Hawks summer of discontent begins …
April 18, 2007 at 5:15 pm by David Lee Simmons in SportsWell, the Hawks’ season ended with a mini-bang instead of a whimper, but with the way this season has gone, how can you tell the difference?
The Hawks are like a few other NBA bottom-feeders right now — my fave, the Boston Celtics, come immediately to mind — in that they have a nice assemblage of young talent that is, for the most part, concentrated at the wing positions with no serious point guard and questionable defense and rebounding up front — and that injuries ruined any chances of marked improvement. (Wow, that IS the Celtics!) And then there’s the man who put the team on the floor, GM Billy Knight, but that’s another story for another day.
And so, once again, all eyes turn to the June 28 NBA Draft — or, if we’re speaking chronologically, the draw for the lottery on May 22. That’s a key day for Hawks’ fans in that they could wind up with two high first-round picks if the lottery balls bounce their way. See, if they wind up with the third pick or higher, they keep the pick; if it’s below third, they lose the pick to the Phoenix Suns in the Joe Johnson deal.
Otherwise, it would be up to the Hawks’ No. 12 picks (thanks, Indiana) to improve the team. And if you believe most mock draft boards, that’s smack-dab in the middle of the myriad swingmen available after the top big men are gone. There’s certainly a shot to land point guards Mike Conley Jr. (Ohio State) or Acie Law (Texas A&M), but here’s betting their stock will rise as the predraft season progresses.
Sadly, Billy Knight is learning in Atlanta what Danny Ainge has (hopefully) learned in Boston: Championship teams are not built by youth movements alone. The Hawks, blessed with youngsters like Joe Johnson, Joshes Childress and Smith, and Williamses Marvin (yea!) and Shelden (eh), need veterans almost as much as a point guard.
That said, I’ve become obsessed with two draft sites — www.nbadraft.net and www.draftexpress.com — as well as ESPN’s (espn.go.com) NBA Draft link, which includes a potentially maddening game you can play as to where the lottery balls (and potential picks) might land.
And if anyone would like to recommend their own draft sites, plug ’em in, in the comments link below.
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April 19th, 2007 at 8:53 am
This isn’t a comment specifically about the hawks but about basketball and life in general. As my wife will attest I use to be an avid Basketball Fan both College and Pro; however, since I’ve had my kids I go to 1 game a year, if I get a free ticket. I don’t watch on Television or even listen to the ticket anymore? I decided after many years of getting frustrated with not having enough time to follow my teams like I usually did to just give up. Am I alone in this or is this something that happens to most Dad’s when they have small children.
April 19th, 2007 at 1:05 pm
Murray: I have a hard time maintaining anything more than fair-weather football, baseball and other sports. Football’s too much like an artillery battle or a video game. Baseball — where tradition mattered — has been ruined by strikes, interleague play, DH drugs, the players association and, most of all, owners. Or maybe it’s just that basketball’s a better sport.
On the Hawks: Puhleeze let the ping-pong balls bounce our way for a change! If we have #3 and #12, how ’bout Oden and Conley — or maybe trade Josh Childress (who I like a lot) with 12 to ensure Conley or Acie Law. Gimme #3 — I’m not selfish — and I’ll take Hibbert. I could be fooling myself but I think a stopper and crasher with a good outlet pass, a nice little shot and a big screen could do the trick with our young legs. With that big hole plugged, the best of the three vet free agent points (A. Johnson? Lue?) could do the trick, as long as Joe Johnson’s in the point rotation (with less pressure on him because Josh Smith and Marvin are maturing).
April 24th, 2007 at 10:00 am
I’m a former sportswriter with no kids and even I have trouble following my teams these days. A hectic pace, indeed, and Murray makes a lot of great points about why baseball’s so tough to follow or at least get passionate about. Salary caps and free agency make it tough to build loyalty to players when they’re gone in 2-3 seasons. (Or, with my Celtics, one!)
Murray, I think the Hawks could land a frontcourt presence with No. 3 (if they get it) but Oden will be gone by then. Think Brandan Wright (my personal post-No. 2 pick) or Hibbert as you say. I think this draft is vastly overrated in terms of depth of quality frontcourt players. But if there’s a way to score a Conley or Law (to rid Atlanta of relying on Johnson or Lue), that’d be nice.