EC Finals 09-10 = realistic goal for Hawks?

ACE_reppin_ATL · Post #1 » by **ACE_reppin_ATL** » Wed May 13, 2009 5:54 pm

IMHO, I think that we can get to the EC Finals or be serious title contenders if these things are done this summer (offseason):

Key Players Improve:
[ Joe Johnson ] - AGGRESSIVENESS? Is it me or did Joe Johnson show more aggression in the 2 minutes that followed the the mix with Delonte West in game 3 than anytime during the playoffs this year? He demanded the ball in the post, he drove hard and aggressive, and stroke a 3pt shot effortlessly without thinking! He literally lit West azz up 1-on-1 for about 2 minutes straight. When Joe has played like that, he's shown that he could be unguardable. Just like the game he took over vs BOS in ATL last year. WHERE IS THAT JOE ALL YEAR? WHY doesn't he played with that AGGRESSIVENESS and Killer instinct all year long? He has to have that "we will not lose this game" attitude every night to lead this team the way they look for him to.

[ Josh Smith ] - SHOT SELECTION? His stats across the board were career lows except for (guess what?) his FG%...So, what is the problem? Can Josh develop a consistent mid range (13-16ft) jumper? With a few months of solid work, look at Glen "Big Baby" Davis mid range game now? Can Josh finally realize that boxing out better on the defensive end will give him another 1.5 to 2 rebounds per game?

[ Al Horford ] - POST OFFENSE? Horford has the strength, tough, and footwork fundamentals to be very solid in the low post...BUT he has no feel and goes to the same move and hand too often. Imagine if he went with Smoove to work out with Hakeem Olajuwon this summer? If Horford can can get more comfortable and consistent in the low post, he would easily avg 14-15ppg.

Decisions:
[] Mike Bibby - Re-sign him? For how much and how long? I think if he wants more than $7MIL per than we should look to Free Agency. Best case scenario to put us in the Finals: Sign Iverson (who lives here and has been all over the Hawks msg boards for months) but would he take $8-10M to win? No other team accommodates his style/need to be #1 option more than ATL, CHA, TOR, and maybe IND? Hawks are the only ones that could put up the money but would Iverson = Bye, Bye Chillz rights?
[] Marvin & Childress - How much will Marvin cost? Will it come down to keeping Marvin or Chillz? Will Marvin improve and put it all together or continue to take small steps?
[] Zaza & Flip - Must resign both. We only went as far as bench would extend us with Woody's deficiencies. I think Zaza is realistically worth around Varejao's $5-6M at the most. Flip is should be offered somewhere around $4M per year.
[] Gooden, B.Bass, Milsap, Varejao, "Birdman", or even Sheed? - Must add a veteran big man to come off the bench with Zaza. He must be known and respected for either: A. shotblocking/interior defense, B. hustle/rebounds, or C. scoring in the post/drawing double teams.

Harry10 · Post #2 » by **Harry10** » Wed May 13, 2009 6:34 pm

If Atlanta can get Amare or Bosh and still keep Joe and Smith, then a championship is a possibility.

theatlfan · Post #3 » by **theatlfan** » Wed May 13, 2009 9:34 pm

I agree with most of this. So I'll just post what the areas where we differ:

Disagree with Smith's shot selection being a problem. Every time he takes one of the jumpers now, he's so wide open that he pauses for a second, takes a breath, makes sure he's holding the ball right, then shoots. Either he needs to make those shots or Woody needs to post him up exclusively.

AI is a BIG gamble @ $8-10 mil. He isn't the superstar that led the 76'ers to the Finals all those years ago. Now, he can't keep a job that DET handed to him. I don't know why he'd all the sudden find it here. If his price comes down to the MLE range, then the call would be much harder, but $8-10 mil is too much for me.

Marvin vs. Chills isn't a decision. I don't think Chills will ever wear a Hawks uniform again. The only decision @ this point concerning Chills is whether we take any SNT that may be offered for him.

$4 mil per for Flip is waaaay too much. He was about to sign overseas last year because no one offered him a contract. He did well for us this year, but I can't see giving him a 267% raise right now.

lunarblues · Post #4 » by **lunarblues** » Wed May 13, 2009 10:57 pm

EC Finals will only be a possibility if we become the southeast division champions. we will not beat the cavs as a number 4 seed. we just aren't. so you have to look at how our team will stack up against the other 4 contending teams.

just with this years team.

pg- bibby/chalmers/felton/nelson/arenas

hawks in third place

sg- johnson/ wade/ bell/ lee/ stevenson

hawks in second place

sf- williams/ moon/ wallace/ turkolu/ butler

hawks in fourth place

pf-smith/ beasley/ diaw/ lewis/ jamison

hawks in second place

c- horford/ o'neal/ diop/ horward/ haywood

hawks in second place

hawks are third when you look at bench production also.

as you can see, we need to improve in alot of places before we can think about EC finals. and you have to think that it will alot easier for other teams to retool than it is for us. washington will be getting back alot of places and will have a top 5 pick in the draft. orlando will have nelson and alston next year. and miami is always dangerous with wade. our best bet will be to get an upgrade to bibby at point guard and also get an upgrade at small forward while beefing up our bench.

betta1 · Post #5 » by **betta1** » Wed May 13, 2009 11:42 pm

lunarblues wrote:EC Finals will only be a possibility if we become the southeast division champions. we will not beat the cavs as a number 4 seed. we just aren't. so you have to look at how our team will stack up against the other 4 contending teams.

just with this years team.

pg- bibby/chalmers/felton/nelson/arenas

hawks in third place

sg- johnson/ wade/ bell/ lee/ stevenson

hawks in second place

sf- williams/ moon/ wallace/ turkolu/ butler

hawks in fourth place

pf-smith/ beasley/ diaw/ lewis/ jamison

hawks in second place

c- horford/ o'neal/ diop/ horward/ haywood

hawks in second place

hawks are third when you look at bench production also.

as you can see, we need to improve in alot of places before we can think about EC finals. and you have to think that it will alot easier for other teams to retool than it is for us. washington will be getting back alot of places and will have a top 5 pick in the draft. orlando will have nelson and alston next year. and miami is always dangerous with wade. our best bet will be to get an upgrade to bibby at point guard and also get an upgrade at small forward while beefing up our bench.

Interesting approach and analysis lunarblues, though I don't 100% agree with some of the conclusions and reading of the data. Also, you forgot Okafor in Centers category. I'd put him slightly ahead of Al.

lunarblues · Post #6 » by **lunarblues** » Thu May 14, 2009 12:39 am

oh yeah, he should be there. and in that case we are third in the center catorgory because he's better than horford.

i'm starting to think we got very lucky this year. it's gonna take more than player development to get further next year.

ATL DirtyBird · Post #7 » by **ATL DirtyBird** » Thu May 14, 2009 2:41 am

At this point we cant assume this but if the right moves are made I dont see why not. Who knows if we do make a move maybe we end up like the Sixers...

lunarblues · Post #8 » by **lunarblues** » Thu May 14, 2009 4:05 am

the sixers made a move, but they tried to put brand in a situation where he wasn't going to succeed. i think that he is gonna be pretty good next year as a center. sam dalembert's days as the sixers main center are over.

ATL DirtyBird · Post #9 » by **ATL DirtyBird** » Fri May 15, 2009 3:17 am

lunarblues wrote:the sixers made a move, but they tried to put brand in a situation where he wasn't going to succeed. i think that he is gonna be pretty good next year as a center. sam dalembert's days as the sixers main center are over.

Thats true but I remember that as soon as the trade happen everyone was getting ready to crown their ass as this years sexy team. Just like last years Vikings and this years Bears.

Harry10 · Post #10 » by **Harry10** » Fri May 15, 2009 6:50 am

lunarblues wrote:the sixers made a move, but they tried to put brand in a situation where he wasn't going to succeed. i think that he is gonna be pretty good next year as a center. sam dalembert's days as the sixers main center are over.

Brand only played 6 games in the previous season before he signed his huge contract with the sixers, and he was also 29yr

Bosh played 77 games, and Amare played 53 games, and Amare's injury was just to his eye. Bosh is 25yr and Amare is 26yr

by your logic, no team should ever sign or trade for another team's star post player ever.