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Fluke Ridenour, just what the Hawks need to turn it around.
Wait, let's offer them Beno!!
Sources: Sonics working on Ridnour trade
By GARY WASHBURN
P-I REPORTER
The Sonics are eager to begin the restructuring of their roster and have offered the Atlanta Hawks point guard Luke Ridnour for the No. 11 pick in Thursday's NBA draft, according to three NBA sources.
The Hawks have long coveted Ridnour and he could be the point guard they have sought for years. Atlanta passed on New Orleans' Chris Paul and Utah's Deron Williams in the 2005 draft in favor of Bremerton's Marvin Williams.
The Hawks signed Charles "Speedy" Claxton as a free agent, but he played in just 42 games last season because of knee problems and shot 33 percent from the field. Ridnour, according to those close to him, has expected a trade since the conclusion of last season, a disappointing one for Ridnour.
He averaged 11 points and 5.2 assists in 71 games and his numbers dropped considerably in the final four months of the season, when he lost playing time to Earl Watson. The deal would have to get done by the draft or the No. 11 pick turns into a salary slot and the two clubs would have to match salaries and players to complete the transaction.
Atlanta also has another deal on the table from a third team for a point guard and is mulling that offer. If the Hawks accept Seattle's offer, the Sonics would own two of the first 11 picks and four of the first 35 and almost certainly would deal the No. 31 and 35 picks for perhaps another first-rounder or future picks.
With the 11th pick, the Sonics could nab a point guard prospect such as Texas A&M's Acie Law, who worked out for the club earlier this month, or Georgia Tech's Javaris Crittenton, a freshman who would probably need a few years of seasoning before taking over the starting position.
Either way, the trade would allow the Sonics to move in another direction at point guard. Ridnour was considered the team's point guard cornerstone when he became Gary Payton's eventual successor in 2004-05, but he had yet to reach his potential and the past two years have been plagued by bouts with confidence issues and maddening inconsistency.
Atlanta is seeking a pure point guard who can serve as a distributor. The best-case scenario for the Hawks is that he turns into a Steve Nash-type who becomes a master of running their up-tempo offense. Atlanta wants to compete in the Eastern Conference immediately and taking Crittenton or freshman Mike Conley Jr. would be a pick for the future. Ridnour, 26, could be entering his prime and has proven to be a solid passer with a dependable jumper -- when he is at his best.
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/basket...tml?source=rss
Fluke Ridenour, just what the Hawks need to turn it around.
Wait, let's offer them Beno!!
Funny.
A lot of Sonics fans for some reason prefer Ridnour to Watson, and thought Watson would be dealt. I guess Presti is carrying over that defense first mentality to Seattle.
Hawks GM Billy Knight is a true dumb ass. If he does this deal, it will overshadow his previous dumb-ass gaffes. He's his choice of young PGs in this draft and he's drooling over Ridenour? C'mon.
Props to Presti for apparently figuring out that Ridnour sucks. He's one of the most overrated players in the league. He has been in the bottom three on the Sonics in plus/minus each year of his career and even had a negative mark in '05 when the Sonics were actually good.
Ridnour for the 11th pick would be a steal for Presti.
Sonics fans are already talking about getting Acie Law with the #11.
Atlanta's FO is crap. No surprise here.
And the Hawks may be dumb enough to do it.
Presti is gonna prove out to be twice the GM that Buford is.
Kept the wrong ing guy.
.
How does Billy Knight keep his job?
wrong category face and the only reason that scrub plays is cuz he is white. He will be out of the leaugue soon.
Charles "Speedy" Claxton
If he makes this deal, and I'm a Sonics' fan, I'm feeling like I'm in pretty good hands.
Is Ray Allen next?
He stuck with the current owners during their ownership dispute over the Joe Johnson fiasco a couple years back....and they rewarded him with blind loyalty.
Having said that, I don't think this is the dumbest move in the world, as most others are suggesting. The Hawks need a pass-first point guard that can contribute right away and it seems as if they're deadset on drafting Al Horford, who has clearly established himself as the #3 guy in this draft....so they wouldn't have gotten Conley Jr. and apparently weren't sold on the project, Crittenton, or the scoring guard, Law.
The Hawks reached last year and took Shelden Williams at #5....if they don't feel Law or Crittenton are worth #11, then they shouldn't pay them.
This is one of the first moves Billy is considering that isn't TOTALLY rediculous....
I doubt this deal would overshadow passing on two future all-stars (Chris Paul and Deron Williams), then reaching for Shelden Williams with a guarantee at #5 when he was clearly a mid-first round talent that they could've traded back for....both were idiotic decisions regarding the draft that were probably worse.
If you don't know, it's been said by many veteran users that between the time that the offseason starts and the draft you can put any draft-related news in the Spurs Forum, face. And Kori even said that if she feels like a thread doesn't belong she'll move it, and so far she looks like she doesn't have a problem with it.
If I'm the Hawks though, I also ask for one of the project Cs...either Petro or Sene
Ridnour for 11 in a strong draft? There are better PG options available for that pick. Knight is like Ainge making stupid moves because he knows if he doesn't rise to mediocricy this year his ass is fired.
I agree it's not horrible. There's no guarantee that the #11 pick would prove to be any better than Ridenour (you hope it would, but it's a crapshoot).
I had forgotten all about Watson when Presti signed with Seattle, and I had always thought he would have been the guy traded.
Law is a playmaker and a scoring guard....but the Hawks already have enough of those guys....
Crittenton is EXTREMELY raw, and likely will need a couple years to get the system down.
Conley Jr. would NOT have been there at #11....
So who is the better option?
I'm actually kind of glad that the Hawks are talking Ridnour instead of Jarret Jack. Do I honestly think either is worth the #11 pick....probably not.
BUT....no pick FOR THE HAWKS at #11 will have been as beneficial as Ridnour could be for them.
BOTTOM LINE: Hawks have alot of talent and no one to get them the ball. If they think Ridnour could be the "Steve Nash" type....might as well give it a shot.
thanks for the info kermit
The more I think of it, this is a solid move for both clubs.
The hawks get their starting point guard who isn't totally bad.
The Sonics get another lottery pick.
Billy Knight has done worse deals than this thats for sure.
I think Ridnour probably has more trade value than Watson...especially since he began his career as the starter (unlike Watson) and has stuck with one team in his career (unlike Watson).
Don't get me wrong, I think this is a great deal for the Sonics if it happens...but the Hawks will not have gotten fleeced.
Sonics with #2, #11, #31, #35...in one of the deepest drafts in league history...
Gotta give Presti credit for putting his stamp on this team early with a potentially franchise-altering draft....
And the Sonics don't necessarily HAVE to draft a PG at #11...
Watson is making Starting PG money and Seattle could grab a backup at #31 or #35....If Presti takes Dowdell because he knows the Spurs covet him....
Letting Presti go could be as big a up as letting Stephen Jackson walk.
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