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August 2006
The joys of normalcy
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Just when you thought it was safe …
I wake up Sunday morning, the first in about two months without worrying about how much longer it would take for the Al Harrington affair to be in our past, and hear about the plane crash in Kentucky.
We don’t have enough fingers and toes to count how many times I’ve been on one of those planes - I’ve been on flights from Lexington to Atlanta before many times. So instead of waking up and enjoying our Sunday paper without worry, I spent much of Sunday Monday morning calming the fears of family members who are worried about all the flying I do for work.
That part of the job is something I made peace with years ago. I know all the statistics and I understand it remains the safest way to travel and all that. But I can’t say that my gut wasn’t in knots all day Sunday thinking about what so many people have lost.
As if the day wasn’t long enough already, I make my way to the movies to see Idlewild (much better than even I expected and I’m a longtime ATLien, so I was feeling good going in) thinking this is the one thing that will allow me to clear my head and try and enjoy this day somehow, and on my way home a seemingly kind old lady ended that dream.
While cutting through the Kroger parking lot I slow down and allow one car to go ahead of me to the exit, a common courtesy extended in parking lots everywhere, before proceeding to the exit myself. But the kind old lady showed her true colors by repeatedly calling me a word that rhymes with bigger but starts with the letter N. Of course, this made a long day seem that much longer, because I wasn’t sure how to respond to the insult.
Don’t worry, I didn’t let my militant side take over and put the car in park, get out and cause a disturbance. But for a split second I wanted to. And for the rest of the night I was fuming about the way she let me have it for something as inconsequential as having to wait two extra seconds to leave the Kroger. It was a sad scene, but true.
Luckily, Jack Bauer won an Emmy Sunday night and the Entourage finale was worth watching. Otherwise, my entire weekend might have been shot.
Truth be told, it was kind of good to get back to the day-to-day drama of our gloriously diverse city. For weeks now all I was doing was making calls and waiting on calls in regards to Al Harrington. I know all the people I was calling are glad they don’t have to take any more of my calls. And I’m more than happy not to be making them, at least most of them, anymore. While that was going on I had basically tuned out everything else. And I apologize for subjecting you all to so much back-and-forth.
Now we can all move on, though. And that includes the Hawks - who picked up the options on the rookie contracts of youngsters Josh Smith, Josh Childress and Marvin Williams during their sponsor trip last week and will finalize their signing of Lorenzen Wright sometime in the next week. And we can all watch as Joe Johnson continues his quest, along with the rest of the members of the national team, for gold at the World Championships.
Who knows, maybe we’ll just spend the next few weeks examining this roster as is, and offering our own predictions about what’s in store for this Hawks team come October, like normal, obsessed fans and observers of any sports team. Maybe.
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Harrington saga just drags on
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
If I’m not mistaken, some filmmaker has already used the title “Endless Summer”. But I can’t think of any other way to describe our Hawksville summer.
I apologize for playing a part in raising all your hopes that something would be done last week. But I was simply following the information and where it led before the Pacers squashed the thing on Friday, taking weeks worth of negotiations and setting them on fire before our very eyes.
We could choose to go in another direction. That’s our prerogative as grown ups, or so-called grown ups. We could focus on something other than Al Harrington and this sign-and-trade scenario - the latest four-team trade rumor (Harrington to Golden State, Joe Smith to the Hawks, Corey Maggette to Denver and Mike Dunleavy Jr. to the Clippers) is similar to the one that floated weeks back involving basically all the same teams minus Indiana, of course.
It’s a novel approach. And I like the idea of a group effort to get something done. But I’m not going there until I get the word that it’s anything more than a rumor. And I doubt Hawks fans are going to be pleased with any deal that doesn’t net either a quality young player or a future first-round draft pick (a draft pick wasn’t mentioned but the Hawks have pushed for this harder than anything else this summer, so I don’t anticipate them doing a deal that doesn’t involve one changing hands).
Again, we could move on to something else altogether. We could forget this sign-and-trade nonsense and talk about what to expect from Speedy Claxton or what immediate contributions can be expected from rookies Shelden Williams and Solomon Jones.
But that would require us all to be above the petty foolishness that the summer months have become when teams struggle to make deals. And honestly, I’d love to move on. I’d be more than happy to move on if only a deal could be made.
After all, the start of training camp is within sight. The third of October is coming straight at us and players around the league are getting ready. Harrington said he’s working out as hard as ever in anticipation of the season, though he still has no idea where he’ll be playing.
But that’s not all I’m worried about these days.
I’ve been watching the World Championships and scanning the games for clues as to what the upcoming season holds for various players around the league. Boris Diaw was at his versatile best in the two games I watched involving France over the weekend. And all the Argentinean guys looked to be a their crafty and rugged best in their games.
I paid special attention to Team USA, of course, particularly Joe Johnson. And even in his limited minutes against China, he showed off yet another wrinkle to his game that goes largely unnoticed during the NBA season.
Joe’s on the ball defense on the perimeter caused fits for the guys he guarded. While several of his teammates seemed to relax on defense as the lead grew to 30-plus points, Joe was steady applying the pressure. His activity led directly to three fast break opportunities for Dwyane Wade during one stretch. That’s the type of unselfish nature that will endear Johnson to his Team USA teammates for summer competitions to come.
That’s why I’m already wondering how you’re going to banish him to the training squad next summer when Kobe Bryant comes back to claim his spot in time for the preparations leading up to the 2008 Olympics. I know they haven’t even finished this summer’s competition. But I’m thinking they’re going to finish in the top three this summer for sure and be better next year. And then …
Sorry, I get ahead of myself sometimes. But I should know better than that by now after back-to-back endless summers with the Hawks.
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Getting something in return
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Everyone from Martha Stewart to the Easter Bunny has had their say about the Hawks’ sign-and-trade deal for Al Harrington, how lopsided it is (not in the Hawks’ favor) and how they could have done this, that or the other to maximize their return. But unless I missed something about how sign-and-trades work for unrestricted free agents, the Hawks are doing something that the Detroit Pistons did not when they lost Ben Wallace to Chicago last month; they’re actually getting SOMETHING instead of nothing.
I don’t know about you, but I’d rather get something in exchange for losing one of my best players as opposed to getting absolutely nothing. If we want to play the what-they-should-have-done game (one that’s a staple on this blog) we could do that forever, and some would argue that we have.
But if the deal finally goes through (Pacers officials are scheduled to sit down and make a decision this afternoon), why would anyone be upset that the Hawks are actually getting something? If they had let Harrington walk away without any compensation I could understand the collective outrage. I’d be right there with you. I think a trade deadline package for say a point guard and young center makes better sense than going through the remainder of this past season with Harrington knowing you weren’t going to bring him back.
But that’s not the song I was singing in February, before it became obvious that the Hawks’ ownership issues (and I’m done letting anyone tell me they have nothing to do with the day-to-day operations) would dictate every move, big and small, the team makes.
Praise for Johnson and Josh
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The first sign that your life hasn’t turned out the way you expected is when you’re sprawled across the couch in front of the TV at 2:46 a.m. watching garbage time of the U.S.- Lithuania game from Seoul, Korea instead of partying like it’s New Year’s Eve at one of Atlanta’s many stylish night spots.
But I’ve already come to grips with this and other realities about my so- called life.
For starters:
— All those people who smirked last spring when I wrote about Joe Johnson being a candidate for the national team roster (and there were at least a half dozen of them, I still have the emails) know much less about basketball than I realized even then. Dude is not only legit, he’s one of the game’s truly unique talents in that he has no discernable weakness. He can basically do everything well and on most occasions he does them better than that. It’s a treat watching a player of his caliber come off the bench in international competition with the humble attitude and no-nonsense attitude he plays with no matter the circumstance. It’s funny, a writer friend from Boston called me last summer and panned the Hawks’ pursuit of Joe (basing his entire opinion on the 40 some odd games JJ played there before the Celtics goofed and traded him to Phoenix). I told my friend that I liked his game and was willing to give JJ the benefit of the doubt and not base my entire opinion on him from the brief time he spent in a Celtics uniform. I’m feeling pretty good about that stance right about now.
—- After yet another week of Al Harrington rumors from places near and far, no one seems to really know what other teams are itching for a chance to land the free agent forward. The fact is, Indiana remains the most obvious suitor because of the $7.5 million trade exception they own and Harrington’s obvious connections to the franchise (one of his best friends – Jermaine O’Neal — is the Pacers’ captain, his father works for the organization and is mother lives in Indy as do scores of his friends and acquaintances from his first six years in the league spent in a Pacers uniform). But if Harrington has learned anything from this trying summer it has to be that this is truly about BUSINESS, for both he and the Hawks. No one wants to feel like they’ve been slighted so all options are being exhausted. A six-year, $57 million sign-and-trade deal is serious business however you look at it (and my spies tell me the Hawks have backed off of their demands for the $3 million in cash and are willing to take back a draft pick and nothing else to avoid unwanted contracts with so many young players already on the roster approaching contract years themselves). Now it has to happen, though. The six weeks we’ve waited for this entire affair to be completed has produced a few gray hairs for us all, I’ve certainly spotted a least two new ones. And if it doesn’t happen Monday morning, those other options Harrington and his new agent, Arn Tellem, have been talking about the past two weeks become the new reality. The Los Angeles Lakers, New Jersey Nets, Golden State Warriors, Boston Celtics and Minnesota Timberwolves, just for starters, are all ready to swap ideas should the Hawks and Pacers fail to come to an agreement. And yes, until the sides agree and actually sign the papers, all those other teams are still in the mix.
— Seeing Josh Smith twice in the past three weeks at Philips Arena has made me realize whatever offseason workout plan I’ve utilized isn’t working anywhere near as well as his plan. He’s noticeably bigger physically and my spies have told me he’s been terrorizing people on the court everywhere he’s been this summer (MVP of the Atlanta Pro-City League and rocking the house in both Antoine Walker’s benefit game in Chicago and Eduardo Najera’s benefit game in Chihauhau, Mexico the past few weeks). I wise NBA executive told me recently that the constant evolution of current players is more important than whatever hopes teams and fans pin on incoming players (draftees, free agents and the like) because you’re talking about a known commodity. We all saw the strides Josh Smith made after the February All-Star break. He’ll have had five months to refine, work on and improve his game from one season to the next. Toss in the natural maturation process for a 20-year-old guy and it’s obvious to me why so many people close to the situation (mainly Joe Johnson) are so excited about the promise of what’s to come from Josh Smith. With Harrington’s pending departure, there is room on this Hawks team for another player to assume that second scorer’s role and become the Yang to Johnson’s Yin. I think that guy is Josh Smith. Time will tell.
— Back to the national team for a minute here, and a topic myself and several other writers from around the globe have been debating since we all watched a week’s worth of training camp in Vegas last month. One guy seemed to think that this current crop of talent on the national team could challenge the original Dream Team (san Kobe even). Being the cautious dispenser of praise (OK, cynic) I’ve become over the years, I didn’t want to bestow that kind of love on this team before they even win a medal (gold or otherwise). But the argument was an interesting one nonetheless. The matchups, the different eras, the perceived much higher level of international competition this current team will face, it all makes for a great debate. I don’t like comparing eras in anything, especially sports. And if you look at it based strictly on what each team did while they were together, no one could argue that the hypothetical competition would be anything other than must-see-TV (the best point I heard was from my man CP, who argued that the Dream Team was largely a group of aged stars while this bunch is on the rise, thus giving the newbies an edge). But I’m still not ready to anoint this current team or any other team since the original Dream Team an edge over Mike, Magic and the rest of the crew. Call me old fashioned. But I just don’t see a more complete or more dominant team. Plus, they had Mike in his prime and Barkley at his all-time best.
Since the NBA offseason no longer exists, I’ll be back here several times this week. That’s the only thing I’m certain of at this point. So stay tuned as the news of signings, trades and whatever else comes along, breaks on ajc.com.
Hawks make the Wright move
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Many of you have weighed in on this prior to my return from a weekend family reunion/theme park trip (that turned out to be 10 times more fun than planned) that was interrupted by the news of the Hawks agreeing to contract terms with Lorenzen Wright, but I’d love to explain why I love this move.
Wright is the type of energetic and active big that this roster lacked last season. He’s also the kind of impact big that wasn’t available in the draft (so stop all the moaning about the ridiculousness of nabbing him after drafting Shelden Williams) and he’s a guy who’s played on a playoff team the past few years, so he’s yet another guy (Joe Johnson, Tyron Lue, etc.) who has experience in a winning environment, which is crucial for a team with so many inexperienced players.
Wright’s price tag (a little over $3 million per season, with incentives) is like one of those are-they-really-serious? Wal-Mart deals people scramble to take advantage of on Sunday morning before they run out of stock. Do you know what the going price these days is for bigs who can’t play? Try $10 million per. So for the Hawks to have both Zaza Pachulia ($4 mil per season) and Wright in a tandem is arguably the league’s best deal for a center rotation.
This is also another important stroke in the ongoing (yes, it’s still going) Al Harrington sign-and-trade saga. The Hawks have filled immediate needs at both point guard and center before getting anything in return for Harrington. That gives them some flexibility in terms of what they pursue now in the sign-and-trade (and I’m praying that this thing wraps up this week so whatever is left of the offseason can be realized before training camp begins).
Now, a couple of housecleaning items:
— Stayed up and watched the national team last Thursday. I love what I saw. They’ve got the right attitude, right temperament, right mix of guys and just the right swagger for a team looking to regain its form on the international stage. And having Joe Johnson on the team makes the entire affair much more interesting since we all see him on a regular basis.
— Who is the stooge impersonating me on the blog? That’s real creative. Hey, if you want to post as me how ‘bout being me all the way around. I’ve got some bills you can pay, some honey-do lists for you to tackle and did I mention that I’m still working (well, sort of) long after the season ended? Come on man, keep this forum clean and intelligent. We’ve been really good about it so far. But I’m with the family Friday morning and I get a call from a friend who says there is somebody posting obscene stuff on the blog and someone else posting as me and saying all sort of ridiculous things. Don’t screw this up for the rest of us while trying to be cute.
— Sorry for the late start today, but I’ve been up and back to sleep about five times. We had a late flight home from the weekend and then we encountered four hours worth of fake delays (I won’t mention the airline since the last time I had a battle with one -– you regulars will remember my O’Hare fiasco with United during the season -– they banned me from future flights). Just remember that whenever the dude on the mic starts talking about “the inbound flight from Phoenix has not left the gate so our new boarding time is …” you’re in for a long $*#!% night.
Another turn in trade talks
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
With the addition of uber-agent Arn Tellem to the Al Harrington negotiating team, everyone is wondering what to expect from this process now that it has taken yet another unexpected turn.
At this point the only thing I know to expect is the unexpected — as far as a timetable for the completion of this new deal, I won’t even go there (please everyone, enjoy your weekend and we’ll revisit this topic bright and early Monday morning).
But with new teams added to the party there will be new opportunities for the Hawks to consider, as there will be new scenarios for Harrington and his team to consider.
Remember, before July 1 Al was considered one of the top two free agents available. I guarantee you all the teams poking around in this situation now remember that. (I’m thinking everyone from Seattle, the Lakers and Denver out west to New Jersey, New York and Indiana in the east, along with plenty more, will want in on this discussion).
Toss in the fact that all the other activity from the start of July slowing now to a crawl, if you’re a NBA GM it’s probably much easier to clear your head and see what viable options for improving your team are available were you to enter into discussions with Harrington and the Hawks.
All that said, expect Indiana to remain a major player in this deal. I don’t think they’re going away. And much of what happens from here on out depends on what the Hawks want and are willing to take back in return in a sign-and-trade, if that is indeed the eventual solution.
And I think it should be obvious to all by now that there is no other way for Harrington and the Hawks to part ways.
After all, how else do you part honorably with a player who has provided you with two years of faithful service?
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