What Should be the Focus for rest of the season?

Superiorblogman · Post #1 » by **Superiorblogman** » Fri Jan 13, 2012 6:01 pm

Should we be focusing on trying to make the playoffs even though we aren't going to meet our goal of ECFinal without Al?

Should we go out and make trades to possibly upgrade us back to the level of ECFinals potential; if possible?

Should we blow it up with the exception of Teague and get as many picks as we can?

I say we should do a little of all but do nothing right now.

I seriously see us going 7-18 in the next 25 and that would put us at 15-22 around the trade deadline.

I still think we are a lotto team just look at our schedule and be realistic.

The thing I would like to see is Josh and Joe pad there stats and look a lot better than they are pushing there value up. Guys like Kevin Love have such great reps because of numbers even though they are losers. Joe and Josh can do the same and get there value up and make them better trade chips by the deadline then we can move both of them.

So, I would like to see us get into the lottery which we realistically will, then move Joe and Josh around the deadline hopefully getting that C, and just some cheaper younger pieces plus 1st rd picks.

What do you think?

MaceCase · Post #2 » by **MaceCase** » Fri Jan 13, 2012 6:19 pm

Wait and see.

It was the plan before Al went down so it's doubtful that management goes into full "improve at all costs!" mode just because he goes down. If anything they are probably hoping for a Duncan/Rose situation where the core misses the playoffs but then get's invigorated with the top pick a year later.

Superiorblogman · Post #3 » by **Superiorblogman** » Fri Jan 13, 2012 6:38 pm

MaceCase wrote:Wait and see.

It was the plan before Al went down so it's doubtful that management goes into full "improve at all costs!" mode just because he goes down. If anything they are probably hoping for a Duncan/Rose situation where the core misses the playoffs but then get's invigorated with the top pick a year later.

I would love that.

Teague
Joe
Josh
Anthony Davis
Al
or

Teague
Joe
Josh
Al
Drummond

betta1 · Post #4 » by **betta1** » Fri Jan 13, 2012 6:41 pm

Do you guys think Cleveland would do Varejao + Boobie or Parker for Marvin + Zaza? Would we?

MaceCase · Post #5 » by **MaceCase** » Fri Jan 13, 2012 6:56 pm

Just stay the course, we still have talent to win some games and if not will retool over the summer. I do not want the team to sacrifice future cap flexibility for bottom barrel guys that will not push us over the top. Plus it makes no sense to take on Andy's salary while also given up Zaza, our whole need is bigman depth to supplement Zaza.

Post #6 » by **ATL Boy** » Fri Jan 13, 2012 8:14 pm

Our goal shouldn't change; we have a whole lot of talent on this team and they proved last night that they can play together, Al isn't all that at the time of his injury he was averaging 12 pts and 6 rebounds, I love Al but his contribution wasn't like that of Josh's or Joe's or even Teague's this season.

Superiorblogman · Post #7 » by **Superiorblogman** » Fri Jan 13, 2012 8:47 pm

ATL Boy wrote:Our goal shouldn't change; we have a whole lot of talent on this team and they proved last night that they can play together, Al isn't all that at the time of his injury he was averaging 12 pts and 6 rebounds, I love Al but his contribution wasn't like that of Josh's or Joe's or even Teague's this season.

So, Al isn't all that because of a 10 game sample and we have the ability to get to the ECFinals with Teague, Joe, and Josh as the core because of a 1 game sample? :lol:

Post #8 » by **ATL Boy** » Fri Jan 13, 2012 9:16 pm

Superiorblogman wrote:
ATL Boy wrote:Our goal shouldn't change; we have a whole lot of talent on this team and they proved last night that they can play together, Al isn't all that at the time of his injury he was averaging 12 pts and 6 rebounds, I love Al but his contribution wasn't like that of Josh's or Joe's or even Teague's this season.

So, Al isn't all that because of a 10 game sample and we have the ability to get to the ECFinals with Teague, Joe, and Josh as the core because of a 1 game sample?

A 1 game sample which shows how unselfish and good this team can really be, the guys were unselfish tonight and we won by 30 maybe they will finally see that being unselfish is a good thing. And in those 10 games you mentioned we beat Miami, and Chicago; and were a few free throws and and a lucky Bosh 3 away from beating the Heat and Bulls twice each in the span of one week, we also blew Chicago out by 15 (we really beat them worse than the scoreline indicated) on the 3rd night of a back to back to back. And I never said Al isn't all that, I said that he didn't contribute as much as the other guys and just wasn't himself to the start the season and we still went on to accomplish what I already listed.

Ruhiel · Post #9 » by **Ruhiel** » Fri Jan 13, 2012 10:12 pm

Well to Horford's credit a lot of his advanced stats in the 10 game sample indicated he was the best player again...Next to Marvin.

Al is still an elite role player but It would be interesting how other more classical centers would do with the core and a PF shooter like Vlad, how the rebounding would change etc.

Would be interesting to see if we would dominate boards... Zaza has size but he isn't that center who can replace Al.

I just hope we can take out mediocre teams like Minnesota and give this team direction... Next offseason. Horford++ for Love. Luxury tax for Dwight.

Team USA lol

Teague.Johnson.Love.Smith.Howard

#Justdreaming.

evildallas · Post #10 » by **evildallas** » Sat Jan 14, 2012 12:44 am

I'm in favor of a wait and see at least through January. I don't see a trade that will help in the short term or a free agent signing that will help greatly in the short term. We can get another big body in but not a difference maker. What I want to see is if our core can step up and adjust well enough to foster hope. If they can do that then explore deals to solidify the post-season run. If the core can't step up and compete night in and night out then would it be worth it to invest further in this season? The current roster can probably only be held together for 2 years, if we aren't close enough to make a run in that time frame then we might as well focus on the future.

Personally I hope the remaining Hawks can keep it together and step up to remain in the hunt. I'm not ready to rebuild. If we're still top 5 around the end of February then I'd love to sign Kenyon Martin when he becomes eligible to come back to the NBA. He's not a perfect center candidate but he'd fit in the lineup with or without Al coming back. He'd also provide veteran dirty work at playoff time.

azuresou1 · Post #11 » by **azuresou1** » Sat Jan 14, 2012 12:48 am

Wait and see.

If by the trade deadline we suck terribly, I'd be for blowing it up and acquiring picks or young pieces if possible.
If by the trade deadline we're somehow really, really good, I'd go the opposite way.