insider

[TheDude]

as a GM what can you do besides throwing money at a free agent to bring him in?

[WraithSentinel]

Throwing money at Joe didn't bring him in. BK should have just concentrated on improving the overall depth of this team. If he isn't looking for a quick fix. Why throw max dollars at Joe? If he isn't looking for a quick fix. Go out and sign some talented young players, who can grow along with the core of players already in place.

[AHF]

Quote:

---

Why throw max dollars at Joe? If he isn't looking for a quick fix. Go out and sign some talented young players, who can grow along with the core of players already in place.

---

Joe is young.

[TROUBLEMAN69]

Quote:

---

It appears to fans and the media that he had NO plan this summer. Maybe he did or maybe he didn't. I am not a fan of BK but I will have to give him this, the market in Atlanta has been tough for 30 years. Heck, the Hawks have never had fan support like other cities. I remember the Eastern Conference finals with Nique, Rounds, and Tree, the media was laughing at the Hawks because they COULD NOT sell out a eastern conference finals game.

---

Uhh, the Hawks in Atlanta have never made it past the 2nd round of the playoffs. You are right about the lack of support for those good Hawks teams, heck I remember a free ticket giveaway for those who participated in a slam dunk contest back in the mid 80's. The funny thing was, it included 8 ft goals, so that means several hundred, if not thousands of people showed up. lol Remember the 10 home games in New Orleans back in the mid 80's?

As far as Billy Knight is concerned, I believe he has done a pretty good job so far. People seem to forget that the rebuilding didn't start until the Reef/Theo trade, which was about 1.5 seasons ago. I think guys like Ford, hell some posters here, throw the past 6 losing seasons at Billy Knight's door step, which is far from the truth. I agree that the Nazr trade was bad, and I also strongly believe the Boris Diaw pick was bad when you consider he could have drafted Josh Howard. And yes, hindsight is 20-20, but I told several of my friends, and even posted on this board that I felt it was a bad pick. I remember arguing with people on this board about Diaw's ability to play point fulltime. Hopefully now, people will start to realize that the guy is not a point, and he is more of a point forward,who like many other forwards in the league can occassionally bring the ball up the court. Overall, I give Billy Knight a B, and hopefully he is able to attract a couple of the good free agents left on the market.

[WraithSentinel]

It mean BK is going for the quick fix now. If he is going through with the max offer to Joe. He need to step up to the plate. Do not get rid of Harrington in a S&T. Offer $60+ Mil to Eddy Curry. Take the chance and risk it all. The quick fix is in place now by even attempting to sign JJ.

[Lascar78]

Quote:

---

I agree that the Nazr trade was bad, and I also strongly believe the Boris Diaw pick was bad when you consider he could have drafted Josh Howard. And yes, hindsight is 20-20, but I told several of my friends, and even posted on this board that I felt it was a bad pick. I remember arguing with people on this board about Diaw's ability to play point fulltime.

---

You have to remember that Boris was drafted for one reason, and one reason only: to complement JT and make up for his shortcomings (lack of passing / distributing skills). The idea was that JT could defend PG's and be a scorer, while Boris could guard 3s and help run the offense. If we had any PG other than JT at the time, I bet we would have taken Howard.

Personally, I was worried about Howard's knees, but they seem to have held up just fine

[AHF]

Quote:

---

It mean BK is going for the quick fix now. If he is going through with the max offer to Joe. He need to step up to the plate. Do not get rid of Harrington in a S&T. Offer $60+ Mil to Eddy Curry. Take the chance and risk it all. The quick fix is in place now by even attempting to sign JJ.

---

JJ is only 24. I don't think committing to him means committing to the quick fix. He will only be 29 at the end of a 5 year deal.

[WraithSentinel]

It is the money BK is giving to him that lead me to believe the quick fix is now in place. There would be no need to hand that kind of money out when there is a very good PG draft coming up next year. BK could elect to save the money and just get his PG next year. Maybe BK feels he has the players he want in place now. Now is the time to start competing. That is why he is after JJ and will now have to go after Curry. From what it look like now. The quick fix is in place.

[Vol4ever]

fiscal responsibility. No one in the entertainment business can stand to lose millions of dollars year after year. If you think the owners and fans are going to set and watch what happened this past year for the next two years, you just don't get it.

I agree that the Joshes and Marvin are going to be pretty good players but you cannot afford to have a 5 year plan in this day and time of entertainment.

Just my opinion, but time will tell. We can have this conversation a year from now and if I'm wrong I'm a big enough boy to admit it. If your wrong do the same.

[Vol4ever]

many Hawks games or you are blind. Go down to Phillips and see the empty seats. If you don't have income you CANNOT pay overhead. Simple accounting lesson. Some on this board believes money just falls out of the sky. The owners did not buy this team just to go watch and have fun, they bought it to make money.

You cannot in this day and time build through the draft alone. The draft aloing with free agency and trades must be all a part of the plan.

The marketing plan was much more aggressive back then, I remember vividly. You cannot effectively market a team that sucks big time. They need to take the approach of Arthur Blank, but they haven't.

Take your rose colored glasses off and live in the real world.

[pathway23]

I have gone to a few games and saw attendance swell, the people of Atlanta came to see the team and were excited about the team for the first time since Nique was here. Not even when Smith , Mookie, and Mutombo were together was there this much excitement. I think BK should be commended for the job he has done thus far and he is at least 2 years away from being judged for his work. This team is VERY young, very inexperienced, yet also putting together some of the most talented players in franchise history. You can in this time and day build through the draft. BECAUSE if you draft well and the players you draft develop, you will get better, and free agents WILL become more interested in your team. BK has only had 3 drafts thus far, really 2 of his own where he is actually putting together the core of the team. Your core pieces do come through the draft and the pieces that put you over the top via trade or free agency.

The approach taken by Arther Blank would put this team in salary cap hell, unless the HAwks had the basketball equivalent of Mike Vick (kinda like Lebron maybe?) and we wouldn't be able to add that missing piece.

As for taking my rose colored glasses off and living in the real world get off your hatred, Babcock is gone, and Knight is ehre, and it is far too premature to judge Knight for a rebuilding and development situation, and he is to be commended for the job he has done in getting young talent on this roster.