Did you really think they could win a game 7 in beantown?

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Originally posted by shine3000:

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Originally posted by MARSHALL:

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Originally posted by shine3000:

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Originally posted by MARSHALL:

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Originally posted by NEIGHBORHOOD$UPER$TAR:
PapaGrizzly,
For Knight to have gotten Mike Bibby for Sheldon Williams ----- HE DESERVES GM OF THE YEAR

The Hawks are just a young team collectively. They need time to gel together - to start blowing things up and making multiple changes at this point in time isn't rise....

Folks have to realize that the Celtics, while a great team, really don't have a bunch of playoff experience. Yes, Pierce, KG, Posey and Allen have been to the playoffs, but they have not had a bunch of success or been to the dance a lot of times.

Posey and Cassell are the only players on the roster to have played in the NBA Finals. Rondo and Perkins, House and the other role players have not.

Not even Doc Rivers has a bunch of playoff experience as a coach with everyone stamping his team as the favorite.

Boston is a veteran team with little playoff experience and that's why they struggled against the Hawks.

Playoff experience is overrated. New Orleans basically has NO playoff experience, and look what they are doing.

N.O. has some players like Chandler and Peja and Bonzi Wells and others who have playoff experience. And they also have a coach who has played and coached in the NBA Finals. That counts for a lot.

The Celtics have Cassell, Allen, garnett, and Pierce. They all have a decent amount of playoff experience.

IMHO, the Hawks inexperience (esp. road playoff game experience), failure to consistently derail matchups that favored Boston, failure to execute and take advantage of matchups that favored themselves sank our battleship throughout the series.

We can ask......well did the personnel of the Hawks matchup well enough to have a real chance at winning this series vs. Boston?
For whatever reason, it worked well enough for 3 games in the ATL, utterly collapsed in Boston. *shrug*

DG on your regarding Avery Johnson to the Hawks. That's a tough one considering what he would be walking into. Belkin would still have to approve his initial salary and any subsequent renegotiations.

AJ wouldn't even know if Billy Knight the GM would be in place. If not then who unless they made him a double candidate and I doubt he has enough years to get that sweet of a deal....plus this is still Atlanta.

And the FA situation is really tentative at this point. As I said previously both Childress and Smith rejected the Hawks original offers in the $50 mil range (approx $6-7 mil/yr). My contact inside the organization told me the ownership doesn't expect any team to offer either player a deal much higher than that and certainly not the max deal coveted by both players. I got the feeling if there was an offer tendered to either player over say $8-9 mil the ownership would not match effectively freeing the player up to sign and walk.

Now I have heard several teams are interested in Josh Smith. But keep in mind the number of FAs that are out there like Arenas. There are only a few ball clubs (like the Miami Heat) that have enough cap room to give a big contract. Plus next year there are a bunch of FAs and more teams looking for help that will have those salaries coming off their cap.

Knight resigns as Hawks' general manager

Six-year tenure with organization will end July 1

By SEKOU SMITH
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Published on: 05/07/08

Atlanta Hawks general manager Billy Knight has resigned after six years with the organization, effective July 1.

Knight resigned Tuesday night after a late afternoon meeting with Hawks part owner and NBA Governor Michael Gearon Jr.

"The time has come for me to take a break and fully evaluate my future plans," Knight said in a statement released by the organization Wednesday morning. "I am tremendously pleased with what we were able to accomplish this season in reaching the postseason, as the Hawks' return to the playoffs energized the city and our franchise.

"My passion for the franchise has never wavered, but I feel I'm leaving the organization in much better shape than it was in when I took over. I also appreciate the jobs done by Mike (Woodson), his staff and the players during this season. They are most deserving of the praise and accolades they earned during a tough, seven-game series against the Eastern Conference's top team entering the playoffs, and I wish them and the Spirit organization the very best in the future."

The Hawks ended a nine-year playoff drought this season and pushed the Boston Celtics to a Game 7 in a first round playoff series that ended Sunday.

Knight, 55, built the Hawks from the ground up, having spent his first season with the organization as the director of basketball operations before taking over as general manager.

The Hawks' best season under Knight came this year with a 37-45 regular season record and that first round playoff exit.

We respect the decision Billy has made to resign and we are grateful and appreciative of the job he has done," Gearon said in a statement released by the team.

"Billy has built a team of athletic, high character players who have enormous potential. Under his leadership, the Hawks were not only the youngest team in this year's playoffs, but have also proven to be the most exciting team Atlanta has seen since the Dominique (Wilkins) era of the 80's. We look forward to building on Billy's success as we continue our efforts to emerge as one of the NBA's elite franchises for a long time to come."

Nothing surprising here.

Knight catches alot of heat, but the only real screwup was Sheldon Williams over Brandon Roy.

People complain about not drafting Paul or Deron Williams, but that's alot of hindsight. At the time of the draft, Marvin Williams was all the experts #2 player in the draft behind Bogut. Especially in Atl where Paul was getting abused by Jared Jack in college. Nobody expected his success.

Six potential replacements for [outgoing Hawks GM] Knight


By SEKOU SMITH
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Published on: 05/08/08

Six potential replacements for outgoing Hawks general manager Billy Knight, who resigned Tuesday after six years on the job (in alphabetical order):



Chris Grant

Billy Knight's former assistant who began his career under Pete Babcock, Grant bolted for the same position in Cleveland two years ago and has since helped the Cavaliers reach the NBA Finals. Played a huge role in the Hawks' tear down and rebuild but wasn't around for the playoff triumph this season.

Billy King

King, the former general manager and architect of the Philadelphia team that made the playoff this season, spent 10 years in Philadelphia, including their 2001 run to the NBA Finals, before being fired earlier this season. Currently doing analyst work for NBA TV, he could start immediately.


Milt Newton

Newton has spent the past five years in Washington, he's currently the Wizards' vice-president of player personnel. He oversees the franchise's global scouting operation. A former player and scout, Newton is considered one of the league's finest talent evaluators.


Scott Perry

Perry is a rising star in basketball circles who played a key role in the Pistons' eight-year run as the Eastern Conference's top dog. An assistant general manager in Seattle during the regular season, he recently returned to Detroit in the same capacity after John Hammond left for Milwaukee.


Tommy Sheppard

The Wizards' vice president of basketball administration, Sheppard has spent nearly two decades working in the league in various capacities. Has spent the five seasons with the Wizards working under Ernie Grunfeld.


Steve Smith

The former Hawks great is widely regarded as one of the brightest players of his generation. Respected both on and off the floor, Smith has spent his time in the business sector as well as broadcasting (Hawks TV analyst) since his playing days ended. Knows this team inside and out.

Yall will have to wait to read my op-ed on this whole BS. There's more to it than what you've heard.

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Milt Newton

Newton has spent the past five years in Washington, he's currently the Wizards' vice-president of player personnel. He oversees the franchise's global scouting operation. A former player and scout, Newton is considered one of the league's finest talent evaluators.

I wouldn't mind giving him a chance. The Wiz have found some good young talent (Roger Mason, Nick Young, Blatche)