Joe Johnson Expected To Return To Action Against Orlando

I haven’t said anything about all or nothing and I’d challenge you to find one. There are many issues that are within our control (spending unwisely/bad GM/bad coach/bad player mix/lack of player development) and some that aren’t (not getting the #3 pick and hoping that someone else took Marvin Williams, not having Kobe, LBJ, D Wade, etc). So, your philosophy has some holes in it if you’re comparing MLB franchises to NBA franchises.

In MLB, you either buy a championship (with some player development) or you do a great job of scouting and you run for a title (like the Marlins, etc) and spend until the window closes, then start over with the rebuild. The Braves were championship caliber Braves because they spent money, but as soon as they stopped – they became second fiddle, but competitive Braves. The Pirates on the other hand don’t even try because they can’t afford to do so. They sell their assets as soon as they are developed (if they are developed).

In NBA, you spend your money on top talent and you put draft picks or cheap free agent labor around it that fits the team. You can’t find top talent most of the time outside of the lottery, so the only other time to get it is during free agency (or a trade, but until recently – normally, a top caliber player isn’t traded). So, to your specific point, all I’ve ever said is – if you’re paying Joe top dollar (and we know that we don’t have more top dollar to spend a la the Magic (who had multiple max guys who aren’t really max guys, but can do so because they spend well over the salary cap)), then you’re going to never be really competitive because you don’t have enough to go around to get the rest of the players. Plus, you’re going cheap on the coach, not filling out the available roster spots, and have a GM who has done NOTHING to improve this team’s lot. The Hawks know how to beat bad teams. They don’t and won’t have the firepower (or the mental fortitude) to beat anyone better than them in a postseason atmosphere. That’s just a real statement. I wish it weren’t the case, but if you’re not shooting for the chip (and that means there are steps that have to be taken to get there), then you’re losing in the NBA. That’s why teams blow it up so often because they know they have to find the Durant first, then build around him. The Hawks built around a foundation in JJ and I applauded in ’06, but once we knew it was faulty – to double down was ridiculous.

you look at how those championship teams were build out of those 7 and there are some very common themes – real superstars, couple of big money guys and great role players, leadership, great coaching, etc. The only thing I don’t think is faulty is the willingness to spend money on players. ASG has done that. We’ve just spent on the WRONG players because we spent little on scouting, coaching, management. So, I’ve never said I have the perfect formula for this – I do know when the milk is gone bad and it’s curious that I’ve been pretty consistent about this for 3 years. These players have been doing and saying the same things for 3 years, yet people keep hoping for different results.

We’ve always been a pretty right above average team and that’s going to net you 45-50 wins each year and a boot out of the playoffs. if you’re content with competitive, but never a shot at a deep playoff run, then so be it, but I’m not willing to settle for that without calling out what’s ailing this squad. As always, it starts with ownership, then our management sucks, then we’ve had bad coaching, and then our players reflect all of that. To be clear, I would be happy to get to just the ECF. I WANT a title so badly, but I realize there are steps, but I’m very clear about the fact that this team has to hope for D. Howard to get a suspension and some injuries to even be competitive in the playoffs and that’s just the way it is. This team isn’t going to learn how to win. If after 3-4 years together they don’t know how to do that, then they won’t. Period.

I am not sure how healthy he has been the last two seasons given how quicky the elbow injury surfaced this season.

The definition of max is the most, the highest. Whatever you think is the “second tier” by definition is no longer max.

We are treated with general quotes and reactions after every game because it seems every player in that locker room is afraid to hurt another players feelings. Joe is paid to be the leader of this team and maybe he should have rattled the cage earlier this season instead of trying to lead by example.

If I have a fault with JJ then it is this. I have never felt that he shut it down after the All-Star game. Who in the freaking NBA really cares about the All-Star game? It doesn’t mean anything to today’s players the way it did in the 80’s.

I can’t recall any star player calling out another star player. Like Boston’s Big 3 or Miami’s. And even Winners such as Tim Duncan. Now granted I don’t follow all teams closely but why do people think Westbrook is the Thunders’ leader? I know he’s playing a vocal position but is there an instance the Thunder were playing bad and he made a locker difference? Same thing in Chi. I know Rose is grinding now but is he that locker room guy that the Hawks don’t have?

We could afford to sign Johnson to whatever contract because we held his bird rights. If he walks then we wouldn’t have held the bird rights of any player that we sign and would have been over the cap. They would have had to have done a sign and trade.