Atlanta

Hawks Desperate for a Shooter


Philip Maymin
Basketball News Services 

By almost any measure, the Hawks are fielding the worst team in the league right now. They own the league's worst record and are tied for the longest current losing streak. They give up more points than all but one team (Phoenix) but unlike the Suns, the Hawks don't score enough on the other end: only two teams (Charlotte, New Orleans) score fewer points per game. Atlanta's nearly 10-point differential between points scored and points allowed is more than two points worse than the second-place team. What they are missing is a shooter.

Atlanta is last in the league in three-point field goal percentage and second-worst in free throw percentage. They desperately need someone who can come in and crank out the three-pointers and hit the free throws. Given that Atlanta is among the laggards in assists as well the ideal player would be a spot-up three point shooter, who presumably can also shoot free throws at a respectable rate, and who can rack up the assists getting this team going. It wouldn't hurt it he was a premier defender who can lock down the opposing guard.

In short, the Hawks need a superstar guard, either point or shooting. Should they pursue Michael Redd or Ray Allen? Absolutely. Should they overpay for them? Absolutely not. The funny thing is they had such a player on their roster, a terrific shooter and a good passer, for 16 games this season, but sadly Jon Barry is no longer a Hawk.

NEXT GAME
The Hawks (11-56, fifth in the Southeast) travel to San Antonio to take on the Spurs (50-18, first in the Southwest) tomorrow night, Friday, March 25th. The game starts at 8:30pm Eastern and will be broadcast on FSO and NBA League Pass.

TEAM NOTES
What do Tyronn Lue and John Goodman have in common? Why does Tony Delk wear #00? And what's the connection between Josh Childress and LL Cool J? Find out in the newest Pop Up Hawkvideos!

INJURY UPDATE
Michael Stewart
(back) andKevin Willis(back) are on the injured list.

NEWSLINES

Al Iannazzone ofNorthJersey.comwrites: Fratello had been tabbed as a slow-it-down coach because Cleveland scored in the 80s and low 90s, and held opponents in the 80s. Yet, those injury-riddled teams reached the playoffs four times in six years. But the stigma was there. Fratello was a boring coach and a control freak. As a result, Fratello, who withdrew his name from openings with the Clippers and Hornets over the years, was rarely a candidate for any prime jobs... Conveniently forgotten is that Fratello's Hawks' teams ran with Dominique Wilkins and Doc Rivers.They averaged 107.7 points and 46.3 wins in his seven years in Atlanta.

Frank Isola ofThe Daily Newswrites: The Knicks' pursuit of Antoine Walker hit another dead end last month when the Atlanta Hawks traded the veteran forward back to Boston.Knicks president Isiah Thomas has tried for the past two years to acquire Walker and was hoping at the very least to make a run at the power forward when he becomes a free agent this summer. However, the Knicks can only offer Walker a deal starting at $5 million while Boston is expected to offer Walker a contract for at least $7 million per season. Had the Hawks never traded Walker, the Knicks would have had a good chance of signing him. Now, not only can Boston offer him a more lucrative deal, but Walker wants to re-sign with the Celtics. Former Knicks president Scott Layden also tried on several occasions to acquire Walker when Walker was first with Boston. In the days after the Knicks drafted Michael Sweetney, Boston turned down the Knicks' offer of Latrell Sprewell and Sweetney for Walker.

Liz Robbins ofThe New York Timeswrites: Only two hours before, they were happy and confident in their success with Walker and the reacquired point guard Gary Payton, whom the Atlanta Hawks agreed to waive in the Walker trade."There's areas I didn't know about him, on and off the court, and in the locker room he's been unreal," Rivers said. "I didn't know his basketball I.Q. was as high as it is. He's a sensational passer."