Is ATL Good Enough to Let Childress Flee?

Atlanta's handling of Josh Childress made no sense last summer, it made no sense during the season, and it makes no sense right now. Childress, if you don't know, remains one of the best least known players -- a dynamic forward with a multitude of skills and few weaknesses. Kelly Dwyer explained the source of Chill's lack of prestige: he's above average at everything but outstanding at nothing. Bethlehem Shoals similarly keys in on how this style of play fails to inflate the Childress bank account, especially in a tight market.

Despite all that, this wouldn't be happening if Atlanta took care of its business. By low-balling the Joshes Smith and Childress last summer, the Hawks allowed themselves to saunter into July '08 with two potential crises. Both players got better over 2007-08 (shocking! good young players get better!) and Atlanta really shouldn't be in the business of losing either. We know the franchise is slow to move in crucial situations, but ... really.

So Childress sits in Athens listening to a pitch from Olympiakos, who wants to pay him more than was offered by Atlanta last summer. Good teams don't let things get this far. Good teams figure out which players they cannot do without and lock them up. Atlanta dang sure isn't so filled with talent it can afford to let Childress flee without compensation. You're telling me no one is offering a player the Hawks could use in a sign-and-trade? No centers out there for the taking? No Mike Bibby replacements?

The Hawks aren't strangers to the world of mistakes. But letting Childress escape with nothing to show would be a serious new entry in the Atlanta encyclopedia o' blunders.