Category: Atlanta Hawks Blog

Atlanta Hawks blog

Hawks players Kris Dunn, Tony Snell, Onyeka Okongwu dealing with injuries

With 2020-21 NBA training camps set to open tomorrow, the Atlanta Hawks have some player injuries:

Guard Kris Dunn underwent an MRI on November 24, which confirmed cartilage disruption in his right knee. He is currently able to participate in modified individual workouts. He will be reviewed on December 11 and an update will be provided as appropriate.

Forward/center Onyeka Okongwu underwent an MRI on November 20, which confirmed inflammation of the sesamoid bone in his left foot. Following a period of unloading and rest, Okongwu has begun a graduated return to re-loading, including form shooting and conditioning activities. He will be reviewed on December 11 and an update will be provided as appropriate.

Guard Tony Snell underwent an MRI on November 20, which confirmed inflammation of the cuboid bone in his right foot. Following a period of unloading and rest, Snell has begun a graduated return to re-loading, including form shooting and conditioning activities. He will be reviewed on December 11 and an update will be provided as appropriate.

Hawks sign former Bulls guard Kris Dunn

The Atlanta Hawks have signed free agent guard Kris Dunn.

“Kris is an elite defender and an intense competitor who will bring real value to our group,” said Hawks President of Basketball Operations and General Manager Travis Schlenk. “We are happy to add him and believe his presence will improve our club.”

In 51 games (32 starts) with the Chicago Bulls last season, the Providence College graduate swiped 1.98 steals per game (second-best in the NBA), adding 7.3 points, 3.6 boards and 3.4 assists in 24.9 minutes. Dunn shot a career-best .444 FG% in 2019-20, including .630 FG% (29-46) over his final eight games played.

Originally selected by Minnesota with the No. 5 overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft, Dunn holds career averages of 8.3 points, 4.2 assists, 3.3 rebounds and 1.55 steals in 24.3 minutes through 227 contests (126 starts) with the Timberwolves and Bulls. Among players from his draft class, Dunn ranks second in career steals (351) and fourth in assists (948). Since the beginning of the 2016-17 season, Dunn’s 1.55 steals per game rank 15th among all qualifying players and his 351 total steals rank 25th.

The New London, Conn. native will wear jersey No. 32.

Atlanta Hawks sign forward Solomon Hill

The Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday, November 25 signed free agent forward Solomon Hill.

“Solomon is a player who has been on four playoff teams and has competed on the highest level,” said Hawks President of Basketball Operations and General Manager Travis Schlenk. “We are fortunate to add his veteran presence to our group.”

Hill has played in 364 regular season NBA games (172 starts) over the course of seven NBA seasons with Indiana, New Orleans, Memphis and Miami. The Los Angeles native holds career averages of 5.8 points, 3.2 rebounds and 1.6 assists in 22.0 minutes per matchup (.395 FG%, .336 3FG%, .801 FT%). Hill has appeared in 24 playoff contests with the Pacers, Pelicans and Heat, shooting .463 (19-41) from beyond-the-arc and .923 (24-26) from the free-throw line in postseason play. The 6’7 forward played in four NBA Finals games in 2020 for the Heat.

The 23rd overall pick in the 2013 NBA Draft by Indiana, Hill was a four-year player at the University of Arizona and left tied for the most games played (139) in Wildcats history.

He will wear jersey No. 18.

Hawks sign former Kings guard Bogdan Bogdanovic

The Atlanta Hawks have signed restricted free agent guard Bogdan Bogdanovic.

Per multiple reports, Bogdanovic’s Hawks contract is a four-year deal for $72 million.

According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, “the Kings have elected not to match the Hawks’ offer for the 28-year-old restricted free agent, the AJC confirmed, and thus he will play for Atlanta this season, rounding out a handful of moves that have significantly improved its roster.”

“Bogdan has a great feel for the game, and we expect him to be a great fit for us with his high-level offensive skill set, experience and toughness,” said Hawks President of Basketball Operations and General Manager Travis Schlenk. “It’s no secret that one of our biggest areas of focus in free agency was adding shooting and quality depth. With Bogdan as part of our incoming group, we feel those are now areas of strength.”

Bogdanovic, 28, averaged 15.1 points, 3.4 assists, 3.4 rebounds and 1.1 steals in 29.0 minutes for the Kings last season (.440 FG%, .372 3FG%, .741 FT%), appearing in 61 games (28 starts). He was tied for 24th in the NBA in three-pointers made (164). In his three-year career in Sacramento, the native of Belgrade, Serbia has totaled 13.5 points, 3.5 assists, 3.2 rebounds and 1.0 steals in 28.2 minutes (.434 FG%, .374 3FG%, .806 FT%) in 209 games (97 starts).

Originally the 27th overall pick in the first round of the 2014 NBA Draft by Phoenix, the 6-foot-6 Bogdanovic played internationally for Partizan (Serbia) and Fenerbahce (Turkey) before coming to the NBA.

He will wear jersey No. 13.

Thunder sign-and-trade Danilo Gallinari to Hawks

The Atlanta Hawks have acquired forward Danilo Gallinari (da-KNEE-lo gal-in-ARE-ee) and cash considerations in a trade with the Oklahoma City Thunder for a conditional 2025 second-round pick in a sign-and-trade transaction.

“Danilo checks a lot of boxes for what we have prioritized. We wanted to add productive veterans and high-level shooting to our group and he provides both. At his size, he is one of the league’s most versatile and efficient scorers and he has proven to be the type of veteran you want in your locker room,” said Hawks President of Basketball Operations and General Manager Travis Schlenk.

Last season in 62 games with Oklahoma City, the 6-foot-10 native of Sant’Angelo Lodigiano, Italy averaged 18.7 points, 5.2 rebounds and 1.9 assists in 29.6 minutes (.438 FG%, .405 3FG%, .893 FT%), ranking 16th in the league in three-pointers made (178), tied for 19th in three-point percentage and sixth in free-throw percentage. Over the last two seasons, Gallinari has averaged 19.3 points while shooting .418 3FGs (on 6.2 3FGA per game).

Through 11 NBA seasons, in 611 games (541 starts) with New York, Denver, the LA Clippers and Oklahoma City, Gallinari has averaged 16.2 points, 4.9 rebounds and 2.0 assists in 30.9 minutes (.427 FG%, .380 3FG%, .873 FT%). He’s also seen action in 25 career postseason contests (all starts) with the Nuggets and Thunder, averaging 15.1 points, 5.1 rebounds and 2.0 assists in 31.3 minutes.

Gallinari was the sixth overall pick by the Knicks in the 2008 NBA Draft following an Italian League MVP season with Olimpia Milano.

Born on August 8, 1988 (8/8/88), he will wear jersey No. 8.

Hawks sign rookies Onyeka Okongwu, Skylar Mays and Nathan Knight

The Atlanta Hawks have signed rookie forward/center Onyeka Okongwu, rookie guard Skylar Mays and rookie forward/center Nathan Knight, the team announced today. Mays and Knight have been signed to two-way contracts.

Drafted sixth overall by the Hawks in the 2020 NBA Draft, the 6’9 Okongwu led the USC Trojans in points per game, rebounds per game and blocks per game in his only collegiate season, averaging 16.2 points, 8.6 boards and 2.7 blocks in 28 appearances (all starts) in 2019-20. He earned All-Pac-12 First Team honors and was a member of the Pac-12 All-Freshman team after leading the conference in FG% (.616), ranking second in blocks and second in total offensive rebounds (92).

The Chino, Calif. native scored in double figures on 25 occasions and recorded 11 double-doubles, including five contests with at least 20 points and 10 rebounds. He set a USC freshman record with 76 blocked shots, including a school-record tying eight rejections in his first collegiate game on 11/5/19 against Florida A&M.

Mays, selected in the second round (50th overall) by the Hawks in the 2020 NBA Draft, averaged 16.7 points, 5.0 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 1.8 steals in 31 games (all starts) en route to an All-SEC First Team selection as a senior in 2019-20. A native of Baton Rouge, LA, the 6’4 Mays became the first player in LSU history to record at least 1,600 points, 400 rebounds, 300 assists and 200 steals.

A summa cum laude graduate with a degree in kinesiology, Mays was the 2019-20 COSIDA Academic All-American Player of the Year, a three-time Academic All-American and a two-time SEC Scholar-Athlete of the Year.

Knight finished the 2019-20 season averaging 20.7 points, 10.5 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.5 blocks in 29.6 minutes (.524 FG%, .773 FT%) starting all 32 games, finishing second nationally in double-doubles (23). He earned the 2020 Lou Henson National Mid-Major Player of the Year as well as the Colonial Athletic Association’s Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year awards.

The 6’10 Knight earned his degree in business analytics from William & Mary’s Raymond A. Mason School of Business. The Syracuse, NY native attended Nottingham High School in his hometown before finishing at Kimball Union Academy in New Hampshire.

Hawks sign Rajon Rondo

The Atlanta Hawks have signed free agent guard Rajon Rondo, the team announced today.

Rondo’s Hawks contract is reportedly a two-year, $15 million deal.

“Rajon is an intense competitor, a proven winner and a true student of the game,” said Hawks President of Basketball Operations and General Manager Travis Schlenk. “His resume and experience speak for themselves. We’re excited to add him to our group.”

Rondo, a two-time NBA champion (including in 2020 with the Lakers), four-time All-Star and two-time NBA All-Defensive First Team member, has led the NBA in assists three times and in steals once.

Per the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, “Rondo, 34, will bring a veteran presence and playoff experience to a young Hawks team trying to qualify for the postseason this year.”

In 873 career regular season games (729 starts) with Boston, Dallas, Sacramento, Chicago, New Orleans and the Los Angeles Lakers, he’s averaged 10.2 points, 8.3 assists, 4.7 rebounds and 1.7 steals in 31.0 minutes (.458 FG%, .316 3FG%, .606 FT%). The 6-foot-1 Rondo has 121 games of career postseason experience (105 starting assignments), averaging 13.3 points, 9.0 assists, 5.9 rebounds and 1.8 steals in 35.9 minutes (.444 FG%, .320 3FG%, .648 FT%).

Among active NBA players, Rondo ranks fourth in assists (7,215, 15th overall in NBA history) and sixth in steals (1,451).

The 21st overall pick in the 2006 NBA Draft by Phoenix, Rondo was traded to the Celtics on draft night. He earned NBA All-Defensive First Team honors in 2010 and 2011, All-Defensive Second Team in 2009 and 2012, Third Team All-NBA in 2012 and Second Team All-Rookie in 2007.

As a collegiate player at Kentucky, the Louisville native appeared in 68 games over two seasons, averaging 9.6 points, 4.5 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 2.3 steals in 28.1 minutes (.493 FG%, .283 3FG%, .577 FT%).

More from the Journal-Constitution: “He also will fill a hole on the Hawks’ roster as a secondary playmaker and ballhandler behind Trae Young. That was one of three major problems the Hawks had to solve entering the 2020 season – improved 3-point percentage (which the Danilo Gallinari signing addresses), improved defense (which the Kris Dunn signing addresses) and preventing the offense from stalling when Young goes to the bench, something the Rondo signing can help with if he gives the second unit a boost.”

He will wear jersey No. 7.

Hawks free agent Jeff Teague will reportedly join Celtics

The Celtics have reportedly landed some proven veteran depth at the point guard spot, behind starter Kemba Walker. Via Boston.com:

Just moments after it was reported that Brad Wanamaker agreed to a deal with the Warriors, the Celtics came to terms on a one-year contract with veteran point guard Jeff Teague, The Boston Globe‘s Adam Himmelsbach reported. The exact amount Teague will make hasn’t been reported yet, but the Celtics do have the bi-annual exception (worth $3.6 million) available…

Teague started this past season with the Timberwolves before getting traded to the Hawks. He averaged 10.9 points and 5.2 assists in 24.8 minutes per game over the course of last season.

Rajon Rondo leaving Lakers to sign with Hawks

The Hawks have been as busy as any team in the NBA during the first two days of free agency. The latest is that veteran guard Rajon Rondo will be leaving the 2020 league champion Lakers to head to Atlanta. Via the Atlanta Journal Constitution:

The Hawks are signing Rajon Rondo to a two-year, $15 million contract, the AJC has confirmed.

Rondo, 34, will bring a veteran presence and playoff experience to a young Hawks team trying to qualify for the postseason this year. He also will fill a hole on the Hawks’ roster as a secondary playmaker and ballhandler behind Trae Young. That was one of three major problems the Hawks had to solve entering the 2020 season – improved 3-point percentage (which the Danilo Gallinari signing addresses), improved defense (which the Kris Dunn signing addresses) and preventing the offense from stalling when Young goes to the bench, something the Rondo signing can help with if he gives the second unit a boost.

Hawks and Kris Dunn agree to a contract

Free agency began yesterday and the Hawks have been as active as any team in the NBA, making moves both yesterday and today. Here’s the Atlanta Journal Constitution with the latest:

On Friday night, they added Danilo Gallinari, an experienced veteran whose 3-point shooting will shore up the offense (they were the worst 3-point shooting team in the NBA last season at 33.3%). On Saturday morning, they agreed to terms with Chicago Bulls guard Kris Dunn, the AJC has confirmed, who is sure to give them a boost on defense. It’s a two-year, $10 million deal, with a player option on the second year. ESPN first reported the move…

Improving the team’s 3-point shooting, as well as team defense, were both absolutely necessary if the Hawks wanted to take a step forward this season. They went 20-47 last season, but feel they’re nearing the end of their rebuild, as their young players gain more experience and as they have the most cap space in the league to add more talent via trades/free agency.

Although Trae Young is an offensive marvel, he ranked last in the league in ESPN’s defensive real plus-minus stat at minus-6.17. Dunn, 26, is one of the best guard defenders in the league and figures to balance out the backcourt with his defensive prowess and intensity. From a fit standpoint, this move makes plenty of sense – the Hawks had the third-worst defensive rating last season (114.4), and tended to try and outscore opponents instead of getting stops.