Hawks Targeting Small Forwards

The Hawks have agreed to trade away two of their starters already this offseason, in Joe Johnson and Marvin Williams. And while the team acquired a number of players in the Nets trade and a potential starting point guard in the Jazz deal, the team was left with a hole at the small forward position, where Williams and Johnson played last year. According to Michael Cunningham of the Atlanta Journal Constitution, that position is a top priority for the team in free agency.

"We have to look at the wing area to bring somebody in that can help us," said Hawks coach Larry Drew. "With having the six spots filled [including] the two draft picks on the roster, solidifying on the wing becomes more of a priority than a big. We could add another big but, right now, certainly the priority is strengthening the wing area and then possibly adding another big."

Cunningham notes that the Hawks have interest in Rashard Lewis and Courtney Lee, and have also been linked to O.J. Mayo. Atlanta figures to have the full $5MM mid-level exception at its disposal, which may not be enough for Lee or Mayo. Regardless, Cunningham expects the team to zero in on a free agent target or two when the market settles.

You can check out a few other small forward possibilities for the Hawks using our Free Agent Tracker.

—–

View Comments (3)