RealGM

Atlanta Hawks

Projected Roster
---------------------------
PG - Jeff Teague, Shelvin Mack, Dennis Schroder
SG - Kyle Korver, Kent Bazemore, John Jenkins
SF - DeMarre Carroll, Thabo Sefolosha
PF - Paul Millsap, Mike Scott, Adreian Payne
C - Al Horford, Pero Antic, Elton Brand, Mike Muscala (with 16 players someone will be cut)

Trading Block: I don't see much on the trading block for Atlanta. They've all ready got a team with some pretty set rotations and good youth behind to grow. Looks like a team content to focus on internal growth and avoid the trade market to me.

Position Battle: I think Thabo has a better resume than Carroll and could give him a run for the starting SF spot. That being said, it's Carroll's spot to lose right now, and it's not going to be easy to knock him out. There is some hope that Payne could carve out a larger role as a rotation player as well.

Mystery Man: I would say it's backup center. For a lot of years I remember folks (maybe just me) trying out trades with Atlanta to get them a center to move Horford to his 'natural' position of PF. And all this time later he's still slotted at center. Now the word on him is just his health. Can he stay healthy? I think it's a lot to ask of Horford and Millsap to man your frontline, both are a little undersized and that can wear on players bodies over the course of a season. So, putting all that into a little ball and rolling it around my head, I think the mystery is, 'Will Atlanta find enough help at backup center to give enough relief to Horford and then Millsap that they won't be missing large parts of the season due to injury?' (whew! all that rolling around in my head was getting annoying)


Floppymusings: The Hawks have quietly put together a decent team. The key will be health. Horford/Millsap/Teague are all solid starters, and Carroll/Thabo/Korver are underrated role players. If they can stop losing key players to injury then they will win more games this year.

Jazzfanramblings:
My mom taught 3rd grade for 17 years. The thing she hated most about teaching was the Parent/Teacher conferences. According to her, you couldn't say anything even remotely negative or that parents would flip out. You had to be all hearts and teddy bears to every parent telling them how wonderful their kids were. After hearing that I don't often care to attend my children's conferences. I don't know that I'll get any useful information there, and will probably just be served a helping of platatudes and smiles as I'm herded out the door for the next performance.

But, that could have just been my mom.

I would imagine that I'd be more honest. I think it would be easy for me to discuss kids with their parents. I'm sure that the parents are probably more aware of what their children are really like anyway. I wouldn't mind telling the parents of the gifted kids how they have gifted children. I wouldnt' mind talking to the parents of kids with social or academic issues on what things they could do to give their kids a push in a helpful direction.

I think what would be most frustrating for me would be that kid that sits quietly, politely, works hard and gets a B- on everything. What do you say about that kid? Your kid is, um... there?

That's kinda how I feel about Atlanta. Other than the race story, which I'm going to completely dodge, there just isn't much to talk about. They are a pretty decent team. (B-). They've got a pretty decent salary structure. (B-) They seem to have decent coaching and front office (B-).

They are um... there. They'll make the playoffs, maybe even the second round. And then it'll probably be more of the same next season. I just wish I had more to say. I'm sorry I wasted your time dragging you down here for this conference, you should have just stayed home and watched a re-run of Scrubs instead.

Projected Record - 45/37

I probably would put the Hawks at more like 48 wins but I don't mind the prediction of 45. I have a couple of different thoughts though.

1. I think the Hawks are very interested in making trades. They were quietly shopping Horford at the deadline last year and Millsap is a very juicy expiring. I like the addition of Sefolosha for depth but I feel Demarre Carroll is a much better fit offensively and was fairly versatile on defense (though not as good as Thabo). If the Hawks can find a very good Center or Wing they should pull the trigger.

2. Much has been said about the Hawks being mediocre but I don't really see them that way. I think the Hawks biggest issue has been attracting great players in Free Agency. They strive to be competitive, don't tank, and (other than Joe Johnson) get good value on their signings. They also do a great job of remaining flexible. To me, the Hawks are a trade away from the wheels being set in motion for contention. If they can acquire their own James Harden through trade then they will be more attractive to FAs or disgruntled stars. They just haven't been able to get THAT trade.

Also, I think I'd rather have the kid that worked hard and gave me no issues while getting B-'s than the trouble maker with the potential to be an A+ student. There is something to be said about consistent hard work in obscurity. I believe that hard work pays off and at the very least builds good habits.

I think people are sleeping on the Hawks as a playoff threat. I don't think we have the talent to really be a 50+ win team, but I DO think we will be well-coached and have excellent execution, and that combined with above-average talent means that I can see us taking Cleveland or Chicago to 6 or even 7.

The Hawks would be my pick to make the NBA finals out of the east right now. They can still make some moves and add to this squad as the bottom feeders sell off. Not a big fan of this preview.

Given the turmoil with the GM I think trades are iffy unless a no-brainer comes along or current interim GM/coach Bud has another George Hill/Kawhi Leonard epiphany where he can deal a solid starter/rotation player for a prospect he believes in. The additional owner turmoil may force the team to stand pat though until if and when a sale is confirmed and said new owner has taken stock of the team and created his own vision. As is though you're looking at a possible ~50 win team thanks to better depth and more familiarity within the new system.

While I think the Hawks are a playoff team, one thing to remember about their record early last season was that playoff teams Chicago, BK, Toronto, Charlotte and Washington were all well under .500 well into the season. They feasted on a horrible East early on with Horford. Not sure they can repeat that early season success this year.

Leaving the GM sideshow for what it is/was.... Al is back and they could add someone like Jeff Green to the mix of what was already a very impressive squad.

They are pretty thin on wing depth, but having Horford, Millsap, Teague and Korver is enough to get 43-48 wins in the East. They should be in the 6-8 mix.