Tuesday, June 19, 2007
Sports Are the Hawks bluffing?
Posted by Scott Freeman on Tue, Jun 19, 2007 at 6:15 PM
The latest from ESPN.com's Chad Ford on the June 28 NBA draft offers a very intriguing possibility: Maybe the Hawks are bluffing when they hint that they covet Al Horford. From Ford:
The Hawks drafted a power forward with the No. 5 pick in 2006 -- Shelden Williams. Recent Atlanta draft picks Marvin Williams (2005, No. 2 overall) and Josh Smith (2004, No. 17) also share time at power forward.And what we're hearing this year? Another power forward with the No. 3 pick.
The Hawks do need rebounding and Horford is the No. 3 player on our Top 100, so why am I scratching my head? Because if it's true that the Hawks are taking Horford, it continues Atlanta's strange pattern of taking players that duplicate each other.
But many scouts believe Horford is the third-best player in the draft, and he would be a big upgrade over Shelden Williams.
One alternative theory on Horford has to be sprung: Perhaps the Hawks are bluffing in an effort to get Memphis and Milwaukee, both of which love Horford, to try to trade up.
I'm with Ford. Using that pick on Horford makes no sense, even if he's better than Shelden Williams. Pick Horford, and the Hawks are essentially saying, "Oops, we sure screwed up that No. 5 pick last year, so let's forget we had a draft that year."
That would be a No. 3 pick, a No. 2 pick, a No. 17 pick and a No. 5 pick all at the same position.
Is that a "keep doing until you get it right" kind of deal? Or do we simply detect a pattern of mediocrity?
I just hope Billy Knight has taken up poker.
Comments (1)
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If no one else has said it, let me be the first: This draft is severely overrated. I see two stars, MAYBE a third among the pool of huge-upside players (Brandan Wright, anyone?) and that's it. A ton of role players, though I'm hoping and praying Mike Conley is the answer at point guard for either the Hawks or the Celtics. But really, seriously, does anyone beyond Oden or Durant really excite you? I mean, Yi? Noah? My sleeper pick is Jeff Green. I think he's a bona fide small forward who can rebound, play D, super solid if not spectacular but a great "glue" guy. But All-Star? Doubtful. I think this draft is way, way top-heavy.
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