re: How concerned should we be with the Preseason performance?

I agree that i'd prefer to do a deal now simply to get the new players adjusted to the team.

I do not believe that AD is going to request a trade anytime soon. It would be financially retarded to do, and i'm not the least bit worried about that happening next offseason. If he wants to leave $70M on the table, b/c HE couldn't get this team to play better, than see ya later. I'd gladly welcome in the plethora of talent and picks we'd get from Boston or LAL.
I've said it a few times now, if AD thinks he's the best player in the league, then prove it. Your supporting cast of Jrue/Niko/Moore/Randle are more than enough to get you to 50 wins. Westbrook won 47 with a cast that was much much worst. Lebron has done much better with even worst. Harden's been winning 50+ without a 2nd allstar level player on his team. Dirk won a championship with Jason Terry as his 2nd best player. You want to be mentioned with the best players, then prove it on the court.

Thats a nice, hard stance to take. But be prepared to lose him.

If they don't take a step this year, he will ask for a trade. No doubt. He will be fine financially regardless. As for him having enough to win if he is the best player - we all know the counter argument. Its SO much easier to have that impact as a creator. Prime Hakeem could be taken out of a game by the opposition.

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Its the age old battle between taking a risk (waiting)

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The better run teams tend to be patient and keep their powder dry for unexpected opportunities. That has me fine with waiting even if now it seems we have low odds of landing a wing that's worth it.

This team will be fine as long as it defends well. I don't see how what they are planning to roll out this year isn't better than what they started last season with. Remember that Jrue had a very rough start to the season and looked like the lesser Holiday the first month or 2, Boogie was pouting at officials and making the team play 4 on 5 on defense, and you didn't even have the option of putting a player taller than Jrue on a wing unless you wanted Darius Miller giving up 4 point plays.

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Its SO much easier to have that impact as a creator. Prime Hakeem could be taken out of a game by the opposition.

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I was sure to add Dirk in my argument. Even Bosh in Toronto was able to get his teams to the playoffs.

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are we SURE bazemore is good?

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I'm not saying that Baze is a world-beater. But he's a major upgrade over what we have in Solo & Miller. And like MM said, it allows Moore to slide back to his natural spot.

Or two teammates could get in a fight, forcing one to be traded. Or another Jimmy Butler type trade demand could come out of nowhere.

People who try to pretend that they know exactly who will and who won't be available in February (and for what kind of return) are ignoring history. You would have been wrong every year.

Understand.
But the goal is to convince AD ro stay.
The bigger chance is to have a whole season to manage it.

Future is unknown.

SF should be the focus of upgrade almost every time imo

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And AD will get his team to the playoffs. But going into his next contract, he will want to know he can win titles. And that takes having an additional 2-3 studs, even if you are the best. You gotta convince him that you have that here and/or you have a very realistic path to getting it

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He's not going anywhere right now, and the soonest he'd leave would be a year after his first year of his new contract, which would be the offseason of 2021. That means you have 3 years to build a contender, and you have 2 years before AD's salary makes it extremely difficult to add pieces.
There is no need to make rash decision to win now. We aren't challenging the Warriors this year. Be patient and be smart about what you do. AD should know what our path is like you said, and should realize we may not take a step forward this year, but sort of maintain what we did last year.

The Hawks have no reason to lessen the deal at the deadline. It's not like they have to get rid of Bazemore for some reason. They want a 1st for him, and they'll hold out for it. If they don't get it, oh well. Knowing that they want the 1st, i'm not sure i'd do it anymore, but if you're going to do it, you do it now, not at midseason. If you can't make a decent trade at the deadline, might as well keep the pick and look to make one on draft day where you can give two 1sts away.


If AD is on board with being patient, and wanting to have a championship type team here in the near future, then make trades for Bazemore or Batum dont help that. You've got to hold onto as many assets as you can and wait for that big fish to come by. Adding a guy like McCollum or Beal to AD and Jrue would put us in that top 5 tier of teams without a doubt. If you can't add that level of player with Jrue and AD, then you likely will never get to that level, unless AD does indeed become the best player in the NBA, and you get some role players to play above their potential.