Hawks exercise 2008-09 contract options on Marvin Williams and Shelden Williams
Aug 22nd, 2007 by Inside Hoops
The Atlanta Hawks have exercised the contract options for the 2008-09 season on forward Marvin Williams and forward/center Shelden Williams, it was announced today by Executive VP/General Manager Billy Knight. Per team policy, financial terms were not disclosed.
Entering his third season with the Hawks, Marvin Williams saw his numbers increase in virtually every category last season, as he averaged 13.1 ppg (up 4.6 from his rookie campaign), 5.3 rpg (up 0.5), 1.9 apg (up 1.1) and 0.8 spg (up 0.2) in 34.0 mpg (64 games), hitting .433 FGs and .815 FTs.
Despite missing the first 17 games of the season due to a non-displaced fracture of the third metacarpal of his left hand, he ranked 3rd on the team in ppg and FT%, 4th in mpg and 5th in rpg. Williams turned it up a notch late in the season, putting up 19.7 ppg on .565 FGs over his last six games, as he scored 20-or-more in five of those contests.
The NBA’s Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month for April, Shelden Williams posted averages of 11.6 ppg, 10.6 rpg, 1.8 spg and 1.1 apg (.588 FGs) during that time. Playing in a team-high 81 games on the season, Williams averaged 5.5 ppg, 5.4 rpg (led all rookies) and 0.6 spg on the campaign, making .455 FGs and .764 FTs. He finished fourth on the team in FT% and rpg.
He also recorded eight double-doubles, tops among first-year players. In his 31 starting assignments, he tallied 7.9 ppg, 7.5 rpg and 0.9 spg (.505 FG%, .789 FT%).
Training Camp ’07 will begin Monday, October 1st with Media Day activities set to begin at 3 p.m. on the Philips Arena practice court, while practices are scheduled to start on Tuesday, October 2nd (more details to come at a later date).