The Hawks have informed veteran guard Marco Belinelli that he is “on course” to be traded by the Thursday deadline, Marc Stein of The New York Times writes.
At this point, Stein writes, the team is weighing its options as to where exactly to send him.
Earlier this evening, Michael Cunningham of The Atlanta Journal Constitution wrote that Belinelli was held out of Tuesday’s game against the Grizzlies because they didn’t want to risk him getting injured prior to a deal.
Sam Amick of USA Today adds, in his own tweet, that there is no done deal at this point in time but the team is confident enough in its “several options” to sit him.
There’s no clear indication who Atlanta would be most actively engaged with at this point but it’s likely that the club is shopping the 31-year-old to the highest bidder.
In his 11th NBA season, Belinelli is averaging 11.4 points per game off the bench for the rebuilding Hawks, but his ability to get hot off the bench and connect from outside would serve numerous contending teams well.
Belinelli, a .377 career three-point shooter has hit at least two threes in 27 of the 52 games he’s played for Atlanta this season. His expiring $6.6MM contract is palatable, too.
Raptors
No
Could he get a first rounder? Or just a second?
If he gets us a first, that’d be awesome! But my expectations are either a 2nd or a young player who has upside, but not in his teams current rotation.
I’d rather the young player with upside than the 2nd round pick. It seems most 2nd round picks end up being rights to overseas players we never see.
I get that…. however at this point I think the hawks are stock piling them in an Foote to use them and their late 1rst ( from Hou) to move up. Or to get another 1rst. It all works together!
Bagley or Ayton?
Bagley or Young for me …
I Go Bagley at #1. Young comes in play at around pick # 3 for me.