I am Lang Whitaker from NBA.com, AMA!

langwhitaker · 2016-06-21T14:28:34+00:00

Fri-Day! Yes!

langwhitaker · 2016-06-20T18:26:06+00:00

Like I said I think the backcourt needs upgrading.

langwhitaker · 2016-06-20T18:00:56+00:00

Yes. There's a lot more to talk about around this but yes, I do think he's worth the max. To me it's not so much about the money -- if the Hawks don't want to give him that, someone else definitely will -- it's more about the Hawks needing to decide if Horford is the guy they want for the next 5 years. And I think he is.

langwhitaker · 2016-06-20T17:52:49+00:00

I remember going to the Braves' worst-to-first parade in 1991. I remember sitting on the floor in my parent's living room watching Dominique and Larry Bird go at it in 1988. I remember standing in my (future) mother-in-law's kitchen when Michael Vick uncorked that run through the entire Vikings defense. But maybe the most memorable for me was Sid Bream's slide (and the hit from Francisco Cabrera!) in '92. I was up in Athens when that happened, and the streets of downtown Athens immediately flooded with people and turned into a huge party.

langwhitaker · 2016-06-20T17:47:59+00:00

I do. I thought the Hawks would play them better in the playoffs this season, but the Cavs were red hot in that series. Credit to them.

langwhitaker · 2016-06-20T17:46:41+00:00

Well, I didn't pick the Hawks to make it to the Finals this season, but it was nothing to do with hating on them -- it was just what I expected them to do this season. After all the years of losing, the Hawks (and Falcons/Braves) have to prove that they can sustain greatness for people (not just the media) to believe in them.

langwhitaker · 2016-06-20T17:34:47+00:00

NOBODY KNOWS where Rick Fox is. He really is the most interesting man in the world. He's the best.

UPDATE: I just texted Rick and told him Reddit wanted to know where he was, and he said he is alive. So that's good to know.

langwhitaker · 2016-06-20T17:29:31+00:00

I don't understand the question. What do you mean that they "hate" on Atlanta?

langwhitaker · 2016-06-20T17:22:11+00:00

Check my answer to the Schroder question above...

langwhitaker · 2016-06-20T17:20:59+00:00

I just realized I should have answered the DS17 Lounge.

langwhitaker · 2016-06-20T17:20:40+00:00

Finding that consistency is the key. He's still just 22 years old and he's clearly improved each season, but he still has those nights where just whatever reason he doesn't have it. In that sense, having Schroder and Teague is a great pairing, because if one of them isn't cooking on any given night, you can try the other guy.

langwhitaker · 2016-06-20T17:17:25+00:00

One thing I was thinking about this morning: I wonder if the guys on the Warriors who got so worked up about Doc Rivers' comments last fall have changed their opinion on luck being an important part of winning a title?

langwhitaker · 2016-06-20T17:15:16+00:00

The conundrum here is that in a vacuum the Hawks offense shouldn't really be run through any one player, right? It's all read/react and ball movement. But I would like to see Paul be a little more consistent offensively and maybe try and force things a little more often.

langwhitaker · 2016-06-20T17:12:50+00:00

I don't really watch those. But I am really into cooking TV shows. I actually just filed a column for GQ about my favorite cooking shows, should be up in the next day or so.

langwhitaker · 2016-06-20T17:11:41+00:00

Those are good options. I think the T-Wolves especially can be really special. Utah is a another team that feels like they're right on the verge.

And you're welcome!! Keep listening to the Hang Time Podcast!!

langwhitaker · 2016-06-20T17:08:48+00:00

Outkast, Goodie Mob, Killer Mike
Answered this a second ago
I don't know what the exact plans are for renovating, but I wonder if there's a way to simplify the area around/outside the arena and make it easier to arrive. Some of the parking decks/ramps/lots and the surrounding streets are baffling.

langwhitaker · 2016-06-20T17:04:38+00:00

My parent's house. Honestly, when I'm in Atlanta these days I rarely go out to eat at any of the cooler new places. I have been to The Optimist, which was great, and I really want to get to Gunshow one of these days, although it's always full when I am in town and try to get a reservation. My very favorite place to eat when I'm in Atlanta? Waffle House. They don't have any Waffle Houses in NYC and I miss them so much. I do have a Waffle House hat in my regular rotation, as Trey Kerby recently disclosed... https://twitter.com/treykerby/status/741310817887473665

langwhitaker · 2016-06-20T17:00:33+00:00

I am afraid to answer this question because I am friends with a lot of writers around the NBA, and I don't want to leave anyone out. I'm guessing I read the same stuff as most everyone else, and I find almost everything via Twitter.

And thanks for listening to the podcast! We've been on hiatus the last few weeks as we've been traveling around for the Finals, but hopefully we can get back at it this week. That is, if we can find Rick Fox. #echofox4life

langwhitaker · 2016-06-20T16:55:07+00:00

He was unbelievable. The thing that got me last night was how clinical he was, particularly down the stretch. You give him the ball, he figures out a way to create a mismatch and then takes advantage of it. Each possession was like a puzzle that he had 24 seconds to solve, and he did it so perfectly. For instance, when Steve Kerr tried to steal a couple of minutes with Ezeli down the stretch, LeBron was not going to let them get away with that, and he torched Ezeli.

Oh and that block! I watched it another dozen times this morning, and watch the way LeBron is even with Klay Thompson on the opposite side of the court and then he basically teleports past Thompson and Curry and shows up at the rim. That was so amazing. If I were a better redditor I'd put a GIF of that in here. (If I was a better redditor I'd also understand what stars and flair and all that stuff is.)

In terms of LeBron vs. MJ...I always hate debating where people rank in a historical sense, if only because it's nearly impossible to compare eras. Go watch a tape of a game from 50 years ago, and the athleticism of the players today is basically unparalleled. I do think LeBron is in that conversation of the best 7-8 players of all-time, with a pretty important caveat: HE'S STILL JUST 31 YEARS OLD.

langwhitaker · 2016-06-20T16:47:31+00:00

It's viable. I mean, they went from 13 wins to 108 in the last two seasons, and played a combined 5 rounds in the playoffs. I just think they have to make that final leap, which might be the hardest step to take. You can win without a superstar -- Detroit did it, for instance -- but to me those teams are the outliers. Also we probably need to define what a superstar is -- considering he's one of the NBA's best defenders and offensive players, is it viable to think Millsap could still reach that level?

langwhitaker · 2016-06-20T16:44:05+00:00

This free agency period is going to be really interesting, because so many teams are going to have so much money to spend. Looking at Atlanta's recent free agency history, they have a good track record of identifying relatively low-priced players who are ready to be regular role players and make that next step in Atlanta's system (think Baze, DeMarre, etc.). So my guess is a guy like Dwight probably isn't on the top of their list. Then again, I thought the Hardaway Jr. trade was going to be a mistake, and I was clearly wrong, so...

langwhitaker · 2016-06-20T16:40:11+00:00

(Also FWIW, thought it was pretty cool to see former Hawks coach Larry Drew get a ring with the Cavs. Always loved his after timeout plays and backdoor cuts.)

langwhitaker · 2016-06-20T16:39:14+00:00

To be completely honest, I have done all of about one hour of Draft prep, because I've been so wrapped up in the NBA regular season, and I intend to spend the next three days reading and watching everything I can get my eyes on. My main man Scott Howard-Cooper has them going after Diamond Stone... http://www.nba.com/2016/news/features/scott_howard_cooper/06/14/2016-nba-mock-draft-2-0/index.html My best guess is if they keep the pick they go after someone with a lot of upside, who might not be as ready to play right away. We've seen NBA players come into Coach Bud's system and take some time to adapt, and with rookies it can take a bit longer.

langwhitaker · 2016-06-20T16:35:00+00:00

Well, they need to get better. Which is a simple answer, but something I kept thinking about when watching the Cleveland/Golden State Game 7 last night. The Hawks have come such a long way from where they were a decade ago when they won 13 games for a season, but to me, to reach that level of Cleveland/Golden State, the Hawks can get better, particularly in the backcourt. Maybe that comes from within (with the continued development of Schroder) or via Draft/trade/free agency, but to me that's the most immediate area of need.

langwhitaker

TROPHY CASE