Just a thought on the free agency 2010 and the future of the hawks

by asianmamba on Jul 19, 2010 11:01 PM EDT

I got to get off the topic from the Hawks to talk about free agency 2010. First of all as a fan of basketball period, I hate the fact that Bron, D-wade and Bosh are on the same team. No this isn't the same as KG, Paul, and Ray. These are three of the best players in the world in their PRIME playing together. The Big 3 of Boston were pass their prime when they decided to join forces. I wanted to see competition as a fan. I wanted to see Joe Johnson vs. Wade, Kobe vs. Lebron, Lebron vs. Wade, not TEAM USA from Miami vs the rest of the NBA. Michael Jordan said it the best when he said he would never called up Bird and Magic and play together he wanted to beat those guys. Obviously you saw from last two years of playoffs that Lebron, when facing with diversity quits. He did it against Orlando and he did it this year against Boston. Jordan wouldn't quit, Kobe wouldn't quit, but James did. He didn't wanted to be the scapegoat, he passed up shots, become less aggressive. Don't blame it on the elbow. Sorry Lebron if you are the best player in the league you get all the credit and all the blame. Kobe and Jordan would go 1 for 30 and still demands the ball for the last shot, they are fearless. Lebron took the easy way out. He is now the SIDEKICK to Wade. Sorry D-wade is better closer than James and he will still take the majority of the last shots this season for the Heat. Yes, James would fit in this team because he can be a point-forward and plays an all around game. He probably will average a triple double this year. But i would not call him the best player in the league because the best player in the league, LEADS his team to championships not SUPPORTS his team to championships. Jordan did it as the man, and Kobe is now close to him. I don't care if LBJ wins ten championships with Miami, I would never label him as THE BEST player in the history of NBA ever because he took the express bus. Please dont tell me that Jordan played with two players as good as Wade and Bosh. Please dont tell me that Kobe won his last TWO championship with two players as good as Wade and Bosh. Lebron would still be an all-time great,but if he stays in Miami with Wade and Bosh he would never be the same level as MJ and Kobe.

Now for the Hawks. When you look at the team this year, whats the biggest hole that we have? At the point and center. Lets take a stroll back to memory lane to the 2005 NBA draft. The Hawks took Marvin Williams with the number 2 draft. When the team clearly needed a point guard and already have Josh Smith and Josh Childress on the team. Yet we drafted another 6-8 player and passed up on Deron Williams who went number 3, Chris Paul who went number 4, and even Ray Felton who went number 5. Marvin Williams is a above average NBA player but is he better than or will he ever be better than Paul or Williams? The answer is hell no. So the following year we took Sheldon Williams with the number 5 pick, do I need to say anymore ?? Brandon Roy went number 6, Rondo went 21. We traded for Bibby which was a good move at that time, but if we had drafted a point gurad in 05 things would be totally different right now. Putting Paul or Williams in the hawks lineup right now makes us a title contender. The Hawks right now is simply predictable. Iso with Joe on top of the key, iso with Jamal on top of the key, pin down for Joe or Josh or Al. I mean I could probably run the hawks offense right now. Is nothing but isolations and hoping Joe and Jamal does something good. We need a point guard that can distribute the ball that can set Joe and Jamal up. Joe and Jamal are scorers sure they can run offenses and make plays but they are nature scorers. I personally dont think Joe Johnson is a max players. He is a very good player kind of remind of me of Allan Houston back in the day but he is not a number 1 guy. He would be a perfect number 2 or a perfect option for a good point guard. But I credit the hawks for getting him back, this shows me that the hawks care about winning. He was the best option outside of Wade and Bron at that position. With that being said the hawks are bringing back virtually the same team. With new coaching and hopefully a new offense thats not iso every play, the hawks should be one of the team top teams in the east again. But i think they have max out their potential as a team even with a new coach. Bibby is on his way out. Jamal and Joe would do the scoring, Josh Smith should improve on his all-around game,and Al Horford are all nice. But personally I think the team has gone as far as they can with this group. i dont see them beating miami, boston,nor orldando. Should they break up the team, no. The hawks are only a couple of pieces away from being really really good. Trading away marvin williams and bibby for a point guard would be a good option. Signing Shaq would help though I doubt he would come to Atlanta. If not then we are looking at another good season with50 plus wins and another second round exit. Its good but I think the Atlanta fans want more.

A FanPost expresses the opinion of the community member who wrote it and not that of the blog management.

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Good write-up

It ‘s just that everyone here has pretty much said the same thing about the hawks at point or another in the past two years. I mean just look at some of the archives since this site came up a few years ago. Then again I know its hard talking about the hawks when there hasn’t been anything to talk about except for summer league (which has ended). Truth is out about Lebron…he’s a supporting cast type guy in the playoffs. He’s come to grips with who is and that’s ok because he probably doesn’t care about being better than Jordan or better than Kobe. Some people are not built to be generals….some people are built to be colonels or sargeants or lieutenants.

Atlanta will win a championship....someday

by maxxj3 on Jul 20, 2010 1:43 AM EDT reply actions

James

LeBron James may not be built to be the general on the court, but he has no problem with craving the attention a general craves off the court. Do you think Michael Jordan would have ever held a 1 hour special to announce where he was going to play basketball? To me, LeBron wants the glory but doesn’t want to do what it takes to get the glory. He will ride the coattails of Dwyane Wade while Dwyane’s body holds up, but in the end, do not for one minute think he doesn’t want the attention that comes with being considered the best in the game. He craves that attention, but like I said, he just doesn’t crave doing what needs to be done.

http://soaringdownsouth.com/

by KB21 on Jul 20, 2010 7:54 PM EDT up reply actions

Good article. but I disagree that PG is our biggest problem

We are getting beat in the paint. We need a big man that is a natural Center. Having Horford, a natural PF starting at Center with Zaza as back up doesn’t seem to be working. All playoff teams have an aggressive center who can play great defence (I’m am of the few that believe a Williams for Shaq trade would do wonders for our team.)

As far as PG is concerned, Bibby isn’t great, but he is solid. From what I saw at summer camp, it seems like Teague will be a pretty good back up PG. I’m still pissed that we didn’t draft Paul back in 2005, but that is another story.

As far as Miami is concerned, they don’t have a deep bench nor a good starting Center to make it deep into the playoffs. Mark my words, they will only make to the second round of the playoffs.

by Daniel Samayoa on Jul 20, 2010 12:19 PM EDT reply actions

i will have to disagree with some of your points

i agreed about hawks needing a center too. if you look how the hawks play last season we don’t really have a point guard. bibby has became a spot up shooter, and either joe or jamal finishes the game as the ball handler. yes a center would help too, allowing horford to play the 4 and josh playing the 3, would give hawks a way better lineup.
miami knew they wont have a solid starting center so thats why they signed 4 centers this off season. i have to disagree, i see them making it to the finals if no major injuries happen. these are three of the best players in the league its hard not seeing them making it.

by asianmamba on Jul 23, 2010 10:28 PM EDT up reply actions

FYI

If we had gotten Paul/Deron, we would not have gotten AL. I will take Al and marvin over Paul. Also, the Jazz and hornets are not better then the Hawks today.
Al went to the All Star game as a center so what is all this talk that he is not a center. He is the same height with Dwight . What Al lacks to be a sold 5 is bulk ( weight).
I think the hawks traners should consider recommending that AL add some weight ( maybe 10 to 20 pounds). This would greatly improve his ability to play at the post. What we lack right now, is a point guard that can create by driving the lane. The Inability of Bibby to drive in the lane was the primary reason for the Iso heavy offense.

by dkrib on Jul 20, 2010 2:08 PM EDT reply actions

You can't make it Al and Marvin vs. Paul/Williams without including whatever we may have drafted instead of Al

by Mr. Sanchez on Jul 20, 2010 3:04 PM EDT up reply actions

Childress might still be with the Hawks if they don't draft Marvin

by alonzoisawesome on Jul 21, 2010 1:26 PM EDT up reply actions

So there's that too...

change it from Horf (although we could have possibly still won the 3rd pick in the lottery if we failed to make the playoffs the year before), and you’re looking at say…
Paul
Joe
Chill
Smoove
and maybe Thaddeus Young or Sean Williams instead of Acie Law at 11 in that draft (that came from Indiana), maybe we are later down in the draft and take Rudy Fernandez, Aaron Brooks, or Jared Dudley. Basically saying we got Al and that makes up for it ignores so much else that would have been changed because of it also.

by Mr. Sanchez on Jul 21, 2010 2:47 PM EDT up reply actions

if i remember right the hawks would lose that Horford pick to Phoenix to complete the JJ trade

by alonzoisawesome on Jul 22, 2010 3:06 PM EDT up reply actions

If it wasn't top 3...

but then we would have gained back a pick in the 2008 draft. They used our pick on Robin Lopez, who would have his benefits here, and also on the board at that time was Merese Speights, Roy Hibbert, Jevale McGee, JJ Hickson, Courtney Lee, Serge Ibaka, George Hill, Nicholas Batum, Donta Greene, and other solid rotation type players if not better.

by Mr. Sanchez on Jul 22, 2010 3:18 PM EDT up reply actions

true....but we could be such a deadly Pick & Roll team with Bibby

But putting too much weight on Al is going to hurt his quickness. He just needs more strength..to at least push back. Even Old Kurt Thomas was bullying him in the playoffs. If Al gets like David Robinson strong we will be ok. I know Bibby is not a penetrator, but he is so good at the Pick & Roll that I will take that over him driving, because he can shoot and Al can hit that short jumper the the P&R creates for him. The def has to hustle over to Bibby because he can make the shot…and then when we need to Run & Gun put Teague in the game

by Cmart34 on Jul 20, 2010 4:23 PM EDT up reply actions

response

al horford is a natural power forward he is playing out of position the hawks would be better off getting a center and allowing al to play his natural position. yes bibby’s inability to drive and create is what we need. jamal and joe can do that but when they drive they create for themselves. i’m sorry i would have to take paul and d.will over al and marvin any time. these are two of the best point guards in the league right now. al is decent but marv is not even close to the level of paul or d.will.

by asianmamba on Jul 23, 2010 10:31 PM EDT up reply actions