Bibby is gone, but the Hawks may not be done

Mike, you don't have to stop posting up on the three-point line, but you can't do it here.

So you may have heard that Mike Bibby was traded to the Wizards, along with Mo Evans, Jordan Crawford and a first rounder, for Kirk Hinrich and Hilton Armstrong. Obviously, this is a marginally positive development. But more player movement could be on the way.

Zaza Pachulia was held out of last night’s loss at Phoenix, as the Hawks continue to work on possible deals leading up to the 3 p.m. trade deadline. My initial reaction, forgetting any on-court implications, is “Nooooooooo!” Zaza is a fan favorite, just as Bibby was a non-fan favorite, so it would be sad to see him go. But uh, yeah, professional basketball is a business and all that, so good luck with the trade talks, Rick Sund. Hope it works out. And congrats on ridding the team of the Alb-Bib-tross.

Kirk Hinrich and Hilton Armstrong, welcome to Atlanta. To the former, I hope you improve the team’s on-ball defense and maybe contribute an occasional assist, which is much more than I can say for your predecessor. To the latter, I hope you and Josh Powell get along nicely on the bench.

Midweek Linkage, including a few updates

A few previous stories need updating it would seem.

…First, yesterday’s fantasy of Devin Harris in a Hawks uniform is now out the window, because he was shockingly sent to Utah today (along with Derrick Favors) in exchange for Deron Williams. The Hawks still need a point guard though, and as Michael Mark Bradley writes, the decision to pass on Chris Paul (and Williams) in the 2005 draft still haunts the team. Can’t wait for Bradley’s next column, in which we’ll learn why Kennedy’s trip to Dallas was a bad idea.

(Edit- not sure why I initially called Mark Bradley “Michael.” I’d like to blame it on something, maybe that I was reading a Michael Cunningham article at the same time, or maybe I was perusing the injury list for my 2010 fantasy football team, but really I just screwed up.)

…Oh yeah, the Hawks played a game last night. I would like to provide some insight, but it’d require more effort than the team has displayed of late? We can talk about lineups and personnel all we want, but the central issue is that the team just isn’t playing hard. They’ve dropped four of their last six games, three of which by 15 or more points. Something has to change and soon. As Al Horford tweeted, the team has “some soul searching to do.”

…A couple weeks back, the Falcons desire for a new stadium was just a talking point, but with the re-worked financing agreement between the team and the Georgia World Congress Center, the new crib could become a reality by as early as 2017. When I wrote about the possibility of a new stadium, I was mainly concerned with financing (I wanted the team to pay for all of it) and location (I wanted the team to stay in the city limits). One out of two ain’t bad. The new proposal will call for the city to kick in about half of the funds, with the rest of the bill being covered by the team.

The good news, however, is the new stadium will remain near downtown, adjacent to the Dome. And if you have grown attached to the jagged-roofed, (formerly) teal and mauve palace, fear not. The Dome will remain in tact to will continue to host college athletics such like the Chick-fil-A Bowl and ACC/SEC championship events.

… And lastly, it flew under the radar a bit, but the Braves announced a two-year contract extension for general manager Frank Wren earlier this week. I’ve come full circle on Wren, and am absolutely thrilled to have him as my favorite team’s GM. I take it most other fans who were once critical share that sentiment. He’s made more good moves than bad in his tenure, he’s rebuilt the pitching depth both at the major league level and in the farm system, and he made a huge splash this offseason in trading two minor assets for Dan Uggla. The present day Braves are looking pretty good, and the future looks even better. The extension was well deserved.

Non-crazy thought of the day: Devin Harris (or Ray Felton) in a Hawks’ uni?

Original images via NY Daily News and Dime Magazine.

The Carmelo Anthony trade that did (finally) happen could turn out to be good news for the Hawks, because the trade that didn’t happen gives the team a potential trade partner of its own.

After missing out on Anthony, the Nets are likely looking to shed salary with any potential deals, and they have in Devin Harris a very desirable trading chip for any team which is looking to upgrade at the point guard position. Sound like any team you know? Thought so. As Michael Cunningham writes, Hawks GM Rick Sund is actively scouring the trade market for potential guard help, and that search includes the Harris:

Harris, who turns 27 28 on Sunday, would meet Atlanta’s desire for a capable defender who also can push the pace and create shots for others. But he makes $9.3 million in 2011-12, and adding his salary to the roughly $65 million Atlanta has committed for next season would push Atlanta’s payroll above the current luxury-tax threshold (which could change in the new CBA). Harris also is owed $8.5 million in 2012-13.

It’s not clear whom the Hawks would offer for Harris. Jamal Crawford seems to be the obvious candidate because his expiring $10.1 million contract would allow the Nets to carve out even more cap space for next season–they have just $37 million in committed salaries.

With the salary differences, it wouldn’t be so simple as a straight Crawford-for-Harris swap. Assuming the Nets would take that deal to begin with (obviously, Atlanta would), that trade fails the all knowing ESPN Trade Machine.

This is the best I could do in matching up the salary figures without involving a third team.* Damion James was originally drafted by the Hawks this summer and swapped for the Jordan Crawford pick, so I don’t know if the Nets would be thrilled to include him in any deal. But hey, if Renaldo Balkman can return to the Knicks, anything can happen.

* – I revisited the Trade Machine and managed to work this one through the filter. Jeff Teague/Crawford for Harris and small forward Quinton Ross. It’d hurt a bit to give up on Teague this soon, but Harris is only 28, already an established player and has another 1.5 years left on his deal. I would do this move in a heartbeat.

Another possible scenario in the post-’Melo world: Denver could turn around and flip one of the newly acquired former Knicks, Raymond Felton. Felton was having a career year in New York, with with the young Ty Lawson ready to take over for the departing Chauncey Billups, the Nuggets appear set at point guard. The speculation around the league is that Felton will be dealt before the deadline.

So, Felton or Harris? Which would you prefer? The correct answer, of course, is “anyone but Mike Bibby.”

So yeah, the Knicks made a huge splash Monday night, but the ripple effects have provided the Hawks with options of their own.

 

Jamal Crawford to Hawks: “Trade Me”

Not expecting to have his contract extended beyond this year, Jamal Crawford plans to ask for a trade. (AP Photo)

Nothing has officially been said yet, but ESPN’s John Hollinger has reported that Crawford plans to ask the Hawks for a trade when he meets with the team this week about a contract extension. According to “sources”, Crawford is looking for a three-year extension on his current deal, which runs out at the end of the year and pays him $10 million. Since the Hawks are probably not going to give him an extension, the Sixth Man of the Year will ask to be traded.

Braves offense: To panic or not to panic?

“Something is rotten in the state of Georgia”

Pretty sure that’s from Hamlet. Yeah I know, I’m kind of a Shakespeare buff. No but seriously, something rotten is going on.

The Braves, losers of 6 straight, have once again pulled the rug from under their fans, after each team suckered them into feeling confident, or dare I say, proud, to support their hometown team.

I wrote last week that the offensive woes would hopefully be cured by a series with the Mets. Clearly, that was not the case. After scratching out a 3-0 lead early in St. Louis, it appeared things were on the right track. Then came the 6th inning, when 5 frames of scoreless work by Tim Hudson was undone by a 3 run Cardinals rally. St. Louis would go on to add the go-ahead run an inning later, and of course, the Braves mounted no more offense, going down quietly for the 6th consecutive game.

So is it too early to panic? Jeff Schultz doesn’t think so. His proposal, a trade for Padres slugger Adrian Gonzalez, wreaks of desperation. While I agree with his overall premise, that Troy Glaus is unfit to be the Braves starting first baseman and clean-up hitter at this time, and change is needed, I’m a little gun-shy about a mid-season, farm system depleting trade for a slugger in the wake of the Mark Teixiera debacle of 2 years ago, especially considering how badly this team could use Neftali Feliz (12 Ks in 9 innings of work as the Rangers new closer) and Elvis Andrus (owner of a .395 OBP).