Last night was a blur - at least the first hour or so of the draft at the least.

With all the talks of trades, prospects, and the like, it's hard to believe we actually know now what the roster will presumably look like for next season (Billy Knight said as much during the press conference after the picks, though he did say if the right deal is there they could still make other moves).

A day later, I stand by my feelings last night - this was a terrific draft for the Hawks.

Al Horford and Acie Law are both players who can play right away, and both are capable of providing something the team was missing last year.

And, just to reiterate my argument, I have to strongly disagree with anyone who thinks we should have taken Mike Conley Jr. at #3.

You have to look at the draft as a whole, not as a series of individual decisions. Individually, maybe you think that Conley was the best player available at #3. But I disagree with the notion that we'd have been better off with Conley and say, Spencer Hawes (that would be two more 19-year olds added to the league's youngest roster), than we will be with Horford and Law.

But, if you disagree, that's cool too - we'll see what happens come November!

A couple last things, and then I am off for a much-needed weekend of relaxation.

Today is Joe Johnson's 26th birthday, so be sure to send him happy b-day wishes. I talked to Joe for a couple minutes last night at the Draft, and he seemed pretty pleased with how things turned out. Here is my interview with him, if you want to hear his thoughts.

Also, big props to our video staff, who banged out a Highlight Factory Online episode covering last night's festivities at Philips Arena. From everyone I've heard from, it was a really good time.

So, I hope everyone has a good weekend, and I hope everyone is as happy with Thursday's results as I am.

16 days until Rocky Mountain Revue...

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I know some of you out there disagree, and it's a free country so you are certainly welcome to your opinion, but just so you know, there are many out there who are happy with how the Hawks did tonight.

The AJC's Mark Bradley is one of them. Here is his article for tomorrow about the Hawks' work tonight. I for one couldn't agree with him more. We got two players who can play (and play right away) next year, and both are proven winners.

Hindsight is always 20/20, and maybe someday people will say the team should have done something different. But looking forward, we did as good as we could have in 2007, and a lot of credit for that should go to Billy Knight, who got us in position to do this with the Al Harrington deal.

That's about it for me from here. If we should happen to trade our way back into the second round tonight I will let you know, but it sounds like we are probably about done.

I will close with a story. I went to Texas (ummm, I may have mentioned that in these parts once or twice before), so I saw both of their games this season against Texas A&M and Acie Law. In the game at Austin that most people talk about when discussing Law's heroics, he hit a ridiculous three-pointer over Kevin Durant to send the game into overtime. If you watched the game, or if you watch this segment from when he was on the Jim Rome show (scroll to about 15 seconds in) you will see the camera close in on him celebrating with his teammates as he mouths the words, "That's what I do."

That's when I knew this guy was the right player for this team. That's the kind of player I'll take every single day, a guy who wants the ball at the end and has the confidence in himself to make things happen.

This is a good night, Hawks fans. We aren't to the mountaintop yet, but I promise you we are much closer to it tonight than we were yesterday.

Just over two weeks until Summer League - I can't wait!

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Some people love to know stuff like this, so I figured I might as well tell you.

Next year, new Hawks draft picks Al Horford will wear #15 and Acie Law will wear #4.

No idea why they chose those, but I will make it a point to find out once they get in town.

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The draft party, from what I've heard, was a lot of fun. I didn't get to see any of it because I am down here in the locker room area, but here are some pictures of the event courtesy of ace photographer Jon "Newbs" Newberry.

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Here is the newest Hawk on the podium. I talked to Al a little at his workout and he struck me as a very thoughtful guy. I am really excited to add this guy to our arsenal.

Al Horford On The Podium At MSG

Update: In addition, we also got Acie Law as well - thanks to NBA Video for sending these over...

Acie Law On Joining The Hawks

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Hawks.com: Tell us your first impression of the Horford pick?

Dominique Wilkins: It's a good pick. He's a guy who is NBA-ready, he's got size, he plays with passion, and he's a smart player.

Hawks.com: What does he provide for this team that we didn't have?

DW: Well it's hard to say right now. But here's a guy who has been on championship teams in back-to-back years, and knows how to win. He knows how to play around the basket, is a very good rebounder, and he can get lift around the basket in traffic.

Hawks.com: How much does his championship experience help?

DW: Well, you can't buy experience. You can't buy that type of player that's been to the big show in back to back years. If you look at that team, they have four guys who are going to be NBA players. So it definitely helps them coming in.

Hawks.com: What do you think of the Celtics trade for Ray Allen:

DW: I think its a good trade for both teams, actually. The Celtics get a guy who automatically makes them better, while Seattle gets a couple of great young players.

Hawks.com: What do you make of the talk that this could be one of the best drafts to come along in a long time?

DW: I don't buy into that stuff too much. I don't know if I would say that this is the best draft I've seen in years, but it's a good draft.

Hawks.com: Not as good as '82, right?

DW: Most definitely.

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Man, I don't know about that pick. I have nothing against Javaris Crittenton, who is certainly a talented prospect but...this is the guy that is going to appease Kobe? A 19-year old point guard? Are you still looking for the 19-year olds from earlier who contributed right away from earlier?

Mitch Kupchak, I wish you the best of luck...

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Sorry I haven't posted in a few minutes, but I was in the press room to listen to Billy and Woody talk to the media.

They both seem pretty upbeat, as they should be in my opinion.

As I said before, for those who wanted Conley, I don't care if you do think Conley is the best PG in the draft, I'll take Horford and Law over Conley and Hawes any day of the week.

No real surprises in the last few picks, draft-wise, but we did get another huge deal, as the Blazers and Knicks pull off a blockbuster. Zach Randolph and change to New York for Steve Francis and Channing Frye. Wow.

Man, I have never been an Isiah fan, but this deal is decidedly in their favor. Zach Randolph immediately becomes the best low-post scorer in the East, and teamed with Eddy Curry, that is one frightening frontline. I dare say the Knicks might not even be terrible next season, so long as they can stay healthy and out of trouble (one of those seems more likely than the other).

I still think Portland should have held onto Randolph, but it wasn't that long ago that Channing Frye was considered untouchable in New York, so him coming off the bench as your top frontcourt sub for Oden and Aldridge is a pretty scary thought.

I'll be back in a few with an interview with Hall of Famer Dominique Wilkins!

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The Hawks get the point guard they've been needing at #11, which to me reinforces yet again the idea that we made the right decision about taking Horford at #3.

Let's say we took Conley at #3 - who would we have gotten here? No one who will help us as much as Law will.
The dude is a killer. End of the game, this guy wants the ball in his hands to make a decision, and more often than not, he made the right one.

I had a chance to talk to him a little when he worked out in Atlanta, and he told me flat-out that this was the team he wanted to come and play for.

I for one am more than happy with our draft haul. The question now is, are we done for the night?

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Please stop yelling at me!!!

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Man, the Bulls are going to be nasty. If I am Joakim Noah, I am loving life right now. I know he could have been the #1 pick last year and yada yada yada, but man - to go back to school for a year, win a title, and then come into the league with a team that in my opinion has the chance to dominate the Eastern Conference for the forseeable future (sorry LeBron), well...that's not a bad year.

Spencer Hawes goes to Sacto, which I love if for no other reason than we don't have to think about taking him (size = always tempting).

So now we are up - trade? Pick?

Let's see...

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Charlotte takes North Carolina F Brandan Wright, adding yet another Tar Heel to the roster. How many is that, 6? 7?

I have to say, this pick surprised me. All the word out of Charlotte was that if they couldn't trade the pick, they would take someone who could contribute right away. Seemed like Joakim Noah would be the most likely guy to fit that bill, but they chose to go with youth and potential once again.

I guess that means Noah goes to Chicago?

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I'm just going to go ahead and get this out there, cause I feel it needs to be said.

I love Mike Conley, and I think he has a chance to be a very good player in this league. But for those of you who think he was a better pick for us at #3 than Horford, I have to respectfully disagree.

This team needs to win. Now. Conley may be great someday, but he won't be there next year. Do this for me: go find me a 19-year old point guard in the last 20 years who was an impact player his rookie season. Go on, I'll sit here and wait...

Ok, I'm going to move along and you can get back to me when you find one. It would be one thing if there were no point guards left to take after Conley, then I would accept the argument that we needed to reach for him at the top. But I believe there are still guards left in this draft who can help us, and if you can get one of them plus Horford, well, that's the way I'd go if I were the GM.

That's just like, my opinion, man.

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Milwaukee takes Yi Jianlian. Wow. I have nothing against Yi, who could develop into a great player, but I just never saw him in Milwaukee.

Some are speculating that he will end up traded from Milwaukee before all is said and done, but Andy Katz is reporting that for now, the Bucks plan on keeping him.

Stay tuned...

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Mike Conley Jr. goes to Memphis at #4, but the big news is the trade between Seattle and Boston for the #5 pick. There has been a lot of speculation about if the Celtics would try to make another run of it with a team built around Paul Pierce or if they would trade him and rebuild for good, and now we have our answer as the Celts make a huge move, trading the #5 pick and a couple players (I believe Delonte West and Wally Sczerbiak) for Ray Allen. Impressive.

Ray Allen is a great talent, but he is on the wrong side of 30. I think this definitely makes the Celtics better now, but I don't think it makes them well enough to get to the Finals. With the #5, Seattle takes Jeff Green from Georgetown, making that two top five picks for the Sonics.

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Al Horford. Coming to dominate a low post near you. I love - LOVE - this pick for us. Personally, I look at Horford and see a guy with the potential to be as good as Elton Brand - a guy with the potential to put up 20 and 10 on any given night.

The guy has a championship pedigree as we all know, and I just don't think that can be stressed enough as a positive in his favor as he joins a team that has been through an awful lot of losing in the last few years.

Horford is a physical load in the paint, and in the size-deprived East he should be able to thrive. and I'd bet on that happening sooner rather than later.

I know there are some fans who wanted the team to take a point guard at this spot, but this to me was the right pick. Of course time will tell, but I feel very good about the direction this night is going in...

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Kevin Durant, the best college basketball player I've ever seen, goes to Seattle at #2. Bully for them.

WE ARE ON THE CLOCK!!!

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No surprises, Greg Oden goes #1. I am on record, by the way, in suggesting that Kevin Durant will be the better player. Yes, I went to Texas, I admit my bias. But no one in the NBA would ever pass on a legit center, no matter how good the guy after him is. Remember, Houston took Akeem Olajuwon over Michael Jordan, and it would happen again this year if they were in it. I think Oden will be great, but Durant will surpass him in my opinion.

Still, congrats to Portland, who has their Duncan and Robinson tandem ready to dominate the league for the next decade with Oden and LaMarcus Aldridge.

By the way. Greg Oden sounds exactly like former Georgetown coach John Thompson. No surprise, since they are roughly the same age (sorry, I had to make one joke about his age).

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Welcome everyone! Man, my fingers are going to be tired by the end of this thing.

We launched this here BasketBlog two years ago today, live blogging the 2005 NBA Draft to kick things off.

Tonight is the 3rd annual edition of the draft blog, and I hope you will hang out with me for the duration of the evening as the events unfold.

Of course, many of you are actually here at the Arena with me, as reportedly over 5,000 fans made their way to Philips for the Hawks draft party. Should be good times all around.

I am coming to you live from the assistant coaches office, just outside the Hawks Draft Room. Hopefully I will be able to provide commentary and analysis for you throughout the night, as well as interviews with Hawks coaches, players, and hopefully draft picks.

Commissioner Stern just welcomed everyone and put the Trailblazers on the clock, so we are underway!

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Stuart Scott will be interviewing the draftees throughout the night, asking them blatantly obvious questions and trying to make silly jokes while executing the fist bump-into-sparkle move that he loves so much.

Does that sound like I don't like him? Well, for full disclosure, I have to say, I'm not a huge fan. But I have a good reason. Two years ago I made it onto the ESPN gameshow Stump The Schwab, which Stu hosts. I happened to mention on a form I filled out before the show that I had taken a comedy improv class, and so of course when Stu talked to me, he mentioned it and asked me to say something funny.

It's hard to be funny when put on the spot like that, but I feel like I covered nicely, as I responded "Your lazy eye freaks me out." Ok, I didn't say that, but it's what I was thinking. What's the point of this story? Maybe nothing. That dude just bothers me, that's all.

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And we are off - tonight ESPN's coverage features Mike Tirico, Jay Bilas, Stephen A. Smith, and Mark Jackson.

Here's a juicy rumor that Ric Bucher just reported - potentially the Nuggets are dangling Marcus Camby for our #11 pick. That's interesting, to say the least.

Camby, the reigning Defensive Player of the Year, would provide instant stability on the defensive end (duh), and I think he is an underrated offensive player. It's hard to imagine that Denver would really do that, but if they did...I like.

Just remember though, this is ALL rumor, and until we see deals announced, it's all just speculation.

By the way, Stephen A. just yelled about something. Who had 7:11 pm in the pool?

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Man, I am nervous. I haven't been this nervous before a draft since...actually, I've never been this nervous. I think it's just because there are so many possibilities tonight, and not just for the Hawks. I have never seen an offseason like this, with so many top-level talents available. It's possible that the entire NBA landscape could look entirely different tomorrow...or not at all.

We'll just have to see how the night goes. I will say this though - I feel confident that we will make good moves tonight, one way or another.

Amazingly, our draft night could be over in a little over an hour. I can't handle the suspense! I'm going to walk around for a few minutes, and then I'll be back for the start.

Let's Go Hawks!

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Well, this isn't much, but since it counts as draft-day news, I am just letting you know.

The first deal of the day has gone down, and it's a minor one. The Magic have basically sold their second round pick (#54) to Houston, getting cash considerations in return. What does cash considerations mean, exactly? Are they considering giving them cash, or perhaps writing a check? I dunno.

Anyway, if any other deals go down, I will keep you posted...

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