foolishly taken Deron Williams or Chris Paul over Marvin Williams (which thankfully, was never a consideration).

I want a team that, when it peaks, is a legitimate championship contender. If that means that we have to spend two more seasons with poor records, so be it.

The owners, management, and coaching staff are all on the same page when it comes to this. I don't know why some of the fans can't seem to get on the same page. I heard Steve Belkin on 790 during the draft repeating what Billy Knight has said. "We are not going for the quick turnaround. We want a team that will be competitive for the long haul."

[ggp]

I am going to assume that we are going to trade Harrington for a Center. In my opinion, we should send Al to NO for Magloire. Mag is a solid Center and he wants out of NO. The trade is a clean one and on paper looks better for the Hornets because Al's offensive numbers are better. However, if Marvin can put up numbers close to Al's, we will be ahead of the game.

If Al Harrington is traded, we will need depth at PF. I don't know which PF's are out there, but one will have to be signed to give Marvin and Josh a break. Googs might fill the bill for one year...he still has limitted minutes left in him. I would also like to invite Dwayn Jones to summer camp. He has the size and skill to make it in the NBA.

As far as the PG position goes, I think that we should sit tight. There are no remarkable PG's in free agency this year. I want to see what Stoudamire can do. Something tells me that he will provide excellent point play for the Hawks. What a steal he will be if he can run the point!

[Diesel]

But there is a fine line to be made...

Love the draft all you want. Since the 80s, NO Championship team has been a Championship team without veterans and no veteran team has won a championship without ONE major FA Acquisition or trade..

Weather it be Sheed or Shaq or Horry or Rodman or what have you.

What we have to do is build through draft and FAcy.. What that means is that we have to get at least 1 player in FAcy that will draw other FAs.

IN this time.. BK has to be careful to not overspend because in 4 yrs he has to start resigning our own rookies...

Moreover, Al is not going to be traded unless he wants to be. You see this is the sillyness of the whole situation. You guys talk about how great our draft was but in order to make our team right, you want to trade away our best player yet again... If we have to go in the backroom and deal our best player after the draft, then the draft was not that great. That means that we have duplicated a position.

The other thing is this.. If Deron or Paul turns out to be an Allstar... (reguardless of how well Marvin does; Marvin would have to be the next coming of Jordan)..Because we missed out on the opportunity to fill a need and get an allstar PG...

Believe me, Time will tell.

[chillzatl]

All I've seen is that you're willing to be in the lottery for two more years. Heck, you're not just willing, you want it that way. That does absolutely nothing to make us a future contender. Realistically it makes us into the Clippers east. By the time we're out of the lottery, the players that we intended to build around are sick of losing and are ready to go elsewhere.

We don't need the lottery any more. We have cap space and we have three extremely talented players to build around. We also have a very talented player in Al that could be traded to improve us further. The smart move is to focus on building around those guys, bringing in good players via trades and free agency and let our core learn how to win. You won't find out whether or not they have the potential to contend until you put them in a position to win. Hoping for the lottery is nothing more than an extension of the loser mentality we've been trying to shed.

No team with the cap space we have and the consecutive great drafts we've had has any business in hoping for the lottery for a third year. The only reason to do that is if the players we've taken aren't good enough to get it done. We won't know that until we put good players around them and see what they can do.

[Peoriabird]

Quote:

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All I've seen is that you're willing to be in the lottery for two more years. Heck, you're not just willing, you want it that way. That does absolutely nothing to make us a future contender. Realistically it makes us into the Clippers east. By the time we're out of the lottery, the players that we intended to build around are sick of losing and are ready to go elsewhere.

We don't need the lottery any more. We have cap space and we have three extremely talented players to build around. We also have a very talented player in Al that could be traded to improve us further. The smart move is to focus on building around those guys, bringing in good players via trades and free agency and let our core learn how to win. You won't find out whether or not they have the potential to contend until you put them in a position to win. Hoping for the lottery is nothing more than an extension of the loser mentality we've been trying to shed.

No team with the cap space we have and the consecutive great drafts we've had has any business in hoping for the lottery for a third year. The only reason to do that is if the players we've taken aren't good enough to get it done. We won't know that until we put good players around them and see what they can do.

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Could you at least wait until our two best player are of drinking age before you expect too much from them?

[Final_quest]

I agree with Chillz. You guys realize that we have to spend at least $14 million this offseason. If we are one of the three worst teams again after this draft and signing a couple of free agents, that is a bad sign. I don't expect us to be in the playoffs, but perhaps close.

[tmac13]

I ditto evberything you said Chillzatl..If we continue to lose we will never draw free agents and our young guys will either get sick of being laughed at or just turn into losers themselves..We have to establish a positive environment..I don't EVER want another lottery pick unless we trade for it..If our only plan is to be awful every year so we can get a lottery pick then BK is sure not the basketball guru most think he is.

[KB21]

Without another lottery pick, the Hawks will be a flawed team that won't compete for a championship.

Unless we are able to bring in Joe Johnson to play the point and Samuel Dalembert to play center, BK will have to settle for less than he wants to fill those positions. Plus, dumping a bunch of money on them will hurt us in the long run when we try to resign Josh Smith and Marvin Williams.

Conversely, if we can sign Dalembert, trade for Magliore, or maybe sign Curry (even though I'm not high on him), and we get another high lottery pick a well as another pick that is in the late lottery or mid first round, BK will have the means available to finish out the team.

Without those picks, we will likely never get the long, athletic point guard we are looking for.

[chillzatl]

then you shouldn't call them "our two best players". They were drafted to be the future of this team, period. If they aren't expected to show some of that ability now, they had no business being selected in the first place.

[chillzatl]

we don't have to have a complete team, all at one time, in order someday compete for a championship. It just does not work that way. It never has and it never will. Losing in order to get a draft pick that may or may not end up being what we need anyway is foolish. It shows a complete lack of direction and competency on BK's part.

It's completely ridiculous to expect a bunch of 15 game winners (that's what you're hoping for) to get one more lottery pick player and THEN, suddenly, start becoming a winning team.

We've had two excellent drafts, we have massive cap space and ae have very tradable commidities. We have enough to start building this team NOW. Hoping for the lottery again is destructive to the eventual goal and just not needed.

[Diesel]

How many lottery teams were in the lottery 3 times in 5 yrs and used those lottery picks in their championship run??

[KB21]

Expecting free agents to come in and cause a 30 game turnaround is what is destructive to the long term goal of the team.

[KB21]

The Chicago Bulls.

Lottery picks: Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen (acquired for Olden Polynice, who was a lottery pick), and Horace Grant.

[tmac13]

KB, I think you are overlooking 1 very important thing..It is going to be almost impossible not to be a much better team next year unless BK proves himself to incompetant..We added the best shooter in college baskeball to our team, we added a potential great player in Marvin to our team, Chillz , Smoove, and Al(if we keep him) are all going to be better, and have a year playing together under their belts..We also have to spend between 14 and 17 million on free agents by league rules..How can we not be much improved? Do you want the team to intentionally tank?

[Diesel]

That was two drafts and 4 years.

Pipp and Horace were in the same draft...

Try again...

[KB21]

No. You are wrong. The Bulls were in the lottery from 1984 through 1988. Every year. It doesn't matter that some of those picks like Brad Sellers never panned out. They built their championship team through the draft.

[tmac13]

Ok, so they got their 2,3, and 4..We have our 2, 3, and 4..Time to get better.

[KB21]

Winning ten more games is an improvement. It keeps us in the lottery and gets us another talented player (Ronnie Brewer) in the draft.