Hawks Notes: Capela, Collins, Young, Free Agency

Clint Capela hasn’t been able to play for the Hawks since being acquired in February, but he’s confident he would have been available if the team had been part of the restart in Orlando, writes Sarah K. Spencer of The Journal-Constitution. Capela has been sidelined since December by a heel injury he suffered when he was with the Rockets.

“Way, way, way better,” Capela said of the injury, which was diagnosed as plantar fasciitis and a right calcaneus contusion. “I’ve been taking care of it all this time. Now I really feel that my heel has really healed. So it doesn’t bother me when I walk around with it or when I work out, so far. I just can’t wait to go out there and play.” 

The Hawks were expecting Capela to miss the rest of the season before the hiatus began March 11. Three extra months of rest has him feeling ready to participate if the eight teams left out of Orlando are involved in a proposed mini-summer league.

“It’s going to help me to go back to the team,” Capela said, “have a lot of workouts with the guys, get together 5-on-5, get together for some 3-on-3, get to know each other better and it’ll definitely give me plenty of time to get ready for the next season.”

There’s more from Atlanta:

  • During a Zoom meeting with reporters Friday, John Collins expressed hope that the Hawks will give him a rookie-scale extension this offseason, according to Zach Hood of Peach Tree Hoops. Collins would like to get a deal done “sooner rather than later,” meaning he would prefer an extension now over becoming a restricted free agent next summer. “I just feel like the work I put in speaks for itself,” he said. “The other players who are doing what I’m doing are in contention for those things. It’s something hopefully we can come to an agreement to this summer because I feel like I’m definitely putting in a lot of work, showing my value, my worth.”
  • Trae Young told Malika Andrews of ESPN that he was angry when he learned the Hawks wouldn’t be part of the NBA restart, even though he understands the reasoning. “I was frustrated. Obviously I wanted to play,” he said. “I understand what the NBA did and respect their decision. But I am kind of upset because I want to play.”
  • The Hawks will need a successful season to have a chance of landing any of the impact free agents in 2021, writes Chris Kirschner of The Athletic. Atlanta could have close to $60MM to spend with a good young nucleus already in place, but Kirschner notes that stars want to go where they can win right away and the Hawks don’t have a strong history of attracting free agents.
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