Atlanta Hawks: NBA free agency begins
The NBA’s free-agent period has officially started.
Teams can now come to contract terms with free agents. Deals can’t become official until July 11, after the league and union complete their annual audit to set the projected salary cap and luxury-tax levels for the 2012-13 season.
Nine Hawks players became unrestricted free agents today: Jason Collins, Erick Dampier, Willie Green, Kirk Hinrch, Ivan Johnson, Tracy McGrady, Jannero Pargo, Vladimir Radmanovic and Jerry Stackhouse. All those players except for Hinrich played for the league minimum last season.
Update: The Hawks extended a qualifying offer to Johnson by Sunday’s deadline. He’s a restricted free agent with Atlanta maintaining salary-matching rights.
NBA.com has a cool, sortable free-agent tracker page. One potential free agent is already off the market as Kevin Garnett and the Celtics reportedly agreed to a three-year, $34 million contract.
The Hawks are over the salary cap but have full mid-level and bi-annual exceptions available in addition to minimum player salary exceptions.
The MLE can be used to sign free agents for as many as four years at a maximum starting salary of $5 million with annual raises of as much as 4.5 percent. It can be split to sign more than one player.
The BAE can be used to sign free agents for as many as two years at a maximum starting salary of $1.957 million with a raise of up to 4.5 percent in the second year. It can be split to sign more than one player.
Minimum salary contracts can be up to two years in length. The salary is determined based on the player’s experience.
Michael Cunningham, Hawks beat
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280 comments Add your comment
Najeh Davenpoop
July 1st, 2012
1:11 am
“But everybody said i was wrong about joe……”
Belkin, you were wrong about Joe. The initial trade to bring Joe here was a great trade. The initial contract he received was a great contract. The Hawks’ major screw up was not bringing Joe here — it was failing to draft CP3 to team with Joe in the back court.
Echevarria
July 1st, 2012
1:11 am
Joe to Nets for Lopez and Brooks.
Smith + Marvin + 2013 1st round to Rockets for Scola, Ariza, White.
Hire Jerry Sloan
Sign OJ Mayo.
PG: Teague / Brooks / Pargo
SG: Mayo / Jenkins / Green
SF: Ariza / White
PF: Horford / Scola / I. Johnson (RE-DAMN-SIGN IVAN THE TERRIBLE!)
C: Lopez / Zaza
Buddy Grizzard
July 1st, 2012
1:12 am
All I can say with regards to Ivan is maybe they are trying to act disinterested in him to keep the market down. The Hawks took a chance on him when other teams wouldn’t, given his past. At one point I was certain that he would be a restricted free agent and sign an qualifying offer with another team that the Hawks wouldn’t have the available cap room to match without going into the luxury tax. I think the Hawks are playing possum with Ivan to avoid a bidding war, hoping they can still sign him to a minimum contract.
northcyde
July 1st, 2012
1:13 am
Buddy Grizzard
July 1st, 2012
1:08 am
“What player out there in free agency could turn the Hawks into an EC Finals team, if we had JJ’s money off the books, and no JJ in ATL?”
Ok so without Joe, the Hawks are not an ECF team. So what? WITH Joe the Hawks are not an ECF team. So what’s the difference? With cap flexibility in Joe’s absense, hope exists that the Hawks can make moves to improve. If Joe remains on the books as his skills diminish, we may be paying him $25m while visiting the lottery. How is the certainty of losing Josh and paying Joe more than LeBron makes while he’s no longer an All-Star caliber player a better fate than the uncertainty of change?
***************
Well you can trade Josh for another player that can replace his production, This is actually the time to do that, if we’re certain that we’re going to lose him.
As for JJ, there have been many players who weren’t worth what they are at the end of their contract, yet, were still valuable cogs to the team. Ray Allen is one of those guys. Even if JJ isn’t the top option on the team anymore, the team can still be good if one of our current guys blossoms into a star, or we trade our young guys for that star.
And I still say that you just don’t have to give away JJ. Get something other than expiring contracts for that dude.
The fan base shouldn’t be so emotional than they’re willing to throw out the baby with the bathwater. Just change out the bathwater and re-wash the baby.
P.J.Openhiemer
July 1st, 2012
1:15 am
Trade AL Horford and JJ to Orlando for Dwight Howard and JJ Redick
Najeh Davenpoop
July 1st, 2012
1:17 am
“Ya’ll make it sound like all the Hawks have to do is just get rid of everybody, and everything will be OK in 4 years.”
You make it sound like all the Hawks have to do is replace their best player with someone who is roughly the same level as him and everything will be OK now. Obviously they have to get their draft picks right, which those franchises you named failed to do. But why do you assume Ferry is going to screw up his draft pick when he gets a chance to add a superstar player? He is, after all, the best GM this team has had in at least 17 years.
“it took 5 years just to steal JJ from Phoenix”
Haha. It took five years precisely because they tried it your way. Instead of blowing up the Mookie-Smitty-Mutombo Hawks, they tried to swap out the core for new pieces like Isaiah Rider and Jim Jackson and Theo Ratliff. When that didn’t work, they tried to add more tangible pieces instead of using draft picks, resulting in the acquisitions of Shareef and Glenn Robinson which each cost this team a top ten draft pick. If they had just blown it up and tanked from the start, they probably would have rebuilt a lot quicker.
And in any case, they would have easily been a playoff team by 2006 at the latest if they had used their top 10 picks in 2004 and 2005 correctly. Obviously that is not a given, but it is a hell of a lot more likely than Joe and Gasol leading a team to anything meaningful.
brigadierjerry
July 1st, 2012
1:18 am
For all of your FA updates:
http://hoopshype.com/twitter/media.html
Echevarria
July 1st, 2012
1:19 am
P.J.Openhiemer, ORL is the only team that I would be willing to trade Horford to and thats because we’d be getting Dwight back. Otherwise, I’m completely against trading Horford. He’s the player we need to build around at the 4 spot by getting rid of (hopefully) Joe and potentially Josh.
But again, unless we’re trading with ORL I say Horford and Teague are the only untouchables on this team.
Najeh Davenpoop
July 1st, 2012
1:19 am
“Well you can trade Josh for another player that can replace his production, ”
I notice how you use the word “replace” instead of “upgrade”. Your implication is correct — Gasol will replace, not upgrade, Josh’s production. In other words, this team will remain in exactly the same place it currently finds itself, only with more long-term salary committed.
NCBravesFan
July 1st, 2012
1:19 am
Buddy @ 1:08 … That gets to the heart of the matter right there! Ferry is most likely not going to blow this roster up immediately. More likely he makes a trade to give the remaining pieces one more shot before making larger scale changes.
northcyde
July 1st, 2012
1:20 am
Melvin
July 1st, 2012
12:47 am
northcyde,
In your trade scenario Josh for Paul. Let’s consider that the road to the finals goes thru Miami. The Heat have already said that Lebron will play more PF next season with Bosh at the C. With a frontline of Gasol and Horford, who will play Lebron? And if you take one of them out the game, then you now have a core member on the bench during crunch time b/c of matchups…
******************
The flipside to that question is . . . who is going to play Gasol on offense with a frontline of Horford and Gasol coming at them?
Do they match up Lebron on Gasol? Bosh on Gasol?
- Teague guards Chalmers
- Johnson guards Wade
- Jenkins guards Battier ( easy cover for him )
- Horford guards Lebron
- Gasol guards Bosh
When we have the ball
Chalmers guards Teague
Battier guards Johnson
Wade guards Jenkins
Lebron guards Horford ( who will be out on the perimeter more )
Bosh guards Gasol
Matchup issues for both teams.
We always have the option to go zone, in order to pack it in on Lebron. If they go zone against us, JJ and especially Jenkins may shoot them right out of it.
aizdaman
July 1st, 2012
1:20 am
Joe Johnson has just been traded
Slimjr
July 1st, 2012
1:21 am
Jettison the Core..No shot at an ECF..Two escorts to the Rim? No thanks……
P.J.Openhiemer
July 1st, 2012
1:21 am
This core or a Joe-Gasol-Al core will never be more than a second-round team.
What a waste of personnel. Gasol would give up knowing that freeloading Al and ISO were his teams.
this team would be a step backwards. Where is the Go to player ? Joe second seated to Josh this year and is slowing declining. Al? Al peaked and is about as average as it gets. Hes definitely no go to guy and you certainly dont want to build around him.
That leave Gasol who believes in World Championships and would give up on these scrubb with a quickness.
This team doesnt make it out of the second round.
aizdaman
July 1st, 2012
1:21 am
for Lopez and a 2013 protected draft pick
Slimjr
July 1st, 2012
1:23 am
Gasol is done tasting NBA Championships without Kobe in his prime……
Is Kobe in his prime? Hmmmmmmmm
Rusty
July 1st, 2012
1:24 am
Nortcyce get real how many times will jj play like crap in the playoffs before you stop kissing his butt. JJ is a large part of what is wrong with our offense. To get rid of JJ without also getting rid of LD is not enough.
P.J.Openhiemer
July 1st, 2012
1:24 am
Horford guards Lebron LMAO
Al cant protect the rim and doesnt want to. tiny nate robinson and tony parker showcase over Al and you expect Al to guard Lebron?
Its thought like that the lead the hawks to the lottery.
northcyde
July 1st, 2012
1:25 am
Najeh Davenpoop
July 1st, 2012
1:19 am
“Well you can trade Josh for another player that can replace his production, ”
I notice how you use the word “replace” instead of “upgrade”. Your implication is correct — Gasol will replace, not upgrade, Josh’s production. In other words, this team will remain in exactly the same place it currently finds itself, only with more long-term salary committed.
********************
That’s up for debate Najeh.
Gasol is the better offensive player. Josh is the better defensive player. It depends on whether a person believes who is the better all around player. What player will fit the team better chemistry wise.
Buddy . . this is for you
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aU__2eWaecQ
Grandad
July 1st, 2012
1:27 am
Who is taking my posts down. I did not get caught with Sandusky, OK. So stop taking my posts down.
Slimjr
July 1st, 2012
1:29 am
You get rid of Joe, Larry, and Marvin, within 3 years the Hawks are knocking on the door [ECF] Danny..
Remember this is the East not the West…
richy
July 1st, 2012
1:30 am
The Nets would have a legitimate big three with Johnson, Williams, and Howard! A big star, a big contract and a big ego.
BravesFan79
July 1st, 2012
1:30 am
Anyone who says “blow it up” obviously isnt much of a sports fan. If it were that easy, the Bobcats/Clippers/Nets/ Bucks and other bottom feeders for years would be contenders by now. We have to keep Horford/ Smith to be a top team.
Echevarria
July 1st, 2012
1:31 am
Nobody has answered me.. What do you guys think of a trade with HOU? They wanted Smith pre-draft. Give them a Smith/Williams/draft pick package.
Now that we saw they drafted (Royce White) a guy we wanted we need to swoop in and grab that pick off their hands. Royce is another Lamar Odom. A true Point-Forward who can handle it. We would obviously get at least 1 other player, maybe 2 thrown in there. They would have to do Scola to match up salaries, and I would guess as a salary dump they could do Trevor Ariza since Marvin plays the same position. Smith replaces Scola and they get rid of one drafted guy.
I think that’s the best value we could get for Smith. Scola is a proven talent who will hit the boards and has proven he’s not against playing on a second unit. He wouldn’t come in and need to start. He could be a solid second unit leader behind Horford in some kind of offense that runs through the PF, much like SA’s did through Duncan the whole time Ferry was there……….
northcyde
July 1st, 2012
1:31 am
Rusty
July 1st, 2012
1:24 am
Nortcyce get real how many times will jj play like crap in the playoffs before you stop kissing his butt. JJ is a large part of what is wrong with our offense. To get rid of JJ without also getting rid of LD is not enough.
***********************
Crusty, in no part of this discussion have you seen me type the words “I don’t want to trade Joe Johnson”. Unlike most of the Josh Smith backers, who don’t want that guy traded for anyone but Dwight Howard.
My stance is simply get assets more than just expiring contracts for JJ.
And JJ isn’t the only thing wrong with our offense. We have one of the worst open shooters in the league jacking up 25% of his shots playing the PF spot, when he needs to be working on his post offense almost exclusively.
JJ’s main problem is that he needs to think quicker and shoot the damn ball. Not dribble until the Spalding label fades off of it. But he’s definitely failed in the playoffs. Trade him for some other guy who may can perform better, or trade him for multiple assets.
That’s been my stance.
This team is not better with JJ gone, and no one to adequately replace him. I mean, unless everyone is behind the John Jenkins draft pick now, and feel he can be a budding young star in the league?
Most of you have no plan to replace JJ, other than to simply get him out of here. Championship teams aren’t built like that. Ferry probably has a decent plan in place though. We’ll see.
Romper Stomper 79
July 1st, 2012
1:32 am
Chipper for Vice -President!
Hawks Blog Legend Worldwide Clyde
July 1st, 2012
1:34 am
*YAWN*
Echevarria
July 1st, 2012
1:35 am
Northcyde are you serious!? We wouldn’t be better without Joe Johnson? His ball-stopping dribbling is what kills our flow.
Now, don’t think I’m taking away from him as a basketball player by saying that. He doesn’t fit the group of players we have. Joe would play very well in NJ with a great PG to set him up in DWill. He just isn’t the face of a franchise and a go to guy. He’ll be a great Pippen to somebody. That’s the problem in Atlanta, we tried to make him Jordan. Our team is full of Pippens and no Jordan’s to lead it.
Although, I could argue that Horford (under the team-building type of Ferry) could be our Jordan-esque player, but I would equate Horford more to our Duncan since Ferry came from SA and Duncan is the greatest PF of all-time and a 5 time champion. I think Horford, on a team similarly constructed to the Spurs, could follow a career trajectory of Tim Duncan. he’s got the skills and work ethic.
Hawks Blog Legend Worldwide Clyde
July 1st, 2012
1:35 am
Let’s replace Joe with Marvin
northcyde
July 1st, 2012
1:36 am
P.J.Openhiemer
July 1st, 2012
1:24 am
Horford guards Lebron LMAO
Al cant protect the rim and doesnt want to. tiny nate robinson and tony parker showcase over Al and you expect Al to guard Lebron?
Its thought like that the lead the hawks to the lottery
******************
Silly comment.
If Lebron is going to play more PF, Horford would have to guard him. But that means that Lebron will have to guard Horford. We’ll see if Lebron can play post defense and possibly get in foul trouble. Or better yet, throw a bigger lineup at him with Zaza and Gasol, and force Lebron to guard Gasol.
If the Heat plan to play Lebron at the 4, they’ll see more zone than ever. Teams won’t look to do like the Thunder did, and try to play them head up. You throw zones at them and force them to shoot over top of it. Force D-Wade to make a mid-range jumper.
P.J.Openhiemer
July 1st, 2012
1:36 am
Josh is a power forward / small forward and so that trade will never happen and its stupid to waste ink thinking it would.
Al is a center/(want to be) powerforward as is Gasol. The only problem is noboody is going to give up a Gasol for a Al horford. In fact you cant get a Lopez for AL. You cannot get an impact player for Al so why would we want to build around a player who clearly doesnt have much value? That logic keeps us stuck in mediocrity.
Trading Josh for Gasol is weak and stupid and why Sund ultimately got fired, for idiotic thoughts. I keep up and coming PF/SF at 26 and pass on that trade for Center Gasol at 31. Now if you can get both players on the same team…. Put Josh and Gasol on your front line then you have upgraded.
Josh and Gasol > Al and GasoL
Im Glad Danny Ferry is not as stupid as these bloggers.
Najeh Davenpoop
July 1st, 2012
1:36 am
“Gasol is the better offensive player. Josh is the better defensive player. It depends on whether a person believes who is the better all around player. What player will fit the team better chemistry wise.”
I have actually conceded on multiple occasions that as individual players, Gasol is probably slightly better than Josh. That still doesn’t defeat my point or prove yours. You are essentially saying one of two things:
1) that replacing Josh with Gasol will have a large enough positive impact on this team to raise this team’s ceiling by two playoff rounds. Gasol has done nothing to indicate he can have that kind of impact, even if we accept for the purpose of this argument that he is a better individual player.
Or
2) that you don’t particularly care about winning a title and you just want some good player to replace Josh and maintain the status quo of being a pretty good winning team that has no chance of being a serious contender.
Hawks Blog Legend Worldwide Clyde
July 1st, 2012
1:36 am
Staring Lineup
Teague-Marvin-Smoove-Horford-Zaza
362437
July 1st, 2012
1:37 am
DO9562
richy
July 1st, 2012
1:39 am
The difference between Josh and Gasol offensively. Gasol makes the mid range jumper, smith bricks it. Smith is going to walk at the end of the season anyway. Try to get at least something for him right?
Slimjr
July 1st, 2012
1:40 am
Lebron vs. Horford
Oh the Humanity!!!!!
Lebron 45 Horford 17 zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
northcyde
July 1st, 2012
1:41 am
LOL @ JJ kills our flow . . . like we have a flow to begin with.
Our “flow” is to pass the ball to an open man for a jumpshot, regardless if he can shoot it or not.
Once again, I can post stats in which I can prove that JJ in Isolation made a higher percentage of shots than a lot of these “flow” guys when they got wide open spot up shots. But stats are po-po’d around here when it proves a point.
Slimjr
July 1st, 2012
1:43 am
Joe appears to have lost a step, perhaps two?
Drizzy
July 1st, 2012
1:44 am
The athleticism and defense of Javale McGee attracts me, offer this guy a contract and lets see what Denver does..
Poor Richard
July 1st, 2012
1:46 am
Actually Josh shot the mid range very well and carried this team this year. Its the 3 ball that he struggles with…..
northcyde
July 1st, 2012
1:47 am
Najeh Davenpoop
July 1st, 2012
1:36 am
“Gasol is the better offensive player. Josh is the better defensive player. It depends on whether a person believes who is the better all around player. What player will fit the team better chemistry wise.”
I have actually conceded on multiple occasions that as individual players, Gasol is probably slightly better than Josh. That still doesn’t defeat my point or prove yours. You are essentially saying one of two things:
1) that replacing Josh with Gasol will have a large enough positive impact on this team to raise this team’s ceiling by two playoff rounds. Gasol has done nothing to indicate he can have that kind of impact, even if we accept for the purpose of this argument that he is a better individual player.
Or
2) that you don’t particularly care about winning a title and you just want some good player to replace Josh and maintain the status quo of being a pretty good winning team that has no chance of being a serious contender.
**************
1) I’m saying that because Gasol plays more like a PF, that it will give the team as a whole to step up to that next level. Teague will get the ball after a defensive rebound is made. Gasol will go to the post and take 25% of his shots via post ups. Horford will finally get to play PF the vast majority of the time, possibly raising his level of play. And JJ’s efficiency may increase because we have better offensive weapons surrounding him. Instead of ISO-everything, he will be able to play more freer.
2) I firmly believe that Gasol can and will elevate us into a serious contender because of all of the things I mentioned in 1). And Gasol does not have to be the best player on the team for that to happen. He simply has to be more efficient than the guy he replaced, and still be the good ( but not great ) all around player on defense that he already is. It is you who does not believe that. We’ll never know who is right because the trade will never happen.
362439
July 1st, 2012
1:48 am
enter your comments here;
http://makeitrain.tv/
Road Rage
July 1st, 2012
1:49 am
Id love to have JaVale here but that means we keep Josh, again
Josh and JaVale > Al and JaVale
Drizzy
July 1st, 2012
1:51 am
@Worldwide Clyde, what a weak starting lineup!!
362439
July 1st, 2012
1:52 am
Al, Camel, and JaVale > JSmoove and JaVale’s Mom
northcyde
July 1st, 2012
1:53 am
Poor Richard
July 1st, 2012
1:46 am
Actually Josh shot the mid range very well and carried this team this year. Its the 3 ball that he struggles with….
***********************
Josh shot 37% on shots 16 – 23 feet during the regular season, which is damn good for him . . . but the league average for everybody else.
On total jumpshots, he shot just under 33%
And when over 50% of your shots are jumpers, and you are the PF on the team, that is not good. If he continues to play like that, yeah, trade JJ because we’re not going to win anything anyway. But trade JJ for assets who can possibly make jumpers and/or rebound Josh’s misses.
Josh Smith Jumpshooting
362439
July 1st, 2012
1:53 am
Clyde hit his head against that Brazilian rack…
HawkKingBibby
July 1st, 2012
1:53 am
Joe and Marvin for Gasol and World Peace. We get a decent center with 2 years less than JJ contract wise and Peace guards Lebron.
362440
July 1st, 2012
1:55 am
Hey Clyde it’s your patriotic duty to hit your head against home grown racks….
prison mike
July 1st, 2012
1:57 am
“With no deal is close to completion, sources say the teams are discussing trade on multiple fronts.”
http://basketball.realgm.com/wiretap/221919/Nets_Hawks_Discussing_Joe_Johnson_Trade
Have to revise what I said earlier. Since Crook is so much under the cap, they could essentially take Joe without trading anyone.
The nets are basically offering cap space for Joe and Ferry would probably like Brooks. Since joe plays heavy minutes and an iron man, they would only need one of Brooks or Morrow.
If they keep their assets, they could offer Lopez, Brooks/Morrow, future picks for Dwight and still get their big 3.