what if we got Shaq instead of Deke?

[reazun]

just read this article on Shaq, but it mentioned some interesting info i was unaware of...Atlanta was very close to landing Shaq in free agency before he went to the Lakers...if this worked out somehow...interesting


ATLANTA HAWKS: While Atlanta wasn't on our initial list, the Hawks quickly became a viable option when I, along with a colleague, took a call from current Los Angeles Dodgers CEO and President Stan Kasten about the Hawks' interest in Shaq. Kasten, who was president of both the Hawks and Atlanta Braves at that time, indicated that the merger between Hawks owner Ted Turner's broadcasting companies (CNN, etc.) and Time Warner would be able to generate significant ancillary income for Shaq.

On the basketball side, he viewed Shaq as the missing piece to a championship in Atlanta and was comfortable offering him a seven-year deal averaging somewhere between $10 and $15 million per year. He was not, however, interested in breaking up much of his team to do so.

This is kind of crazy to look back on, but in 1996, Kasten considered Mookie Blaylock and Christian Laettner to be the Hawks' foundational players. They weren't going anywhere. Two other players from a group consisting of Stacey Augmon, Alan Henderson, Grant Long and free agent Steve Smith also needed to be retained.

This was the snag. After running all the numbers, Smith, an All-Star caliber player, was probably the odd man out, and we didn't like the idea of losing Smith. Eventually, Atlanta, which had become a legitimate contingency option, fell completely out of consideration when it signed Dikembe Mutombo to a five-year, $50 million deal.

https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/the-inside-story-how-the-orlando-magic-let-the-lakers-steal-shaquille-oneal/

[kg01]

I vaguely recall discussing this elsewhere. IIRC, we weren't as close as all these recollections are indicating. IOW, it was LAL or bust .... but we made an effort ...... then removed ourselves anyway by signing Mutombo.

[Spud2nique]

I read it a few years ago and it’s a lie. We were as close to getting Jordan and Kobe as we were Shaq...aka it was never happening.

[kg01]

I read it a few years ago and it’s a lie. We were as close to getting Jordan and Kobe as we were Shaq...aka it was never happening.

Eggsactly, it sounds like a great story but we were as close to getting Shaq as I was close to getting Stacey Dash back in the day.

[Spud2nique]

I read it a few years ago and it’s a lie. We were as close to getting Jordan and Kobe as we were Shaq...aka it was never happening.

Eggsactly, it sounds like a great story but we were as close to getting Shaq as I was close to getting Stacey Dash back in the day.

You were closer...I’m not even joking...

[Jamaaliver]

I'm not sure which is more laughable, that HAWKS considered Mookie and C Laettner as foundational pieces in the mid-90s or that 15 years later Josh Smith was considered a foundational player too valuable to trade.

I don't think any of those guys did anything in the league after leaving Atlanta.



We're overdue for a star player.

Basketball g0ds, send us Doncic and make him great.

PLEASE!!!!

[Spud2nique]

I'm not sure which is more laughable, that HAWKS considered Mookie and C Laettner as foundational pieces in the mid-90s or that 15 years later Josh Smith was considered a foundational player too valuable to trade.

I don't think any of those guys did anything in the league after leaving Atlanta.



We're overdue for a star player.

Basketball g0ds, send us Doncic and make him great.

PLEASE!!!!

Mookie was a foundational piece. Laettner was a guy that just fit well next to Deke as he provided the outside shooting that Deke didn’t. Having said that I agree...

WE NEED A STAR!

Since I’ve been a fan we’ve had:

Superstar: Nique

Stars: Deke (he almost made the superstar list) and Joe Johnson.

I don’t think any other franchise has a list like this...not the clippers...

Maybe the Vancouver Grizzlies but that’s it.

[macd-gm]

Mookie was a great PG, especially defensively. He was the glue for those teams and he had 2 more good years in golden state. But being a full blown, drink all day alcoholic, you aren't going to be able to compete any longer than he did.

[Spud2nique]

Dang we had a nice lil backcourt in Mookie and Smitty. Y’all got me reminiscing. Really enjoyed the 94 season (minus the Nique trade) and the 96-99 era where we were beating Grant Hill and the Pistons but getting the biz from Michael.

Seriously NBA, give us a top 2 pick!

[kg01]

We should have a poll for least favorite Hawks teams. I hated those mid-late '90's teams. Not sure why. Found them boring, I guess.

[macd-gm]

We should have a poll for least favorite Hawks teams. I hated those mid-late '90's teams. Not sure why. Found them boring, I guess.

The Shareef years were particularly bad.

[dms269]

We should have a poll for least favorite Hawks teams. I hated those mid-late '90's teams. Not sure why. Found them boring, I guess.

The Shareef years were particularly bad.

Still kinda upset about that trade.

Pau Gasol, Lorenzen Wright, and Brevin Knight for SAR and Jamal Tinsley

Tinsley was then traded for a 2003 1st (ended up being Boris Diaw)

Diaw was then traded with 2 firsts (Rondo and Robin Lopez) for Joe Johnson

Joe Johnson left as a FA

SAR was traded with Theo Ratliff and Dan Dickau for Rasheed Wallace and Wesley Person (left as a fa).

Wallace was traded for a 2004 1st (Josh Smith), Bob Sura (left as a fa), and Rebraca (left as a fa).

[Jamaaliver]

We should have a poll for least favorite Hawks teams. I hated those mid-late '90's teams. Not sure why. Found them boring, I guess.

The Shareef years were particularly bad.

Still kinda upset about that trade.

Pau Gasol, Lorenzen Wright, and Brevin Knight for SAR and Jamal Tinsley

Tinsley was then traded for a 2003 1st (ended up being Boris Diaw)

Diaw was then traded with 2 firsts (Rondo and Robin Lopez) for Joe Johnson

Joe Johnson left as a FA

SAR was traded with Theo Ratliff and Dan Dickau for Rasheed Wallace and Wesley Person (left as a fa).

Wallace was traded for a 2004 1st (Josh Smith), Bob Sura (left as a fa), and Rebraca (left as a fa).

NIce! A history of the early 2000 Hawks ineptitude in 14 seconds.

I went to school with SAR in the 90s. When kids would always bring the prospect of playing for the Hawks back then...he'd just smile and change the subject. (The 'Nique trade never sat well with him.) Bringing him home was a worthy endeavor by the team, but didn't pan out for either party (or Lorenzen Wright )...though Pau Gasol seemed to fare pretty well.




Trading Rasheed for ultimately Josh Smith was a solid move that worked out well for all four parties. (Pistons, Hawks, Rasheed, Smith)

[dms269]

The Shareef years were particularly bad.

Still kinda upset about that trade.

Pau Gasol, Lorenzen Wright, and Brevin Knight for SAR and Jamal Tinsley

Tinsley was then traded for a 2003 1st (ended up being Boris Diaw)

Diaw was then traded with 2 firsts (Rondo and Robin Lopez) for Joe Johnson

Joe Johnson left as a FA

SAR was traded with Theo Ratliff and Dan Dickau for Rasheed Wallace and Wesley Person (left as a fa).

Wallace was traded for a 2004 1st (Josh Smith), Bob Sura (left as a fa), and Rebraca (left as a fa).

NIce! A history of the early 2000 Hawks ineptitude in 14 seconds.

I went to school with SAR in the 90s. When kids would always bring the prospect of playing for the Hawks back then...he'd just smile and change the subject. (The 'Nique trade never sat well with him.) Bringing him home was a worthy endeavor by the team, but didn't pan out for either party (or Lorenzen Wright )...though Pau Gasol seemed to fare pretty well.




Trading Rasheed for ultimately Josh Smith was a solid move that worked out well for all four parties. (Pistons, Hawks, Rasheed, Smith)

And that was just around that 1 main trade that set us down a slippery road.

We can do a whole section on our drafting.

[kg01]

Still kinda upset about that trade.

Pau Gasol, Lorenzen Wright, and Brevin Knight for SAR and Jamal Tinsley

Tinsley was then traded for a 2003 1st (ended up being Boris Diaw)

Diaw was then traded with 2 firsts (Rondo and Robin Lopez) for Joe Johnson

Joe Johnson left as a FA

SAR was traded with Theo Ratliff and Dan Dickau for Rasheed Wallace and Wesley Person (left as a fa).

Wallace was traded for a 2004 1st (Josh Smith), Bob Sura (left as a fa), and Rebraca (left as a fa).

NIce! A history of the early 2000 Hawks ineptitude in 14 seconds.

I went to school with SAR in the 90s. When kids would always bring the prospect of playing for the Hawks back then...he'd just smile and change the subject. (The 'Nique trade never sat well with him.) Bringing him home was a worthy endeavor by the team, but didn't pan out for either party (or Lorenzen Wright )...though Pau Gasol seemed to fare pretty well.

Trading Rasheed for ultimately Josh Smith was a solid move that worked out well for all four parties. (Pistons, Hawks, Rasheed, Smith)

And that was just around that 1 main trade that set us down a slippery road.

We can do a whole section on our drafting.

Please ...... please don't. Haven't you tortured us enough with this horrid perp walk down Memory Lane? Unfortunately for us, Memory Lane is in the same neighborhood as Elm Street.

You start runnin' down draft picks and most of are liable to start putting fists through screens and looking for a priest (not Lauderdale).

[Spud2nique]

NIce! A history of the early 2000 Hawks ineptitude in 14 seconds.

I went to school with SAR in the 90s. When kids would always bring the prospect of playing for the Hawks back then...he'd just smile and change the subject. (The 'Nique trade never sat well with him.) Bringing him home was a worthy endeavor by the team, but didn't pan out for either party (or Lorenzen Wright )...though Pau Gasol seemed to fare pretty well.

Trading Rasheed for ultimately Josh Smith was a solid move that worked out well for all four parties. (Pistons, Hawks, Rasheed, Smith)

And that was just around that 1 main trade that set us down a slippery road.

We can do a whole section on our drafting.

Please ...... please don't. Haven't you tortured us enough with this horrid perp walk down Memory Lane? Unfortunately for us, Memory Lane is in the same neighborhood as Elm Street.

You start runnin' down draft picks and most of are liable to start putting fists through screens and looking for a priest (not Lauderdale).

I miss Morlon Wiley and that one time he put up 23 dimes. Most to Nique. How’s that for a trip down ML!

[jayu70]

We should have a poll for least favorite Hawks teams. I hated those mid-late '90's teams. Not sure why. Found them boring, I guess.

The Shareef years were particularly bad.

Still kinda upset about that trade.

Pau Gasol, Lorenzen Wright, and Brevin Knight for SAR and Jamal Tinsley

Tinsley was then traded for a 2003 1st (ended up being Boris Diaw)

Diaw was then traded with 2 firsts (Rondo and Robin Lopez) for Joe Johnson

Joe Johnson left as a FA

SAR was traded with Theo Ratliff and Dan Dickau for Rasheed Wallace and Wesley Person (left as a fa).

Wallace was traded for a 2004 1st (Josh Smith), Bob Sura (left as a fa), and Rebraca (left as a fa).

Danny Ferry traded Joe Johnson to Nets, we picked Payne with the 1st, then traded him to Minny for what will be pick #19 in this 2018 draft . Korver was the other asset received in the trade via TPE, Korver served us well, now we await the pick, 2019 1st we got from Cavs in the Korver trade.

[dms269]

The Shareef years were particularly bad.

Still kinda upset about that trade.

Pau Gasol, Lorenzen Wright, and Brevin Knight for SAR and Jamal Tinsley

Tinsley was then traded for a 2003 1st (ended up being Boris Diaw)

Diaw was then traded with 2 firsts (Rondo and Robin Lopez) for Joe Johnson

Joe Johnson left as a FA

SAR was traded with Theo Ratliff and Dan Dickau for Rasheed Wallace and Wesley Person (left as a fa).

Wallace was traded for a 2004 1st (Josh Smith), Bob Sura (left as a fa), and Rebraca (left as a fa).

Danny Ferry traded Joe Johnson to Nets, we picked Payne with the 1st, then traded him to Minny for what will be pick #19 in this 2018 draft . Korver was the other asset received in the trade via TPE, Korver served us well, now we await the pick, 2019 1st we got from Cavs in the Korver trade.

Woops. Forgot about that.

Still amazes me that the Gasol trade set off a series of events. Wonder what would have happened if we would have kept him.