Hawks like the Braves?

[graymule]

Will the seasons for these two Atlanta teams be very much alike? I believe they will. What do you think?

This year's Braves run hot and cold. They recently surged to .500 for the year, then promptly ran into a
hot Chicago Cub team and were swept at home. They play some exciting games, then go to sleep.

We didn't expect the Braves to win it all this season. We don't expect the Hawks to win it all this season.
As these, mostly very young Hawks learn to play "Bud Ball" and face various teams, we all expect to see
a lot of exciting NBA competition.

Almost all new players make up the team. Sure, a few young Hawks are returning and a few other players,
mostly still short of their peak years, fill out the roster.

And, this season, for the first time ever, Hawks will have their very own minor league team. Will we sink
to the bottom? Nope. I fully expect Atlanta to be fighting for a playoff spot, maybe a little higher. How
about you. What do you expect this year's Hawk team to be?

[Spud2nique]

I agree in that we will be competitive and much like the Braves minus as many vets. Well, I guess we do have some vets too. I am gonna compare the season we are about to have to a 1999-2000 Orlando Magic...fight hard for a 7th 8th seed. I dunno if I'm rooting for it though.

[Geaux_Hawks]

The roster is in worse shape than the Braves. The Braves have actually something to look forward to with one of the best farm systems in the league unlike the Hawks. If the Hawks had a young, superstar potential guy on the roster, maybe the two would correlate with each other, but I see the Braves in a much better situation. Hawks will get there though. We should be looking at a top 5-10 most likely in the draft next year.

[ATL Boy]

The roster is in worse shape than the Braves. The Braves have actually something to look forward to with one of the best farm systems in the league unlike the Hawks. If the Hawks had a young, superstar potential guy on the roster, maybe the two would correlate with each other, but I see the Braves in a much better situation. Hawks will get there though. We should be looking at a top 5-10 most likely in the draft next year.

Agreed. The Braves boast a much better pipeline toward the future and a bonafide superstar in Freddie Freeman. Maybe if the Hawks had kicked off the rebuild a few years earlier we'd be in a similar position.


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[Jamaaliver]

^Agreed.

Braves are well into their rebuild three years after firing the former GM. They have a consensus top three minor league crop. And have a star in his prime in Freddy Freeman.

Hawks are just starting and there is a good chance no one on the roster today is here in 3 years. (Maybe J Collins.)

No idea what direction we're going in. Whereas the Braves future seems pretty bright with Swanson, Acuna and Maitan preparing to lead the Braves in a few years.

(Notice, I didn't mention Ozzie Albies. That was intentional.)

Spoiler:

Read on Twitter

[kg01]

Can't compare ML and NBA. For example, in the NBA the 'farm system' is on the roster, not in the g-league.

[Jamaaliver]

Can't compare ML and NBA. For example, in the NBA the 'farm system' is on the roster, not in the g-league.

Very true. But there are at least some similarities in approach.

Given the Braves’ example, the Hawks’ rebuild doesn’t seem so bad

...baseball is not the NBA. The latter has a salary cap; the former subsists on its minor leagues, which barely register in basketball. The NBA runs on superstars; MLB runs on pitching and volume.

Still, the guiding principles of rebuilding are similar:

• Dump aging big names and their big contracts
• Get younger
• Jostle like crazy for draft position.

myAJC



Hawks have clearly focused on two of the above three in the last couple of months. And appear poised to pursue good draft positioning as well. Same as the Bravos...

[kg01]

Can't compare ML and NBA. For example, in the NBA the 'farm system' is on the roster, not in the g-league.

Very true. But there are at least some similarities in approach.

Given the Braves’ example, the Hawks’ rebuild doesn’t seem so bad

...baseball is not the NBA. The latter has a salary cap; the former subsists on its minor leagues, which barely register in basketball. The NBA runs on superstars; MLB runs on pitching and volume.

Still, the guiding principles of rebuilding are similar:

• Dump aging big names and their big contracts
• Get younger
• Jostle like crazy for draft position.

myAJC



Hawks have clearly focused on two of the above three in the last two months. And appear poised to pursue good draft positioning as well. Same as the Bravos...

First, I trust your opinions/thoughts significantly more than anything Bradley writes. You wound me by quoting that guy.

That said, you're right that we've shed and eschewed salary. In a cap-driven league, that's automatic. Get younger? I'd call that a necessary consequence moreso than an 'approach', necessarily.

I think the degree to which SausageSchlenk cares about draft position is TBD. He's certainly compiling picks but is he doing so in an effort to move up? Or, is he simply compiling picks as trade currency? He spoke a couple times about being poised to strike when, for example, a Har_en comes available via trade. We'll see.

I like what he's doing so far. I just don't think there's a parallel between the Hawks/Barves' "approach". Any similarities are happenstance IMO.

[Jamaaliver]

First, I trust your opinions/thoughts significantly more than anything Bradley writes. You wound me by quoting that guy.

That said, you're right that we've shed and eschewed salary. In a cap-driven league, that's automatic. Get younger? I'd call that a necessary consequence moreso than an 'approach', necessarily.

I think the degree to which SausageSchlenk cares about draft position is TBD. He's certainly compiling picks but is he doing so in an effort to move up? Or, is he simply compiling picks as trade currency? He spoke a couple times about being poised to strike when, for example, a Har_en comes available via trade. We'll see.

I like what he's doing so far. I just don't think there's a parallel between the Hawks/Barves' "approach". Any similarities are happenstance IMO.

This is an incredibly thoughtful and well written response.

Glad you're aboard, k-geezy!!


Regarding Schlenk and draft position...I agree. He's mentioned several times that the Warriors were built without top 3 picks. Just good scouting and development of later lottery selections.

With the aggressive manner he's pursued future picks and signed young players (specifically signing T Dorsey to a 2 yr guaranteed contract), I believe he has great faith in his scouting and thinks he can get rotation players anywhere in the draft. Time will tell if he's right.

I do like what he's doing overall, too.

For what it's worth, I do see a direct correlation undeniable symmetry between the two rebuilds as both seem focused early on in just getting as many young prospects in as possible.

But I respect the dissenting opinion and perspective you bring. You've given me much to think about this week.

[kg01]

First, I trust your opinions/thoughts significantly more than anything Bradley writes. You wound me by quoting that guy.

That said, you're right that we've shed and eschewed salary. In a cap-driven league, that's automatic. Get younger? I'd call that a necessary consequence moreso than an 'approach', necessarily.

I think the degree to which SausageSchlenk cares about draft position is TBD. He's certainly compiling picks but is he doing so in an effort to move up? Or, is he simply compiling picks as trade currency? He spoke a couple times about being poised to strike when, for example, a Har_en comes available via trade. We'll see.

I like what he's doing so far. I just don't think there's a parallel between the Hawks/Barves' "approach". Any similarities are happenstance IMO.

This is an incredibly thoughtful and well written response.

Glad you're aboard, k-geezy!!


Regarding Schlenk and draft position...I agree. He's mentioned several times that the Warriors were built without top 3 picks. Just good scouting and development of later lottery selections.

With the aggressive manner he's pursued future picks and signed young players (specifically signing T Dorsey to a 2 yr guaranteed contract), I believe he has great faith in his scouting and thinks he can get rotation players anywhere in the draft. Time will tell if he's right.

I do like what he's doing overall, too.

For what it's worth, I do see a direct correlation undeniable symmetry between the two rebuilds as both seem focused early on in just getting as many young prospects in as possible.

But I respect the dissenting opinion and perspective you bring. You've given me much to think about this week.

Heh, there's some people on Hawsquawk that're glad I'm on realgm too but that's a whole other story.

[Jamaaliver]

^That's where you guys are from!!!!

[kg01]

^That's where you guys are from!!!!

I legally cannot confirm nor deny.

I plead the 5th.

[jayu70]

^That's where you guys are from!!!!

I legally cannot confirm nor deny.

I plead the 5th.

[macd-gm]

Heh, there's some people on Hawsquawk that're glad I'm on realgm too but that's a whole other story.

I told you we were using code names. Hear that? We're using code names.

[kg01]

Heh, there's some people on Hawsquawk that're glad I'm on realgm too but that's a whole other story.

I told you we were using code names. Hear that? We're using code names.

Heh, maybe I should sign up as 10gk.

[macd-gm]

Heh, there's some people on Hawsquawk that're glad I'm on realgm too but that's a whole other story.

I told you we were using code names. Hear that? We're using code names.

Heh, maybe I should sign up as 10gk.

CageyOhWon

[graymule]

Yep!

Some of us left and now we are like Minnie Pearl, "Proud to be here!"

[Jamaaliver]

Man, for all the criticism I levied at the Hawks dysfunctional front office...the Braves seem to be worse.

Their rebuild has gone relatively well, as they now bear the highest rated minor league talent in the league by most accounts.

But, ummm...beyond that.

Read on Twitter

[graymule]

Hawks have a new center who is expected to start. Dedmon, a relatively young 28 and 7 ft looked good
in our first exhibition game. Personally, I see him as an improvement over D8, last year's starter.

Hawks present roster of 20 list some old vets and almost all of them on short term contracts. They have
three first round draft picks next summer to go with all the youth on this year's roster.

Hawks now have their own farm team and some of this year's youth are sure to end up, at least for a while,
on our own G league team.

We do have one veteran, high priced veteran who is injury prone. He's already MIA after a brief appearance.
Plumlee may be curable by the Hawks medical staff or he may end up being paid by disability insurance.
Someone, sometime, thought well of him because of his current contract. We hope that the Hawks can
get him all straightened out so that he can live up to his contract.

The Braves season, just ended, saw them lose more than one game that we thought they should have won.
But, they won some games that we thought, "There is no was we win this one." Personally, I expect the same
thing from this season's Hawks.

Hawks roster consist of old veterans and some very young, inexperienced NBA players. The old will mentor
the young and, the further in the season we go, the more all the other NBA teams will wish they didn't have
to face those pesky Hawks!

Atlanta will not be as great as Hawk fans would like for them to be BUT they will not be as terrible as some
of those experts expect. Farm system? Watch college basketball where three future Hawks will be playing
this season. We will name them at the draft!

- Yep. We're pretty good !!

[macd-gm]

Atlanta sports, after a very brief upswing, is facing some adversity. My fanship with the Braves disappeared when they took their ball and left the city. I don't have a favorable opinion of the new place on it's own either even if you ignore the location.

Now the Falcons are trying to make up for an historic super bowl collapse and are sputtering. Not to mention we have 2 billion dollar dome that is remarkably similar to the old dome and this is what the turnout looks like for the 3-0 falcons against the 2-1 bills:



I used to bristle at Atlanta being the worst sports town but i don't know. I don't blame the fans though. I blame the teams for not having a clue what fans want...or just not caring.