12:01 a.m.
Both Rasheed Wallace (headband) and Marcin Gortat (skinband) are on the Hawks' free agent hot list this summer. The NBA free agent negotiating period began at midnight.
HAWKSVILLE - It’s 12:01 a.m., do you know where your No. 1 free agent target is.
And No. 2, and No. 3 and on and on.
The Hawks do.
The Hawks’ front office staff was still working late Tuesday night in anticipation of the midnight start to the NBA’s free agent negotiating period.
Everyone knows about the Hawks’ (quasi-internal) targets – Mike Bibby, Zaza Pachulia and Flip Murray are all unrestricted free agents while Marvin Williams, Solomon Jones and Mario West are all restricted free agents, as is Josh Childress (who remains under contract with Greek power Olympiakos, though he has an opt out that he must exercise by July 15) . But there’s more going on that just that.
After year’s of failing to grab the attention of the league’s best free agents on the market, the Hawks are suddenly in the mix for some of the most coveted players on the market, per several of my most well placed sources around the league.
“The only thing missing all these years was a winning team,” a former Western Conference executive told me Tuesday night. “And now that they’ve got that. So they’re going to be in the mix for guys if they want to be in the mix. Half the league lives in Atlanta [during the offseason] anyway.”
I remember a couple of years ago when Gary Payton was traded to the Hawks in a package deal and he wouldn’t even set foot in the city, apparently a 26 or 30 win team didn’t appeal to a veteran player hunting a title.
Jamal Crawford’s reaction to coming here in a trade last week was complete 180 from Payton’s thanks-but-no-thanks stance.
I have a feeling that the Hawks’ pursuit of the likes of Rasheed Wallace, Antonio McDyess and Marcin Gortat, all big men my sources tell me the Hawks will have made contact with by the time you finish breakfast.
It’s the kind of free agent busy work that I never heard about in previous summers. Times have changed. And clearly for the better if you’re a Hawks fan.
Still, there’s so much work to be done this summer. Presumably, the opinions around here on what the Hawks should do with Bibby, Zaza and Flip have ranged from the semi-reasonable to the absolutely preposterous.
It seems clear that in a free agent climate that will be short on monster deals and full of teams looking to stretch their available dollars, the Hawks will have an extremely hard time retaining all of their guys. Tough choices will have to be made, as will alternate plans.
Maybe Hawks captain and All-Star Joe Johnson knew a little more than he let on last week when he ended our conversation with this, “Whatever we do this summer, we have to do it right,” he said. “We have to do it big and we have to do it right. Because we’re not going back to those losing seasons and watching the playoffs. We’re not going back there.”
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544 comments Add your comment
Ned Ryerson
July 1st, 2009
6:26 pm
Sekou
Is Andre Miller out of the Hawks price range? I know he made around $10.2M last year, but I’d imagine that he’ll be looking at a pretty significant pay cut, given his age and the economy. He would seem to fit what the Hawks need at the PG position, if the money is right. I guess what I’m saying is, I think Miller might be a better fit for the Hawks if his price is in the same range as Bibby. Thoughts?
Reggie
July 1st, 2009
6:28 pm
Can somebody post “Best under-the-radar free agents” its on espn.com, but you haveto be an Espn insider.
SB
July 1st, 2009
6:29 pm
I think the Hawks should approach Chill’s and ask him which NBA teams he wants to play for. Then try hard to make that trade. Right now it’s a no win situation for the Hawks. Take the tender off and loose him for nothing. Leave the tender on and loose cap space for nothing. While I would like to see Chill’s in a Hawks uni as much as anyone, I believe the kid has made up his mind and will stick to his guns. If we can get McDysse, Zaza and Bibby, I would move Chill’s for 1rst round pick.
Sekou….. any word on Sund going after one of his former picks Robert Swift?
Rod from College Park
July 1st, 2009
6:32 pm
Enter your comments here
Reggie
July 1st, 2009
7:05 pm
Can somebody post “Best under-the-radar free agents” its on espn.com, but you have to be an Espn insider.
Czan
July 1st, 2009
7:06 pm
This is from David Aldridge on NBA.com about Childress:
“And forward Josh Childress, who started the trend of NBA players going overseas last season by signing with Greek power Olympiacos for three years and $20 million, will visit the Milwaukee Bucks on Thursday, according to his agent, Jim Tanner. Childress can return to the NBA, but his rights would still be owned by the Atlanta Hawks, who drafted him in 2004, as a restricted free agent — meaning the Hawks could match any offer from other teams for Childress. But Childress has not yet decided whether to stay in Greece for a second season or come back to the NBA.
Childress does not want to return to the Hawks, however.”
So what does this mean for the Hawks if this is true?
Stating the Obvious
July 1st, 2009
7:08 pm
Enter your comments here
That was the most intelligent post Rod has ever made
Ariose
July 1st, 2009
7:14 pm
I’ve looked into it. It was justy his agent Lon Babby Rambling on about how if the Hawks want to keep him from being an Unrestricted Free Agent afteer his Olypiacos contract runs it’s course in three years, They’ll have to keep tendering him offers at the start of every season. He also mentiond how that will eat up the Hawks cap-space every year(he seemed vey proud of his work lol).
Seems like he’s hoping the Hawks eventually Renounce the Rights of his client, wich very well may happen If the right free agent comes along and we have a legitimant shot at aquiring him.
We’ll see what happens…
Rod from College Park
July 1st, 2009
7:19 pm
Melvin,
” Not only would a coach have to allow Marvin to shoot more shots to avg 20 pts, so would the opposing team. I dont think he has the offensive skills to avg 20pts at this point in his career. Hopefully, Im wrong. And yes, I seen the 2 out of 82 games that JJ miss this past season were he scored big…”
Totally agree. But it funny how people here keep saying how great he was when Joe was out. Those two games were Minnesota(one of the worse teams in the league), and Charlotte (without Gerald Wallace, who destroyed Marvin everytime we played them this year). The guy who logged the most minutes at small forward that game for Charlotte was Adam Morrison. Then the next game we played with Joe back, he got 31 dropped on him by Al Thornton. Two games does not make a season. His playoff average for his career is 8.5 points per game, and his career average is 12.5. I guess we should wait another 3 years for him to average 20 ppg huh. LOL
niremetal
July 1st, 2009
7:24 pm
Ariose,
I think you’re exactly right.
darrell starks
July 1st, 2009
7:26 pm
Czan i dont no if thats true or not but i deeply believe if chill came back he would rather play for no other team except hawks i really think chill luv the hawks and this city so i cant see that report being true on what buddy said but we have to here on what chill say from his own mouth.
GO HAWKS!!!!!!!
UGA
July 1st, 2009
7:26 pm
Aldridge is good, that is probably true.
Only pieces from them that we may like are Sessions, Ridnour, Kurt Thomas or Francisco Elson (we’re not getting Redd or Bogut).
That is for a sign and trade deal
Ariose
July 1st, 2009
7:29 pm
nire, seems like all that info got twisted in my head in just over year lol. How quickly the mind forgets, oh well…
Rod from da Swats
July 1st, 2009
7:31 pm
My obsession with Marvin will never end. He haunts my dreams and occupies my every waking moment. If I go more than two hours without thinking about him, I start to shake like a recovering crack addict.
SOMEONE PLEASE HELP ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1
Ariose
July 1st, 2009
7:31 pm
We should defently put Chills in a sign and trade situation as soon as possible and not drag this out any further.
niremetal
July 1st, 2009
7:32 pm
Ariose,
Hey no complaints here. Your batting average when it comes to contracts and cap stuff is way higher than Mark Bradley’s
Ariose
July 1st, 2009
7:32 pm
I thought it was “Sam from da swats” and “Rod from College Park”?
I mean, we all KNEW you were the same person….
Ariose
July 1st, 2009
7:35 pm
Nire, I’ll take that any day as long as I get to one-up ol’ Mark lol!
Rod from da Swats
July 1st, 2009
7:35 pm
Oh and forget what I said about Jamal being a better scorer and all-around offensive player than JJ. I don’t really follow basketball, just Marvin. You can’t expect me to know the details.
Melvin
July 1st, 2009
7:37 pm
Hmmm, Chills visiting the Bucks. His visit alone tells me he’s ready to come back to the states. Again, what if he sign the QO from the Hawks? I’m sure that would have a major impact on their summer plans…
AJ,
I understand what you’re saying and respect your opinion but again I don’t see him as a 20pt scorer whether its on a good or bad team.
Rod,
I still think the Hawks are better team with Marvin than without althought I know he’s your favor player…;)
BosnianBaller
July 1st, 2009
7:38 pm
Ben Gordan signs w/Pistons 5yr/55 mil
Sam from College Park
July 1st, 2009
7:39 pm
Sorry, Ariose. All I know is Marvin’s stat line. I get confused about everything else.
Wabe
July 1st, 2009
7:40 pm
Man Rod,
if you let go of Marvin, give me another legitimate wingman the Hawks have a chance at aquiring…
I can understand if you’re not as hyped on Marvin as others in here, because I personally am not either. But be real, who would fill his role if he were to leave? He adds V E R S A T I L I T Y.
I don’t have him on a pedestal, but why get rid of someone you have no replacement for? I’m kinda sorta with you, I wouldn’t overpay to keep him, but I wouldn’t let him go based on his performance. You just seem to think he’s worthless.
If you had a healthy Marvin vs Cleveland, who from Cleveland could’ve matched up with him? LBJ? That opens up guys like JJ, right?
Go find his replacement, then you can parade around about how we should let him go.
darrell starks
July 1st, 2009
7:42 pm
Crawford can starte at piont and be succesful plus the defense would be better because of his quickness and length.
GO HAWKS!!!!!!!
Rod from da Swats
July 1st, 2009
7:42 pm
I am he as you are he as you are me and we are all together.
bigdave
July 1st, 2009
7:43 pm
and they got yall boy Charlie V…
niremetal
July 1st, 2009
7:44 pm
Enter your comments here
Wabe
July 1st, 2009
7:45 pm
Wow, so I guess you gotta throw Detroit up there in the East now…
G-Man
July 1st, 2009
7:46 pm
Well there goes Ben Gordo and Charlie V.
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=4301111
Wabe
July 1st, 2009
7:48 pm
Never had a chance at getting either one of them anyways…
I was laughing at people thinking the Hawks were going to be in play for Charlie V.
niremetal
July 1st, 2009
7:49 pm
Man…I don’t know about that. Don’t think Gordon is a great fit there, although maybe the right coach will make him mesh well. Dumars seems to LOVE those undersized shooting guards. I just don’t know that Gordon, Rip, Prince, and Charlie V have complementary skill sets.
This is one of those things that could either go very well or very badly. My guess is that they’re taking offers for Rip now.
Tris
July 1st, 2009
7:52 pm
The player that i think will help us the most would be sheed, he is the low post player that the hawks haven’t had since shareef abdul rahim. that is one of the options the hawks couldn’t do last year. when teams took away the outside shot there was no low post player to throw inside to. look at the heat series, if the had anybody that could play in the post they would have beat the heat in 5 games. what do you think?
Anakin Joe
July 1st, 2009
7:52 pm
Melvin, I wasn’t trying to say that Marvin will become a 20 point player. My point is that being a 20 point scorer is like being a 1,000 yard running back (averaging 65 yards/game is supposed to make you elite?). It is not a threshold for greatness. I remember when 30 homers in a season was a big deal. Some of those old benchmarks just don’t hold up under scrutiny. I just think that they’re are better ways to judge a player’s value other than +/- 20 points.
drmaryb
July 1st, 2009
7:52 pm
There is no NEED for SHEED in the “A”! His game and temperament would destroy this teams’ chemistry! (He’s Like AI, his style of game/antics has been passed-by)
We need to resign Bibby, Flip & Zsa-Zsa. Maybe trade Solo and his bench-warming friends. i.e. Othello and the other big-man from Atlanta? (His name slips me!) I still Like RIO!
No room for Chills and just go with that! We will have a nice and balanced scoring attack! We could either RUN & GUN or play the HALF-COURT set with some pick & rolls! Don’t worry “”JJJJJ-JOE” you got some help now!
Joe
Bibby
Jamal
Teague
Flip
Rio
______
Smoove
Marvin
Horford
Zsa-Zsa
_______
11. FA
12. FA
Ariose
July 1st, 2009
7:53 pm
Hehehe, LOL@ Jeff Teauge:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nrGMw7RrmI4&feature=rec-HM-fresh+div
Anakin Joe
July 1st, 2009
7:58 pm
So Dumars used the expiring contracts of AI and Rasheed to bring in Charlie V and Gordon, is that a fair assumption? And he got AI by trading Billups. So, would you trade Billups for either Ben Gordon or Charlie V.?
niremetal
July 1st, 2009
7:58 pm
Tris? Just a tip. Reminding people of the days of Shareef is not such a great strategy.
Ariose
July 1st, 2009
7:58 pm
Who says Teauge doesn’t play defense?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AFE1cDRc-Ok&feature=related
Wabe
July 1st, 2009
8:00 pm
Broussard seems to think the Pistons might move Hamilton.
Nothing gauranteed, but he says they’re listening to offers.
darrell starks
July 1st, 2009
8:00 pm
Ariose yes we cant drag on another year for chill if he decide he dont want to comeback we have to trade him that would be the only choice for the hawks we cant let no one man stop the show.
GO HAWKS!!!!!!!!
Ariose
July 1st, 2009
8:02 pm
How will this Work? What about Rip? Who will be their Center? They traded away Amir Johnson and Villanueva us an undersized PF at best….
I think Dumars just messed up, but it was the best he could do in order to replace Chauncey and Sheed. Does this mean that Stuckey goes back to the bench? Did Ben Gordon Sign this contract knowing he would be coming off the bench?
THEY DON’T EVEN HAVE A COACH!!!!!
Clyde
July 1st, 2009
8:03 pm
drmaryb where in the world did you come from? We need to resign Bibby, Flip & Zsa-Zsa? Did you watch the playoffs? We got abused in the middle with Horford playing center. Yea Zaza did a good job rebounding but when someone drove the lane he just moved out the way.
We need bigs!! Charlie V just got away and just going off of what we did in past years, we might end up with the same frontline that got abused next year.
Fire Woody
Ariose
July 1st, 2009
8:04 pm
You know, with Sasha Pavlovic leaving, the Cavs could be in the Market for another Shooting Guard.
Wabe
July 1st, 2009
8:04 pm
Gooooooooood link Ariose. HAAHAHAHA!
Honestly, anybody who compares this guy to Mike Bibby is absurd.
He’s FAR MORE attack minded. A true scoring PG.
One word: PLAYMAKER
niremetal
July 1st, 2009
8:05 pm
Ariose,
Dude’s definitely got some hops. As with all young PGs, the question is whether his game will translate once they start playing in a bigger, faster, stronger league…
Wabe
July 1st, 2009
8:05 pm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQgfN9PrYiA&NR=1
darrell starks
July 1st, 2009
8:06 pm
Wow pistons sign ben and charlie v whats up with that.
GO HAWKS!!!!!!!!!!
Wabe
July 1st, 2009
8:07 pm
But your 100% right Nire.
Must wait and see.
Just hope he gets the P.T. – which I’m guessing he wouldn’t if Bibby were to come back.
But honestly, I don’t doubt him when he says “people are gonna look back and see I WAS THE BEST PG in that draft.”
Wabe
July 1st, 2009
8:08 pm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NMyId5CMDTc&feature=related
This one’s just SICK-NASTY
Tris
July 1st, 2009
8:10 pm
I’m just saying the hawks need a player that can give you at least 15 points from the post