Atlanta Hawks: Hawks waive Sy, Wanamaker, Rolle (Update: Benson also released)
The Hawks waived forward Magnum Rolle and guards Pape Sy and Brad Wanamaker today. More cuts are coming later today: The roster now stands at 16, one more than the maximum, and it’s possible Atlanta will carry the minimum 13 players for the regular season.
UPDATE: The Hawks waived center Keith Benson, their only draft pick in June. The team plans to carry 15 on the roster to start the season. There are four players on the roster with non-guaranteed deals: Ivan Johnson, Jannero Pargo, Donald Sloan, and Jerry Stackhouse.
The decisions on Rolle and Wanamaker were not unexpected but the Hawks gave up on Sy after investing in him as a long-term prospect. Coach Larry Drew said Sy’s inability to develop as a point guard played a part in the decision.
“We, the coaches and the management, came to an agreement that he’s been a little bit more effective off the ball than at the point,” Drew said. “With that and the acquisition of Willie Green and [having] a number of other guys that are veterans that can play two, he became expendable. We were hoping he would mature and develop but he just seemed more comfortable at that two-guard spot. With that, we made the decision to go in a different direction.”
Sy, a native of France, made his way to the NBA as a a rare unknown prospect–prominent Web sites that track numerous draft-eligible players had no file on Sy before Atlanta selected him in the second of the 2010 draft. Sy had paid his own way to work out for the Hawks, the only team to grant him an audience, and impressed Drew.
The Hawks paid about $125,000 to buy out Sy’s French contract last year and paid him $473,604 in salary in 2010-11. He played a total of 21 minutes for the Hawks last season and spent 23 games with Atlanta’s D-League affiliate.
Sy had a good training camp but Atlanta’s payroll is pushing against the luxury-tax line, leaving little room for carrying players who can’t help the team now. The Hawks added guards Green and Pargo during training camp.
“It was a really tough decision,” Drew said. “There were a lot of things we liked about Pape.”
When the Hawks drafted Benson, they said he was a long-term prospect because he needed to add bulk and strength. But Benson, like Sy, appears to be a victim of Atlanta’s focus on veterans at the expense of carrying prospects who need time to develop. Benson was released by a club team in Italy during the lockout.
Rolle signed with the Hawks near the end of last season and re-joined the team following a stint in South Korea. He came into camp out of shape after he said a right foot injury hampered him from maintaining his conditioning.
Wanamaker, a rookie free agent out of the University of Pittsburgh, struggled during last night’s exhibition victory against Charlotte.
Michael Cunningham, Hawks beat
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771 comments Add your comment
SteveW
December 24th, 2011
10:10 pm
I think we actually have 5 of our draft picks still on the roster don’t we? Teague, Josh, Al, Marvin, and ZaZa. Didn’t we draft ZaZa/
SteveW
December 24th, 2011
10:17 pm
Forgot to mention okc is doing alright building thru the draft also, and the Sixers.
Cali OG
December 24th, 2011
10:19 pm
Appreciate the shout out doc…just livin’ and lovin’ the semi-retired life and otherwise stayin’ in my lane. Follow all the dialogue flow when I can, and the insights and humanity shared by you and all the others — that is, MOST of the others — for sure enriches this Hawk fan’s bittersweet experience. Have a meaningful Christmas my brother…
Just Joe
December 24th, 2011
10:22 pm
We didn’t draft ZaZa.
kwooden
December 24th, 2011
10:25 pm
Steve the drafting since BK’s last year hasn’t been that bad, its the player development which has been the real problem. It shouldn’t have taken Hinich getting hurt for Teague to get a real chance at starting. We should still have Jordan C. and a first round draftee on our team right now! Maybe that guy would have made the roster!
O'Brien
December 24th, 2011
10:34 pm
Big Ray,
All we do with our second round picks is waive them after we pick them….
Not true. Cenk Ayol and Sergiy Gladyr have not been waived. Eventually, the Hawks will bring them over, and they will add to our bench depth
Truth B. Known
December 24th, 2011
10:36 pm
Slimjr
December 24th, 2011
7:55 pm
Truth B. Known
December 24th, 2011
6:22 pm
“He averages 10 points in 39 playoff games. 7 points and 4 rebounds at power forward.”
“So why are we moving him to power forward?”
Hmmmmmmmm……..
Slimjr, Im still trying to” figure that Ch!t out”. The All NBA Al averages 10 ppg in 39 playoff games, which is enough to tell us about how he plays in money time.
All NBA Al has an average of 7 ppg and 4 rbs when playing power forward and yet he constantly nags about playing the 4.
Can you, or anyone tell me how this will make the hawks better? Also tell me WTF happens to Al games in the play offs. I understand that his career average is 12ppg but in the playoffs its only 10?
Geezzz
Can some one help me “figure that Ch!t out” ?
LMAO
O'Brien
December 24th, 2011
10:36 pm
Herman Cain,
Blue Steel dont be so quick to walk away from your point. If the Hawks were 29th in attendance and moved up during Josh’s tenure to 15th-16th then Id have to say your point is still valid, certainly not dis proven..
How do you know that its because of Josh, and not because of one of the other players, or the fact that the team started winning?
The Hawks biggest jump was from ’07 to ’08, when they jumped from 26th to 20th. Do you know who they drafted in ’07? Al Horford. And do you know what has happened every year since Al was drafted? Hawks made the playoffs.
doc
December 24th, 2011
10:49 pm
o’b, strictly by the numbers of all star votes josh is clearly hands down our most popular player.
cali og, sounds way good bro.
Ken Strickland
December 24th, 2011
11:08 pm
Well Cagers, our season starts Tuesday. So we can all stop with the fantasy basketball, delusional trade suggestions, and deal with the fact that JJ, Teague, Marvin, HORFORD, and Josh will be our starting lineup. We also have to deal with the fact that TMac, Radmanovic, Zaza, Twin, Green, Pargo, and either Sloan, Stackhouse, or Johnson will make up our 7man bench.
There are a few teams that have put together impressive starting 5s, like the Clippers, Pacers, Raptors etc, but no one knows how long it will take for them to gel. We’ll have the deepest, most versatile, and potentially most productive bench we’ve had in at least a decade or more.
All of the expectations, predictions of doom and gloom, finger pointing and accusations will be decided starting Tuesday. GOOOO HAWKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Herman Cain
December 24th, 2011
11:20 pm
O Brien I got to agree with Doc and Blue Steel, The Votes speak for themselves and you really cant find a way to dismiss their importance. The fans voting has Josh over 100k over Al and 50k over JJ and JC. By far, Josh is our most popular player by fan voting.
As for your interpretation of what those number say, well they also say, that from the date that Josh was drafted and upwards there has be an constant growth of fans and by 2007 Smoove had shown his stuff and the fans came to see this highlight reel in the largest growth margin.
When Al came here no body knew what Al would do, and judging by his 10ppg playoff average it ain’t that much, so if the fans did come to see Al, he sure hasn’t given them a reason to stay.
I’m more inclined to believe the All Star voters than your hypothesis. Fan voting for their favorite players is concrete evidence, facts. I see your argument, but that’s all it, is a hypothetical argument based on indirect, inconclusive circumstantial posturing.
Ill stick with the fans voting.
Najeh Davenpoop
December 24th, 2011
11:23 pm
“If Horford were 20 he’d look like Boris Diaw or a fake Big Baby Davis.”
And if he was 40, he’d be a man.
SteveW
December 24th, 2011
11:32 pm
KWooden – I agree with that.
And BTW to all bloggers – Merry Christmas!!
SteveW
December 24th, 2011
11:34 pm
JJ – Thanks – I wasn’t sure – I couldn’t remember – I do remember he was a 2nd round pick
SteveW
December 24th, 2011
11:35 pm
JJ – Thanks about ZaZa – couldn’t remember – I knew he was like a 2nd round pick or something.
SteveW
December 24th, 2011
11:36 pm
Aaah, the blogmonster has me duplicating comments now. Oh well, things could be a lot worse.
SteveW
December 24th, 2011
11:38 pm
About our bench:
You know, Pargo, Green, TMac, Vlad Rad, and ZaZa are about what you want in a 2nd unit – all guys who can play a legit 15mpg or more in some cases.
And I think Ivan, given the chance, can be an absolute animal. I like that pick up.
SteveW
December 24th, 2011
11:41 pm
And Hinrich could be a backcourt animal if he were a tad quicker. He’s got some of the other ingredients.
We need some fiery, dive after loose ball, show emotion types.
Grandmaster JeJe
December 25th, 2011
12:14 am
Sund said “you don’t trade for superstars; you draft them.”
SMH
Melvin
December 25th, 2011
12:21 am
Astro Joe,
You will finally get your tweener player this year. I hope Ivan Johnson can contribute some physicality on the court.
Rufus1
December 25th, 2011
12:36 am
The most honest Power Ranking I have read…
http://www.hoopsworld.com/nba-power-rankings-week-zero
GaSouthernSmooth
December 25th, 2011
1:59 am
Cut Stacks! His seat at the nbatv studio is getting cold and that’s where he needs to be, Good career but its time to move on, prove us wrong by making some other teams roster man
doc
December 25th, 2011
8:09 am
MERRY CHRISTMAS to all of the hawks blog, liar’s table. it is quite a crew that has developed as regulars here since its inception early summer of 2005. there is always room for one more. it is hard to believe it will be going on 7 years, time flies, so use it well. hopefully, we will all “spin on” into a healthy and successful 2012. be well men and women and i hope your dreams about christmas are met with family, friends and those of us here.
Astro Joe
December 25th, 2011
9:42 am
Happy Birthday, JC. You’re the reason for the season.
Merry Christmas to all.
Here’s hoping that Santa left LD some suits that actually fit.
Astro Joe
December 25th, 2011
9:43 am
doc, the same back at you.
Ken Strickland
December 25th, 2011
9:51 am
MARRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL, ESPECIALLY TO ALL OF THE AMERICAN SOLDIERS AND ALLIES AROUND THE WORLD WHO ARE SPENDING CHRISTMAS AWAY FROM FAMILY. I’ve been there. I remember spending a Christmas day alone in a guard shack on Okinawa, and I’ve never felt so alone in my life. But remember WARRIORS, this is only one of many Christmas to come. So hold your heads up and don’t forget there will be many Christmas’ ahead for you to enjoy with family and friends. So stay alert and have a safe and MERRY CHRISTMAS, and to each and every one of you, I want to extend a heartfelt “THANK YOU”.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.
If you follow the CAGER, I know I speak for each and every one of us.
RUFUS1-I just can’t accept rating the Celtics and Knicks ahead of us. I think too much has been made of the TChandler acquisition, and too much is expected from him. This is his 4th team in 4yrs, and he certainly didn’t do a whole lot for his 3 previous teams(Chicago, Charlotte, New Orleans). The Knicks lost PF DGallinari, PG RFelton, SG RMason, C/PF RTuriaf, and SG WChandler. Look at their current roster and tell me if you think they’ve upgraded, or even brought in adequate replacements. They definitely have serious PG issues. Bibby is nothing more than a 3pt specialist. Otherwise, he’s an OFF and DEF liability. BDavis has back, weight, and attitude issues, and is also a DEF liability.
The Celtics are even worse off. In addition to being a yr older than old, they’ve lost SG/PG DWest, SG MDaniels, SG ABradley, SG VWafer, PG NRobinson, C SOneal, C/PF GDavis, and C KPerkins. Look at their roster and tell me if you can find any improvement, or adequate replacements. And unless I’m mistaken, their biggest off season acquisition is BBass, who’s scheduled to have major surgery and might miss the entire season. Even with our bargain basement FA acquisitions, our bench is far more talented, versatile as well as deep, and will be more productive.
Wnen it comes to playing solid OFF and DEF, I’ll take our starting unit over theirs. Their PGs will no longer be able to exploit the 2 DEF liabilities we’ve had at PG the last 2-3yrs. RRondo and TDouglas will have to work very hard to get past Teague, or keep Teague from getting past them. That definitely wasn’t the case with Bibby. And they’re going to miss Big Baby’s energy, talent, versatility, and production, a lot more than they think, especially with BBass down.
If Tyson Chandler is as impactful as they seem to think, why are they still rating Dallas #1 now that he’s gone?
Rufus1
December 25th, 2011
10:36 am
@KEN
I agree about with your assessment about Chandler and the Celtics, I don’t think they will be better than the Hawks if Teague 70% of expectations. I was referring to(and I wasn’t clear) his assessment of the Hawks.
I think the ZONE helped Chandler and the Mavs more than people realize, because no one lets a 15mil center just walk. He and the Knicks will find that DEFENSE is a mentality that starts with the head COACH and your BEST players and they lacking in both.
The Celtics are OLD and FATHER TIME is UNDEFEATED.
The forgotten facts about the Hawks… They are in their PRIME and most NBA “CORES” don’t stay together for 6-7 years, so it confuses the NATIONAL media and NBA fans.
Melvin
December 25th, 2011
10:49 am
Merry Christmas to everyone…
Melvin
December 25th, 2011
10:50 am
Bibby is hurt already….
@TommyBeer
Tommy Beer
Bibby “probably” won’t play due to back injuries. Billy Walker and Jefferies good to go
Melvin
December 25th, 2011
10:51 am
Cut Pargo and signed the little midget, Nate Robinson….
Happy Holidays.
December 25th, 2011
11:05 am
Happy holidays to all on this blog, as i hope you and your family will have a healthy and productive 2012. May God bless you bountifully.
Dawg
December 25th, 2011
11:11 am
Do the Hawks consider Rick Sund to have a full time job or is he considered a part time employee? Perhaps they should consider paying a real GM who can work full time to lead this team..
Blue Steel
December 25th, 2011
11:15 am
Melvin Id love for the hawks to pick up Nate Robinson. The guy is a player and can shoot, handle the ball, has speed and understands the game. He’d be a great pick up for the hawks.
Ivan Johnson needs to have a consistent role on the hawks and should get 20-25 minutes a game to have an impact. Play this guy, you wont regret it. His only problem is he get’s into foul trouble, but that’s because he is a no nonsense no BullCh!t defender who will knock you down and not extend a hand to help you up. The Hawks desperately need his bravado. Hopefully it will rub off and the hawks toughen up.
Please cut Stackhouse. The dudes a dinosaur and plays like it. He doesn’t make the hawks any better, actually worse, because he cant defend, and has very very limited offensive ability. The only thing he brings to the table is name recognition. It would be stupid to keep him if your are trying to get better.
Play.
hittman jamillion
December 25th, 2011
11:49 am
This goes out to all my fellow Hawks fans and also naysayers ,who have no purpose being on this sight because they don’t support the team.
I like yourselves get a little confused when i hear comments i.e like Reggie Miller and Charles Barkley saying that they believe only teams with chemistry will be effective,but make a direct contradiction saying the hawks will not be effective. Or espn saying the bucks,pacers,sixers, or magic who we’ve beaten to death in the playoff series and regular season etc will be better than our Hawks,especially when the criteria that they use on player rankings have the hawks with three of our top players in the top 45 out of 30 teams and slam on line has al,josh,and jj ranked in the top 30 players in the league?All of it just sounds proposterious to me if you were to look at every nba roster as I’ve done you will see man for man there aren’t many rosters better than this one,barring a major injury i truly like this squad to compete in the east.True i would love a Carmelo,or D Wade in crunch time to get the calls and publicity,but it is what it is.
So quit feeding into all the propraganda of peoples opinions.
It’s like hiphop all the major publications are in NY so they will steady d*ck ride Jay Z to death even though Andre 3000 is the ish,Weezy is hot,Jeezys dope,&T.I. killing it.
It’s the puppet game use your minds don’t be a puppet.
GO HAWKS.
P.S. only trade I’ll do is unload JJ,AL, two firsts,a second,kirk expiring, and marvin.
then I’ll take back DH,TURK,Iggy in a three way trade . sixers unload a disgruntled star whom Dh wants to play with which is a incentive to make him stay,the magic get back two allstars and a first plusa ex plus unload turkolu contract. we add kirk to the deal only if we have to pick up bogans for defense and areanas for minimum.
Everybody happy, Merry Christmas and he would stay,playing in his hometown with his two best friends priceless. Only if sund had a brain
JRfromVR
December 25th, 2011
11:56 am
The Hawks need to sign Nate Robinson who was cut by Oklahoma City!!!!!!
northcyde
December 25th, 2011
11:58 am
Grandmaster JeJe
December 25th, 2011
12:14 am
Sund said “you don’t trade for superstars; you draft them.”
SMH
********************
Hilarious isn’t it?
The damn Clippers have done both.
hittman jamillion
December 25th, 2011
12:09 pm
Believe it northcyde,they’ll say anything. passed on drafting them and trading for them.
Scared money don’t make no money potna
hittman jamillion
December 25th, 2011
12:14 pm
Yeah JR Nate a be instant offense in spurts for us
vava74
December 25th, 2011
12:19 pm
If Nate is sooo good, why on Earth OKC waived him?
Get real. The guy is trouble: talent? Yes. Actual productivity day in day out? Nope.
The guy is a big kid. Zero focus.
Traded or released so many times and there are still people that don’t see what he is??
northcyde
December 25th, 2011
12:23 pm
As far as our power rankings go, you guys DO KNOW that being ranked 3rd – 4th – 5th in the East does us no good, right? If we’re talking about getting past the 2nd round, we need a top 2 slot. That should be the goal.
Seriously . . . you think this team could possibly win a Game 7 in Miami or Chicago in the EC Semifinals? And if not, we’re right back where we started.
If these players, coaches, and organization don’t start significantly elevating the goals of the Hawks, we’ll never get to the next level.
Honestly . . fug a 3rd seed.
northcyde
December 25th, 2011
12:36 pm
hittman jamillion
December 25th, 2011
12:09 pm
Believe it northcyde,they’ll say anything. passed on drafting them and trading for them.
Scared money don’t make no money potna
****************
That definitely became obvious to me last summer. Gearon and the ASG may talk a good game, but their actions prove that they’re scared to shake things up if need be. They’re happy making $20/hr . . but scared to go for the $40/hr job . . for fear that their pay will drop down to $12/hr.
Steven A
December 25th, 2011
1:07 pm
Sign Eddie House and Nate Robinson. Both will make up for loss of Jamal.
Ken Strickland
December 25th, 2011
1:27 pm
It will be interesting to see if teams play zone against the Heat the way Dallas did so successfully. I don’t know if any of you remember, but I said before the season started that their lack of consistent outside shooting would be their major weakness. CBosh is their only consistent outside shooter, which is why they siged MBibby, and why MMiller is so importantant to them. They’re also caught in a quandry when it comes to their PG situation. They were very vulnerable to teams with quick, fast, penetrating PGs. With DWade and LeBron needing the ball in their hands to be effective, having a PG to control the ball and the OFF is a waste.
They need a PG that shoots the 3 like Bibby once did, who also possesses the speed, quickness, and DEF ability of JTeague. It will be interesting to see if Miami is able to have the same, or simular, success as last yr. Teams now have a blueprint on how to slow them down. Attack their PGs and Cs, as well as keep Lebron and Wade out of the lane and turn them into jumpshooters.
RHamilton is a better offensive player than Bogans, but not as good defensively. I don’t think he can be as effective as Bogans at shooting 3s consistently, but his midrange OFF is deadly. The problem is, he can’t create his own shot, and he needs screens and picks to give him enough room to take advantage of his midrange gm. I don’t know how much of an overall upgrade Rip is going to be. Teague, Hinrich, Radmanovic, TMac, and potentially AJohnson, just might give us DEF and offensive firepower to get past the Bulls in a 7gm series.
The combination of Teague and Hinrich would give DRose fits and wear him down on both ends of the court. The combination of IJohnson and JSmith would give Boozer fits as well. And the combination of JJ and Green would be a load for RHamilton. I’m beginning to like the idea of keeping Stackhouse. For yrs we’ve been complaining about JJs passiveness as a leader, Josh’s immaturity, and Marvin lack of aggressiveness. Well, a player like Stackhouse just might be just what is needed to bridge the gap and pull it all together psychologically and emotionally.
While Woodson was too aggressive and in your face, but only when it came to younger players, and LDrew isn’t aggressive enough, Stackhouse might end up being his bridge of communication to the players. If it works, I’m all for it.
hawks_4_life
December 25th, 2011
1:28 pm
FELLOW HAWKS, MERRY CHRISTMAS ALL THE BEST
Big Ray
December 25th, 2011
1:51 pm
Northcyde ,
Hated for you to come to that realization so forcefully after showing the kind of loyalty the ASG just isn’t deserving of. You have been and are an avid fan….hope you don’t lose that amonst us cynics.
MERRY CHRISTMAS TO EVERYBODY. BE SAFE.
Slimjr
December 25th, 2011
2:09 pm
It will be interesting to see if the Hawks front line can step up in the 4th quarters to close the deal..
We will then get an idea of how far this Core can go this season.. There will have to be a dramatic improvement on that front line or expect more of the same…..
Slimjr
December 25th, 2011
2:24 pm
“Hawks’ core possibly facing final chance to show something” JS
doc
December 25th, 2011
2:33 pm
speaking of dreams, i am watching the national championship banner going up right now and wishing we had an owner like cuban to complain about and ridicule. ok in my lifetime, now waiting since 1957 for a championship for the hawks? i wonder how many hawks fans go back to st louis? it hasnt been pretty along this ride. the braves made it as i was a fan of theirs in milwaukee.
knicks and boston look pretty complete. i gotta wonder why the knicks had to get rid of chauncey and what happened there or was it all about getting chandler and “saving money” again some teams work with funny money. we, the hawks, do not and that is why i dont think we will use the “throw away bad contract” option just like we dont use the mle’s.
if jeff comes close to rondo then we are cool, but with rondo the big 3 and guys like bass and daniels around they are still to contend with and not a team that falls as precipitously as some think they are ready too.
douglas, may be my answer to the question about billips. not feeling that good about my hawks now that i see these teams go at it.
EmirS.
December 25th, 2011
3:01 pm
Happy Holidays to everyone!
brigadierjerry
December 25th, 2011
3:14 pm
doc,
knicks had to use the amesty on chauncy since he made 14 million and had to sign chandler for the same amount to make things match as far as salary goes.
Knicks vs Celtics was a very physical game almost like a playoff game. Knicks problem with point guard will be a big problem and the celtics depth although bass played very well. hawks I expect to have a good year again