Atlanta Hawks Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Stein’s Latest: Looney, Simons, Nurkic, Clippers, Wall, More

June 27th, 2022 at 2:42pm CST by Luke Adams

Teams interested in pursuing center Kevon Looney this offseason are increasingly pessimistic that they’ll be able to lure him away from the Warriors, league sources tell Marc Stein (Substack link). According to Stein, there’s an expectation that Looney will likely re-sign with Golden State on a multiyear deal when he becomes a free agent this week.

Stein writes that there has been similar pessimism from the teams with interest in making a run at Trail Blazers guard Anfernee Simons or center Jusuf Nurkic. Simons is a restricted free agent while Nurkic is unrestricted, but the belief among rival teams is that both players will remain in Portland, per Stein.

Here are a few more updates from the veteran NBA reporter:

Stein says league sources reiterated to him on Monday that the Clippers will be making a “strong pitch” to John Wall if the veteran point guard reaches a buyout agreement with Houston. There’s a sense that the presence of head coach Tyronn Lue will help increase L.A.’s chances of landing Wall, Stein adds.
While they stayed put on draft night, Hawks big man John Collins and Pacers guard Malcolm Brogdon remain highly likely to be traded this offseason, sources tell Stein.
Following a strong year overseas with AS Monaco, big man Donta Hall is receiving interest from NBA teams, according to Stein. Hall, a former Alabama standout, appeared in a total of 22 games for Detroit, Brooklyn, and Orlando in 2020 and 2021.

Hawks Are Still Expected To Trade John Collins

June 25th, 2022 at 9:44pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Hawks didn’t trade John Collins before the draft, but it’s still likely to happen at some point during the offseason, according to Chris Kirschner of The Athletic. A source close to Collins told Kirschner, “He won’t be a Hawk past this summer,” and Kirschner adds that no one he’s talked to expects Collins to be with the team on opening night.

Hawks Receive Summer League Commitment From Chris Clemons

June 25th, 2022 at 1:53pm CST by JD Shaw

The Hawks have received a summer league commitment from Chris Clemons, a league source told Hoops Rumors. Clemons averaged 21.3 points per game with the Celtics’ G League affiliate this season, which included a 52-point outing. The 5’9″ point guard was one of the top scorers in the G League this season.

Hawks To Sign Tyson Etienne To Exhibit 10 Contract

June 24th, 2022 at 7:33am CST by Luke Adams

The Hawks are signing undrafted Wichita State guard Tyson Etienne to an Exhibit 10 contract, sources tell Dave McMenamin of ESPN (Twitter link).

Etienne, who spent three years with the Shockers, averaged 14.9 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 2.0 assists per game in 27 appearances (34.3 MPG) as a junior in 2021/22 before declaring for the draft as an early entrant.

Etienne is a talented three-point shooter, making 2.2 three-pointers per game at a 41.1% rate last season, though he was far less effective from inside the arc, converting just 32.6% of his two-point attempts.

An Exhibit 10 deal is a one-year, minimum-salary contract that counts toward a team’s 20-man offseason roster limit, but doesn’t count against the cap unless the player makes the regular season roster. Although it’s not guaranteed, a player on an Exhibit 10 contract can earn a bonus of up to $50K if he’s waived and then joins his team’s G League affiliate.

Etienne’s deal can be officially finalized once the new league year begins next week.

Warriors Move Up In Second Round, Select Ryan Rollins

June 23rd, 2022 at 11:59pm CST by Dana Gauruder

11:59pm: The trade is official, the Warriors announced in a press release.

10:56pm: The Warriors acquired the No. 44 pick from the Hawks for the No. 51 pick and $2MM in cash, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski tweets. Golden State used the No. 44 pick to select Toledo guard Ryan Rollins.

Rollins averaged 18.9 PPG, 6.0 RPG and 3.6 APG for the Rockets of the Mid-American Conference. He’ll give Golden State a little more depth at the guard position and will likely spend a good chunk of his rookie season in the G League.

The Hawks used the No. 51 pick on UConn’s Tyrese Martin, a 6’6” wing who averaged 13.6 PPG and 7.5 RPG last season.

John Collins Unlikely To Be Dealt Tonight

June 23rd, 2022 at 8:27pm CST by Rory Maher

Amid several rumors that the Hawks hoped to trade John Collins either before or during the draft, a source tells Chris Kirschner of The Athletic (Twitter link) that the big man is “likely” to remain with the team for at least one more night. However, Kirscher notes in a follow-up tweet that there’s still a chance that Collins could be moved in the coming days.

Atlanta has been open in its desire to improve the roster this summer, and Collins is one of the team’s best players and thus a prime trade chip, so it’s only logical that he’s been mentioned in trade rumors. It’s certainly not the first time his name has been floated around, as it has become a recurrent theme the past couple seasons.

Collins was one of the hottest names on the free agent market last year after failing to come to terms with the Hawks on a rookie scale extension. He wound up re-signing with Atlanta for $125MM over five years, but the team has been searching for a trade partner to improve its defense, which ranked 26th in the league last season.

The 24-year-old played an important role for the Hawks as they reached the Eastern Conference Finals in 2020/21, but his production declined in ’21/22 when he was limited to 54 games due to multiple injuries. He averaged 16.2 PPG this past season, the lowest scoring mark since his rookie year, while shooting 52.6% from the field and 36.4% from three-point range, both down from two seasons ago.

No Headway On Capela To Wolves

June 23rd, 2022 at 5:31pm CST by Rory Maher

Gambadoro reports that Phoenix has its eyes on eight-to-10 prospects that the team would consider making a deal for. He points to the Spurs, Hornets and Hawks as teams who could be trade partners, though he doesn’t clarify which of those teams’ picks might be in play.

The Timberwolves remain interested in potentially pairing Karl-Anthony Towns with Clint Capela in the team’s frontcourt, but sources tell Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic that the Wolves and Hawks haven’t made any real headway on that front.

Hawks View Kings’ Offer For John Collins As “Underwhelming”

June 23rd, 2022 at 1:58pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Kings have been actively trying to acquire John Collins, but Atlanta isn’t impressed by Sacramento’s latest offer, according to Sam Amick of The Athletic. His sources say the Hawks consider it “underwhelming.”

The reported offer for Collins includes veteran forward Harrison Barnes, but not the No. 4 pick in tonight’s draft. The trade would likely have been completed already if Sacramento was willing to part with that, Amick adds.

Amick also addresses Wednesday night’s report that the Hawks have talked to the Spurs about Dejounte Murray. He states that Atlanta officials believe San Antonio’s current asking price is “exorbitant” and although the teams aren’t close to an agreement, Amick believes it’s a situation to watch.

Also, sources tell Amick that the Hawks’ reported interest in Jazz center Rudy Gobert has been exaggerated. Atlanta still values Clint Capela, who has a good relationship with Trae Young. Financial considerations also point toward keeping Capela, who is owed $61MM over the next three seasons compared to $169MM over four years for Gobert, including a player option for 2025/26.

Spurs, Hawks Have Discussed Dejounte Murray Trade

June 22nd, 2022 at 9:57pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Spurs are listening to offers for Dejounte Murray, and the “most significant” overtures have come from the Hawks, according to Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report.

Sources tell Fischer that San Antonio and Atlanta have been discussing a deal since the trade deadline that would send Murray to the Hawks in exchange for a package centered around John Collins. Fischer adds that the Spurs want a “Jrue Holiday-like” return for the All-Star guard, so Atlanta would have to include a few more assets.

The Hawks are seeking a strong ball-handler and defender to team with Trae Young in their backcourt, and Murray qualifies on both counts. Murray, who finished second in the Most Improved Player voting, averaged 21.1 points, 8.3 rebounds and 9.2 assists this season while leading the league in steals at 2.0 per game.

Fischer speculates that Murray’s contract status is likely behind the Spurs’ willingness to consider a trade. His four-year, $64MM deal will expire in 2024, and he’s expected to be in line for a max contract after that. San Antonio could still be rebuilding by then and may not want to make such a large investment in Murray.

Fischer points out that the Knicks and Wizards both need point guards, so there may be plenty of options for the Spurs to consider. Sources also tell Bleacher Report that the Timberwolves have tested the market to see what they can get in return for D’Angelo Russell.

Stein’s Latest: Irving, Heat, Brunson, Tucker, Collins

June 22nd, 2022 at 8:02pm CST by Arthur Hill

Kyrie Irving has reportedly talked to LeBron James about a reunion in L.A., but it’s “a stretch” to say the Lakers are currently trying to acquire Irving, Marc Stein writes in his latest Substack column. There’s increased speculation this week that Irving and the Nets may not be able to work out a new contract, and the Lakers are believed to be one of his potential landing spots if he does leave Brooklyn.

However, Stein is skeptical of their chances considering their current financial situation. If Irving opts in to his $36.9MM salary for next season, the Lakers don’t have the necessary trade assets to pry him away from the Nets, Stein states. And if he opts out, L.A. can’t offer more than the taxpayer mid-level exception, which is projected at $6.39MM.

Stein expects Irving to remain in Brooklyn, saying it’s unlikely he’ll pass on such a lucrative player option. Stein also cites a leaguewide expectation that the Nets will work out at least a short-term deal with Irving to avoid causing any friction with Kevin Durant.

Stein shares information on a few more topics:

The Heat could be a team to watch if the Nets decide to trade Irving. Although Irving doesn’t seem like a natural fit for “Heat culture,” Stein notes that Miami is always willing to pursue stars when they hit the market.
League sources tell Stein that the Knicks would be a legitimate threat to sign Mavericks guard Jalen Brunson if they can clear enough cap space to make a max offer. The Brunson family’s connections to team president Leon Rose and the team’s recent hiring of Rick Brunson, Jalen’s father, as an assistant coach give New York an advantage. However, Stein notes that the Knicks’ efforts to unload salary suffered a setback with Alec Burks‘ offseason foot surgery.
The Sixers are considered “by far the favorite” to sign Heat forward P.J. Tucker if he decides to leave Miami. President of basketball operations Daryl Morey, who signed Tucker in Houston, is reportedly willing to offer a three-year, $30MM contract.
A deal with the Kings involving Harrison Barnes is among the Hawks‘ “prime options” as they try to work out a John Collins trade, Stein tweets.