Hawks stink it up thread

[pokerface]

Last draft was a major downer with us losing that draft pick (feeling better getting Grant Hill) from Atlanta BUT its going to be fun watching the Hawks on League Pass and rooting against them again.

Soooo do you guys think we'll get a decent pick next year? I know the Hawks have talent now but do they need another year to gel or will they turn it on this season? All we need is ONE more bad year out of them..PUH LEASE STINK IT UP ATLANTA.

What draft range pick from them would it take for you to be happy? Top ten wouldnt make me feel ripped off....top 5 I'd be pretty happy...top 3 very happy. Hopefully we can get our PG of the future out of it so I'm hoping for top 3 so maybe we could get Mayo.


Amare, Barbosa, Mayo = nice young core

 

[tobiazz]

I just hope the Suns don't trade it + Banks for $3M.

 

[YouJustGotSUNSD]

while the hawks do have talent and drafted well, they are much too fresh to gain any momentum this coming season. rookie point guard, poor defensive post presence, incompetant FO, poor coaching, and low chemistry are are glooming factors they need to deal with. mind you they don't even have much chemistry to build on from last year with how injury struck they were. JJ may be getting more frustrated than we can tell due to being surrounded by all the youth and nothing to show for it. these factors make it very acceptable to be optimistic in the hawks' suckage this season. p.s. best pokerface thread ever?

 

[Dr. Jones]

I think it will be top 5 to 8.

Then I hope the balls fall correctly for us.

 

[slinslin]

Teams better than the Hawks:

All 16 playoff teams from last year + New York , Boston, Charlotte, Memphis, New Orleans, Sacramento

Teams that may or may not be better than the Hawks:

Clippers, Portland, Seattle, Indiana, Philly, Milwaukee, Minnesota

I say Indiana, Seattle + Philly, Portland or Clips will be slightly better, maybe even 2 of the 3.

Projected Hawks Pick = #5 pre lottery, same as it was in 06/07.

 

[SunsTzu]

The pick will likely be gone by the trade deadline unless there is a major move soon imo. I just feel like the Suns will get desperate when they realize this team still isn't getting past SA(unless Amare has improved his defense by leaps and bounds).

 

[Sunsman44]

It should definately be a top 9 pick.

Hawks did not do anything to their roster besides add two rookies: Law and Horford.

The rest of the East has improved vastly (Celts, Magic, Bobcats, Knicks, Raptors) while the regular hot shot teams of that conference (Cavs, Nets, Pistons, Heat, Wizards) should be able to hold down the Hawks.

Definately going to be nice picking very high this season - hopefully a center or a point guard. No in-betweens.

 

[pokerface]

The really great thing this time around is NO draft protection for the Hawks.

 

[CaptainInsano]

how do I get strike through on here? I just tried 2 different things no go

 

[TucsonDevil]

With the talent Atlanta has, they should have made the playoffs last year in the Eastern D League. This year, Boston will improve dramatically, NY should be improved with Randolph, and Washington will stay even. So, even though Atlanta increased their talent over the summer, they are playing improved opponents. I give them a chance to make the playoffs, but not much. Me thinks the pick is going to land ~ 8-11, but hoping the ball bounces our way for a top 3...

The ultimate conspirator would suggest that Atlanta misses the playoffs, and Stern finally throws us a bone and rigs the machine to give us the #1 pick and Mayo.

 

[slinslin]

Atlanta shouldn't have made the playoffs last year. Their talent sits at only one position. Even before JJ got injured or the Hawks tried to tank, they were just as bad and they even won 3 of 4 or so right after JJ got injured.

And 2 rookies that are not ready aren't going to help them much this year. I also don't think Acie Law is any better than Salim Stoudamire really, at least not this season.

 

[Cheesebeef]

IMO, there's 20 teams definitely or more than likely better than ATL and 4 teams worse, leaving them somewhere's in the 5-10 range with PHI, SAC, INDY, MIL, and someone else unexciting.

I'll go with the 8th pick.

 

[slinslin]

What 4 teams do you have as definately worse? Minnesota, Seattle, Portland and Clippers?

I think Seattle can be solid for 30+ wins. Durant will probably replace Lewis just fine and Ray Allen for Wally, Delone West and Jeff Green might not make an impact in their wins either.

Portland could be better than last year despite Oden missing the season if Aldridge and Roy improve along with Jack, Frye, Rodriguez, Webster and Outlaw.
They won't miss Zach Randolph. I think they can win 30+ as well.

Minnesota probably no chance, I think Jefferson is overrated and got his stats on a horrible tanking team. And they have no veterans at all. Leading candidate for worst record.

Clippers could be better if Brand returns at the allstar break and doesn't need long to get to 100%.

After thinking about it a while, I don't want to jinx it, I would rank Atlanta 3rd last in a preseason power poll.
Everyone worse than them last year improved more than them, Almost everyone better than them improved more or did pretty much nothing like Indiana or made lateral moves like Portland, Seattle.

The only exception Minnesota. If Brand comes back before the Allstar Game and near 100% I think it is absolutely possible that Atlanta finishes 2nd worst.

 

[slinslin]

Btw, we need a sticky Hawks Watch Thread.

Top 3 pick here we come!

 

[arwillan]

Teams better than the Hawks:

All 16 playoff teams from last year + New York , Boston, Charlotte, Memphis, New Orleans, Sacramento

Teams that may or may not be better than the Hawks:

Clippers, Portland, Seattle, Indiana, Philly, Milwaukee, Minnesota

I say Indiana, Seattle + Philly, Portland or Clips will be slightly better, maybe even 2 of the 3.

Projected Hawks Pick = #5 pre lottery, same as it was in 06/07.

no elton brand + no livingston= clippers are not better than the hawks

 

[slinslin]

If Elton Brand returns before ASG that should possibly be enough time for them to win more games than the Hawks.

 

[SunsTzu]

I'm just glad that no matter how much young talent the Hawks may have, they have horrible coaching that will stunt their growth and cost them games.

 

[slinslin]

And an ownership that won't let their GM make trades.

 

[Cheesebeef]

If Elton Brand returns before ASG that should possibly be enough time for them to win more games than the Hawks.

man, I doubt it - no Brand, no Livingston, an old as dirt Cassel... in the West - that could be one of the worst teams of all time record wise by the time Brand comes back.

 

[slinslin]

There are roughly 30-35 games played post allstar game. Say Brand returns 5 games before the break and the Clips manage to go .500 with him that would be 20 wins plus going 10-30 without Brand that's 30 wins which would be more than what I think the Hawks will win.

That being said the Clips are certainly the 2nd worst until Brand comes back but they might win some games playing small and fast with Mobley, Magette, Thornton. Dunleavy should be able to adapt.

 

[Cheesebeef]

There are roughly 30-35 games played post allstar game.

Say Brand returns 5 games before the break and the Clips manage to go .500 with him

Slin, they couldn't go .500 last year with a healthy Brand all season, Livingston for half a year and Cassel a year younger. What makes you think a gimpy Brand, no livingston and Cassel are going to be able to rally like that. Once a team's down for the count like that, it's usually over - see the Grizz for proof of that.

The fact that you think the Hawks will be WORSE than they were last year doesn't make much sense to me either. They've gotten steadily better record-wise the last two years as they've added new talent and they're adding two more talented players - I don't expect them to make big leaps, but they're still going to go forward, even if incrimentally.

seems like you're HOPING they get a top three pick, trying to convince yourself to make you happy, while ignoring the reality of the situation. I'd bet anything they don't end up with a record in the top 5 in the league.

ou think the Hawks actually win LESS games than they do last year?

 

[slinslin]

YES because even if the Hawks made minor improvements, adding 2 rookies and nothing else.

Their veteran leadership is Joe Johnson pretty much and nothing else. Their coach is Mike Woodson who will be under fire fast when they suck again. Their GM is incompetent and their management doesn't allow them to sign players for more than 2 year deals nor trade for players with more than 2 years on their deals or something like that.

The Rest of the non-playoff teams and especially the East improved a lot more which will make their schedule harder and make it harder to win as many games again even if they are better.
Acie Law won't make an impact. Impact PGs are very rare and special. Law isn't, he will need time to run a team.
Al Horford will be about the same as Shelden Williams in his rookie year imo.

Improvement means nothing if you don't make improvements relative to the improvements of your competetion.

Look at Boston, New York, Charlotte, Memphis(Gasol), New Orleans(Stojakovic etc) and more.

I said if Brand returns at the allstar break near 100%. The Clippers can be better. Al Thornton was a very good pick and is an impact rookie. By the time Brand comes back he should be a very good contributor and the Clips can be a .500 team. No nerve to see how their schedule is post-ASG.

 

[Cheesebeef]

Al Horford will be about the same as Shelden Williams in his rookie year imo.

oh come on now. Horford is light years ahead of Shelden Williams - that's gotta be a joke. Now that's not saying he'll be rookie of the year, but he'll make much more of an impact than that scrub EVER will.

 

[slinslin]

Well we will see, I for one don't think Horford will be better than Williams next year. In the long term obviously but not next year.
Horford is a bit short, he will need some time to adjust to the NBA.

 

[Sunsman44]

lucky number 9, my friend. Just think number 9 for the hawks pick:

9th pick = marion
9th pick = amare
9th pick = ???