Atlanta Hawks Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Tiago Splitter To Miss Rest Of Season

February 16th, 2016 at 4:04pm CST by Chuck Myron

4:04pm: The Hawks have confirmed via press release that Splitter will undergo surgery and miss the remainder of the 2015/16 season as a result.

3:35pm: Tiago Splitter will be out for the season, having decided to undergo surgery on his ailing right hip, reports Chris Vivlamore of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution (Twitter link). The Hawks center hasn’t played since January 31st. It’s too late in the season for the Hawks to apply for a disabled player exception, and Atlanta doesn’t have enough of an injury problem to warrant a hardship exception for a 16th roster spot, so the team has limited means to offset the effect of Splitter’s absence.

The injury leaves the Hawks without an experienced backup at the five spot for Al Horford, who’s been in trade rumors of late. Mike Muscala and Walter Tavares are the team’s only other options on the roster behind Horford, unless coach/executive Mike Budenholzer goes small with either Paul Millsap or Mike Scott playing center.

Atlanta gave up virtually nothing in return to acquire Splitter via trade this past summer. He’s making $8.8MM this season, and next season’s $8.55MM salary is the last on his contract.

Dwight Howard Interested In Hawks?

February 16th, 2016 at 3:08pm CST by Chuck Myron

TUESDAY, 3:08pm: The Rockets and Hawks have spoken, Calvin Watkins of ESPN.com indicates via Twitter, though it’s unclear what sort of dialogue took place.

MONDAY, 9:44am: Dwight Howard would like to find a way to play for the Hawks, according to Chris Broussard of ESPN, who spoke this morning in an appearance on ESPN Radio’s “Mike & Mike” show (audio link, scroll to 7:30 mark). His representatives spoke with the Hawks as early as last year, Broussard adds. The Hawks, in Howard’s hometown of Atlanta, were one of the teams with which Howard met in the summer of 2013, when he ultimately signed with the Rockets. Still, Howard said last week that he hasn’t asked for a trade.

The Rockets have reportedly engaged teams about their interest in trading for Howard, but it’s not clear whether the Hawks are one of them, and it appears to be more a matter of due diligence than any serious push to trade him. Broussard suggests it’s unlikely that Houston moves him before Thursday’s deadline. Agent Dan Fegan made comments last week that seemed to counter an assertion in the report from Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical on Yahoo Sports that the Rockets were working in concert with him to find a new home for the star center.

Houston expects Howard to opt out of his contract and hit free agency this summer, when longtime Hawks center Al Horford is also poised to become a free agent. The Hawks, who apparently aren’t entirely sure Horford will re-sign, have been calling teams to assess their interest in trading for him, along with Jeff Teague, as Ken Berger of CBSSports.com wrote this weekend. Still, Horford has said he’s content in Atlanta. The Hawks already have close to $53MM in guaranteed salary for next season, so it would likely be impossible for the team to sign both Horford and Howard to max deals under the projected $89MM cap.

Jazz Have External Trade Talk About Trey Burke

February 16th, 2016 at 12:00pm CST by Chuck Myron

The Jazz have held multiple discussions with other teams about trades involving Trey Burke, league sources tell Tony Jones of The Salt Lake Tribune. Still, the Jazz aren’t in line to acquire fellow point guard Jeff Teague from the Hawks, Jones tweets, despite an earlier report that they were thinking about pursuing him. Utah rejected an offer from the Hawks of Teague for Rodney Hood and a draft pick, according to Spencer Checketts of 1280 The Zone radio in Salt Lake City (Twitter link).

Jazz coach Quin Snyder has praised Burke for his defense, Jones notes, and the No. 9 overall pick is shooting a career best 42.3% from the floor and 34.7% from 3-point range. Still, his minutes are at a career-low 23.6 per game, down significantly from the 30.1 he saw last season, even though he seemed to be first in line to start when Dante Exum went down with a torn ACL in the summer. The Jazz have gone with rookie Raul Neto as the starter instead and often employed lineups with three wing players instead of a point guard.

Burke, the No. 9 pick from the 2013 draft, is making more than $2.658MM this season in year three of his four-year rookie scale contract. He’ll be up for an extension this summer.

Jones speculates that George Hill, whom the Pacers have reportedly dangled in talks with Atlanta about Teague, would be a strong fit for the Jazz, and that he’d be obtainable if Utah has interest (Twitter links). The Tribune scribe believes that an offer of Burke and the unprotected 2017 first-round pick the Warriors owe the Jazz would be reasonable in exchange for Hill. Still, it’s unclear whether any connection exists between the Jazz and Pacers on that front.

Knicks Offer To Attach O’Quinn To Calderon Trades

February 16th, 2016 at 8:31am CST by Chuck Myron

TUESDAY, 8:31am: New York is seeking rotation players on expiring deals for Calderon and O’Quinn, sources tell Zach Lowe of ESPN.com.

MONDAY, 3:06pm: The Knicks are offering Kyle O’Quinn to potential trade partners as they seek to offload Jose Calderon, report Marc Stein and Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com. New York harbors a strong desire for Jeff Teague, Stein and Windhorst write, with the Knicks having reportedly spoken with Atlanta about Teague last month, but it’s unclear if O’Quinn and Calderon have been a part of any talks between the Knicks and Hawks.

Trade rumors have surrounded Calderon since he underwhelmed following a 2014 trade that sent him from Dallas to New York, and he’s making close to $7.403MM this year on a contract that runs through next season. O’Quinn sees $3.75MM this year on a four-year deal worth about $16.013MM that he inked just this past summer as part of a sign-and-trade with the Magic.

O’Quinn’s role has shrunk in recent weeks, as he’s averaged only 7.3 minutes per game since the calendar turned to 2016. He’d seen 13.8 minutes a night prior to that, a rate of playing time that was still reduced from his final two seasons with the Magic.

Southeast Rumors: Horford, Wizards, Heat

February 14th, 2016 at 3:00pm CST by Will Joseph

The Hawks are not actively shopping Al Horford despite his looming free agency, one league source told Sean Deveney of The Sporting News. Horford has not signaled to Atlanta that he wants out via trade nor has he indicated he would re-sign with the Hawks, Deveney also hears. It was recently reported that Atlanta is thinking “long and hard” about offering Horford a five-year max deal. Horford has said on multiple occasions that he is fond of playing for the Hawks.

Here’s more from around the Southeast Division:

Kevin Durant likely needs more of an incentive to join the Wizards this summer than simply Washington being his hometown team, J. Michael of CSNMidAtlantic.com opines. Durant has strong feelings toward his roots, but it seems like he cares more about winning, Michael writes. “I’m always going to be a part of that. That’s what made me who I am. I walked those straights. I took that subway back when it was MCI Center watched the Wizards play. And the Mystics,” Durant said regarding the Wizards. “I’m always going to be a part of that community no matter what because that’s where I grew up at. That’s where I honed my skills.That’s where I became a man so I’m always going to be part of that community and I always appreciate the support. They have a great team there with a lot of great young players and they’re right in front of you so don’t take nothing for granted.”
The Heat would likely only sign Hassan Whiteside to a lucrative long-term deal if he shows improved maturity and produces at an elite level while helping to lead Miami to a deep playoff run, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald writes. It will also take the Heat missing on top free agents this summer for the team to lock up Whiteside, Jackson adds. Earlier today, we noted that there was an increased feeling within the Heat’s front office that moving Whiteside might be best for the franchise.

Cavaliers Rumors: Mozgov, Trades, James, Lue

February 14th, 2016 at 1:00pm CST by Arthur Hill

The odds are against the Cavaliers re-signing center Timofey Mozgov in free agency if they aren’t able to trade him, writes Terry Pluto of The Plain Dealer. Pluto cites Cleveland’s salary cap issues and Mozgov’s declining performance as reasons that he might be moved. In addition, Mozgov suffered through early-season knee problems and doesn’t fit the faster-paced system favored by coach Tyronn Lue. With Anderson Varejao, Kevin Love, Tristan Thompson and Sasha Kaun all on the roster, there may not be room for Mozgov beyond this season.

There’s more news out of Cleveland:

Cavaliers GM David Griffin is seeking another “wing player,” Pluto writes in the same story. Griffin’s priority is defense, although he would like to find someone who can shoot as well. Pluto mentions the Hawks’ Thabo Sefolosha and the Kings’ Ben McLemore as possibilities, adding that Cleveland may also have interest in Joe Johnson if he gets bought out by the Nets. Pluto’s Plain Dealer colleague Chris Haynes reported that the Cavs would jump at the chance to sign Johnson for the minimum if he works a buyout.
Kobe Bryant‘s farewell tour has LeBron James thinking about the inevitable end of his basketball career, according to Marla Ridenour of The Akron Beacon Journal. The 13-year veteran isn’t sure if he wants a farewell tour like Bryant’s, but he indicated that he would like to leave the league while he’s still among its best players. “All the respective greats try to play at the highest level they can,” James said. “I’m going to give it my all obviously until I can’t. One thing I won’t be, I don’t ever believe or think that I’ll be an embarrassment to my fans or my family.”
Lue said unusual circumstances have contributed to make the midseason coaching change in Cleveland more difficult than it might have been, Ridenour writes in a separate story. Lue is considered a villain in Israel after being chosen to replace David Blatt on the Cavaliers’ bench, and he is belittled by some people for being selected as an All-Star Game coach with so little experience. “I’ve been able to block it out, but it’s still tough,” Lue said. “You’ve been in this league for 18 years and people who know you and your family know that you’re not that way. It’s tough for people to talk about you in that sense. But it’s OK, I can get over it.”

Celtics Rumors: Lee, Thomas, Horford, Love

February 14th, 2016 at 10:02am CST by Arthur Hill

The trade deadline is just four days away, but the Celtics don’t feel any urgency to make a deal, according to Mark Murphy of The Boston Herald. A league source told Murphy that Friday’s rumored three-team trade with Cleveland and New York “never existed” and that Boston hasn’t talked to the Rockets about acquiring Dwight Howard. The Celtics are willing to add a player for the right price, but they believe everyone currently in play is overpriced. The source said that includes the Hawks’ Al Horford, whom the Celtics don’t want to invest heavily in because of his looming free agency. Boston had interest in the Nuggets’ Danilo Gallinari, but the source said that would-be deal was “a dead issue” before it was even reported.

There’s more this morning out of Boston:

The Celtics haven’t found any teams interested in David Lee and his $15.5MM contract, Murphy writes in the same piece. The source said Lee has “no value” around the league, even though his expiring deal presents an opportunity for cap relief this summer.
Isaiah Thomas recently became a recruiter when a player from another team asked him about the benefits of Boston, Murphy adds. Thomas, who used the reputation of coach Brad Stevens as one of his selling points, wouldn’t offer any clues as to who the player was. “The coaching staff is great and the organization is 100% – it’s A1,” Thomas said. “I told him, You watch us. It’s fun to watch us. We were joking around the locker room about how everyone likes to watch the Boston Celtics, and how hard we play.”
The unidentified player may have been Horford, speculates A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE. He noted that Thomas smiled and said, “I didn’t say that” when asked if it was Horford he was talking about. A late replacement pick for the All-Star Game, Horford is trying to focus on business as usual despite the trade talk. “I’m going to continue doing what I do,” he said. “I can’t control the speculation that’s going on.”
It’s unlikely the Celtics can get Kevin Love from Cleveland without a third team involved, Blakely said in an interview on SportsNet Central. Blakely explained that Boston has enough young players and draft picks to make a deal happen, but such a move wouldn’t get Cleveland any closer to a championship.

And-Ones: Nets’ GM Search, International Players

February 13th, 2016 at 10:38pm CST by ChrisCrouse

The team could hire their next GM in the coming days, but no specific deadline is in place, according to Alex Raskin of The Wall Street Journal.

The general consensus around the league is that the job is Bryan Colangelo’s to lose. Other candidates include Nuggets assistant GM Arturas Karnisovas, Rockets executive VP of basketball operations Gersson Rosas, former Cavs and Hawks GM Danny Ferry and Spurs assistant GM Sean Marks. Raskin notes that all the candidates have a background in international basketball, something that will be important for the Nets. Brooklyn doesn’t control its own draft pick until 2019, so acquiring talent through atypical means will be key to putting together a successful roster, Raskin opines.

Here’s more from around the league:

Owner Mikhail Prokhorov expects to be personally involved with the interviewing process while in Brooklyn on Wednesday when the Nets officially open their new training center, Raskin reports in the same piece.
The Spurs were able to trade Tiago Splitter to the Hawks last offseason in part because they had targeted Boban Marjanovic as his replacement, Raskin adds in the same piece. Marjanovic, who went undrafted in 2010, signed a one-year, $1.2MM deal with San Antonio in July.
The Nuggets‘ second round gamble on Nikola Jokic during the 2014 draft is paying tremendous dividends, Christopher Dempsey of The Denver Post contends in a piece that examines the Serbian’s journey to the NBA.

Eastern Notes: Horford, Ainge, Magic

February 13th, 2016 at 9:24pm CST by ChrisCrouse

Al Horford is happy in Atlanta and remains committed to the Hawks, Sam Amick of USA Today writes. “I’ve said it repeatedly. I love the city. My family, we all live in Atlanta, we stay there in the offseason, so my focus is just to keep playing and taking it day by day,” Horford said. The big man will be an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season and the team is thinking “long and hard” about offering him a five-year max deal that would pay him an estimated $32.7MM at the age of 34 years old.

Here’s more from the Eastern Conference:

Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge doesn’t believe that the Hawks will move any of their key guys before the deadline, Jay King of MassLive relays (Twitter link).
The Magic are one of the few teams with an open roster spot and the health of C.J. Watson will influence how the team uses it, Bobby Marks of the Vertical on Yahoo Sports notes. Watson, who signed a three-year, $15MM deal with Orlando last summer, has only played in eight games this season.
The only player that Orlando should look to move is Channing Frye, Marks opines in the same piece. The scribe believes that Frye still holds value throughout the league and the Magic shouldn’t shake up their core, as they have a chance to push for a playoff spot with this group. Orlando sits four and a half games behind the Hornets for the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference.

And-Ones: Colangelo, Tavares, Durant

February 12th, 2016 at 10:25pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Sixers executive Jerry Colangelo indicated that the franchise may take a page out of the Warriors‘ organizational playbook and add more voices to their front office, Kurt Helin of NBCSports.com relays. “[Golden State] proves the point,” Colangelo told reporters today. “If you have the right mix of people you can have a collaborative effort because people respect one another, and usually that comes from people who have had experience, who’ve been around the track. You add all of that to the mix and it could work.”

“I think that any time you have an opportunity to enhance your organization, and you bring people in to accomplish that, you consider it. Big time. You really do,” Colangelo continued. “And I think in our case we have a very bright young guy in [GM] Sam Hinkie, who holds the title of president and GM, and in his space he’s really strong. One could build a case for saying you’d like to have more people added who have experience in other aspects of those jobs. That’s the kind of conversation that’s going on. “

Here’s more from around the league:

The Thunder haven’t given any consideration to trading small forward Kevin Durant, who will be an unrestricted free agent at season’s end, prior to next week’s deadline despite the uncertainty that revolves around his future, Marc J. Spears of The Vertical on Yahoo Sports relays. “I never thought about that at all,” Durant said about being dealt by OKC. “I don’t know, man. I don’t want to be moved. I want to finish this thing out with my team. I think we got a really good thing going right now, so I haven’t really thought about it. We never talk about that stuff, me, [GM] Sam Presti, our assistant GM [Troy Weaver]. It’s always about how I can be better for my teammates and with my leadership skills.”
Jeff Ayres‘ second 10-day deal with the Clippers expired Thursday night, so he became a free agent. Teams are only permitted to ink any single player to a total of two 10-day pacts per season, and if Los Angeles wishes to retain Ayres, it would have to sign him for the remainder of the season. The Clippers’ roster count now stands at 14 players.
The Hawks have recalled center Edy Tavares from the Spurs‘ D-League affiliate where he had been sent as part of the flexible assignment rule, Atlanta announced via press release. Tavares has averaged 9.8 points, 9.4 rebounds and 2.3 blocks in 21.1 minutes during his seven D-League assignments this season.