Mike Dunleavy Has No Plans To Report To Hawks
Two days after officially being traded from the Cavaliers to the Hawks, Mike Dunleavy Jr. has yet to report to his new team, and has no plans to do so before Atlanta’s Tuesday game, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical. As Chris Vivlamore of The Atlanta Journal Constitution notes, Dunleavy has until 4:00pm CT today to report to the Hawks.
A Sunday report indicated that Dunleavy is seeking a buyout from the Hawks, and Wojnarowski confirms that the veteran sharpshooter is looking to become a free agent and join a contender. Of course, Atlanta – currently 21-16 and in fourth place in the East – could be considered a contender, but the team has begun a retooling phase and isn’t viewed as a serious threat to make a run in the postseason.
According to Vivlamore, the Hawks and Dunleavy are working through several possible solutions, and it’s too early to know exactly how the situation will play out. Shortly after the trade with Cleveland was announced, head coach Mike Budenholzer expressed some excitement about getting Dunleavy into the mix in Atlanta, but previous reports had suggested the Hawks were seeking a third team to take on the 36-year-old. As such, the Hawks probably won’t be too upset if Dunleavy ultimately doesn’t see the floor for them.
If Dunleavy doesn’t report to the Hawks by today’s deadline, the team could technically void the trade, but that’s unlikely to happen — the 2019 first-round pick acquired from the Cavs is the key asset in the deal for the Hawks, so they won’t want to lose that pick. Atlanta could postpone the deadline for Dunleavy to report, or could opt to fine or suspend him. For now, it sounds like both sides are trying to resolve the situation amicably.
In 23 games for the Cavs this season, Dunleavy averaged career-worst marks in PPG (4.6) and FG% (.400). Still, entering this year, he had made more than 40% of his three-point attempts over the last six seasons, so he could still have some appeal to a contending club in need of outside shooting. Dunleavy’s current contract will pay him a guaranteed $4.84MM salary this season, with a partial guarantee of $1.66MM on his 2017/18 salary ($5.18MM).
The other player headed to the Hawks in the Kyle Korver trade – Mo Williams – also won’t be reporting to the team.
Mike Dunleavy Jr. Seeks Buyout From Hawks
Mike Dunleavy Jr. has yet to report to the Hawks and is seeking a buyout from the team after Atlanta acquired the veteran Saturday in a trade, Marc Stein of ESPN.com reports, citing league sources. Dunleavy, of course, would be a free agent if the Hawks grant him his wish.
The Hawks, Stein writes, would like to keep Dunleavy, who is earning $4.9MM this season. His contract for next year worth $5.2MM is only partially guaranteed. The sides were still in talks as of Sunday, Stein reports. Considering his contract and how much Dunleavy can help the Hawks, it would be somewhat surprising to see him become a free agent this way.
The Cavs sent Dunleavy to the Hawks Saturday. The swap, which is official, sent Kyle Korver to Cleveland in exchange for Dunleavy, Mo Williams and a protected 2019 first-round pick. Korver is with the Cavs in Phoenix but is unable to play or even watch the game from the bench because Dunleavy’s physical hasn’t been completed, Stein writes.
Celtics May Have Interest In Millsap
- The Celtics might be interested in Hawks forward Paul Millsap, but only if he guarantees not to opt out of the final year of his contract, according to Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe. Atlanta is reportedly listening to offers for the 31-year-old power forward and wants a “quality” draft pick in return. Millsap can opt out of his nearly $21.5MM salary for next season and become a free agent this summer. Washburn speculates that any deal would involve one of the Nets‘ picks that Boston owns plus Amir Johnson and another starter to match salaries. A trade would reunite Millsap with Al Horford, but it would push Horford to center, where he would prefer not to play.
Hawks Ponder Next Move With Mo Williams
Mo Williams was traded from the Cavaliers to the Hawks today, but he won’t be reporting to Atlanta, writes Chris Vivlamore of The Journal Constitution.
The 34-year-old guard is officially retired, but because he has a $2.2MM guaranteed deal, Cleveland kept him on its roster, presumably with the idea of trading his salary if the opportunity arose. He underwent surgery on his left leg in October to remove bone spurs from the joint of the tibia and fibula and hasn’t tried to pursue a comeback.
Vivlamore states that the Hawks haven’t decided whether to try to trade Williams or to open a roster spot by waiving him and paying the balance of his contract.
“All those things we are working through as we speak,” said Hawks coach Mike Budenholzer. “No decisions have been made, in any direction, as far as timing on that.”
Williams played 41 games for the Cavaliers last season, averaging 8.2 points and 2.4 assists per night. He appeared in 13 playoff games during Cleveland’s run to the title, but averaged just 5.2 minutes per contest.
Cavaliers Acquire Kyle Korver From Hawks
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
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
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 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
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 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.