What the Hawk need is Star Power!

[geeman]

You know when all is said and done, what this team needs is real star power. I know we have other pressing issue, I beleve we should position are team to make a strong push for Carmelo Anthony!!!

[dms269]

And how do you get Carmelo? Denver isn't going to trade him to us just to trade him to us. I doubt we could put a package together that they would sign off on and that we would be decent enough to be able to field a decent team.

[HMFFL]

No star player will want to play for an ownership like ours that never intends to pay the luxury cap.

[Harry10]

Joe, Bibby, and Zaza for Tony Parker, and Richard Jefferson

Horford/Smoove/Marvin/Crawford/Parker... 6th Jefferson

Parker and Jefferson are both expirering contracts next year, so that should free up cap space to resign Crawford and make a max offer to Carmelo.

not my first choice, but could be an option.

http://forums.realgm.com/boards/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=1011501

[evildallas]

Carmelo as a free agent target next summer would make sense except there will likely be 3-4 better destinations for his services depending on how this summer goes and their will be a lockout grinding free agency to a halt. Those teams would likely be (depending on how they spend their cap this summer): Washington (he's from Baltimore), New Jersey (1 year closer to Brooklyn), New York, and possibly the Clippers (needing a SF). Atlanta would only be a player in such a bidding war with different ownership. A more likely scenario would be to go on the hunt for a free agent 2 or 3 years from now and possibly land Chris Paul (ironic). The other scenario would be to drop back into the lottery and not screw it up next time. A lot factors into that, but it would require a GM with vision. Maybe in a year after the lockout we have new ownership and they bring in Kevin Pritchard to run things. He's not perfect in his decisions, but he did a good job of exploiting the weaker gms in the NBA herd during his time in Portland.

The Hawks do need Star Power, but I must ask this because Joe put up star numbers over his time here. Was the problem his personality, the lack of post-season success, or was it the poor marketing savvy of the ASG that failed to turn him into a "Star" that sells out the arena on a regular basis? Continuing that last line of thought, could ownership have worked with Josh Smith to make him more of a "Star" as well? It would have been in both their business interests to tailor and cultivate his image over the years into something other than the knucklehead, petulant child rep that has dogged him. Maybe I'm expecting too much of the ASG, but if I was an owner of a team I would try to work with my key assets to develop them. In that I mean hiring the best coaches, but I also mean grooming them to be media-savvy and polished. Maybe none of the Hawks had the personality to be marketed, but I would have tried to at least package what the public saw to make them more appealing.

[geeman]

Unfortunately it was a combination of both. Joe’s game is not entertaining and he lack that swagger to put butt in the seat. Basically he’s just “Robin and we have not Batman!” or in basketball term’s Scotty Pippin and we seen how well that work out!

[Harry10]

Carmelo as a free agent target next summer would make sense except there will likely be 3-4 better destinations for his services depending on how this summer goes and their will be a lockout grinding free agency to a halt. Those teams would likely be (depending on how they spend their cap this summer): Washington (he's from Baltimore), New Jersey (1 year closer to Brooklyn), New York, and possibly the Clippers (needing a SF). Atlanta would only be a player in such a bidding war with different ownership. A more likely scenario would be to go on the hunt for a free agent 2 or 3 years from now and possibly land Chris Paul (ironic). The other scenario would be to drop back into the lottery and not screw it up next time. A lot factors into that, but it would require a GM with vision. Maybe in a year after the lockout we have new ownership and they bring in Kevin Pritchard to run things. He's not perfect in his decisions, but he did a good job of exploiting the weaker gms in the NBA herd during his time in Portland.

The Hawks do need Star Power, but I must ask this because Joe put up star numbers over his time here. Was the problem his personality, the lack of post-season success, or was it the poor marketing savvy of the ASG that failed to turn him into a "Star" that sells out the arena on a regular basis? Continuing that last line of thought, could ownership have worked with Josh Smith to make him more of a "Star" as well? It would have been in both their business interests to tailor and cultivate his image over the years into something other than the knucklehead, petulant child rep that has dogged him. Maybe I'm expecting too much of the ASG, but if I was an owner of a team I would try to work with my key assets to develop them. In that I mean hiring the best coaches, but I also mean grooming them to be media-savvy and polished. Maybe none of the Hawks had the personality to be marketed, but I would have tried to at least package what the public saw to make them more appealing.

all of those teams you mentioned above didn't make the play offs, and unless NY can sign Wade or Lebron, then all of those teams will not make the playoffs next year as well. Just depends if Carmelo wants to get paid max in the Tri-State area or get paid max, play in a major media market in Atlanta, and play for a team that already has the talent to make it into the second round of the playoffs.

[evildallas]

^^^ While true now, you must look a year ahead. Washington is adding the top pick to a rebuilding team that have talent at a lot of positions. The Clippers have a lot of pieces as well and really need a SF, if they don't land one this summer then they could be an attractive spot. New Jersey should have big men and a need for a SF along with a deep-pocketed owner. All those teams need a SF to push them higher, but might be looking more like playoff contenders next summer.

New York is a blank slate and regardless of who they sign this year with Eddy Curry coming off the books are likely to be able to offer the max next year. I would argue that we are a better destination than them because of talent, but New York is a draw for many.

If we don't sign Johnson and let Crawford go to have space to pursue Anthony, will we look like a sure playoff team?

[Harry10]

^ the above trade has Zaza and Bibby contracts replaced with two expiring contracts in Parker and Jefferson, so Crawford could still be resigned (and possibly Parker), while still making a max offer to Carmelo.

C: Horford
PF: Smoove
SF: Carmelo
SG: Crawford
PG: Parker (or Teague if Tony's price is too high)
6th: Marvin

[Rod700]

^^That's not a bad trade, and I would consider it, but my fear is that, if Parker and Jefferson walk after a year, we end up with nothing but expiring contracts for our go-to guy and starting point guard, and lone almost-7 footer (in our top 4 big man rotation). I would try to resign JJ and trade Crawford instead because JJ is much more consistent and Crawford will never have higher trade value considering that he just won the 6th man of the year award. I would start with Crawford and Teague for Parker to offer them shooting and youth, and then go from there. Bibby and Zaza are pieces that I would also be willing to use in trades structured around Crawford and Parker.

[evildallas]

If Carmelo signs an extension this summer the potential to lure a free agent star next summer or the year after will be slimmer. There aren't that many "star" players likely to want to move and if he is locked up the pickings will be slim.

[geeman]

Wouldn’t it be smart to S&T Joe to New York, and maybe get back Curry and maybe a future 1 pick? Develop the guy you have and go after Melo during the trade deadline or via a max deal next summer.

[parson]

I'm scared to death of Curry (or disgusted, I'm not sure). If we're going to get nothing back in a trade, I'd rather get the TPE (and I'm not even a fan of that - just shows ya how much I'd hate to get Curry).

[parson]