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Many teams are worried about trading for a star because they are unsure if they will be able to resign them.

I think Atlanta and LA (maybe Dallas) who don't have to worry about a star leaving after their contract has expired.

Atlanta is a major media market, a place where affluent black people enjoy to live in, a place as Chris Webber would say "easy to get soul food", and finally has a top 8 NBA team.

even in the bad times, players never really wanted to leave Atlanta, not as bad as other places like Indy, Sacramento, Orlando, or Toronto. and even now, Bibby wants to stay.

I think the Hawks should go ahead and try to make a low ball offer for Amare or Bosh and not worry about an extention, because i'm pretty sure that as long as the Hawks are making the playoffs, most black athletes would enjoy in staying in Atlanta.

Harry- what examples can you give of atlanta being a preferred FA destination? I do think that Iverson will end up as the PG of the Hawks next season because the owners think he will own this town (and I can't disagree with that part of it) but I just can't recall any examples of the Hawks getting prime free agents.

do you know why i used the word "finally"?

Hawks have been a lottery team the last +10 years, NOW, they are FINALLY a playoff team.

in the bad years, the Hawks had a hard time getting prime free agents, of course, but even then when players had to come to ATL they would end up liking to play for the Hawks,..... Terry, Shareef, Steve Smith, Walker, S.Jackson, Harrington, Mutombo, Naz, Diaw, etc, never demanded a trade, at one point or another even expressed how they hope they can stay in ATL. Rider and Childress are the only two guys i can think about who demanded a trade out of ATL.

Toronta, Orlando, Sacramento, Indy have a long history of stars demanding a trade out, but not really ATL.

you don't think that making the playoffs for the second straight year, and getting home court advantage has changed national perception of the Hawks? you don't think Bosh or Amare would support a trade to ATL if they found out one was in the works? you think that DET or NJN now, look more attractive than ATL???

i think as long as they get paid their market value, athletes would have ATL in their top ten if not top 5 places to play.

Harry- do you honestly think that Atlanta is a more desirable FA destination than Orlando?

^ yes, talk to Shaq, Penny, TMac, and Steve Francis.

even Vince Carter is from central Florida and he elected to stay in New Jersey than sign with the Magic.

Harry- Orlando has brought in McGrady and Grant Hill in FA who both had many choices of where to go. Duncan was awfully close to going. They are a top 5 team in the league with a superstar center. There is no income tax in florida on top of that. The biggest outright FA signing that I can think of in the past 10 years for the Hawks is Speedy Claxton. I think you are just delusional to think that Atlanta is a more desirable FA destination.

^ to think that ATL is in the same position now, as they where in from 2000-2007 is just moronic.

and if you actually think that Duncan would have ever thought about going to Orlando, then that is laughably moronic. like those 2 people in the world who thought that Jordan would leave Chicago for New Jersey, just because they made an offer.

Life would have been a lot different," Duncan said before scoring 23 points in a 103-92 victory in Game 2 Sunday. "It was probably a lot closer of a decision than people even think or even know, but it's worked out the right way to say the least."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/co ... 01393.html

Maybe you don't recall but that was when Orlando had the chance to sign both Grant Hill and Duncan. Its not like Duncan was just paying them lip service to get more money out of the Spurs- it was genuine interest and I don't particularly see why several later Duncan would say it was a tough call if he never really considered it. I don't think you can find any sort of similar quote from Jordan to use your example.

Harry- I'll be surprised if you can even find another person on this board who thinks that Atlanta is a more desirable FA destination than Orlando. You are just delusional yet again.

Atlanta is a slightly larger media market than Orlando, and for Duncan going from small market San Antonio, Orlando actually would have been an improvement.

Harry, are you actually arguing with killjoy? You must be, because I see all the places where he responds to you. Let me guess, his argument is our players are overrated, our city is overrated, even our air is worse than in BOS or DEN. Right?

Harry, I think you make a good point about how appreciated the city of Atlanta is by many athletes (not just blacks). I'm just not sure about trading for Bosh or Amare. Getting one of them would compare to the games when Smoove played at his best. Problem is, we still had other weaknesses.

^ well i see the major weaknesses of ATL as getting another 20ppg scorer for Joe, and interior scoring..... and Bosh or Amare could answer both those concerns.

ATL could use an upgrade in defense in their PG position, but that is another topic that really doesn't relate to this topic because Hawks will have alot of cap room from Bibby's contract.

The Hawks won't have a lot of caproom from letting Bibby walk unless the Hawks also renounce Marvin, Zaza, and Childress.

killbuckner wrote:The Hawks won't have a lot of caproom from letting Bibby walk unless the Hawks also renounce Marvin, Zaza, and Childress.

Which is not a big deal. They have time to talk to the agents of targeted players before they have to renounce.

So if, just to pull a name out of the air, Artest was willing to come for 12 mil. Then they can renounce.

Also IMO only NY and LA (two cities I've lived in) have a clear edge over Atlanta as a destination. maybe Miami ... There is a reason why the ATL has been dubbed the Black Mecca.

The problem with Atlanta has been the team sucked and the fan base was weak. However the population has doubled in the last 10 years and the team is exciting ... Philips according to Garnett is the loudest arena he's ever been in. Me too but I can only compare to Staples, MSG, and the Forum.

Several pro athletes and celebrities like Charles Woodson, and Halle Berry, whose careers are based in other cities have homes in the ATL because it is a top five city in the US.

Atlanta is probably #1 in the USA when it comes to beautiful black women I mention that because the league seems like it is 70% black.

My ex brother in law, a former Detroit Lion owns a home in Orlando I've been three times and honestly I don't see it other than in his case he wanted a getaway from the cold and tax shelter.
Also Orlando Majic is the only pro sport in town.

But city to city Orlando is not on Atlanta's level socially, and culturaly.

You guys are ignoring the lack of state income tax in Florida. NO ONE will pick Atlanta over Orlando because of this reason. It gives Orlando a HUGE advantage over other teams, and it's the reason that lots of big name free agents have signed with Orlando. Money trumps everything - anyone who follows professional sports should recognize that reality.

i doubt that a FA is gonna think about the social market of atlanta compared to orlando when making a decision, (especially when alot of FA's are family men and are looking for quiet places to raise their families.) phillips is loud during playoff time and when big stars are in atlanta (james, kobe, the celtics) you can fall asleep in phillips when we're playing the bobcats. (which wouldn't happen in golden state or utah).

however i do agree that atlanta is becoming a place that FA's will consider when looking for places to play. the teams successes in the postseason will mean more and more role players will look our way when trying to succeed in the NBA.

LL Cool Scott wrote:You guys are ignoring the lack of state income tax in Florida. NO ONE will pick Atlanta over Orlando because of this reason. It gives Orlando a HUGE advantage over other teams, and it's the reason that lots of big name free agents have signed with Orlando. Money trumps everything - anyone who follows professional sports should recognize that reality.

if that is the case, then why doesn't Florida have multiple championships in football, basketball, and baseball???

why are not the top 5 athletes in each sport all playing on Florida teams???