Southern Sports Edition
NCAA Tournament Story Lines
By: JJ Lanier
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news service
You can have the Super Bowl and the 800 billion people that tune in each year to watch.
I’ll give you the College Football Playoffs and the weekly rankings that seem to start before the season has even begun.
I’ll even let you have the World Series, America’s favorite past time, although I would put a little more emphasis on the “past” part.
For me, none of those beat March Madness and the excitement that ensues over the Bree weekends it encompasses.
So, in honor of my favorite sports time of the year, here are a few games/storylines I’m excited about possibly seeing.
1)Lavar Ball. The farther UCLA makes in the tournament, how outrageous will his proclamations about his son’s talent become? He’s already compared him to Stephen Curry.
How long will it be until he compares him to Jordan? Does a Final Four appearance equal the next coming of Christ?
2)Duke vs. Marquette. This potential matchup intrigues me for a couple reasons, but none more so than floor slaps. I envision this game ending with both teams meeting at center court and having a “floor slap off”, ala Michael Jackson’s Beat It video.
3)John Calipari. The Kentucky coach is the master of self marketing. With his very own 30 for 30 airing on ESPN after the tournament ends, will he steal a page out of Nascar’s playbook and have advertisements for the show stitched on his suits?
How many people will have to tune in for THAT to become the greatest day in Kentucky basketball history?
4)Oregon Ducks. I hate what happened to the Ducks Chris Boucher (ACL tear). By all accounts he’s a good kid and was a lot of fun to watch last year.
Since Oregon is going to need an enforcer down low now that Boucher is out, is it too late for them to bring in Bobby Boucher? Having seen the last few Adam Sandler movies, I’m sure he’s available.
5)Northwestern. After finally bringing the Wildcats to their first ever NCAA Tournament appearance, will Chris Collins be replaced by his father, Doug, for this tournament run?
6)Dayton vs. Wichita State. I actually read this on Twitter, so I can’t take credit for it but, with both of these teams’ coaches at the top NC State head coaching wish list, should the loser be forced to become the next Wolfpack head coach?
7)Virginia Tech. What are the odds on the Hokies not showing up for their first tournament game in 10 years because they just automatically assumed they were in the NIT?
8)East Tennessee State. Their normal colors are Navy Blue and Gold; not too far off from Vanderbilt’s Black and Gold. After Florida finished 0-3 against Vanderbilt this season, does ETSU go to a darker shade of navy blue just to mess with the Gators? Couldn’t hurt, right?
9)Danny Manning. Manning has done a great job bringing the Demon Deacons back to field of 68, but I’m more interested in his wardrobe. He wore this glorious gold colored suit the other week in a win over Louisville. I can only hope he’s superstitious and will wear it again for their game against Kansas State. Like any true clothing superstition, the suit will have to be unwashed of course.
10)Louisville vs Jacksonville St. The Cardinals are the two seed, so obviously, they are playing the number fifteen seed. For anyone who has paid any attention to Rick Pitino’s colorful past, you are well aware of his brief relationship with the number 15.
Fair Weather Fans
By: TJ Hartnett
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Atlanta is a terrible sports town. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again. Atlantans simply don’t show up for their pro teams unless they are winning, and consistently.
Partially it’s because the south belongs to college football, and partially it’s because of a lack of championships and probably some other things factor in as well. It’s the way of things here, and I doubt it will change any time soon.
So how is it that the NFC Championship, the final game at the Georgia Dome for the Atlanta Falcons, was packed full of loud, screaming southerners? Why were tickets for Suntrust Park’s debut game so hard to come by when they went on sale?
Fair weather fans.
The Falcons were good, and they were on their way to the Super Bowl. Suntrust Park is sparkly and new, and there is excitement abound for the Braves this year; but mark my words, if the Falcons can’t win football games at a high clip in their own brand new stadium, Mercedes Benz Stadium won’t be seeing sellouts in November.
If the Braves don’t stay competitive, then Suntrust Park will be just as vacant as Turner Field was in August last year; because those fair weather fans will stop caring and that’s okay.
Look, it can be frustrating for die hard fans to cope with the sudden attention their team gets from people that would otherwise fail to show up. Die harders experience the lows that fair weather fans will never know; because they don’t subject themselves to it. So, what right do they have to experience the highs?
I saw it and heard it all over Atlanta while the Falcons were in the playoffs: remarks about fans coming out of the woodwork just because the team was good. It was certainly true – but warranted. They WERE good!
As I am a die hard Braves fan, I find myself occasionally annoyed by fair weather fans too but if I take a step back I realize that not only are they not committing any egregious crimes, they are benefitting the team they’ve suddenly come out to support.
Think about it: if the Braves miraculously made it to the World Series this year, fair weather fans would show up in droves to the ballpark and sports bars to watch them play.
Irksome as they may seem (this has been MY TEAM for years!), would I truly rather they didn’t bother to pay attention? Do I want my team to take the field to a stadium half full of fans while they battle for a championship? Of course not.
A roaring crowd can tip the scales in some cases and I want my team to have that. They should take the field or court or gridiron to a packed house of supporters. It doesn’t matter if the fans have earned the right to celebrate – the team has earned the right to fans.
Plus, not every die hard fan was raised to be a die hard fan. Everyone has to start somewhere. I, for one, am a die hard Braves fanatic not because my parents were, but because I watched John Smoltz strike out three batters out in 2003 to close out a win. They were good, and they hooked me.
What if the Giants had come back and won that game? Would I have come back to the Braves? I’d like to think so, but I’m not so sure. Good teams breed new fans. Just think about how many Georgian eyes were on the Super Bowl in February. If they had held on and won, how many of those eyes would have been converted into die harders?
So, next time your beloved team, wherever they are, starts winning don’t scorn those who haven’t suffered the losses with you. Instead, embrace them. Your team deserves them.
Freddie Freeman To Become Atlanta Brave Great
By: Drayton Hogarth
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
With Spring Training underway, and Opening Day just a few short weeks away, the Braves will yet again be led by Freddie Freeman.
Freeman will be entering his seventh season for the Atlanta club, when he began his rookie year he was supposed to be the complementary piece to “can’t miss franchise” player Jason Heyward.
Funny how things work out, Heyward was shipped out of Atlanta four seasons later, while Freeman has continued to blossom into a perennial all-star for the Braves. My question, is this the year that Freeman elevates his status into the upper echelon of Braves greats?
When one talks about Atlanta Braves history, the George Washington of the Braves Mount Rushmore is Hank Aaron. The true home run king of Major League Baseball will likely always maintain the top spot in the minds of Atlanta fans.
To many in the baseball world, 755 is still the magic number for home runs, and unless Freeman gets on a massive tear that will not be his avenue to being remembered as one of the greatest Braves of all time.
However, don’t let that fool you; Freeman is one of the best hitter’s currently in the game. As well, Freeman has a vast knowledge of the strike zone, which allows him to be selective at the plate so he is not the proverbial hit or miss batter.
Dale Murphy practically was the Atlanta Braves in the 1980’s. Murphy would lead a post season run in Atlanta roughly a decade before the string of division titles in the 1990’s and 2000’s.
The rest of the baseball world took notice as Murphy would win back to back MVP trophy’s in 1982 and 1983. After those seasons, overreactions by the Atlanta front office would stymie the Braves on field success, but Murphy never wavered from his commitment to Atlanta, his teammates, and more so from his faith.
Freeman seems to have some of that Dale Murphy personality in him. Teammates always talk about how Freeman is a leader, on and off the field, as well as being great in the clubhouse.
Freeman also has the kind of game, that will allow him to challenge for an MVP or two before his career is complete. A high batting average, good power, and coming up big in the clutch are all traits that lead to MVP consideration.
In fact, Freeman seemed to have been overlooked last year when you take a look at his .300 average, 32 home runs, and 91 RBI’s. Maybe if the team had started out with a better record, the media wouldn’t have immediately written him off.
When Chipper Jones finally arrived in Atlanta, he brought as much fan anticipation with him as any player ever. Chipper was kind of the Bryce Harper of his generation, minus the attitude and without being quite as cocky.
Chipper actually backed up his cockiness with 186 home runs over his first six years in the league, which is the same time frame as Freeman. One has to remember, Chipper had a lot more talent around him when he arrived in Atlanta than Freeman.
What has to excite Braves fans, last season once the Braves brought in Matt Kemp and others, that is when Freeman really elevated his game. Chipper was able to win an MVP, plus brought home that elusive World Series trophy.
Freeman, should he continue on his current path, will have an opportunity to put up similar numbers to Chipper Jones, both on the stat sheet and in the win column. If that is the case, then Freddie Freeman will be a lifetime Brave, and etch his name into the short list of all time greats in the hearts and minds of Braves Nation.
So there are many characteristics and similarities that indicate Freddie Freeman can become an all-time great Atlanta Brave.
It will take consistency, but most importantly it will take winning. Freeman has the most talented lineup around him coming into this season, if Freddie can lead the way, he already has many of the other traits needed to find himself on the short list of most popular Braves ever.
ACC March Madness
By: JJ Lanier
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
With the regular season winding down and various conference tournaments beginning across the country, the NCAA Tournament is just on the horizon.
Originally, I was going to comment on what it would take for all the possibly eligible SEC teams to make it to Phoenix this year, but I would’ve finished almost as quickly as I started. So, since it seems the ACC will likely have a much larger number of participants, I’ll go with them.
These are all the ACC teams that are currently thought to be in the field of 68, or one of the first four out, according to SI.com.
Wake Forest: Hope they don’t play anyone ranked in the Top 50. The Demon Deacons are something like 1-348,962 against Top 50 opponents since the invention of the telephone. That request is probably a realistic expectation if they were to make the tournament, right?
Georgia Tech: Make sure they score over 65 points. Their winning percentage is .866 when they hit this benchmark. It’s .30 when they don’t.
Syracuse: Have John Gillon dedicate ‘Cuses entire tournament run to Rasheed Sulaimon. I have the upmost respect for Gillon trying to have his buddy’s back after hitting the game winning shot against Duke. The only problem is the ‘15 team that dismissed ‘Sheed won the title. When comparing anything Sulaimon accomplishes in his basketball life to that Duke team, he loses. End of story.
Virginia Tech: Ummm…..Huh??? I figured the Hokies just stopped playing basketball once they got rid of Seth Greenberg.
Miami: Show Bruce Brown tapes of Doug McDermott, similar to that of A Clockwork Orange. Brown has scored more than 20 points in only two games this season, against UNC and Duke. Those just happen to be the ‘Canes two most impressive wins of the year.
Virginia: Hold their opponents to under 40 points. I know I sound facetious, but Virginia has scored 55 or less in three of the last five games. In the two games they eclipsed that number, one was in double overtime and the other was against NC State, where they’re allergic to defense.
Notre Dame: Avoid teams that play any semblance of defense. Mike Brey’s team always seem to be near the top in offensive efficiency which helps negate other teams that like to get out and push the ball. Play someone where that efficiency takes a dip and they will struggle.
Florida State: Convince the NCAA committee to play the tournament in Tallahassee. FSU hasn’t lost on their home court since November, but has really struggled on the road. Next to North Carolina, Florida State is the second most complete team in the ACC.
Louisville: Hit outside shots. If they do this they have a chance. If not, they don’t. Pretty simple.
North Carolina: Don’t be in a bracket with a more talented team. I know it sounds obvious, but the tournament has made its name on upsets- unless you’re Carolina. Since 2006 the lowest seed UNC has lost to was a 4 seed Kentucky team. When it comes to the tournament, the Heels win the games they’re supposed to. Unfortunately for their fans, the same logic applies for the games they should lose.
Duke: Invent a time machine to travel back to October and undo whatever voodoo took place before the season started. On paper, this is the most talented team in the nation. On the court, it has been completely different. Plenty of legitimate excuses to go around, but bottom line is this sum is not equal to all of its parts.
Braves Spring Training
By: TJ Hartnett
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The day after the Braves were mathematically eliminated from postseason contention in 2014 they fired General Manager Frank Wren.
It was merely the first domino in the Braves’ rebuild, a process that saw big league player after big league player traded away for prospects, tearing down what had been a division winning team just one year earlier and beginning to build back up.
When John Hart and John Schuerholz started making these moves, the boilerplate comforting line was that Atlanta would be built back up into a contending team by the time they moved into their new ballpark, Suntrust Park, in 2017.
Of course, that was ridiculous. There was no way a team was going to trade away Jason Heyward, Justin Upton, Craig Kimbrel, Evan Gattis, Andrelton Simmons and more and then in TWO YEARS field a team that was anything but hard to watch. It was a fool’s errand. How could the Braves be in a position to excite their fan base in 2017?
Now, as February winds down and the spring games begin, ramping up for the 2017 season, how do the Braves look?
Honestly?…..Exciting.
Not World Series winning exciting; not yet. But against all odds, the Braves are going to field a decent team this year. Stranger still, that excitement rests on the backs of veteran players. All those prospects the Braves traded for aren’t even here yet. Instead, the Braves are looking to Matt Kemp and Brandon Phillips, to Bartolo Colon and R.A. Dickey; these are the players that have elevated the Braves to being a team that is going to win its fair share of ballgames.
There were times just last season where it seemed like the Braves were never going to win another game. Yet here we are, looking to break camp with an eye on finishing above the Phillies and Marlins in the division.
It’s exciting to have these players, not because they’ll carry the team but because they have a chance to support Freddie Freeman and Julio Teheran.
The Braves have had the centerpieces for years, there’s just been a void surrounding them. Now, as evidenced by the last month and a half of 2016, there’s an actual, living, breathing offense surrounding Freddie Freeman.
The pitching staff that showed its youth last season has been bolstered by stability but more importantly, by players that aren’t permanent. Bartolo Colon is going to start every fifth day, but you can be sure that he won’t be blocking anyone. If there’s a pitcher ready to come up to the bigs and stay, bet on John Coppolella moving those veterans out of the way.
Perhaps that’s part of the excitement. The Braves have had the talent in the farm system, but some, like Aaron Blair, didn’t have enough time to cook down there.
This year, the pressure is off the Braves to present those prospects to the public before they’re ready because they’ve got those veterans in place. So when we see players come up from the minors, they’ll be ready.
Some of that has already begun. Dansby Swanson will be the starting shortstop on opening day in 2017. Ozzie Albies won’t be far behind. Rio Ruiz is in camp and hungry to make his mark in Atlanta.
Look, the Braves didn’t acquire Chris Sale in the offseaon, they got Bartolo Colon. They didn’t trade for Brian Dozier, they traded for Brandon Phillips. There are obviously younger players in their primes than what the Braves have in Atlanta but look at last year’s stats for Phillips. That’s a guy who hit .291 now playing second base for the Braves.
Bartolo Colon won 15 games and was an All-Star last year. Now he’s the Braves number two pitcher.
It’s very unlikely that the Braves will make the postseason this year. But if we judge success on achieving the impossible, then Atlanta has already won; because the 2017 season starts soon and I’m excited.
Letter To Ole Miss Fan
By: Kipp Branch
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
My oldest daughter Alexia is an avid Ole Miss fan. I dedicate this article to my loving daughter. The NCAA released a list of new allegations alleged committed by Ole Miss. Here is the bulleted list:
A prospective student-athlete went hunting near campus on private land owned by a booster during his official visit in 2013 and on two or three occasions after he enrolled, and that the access to this land was arranged by the football program.
- A former staff member impermissibly arranged lodging and transportation for a prospective student-athlete and his companions while providing impermissible transportation to another prospective student-athlete. The total value is alleged to be $2,272. The football program has also been alleged of giving $235 in free meals to a prospective student-athlete.
- Former staff member violated the NCAA principles of ethical conduct when committing violations and when providing false information to the institution and enforcement staff.
- Former staff member initiated and facilitated two boosters that gave impermissible cash payments to a prospective student-athlete of anywhere between $13,000 to $15,600.
- Former staff member arranged for a friend of a prospective student-athlete’s family to get impermissible merchandise, valued at approximately $2,800. The school will contest.
- Head coach Hugh Freeze had impermissible, in-person, off-campus contact with a prospective student-athlete.
- A booster provided money, food and drinks to a prospective student-athlete at a value between $200 and $600. The school will contest.
- Head coach Hugh Freeze violated head coach responsibility legislation. The school will contest
- The school lacked institutional control and failed to monitor the conduct and administration of its athletics program. The school will contest.
In response to these allegations Ole Miss imposed the following penalties on itself:
Ole Miss has self-imposed a one-year ban from the postseason and will forfeit its share of the SEC postseason football revenue for this upcoming year, which is expected to be somewhere in the range of $7-8 million.
Who did not see this dumpster fire coming in Oxford? When the dreaded lack of institutional control charge is thrown out there then usually more sanctions are coming.
Does Ole Miss really think the NCAA is going to accept these self-imposed sanctions and just turn the other cheek? I can see loss of scholarships on the horizon. And this one year bowl ban? I thought Ole Miss served that last year? My bad they went 5-7.
Flashback to September 24th, 2016. My oldest daughter and her friend Caroline take an SEC road trip to Oxford for the Georgia game. Dad is having his best day of 2016 on River Street in Savannah watching the game in a local tavern and the texts start coming from oldest daughter when Ole Miss starts blowing out my Dawgs.
Dad knew UGA was in trouble that day, and I did make the comment that sanctions were coming and you better enjoy this while you can.
I knew Ole Miss was on borrowed time back in September so what did I do, I shook it off and shopped in a store my oldest daughter loves and sat and enjoyed a lovely day in the oak filled squares in downtown Savannah and did not buy her a single thing.
The NCAA is about to rent every available office in Oxford, Mississippi to investigate the Ole Miss Football program. Welcome back to the status you have grown accustomed to since Johnny Vaught retired Rebel fans and that is the status of a bottom feeder.
Did I mention how much I love River Street and Downtown Savannah? The ride home on 95 South that day was magical. I was still getting scoreboard shot texts from first born child.
What does Hotty Toddy mean anyway? Does it mean NCAA probation?
As for you oldest Ole Miss fan daughter, I think I’ll take your baby sister shopping this weekend. She loves the Georgia Bulldogs, and you love NCAA sanctions. Have a great day!
Hotty Toddy,
Dad
What Jaguars Got For Julius Thomas
By: Drayton Hogarth
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
We are still a couple of weeks away from the official start for NFL free agent signings, but the Jacksonville Jaguars have been the talk of the NFL offseason so far.
The Jaguars have wasted no time in making two separate but related trades with their in-state counterparts, the Miami Dolphins.
The deal basically works as follows: Jacksonville sends tight end, Julius Thomas to Miami for offensive lineman, Brandon Albert; along with an exchange of late round draft picks. Miami sends their pick in this year’s draft, while Jacksonville’s pick won’t switch until next season.
Two seasons ago, the Jaguars made a huge move in free agency by signing Julius Thomas, the tight end who was highly productive for the Denver Broncos; back to back seasons of 12 touchdowns lead to big time contracts.
Thomas was never able to live up to the signing and never became the touchdown target for Blake Bortles that the Jaguars envisioned. The Dolphins have a plethora of quality offensive tackles on their roster, so many in fact that they have had to move a couple of them inside to play guard. It is kind of a play your best five mentality.
Brandon Albert will be entering his ninth season in the league and could provide the Jaguars a much needed protector for Bortles, as well as a road grader to help an anemic running game. This trade is truly a win-win on paper for both teams.
I mentioned earlier that Julius Thomas was a big time touchdown magnet while in Denver. Well, his offensive coordinator was Adam Gase. Gase just so happens to be the head coach of the Miami Dolphins. Thomas and Gase’s familiarity with each other should provide the spark that Thomas needs to regain that double-digit touchdown form that he achieved in the Mile High City.
As much as Jacksonville needs an offensive tackle, as we have seen, Luke Joeckel and Kelvin Beachum have not lived up to their potential, or more so have been so injury prone that they have been salary cap nightmares for Jacksonville.
Although Albert’s career has not been without injury, the Jaguars have to hope that him missing extended time in all three of his Dolphins seasons is a thing of the past. The Dolphins should be able to handle the loss of Albert by shifting the young Laremy Tunsil, who will be entering his second season out to be their new left tackle.
This trade for Jacksonville and Miami helps set up both franchises for the rest of their offseason focus. Jacksonville will now be allowed to look to the draft to bring in playmakers and not take a chance on another possible lineman bust from the draft.
The Jaguars can bring in the proven lineman and allow rookie playmakers, possibly Florida State’s Dalvin Cook, to play behind the improved offensive line.
Miami needs a red zone target for quarterback Ryan Tanneyhill, and the history that Julius Thomas and Adam Gase have together is too much to overlook.
As well, Miami, who is likely closer to a deep playoff run, will free up about $45 million in salary cap room once Albert’s contract is off the books. Look for the Dolphins to take a run at DeSean Jackson, or possibly another interior offensive lineman, as this will be a very deep class in free agency at that position.
Often sports trades are one-sided. In this situation both franchises and players can be seen as winning with this deal. Sometimes it is just a matter of a change of scenery that can help restart productive careers.
One gets a sense that for both Julius Thomas and Brandon Albert this may be that exact case. Both players and their new teams should see immediate returns on this deal. In an offseason that is sure to be full of trades and free agent signings, keep this deal in mind for these two teams as big deals that happened early in the process.
Gators Chomping For SEC Title
By: JJ Lanier
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
For the last, oh I don’t know, however many years John Calipari has been at Kentucky, the Wildcats have been far and away the best team in the SEC.
They almost always have the most talent, and as much as Calipari annoys me with most everything he says and does when searching for a microphone to put in front of that smug face of his, he is one hell of coach.
This year however, it’s a little different. To me, the best team in the conference, and certainly the team playing the best right now, are the Florida Gators.
When Florida hired Mike White to lead their basketball after Billy Donovan bolted for the NBA’s version of Hatfields vs. McCoys in Oklahoma City, most fans probably had no idea who White was. I can’t really blame them.
To be honest, when I heard the name Mike White I actually thought of this guy (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_White_(filmmaker).
When you’ve had the type of success that Donovan had in Gainesville, hiring someone that nobody has heard of isn’t always the most popular choice.
Regardless of his anonymity, White is making Jeremy Foley look like a genius. In only his second year, the Gators are not only neck and neck with Kentucky for the SEC regular season crown, but are doing so with a bunch players nobody has really heard of.
When I watched Florida play Duke earlier this season I knew of Kasey Hill, but the remaining roster might have been made up of the Lost Boys from Neverland, for all I could tell.
While I’m disappointed there still isn’t a Rufio on the team, the only name I might remember besides Hill is KeVaughn Allen.
The lack of individual attention makes sense though when you look at their statistics. Besides Hill being in the Top 5 in assists and steals, they don’t have a single player in the Top 10 in points, rebounds, or field goal percentage. They are truly the antithesis of a team like Kentucky.
You don’t have to watch them play for very long to understand they are well coached. They play tough defense, move the ball well on offense, and most importantly, they don’t seem to beat themselves.
Besides their two point loss to Vanderbilt earlier this year, which is a bit of a head scratcher, their other losses have been to teams they weren’t favored against. And even those games could’ve gone the Gators way.
The University of Florida has always been, and will probably always continue to be, a football school. They have a rich history of Hall of Fame players and coaches who have come through their program. They reside in a state that takes great pride in being a hotbed for young football talent.
Plus, they play in a conference that directly associates your manhood with what college team you root for. (Admit it, have you ever met a Vanderbilt fan that you didn’t think you could beat the crap out of?)
What Billy Donovan was able to do there was nothing short of phenomenal. The expectations aren’t for Mike White to excel in the way Donovan did, but if I’m a Gators fan I’m excited about the bright future that lies ahead.
If this year’s team is any indication of what to expect out of Gainesville over the next few year there’s one thing I know for certain; there will be mistaking which Mike White is responsible for the Gators success.
Pender’s Promises
By: Kipp Branch
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Earlier in the month new Brunswick High Football coach Sean Pender spoke to a packed house of Pirate supporters at the Boy’s and Girl’s Club of Glynn.
It was a meet and greet event where Pender got to meet the Pirate fan base for the first time since his hiring.
Hawks To Make Big Move?
By: Drayton Hogarth
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The Atlanta Hawks have been battling through an up and down season all year. The team started out hot, and it appeared as though the offseason signing of Dwight Howard would pay immediate dividends.
However, the team hit a rough patch to counter that great beginning and fell back into the cycle of being good enough to make the playoffs, but never good enough to take the step to achieve elite status.
The Hawks are hoping to make their tenth consecutive playoff appearance, which is second only to the San Antonio Spurs. The question is what good is that if you are never the last team standing?
Hawks head coach and team president Mike Budenholzer recently made it known that four time all-star Paul Millsap “will not be going anywhere” at the trade deadline. My question is why not?
This Hawks roster, as currently assembled, has likely peaked in the middle of the NBA’s Eastern Conference. The third seed is likely as high as they will attain, which would allow them to max out in the Eastern Conference Finals.
The Hawks shouldn’t be afraid of any other team in the east, not named Cleveland. However, what good does that do? It prevents you from winning the NBA championship, while also keeping you out of the lottery with the chance to bring in a franchise type of player in the draft.
While dozens of NBA players make Atlanta their offseason home, the franchise has either been reluctant or unable to lure the major stars of the league to sign with the hometown Hawks; that is until Atlanta brought Dwight Howard home.
Paul Millsap is a tremendous player. Millsap seems to be a great teammate, but he is also the Hawk’s best bargaining chip. While I realize Coach Budenholzer said that Millsap “isn’t going anywhere,” I believe that is more of a negotiation tactic.
It is now known that if a team wants to bring Millsap in to be their missing piece for a championship run, that team had better bring their best offer, or Atlanta won’t even entertain the notion.
Hopefully, the Hawks learned their lesson last season, allowing Al Horford to walk and not get anything in return. If Atlanta allows their best player to walk away two seasons in a row, it could lead to that rebuild mode much faster than anyone anticipated.
Here’s the thing, Atlanta will never get out of the Eastern Conference without making a huge move. There are two potential trades that work monetarily that would provide Atlanta with a legitimate bonafide NBA star.
The first would be for Phil Jackson’s punching bag, Carmelo Anthony. Anthony is the same age as Millsap and is under contract for three more seasons. Carmelo also has a no trade clause that would have to be worked out before a deal could be reached.
On the court, Carmelo is a high volume shooter, and the wonder is would he fit in Coach Bud’s offense where sharing the ball is its biggest strength. The other move would be to send Millsap to the LA Clippers for Blake Griffin.
Griffin would likely be the better fit at power forward. Griffin has good range on his shot and would bring athleticism not seen from a Hawk since Dominique Wilkins. Griffin is oft injured, and is a free agent this offseason, but the Hawks would retain right to pay him the most money in free agency. It would fill a lot of needs in Atlanta.
While there is enormous risk moving a player as stable as Paul Millsap, the possibility of taking that next step is too enticing to just sit back and mire in mediocrity.
It is time for the Atlanta franchises to follow the Falcons lead and quit playing the role of small market team. Atlanta is as desirable a place as any to live, and if a franchise will take a risk to win a championship, the fans will reward them monetarily. In the words of Dale Carnegie, “Take a chance! All life is a chance. The man who goes farthest is generally the one who is willing to do and dare.”
