Category: Atlanta Hawks Blog

Atlanta Hawks blog

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.

Hawks and Danilo Gallinari agree to a contract

Trae Young is getting some scoring help. A forward who gets buckets will be leaving Oklahoma City and heading to Atlanta. Here’s the Atlanta Journal-Constitution on the news:

The Hawks are finalizing a deal with unrestricted free agent Danilo Gallinari, the AJC has confirmed.

Gallinari, 32, averaged 18.7 points and 5.2 rebounds with the Thunder last season and shot 40.5% from 3-point range. The Hawks were the worst 3-point shooting team in the league last season (33.3%), and it’s one of the major problems they needed to address heading into 2020-21.

The move greatly bolsters the Hawks’ offense as they aim to go from a 20-47 team to the playoffs the very next season. Gallinari, a forward, also brings significant experience to a young roster. This will be his 13th season in the NBA, and he started 62 games and was a major contributor for a Thunder team that took the Rockets to seven games before falling just short in the first round of the Western Conference playoffs. ESPN first reported the three-year, $61.5 million contract.

Pistons trade Tony Snell and Khyri Thomas to Hawks for Dewayne Dedmon

In a trade today, the Atlanta Hawks have acquired guards Tony Snell and Khyri Thomas from the Detroit Pistons in exchange for center Dewayne Dedmon.

In a subsequent move, the Hawks waived Thomas.

Snell, originally the 20th overall pick in the 2013 NBA Draft, has averaged 6.5 points, 2.3 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 22.5 minutes (.428 FG%, .385 3FG%, .838 FT%) in 501 career games (275 starts) with Chicago, Milwaukee and Detroit. In 38 playoff contests (eight starts), he’s averaged 3.4 points and 1.4 rebounds in 14.0 minutes.

Last season in 59 games (57 starts) with the Pistons, the 6-foot-6 Snell averaged 8.0 points, 2.2 assists and 1.9 rebounds in 27.8 minutes (.445 FG%, .402 3FG%, 32-32 FTs), ranking tied for 24th in the NBA in three-point percentage.

In two seasons with the Pistons, Thomas has played in 34 games, averaging 2.3 points. He’s also appeared in three postseason contests. Thomas was originally a second-round pick of the Philadelphia 76ers (38th overall) in the 2018 NBA Draft.

Dedmon was re-acquired by the Hawks from the Sacramento Kings on February 6, 2020. Last season in 10 games (eight starts) with the Hawks, he averaged 8.1 points, 8.2 rebounds, 1.5 blocks and 1.0 steals in 23.3 minutes. In 136 games (106 starts) over three seasons with Atlanta, Dedmon compiled 10.2 points, 7.7 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 1.0 blocks in 24.9 minutes (.499 FG%, .358 3FG%, .802 FT%).

Hawks select Onyeka Okongwu with No. 6 pick in 2020 NBA Draft

The Atlanta Hawks selected forward/center Onyeka Okongwu (own-YEH-kuh oh-KONG-wu) from the University of Southern California with the sixth overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft and added guard Skylar Mays from Louisiana State University with the 50th pick.

The 6’9 Okongwu led the 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. The Chino, Ca. native 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). Okongwu 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.

“He’s an unbelievable person,” Hawks General Manager and Head of Basketball Operations Travis Schlenk said about Okongwu. “Since I’ve been here, we’ve said, ‘character is at the top of our list,’ and he certainly checks that box in a big way. Secondly, going to on-floor, he’s a very, very good defensive basketball player. He can protect the rim, he can rebound and he’s a very good pick-and-roll center with very good instincts. Offensively, he’s got unbelievable hands. He catches everything. He’s got the seven-foot wingspan and he can run the floor. So, we’re really excited about him.”

Mays, a 6’4 guard, 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., Mays became the first player in LSU history to record at least 1,600 points, 400 rebounds, 300 assists and 200 steals.

“We had Skylar ranked a lot higher (than No. 50),” Schlenk said of Mays. “A four-year guy, an extremely smart basketball player, a very good body, a combo guard, a high basketball IQ, skilled player. We were excited when he was there because, like I said, we had him ranked much higher than that.”

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.

Atlanta Hawks hire Nate McMillan as Assistant Coach

The Atlanta Hawks today announced the hiring of Nate McMillan as an Assistant Coach on Head Coach Lloyd Pierce’s staff.

McMillan, former Head Coach with Seattle (2000-05), Portland (2005-12) and Indiana (2016-20), has led his teams to a 661-588 (.529) mark in 1,249 career regular season games, and has 53 games of postseason coaching experience. Last season, the Pacers finished 45-28 (.616), second in the Central Division and fourth in the Eastern Conference. In his four years with Indiana, the club recorded a 183-136 mark (.574), advancing to the playoffs each season.

“I reached out to Nate after he became available and we’ve had extensive conversations centering around the value, expertise and experience he would add as we look to progress next season. This is a unique opportunity that will benefit me, our coaching staff and our entire roster,” said Hawks Head Coach Lloyd Pierce.

“In his 16 years as a successful NBA head coach, his teams have emulated his playing style and personality. They’ve always been disciplined, competitive, played together and won at a high level. I have great respect for Nate as a man and as a coach, and I feel fortunate to welcome him to our staff and to the Hawks.”

After playing collegiately at North Carolina State, McMillan was drafted 30th overall by Seattle in the 1986 NBA Draft, spending his entire NBA career with the Sonics before having his number (10) retired. He ranks second in franchise history in assists and steals, and ranks in the Top 10 in several other categories. He was twice named to the NBA’s All-Defensive team (1994 and 1995), leading the league in steals in 1994-95 (2.96 spg). He reached the postseason 11 times in his 12 seasons.

He was named Seattle’s interim Head Coach in 2000, eventually becoming the team’s permanent Head Coach until 2005, when he took over in Portland. He recorded a 212-183 mark (.537) with the Sonics and a 266-269 record (.497) with the Blazers, reaching the postseason in his final three full seasons in Portland.

McMillan has also served as an Assistant Coach on the U.S. National Team, where he earned gold medals at the 2008 and 2012 Olympics, as well as the 2006 FIBA World Championships.