Hawks general manager Travis Schlenk, who spoke today to Chris Kirschner of The Athletic and Sarah K. Spencer of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, acknowledged that a number of the team’s free agent additions “haven’t performed as well as they wanted to.”
However, Schlenk said that veterans like Danilo Gallinari and Rajon Rondo have had an impact on the team off the court and expressed confidence that they can turn things around on the court. He also reiterated that the Hawks’ goal is still to have a winning season and to make the playoffs.
New head coach Nate McMillan will be tasked with getting the squad – which currently has a 16-20 record, back into the postseason mix. And while leading the team to a second-half surge might improve McMillan’s chances of getting his interim tag removed at season’s end, Schlenk insists that the veteran head coach has nothing to prove and is already assured of receiving consideration for the permanent job.
“He’s certainly going to have the opportunity to be the permanent head coach,” Schlenk said, per Kirschner. “No doubt about it. You can certainly argue that he’s got the best chance because he’s here right now, and we’ll have the ability to work with him for the next three months. He’s going to have the opportunity to coach games. I don’t know that there’s necessarily anything that I need to see. He’s got a proven track record. He doesn’t need to prove to me that he can coach NBA basketball. I know that.”
Schlenk also addressed a handful of other topics today, confirming that the Hawks hope Kris Dunn can make his debut with the team at some point later this month and discussing Atlanta’s approach to the trade deadline. Here, via Kirschner and Spencer, are a few of the highlights from the Hawks’ GM:
On whether the Hawks are actively exploring trade scenarios:
“Right now, it doesn’t seem like there’s anything on the horizon, but that can change. You rarely get teams’ best offers. Nobody gets real serious until you get down to the last week or two. It’s hard to gauge. We certainly will look to do anything we can to do anything we can that feels like, is going to make us a better team in the short-term and the long-term. Those sometimes don’t go hand-in-hand, but we’ll look at any situation we think that will help us.”
On the team’s plan for John Collins:
“John’s a big part of our team… He’s made the decision this fall to go to restricted free agency, and that was his choice and obviously we respect it. But we’re going to have the opportunity to match any offer he gets. We’ll certainly make him an offer in free agency as well, and he’ll have the ability to see if he can get an offer from another team. But at the end of the day, we view him as part of our team, and I don’t see a restricted free agency situation where we would just let him walk for nothing.”
On whether Collins could be moved before the trade deadline:
“We listen about all our guys, that’s our job, to see what the value of all our guys are. John is a good young player, and teams have interest in him, no question about it. But we listen on all our guys, I guess is the short answer.”
Trade the poison that is Trae Young. Don’t give Nate no lip Trae.
Curious what yall think teams are offering for Collins.
Could a lineup of Embiid, Collins, Harris, Curry, and Simmons work?
Collins can shoot the 3 and stretch the floor. Hes not a poormans Chris Bosh, more like a middleclass Chris Bosh. But like from a niceish suburb neighborhood.
Easy enough salary to match, would probably cost at least 2 1sts and possibly Shake or Maxey.
Wont happen but thanks for listening. Probably should have started out this with a fake name and how long I’ve been a trade addict.
At least 9 first round picks.
Centerpiece for Collins
In January Hawks want an all around player.
In February Hawks want a high lottery pick
I’d guess top 7 pick this summer
The best idea is to via the worst teams as trade partners
When the asking price is sky high, you’ve got to ask nice third team to help
Nobody is offering an all around player for Collins
Not with Embiid there. He’s complaining about touches now. Sixers go thru Embiid. I think Houston or Dallas is a good place. Cause he’ll have the post more to himself. Wood and KP aren’t really bangers or big time physical. I think he fits there can get his numbers. Plus Luka n Wall would get him the the ball.
Thunder will probably offer him a big contract if they dont deal for his rights.
Schlenk looks like Jim Boylen. He’s bad at his job like him too.
Agreed on both points. This season is fast-tracking Schlenk to the hotseat and beyond.
He performed the “we’re seriously going to keep Collins in the summer so if you want him you have to trade for him” song and dance pretty well.
My read is that they want to trade him pretty badly, seeing as how they said they aren’t going to. Which is baffling, to your point.
McMillan is a solid coach. He did well in Indi should not have been let go. Hawks are 16 – 20, 2 gms out of 6th seed today. In the East I can see 6 teams fighting for last 4-5 seeds. With Nate as new coach ATL can finish 5-6 seed. Always liked their talent. Even if they trade Collins they lose nothing but gain. Cause Okongwu can hold down the 4 and what they get for Collins just adds the talent. This is a good young team. I just hope Tre is not a Diva.
The Doncic for Trae trade looks increasingly bad for Schlenk. The Rondo signing was questionable from the start.
Rondo has phoned in the regular season every year since 2015. He’s shocked that it hasn’t worked out well? Lol. Rondo just wanted a pay day.
I mean JC never chose to go the FA route, you offered him a miserly 90/4… that is why he had to, now you had offered him what he has earned… a max contract & he would have signed the dotted line no problem at all!