Keep Shakin' Up The Eastern Conference

Contributor Written on July 07, 2009

NEW YORK - MARCH 04: David Lee #42 of the New York Knicks shoots over Al Horford #15 of the Atlanta Hawks at Madison Square Garden March 4, 2009 in New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Chris McGrath/Getty Images)

(Photo by Chris McGrath/Getty Images)

The Eastern Conference has had a major face-lift since the NBA draft. Cleveland, Orlando, Boston, and Detroit, have all had dramatic reconstructive surgery. The Cavaliers and Boston had some work added on, while Orlando and Detroit had some work added and removed.

Their early moves are for one thing and one thing only. They want to represent the East in the NBA Finals next year. No more building for the future. We are going to win and win now.

As a fan, I love this attitude. In Atlanta, we have been building for the future for a few years now. After making it to the second round of the playoffs for the first time in a decade, I want the Hawks to not just compete, but win.

There are two moves that I think the Hawks should try:

1. Sign Free Agent David Lee

2. Trade Josh Smith in a deal to somehow get Amare Stoudemire, or for someone that can shoot the basketball

We know what Stoudemire brings to the table, what about David Lee.

Lee, a four-year veteran, has spent all of them with the New York Knicks. The Knicks made Lee the 30^th overall draft pick in the 2005 draft.

This season, Lee played in 81 games for the second straight season, starting in a career-high 73 games in 2008-2009.

Lee had a break-out year in his fourth season. He had career bests in minutes per game (34.9), points per game (16.0), rebounds per game (11.8), and assists per game (2.1).

His field-goal shooting and free-throw shooting were down slightly from last season, but both were still considerably better than Smith.

All of that isn’t even the best part about Lee. He only made $1.7 million last year. Smith made $10 million.

If Lee did come to Atlanta, he would be reunited with a former teammate, and a Gator Alum. Lee and newly-acquired Hawk, Jamal Crawford, played for three years together in New York. This season, Crawford played 11 games with the Knicks before being sent to the Golden State Warriors.

The Hawks’ center, Al Horford, attended the University of Florida, winning back-to-back championships.

The connection and rapport Lee and Crawford have from being old teammates, plus a friend in the locker room that has been with the team, and who is fan favorite in the city, would help make the transition to Atlanta much easier for both Lee and Crawford.

With the Hawks reporting a verbal agreement with Mike Bibby to a three-year $18 million deal, and if the Hawks did sign Lee, they will only need one more piece to be championship contenders. That piece is, the above mentioned, Stoudemire.

If this happened, the 2009-2010 Hawks could definitely compete in the East:

PG- Mike Bibby

SG- Joe Johnson

SF- Marvin Williams (need to resign), Maurice Evans, Go big with David Lee

PF- Al Horford

C- Amare Stoudemire

Lee could be the Hawks’ sixth-man. If he had the same numbers as last season or better, he could be a finalist for the NBA’s, Sixth-Man of the Year.

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written on July 07, 2009 Opinion

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