BK speaks

[tontoz]

to season ticket holders before Friday's game. I got this from Hawksquawk.

BK indicated that both Smoove and Chillz are restricted FAs and we plan on matching any offers for both.

He indicated that we would be spending more money next year and that we would likely approach but not exceed the luxury tax. He said that as GM, he did not believe you had to exceed the luxury tax to be good and that the only way he would ask an owner to exceed the luxury tax is if doing so would put the team in contention for a championship.

He said that the restrictions that the judge had imposed in the ongoing legal battle between the ASG and Belking have been lifted and that the restrictions DID limit their abilites to do some things but that is no longer the case. He said the legal wrangling is ongoing and that as things currently stand, Belkin is still one of the team's owners.

He indicated that we would PURSUE a trade this summer in an rffort to improve the team but that we would not realistically be in the hunt for the top FAs. He said he would only make a trade if it clearly made us better. He stated that he likes all of our young guys but that sometimes you have to trade good guys to get better (hmm...Marvin?, Chillz?, Smoove?).

He indicated that Horford is a PF but that he had to play Center for us as we are currently constructed. He said there were VERY few quality Centers out there and that while Al is a PF, he is better than a lot of Centers out there. He pointed out how a lot of teams are playing small ball now.

He said that Al was a good player now but that he was going to be great. He compared him to Karl Malone. He said that Al was the only rookie he has ever drafted (including his stints in Indy and MEM) who has never asked him for ANYTHING in his first season. He said that Al has GREAT character and that he is just an exceptional young man.

He indicated that if we were able to get a good Center, he could envision a scenario where Smoove moves to the 3 and Marvin goes to the bench. He thinks Marv and Chillz would be great off the bench.

He said that we need a vocal, veteran leader in the locker room. He said that JJ has become a little more vocal but that he is a quiet leader who leads by example. He said that JJ leads by being first on the practice court, first in the weight room, etc. He said that we need a veteran (not necessarily an old veteran but maybe someone with 5-6 years in the league) to come in and take on that role. A little funny story about JJ is that he apparently goes around the locker room with his shirt off teasing the younger guys by showing off his guns. I thought that was hilarious.

He said that David Andersen's game was more like Jason Collier's than that of a defensive stopper.

He said that he had talked to Dale Davis but it sounded like BK didn't think he would help us because he thinks teams would leave Dale open and double someone else with his man (I disagree but what can you say?).

He said he would like to see us play more uptempo but that he understands Woody's point that we can't play uptempo if we don't rebound and defend on the other end. He said that the NBA is a copy cat league and that GS, PHO and DEN are the only teams that are committed to playing uptempo at all costs.

He tiptoed carefully around all the criticism of Woody. He didn't throw Wody under the bus but he didn't really defend him either. He just kept saying "I see your point" when people made negative statements and he said that the coaching situation and his own situation would be addressed in the off season "one way or another."

He indicated that he would like to see JJ and Bibby play less but that he thinks Woody just gets caught up in trying to win the game and he decides to ride them too much. He said that you can ride a guy on occasion but that you have to be concerned about their AVERAGE mpg. He said that he is aware that JJ's mpg are among the league leaders and he thinks JJ gets tired late in games and he think it limits his effectiveness. He said the he and Woody have talked about it and that Woody agrees that JJ plays too many minutes. He said that Woody will say after a game that he knows that JJ played too many minutes in that game and then he will go back out and play him too many minutes the very next game.

He said that he would like to see Mario and Jeremy play more at SG. He said they are night and day as playes, one offensive and one defensive. He said that NOBODY likes being guarded by Mario and that he frustrates guys by "getting up in 'em." He said that any time a guy like Kobe, T Mac, Pierce, etc got hot on the perimeter, he would put Mario on them. He said that Jeremy can really shoot the ball and that he had scored 50+ in an NBDL game.

To add a little on the Speedy front, apparently he went in for the microfracure surgery but when the doctor cut him open, he determined that microfracture surgery would not help his condition. The doctor did cleaned out his knee while he was in surgery. Billy said that it appeared that Speedy would try to play again next season.

I'm sure I am forgetting something but that was pretty much it.

[JoshB914]

He's talking as if he's going to be here next season. I don't like the sound of that.

If he thinks JJ and Bibby are playing too many minutes maybe he should take a closer look at what happens when they're off the floor. Woody has no choice but to ride those guys as far as they can take us.

It sounds like we definetely holding onto Smoove and most likely Chillz. I do like that.

Also good to see people realizing how badly this team needs a vocal leader. I wonder how much Bibby has helped with that.

[evildallas]

It was the Hawks town hall, the one time of the year that he has to talk (owners force it). It doesn't mark a change in BK's m.o. and it shouldn't be construed as he is definitely back. If you were the GM, you would still speak with the intention of returning.

Most of his off-season plans seem to matchup with the reality of the situation as to cap and free agency. The one thing that kind of bothered me was the thought that Marvin could possibly join Chills coming off the bench if we bring in a C. We'd have upper lottery 6th and 7th men. I fully believe we need a different skill set in the playing rotation, but that's a lot of money to have coming off the bench. It also glosses over who we'd have to give up to get a C.

Good summary. Thanks for posting it.

[conleyorbust]

It was the Hawks town hall, the one time of the year that he has to talk (owners force it). It doesn't mark a change in BK's m.o. and it shouldn't be construed as he is definitely back. If you were the GM, you would still speak with the intention of returning.

Most of his off-season plans seem to matchup with the reality of the situation as to cap and free agency. The one thing that kind of bothered me was the thought that Marvin could possibly join Chills coming off the bench if we bring in a C. We'd have upper lottery 6th and 7th men. I fully believe we need a different skill set in the playing rotation, but that's a lot of money to have coming off the bench. It also glosses over who we'd have to give up to get a C.

Good summary. Thanks for posting it.

Bringing them off the bench would also mean his is committed to wasting the trade value that those guys have as high lotto picks with "potential" (or at least Marv). A good GM is always putting hiimself out there and is never scared to pull the trigger to make the team better - it that meant trading Marv, Smith, or Al - so be it.

As far as the rest of that stuff, if he wasn't standing up and defending Woody, he was effectively throwin him, you know? I don't necessarilly disagree, Woody has a ridiculous amount of mental lapses for a guy who's job is to pay attention to things.

BK has got to go. He should be fired the same day that Chris Paul wins the MVP in his third season, would be fitting.

[HoopsGuru25]

I don't like the idea of bringing Marvin and Chil off the bench(or Smith starting at the 3 but that's another story). It will ruin their trade value. He made the same mistake by not trading Shelden or Zaza last season.

[BMF Jet Jaguar]

I don't like the idea of bringing Marvin and Chil off the bench(or Smith starting at the 3 but that's another story). It will ruin their trade value. He made the same mistake by not trading Shelden or Zaza last season.

who couldve we gotten with shell last year thats better than bibby?

[HoopsGuru25]

-= original quote snipped =-



who couldve we gotten with shell last year thats better than bibby?

That's not the point. Bibby was a salary dump move by Sac and they just took Shelden to make it look like it wasn't. Shelden was playing spot minutes for the Hawks and he's still playing spot minutes for the Kings. We probably could have gotten Bibby for Solomon and expirings as long as we picked him 5th in the 06 draft. The smart time to trade him was during the off-season after he won rookie of the month in April while he still had SOME value. Trading him for a center with size(like Haywood who was being discussed) was a move that the Hawks should have made during the summer.

[Skyhawk1]

How in the world can we get a good C in the NBA without trading one of the young guys ? That means there's no way Marvin and J. Chill will come off the bench. You got to use one of the 3 fowards ( J. Smith, J. Chill, and Marvin ) to get a quality C. I'd be really surprised if the Hawks kept both Joshes around, but I understand that J. Chill's role with this team is only getting more important as time goes on and while J. Smith's has decreased, he seems to be held so high that we'll keep him.

[JoshB914]

I think Chillz has earned himself a spot on the team for next year. He has been just fantastic for us off the bench as a role player. I have definetely changed my mind on him, I'd like to see him back as long as we aren't matching a ridiculously high offer.

[raleigh]

I've seen only a little of him, but of the descriptions Andersen sounds like a nice compliment to Horford on offense. And it certainly wouldn't hurt to have another player who can run the floor and stretch the defense.

[conleyorbust]

I'd be really surprised if the Hawks kept both Joshes around, but I understand that J. Chill's role with this team is only getting more important as time goes on and while J. Smith's has decreased, he seems to be held so high that we'll keep him.

What does this mean in real words?

[AU hawksfan]

I may not be a big BK fan, but I think he'd be better suited as a coach. Even he sees the incompetence of Woody, which is why I'm even more baffled he hired him.

[M301E814W404]

He's talking as if he's going to be here next season. I don't like the sound of that.

What do you want him to do...show up at the town hall and thank everyone for ebing good fans. Ofcourse he is going to act like he is coming back....doubt it.

[reazun]

If we can get a good center for Smoove or Marvin Id say that would be great, but I am sure we would have to give up more than just one player. Good true centers are too hard to find now in the NBA. There is only a handful and they are up there as an elite player. Any center that aint like Yao, Amare, etc. would b dunb to get for Josh or Marvin, since Al is holding it down just fine right now and will only get better.