Hawks Release Royal Ivey
The Hawks have waived veteran guard Royal Ivey, according to Chris Vivlamore of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution (Twitter link). The move reduces Atlanta’s roster to 16 players, so at least one more cut is still on the way.
Earlier this week, Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio noted that the Hawks were expected to keep just one of Ivey and Shelvin Mack as their third point guard, but that the player who was released was likely to catch on with another club. That could be good news for Ivey, who has played in the NBA every year dating back to his debut in 2004.
The Hawks only have 12 players on fully guaranteed contracts, so it remains to be seen how many players they’ll carry into opening night. Mike Scott looks like a good bet to be the 13th man, and Mack is presumably safe, but Eric Dawson and Cartier Martin remain on the bubble.
Lowe On Faried, Horford, All-NBA, Collins
Zach Lowe of Grantland unveils 32 predictions for the upcoming season in his latest post, but the column isn’t based entirely on speculation. Lowe passes along several tidbits from conversations with execs around the league, so let’s dive in:
- Multiple sources tell Lowe that the Nuggets are gauging the willingness of other teams to trade for Kenneth Faried. The sources say Denver is demanding plenty in return for the power forward, and Nuggets officials deny they’ve had any talks with other teams about Faried, but Lowe predicts a deal will happen.
- The Hawks‘ roster is “built to trade,” but Ferry has emphatically turned away teams calling about Al Horford‘s availability, Lowe hears.
- The NBA is considering the removal of the center position from All-NBA teams, shifting to two backcourt and three frontcourt players as the league did with the All-Star ballot last season. That could alleviate a logjam among forwards and result in more money for Paul George, whose new extension will become more lucrative if he earns another All-NBA selection, under the terms of the Derrick Rose Rule.
- Several executives believe Jason Collins will find an NBA home after January 10th, the date when all contracts become guaranteed for the season. Many of the guys on non-guaranteed deals will be released in advance of that date, creating opportunities for teams to sign the player who would become the first openly gay male athlete in major North American pro sports.
Odds & Ends: Heat, Smith, Kidd, Wiggins
The Heat were picked as the clear favorite to win the 2013/14 title in this year’s GM survey, writes John Schuhmann of NBA.com. There were a few dissenters with the Spurs and Pacers receiving 6.9% of the vote and the Bulls, Clippers, and Thunder also getting nods. LeBron James was the overwhelming pick to win the MVP trophy and Pelicans big man Anthony Davis was pegged as the breakout player of the year. Magic guard Victor Oladipo was picked to win the Rookie of the Year award and GMs feel that he’ll be the best player out of this class five years from now. Here’s more from around the Association..
- Pistons forward Josh Smith spoke to Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld about his decision to leave the Hawks this summer. “It wasn’t as hard as other people saw it,” Smith said. “It was time for me to experience a different thing in my life, a new situation, new opportunity and I’m happy where I’m at.” It also didn’t hurt that Detroit gave him a four-year, $54MM deal.
- David Aldridge of NBA.com sat down with new Nets head coach Jason Kidd for a Q&A. The discussion covered his learning curve and former coaches that the point guard has apologized to now that he has discovered the difficulty of the job.
- Andrew Wiggins, Julius Randle, Dante Exum, Jabari Parker, and Aaron Gordon are all candidates to go No. 1 overall in next June’s draft, in Kyler’s view (Twitter link). Not everyone would agree with that assessment as Wiggins has long been viewed as the top talent in the 2014 class.
Amico’s Latest: 76ers, DeRozan, Hawks, Hamilton
This week’s Amico Report from Sam Amico has been published at FOX Sports Ohio, and it features a few rumors and rumblings from around the NBA. Let’s check in on Amico’s latest updates….
- Jimmer Fredette and Omer Asik are among the potential trade candidates “generating whispers” around the league, says Amico. He adds that practically every Sixer, besides the team’s two 2013 lottery picks (Nerlens Noel and Michael Carter-Williams), could also be available.
- One GM tells Amico that there’s “strong league-wide interest” in DeMar DeRozan, though the Raptors don’t seem too interested in anything that’s been offered.
- When James Johnson was waived today by the Hawks, I speculated that he could explore overseas options, but Amico suggests there are a few NBA teams with Johnson on their radars.
- With the Hawks expected to keep either Royal Ivey or Shelvin Mack as their third point guard, the player that gets cut will likely be grabbed by another NBA club, according to Amico.
- While no teams have stepped up with a commitment to him yet, free agent guard Richard Hamilton is “drawing loads of interest,” writes Amico.
Hawks Release James Johnson
The Hawks have waived James Johnson, according to Chris Vivlamore of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution (via Twitter). The move reduces the Hawks’ preseason roster to 17 players, so the team will still have to make at least two more cuts before next week.
Johnson reportedly chose a non-guaranteed camp invite from Atlanta over multiple overseas offers, so perhaps now he’ll reconsider one of those offers, assuming they’re still on the table. The 26-year-old has spent four NBA seasons with the Bulls, Raptors, and Kings since being selected 16th overall in the 2009 draft.
Of the 17 players on the Hawks’ roster, 12 have fully guaranteed contracts, making them solid bets to make the regular season roster. Mike Scott also has a small guarantee, while Shelvin Mack, Eric Dawson, Cartier Martin, and Royal Ivey have fully non-guaranteed deals, putting them in danger of being waived by opening night.
Poll: Will The Hawks Make The Playoffs?
Within the last week, Hoops Rumors readers have weighed in on the odds of the Cavaliers and the Wizards making the playoffs in the Eastern Conference. About 72% of poll respondents predicted Cleveland would earn a postseason berth, while more than 54% were optimistic about the Wizards’ chances.
Both Cleveland and Washington were lottery teams last year, so if they’re going to participate in the 2014 postseason, a couple teams will need to drop out. The No. 8 Bucks are one candidate, though many of you still expect them to return to the playoffs. The Celtics, having finally started their rebuilding process, are a good bet to relinquish their spot as well.
One Eastern playoff team that has flown under the radar for much of the offseason is the Atlanta Hawks. Atlanta lost a marquee free agent in Josh Smith, but the team was able to add Paul Millsap to join Al Horford in the frontcourt. Millsap arguably isn’t quite the all-around player that Smith is, but he came at a much more affordable price, and could be a bargain for the Hawks.
In addition to the Horford/Millsap pairing, Atlanta will enter the season having brought back point guard Jeff Teague and sharpshooter Kyle Korver. Elton Brand was signed to provide additional frontcourt depth, Louis Williams is expected to return from the ACL injury that sidelined him for most of last season, and youngsters like Dennis Schröder and John Jenkins should provide some upside. On the bench, highly regarded ex-Spurs assistant Mike Budenholzer will take over as head coach, replacing Larry Drew.
So what do you think? Do the Hawks have enough talent to earn a top eight seed in the East, or will the absence of Smith and the improvement of conference rivals mean that Atlanta falls into lottery territory for the first time since 2006/07?
Will the 2013/14 Hawks make the playoffs?
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No 52% (197)
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Yes 48% (185)
Total votes: 382
Hawks Sign Cartier Martin
A day after releasing three camp invitees, the Hawks have added another player, signing Cartier Martin to a contract, according to Chris Vivlamore of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution (Twitter link). The move brings the Hawks’ roster count back up to 18 players.
Martin, 28, has spent parts of the last four seasons with the Wizards, appearing in 118 total games for Washington. Last season, the 6’7″ forward averaged 6.6 PPG and 2.4 RPG in 41 contests (16.9 MPG).
Despite having 18 players under contract, the Hawks should still have a roster spot or two up for grabs this month. The team has 12 players on guaranteed deals, plus Mike Scott on a partially-guaranteed contract ($100K guaranteed). Assuming Martin gets the chance to compete for a regular-season spot, he’ll be in the mix along with Eric Dawson, Royal Ivey, James Johnson, and Shelvin Mack.
Hawks Waive Thomas, Lighty, Wilkins
The Hawks have reduced their roster count by three players, cutting Adonis Thomas, David Lighty, and Damien Wilkins, according to Chris Vivlamore of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. The team had been carrying a full 20-man roster, so at least two more players will need to be released before opening night.
Wilkins, a nine-year veteran, is the only one of the three waived Hawks with NBA experience. Lighty, 25, went undrafted in 2011 and has played overseas since then, most recently averaging 12.5 PPG and shooting 42.5% on three-pointers in 35 games for JSF Nanterre in France. Thomas, 20, left Memphis this spring after his sophomore year. All three players will become free agents later this week, assuming they clear waivers.
With 17 players still under contract, the Hawks will have to pare down their roster to 15 (or fewer) within the next couple weeks. Eric Dawson, Royal Ivey, James Johnson, and Shelvin Mack are all on fully non-guaranteed deals, making them the likeliest candidates to be released.
Eastern Rumors: Nets, Irving, Hawks
Deron Williams has yet to appear in a preseason game for the Nets, despite being the fulcrum for their $102.211MM payroll this season. If he’s kept out of the rest of the preseason, Nets coach Jason Kidd tells Rod Boone at Newsday that Deron might not be ready, conditioning wise, for the start of the season (Twitter).
Boone added, via Twitter, that Williams hasn’t had any setback with his rehabilitation, Kidd and team officials are just being cautious by keeping him out.
Here’s more from around the Eastern Conference:
- Cavs point guard Kyrie Irving is coming up on the end of his rookie-scale contract, and Jason Lloyd of the Akron Beacon Journal notes that staying healthy this season – Irving hasn’t played more than 60 games in either of this first two seasons – will go a long way towards the Cavs offering him the maximum allowable 5-year, $80MM contract next summer when he becomes eligible.
- Hawks GM Danny Ferry was in Spain today to check up on 44th overall pick Mike Muscala, according to Chema De Lucas of Gigantes.com (Twitter link; hat tip to Chris Vivlamore of the Atlanta Journal Constitution). Muscala signed with Spanish club Obradoiro in the offseason, as our International Player Movement Tracker shows. Atlanta retains his NBA rights.
- The AP reports Bulls point guard Derrick Rose sat out today’s preseason action against the Wizards due to “left knee soreness.”
- Keith Bogans will be out “a couple weeks,” Celtics coach Brad Stevens told media today (Twitter). A. Sherrod Blakeley of CSNNE.com reports, via Twitter, Bogans had an MRI this morning that confirmed a right thumb strain. He’ll be re-evaluated this Monday.
Chuck Myron contributed to this post.
Odds & Ends: Nash, Spurs, Barbosa, Hawks
Let’s round up a few Friday odds and ends from around the Association….
- Steve Nash, who is heading into the second year of a three-year deal with the Lakers, may be rested frequently this season due to health concerns, head coach Mike D’Antoni tells Dave McMenamin of ESPNLosAngeles.com. With the Lakers planning to clear as much cap space as possible next summer, Nash’s performance and health this season will likely dictate whether he’s still with the club a year from now.
- In a Spurs notebook for the San Antonio Express-News, Jeff McDonald refers to the release of Sam Young as a “borderline bombshell,” and says Corey Maggette is unlikely to stick with the team into the regular season.
- As he continues to recover from a torn ACL in Brazil, free agent guard Leandro Barbosa still hopes to return to the NBA, as Michael Lee of the Washington Post details.
- Keith Schlosser of Ridiculous Upside wonders if NBA teams’ increasing willingness to rest their veterans will open the door for players who would typically be assigned to the D-League to receive more NBA minutes.
- With 20 players still on the roster, the Hawks will have to make cuts soon, but it won’t happen today, tweets Chris Vivalmore of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
- Scott Cacciola of the New York Times takes an in-depth look at new Knicks general manager Steve Mills.