Atlanta Hawks: Roster report
The season ends abruptly and fans immediately engage in the annual tradition of wishing their team had different players (if they wait that long). But before you start dreaming about the Hawks adding quality free agents, it’s best to take a sober (somber?) look at their payroll and circumstances.
This summer looks a lot like last summer for the Hawks: They have no cap space, lots of roster spots to fill and not much room under the luxury-tax line to do it.
The Hawks have approximately $61 million in guarantees committed to six players. The salary cap this season is about $58 million and the luxury tax threshold is about $70 million. Each of those figures could increase next season (they can’t decrease) but unless there’s a massive increase in BRI the Hawks won’t have any cap space and won’t gain much additional wiggle room under the tax threshold.
I don’t have to tell you the Hawks are unlikely to spend above the tax line again next season. They tried to avoid doing so this year but the run of injuries forced their hand. The Hawks sold a draft pick to help offset the tax bill. Their payroll is at least 75 percent of their revenues and they are skeptical the new CBA will provide much significant relief through revenue sharing.
Those circumstances don’t suggest a franchise looking to take another luxury-tax hit. Assuming the tax threshold remains at about the same level, that leaves the Hawks roughly $9 million to sign a minimum of seven players to get to 13 on the roster. The player they select with the No. 23 overall draft pick (assuming they keep it) will eat up another $1.2 million or so (assuming the prospect signs for 120 percent above scale, which is standard). That would leave the Hawks $7.8 million under the tax line to sign at least six players.
The mid-level exception for non-taxpayers will be $5 million again next season. If the Hawks use all of that on one player, they’d be left with about $2.8 million under the tax line to add at least six additional players. That’s obviously not feasible even before you consider that a player who signs for the full mid-level commands a multi-year contract, adding future payroll just when the Hawks have a chance to clear some cap space after next season.
So in regards to free agency the Hawks are looking at trying to again build a roster with minimum-salaried veterans and/or young players and probably needing a couple of those players to accept non-guaranteed deals. And this time the Hawks don’t have Kirk Hinrich under contract and so need even more of those kinds of free agents to fill key roles.
Hinrich’s $8 million comes off the books along with roughly $5.6 million in cap salaries from the seven minimum-salaried vets plus Ivan Johnson’s rookie salary*. But Joe Johnson, Josh Smith, Marvin Williams, Zaza Pachulia and Jeff Teague all get raises.
*The Hawks can claim salary-matching rights for Ivan by extending him a one-year qualifying offer of about $960,00 by June 30.
Michael Cunningham, Hawks beat
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460 comments Add your comment
Actually
May 17th, 2012
10:15 pm
2012 Playoffs
Al Horford: 1.33 blks / gm 1.78 blks / 48 min
Josh Smith: 1.0 blks / gm 1.23 blks / 48 min
Hawks Blog Legend Worldwide Clyde
May 17th, 2012
10:17 pm
Coaching staff at Indiana developed Roy Hibbert’s talent. Hawks are terrible with rookies that need work.
Rufus1
May 17th, 2012
10:17 pm
“Really, yet your whole post is full of excuses . You are even dumber than I thought. The purpose of the regular season is to be good enough to get to the playoffs. Once you get to the playoffs the best teams advance. So if we advanced to the second round last year, but lost in the first round this year, how are we better? Typical Atlanta fan logic. I’m proud of the team because they had injuries but still played well. Losers mentality. Guess what Boston had injuries also. Ray Allen was injured. Rondo missed game two, a game which we still lost, and Paul Pierce played injured like Josh for the 5th and 6th game of the series. Guess what, they still won and advanced. Maybe since your mental capacity might not be that high, you need to look up what making excuses means, and then re-read my post and re-read your post. LOL”- ROD
I read that post and I don’t see your facts on how Jamal would have gotten us to the 2nd RD…or why he SUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCKS against good defensive teams..or how he pissed his pants against the Bulls in the 2nd rd… or how he is more important than a healthy Josh, AL or Zaza…. I see the insults, but that is because you are defending an indefensible LOSER.
I know what an excuse is, this is the one you gave for Jamal’s performance against the Bulls.
“II seem to recall D. Rose, and Deng killing us. Majority of the time Jamal was matched up on the backup point guard or the two guard. He was guarded primarily by Bogans and Brewer. The guys who guarded Rose for the majority of that series were Teague and Joe. Offensively in that series he was just as good as our 2 time all-star center while playing less minutes. So why not bash Horford. He was not stellar on defense against the bulls either.”- ROD
Jamal the Difference between losing to the Celtics and going to the ECF, shut down by so journey men….Sounds like a winner to me.
Hawks Blog Legend Worldwide Clyde
May 17th, 2012
10:22 pm
We have been in need of a defensive minded center for 5 years. Will the Hawks finally get one this year or will they continue to play Horford at center.
Rod from College Park
May 17th, 2012
10:35 pm
Dufus1,
You can surely do better than that. Or can you? No response needed. Go to technical school or junior college and get some knowledge. Learn what an excuse is.
“Everything we did this year say we were better without Jamal…Except the 1st rd exit.”
So are we better than Philly this year? We had a better regular season record.
SteveW
May 17th, 2012
10:38 pm
Najeh – The word all over talk radio is ditching Bosh for a Big and a Point top a lesser extent.
Chalmers and Norris aren’t the best PG’s in the world – but surely they beat the life out of Turiaf/Anthony/Pittman/Curry at the 5 spot.
And Miami is in a desperate mess contracturally – Battier, Miller, Haslem, Anthony all signed to multi-year deals. And you can only amnesty 1. Ever.
And DWade – while still awesome, has certainly begun the decline as well. His future is not looking good.
Fab, Ezelli, or even Moultrie are all likely to be there when Miami picks #27. If they just hold tight – one of those guys may be the answer, as they once again use the mini-mid level and try to get yet another piece for this aging team. That is if they don’t trade Bosh.
I hate LeBron. But I trade them JJ and Josh for LeBron if they want that. Well, at least I think about that trade.
SteveW
May 17th, 2012
10:39 pm
“To” not “top” in the first paragraph above
Rufus1
May 17th, 2012
10:41 pm
Rod,
You still haven’t defended that STUPID idea that Jamal is more important than our entire front line… Stop changing the subject loser. How was that “Ball Chucker” going to get us to the ECF with our entire front line injured.
SteveW
May 17th, 2012
10:43 pm
Really, all I expect the Hawks to do this off season is dangle Josh for a lottery pick, or a Derrick Favors type, who is young, and from here, so they can win the PR battle.
And if there are no takers, they roll into next season with the same team as this season, with different backups.
And please JeJe – I hope no 3 year 12 mill deal for Hinrich. 2 years for 4 mill I can see as a backup G – he is versatile – but man I hope your wrong on that.
Your post was classic though – especially LD’s words. Good stuff.
Rufus1
May 17th, 2012
10:43 pm
Rod,
That loser Jamal had his chance against the Bulls and PISSED his pants….You can’t dispute that.
SteveW
May 17th, 2012
10:46 pm
I look for Miami to make a run for Nash and weirdly enough, for Kwame Brown. I’m not sure Miami doesn’t take a flyer on a Brad Miller, Kurt Thomas or somebody either. Maybe even Jason Collins if we don’t re-sign him. Nah, their probably not that desperate.
This is only if they lose. Win, and things probably stay close to the same.
They still may go after Nash however.
SteveW
May 17th, 2012
10:48 pm
Najeh – And that is national talk radio – ESPN and Fox – not local ATL radio…
Marvin's uncle
May 17th, 2012
11:04 pm
hated to see my Hawks lose against a bunch of old suckers….
I hope like hell the hawks get rid of Josh, i love smooth, but he always seem to cost the hawks games..he has no HEART..He never takes the ball to the rim when it counts..he just dosnt get it..
Marvin was solid once joe and josh decided to pass the ball…he saved the hawks in game 6th against orlando last year, and hit HUGE 3s in game 5 and 6 against bos this year….man, i have never seen a team waste a kid by letting two guys dominate the ball who never come thru,(joe and Josh) and always screw up in the end
the conclusion
the Hawks are stuck with Joe, but the good news is the hawks have batman and robin already in Al and Marvin.. the Hawks have to trade Josh…he is holding Al back from playing is natural position..we drafted al #3, time to let him shine, the guy we drafted #2 can easily step into the #2 scorer role behind al…Trade josh for best big man we can get..get over it people..Josh did it to us again..and dares anyone to say something about it…
Hawks Blog Legend Worldwide Clyde
May 17th, 2012
11:08 pm
Free Agents I Like:
Andre Miller
Raymond Felton
Jason Terry
Goran Dragic
Marco Belinelli
Alonzo Gee
Chase Budinger
Ersan Ilyasova
Reggie Evans
Grandmaster JeJe (GM)
May 17th, 2012
11:08 pm
Go Spurs! Go Pacers! Watching the Cheat lose and the overrated Clipps go down/seeing the Spurs execute are 2 of he most beautiful things in the NBA
Rod from College Park
May 17th, 2012
11:19 pm
If Marvin could only play like Danny Greene. SMH
Rod from College Park
May 17th, 2012
11:23 pm
Do the Clippers not understand that getting Blake Griffin the ball in the post when he is defended by Tim Duncan in not a good offensive play.
All this young talent, and the two best players in the playoffs have been Garnett and Duncan. Two of the best to ever play the PF position.
Rod from College Park
May 17th, 2012
11:32 pm
Watching San Antonio execute offensively is a thing of beauty. Hawks really should pay attention. Teague needs to watch Parker, Marvin needs to watch Greene, and Joe needs to watch Ginobli.
Marvin's uncle
May 17th, 2012
11:33 pm
@rod from cp
Marvin is 10x the player Danny Green will ever be
Grandad
May 17th, 2012
11:38 pm
Ditch~Weed
I Hope things are going well for you.
Grandad
May 17th, 2012
11:42 pm
Rusty
There is a difference;
SteveW contributes meaningful, lucid information to the blog.
Not continuous, redumbdant, hateful abhorence.
Rusty
May 17th, 2012
11:58 pm
Grandpa the only thing you post is a lot of flowery bullcrap to stroke your massive ego.
Hawks Blog Legend Worldwide Clyde
May 18th, 2012
12:13 am
“Watching San Antonio execute offensively is a thing of beauty. Hawks really should pay attention.” -Rod From College Park
Its all in the coaching. San Antonio has the offensive system they run and the Hawks don’t. Only 2 plays the Hawks run is pass to someone in the post or let someone go one on one on the perimeter.
MakeItTakeIt
May 18th, 2012
12:27 am
We need to break it up. Keep Horford (and move him to PF), Teague and Zaza and get rid of the rest. We need to trade Josh NOW while we still have some leverage. We could still get some good pieces from him that can help fill the void (except for missed 18 footers). We need to send off Starvin’ Marvin’ for cap relief or cheap bench help. Finally, we need to amnesty Joe (still love using that as a verb). I don’t remember exactly how that affects the payroll, but we don’t need a player hitting just above road-grade and wanting to still be ISO-Joe.
We may take a step or two back, but what’s the difference of not making the playoffs to rebuild and making the playoffs to get ran out by a bunch of old, injured players our guys should have handled.
And I like the idea of Dantoni if we don’t bring Drew back.
Rod from College Park
May 18th, 2012
12:28 am
No doubt Worldwide Clyde. I totally agree. Coaching is the biggest issue.
SteveW
May 18th, 2012
12:40 am
WW Clyde – It does look to me like there are alot of midlevel kind of Free Agents this year. Not necessarily midlevel money – but good guys that can help win. Andre Miller backing up Jeff Teague? Check
Jason Terry backing up JJ? Check
Illyasova or Reggie Evans just because? Check
Felton/Dragic, so many other guys – We may be able to get a nice bench next season – even better than this years.
High-sider
May 18th, 2012
12:45 am
NOT AN AL HORFORD NUT HUGGER
May 17th, 2012
10:06 pm
—————————————————————————
Is that you, Slimjr?
Najeh Davenpoop
May 18th, 2012
1:06 am
“Free Agents I Like:
Andre Miller
Raymond Felton
Jason Terry
Goran Dragic
Marco Belinelli
Alonzo Gee
Chase Budinger
Ersan Ilyasova
Reggie Evans”
I especially like Ilyasova and Evans. Gee and Bellinelli are the only ones that might take the mid level, though. Everyone else is going to get paid, and the Hawks don’t have the salary cap space to pay them.
Slimjr
May 18th, 2012
1:27 am
Rod from College Park
May 17th, 2012
11:32 pm
“Watching San Antonio execute offensively is a thing of beauty. Hawks really should pay attention. Teague needs to watch Parker, Marvin needs to watch Greene, and Joe needs to watch Ginobli.”
They [Hawks] would not begin to know how to play like that..You have to have players that trust each other and their coach….Hmmmmmmmm
Buddy Grizzard
May 18th, 2012
1:40 am
“Could it be because they don’t have anyone who can check him, except maybe Rondo?”
Um… Avery Bradley?
Rusty
May 18th, 2012
1:44 am
LD has to carefully watch Pops,he might actually see how an offense should be ran.
JayInAtlanta
May 18th, 2012
2:59 am
Trade neither Joe Johnson nor Josh Smith. Without either one of those guys, we don’t make the playoffs the last two years. JJ outscores Smith in this just-ended Round 1 (though Smith admittedly averages a double-double, which is why we must keep him) and JJ ties him in PPG during the regular season. Even with injuries at a critical time of the season, JJ still got us where we are. I believe 40 wins and making the playoffs are big accomplishments in the shortened season for any team, even more so for the team leading the league in injury minutes. Both these key players deserve credit.
Yes, I hear the complaints that Joe is not a max money player. Ironically, he appears even less so since Drew yielded to pressure and played less iso-Joe in both ‘10-’11 and ‘11-12, so JJ’s average drops off. However, we’re in the playoffs every year since 2007-08. Trade Joe Johnson OR Josh Smith, and we’re out of the playoffs for the first time since then, and whatever team gets JJ or Smoove is in the playoffs.
Personally, I’d like to have ATL continue to be a playoff-bound team. Even the Lakers lost in the first round of the playoffs late last decade. I’m not in the mood AT ALL for another rebuilding decade, which is what’ll happen if you are determined to show either one of these guys the door.
drmaryb.(*_*).
May 18th, 2012
3:01 am
Stephen Jackson also plays fine defense.
Buddy G
May 18th, 2012
3:31 am
“When you have to add an additional salary to replace the player you amnested, how in the hell does creating more financial debt help the team?” – Ken S.
Ken, what you’re forgetting is that all of the teams with cap space get to bid for JJ, and whatever the highest bid is, that is deducted from what the Hawks have to pay. So if the Pacers bid $10m per season for Joe, they pay that for the rest of his contract and that’s deducted from what the Hawks have to pay him.
rudy mac
May 18th, 2012
6:20 am
T-mac Should of been the starting 3 all year long for this team hes a better playmaker than Teague and a much better finisher and decision maker than Joe johnson….Tracy Mcgrady could of easily avg 15 6 4 if given the role! T-Mac should of gone to the BULLS Start the 2 sharing time with deng 2-3………or better yet the starting forward in LA…next to Kobe………
rudy mac
May 18th, 2012
6:25 am
Tracy Mcgrady still has it He beat the heats by himself in that 4th quater! if it wasnt for that ankle sprain in that boston series he would of dropped 20 and 10 on em…..last games of the season left in still dispite with that 17 point game in 17 min like please let him play look how easily e played 40 minutes with a sprained ankle! if hawks bring him back they better start him or i hope he goes to a team that will utilize him to his full capacity! let him go out in style!
Buddy Grizzard
May 18th, 2012
7:07 am
Pretty funny that MC quotes Willie Green saying nice things about Drew. “Coach is great… I’m the worst player on the team but he played me ahead of Hinrich! He definitely deserves to keep his job!”
terrell
May 18th, 2012
7:46 am
Marvin’s getting a raise? smmfh
Go ahead and break up the big 2 Pat. It aint working;
How bout DWade for JJ? Lebron needs a jumpshooting Robin, not another penetrating Batman.
Btw, no freakin way i pay to watch this same ole core play again. Especially Marvin and J, Jo, Jo Joke johnson. Pay raise my azz. How about raising yalls behinds outta here.
Mike is Back
May 18th, 2012
8:03 am
Gone and amnesty JJ OR Marvin and get it over with…hey, can we amnesty both?lol
GO get Nate McMillan and get it over with.
Oh, and until you get new owners…might as well keep SUND…he’s a bottom feeder specialist.lol
GO HAWK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!HEH HEH
O'brien
May 18th, 2012
8:16 am
Good stuff GM JeJe.
Najeh,
If the Heat lose this series, I don’t think they would break up the big 3. 1) They would say Bosh was injured and 2) They would replace Spoelstra. However, if they do decide to break up the big 3, who do they trade?
I don’t think they trade Bosh (they need the inside presence) and I don’t think they trade Wade (he is too beloved in Miami, and helped them win a championship). I think they would trade LeBron (if it comes to that).
However, don’t the players have opt-out clauses after year 4?
Melvin,
I think the Pacers will go after Eric Gordon. He can be the guard they need to help them take another step up. And he is on the way up (if he can stay healthy). JJ is on the way down.
However, I have no idea what’s the max they can offer Eric Gordon, and he is a RFA, so Hornets could match. Or Pacers could get him in a SNT.
vava74
May 18th, 2012
8:21 am
No roster move you can think of will change the fact that with LD at the helm, the success threshold of the team is capped.
2nd round of the playoffs, at best.
Bring Dwight, Kobe, Lebron, whatever.
LD = Playoff mediocrity.
O'brien
May 18th, 2012
8:22 am
From ajc.com;
“That’s something I take a lot of pride in and spent a lot of time talking about and trying to work on,” he said. “Player relationships are so important on this level, how you deal with your best player all the way down to the guy who might not even dress out during games. I thought I did a good job with that. I thought my staff did a good job with that.”.
This from the guy who never calls out JJJ or Marvin, but he will call out Josh and Jeff in a minute.
There is more to good coaching than player relationships. Is LD a good motivator? Yes. Is he a better coach than Woody? I think so. But imo, he does not have a good feel for the game in terms of X’s and O’s, in-game adjustments, and substituion patterns.
vava74
May 18th, 2012
8:24 am
“Rod from College Park
May 17th, 2012
11:32 pm
Watching San Antonio execute offensively is a thing of beauty. Hawks really should pay attention. Teague needs to watch Parker, Marvin needs to watch Greene, and Joe needs to watch Ginobli.”
Funny, this coming from a guy who said just a couple of weeks ago that he WAS NOT IMPRESSED WITH THE SPURS.
LOL!!!!!!!
Good to see you leave the dark side for once! In no time you’ll start to see that the most successful teams in the playoffs play D and rebound as their primary mantras.
DS
May 18th, 2012
8:48 am
It is that time again…
http://games.espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=c53nvvd
NY gets Joe and Glen Davis, ORL gets Al and STAT, ATL gets Dwight, Jason Richardson, Duhon and Shumpert….and new management/coach of course.
Ray
May 18th, 2012
9:01 am
@ Buddy Grizzard
Great article man got around to reading I also feel the same about Josh it’s not our fault for most of those things you’ve mentioned.
Still though I do feel Josh gets way too much blame when you pay guys like Joe 120 mil a year to be the next Michael Jordan when he’s no more than Scottie Pippen actually that’s a little disrespect to Scottie, but he’s at least in the negihborhood.
Rod from College Park
May 18th, 2012
9:05 am
“Funny, this coming from a guy who said just a couple of weeks ago that he WAS NOT IMPRESSED WITH THE SPURS.”
Don’t remember what context I said it in, but I’m not impressed by their roster. I am however impressed with their coach. Boris Diaw starts for them. Tony Parker and Manu Ginobli are not good defenders, but they play great team defense, because of coaching. They rebound well because the have one of the best power forwards to ever play the game on their team, and he is 7ft tall. Al and Josh ain’t Tim Duncan. Of course defense and rebounding are important, but scoring is also. San Antonio is averaging over 100ppg this series, while LAC is up over 90 ppg. The Hawks averaged 81ppg. Big difference.
Rod from College Park
May 18th, 2012
9:07 am
“Could it be because they don’t have anyone who can check him, except maybe Rondo?”
Um… Avery Bradley?”
Has Avery Bradley been voted to some all defensive team that I’m not aware of. Guy would have no chance. LOL
Grandad
May 18th, 2012
9:14 am
vava
” Good to see you leave the dark side for once! ”
Inferring that you are on ?
Ra'mon
May 18th, 2012
9:39 am
Here is a question, would you guys be willing to trade Joe Johnson for Rashad Lewis’ expiring contract? For instance if it was a deal of Joe, Marvin and Al for Lewis, Crawford and Nene, would you be willing to sacrifice this one season as a throw in? I’m not sure I would do it. But its an interesting deal that would leave the Hawks with a lot of salary cap room after this season, with Lewis’ deal coming off of the books. For this one season, the Hawks would be left with a line up of **Teague – SG – Lewis – Josh – Nene**. You will be left with the possibility of letting Lewis’ deal expire or trading his contract for a deeper bench and another wing player. Either way Nene and Josh makes the best front court tandem in the east. And you’re opening yourself up to the possibility of signing a big free agent next season.
The potential trade:
Washington Gets:
Joe Johnson
Al Horford
Marvin Williams
Atlanta Gets:
Nene
Rashad Lewis
Jordan Crawford
Let me know what you think.
northcyde
May 18th, 2012
9:42 am
Amazing that we may have a San Antonio vs Boston NBA Finals. The #1 offensive rated team vs the #1 defensive rated team.
Then again, it’s not that amazing at all.