BUd losing his grip on GMing?

[Jamaaliver]

The article in question brings up some major points:

Hawks actively looking to add ahead of NBA trade deadline

...the team has been active ahead of next week’s NBA trade deadline, according to a person familiar with the situation.

The Hawks’ interest is in adding to the current roster. However, more than one deal is possible ahead of the stretch run of the regular season and playoffs.

[The Hawks] were exploring trade possibilities regarding Millsap before ultimately deciding to keep their four-time All-Star power forward. The Hawks were in the middle of a seven-game win streak when Millsap was taken off the market. Since the end of the streak, the Hawks are 10-7.

Key Points:

• Tiago Splitter could be moved with his $8.5 million salary attractive to some teams
• The Hawks have had discussions with teams about Sefolosha and Hardaway
• The Hawks have a collection of draft picks that could be used in trade negotiations.

I don't love this approach. (I'd rather be a seller today.) But it makes sense. I give credit to the front office for a bold, decisive approach. Instead of just maintaining the status quo.

My Thoughts:

So much for the fallacy that the Hawks front office doesn't leak...

THJ is on the block. And apparently, so is Thabo. This explains why Thabo hasn't played in weeks and why THJ has been a featured starter during that span. Protecting Thabo's trade value while increasing THJ's. This is extremely wise.

Allowing top players to expire without getting anything in return is undeniably poor asset management. Dangling THJ, aiming to improve the roster...this feels like we're preparing to keep Millsap at all costs this summer. And moving THJ in trade prevents us from having to choose between Paul and Tim. This, also, is a very reasonable approach.

I'll believe it when I see it. We've been rumored to be in talks at the trade deadline for the last 3+ seasons. Nothing substantial ever materializes. (Antawn Jamison? Kirk Hinrich?)

Read on Twitter

[D21]

Allowing top players to expire without getting anything in return is undeniably poor asset management. Dangling THJ, aiming to improve the roster...this feels like we're preparing to keep Millsap at all costs this summer

If we want to compete with CLE, we have to keep top players, but don't forget that if you make trades like Splitter+Scott for Monroe and THJ and filler for another wing (ideally under contract next year to allow some flexibility), you can improve the team and motivate Millsap to stay for less than the Max. I'm talking underpaying him, but if you show that you want to win and improve the team, and that you are above the salary cap, he would certainly accept a compromise, more than if you operate lower.
Having a better team now and for next season will motivate him. Waiting Free Agency this summer will only make him unsure what the team will look.

[Jamaaliver]

If we want to compete with CLE, we have to keep top players, but don't forget that if you make trades like Splitter+Scott for Monroe and THJ and filler for another wing (ideally under contract next year to allow some flexibility), you can improve the team and motivate Millsap to stay for less than the Max. I'm talking underpaying him, but if you show that you want to win and improve the team, and that you are above the salary cap, he would certainly accept a compromise, more than if you operate lower.
Having a better team now and for next season will motivate him. Waiting Free Agency this summer will only make him unsure what the team will look.

That's good analysis, right there. And that's exactly what this feels like. Proving to D12 and Paul that we're still focused on contending long term in the immediate future.

And if that's the case...they should consider dangling Dennis in trade talks. For the right deal.

Dennis, THJ, Taurean and some future picks for, say, Jimmy Butler & Taj Gibson...could be a game changer.

Unlikely to happen, but if we're truly focused on contending now...any of our young players should be on the block for a chance at true contention.

[tbhawksfan1]

Trading any firsts for an investment in this years run is crazy. The Hawks are not in a good position to upgrade to this season and improve their chances. Look at the teams ahead of us and it's easy to see that they have way more future resources to improve in the present. Even TOR who just got Ibaka for Ross (present assets) and they still have as good of future pieces to upgrade. BOS could trade massive future assets to upgrade and CLEV got KK and is looking to steal more talent.

If they trade any future assets to invest more into this season, then they need a new job

[tbhawksfan1]

Oh and I could gof eh care less about catering to our present over the hill core when those are the guys we need to get rid of. Sap was a GREAT signing, but if you want to get more than one good season and some bad playoff runs out of it, you got to trade him. DH was a good signing, if you move him. Keep him and he's a declining dead weight. Baze was a "keep it together for another playoff run" signing. Losing Horf happened because after giving the Hawks years of chances, he decided to take it to a franchise that has and wants to win........

[Jamaaliver]

Trading any firsts for an investment in this years run is crazy...If they trade any future assets to invest more into this season, then they need a new job

I definitely understand the sentiment.

But if the only thing standing between us and another top 20 player (I.e. Jimmy Butler) on the roster for years to come is the 20th pick in this summer's draft...we'd have to use it, right?

[tbhawksfan1]

Trading any firsts for an investment in this years run is crazy...If they trade any future assets to invest more into this season, then they need a new job

I definitely understand the sentiment.

But if the only thing standing between us and another top 20 player (I.e. Jimmy Butler) on the roster for years to come is the 20th pick in this summer's draft...we'd have to use it, right?

Love to get J Butler, but in your senario you trade Schro, (our only PG) and Prince (our future...). Who plays PG?

Getting Butler is only good if you can put a team around him going forward. A team that can contend

[Jamaaliver]

Love to get J Butler, but in your senario you trade Schro, (our only PG) and Prince (our future...). Who plays PG?

Getting Butler is only good if you can put a team around him going forward. A team that can contend

Good questions.

I guess that I'm of the belief that a starting 5 of:

Dwight Howard
Paul Millsap
Jimmy Butler
Kent Bazemore


Is well rounded enough to compete with anyone. And we could plug in journeymen like Shelvin Mack/Jarret Jack at PG since Butler is a somewhat ball-dominant SG.

And with Taj, Thabo off the bench...I'd feel real comfortable that 7 man rotation would be the best in the last 20+ years of Hawkdom. Regardless of who plays PG.

But I understand the reluctance at such an all-in approach. I really do.

Truth is...if I can get Jimmy Butler on this squad for pretty much anything...I do it without hesitation. I think single-handedly makes this roster more attractive to free agents next summer.

[tbhawksfan1]

Love to get J Butler, but in your senario you trade Schro, (our only PG) and Prince (our future...). Who plays PG?

Getting Butler is only good if you can put a team around him going forward. A team that can contend

Good questions.

I guess that I'm of the belief that a starting 5 of:

Dwight Howard
Paul Millsap
Jimmy Butler
Kent Bazemore


Is well rounded enough to compete with anyone. And we could plug in journeymen like Shelvin Mack/Jarret Jack at PG since Butler is a somewhat ball-dominant SG.

And with Taj, Thabo off the bench...I'd feel real comfortable that 7 man rotation would be the best in the last 20+ years of Hawkdom. Regardless of who plays PG.

But I understand the reluctance at such an all-in approach. I really do.

Truth is...if I can get Jimmy Butler on this squad for pretty much anything...I do it without hesitation. I think single-handedly makes this roster more attractive to free agents next summer.

Hawks have NEVER been a top FA destination. You trade for Butler and we have him, DH, SAP, Baze and the worst 4-13 in the league. How is that going to get us anywhere? I'm not in to individual players. I want the Hawks built into the best team in the NBA.

The way I see it our only hope is to sign FA and develop them (good at), then flip them while at max value. Invest everything into draft and YOUNG FAs that we can develop and keep 'Noel comes to mind). We can't compete with this year to year mind-set. Got to think bigger picture and build a team.

Yeah, Dwight Howard, Paul Millsap, Jimmy Butler, Kent Bazemore is a nice 1-4, but the rest of the team is a mess and 2 of the 4 are declining.

What about: Trade DH, Sap, Baze, Thabo and sign young FAs and draft. We can put together a decent team next season with big growth potential. One year probably out of the playoffs, but "A NEW PLAN"

[jayu70]

Reading tea leaves in the AJC, sounds like the Hawks are trying to add by moving some of our bench + Splitter

And this what I said for the last months... it's either rebuild or win now, and to win now, you need to trade your expiring or injured players and add some talent.
This is the only way to stay in touch of CLE.
They don't let rotation players expire, they trade even if it's for more salaries.

One example of trade I would make (if no better option) is trading Splitter and filler for Monroe, because even if it's not the best fit (we need more on the wing), he's still a good passer and great offensive option, and you can always trade Monroe this summer or next season.

It's not by trading an expiring star that you win now, but by trading expiring rotation players and adding salaries.
Splitter is expiring and injured, so he should have been traded before Korver.

I'll only add that Monroe will more than likely be a FA as he has a player option for next season, so unless he picks up his option we can't trade him this summer.

[Jamaaliver]

You trade for Butler and we have him, DH, SAP, Baze and the worst 4-13 in the league. How is that going to get us anywhere? I'm not in to individual players. I want the Hawks built into the best team in the NBA.

this is where I differ again.

I think Thabo and say, Taj would be stellar backups. Better than most.

Heck. At least as good as the backups we have right now.

We'd feature the best frontcourt in the EC playoffs, the best rotation of defensive wings in the EC playoffs. And a legit big 3.

What about: Trade DH, Sap, Baze, Thabo and sign young FAs and draft. We can put together a decent team next season with big growth potential. One year probably out of the playoffs, but "A NEW PLAN".

ummm....

<Jamaaliver, faced with a more radical rebuilding plan than even he could support, slowly backs away into the darkness>

[jayu70]

Love to get J Butler, but in your senario you trade Schro, (our only PG) and Prince (our future...). Who plays PG?

Getting Butler is only good if you can put a team around him going forward. A team that can contend

Good questions.

I guess that I'm of the belief that a starting 5 of:

Dwight Howard
Paul Millsap
Jimmy Butler
Kent Bazemore


Is well rounded enough to compete with anyone. And we could plug in journeymen like Shelvin Mack/Jarret Jack at PG since Butler is a somewhat ball-dominant SG.

And with Taj, Thabo off the bench...I'd feel real comfortable that 7 man rotation would be the best in the last 20+ years of Hawkdom. Regardless of who plays PG.

But I understand the reluctance at such an all-in approach. I really do.

Truth is...if I can get Jimmy Butler on this squad for pretty much anything...I do it without hesitation. I think single-handedly makes this roster more attractive to free agents next summer.

Hawks have NEVER been a top FA destination. You trade for Butler and we have him, DH, SAP, Baze and the worst 4-13 in the league. How is that going to get us anywhere? I'm not in to individual players. I want the Hawks built into the best team in the NBA.

The way I see it our only hope is to sign FA and develop them (good at), then flip them while at max value. Invest everything into draft and YOUNG FAs that we can develop and keep 'Noel comes to mind). We can't compete with this year to year mind-set. Got to think bigger picture and build a team.

Yeah, Dwight Howard, Paul Millsap, Jimmy Butler, Kent Bazemore is a nice 1-4, but the rest of the team is a mess and 2 of the 4 are declining.

What about: Trade DH, Sap, Baze, Thabo and sign young FAs and draft. We can put together a decent team next season with big growth potential. One year probably out of the playoffs, but "A NEW PLAN"

1. It all depends on what the offers are for those players
2.On one hand you just said we are not a FA destination - so it means we will be oevrpaying for FAs and not those at the top of the list
3. One year out of the playoffs? Minny, Kings, Philly etc have been picking in the lottery for the last 10 years and still haven't made the playoffs - there is no let's just take a step back for ONE year (we don't know how long that step back will last) particularly when all we would be getting are low 1st round picks and future picks from trading DH,Sap, Baze, Thabo etc.

And I'm not saying we shouldn't but we don't know how long the 'step back' will be, so saying ONE year is wishfll thinking.

[td00]

A couple of points, and I'm not for moving our best out of town. We've been in that position way too long.

We have the best starting frontcourt. The area in question is the 2. Can we improve that slot with what we have on this roster.

I think we'll be closer to getting DWade than getting Butler. CHI will be asking as much for Butler and Indy will for George.

We've got to try to take CLE down now, because we never sniff another opportunity until LeBron is gone.

I think also about PG, and you can't move DS without better or equal. It can't be Rubio or a Mudiay (too young). We could add a Collison or Jameer Nelson, but can't bring in a young PG at this point.

We have no chance if THJ or DS leave and don't fill those replacements.

[D21]

What about: Trade DH, Sap, Baze, Thabo and sign young FAs and draft. We can put together a decent team next season with big growth potential. One year probably out of the playoffs, but "A NEW PLAN"

I have some doubts on this :
1) we may need to overpay to get FA
2) everybody will already overpay this young FA because of another cap increase that mainly pay more the middle-tier players, like Turner, Bazemore,... teams are afraid of missing something and want to use cap space, but not the right way in this case.
Best thing to avoid it is to stay above the Salary Cap, and trade, but not by signing... unless you are BOS with lots of underpaid good guys and add Horford, or GSW with lots of underpaid great guys and add Durant.

Now, I have a question for everybody : do you think that adding a great SG would help Dennis ? and what kind of SG
I mean Dennis is still in negative impact at this moment (-4.2pts in 100 poss NET ON/OFF court). Does he need a Wade guy at SG, or more one that can shoot 3s ?
I say that because I don't know if it would be a good decision to take Wade (if it was possible) if it's a 3pts shooter that is needed

[MaceCase]

Now, I have a question for everybody : do you think that adding a great SG would help Dennis ? and what kind of SG
I mean Dennis is still in negative impact at this moment (-4.2pts in 100 poss NET ON/OFF court). Does he need a Wade guy at SG, or more one that can shoot 3s ?
I say that because I don't know if it would be a good decision to take Wade (if it was possible) if it's a 3pts shooter that is needed

He already has the best type of SG next to him in Hardaway Jr., particularly for this team. A SG that can share the ball handling duties, spot up and score. Wade ticks only two of those boxes and is overly dependent on them, he'd have less of a synergistic relationship with Dennis and operate more as an independent part (as is the problem Chicago willfully got themselves into).

[td00]

You have heard it from both LeBron and Butler: Wade is a terrific example for his teammates.

Another thing: Wade is a last possession option and proved it again last year in playoffs.

DWade would be an asset to us going into the playoffs and if we kept THJ, all the better.

[jayu70]

At trade deadline, Budenholzer wants short and long term success

“I just think we are considering how we can make this team better,” Budenholzer said recently. “Is there something that makes sense for two teams, two organizations? We are always balancing the short term with the long term.”
Much may be made of the perceived added work load for those with two important roles in an organization. Doc Rivers is in the same position as both head coach and president with the Clippers.

“I don’t think people get it,” Rivers last week before the Hawks played at the Clippers. “I really don’t. When I was just a coach of Boston, I still had listen to every trade, every meeting. We had to discuss everything. Nothing changes.

“You just don’t have any off time. You don’t as a coach. You don’t as the president.”

http://www.myajc.com/sports/basketball/trade-deadline-budenholzer-wants-short-and-long-term-success/rxVSp7WGKmJrleSdhdnlVM/

[tbhawksfan1]

At trade deadline, Budenholzer wants short and long term success

“I just think we are considering how we can make this team better,” Budenholzer said recently. “Is there something that makes sense for two teams, two organizations? We are always balancing the short term with the long term.”
Much may be made of the perceived added work load for those with two important roles in an organization. Doc Rivers is in the same position as both head coach and president with the Clippers.

“I don’t think people get it,” Rivers last week before the Hawks played at the Clippers. “I really don’t. When I was just a coach of Boston, I still had listen to every trade, every meeting. We had to discuss everything. Nothing changes.

“You just don’t have any off time. You don’t as a coach. You don’t as the president.”

http://www.myajc.com/sports/basketball/trade-deadline-budenholzer-wants-short-and-long-term-success/rxVSp7WGKmJrleSdhdnlVM/

Problem. We need a GM; We need a direction that sees farther than this playoffs. Bud is a great, YOUNG coach. He needs a GM that he can work with

[Jamaaliver]

Atlanta Hawks attempting to walk tightrope at trade deadline

The Hawks want to get better now and in the future.


With just three days left before the NBA trade deadline, the Atlanta Hawks are attempting to walk a tightrope by improving the current team while also casting an eye at the future.

Atlanta had a clear path as a seller. Players like Paul Millsap, Tim Hardaway Jr, Thabo Sefolosha have value for teams looking to improve their playoff positioning. The path is less clear with the Hawks as buyers.

The AJC reports that Atlanta has “plenty of assets” but is that really the case? Millsap is by all accounts off the table and that leaves the Hawks with a lot of expiring contracts and a plethora of draft picks. Of those picks, most are of the second round variety and the two extra first rounders that they do own have varying degrees of lottery protection.

This is no longer 2010 and players on expiring deals don’t carry the same value they once did

Budenholzer mentioned to the AJC that he is comfortable finishing the season if a deal doesn’t materialize...The Hawks may not have a lot of choice.

Here

[Yungsta404]

At trade deadline, Budenholzer wants short and long term success

“I just think we are considering how we can make this team better,” Budenholzer said recently. “Is there something that makes sense for two teams, two organizations? We are always balancing the short term with the long term.”
Much may be made of the perceived added work load for those with two important roles in an organization. Doc Rivers is in the same position as both head coach and president with the Clippers.

“I don’t think people get it,” Rivers last week before the Hawks played at the Clippers. “I really don’t. When I was just a coach of Boston, I still had listen to every trade, every meeting. We had to discuss everything. Nothing changes.

“You just don’t have any off time. You don’t as a coach. You don’t as the president.”

http://www.myajc.com/sports/basketball/trade-deadline-budenholzer-wants-short-and-long-term-success/rxVSp7WGKmJrleSdhdnlVM/

"We are always balancing the short term with the long term.”

so it isn't about winning now or building for the future its about staying in the middle and maintaining status quo so as I thought.