Atlanta Hawks

Today Rudy Gobert, the 19 year-old 7'2" French center, participated in a pre-draft workout with the Hawks and tweeted out a photo of his workout shirt. Just finished the hawks workout #atlanta #hawks http://t.co/56E0agvIHw— rudy gobert (@rudygobert15) June 18, 2013 With the Hawks not releasing the names of workout participants this year, we are reliant on players and agents, as well as well placed sources, to discover who is working out and when. Earlier in the week, Nubyjas Wilborn reported that Mason Plumlee (Duke; Power Forward), Jeff Withey (Kansas; Center), and a few other big men had worked out with the Hawks. According to sources, Jeff Withey, Mason Plumlee, C.J. Aikan among others worked out for the Hawks today.— Nubyjas Wilborn (@nwilborn19) June 15, 2013 Nubyjas told me that he spoke briefly with Plumlee who said that he would be back for a workout with the Hawks again once the NBA Finals were over so Mike Budenholzer can be in attendance. Other players that have stated on twitter, have had their agents state their participation in a workout, or have been reported to workout (including potential first rounders, second rounders, and undrafted free agents) with the Hawks include: Jamaal Franklin (San Diego State; Shooting Guard/Small Forward)*** Kerron Johnson (Belmont University; Point Guard) Frank Gaines, Jr. (IPFW; Point Guard) Ricardo Ledo (Providence; Shooting Guard) Araslan Kazemi (Oregon; Power Forward) Adonis Thomas (Memphis; Small Forward) Romero Osby (Oklahoma; Power Forward) Reggie Buckner (Ole Miss; Power Forward) Kyle Weems (Missouri State; Small Forward) Mfon Udofia (Georgia Tech; Point Guard) Dwayne Davis (Southern Miss; Shooting Guard) CJ Aiken (St. Joseph's; Power Forward) ***Franklin's visit reported by Andy Katz and has been unconfirmed as to whether he has been to Atlanta yet*** ------------------------- We will continue to provide updates on prospect workouts as well as offering analysis on the possible draft choices as we near the NBA Draft on Thursday, June 27.

Those Atlanta Hawks fans that are holding out hope that Danny Ferry can capture the two biggest names on the free agent market this summer should have took a big deep breath on Tuesday after it was reported that the potential mega trade between the Celtics and Clippers was dead. The deal as reported would have involved Boston's Kevin Garnett, negotiating rights with head coach Doc Rivers and other spare parts for Clippers center DeAndre Jordan and some draft picks. Eric Bledsoe's name was also bantered about but wasn't reportedly in the deal that was being discussed at the time talks were broken off. Had this deal gone through it would have been a virtual lock that Chris Paul would have agreed to re-sign with the Clippers this summer. How the deal falling through will effect Paul's situation is unknown. Its also important to point out that the deal is reported dead as of this moment but could be revived at some point. The Clippers have vowed to continue their search for a head coach and reportedly plan to have one in place by as late as early next week. For the Hawks this development doesn't really change anything. Paul to Atlanta remains a longshot but the odds would have shrunk considerably had the Clippers been able to secure both Garnett and Doc Rivers.

Derick Hingle-USA TODAY Sports A few weeks ago, this summer looked somewhat promising for the Atlanta Hawks. Developments within the past 48 hours, however, could begin to dismantle any of the plans Atlanta had for this offseason. The original goal was to go hard after Los Angeles Clippers point guard Chris Paul in hopes that they could then attract Los Angeles Lakers center Dwight Howard to join him. With all of the talk lately of a trade going down between the Boston Celtics and the Clippers, though, these potential signings look more bleak by the minute. This particular deal would send Kevin Garnett to the Clippers with Paul Pierce and Doc Rivers following right behind. In return, the Celtics would acquire DeAndre Jordan, Caron Butler and draft pick(s). The part of the deal that could ultimately hold this up is the unwillingness of Los Angeles to give up Eric Bledsoe as a part of the deal. So, what does this mean for the Hawks? Wouldn’t Howard still be in play? Well, there are plenty of other interested teams out there and some have even gone out on a limb to express how confident they are in the ability to sign him. According to other sources close to the scenario, both Los Angeles teams could wind up swapping Blake Griffin and Howard as well; thus allowing Howard and Paul to play together as many had suspected. Without Howard and Paul in play this offseason, the Hawks could ultimately be left empty-handed. As their superstar forward Josh Smith is about to hit the market, many predict he has already been long gone and has no chance of winding up back in Atlanta. Of course, all of this has yet to come to fruition. But, if it indeed happens the Hawks are going to have to revert to any backup plans for free agency. Might that be Andre Iguodala or Andrew Bynum? That’s not exactly comparable to Paul and Howard, but the Hawks are going to need to get something done. This offseason Atlanta will have a ton of cap room to work with. The last thing they want to do is end up without any star players heading into next season. Ryan Heckman is a Senior NBA writer for RantSports.com also contributing to the NFL. Follow him on Twitter @ryanmheckman  or add him to your network on Google.

As was expected, the Milwaukee Bucks have announced the additions of Nick Van Exel and Bob Bender to Larry Drew's coaching staff. The two were reportedly helping Drew with draft workouts earlier this month but an official announcement wasn't made until Monday. Van Exel worked primarily in player development while with the Hawks for the last three seasons. Bender had been with Atlanta for the last nine seasons. No word on whether or not assistant coach Lester Conner will also be a part of the Bucks' staff. Bob Weiss and Kenny Atkinson were also a part of the Hawks' staff last season. The Hawks have announced the additions of Quin Snyder and Darvin Ham to Mike Budenholzer's staff in Atlanta. Ham previously worked in player development with the Lakers but what his role with the Hawks might be has not been disclosed. Atkinson could be the only incumbent that might have a chance to stick in Atlanta. He was hired prior to last season after working in player development for the New York Knicks.

I don't know why you guys have so little fans here but if Danny Ferry plays his cards right, you guys are looking at a huge incoming windfall. First, we look at the probability of Dwight leaving Los Angeles. You're gonna right a lot of assumed conclusions without listing the proofs/axioms so you're going to have to do some induction (take a leap of faith). I'll list out the Axioms so if it's wrong, you'll see where the reasoning went wrong. Induction 1: The longer D'antoni isn't fired, the more likely it is that Howard will leave. It's really looking like Buss Jr. is gonna dare Dwight leave a big market city and give up the maximum money. They aren't going to do a sign and trade as that necessitates a Kobe Amnesty. And they def. wouldn't give him to the Clippers. The Lakers gave up Bynum for him--the resulting PR of 'ungrateful' would harm Howard's career. If Dwight is to leave, he's going to need a strong narrative. Since Atlanta is his hometown, the Hawks is the only team out there that can provide that narrative. Induction 2: Atlanta Hawks have the most capspace to allow Howard free reign over who his 3rd teammate is. The first one being Horford (he is underpaid and playing the wrong position for the Hawks btw). So if Howard wants to play with CP3...and that seems to be the case. And if CP3 wants veteran defensive bigs (separate work that I've done but very well documented from good sources as well as my own validated analysis.), that will be ghe Hawks. The core of CP3, Horford, and Howard is very feasible. ------ Dwight has two choices. The first being the Laker's Promise of Patience. The team will be built according to dwight's strengths in 2014. But Dwight has to withstand the year of 2013 sucking. But he has no real guarantee of that. Assuming that his beef with D'antoni is real (induction #1), then he can't even get that guy fired, much less have control over any future destiny. The Lakers might resign Kobe and then he'd be up the creek having signed a long contract. The major thing is that if Lakers miss out on playoffs in 2013...they aren't gonna blame Kobe. It's all on Dwight. The second choice is to leave. It's less money but not much so. The Bad News Bears in this situation is the resulting bad PR of being ungrateful to the Lakers. the Hawks also lack an elite defender, which is a no-no in the eastern conference especially in the Lebronapocalyptic era. While the Lakers Eventuality is still the top spot in my matrix, the Atlanta Hawks are a close second with the Clippers a wildly distant third. (The Clippers have their own set of proofs, and their desperate need for a veteran big is tied directly to their even more desperate need to keep Chris Paul.) ------------- Neither Chris Paul nor Howard are going to make move until July 10th where the new cap is reviewed and they can see how much maximum money they can get, should they both jump over to a new team. A larger cap is only going to help the Hawks. I would explain this but this is already a 500 count essay. Too much. Danny Ferry already has a Playoffs-experienced x and o's guy in Mike Budenholzer (Popovich's much lauded right hand man). He has the cap space to sign howard and the additonal flexibility to sign whoever Howard WANTS, even chris paul. If they both decide to take less, they can then go after an elite defender. Iguodala fits the bill but is way too costly. Maybe sign both Aminu and Dorell Wright so that they can take turns guarding lebron. In any case, the Hawks are in a fantastic and flexible cap situation. They don't have to rush anything. When July 10th comes, i believe the Hawks will be neck and neck with the Lakers if not slightly favored depending on what Kupchak or Ferry maneuver in the interim. ------------------------------ PS* I also think jeff teague should be cut regardless of the outcome of Dwightstakes 2013. I don't know why you guys have so little fans here but if Danny Ferry plays his cards right, you guys are lookin

Jun 9, 2013; Miami, FL, USA; San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich (right) talks with point guard Tony Parker (9) during the third quarter of game two of the 2013 NBA Finals at the American Airlines Arena. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports It goes by different terms: “The Spurs model”,“The Spurs philosophy”, etc. Some would have you believe it doesn’t exist; that the Spurs have no different philosophy as the 29 others organization other than to achieve the pinnacle of competitive basketball by any means, the elusive Larry O’Brien trophy. There are a lot of misguided labels and misconceptions of this successful franchise. “Boring basketball?” Maybe if you consider a team that finished the 2012-13 season 4th in points per game and 6th in offensive efficiency. In addition, it’s hard to try to nail descriptions to an ever-changing organization in an ever-changing league that forces innovation to be able to compete. Gregg Popovich, the legendary Spurs head coach, recently created a stir about his comments regarding domestic and international NBA players saying foreign players are “fundamentally more hardworking than most American kids”. Regardless of the actual merit of the statement, it goes a long way to explaining San Antonio’s international plan of attack. A quick glance at the current roster reveals that only 6 of the 15 players were born in the United States. Currents Spurs hail from all over the world, including France, Brazil, Argentina, Canada, New Zealand and Australia. That’s not necessarily to say to American players have not been a key focus over the years (see Kawhi Leonard, David Robinson, Bruce Bowen, etc.) or that international players have always been solid finds. Heck, it even depends whether you consider Tim Duncan to really be international (he was born and raised in the US Virgin Islands). But there is something to say for a group that shuns signing flashy, usually domestic, players looking to build the next superstar duo, trio or any other super group. In that same piece, Popovich talks about the lack of entitlement most international players have when compared to their American counterparts. He describes them as coming to the NBA as humble and coachable as opposed to unappreciative and lacking some basic fundamentals. This mentality even trickles down to those permanently seated on the bench. Mike Budenholzer and Quin Snyder, who currently compose the Hawks coaching staff, have both even had experience coaching in the Euroleague. Having a set of General Manager and coaching staff on the same page is another hallmark of the recent Spurs regime. Gregg Popovich was the General Manager before naming himself coach in 1996. For a period of 6 years, we was both General Manager and Head Coach. Talk about continuity between the two positions. He gave way to R.C. Buford in 2002. Both were former assistants on the same coaching staff back in 1988. Admittedly, Mike Budenholzer is not as brash as Popovich is with the media. The already tight-lipped Hawks organization need not change that aspect to emulate those in black, silver and white. But the common fan doesn’t care about media protocol, just simply about fielding a championship level team. The Hawks may step on some toes along the way, as Popovich did in resting his main players in front of a national televised game. It drew the ire of Commissioner David Stern and carried a $250,000 fine. And yet, as of June 16, 2013, the Spurs are two wins away from hoisting the Larry O’Brien trophy for the fifth time in under two decades. Danny Ferry has a long connection with both Mike Budenholzer and Quin Snyder. Budenholzer was a long time Spurs assistant, during with Ferry both played for him and overlooked in as he sat in the front office. Ferry and Snyder were roommates for four years in the last 1980′s as members of Duke’s basketball team. There should not be any noticeable impasse in proper commu

Rumors have started to swell over the past week regarding the possibility of the Atlanta Hawks landing superstar duo Chris Paul and Dwight Howard in what would be the biggest free agent coup since the Miami Heat assembled The Big Three.  Howard and Paul have reportedly been texting about possible destinations of where to play throughout this entire past week. ESPN Insider Kevin Pelton pegs Atlanta as the best and most realistic option for Howard and Paul to consider if they are set on playing with one another. According to Pelton, this is due in large part because Atlanta is one of very few teams that could sign both players to max contracts without making destructive roster changes.  The Hawks have been anticipating this free agency for years now and GM Danny Ferry has intelligently rid the franchise of almost all long-term financial obligations to set them up for this summer. Atlanta has only three players under guaranteed contract next season in Al Horford, John Jenkins and Lou Williams, but the team would need to package Williams (not a bad contract, definitely an asset) and one of the first round picks (17 or 18) without taking back money in order to make room for the two new massive contracts.  It is definitely doable, and the end result for the Hawks would hypothetically then be: Howard, Paul, Horford, Jenkins, the remaining draft picks, and free agents. There are other possibilities for the duo out there though, namely a sign-and-trade deal that would bring Howard to the Clippers, since Chris Paul wants badly to stay in Los Angeles. However, the Clippers seem unwilling to part ways with Blake Griffin, Eric Bledsoe and DeAndre Jordan (which they would need to do) and the Lakers seem unwilling to help create the NBA’s next big super-team right in their own city.  Houston has also emerged as a possible destination, but because Rockets are deadset on keeping Harden, they would need to completely gut their roster and part with many future draft picks, something that has to be unappealing to both sides.  Detroit and Dallas are also two remote possibilities, but it is believed that they are not serious contenders. Atlanta holds the top spot for now as the best option according to most sources, as they can provide the fastest track to a championship. There are problems, however, for both players. Dwight apparently has no desire to play in his hometown Atlanta, sources close to Howard stating that he would only do so if it brought he and Chris Paul together.  This certainly hurts the team’s marketing pitch of selling Howard on returning home, and it’s no help either that the team would not be able to re-sign Josh Smith alongside Howard and Paul.  Smith and Howard have an extremely close relationship dating back to their early AAU days, Howard was also the best man at Smith’s wedding three years ago.  Chris Paul’s problems with Atlanta are also personal. Outside of his desire to stay in Los Angeles, Paul is apparently still disgruntled over Atlanta snubbing him in the 2005 draft: “It would be very tough for (Paul) to go to Atlanta,” the source said. “He loved Atlanta when they should have drafted him in ’05 but not so much since then. But hey, everybody is an option at this point.” All things considered, the problems the Hawks face still pale in comparison to those that other potential suitors face, since at the end of the day Atlanta can offer far and away the best roster situation for a tandem desperate to win a title. It will be exciting to hear new rumors in the weeks leading up to July 1, when the free-agency period officially begins. Don’t forget to “Like” the Soaring Down South Facebook page and “Follow” us on Twitter @SoaringDwnSouth to get up-to-date Atlanta Hawks/NBA news, rumors and analysis conveniently in your news feeds.

Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports Assuming Andre Iguodala opts out of his contract for next season as expected, the Atlanta Hawks could be one of the many teams interested in the underrated superstar. The Hawks plan to build their team around Al Horford and while it is well known the team covets Chris Paul and Dwight Howard, there isn’t a guarantee that either player will leave their current franchise. With around $40 million in cap space, the Hawks can’t afford to strikeout this offseason. The Hawks have just three players under contract and lack an offensive threat to pair with Horford. The perfect fit for what the Hawks need could be the 29-year-old Iguodala, who is entering the prime of his career. He’s been one of the most consistent players over the last five years, averaging at least 12 points, five assists and five rebounds in each season. Often overlooked as a superstar, Iguodala is coming off a season where he averaged 13 points, 5.4 assists and 5.3 rebounds and was the Denver Nuggets’ best defender. When it came to playoff time, he averaged 18 points, eight rebounds and 5.3 assists, despite losing his teammate, Danilo Gallinari, to a torn ACL. As of right now, the All-Star currently has one-year and $16.2 million left on his contract, but by opting out, he will have the opportunity to earn more money long-term. He can sign a five-year deal with the Nuggets and a four-year deal with other teams. With Gallinari expected to miss at least the first half of next season and there being uncertainty around who will be coaching the Nuggets, Iguodala will likely pursue another team that provides a better chance to win a title. Follow A.J. Speier on Twitter @Ajbisons for articles, news, and all things NBA

We have been following various mock drafts for the last couple of weeks and there has been a great deal of similarities in most of them. SLAMOnline introduces a couple of new names to the equation including a center prospect that until this point we have pretty much ignored. No. 17 Lucas Nogueira - center - Brazil The first thing that jumps out about SLAM's projection is that they have Mason Plumlee going one pick earlier to the Boston Celtics. Nogueira is another project big man that would fit into the stash for a year and save some cap room now plan. Jamaal Franklin still out with ankle injury, will visit Atlanta Hawks Jamaal Franklin is still feeling the effects of an ankle injury and likely won't risk working out before the NBA Draft. While super raw on the offensive end, Nogueira has some professional international experience (Spain's Liga ACB), and only appears to be getting better against the better overseas talent (2013 adidas Eurocamp). And it says here that the new Hawks head coach worked with a pretty damn good 7-footer during his tenure in San Antonio, so I'm guessing he'll have a few lessons to share with the young fella when the time is right. Here is a look at Nogueira's scouting report via DraftExpress: No. 18 Tony Mitchell - forward - North Texas Mitchell is a 6-8, 235 pound forward that has often been criticized for not doing more on the basketball court. Sound familiar? You see, in a lot of ways Tony Mitchell is just a younger version of Josh Smith. Atlanta fans certainly hope the rookie is able to slide in and out of the two forward slots like J-Smoove has over the past few years. But at the same time, they also need Tony to be disciplined enough to know that 22-foot jumpers from the corner aren't a great look for him. Smith wasn't able to do that; now he's likely elsewhere. Mitchell is a talent and if he hadn't coasted through his sophomore season he would likely be in the discussion as a lottery pick. Still he is a high upside guy and hopefully Mike Budenholzer and his staff will be able to take guys like Mitchell and push them to new heights in terms of their ability. Of course he could also be the type of player that Budenholzer and the Hawks choose to stay away from. SB Nation's Jonathan Tjarks has been enamored with Mitchell for some time but I think a little less of him as a potential pick for the Hawks. Finally here is Mitchell's scouting video via DraftExpress:

Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports Despite new head coach Mike Budenholzer currently focused on the NBA Finals, the Atlanta Hawks have begun the process of filling out his coaching staff. On Saturday, the Hawks announced Darvin Ham, a Los Angeles Lakers assistant coach for the past two seasons, has been named as a Hawks assistant coach. Ham is the second assistant to be hired this week with Quin Snyder joining on Monday. “Darvin has a great feel for the game and knows what it takes for a team to be successful and compete at a high level,” Budenholzer said in a news release. “He was a smart player who played with intensity and toughness every night and he has gone about coaching the same way.” Throughout Ham’s career, he was known for his powerful slams, earning the nicknames “Dunkin Darvin” and “Ham Slamwich” from Detroit Pistons play-by-play announcer George Blaha. His most notable dunk came at Texas Tech, when he shattered the backboard during the 1996 tournament against North Carolina. Ham spent eight years in the NBA as a journeyman player. He began his career in 1996 with the Denver Nuggets, before going on to play for the Indiana Pacers, Washington Wizards, Milwaukee Bucks, Hawks and the Pistons, where he was a member of the 2004 champion team. Following the 2005 season, Ham went overseas to join the Philippine’s basketball team, Talk ‘N Text Tropang Texters for a year before coming back to America as an NBA D-League player with the Albuquerque Thunderbirds and the Austin Toros, where his career ended. Ham went straight into coaching in 2008 as an assistant with the Thunderbirds. He became their head coach in 2010, but decided to join the Lakers after an unsuccessful 20-30 season. Follow A.J. Speier on Twitter @Ajbisons for articles, news, and all things NBA