Hawks

By jj

April 17, 2007 1:33 PM | Link to this

fire woodson. bring in ivaroni from phx. I don’t care if you get chimps to replace billy knight just do it.

By Anakin Joe

April 17, 2007 1:41 PM | Link to this

New Ownership Candidates:

Magic Johnson/Ted Turner/Hank Aaron Partnership

Head Coaching Candidates:

Bill Laimbeer Rick Adelman Mark Jackson

GM Candidates:

An experienced assistant GM currently employed by either San Antonio, Dallas, Chicago or Utah. Those teams have gotten it right far more often than not. NO KIKI! NO JERRY WEST!

And make Steve Smith an Assistant GM because he seems to have a combination of business acumen and game/player knowledge that would make for an ideal GM in this league (in 4-5 years).

Realistically, Bernie Mullen worked in the NBA corporate offices and probably knows several viable GM candidates. I’m pretty sure that he inherited BK. He should have league-wide references at his disposal.

By Clyde Jr.

April 17, 2007 2:00 PM | Link to this

ivaroni from phx

FIRE BILLY AND WOODY

By Dan

April 17, 2007 2:02 PM | Link to this

I’m on the fense with Woodson. Sometimes I like him and sometimes I don’t. I am disappointed at the constant lack of boxing out by the Hawks. They are undersized so positioning is essential. They really haven’t gotten any better in that area this year.

As for GM….I’m willing to give Billy Knight this offseason. I am just p#ssed off that Speedy Claxton is on this team. Billy Knight says he won’t draft players with injury history. He thinks it is ok, however, to sign a PG that has mysterious injuries. Do we really even know what is wrong with that clown? I still say he is faking. Knight should be reminded every single day what a stupid move that was. I would of rather he not sign any PG.

If Knight does not have a better offseason, he should be gone. Draft pick or no draft pick, he has to make something good happen this offseason.

So, I guess I am willing to give both guys one more year.

Anyone going to the game tonight? I’m staying home and watching the Thrashers game. I just am ready for Hawks basketball to be put out of its misery. I need the offseason to recharge my excitement/interest in this team.

By bill

April 17, 2007 2:09 PM | Link to this

Nothing happens until the ownership mess is determined…change only happens if Belkin wins, otherwise it’s another year of “baby-steps…”

At this rate, we win 40 games in 2012!

By Dan

April 17, 2007 2:12 PM | Link to this

Clyde and JJ

What do you guys know about Ivaroni? I don’t know anything about him.

Anakin Joe

Interesting take that Bill Lambier should be considered for GM. That might be worth a shot….

By Wink from Lithonia

April 17, 2007 2:28 PM | Link to this

Starting with the mess that is the ownership of this franchise, because I believe you are right, nothing gets better until this is done.

I would prefer that Steve Belkin get ownership of this team. The NBA is a business, every player with an expiring contract understands that. That said Belkin, I believe is a true business man and this is what is needed to head up this team. We have tried the loyal ownership group with emotional ties to this team, NBA stands for “No Babies Allowed”, this should apply to the owner’s also. Business wise we head into this draft with the preception of 2 first round draft picks, which may end up with no a one, as we were duped by Phoenix & Indiana (they are retiring Knights jersey), and Belkin knew we were duped 2 seasons ago.

Move A, Belkin becomes owner and the other 2 positions become must fill, as Knight & Woody will be gone.

Now for the fantasy picks:

If I were Belkin, I would give the GM job to Dominique Wilkins, he has been used as some kind of mascot for this organization for years. This would ligitimize his position in the organization and represent an olive branch to the fan base to support this team; also turn the tide on the dislike that Belkin is sure to face. If Danny Ainge, Kevin McHale, Isaih, Michael and other players(Knight) can perform at this level then I believe Dominique can also. Nique knows what it takes to get to the rack & score… as the say “game recognizes game”. As I recall, it was a point guard who got him the ball on the blocks, surly he has not lost sight of that!!

Lastly a fantasy of fantasy…

Billy Donovan could make us as formible as Phoenix here in the Eastern Conference. Since it would take some time to completely revamp the roster…Billy would let all the 6’9” hounds loose. Every player on that Florida team could play defense, rebound & handle the ball and shoot the trey. They were multi skilled and could still be counted on to make a positive contribution, even if they were not scoring.

If we are lucky enough to get a top 3 pick I would go (Durant or Oden) for sure and a must have at #10,if we get to keep the pick…Mike Conley Jr..period.

By Matt

April 17, 2007 2:29 PM | Link to this

Yeah, I know…there’ll be a return to the days of lynching when I say this, but I’d like to see both of them get one more season before deciding to move onto someone else. I like Knight better than Woodson, but JJ and Tyronn seem to be very big supporters of Woodson, and you don’t want to fire a guy who has the strong support of the team’s leaders.

I don’t want to see Knight go anywhere, since as I’ve explained many times, I don’t think he’s done a bad job at all rebuilding this team. I think he’s assembled a core of talented players that could lead this team to the playoffs next year, and deep into the postseason in the not-too-distant future. Now that we have that core in place, NOW is the time to go out and get our 1 and 5. I hope I’m right about Knight, and that this is the year he’ll plug the last 2 holes in the roster.

Hey Sekou - do you know if Woodson’s contract is guaranteed next year? Because even if I was hard set on seeing Woodson fired, I’d rather the owners not get even more tightwadded about money by having to eat the last year of Woodson’s contract.

If it’s not guaranteed and/or if Woodson is fired, the two guys I’d like to see would be Adelman or D’Antoni.

By Matt

April 17, 2007 2:30 PM | Link to this

I’m sorry, I meant Ivaroni, NOT D’Antoni (obviously).

By Matt

April 17, 2007 2:31 PM | Link to this

Dan - I agree.

By JG

April 17, 2007 2:37 PM | Link to this

Marc Iavaroni from the Suns as HC.

But it won’t matter if Knight stays on as GM. He was a joke in Memphis and nothing changed. Worse-case scenario: retain Knight. Next worse-case scenario: leave GM position vacant. Next to next worse-case scenario: Hire the 400th person that walks thru the gate at tonight’s game.

By GT80

April 17, 2007 3:03 PM | Link to this

WinkWink, Nique as GM? Come on, we need a professional with a track record for that job, not a favorite player from the Hawks of old. If you want to go that route how about Paul Silas, he has far more experience than Nique. And Billy Donavan? Name the last college coach to come to the NBA and be successful. Come on, Sekou wants real answers. And Matt, if a change isn’t made on both fronts this summer, the buzz going into next year will be so low the owners, whoever they are will be thinking about playing games in another city just to try and get some season ticket sales. No, change must be made. BK’s own hand picked coach is saying how this team is flawed in its makeup.

Now, I kind of like the idea of Ivaroni from Phoenix. He’s been on D’Antoni’s staff a few years and could bring in that type offense. But we still need a PG and some better outside shooters to run that offense. I don’t know enough about GM candidates to give a real suggestions there but anybody other than BK will be better.

Changes must be made or there is just no credibility for this franchise.

By Anakin Joe

April 17, 2007 3:24 PM | Link to this

You probably don’t want to put ‘Nique in a position of responsibility. Since he’s our lone franchise icon, he needs to either be in an ownership position or some pseudo-executive position (like he enjoys now). Giving him something with accountability will likely lead to his termination. Or worse, you end up in a Wes Unseld situation where the franchise dies under his watch because the owner doesn’t want to fire the franchise legend. Its a bad idea all around and has very, very rarely worked (Jerry West with the Lakers is the lone example that I can recall). Willis Reed falls in the Wes Unseld category.

Dan, I listed Laimbeer as a Head Coach candidate, NOT a GM candidate. I personally believe that the Head Coach is more important than the GM. I’d trust Bernie Mullen to choose a strong talent evaluator and good negotiator based on his expereince in the league office.

By Anakin Joe

April 17, 2007 3:29 PM | Link to this

Wink, Wink every name of the former players who serve(d) as GMs has failed miserably. The success stories are Dumars and Jerry West. You can’t even include Larry Bird in that category of successful exec. At least BK trained under Donnie Walsh. While we can question his transactions, his training pedigree is very strong.

By Tyger

April 17, 2007 3:33 PM | Link to this

1. Keep Billy Knight and Mike Woodson

2. Dominique - GM and Smitty as Coach.

By SSI fan

April 17, 2007 3:36 PM | Link to this

I agree that nothing can be done until the ownership situation is resolved. What legitimate candidate would take the job as GM with the uncertainty as to ownership? A big problem now is that Knight seems to have tried to build a team that runs like Phoenix but has a coach whose style is to play half court offense and tight defense like Detroit. The Hawks need a GM and coach whose philosphies are the same. My nomination for new GM is Greg Anthony. His analysis of the talents of players and games on TV is always insightful. The GM can hire a coach to maximize the talents of the players.

By halmond@gmail.com

April 17, 2007 4:21 PM | Link to this

I don’t know who should get a shot at GM, but anyone interested in the workings of an NBA team should watch this video of Bryan Colangelo of the Raptors work the phones in an effort to get an extra pick in last years draft:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QibGO_QKzQE

He’s wheeling and dealing and talking to everyone he knows. It kind of showed me that a lot of the deals and trades made in the NBA do depend on the relationships between the GM’s. Something tells me Knight is a bit out of this loop, and I kind of picture him sitting like a stubborn buffoon taking Shelden at #5 while everyone else was dealing around him getting max value out of every pick and asset they had.

By Greg

April 17, 2007 4:22 PM | Link to this

I like Ivaroni too, bring in someone who plays the Phoenix style. We have Phoenix type players with Josh Smith, M Williams, Joe Johnson, Salim Stoudamire, J Chill, let those guys loose and run and get easy basket, they are young and would cause lots of problems for other teams in the East at least.

IN a related subject, just wanted to know what others think, does it appear that Josh Smith is “dogging it ” a bit. HE seems to take a lot of plays off lately. Has anyone else noticed? Definitely time for a coaching change.

By what a great season

April 17, 2007 4:25 PM | Link to this

sent the ownership and the team back to the quad cities.

By who cares

April 17, 2007 4:53 PM | Link to this

who cares about basketball? Thug sport and thug players that are racist.

By Anakin Joe

April 17, 2007 5:03 PM | Link to this

I wouldn’t try to imitate the Phoenix style until the following…

1. Someone else proves it can be done without an MVP-quality PG.

2. The Suns make it to the Finals.

3. Another coach can truly stomach the pains of a team learning how to play with a 10 second shot clock.

Until then, they are not any better than those Sacramento and Dallas teams that scored 120 points and won NOTHING. More exciting? Sure. But why imitate someone who isn’t built to win it all?

Toronto started the year hoping to be the Suns-East. They failed miserably (early in the season, getting beat a few times by the Hawks) and created their own style that led to a division championship. Stop drinking that cactus-flavored kool-aid.

By doc

April 17, 2007 5:07 PM | Link to this

i wonder if powerball or lotto are using tonight’s game to advertise their products, seems a suitable forum. the potential lack of integrity as both teams have more to gain by losing than by winning is atroucious. lets see, if the bucks win and the hawks lose where does it leave the hawks more lottery ball chances. if the pacers lose and several teams win does it change anything? well we can say the hawks at least have a meaningful game as their last game of the season; it is a shame, no it sucks that it is to lose rather than win.

need a d’antoni look alike, dont forget to consider folks coaching in international ball. who are the top assistants in the best programs, would take iavaroni as he has many folks interested in him. adelman has been an around guy who has won and agree with lambier. dont know why he hasnt gotten a shot because he has wanted it enough to coach and win with the wnba, that shows a strong desire.

as far as gm’s agree with a j to look for programs that have won who have a guy ready to move up to the hot seat. please dont consider any of the aforementioned possibilities used as the type that nique resembles. they have all failed. west has shown himself to be less imaginative than bk as he did nothing to improve a product that made it into the playoffs until he ran out of maney and made some poor trades for the present. he has proved he can do no better than bk in a terible situation. while bk has a fairly good track record for talent from memphis and here he has not shown an ability to pick the great and unique coach … see griz.

no matter what you do the culture will have to be changed starting with the broken atlanta spirit. just dont know if eithrer group is going to take the committment to win that includes spending money. neither side has really distinguished themselves and am troubled with the notion that either group has the means to spend 30 mil a year more to get the team into the competitive range of the best teams in the league.

By Stu

April 17, 2007 5:26 PM | Link to this

Ideal situation would be Jerry West and Del Harris. West would’ve been GM of Atlanta back in the day had Kasten not insulted him by asking him to be “Co-GM” with Babcock. Del Harris would be a great coack for a young team. Also, both West and Harris worked together in LA. Only problem with this scenario is one of the reasons that West is leaving Memphis is the ownership situation and the ATL ownership situation is a lot worse than that in Memphis!

By Gutz

April 17, 2007 5:28 PM | Link to this

I think we should give Woody this one last year to see what he is made of. It’s the last year of his contract so there is no way in hell he is going to be fired or replaced. But Billy Knight has got to be one of the worst GM’s in all of basketball. You can put anyone in his place and he would be better. Even me!

By MannyT

April 17, 2007 5:40 PM | Link to this

I understand why BK and Woody are here for at least one more season. But for the sake of this blog…

If you want a retread that will get you to the playoffs…find Rick Adelman!

If you are looking for an assistant who has experience in league and could probably do the job well (but will not get another shot)…PJ Carlessimo

…and because our interior defense has been soft for awhile, I would get Rick Mahorn as one of the assistants.

For the GM, it is easy enough to put more responsibility on D Wilkins now. However, I would tag him as the interim GM and put an experienced guy under him that knows his way around a lot of the administrative side and has some international experience. Probably 2nd in command from the Spurs GM staff. They seem to do well with picking players from all over the world.

By RUMOR

April 17, 2007 5:42 PM | Link to this

This just in from John Kincade of 680 The Fan. He is in NY and stated from a reliable source that the court decision between the Spirit & Belkin is coming soon. His source told him if Belkin wins, he will keep the Hawks and put the Thrashers up for sale immediately. If the Spirit win, they have a deep pocketed investor already lined up who will take over 40% of the ownership. If this is true, our comments about how cheap the Spirit have been are justified. These guys couldn’t afford to run the franchise properly.

By doug

April 17, 2007 5:42 PM | Link to this

we want to be successful in the playoffs, and it is a halfcourt game, but knight has drafted players that are more suited to a full court game. why? it also seems that the talent level , whatever kind of style, is better than the record. that indicts the coaching. but i read the players saying good things about woodson, even the ones that have had public spats with him. and the complaints that he pushes too hard , i consider that a plus. the only other minus is that players say he is too negative. you can push a player hard while staying positive.

By Larry

April 17, 2007 5:47 PM | Link to this

Coach Woodson is an honorable man and a good coach. He deserves the chance to succeed. It would be a shame to have someone else come in and bear the fruits of all the hard work Woodson has done.

Billy Knight is in a no-win situation with the current ownership fiasco. Even so, this last draft was horrific. I’d give him one last chance to have an impact draft.

By doug

April 17, 2007 5:48 PM | Link to this

i can’t find out, does anyone know, if the hawks and milwaukee tie, who is in third place in the draft lottery ? and if the hawks are fourth going into the lottery does phoenix get our pick then , or can we keep our pick by finishing 1-3 in the lottery ?

By doug

April 17, 2007 6:10 PM | Link to this

isn’t there a salary cap ? so why does it matter if an ownership group is cheap ? unless they are not spending up to the level of the cap . is this happening right now ? of course if you have an owner who is not cheap he can spend up to the cap level, and he can also spend lavishly on a really good gm and coach. are there really good gm and coaching candidates out there who won’t come here because our owners are cheap ?

By Wedgie Evans

April 17, 2007 6:16 PM | Link to this

I’ve heard good things about Iavaroni. I wouldn’t mind the Hawks hiring Rick Carlisle either, if the Pacers fired him. Even Rick Adelman wouldn’t be a bad hire. I don’t know a whole lot about the assistants around the league, so I don’t know if there’s some up and coming star waiting to become the next great coach (a la Avery Johnson). But if there is, the Hawks should look at that too.

Good GMs are hard to find in the NBA, but why not give Dominique Wilkins a chance? Surely his eye for talent can’t be that bad compared to some of the dunces around the league. Or maybe the Colangelos have a long-lost relative the Hawks could hire.

For the ownership, it’s gotta be either Arthur Blank or Ted Turner. If neither one of them wants to own an Atlanta team, it may as well pack up and leave. But I guess it wouldn’t be so bad if T.I., Young Jeezy, Ludacris, Jermaine Dupri, and Lil’ Jon pooled their money together and bought the Hawks. At least you know the owners would take an interest in the team.

By doug

April 17, 2007 6:19 PM | Link to this

a light just went on in my head. if knight is committed to drafting players, phoenix style, why did he hire woodson, a coach who is running the team in a half court offense ?

By Boomer

April 17, 2007 6:28 PM | Link to this

Owner: Turner/Nique/Kasten partnership

Coach: Billy Cunningham

GM: Larry Bird

By Matt

April 17, 2007 6:40 PM | Link to this

I actually don’t think Knight is committed to drafting Phoenix-style players. In the past, he has focused on drafting/trading for two types of players, the way I see it: The 2/3/4 swingmen who are most likely types of players to turn into stars, and role players (read: Salim, Shelden, Solomon).

Now that the stars have panned out, it’s time to go out and get starters at the end positions - 1 and 5. I won’t go into my defenses of Knight again, but this is really the only offseason by which I’ll form my final opinion on him.

Oh, and the Gasol deal turned out to be quite a smart move on his part when he was in Vancouver, so give him some credit there (to whoever said he sucked with the Grizzlies)…

By Dan

April 17, 2007 6:40 PM | Link to this

RUMOR

I don’t know if I want Belkin or not. As down as I have gotten on the Atlanta Spirit this season, I’m just not sure if I want them to lose out. I wish I could hear Belkin talk about what changes he would make with this team.

The Atlanta Spirit people swear up and down that Belkin would be one of the cheapest owners around. Who knows if that is true or not?

One thing is for sure, if Belkin takes over, Clyde will get his wish. Knight would be fired.

By Matt

April 17, 2007 6:45 PM | Link to this

Boomer,

In that case…

Owner: Me once I win the lottery

Coach: Red Auerbach, back from the grave

GM: The Basketball incarnation of Larry Beinfest

By mavid

April 17, 2007 6:50 PM | Link to this

Wedgie, i like your idea:

T.I., Young Jeezy, Ludacris, Jermaine Dupri, Lil’ Jon, maybe Big Boi too?

Now THAT would be entertaining.

By doc

April 17, 2007 6:55 PM | Link to this

rumor has it that dominique was pushing hard or marvin instead of a point guard. rumor also has it that bk wanted deron over paul so it might be that wilkens pushed the bk hand away from a point. just for those that think nique is unique when it comes to talent assessment.

interesting rumor but who gets the phillips and is that attractive enough for a real esate guy like belkin to want to stay in atlanta? if belkin gets rid of the thrashers and the phillips then i think the jet plane on the tarmack is readying the hawks to fly the coup, what i suggested 18 months ago. i even suggested a compromise of the belkin spirit get the hawks and the atlanta spirit get the thrashers and the phillips. bottom line, it is the bottom line that cripples and has crippled this franchise. it started at the top; bk and woody are the fall guys left holding the bag and blame, neither one great but not as bad as the situation makes them look.

still think bk has done better than: billy king, mchale, thomas, west, ainge, and wonder boy kiki in denver all having the means but not the abilities to get it right. remove all these guys from any list as those franchises have taken a dive under their care and showing no signs of life.

By Steve T

April 17, 2007 7:33 PM | Link to this

Oh, here we go again. People talk about the bulls, but you remember when they were in the same position as the Hawks during the post Jordan era. This team is not half bad. Sekou, I have asked you to tell me how many games did the hawks lose when they had a 10 point or more lead going into the 4th. This team need to learn how to close.

Now, let us take a look at the Hawks. Josh Smith and JJ are two superstars. Marvin is starting to show signs of what he can do. People the guy is still growing.

Shelden is starting to show why the Hawks drafted him. He is get at least 10 points and 10 rebounds the past few games. People he is going to get better.

Now Solo. Solo is a project and a very good one. He can do a lot of things, but he is going to have to grow. In two years, he is going to be one of the best bigs in the game.

What do the Hawks needs is a a good low post man. We need a guy that can help score points when the game is on the line. If the Hawks could have score points in those games when they blew a huge lead, they would be in the play-offs. The hawks need someone who can raise thier level of play when the game is on the line.

By doc

April 17, 2007 7:45 PM | Link to this

well sekou do you want to say anything about the ref controversy? i know how much you love em, any thoughts on this particular one that might be entertaining?

just read the jerry west mea culpa as he leaves the griz. says the ownership issue has been a hindrance, well yeaaauuh. how does he think things are going here with this petty group of broken atlanta spirit?

also thought it quite telling for his ego to suggest that there is a need for two people to replace him. no that would only get them to 42 wins in a year based on how one man has done it with only 21 wins. folks he became gm of the year when he took over bk’s aquisitions hired hubie and they got 50 wins that year with bk’s guys. see any irony here?

By Ra'mon

April 17, 2007 7:45 PM | Link to this

It is funny how some people forget the things that BK did do that were good. If it wasn’t for BK, JJ will still be in Arizona. And although alot of you guys wanted BK to draft Paul, there was not one mock draft that year where ANY point guard was stated to be worth the number 2 pick. Only person who stated the Hawks should’ve taken Paul then was Dick Vitale (and although hes great in college b-ball, vitale and the NBA success doesnt get along).

Also please remember, BK saw that he wouldnt want to resign Harrington, so he drafted his replacement (MWILLIAMS) before he left. And getting a first round pick for Harrington with a top 10 protected was smart. Who invisioned the pacers not making the playoffs this year?? So getting a draft pick for a player you dont want to keep anyway, is a GREAT move. Not to mention if Belkin didnt want to pay JJ, do you truly think he would’ve wanted to pay HARRINGTON??

I’ll admit BK made a bad decision in drafting Sheldon with the 5 pick. However, when was the last time you read anything about a player brought in by Knight, getting into off the court trouble?? Not to mention, name one GM who hasnt drafted a player who didnt end up being a bust?

Another thing that is funny, is neither one of us on this blog knows what is said on the other side of those office doors. No one here knows what restrictions and handicaps BK and Woodson has to deal with on the daily basis. Sorry to say this but if THIS team didnt have as many injuries this year, they would’ve easily finished out the 8th spot at least. If just 3-4 weeks ago they were that close after injuries, imagine if they were healthy.

Everyone says M Woodson does a terrible job, however what other assistant available was the top assistant to a championship team? Everyone says Iavaroni is a good candidate, but what has his teams won? Even when he was with Miami he wasnt the top guy there. If the Hawks can get a decent pg (Mo Williams) and rock solid center, they have the depth to challenge for a 5th seed next season. But if they get a new GM and a coach, the team will be 2-3 seasons away from the postseason. What do you prefer?

So please the next time everyone wants to bash BK, think about the good moves he did make (Chill, JSmith, Zaza- a steal, JJ, got rid of bad contracts).

By Dan

April 17, 2007 8:05 PM | Link to this

Ra’mon

I agre with you, to an extent. I agree the good things Knight has done are often overlooked. He did get rid of the trash that was here prior to his arrival. I like that Joe Johnson is here. I like Marvin Williams, although next year he needs to be more of a factor (year 3 better see some serious production). Childress was a good pick. Josh Smith…..I am just not convinced his little fits are over. The guy just strikes me as a complete head case.

I also agree with Billy Knight that players need to be able to play more than one position (with the exception of a true center, maybe).

I just have a hard time getting past the Speedy Claxton signing. The guy has never been healthy in his career, yet we find it OK to sign him to a huge deal. Just terrible….there is no defending that signing. He needs to find a way to get out of that mess of a contract.

Also, I’m not sold on Sheldon Williams. He has played better lately, I guess. Just don’t see him ever being that much of a factor. I wanted Foye.

I disagree that the Al Harrington fiasco this summer was a good move. The team needed players. And, how do you only get a top 10 protected pick in exchange for what some called the most sought after free-agent on the market last summer? Sorry, man, but don’t spin that as a good move. It wasn’t.

I’m willing to give him another year. Last offseason was a f’ing debacle. I liked nothing that came out of it. I don’t care if the Hawks have two picks or none. Knight has to make some magic happen this offseason.

By Terry Stotts

April 17, 2007 8:07 PM | Link to this

Ra’mon is Billy Knight in drag.

By Dan

April 17, 2007 8:08 PM | Link to this

Ra’mon

I also agree with you, for the most part on Woodson. I get down on the guy at times, but is it really fare to call for his head? He took over a team that was blown up. He was leveled with injuries (though I’m gettin tired of that excuse) this season.

Woodson gets a lot of grief because of what happened before he got here. I think many are just not mentally capable of separating the current situation from the pre-Woodson era.

By doc

April 17, 2007 8:10 PM | Link to this

oh my, 66 points and a 22 point lead and there is 2 and a half minutes left in the half. seems the pacers didnt show for this game.

By mavid

April 17, 2007 8:22 PM | Link to this

at least we’re going out with a bang

By Dan

April 17, 2007 8:38 PM | Link to this

mdavid

Imagine if they go into the offseason blowing the lead and losing this one….would anyone be surprised?

By doc

April 17, 2007 8:43 PM | Link to this

pacers were coached into this one. no comeback here.

By gb

April 17, 2007 8:55 PM | Link to this

lambieer or mahorn for head coach. both were winners as players and have had sucess as coachs.

what is bk overall winning percentage as a gm? i bet it is as bad as woody % as a head coach.

i keep hearing about the restrictions they are working under because of ownership and i wonder how the thrashers got to the playoffs with the same restrictions?

answers anyone.

By Chris D'

April 17, 2007 9:06 PM | Link to this

I would bring Dominique in as the GM and give him the authority to pick a coach. If he wanted to have Woodson stay on to finish his 4 year contract I would respect that.

I would like to see the Hawks win this game tonight and go out with a little pride. A lot of these guys will have to contribute next year and it would be nice if they could go into the off season with a little confidence.

By Jay

April 17, 2007 9:08 PM | Link to this

End the Knightmare.

Please.

We all know all the draft debacles. We know how much better our team could have been with Deng, new AI, CP3, Roy and/or Foye. And we know how Speedy Claxton was an absolute joke. But his last move really stung when I realized we traded our very high 2nd round pick (and quite possibly our ONLY pick if the ping pong balls fall the wrong way) for AJ. AJ was alright, sure…but we’re a 50 loss team!!!! We dont need ANOTHER backup pg in exchange for a good pick in a supposedly loaded draft. What a waste.

Who would I want instead? Hell, anyone…bring in the guy who put together the late 90’s Kings. Just someone who’s draft picks wont be called reaches.

Cant really fault Woodson with the lack of a consistent center, stater-caliber pg, undersized power forwards, etc, plus 1000 injuries. Give him a .500 or else season next year.

SEKOU, props on your boy Billy Simmons on ESPN saying that you’re the man. Thats great pub for you in front of a huge audience. Now do me a favor and tell him to quit talking about contracting the Hawks.

By Fred B.

April 17, 2007 9:15 PM | Link to this

the problem I have with hiring Ivaroni in Phoenix and trying to imitate that style of offense is that Phoenix hasn’t won anything by playing that way. They don’t play defense and we all know that’s what wins championships. Just look at Dallas; until Avery Johnson arrived they were that same type team. Granted, they haven’t won a title either but at least they were in the finals last yearand the odds-on favor to win it all this year. I for one, would feel a helluva lot better if we had a team that was built around defense. So hypotetically if Ivaroni was hired he’d better bring a different defensive playbook with him.

By doc

April 17, 2007 9:16 PM | Link to this

gb, the thrashers are in a different system with a real cap with complete redistribution of talent after the strike. it is like comparing apples and oranges. thrashers budget is at cap of 46 mil like all nhl teams, the hawks are at about 48 mil the second lowest total payroll in the nba though they are at cap. you do the math for a hockey team vs. a b’ball team. in the nba for example the knicks are about 70 mil over cap and went out and got randolph from ku as a free agent. there is a cap in name only.

if you look futher there are no teams ever successful at cap in the nba so when someone is available or a trade needs to be made there is no money to spend. there was always an issue about how much money to spend between the broken spirit. money wins in an uneven playing field or tips the scales significantly.

the thrashers gm is totally different in how he communicates with fans and media types. from that perspective it is a breath of fresh air from a fans point of view. we could and have spent a lot of time on the issue hopefully this begins to aswer your questions. the best example of an underfunded franchise has been the clips, see how they have done historically.

By mike

April 17, 2007 9:33 PM | Link to this

Well what do you know looks like old BK can continue on with his 20 year plan to get to the playoffs. We improved one game over last year. Lets block off Peachtree and have a parade. Maybe old BK can get up from his cubicle ( real GM’s have offices )and actually say a word or two without giving the empression someone is making him do it.

By ajw

April 17, 2007 9:55 PM | Link to this

I am not that bothered by what Knight has done. I agree last summer was a total debacle, but we do have some good players on this team. Players that do special things that are worth coming to games to see. Solomon Jones was an awesome pick. I love watching him play. This is the off season to fill some voids. I think Woodson needs to go. His record for plays called directly after time-outs is horrible. He takes forever to call plays to exploit mismatches. Granted he has had the youngest team in the league his whole tenure. I think the best coach out there that would fit this team well is Rick Adelman. WE need some offensive help. I say keep Knight get rid of Woodson and replace him with Adelman.

By Alec

April 17, 2007 9:56 PM | Link to this

Well, I’m not exactly calling for Woody to be fired. I do think the Hawks could use a coaching change if the right guy becomes available, but if he doesn’t I wouldn’t mind sticking with Mike Woodson. He has brought a more competitive fire to the younger players on the Hawks that they showed early in the season. But at the same time I do think Woody’s system is so slow when with the personal we have our guys should be able to move quickly and improvise more both in our half court sets and out in the open court. Who is the right guy? I would love to see Lawrence Frank become available. He runs an excellent system, and is one of the best in-game coaches in the league. With changes expected in New Jersey, I wouldn’t be suprise to actually see Frank in Atlanta.

By Dan

April 17, 2007 10:07 PM | Link to this

Another season in the books….Glad it is over. This season has been harsh.

Time to look forward to the playoffs starting on Saturday. Wide open this year….going to be some good games, boys.

By F A Skippy

April 17, 2007 10:15 PM | Link to this

Where have you been Sheldon ? This is the kind of low post game that can help turn this wild bunch into a team.This team can run,that,s not going to be a problem. If they can add some low post,hard assed play to the game it’s going to make them really tough to defense.

By Matt

April 17, 2007 10:23 PM | Link to this

Hey Sekou,

Hawks finished at 30 wins, just like you said. Can you read my fortune for the next year? ;-)

By Chris D'

April 17, 2007 10:37 PM | Link to this

Sekou, Can you rerun the prediction BLOG back when the season started and see how everyone did. I know I predicted 31 wins. Back then I was Chris minus the D’

By Mike

April 17, 2007 10:37 PM | Link to this

I think the ownership mess will preclude any established veteran coach from considering the Hawks. The one thing I definite don’t want to see is another young coach. As fan we have a right to demand a top flight GM and Coach, but honestly as blogger we have a propensity to loose touch with reality. As crazy as this may sounds, if you took the time to look at BK’s draft picks and trades from the time he was in Memphis to know, you would see that he has hit more than he’s missed. As Hawks fans we will forever remember him passing on CPaul, DWilliam, and gambling on Speedy. Add in his arrogance and refusal to trade out of the 5th pick last year and that encapsulate the frustration with BK. The ownership fiasco was the tipping point. I’m willing to bet you want see that same arrogant Jack A* look on his face this year at the draft. He basically threw 25mil worth of cap space away. The second round draft pick wasn’t so bad, because AJ never had a full season with the team. I think we cut TLue and Speedy and save 13mil. AJ is the better out of the three. With the Hawks luck, we’re do a top pick.

I don’t bye Woodson excuses in his article, because if he were really interested in how a healthy team would gel the rest of the season. Why would he keep playing the same players knowing that the team had been ravage by injuries? He either was so consume with being a dictator that he forgot about coaching or he didn’t give a s** if the players got re-injured, they was going to do things his way. I knew after the Salim flare-up that he took it vary personal with the players. That’s my point, I don’t want to through the same thing with another newbie coach that has no coaching experience. We might as well let Woodson finish out his contract. By then most of the cloud hanging around team will have cleared up. The sad thing about the whole ordeal, is we will probably loose Salim and keep Woodson. Now that sucks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

There are several good veteran coaches available. My first choice is Rudy T, I know he stills wants to coach, because he was rumored to be the next Lakers coach before Phil came back. Will he come to the Hawks that I don’t know? But there are others Paul Silas, Dave Cowans, Rick Adlerman, just to name a few. This young team is in dire need of an experience coach, not another newbie.

By F A Skippy

April 17, 2007 10:37 PM | Link to this

Fred B I think the suns get away with their game because they’re the most athletic team in the league and they have Nash to run the show.Ivaroni would be a good coach for NJ with kidd there,but I’d rather have a balanced,veteran coach to mold these young guns into a team. Much as I hate to say it Larry Brown would be about perfect for this team for a few years (till he abandons ship again)but if he can teach these kids to play they’ll still have the knowledge after Brown punks out.

By Clyde Jr.

April 17, 2007 10:39 PM | Link to this

Hey hold up Matt. My dad was the only one that got the win lost prediction exactly right. Let me post his blog entry from Sekou’s blog Let the Hawks W-L predix begin!

On October 30th my dad posted:

“By Clyde

October 30, 2006 11:52 AM | Link to this

30-52

FIRE BILLY AND WOODY”

Get it right. Sekou posted “36 wins. I really went out on a limb there, huh?” There are some people that say he doesn’t know what he’s talking bout but my dad seems to always be right at the end.

FIRE BILLY AND WOODY

By Volman

April 17, 2007 10:57 PM | Link to this

It’s not funny anymore, Clyde.

By ray

April 17, 2007 11:18 PM | Link to this

Does it really matter? We ain’t doin’ the hiring! Ok, ok. I’d hire Adelman or Carlisle (Pacers might fire him). I’d maybe even taken Stotts back. Funny thing is, IF the Hawks managed to improve significantly next year, i.e. played well, made the playoffs (maybe win a few games) then Woody and Billy wouldn’t be clowns anymore. But I want a veteran coach. A guy who comes in here and looks at what we have and can make it work somehow.

I don’t think Woody really is a clown. But I don’t see where his style fits this team. That may be all there is to it. Yes, there was a myriad of injuries. It never helps. But come on, how can Woody say things have been structured right? We hurt ALL year long at PG and C. We ran half court sets that didn’t work. Progress? Individually, yes. As a team? No. Woody was right, each of those young guys he mentioned did progress and grow. INDIVIDUALLY. This team has no real identity. And a 4 game improvement on the season record shows that.

By ray

April 17, 2007 11:34 PM | Link to this

One begins to wonder if this is the offspring of the infamous roll tide clyde or if there’s just another personality in there that recently emerged. Hmmm…

I have to laugh at anyone who says Zaza is only a step or half-step below Camby. Or better yet, that Camby has done nothing of note. Let’s see, averages a double-double all year and remains in the top 3 to 5 in blocks. And he’s getting these numbers OUT WEST? Yeah, he’s definitely not worth anything….I tell you what, if Solomon Jones produces what Camby does in the next year, then I’ll give Knight the credit of truly finding a diamond in the rough. In fact, if we had that kind of production from ANY of our players not named Josh Smith, we’d have been much better off this season. Imagine Camby-like stats from the one forward slot with Zaza and Josh Smith out there next to whoever was putting up those numbers. Then we’d just be looking for a pg.

No, I’m not saying Camby is the end-all be-all by any means. But his production on the boards has been almost the same as Pachulia and Shelden Williams combined and his blocks per game has been more than Shelden, Zaza, Lorenzen, Jones, and Marvin Williams combined. I’d be overjoyed if Solomon Jones could “be able to do that in a year.”

By ray

April 17, 2007 11:37 PM | Link to this

Hate to piggy-back, but I’d take Rudy T or Paul Silas too. Thing is, either a coach fits or he doesn’t. Sure, there’s a lot of factors involved, but another question is who would actually WANT to take this job? You’d either have to be supremely optimistic about the Hawks future as an organization, desperate for a head coaching job (either your first or simply to get paid) or something.

All this talk about picking whoever and backing it up with whatever is great, but who’d wand to be here? Nobody, at least not until ownership was settled. Even then, it’s a hell of a risk, worse than normal.

By ray

April 17, 2007 11:44 PM | Link to this

Why should we hire Ivaroni? Because he can make us like Phoenix? Nonsense. We can’t be anything like Phoenix ‘cause we don’t have the players. There’s no Nash or Stoudamire for starters. We don’t even have a full-time pg for crying out loud. We need to develop our own identity. Phoenix has been successful to a point but has yet to make it to the finals with their run-n-gun style. Oh, I’m not bashing it, it beats our…style…anyday.

But we don’t need to try to run like them. We don’t have the coach, and don’t have all the players we need. Period.

Matt,

you better be right about Billy pluggin’ those two holes that have been glaring for a few years now. Or he’ll just prove that he’s as crazy as some of us already think he is.

By ray

April 18, 2007 12:11 AM | Link to this

OOps, I was wrong about Camby. Not only is he in the running (from some experts) for defensive player of the year, but he’s remained in the top ONE or TWO slots of blocks per game.

I would back off of Woodson easier if I could see what some others are seeing. I’m not seeing a team progress. But in either case, he hasn’t done the damage that the Spirit has done. And Knight is a whole other story…

By mavid

April 18, 2007 12:53 AM | Link to this

i agree ray.

And now that I think about it, Camby would not be so easy to get from Denver.

But, I would offer Chill + Zaza or Shelden. Now that Shelden is producing, I think one of the 2 is expendable. Chill + Shelden would be optimal. Camby and Smoove at 4 and 5, with Zaza and Solomon backing them up.

By Clyde Jr.

April 18, 2007 1:14 AM | Link to this

FIRE BILLY AND WOODY

By Hock

April 18, 2007 1:39 AM | Link to this

I imagine winning that “meaningless” game tonight could cost us a shot at Indiana’s #1 draft pick, couldn’t it? What a worthless franchise.

By Matt

April 18, 2007 2:04 AM | Link to this

Hock,

If the Bucks beat the Cavs in Cleveland tomorrow night after all the tanking they’ve been doing lately, let’s just say that it’ll be a pretty cold day in the Big Inferno.

I’d rather the Hawks go out with a bang than see them tank in the hope that the Milwaukee freaking Bucks could pull off a win. On the road. Against one of the best teams in the East. With their top two players injured.

By Matt

April 18, 2007 2:06 AM | Link to this

Mavid,

The Nuggets will be wanting 1st round picks from us out of that deal. And we don’t have any to offer earlier than 2009.

I still say Camby is overrated. I’ll pay you both $20 if he wins DPOTY.

By mavid

April 18, 2007 2:30 AM | Link to this

He may not win, but he’s def on the short list of candidates.

By doc

April 18, 2007 8:15 AM | Link to this

yeah ray the nut doesnt fall far from the tree.

roll tide gets the crown on predictions this year it seems. with his silence i suspect he may have been gone back to rio with the money he has made on his t-shirts.

only menaungful part of last night is the season is over and the young guys didnt throw their coach under the bus when they had a chance. i hope he realizes the support they give him in a positive way, maybe he can stop some of the tough love and begin to treat them as men and some positive enthusiasm. he might find they respond well to that. maybe he can grow some this summer and show more trust in his men.

By roan st

April 18, 2007 9:10 AM | Link to this

Mike, we can’t just cut speedy and lue to save 13 million because NBA contracts are guaranteed. We are stuck with those contracts unless we can unload them thru a trade.

By Anakin Joe

April 18, 2007 9:33 AM | Link to this

I was better with my Pacers prediction (I predicted they would be the 8th playoff team) than I was with the hakws (predicted 37 wins). I’m glad the season is over. And I’m glad that we spent the last 10-12 games establishing trade value for our players. Let’s hope that the rumor of the ownership mess is true and that we will have resolution one way or another sooner than later. I still expect BK to make the June draft picks as it seems unlikely this thing will be wrapped in a nice package within the next 8 weeks.

By Ra'mon Noodles

April 18, 2007 9:36 AM | Link to this

BK is not the problem. Sure he’s made lousy picks, lousy deals, and lousy signings. But the man knows more about the NBA than any of you hacks on this blog - even he admitted that last offseason. He’s just ahead of his time. In the next decade every team will carry 12 6-7 players.

By infamouskrs

April 18, 2007 10:21 AM | Link to this

i think a wise off-season move the franchise should make is cuttin’ ALL ticket prices in HALF….sort of an apology to all of us fans for puttin’ up with all this divorce B/S !

fill those seats, it’s a start!

By roan st

April 18, 2007 10:23 AM | Link to this

Just read the terrance moore article and according to gearon sr. woodson has the backing of the spirit ownership group for at least one more season. So if the spirit win expect to see woody back on the bench next season. I would also expect to see knight back next season if the spirit prevail. However, if belkin wins expect to see both of them sent packing. What an offseson this will be for hawks fans!

By bill

April 18, 2007 10:45 AM | Link to this

Another “encouraging” season is over, it’s time to get ready for plenty of coverage about “if we didn’t have so many injuries, we’d have made the playoffs,” & “the young kids are looking great in mini-camp.”

Puhleeze…same old story, same old off-season spin. As a former season ticket holder, this spin gets old year-after-year.

By cowa

April 18, 2007 11:20 AM | Link to this

Assuming Belkin wins, and BK and MW go, I don’t have a specific GM in mind from a name perspective. But I do have an idea of what the GM should trying to be doing (unlike what BK has done lately). Joe has 3 years left on his deal. To best utilize his talents (and defend the reason we brought him here in the first place), the GM needs to go get a young starting PG and a defensive minded starting C. And he’s got to be able to take the assets currently on the books and be able to get the pieces without mortgaging the future.

I know, nothing startling here. But the Hawks don’t have the same blue print as the Bulls. They went off that course the day they traded for Joe Johnson. If they wanted to stay on the path of the Bulls, they shouldn’t have traded for Joe and then hoped for better draft picks over the folowing few years. The problem with our current blue print is that we have to get lucky to move ahead. That wasn’t the case with the Bulls. Their team was built around gaining assets. Getting Chandler (via Brand) and Curry in one draft, then getting Gordon and Deng in another. Add in Hinrich, trade Curry for more draft picks, and then finally get your FA after your young guys have some experience under their belts. Those of you that say we shouldn’t trade our core are crazy. Chandler and Curry were the Bulls core, and they’re both gone.

We need a GM who has a plan to get us in contention, whether it’s in 5 years (the Bulls plan was at least a 5 year plan) or something a lot quicker (I outlined some ideas on the last blog). If it’s the quick fix, then we need a PG (Jack, Ridnour, Conley, etc.), a defensive Center (Przybilla, Thomas, Haywood, Camby, Oden, etc.), and another 1-A option on offense to support Joe (Gasol, O’Neal, Lewis, Wallace). If it’s the long term fix, then trade some of our true assets for draft picks and young players (probably trade Joe). I’m not advocating trading Joe, so let me make that clear. But if you are going for the long term fix, that is what probably needs to be done.

Of course, if we get really lucky on May 22, BK will become a genius overnight!

By Traceman

April 18, 2007 11:41 AM | Link to this

I see Billy and Woody as a package deal. I’d give them one more year IF we end up with two lottery picks. Billy took gambles by protecting our pick top 3 in the JJ deal and by trading Al Harrington to Indy for a pick. If his gambles pays off, I’m okay with giving him one more chance to get this thing right. However, if we end up sending our pick to Phoenix (I can’t imagine that Indy will get lucky enough to get a top 3 pick), I say we might as well cut our losses and go in a different direction.

If we go in a different direction, I would NOT go after Jerry West as GM. I think his drafting and trades in Memphis were FAR worse than anything Billy did here.

I don’t know who I would hire as GM and coach but I would look to the staffs of successful organizations like Phoenix,Dallas and San Antonio.

By michael m.

April 18, 2007 11:42 AM | Link to this

mavid,

hold up on trading chill + shelden for camby. besides camby’s age keeping him from growing at the right time with our core, now that i am not the only one who understands that shelden can and should log minutes at center despite his height, give him and solomon (who does exhibit young camby skills) a chance to work it out. they can both contribute inside for the hawks.

first let’s see if the hawks snare a pg like conley or law, or a c like oden, hibbbert, or hawes in the draft. if we are lucky enough to grab both, we will be in great shape.

hawks should try and sign chill to a 5 yr/$33 mil contract and smoove to a 5 yr/$50 mil contract this summer. get them at a relatively affordable price while offering them security before things get dicier next offseason.

woodsen needs to add an uptempo offensive guru to his staff. an assistant who can meld our athletic wing players with the young pg we simply must bring in.

going forward, joe, smoove and marvin are a young core that i would take over washington’s big three. it is imperative that everyone, though especially marvin, shelden and solomon, dedicate themselves this summer to growth, with marv and solomon strengthening their bodies. marvin should even take some yoga. once he strengthens his core and can handle contact when going to the rim, his game is going to shoot up two levels.

sure hope woody does some soul searching this summer that goes beyond wondering “if not for the injuries… what if?” because if he watches these games again, he will see that there are some things he can work on like rotation patterns, x’s and o’s, creating an uptempo offensive that utilizes the weapons at his disposal.

and bk, DO YOU UNDERSTAND FINALLY THAT WE NEED A GREAT YOUNG PG who can push the pace? even if a conley or acie law only play 20 minutes a game next year, they will open the floor up in a way that could change the face of our franchise.

last night’s game was great. but this summer needs to be much, much better. May 22 could be an extraordinary day. time for our luck to change!

By kreedham

April 18, 2007 12:31 PM | Link to this

I understand the way why we may or may not give up the draft pick for Joe but the Indiana one has me confused. Will we know after tonight if we have to give the pick up or do we have to wait on the lottery. And BTW when is the lottery?

By Jagstang76

April 18, 2007 1:44 PM | Link to this

I would give Knight and Woodson one more year. If things do not look significantly better a short time after the trade deadline next season, then the owners should pull the plug immediately. I’m a believer that the injuries did make a significant difference to the team’s record. Having JJ around for the final 3rd of the season would have possibly put us in the playoffs. However, I do think that there have been plenty of boneheaded moments by both BK and Woody to justify sacking them. So, I say one more year with a healthier product on the court, and we all will know better whether these two deserve to get contract extentions.

By Anakin Joe

April 18, 2007 1:49 PM | Link to this

kreedham, the lottery selection is May 22 and that is when we find out if we get any picks and in which slot(s). Indy will finish with the 12th worse record but could win a top 3 pick in May 22 and then we would lose that pick. And if we do keep our pick this year, we send next year’s selection to Phoenix, even if it is the #1 pick in ‘08.

By St. Bernard

April 18, 2007 2:04 PM | Link to this

Everything looks rosier if we get Oden and Conley Jr. or Law. Maybe even get a FA pg like Mo Williams or Billups. If we lose both picks, then we have to bring in a new coach and GM because BK and Woody have proven they can’t win in the current situation. It would be ridiculous to leave everything the same as this year with no changes.

And don’t forget to keep an eye on this lottery. I’m warning you that if NY or Indy get this pick it’s rigged.

By Anakin Joe

April 18, 2007 2:32 PM | Link to this

St. Bernard, you do know that Chicago gets the Knicks pick this season, right? And Chicago is already a legit contender, so I doubt that a conspiracy theory is required to get them among the top 1-2 teams in the East… they are almost there already. If there were any team that was in need of a conspiracy, it would be Boston. Major market, fans across the nation and an iconic franchise. With the Nets and Knicks offering little excitement for the East coast, ensuring the Celtics get a top 2 pick would be a wise move. of course, they did an excellent job tanking the season, so it will not appear like a conspiracy as they have the second most ping-pong balls.

The other franchise is Seattle. You have to wonder if the city officials would be more willing to build a new arena if Oden or Durant were headed that way. And if that doesn’t result in progress, then their owner could move the team to Oklahoma City and reward those fans with an emerging star.

If our ownership nonsense were resolved, there could be some justification for helping us out. But I kind of doubt that Stern would want to do anything kind for Belkin or Gearon.

By Matt

April 18, 2007 2:40 PM | Link to this

People, people, people:

Indiana will have, at most, an 8 in 1000 chance to get the top pick. All told, they’ll have about a 2.5% chance of picking up any of the top 3 picks.

I consider those odds too remote to be worthy of serious concern. To my knowledge, only one team outside the bottom 10 (Charlotte when they got Baron Davis) has ever ended up with a top 3 pick since the institution of the current draft system in ‘94.

By doc

April 18, 2007 2:52 PM | Link to this

st. b the knick pick goes to chicago as compensation for the curry deal i believe. if they end up with the no. one lottery pick it will be a case for federal investigation for fixing the league not just games.

we may miss the perfect storm (no draft picks) but the threat persists. thank you cleveland for winning last night as philly gave effort to win and the pacers didnt.

now it seems that on one front i was right and ando was wrong as he suggested the pacers pick wouldnt amount to more than a pick in the 20ish range and i felt that it would be more in the range of say 14. where i was wrong was to sugggest that the hawks would be, giving up a similar position to the suns in essentially a trade off…. my bad.

ando suggested the third or fourth worst record in the nba for the hawks and was on target…. our bad, but gee no one’s to blame. i mean after all …. injuries, didnt have to do with the arogance of the broken atlanta spirit being in court, the poor selections of billy that left the team leaderless at point, the coaching of woody that left many scratching their heads with tired bodies being beaten at the end of games as players sat in the woody dog house for not doing it in PRACTICE where you want to do things to learn not beat up on each other, nor players being paid significant amounts of money showing up only for their paychecks instead of giving the fans something to be proud of and come to pay money for and make fodder for easy derision here in the blog. yeah no one is to blame for another season gone bad and no one stepping up to say MY BAD.

where is the accountablity?

where is the guy to step up and say we know what happened, it was this and this etc. and we are correcting it and you can expect this, so come and buy your tickets as we get it right?

By F A Skippy

April 18, 2007 2:59 PM | Link to this

Traceman Saying you’d keep Billy and woody if we get two lottery picks makes as much sense as cutting cards for it.I don’t have an opinion as of yet on whether the team is better off with or without them but when I do it will be for better reasons than blind luck.

By honest_abe

April 18, 2007 3:01 PM | Link to this

matt what the hell are you talkin about? we can only get the indy pick if it’s outside the top 10 anyways.

By darblue

April 18, 2007 3:30 PM | Link to this

oh sekou sekou sekou,

i truly believe the hawks are beyond repair at this point (see: trade high 2nd round pick for anthony johnson). and while we could potentially earn the 1st and 11th picks of the draft, it would not shock me one bit if the basketball gods rewarded us for keeping billy knight as the GM by keeping us out of the top 3, and indiana hitting a top-3 pick, effectively giving us no picks in the draft. :-(

if we finally rid ourselves of billy knight, i would have to say our owners should get down on their knees and plead with jerry west to set up shop in atlanta. fire woodson and let west pick a replacement, as sad as it is i can not think of one able-bodied coach who does not have an NBA job right now.

Darblue :-(

By Anakin Joe

April 18, 2007 4:09 PM | Link to this

Doc, you sound like a frustrated fan. As you know, neither BK nor Bernie Mullen could truly provide the credible accountability that you seek as neither are assured of being here post-court decision. They will likely go with the injury excuse and discuss the conditioning program that the players will undergo in the off-season.

The “rumor” that the Spirit has found another sugar daddy should they win validates what we have been saying forever, the owners don’t have the resources to field a competitive team. I forgot that Belkin owned a 40% stake, meaning the others were operating for the past 2 years without their major funding partner. I’m guessing these guys are probably up to their eye-lids in debt by now.

This was obviously a doomed marriage from the beginning and we are left with a truly dysfunctional team. As I’ve said ad nauseum, the accountability question is moot during the divorce. Firing Woody or BK is out of the question as the collective owners (as they stand pre-court decision) cannot possibly agree on replacement candidates. Not to mention that no viable candidate would uproot their family to move to such a volatile situation where you could lose your job before the next season begins.

What a f—-ing mess!

By PHILFORREAL(ScoobySnacksfor kicks)

April 18, 2007 4:25 PM | Link to this

For all of you hoping Belkin wins the ownership battle, remember he is the one who said that he did not care about fans interest in the team affairs, winning, or anything of the like. He openly said his interest in the Hawks is to make a profit. Don’t be fooled into thinking things will get any better with him at the helm.

By doc

April 18, 2007 5:02 PM | Link to this

aj, we have been singing the same chorus for many moons now. at times i have to vent at the reality ot it a bit as things wind down here. too many excuses have been made here for too long, it is time to do it or get off the pot.

in spite of flash’s “trust me, he will be good” i am leary of the resolve to put belkin in charge as he doesnt have any connection to the community and is heavily involved in his, in boston. i know he is an upstanding man, diligent worker and has basketball sense however, that doesnt translate into his doing what it takes to make this a basketball town say along the lines of what blank has done to marry the falcons to the cty as well as make a positive dent for a return on his investment. though they say he spins off the thrashers it doesnt say what he is to do with the phillips or really how he is going to fund the hawks as a primay investor. all need to remember that before the jj thing came down there was a lot of back stabbing and grandstanding by belkin and the other guys including belkin traipsing off with the all star tix he felt were his and his entitlement. besides that, he was the one in dessension on how much to pony up against the cap, he preferred to keep costs down and the guys running the team now and getting further into debt preferrred to rebuild quicker by making the budget larger.

ultimately i know all these folks are in a bind and feel for them, i justified what they were up against most of the time here; sometime and at some point they need to fess up. with that said when the settlement is done tongues will waggle unless there is a restriction written into the final judgemane and decree. continue to listen and watch “as the hawks turn”; starring the broken atlanta spirit.

By jhan

April 18, 2007 5:47 PM | Link to this

I’m not sure who should replace Woody & Knight. If I had to replace one right now it would be Knight. He just has made too many questionable moves (non-moves) to support him right now. I think the biggest mistake seems to be his inability to communicate with the coach. He had to know what type of system Woody was going to run. Stating that, he did not draft players to fit that style of system. If he had another system in mind, he should have forced Woody to coach that way. If Woody refused, he should have fired him and hired someone else.

Whatever happens, the gm & coach need to be on the same page. If these two can somehow manage that, then let them both stay & try one more time. Otherwise I say ditch Knight.

By infamouskrs

April 18, 2007 6:55 PM | Link to this

what this team, franchise, and city could really use is a coach+GM that have charismatic and out-going personalites. guys that players, fans, and the media adore! an example would be that coach from Tennessee that painted himself up during a game this year! so much damage has already been done(empty seats everywhere). excitement needs to some how be generated again, quickly! the current crew has failed….miserably!

Billy has ,in no way, attempted to “sell” us on his approach. HE DOESN’T CARE WHAT WE THINK!

By Samuel

April 18, 2007 7:25 PM | Link to this

First Off,

Rainman, I apologize. I swear I almost made a terrible Boo, Boo. I wake up Tuesday mourning and find out that our series is still freakin going on. WOW. I left nearly a hundred points and 50 boards on the bench Monday night. Now im scrambling to hold on to my one category.

On the Hawks:

Ownership Wish - Gotta go with my Boy from Mississippi. The Magic Man. He’s the best Basketball mind out there with Serious Paper. You bring in a name like that and we automatically climb the credibility ladder.

GM - What about Greg Anthony. Dude is super sharp and former players union president if im not mistaken. Smitty also seems to know his stuff. I like dual roll type guys. One for player evaluations and one for Finalcial type stuff.

Head Coach

Everybody is saying Ivaroni. Why. Yea, he’s been a successful assistant for 12 years or so but that doesn’t guarentee that he will make a successfull head coach. I think we need to go with a proven winner with this team. It would be different if we had a bunch of vets and stars(ie Dallas with Avery) but were talking about the Hawks here.

I like Addleman first, then, Rudy T(if healthy) and then Silas.

By Peter

April 18, 2007 7:30 PM | Link to this

If Belkin wins the Hawks are gone. He’ll sell the Thrashers to raise capital and then take the team to KC or OKCity. Some of you guys are too young to remember Norm Green.

He came here when the Flames were drawing well and Tom Cousins didn’t have operating capital. He sold the Flames to get money to acquire the North Stars and next thing you know they’re the Dallas Stars.

Be careful what you wish for when it comes to Belkin.

By JJ

April 18, 2007 7:47 PM | Link to this

Stern has to approve if belkin wanted to leave which I know he wouldn’t so i am not worried about that.

By Anakin Joe

April 18, 2007 8:13 PM | Link to this

Belkin will likely try to secure a local partner to gain league approval for his new ownership group. I’m assuming that he won’t have 100% ownership, as his other purchase attempts have involved other partners. Stern won’t give this guy an easy path even after the courts make their decision. He will get his pound of flesh from Belkin, one way or another.

By infamouskrs

April 18, 2007 8:26 PM | Link to this

as crazy as it may sound….Ando would do the franchise wonders! bring him on as a scout…this team would do very well..of course, with someone in charge that would value his opinion!

i have always appreciated his insight and b-ball knowledge! but we all know…..Billy is always right.

it’d be great to find a GM like Paxson in Chi-town. Hinrich, Duhon, Tyrus, Deng….the guy is really making a name for himself in this league!

By St. Bernard

April 18, 2007 8:31 PM | Link to this

Thanks for setting me straight on the New York pick. I guess I can’t cry conspiracy there, but I could if Indy gets it. What a story it would be for Oden to end up playing in his hometown.

By St. Bernard

April 18, 2007 8:32 PM | Link to this

Remember James going to home team Cleveland Ohio??

By hooligan

April 18, 2007 8:43 PM | Link to this

infamouskrs,

Of course Billy Knight doesn’t care what you think. He doesn’t care what I think, either. Why should he? How many Hawks practices have we seen? How many scouting reports have we read? How many trades have we made outside Yahoo! Fantasy leagues and NBA Live?

And don’t give me “Well, he should definitely care about the fans, since the team will fail without us” crap. Atlanta fans have already proven that they aren’t loyal enough to buy tickets for a team unless they’re heading to the playoffs, and even then, they stop caring after a few years. The day any GM cares about the whims of Atlanta fans will be the day I’ll call for his head.

His focus should be on the players he thinks will help the team win. If he listened to you, then he’d be even more stupid than you obviously are.

By Matt

April 18, 2007 8:44 PM | Link to this

I hope this draft is rigged, because I honestly think the Hawks are the one team that would go instantly into the playoffs with the addition of Oden.

By ray

April 18, 2007 9:40 PM | Link to this

Samuel, nice picks on a new coach. Makes a lot of sense. And you’d think we’d learn by now about hiring guys who made good assistant coaches. We’ve got one NOW. Ivaroni could be different. Or he could not be.

Camby may not get Defensive Player of the Year, but being in the running says something. So do his stats. Especially on a team in the Wild West. Imagine what he’d do in the Eastern Conference. But I don’t see us getting him in any situation. And he’s not necessarily the best option as it is. Like Joe and Doc have said, everything follows after the draft.

We can’t say much in regard to how the Bulls have made progress. I’ll just start by pointing to how they’ve drafted. First, they drafted two big guys in Curry and Chandler. Then they drafted forwards like Deng, Tyrus Thomas, Andres Noccioni, and g/f Thabo Sefalosha. Then, they also drafted pgs, two good ones in fact…in Hinrich and Duhon. And a merciless shooter combo guard in Gordon. They drafted across the entire spectrum! And went two deep or better at each position! How has Knight drafted? Oh, if you were paying attention the last few years, you definitely know. Sure, Curry and Chandler are now gone from Chicago, but the Bulls have plenty of talent and plenty of assets to acquire different kinds of talent as needed/desired. They have what it takes to plug ANY hole they have. They even signed the right free agents.

And the difference is two-fold. Better owners, better GM. You can yak all you want about Knight drafting this person and signing that one. He refused to draft a center or point guard that would have had an impact. He kept drafting damn forwards. I won’t say anything about free agents because the Spirit helped stymie much of that I’m sure. But the draft…there’s no freakin’ excuse.

Here’s the difference between Paxson and Knight. Paxson may have made a mistake in letting both Chandler and Curry go. He may have made a mistake in bringing Wallace in and expecting him to bring them to the next level. But at least (even if he never admitted it) he has the tools to fix that and do what it takes to get his team the parts it needs to get to that next level. Knight? He would only compound the problem by signing a low level free agent or something. Then he’d proceed to tell fans how little they know about anything at all and how he feels that talking about deals is “counterproductive.” Great, just great.

So now, we are not now anywhere near the Bulls were when they could only win 23 games. They had hope. They had foundations. They had direction and took it, followed it. What do we have? Chaos and disarray…and some seriously p** off fans. I sure hope it gets better. And soon.

By mavid

April 18, 2007 9:44 PM | Link to this

you know what just occurred to me. If the Hawks manage to miraculously get either the 1st or 2nd pick (and thus get Oden or Durant), Esteban Batista will go down as BK’s best signing.

It was Batista who took out JJ for the latter half of the season (after the two collided and JJ got injured). SO remember, if we nab a 1st or 2nd pick, than Batista is the man to praise!

And if we do get it, then I say we sign him for another year in compensation for his services.

Just a thought… (prays we get a top 3 pick)

By Matt

April 18, 2007 10:33 PM | Link to this

Wow…Indiana lost and Philly won tonight. That means they’ll have a tiebreaker for the #11 and #12 “seeds” for the lottery.

Since the difference in odds between the #11 and #12 is negligible (8 in 1000 vs. 7 in 1000), let’s all hope the Pacers pull out the #11.

Think of it - we might end up with the highest unprotected pick possible from that trade! I think that would be pretty damned smooth.

By R Stein

April 18, 2007 10:40 PM | Link to this

just need a bench. The coaching is fine, team is as good as any in league when healthy.

By mavid

April 18, 2007 10:42 PM | Link to this

^^ yeah but, on the other side, we’re sitting at 4, so we also might give up the best possible unprotected pick to PHX

By F A Skippy

April 18, 2007 11:06 PM | Link to this

Ray Good work showing how da Bulls put a team together.I don’t think you’re being fair in comparing the Birds drafts though,it’s too early and it’s not like the picks have been wasted.Look at the young studs brought in just the last four drafts.This is not a team yet but we,ve got most of the parts to compete with the top teams,of course those missing parts are huge (top C and PG)but it’s getting interesting.

By ajw

April 19, 2007 12:12 AM | Link to this

Thank god Joey Crawford was suspended. He has ruined so many playoff games with his self serving ego. He will not be missed at all. I never liked Tim Duncan as much as I do now for getting him suspended. the only thing that would make the playoffs better is if the Hawks were in it.

By ray

April 19, 2007 12:32 AM | Link to this

FA SKIPPY, believe me, it isn’t that we’ve had a load of total busts throughout the last 3 drafts or so. It’s that Knight has drafted in one area whereas Paxson drafted across several. We had Harrington, but drafted another forward. We were gonna let Harrington go, so we drafted two more forwards. And then two more…Why is it that not one center or point guard was drafted? And don’t count Cenk Aykol (anybody remember him?). He wasn’t even guaranteed to come to the States. That was my whole point, really. Nothing against our forwards. Just why draft nothing but forwards? We don’t have enough variety on the team, let alone to make something happen with in the trade market. KNight left himself with mostly nothing but forwards to play and almost nothing but forwards to trade.

Ivey’s not a pg, nor is Stoudamire, so don’t count them. Ivey is a solid teammate and an okay guy for a few minutes. But he doesn’t run the team, doesn’t score…Salim can score in bunches if he gets the PT. But again, why no real low post enforcer type and no floor general? And if Shelden was to be the low post enforcer, then how come he got relegated to bench duty most of the time? He showed spots throughout the season when he got the PT that he could rebound and maybe score a little. Either Woody was screwing up or Shelden wasn’t good enough to unseat one of the starters or regular rotation guys for regular minutes. Which points right back to Knight. Was Shelden the guy to pick? Will we ever even know? Fact is, if he never cracks the rotation permanently for at least 25-30 mpg, then he’s not what we needed in the first place. Go figure.

By Matt

April 19, 2007 12:49 AM | Link to this

I think that Shelden struggled at the beginning of the year when he was actually a starter and WAS getting lots of minutes. So Woodson did the logical thing - he benched him, and made him earn his way back into the rotation. A few months stewing on the bench probably lit a fire under his butt. Then, when he was given the chance to play significant time again, he gave it his all, which I don’t think he’d been doing at the beginning of the year (it sometimes takes awhile for rookies, who are used to being the star of the show full-time).

That’s my theory at least. I actually don’t see any problem with Woodson’s use/non-use of Shelden.

By F A Skippy

April 19, 2007 1:04 AM | Link to this

Ray my point it’s taken Da Bulls six or more drafts to build the balance of young players.When was Chandler and Curry drafted ? I think it’s been at least six,so we don’t know what this team will look like after the same number of drafts. In hindsight one of the two great young PGs would have made more sense than Marvin,but I don’t know of anybody who predicted they would be that good.We over paid for Sheldon that was just a bad move.My choice last year was Roy (and I’d still take him)even though we’d have two tweeners at guard with him and Johnson,but Sheldon will contribute to the team for many years and the same will be true of Marvin,Jones,Smith,Zaza,etc.We need a top PG and we could use a center,then these kids will have to mature before we know how good they are.

By Peter

April 19, 2007 1:14 AM | Link to this

Listen I’m the first to admit that I gave BK a chance because luck does play a part in getting a superstar player. The luck we have can’t stay bad forever can it?

I’m already paranoid about writing that. See what losing can do to you? However luck had nothing to do with not getting a PG. It’s inexcusable. It is a blind spot for him, like Rich McKay and safeties, or linebackers or or,,

Trust me Belkin will seek to move this team. No investment lawyers whe specialize in M & A have that much interest in a late season Knicks - Celts game with a lawyer from the firm of IGBAS (I”m gonna break Atlanta Spirit)

He’s trying to line up money at the same time that he’s bleeding the other owners dry. Stern would have to try and stop league approval which opens up a whole new can of worms because they’ve already approved Belkin. It’s just my opinion so I’ll leave it at that.

If he were taller you could make a belt out of him.

By Clyde Jr.

April 19, 2007 3:02 AM | Link to this

Congrats to the Golden State Warriors. Its amazing what a good coach can do WITHOUT A TRUE CENTER.

FIRE BILLY AND WOODY

By Samuel

April 19, 2007 6:37 AM | Link to this

Yea, How Bout Them Warriors and How Bout the Tupelo Hustle. Fantasy League Champs.

These 1st round matchups look exciting, especially GS vs Dallas and PHX vs LA. I’d hate to be playing Kobe and CO. with revenge on their minds.

By cowa

April 19, 2007 1:20 PM | Link to this

Hawks fans, take a look at this article to further depress you! Almost commical.

[http://www.nbadraft.net/reed007.asp]

By bill

April 19, 2007 2:05 PM | Link to this

Cowa —

Interesting article…I’m sure our esteemed GM will just say that “nbadraft.net doesn’t understand how a championship team is built…”

By Matt

April 19, 2007 2:37 PM | Link to this

Just a thought:

We might not be as screwed as we think at the point. Tyronn averaged 18.7 points and 9 assists over the last 6 games. Now I know that’s not too impressive a span of time to put up those numbers until you consider the fact that he didn’t have too many good offensive players to pass to, and he still managed 9 assists per game.

I’m not saying I want him as our full-time starter, and I pray to God almighty that we can somehow get Conley, but Tyronn’s definitely no scrub.

By Matt

April 19, 2007 2:44 PM | Link to this

I don’t think Foye would have been a good fit at all, for the same reason I think Roy wouldn’t have been - neither is really a point guard at ALL, and they would have ended up getting funneled into the 2-guard spot, where we’re already overstocked with JJ, Childress, and Salim.

Again, not saying Shelden was a good pick there, but I don’t think anyone else was better for us. Ask me, and I’d say we should have traded the pick altogether once it didn’t land it in the top 3.

By Anakin Joe

April 19, 2007 3:26 PM | Link to this

Matt, there were many NBA pundits that predicted Foye would win the ROY and now many of them are trying to rationalize the prediction. As you said, he is NOT a true PG nor even a combo guard. He is simply a small SG who had a few nice games but nothing spectacular. In fact, McHale should take more heat than BK for not keeping Roy, because the T’Wolves do not have a top-tier SG (Ricky Davis?).

Lue is far from being a scrub. He was clearly hurt when he returned after the All Star break and finally became healthy toward the end of the season. Having him play 20 minutes a game would be ideal and there would be fewer quality back-ups in the league.

I would pretty much throw most of the stats out the door from the last 5-6 games. Thse appeared to be mostly glorified pick-up games, especially when we played other non-playoff contenders. Only Cleveland (who waxed us) was playing true ball toward the end.

By F A Skippy

April 19, 2007 3:52 PM | Link to this

Matt If you have Roy and Johnson you put them on the floor together.What that gives you is a balance from both sides of the court where the ball can be moved from one side to the other via pass to a guard with a complete skill set.This would require the opposition to guard in a manner they wouldn’t be accustomed to.I’d love to have two guards who could pressure a defense in every way on the court (drive,dish,shoot,inside or outside).If you have 13 assist,45 points,4 steals,and pressure from the whole court from the starting guards call them what you will,I think it’d be very effective.

By F A Skippy

April 19, 2007 4:07 PM | Link to this

I watched Foye and Roy a lot on video and in games in college.The only things they have in common are they’re guards and their names rhyme.Foye may develop into a skilled pro but Roy was more skilled his last year in school than most 10 year pros are.Foye was a crude slasher in school,there is no real comparison in my view.