The Draft In Retrospect: Moving Forward Zettler Clay IV - 3rd July, 2006 11:58 AM The title of this article is meant with every pun. We have reached the aftermath of yet another Billy Knight draft, which by the way is his fourth. This is also the fourth year in a row the Hawks have drafted somebody at least 6’8 (With all fairness to BK, Boris Diaw was drafted to be a guard). We have enrolled two new guys who play the four position. These draft picks currently add to the fact that we have four forwards looking to receive significant playing time in Josh Smith, Josh Childress, Marvin Williams, and now Shelden Williams. Separate those four people into groups of two and you get two Joshes, two Williams, two players from the ACC, two players from the West Coast, two shot-blockers, and two introverts from Seattle and California. But if you look at the aggregate sum of those four players, you might see what BK sees: Four good rebounders. Four hustlers. Four players who are all around the same height, but boast totally different games. Four players who can change the game. You could recall how Shelden Williams changed games in college with his defensive prowess, and that his 18.8 points per game wasn’t too shabby either. Or you could see that the Hawks have a glutton of forwards; they have drafted a player with the 5th pick that will indubitably mess up team chemistry and steal minutes away from Josh Smith or Marvin Williams, who by the way are two of the most coveted young forwards in the league. More vividly, you can recollect (and collect migraines) on how they passed up on a point guard two years in a row. Yes, these are interesting times in Atlanta for Hawk fans. With an “outside the box” general manager, things are likely to remain in ambiguity until the W column indicates a lot more than 26. It can only go two ways for Billy. Either he is a genius and knows something we don’t, or he’s the 2nd worst GM in the league. Again, with all fairness to BK, nobody questions his talent evaluation, only his thought process. However, his reasons for drafting Shelden are legit. Need rebounding? Check. Need interior presence? Check. You can’t go wrong drafting the best defensive player in college the past two years… at least you would think. He was the only presence defensively for the Blue Devils, yet he hasn’t quite convinced everyone he can transfer that effulgence to the pros. The fact that Shelden is an undersized center and is already insinuating that he will play power forward is not as important to BK as what his presence offers to the defensive interior, which was reminiscent of a jelly filled donut. Drafting a second round forward (I have never pressed the letter f so many times in my life) in Solomon Jones provides promise and some diversity, being that this forward is over 6’9. It also doesn’t hurt that he is a rebounding and shot-blocking wunderkind who compiled 17 double digit rebounding games, compared to Shelden’s 22. His 39’ inch vertical with his 6-10 frame is amazing, as he can turn out to be a real steal. So things don’t look bad for Billy, and these picks are certainly reputable, if not spectacular. In this first draft preview, it was stated that the Hawks needed defense the most, giving up 102 ppg. It was further stated that the Hawks interior D was something that facilitated a lay-up drill. Well, it’s pretty certain there will be no lay-up drill with Shelden Williams in there, at least not the whole game anyway. “But BK, what about the talent that you drafted in the last two drafts? You know, the three small forwards?” Was it a case of gross negligence that BK drafted another player who will be a PF, ignoring the development of both Marvin and Josh Smith? Does he see Shelden as a center? Is there another trade cooking up somewhere? Does he ever see Josh Smith as a PF? What exactly is he thinking? Boundless queries arise when contemplating the latest Hawks maneuvering. Assembling talent at the same positions with lottery picks is hardly the way to a championship. But then again, I can’t recall anybody ever trying it. Oh, Isiah Thomas comes to mind. Truth is, BK has contradicted himself through and through. He maintained that he drafts on the “Best Player Available” philosophy, which justifies his Marvin Williams pick last year. Then he drafts Shelden Williams, who is clearly not the B.P.A., but a position of need. This is quite suspect, again considering that all his picks have long arms and whose heads all stand next to each other. You also wonder if he is trying to atone for not taking the necessary pick last year, and now picking on necessity this year. Does he even believe in the concept of a point guard? One only wonders, “What is it that this man is thinking?!?” He seems to buck what the media and fans say. His moves are as discreet as Mark Cuban is flamboyant. This is not a faulty peculiarity at all, being that in a position of leadership, you must close your ears to most outsiders. But it’s odd: Last year, they needed a point guard. They got a forward. This year they needed a big man. They got a big man, but nevertheless at the same position as the number #1 trade bait on their team. It seems like the Hawks can’t escape public vociferation, no matter what turn or pick they make. Ineptitude seems to follow this franchise, while only the most patient and die-hard of fans can point to the October pre-season schedule to provide some sort of hope, some type of indication, and some perspicuity to the masses that this seemingly fickle general manager knows what he is doing…. And somewhere, amidst all the litigation, you gotta believe that Steve Belkin is smiling gothically. 资料来源 http://0rz.net/d61zf --

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