Playoffs

[goingallout]

Do you think we have a shot at the playoffs? I think we can manage to get the 8th seed, and if we sign/make good trades we're a lock.

[jumpshot]

I think we have another year in the lottery. The only way to the playoffs is to sign someone like Chandler, Watson, and Redd, which I think is almost impossible.

[drzachary]

We'll sign Earl Watson (underrated) and some role players. Then Marvin gets ROY, Salim 6th Man of the Year, and Harrington breaks out and gets Most Improved, and the Hawks sneak into the playoffs.

Write it down!

[KB21]

We NEED another year in the lottery, as well as the Laker's being in the lottery but not being one of the ten worst teams.

I'd love to come out of the 2006 draft with some combination of Tiago Splitter, LaMarcus Aldridge, Ronnie Brewer, Daniel Gibson, Jordan Farmar, and Rudy Gay.

[Final_quest]

If this year is any indication it may not matter if our Laker pick is #18 or #11. Some of the best picks dropped to the 17-20 range.

[goingallout]

Why the Lakers?

[Lascar78]

exactly. I'm not just bracing myself for bad results, I'm praying for them. I want to see a cohesive offense emerge, I want to see young talent bond and develop, AND I WANT A TOP 3 PICK. I don't want top 3 picks forever, just one more, and then it's win! win! win!

We're not a storied franchise like LA who can get one young stud and attract FA's left and right. We have to get enough young talent to show the world that we're for real, and convince good FA's that they can be the difference maker who takes us to the promised land

[drzachary]

I think that if the Hawks made the playoffs this year, that would be such an amazing miracle that (in addition to plagues of locusts devouring the land, zombies walking the earth, etc), FAs might be willing to take a look... especially if we still have the cap space that other teams' don't.

It seems like we'll need a combination of cap space AND respectability to attract free agents.

[KB21]

We have their pick if it isn't in the top 10.

[Lascar78]

I agree, but you can get respectability without wins in my book. If we come out of this season, and there is a big buzz about us saying "Childress-Smoove-Williams were absolutely amazing this year, the best young forward group in the league, it's too bad they have absolutely no PGs or Cs or they would have won some serious games", I think we can get PG and C free agents to come in here and be the difference makers. I don't think FA's need to see wins. They just need to believe that the team will win once they join it.

[Nicholasp27]

no, boston has their pick if it isn't top 10

we then have boston's worst pick of theirs and that lakers' one

boston top 10, lakers 11+: we get lakers'

boston 12+, lakers 11: we get boston's

lakers top 10: goes to top 3 protection the following year

[emeans]

I will say this.....While I don't expect us to make the playoffs next year, I do expect this team to be extreme competitive this year IF....IF we go out and sign Kwame Brown, Eddy Curry, another Shooting Guard and Earl Watson and they all play to their potential.

A lineup of:

Watson/Stoudemire

Chillz/??

Marvin/Smoove/Al

Al/Kwame/Smoove

Kwame/Curry/Ekezie

Would give teams fits....again IF they play to their potential.

[jezmund]

I think many of us are underestimating the development of our young core. I think we can definitely push for the 8th spot this upcoming season. You guys also give too much respect to some of the mid/lower-tier Eastern Conference teams. I'm ASSUMING that BK pulls off a pretty sweet deal involving Al for a legitimate Center. And I also would like to see us pick up Earl Watson/Brevin Knight.

Watson(or Knight) - steady PG

Stoudamire - statsheet filler

Ivey - Big/defensive PG

Anyways, back to our playoff chances. Do you guys remember the Denver Nuggets from a few seasons back? They won like 15-17 games one year with a bunch of journey men and a few of their young players. The following summer, I think it was, they added Carmelo Anthony in the draft and Andre Miller in FA as the big additions. Voshon Lenard and Earl Boykins also ended up there, although I can't remember when/how. So they had a pretty nice core with Andre/Carmelo/Camby(healthy)/Nene/Lenard. Didn't they make or come close to making the playoffs that year? And don't forget, making the playoffs in the West is like being a top 4-5 seed in the East. I'm sorry but I'm not a big Carmelo fan. If you can smell playoffs with that group, why can't you with this(Just assuming for roster fillers that we sign Earl Watson and trade Al for a Center like Curry/Magloire.):

Guards-

Earl Watson

Salim Stoudamire

Royal Ivey

Josh Childress

Boris Diaw

Forwards-

Josh Smith

Donta Smith

Marvin Williams

Center-

Eddy Curry

Jason Collier

Randolph Morris

I'm not necessarily wanting Curry, it is just something to put in there since we know, almost certainly, a deal will be made. I also know that there will be more signings, I just assumed some moves so we could have a starting lineup:

Earl Watson

Josh Childress

Josh Smith

Marvin Williams

Eddy Curry

I think that that lineup right there is a WORST CASE SCENARIO, too. I'm kind of expecting more than that. I think BK is going to surprise some of us with some fireworks this 4th of July.

[chillzatl]

If chillz and Smoove develop well over the summer. If their games have improved measurably, we will have promise. I'm not talking breaking out to all-star levels. But if both of them can average in double figures, like they did the 2nd half the season, it will help.

The next condition is that Marvin has to exceed expectations. If he is ROY level, we'll have a very good chance.

It's definitely doable. we don't need to build through the draft any more. We've done it for two seasons now. We have 25mil in cap space, which is HUGE. That combined with four highly touted rookies, should be enough to take us clearly out of the lottery and put us on the road to becoming a winning team.

people seem to forget that despite having a young team with no real all-star, we still managed to be in a position to win half our games. We lost so many games in the last 5-6 minutes. That's a lack of experience, not a lack of talent.

[CBAreject]

If either Childress or Smoove does not put up at least 10 and 6, it will be a major disappointment, and I would say that he regressed since the 2nd half of last year.

[TheRedStripes]

The Hawks were in so many close games last year they ended up losing...If they can sign a decent big man in free agency and a decent point guard, they can seriously make a run at the playoffs, Chill and Smoove will both be improved and i think both of them could put up 15/8 type seasons at least.

With Salim and Marvin the team is already improved, but IF ( and this is a big IF ) the Hawks can lure the free agents this season there is a VERY good chance they make the playoffs.

[Diesel]

I don't think our coaching staff is up to the task yet.

I also don't think M Will will make that much of an impact yet. And being that FAcy will favor the home team, I don't think we will have the players to make a strong run yet.

But..

Smoove, Chillz, Marvin, Al, and even Diaw will learn the game a little better. I think that Woody's primary mission is to teach, especially team defense. The wins will come later.

What I would like to see is us get our hands on a true PG.

I would see if Memphis would do a JWill for Delk/2nd trade. outside of being a hotdog sometimes, JWill is a good PG who could get the right players the ball in their spots.

[drzachary]

This team can make the playoffs in the East with J-Will.

[Final_quest]

It really depends on who we sign, but yes we can make the playoffs.

I don't see how being one of the worst three teams is a good sign. What would that say about our draft picks, Al, and $15 million we spend this offseason?

[jezmund]

Please tell me you are joking. He might put up some decent stats, and who knows, we might win a few games with that upgrade but he is not worth the money he gets paid. I also don't think that he is Woody's type of PG.