That's great news for Atlanta. Marvin is a very underrated player that's improved each year that he's been in the league. If you can get over the whole CP3/Deron Williams element, the Hawks found themselves a solid starter for many years to come. On a side note: time to see if my "one or the other" theory holds true with Marvin vs. Josh Smith. I'll be stunned if the 09/10 season ends with both still in Atlanta. I think they'll look to move Josh Smith.
I commend the Hawks for keeping their roster together when everyone expected it to blow up. They have a good bunch of guys there that have obviously bought into a bright future. Doesnt bode well for teams hoping to land JJ.
I haven't gotten over the CP3/D-Will thing and never will. I will hold that against the Hawks franchise until I walk with a cane. So there! Maybe this is the year Williams wakes up and plays with some fire. I doubt it because he doesn't seem to have the fire in him. He hasn't improved that much the last couple of years. Is he passionate enough to drive himself hard? I have little doubt that if he was a basketball fanatic, Marvin Williams would be a borderline star already. My guess is his skills and effort will continue to trail his physical ability because of what's between the ears. Just my opinion.
It's not that hard to keep your restricted free agents and overpay Mike Bibby. Actually they couldn't even keep restricted FA Josh Childress. They have a bright future of being just good enough to lose to the great teams in the East. The group they've assembled has peaked as a team and that peak is not pretty.
Don't group Lowry in with those other 2 losers. Anyway I don't see what's so impressive about what ATL did, what did Marvin Williams sign for anyway? Was it even a long term deal or was it a 1 year thing?
how is this guy underrated? he was the 2nd overall pick and hes only averaging like 13 pts a game with 7 rbs as a PF. Sounds like he should have been picked 10+ spots later
I don't think he has much upside. He is a good,athletic,young role player but he can't be expected to be a star.
Except he's averaging those numbers as a small forward who can drive to the hoop and added a 3pt jumpshot to his repetoire last season. In hindsight he SHOULD have been drafted after some of the available PGs - but most people thought he was a good-ish pick at the time. He's still young and developing - good defender and solid player all-round. He can't help where he got picked, but his game is certainly on the up. Good value at around $8mill per.
I never undertsood the love of williams coming out of college. He wasn't a oversized athletic freak for his position. He wasn't a supremely skilled person either. At the time, they already had Harrington,smith, and childress along with johnson. What they really needed was paul or williams and they blew it. That's why they had to trade for bibby and draft Law. When u make mistgakes like that, you have to make up for it by trading for players.
I know its been said many times, how the Hawks passed up Paul, Deron Williams for this guy. That is why the Hawks will always be the Hawks. So I just wanted to take this time and be thankful for having the Rockets to cheer for, A first class team, owner. I just grateful that we are not the Hawks how they mess up draft after draft.(Even though we fuged up in 98 and 02)
Williams really had the perfect situation to be a high draft pick. He was rated high out of high school (I believe he was ranked 1 or 2 with Rudy Gay). He did his one year of college, had decent stats and then a couple of big moments in the final four. He went to UNC so everyone said his stats would be better in the NBA. He left at the perfect time before anyone figured out that he wasn't very good. Basically, when he left college, people thought this he was a winner with great potential and a clutch performer in big games.
Haha...you and me both. Nothing you can do about it now, though. His work ethic and basketball IQ have never been a problem. At least as far as I have noticed. He seems to gradually improve with each season which is definitely a good thing. This season he added a three point shot, for example. His biggest problem is that he needs to be more aggressive and assertive when out there. Which is scary when you think about it: he already gets to the line fairly regularly -- imagine what he could be if he starts slashing more. As is, he already owns the baselines and has consistent mid-range jumper that's good enough for 8-10 PPG off that alone. I would just like to see him expand his game more and start working more post up's and drives into his game. He has the talent and skill to be a 20 PPG scorer, IMO.
