#AD2ATL. Let’s get the hashtag rolling!
I’ve had my fill of the “2LA”, “2NYC”, “2DC”, “2CHI” fanfare we’ve had to endure over the past decade. It is time for our Atlanta Hawks to dust off the heavy artillery, hop on Signal or whatever clandestine tools the cool kids are using these days, and start dancing with the big boys to woo the biggest kahunas in free agency.
Everyone knows there is no bigger catch next summer than Anthony Davis, currently in Los Angeles to help LeBron James and the Hawks’ opponent today, the Lakers (9:30 PM Eastern, Fox Sports Southeast and 92.9 FM in ATL, Spectrum SportsNet in LAX), place another trophy on their shelves. After that, who knows?
All I know is, Tony Ressler is chomping at the bit to put his money where his mouth has long been, and Travis Schlenk has set up shop to make a run at the premier veteran talent around the league, in 2020 and the seasons soon to follow. The Bag, bigger than anyone else’s, will be here in The 404, and a growing legion of supportive fans will, too. Let’s get this show on the roAD.
Understood, it’s awfully hard to walk away from the enterprising Mr. James and his age-defying near triple-double averages (24.3 PPG, an astounding NBA-best 11.1 APG, 7.7 RPG). The omnipresent threat of LeBron doing anything unmercifully highlight-worthy to his opponents (just ask Nomoreja Bjelica) has allowed him to set up all his teammates for great shots (NBA-high 47.8 team FG%), especially right at the rim (32.4 team 3FG%, 25th in NBA; 3rd in Restricted-Area FGAs, 29th in non-RA paint FGAs).
But there is one much younger star, still on the back end of his rookie-scale deal, who isn’t going to overcrowd the paint, or the salary confines for years, while dishing out nearly as many dimes. Further, he won’t need any formal introduction to Davis (25.5 PPG; probable tonight despite a constantly sore shoulder) when the time comes to pretend that we’re not tampering.
(HAWKS FAN QUIZ: Which former tampering Hawks employee currently chairs the board of the Atlanta Film Society? Just in case some All-NBA talent and potential 2020 free agent wants to do a little more than Barbershop and Space Jam sequels in his spare time.)
https://i.imgur.com/gqiTf4T.jpgLook at that pic up there. Feel old, yet? I sure as heck do. There’s Trae, an AAU supernova five years ago, palling around with what was the NBA's newest small-y young sensation. Anthony Davis was a high school shorty with 6-foot-2 point guard sensibilities, too, until the Flintstones Vitamins kicked in a growth spurt, helping him become an imposing NBA All-Star by age 21.
Trae’s dad, Ray Young, recalled AD giving his son advice, when the mentor, after much contemplation, elected not to mess up his most distinctive feature. “Don’t cut your eyebrows,” Ray attributed to Anthony telling Trae, “we can do a deal together if you make it to the NBA.” Haha, my man said, “if.” Milk wouldn't do Trae's body quite so good, but he's turning out okay.
It’s tempting to lock down a long-term deal with the Lakers, currently ruling the West’s roost at 10-2, and think you’ll be riding off into the sunset with the legendary LeBron. But, even James can bail out of Lakerland with an option clause after 2020-21. Young (26.6 PPG, 9th in NBA; 8.8 APG, 3rd in NBA), by comparison, isn’t even in max-contract-extension territory yet.
AD, can you trust that the man who once loudly promised fans, “Not 1, Not 2, Not 3, Not 4, Not 5, Not 6…” is going to stick around after your 2, or 1? After all, he left D-Wade and C-Bosh hanging in South Beach, for an owner who had washed his hands of him, once he got homesick. He would have left Kyrie hanging with K-Love, had Irving not kept his third eye open. Can you trust that LBJ won’t simply cross locker rooms and make your trips to The Finals annually go through him with Doc and Jerry West’s Clippers instead?
If James ties himself down in Purplish and Gold until he’s BIG 3-eligible, you’re golden. If he bails in two years, AD, what kind of bag might you be left holding? Nearly everyone you’re playing with will be hitting the exits, too. In the ensuing years, your best bet to play with a James again might involve tanking for Bronny.
Dwight Howard might stay (NBA-best 76.0 FG%, because Dunks), since he’s having a grand old time resuscitating his Q-Rating while rocking that Miseducation of Lauryn Hill ‘do of his. Laker fans’ least favorite Laker, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, would be thrilled to return if you’ll have him back. Kyle Kuzma (13.6 PPG, 3rd in scoring on the team because someone has to be) and Talen Horton-Tucker could theoretically be extended on their rookie-scale deals a little longer. But like your favorite T-shirt says, “That’s All, Folks!”
GM Rob Pelinka has done a fine job with the veteran-loaded roster construction, to this point. But, would you count on a swift rebuild with him in charge? Has his war-room drafted or acquired a young Laker that blossomed AS a Laker (if this is Kuz’s blossoming, he’s in trouble)? Can you count on Jeanie Buss resisting the urge to have Magic or, worse, Linda and Kurt Rambis, meddling again?
Frank Vogel has done well, to this point, simplifying the offense and funneling ball-handler opponents to allow you, Mr. Davis (NBA-high 3.0 BPG), and the Laker bigs to shine. But you can bet he won’t be around long either, because you just know Jason Kidd is plotting something Shakespearean behind the scenes.
You haven’t seen the best of Trae with the Hawks, or his coach Lloyd Pierce, especially if you scouted last night while Paul George’s Clippers ran through Atlanta’s defense like flag-football standout Jerome Bettis. But you shouldn’t have seen them at their best, yet, as neither is anywhere near their plateaus.
Kyrie can recall those first two years mired in Cleveland, a rookie star with crazy handle in a hapless situation, stuck trying to win 35 games with Dion Waiters, Tyler Zeller and Alonzo Gee in tow. James arrives as a free agent, and suddenly Irving is getting to show what he can do in The Finals.
Things weren’t looking too tight for the long-term prospects of heat coach Erik Spoelstra, or then-Cavs assistant Tyronn Lue, before the stars literally aligned before their eyes. Sign with the Hawks, and you won’t have long to wait before Coach Lloyd’s piercing your ear with tutelage, as you and the Team USA assistant chase gold together in Tokyo while, maybe, aligning some stars of your own.
You like Chicago, AD? That’s cool. Come on East to the Hawks and for the first time in your pro career, you can visit your hometown in mid-season more than once per annum. Maybe even more visits, in the springtime, if anyone up there can figure out how to wake up Lauri Markkanen.
I bet you don’t miss that Chi-town climate. At least when we get that cold, or handle a touch of snow around the ATL, it’s newsworthy. You want the big-city lifestyle without the annoyances of big-city media nitpicking and pestering you at every turn? Well, you’d be headed to the right place. Paparazzi is a reggaeton star, as far as this town knows. Whereas in Chicago or LA, you’d be charged with upholding basketball legacies, here in Atlanta, along with Young, you can become the legacy. Promises of 5, 6, or 7 golden balls is nice, but around here we’d be just peachy getting 1 or 2.
If you’re gonna shoulder the load for a team with championship aspirations, wouldn’t it be good to have a conditioning staff that will do something about that pesky shoulder? Ask one of your trade partners, Lonzo Ball, about the Lakers’ loyalty once he went through shoulder sprain issues.
Now, let us introduce you to Chelsea Lane and company. Trae is still supposed to be on the mend after an ankle injury he sustained in Miami a couple weeks ago, not spicing up national highlight reels with one nutmeg after another. Come to the Hawks, and you’ll soon be shoulder-bumping with Kevin Huerter in no time. Chelsea’s purview is the Lane you will want to stay in.
Even John Collins knows that when you have a prodigious talent like Young at your disposal, you don’t need another performance enhancer. Maybe you can play with Collins, who, unlike LeBron, would be happy to play center full-time to fulfill your 4-spot desires. If not, hey, Schlenk has created the flexibility for Atlanta (4-8) to move, or get, almost any bigs you would want to form a formidable frontcourt tandem. Just because Trae has to make-do with Damian Jones and Chandler Parsons doesn’t mean you will.
If the Hawks were just playing possum last night, it will show by their packing the paint on defense, disrupting drives without fouling, and shooing Danny Green (only Laker shooting over 33.3 3FG% on over ten attempts) off the three-point arc, particularly on the right side. Oh, and perhaps Young’s mates won’t need him (2-for-7 3FGs @ LAC, teammates 4-for-17) to bury shots from the LaBrea Tar Pits to be inspired to make productive plays of their own.
Here’s hoping, ultimately, that the Hawks’ biggest loss was in November, but that their biggest Brow-raising victory won’t be.
#AD2ATL! I’ll go get the stage and the pyrotechnics ready.
Let’s Go Hawks!
~lw3
