Funny thing about BK

[tbhawksfan]

I've long said that I like the team he put together.

It's interesting that both Hawks fans and boards don't see the Hawks trading. It seems that this is a team that people see staying together and improving. Wouldn't that imply that BK didn't do such a bad job?

Woodson will probably get an extension. It's a bit of a let down, but might be the best available plan.

Let's hope Sund can get Andersen over and that he can make an impact.

[evildallas]

I don't anticipating the Hawks making trades, but that doesn't mean I think it is the right thing to do. I don't advocate trades just for the sake of trades, but I don't see the team as structured correctly. Standing pat on a team that went 37-45 isn't normally a good way to go. Playoff experience and David Andersen should help the team, but without any other moves other than resignings and the same coach does anyone feel the team will reach 50 wins? Remember we were a relatively healthy team last year and didn't get to .500.

Rookie deals are expiring and tough decisions lie ahead. Not everyone can be signed and kept. BK failed to land many players with star potential in spite of 4 straight years picking in the top 6. The alternative system for success would be like the Pistons, a bunch of really good players, but no big stars making max money. The team waited too long to make decisions to build a Pistons-type roster (that requires some long term commitments at discounts be made before players can test the market). Financial realities will probably prevent us from reaching the Pistons level and failure to maximum draft picks will prevent us from being a star vehicle. At this rate we look to be a lower tier playoff team without any real hope at a title.

BK didn't do a horrible job like Isiah Thomas, but he didn't do a great job either.

[ATLfan]

BK, despite all his failures, has built a solid team with a lot of upside. Now it's up to Rick Sund to get us over the top by adding pieces to our bench and resigning the Joshes.

[CWell]

BK, despite all his failures, has built a solid team with a lot of upside. Now it's up to Rick Sund to get us over the top by adding pieces to our bench and resigning the Joshes.

and get a new coach,and trade Bibby aka Kermit the frog

[ATLfan]

I think Woody is going to be our coach next season and will have a very short leash. We still need to see what we can do with a full season with Bibby before we trade him.

[mattlanta]

I don't anticipating the Hawks making trades, but that doesn't mean I think it is the right thing to do. I don't advocate trades just for the sake of trades, but I don't see the team as structured correctly. Standing pat on a team that went 37-45 isn't normally a good way to go. Playoff experience and David Andersen should help the team, but without any other moves other than resignings and the same coach does anyone feel the team will reach 50 wins? Remember we were a relatively healthy team last year and didn't get to .500.

I don't think many people realize that we are a much better team than our record would imply. Keep in mind that we acquired Bibby towards the later part of the season, and we can thank BK for that trade. Bibby was one of the reasons why we even got to the playoffs.

I think BK doesn't get most of the credit he deserves. Most people just see his draft blunders, and I don't really see why he'd get criticized so badly when even the most highly regarded NBA draft nuts were craving about Marvin and not so much on Chris Paul. BK has always tried his best to grab the best player available on his draft board, and this year, it really did work out with Horford. We didn't need a power forward big man. We definitely needed a point guard. If we were to draft the need, we would of went with Conley, and I highly doubt we would have our team where it is now without Horford.

[CWell]

I think Woody is going to be our coach next season and will have a very short leash. We still need to see what we can do with a full season with Bibby before we trade him.

we aren't keeping him regardless so we might as well see what he really have in the young guy we drafted last year.People say wait till the trade deadline but then it'd still be an adjusting point.Bibby isn't gonna magically start playing defense when he hasn't defended a soul all his career.He's just a shoooter now and that's it.We can atleast see how Acie does in summer league and pre-season then.We don't have to trade Kermit tommorow or anything.

[JoshB914]

-= original quote snipped =-


I don't think many people realize that we are a much better team than our record would imply. Keep in mind that we acquired Bibby towards the later part of the season, and we can thank BK for that trade. Bibby was one of the reasons why we even got to the playoffs.

I think BK doesn't get most of the credit he deserves. Most people just see his draft blunders, and I don't really see why he'd get criticized so badly when even the most highly regarded NBA draft nuts were craving about Marvin and not so much on Chris Paul. BK has always tried his best to grab the best player available on his draft board, and this year, it really did work out with Horford. We didn't need a power forward big man. We definitely needed a point guard. If we were to draft the need, we would of went with Conley, and I highly doubt we would have our team where it is now without Horford.

As many have said, the Marvin screw up we could live with because definetely there was some hindsight involved there as Marvin was a huuuuge prospect. But then following it up with the Shelden Williams deal was too much to deal with. That is one of the worst picks in the history of the NBA.

The Bibby trade was fine, but I'm not interested in having a GM who figures out the importance of the PG position after five years.

[evildallas]

-= original quote snipped =-
As many have said, the Marvin screw up we could live with because definetely there was some hindsight involved there as Marvin was a huuuuge prospect. But then following it up with the Shelden Williams deal was too much to deal with. That is one of the worst picks in the history of the NBA.

The Bibby trade was fine, but I'm not interested in having a GM who figures out the importance of the PG position after five years.

Well put. Add to that the missteps with free agent signings like Speedy Claxton and Lo Wright and you got one of the worst off-seasons ever.

I try to support all of our players, but I also try to look at the team realistically. Our team has some good players, but has major shortcomings (interior D, 3 pt shooting, and scoring off the bench) and not much depth. Billy Knight didn't build a cohesive roster and took so long address the PG position that he made Mike Woodson sympathetic meaning that it might be a couple more years until we have a real coach.

[tbhawksfan]

-= original quote snipped =-



Well put. Add to that the missteps with free agent signings like Speedy Claxton and Lo Wright and you got one of the worst off-seasons ever.

I try to support all of our players, but I also try to look at the team realistically. Our team has some good players, but has major shortcomings (interior D, 3 pt shooting, and scoring off the bench) and not much depth. Billy Knight didn't build a cohesive roster and took so long address the PG position that he made Mike Woodson sympathetic meaning that it might be a couple more years until we have a real coach.

You guys seem to be missing one important reality when considering BK's moves. There is also a timing element. I could see BK's plan and I think it was a good idea, but with risks. The Hawks time is just arrinving and even if we keep this bunch as is, they are going to get better for the next two or three years and then enter their prime as a group.

The moves that some of you advocate, though good BBall moves, would not have been good in the timely development process of the team.

[LL Cool Scott]

There is not one funny thing about that wretched man. We would be the most talented young team in the league if not for his f***-ups. I wish him nothing but pain and misery the rest of his days.

[evildallas]

-= original quote snipped =-
You guys seem to be missing one important reality when considering BK's moves. There is also a timing element. I could see BK's plan and I think it was a good idea, but with risks. The Hawks time is just arrinving and even if we keep this bunch as is, they are going to get better for the next two or three years and then enter their prime as a group.

The moves that some of you advocate, though good BBall moves, would not have been good in the timely development process of the team.

Couldn't disagree more about the timing thing. PGs traditionally take time to develop, if BK had invested in a PG in 2005 or a combo guard in 2006 they would have been ready by now (not claiming to be clairvoyant with respect to Paul). By waiting until 2007 to draft Acie Law he wasn't ready when the rest of the team should have been ready to make the playoff run. The other players might have actually developed at a better clip had they had a decent PG to run the team the last few years. It is true, that maybe we wouldn't have gotten Al Horford, but it was sheer luck that we were able to keep that pick to draft him anyway due to the weak protection that BK had on the trade. Trading for Mike Bibby while a good move was a desperation move made after the roster BK put together was unable to win half its games.

BK's strategy and screwups held this team back and while you may choose to look on the bright side about the players we got as a result, I refuse to give BK credit for getting lucky enough to finish in the top 3 in the lottery and keep our pick last year. Any time your strategy is that you just have to win a lottery then you aren't a good GM, ask Rick Pitino.

[CWell]

-= original quote snipped =-



Couldn't disagree more about the timing thing. PGs traditionally take time to develop, if BK had invested in a PG in 2005 or a combo guard in 2006 they would have been ready by now (not claiming to be clairvoyant with respect to Paul). By waiting until 2007 to draft Acie Law he wasn't ready when the rest of the team should have been ready to make the playoff run. The other players might have actually developed at a better clip had they had a decent PG to run the team the last few years. It is true, that maybe we wouldn't have gotten Al Horford, but it was sheer luck that we were able to keep that pick to draft him anyway due to the weak protection that BK had on the trade. Trading for Mike Bibby while a good move was a desperation move made after the roster BK put together was unable to win half its games.

BK's strategy and screwups held this team back and while you may choose to look on the bright side about the players we got as a result, I refuse to give BK credit for getting lucky enough to finish in the top 3 in the lottery and keep our pick last year. Any time your strategy is that you just have to win a lottery then you aren't a good GM, ask Rick Pitino.

back then I was always saying get a young PG to GROW WITH the team.That's why I wanted Paul,then I wanted Marcus Williams,after the draft I liked Rondo after watching summer league.but no here comes dumb ol Woody saying "ah duhhh I think um this uh team needs a veteran point guard guhhhhh,i'm an idiot uhhhhh".Then here comes Anthony Johnson for a freakin 2nd rounder.The injury proned backup of the young guy we should've drafted we signed to a big contract for what?to be the injury prone starter?and just like I knew would happen,Speedy got hurt and barely plays for us.I honestly would have taken Marcus Banks over Craig that summer.

[JoshB914]

CWell you realize that the PG issues you mentioned had nothing to do with Woody? If anything, Woody was on his knees begging for a legit PG from BK. And what was he given? Speedy Claxton, T Lue, Salim Staudamire, Anthony Grundy, Tony Delk etc. Woody has nothing to do with this. But I guess he gets blamed for anything and everything around here.

[CWell]

CWell you realize that the PG issues you mentioned had nothing to do with Woody? If anything, Woody was on his knees begging for a legit PG from BK. And what was he given? Speedy Claxton, T Lue, Salim Staudamire, Anthony Grundy, Tony Delk etc. Woody has nothing to do with this. But I guess he gets blamed for anything and everything around here.

I blamed both.Wody for saying we needed a vet PG when we didn't and Knight for getting the worst ones possible.

[JoshB914]

We did need a vet PG, the run we made with Bibby clearly shows that. I'm pretty sure that Woody didn't have Anthony Johnson in mind when he asked for a vet PG. He was thinking of a starting caliber PG, but BK failed to do that and handed him a backup.

[killbuckner]

wow- I can't believe you blame woodson for saying something blatantly obvious like the Hawks needed a veteran PG. You know he was saying it before the Hawks drafted your one true love right?

[td00]

He was not a basketball expert; he has been around the game and may have multiple relationships with other GMs, but what he put together created a 37-45 team. So many people of this board could have done that and handed Woody what he was handed.
Going forward, this team should not stand pat. They need to build upon their 3 win playoff success. That alone keeps Woody around.
Now, Sund needs to give Woody what he was missing which is depth and more veterans who can perform in a city other than Atlanta.
Our road record is bad. We need to improve quckly while we have that opportunity.

[CWell]

wow- I can't believe you blame woodson for saying something blatantly obvious like the Hawks needed a veteran PG. You know he was saying it before the Hawks drafted your one true love right?

um did u read my post?I was talking about the previous drafts when he said that.and quit with the immature stuff,I didn't even want Law in the draft.I thought he was a SG in a PG's body.I wanted Conley.but after seeing Law play and prove everybody wrong about him not having quickness or speed I warmed up to him.and to see him outplay every PG on the roster at the beginning of the season I knew he'd be good but the injuries came and Woody limited him.

I thought we needed a young PG because we weren't contending for anything no time soon so why waste a vets time?just let the young guys grow together.Paul and West are growing together.What was the point of 100 SF when they wouldn't grwo together because they are going to halve to leave someday because it's no room for all of them.

[Rip2137]

Bottomline about Billy. he put together a talented team that could have been ALOT more talented.

The Sheldon Williams pick is just inexcusable. i can honestly make argument for every move he made, but there is absolutely not one argument you can make for taking Sheldon Williams at 5. personally, that was enough to let him go there.