5.07.2008

Back Like I'm Somewhere Else



Back in Seattle, lots to tackle. . . and I'm doing much of it over at Sporting News. Dr. LIC has some wisdom for you later today, but for now, here are my official positions on the Hawks' future, the meaning of Knight's resignation and yes, Kobe's MVP. Feel free to discuss wherever you see fit.

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13 Comments:

At 5/07/2008 2:55 PM, Blogger Bret LaGree said...

The 2006 Draft (turning 5th and 33rd picks into Shelden Williams and Solomon Jones) was just as bad as 2005 Draft for Knight. Drafting Marvin was the worst possible decision but at least he looks like he can do something useful in the league.

If ownership brings back Woodson, the few die-hards will likely revolt. Woodson's Mike Brown without the ability to communicate with his players. He's the reason Josh Smith and Marvin Williams are still so unformed. The franchise could survive a sign-and-trade of one of the Joshes, but Woodson has to go, preferably at the behest of a new GM who can articulate a vision of the future.

I'm driving the D'Antoni bandwagon in Atlanta and am even willing, against my better judgment, to let him be the GM too if doing so closes the deal.

 
At 5/07/2008 2:58 PM, Blogger Bethlehem Shoals said...

As far as I'm concerned, Shelden Williams never happened. His mere existence represents the breaking point of blind Hawks faith.

 
At 5/07/2008 3:09 PM, Blogger Joe Friday said...

Bret, I am one of the diehards. My response to this post was going to be "the meaning of Knight's regisnation is that Woodson will be re-signed on the cheap. period."

I detest this ownership group.

 
At 5/07/2008 3:36 PM, Blogger Unknown said...

We're any of Knight's early first round picks controversial, let alone revolutionary? Yes he was able to acquire some blue-chip talent, but did he really see anything in these guys that no one else saw? I can't really give a guy too much credit for taking a player at #2 that was universally thought of as the second best player in a draft.

To me, getting a great player late in round 1 or somewhere in round 2 is much more proof positive of having a great eye for talent. Seems like the only time he's taken a risk on a player, it has blown up in his face (see Williams, Shelden).

 
At 5/07/2008 3:45 PM, Blogger Bethlehem Shoals said...

Finding a diamond in the rough is ideal, yeah, but don't forget how many GMs have tons of busts on their records.

Knight has been pretty solid:

-While with the Grizz, traded for Pau's rights and picked Battier.

-Drafted Smith and Childress. There were a lot of tempting players who went right after Childress, and between Smith, J.R. and Dorell Wright, he picked the winner.

-Took Horford when lots of people (myself included) were saying he had to take Conley to make up for Paul.

Not seeing he's a genius, just that there are far wore assessors of talent out there.

Oh, and he signed Zaza.

 
At 5/07/2008 4:33 PM, Blogger Brown Recluse, Esq. said...

Shelden Williams was part of the deal that brought them Bibby, so they ultimately got something with that pick.

 
At 5/07/2008 5:28 PM, Blogger Louie Bones said...

Shelden Williams' intimidating forehead wants to be remembered!

 
At 5/07/2008 6:02 PM, Blogger Unknown said...

Was Marvin Williams really the consensus 2nd best player in the draft that year? If I remeber correctly, he didn't start or even play that much at North Carolina. I think it was more a case of projecting so much "potential" onto marvin because he was an athletic 6'10" guy with a decent J. he's okay but settles way too much for the J and has never really seemed to utilize much of that "athleticism" that got him picked so high. He may not be terrible, but the pick was a blunder for sure. Oh, and I REALLY want the Spurs to sign Chillz. Probably won't happen seeing as how he's not foreign or over the age of 30. Whew.

 
At 5/07/2008 9:15 PM, Blogger Unknown said...

@Christopher-

I'm pretty sure he was. I remember most of the media framing the story as, "Will the Bucks take Bogut or Williams?" With the Hawks taking whichever one was left over. You're definitely right in questioning that thinking, but that was before the minimum age requirement, when drafting on pure potential was the rule, not the exception.

@Shoals-

Didn't know about his work with the Grizzlies. I stand corrected there. And your points in the article about how we have no idea how paralyzed he was by their front office are spot-on, as always. But he has been the man in charge for some pretty awful (yet intriguing) teams while in Atlanta, and that can't be ignored.

 
At 5/07/2008 10:20 PM, Blogger coby said...

If you want to see some bias check out Shelden on wiki. A "marginally talented" player with an "oddly shaped head". Its about as impartial as Enver Hoxha's autobiography.

“Even a broken clock has the correct time twice a day.”

El Dueńo's time will come whether it is in Fayetteville or Tel Aviv.

 
At 5/07/2008 11:13 PM, Blogger jon faith said...

Let us praise these famous men: Shelden and Nazr Mohammed wil be rememebered, not for chops, but as marks in nice rides.

 
At 5/08/2008 9:23 AM, Blogger Joe Friday said...

Knight was a formidable GM. He played the hand he was dealt. Unfortunately, he was dealt the worst possible had with the ownership mess. I admire the way he stuck to his guns on the Johnson signing, nabbed Smith in the 17th and absolutely got a steal in Zaza (Woodson fucking that up notwithstanding).

And yes, Marvin Williams was the unanimous #2 in that draft. Read any account of that draft other than Bill Simmons' and you will find most talent evaluators thought he had the most upside and would ultimately be the best player from that draft. Knight can't be faulted for that one.

His three questionable moves were:

a) the awful Shelden Williams, and alledgedly offering him a promise for some reason to take him at #5

b) when the mandate was coming down that the window to sign FA's to long term deals was closing (via the Maryland judge who is handling the owners lawsuit), Knight signed Speedy fucking Claxton to a 4yr/25mil deal.

c) i like J-Chill alot, but he took him over Deng and Iguodala.

Basically, Knight was no better or worse than most GMs. He was a hardass tho...after trying to fire Woodson after the ASB, supposedly he has not been on speaking terms with Woodson or ownership. I love that pic of him refusing to shake Steve Belkin's hand. I'm rambling, but I'll just say this...he left the Hawks in the best position we've been in since the primes of Mookie, Smitty, Laettner and Deke.

I just read in today's Atlanta paper that Billy King is a candidate to replace him. Shoot me now.

 
At 5/08/2008 10:51 AM, Blogger dizzle said...

But couldn't you defend Billy King the exact same way toy defended Knight? With the exception of the Korver trade (admittedly pretty big) that was his sixer's team that had basically a parallel season to the hawks

 

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