The Hawks Thread

[Solaris Phase Two]

Hey you guys i know you know imma hawks fan but i want to know who also is one. I like the team now but theirs a lot of upgrades id like to see. Like seeing josh smith and crawford stay. And sign a lil more veterans and potential guys. I want the hawks to be a championship team one day.

What are your thoughts about the atlanta hawks?

[rise]

Josh Smith and Al Horford should be the future. Joe Johnson will have to go at some point fairly soon, because he'll be in his mid-30s by the time his contract expires, and I think he's already regressing. If the Hawks can somehow snag Dwight Howard, they're definitely contenders. I think Kirk Hinrich is a capable point man, but they need a better point guard if they are going to try to make a run at a title. They are the prime example of a team that is one player away from a championship. An upgrade at the 1 or the 5 will put them in that contender category.

[Andrew]

Moving Joe Johnson is easier said than done, barring an amnesty clause in the new CBA and even then the Hawks would probably have to let him go for nothing. I think he's going to be solid (but overpaid) through the duration of his contract, which is alright for the Hawks but obviously not great. I suppose anything's possible, we did see Gilbert Arenas traded last year, though teams weren't lining up to trade for him and it ultimately didn't work out so great. I'd say Atlanta's stuck with Johnson for the foreseeable future, so their best hope is that he maintains his current level of play.

[_Steve_]

Even if he's already regressing, he is still a valuable asset on the Hawks team. His shooting is still quite well, though I have to agree to Andrew and most others that he is very overpaid.
I'm also not sure whether the Hawks could build a real contender. They weren't able to land a "big" free agent last season and, like Andrew, I doubt they get one in the near future. But there is still a new management which is hopefully good for some (positive) surprises...

[shadowgrin]

Hawks...They are the prime example of a team that is one player away from a championship. An upgrade at the 1 or the 5 will put them in that contender category.

[benji]

To be fair, if they got someone like LeBron for nothing he could play four of the five positions for 40 minutes a night and then they'd actually have a solid bench.

[Murat]

Don't like the Hawks since had a association with them. The future is not Joe Johnson. It's Al Horford and Josh Smith. Wat bout da Jason Collins? He plays superb.

[rise]

Wat bout da Jason Collins? He plays superb.

rofl. That was hilarious. Even this badger thought it was funny.
Jason Collins had more fouls than points last season

They are the prime example of a team that is one player away from a championship

I meant contenders not champions, sorry.

To be fair, if they got someone like LeBron for nothing he could play four of the five positions for 40 minutes a night and then they'd actually have a solid bench.

Dwight Howard would definitely make them contenders. I think even someone like Tyson Chandler, Marc Gasol, Nene, or someone similar would make them contenders. I don't know if the Hawks have enough cap space to sign any of those guys though, but I think Gasol would be the cheapest of the group to sign. A Gasol-Horford-Smith front court would be a top-notch one for sure, probably right behind that of the Mavs (assuming TC returns) and Lakers (assuming they don't blow it up).

[Andrew]

I doubt they'd be able to sign any of those players with their payroll over the next two years, especially if the new CBA ends up lowering the cap or bringing in a hard cap.

[Solaris Phase Two]

If josh smith can talk to his best friend Dwight Howard we can sign him but id say thats like a 30%. I think we need some new bench depth. I wanna see some good vets and young guns in there.

[Andrew]

Friendship with Smith or not, getting Howard to sign for the minimum is a tall order to say the least and the Hawks don't have a lot of pieces that the Magic would likely want in return and that they'd be willing to give up to get the deal done. Howard and scrubs wouldn't be a better situation than the one they're in now.

[NovU]

I personally hope to see Howard pairing up with Chris Paul rather than anyone. These two are 2 of my top 5 in the league today and they'd make an exciting duo right away if not the best. As for the Hawks, I really don't see anything positive with the team at the moment.

[_Steve_]

I personally hope to see Howard pairing up with Chris Paul rather than anyone. These two are 2 of my top 5 in the league today and they'd make an exciting duo right away if not the best. As for the Hawks, I really don't see anything positive with the team at the moment.

If Chris Paul could resist pairing with Melo and Amar'e which would obviously make sense for Paul and the Knicks, but is less likely under a new CBA, it would really make sense for Paul and Howard to join forces. Just in case Paul is willing to leave the Hornets.
One thing I'm sure of, is that Howard won't exchange Magic for Hawks...

[Solaris Phase Two]

Whatever the hawks do im with it. I wanna see hawks be contenders in any way possible

[rise]

They'll probably have to make sacrifices in order to make that happen. There's no way they can sign another star with Smith, Horford, Johnson and an OK supporting cast under contract. If they want to be contenders, one of them, along with the majority of their productive bench, will have to be traded for one of the following: Dwight Howard, a top 10 point guard and a top 10 center, or trade Smith, Horford, or Johnson for like three good bench players.
Just a thought.

[Solaris Phase Two]

Whats your guys take on Magnum rolle and *potentially signing* joe alexander


off topic a lil: david lighty was close to signing with us

[Andrew]

Neither are particularly significant signings, really. Perhaps there'll have their moments but as far as having a significant impact, I'd say that's expecting too much.

[NovU]

Whats your guys take on Magnum rolle and *potentially signing* joe alexander


off topic a lil: david lighty was close to signing with us

My take on those two guys are...

Both those signings are breath taking and shocking. The world now is a changed place.

[AMenace]

I'm sorry, but Atlanta is not going to be a contender anytime soon. They will never win a championship with the team they have, Joe Johnson is overpaid and not playing well enough to justify his salary, they haven't got any pieces to trade for somebody like Chris Paul, and they have no chance beating Chicago, Boston, Miami etc to even make it to the finals.

I think you need a new team to support Dmastawwe.

[atlwarrior]

I think its good the fact the Hawks have been at least a winning team. Other than that with their current roster that is all they will be able to do for a couple of years. I'm satisfied with just that for now because Atlanta doesn't have the best luck when it comes to teams winning championships. We are happy just to see our teams winning. A championship would be like a bonus.

[The X]

Whats your guys take on Magnum rolle and *potentially signing* joe alexander


off topic a lil: david lighty was close to signing with us

Joe Alexander and David Lighty are two of my favourite players. I'm a big fan of Al Horford as a starting power forward (not centre) too. Shame they overpaid for Joe Johnson again

[NovU]

I think its good the fact the Hawks have been at least a winning team. Other than that with their current roster that is all they will be able to do for a couple of years. I'm satisfied with just that for now because Atlanta doesn't have the best luck when it comes to teams winning championships. We are happy just to servour teams winning. A championship would be like a bonus.

Spoken like a true Hawk fan.

There were days when the Heat were a losing team. It wasn't too much of fun especially the year Wade went down and Heat were at the bottom. Even there were days when the Grizzlies were 14 wins team for a half-decade before getting relocated. Despite all that, I had fun watching my favorite teams playing hard and develop as a team. If were a winning team, could have been better.

[atlwarrior]

Dude you don't have to be a fan of a team just because they're in your hometown. I do support the Hawks and go to their games still since they are the home team but they never were my favorite team even when they were better than they are now.

[Lamrock]

even when they were better than they are now.

when was this

[_Steve_]

even when they were better than they are now.

when was this

Maybe he was talking 'bout the Falcons.