Atlanta Hawks Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Cavaliers Acquire Kyle Korver From Hawks

January 7th, 2017 at 11:55am CST by Luke Adams

11:55am: The first-round pick acquired by the Hawks in the swap will be top-10 protected in 2019 and 2020, tweets Dave McMenamin of ESPN.com. If it falls in the top 10 in both of those years, it will convert to second-round picks for 2021 and 2022, though that seems unlikely.

According to Bobby Marks of The Vertical (Twitter link), Atlanta also received cash from Cleveland in the deal — roughly enough to cover the $1.2MM left on Williams’ contract. The Cavs were eligible to include up to $1.5MM in a trade.

11:29am: The Cavaliers and Hawks have finalized their trade that was first reported on Thursday, tweets Chris Vivlamore of The Atlanta Journal Constitution. The swap, which is now official, will send Kyle Korver to Cleveland in exchange for Mike Dunleavy Jr., Mo Williams, and a protected 2019 first-round pick. The Cavs have confirmed the transaction in a press release.

In Korver, the Cavs will acquire one of the NBA’s best long-distance shooter, who has a career 42.9% mark on three-point attempts. Just two years removed from an All-Star nod, the 35-year-old is averaging 9.5 PPG in 32 contests for the Hawks this season, with a .441/.409/.889 shooting line. Korver will provide Cleveland with some additional outside shooting over the next several months while J.R. Smith is sidelined, and will be another scoring threat for the club in the postseason.

By moving both Dunleavy and Williams in the deal and taking only Korver back in return, the Cavs will open up a spot on their 15-man roster, allowing the team to sign, claim, or trade for another player. There’s no rush for Cleveland to fill that opening, but with Smith expected to be out until March, and Chris Andersen out for the season, the team will be keeping an eye open for depth options.

That roster spot could ultimately be used on a point guard, as the Cavs have been lacking a reliable veteran option since the start of the season. LeBron James has suggested multiple times this week that he’d like to see the team address the position, and there’s no shortage of veteran options on the market, including Mario Chalmers, Jarrett Jack, and Norris Cole.

As for Atlanta, the team has been rumored to be shopping all their veteran players on expiring contracts, a group that included Korver. Now that the club has made one move, there’s a good chance others will follow. Thabo Sefolosha, Tiago Splitter, Kris Humphries, and – of course – Paul Millsap remain on the block for the Hawks.

From a salary cap and CBA perspective, the trade is an interesting one. The Cavaliers had a $9.6MM trade exception available that they could have used to comfortably absorb Korver’s salary, but the team doesn’t necessarily have to use it. Taxpaying teams like the Cavs can acquire up to 125% of the salary they send out in a trade, so Dunleavy’s $4.8MM+ salary is enough to take back Korver, who is earning about $5.2MM.

If Cleveland completed the trade that way, the team would hang onto its big $9.6MM traded player exception, which expires next month, and create a new TPE worth Williams’ salary ($2.19MM). Alternately, using that $9.6MM TPE to take on Korver, and creating new TPEs worth Dunleavy’s salary and Williams’ salary is another possibility for Cleveland. Trade exceptions created today wouldn’t expire until January 2018.

It’s also worth noting that the Cavs needed to first complete a separate trade before this deal could be finalized. Because the Ted Stepien Rule prevents NBA teams from trading consecutive future first-round picks, and Cleveland had already sent its 2018 selection to Portland, the Cavs had to get that ’18 first-rounder back, sending out their 2017 first-round pick instead. That allowed the club to move its 2019 pick in its deal with Atlanta.

The Cavs’ decision to hang onto Williams even after he had announced his retirement paid off as well. Cleveland was able to attach him to this deal, reducing the team’s tax bill and creating an open roster spot. The Hawks, who waived Ryan Kelly this week to create room to complete a two-for-one deal, will likely waive the veteran point guard at some point and eat his salary.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Hawks Seek ‘Quality’ First-Round Pick For Millsap

January 7th, 2017 at 11:40am CST by Austin Kent

The Hawks are looking to acquire at least one “quality” first-round pick for Paul Millsap, writes Marc Stein of ESPN. Such a deal, however, may be difficult to come by given the amount of big money that the pending free agent will attract this summer.

Considering that the Hawks recently turned 35-year-old Kyle Korver into a first-round pick from Cleveland, all eyes will be on what they can yield in return for their three-time All-Star given that there’s no guarantee he’ll remain with the team that acquires him.

Expect clubs like the Raptors to think long and hard about the Hawks veteran’s contract situation and what they would have to sacrifice in order to retain the 31-year-old long-term.

Millsap, the last remaining starter from the Hawks’ 60-win, 2014/15 squad, is averaging 17.8 points and 8.2 rebounds per game.

Hawks Waive Ryan Kelly

January 6th, 2017 at 4:10pm CST by Austin Kent

The Hawks have parted ways with Ryan Kelly, per ESPN’s Marc Stein on Twitter. In five games with the club this season, Kelly posted 1.1 points and 1.1 rebounds per game, never truly breaking into the team’s rotation.

Though opportunities were limited during his time in Atlanta, Kelly averaged 6.5 points in over 20 minutes per game across three seasons with the Lakers from 2013-16.

Since the summer, the 25-year-old has been in and out of a job. In September the Hawks first signed the forward but ultimately waived him, he then signed on briefly with Boston only to be cut the following day.

Signed again by Atlanta on October 31, Kelly was set to make $1MM this season, with a modest raise in 2017/18.

Cavaliers Finalizing Deal For Kyle Korver

January 6th, 2017 at 2:11pm CST by Austin Kent

JANUARY 6, 2:11pm: The Cavs are shipping out Mo Williams as part of the deal, Jason Lloyd of the Akron Beacon Journal confirms (Twitter link).

JANUARY 6, 9:08am: The Hawks and Cavs are working on finding a third team for Dunleavy, Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical tweets. If they can’t find a taker, Atlanta will keep the small-forward.

JANUARY 5, 8:13pm: The trade has not yet been finalized, but the way things appear to sit now involve the Cavaliers sending Mike Dunleavy Jr. and a 2019 first-round pick to the Hawks in exchange for Kyle Korver. It’s also been reported that Dunleavy could be flipped to a third team prior to Friday’s trade call. Earlier updates had Mo Williams and possibly Cedi Osman involved.

In a separate trade, the Cavaliers are sending their 2017 first-round pick to the Trail Blazers in order to re-acquire their own 2018 first-round pick that, per The Oregonian’s Tim Brown, they gave up in the Anderson Varejao deal last February.

JANUARY 5, 7:36pm: According to Brian Windhorst of ESPN, the Cavaliers have also made a separate trade with the Trail Blazers. They’ll trade their 2017 first-round pick to Portland in order to get their 2018 first-round pick back. He also tweets that Cleveland’s 2019 first-round pick will be on its way to Atlanta.

JANUARY 5, 7:28pm: Wojnarowski now reports that the Cavs will send Mike Dunleavy Jr. to the Hawks and that he’ll likely move on to a third team, though it’s not clear what team that will be. Dunleavy Jr. makes $4.8MM this season, with a team option for next season.

JANUARY 5, 7:15pm: Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders tweets that he hears that the retired – but still tradable – Mo Williams is Atlanta-bound, along with a heavily protected first-round pick from the Cavaliers. He also confirms on Twitter, that the Cavs can absorb Korver’s salary if they wish, via the Anderson Varejao trade exception.

JANUARY 5, 7:08pm: According to Hawks beat writer Chris Vivlamore of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the Hawks hadn’t confirmed the deal as of 6:47pm CST, but coach Mike Budenholzer had pulled Korver aside. Vivlamore adds that a Cavaliers executive was in Atlanta last week to watch the sharpshooter. Finally, Vivlamore tweets that Cedi Osman could be among the package going to Atlanta. The 2015 second-round pick is currently playing in Turkey.

JANUARY 5, 6:56pm: The Cavaliers are finalizing a deal that will land them Kyle Korver, tweets Adrian Wojnarowski. While the exact terms being discussed aren’t currently available, what’s known now is that wheels are in motion for the 35-year-old veteran to join the reigning champions.

Over the course of the last five years with the Hawks, Korver has established himself as an elite deep threat and was even named to the All-Star team in 2015. He’ll now join a Cavaliers team that’s seen three-point specialists like Channing Frye and J.R. Smith thrive thanks to the spacing created by its stars.

Korver is on the final year of a contract worth $5.3MM and while the Cavaliers are currently well over the cap, it’s worth noting that they hold four outstanding trade exceptions, including one worth $9.6MM that is set to expire in February.

According to Justin Verrier of ESPN, as of 6:52pm CST, Korver was still warming up on the court prior to Atlanta’s Wednesday night game against New Orleans.

Latest On Paul Millsap

January 6th, 2017 at 12:42pm CST by ChrisCrouse

12:42pm: The Sixers, Nuggets and Raptors have also expressed interest in Millsap, according to Chris Vivlamore of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

9:01am: Add the Pelicans to the list of teams that have expressed interest in trading for Paul Millsap, according to Michael Scotto of Basketball Insiders (Twitter link). The Hawks are in active trade talks with several teams including the Kings.

Atlanta would like to move Millsap “sooner rather than later,” according to an earlier report by Shams Charania of the Vertical. It was reported earlier in the week that if the team dealt the power forward, it would be looking to add players who would help the team win this season. However, the team’s Kyle Korver trade may indicate that the organization is willing to take on draft picks and enter into a rebuild.

The Hawks nearly dealt Millsap last year on two separate occasions. They had a deal lined up with the Nuggets at the trade deadline, but opted against trading him away. They were set to deal him to the Raptors over the summer had Al Horford re-signed with the team. Horford signed with the Celtics, which prompted the team to keep the Louisiana native. Millsap can opt out of his current deal and become a free agent, though there are conflicting reports about whether or not he will take that route.

Kings Very Interested In Paul Millsap

January 5th, 2017 at 10:31pm CST by Austin Kent

JANUARY 5, 8:31pm: Sources have confirmed Vivlamore’s tweet that the Kings have expressed interest in Millsap, tweets Basketball Insiders’ Alex Kennedy.

JANUARY 5, 8:11pm: The Kings are “very interested” in Paul Millsap tweets Hawks beat reporter Chris Vivlamore. The reporter’s comments come in light of the Wednesday night Kyle Korver trade and the ensuing comment from The Vertical’s Adrian Wojnarowski that the Hawks are in active trade talks with several teams.

In an article about the Korver trade, The Vertical’s Shams Charania echoed the sentiment:

Atlanta is engaged in discussions with several teams on forward Paul Millsap, and the organization is motivated to move him sooner rather than later, sources said. Toronto, Denver, Sacramento and Philadelphia have expressed an interest in Millsap, who can become a free agent in July.

Millsap’s name has been a staple in rumors this season, but the Korver deal proves to be the biggest indication that the team is ready to officially begin their rebuild. Jeff Schultz, also of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, suggested as much in a feature Wednesday night.

In a separate article from Tuesday, Vivlamore wrote that Atlanta was doing its due diligence on all of Millsap, Korver, Thabo Sefalosha, Kris Humphries and Tiago Splitter so as to gauge their trade value.

Still, the Korver trade is notably significant because it represents a deviation from the path the team was publicly said to be pursuing. Per Vivlamore in a third feature, Hawks coach Mike Budenholzer told Millsap as recently as Tuesday that the team’s main focus was on winning games now.

Hawks Nearly Dealt Millsap On Two Occasions

January 3rd, 2017 at 7:45pm CST by ChrisCrouse

The Hawks were going to send Paul Millsap to the Raptors during the offseason if Al Horford re-signed with the team, according to Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com (audio link). The team wanted to pair free agent addition Dwight Howard with Horford, but the former Florida Gator decided to sign with the Celtics, which led to Atlanta keeping Millsap.

Windhorst added that the team had a deal lined up to send Millsap to the Nuggets at last year’s trade deadline. Atlanta also had separate deal lined up to trade Jeff Teague at the time, though the franchise opted to keep both players on the roster through the end of the season.

Earlier today, Millsap reiterated his desire to remain in Atlanta. The Hawks are reportedly entertaining trade offers for the power forward, but the team doesn’t necessarily feel it has to make a move.

Paul Millsap Wants To Remain With Hawks

January 3rd, 2017 at 3:23pm CST by ChrisCrouse

Paul Millsap hears the trade rumors surrounding his name and told Chris Vivlamore of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution (Twitter link) that he wants to remain with the franchise. “Everybody knows where my heart is and where I want to be,” Millsap said referring to Atlanta.

The Hawks will reportedly entertain trade offers for Millsap between now and the deadline, but the team doesn’t feel it necessarily has to make a move, Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders reports. The team isn’t going to simply take what it can get for Millsap with a source telling Kyler that Atlanta would want real value in exchange for the big man. The source added that the team would want players who can help the it win games this season rather than prospects and future draft picks.

The 31-year-old is set to make slightly more than $21.47MM next season, but he may opt out of his current deal once the season ends in search of a new contract. If he becomes a free agent, he’ll be eligible for 35% of the salary cap, which is currently projected to be $103MM in the 2017/18 season.

Community Shootaround: What Should Hawks Do?

January 3rd, 2017 at 2:00pm CST by Luke Adams

A weekend report suggesting that the Hawks are open to listening to trade offers for Paul Millsap has generated plenty of discussion and speculation over the past couple days, but Millsap isn’t the only Atlanta player who could be available. Reports have indicated that the Hawks are open to talking about anyone on an expiring contract, which means Kyle Korver, Thabo Sefolosha, Tiago Splitter, and Kris Humphries figure to be involved in trade rumors as well.

Of course, just because the Hawks are fielding incoming calls and are receptive to trade ideas, that doesn’t mean the team will actually make a move. Millsap has been the subject of trade speculation for years, and hasn’t gone anywhere — it’s more likely than not that he’ll remain in Atlanta through the deadline once again this season.

Still, the Hawks’ upside with the current roster isn’t exactly sky-high. The team got off to a hot start in 2016/17, running out to a 9-2 record to open the season, but a 1-10 stretch followed. Recently, the club has bounced back a little, sitting now at 18-16, good for a No. 5 seed in the Eastern Conference. However, the Hawks aren’t a viable title contender, and moving a few players before they get a chance to walk in free agency could help the team retool its roster.

The asking price in any Millsap deal will reportedly be huge, even though he’ll have a chance to opt out of his contract a few months from now. Any team willing to make a play for him will have to be confident that he’ll strongly consider re-signing in July. That’s not necessarily the case for the Hawks’ other trade candidates.

What do you think? Should the Hawks seriously consider making a trade or two to shake up their roster? Will their approach depend on how they play over the next few weeks, or should they make a move regardless? If they decide to move Millsap, what sort of package should they need to get back? Jump into the comments section below to weigh in with your thoughts!

Latest On Paul Millsap

January 2nd, 2017 at 1:35pm CST by Luke Adams

The NBA’s 2017 rumor mill got off to an interesting start on Sunday, with an ESPN report suggesting that the Hawks are listening to offers on Paul Millsap, among other players. Chris Vivlamore of The Atlanta Journal Constitution takes a closer look at that report today, noting that Atlanta is indeed doing its due diligence on Millsap, along with Kyle Korver, Thabo Sefolosha, Tiago Splitter, and Kris Humphries. However, just because the team is willing to listen, that doesn’t mean a deal is imminent or even likely. Atlanta hasn’t put Millsap on the trade block, per Vivlamore.

Vivlamore also addressed a separate report from ESPN, which indicated that Millsap has already decided to opt out of his contract and become a free agent in 2017. That report is simply “not true,” according to Vivlamore, who heard from a source on Sunday that no decision has been made on that front. It’s certainly likely that Millsap will turn down his player option and explore the open market, but a serious injury or another unexpected factor could impact that decision, Vivlamore writes.

Here’s more on Millsap, as rumors begin to swirl in Atlanta:

The Hawks‘ asking price for Millsap will be high, and will likely outweigh what suitors are willing to give up for a player on an expiring contract, says Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders (Twitter links). Kyler expects there to be plenty of trade talk surrounding Hawks players like Millsap and Korver, but he isn’t anticipating a ton of action by the deadline.
Joel Brigham of Basketball Insiders identifies the Raptors, Trail Blazers, and Nuggets as a few teams that would make sense as trade partners for Atlanta if the Hawks get serious about moving Millsap.
Within his latest mailbag, Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel discusses the possibility of the Heat making a play for Millsap via trade or free agency.