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Hawks Notes: Schlenk, Millsap, Draft, Hardaway

June 2nd, 2017 at 2:03pm CST by Luke Adams

While Hawks controlling owner Tony Ressler will have to sign off on major decisions, new general manager Travis Schlenk will have the final say on basketball matters, as Chris Vivlamore of The Atlanta Journal Constitution details. Ressler was clear in today’s introduction of Schlenk to the media that he has complete confidence in his new GM to make those calls.

“He runs basketball operations,” Ressler said of Schlenk to Vivlamore. “I did not bring him in here for me to make basketball decisions. I hope that is as clear as I can be. Yes, every ownership has to sign off on numbers, on (salary) caps, on (luxury) tax. Yes, I will sign off on the business. I promise you I did not bring Travis in here so I can make basketball decisions.”

Ressler’s comment came in response to a question regarding free-agent-to-be Paul Millsap, after a report last month suggested that Millsap would negotiate directly with team ownership. I’d expect Ressler to be involved in those contract talks, but it sounds as if he’s ready to let Schlenk take the reins.

Here’s more from Vivlamore on the Hawks:

  • Schlenk on Millsap, per Vivlamore: “Paul, obviously, is a four-time All-Star. Arguably, the best player on this team. Probably is the best player on this team. That’s going to be a priority. But, for me, right now I’ve got to get with Coach [Mike Budenholzer] and his staff and my front-office staff and over the next three weeks, we’ve got to hammer out a plan for the future. Certainly, Paul is going to be a priority in that.”
  • The Hawks currently have a list of nine prospects that they’re eyeing with the No. 19 overall pick in this year’s draft, according to Schlenk (Twitter link via Vivlamore).
  • In a separate piece for the AJC, Vivlamore identifies five key items on Atlanta’s offseason to-do list that Schlenk will need to address in the coming weeks, including Millsap’s future, Tim Hardaway Jr.‘s restricted free agency, and more. Vivlamore speculates that Hardway will command at least $10MM annually on a new deal.
  • There’s still a place for Dwight Howard on Atlanta’s roster, per Schlenk (link via Vivlamore). The veteran center sounded discouraged at season’s end with his role, but the new Hawks GM sounds interested in moving forward with Howard in the mix.
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Southeast Notes: Howard, Winslow, Porter, Weltman

May 23rd, 2017 at 7:22pm CST by marksuleymanov

Despite a strong regular season, Hawks center Dwight Howard was merely a struggling spectator for most of the team’s brief playoff run, which ended with a 4-2 series loss to the Wizards. Information in the days after the elimination revealed Howard was pulled over on the morning of Game 6, and he teased possibly leaving and joining a franchise where he’s a focal point.

In a recent interview with KL Chouinard of NBA.com, Howard expressed his desire to improve his game to benefit both himself and his hometown Hawks.

“I want to be the best for my team and this city,” he said. “This is why I came here. It is upsetting to me, I want to get out there and play. (It’s difficult) when you work hard for something and you watch it being taken from you (by Washington).”

The eight-time All-Star posted his highest RPG (12.7) in a single season since the 2011/12 campaign — his last with the Magic. Howard also said his body — which prevented him from playing in more than 71 games the past three years — felt its best in years. Now it’s just a matter of the 31-year-old staying consistent and healthy.

Here are additional notes around the Southeast division:

  • In his latest Ask Ira installment, Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel answered a fan’s question in regards to Justise Winslow developing into a potent offensive and defensive player. While Winderman does not see Winslow developing into a Lebron James-like defender, he can envision the former 10th overall pick helping Miami in a hypothetical playoff matchup against the Celtics. Winslow missed most of the 2016/17 season, appearing in just 18 games, before succumbing to season-ending surgery to repair a torn labrum in his right shoulder.
  • Otto Porter is set to draw a lot of interest this offseason as a restricted free agent but the Wizards are not expected to let him walk. As J.Michael of CSN Mid-Atlantic writes, Porter’s comfort in Washington, being a restricted free agent versus a unrestricted free agent, and his unselfishness on the court as reasons he will likely remain in the nation’s capital.
  • The Magic currently have a new president of basketball operations in Jeff Weltman and the team is remaining optimistic about the move, Mike Bianchi of the Orlando Sentinel details. Unlike the man who held the position before him, Rob Hennigan, Weltman brings a pedigree; his father is a former general manager of the Cavaliers and Weltman, thirty years Hennigan’s elder, brings more experience to the role. While many around the team remain unsure of what type of impact he will have, optimism — which has not been prevalent in Orlando — is the goal.
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Hawks Notes: Howard, Calderon, GM Search

May 9th, 2017 at 8:14pm CST by marksuleymanov

It has been a tough few weeks for Hawks center Dwight Howard and the morning of the Hawks‘ Game 6 loss Wizards on April 28 may have been his lowest point. Howard, 31, was pulled over at 2:06am for speeding, going 95 mph in a 65 mph zone, according to a police report obtained by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. 

After running a check, the police report adds that Howard was driving with a suspended registration and without insurance. The eight-time All-Star received a ticket for driving without insurance, a verbal warning for speeding, and his car was towed. Things did not improve in Game 6, where Howard totaled just nine points and seven rebounds in 22 minutes as Atlanta was eliminated from the postseason.

The Atlanta native recently expressed frustration with his lessened playing time during his exit interview, as Jeff Schultz of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution wrote. “It was very difficult,” Howard told reporters. “I want to play. I want to be out on the floor. I want to make a difference. I want to make an impact, and I can’t do that on the bench.” With Atlanta searching for a new general manager, it will be interesting to see where Howard fits in with the Atlanta for the remaining two years of his contract.

Here are some additional tidbits of Hawks news:

  • With Mike Budenholzer no longer the president of basketball operations, the Hawks are searching for a viable replacement but the process is currently in its “infancy stage,” relays Chris Vivlamore of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution (via Twitter). Wes Wilcox was recently removed from the GM role with Budenholzer stepping down as president but remaining as head coach. As Vivlamore adds, the Hawks are “trying to determine the attributes” of their desired candidate.
  • Veteran point guard Jose Calderon had a well-traveled 2016/17 campaign, starting as a reserve with the Lakers; being signed and released by the Warriors before suiting up; and playing an important role off the bench for the Hawks. The 35-year-old may not be a starter at this point in his career he still believes he can be effective, NBA.com’s KL Chouinard writes. Budenholzer continuously used the word “spirit” to describe Calderon’s impact and it’s that same spirit that believes he wants to continue in the NBA. “I want to just concentrate and play here two or three more years or whatever I can.”
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Dwight Howard’s Trade Value At All-Time Low?

May 2nd, 2017 at 11:51am CST by ChrisCrouse

Dwight Howard returned home to Atlanta last offseason on a three-year deal worth $70MM and the partnership got off to a solid start. Howard was able to play 74 regular season games, in which he averaged a double-double per night. He looked somewhat rejuvenated on the defensive end, appearing to be over the back issues that plagued him over the past few seasons.

As the season progressed, his role was marginalized and he recently lashed about against the Hawks. “I want to play. I want to be out on the floor. I want to make a difference. I want to make an impact, and I can’t do that on the bench,” Howard told the media last week.

Howard doesn’t exactly fit into coach Mike Budenholzer‘s pace-and-space system and perhaps the team would be better off trading the former Defensive Player of the Year. However, that may not be a fruitful task.

ESPN’s Kevin Arnovitz (Twitter link) asked eight front office executives about what the Hawks could get in a theoretical Howard deal. The consensus was that a second-round pick and cap relief would be the best case scenario.

The big man has approximately $47.3MM left on his deal over the next two seasons, which is part of the reason why Atlanta could be looking at such paltry returns in a trade. The salary cap is expected to come in around $101MM for next season, so a team must be willing to allocate over 20% of its cap resources to Howard. That may not be ideal, though every year, we see a number of teams strike out on potential free agents.

The market for Howard’s services could increase after the initial wave of free agents sign, though that’s merely my speculation. The problem with the Hawks waiting until after the first wave of signings is that getting cap relief in return for Howard does no good if there’s no one to sign.

Howard can still contribute to the right system, though Budholzer’s may not be the ideal match. That begs the question: which team is the right fit for him?

Should the Hawks should deal the former No. 1 overall pick and if so, what could they realistically look to get in return? Also, if you were the GM of a rival team, what would you give up for Howard? Surely, at the right price, he’s worth a gamble. Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below. We look forward to what you have to say!

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Hawks Notes: Howard, Millsap, Bazemore, Workout

April 29th, 2017 at 7:37pm CST by Arthur Hill

Dwight Howard expressed anger today after his exit interview about his deteriorating role with the Hawks, relays Jeff Schultz of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Howard saw less playing as the season wore on, then averaged just 26.2 minutes per game during the playoff series with Washington. Coach/executive Mike Budenholzer believed the offense worked better without Howard and frequently opted for a smaller lineup with Paul Millsap at center. This comes just months after the Hawks gave Howard $70.5MM over three years to return to his hometown. “It was very difficult,” Howard told reporters. “I want to play. I want to be out on the floor. I want to make a difference. I want to make an impact, and I can’t do that on the bench.”

There’s more from the Southeast Division:
  • Earlier today, we told you that Millsap intends to opt out of his nearly $21.5MM deal for next year. Even though he’s hitting the open market, the 32-year-old power forward says his first choice is to remain in Atlanta, according to Chris Vivlamore of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “Eventually I probably will opt out, yes,” Millsap said. “But I want to be here. I think talks have been pretty good, so we’ll see what happens.” Millsap led the Hawks in scoring this season at 18.1 points per game, and was second in rebounds, assists, steals and blocks. Vivlamore expects him to get maximum offers this summer, but Atlanta has the advantage of Bird rights. The Hawks can offer five years at up to $205MM, while other teams will be limited to four years at $158.4MM.
  • The Hawks’ efforts to keep Millsap will stretch from the front office to the locker room. Owner Tony Ressler has said the organization will make “every effort imaginable” to re-sign Millsap, and Charles Odum of The Associated Press writes that teammates will be involved as well. “I’m definitely recruiting Millsap to come back,” said Kent Bazemore.
  • Utah’s Kyle Kuzma was among the players at the Hawks’ pre-draft workout this morning, Vivlamore tweets. The junior power forward is ranked 59th in the latest mock draft from Jonathan Givony at DraftExpress.
  • Rookies Taurean Prince and DeAndre’ Bembry are definites for summer league, according to Budenholzer, and they may be joined by Isaia Cordinier, a second-round pick in 2016 who spent this season in France (Twitter link).
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Southeast Notes: Heat, Howard, Fournier

April 16th, 2017 at 8:40pm CST by Luke Adams

James Johnson and Dion Waiters were among the players that helped kick-start – and sustain – the Heat‘s 30-11 second half run, but both players are eligible for unrestricted free agency this offseason. Johnson and Waiters combined to earn less than $7MM in 2016/17, and with both players in line for sizable raises, Heat owner Micky Arison seems ready to pay up to retain them. As Manny Navarro of The Miami Herald details, Arison published an Instagram photo this weekend that shows him posing with Johnson and Waiters. The caption? “The @miamiheat future looks very bright.”

Of course, an Instagram photo in April doesn’t mean that Johnson and Waiters are guaranteed to re-sign with the Heat in July. Team president Pat Riley will have a major role in that decision, and many teams with cap room could make things difficult for Miami.

Here are a few more notes from around the Southeast:

  • Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel takes a look at the Heat‘s roster from players one through 15, attempting to determine which guys the team will prioritize this summer. In Winderman’s view, Miami should try to re-sign Waiters, but Johnson should be the priority if the team has to decide between the two.
  • Hawks center Dwight Howard, who was previously represented by Perry Rogers, has signed with ASM Sports and will be repped by agent Andy Miller going forward, tweets Michael Scotto of Basketball Insiders. Howard remains under contract with Atlanta for two more years after this season, so he won’t be signing a new deal anytime soon.
  • Hornets forward Nicolas Batum has already said he won’t play for France in this year’s Eurobasket tournament, but Magic guard Evan Fournier hasn’t ruled out the possibility. As Emiliano Carchia of Sportando notes, Fournier told L’Equipe this week that, while he’s not retiring internationally, he’ll visit a wrist specialist soon and will make a decision on his summer after that.
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Dwight Howard Discusses Failed Magic/Nets Trade, Wants To Play 20 Seasons

March 17th, 2017 at 9:01am CST by Luke Adams

Dwight Howard signed a three-year, $70MM deal with the Hawks last summer that represented a homecoming for the Atlanta native. As Howard explains to Marc J. Spears of The Undefeated, the possibility of playing for his hometown Hawks was an idea that long intrigued him. However, even though Atlanta “has always been special” for the 31-year-old, he feels as if he wasn’t ready earlier in his career and the timing was never right until 2016.

As his first season with the Hawks nears its end, Howard also opened up about several stops in his past, explaining how things went wrong during his time in Orlando and Houston. Spears’ conversation with D12 is worth checking out in full, but here are a few highlights from the interview:

On the chaos and drama that followed him from Orlando to L.A. to Houston:

“After the situation in Orlando, I never really came out and said my side of the story about what was going on there while I was there and the reasons for me wanting to leave. After that, people just decided that, ‘He’s not going to talk about it, so we might as well come up with a narrative and what we think went on in L.A. and what went on with Kobe [Bryant] and what we think happened with James [Harden].’

“I never had a personal vendetta with either one of those guys. People took it as me having a problem with them being on a team with another superstar. … I’ve never been the one to say, ‘OK, I want to talk about this because it was an issue with me.’ But everyone else kind of made it a storyline. And here in Atlanta, there is no storyline.”

On what happened during his final year in Orlando:

“There were a lot of different things that happened in Orlando that people never talked about. Before the season even started during the lockout, I asked them privately, I even talked to [teammate] Jameer [Nelson] and [then-GM] Otis [Smith] and I said, ‘Hey, I just want a change in my life. It has nothing to do with [then-coach] Stan Van Gundy. This has nothing to do with the players here in Orlando. It has nothing to do with Orlando itself.’ I just felt I was too comfortable and I wanted more for myself and more for basketball.

“It had nothing to do with the team. They said they were going to try to move me. I thought it was going to happen. They came in and said, ‘We’re going to trade you.’ They shook my hand and said, ‘God bless you. You were here for eight years and you did a great job.’ They asked me to go shake my teammates’ hands. I went and shook their hands and told them that the team was going to trade me. I woke up the next day and they said, ‘We’re not going to trade you.’

“This was right after the [2011] lockout. I was supposed to get traded right before training camp. I had asked them to trade me to Brooklyn and I thought that was going to happen. They decided they weren’t going to trade me and that was when all hell broke loose.”

On his time in Houston:

“I don’t think it ended the way it should have. I thought in my time in Houston we did some really good things. For us to go to the Western Conference finals after not being there for 20 years, that’s a great accomplishment because nobody expected us to do that. The issues they say happened between me and James were small communication issues. Instead of us coming together and talking about it, we allowed other people to do talking. The lines of communication were twisted.”

On how long he wants to play in the NBA, and whether he wants to finish his career with the Hawks:

“I want to get to 20 years. Now I’m at 13. … I would love to [play all those years in Atlanta]. I just got a nice place out in the country. I don’t want to leave it for eight months out of the year and just see it for three. I would love to.”

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Southeast Notes: Schroder, Ellington, Oubre Jr.

March 7th, 2017 at 4:57pm CST by Austin Kent

A mid-game argument resulting in an ugly defensive breakdown has some questioning the team harmony in the Hawks‘ lockerroom. In addition to a spat with Dwight Howard, 23-year-old point guard Dennis Schroder is said to have engaged with head coach Mike Budenholzer too, Chris Vivlamore of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution writes.

While Schroder and Howard were caught on camera arguing about a Howard turnover the previous possession, Stephen Curry wasted no time calling for the inbound pass and draining a three. The basket put the Warriors in front and they would go on to win the game. Shortly after the incident, Schroder – who at that point had led the Hawks in scoring with 23 points – was benched by Budenholzer for the remainder of the contest.

“We need to learn to play together and stay together for 48 minutes,” Budenholzer said of his Hawks. “That is something that is important to us.”

Vivlamore reminds readers that this isn’t the first time the Hawks have punished Schroder. When the guard returned to Atlanta late after the All-Star Break, he was suspended for one game. In that situation, Schroder cited passport complications as the reason for his delay.

Worth noting, Schroder has posted a photo of himself and Howard on Instagram and Twitter, a likely attempt to bury the hatchet, publicly at least.

There’s more out of the Southeast Division:

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Southwest Notes: D’Antoni, Ferrell, Beverley

February 7th, 2017 at 8:27pm CST by ChrisCrouse

The Rockets have won just six of their last 14 games entering Tuesday’s contest, but coach Mike D’Antoni doesn’t believe the team should make a trade to get itself back on track, as Mark Berman of FOX 26 passes along via Twitter. “I like what I got,” D’Antoni said. “I’m sure [Daryl Morey] is going to do his job. You’re always trying to better the team. I’m real happy with what we have.”

Here’s more from the Southwest:

  • Yogi Ferrell nearly signed in Turkey to play for Darussafaka, the team coached by David Blatt, before the Mavs swooped in to sign him to a 10-day deal, Jake Fischer of Sports Illustrated writes. The point guard has been impressive for Dallas and the team officially signed him to a two-year deal earlier today.
  • Ferrell style of play is a perfect fit for Mavs coach Rick Carlisle‘s system, Fischer writes in the same piece. “You have to attack the rim, you have to know how to score, you have to be a threat on offense, so that it can create not only for yourself and for your teammates as well,” Ferrell said.
  • Patrick Beverley was not pleased when Dwight Howard entered the Rockets‘ locker room prior to a game against his former team, David Aldrige of NBA.com relays. “Get Dwight Howard out of our locker room,” Beverley said forcefully, as several witnesses told Aldridge. “I’m serious.” Howard and Beverley were teammates in Houston for three seasons.
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Southwest Notes: Howard, Rockets, Sanders, Gasol

February 3rd, 2017 at 9:51am CST by Arthur Hill

Hawks center Dwight Howard doesn’t take any extra satisfaction from Thursday’s victory in Houston, writes Fran Blinebury of NBA.com. Howard posted 24 points and 23 rebounds as Atlanta rallied from a big fourth quarter deficit. Afterward, he said he “just wanted to win” and believes things have worked out better for both him and the Rockets since he signed with Atlanta last summer. “I chose this city in free agency and I chose it for a reason,” Howard said of his decision to come to Houston in 2013. “I thought Houston was a great place and I still do think it’s a great place. But the business of basketball, you’ve always got to do what’s best for you and I felt coming home would have been great for my career, being coached by a great coach in Bud [Mike Budenholzer] and playing with certain players on this team. But also just being at home is something I’ve always wanted to do all my life is play in Atlanta. I have that opportunity, so I’ll try to make the best of it.”

There’s more from the Southwest Division:

  • Howard’s departure has turned the Rockets into a happier team, Blinebury notes in a separate story. He and James Harden both wanted to be the team leader during his three years in Houston, Blinebury states, and they had different visions of what the Rockets should do. He adds that Howard was just “marking time” last season and was looking forward to opting out.
  • Three Southwest Division teams are possible destinations for former Bucks center Larry Sanders, according to Gery Woelfel of Woelfel’sPressBox. Sanders, who hasn’t played in the NBA since 2014/15, has hired an agent and will meet with teams next week in Miami. A source told Woelfel that the five clubs with the best shot at landing Sanders are the Rockets, Mavericks, Pelicans, Celtics and Timberwolves. Several teams have contacted the Bucks to get more information on Sanders, who is expected to receive about $300K for the rest of the season if he does sign somewhere.
  • The Spurs could have Pau Gasol back in the lineup after the All-Star break, posts Michael C. Wright on ESPN Now. The veteran center underwent surgery January 20th after breaking a finger on his left hand.
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