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DEL.ICIO.USKnight doesn’t get point
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Mark Bradley
Billy Knight has whiffed on each of his first picks in the three drafts he has overseen as the Hawks’ general manager. (To recap: He took Boris Diaw over Josh Howard in 2003, Josh Childress over Luol Deng in 2004, Marvin Williams over Chris Paul last summer.) The Hawks approach Tuesday’s lottery with the fourth-best chance of landing the No. 1 pick and, while it would be nice to see this franchise win something for a change, it might be better if it didn’t prevail in this collision of pingpong balls.
Regardless of what Knight said last week, the Hawks need a point guard above all else. The higher they draft, the less chance there is of them picking one. Why? Because no point guard in this draft class comes highly rated, and Knight insists he’s still in the collecting-the-best-talent-regardless-of-position mode. He needs to realize that the Hawks will never become a team, as opposed to a collection of talent, without filling the key positions.
They have, as the world knows, enough swingmen to staff a division. They have no center, but there’s no center in this draft. (Anyone who saw Glen Davis outscore LaMarcus Aldridge 26-4 in the Georgia Dome knows the Texan is a glorified power forward.)
There are, yet again, plenty of swing types to be had, but none — not Tyrus Thomas, not Adam Morrison, not Rudy Gay — would mark a significant upgrade on what the Hawks have. Speculation holds that the player Knight likes most is the 6-foot-11 Italian Andrea Bargnani, but history records that the last time this GM took a European it took the Phoenix Suns to turn Diaw into a player.
And Knight, for all his professed equanimity, cannot afford to draft another Marvin Williams, someone who’ll have little effect on the won-loss record. The Hawks need someone who can start right away and enhance those already in place. That means a point guard, and it’s hard to imagine Knight drafting one with his first pick. If that’s the case, then he needs to trade down and do it then. Knight missed on Paul and Deron Williams last time. He cannot afford to miss on Marcus Williams now.
Knight was in Philadelphia for the first and second rounds of the NCAA tournament, meaning he saw Williams at his best. Without his skill and strength and guidance, massively favored Connecticut would have lost both games. It was odd to watch, the gifted Huskies relying so heavily on one man, but that’s how it played out. Williams had 41 points and 13 assists (against five turnovers) in the two games, and in the latter he chased Kentucky’s Rajon Rondo, who could get drafted in Round 1, off the floor.
If Knight knows as much basketball as he says he does — and, to be honest, as I once believed he did — then he had to see in Marcus Williams the sort of player who could pull the Hawks’ many tangents together. That said, I have a bad feeling about this.
I have the feeling that the Hawks are going to wind up with the No. 3 or 4 pick and take Bargnani and then try something silly like trading for Allen Iverson — that’s this week’s rumor, you should know — and making him their nominal point guard. But we just learned with Joe Johnson that calling a guy a point guard doesn’t make him one, and anyone who turns to a coach-killer like Iverson as, ahem, an answer doesn’t really understand the question.
At some juncture the Hawks are going to have to find a for-real point guard and put him to work. Knight has a choice: That juncture can come while he’s still employed or after he has been canned for not finding one. The draft, even in a down year like this one, is where a GM earns his money. With the exception of Steve Belkin, the Hawks’ many owners have backed Knight in everything he has done. It’s time for Blunt Billy to justify that love.
Permalink | Comments (12) | Categories: Hawks / NBA, Mark Bradley
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By WHOPPER DAWG
May 20, 2006 08:45 PM | Link to this
I agree and there is no way, no way, baffled Billy will make the right decision. No way.
By Larry
May 20, 2006 09:21 PM | Link to this
I started reading this and after a few sentences I realized I need to get a life!
Honestly—who cares?
By Sean
May 20, 2006 10:10 PM | Link to this
Amen! If Billy take Bargnani, Aldridge or another swingman, the axe should fall immediately! I say, keep Woody and fire Billy! Trading for AI is not the answer. It will fill seats, but it’s not what we need. We need a true PG! We need a true center too, but we need a PG more!
By Connie Lingous
May 20, 2006 10:36 PM | Link to this
You nailed it Bradley - very good column.
By Mike
May 21, 2006 10:14 AM | Link to this
I didn’t even realize Atlanta had a basketball team.
By chrom,ayic
May 21, 2006 10:18 AM | Link to this
hey guys; they have marcus williams at #8 on the mock draft. i would love 2 see hawks trade down with hornets, because they have two first round picks 12& 15 . marcus williams;;;;Williams has improved tremendously since his freshman year when he veraged 9.6 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 7.8 assists in 31 minutes/game … He has a great “feel” for the game, something he didn’t show freshman year … A tremendous passer who led the entire nation in assists per game at 8.1 … He controls the tempo of the game as well as any guard in the Big East … He displays a good right hand, finishing fairly well on drives with it, though he is naturally left-handed … His three-point shooting percentage rose over 20% last season to a respectable 40% … He’s a threat from the outside now which allows him to penetrate and dish or finish more often … When big men challenge him in the paint, he uses a crafty floater/tear drop type of shot that he has really perfected … He is practically unstoppable in the open court because his decision making is so quick and precise … Whether it is pulling up for the jumper if his man plays off him or hitting a wing player filling the lane, Williams makes the appropriate decision … He has a killer crossover that he uses to get by his man on the perimeter and is athletic, getting good lift on his jumper … Defensively he does a good job staying in front of his man and limiting drives, he averages 1.1 stl/game …Williams was productive as a freshman where he average 4.3/game assists in only 14 minutes/game. we could select mmarcus at #12 then Patrick O’Bryant at 15. Birthdate: 6/20/86 NBA Position: Center College: Bradley Class: Sophomore Ht: 7-0 Wt: 250 Classic late bloomer … Bigman with excellent upside … Huge frame with extremely long arms (likely close to 7-6 wingspan) … Very good agility for a 7 footer, light on his feet … Not afraid of contact, good strength and improving rapidly … Runs the court and moves very well, also quick getting into transition … Should be able to carry another 20-30 pounds … Great shot blocker, doesn’t get overzealous. Can block a lot of shots without jumping … Excellent rebounder … Has good touch on his shot, solid free throw shooter … Works hard to establish position under the basket … Has developed some solid post moves … Displays good footwork … Has a very good turnaround jump hook … Soft hands on rebounds …
By Stan Darsh
May 21, 2006 03:00 PM | Link to this
This team needs a shot blocker a lot more than a point guard. We lost so many close games this year because we have no interior defensive presence at all. If we could trade our pick along with Al Harrington for Ben Wallace or someone who plays like him, this team is a playoff team next year, point guard or no point guard. Joe Johnson runs the point better than a lot of the so-called good point guards in this league (Baron Davis and Steve Francis come to mind). But we simply can’t go through another season with Zaza Pachulia’s lack of defense at center. I wouldn’t mind picking Aldridge, but we have enough young players already, I would rather see us trade for a veteran.
By Bob in Sf
May 21, 2006 04:07 PM | Link to this
What is it about ATL fans and Ben Wallace? He would never play here willingly plus he is Da Man in Detroit and they won’t let an integral part of their team go for a decent small forward/shooting guard like Harrington when the already have Rip and Prince. We have seen in the playoffs this year that the league is getting to be more PG friendly. With the hand checking being called and the lanes being uncluttered it is becoming a penetrator’s game. Nash has won the last two MVP’s (regardless if he deserved neither) and the Hawks are about two PGs short right now. Look at what Dallas is doing to SA with the speed and movement of their 2 PG offense. (even thought we all know Terry is really a SG at heart). Please Billy pull your pompous head out of your nether regions and draft or trade for a REAL PG or two or three. Not another swing man labeled a PG! Get a distibutor!
By This gets old
May 21, 2006 06:07 PM | Link to this
Look, Billy Knight was interviewed by a reporter whom a lot of “fans” in Atlanta love, and I mean LOVE to trash. (I like the guy)
1) How do we know what BK is REALLY thinking? If he’s truly looking at PG is he duty bound to tell a reporter that?
2) Like it or not Chris Paul had some of the “character” issues in his final college season. Now that’s not to excuse him not taking one of the other PG’s unless he thought that Marvin will be the better player. He may have known then that he had no intention of keeping Harrington past this season.
It takes time and LUCK to get better. The cupboard was not only barren when the guy arrived it was not even a cupboard.
Who knows WHAT type of player Childress turns out to be? It’s too early to tell.
By cp
May 22, 2006 01:10 AM | Link to this
Im sorry but no matter how you feel about Billy Knight he hasn’t been as horrible at drafting as your trying to make it seem. I cant lie i wanted Josh Howard that year but he missed out. I dont recall to many people crying before the draft on how they should take Chris Paul. Its easy to say later what someone should have done. To say he whiffed on the Josh Childress selection is kind of weak also. If you look at the numbers Deng is not really head and shoulders above Josh Childress. Over their short career Josh Childress is averging 10pts, 5.6 boards,1.8 assist, 37% from behind the arc,50% from the field and knocking down almost 80% of his free throws. Deng `13.1pts,2.0assist,26%on his threes, 45% from the field and 74% from the free throw line. Im sorry but i really dont see how Deng is so much better as a player. Josh Childress doesnt even start and is basilly putting up similar numbers while shooting better. If you would have seen any Hawks game this year then you would know that pg is not the prolblem. The Hawks need a big man who can block shots and rebound.They lost countless games because they could not keep people out of the paint. I like ZaZa but he doesnt have any d what so ever. I can tell from your last few colums that u really dont like the gm although the one prior to Knight consistently made bad draft picks and even worse trades.
By cp
May 22, 2006 01:11 AM | Link to this
Im sorry but no matter how you feel about Billy Knight he hasn’t been as horrible at drafting as your trying to make it seem. I cant lie i wanted Josh Howard that year but he missed out. I dont recall to many people crying before the draft on how they should take Chris Paul. Its easy to say later what someone should have done. To say he whiffed on the Josh Childress selection is kind of weak also. If you look at the numbers Deng is not really head and shoulders above Josh Childress. Over their short career Josh Childress is averging 10pts, 5.6 boards,1.8 assist, 37% from behind the arc,50% from the field and knocking down almost 80% of his free throws. Deng `13.1pts,2.0assist,26%on his threes, 45% from the field and 74% from the free throw line. Im sorry but i really dont see how Deng is so much better as a player. Josh Childress doesnt even start and is basilly putting up similar numbers while shooting better. If you would have seen any Hawks game this year then you would know that pg is not the prolblem. The Hawks need a big man who can block shots and rebound.They lost countless games because they could not keep people out of the paint. I like ZaZa but he doesnt have any d what so ever. I can tell from your last few colums that u really dont like the gm although the one prior to Knight consistently made bad draft picks and even worse trades.
By cp
May 22, 2006 01:12 AM | Link to this
Im sorry but no matter how you feel about Billy Knight he hasn’t been as horrible at drafting as your trying to make it seem. I cant lie i wanted Josh Howard that year but he missed out. I dont recall to many people crying before the draft on how they should take Chris Paul. Its easy to say later what someone should have done. To say he whiffed on the Josh Childress selection is kind of weak also. If you look at the numbers Deng is not really head and shoulders above Josh Childress. Over their short career Josh Childress is averging 10pts, 5.6 boards,1.8 assist, 37% from behind the arc,50% from the field and knocking down almost 80% of his free throws. Deng `13.1pts,2.0assist,26%on his threes, 45% from the field and 74% from the free throw line. Im sorry but i really dont see how Deng is so much better as a player. Josh Childress doesnt even start and is basilly putting up similar numbers while shooting better. If you would have seen any Hawks game this year then you would know that pg is not the prolblem. The Hawks need a big man who can block shots and rebound.They lost countless games because they could not keep people out of the paint. I like ZaZa but he doesnt have any d what so ever. I can tell from your last few colums that u really dont like the gm although the one prior to Knight consistently made bad draft picks and even worse trades.