Poor Atlanta - Diaw wins Most Improved Player Award

[Kim Malo]

At 02:35 PM 5/3/2006, Eric Albert wrote:
> >Egg wrote:
> >
> >And how about David West (17.1 ppg, 7.4 rpg, 51.2 fg%, 84.3 ft%)
> >being the runner-up for the most improved player award?
> >Think it not a trifle, though it appear small,   that several months
> >ago I was vigorously debated (i.e. creamed) when suggesting
> >that Ainge would most certainly trade the disappointing Jefferson
> >for West and two Hornet's 1st round picks.
>
>I don't see how anyone could propose a trade that would give us a
>team with two players named D. West.  Two Green(e)s is bad
>enough.

Surprised Egg didn't suggest that as part of the owners' money first 
economies to save on lettering costs on unis. Egg, you feeling 
alright? You're slipping...

>But seriously, good call.

Dunno about that. This is most improved on a player 5 years older 
after one more season. In other words there was a real need for 
improvement with West too, who had a multiple head start on maturity 
and development time on Al. And have you guys forgotten Blount so 
soon, not to realize that one year marked improvement can turn out to 
be just that - one year marked improvement. While sorry, but the only 
thing we need less than a pile of draft picks with only incrementally 
more talent than we have turning us younger and younger in age and 
maturity is another bad longterm FA signing.

I'm not saying I think it's a given Al will reach his potential, 
because I was criticizing him and his lack of development well before 
anyone else (or almost anyone else, can't recall) was, but I don't 
see that it's such a given Danny would do that deal. And if the 
reports that Al's finally started to understand about the work ethic 
part are correct, then maybe he'll be in the same position next year 
while offering us more of the offense we need - in the post - along 
with some other extras like better shot blocking. According to 
82games.com, 2/3 of West's shots were jumpers. We have plenty of jump 
shooters. And it's not like one David West puts us over the top.

Kim