Hawks 2025 Presser

[WigNosy]

The cat wanders into the press room, and blinks in surprise that there are actually people here. He looks at one of his staffers, shrugs, and sits down behind the microphone.

"So, I suppose you are here to talk about the team again. There's really not a lot to talk about. We had another disappointing season last year when we lost in the playoffs. We're turning into the Atlanta BRAVES - win the Division and flame out in the playoffs. No titles in forever. It's getting tiresome."

"Obviously, after last season, it was clear that we we had to shake up our core. The Donald-Ellinger-Randle-Baldwin-Tatum crew has had several seasons to get to a title, including a couple in which I've had to dip into my own pocket book to pay the (spits) tax man. So it was time to break things up because the salaries those guys were enjoying were making it all but impossible to bring in new blood."

"Ellinger and Randle went out the door to the Bobcats. We're of course going to miss them. But I love Kuzma's potential and even more so his contract, so I'm willing to live with the trade."

"We entered Unrestricted Free Agency looking for manna from heaven with just enough money to offer Anthony Davis a max contract. It would have kept us in the tax but, duh, he's AD. When he didn't sign, we brought back Tatum and prepared ourselves to be fiscally responsible."

"Of course, Training Camp happened. None of our insured guys got hit - thankfully - and in fact Dragan bender even jumped. We had loaded up on young players in the back end of the draft hoping some of them would take leaps. Well, that didn't go as expected. Will Baron and Ernest Riviera reversed all of last year's gains. Kendall Burgess died. Robert Nettles got hit. Randle took a hit, but he's older and we expected that. Merle Weisman took a mild hit too. All in all, not great."

"Our five starters are penciled in - Bender, Baldwin, Tatum, Bergstrom, and Kuzma. We'll probably play around a little with Randle being a supersub since he's shown the ability to play PF in the past, but I expect him to see time mostly in the backcourt this season since his strength got blasted in TC this year. I'm still trying to work out who will be in the back end of the rotation in garbage time."

"I'm still in the mood to make some moves this season with the roster. We've been 'good' but not 'great' for too long and I think it's clear with the Donald/Ellinger deal that I'm in the mood to deal. Everyone could be had if the deal is right (yes, even Baldwin and Tatum). If you're looking for cheap young dudes on rookie deals to fill out your bench, I might be amenable to that too."

[Xist2Inspire]

Random Reporter: Is the complete lack of any quailty PG play post-Ellinger a concern, or is it merely something to take note of when planning for the future?

[WigNosy]

Random Reporter: Is the complete lack of any quailty PG play post-Ellinger a concern, or is it merely something to take note of when planning for the future?

Since we're in the middle of re-tooling our roster (Donald/Ellinger for Kuzma was the first step, not the last), it's more something to take note of than an immediate concern.

[Eazy P]

Are you in rebuild mode cause you need a challenge? Are you even rebuilding?

[WigNosy]

Are you in rebuild mode cause you need a challenge? Are you even rebuilding?

The challenge has been getting over the top and winning another ring. And I'm in rebuild mode to reset the tax. And one man's rebuild is another man's reset.

[garbageman]

Sham Smith, Bulls.com: Without anyone on your team who is particularly good at ballhandling or passing, who do you see running the offense in your starting lineup?

[WigNosy]

Sham Smith, Bulls.com: Without anyone on your team who is particularly good at ballhandling or passing, who do you see running the offense in your starting lineup?

We'll probably rely heavily on iso-ball this season, which is a new thing for us; from Magic to Penny to Harland, I've always liked a competent floor general but that doesn't seem to be in the cards this season.

[kucoach7]

What are your plans for Kuzma? Obviously he has some work to do defensively. Are you going to put a lot of points towards training him up?

[WigNosy]

What are your plans for Kuzma? Obviously he has some work to do defensively. Are you going to put a lot of points towards training him up?

Not sure yet.

[NickMalone77]

Nick Melon; The Advocate: Even after trading Donald and Ellinger to Charlotte in terms of a younger face lift, the Hawks are still a force in the Eastern Conference. Any truth to the rumor that the Hairless cat will suit up to run the point if there's no suitable guard possible to fill the void? Are you content with running 4 wings and a big for a starting lineup?

[Darth Vegito]

Will you confirm the rumors that Darth called you to ask for your opinion for the best offensive gameplan for Harland, you answered and then immediately sent the call to voicemail remembering that you had to play the Bobcats twice in the first sim?

[WigNosy]

Will you confirm the rumors that Darth called you to ask for your opinion for the best offensive gameplan for Harland, you answered and then immediately sent the call to voicemail remembering that you had to play the Bobcats twice in the first sim?

Let me get back to you on that.

[WigNosy]

Nick Melon; The Advocate: Even after trading Donald and Ellinger to Charlotte in terms of a younger face lift, the Hawks are still a force in the Eastern Conference. Any truth to the rumor that the Hairless cat will suit up to run the point if there's no suitable guard possible to fill the void? Are you content with running 4 wings and a big for a starting lineup?

Nah, I’m too old to run the point. One nice thing about a facelift is you get a chance to try unconventional things.

[78#]

Where do you feel you match up this season in the usually loaded Eastern Conference?

[drkavarga]

Who is your favorite Atlanta area rapper?

[WigNosy]

Who is your favorite Atlanta area rapper?

I don’t listen to that crap. (Get off my lawn!)

[WigNosy]

Where do you feel you match up this season in the usually loaded Eastern Conference?

Right now I think we are a playoff squad. But since we are clearly retooling, we may drop depending on trades that present themselves.