# Free Agency - Atlanta Hawks



## BlakeJesus

------------​


Roster could look very different next season, lets bring in CP3 and D12.


----------



## ATLien

When we miss out on Paul and Howard, what do you think our roster should look like?

Go for the second-tier free agents (Iguodala, Bynum, Ellis, Evans, Jefferson, Millsap, etc.) or fill the roster with one and two year contracts?

The consensus is Josh Smith is not returning, but what about Jeff Teague and at what price?


----------



## BlakeJesus

I think bringing Teague back is very much going to depend on the price, if somebody gets crazy and offers him big money than we need to let him walk. But if he would sign a reasonable offer sheet with us, I would be happy to bring him back. He's continued to improve year to year, and I don't think he's hit his ceiling as a player yet. That being said, it is entirely possible he just takes the qualifying offer and plays this year out to go into UFA. 

It could be a complete waste of money, but offering Bynum a high dollar short year contract could be interesting. Horford/Bynum could be a very potent big man duo in an ideal situation. High risk high reward moves are not typical for our front office, though.

I'd really rather not see us bring in somebody like Jefferson or Millsap, unless it was something where we could bring in more than one of these guys. Like Iggy AND Jefferson, plus resigning Teague. If we view Lou Will as that combo guard spark plug off the bench, I would be quite happy if we brought in OJ Mayo/Iggy/Brandan Wright (or a solid big man along the lines of JJ Hickson, Andray Blatche Fool, Birdman, etc.)


----------



## ATLien

Bynum is so tempting, but ultimately I think it would blow up in our faces. A legitimate Center is definitely needed.

A Horford/Howard front court would destroy teams in the East, but Dwight is probably too dumb to give Atlanta a chance.


----------



## BlakeJesus

Especially with CP3 running the show, that would be downright ideal.


----------



## ATLien

If we can't sign a big time free agent this year, it will never happen. 

Assuming we strike out this year, there is not much use in clearing space for 2014 free agency. We might as well just sign the best players we can and start building a team.


----------



## ATLien

AJC writer's take on free agency:



> For the Hawks, is there a free-agency fallback beyond Paul/Howard?
> 
> I submit that there is. Sign Al Jefferson, most recently of Utah. Extend Jeff Teague for another season. You’ve now got a quintet of Jefferson at center, Al Horford at power forward, Lou Williams and John Jenkins at shooting guard and Teague at point guard. That’s a competitive core.


http://www.ajc.com/weblogs/mark-bradley/2013/jun/24/if-paul-no-longer-option-where-do-hawks-turn/


----------



## Bogg

If the plan is to remain a playoff team for the next several years, and we assume Paul/Howard are off the table, Jefferson and Iguodala together are probably the way to go. If you fill out the rest of that roster correctly, you should be able to write the Hawks in for somewhere around 47-50 wins and a non-Miami first-round opponent every year for the next few seasons.


----------



## ATLien

Bogg said:


> If the plan is to remain a playoff team for the next several years, and we assume Paul/Howard are off the table, Jefferson and Iguodala together are probably the way to go. If you fill out the rest of that roster correctly, you should be able to write the Hawks in for somewhere around 47-50 wins and a non-Miami first-round opponent every year for the next few seasons.


It isn't the worst plan, but reading between the lines from the HC's early comments suggests they are preparing for a longer, slower process. We'll see.


----------



## ATLien

ESPN Poll: Which team will Dwight Howard be playing for next season?

21% Mavericks
41% Rockets
6% Hawks
18% Lakers
14% Another team

(Total votes: 38,372)

LOL, a team from China would get more votes than Atlanta.

ESPN is reporting that Dwight will visit the Hawks once FA begins to use as leverage for Houston and Dallas.

Hypothetical question: If signing Dwight meant re-signing Josh Smith, do you still go for it? Those are two very uncoachable players for a team with no structure yet.


----------



## BlakeJesus

Yes you go for it, without question. The defensive potential of Smoove/D12 is enough to make you salivate, and though Smoove makes some questionable decisions he does bring a lot to the table. For a PF he's a very good ballhandler and is rivaled by only Blake Griffin in terms of passing ability. That long jumper is a boneheaded shot, but he's shown the ability to stray away from it if he stays focused. Though I think playing next to Dwight he might end up shooting that even more, which wouldn't be a bad thing if he picked his spots on the floor better.

Smoove/D12 and a bunch of shooters would be fun, especially if we got CP3 in there too.


----------



## ATLien

I was interested in Dwight when it was a package deal with Chris Paul, but with Josh Smith? I don't know, I just think that team would represent what we had before (50 wins, can't get to the ECF) except it would be more frustrating.


----------



## RollWithEm

Dwight and Josh would be a horrible experience for Atlanta fans to have to endure.


----------



## BlakeJesus

I think ATL is a perfect fit because it's still a big market team, and people would show up to watch him...but it's not nearly as high pressure as the LA/NY teams.


----------



## BlakeJesus

RollWithEm said:


> Dwight and Josh would be a horrible experience for Atlanta fans to have to endure.


I am higher on it than most it seems.


----------



## ATLien

RollWithEm said:


> Dwight and Josh would be a horrible experience for Atlanta fans to have to endure.


Yep. A lot of shit to put up with for career 15ppg and 18ppg players.


----------



## BlakeJesus

ATLien said:


> Yep. A lot of shit to put up with for career 15ppg and 18ppg players.


...who are all league defenders. And one of them is either the best or the second best rebounder in the league.


----------



## ATLien

> @Chris_Broussard
> 
> Source: Andre Iguodala has officially filed his opt-out paperwork. Nuggets have received it.


Sekou Smith reported that Dwight Howard has set his decision date at July 10th.

http://hangtime.blogs.nba.com/2013/06/28/report-dwight-howard-to-reveal-his-choice-july-10/

Dwight may be out of reach, but we could probably sign Iguodala if we really wanted to.


----------



## RollWithEm

Iguodala for Josh Smith happened in FRSL. Why can't it happen in RL?


----------



## BlakeJesus

If Iggy opted out there's no S&T to be made.


----------



## ATLien

Oof. 



> The chances of Paul leaving the Clippers were slim even before Rivers was named coach, but sources said he had at least entertained the thought of going to the Atlanta Hawks with Dwight Howard, who also will enter free agency.


Dwight is visiting Atlanta on Monday.

Deadline for QO (Teague) is midnight tonight.


----------



## ATLien

Welp.

@ajchawks
The Hawks have extended a qualfying offer to Jeff Teague.


----------



## ATLien

@InsiderJayNBA 

Hawks hoping Howard goes to Houston if its not them, plan on offering to s&t Smith for Asik or get Asik outright.

That would be a good move for both sides it seems. And supposedly Milwaukee (Larry Drew) wants to make a push for Jeff Teague.


----------



## ATLien

Hawks are meeting with Iguodala, Josh, and Dwight today. Don't want any of them by themselves unless it's a package deal thing.

Reports that Korver is gone to Brooklyn.


----------



## ATLien

Rumor: 4 years, 48 million for Tyreke Evans.

That should make Jeff Teague & his agent happy. Sign & trade him to Milwaukee, hopefully for picks.


----------



## ATLien

****. Hawks meeting with Evans tomorrow.



> Tyreke Evans will meet w/ Atlanta tomorrow. Still had New Orleans offer on table. Met w/ Kings and Detroit today


----------



## BlakeJesus

I don't know if I would hate bringing him in if we had a plan to use him, I think a change of scenery will be good for his career. Not sure exactly what that means, but he's still a talented kid. We need to take some risks, and this seems like a reasonable one to explore at the very least.


----------



## ATLien

For the same price as Horford? NOPE!


----------



## BlakeJesus

Missed the price tag. It's a healthy price, but it will be tradeable if it doesn't work out. He will have almost just turned 24 at the start of the upcoming seasons, and he's coming off of his most efficient scoring season yet. 

Again, if this is the homerun we want to take a shot at I wouldn't be mad. Lou Will/Reke/?/Horford/Asik would be a fun lineup to trot out.


----------



## ATLien

Dwight Howard's camp didn't hate our new coach!



> @WojYahooNBA
> 
> In Atlanta and Golden State presentations today, Dwight Howard camp considered both coaches, Mike Budenholzer and Mark Jackson, impressive.


----------



## BlakeJesus

Definitely not a bad sign.


----------



## ATLien

Report: Dwight Howard asked Houston Rockets to add third max contract

http://tracking.si.com/2013/07/01/rockets-dwight-howard-meeting/?sct=hp_t2_a9&eref=sihp

Can Houston give Josh Smith a max contract?


----------



## Bogg

ATLien said:


> Report: Dwight Howard asked Houston Rockets to add third max contract
> 
> http://tracking.si.com/2013/07/01/rockets-dwight-howard-meeting/?sct=hp_t2_a9&eref=sihp
> 
> Can Houston give Josh Smith a max contract?


Not without a sign-and-trade, and I think that Asik would be a great pickup for you guys if you could follow it up with an Iguodala acquisition. An Asik-Horford-Iguodala front line with Teague/Schroder at point and some floor spacers at the two is a nice playoff team with a defensively elite backbone. Could probably pick up a future first or a pair of seconds while you're at it.


----------



## ATLien

Interest in Corey Brewer if Atlanta doesn't sign Iguodala. 



> Andre Iguodala, another Hawks target at the wings, will end up with a stable of suitors for his service, including the Kings, the Pistons, the Nuggets,
> 
> A popular Iguodala fallback, Corey Brewer, is also being sought after by the Nuggets, Hawks, Rockets and Pelicans, per Marc Stein.
> 
> Zaza Pachulia is being hunted by Milwaukee, Portland and San Antonio, per David Aldridge. The Hawks are still in the mix, of course and DA also mentions his recovery from Achilles surgery is on schedule.


Funny that Milwaukee is interested in both Teague and Zaza. 1/2 of our playoff roster could be in Milwaukee and Brooklyn.


----------



## ATLien

Bogg said:


> Not without a sign-and-trade, and I think that Asik would be a great pickup for you guys if you could follow it up with an Iguodala acquisition. An Asik-Horford-Iguodala front line with Teague/Schroder at point and some floor spacers at the two is a nice playoff team with a defensively elite backbone. Could probably pick up a future first or a pair of seconds while you're at it.


I don't think that would be a bad move. Someone on NBA General disagreed with me, but you are getting a top defensive Center for someone who is leaving anyway. Asik makes $5 million in 2013-2014 and $15 million in 2014-15 (poison pill), but that's the last year on his contract.


----------



## Bogg

ATLien said:


> I don't think that would be a bad move. Someone on NBA General disagreed with me, but you are getting a top defensive Center for someone who is leaving anyway. Asik makes $5 million in 2013-2014 and $15 million in 2014-15 (poison pill), but that's the last year on his contract.


Asik's cap figure is only around $8.4 million each of those years, though, so as long as ownership is fine paying him $20 million over two years he's, for all intents and purposes, on a two year, $17 million deal, which is very team-friendly. Obviously the next domino there would ideally be Iguodala or Kirilenko, and if you still had the money after bringing back Teague (if he doesn't command an insane amount) you could get in on the JJ Redick bidding. That's not a bad core. 

Alternatively, if Redick didn't sign, and I know he's about to be overpaid, but Keith Bogans could be a nice pickup from the C's. The second and third years of his deal won't be guaranteed, making him a nice trade chip later in the season, and you know he'll play his ass off trying to get those option years picked up. Other than that he's a solid locker room guy who defends and stretches the floor. Boston's just planning on cutting him if he's still on the roster at this time next season, so he can probably be had for a second-rounder and a trade exception.

EDIT: The ideal situation would probably be Teague drawing limited interest and signing the QO, leaving Atlanta more cap space to play with this summer and letting them groom Schroeder to step into the starting role next year.


----------



## ATLien

Teague has a 1 year, $4.5M QO offer from Atlanta which looks low even for him. I would really like to work a S&T with Milwaukee for picks, since they'll be picking in the middle of the first round. It would probably save them some money, since Teague's deal will be cheaper than Jennings.

I wouldn't mind us looking at Carl Landry or Chase Budinger either. Less expensive alternatives for a forward, or someone to come off the bench.


----------



## BlakeJesus

I would love it if we did a Teague for Jennings S&T, and if we brought in Iggy as well as Asik for Smoove, and then signed Tyreke Evans straight away...we could be in really good shape next season.

Jennings/Lou Will/Shroeder
Tyrke/Lou Will
Iggy
Horford
Asik

Good mix of youthful talent and veterans making up the majority of your identity. Good passing, strong rebounding, pesky perimeter players, strong post presence, and versatile in terms of matchups and ways they can beat you.

And down the line if Jennings plateau's and Shroeder emerges as a legit talent, Jennings will make for a high quality Lou Will replacement.


----------



## ATLien

Jennings/Evans backcourt is just asking for trouble. I do not want Jennings. Rather have the picks.


----------



## BlakeJesus

I think Iggy/Horford will be good locker room guys. I think even just getting off of their respective teams will help Jennings and Reke improve, so coming to an offense that will give them every chance to succeed and grow sounds like a good situation to me. 

I get what you're saying, but we're not going to be bad enough to get a Top 3 pick. So let's take a few homerun swings, because if we bring in guys like Reke and/or Jennings and they turn their careers around here that could be huge for us. And if they continue to struggle or have personal issues, they would still both be very tradeable assets and we'll have a lotto pick anyways.


----------



## ATLien

Would the Spurs consider adding Jennings or Evans? I have watched zero Bucks or Kings games, but they don't seem to fit what Atlanta is looking for.

I'm not even that crazy about Iguodala unless the contract is reasonable. 29 & coming off his worst season. 

Ideally, you would want a SF who can defend but shoot a little better than Smith, Iguodala, or Brewer can.


----------



## BlakeJesus

That's why I would really like the idea of bringing in Jennings, he would allow us to have less shooting throughout. We also have to keep in mind Lou Will is going to be back and healthy, so he's also going to provide floor spacing three point shooting. Schroeder doesn't have pretty mechanics, but the metrics dictate he's a quality shooter as well with space to shoot.


----------



## ATLien

> UPDATE: Tuesday, July 2, at 12:25 p.m. ET by Adam Fromal
> 
> Well here's a drastic change.
> 
> We've viewed the Houston Rockets as the favorites to land Dwight Howard for a while now, but ESPN's Chris Palmer is pulling the classic about-face, tweeting out this simple message:
> 
> Hearing strongly that Howard will resign with the Lakers.


Houston still probably chases Josh Smith if they can't get Howard, but they probably would want to hold on to Asik.


----------



## ATLien

BlakeJesus said:


> That's why I would really like the idea of bringing in Jennings, he would allow us to have less shooting throughout. We also have to keep in mind Lou Will is going to be back and healthy, so he's also going to provide floor spacing three point shooting. Schroeder doesn't have pretty mechanics, but the metrics dictate he's a quality shooter as well with space to shoot.


Ha. Jennings actually tweeted tonight that he is in Atlanta.

http://www.peachtreehoops.com/2013/7/2/4488906/brandon-jennings-in-atlanta-hawks



> I've narrowed Brandon Jennings' Atlanta visit down to five possibilities
> 
> 4. Larry Drew, rather than hire someone, is sending Brandon Jennings to Atlanta to move his things from Atlanta to Milwaukee. Jennings breaks half of Larry's valuables on the drive back, immediately creating a tenuous relationship with his new coach. Panic Level: 1 (This is the ideal situation).


#4 sounds realistic.


----------



## ATLien

> Chad Ford @chadfordinsider
> 
> We know Suns, Bobcats, Sixers, Celtics & Magic will be REALLY bad. Sources say add Hawks to list. If they don't get DH12, likely to tank


We would probably need to make sure Al Horford, Jeff Teague and/or Lou Williams aren't on the roster on opening day to be as bad or worse than those teams.

Then again, Seattle/OKC won 31 games and was only the 5th worst team in the league when they drafted Kevin Durant. 2007 was a similar draft class too. Everyone wanted to tank for Greg Oden.

Also, Danny Ferry has indicated he is more interested in building than tanking.


----------



## BlakeJesus

I'd much rather sign Reke or Jennings and bring in another quality FA and continue to collect assets. Being a 25 win team and pawning off all of your useful players is truly boring.


----------



## ATLien

The numbers don't even back up that that is a smart strategy.


----------



## ATLien

If we sign and trade Josh Smith for Omer Asik, we are probably at worst an eighth seed.

But if Dwight re-signs with L.A., Houston probably keeps Asik and tries to sign Josh Smith outright.

I am warming up to the idea of a Horford-Asik front court so much that I hope it happens now. They would compliment each other's game perfectly. No idea what we do about the back court though.


----------



## ATLien

Maybe I'm wrong. ESPN still thinks we'll be pretty bad.



> Current projection: 28-54 (26th in NBA) | Playoff/Title odds: 0%/0% | 5-year WARP: 99.0 (11th)
> 
> What their approach appears to be: Developing
> 
> What their approach should be: Developing
> 
> Plan of action: The Hawks probably held onto their second-round-upside core for too long, but GM Danny Ferry pushed Atlanta off that treadmill by unloading Joe Johnsonon Brooklyn last summer. Now he's doing his due diligence by meeting with hometown heroDwight Howard, but with that acquisition unlikely and Chris Paul off the board, Ferry would do well to bank his cap space for next season's talent-rich summer.
> 
> What Ferry must avoid is latching onto next-level free agents in order to save face after missing the home run signing. It's a good time to develop Dennis Schroeder, Lucas Nogueira and John Jenkins. The question is whether franchise stalwart Al Horford would be willing to wait out a full-on rebuild. The Hawks would have no shortage of suitors if he were made available.
> 
> Power move: With Howard and Paul off the table, Ferry lets Smith walk and deals Horford to Cleveland for Tristan Thompson and Tyler Zeller.


Charlotte would have to accept that, right? That's a steal.


----------



## BlakeJesus

Horford for Tristan Thompson and Tyler Zeller? Meh, no thanks.


----------



## ATLien

If we were going to try to move Al for a younger PF/C, I would look at the Pistons. Joe Dumars is dumb, but I don't think he's that dumb. lol


----------



## BlakeJesus

Maybe they would consider Greg Monroe for Al Horford, if they think Drummond is the future maybe they would build around Horford.


----------



## ATLien

Drummond looks like a future star.


----------



## ATLien

> @ESPNSteinLine
> 
> Kyle Korver is staying with Atlanta on four-year deal worth estimated $24 million, sources tell ESPN


Man, that's a lot for Korver.


----------



## BlakeJesus

Korver is a solid roleplayer, and he's always going to be tradable because even as he ages he will still be able to shoot the ball.


----------



## ATLien

BlakeJesus said:


> Korver is a solid roleplayer, and he's always going to be tradable because even as he ages he will still be able to shoot the ball.


Good point. 

And he would be a perfect fit on a Dwight Howard team.


----------



## BlakeJesus

Agreed! I think he'll also be good for Shroeder, as a young passing point guard he should be able to make use of a three point bomber like Korver. Stretches the floor, and though he's nothing to get excited about defensively he at least plays with effort.


----------



## BlakeJesus

Sounds like we will not be getting Tyreke.


----------



## BlakeJesus

Cory Brewer is still on our radar, would be a nice addition as long as the money is reasonable.



> The Mavericks would like to bring Brandan Wright back to Dallas, but there are several teams interested in the high-flying, high-efficiency backup big man’s services. According to a source, the Mavs, Atlanta Hawks, Orlando Magic, Detroit Pistons, Toronto Raptors and New York Knicks all expressed interest in Wright during the opening hours of free agency.


Brandan Wright is a younger big I'd like us to take a chance on.


----------



## ATLien

I'm definitely on board with Brewer (4M per year?). He would be a better defender than any of our wings, and a good corner 3 specialist to have on the bench.

What about Nikola Pekovic for a big man? He's probably the 3rd best realistic option for a Center after Howard and Asik.


----------



## 29380

> @ajchawks
> Hawks have agreed to deal with Paul Milsap. #ATLHawks





> @WojYahooNBA
> Demarre Carroll has reached agreement on a deal with Atlanta, his agent, Mark Bartelstein, says.


...


----------



## BlakeJesus

D12 for sure going to the Rockets, does Asik for Smoove happen now even though we just got Milsap?


----------



## ATLien

I don't know. I loved the pairing of Al with Asik. They would have complemented each other perfectly, but that would make Milsap a super sub? I don't know. I just don't want to believe the rumors that we are interested in Ellis now. Doesn't make sense.


----------



## ATLien

Well.. damn.



> @AlexKennedyNBA
> 
> The Atlanta Hawks are negotiating with Monta Ellis, per a source. I'm hearing deal would be about $10 million a year. Not sure about years.


I've liked every move until now.


----------



## ATLien

> @ESPNSteinLine
> 
> Another Andrew Bynum update: ESPN has learned that Bynum has also scheduled face-to-face recruiting meetings in Atlanta & Dallas this week


We could have a really deep front court if we bring in Bynum or Pekovic.

Probably prefer Bynum, since his contract would be more team friendly (probably) and he's a better rebounder and defender when healthy.


----------



## BlakeJesus

Bynum has a higher ceiling too I feel like, even though his basement as a player is much lower. 

I like the general approach to this offseason, take a few homerun swings. If some of them pan out it can be huge for the franchise, and if they all flop or don't work together you've got assets to move/that expire soon.

If we bring in Bynum, Monta, trade for Brandon Jennings, and sign a cheap(ish) wing player (Corey Brewer being highest on the list, but if we're forced to look at guys the tier down, Wesley Johnson, Mickael Pietrus, Ronnie Brewer, Reggie Williams, maybe even Lamar Odom's fat ass.).

We still have a lot of options.


----------



## ATLien

I'm kinda leaning towards keeping Teague for another year to see how he fits in the new offense. I just don't want to pay Monta Ellis $12 million/year like Sacramento is considering.


----------



## BlakeJesus

Brandon Jennings would be a good fit with guys like Horford and Milsap too, both can do the dirty work but both can also hit a jumper. 

I like Teague, and he's progressed since we drafted him, but I'd prefer to take a swing at Jennings panning out. The fact the front office is shopping Teague out there so much right now would give me (and probably Teague as well) the impression of settling. 

I am torn because I also want to see Shroeder develop into our starting PG, but I think bringing in Brandon Jennings would be a very good chance for us to take.


----------



## ATLien

Jennings is asking for $12 million/year and his career statistics aren't very good, but he is still 23. More potential than Ellis has. 

I don't watch the Bucks, but I remember the playoff series from 2010. He shot them out of some games, sure, but they almost stole that series.


----------



## BlakeJesus

He was inefficient, but he was a pat of a pretty lame offense. He looked better last season with a little more offense around him, so going from playing with Drew Gooden and Larry Sanders to Paul Milsap and Al Horford would be a pretty major upgrade for him. I think a change of scenery that's providing a higher quality group of guys around him would lead to improved play. The fact he's so young makes the gamble more bearable as well, because even if he falls out of favor in two years, he's going to be a tradeable asset. Not going to flip him into a Top 5 pick or anything silly like that, but somebody would still take a shot on him even at 25 or 26. 

I would absolutely agree that paying Jennings 12 mil vs Monta 12 mil is a much more appealing situation.


----------



## ATLien

Looking at his FG% chart from 2012-13, I just wish Jennings was a better finisher. And he was asking for less money, lol. Al Horford makes $12 million/year, and neither of these guys are as good as Al.


----------



## BlakeJesus

Al Horford does not dictate market price, Horford is a steal and could have easily found more if he wanted to. 

Al at a deal like that gives us the flexibility to pony up for guys like Brandon Jennings when we want to.


----------



## ATLien

If you're Atlanta, would you rather spend $12M/year on Bynum or Jennings?

Bynum's contract would be shorter.


----------



## BlakeJesus

Why not both? How much do we have left? Have to remember Jennings would be from a sign and trade so the cap hit would depend what we sent out in that deal.


----------



## ATLien

Not a capologist, but don't think we can do both. The exact number depends on who we end up releasing and renouncing.



> 1. Al Horford $12,000,000
> 2. Paul Millsap $ 9,500,000
> 3. Jeff Teague $ 6,000,000 (cap hold figure)
> 4. Kyle Korver $ 5,400,000
> 5. Lou Williams $ 5,225,000
> 6. DeMarre Carroll $ 2,500,000
> 7. DeShawn Stevenson $ 2,240,000 (non-guaranteed)
> 8. John Jenkins $ 1,258,800
> 9. Jared Cunningham $ 1,240,000
> 10. Shelvin Mack $ 884,293 (non-guaranteed)
> 11. Mike Scott $ 788,877 (non-guaranteed)
> 12. Lucas Nogueira $ 1,419,200*
> 13. Dennis Schroeder $ 1,348,200*
> Total $ 49,804,370
> Salary cap $ 58,500,000
> Net $ 8,695,630
> * Rookie salary scale for draft position. Figure could move up or down depending on amount of contract or be taken off books should one or both continue to play internationally.


----------



## BlakeJesus

Well we would be moving Teague's 6 million for Jennings (supposing he sings for the reported 12 million), but even if we cut DeShawn/Scott/Mack, we'd still only be looking at 5-7 million in space without doing the math. We would need to spend that money, or at least some of that money, on some big guys.


----------



## Damian Necronamous

If the Hawks land Bynum and Jennings, they will have had a pretty darn good offseason. Of course, that depends on Andrew being healthy (huge IF).

Brandon Jennings...Dennis Schroeder
John Jenkins...Lou Williams...Jared Cunningham
Kyle Korver...DeShawn Stevenson
Al Horford...Paul Millsap
Andrew Bynum...Mike Muscala


----------



## BlakeJesus

Damian Necronamous said:


> If the Hawks land Bynum and Jennings, they will have had a pretty darn good offseason. Of course, that depends on Andrew being healthy (huge IF).
> 
> Brandon Jennings...Dennis Schroeder
> John Jenkins...Lou Williams...Jared Cunningham
> Kyle Korver...DeShawn Stevenson
> Al Horford...Paul Millsap
> Andrew Bynum...Mike Muscala


Going to depend on the money, but that would be pretty awesome. Lou would start in place of John Jenkins, and Paul Millsap would probably start at SF.


----------



## ATLien

I prefer Lou and Millsap off the bench (but logging heavy minutes). 

Perimeter defense wouldn't be good, but defensive rebounding should be an improvement (what lost us the Indiana series, IMO).


----------



## BlakeJesus

Maybe if we brought in Cory Brewer I'd be OK with Lou coming off the bench there, but not being John Jenkins. Lou cannot really log heavy minutes off the bench if we plan on playing Jenning starter minutes and Shroeder back PG minutes, unless we do something silly with the minute splits like 20 for the starter and 28 for the backup.


----------



## ATLien

Lou averaged 28 minutes per game last year. He can do it again.

I want to see us give Jenkins more PT. He looked good enough towards the end of the season.


----------



## ATLien

Bynum to Cleveland. 2 years, $24.5M with a team option on year 2. 

Atlanta must not have offered a contract? That's a reasonable deal.

Brewer to Minnesota.


----------



## ATLien

*Marc Stein* ‏@*ESPNSteinLine*  1m Neither Atlanta nor Dallas, sources tell ESPN, made formal offer to Bynum after their respective sitdowns with the former All-Star this week


----------



## ATLien

@*WojYahooNBA* Jeff Teague plans to sign a four-year, $32 million-plus offer sheet with Milwaukee, league sources tell Y!

So much for that.


----------



## roux

I dont see how you guys dont match that unless you really dont believe Teague is your guy for the future


----------



## ATLien

Does Milwaukee renounce Jennings if they sign Teague (and we don't match)


----------



## roux

ATLien said:


> Does Milwaukee renounce Jennings if they sign Teague (and we don't match)


I would assume so.. I dont think we can bring him back now even if you guys do match the offer to Teague


----------



## ATLien

Wondering if we can get Jennings for $7 or $8 instead of $11 or $12. Who else has cap space that would want him?


----------



## roux

I wonder if Hammond and Ferry have an under the table agreement to just not match each others offers, its as good as a sign and trade isn't it?


----------



## ATLien

Can't decide if the Bucks are Hawks North or are we Bucks South


----------



## roux

Rumor has it we renounced Ellis tonight as well, so it may be Monta coming down and not Jennings


----------



## ATLien

Danny Ferry was on the radio (http://nyc.podcast.play.it/media/d0/d0/d1/d3/d7/dJ/dS/137JS_3.MP3) and he sounds almost ready to give the PG job to Dennis. Maybe they can add a veteran PG like Mo Williams.

Other comments: didn't offer Josh a contract, team doctors didn't like Bynum, Nogueira may not be ready for a while.

Starting Dennis and not going after Teague, Ellis or Jennings might be enough to pick in the lottery.


----------



## BlakeJesus

I wouldn't be mad if we just let Dennis start right off the bat, I really wouldn't. Him with a bunch of shooters, Milsap, and Horford would be fluid enough and help everybody grow, but not enough to make us a playoff team. Give us another lotto pick to add, let Shroeder develop into our starting PG, save up some cap space to add guys when the time is right.

Any chance we bring in Ron Artest for the minimum through the amnesty bidding process? I'd rather not, but if the FO wants to try and be competitive enough, he's a solid minimum addition to our undersized wings.


----------



## roux

Hawks match.. make Bucks look like fools once again


----------



## ATLien

Still have $10 million, right?

Might need another PF/C to add to the rotation.


----------



## ATLien

Signed Elton Brand on a one year deal.

7 PPG and 6 RPG last year in Dallas.


----------



## BlakeJesus

Solid backup to bring in, hopefully the dollar amount is reasonable so we can still make another addition or two.


----------



## BlakeJesus

*Chris Vivlamore @ajchawks *_about 4 hours ago _

I'm told the Hawks are still showing interest in bringing back Ivan Johnson despite Paul Millsap signing. #ATLHawks

Read more: http://hoopshype.com/twitter/tag/atlanta_hawks#ixzz2ZEDtUJB4


----------



## ATLien

Ivan can be the new Zaza.


----------



## ATLien

http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id...-assessing-winners-tankers-everything-between

*Atlanta Hawks*
On the surface, the Hawks and Mavericks appear to have had similar offseasons. Both inked several secondary players to contracts of varying lengths after striking out with the big-name free agents, all while maintaining major flexibility for next summer and beyond. The difference: Atlanta signed good players (mostly) on the right side of the aging curve at great prices. Jeff Teague will make only about $1 million more per season on average than Jose Calderon over their respective four-year deals; Calderon is almost 32 and it's been years since he was able to guard anyone or get into the lane. Teague just turned 25 and still has some upside. Kyle Korver might be "too old" for a four-year deal at 32, but the value of his contract declines each season, and he brings the one skill — shooting — that ages better than any other. And I have no idea how Danny Ferry brainwashed Paul Millsap into accepting a two-year, $19 million deal.

These are all tradable pieces (as is Lou Williams's deal), and the Hawks remain one midsize salary dump from entering the next offseason with max-level cap room — again. They should remain competitive in the meantime, though they'll miss Josh Smith's ability to create shots on offense and protect the rim on defense.2


----------



## RollWithEm

Hawks have just as a good a chance as anybody at the 6th seed in the East.


----------



## ATLien

RollWithEm said:


> Hawks have just as a good a chance as anybody at the 6th seed in the East.


That sounds about right.

The top five should be the same as last season: Miami, Brooklyn, Indiana, Chicago, New York. I don't know if Toronto, Washington, Cleveland, or Detroit will pass Atlanta. They could, but I don't think they will.

With Josh Smith as the second option gone, Jeff Teague will hopefully improve from a 14.6 ppg and 7.2 apg player to ~17 ppg and ~7 apg. If that happens, we could try to sell him for a first rounder (13-16 range) next summer as well as move pieces to make another run at a max or near max player as Zach Lowe suggests.


----------



## ATLien

> Free agent center Greg Oden to make decision next week picking from Sacramento, Miami, ATL, NO, San Antonio & Dallas, source told Y! Sports.


Miami probably makes most sense for him, but I'd still take him on a team friendly contract.

Hawks still have up to ~7 million to spend on players.


----------



## BlakeJesus

Oh yeah I would be happy to bring in him, that's another low risk homerun swing to take. Who knows what this guy can bring to the table at this point, but I'd love to see him play for the Hawks.


----------



## ATLien

Wall $16M
Lawson $12M
Curry $11M
Holiday $10M
Conley $8M
Teague $8M

Teague + Millsap nearly equals Wall's new contract.


----------



## BlakeJesus

I admittedly did not know anything about Pero Antic, so I went and looked him up. Sorry if this was posted, but figured I'd share my findings.



> Antić's best offensive attributes are his body strength, jump shot and dunking ability. He is adept at pick and roll play, which coupled with the unusually good three-point shooting accuracy for a player of his position, makes him a scoring threat from all distances. While he's not a prolific scorer, he also possesses decent passing skills, adding to his offensive contribution. The defensive part of the game is considered to be his finest attribute. Antić's anticipation, positioning and overall athleticism make him one of the most powerful rebounders in Europe. He also demonstrated particular determination and confidence when guarding opposition star players, such as Dirk Nowitzki and Pau Gasol at the EuroBasket 2011.
> 
> Macedonian League champion (1999)
> 2x Greek League champion (2002, 2012)
> Serbian Cup champion (2006)
> Bulgarian Cup champion (2008)
> 2x Bulgarian League champion (2008, 2010)
> Russian Cup champion (2011)
> 2x Euroleague champion (2012, 2013)


Dude is 30, 6'10"-6'11", 260, strong, athletic, was the captain of his national team, defensive minded, and a proven winner. I think he's going to be a fantastic fit for us, even if it's in a bench role.


----------



## RollWithEm

Sounds like he does a pretty excellent Zaza impersonation.


----------



## BlakeJesus

Hopefully it's even better than Zaza, his shooting range sounds very interesting to me. Not like he's going to be Ryan Anderson or anything, but just being a threat makes him intriguing.


----------



## RollWithEm

BlakeJesus said:


> Hopefully it's even better than Zaza, his shooting range sounds very interesting to me. Not like he's going to be Ryan Anderson or anything, but just being a threat makes him intriguing.


If he can do a late career Sabonis impersonation, that Hawks frontline just jumped up a notch.


----------



## ATLien

Better than Zaza!?

I like the willingness to broaden the roster to more international guys, but I'm not sure the average fan will. 

Supposedly, Bebe's contract is close to getting bought out by the Hawks so both first rounders will be in the U.S. this season.


----------



## fropto

http://basketball.realgm.com/wiretap/229162/Hawks-Claim-Gustavo-Ayon-Off-Waivers


The Atlanta Hawks have claimed Gustavo Ayon off waivers, a league source told RealGM.

Ayon was released by the Milwaukee Bucks on Thursday with their glut in the frontcourt, but the 6-foot-10 big man received heavy interest due to his inside presence and reasonable contract worth $1.5 million next season.

Ayon is expected to get a fair trail to earn a spot in a Hawks rotation that has lacked a young, developing center alongside Al Horford. 

Ayon, 28, has averaged 4.8 points and 4.3 rebounds in two NBA seasons. The Hawks will be his fourth team.


----------



## ATLien

Hahaha. Every player Atlanta or Milwaukee has signed, the other team was interested in as well.

Ayon. Gary Neal. Zaza. Korver. The will they won't they with Teague, Jennings, Ellis.


----------



## ATLien

Simmons likes the Hawks' off-season too

http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/9522281/the-nba-midnight-run-part-2



> Another one of my favorite exchanges goes to one of my favorite offseason GM performances: Atlanta's Danny Ferry letting Smith leave, then replacing him with Paul Millsap (two years, $19 million = THEY S-T-O-L-E HIM), keeping Kyle Korver and Jeff Teague (four years, $56 million combined), then drafting German point guard Dennis Schroeder and a Brazilian energy guy named Bebe (I like both of them). Can someone send me the e-mail addresses of all 175 Hawks fans? I'd like to congratulate them. On the flip side …


----------



## RollWithEm

And the next thing he does in that article is kill the Pelicans' offseason. I agree with him on both counts. The Hawks (recently) have been managed with aplomb while the Pels have been managed with a-thumb... directly up their collective backsides.


----------



## RollWithEm

Chris Vivlamore said:


> Hawks have not made final decision on where Lucas Nogueira will play next season. Still likely to play in Spain.


Twitter @ajchawks


----------



## ATLien

Mike Muscala signs to play in Spain.

http://www.peachtreehoops.com/2013/...-blusens-monbus-obradoiro-spain-atlanta-hawks


----------



## BlakeJesus

So what is our rotation going to look like ATLien?


----------



## ATLien

Good question. 

The starting line-up will be Jeff Teague, John Jenkins, Kyle Korver, Paul Millsap and Al Horford with Lou Williams as the first guy off the bench and a guy who could play starter's minutes on a lot of nights. I don't think that is going to change.

Who do you think are the 7th, 8th, 9th guys?

Elton Brand. Maybe Dennis Schroeder. Maybe Mike Scott. Who is going to be our back-up SG/SF?


----------

