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Hawks Reportedly Want To Trade Clint Capela Before Deadline

December 19th, 2024 at 1:52pm CST by Rory Maher

The Hawks hope to trade starting center Clint Capela before his $22.27MM contract expires in the offseason, sources tell Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link).

Atlanta has seven weeks to try to move Capela, with the trade deadline set for 2:00 pm CT on February 6.

According to Fischer, the Hawks’ willingness to deal Capela is at least partially motivated by their confidence in young backup center Onyeka Okongwu, a former lottery pick who is in the first season of a four-year, $62MM rookie scale extension. Okongwu will miss at least the next four games due to left knee inflammation, but he’s reportedly viewed as a long-term part of the team’s core.

After playing a career-high 33.6 minutes per game during the 2018/19 campaign, Capela has seen his playing time decline in each of the past six seasons. He’s averaging 23.0 MPG in ’24/25, the third-lowest mark of his 11-year career.

Capela’s minutes may have been steadily dwindling over the past several seasons, but he remains quite productive, with his per-36 averages for ’24/25 right in line with his career rates. In 27 games this season, he’s averaging 10.0 PPG, 9.4 RPG and 1.0 BPG.

A 30-year-old big man from Switzerland, Capela has popped in several trade rumors in recent years. He’s in his sixth season with the Hawks, who acquired him in a four-team deal in February 2020.

As Fischer observes, the tricky part for Atlanta is Capela’s cap hit is pretty significant. It’s understandable that the Hawks would want to get something in return for him if they don’t plan to re-sign him (they already have a lot of money committed to their roster in ’25/26), but it might be difficult to get solid value back for Capela, given his salary, expiring contract, and the fact that center is a pretty deep position in the NBA.

Hawks’ Okongwu Out At Least Four Games With Knee Inflammation

December 18th, 2024 at 5:31pm CST by Rory Maher

Center Onyeka Okongwu is dealing with left knee inflammation and will be sidelined for at least four games, the Hawks announced in a press release (Twitter link). According to the team, Okongwu will be reevaluated in about a week.

The Hawks will be in San Antonio on Thursday for a road game against the Spurs before returning home to Atlanta for a four-game homestand. Okongwu will miss Thursday’s contest and the first three home games of that stretch (vs. Memphis, Minnesota and Chicago). The earliest he could return would be next Saturday vs. Miami.

Although he’s technically a backup, Okongwu has actually averaged more minutes per game (23.8) than starting center Clint Capela (23.0) in 2024/25. Through 25 games, Okongwu has averaged 11.3 points and 6.6 rebounds, with a shooting line of .542/.244/.779 (he’s a low-volume three-point shooter, having converted 10-of-41 looks from long distance).

Hopefully it’s just a temporary setback for Okongwu, who missed several weeks of action last season due to a left big toe sprain. A former lottery pick (No. 6 overall in 2020), the 24-year-old big man is considered part of Atlanta’s young core. Okongwu’s four-year, $62MM rookie scale extension, which he signed in October 2023, began this season.

Unfortunately, Okongwu isn’t the only player on the roster dealing with an injury, as the Hawks announced earlier on Wednesday that second-year guard Kobe Bufkin will undergo season-ending shoulder surgery.

Reserve big man Larry Nance Jr. will likely rejoin Atlanta’s rotation with Okongwu out.

Hawks Notes: Bogdanovic, Young, Risacher, Daniels, NBA Cup

December 13th, 2024 at 12:10pm CST by Rory Maher

While the Hawks are excited by their young core of Dyson Daniels, Jalen Johnson, Onyeka Okongwu and Zaccharie Risacher, they’re also willing to listen to trade offers for their veterans given their place in the standings, sources tell Tim Bontemps of ESPN (Insider link). Atlanta is currently 14-12, the No. 7 seed in the East, and in the play-in mix for the fourth consecutive season.

According to Bontemps, one player opposing teams are intrigued by is Bogdan Bogdanovic, who is in his fifth season with the Hawks. The 32-year-old Serbian will earn $17.3MM in 2024/25, followed by $16MM in ’25/26, with a $16MM team option for ’26/27.

Here’s more on the Hawks:

In the same subscriber-only story, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst reports that star guard Trae Young hosted Daniels and Risacher for a “multiday training and bonding session” at his offseason home in Oklahoma after the Olympics concluded over the summer, which his younger teammates “greatly appreciated.” Young can be introverted at times, and the Hawks have been working with him to improve his leadership skills, according to Windhorst. The team has been encouraged by the advancements Young has made in that area, though Windhorst cautions it’s still a “work in progress.”
French wing Risacher says he’s thrilled he was drafted by Atlanta, he tells Marc J. Spears of Andscape. “The best thing about being the No. 1 pick was to be able to get into this franchise, the Atlanta Hawks,” Risacher said. “That is the best thing that could ever happen. Me in terms of basketball, I’m super super-grateful to be here in this organization.”
The Hawks are pleased with the strides Risacher has made during his rookie campaign, as Lauren Williams of The Atlanta Journal Constitution writes. “He’s the No. 1 pick for a reason,” Young said. “You’re not put in that position or blessed to be in that position if you haven’t been through a lot or seen a lot, or even capable of handling that type of stuff. And you can see that he’s just capable of handling a lot of the things that come his way. He’s taken every night serious the way he approaches the game. He’s been locked in, even though some nights the shots are not falling the way he expects or we expect them to, he still finds other ways to impact our team and help us. And that just shows how good of a player he is.”
Speaking to Tommy Alter on The Young Man and The Three podcast (YouTube link), Daniels says he’s happy he was traded by the Pelicans to the Hawks over the offseason, calling it a “fresh start.” “In New Orleans, I had so much built up in me mentally and physically. I was scared to do anything,” Daniels said, per HoopsHype. “But this year, I’m playing free. I’m being myself, going out there and making plays. I always knew I could do it—it was just about letting it out.”
The Hawks have been playing excellent basketball since they got to full strength, going 7-1 over their past eight games, with victories over Cleveland (twice), Boston and Milwaukee. As Chris Herring of ESPN notes, Atlanta’s latest win over the Knicks gave the Hawks a berth in the semifinals of the NBA Cup. Jared Weiss of The Athletic takes a look at how Atlanta has improved over the past few weeks, with Young and Johnson spearheading a balanced offensive attack.

Southeast Notes: Banchero, Hawks, Kuzma, Coulibaly, Wizards, Hornets

October 30th, 2024 at 9:00am CST by Luke Adams

The Magic are off to a strong 3-1 start this season, led by forward Paolo Banchero, who ranks first on the team in points (28.5 PPG) and assists (6.0 APG) and second in rebounds (9.3 RPG).

Banchero filled up the stat sheet on Monday in the best game of his career, compiling 50 points, 13 rebounds, and nine assists in a narrow home victory over Indiana. The 21-year-old became the youngest player to record at least 50 points and 10 rebounds in a game since LeBron James did it at age 20 in March 2005, writes Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel.

“It was one of those games where you’re just watching and you’re coaching but you’re sitting there just enjoying his process and watching a great player perform,” Magic head coach Jamahl Mosley said.

Orlando exercised its fourth-year option for the 2025/26 season on Banchero earlier this month. That option will guarantee the former No. 1 overall pick a $15.3MM salary next season, but his continued ascent puts him on track for a much larger payday in the not-too-distant future — he’ll be eligible for a rookie scale extension beginning in July 2025 and seems likely to receive a maximum-salary offer from the Magic at that time.

Here’s more from around the Southeast:

The Hawks‘ depth is being tested just one week into the 2024/25 season, writes Lauren L. Williams of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Atlanta issued injury updates on four players on Tuesday and also didn’t have Onyeka Okongwu (left big toe injury management) or De’Andre Hunter (right knee inflammation) available for Monday’s loss to Washington. The good news is that Okongwu isn’t on the injury report for Wednesday’s rematch in D.C., while Hunter is considered questionable.
Wizards forward Kyle Kuzma sustained a right groin strain in Monday’s game against Atlanta, according to the team (Twitter link). While it’s unclear how much time he might miss as a result of the injury, Kuzma has been ruled out at least for Wednesday’s rematch vs. the Hawks.
Four rival NBA talent evaluators who spoke to Josh Robbins of The Athletic about 2023 lottery pick Bilal Coulibaly are intrigued by his potential but view the Wizards forward as someone whose future is difficult to project. “I’m not ruling him in or out in terms of whether he was a good pick. (It’s) too soon,” one scout said. “But I’d say the arrow’s pointing upward.”
The Wizards‘ and Hornets‘ G League affiliates have formally announced their training camp rosters. The Capital City Go-Go’s squad includes former NBA lottery pick Kira Lewis Jr. and five-year NBA veteran Jaylen Nowell, while 10-year NBA veteran Kent Bazemore is the most notable name in camp with the Greensboro Swarm.

Southeast Notes: J. Johnson, Suggs, Ball, Mann, Okongwu, Banchero, Miller

October 25th, 2024 at 12:51pm CST by Arthur Hill

Jalen Johnson‘s five-year extension with the Hawks was one of the last deals to be announced on Monday because the paperwork reached the league office just minutes before the 5:00 pm Central deadline, according to Brian Windhorst of ESPN. In an article co-written with Tim Bontemps, Windhorst states that the two sides didn’t come to an agreement until after Jalen Suggs reached an extension with the Magic. Both teams slightly increased their offers to get the deals finalized, sources tell Windhorst.

He adds that Hawks officials were relieved to get Johnson to commit to a five-year arrangement with no player option. Johnson is coming off a breakthrough season in which he averaged 16.0 points, 8.7 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.2 steals in 56 games, and at 23 he’s viewed as one of the young cornerstones of the franchise.

Scouts and executives from rival teams were impressed that Atlanta and Orlando were able to sign their young stars to contracts that will become less burdensome over time, Bontemps adds. The salary cap is projected to increase by up to 10% each season, but Johnson’s deal will stay flat at $30MM for each of the next five years, while Suggs’ salary starts at $35MM next season and declines until it reaches $26.7MM in 2029/30.

There’s more from the Southeast Division:

Hornets guard LaMelo Ball is wearing strong ankle braces to help avoid the injury problems that have ended his last two seasons, Bontemps reveals in the same piece. Ball was impressive with 34 points, eight rebounds and 11 assists in the season opener, and he got help from Tre Mann, who contributed 24 points off the bench and could be in line for a breakout season after being acquired from Oklahoma City in February. Sources tell Bontemps that Mann had offseason talks about a rookie scale extension with Charlotte, but wasn’t able to come to an agreement.
Center Onyeka Okongwu sparked the Hawks with 28 points, eight rebounds and three blocks in an opening night win over Brooklyn. He was happy to be able to play 28 minutes after missing time late last season with a toe injury and being used sparingly during the preseason, per Lauren Williams of The Journal-Constitution. “That was my main concern, just coming into this season,” Okongwu said. “It was my conditioning. I was blessed to spend my summer getting right, but I felt really good out there and I’m just happy we got the win.”
Magic forward Paolo Banchero has released the first installment of this year’s Andscape diary with Marc J. Spears. Banchero talks about growing up in Seattle, the adjustment to Orlando, the playoff series with Cleveland, advice from Jayson Tatum and Luka Doncic and a few other topics.
Brandon Miller will be reevaluated in a week after being forced out of Wednesday’s opener with a glute strain, the Hornets announced (via Twitter). Head coach Charles Lee talked to Rod Boone of The Charlotte Observer about the challenge of replacing Miller.

Southwest Notes: Ingram, Grizzlies, Barnes, Spurs

July 8th, 2024 at 5:17pm CST by Luke Adams

The Hawks were considered a possible trade suitor for Brandon Ingram this offseason, but they ended up not having much interest in giving the forward his next contract or surrendering either Clint Capela or Onyeka Okongwu in a trade with the Pelicans, league sources tell William Guillory of The Athletic.

As a result, the Pelicans and Hawks instead made a deal involving Dejounte Murray that didn’t include Ingram or either of Atlanta’ centers. Now it’s unclear whether New Orleans will be able to find a trade partner for Ingram, who will be on an expiring contract in 2024/25.

According to Guillory, both the Pelicans and Ingram would prefer not to go into training camp without an extension, since it may become a distraction. That could mean New Orleans will be looking to complete a trade by late September, but it also doesn’t sound like a new contract for the former All-Star is out of the question. Guillory cites “some optimism within the building” that Ingram and the Pelicans could work out an extension below the max that leaves both sides happy.

Here’s more from around the Southwest:

The Grizzlies have officially announced Taylor Jenkins‘ new-look coaching staff for the 2024/25 season (Twitter link). Anthony Carter and Patrick St. Andrews are the only returning assistants, though one newcomer (Jason March) had been coaching the Memphis Hustle, while another (Erik Schmidt) was the Grizzlies’ head video coordinator. Joe Boylan (formerly of the Timberwolves), Patrick Mutombo (from the Bucks), Tuomas Iisalo (Paris Basketball), and Noah LaRoche are the other additions. Former assistants Blake Ahearn, Brad Jones, Scoonie Penn, Sonia Raman, and Vitaly Potapenko have all been replaced, writes Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal.
LJ Ellis of SpursTalk shares his thoughts on the Spurs‘ impending acquisition of Harrison Barnes, explains why he likes the fit and why he expects the veteran forward to be a starter in San Antonio. As Ellis notes, more minor roster moves will be necessary to open up enough cap room to accommodate Barnes’ incoming salary, so he’s reluctant to give his final assessment of the deal until it’s clear what those moves will be.
As Mike Finger of The San Antonio Express-News points out (via Twitter), the Spurs wouldn’t have been in position to add both Barnes and Chris Paul if they had kept the No. 8 overall pick in the draft, which carried a cap hit of $6.26MM.

Southeast Notes: Hawks, Miller, Heat, Wizards

April 18th, 2024 at 7:45pm CST by Tristan Tucker

The Hawks fell to the Bulls in the play-in, failing to reach the playoffs for the first time since 2020 as a result. With a roster that doesn’t fit together even when healthy, Atlanta could look to go in a number of different directions this offseason. The Hawks are stuck in the middle, lacking incentive to tank due to the first-round picks they owe the Spurs as a result of acquiring Dejounte Murray and also having several talented players on the roster.

As The Athletic’s John Hollinger observes, attention will likely turn to star guard Trae Young after trade talks involving Murray didn’t pan out at the deadline this year. Speculation regarding Young’s future continues to run rampant, and teams like the Lakers and Spurs are some of the most frequently named potential destinations.

Additionally, the Hawks will have significant money tied up in the frontcourt to both Clint Capela and Onyeka Okongwu, prompting Hollinger to wonder whether the team will look to trade one. Atlanta’s most significant impending free agent is Saddiq Bey, who is set to be restricted this summer, but he’ll be recovering from an ACL tear.

Both Hollinger and ESPN’s Bobby Marks assert the Hawks need to pick a lane by making a significant move of some kind, whether that’s moving Young or Murray. Armed with a young core that includes extension-eligible Jalen Johnson, Kobe Bufkin, Okongwu and AJ Griffin, along with potentially two top-16 picks (if Sacramento makes the playoffs), Atlanta has the assets necessary to retool rather than fully rebuild if they so choose.

We have more from the Southeast Division:

Hornets rookie Brandon Miller had a terrific first season and while he won’t win the Rookie of the Year award (that honor will almost certainly go Victor Wembanyama), he cemented himself as a franchise cornerstone in just one year, Alex Zietlow of The Charlotte Observer writes. In 74 games, Miller averaged 17.3 points while shooting 44.0% from the field and 37.3% from three. “He can be whatever he wants to be,” teammate Seth Curry said. “I see All-NBA, perennial All-Star, possible MVP consideration in his future. All the talent, all the size, the competitive nature. I think he’s going to work on his game and add stuff every year. So I’m excited to see him grow.“
The Heat are in the same position on Friday that they were a season ago. They hosted the Bulls in a win-or-go-home play-in tournament game for the eighth seed last season and will do so again this year, Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald writes. From Miami’s perspective, the win over Chicago jump-started a historic run that saw the Heat become the first No. 8 seed in a non-lockout season to reach the NBA Finals. However, the Bulls remember last year in a much more painful view, which could be a motivating factor against a Heat team without Jimmy Butler and Terry Rozier. “I remember that plane ride back home [last year] vividly, everybody was just frustrated,” Bulls guard DeMar DeRozan said.
Wizards general manager Will Dawkins and president Michael Winger admitted that year one of Washington’s rebuild featured growing pains, but they saw some positive steps within the organization, The Athletic’s Josh Robbins writes. Young players like Deni Avdija, Corey Kispert and Bilal Coulibaly all showed progress from the beginning to the end of the season. “We feel very strongly that we have the right fans, that we have the right principles, that we have the right market to build a sustainably great team,” Winger said. “We set out to do that a year ago. That plan has not changed at all.“
The Washington Post’s Ava Wallace tackles a similar topic, noting that the Wizards‘ regime is excited to dig into its first full offseason. As Wallace writes, the most significant move the team will make this season could be its head coaching hire.

Hawks’ Johnson, Okongwu To Miss Multiple Weeks

April 11th, 2024 at 11:55am CST by Rory Maher

Hawks forward Jalen Johnson underwent an MRI on Wednesday that revealed a Grade 2 lateral ankle sprain. He’ll be reevaluated in about three weeks, Atlanta announced in a press release.

Johnson, 22, has had a breakout third season for the Hawks, averaging 16.0 PPG, 8.7 RPG, 3.6 APG and 1.2 SPG on .511/.355/.728 shooting in 56 games (33.7 MPG). He sustained the injury in Tuesday’s double-overtime loss to Miami.

The former first-round pick will be eligible for a rookie scale extension in the offseason. If no deal is reached, Johnson will hit restricted free agency in 2025.

The Hawks also provided an injury update on backup big man Onyeka Okongwu, who has been limited to just two games since the All-Star break due to a left big toe sprain. Okongwu underwent a non-surgical procedure in California on Tuesday in order to address ongoing inflammation in the toe, per the team. He’ll be reevaluated in approximately four weeks.

Okongwu, 23, has averaged 10.2 PPG, 6.8 RPG and 1.1 BPG on .611/.333/.793 shooting in 55 games in 2023/24 (25.5 MPG). He signed a four-year, $62MM rookie scale extension last offseason that begins in ’24/25.

The injuries are devastating for the Hawks, who just got Trae Young back from hand surgery on Wednesday but will now be missing three of their top frontcourt players entering the play-in tournament. Forward Saddiq Bey is also out for the season after suffering a torn ACL.

Atlanta is currently 36-44, the No. 10 seed in the East, and trail the No. 9 Bulls by 1.5 games with two games remaining in the regular season.

Forward De’Andre Hunter and center Bruno Fernando will likely receive extra playing time entering the postseason. Guard/forward Vit Krejci is also a candidate to be promoted from his two-way deal, but the Hawks have a full 15-man roster, so they’d have to waive someone in order to convert the former second-round pick.

Southeast Notes: Russell, Johnson, Griffin, Gueye, Miller, George

April 1st, 2024 at 5:19pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Magic may take a run at D’Angelo Russell in free agency this summer. The Athletic’s Jovan Buha, who covers the Lakers, has heard that Orlando would be the biggest threat to sign away the combo guard (hat tip to Jesse Cinquini of LakersDaily.com).

“Orlando is the team that — talking to people with the Lakers, talking to people outside the Lakers — Orlando is the team that probably gives them the most concern in terms of a potential suitor,” Buha said.

Russell would give Orlando’s backcourt an offensive boost. He’s averaging 18.1 points and 6.4 assists per game while shooting a career-best 41.9% from deep this season. Russell holds an $18.7MM option on his contract for next season and can become an unrestricted free agent by turning down that option.

We have more from the Southeast Division:

Hawks forward Jalen Johnson will return to action on Monday night against the Bulls, The Athletic’s Shams Charania tweets. Johnson, who is averaging 16.1 points, 8.6 rebounds and 3.5 assists per contest, has been out since March 18 after suffering an ankle sprain against the Lakers. The Hawks currently hold the final spot for the East’s play-in tournament at No. 10 in the conference.
Several other Hawks players still require more time to come back from their injuries, the team’s PR department tweets. AJ Griffin (right high ankle sprain) has progressed to individual basketball activities and will be re-evaluated in seven-to-10 days. Mouhamed Gueye (right UCL sprain) has progressed to full contact workouts, while Onyeka Okongwu (left big toe sprain) has resumed individual basketball activities. He will also be re-evaluated in seven-to-10 days.
Hornets rookie forward Brandon Miller has labeled Clippers forward Paul George the “Greatest Player of All-Time.” Miller got a chance to match up against his idol on Sunday, contributing 22 points, six rebounds and four assists in 40 minutes during Charlotte’s 12-point loss. George paid back Miller with a compliment, according to Roderick Boone of the Charlotte Observer. “He’s got a ton of game, and a ton of talent and I’m in his corner,” George said. “So can’t wait to see him fully blossom and be one of those guys that carried the league for a long time.”

Southeast Notes: Hawks, Bey, Ball, Clifford, Heat

March 28th, 2024 at 11:30pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

The Hawks’ surprise comeback victory against the Celtics on Monday served as testament, in part, to the growth of Atlanta’s developing young backups, writes Lauren Williams of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

The Hawks ultimately bested a top-seeded Boston team 120-118 after trailing by as many as 30 points. That marks the biggest rally in the league across the past 26 years. Williams notes that backups Vit Krejci and Bruno Fernando served as key pieces in the victory. The duo played big roles in part as a result of injuries to Bey, Jalen Johnson, Onyeka Okongwu and All-Star Trae Young.

“I mean, it’s a next-man mentality,” Krejci said. “We got a couple guys out. But we still believe that with the roster we have, right now, we can compete with anybody.”

The Hawks followed Monday’s victory up with a 120-106 win over the Trail Blazers on Wednesday and a 123-122 overtime victory over the Celtics tonight. Atlanta now finds itself in the midst of a four-game win streak. At 34-39, the team sits just one game behind the 35-38 Bulls for the East’s ninth seed.

There’s more out of the Southeast Division:

Hawks small forward Saddiq Bey‘s surgery on his torn left ACL on Thursday was a success, Atlanta has announced (Twitter link). The Hawks reveal that Dr. Riley Williams at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York conducted the procedure, and that Bey will stay in New York for an estimated 10 days.
Star Hornets point guard LaMelo Ball was ruled out for the season earlier today due to his lingering right ankle ailment, which is especially bittersweet given his impressive play prior to that injury, writes Rod Boone of The Charlotte Observer. His 23.9 PPG and 1.8 SPG this year represented career highs, as did his 8.3 made field goals and 4.1 converted free throws. “I want to say the last nine games he played, he was top-five in scoring, top-five in assists and I think top two or three in crunch time scoring and crunch time assists,” head coach Steve Clifford said. “I think it was easy to get excited about and it’s also something he can build on… Look, injuries are a part of this league and, again, all I know is he’s been incredibly diligent. So, it’s not anybody’s fault. It’s just the way it’s worked out.” The injury-prone Ball, whose maximum rookie-scale salary extension kicks in next season, has only played more than 51 games in a season once, during his lone All-Star year in 2021/22.
Several key Heat contributors could be back on the floor for the team soon, writes Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald. Starting shooting guard Tyler Herro put in a shooting workout after practice on Thursday as he continues to gradually recuperate from his right foot medial tendinitis. “We don’t have a timeline [for a comeback], but yeah it’s definitely encouraging that he’s able to get on the wood and start to get ready,” head coach Erik Spoelstra said of Herro, who has missed 16 straight games since February 23. Reserve floor-spacing center Kevin Love has seen his status for Friday’s matchup with the lottery-bound Trail Blazers improved to probable as he continues to work his way back from a bruised right heel. Star swingman Jimmy Butler is also considered probable to return after sitting out the team’s Tuesday loss to the Heat with an illness.