ATLANTA (AP) — Josh Smith had 23 points and 15 rebounds, Al Horford also posted a double-double and the Atlanta Hawks beat Washington 104-95 on Friday night to keep the Wizards winless on the road.
Dec 072012
Nov 282012
ATLANTA — Josh Smith scored 17 points — 13 of them in the third quarter — Al Horford scored 17 and the pair pulled down 12 and 11 rebounds, respectively, as the Atlanta Hawks held off the Charlotte Bobcats 94-91 on Wednesday night at Phillips Arena.
Nov 232012
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Al Horford and Jeff Teague both had double-doubles as the Atlanta Hawks held off a late rally to beat the Charlotte Bobcats 101-91 on Friday night.
Jul 122012
When the Atlanta Hawks shipped off Joe Johnson to the Brooklyn Nets and Marvin Williams to the Utah Jazz, it seemed as though new general manager Danny Ferry was entering into rebuilding mode, clearing cap space for the future.
However, the addition of Lou Williams on a multiyear deal proves that Ferry’s squad isn’t going to be content to sit at home and watch as the postseason unfolds.
Even if the master plan is still to land both Dwight Howard and Chris Paul in free agency next year—outlandish as that may seem—signing the Philadelphia 76ers‘ reigning scoring champion and PER leader guarantees the Hawks a return to the playoffs for the sixth straight season.
The loss of Johnson is going to hurt. There’s no doubt about that.
For all the grief he took about his exorbitant contract, Johnson was the Hawks’ best and most consistent player. He’s the one that took the team to a new level.
Now it’s up to Lou to make up for the loss of scoring punch as he tries to earn the favor of his hometown fans.
Assuming that no more significant moves are made, here’s how the Hawks lineup should look:
Point guard: Jeff Teague, Lou Williams*
Shooting guard: Devin Harris, John Jenkins, DeShawn Stevenson
Small Forward: Anthony Morrow, Mike Scott
Power forward: Josh Smith, Jordan Williams
Center: Al Horford, Zaza Pachulia, Keith Benson
*Sixth man
While that’s obviously not the lineup of a title contender, it should be strong enough for the Hawks to earn the seventh or eighth seed in the Eastern Conference, a task that usually only requires a record of just about .500.
Al Horford, when healthy, is an All-Star, while Josh Smith has been snubbed for a while now. With an even larger role on the team this season, I have to expect Smoove to finally get that elusive bid.
Teague and Harris form an undersized backcourt, but a potent one, especially with scorers like Williams and Jenkins coming off the bench.
The Hawks should have already been considered a contender for a playoff spot, despite the losses of Johnson and Williams, but this Lou signing pushes them over the top and makes them a lock for one of the eight berths in the postseason.
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Jul 102012
The Cleveland Cavaliers have officially taken themselves out of the Dwight Howard trade talks, at least for the time being. The Brooklyn Nets and Orlando Magic have been looking for a third or fourth team to help facilitate a trade for Dwight Howard.
The main hiccup is that the Magic want to unload some of their “bad” contracts in any Dwight Howard trade. The two teams interested in Howard as a rental (Atlanta and Houston) seem to be hung up on taking on those bad contracts because Howard could leave them in the free agency, and then those “bad” contracts are still on their team.
The quotation marks around bad are there because it’s relative to the team that acquires them. For example, Jason Richardson at six million dollars a year for three more years is a bad contract for a team that is rebuilding like the Magic.
But for a contending team looking to add pieces, it’s not such a bad contract. So a team like the Chicago Bulls could take some of those pieces away from the Magic in exchange for unloading one of their “bad” contracts on to whichever team takes Dwight Howard.
Carlos Boozer is, of course, the contract that I am referring to. Boozer was supposed to be Robin to Derrick Rose‘s Batman, but instead he’s just been Aquaman. Boozer isn’t nearly as bad as he is made out to be by Bulls fans. He is simply overpaid.
Boozer is in the top 40 in PER and in the top 25 of salaries. So while he is overpaid, it’s not as egregious as some might think.
Now PER isn’t everything, but Boozer’s PER this past year was better than those of Paul Pierce, Rajon Rondo, Zach Randolph, Rudy Gay and Chris Bosh (to name a few). I would personally rather have Rajon Rondo over Boozer no matter how much better Boozer’s PER is, but his high PER just illustrates the fact that he is not complete garbage.
Let’s get to the trade already.
Atlanta Hawks receive: Dwight Howard and Carlos Boozer.
Chicago Bulls receive: Hedo Turkoglu, Jason Richardson, Glen Davis and Quentin Richardson
Orlando Magic receive: Al Horford, Kyle Korver, Richard Hamilton, a first-round pick from Atlanta and a first-round pick from Chicago
Why Atlanta Does The Deal: They get a year to convince Dwight Howard to stay long-term in his hometown and play with two of his good friends in Josh Smith and Carlos Boozer. Not exactly the best big three, but only Boozer and John Jenkins would be on the Hawks’ salary cap for next year, so they would have flexibility to add more pieces to the puzzle.
If Howard were to leave the Hawks, they could do a sign-and-trade with that team and get some first-round picks back. Boozer isn’t exactly the person to build a team around, but neither is Al Horford.
The Hawks cleared up cap space to go after the likes of Howard and Paul in the next offseason. If they are left with neither as an option, then Josh Smith is most likely bolting for another team, and that would leave the Hawks with just Horford.
While Horford is better and younger than Boozer, he’s still not capable of putting a team on his back. He’s not at that superstar level, so why not roll the dice and try to land that superstar? If it backfires, then the Hawks really aren’t any worse off than they would be if they stand pat, but at least the possibility to jump to the next level is there if they take a risk.
Why Chicago Does the Deal: One of Chicago’s strengths last year was their depth. They already let go of CJ Watson and Ronnie Brewer in order to avoid paying the luxury tax, and they have till Sunday to decide on Kyle Korver and Saturday to decide on Omer Asik.
While Watson was replaced with Hinrich and Brewer most likely replaced with Jimmy Butler, the Bulls don’t have any room to add new pieces this year or going forward.
Turkoglu’s contract is only partially guaranteed for 2013-2014, so the Bulls would be able to save around nine million dollars off their salary cap. The Bulls will have to extend Taj Gibson so with Boozer gone, the Bulls can essentially split his money between Gibson and Davis.
Jason Richardson only makes a million more than Richard Hamilton but is three years younger and might be able to provide the stability at the two guard position that the Bulls have sorely lacked the past two seasons.
Quentin Richardson is pretty much dead weight but the Bulls can hold out hope that he can be a somewhat reliable floor spacer. Glen Davis is a quality backup at the power forward position, has playoff experience and knows Tom Thibodeau’s defensive schemes.
Why Orlando Does the Deal: Andrew Bynum would obviously be the Magic’s first choice; but if Bynum is unwilling to sign an extension, then this could be their next best option. Without another team to help the Brooklyn Nets take on Orlando’s bad contracts, they would only be able to do a Brook Lopez and draft picks for the Dwight Howard deal.
In addition to Al Horford and the two draft picks, the Magic would get immediate and future cap relief. They would shave 23 million dollars off of the books for this year—possibly more if this deal gets done before Sunday, and the Magic waive Korver. Then, it will only have Al Horford and a few small rookie deals on the books for 2013-2014.
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Jul 102012
Even though there is a proposed deal in place that would send Dwight Howard to the Brooklyn Nets for a ridiculous number of bodies and draft picks, it’s been reported that the Atlanta Hawks are still trying to stay in the mix for a potential “rental” of Dwight Howard.
If there is one thing that new Hawks GM Danny Ferry should avoid, it’s a trade for the never-happy Dwight Howard.
For one, we all see what Orlando will be receiving in the proposed deal with Brooklyn. The trade (which also involves the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Los Angeles Clippers) has Dwight Howard going to Brooklyn, of course, with Orlando receiving Nets center Brook Lopez, Damion James, Shelden Williams, Armon Johnson and a number of draft picks.
The Cavaliers would get Kris Humphries, Sundiata Gaines, a draft pick, and cash. MarShon Brooks would find himself suiting up in Los Angeles.
Orlando definitely would be smart to avoid making this potential deal.
The players involved won’t bring much more to the table, and the draft picks from Brooklyn and Los Angeles won’t be very high, as both teams aren’t slotted to be in the lottery any time soon with their dramatically improved rosters. Plus, the second best player in this deal, MarShon Brooks, somehow ends up in Los Angeles, not Orlando.
After reviewing the other trade, it would seem that Atlanta has a lot more to offer in a potential Howard deal, with the centerpieces likely being All-Star center Al Horford and underrated point guard Jeff Teague. Any deal with Orlando would force the Hawks to release Horford, who has just barely come back from a season-ending injury.
While it seems logical for the Magic to make this trade (Horford is obviously an upgrade over Lopez), it is not very logical for the Hawks.
They would be giving up a proven commodity who’s likely to remain with the team for the long haul for a superstar center who has publicly stated that he would only sign an extension with the Brooklyn Nets.
So is there really any point in giving up Al Horford for that?
I don’t think so.
What the Hawks would receive is a one-year commitment from an already disgruntled superstar who’s bound to leave them in free agency. Not only would he only be there for only one year, but it’s possible Howard would never really and truly commit to the organization, as his sights will be set on Brooklyn anyway.
While he may enjoy playing with Josh Smith for a year, there’s no guarantee he’ll want to stay for the long run. Sure, his hometown is in the Atlanta area, but we all saw what happened with the “hometown argument” with Deron Williams and the Dallas Mavericks.
Plus, there’s no question that the Hawks would love to avoid any of the drama that Dwight would almost definitely bring to the table. The Cavs may have had it bad a few years ago with LeBron James, but the Orlando Magic have had it insanely worse. Once a popular staple in Orlando, Magic fans are now calling for Howard to leave and never come back.
Atlanta should not want any piece of that pie.
Also, Danny Ferry is still in good graces with the fans in Atlanta. With Atlanta parting with disappointing and misused Marvin Williams and unloading the ridiculous Joe Johnson contract, Ferry has come across as a genius. He already seems like he knows what he’s doing, dismantling a roster that never really competed for much more than a second-round playoff berth.
A Dwight Howard “one-year rental” would not be doing him any favors in the long run. It’s a deal that must be avoided if Atlanta wants to return to prominence any time soon.
And any return to prominence for them must revolve around Al Horford.
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Jul 052012
Over the past few seasons, perception and reality have spun in very different directions for the Atlanta Hawks.
Five seasons of averaging 20-plus points per game made Joe Johnson a relatively well-known commodity, and his success in a role as Atlanta’s highest scorer—and go-to isolation option—earned him six consecutive All-Star nods.
But while Johnson’s standing as the preeminent Hawk was once completely valid, that classification hasn’t been all that accurate for years.
He’s a sturdy enough player, scorer and ball-handler, but Al Horford and Josh Smith ascended past Johnson long ago, even as Johnson’s highly difficult fadeaways and leaners led us to believe otherwise. He played the part of the franchise player even as his efficiency dwindled, making the mammoth contract the Hawks so generously awarded him that much more painful, and his repute that much more curious.
I don’t come to bury Johnson himself, merely the perception that the Hawks needed him; so few NBA players are “needed” for $89 million over the next four seasons, and though Atlanta had comfortably remained in the strange middle of the Eastern Conference pool, that deal sufficiently curbed any solution that Danny Ferry could conjure.
And so out went Joe, and in comes the highly unfamiliar but completely welcomed cap space. Horford and Smith were rather indisputably the best of the Hawks before Johnson’s deal, but now there’s hardly even a conversation. They, along with Jeff Teague, will give Ferry options and flexibility for a more stable rebuild—one that never would have been possible with that $124 million mistake still on the books.
This season the Hawks may regress ever so slightly without Johnson around. For all of his limitations, he was a productive player. When he deferred within the offense, Atlanta was actually quite potent. Things will be different without such a ball-dominant player around, and it’s entirely possible that the rest of the Hawks will have to grow into the expanded roles created by Johnson’s absence.
But this is a franchise made indisputably better by his absence, if only because the sudden void of salary offers more hope to Atlanta than Johnson ever could.
The Hawks have their two burgeoning All-Stars, a complementary prospect in Teague and oodles of cap space to play with in 2013. The stagnation that has hung with Atlanta for the last half-decade dissipated overnight, and while the Brooklyn Nets may have needed a player like Johnson to consummate the re-signing of Deron Williams, that doesn’t in any way negate the fact that the Hawks are better off without him.
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Jul 032012
The Atlanta Hawks have been very active on the trade front during the early free-agency period dealing Joe Johnson to the Brooklyn Nets and acquiring Devin Harris. The Hawks roster will have an entire different look at the start of the season, but they will have valuable assets that they may try to package in order to acquire Dwight Howard from the Orlando Magic. Although Howard had told ESPN he was not going to sign a contract extension with any team other than the Brooklyn Nets, it is possible that they could convince the All-Star center to sign long term.
The Hawks would likely have to deal both Al Horford and Jeff Teague, as well as another contract and possibly a draft pick to match values. Although they would be sacrificing two athletes with bright futures, they are set to replace them both if they were to be moved in a deal.
Al Horford would easily be replaced by the star power of Dwight Howard, who is not only a better fit at the center position but is one of the best defensive players in the league. Howard averaged 20.6 points on 57.3 percent shooting, 14.5 rebounds, 1.9 assists, and 2.1 blocks per game, which would be a great upgrade over Horford’s last few seasons with the Atlanta Hawks where he never averaged over 16 points or 10 rebounds per game. Howard will likely make another push for Defensive Player of the Year next season and would be the face of the franchise for the Hawks for years to come.
Although they would have to give up their young and talented point guard, Jeff Teague, the Hawks will be able to replace him quickly in the starting lineup by placing Devin Harris into the rotation. Although Harris is much older than Teague at 29 and had one of his worst seasons in recent memory last year, he still produced 11.3 points per game on 44.5 percent shooting, 5.0 assists, 1.8 rebounds and 1.0 steals. Teague posted slightly better stats last year, but it is likely that Harris will bring himself closer to his career averages that could put him ahead of Teague’s output.
The only issue with the deal is the possibility that Howard would not be interested in signing an extension with the Hawks, which would make a trade out of the question. The Hawks have a solid start at convincing Howard to stay long term, as Josh Robbins points out that Atlanta has two of his closest friends on the roster for next season:
The #Atlanta #Hawks now will have 2 of Dwight Howard’s best friends in the #NBA: Josh Smith and Anthony Morrow. #coincidence?
— Josh Robbins (@JoshuaBRobbins) July 2, 2012
If Dwight Howard would sign a long-term contract with the Atlanta Hawks, this deal could end up being Atlanta’s best chance of becoming a championship caliber team in the near future. With Howard on the team Atlanta could convince Josh Smith to return to the team long term and attempt to attain Chris Paul when his contract comes up at the end of the season. (They would have to get creative for CP3.) Expect to hear more rumors about Atlanta deals all week, as it is likely the Hawks will be looking to make at least one more trade in the near future.
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Jun 212012
In what could be one of the best draft classes in years, the Atlanta Hawks should trade Josh Smith to move up in the 2012 NBA draft.
Sam Amico of FoxSports.com reported on Tuesday:
The Hawks are said to be one team placing calls to improve their draft position. They currently own the No. 23 pick. One GM said the Hawks floated the names of both Josh Smith and Marvin Williams as potential trade chips.
Trade rumors have long been circulating around Smith and at some point a trade is going to have to be made. There are plenty of teams out there that would like to add a two-way player like Smith, who has the ability to guard both forward positions.
The Hawks still have Smith, point guard Jeff Teague, small forward Joe Johnson and center Al Horford under contract for next year, but they could lose as many as eight players this offseason. Jason Collins, Erick Dampier, Willie Green, Kirk Hinrich, Tracy McGrady, Jannero Pargo, Vladimir Radmanovic and Jerry Stackhouse are all unrestricted free agents.
In that respect, the Hawks need to fill out the roster, and adding a dynamic young player would be a good way to go. They need talent across the board, so moving up the draft to pick the best player available isn’t that bad of an idea. You also have Teague becoming an unrestricted free agent in 2013 if he isn’t re-signed, so you have to think about that.
Looking at this year’s draft class, there really isn’t much not to like. You have some players who have the potential to be flops, as always (Andre Drummond, Perry Jones III, Royce White), but even those players draw more questions based on their character concerns, not their talent. Compared to last year’s draft class overall, well, there is no comparison.
You have the ability to draft for need early on in the draft and still pick up an excellent prospect this year. There really shouldn’t be too much “reaching,” because most of the first-round prospects project to be impact players in the NBA anyway.
But if you draft for the best available player, you have an even better chance of picking up a future star. That’s what the Hawks should do, and dangling Smith is a great way to land an immediate starter early in the draft.
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Jun 202012
Boston Celtics free agent Ray Allen has already been linked to a number of clubs, most notably the Miami Heat and New York Knicks.
Though it’s ultimately unclear where Allen wants to be, he’s reportedly on the Atlanta Hawks’ wishlist of offseason targets according to FOXSportsOhio.com’s Sam Amico:
Don’t be surprised if the Hawks make a run at former Sixth Man of the Year Jamal Crawford, who spent the past season with the Trail Blazers. Ray Allen (Celtics) and Alonzo Gee (Cavs) are also said to be on their radar.
With free agent Kirk Hinrich potentially bolting from the Hawks’ backcourt, a shooter like Crawford or Allen makes a lot of sense.
Given Allen’s age, however, he could be more likely to play for the reduced rate of a mid-level exception. The Hawks obviously aren’t as likely as the Heat to contend, but they can at least promise the 36-year-old more playing time.
Whereas Dwyane Wade has the Heat’s off-guard position locked down, Joe Johnson could move over to the small-forward position, an adjustment that head coach Larry Drew already toyed this season.
Prior to coming up short against the Boston Celtics in the first round of the postseason, the Hawks made it to the Eastern Conference Semifinals for three-consecutive years. With a healthy Al Horford, next season may be a golden opportunity to return to that second round or perhaps do a bit better.
Having Allen on board would make such a prospect all the more probable.
Beyond his supremely-accurate, quick-release perimeter shot, Allen also has nerves of steal and the veteran playoff experience that could help put a team like Atlanta over the top.
And–as far as the Xs and Os go–Allen would help make speedy point guard Jeff Teague an even more dangerous threat to drive and kick the ball out to the three-point line. He’d immediately become the best spot-up shooter on ATL’s roster by a long shot, and his presence alone would help spread the floor.
Selling Allen on all this may be a different story altogether.
Unless he had assurances that the Hawks could otherwise improve the roster into a legitimate title contender, persuading him to give Atlanta a chance wouldn’t be easy.
Plausible or not, this is a scenario that makes good sense for both sides.
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