Category: Atlanta Hawks Blog

Here’s the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reporting on the Hawks and point guard Jeff Teague, with stats through Saturday’s games:

The Hawks boast the best record in the Eastern Conference and Teague directs the well-balanced offensive attack. Teague is the Hawks’ leading scorer through 33 games with an average of 17.3 points. The total is good for just 30th in the NBA. Teague has scored in double figures 22 times this season, including 16 20-point games. He is on pace to increase his scoring average in each of his six seasons.

The Hawks’ offense is all about pace and ball movement as they share the wealth better than nearly every team in the NBA. The Hawks are third in the league in assists at 25.3 per game. Their season totals include 30 games of at least 20 assists and 20 games of at least 25 assists. They have reached the 30-assist mark five times. Teague is the man directing that facet of the offense most of the time as well. He leads the team and his 10th in the league with 7.0 assists per game.

Teague has led the Hawks in scoring 10 times and in assists in 26 of his 30 games. He also adds 2.7 rebounds and 1.7 steals, 11th in the NBA, to his all-around totals.

If you want to buy an NBA team, an opportunity is developing. Unfortunately, though, it could cost more than expected, and you can blame Donald Sterling for that. Ever since the Los Angeles Clippers sold for billions instead of millions, the value of almost every franchise probably flew up. Anyway, here’s the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reporting that the Hawks are for sale:

The Hawks are for sale – as in 100 percent of the franchise.

According to person familiar with the situation, agreements have been reached between all three ownership groups to sell their complete stakes in the team. Those agreements have been approved by the NBA.

The team will be officially on the market next week, according to a league source. The investment banking firm Goldman Sachs and Inner Circle Sports has been retained to handle the sale process. The firm can now begin the process of gathering and vetting prospective buyers. Estimations are the franchise could be sold for upwards of $600 million dollars.

The Washington-based group, led by controlling owner Bruce Levenson, announced in September that it would sell its 50.1 stake following the discovery of a racially inflammatory email that rocked the franchise. An independent investigation discovered an e-mail Levenson wrote in 2012 that included racist remarks about the fan base and game operations. Levenson’s partners Ed Peskowitz and Todd Foreman are also stakeholders in the original group known as the Atlanta Spirit.

Here’s the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reporting on shooting guard Kyle Korver, whose ability to shoot a basketball is something special:

Korver leads the NBA in 3-point percentage at .520 (91 of 175). He led the league last season at .472 (185 of 392). He also holds the record for best percentage in a season of .536 (59 of 110) set in the 2009-10 season with the Jazz.

The shooting guard is flirting with the 50/50/90 mark this season of shooting better than 50 percent from the field and 3-point range and 90 percent from the free-throw line. He is currently the only player in the NBA shooting at least 49 percent from the field (.498) and 3-point range (.520) and 90 percent from the free-throw line (.938). He ranks third in the league in effective field goal percentage at .679, which takes into account all three percentages.

Korver has made four or more 3-pointers in a game 12 times this season. He has made five or more five times already after accomplishing that feat seven times all of last season. Korver is still well over 50 percent from 3-point range despite going a combined 3 for 13 in games last week against the Bucks.

The Atlanta Hawks have recalled forward/center Adreian Payne from the Austin Spurs of the NBA Development League, it was announced today by Head Coach Mike Budenholzer.

Payne has appeared in 11 D-League games this season (six with Fort Wayne and five with Austin), averaging 13.4 points, 8.8 rebounds and 2.3 assists in 29.1 minutes. In last night’s win over Rio Grande Valley, he totaled 18 points and nine rebounds in 31 minutes (7-12 FGs).

The Atlanta Hawks have assigned forward/center Mike Muscala to the Fort Wayne Mad Ants of the NBA Development League, it was announced today by Head Coach Mike Budenholzer.

Muscala has appeared in eight games with the Hawks this season, averaging 4.9 points and 2.4 rebounds in 10.0 minutes (.586 FG%, .800 FT%). In a Dec. 10 win against Philadelphia, he had 12 points, seven rebounds, three assists and a steal in 19 minutes (6-8 FGs), tying career-highs in FGM and assists.

He saw action in two games with Fort Wayne earlier this year, putting up 13.5 points, 9.0 rebounds, 1.5 blocks and 1.0 assists in 25.0 minutes (.625 FG%, .700 FT%). In his most recent contest with the Mad Ants (Dec. 7 vs. Westchester), he recorded 14 points, 12 rebounds, three blocks and two assists in 27 minutes (6-9 FGs, 2-4 FTs) in a 97-86 win. He was first assigned on Dec. 6 and recalled on Dec. 8.

The Atlanta Hawks and Philips Arena have named Nzinga Shaw as the organization’s new Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer (CDIO), it was announced today by CEO Steve Koonin. In this role, Shaw is responsible for developing and embedding diversity and inclusion best practices throughout the organization. She will design a strategic, cross-departmental program that creates deeper cultural awareness and sensitivity. Additionally, Shaw will serve as a member of the Executive Committee and provide guidance to the leadership team so that they can engender inclusivity in every facet of the business. She will report directly to Koonin.

“I am excited to be a member of the Atlanta Hawks and Philips Arena organization at such a pivotal time. My goal as the CDIO is to help our organization continue to rebuild trust and partnership in the Atlanta community, emphasizing civility and sportsmanship in an effort to ensure that everyone can be a fan of the team, attend home games, and so that we can serve as a model for inclusion in the NBA,” Shaw said. “More specifically, I will lead the charge of creating a strategic framework to help shift the culture so that we can create greater inclusion and engagement with all of our fans and stakeholders.”

Shaw most recently served as SVP of Diversity & Inclusion at Edelman, the world’s largest public relations agency. There she led the implementation of a global diversity and inclusion strategy. For her work, Shaw was selected by PR Week in August 2014 as a recipient of the 2014 40 Under 40 Award, and she was featured in the Atlanta Business Chronicle in October 2014 as one of 15 women to receive the inaugural “Women Who Mean Business Award” for her strength in creating viable workplace diversity and inclusion programs. Shaw is an alumna of Spelman College (BA) and the University of Pennsylvania (MLA).

“As CEO, I am committed to infusing diversity and inclusion throughout our organization and I will continue to champion it from the very top. A key part of the new model – appointing a CDIO who reports directly to me – will improve accountability across the organization,” Koonin said. “Nzinga will help us establish diversity and inclusion as a competitive advantage in terms of exceptional internal performance, outstanding customer service, and unparalleled fan engagement.”

Here’s the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reporting on Hawks point guard Jeff Teague, who is scoring a team-best 18.3 ppg and leading the team in assists with 7.0 apg:

Jeff Teague doesn’t like to talk about his individual accomplishments.

However, his body of work is speaking volumes for the Hawks point guard.

Teague had 24 points and 12 assists in a loss to the Raptors Wednesday. The 20-point, 10-assist effort tied him with Joe Johnson with 18 for sixth on the Hawks’ all-time list. He trails only franchise luminaries Mookie Blaylock (24), Pete Maravich (22), Jason Terry (22), Eddie Johnson (21) and Lenny Wilkens (21).

That’s not bad company.

The Atlanta Hawks, who through Thursday’s games have a 5-5 record, are regaining the services of rugged, versatile small forward DeMarre Carroll. Here’s the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reporting:

DeMarre Carroll is back.

The Hawks small forward will be active for tonight’s game against the Pistons and all indications are that he will start. Carroll missed the past four games with a groin strain. He went through full practices Wednesday and Thursday and shoot-around Friday.

Carroll declared himself 100 percent healthy following the morning practice.

“Coach Bud makes the final call but in my head I’m good to go,” Carroll said. “I think we did the proper treatment by taking the time off.”