AJC Plus subscriber alert - Moore article???

[sturt]

http://blogs.ajcsportsplus.com/traction/pe.../Columnists3103

Thanks in advance to the someone that can post "How Will Hawks Sign Free Agents?"

[ggp]

I can't access the article. Can you paraphrase?

[Admin]

He wants someone who has access it to post it. He cant read it either.

[KB21]

I don't know how you do that stuff! That stuff is as foreign to me as repairing a torn rotator cuff probably is to you.

[Admin]

LOL thanks man. Yeah I would imagine it probably is and I wouldnt want to have to go through all the school it takes to learn exactly how foreign it is LOL.

[TnDawg]

Here it is:

The NBA draft is over and the Hawks actually prospered. They grabbed the overwhelming promise of Marvin Williams, along with the dandy shooting of Salim Stoudamire for a team that needed both. Not only that, the pending strategy involving free agency for what has been a clueless franchise also makes sense.

Well, theoretically.

About that strategy: You run Dominique Wilkins and every nickel of the $22 million that you have underneath the salary cap up the flagpole, and you see how many wonderful free agents salute.

Said Wilkins, the Hawks icon who eternally is one of the NBA's most recognizable faces, "I'll play a major role in trying to get guys here, because I've been around Atlanta for so long. I can give them a definite insight on what the city is about as far as style of living, education and other things along those lines. I've also built that respect over the years, with the connection that I have with retired players as well as with current players."

Now back to reality, where the Hawks have two mighty problems after today, when teams can begin the process of trying to entice free agents to sign contracts near the end of July. First, in the minds of free agents, the Hawks are still the Hawks, winners of an astonishingly low 13 games last season and foreigners to the playoffs since the 20th century. Second, of all the years for a team in search of a renaissance to have a ton of money to spend on free agents, this is among the worst.

No Tracy McGrady. No Shaq. Even when you're talking about the handful of free agents this summer that you've actually heard of (Ray Allen, Larry Hughes, Michael Redd, Joe Johnson), they're either staying with their current teams or joining the Hawks only in your wildest dreams.

Thus the unfortunate truth for the Hawks regarding free agents: If you can dribble and chew gum at the same time, there is no incentive for you to join the Hawks right now. And, no, that Atlanta thing doesn't matter. In case you haven't heard, there likely are more pro athletes residing around these boundaries than those of any other city in the country. They like the culture, the airport, the cost of living, but they don't like playing for the Hawks.

Remember Kenyon Martin? After he teased the Hawks forever as a free agent last year, he ignored the Atlanta thing and thought about that Hawks thing and bolted for the Denver Nuggets.

More specifically, if you're Ray Allen, and you're 30 in search of championships, you're not going to choose to struggle a years or more with the rawness of the Joshes (Smith and Childress) and Williams, an impressive 19-year-old who nevertheless isn't there yet. In contrast, if you're Ray Allen, you know the Cavaliers have the negativity of Cleveland, but they also have more money under the salary cap than even the Hawks ($25 million) and an already established star (LeBron James).

Still, the Hawks are hopeful with their strategy for free agents and with Wilkins in the middle of it. "We've talked about different guys that we'd like to have, but I'm not at liberty at the moment to say who they are," Wilkins said, chuckling. "We have our little room that we all go into, and we talk about this stuff."

Hopefully, among the "stuff" that the Hawks discuss is a Plan B that doesn't involve free agency. A wise Plan B for the Hawks would be ignoring free agency as their savior and seeking to trade for somebody to fill one of their slew of holes, ranging from point guard to center to the bench. Even so, Plan B has its flaws for the Hawks with nobody not named Al Harrington to offer another team. This is assuming that a team would take Harrington, especially since he exposed himself last season during his first year away from the bench of the Indiana Pacers as mostly a player who should return to somebody's bench.

Come to think of it, the Hawks should stick with Plan A and pray.

[Vafan]

Thanks. A very fair article about free agency. We should build through the draft. It is the cheap alternative. Once we are close to contending, then spend the money.

[mrhonline]

I think Stuart Scott (sp?) would label Moore a "playa hateh."

His work is aimed at a general sports audience and he's never really cared for the Hawks IIRC.

This just goes to show how much better a writer Sekou Smith is...

[TheDude]

well, at least it sounds positive..

according to him, we might as well just sell the team now. he just missed the bandwagon as it went rolling by...no second shift coming later Moore..

[deester11]

"EVIL WHITE MAN IN POWER!"

[kudzu23]

Yo Dolfan, I like your new sig... but there is a typo

[Admin]

Ahh, you know what they say about us Texas boys and our education system here LOL. Thanks for catching that.....I guess I shouldnt drink and operate photoshop LOL.