Category: Atlanta Hawks Blog

The Atlanta Hawks have waived Keith Benson and Isma’il Muhammad, President of Basketball Operations/GM Danny Ferry announced today.

Both players appeared in one preseason game (last night’s contest at San Antonio), as Benson finished with 10 points and two rebounds in 10 minutes (5-8 FGs), and Muhammad recorded one point and two assists (1-2 FTs) in 12 minutes of action.

Atlanta’s training camp roster now stands at 17.

Jeff Teague will never be the loudest voice on the basketball court. It’s not his disposition. However, you are going to be hearing a lot more from the Hawks point guard this season.

The Hawks coaching staff, including head coach Larry Drew and player development instructor Nick Van Exel, have told Teague he needs to be a more vocal leader. There is so much information that needs to be disseminated with a new up-tempo offense and a slew of new players.

“When I’m on the court, it’s a different mindset for me,” Teague said. “I’m going to talk. I’m going to play. Off the court, I’m a laid-back type of guy. It’s not really my personality, but I’m a different person when I get between the lines. I want to win so I’ll do whatever it takes. I’ll talk. I’ll yell. I’ll do all that.”

— Reported by Chris Vivlamore of the Atlanta Journal Constitution

Joe Johnson wanted to set the record straight on Thursday, telling reporters that he never asked out of Atlanta.

“Everybody thinks I made this trade,” the Nets’ shooting guard said. “I had nothing to do with it.

“Every time I run into somebody when I’m in Atlanta, they ask me, ‘Why did you leave?’

I didn’t have nothing to do with it. I’m just glad that I came to a great organization and a team who wants to win.”

Johnson, who was acquired by the Nets in a blockbuster trade, was originally asked if he thought he’d be booed when he returned to Atlanta. The Hawks host the Nets on Jan. 16.

“It’ll probably be some boos, it’ll probably be some cheers,” he replied. “I have no idea, man. What do you think?”

— Reported by Mike Mazzeo of ESPN New York

The Atlanta Hawks today announced their 2012 training camp roster, which tips off Monday with Media Day activities at 2:45 p.m. on the Philips Arena practice court.  With the additions of James Anderson, Keith Benson, Damion James, Carldell “Squeaky” Johnson and Anthony Tolliver, the team currently has an 18-man camp roster.

A former first round draft pick by San Antonio (20th overall in 2010), Anderson played in 77 games (four starts) over two seasons with the Spurs, averaging 3.7 points and 1.3 rebounds in 11.6 minutes per game (.380 FG%, .757 FT%).  Benson and James are both former Hawks draft picks, with Benson being taken in the second round (48th overall) of the 2011 NBA Draft prior to being waived on Dec. 23, 2011, and James in the first round (24th overall) in 2010 before his rights were traded to New Jersey on draft night.  Benson saw action in three games with Golden State last season, while James has played in 32 career games (16 starts) with the Nets, averaging 4.5 points and 3.7 rebounds in 17.9 minutes per game (.428 FG%, .650 FT%).

In 15 games for New Orleans last year, Johnson put up 1.8 points and 1.5 assists in 7.9 minutes per game (.314 FG%, .333 FT%).  A four-year NBA veteran, Tolliver played the last two seasons with Minnesota after previously seeing action with San Antonio, Portland and Golden State.  He owns career averages of 6.8 points, 4.5 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 21.5 minutes per game (.420 FG%, .320 3FG%, .770 FT%) in 181 career contests (33 starts).

Josh Smith is entering the final year of his current contract with the Hawks but it is “unlikely” that he will be re-signed before the end of the upcoming season. The forward is eligible to become an unrestricted free agent next summer.

Don’t panic yet Hawks fans.

Under the rules of the NBA’s collective bargaining agreement, it could be advantageous for Smith, and to some degree the Hawks, to wait on a new contract. In simplest terms, if Smith re-signs with the Hawks before June 30, the extension can be for only a maximum of three years. If he waits until after his contract expires, he can re-sign for up to five years.

According to Hawks general manager Danny Ferry, Smith and his agents have said he would like to remain in Atlanta.

— Reported by Chris Vivlamore of the Atlanta Journal Constitution

The Hawks invited free agent Damion James to veteran’s camp and the forward’s agent told Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports that he plans to accept.

James, like free agent James Anderson, will join the Hawks on a summer contract that would become a non-guaranteed one-year deal if he makes the roster. James and Anderson will compete to fill the role of defensive-minded wing that Hawks GM Danny Ferry is seeking.

The Hawks selected James with the No. 24 overall pick in the 2010 draft and traded him that night to New Jersey for guard Jordan Crawford. James, 24, played in just 32 games for the Nets and had his 2011-12 season cut short by a foot injury that eventually required surgery.

— Reported by Michael Cunningham of the Atlanta Journal Constitution

The Atlanta Hawks have signed rookie forward Mike Scott to a contract, according to President of Basketball Operations/GM Danny Ferry.

Scott was selected by Atlanta in the second round (43rd overall) of the 2012 NBA Draft.

According to the Atlanta Journal Constitution, “Scott signed a two-year contract for the minimum salary that includes some guarantees, according to Hawks GM Danny Ferry. The minimum salary for 2012-13 is $473,604. “Mike will be on the team this year,” Ferry wrote in a text message.”

The 6’8 forward earned First Team All-ACC honors as a senior at Virginia after averaging 18.0 ppg, 8.3 rpg and 1.2 apg (.563 FG%, .808 FT%).  He ranks third in school history in rebounds (944) and double-doubles (34), while finishing 16th in points scored (1,538).

Scott was born July 16, 1988 in Chesapeake, Virginia, and attended Deep Creek High School.  He will wear number 32.

The Atlanta Hawks announced today that Head Coach Larry Drew has added Kenny Atkinson to his staff as Assistant Coach/Player Development, and Bob Weiss as Assistant Coach/Consultant. They join Assistant Coaches Lester Conner and Bob Bender, and Player Development Instructor Nick Van Exel on the Hawks’ bench. In addition, Rick Sund has been named Senior Advisor, Basketball Operations, and Jeff Watkinson as Atlanta’s Strength and Conditioning Coach.

Atkinson comes to Atlanta after spending the last four years as an assistant with the New York Knicks where he helped the team reach the playoffs each of the last two seasons. Prior to joining the Knicks staff, he spent the 2007-08 campaign serving as the Director of Player Development for the Houston Rockets.

“Kenny has proven to be very successful in developing young players in this league, and his energy and enthusiasm are contagious,” Drew said. “We’re excited to add another dedicated and hard-working coach and teacher.”

Before starting his NBA coaching career, Atkinson spent three years as Director of Player Development/Assistant Coach for Paris Basket Racing Club in France (2004-06) and the summer of 2006 as Director of Player Development/Assistant Coach for the national team of the Republic of Georgia. He was also a Reebok EuroCamp Coach in Treviso, Italy during the summers of 2005-through-2010.

A standout collegiate player at the University of Richmond, Atkinson was an All-CAA First Team selection as a junior and senior (1989-90) and helped the Spiders to a Sweet 16 appearance in the NCAA Tournament in 1988. He went on to play professionally in France, Germany and Spain from 1991-2004.

Weiss is a former head coach for the Hawks (1990-93), San Antonio (1986-88), LA Clippers (1993-94) and Seattle (2005-06), and also spent time as an assistant coach with the Buffalo Braves, Dallas, San Antonio and Orlando. In 2008, Weiss coached Shanxi Zhongyu in the Chinese Basketball Association.

“Bob has been involved with the NBA game a long time, and brings a wealth of experience,” Drew said. “I’m looking forward to the contributions he’ll make to our staff.”

The 22nd overall pick in the 1965 NBA Draft by the Philadelphia 76ers, Weiss played 12 NBA seasons for the Sixers, Seattle, Milwaukee, Chicago, Buffalo and Washington, averaging 7.6 ppg in 783 regular season contests.

Sund has over 37 years of NBA experience, including the last four years as Atlanta’s Executive Vice President/GM. The Hawks posted a record of 184-128 under his leadership, reaching the playoffs in each of his four seasons, and advancing to the Eastern Conference semifinals three times. He’s also spent time as an executive with Milwaukee, Dallas, Detroit and Seattle.

He was a two-sport athlete at Northwestern University, where in basketball (as a 6-4 guard) he earned CoSIDA Academic All-America (third team) honors in 1973, and was twice named academic All-Big Ten, while also seeing action as a tight end and wide receiver on the football team. He holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from Northwestern.

Watkinson owned his own business for the last two years, working with NBA players on their strength, conditioning and basketball development. Formerly the strength and conditioning coach at Indiana University from 2006-10, he has held similar positions at Missouri, Clemson, Charlotte and College of Charleston.

The suburban Chicago native began his college studies in 1989 at Kishwaukee College in Illinois, earning an associate’s degree in pre-medicine. He then earned a baseball scholarship to North Carolina State, playing two years with the baseball team and graduating with a pre-medicine degree in 1993. Watkinson earned his master’s in exercise science from Indiana in 1996.

A funeral is planned Friday in Norcross for NBA veteran Dan Roundfield.

The former Atlanta Hawk spent 11 seasons in the NBA and had three consecutive All-Star seasons. He drowned Aug. 6 off the Caribbean island of Aruba while helping his wife as she struggled in rough water. He was 59.

The Hawks announced that his funeral will be at 10 a.m. Friday at Hopewell Missionary Baptist Church in Norcross. The service is open to the public.

— Reported by the AP via the Atlanta Journal-Constitution