BK to the Hawks?

[Fire BK]

In the wake of (the other BK) Billy Knight's resignation:

NBA front-office sources told ESPN.com's Marc Stein that former Philadelphia 76ers general manager Billy King will be a strong candidate to replace Knight with the Hawks.

If that happens, how might it affect us?

BK would be facing the challenge of retaining RFA's Josh Smith and Childress... and it seems unlikely ATL can keep both. Unfortunately, ATL doesn't have a 1st rounder this year to pluck, but they do have one in 2009.

New GM's always bring old guys on board with new teams, see Bill Parcells in MIA. BK is enamored with "his" guys, aka Iggy, Willie Green, Sam.

The Hawks have plenty of wing players, but could use some better guard play. For example, there's no backup SG to Joe Johnson. But if Speedy Claxton comes back, the PG position has depth behind Bibby. Therefore... WG + 2008 2nd to ATL for Acie Law?

[UptownPhilly]

Will Speedy Claxton ever play again?

Billy King would do fine in Atlanta, aside from signing players to contracts, that is.

[The Sixer Fixer]

If King gets the job, lets send him Willie Green in a S/T of Childress. Heck, don't stop there...give him AI, Carney and Dalembert for J. Smith and Horford

[noone]

If he gets the job, at least there's one thing we can rest assured of: Smith will be maxed out.

[UptownPhilly]

SixerFixer,

that second deal isn't that farfetched.

Iguodala/Johnson would be a good defensive tandem at SG/Sf.

Dalembert provides them with a legit starting center.

They'd just have to fill the void at PF. Marvin Williams would probably spot minutes there.

[SendEm]

If he gets the job, at least there's one thing we can rest assured of: Smith will be maxed out.

If I'm Josh Smith, Marvin Williams, and even Childress, right now I would be jumping for joy.

[SendEm]

Oh crap I just thought about it, if BK gets in the front office of ATL and OVERPAYS Josh Smith that will inflate the contract value of Iggy. OH NO PLEASE ATLANTA DON'T DO IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Hawks]

There is no chance of him coming to the Hawks. Typical Espn to see an opening and quickly say someone is the front runner for the position. More than likely the Hawks will hire a GM from within the organization.

[NDaATL]

The ATL Spirit is dumb as hell, I have no doubts they will hire another BK now. What idiots.

[The Guilty Party]

Right now... the agents for Smith and Childress have to be smiling. Unfortunately as Sendem said... Smith getting a big deal will only hurt us with Iguodala.

[LieCheatSteal]

You know, I think TOO much credit for the Sixers' current "success" is being attributed to King. Yes, he assembled the team (ie Miller) and drafted well (Young, Iggy, Dalembert, Williams) but I would say a lot of the credit (about 80%, I would say) should go to the coaching staff, specifically Cheeks. He took King's players (some flawed more than others) and taught them to hustle, run and play top defense. Under any other coach (or coaching staff), this team would be a lottery team.

Let Atlanta have another BK. Good luck with that.

[Fire BK]

You know, I think TOO much credit for the Sixers' current "success" is being attributed to King.

Yup. No doubt.

People seem to forget the Sixers made a minor trade this season too.

Cheers, BK.

Meanwhile, Bickerstaff is ahead of him on the wish list in ATL now. Have another.

[psykosacul]

Under any other coach (or coaching staff), this team would be a lottery team.

this is BK hating at its finest... attributing all of the teams success to the coach fixing their flaws and doing things no other coach could do with them. mo cheeks. ... uhm... uh huh. he is a savant, no question.

There is no chance of him coming to the Hawks. Typical Espn to see an opening and quickly say someone is the front runner for the position. More than likely the Hawks will hire a GM from within the organization.

why is there no chance?

[LieCheatSteal]

Cheeks IS a savant!!!

OK, in all seriousness, the coach does cover a lot of the GM's shortcomings. Are you telling me that Willie Green and Rodney Carney were great acquisitions? Cheeks was able to use them effectively in very useful roles. A lot of coaches would have just benched them time after time that they screwed up and just generally sucked. Cheeks was able to use them effectively (ie bring out the strengths, hide the weaknesses). Also, everyone here loves Thad but do you remember early in the season, people were wondering why Cheeks wasn't playing him. In reality, I think he was slowly adjusting him to a regular professional season and not burn him out (see the rookie wall). He played fantastic at the end, didn't he? What about Dalembert? I would like to say that a lot of his improved play this year was because of his involvement in the Canadian Olympic team but, let's face it, that team seriously sucks. But, I think it was more Cheeks and his coaching staff molding him into perhaps one of the most improved players in the league, one that went from not earning to earning his contract. He could be one of the most tradeable commodities the Sixers have right now (although I doubt the Sixers will trade him now).

So what did BK do other than acquiring the players? Maybe some points here and there about player development but who executes those moves? The coaching staff. That's why Cheeks and his coaching staff deserves much more of the kudos for the Sixers' turnaround than BK. Cheeks did make lemonade out of lemons.