Atlanta Hawks Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Trade Candidate: Richard Hamilton

December 26th, 2012 at 12:04pm CST by Chuck Myron

Richard Hamilton seemed like the missing piece for a contending Bulls team in need of some scoring punch at shooting guard when he signed before last season, but the fit hasn't been as comfortable as many foresaw. Injuries have limited the 34-year-old to playing in just 43 of Chicago's 93 regular season games the past two seasons, and he's currently on the shelf with a torn plantar fascia in his left foot. When Hamilton has been in the lineup, he's averaged just 25.7 minutes a night over this year and last. Some of that has to do with coach Tom Thibodeau's desire to shield Hamilton from further injury, but Thibodeau has also gone with others down the stretch for defensive purposes. Defense has always been Thibodeau's calling card, and it's tough to find minutes on the Bulls if the coach doesn't like the way you defend.

Many of Hamilton's stats are down from his days with the Pistons, but his 45.3% shooting percentage as a Bull is slightly above his career mark, while most of his per-36-minutes stats indicate little drop off in performance. He's become a more consistent long-range shooter with age, having shot better than 37% from behind the arc in 2010/11 and 2011/12, the first time he's done so in consecutive seasons. Hamilton has kept it up this year, shooting threes at a 37.5% clip.

Chicago reportedly tried to trade Hamilton over the summer, but found no takers. He's still on the block, according to K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune, and as more teams look toward next year, Hamilton's contract may become an attractive trade chip. He's set to make $5MM this season and another $5MM in 2013/14, but only $1MM of next year's salary is guaranteed. That could make him an option for a team in need of a veteran with championship experience in the short-term but with plans to clear cap space for the future. The Hawks and Mavs fit that profile, though Hamilton would probably have to come off the bench for both teams. Hamilton would have a better shot at starting in Minnesota, where the Wolves have had a hole at shooting guard for a while. With the team's final roster spot in flux as it searches for a wing player, Minnesota might make the perfect landing spot for Rip. The Wolves could take on Hamilton in exchange for a draft pick, allowing the hard-capped Bulls flexibility and the chance to avoid paying the luxury tax, something that Johnson points out the franchise has never done. Chicago could sign someone for the minimum salary to get back up to the minimum 13 players on the roster. Still, there are complications. If Minnesota GM David Kahn insists on trying to move Derrick Williams as part of any deal, that would probably scuttle any movement between them and the Bulls.

Plus, the Bulls may insist that they not take any player in exchange for Hamilton, preferring instead a draft pick and the $5.1MM trade exception such a move would create. That would make it harder to deal Hamilton to a team like the Hornets or the Suns, teams focused firmly on the future who might be reluctant to give up picks. In his mailbag yesterday, Aggrey Sam of CSNChicago identified Phoenix as a team with interest, but cautioned that Hamilton may not want to play for a team without a title shot. Hamilton clashed with coach John Kuester on the moribund Pistons in 2010/11, reportedly organizing a locker-room revolt. Teams that would otherwise be attracted to his veteran presence might be wary.

There won't be any call for Hamilton until he returns from his latest injury, so no move appears imminent. I think if he's to be dealt this year, it will be close to the deadline, unless the T-Wolves or another team looking for a wing player gets antsy and gives the Bulls what they want. Chicago is a half-game out of fourth place in the Eastern Conference even without Derrick Rose, so if Thibodeau still thinks Hamilton can help them continue to stay within hailing distance of a high playoff seed, the Bulls will probably be inclined to keep him, at least until Rose gets back. If Hamilton comes back healthy and sees an even greater reduction in minutes, however, I believe he'll finish the season elsewhere.

Eastern Notes: Rich Paul, Magic, Hibbert

December 22nd, 2012 at 11:15pm CST by Ryan Raroque

You can find the miscellaneous links we've gathered up out of the Eastern Conference below:

Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo (via Twitter) says that Rich Paul, who is currently the agent of Heat star LeBron James, may have violated Texas agent laws as it relates to the investigation regarding college sophomore Myck Kabongo.
Magic rookie Andrew Nicholson is showing signs of a promising career as he continues to be a productive player for Jacque Vaughn in Orlando, writes Stephen Brotherston of HoopsWorld. Another impressive young player has been second year center Nikola Vucevic, who Brian Schmitz of the Orlando Sentinel points out is among the double-double leaders among sophomore players as well as top 15 overall in rebounding. Lastly, Schmitz talks about how the team has adjusted while Glen Davis deals with a shoulder injury.
Roy Hibbert spoke about how the weakness in his right wrist has significantly hindered his shooting touch as of late (Mike Wells of IndyStar.com reports).
Hawks sharpshooter Kyle Korver had nothing but good things to say about Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau and his tenure in Chicago, says Nick Friedell of ESPN Chicago. In what also could be perceived as an indirect compliment to Thibodeau, Atlanta's Jeff Teague admitted that he was happy that his brother (Bulls guard Marquis Teague) had been drafted by a team with a reputation for hard work.

Odds & Ends: Varejao, Bargnani, Mayo

December 21st, 2012 at 11:30pm CST by Chuck Myron

A night after the first-place Thunder lost to tighten up the Western Conference race, the idle Heat slipped into the top spot in the East by percentage points on Friday when the Knicks fell at home to the Bulls. There's still plenty left to be resolved this season, and with the trade deadline now less than two months away, the level of intrigue is on the way up. Here's more from the Association.

In a HoopsWorld video, Alex Kennedy says consensus around the league is that the Cavs will trade Anderson Varejao this season, and with some executives still high on Andrea Bargnani, Kennedy wouldn't be surprised to see a team take a risk to bring him on board.
O.J. Mayo wasn't caught off guard when the Grizzlies let him walk in free agency, and the two sides didn't have talks about bringing him back this summer, notes Tim MacMahon of ESPNDallas.com. "Once you see the writing on the wall, you can’t be dumb to the fact," Mayo said. “I didn’t even go to the exit meeting. I pretty much knew what it was.”
Lou Williams had hoped he wouldn't have to come back to Philadelphia with an opposing team, as he did tonight, and wanted to work out a return to the Sixers in free agency last summer, Dei Lynam of CSNPhilly.com has the details. "I think Philly did a good job of making my decision easy for me," the Hawks guard said. "They made it clear they were going in a different direction and at that time I had to find somewhere else to go, and luckily for me I landed on my feet in my hometown. Both sides moved on. It is what it is, and I am sure they are happy with what they got out of the deal and I am happy to be at home."
Andrei Kirilenko fit the profile of what the Wolves front office identified as the team's most pressing need this past offseason, but Minnesota still had questions about him, writes Jerry Zgoda of the Star Tribune. Kirilenko is answering those doubts, and coach Rick Adelman has been surprised at just how much the 31-year-old defensive ace has helped the team.
The Suns recalled Kendall Marshall from the D-League today, but the rookie doesn't appear to be any better from the experience, observes Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic.

Trade Rumors: Gasol, Hawks, Bucks, Bobcats

December 20th, 2012 at 9:58am CST by Chuck Myron

The trade deadline is two months and one day away, and we'll be hearing a lot about trade candidates in the coming weeks. HoopsWorld's Steve Kyler provides an update on a few teams and players we're likely to hear more about soon.

While Kyler believes it's "inevitable" the Lakers will trade Pau Gasol, he doesn't think there's much of a market for him, having heard there are only three or four teams in the mix. No one is offering a "home run" deal, and trading Gasol now would mean selling low. The Lakers would like to swap Gasol for a pair of players on less lucrative deals who would be better fits, but no such deal is out there at the moment. L.A. has a full roster with 15 players, and the team would like to open up a spot. Kyler speculates that the Lakers could move Jordan Hill, Devin Ebanks, Darius Morris or Darius Johnson-Odom for a second-round pick or a backup point guard.
The Hawks want to trade some of their expiring contracts for a player who can help the team this season, but they won't make a deal unless it's an obvious win. They still want to have enough cap space to fit Dwight Howard or Chris Paul on the team, and with only about $18.5MM in commitments for next season, not including cap holds for free agents like Josh Smith, whom they're optimistic about re-signing and, according to Kyler, not planning to trade. The Hawks could probably add a player who helps now while maintaining enough flexibility this summer.
We heard yesterday that the Bucks have told Brandon Jennings they'll match any offer he'll get in restricted free agency. That makes Monta Ellis the more likely to be traded among the team's pair of backcourt aces, but Kyler hears that there are teams with interest in both. If Milwaukee elects to hang on to Jennings and Ellis, it isn't worried about losing either in free agency.
Everyone on the Bobcats is available in a trade, a source tells Kyler. That's not a shock, considering the team has lost 13 in a row, but Kyler cautions that Gerald Henderson probably won't be dealt unless it's as part of a package with others.
While the Magic are open to sending J.J. Redick away in a deal that offloads other contracts, the team doesn't want to let him go, as GM Rob Hennigan and the revamped front office has become more fond of the veteran two-guard than they were at the beginning of the season.
Kyler believes the Raptors must trade Jose Calderon to recoup value for him before he becomes a free agent next summer, and while it seems like Andrea Bargnani is headed out of Toronto, too, uncertainty about GM Bryan Colangelo's future is complicating potential deals.
If the Jazz remain in the playoff picture, a deal is less likely, but if not, Utah will look to unload one of its big men for draft picks and players on rookie contracts.

Spears On Jennings, Daye, Smith

December 19th, 2012 at 3:30pm CST by Chuck Myron

Like many NBA writers, Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports ranks the 30 NBA teams each week. This time around, Spears peppered his ratings with a few noteworthy rumors, and we'll take a look at those here.

The Bucks have told Brandon Jennings they'll match any offer he gets in restricted free agency next summer, according to Spears. Jennings is averaging career highs in assists and steals this season after the Bucks turned him down for an extension before the October 31st deadline. The point guard will be one of the gems of restricted free agency in the offseason, and even if a few teams might be scared off by Milwaukee's willingness to match, Jennings could be in line for a maximum offer. In any case, this news would seem to indicate the Bucks aren't looking to trade Jennings, but that's not necessarily set in stone.
The Pistons are "actively shopping" Austin Daye, according to Spears. I think it would be difficult to find much of a market for the 24-year-old forward, who has appeared for a total of just 40 minutes in six games this season, and the 15th overall pick from 2009 hasn't done much to distinguish himself in four seasons with the Pistons, averaging 5.8 points and 2.9 rebounds per game for his career. MLive.com's David Mayo notes that Daye is returning to the Pistons rotation, and it's possible the team could be making that move simply to try to showcase him.
Sources tell Spears that Hawks GM Danny Ferry isn't interested in trading Josh Smith. This is in line with what we've heard so far about the mutual satisfaction between Atlanta and the athletic forward. Smith is making $13.2MM this season in the final year of his deal.

Hawks Remain Uninterested In Pau Gasol

December 17th, 2012 at 9:41am CST by Chuck Myron

Multiple reports over the last month or so have indicated that the Hawks aren't interested in trading for Pau Gasol, and HoopsWorld's Steve Kyler notes that it continues to be the case, as Hawks officials find the idea they would think about such a trade "laughable." Ben Bolch of the Los Angeles Times wrote this weekend that the Hawks had asked the Lakers over the summer about their interest in trading Gasol for Josh Smith, adding that the Lakers rejected the idea. Bolch speculated that the Lakers might be warming to the idea of acquiring Smith, but Kyler says the Hawks have never wanted to trade for Gasol.

Such a deal would run counter to GM Danny Ferry's course of clearing cap space, and Kyler hears the Hawks also haven't had talked to the Lakers about Smith. The Hawks have been in steady communication with Smith and believe he's content in Atlanta, and know that they have the "inside track" to re-sign him when he hits free agency next summer, according to Kyler. The Hawks view Smith and Horford as the pillars of the franchise, and plan to use their newfound flexibility to build around them, as Kyler writes.

The HoopsWorld scribe also notes that the Lakers continue to look for upgrades to the end of their bench, and are shopping Devin Ebanks, though there has been little call for his services around the league. Because Ebanks accepted his qualifying offer this summer, he can veto any trade.

Lawrence On Horford, Dwight, Thibodeau, Paul

December 15th, 2012 at 2:52pm CST by Chuck Myron

Mitch Lawrence of the New York Daily News examines the fast starts of the Knicks, Warriors, and Hawks, but believes the script could have been drastically different for Atlanta this season. Here's a roundup of a few rumors he's sharing.

The Hawks offered up Al Horford as part of a strong push to acquire Dwight Howard in August, according to Lawrence, who notes the Hawks will have enough cap flexibility to pursue the Atlanta native when he becomes an unrestricted free agent in the offseason.
Tom Thibodeau and Bulls management are waging a "cold war" over the coach's heavy minutes for his starters this season, Lawrence hears. Thibodeau offered his side of the argument to reporters yesterday, as Nick Friedell of ESPNChicago documented.
Chris Paul, a free agent next summer, had been privately griping about Blake Griffin's play, but has ceased doing so amid an eight-game winning streak for the Clippers, Lawrence writes.

Eastern Notes: Hawks, Celtics, Asik, Blatche

December 14th, 2012 at 1:50pm CST by Luke Adams

After rounding up a few Raptors updates earlier this afternoon, let's take a look around the rest of the Eastern Conference:

One opposing GM points out to Ric Bucher of 95.7 The Game (Sulia link) that a successful season for the Hawks would make it difficult for new GM Danny Ferry to bring in his own head coach to replace Larry Drew next year, if that's what Ferry wants to do. League sources also question whether Josh Smith fits the profile of a player Ferry would want to retain long-term, according to Bucher.
The Celtics inquired on Omer Asik over the summer, head coach Doc Rivers tells A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE.com (Twitter link). However, the team quickly moved on when it heard Asik's price tag.
It's looking more and more like Andray Blatche might be this summer's "one [free agent] that got away" from the Heat, says Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel.
Following up on comments he made last month, Mike D'Antoni clarified to reporters, including Fred Kerber of the New York Post, that he had no regrets about coaching the Knicks, but that he regretted leaving Steve Nash and the Suns.
In a piece for the Detroit Free Press, Dan Feldman of PistonPowered wonders if Charlie Villanueva is playing well enough to avoid being amnestied next summer.

Josh Smith Happy With Hawks

December 12th, 2012 at 9:33pm CST by Sean Highkin

Outside of Chris Paul and Dwight Howard, Hawks forward Josh Smith is the biggest name on the free-agent market this summer. And while there has been speculation in the past that Smith is unhappy in Atlanta, HoopsWorld.com's Steve Kyler says that is no longer the case.

Kyler tweets that Smith believes the Hawks, who currently own the third-best record in the Eastern Conference at 13-6, are title contenders. A contending team is what Smith has always desired, Kyler says, and is satisfied with the progress the Hawks have made.

Smith, 27, is averaging 17.3 PPG, 8.1 RPG, and 3.8 APG in his ninth season with the Hawks. He will be an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season.

Smith Strongly Considering Re-Signing With Hawks

December 11th, 2012 at 2:24pm CST by Luke Adams

Josh Smith is in the last year of his contract with the Hawks, and for financial reasons, he won't be signing a long-term extension at any point during the season. However, even though he'll become an unrestricted free agent next summer, Smith is strongly considering remaining in Atlanta, as he tells Chris Tomasson of FOX Sports Florida.

"I never said one time that I wanted to leave Atlanta," Smith said. "It was always rumors and things. The moves that they made (last summer) and the success that we’re having, I am excited about what is going with this organization and I am considering strongly staying here. I haven’t ever had any thoughts that I wanted to leave."

Reports at and before last year's trade deadline indicated that Smith would have welcomed a trade, though the veteran forward never said as much himself. More recently, following the hiring of GM Danny Ferry and the flurry of moves the Hawks made this offseason, reports have suggested that Smith would be open to a long-term future in Atlanta.

"We already have an understanding on what’s going on, especially between me and the GM," Smith said of his interactions with Ferry. "I’m not going to tell you (what it specifically entails). It’s an understanding that we have."

If Smith were to sign a contract extension now, he could only add three new years to his current deal, and wouldn't be eligible for the maximum salary. While it's not clear exactly how high the Hawks are willing to go to keep Smith around, the team could offer him as much as five years at the maximum salary in free agency next July.