The Standard BK Must Meet

[Diesel]

That's fine and we will see..

With the add on that

We will also compare Williams to Paul and Williams for the rest of his career.

[drzachary]

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we will also compare Williams to Paul and Williams for the rest of his career.

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Greaaaat.. So we have a bitter Diesel to look forward to for the rest of Marvin's career? Color me excited!

[mrhonline]

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Greaaaat.. So we have a bitter Diesel to look forward to for the rest of Marvin's career? Color me excited!

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Don't worry. His tirades usually last a couple of weeks, then he moves on.

[KB21]

Had we not dealt Shareef when we did, there would be no Josh Smith in Atlanta today.

Shareef and Theo turned into Josh Smith and cap space, which will be used on Joe Johnson. I don't know about anyone else, but I'll definitely take Josh Smith and Joe Johnson over Shareef Abdur-Rahim and Theo Ratliff.

[KB21]

Not to mention that we will be subjected to his daily Marvin Williams trade proposals, even when Marvin is putting up 25 ppg and 8 rpg, making All-Star teams, and having his name thrown into the MVP mix.

[falc82]

Well your wrong about one thing KB. Shareef and Theo were coming off the books this offseason anyways so we could have still gotten JJ. I stand by saying that I think we could have gotten more than a mid first round pick for Theo and Shareef both. I'm glad the pick turned into Smoove, and I even said that I liked that pick, but it doesnt change the fact that BK could have gotten more out of Shareef and Theo than a #17 pick. BK has shown to be a GM that is rather poor at trades outside of the Sjax for Al trade.

[KB21]

How?

Billy was able to move contracts no one wanted, and he was able to get a first round draft pick in the process.

That's better than anything Jerry West has done in Memphis at this point, and West is considered to be the best in the business. West has done little to augment the core that BK built.

Billy has done a fabulous job. No other GM in the NBA would have been able to get rid of all the bad contracts that BK got rid of. His trades have been excellent, and his drafting has been excellent. No other team over the past two seasons has drafted better than the Hawks.

[falc82]

The Bulls got Deng, Duhon, and Gordon all last year and all 3 contributed to a winning NBA team. It could be argued that the Bobcats are putting together a better TEAM than the Hawks are. 2 1/2 years have gone by and we still havent got the PG or Center of the future and those are the two most important parts to a championship team. I'm not impressed that he moved big contracts because we've done nothing with the cap space that we gained. They would have come off the books THIS year meaning we'd still have the cap space to go out and sign JJ and whomever else. I wouldn't consider the Nazr or the Pryz moves as excellent..He has drafted well, but he could have done better for the team. Duhon, Iguodala, and Paul/Deron may be better in the long run for this team, we just dont know yet. Draft wise BK has done a pretty good job, but that alone doesnt make a good GM. As Babcock taught us during his stint here..a one sided GM is not a good one.

[sinctybldh]

Why are so many people so impatient? The Hawks have won crap so why are you people so antsy? You have waited this long what is a few more years? Let Billy's plan playout and then bitch or complain if it doesn't work. So far he has got the Hawks 3 excellent players to build around. Rome was not built in a day.

[Traceman]

is Reef going to be playing for the MLE in NJ? NJ has THREE first round picks next year and they won't give up a single ONE of those picks, even with protection, in a sign and trade for Reef.

As for Theo, he got beat out by a Pryzbilla, a guy we could have signed last year for $1.5M a season. In addition, Portland is STRONGLY considering getting rid of him this offseason just so they can lower their luxury tax bill. If they do, they will still have to pay his full salary, he just won't be on the team.

So basically, BK got Rasheed Wallace (or $17M in capspace)and a #17 pick (Josh Smith), for a MLE player and a guy who might be cut because he can't beat out Joel Pryzbilla. I think that is pretty darn good!

[falc82]

Um..Portland is getting a 1st from the Nets for Shareef in a sign and trade...so there goes that argument. We trade Lorenzo Wright, Brevin Knight and the 3rd overall pick for Shareef (Babcocks doing) and then BK traded him and Theo for the 17th and then Portland traded only Shareef for a 1st. And its not that I'm impatient and neither are other Hawks fan that are questioning BK. It is that we don't think his plan is the right one for our team, that he is unable to sign or convince Free Agents to come here, and that he doesnt get enough value in past trades. Albeit the Sjax for Al trade was a great one. He has time to prove me wrong and I hope he does. But if we still don't have anyone over 6'9'' to fill the 5 spot or an actual PG (not sure if JJ can be that) on the roster for the long term by the end of next offseason then I hope we see someone else. I'm not asking to win the championship tomorrow, I just want to see some growth and more importantly direction.

[mrhonline]

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Um..Portland is getting a 1st from the Nets for Shareef in a sign and trade...so there goes that argument.

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Yes, and that pick is likely to be in the low 20's. Is that what this whole fuss is about? A pick in the 20's?

[Plainview1981]

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Bunk. Pure bunk.

As I said, the Hawks will do a lot more harm to their future if they settle for a player simply because he plays a position of a perceived need. The reason they are going after Joe Johnson is because he fits their style. The reason they aren't going after a guy like Damon Stoudamire is because he doesn't fit their style.

I could care less if we sign anyone other than Joe Johnson. No one else is worth they money they will get.

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Joe Johnson isn't worth the money either. But the Hawks

need a big upgrade. It takes more than talent to win and

you need to realize that. Pieces actually have to fit.

This thinking that if a guy is tall and athletic he can

play any position anywhere is moronic. It takes more than

being tall and athletic. How athletic do you think those

overseas teams were when they kicked the americans @sses?

Peices have to fit together.

[Plainview1981]

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I am totally with you on this one KB!! I say stay the course. While people feel that BK is failing, I am one that strongly disagrees with that sentiment. A lot of people and fans are starting to get excited about what this team is doing and where it seems to be going.

If we can get JJ this year we are building exactly what BK has envisioned at all positions and that is long, athletic and difficult players to match up against. The only position he would have to address would be Center and if he gets Chandler that goal will be accomplished and then it will only be about chemistry and adding depth, which he would do in the draft and FA next year.

And after two years he has done all of that and still has us financial sound.....how can anyone possibly say BK has done a terrible job.

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Didn't Joe Johnson start at PG when Nash was out? What

was the Suns record in that time?

[Plainview1981]

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There you go again, making things up.

Who had the game sealing tip in in the championship game?

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A Tip in?OMG lol

[Sage11]

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I am totally with you on this one KB!! I say stay the course. While people feel that BK is failing, I am one that strongly disagrees with that sentiment. A lot of people and fans are starting to get excited about what this team is doing and where it seems to be going.

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Here too I take my stand, we must stay the course. I have had my fill of Microwave success (playoff flops) from the lenny (can't win any) wilkins years.{I know he is the winningest coach in history but he also has lost the most} It seems that most of us have forgotten the frustation of seeing our team make the playoffs and run out of gas because of a weak bench and poor rotations by L. Wilkins.

I want a champion, not another playoff flop.

Stay the course BK.

[Sage11]

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What....he did draft the mighty Roshown McLeod in 98 to fill our SF position for the long term....LOL

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Yep!

One of the biggest "draft for need" blunders of all time.

[falc82]

I'm not really anti-BK. I'm just questionable right now if his plan will really help us build a team thats all. It seems odd that for 2 1/2 years he's been our GM and never touched our needs at PG, and did more to hurt our Center spot than to ever help it. Marvin Williams was the right choice at #2 because he had to be that choice. But, I dont think it was a Sam Bowie situation like some try to make it sound like. I dont think Chris Paul was a Sam Bowie, instead I think he was a talent PG that would fit this team very well and help push the rebuilding project along. Instead we got Marvin Williams who is full of potential. Now, I like Marvin Williams a lot and I've been a fan of his since he came out of high school and was hoping we'd get him one day, I'm just uneasy taking him over some very good PGs because I know how hard it is to get a good PG and how vital it is to rebuilding. We haven't really had a great PG since Mookie left in the trade for JT. If we're able to get our future PG in next years draft then I'm all for that, and then I'll think the Marvin pick was a great one, because I really do like his potential and what he has to offer. I still have my questions as to if JJ can be a starting PG on a championship team one day, but those will answer themselves. I still hope we get a PG next year because there will be some good ones, but I hope BK looks at PG skills when considering which to take over so long athletic types like Ronnie Brewer. Brewer's a good player no doubt, but a player like Rando or Gibson would be able to run the point for this team so much better because they have PG skills and PG speed. A legit PG will be a vital part to this team, a part that will be able to pull everything BK has now into an actual team. When that happens and the Hawks begin to fly again then it will be a very exciting day. But you have to have a team, not just a collection of talent. A talented PG with PG skills could really do wonders for the Hawks. But I want a legit PG, not a tweener like JT used to be. I probably will never like the Nazr/Pryz moves, but I can at least understand all of the rest. BK has a plan, I just hope that he can really put a team together, and I've been willing to give him some time to prove himself. But after next offseason we're really going to have to give him a hard look, and that's only natural, its not impatient. After 3 1/2 years we should be able to see which direction this team is going and we should have 4 long term starters with a solid bench growing behind them. We'll have this if he only addresses either PG or C by next offseason, so it's really not too much to ask. I'm really not anti-BK, I'm just have my reservations untill he is able to get us that sorely needed PG.

[Traceman]

You could easily look at the situation as us getting the #17 pick for Reef and $17M in caproom (or Wallace) for Theo. By the way, I like how you conveniently left Wallace (or the caproom) out of your post.

I still don't see where it has been proven that BK didn't get enough for Reef/Theo in trade. It appears to me he got as much as he could because I don't see either Reef or Theo having a lot of value now.

I think many here a penalizing BK because Babcock gave up too much for Reef. BK was probably laughing his arse off when he got Gasol/Wright/Knight out of a deal for Reef.

Convincing FA's to come here is not an easy task at this point in the process. Just ask Chicago. It takes a while for the young players to develop in a rebuilding effort. But once Chillz/Smoove/Marvin start to develop, it will be a LOT easier to get guys to want to come here just as players now want to play in Chicago.

Fianlly, I agree with BK's decision to take the BPA IN HIS OPINION in the draft over drafting for need. I think he should do the same thing next year. If Rudy Gay is clearly the BPA IN BK'S MIND when we pick next year, I hope he takes him. Then, he can evaluate our roster and figure out who to trade to fill our needs. He could even trade 2 of (Big Al/Smoove/Marvin/Gay) for a top flight PG (or Center) if all 4 of those guys were on our roster.

[Guest Walter]

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Absolutely not!

The only standard BK has to meet is the standard of acquiring the type of talent he wants on this team.

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If the only type of talent BK wants on this team is 6'8" forwards then we're screwed. At some point you HAVE to get players that play A position. That is particularly the case at Pg and center, two difficult to fill, specialized positions either for the rare required skill set and/or the fact that they lack bookending positions demanding the player that plays them be less flexible.

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I could care less at this point in rebuilding about filling positional needs. Acquiring talent is much more important.

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Marvin Williams is not the better player over Deron or Childress now, so far looks lost like he did in the NCAA tourney. While he MAY become the better player, it looks less and less likely that he will and in the process may cost us development of other young players as well as d@mn the team due to its not having a floor general costing everyone's development.

Simply KB, BK is not building a TEAM right now. He's building a stock portfolio with all his money invested in one easily found good. Swing men are a dime a dozen. We have a dozen. We needed to deversify our talent, we haven't, we don't have a team, and at this rate won't have a team for 3 more years if at all assuming we do all the right things from here on out.

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It makes little sense to settle for a player simply because he plays a position that is perceived as a need when that player doesn't come close to fitting the style that the team is being built to play.

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You can not convince me the top two Pg in this draft would have been "settling" given Williams was the 5th or 6th best HS project last year. Regardless, BK H-A-S to build a TEAM. If he can't even begin to do that with the #2 pick and $25 million, then WTF is he gonna do with a lesser pick and less money next year? This was supposed to be the team's offseason and it appears we may have a weaker team than last year (sans Walker). That is horrid performance for a GM but may have been predictable. BK has not signed a major FA in his career, right?

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Why do you think Joe Johnson is the only free agent that has an offer from the Hawks right now? Because he's the only one that fits the style BK wants.

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If BK's "style" is so exclusive we can't build a team through it, then his style is broken. PERIOD!

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I don't love or hate BK, but he's GOT to build a team sometime, this offseason was his best opportunity, and it may pass us buy without filling a single positional need. In fact, we may lose Lue and we've lost Drobs (and hopefully Collier) at our two weakest positions. We're worse now than when we started the offseason. It will take some work to make this offseason a positive.

W