Will Mario make Hawks?

[HMFFL]

Former Georgia Tech standout Mario West made the Hawks’ roster in each of the past two years the hard way, as an undrafted free agent without the security of a guaranteed contract.

He’ll have to do it the hard way again if he wants to wear a Hawks uniform this season. West, a free agent this summer, has an open invitation to training camp. Link

[MaceCase]

God I hope not. Last I checked we are not as talented as the Spurs so I don't see where we can afford to give a roster spot and money to such a severly limited "basketball" player if we intend to contend. I rather dig up Danny Fortson's corpse if I want 6 fouls and defensive hustle.

[ACE_reppin_ATL]

God I hope not. Last I checked we are not as talented as the Spurs so I don't see where we can afford to give a roster spot and money to such a severly limited "basketball" player if we intend to contend. I rather dig up Danny Fortson's corpse if I want 6 fouls and defensive hustle.

Are you (Please Use More Appropriate Word)? Since when are we (Hawks) not in a need of a guy that leaves on the court whether he plays 5 seconds or 5 minutes?

That's ridiculous. Mario is no star, and he's not a big offensive threat. But Mario brings passion, desire, and hustle like no one else on the team and last I heard, he has improved a good bit since last season. So, Mario always deserves a shot and he's a cheap contract.

[MaceCase]

"passion","desire", and "hustle" are just basketball synonyms for "I suck tremendously but I might aswell break a sweat running around like a squirrel while not actually impacting anything on the court because.......you know......I really can't do anything else worth a damn."

But aye you're right Ace, we can never have enough hometown area non-NBA talent scrubs holding down the bench.

[JoshB914]

^^^ As far as a 12-15th spot on the roster goes, you aren't going to find a serious talent. There is no one better than Mario to fill that role: a sound defensive player who possesses a good attitude and changes games with his hustle and athleticism.

[LL Cool Scott]

No one outside of the top 8 or 9 on any given roster sees and playing time in this league. Why not have a guy on the end of the bench who can occasionally come in and provide a spark? Mario is perfect in this role, and that's why he'll find a place in this league for years to come. If we don't retain him, better believe some team will.

[evildallas]

I like Mario, but I really hope he adds a consistent shot from somewhere on the floor. I'm not talking becoming a great shooter overnight, but rather just a go to spot. A spot on the floor where he's work so hard that he's reliable from it regardless of his overall shooting game. It would give him an area to stand on offense that makes him a threat to a defense which allows his energy and defense to help us.

[raleigh]

If Royal Ivey can do it...

West has the chance to have a decent career like Greg Buckner, but he MUST add that go-to shot that evildallas refers to.

[Hawks]

I hope Mario make the team again. He is the energy and hustle guy we need off the bench. I think everyone like him anyways. He is the type of player Woodson like to have on the roster.

[playa_lev]

I agree whit most of you, and I join the Mario West fun club. He is that guy who is on the floor for 10 seconds before halftime, and makes an impact. I really have cheered always for him. I don’t know if he is a fan favorite type of player, because I live thousands of miles away from the ATL, but to me is that type of player and surely is one of my favorite players in Hawks uniform (If he doesn’t plays 10 min+ ).

I can’t remember who wrote here on the board, the Kobe reaction to West defending him: “Who the f/*k is no. 6?”

In my eyes he deserves a spot in this roster, even if that spot is the 14.th or 15.th.

[Hawks]

I think many Hawks fans like Mario because he is from the Atlanta Metro Area. He is a hometown kid that fans can get behind.

[raleigh]

Mario's offensive game really came along last year. Among perimeter players with at least 200 minutes, he was able to outproduce:

Bruce Bowen

That's a darn impressive list right there.

[MaceCase]

Mario's offensive game really came along last year. Among perimeter players with at least 200 minutes, he was able to outproduce:

Bruce Bowen

That's a darn impressive list right there.

You know, when I made that Spurs reference I wasn't talking out of my ass......

I just refuse to believe, unlike the rest of the posters here, that Mario is the best possible product you can find to fill out your roster at a minimum salary. When you think of the Will Bynums, Anthony Morrows, Jamario Moons, Louise Amundsons that are all out there for that salary, having Mario continue to make this squad just demonstrates failure on the part of our scouting department to indentify players that can contribute to the team beyond 30 second intervals.

If he showes marked improvement in camp where he demonstrates the ability to dribble a basketball, shoot a basketball, not run into the player that he is setting a screen for, not play 10 seconds of good defense only to gamble on a fake, and shoot a free throw then yes he is absolutely deserving of a roster spot. If not? Well he can join Bruce Bowen on the unemployement line and put in the paperwork to see if he is eligible for the NBA pension plan otherwise I absolutely refuse to tolerate guys whose only credentials to make it on the Atlanta bench is being from the neighborhood.

[azuresou1]

That's such a terrible example. How many minimum salary players actually contribute? How many more get waived and go to the D-League or wash up in Euro-ball? The fact is that with most minimum salary players you're lucky to get any sort of contribution at all.

If Mario comes back and shows me that he can be at least a passable spot-up shooter, I'm fine with him being on my team.

[raleigh]

Why would you not want to maximize the talent on your roster? If it doesn't work out, then it's no worse than having Mario West (one of the worst players in the NBA) on your roster.

[JoshB914]

Mario's offensive game really came along last year. Among perimeter players with at least 200 minutes, he was able to outproduce:

Bruce Bowen

That's a darn impressive list right there.

You know, when I made that Spurs reference I wasn't talking out of my ass......

I just refuse to believe, unlike the rest of the posters here, that Mario is the best possible product you can find to fill out your roster at a minimum salary. When you think of the Will Bynums, Anthony Morrows, Jamario Moons, Louise Amundsons that are all out there for that salary, having Mario continue to make this squad just demonstrates failure on the part of our scouting department to indentify players that can contribute to the team beyond 30 second intervals.

If he showes marked improvement in camp where he demonstrates the ability to dribble a basketball, shoot a basketball, not run into the player that he is setting a screen for, not play 10 seconds of good defense only to gamble on a fake, and shoot a free throw then yes he is absolutely deserving of a roster spot. If not? Well he can join Bruce Bowen on the unemployement line and put in the paperwork to see if he is eligible for the NBA pension plan otherwise I absolutely refuse to tolerate guys whose only credentials to make it on the Atlanta bench is being from the neighborhood.

That is a poor comparison. All of those guys are legit rotational players. We are talking about the 12-15th spot on the roster for Mario. I'm not sure you have a grasp on the role that Mario plays for this team if you think that comparing him to those guys is a fair parallel.

If you want to compare him to guys at that level you are talking more about the Kevin Ollie's, Lorenzen Wright's, Mark Madsen's and so on. I I'd take Mario in that position over those guys all day long. He's a guy who is a great practice player and is willing to play any role that the HC asks of him, and sometimes even change the momentum of a game while doing it.

[raleigh]

We are talking about the 12-15th spot on the roster for Mario.

200 minutes for an end-of-rotation scrub is a bit high. For the minutes he got, Mario was arguably the second-worst offensive wing in the NBA.

That said, if you don't plan on them playing much this season anyway, why wouldn't you want someone with potential to improve?

[azuresou1]

Mario offensively has no where to go but up. I'd be happy if the turns into a 35% 3PT shooter.

[killbuckner]

To me its a question of what roles you want filled with those last roster spots. I think that everyone agrees that a third center who has the size to bang is a useful player to have on the bench. Personally I have always thought that a PF with an outside shot and who can nail foulshots is the perfect guy to have at the end of games. You can bring them in down 3, or even up by a couple when you know the other team is going to foul. I'd love to see the team have a pure defensive PG on the roster for situations where an opposing PG is just torching the Hawks. Frankly any pure 3 point shooter woudl be useful to have.

But Mario doesn't really fill a need. If I thought that the team would EVER bench Marvin and Evans in order to put West on Kobe or Wade then I can see the rationale for having him on the roster. But that is not where the Hawks need help. Like I said- those are the roles I see a use for. Defensive PG, Outside shooting big, Pure 3 point shooter, Big 3rd Center.

[azuresou1]

Mario can defend PGs, and if he's in someone else is going to be facilitating anyways, even if he developed decent handles.

Like I said, all I would require from him is to be able to knock down open 3's a la Bruce Bowen or Shane Battier.