Hawks

[Golden Tornadoes]

Hiring some no name, like this Saleh guy, would be a bridge to far for me, if I were him. Wasted enough years on front office folks getting their feet wet and not doing a good job of it on top.

I wouldn't necessarily call Saleh a "no name" but will agree that he isn't a sexy or a very accomplished hire. He's been a part of the Warriors and the Spurs front office, both organizations who generally have good execs and have built a sustainable winning structure. IMO the more important hire here is the President of Basketball Ops. Whoever that is will be essential to Saleh while he gets comfortable in the GM role. Saleh's background is in front office strategy; something that seems to have been lacking for a while to those looking in from the outside. Time will tell if he has the chops for being a GM, or if his ceiling is in the background where he has spent most of his career.

 

[kg01]

I wouldn't necessarily call Saleh a "no name" but will agree that he isn't a sexy or a very accomplished hire. He's been a part of the Warriors and the Spurs front office, both organizations who generally have good execs and have built a sustainable winning structure. IMO the more important hire here is the President of Basketball Ops. Whoever that is will be essential to Saleh while he gets comfortable in the GM role. Saleh's background is in front office strategy; something that seems to have been lacking for a while to those looking in from the outside. Time will tell if he has the chops for being a GM, or if his ceiling is in the background where he has spent most of his career.

I hear you but you highlight another issue. The POBO should hire the GM because that's the person charged with making the POBO's plan come to fruition.

What if they disagree on the direction, plan, etc.? Just another dysfunctional move by this (cl)ownership.

Landry's biggest issue was that other GM's didn't respect him. He got fooled in every deal he ever made except the Dyson deal and that GM got fired. Landry came from the Spurs organizational tree too. That means nothing at this point.

 

[Golden Tornadoes]

So I’ve been pondering this hypothetical trade for a few days now and wanted to throw it out there. IF the Hawks decide to move Trae, they obviously would want young talent and multiple future first round draft picks. What if they went a different route instead?

Instead of tearing it down, what if they called up Memphis and decided to swap PGs? I’d be all over getting Ja, and Memphis might be getting a little tired of his on-court celebrations that have caught the eye of the NBA. They may deem it too much of a distraction especially with his history with weapons charges. Who better to get for him than Trae? It’s highly unlikely, but it would allow both teams to retool instead of a full-blown rebuild.

 

[kg01]

So I’ve been pondering this hypothetical trade for a few days now and wanted to throw it out there. IF the Hawks decide to move Trae, they obviously would want young talent and multiple future first round draft picks. What if they went a different route instead?

Instead of tearing it down, what if they called up Memphis and decided to swap PGs? I’d be all over getting Ja, and Memphis might be getting a little tired of his on-court celebrations that have caught the eye of the NBA. They may deem it too much of a distraction especially with his history with weapons charges. Who better to get for him than Trae? It’s highly unlikely, but it would allow both teams to retool instead of a full-blown rebuild.

A lotta folks have tossed this concept around and, after some light research, I've come to the conclusion that it'd be such a significant downgrade for the Hawks that it renders that deal laughable.

I think I can change your mind without going past a 'games played' comparison.

One guy averages about 50 games played/season compared to about 70 for the other guy.

That's about 64% of the season vs about 84%.

When you consider a lot of that is because of a combination of injury and stupidity, how can a Trae/Ja swap be justified? He's Memphis' problem to solve. I'd pass all day long.

 

[Golden Tornadoes]

This Porzingas trade actually makes a lot of sense for the Hawks and I’m really surprised to say that. It gives them financial flexibility for the future by getting rid of Mann’s contract, shores up the PF position for the short-term, and gets rid of a first-round pick of little value. Great job Saleh.

 

[Golden Tornadoes]

VERY GOOD-that's the draft night grade I give the Hawks. They were able to spin the 13th pick into the 23rd pick and a potential lottery pick next year while still picking up someone who can provide value with potential at a fraction of the cost of a lottery pick. I haven't seen that level of ingenuity from the Hawks in a while. Great job Saleh.

 

[DecaturJacket]

This Porzingas trade actually makes a lot of sense for the Hawks and I’m really surprised to say that. It gives them financial flexibility for the future by getting rid of Mann’s contract, shores up the PF position for the short-term, and gets rid of a first-round pick of little value. Great job Saleh.

VERY GOOD-that's the draft night grade I give the Hawks. They were able to spin the 13th pick into the 23rd pick and a potential lottery pick next year while still picking up someone who can provide value with potential at a fraction of the cost of a lottery pick. I haven't seen that level of ingenuity from the Hawks in a while. Great job Saleh.

Yeah, best two days as a Hawks fan since the playoff run a few years ago for sure. Reenergizes a team and fanbase who was getting too used to being mired in mediocrity.

 

[Golden Tornadoes]

Trae’s reign in ATL is officially over. However, the Hawks royally screwed up in this one. Somehow managing to only get back McCollum and Kispert with NO draft capital is criminal. I don’t care if Trae had Washington top of his wish list, you still maximize the return. This was a huge fumble and the Hawks traded him for pennies on the dollar. Washington just fleeced Atlanta. There should have been at least 1 first rounder attached to this.

 

[kg01]

Terrible asset management. If there was even a remote possibility they were gonna trade him, do it before this season or after the season when he'd be an expiring. Just horrible, horrible asset mgt.

McCollum is an expiring and won't be on the team after this year. Kispert shouldn't make the rotation over Risacher or NAW. So he may not ever play for them.

That's the best you could do?

A not so hidden piece is the man the Hawks fired, Travis Schlenk (drafted trae), is the WAS exec that just took them to town in this deal.

 

[DecaturJacket]

Trae’s reign in ATL is officially over. However, the Hawks royally screwed up in this one. Somehow managing to only get back McCollum and Kispert with NO draft capital is criminal. I don’t care if Trae had Washington top of his wish list, you still maximize the return. This was a huge fumble and the Hawks traded him for pennies on the dollar. Washington just fleeced Atlanta. There should have been at least 1 first rounder attached to this.

Trea is a "superstar" with little demand. His value is at an all time low.

Terrible asset management. If there was even a remote possibility they were gonna trade him, do it before this season or after the season when he'd be an expiring. Just horrible, horrible asset mgt.

McCollum is an expiring and won't be on the team after this year. Kispert shouldn't make the rotation over Risacher or NAW. So he may not ever play for them.

That's the best you could do?

A not so hidden piece is the man the Hawks fired, Travis Schlenk (drafted trae), is the WAS exec that just took them to town in this deal.

This. Waiting and waiting led to where we are today. It came down to getting rid of contract and opening up space to sign somebody, so let's see what we do now. Saleh has made some great moves so far, so I'll reserve judgement on this ordeal until we see what the next piece is.

 

[Golden Tornadoes]

Trea is a "superstar" with little demand. His value is at an all time low.



This. Waiting and waiting led to where we are today. It came down to getting rid of contract and opening up space to sign somebody, so let's see what we do now. Saleh has made some great moves so far, so I'll reserve judgement on this ordeal until we see what the next piece is.

The new rumor is AD, which I would be vehemently against. Why trade away one oft-injured guy just to get another?

 

[kg01]

The new rumor is AD, which I would be vehemently against. Why trade away one oft-injured guy just to get another?

Yeah I'm not as high on the front office. Frankly, I think the owner is meddlesome and purposely hires inexperienced execs so they'll do what he and his son wants. Recipe for disaster.

The NOP trade is more 'bad management by Dumars' than 'great work' by the Hawks, tbh.

If they trade for AD ...... sigh. The guy is good but is never available. Plus he refuses to play the 5. Plus he's due an extension which, iiuc, would pay him more than they would've had to pay Trae. Make that make sense.

Sure Trae was hurt this year but he's still significantly more available than Day2Davis and he's 5'11, 165lbs.

The AD pursuit is just the owner chasing 'names'. I was fooled into thinking Saleh was team-building. But less than half a year in he/they are blowing up what they built.

 

[DecaturJacket]

The new rumor is AD, which I would be vehemently against. Why trade away one oft-injured guy just to get another?

Yeah I'm not as high on the front office. Frankly, I think the owner is meddlesome and purposely hires inexperienced execs so they'll do what he and his son wants. Recipe for disaster.

The NOP trade is more 'bad management by Dumars' than 'great work' by the Hawks, tbh.

If they trade for AD ...... sigh. The guy is good but is never available. Plus he refuses to play the 5. Plus he's due an extension which, iiuc, would pay him more than they would've had to pay Trae. Make that make sense.

Sure Trae was hurt this year but he's still significantly more available than Day2Davis and he's 5'11, 165lbs.

The AD pursuit is just the owner chasing 'names'. I was fooled into thinking Saleh was team-building. But less than half a year in he/they are blowing up what they built.

Yeah, I'm not big on AD either. I do think we have a solid core and a lot of potential. Jalen is going to be a superstar. Be nice if that NOLA pick turns into somebody solid.

 

[Golden Tornadoes]

Yeah, I'm not big on AD either. I do think we have a solid core and a lot of potential. Jalen is going to be a superstar. Be nice if that NOLA pick turns into somebody solid.

So far it has huge potential to be #1. Problem is we are set at the wing and forward positions and that’s where the top talent of this draft is. We need a point and a big. I guess the question becomes can Darryn Peterson play point?

 

[kg01]

Yeah, I'm not big on AD either. I do think we have a solid core and a lot of potential. Jalen is going to be a superstar. Be nice if that NOLA pick turns into somebody solid.

I love JJ. The problem is he's on the same schedule as Trae was. By the time the pieces around him are compete-ready, he'll be due to get maxed/super-maxed so Ressler will likely find a way to jettison him.

I hope im wrong but that’s the pattern. They avoid the luxury tax at all costs, even if the cost is winning.

So far it has huge potential to be #1. Problem is we are set at the wing and forward positions and that’s where the top talent of this draft is. We need a point and a big. I guess the question becomes can Darryn Peterson play point?

Agreed plus Peterson needs to prove he'll be healthy. He does not look like a point to me tho. A 2 that can pass, which is fine. Just, as you said, not exactly what they need.

And, my gawd, is NOP terrible. They look completely uninterested as a team. Imagine being a pelican fan with a gm that traded not only their pick (likely top 3) but also traded IND's pick back to them (another likely top 3 pick). Sheesh.

 

[Golden Tornadoes]

I love JJ. The problem is he's on the same schedule as Trae was. By the time the pieces around him are compete-ready, he'll be due to get maxed/super-maxed so Ressler will likely find a way to jettison him.

I hope im wrong but that’s the pattern. They avoid the luxury tax at all costs, even if the cost is winning.



Agreed plus Peterson needs to prove he'll be healthy. He does not look like a point to me tho. A 2 that can pass, which is fine. Just, as you said, not exactly what they need.

And, my gawd, is NOP terrible. They look completely uninterested as a team. Imagine being a pelican fan with a gm that traded not only their pick (likely top 3) but also traded IND's pick back to them (another likely top 3 pick). Sheesh.

I disagree on the JJ point. He signed an extension for a below-market $30M/year for 5 years which is set to expire after the '29-'30 season. At that point, he will be 29 and could get one more large contract. That's plenty of runway to surround him with youth and allow them to grow together. But I don't think that's needed in this situation. I see this as addition by subtraction. The cap rules have changed since Trae inked his super-max and his contract alone made it very hard to do much roster construction. By removing him and taking on an expiring in McCullom, the Hawks will have cap room to play with this coming offseason while having a high pick in the draft and the possibility of being in the playoffs. That's an extremely rare combination. This isn't a rebuild, it's a reconstruction.

 

[DecaturJacket]

The new rumor is AD, which I would be vehemently against. Why trade away one oft-injured guy just to get another?

Yeah I'm not as high on the front office. Frankly, I think the owner is meddlesome and purposely hires inexperienced execs so they'll do what he and his son wants. Recipe for disaster.

The NOP trade is more 'bad management by Dumars' than 'great work' by the Hawks, tbh.

If they trade for AD ...... sigh. The guy is good but is never available. Plus he refuses to play the 5. Plus he's due an extension which, iiuc, would pay him more than they would've had to pay Trae. Make that make sense.

Sure Trae was hurt this year but he's still significantly more available than Day2Davis and he's 5'11, 165lbs.

The AD pursuit is just the owner chasing 'names'. I was fooled into thinking Saleh was team-building. But less than half a year in he/they are blowing up what they built.

AD left tonight's game injured yet again. Lol.

 

[Techwood Relict]

I enjoy watching Trey play, but I do think this is the right move for the organization. Our defensive shortcomings with him on the floor limited the team's ceiling.

I'd also prefer we pass on AD. Another great player, but perpetually unavailable.

JJ is our new cornerstone. Let's hope we get the pieces around him to make a legitimate run.

 

[kg01]

I enjoy watching Trey play, but I do think this is the right move for the organization. Our defensive shortcomings with him on the floor limited the team's ceiling.

I'd also prefer we pass on AD. Another great player, but perpetually unavailable.

JJ is our new cornerstone. Let's hope we get the pieces around him to make a legitimate run.

The defense has been bad both with and without Trae. JJ's defense is pretty terrible too.

Trading Trae isn't the fix folks think it is. What matters is what they do next. The AD pursuit does not inspire confidence.

 

[DecaturJacket]