Atlanta Hawks June 17th Work Out Preview
by Kris Willis on Jun 17, 2010 7:00 AM EDT
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PrintThe Hawks have worked out Point Guards, Shooting Guards and Small Forwards during the first three days of work outs. On Thursday they begin looking at big men. Depending on what happens with Joe Johnson, the 24th pick may in fact get used on a big rather than someone in the back court. Joe Smith, Jason Collins, and Randolph Morris are all free agents so there are openings on the roster.
Thursday is a light work out day as only two publicized players are scheduled to attend. Gani Lawal from Georgia Tech and Charles Garcia from Seattle University.
Individual Player Breakdowns after the jump
Six Foot Nine Power Forward with local ties having attended Georgia Tech. Declared for last years draft but withdrew his name after he didn't receive a first round promise. His numbers dipped this year despite being a year older and he remains on the first round bubble in terms of his draft stock. He is long and athletic around the rim. Runs the floor well and has an excellent motor.
His detractors site that he has a low basketball IQ and is not very fundamental. He post game is still developing. He could sneak into the first round and remains a possibility for the Hawks in the first round.
Garcia is a six foot ten Power Forward with off the court questions but tons of talent on the court. He is long and athletic and possesses both an inside and outside game. Good leaper and rebounder. Being at Seattle U he didn't play against top competition in college. Plus he had academic issues that prevented him for attending the University of Washington. As a big man though he might be worth taking a flier on in the second round.His off the court issues have some comparing him
I really hope some details come out of this workout, especially if Garcia and Lawal go head to head against each other.
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Lawal
Bird from FTRS (GT SBN site) wrote a draft preview of Lawal for Welcome to Loud City (OK SBN site) which you can find here. Very detailed.
Personally having watched Lawal play for the past few years, the biggest problem is that the poor guy has the worst FT form I think I’ve ever seen. Unfortunately for him he played at GT where free throw shooting is not a priority under Paul Hewitt. If Atlanta drafted Lawal he would need to spend a large amount of time working with Mark Price to correct that problem.
On the positive side, I really don’t think that Lawal has reached his full potential. I think there is still room for growth because we was playing in a system where there was no system. The GT guards had their own agenda coming down the court and I can’t begin to count the number of times I watched Lawal fight for position and not get the ball fed to him when he had a clear advantage over his man. He has some great post moves and an amazing up-n-under that he uses a lot to draw fouls. He can also run the floor well which is always a plus for a big man.
"You could spend the next fifteen seconds of your life watching a man and a tiger scream together, or you could be an idiot."
Fact.
Garcia is one of the few guys the Hawks are working out that has first round talent.
Whether he can “put it together” is a concern, but he’s intriguing.
Lawal
Is not what the Hawks need being that his combination of size, length, and athletic ability is well below that of Stanley Robinson, Craig Brackins, Jarvis Varnado, Trevor Booker, and Terrico White. Craig Brackins, Varnado, and Booker have also shown it on the court that they are better players at this stage than Lawal. He really has nothing going for him when compared to other guys that are feasible for us other than the fact that he is local. This is a business and that should not play a big role. On the other hand, if you listen to Chad Ford and some other experts Lawal is currently the #39 best prospect right behind Varnado at #38.
Here is a breakdown of guys we have scheduled and there rankings per Chad Ford:
Craig Brackins #21 Don’t be surprised if he pulls out of the workout looks like his moving up as I predicted
Jordan Crawford #26 Another guy moving up
Dominique Jones #29
Terrico White #30
Darrington Hobson #32
Stanley Robinson #36
Jarvis Varnado #38
Gani Lawal #39
Trevor Booker #43
By the way I don’t agree with these rankings because some of these guys that are higher than others just don’t bring anything unique to the Hawks
Garcia
Yeah right the guy is a 2nd round pick on everyone’s board. He is not so impressive athletically either, he does not come close to Varnado or Booker in combine measurements of athletic ability and he played against not so good competition
M.C has an article on Lawal in the AJC
Interesting stuff in the article stating that Lawal was one of 5 players that the Hawks are considering with the 24th pick.
Also Jordan Crawford canceled his scheduled workout on Wednesday.
Peachtree Hoops
As I stated
Earlier Crawford is moving up if u listen to Chad Ford, so him opting out is not a big surprise. Look for Brackins to possibly do the same thing. Hawks are missing some guys that could slip in these workouts
Why are you listening to Chad Ford?...
what we all want to know is if he’s moving up on YOUR board. That’s the good stuff.
I guess
he is suppose to be an insider, but I agree he usually doesn’t know too much more than what we do or sometimes less, but wouldn’t you listen to someone if they inside info that could be legit on something that you were interested
by Truthspitter on Jun 18, 2010 6:40 PM EDT up reply actions
I'm rootin for Lawal or Jarvis Varnado
If we’re lookin for a wing I think we got options. We could use our Euro players, Chills, or a free agent TBD. Guards are the easiest to replace. I haven’t been overly impressed with the wings that we could get, and the “true centers” are really just big mofos with no real moves.
Lawal or Varnado!
If we get a big guy, then.....
….the guy I’m the most intrigued with is Larry Sanders from VCU. He’s 6’10.5" in shoes, and he has a 7’5.5" wingspan. Overall, he’s a very good transition player who has a developing game in the post. He finishes well around the basket, and I really like the length he brings to the table. I feel that once he gains some strength after a year of development, he could be a defenisve force off the bench that will run the floor and finish well.
U cant
just look at one aspect he has length but his combination of length and leaping ability is below Varnado, Brackins, and Trevor Booker who are all just as or more feasible to be there than he is. I think he is overrated when compared to those 3 who did it at better conferences
by Truthspitter on Jun 17, 2010 5:16 PM EDT up reply actions
Brackins doesn't even measure up.
Brackins’s wingspan is 7’0", and he’s not a very efficient scorer.
What
As I just posted you have to look at the combination of length and leaping ability not just length or wingspan and Brackins dwarfs Sanders. Brackins max vert leap is 12 feet, Sanders is 11"8. Max vert leap is taking 2 steps and jumping while extending your arms. That encompasses both your vertical and length, like how many guys just extend there arms and get a rebound or block shot? You also have to jump while extending your arms. By the way Varnado and Booker come out at 11"10 to Sanders 11"8. His athletic potential at the next level is not up to par and he played in a weaker conference than these guys
by Truthspitter on Jun 17, 2010 5:28 PM EDT up reply actions
I agree
The true C’s in this thing stink. Alabi, Jordan, stink. Whiteside though on the other hand has a combination of length and leaping ability that is better than anyone on our team other than Josh and that includes Al. He would be the only 7 ft guy that is not stiff and worth having in this draft IMO.
by Truthspitter on Jun 17, 2010 5:18 PM EDT up reply actions
Unfortunately
Philly just traded Dalembert to Sactown for Hawes and Nocioni. We always talk about getting a bigger C and when u see things like this happen it just makes me think the Hawks don’t try hard enough. We could have offered Crawford straight up for Dalembert. It definitely works because I tried it on NBA trade machine, not to say Philly would or would not have done it, but Jamal is an expiring contract one of the most worthy things in basketball heck we got him for Acie Law and Speedy basically expiring contracts. I would just like to hear more of the Hawks trying to do something other than tell us come out to the game and support them regardless.
Dalembert
I would be ridiculous to pay him the contract he has to be Al Horford’s back up at center. Despite his size, he isn’t anywhere near as good as Al.
THIS...
I’d have taken Hawes and Nocioni over Dalembert. Just not a fan of his. Neither Hawes or Nocioni are much either, but I’d rather have two decent bench options instead of one.
The problem with getting a bigger center
is that he would be coming off the bench. So we would need to find a guy with a bench player’s salary and would be fine with a bench player’s role. But I feel what you’re sayin about the team being active.
Does not
Josh can move to 3. Al is a PF and needs to play there
Yeah.
Let’s put Josh at a position where he will play around the perimeter, where he just happens to hit only 29% of his shots because we have this shortsighted view that Al Horford should play power forward and not center. This antiquated view that centers have to be 7 foot tall continues to amaze me when the facts shoot this down. The average height of an NBA center today is 6’10", and the average wingspan is 7’2". Both of which, Al Horford is right at the average.
Instead, let’s trade for a guy who is a 7 footer only for that reason and then pay him $10+ million over the next 3 years when we already have a center that has a higher PER at this position.
Josh at the 3 is not ideal
Nothing that Drew has said indicates that he anticipates ever moving Smooze to the 3, he wants him closer to the basket.
Peachtree Hoops
are you out of your mind?
that means josh will be tempted to shoot more jumpers, less weak side defender
HOW DARE YOU!?!
HE IS ALL KNOWING BASKETBALL GOD!!!
HE KILL YOU!!!
"You could spend the next fifteen seconds of your life watching a man and a tiger scream together, or you could be an idiot."
Fact.
Okay
Let’s keep playing a C who even says he is a PF until he leaves to reach his ultimate potential or bettor yet lets get to the playoffs then start crying about him not being a C when its too late. On the other hand, I do understand that Dalembert’s contract is not the ideal situation for us, but if Whiteside is there please take him. If we are ever going to get a true C Josh is gonna have to move to the 3, sorry he just needs to learn how to use the glass and only take the jumpers at angles where he can use the glass
Not to mention that Josh cannot defend on the perimeter.
But let’s continue this antiquated view that 6’10", 250 lbs is too small to be a center.
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