Dr Mufasa wrote:Q: Are you confident in the Hawks direction? If everything goes right, how does this team make the leap from the 2nd round to contention?
No idea. With the team in the final stages of being sold, we don't really have a history to go on. I'd wager that the team will be sold before the season - the ASG wants out and I think the NBA will take Meruelo over allowing us to be put into lame duck ownership purgatory until the next guy comes along. I haven't seen too much in terms of direction out of Meruelo except for the common sound bites that ever new owner makes and I want something more tangible before deciding which direction we're going.
Dr Mufasa wrote:Q: How do you feel about Josh Smith's future with the team? Would you have traded him for a lottery prospect in the 2011 draft, such as a C like Enes Kanter and Jonas Valanciunas or a PG like Kemba Walker and Jimmer Fredette?
He'll be here through the end of his contract. I can't see anyone giving us what it'd take to pry him away. He'll do what he does which is supply a maddeningly inconsistent game where he can take over games for stretches and then completely disappear until then and then jump into the market.
I would have traded him for either Kanter or Valanciunas, but I really like both of their upsides. I would have swallowed harder before pulling the trigger on Valanciunas (staying in Europe next year, longer way to go), but I would have still done it if the other parts of the deal weren't prohibitive. I wouldn't have pulled the trigger on either of the PG's though - don't see the position as a huge need nor do I particularly like either player fitting in on the court with our team without major adjustments to their game.
Dr Mufasa wrote:Q: Let's say the Orlando Magic call you and offer Jameer Nelson, J.J. Redick, Daniel Orton and their 2012 1st for Joe Johnson, and the Golden State Warriors call you and offer Monta Ellis for Josh Smith. Which of these deals do you take and why? (both is an option) If you chose both, does your answer change if only one deal or the other is offered?
Wouldn't bother with GSW at all. I like Ellis, but I really don't know what he'll do if he's pulled out of his comfort level in GSW. I'd prefer to see if he has the same value after playing under Mark Jackson for a year (sorry, but I just don't see Keith Smart as someone with a personality big enough to get him to change much) before I'd put much more than a low ball offer on the table for him.
Without knowing the direction of the new owner, the ORL deal is trickier. A new owner wouldn't want to come in and immediately ship the team's best player for some mediocre to slightly above veterans and some OK prospects - the marketing consequences of such a move could be a total disaster. Still, the cap consequences of JJ's contract will continue to get bigger as we go along and the would inhibit the new owner from putting his stamp on the team. I know our current GM liked Orton in the draft and another 1st rounder never hurts. I think we'd pull the trigger, but I don't think it's the slam dunk that many outsiders would think.
Dr Mufasa wrote:Q: Is Marvin Williams a) A replacement level, massively overpaid player, b) A good utility player every team would like to have, but perhaps at a cheaper price, or c) An underrated gem who's biggest problem is not having oppurtunity and touches
Somewhere between a) and b) although he isn't what I'd think of as a utility guy. He's an average to below starting SF and any hope of him playing another position left me long ago. Overpaid, yes, but you shouldn't really compare him to absolute steals of a deal that we see at the position either. If your team doesn't have any decent option at SF, then he can give you minutes without embarrassing you, but I wouldn't think he's someone a team would make a run at as a key component to a championship (current or future) team.
Dr Mufasa wrote:Q: If you had to rank the players on their team by how much you'd ask for them in a trade, or value to you, what would be your list?
I'd have to put Horford 1st since his team friendly contract runs his prime. Smoove would be 2nd to Horford, but it's a tight race and if they actually had similar contracts then I might take Smith. I'd also have to list Teague as 3rd because of the rookie contract and signs of progress at the end of last season. We'd need a package to bowl us over to consider trading those top 3 guys. After that, I'd list out JJ, Hinrich, then Zaza as being guys who we'd trade as long as the package coming back would make us better. We wouldn't need to be bowled over, but we'd be asking for more than a useless expiring too. I've discussed JJ's situation in terms of a new owner above (owners are businessmen who want to make $$, sometimes making $$ is more about marketing than product), so I wouldn't be surprised if he's actually #1 though. Anyone else on the roster can be had for little to nothing.
Dr Mufasa wrote:Q: Predict the Hawks record this year if we play 82 games
I'll go with 52-30 and a 2nd round exit in the playoffs. The regular season record will go up - if for no other reasons than our coach will have some more experience and Teague/Hinrich will provide more D than Bibby did. I can't see us getting any further in the playoffs until we can get a few more parts though.