Report: Marvin Williams wants out (OK, what’s the joke?)
There haven't been enough moments like this from Marvin Williams. (AP photo)
The Hawks have enough other issues now, with injuries to Al Horford, Jason Collins and Joe Johnson (who couldn’t finish Monday’s loss at Chicago because of a knee injury).
But here’s one more problem — or maybe it’s actually comic relief.
According to ESPN’s Chris Broussard — and I caution all to not treat this with Woodward-and-Bernstein reliability — Hawks forward Marvin Williams wants out. Quoting directly from Broussard’s “True Hoop” blog: “Frustration abounds in Atlanta right now, and sources say Marvin Williams wants out because he wants to play somewhere where he’ll have an increased role offensively. Williams is averaging just 9.6 points per game, his lowest since his rookie season.”
Let’s assume for a minute (or as long as it takes to finish this blog) that this true. Question: Seriously? I know Broussard covers the NBA but this items cries for some context.
This is Williams’ seventh NBA season. He has been a bust. Forget for a moment that the astrophysicist, former general manager Billy Knight, passed up Chris Paul to take Williams. There’s still an expectation that the second pick in the NBA draft will be a solid-to-great player, but Williams hasn’t been close to that.
It’s true that his scoring average of 9.6 points is the lowest of his career. But let’s not suggest that he has been an 18-to-20-scorer in the NBA. His annual averages: 8.5, 13.1, 14.8, 13.9, 10.1, 10.4, 9.6. Career average: 11.6.
Williams has been almost a full-time starter since year two. He has played 458 games. I think we all know by know what he can do.
In 2009, general manager Rick Sund gave Williams, then a free agent, a five-year, $37.5 million contract extension. I’m sure the thought at the time was that, after four years, maybe the small forward would turn all of that athletic ability into something good. But that hasn’t happened. So the Hawks are now stuck with an underwhelming player who makes $7.5 million this season, $8.2875 million next year and a $7.5 million player option in 2013-14.
In other words, Marvin, if you really want out, we hereby give you permission to pick up the phone and find a team that’s interested.
By Jeff Schultz
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245 comments Add your comment
cp
February 21st, 2012
12:24 pm
The problem is Marvin has such low trade value that the Hawks wont be able to get much for him. Dude has been given every opportunity to succeed but has been average at best. They should have moved on from him years ago but it always seemed as if they didn’t want to admit they made a mistake in drafting him .
ATl Flavor
February 21st, 2012
12:31 pm
Well if you think the Hawks were a mess before, this will surely help. The Hawks are not really that bad as a team. But with all the infighting moaning and complaining they are going from at least a playoff team to just a team in the NBA lottery. A little humility would go along way for these guys. But it is probably too late for that to do any good. The Hawks need to change the culture of Basketball in Atlanta. They were going in the right direction in 2007, but now it is the blind leading the blind. Does Drew ever sleep??? He looks like he hasn’t slept since the 80’s.
Big Mal
February 21st, 2012
12:31 pm
We need to send M Williams, 2012 1st draft pick, and Hinrich to New Orleans for Chris Kaman and Donald Sloan. You throw Donald Sloan in the mix to make the salary numbers work. I believe both teams get what they need, Atlanta needs a big man who can score in the low post and rebound. New Orleans gets an expiring contract, a draft pick and Williams to build its team. If you get Horford back, you can move him to PF and Josh Smith to SF.
John
February 21st, 2012
12:36 pm
Has anyone calling for a Kaman trade seen him play the past couple of seasons? Not very impressive. I guarantee you that if Marvin gets traded we will see tons of improvement in his game. I am not saying all-star, but we will it will make us even more frustrated with our coaches.
layinlow
February 21st, 2012
12:39 pm
moboman, it’s true that hindsight is 20/20 and there definently was a lot of buzz about marvin coming out of college. However, billy knight and crew made one huge blunder in their evaluation of Marvin. When they brought him in they absolutely refused to work him out against other top prospects or any other player for that matter. When he worked out for the hawks he came in and shot jump shots and they fell in love with his magnificent form and “potential”. I distinctly remember thinking they should watch him go against some athletic defenders to see if he could beat somebody off the dribble or post a guy up and score. But nope they didn’t, they chose to watch him workout against the air. I think knight was afraid that Marvin might not perform well and that could have brought some doubt within the org about drafting him. Knight believed that Marvin would grow as a player and he was wrong. It was obvious to me his rookie season that he wasn’t explosive enough athleticly to ever be a great NBA player. Watching him go up against intense competition before drafting him could have made that obvious to hawks management as well.
kbb
February 21st, 2012
12:39 pm
@John
I’ve seen Marvin play for 5 years. Not very impressive either. At least Kaman is a true center. Marvin is the most mediocre player ive ever seen.
UGASlobberknocker
February 21st, 2012
12:45 pm
This is the definition of addition by subtraction. Can we just cut him loose today? Or maybe we could get a couple of brats and a cold beer if we trade him to Milwaukee..well prob not , those brats are pretty good.the Bucks may want Joe Johnson too. OK.
UGASlobberknocker
February 21st, 2012
12:46 pm
Dear Marvin.
there is the door. please don’t let it hit your big butt on the way out.
dap01
February 21st, 2012
12:48 pm
Where is Marvin now? I heard he had a death in the family? Or is he simply AWOL?
UGASlobberknocker
February 21st, 2012
12:54 pm
His game died. about 4 yrs ago
UGASlobberknocker
February 21st, 2012
12:57 pm
to the guy who mentioned Sam Bowie was a worse draft choice than Marvin. That is true. Thank goodness the Hawks drafted low that year or they prob would have drafted Bowie too.
Joe Johnson Quit On His Team Because He Know He Sucks
February 21st, 2012
1:00 pm
lmao marvin take that walk on somewhere elese we dont care
dap01
February 21st, 2012
1:01 pm
Can you imagine if your only coaches was Woodson and Larry. No wonder Marvin has not developed.
Gwinnett Fred
February 21st, 2012
1:07 pm
Ask Marvin if he is OK with just tearing up his current contract and becoming an immediate free agent.
After he gets thru laughing all the way to the bank tell him to STFU about wanting out!
Joe Johnson should skip All-Star Game for Hawks' sake | Jeff Schultz
February 21st, 2012
1:07 pm
[...] Earlier: Marvin Williams wants out of Atlanta? (OK, what’s the joke?) [...]
jroll1
February 21st, 2012
1:08 pm
CAN WE GET THIS COMPLETED BEFORE THE CLOSE OF BUSINESS TODAY!!!! THANKS BILLY….NO CHRIS PAUL….MARVIN IS A BUST!!!!
Bama Mike
February 21st, 2012
1:08 pm
Remember back when they announced the hiring of Rick Sund as GM. The populace was if we want medocrity then he is your man. Well looks like he has certainly got us there. The fact he hired Bob Weiss for a third time was enough to eliminate him.
NCBravesFan
February 21st, 2012
1:10 pm
Marvin, I wish we knew how to quit you.
Gwinnett Fred
February 21st, 2012
1:10 pm
On a somewhat different note, but still related – the ASG sold the wrong team. If they kept the Thrashers and afforded them the same payroll as the Hawks, within 2 years that team would have immediately become the best bet for the next Atlanta championship.
Yes, I am a Hawks fan – but going to an NBA game where you team has no identity, star appeal or serious chance at going all the way is just nowhere near the cost of going. The NHL is different – there is a passion in a hockey fan base that does not exist in basketball – but you HAVE to put a winning product on the ice and sadly the ASG never really cared!
J.J.M.
February 21st, 2012
1:10 pm
I see marvin is not that bright..if they tried to trade him before maybe there’s no trades because you suck marvin? clearly no team wants to trade for you!
LakeDawg
February 21st, 2012
1:11 pm
Williams wants to quit the Hawks? That’s not news. He quit a long time ago. I guess he’s just verbalizing it now.
BTW I say trade the Hawks whole starting line up, minus Horford, for a #1 draft pick.
cp
February 21st, 2012
1:14 pm
@layinlow. great post. I always said that if Marvin had to work out against competition his game would have been exposed. What made it worse was that he was so out of shape he couldn’t finish his workout. I watched a lot of UNC games that one year Marvin was there and I never saw this potential that the experts were talking about. He never had any “wow” moments or games that would make you think he could be a great player one day. People fell in love with the form on his jumper and his length. I always thought the Williams kid playing in front of Marvin was better. The same issues he has now he had back in UNC. He had trouble finishing, bad hands, and a weak handle. The only thing Marvin has added to his game that he never had was the 3 point range. It was just too many red flags with Marvin coming out to me. He didn’t look super athletic, wasn’t great at anything in particular on the court, wasn’t a great finisher, wasn’t a great ballhandler.. When I watched Durant in college I knew he had it. He had plenty of moments where you thought “dude is going to be a problem in the League”. I never watched a Carolina game and thought Marvin was anything special.
I MUS WRITE
February 21st, 2012
1:20 pm
Is this a joke? I wish he wanted out before we gave him a contract he didnt deserve. This guy is dillusional -I cant think of one team where he would be the 1st or 2nd option….Maybe N.O.
Get gone homie the fan base will rejoice when u leave. Horrible pick -below average SF. All he does is shoot -cant post up, cant take his man off the dribble. Goofy in the open court -stumblin bumblin …….
TylerThe Creator
February 21st, 2012
1:28 pm
GTFO here Marvin, nobody in Atlanta cares about you
jay
February 21st, 2012
1:28 pm
Send this fool packing. He is absolutely worthless. I’ve never seen someone miss so many easy baskets at the rim. His only game now is a jump shot that is sometimey at best. Well heill we have enough jump shooters already.
superiorblogman
February 21st, 2012
1:32 pm
Anyone with sense should want out. Spare young Teague and trade him away with Marvin.
Leave the team to the fake superstar Joe and the fake wanna-be all-star Josh.
Trade Al also before he is totally ruined.
Blow it up you DumbSundofaGM
Scrate Up
February 21st, 2012
1:39 pm
I almost fell outta my chair when I read this. You mean to tell me that Marvin thinks that he can be a better player ? Then may I ask him why when he IS in the games he does absolutely nothing ? The few times he gets the ball he eithers misses a layup or turns the ball over. Unbelievable…
ryan
February 21st, 2012
1:41 pm
The core has cracked time to blow it i agree with everyone we should play for the lottery .
moboman
February 21st, 2012
1:42 pm
@layinlow, No argument here. My only point was that there were some hesitation issues about CP3 as well at the time. The Hawks gambled huge on his potential and were wrong. Lets not forget these were the same BOZO’s that took Shelden Wililams much higher than anyone thought he should have gone. Imagine what might have been if we hadnt wasted these two picks, and instead of drafted for need.
Scrate Up
February 21st, 2012
1:42 pm
Can somebody tell Joe johnson that he’s making $24 million a year to be the leading scorer,best player on the team ? Willie Green is playing better than JJ right now. Hawks owners & Sund are incompetent when it comes to evaluating talent. Marvin Williams couldn’t even make a team that I was the coach of.
Melvin Flowers
February 21st, 2012
1:43 pm
The Hawks are so sorry they are not worth watching sale the dam team if not going to improve what needed.
STRETCH
February 21st, 2012
1:44 pm
What do you want me to say?” Josh Smith said in response to Drew’s comments. “I’ve said all along that we have some things that need to be cleaned up. That’s no secret. But it’s going to take more than one or two guys to do it. And we can’t just talk the talk, we have to be about it, too.”
This folks, coming from a guy you continues to shoot the ball when he is the only one in the arena that thinks he can!
Marvin wants out but nobody wants him.
T-Mac is just getting started stirring things up. We havent heard the last people.
Al is out for the season, the back up center is handicapped, one on the injured list and one they dont use.
The “Superstar” is suddenly and suspiciously ailing.
A PG who looks lost
A coach who is in over his heels and a GM thats more blind than Mr. MacGoo.
Then on top of that, the schedule gets worse. Stick a fork in them, this is the final run for the so called “Core.”
Scrate Up
February 21st, 2012
1:45 pm
Drafting Marvin Williams & Shelden Williams (the Williams suck brothers) tells everyone that the Hawks cannot evaluate talent.
Joe
February 21st, 2012
1:46 pm
Marvin, “you ain’t gone yet”? Can I help you pack? The worst #2 pick in NBA history. Wake up, you have no value and won’t start on any other team!
ryan
February 21st, 2012
1:46 pm
We drafted Paul Gasol then traded him passed on Chris Paul now it blowing up in ASG face this franchise is a joke .
Scrate Up
February 21st, 2012
1:47 pm
You know, the saddest part is that at the time the Hawks drafted Marvin Williams (SF) they needed a point guard and had 5 small forwards (SF’s). Now what imbecile decides to draft another small forward when you need a point guard and Chris Paul and Deron Williams are available ?
moboman
February 21st, 2012
1:51 pm
The same imbecile that drafts Shelden when we need another forward like a hole in the head.
STRETCH
February 21st, 2012
1:53 pm
What do you want me to say?” Josh Smith said in response to Drew’s comments. “I’ve said all along that we have some things that need to be cleaned up. That’s no secret. But it’s going to take more than one or two guys to do it. And we can’t just talk the talk, we have to be about it, too.”
The words of Josh Smith folks. A guy who night in and night out thinks he is the best shooter in gym…What a joke!
Superstar JJ is a wanna be, has been but now franchise player for franchise that calls itself a franchise.
PG is lost without a clue. Backup PG playing like he just got in the league. 3rd stringer played better them combined yesterday. So basically they are back to not knowing who the PG is again.
A duck thats lost its quack and now walking even funnier!
T-Mac is just getting started. Got a feeling we havent heard the last from him.
A backup center with limited physical ability who tries but seems to be constantly in the way.
A coach and a GM who remind me of the Commissioner and the Chief of police from Batman who continually bumbles and stumbles their way through everything.
This team is done.
R. Royce
February 21st, 2012
1:54 pm
You wait and see-if Marvin is traded and plays for a good coach and then his career takes off-then who are the Hawks fans going to point to then. Don’t get me wrong-he’s been playin like crap for a long time-but with who? There are some players on this Hawks team-that would be playing better with another team under the right circumstances. Even Joe, yes-even Joe-played better when he was out west with Nash, Stodoumire, and the Matrix-in an offense with Mike D’Antoni. Marvin-as sorry as he is playing (I’m not defending him), would thrive in Mike D’Antoni’s offense or Erik Spoelstra’s offense, or Stan Van Gundy, or Doug Collins, Tom Thibodeau, Rick Carlisle, and even former coaches-Pat Riley, Phil Jackson, and “The Telestrator”-Mike Fratello. You see where I’m going; wrong player? Maybe. Wrong Team-duh, yea. Wrong player, team, GM, owner? H 2 the yea-ah! Remember-if this team is broken up and major Hawks players go to other teams in playoff contention, then IMO-most all will revive their careers outside of this Hawks organization. Iso-Joe would be the only one who-after his contract expires-will retire a very rich man. That is why it’s paramont to see this team. Keeping this team in Atlanta? Well, that’s another chapter in another book.
CJCJ
February 21st, 2012
1:55 pm
Maybe Michael Jordan wants him and think he is box office for Charlotte. So I would trade Marvin to Charlotte for Kemba Walker or DJ Augustine.
OH NO
February 21st, 2012
1:57 pm
What will we do without Marvin? BWHAAAAAAAAAAAAAH
Jimmy Crack
February 21st, 2012
1:59 pm
Trade Marvin for Kate Upton. Both bigtime busts, but at least Kate can play with a sore back.
3dub
February 21st, 2012
1:59 pm
LOL – does anyone get their shot blocked more than Marvin?
pointguardslim
February 21st, 2012
2:03 pm
No Marvin Williams, who was out due to a death in the family.
No Joe Johnson in the fourth quarter, that recurring tendinitis in his left knee flared up again.
No Al Horford, you know he’s out for the season with that torn pectoral muscle.
And no relief in sight for the Hawks, who lost again Monday, this time a 90-79 setback to the Chicago Bulls at the United Center in a game that produced far more tense situations after the action ended.
In what can only be described as calling his team out, usually reserved Hawks Coach Larry Drew lobbed a few shots at his team in the aftermath of their latest lukewarm effort.
“We as a team, sometimes, we come out and play with a sense of urgency; sometimes we don’t,” Drew said. “That’s something we’ve done this year. You can’t play like that.
“Nobody is to blame, but everybody is to blame. We all have to put ourselves in one foxhole and figure it out together.”
Drew’s words might have resonated with the media and may do the same with fans, but the locker room reception was just as lukewarm as the Hawks’ performance against the Bulls.
“What do you want me to say?” Josh Smith said in response to Drew’s comments. “I’ve said all along that we have some things that need to be cleaned up. That’s no secret. But it’s going to take more than one or two guys to do it. And we can’t just talk the talk, we have to be about it, too.”
————
Maybe it would be better to put Josh Smith as your glue guy instead of Marvin Williams. Just saying.
Runs the wing faster. Finishes stronger. Better Post Moves. Rebounds better. Start Ivan at PF and Zaza.
You’re 3 guard lineups are attrocious Drew. What happened to running? And you need your bigs to rebound so you can run. Josh Smith is too busy being sent to the boards and boxing out PFs to run the wing. we got Darkwing Duck running the wings, Hinrich jogging with no finishing ability, Joe isnt overly athletic.
Its funny according to draftexpress Marvin Williams has not developed an iota (outside of 3 pt range) and he is the exact opposite of Josh Smith.
The Hawks have another shot at getting their act together in New York on Wednesday, where they will get their first dose of “Linsanity.”
“It’s put up or shut up time for us,” Smith said. “That’s just where we are right now.”
pointguardslim
February 21st, 2012
2:06 pm
Jeff can you put up an article about the advantages of the Hawks moving Josh Smith to the small forward?
3dub
February 21st, 2012
2:07 pm
If I hear one of these loser Hawk players say “we didn’t come out with a sense of urgency” again, I’ll scream!!
Statick
February 21st, 2012
2:09 pm
Seriously, Marvin? Seriously? Dude, I never wanted you here as a Hawk, and if the Hawks could get something (anything) for you, I’d be the first to cheer your departure, but GET REAL. Live up to your contract or shut your pie-hole.
3dub
February 21st, 2012
2:10 pm
All that bum Marvin does is hang out in the corner behing the 3-point line – maybe if he tried posting someone up or moving his big butt he would be more involved in the offense.
Move Them To Winnipeg
February 21st, 2012
2:11 pm
Man….You know the Hawks have really hit rock bottom when Duck Butt wants out.
Dawglasville
February 21st, 2012
2:18 pm
Dear Marvin,
PEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAACE!
Most sincerely,
Atlanta Hawks Fans