For the second time this summer, the Hawks and Bruno Fernando have reached an agreement to push back his salary guarantee date, reports Brad Rowland of Locked on Hawks (via Twitter).
The two sides originally postponed Fernando’s guarantee date from June 29 to July 10. According to Rowland, the new guarantee date is August 1.
Lauren L. Williams of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported earlier on Wednesday that the Hawks and Fernando were discussing postponing the deadline again.
Fernando has some incentive to give Atlanta more time with the decision if it increases his odds of remaining on the roster and earning his full $2.72MM salary for 2024/25. In 2023, Atlanta moved Fernando’s salary guarantee deadline from June 29 to July 10, then ultimately kept him on the roster, guaranteeing his full $2.58MM salary for ’23/24.
The 34th pick of the 2019 draft after two college seasons at Maryland, Fernando has appeared in 203 regular season games over the course of his five-year NBA career, having suited up for Atlanta, Boston and Houston. Most of those appearances (142) have come with the Hawks.
A 6’9″ center from Angola who possesses a 7’3″ wingspan, Fernando didn’t play much at all in the first half of last season, appearing in just 13 of Atlanta’s first 49 games for an average of 6.5 minutes per contest. However, he was thrust into a larger role down the stretch due to a series of frontcourt injuries, averaging 7.6 PPG and 5.2 RPG while shooting 59.4% from the floor and 70.1% from the line over his final 32 games (18.7 MPG).
Not sure why he’s agreeing to this. The numbers crunch at the 4 and 5 are real in Atlanta. He’s just delaying the inevitable IMO
He wants to come back & the team want him back but 1st they gotta handle other business. They’re almost certainly not keeping Nance along with both our other 5s.
If the team wants him back then they should just guarantee his salary. That’s kind of the whole point. Delaying it is just them saying “I’m not sure”
Why wouldn’t they keep Nance? That leaves a big man rotation of Johnson, Capela, Okongwu and Nance.
I agree. I’d keep Nance over Fernando. Fernando, to me, is the last guy on the totem pole and I think he eventually gets cut.
They should either move Capela and keep him or let him go. ATL not winning anything anyways.
Could this signal they’re working on dealing Capela?
Yes, they are still trying to move Capela and his expiring contract. The Knicks offered two firsts for Kessler. Maybe the Knicks can gain some traction on a Capela trade with Atlanta.
Kessler is on a rookie deal.
Capela is making $20 million they don’t have the cap to take him. They are not moving Randle for him and Mitch still leaves a hole.
Kessler would have been picks and possible S&T of Precious or use Sims to match.
BRILLIANT !!!!
Ughh another 6’8 midget C
He is a PF