I Can understand Belkin's side and can respect it!

[KB21]

We would have to be one of the seven worst teams in the league to even have a shot at the 4th pick.

If Atlanta comes close to the playoffs but misses out, they have no mathematical shot at getting the 4th pick. They have limited chances of landing in the top three, but I think the chances are much greater that if they do miss the playoffs, the pick will be in the 10-13 range.

I would give that up for Joe Johnson.

[Diesel]

For a shot at JJ, you wouldn't have given up a top 3 protected pick in this draft??

Now.. even with the #4 pick. The #4 pick was Chris Paul who most of you didn't like.

Let's add this. 2007 draft is bound to be much weaker than this one...

JJ has the potential to be as good as TMac or better than Ray Allen.

It's definitely a bad thing to think that we won't progress from now to 2007.

[CWSD]

You are a sucker if you really think this battle is about our compensation in the trade. I've got a great deal on some beach property to sell you.

[mrhonline]

What about the possibilty of lessening the restrictions on the pick in 2006 for more stringent restrictions in 2007/8?

2006 - top 10 protected

2007 - top 7 protected

2008 - top 3 protected

I wonder if the Suns would agree to that?

[thesheedera]

Dolfan, other than Greg Oden, who are these "can't miss prospects"?

[AHF]

The reason I think it is a bad deal is that the 2007 draft is supposed to me much stronger at the top (Oden, Mayo, etc.) than this year's draft and because even teams like the Bulls that added like 5 lottery picks to their roster continued to lose a few years after they had enough talent on paper to make the draft. The Hawks certainly have lost over the last 5 years with good looking talent on paper and failing to protect those lottery picks was the biggest part of that.

Who wouldn't be thrilled with a lineup right now of:

Quentin Richardson (Lorenzen Wright pick #1)

Amare Stoudemire (Lorenzen Wright pick #2)

TJ Ford (or Kirk Hinrick who would have gone at the Hawks' pick if the Hawks had stayed at their #7 spot)

The costs from failing to protect a pick when success is uncertain are huge.

More fundamentally, I think Phoenix does this deal with less protection on the Hawks' own pick in 2007.

I'm telling you I would do the deal but if the deal went through like this on Tuesday I would have been critical of the failure to provide more protection to our pick in 2007.

[KB21]

There will be some high upside players available. Outside of Oden, you have Brandan Wright, Kevin Durant, Darrell Arthur, and Thaddeus Young. The thing is, Wright, Durant, and young are swingmen. With Marvin and Josh around, I think most would pass on another high upside swingman if it means getting the long, athletic point guard the team needs.

[mrhonline]

We also don't know just yet how many of those guys will leave school their first year. It's going to be a deep draft compared to next year's, so some players may decide to wait one more year.

Having to play a year in college may expose flaws in some of these young guys' games...

[spid3167]

MrHonline

Quote:

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IMO, it has nothing to do with the picks...

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Exactly... There are definately other, probably self serving motives from Belkin but the picks are a rouse.

[Plainview1981]

Quote:

---

For a shot at JJ, you wouldn't have given up a top 3 protected pick in this draft??

Now.. even with the #4 pick. The #4 pick was Chris Paul who most of you didn't like.

Let's add this. 2007 draft is bound to be much weaker than this one...

JJ has the potential to be as good as TMac or better than Ray Allen.

It's definitely a bad thing to think that we won't progress from now to 2007.

---

I don't believe he does. There is no Steve Nash and

Amare Stoudmire in Atlanta to take the pressure off

of him. I'd say 18PPG 5RPG 5APG 42%fg 34%3pt is likely

the numbers he will put up.

[Wurider05]

Take the pressure off. I think that he took the pressure off of those guys.

[Plainview1981]

I dont believe if JJ does come here it will do much

to the Suns. His shooting role can be replaced by

Jim Jackson and Bell... Both shot over 40% in 3's

last year aswell.