Summer rewind: Atlanta Hawks
A look at the key offseason moves and changes for every team in the league. First up is the Atlanta Hawks.
OFF-SEASON ADDITIONS
Free agents
Dwight Howard
Kent Bazemore
Kris Humphries
Jarrett Jack
Malcolm Delaney
Matt Costello
Draft
DeAndre Bembry
Taurean Prince (trade)
THE REWIND
Dennis Schroder at the point
The trade of Jeff Teague to Indiana in late June signaled a changing of the guard for the Hawks.
Teague, who had one year remaining on his deal with Atlanta, became replaceable because of the continued development of the 22-year-old Dennis Schroder.
Schroder, who has not averaged more than 20 minutes per game in his first three seasons, has shown flashes of ability but consistency is a concern.
The Hawks do have insurance if Schroder has difficulty transitioning to a starter. Veteran Jarrett Jack and former Euroleague star Malcolm Delaney will provide depth as backups.
Getting young at the wings
The Hawks’ goal this offseason was to bring back free agent Kent Bazemore while also keeping an eye on the future.
The focus on the future started in late June with draft picks Taurean Prince and DeAndre Bembry. With veterans Kyle Korver and Thabo Sefolosha in the last year of their contracts, Prince and Bembry could be groomed as eventual successors.
With Bazemore, the Hawks were able to retain a player they developed. Bazemore, 27, is still improving and should provide stability at shooting guard.
Al Horford out, Dwight Howard in
Free agency often shows how unpredictable the first few days of July can be.
As the Hawks played the waiting game on free agent Al Horford, Atlanta locked up former All-Star Dwight Howard.
The Howard addition signals a change of philosophy for Atlanta. The days of Horford being a hybrid center who can stretch the floor will be replaced by the down-low presence of Howard, who is looking to regain the form that made him dominant.
CAP BREAKDOWN
Player 2016
1. Dwight Howard $23,180,275
2. Paul Millsap $20,072,033
3. Kent Bazemore $15,730,338
4. Tiago Splitter $8,550,000
5. Kyle Korver $5,239,437
6. Thabo Sefolosha $3,850,000
7. Kris Humphries $4,000,000
8. Mike Scott $3,333,333
9. Dennis Schroder $2,708,582
10. Malcolm Delaney $2,500,000
11. Taurean Prince $2,318,280
12. Tim Hardaway $2,281,605
13. DeAndre Bembry $1,499,760
14. Mike Muscala $1,015,696
15. Walter Tavares $1,000,000
16. Jarrett Jack $980,431
Partial guaranteed 2016
17. Matt Costello $543,471
Salary table 2016
Guaranteed salary $98,309,770
Dead money $0
Non-guaranteed $493,471
Free-agent cap hold $0
Incomplete roster charge $0
Tax variance $436,960
Salaries: cap $98,803,241
Salaries: tax $99,240,201
Salary cap $94,134,000
Luxury tax $113,287,000
Cap space None ($5,106,201 over)
Luxury-tax room $14,046,799
The Hawks used cap space to bring back Bazemore and reserve Kris Humphries, and sign Howard.
Prince and Bembry, picks Nos. 12 and 21 in the June draft, were signed under the rookie scale.
Jack was signed to the minimum and Delaney to part of the room mid-level exception.
RESTRICTIONS
Free agents signed in the offseason cannot be traded until either Dec. 15, Jan. 15 or for three months if they signed after Sept. 15.
Howard, Bazemore, Humphries, Delaney, Matt Costello and Jack cannot be traded until after Dec. 15.
Humphries also falls under the one-year Bird restriction and cannot be traded without his approval. If Humphries approves a trade, early Bird rights will not carry to his new team.
First- or second-round picks signed in the summer cannot be traded for one month after signing.
Prince and Bembry cannot be traded until Aug. 13.
EXTENSION CANDIDATES
Rookie
Schroder and Tim Hardaway Jr., first-round picks drafted in 2013, are eligible to have their current rookie contracts extended.
With both players in the final year of their deals, they can have their contracts extended until Oct. 31. Schroder, with a $6.7 million cap hold next summer, could see that number triple next July. The likely scenario, as with many restricted free agents, is for the Hawks to leave Schroder’s low cap number on the books next summer while evaluating roster needs with potential cap space.
Veteran
Korver, entering the final year of his $24 million deal, is eligible for a contract extension. He can have an additional three years added to his current contract with a 7.5 percent raise off his $5.2 million salary.
DEPTH CHART
Starter Bench Bench
PG Dennis Schroder Jarrett Jack Malcolm Delaney
SG Kent Bazemore Tim Hardaway Jr. DeAndre Bembry
SF Kyle Korver Thabo Sefolosha Taurean Prince
PF Paul Millsap Mike Scott Mike Muscala/Matt Costello
C Dwight Howard Tiago Splitter Kris Humphries/Walter Tavares
Atlanta has 16 guaranteed contracts and one partial (Costello).
The Hawks’ roster will need to be trimmed to 15 by the start of the season.
SNEAK PEEK TO NEXT SUMMER
Even with the signings of Bazemore and Howard, Atlanta could enter next summer with cap flexibility once again.
The Hawks, with several large free-agent cap holds, could potentially have $25 million in room after those holds are released.
If All-Star Paul Millsap opts out of his contract, cap space could grow north of $46 million.
KEEP AN EYE ON
Paul Millsap
One of key free agents in 2015, Millsap could be headed to another summer of free agency next July.
Millsap, who will turn 32 in February, is set to earn $21.4 million in 2017-18 and still will likely command top dollar in free agency.
After Millsap’s name was mentioned in trade conversations as Atlanta attempted to re-sign Horford earlier this summer, trade dialogue could pick up again as the season nears.
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