Hawks to pursue Dwight Howard in Free Agency?!?

[Jamaaliver]

This seems like it deserves its own thread...

The initial Report:

Dwight Howard has scheduled free agent meetings after July 1st with both the Atlanta Hawks and Boston Celtics.

Howard is a native of Atlanta and has received interest from the Hawks previously. Paul Millsap is under contract at power forward for the Hawks, while Al Horford will be a free agent.

Here

The obvious concerns:

Given their hopes of retaining Al Horford this is a bit weird. ESPN reports the plan is to pair Horford with Howard, but that means either

• moving Paul Millsap to small forward, which isn't a long-term solution
• or trading him, which would be a radical move.

If the Hawks aren't planning on pairing Horford and Howard, this could be due diligence on a possible replacement option if Horford signs elsewhere.

Howard doesn't seem like a Hawks-type player on the surface. They opt for versatility and shooting at all five positions and Howard definitely lacks that. But he would provide rim protection and rebounding upgrade they've been lacking.

It should also be noted that the Hawks are notoriously tight-lipped, so it seems like this leak may have come from Howard's side as an approach driven to try and increase offers and the market value for Howard.

Here


Thoughts?

Concerns?

Predictions?

[Jamaaliver]

Clearly, there is some interest by the Hawks in D12. We wouldn't be meeting on Day 1 of Free Agency otherwise...

But I suspect it might actually be just as a precaution in case Horford leaves.

The only other theory I can piece together is that the Hawks are gunning for a super team in Free Agency. That they want to sign Howard, bring back Horford and use that pairing to entice Durant. (Trading Millsap, and others for cap space and more complementary pieces.)

Beyond that...I'm at a loss.

FTR, I do believe a pairing of Howard/Horford would dominate inside. But Howard's injury, FT shooting and locker room issues are indeed alarming.

[ATL Boy]

I'm on record saying that I really want Dwight. I'd like to re-sign Al, sign Dwight, and flip Millsap for a wing.

We'd be able to theoretically sign Dwight and Al if we were to make some moves.

We're currently at $78,825,238 with all our cap holds in place, subtracting Teague's salary and adding the $1.2 million and $1.8 million cap holds of Prince and Bembry

First we'd have to renounce Hinrich's cap hold which clears around $5.5 million. Just dumping Splitter into someone's lap frees up $8.5 million (I fear that we'd have to add value in a potential trade here). Making these two moves puts our cap number at $65,249,323. That gives us just under $29 million to work with. Renouncing Bazemore's QO frees up another $2.6 million, and renouncing Humphries' cap hold gives us an extra $1.2 million.

This of course takes into account Al's $18 million, and the fact that we wouldn't have to add in the extra $8 million for his max until we get to the threshold. Now, I'd hope that we'd be able to sign Dwight for around what Al will get ($26 million) which would free up some money to use cap space on a backup PG.

Trading Millsap for a wing would free up a lot of money as well, but I won't get into that.

Please note: the entire purpose of this post is to explain how we'd be able to theoretically afford to sign both Dwight and Horford, I'm not saying that this is what's going to happen.

[td00]

This sure sounds like Dwight is trying to stir up interest. But Al would not be on this roster with him.

We've seen Dwight interested in the Knicks, rumors about him going to Dallas, and of course, Miami will be on the radar if Whiteside leaves.

I truly think we had a terrific chance to get Dwight at the deadline last year, but it may have cost Horford and Teague. We would have gotten a test of how Dwight can fit on this roster.

I wouldn't mind seeing him join Sap on our frontline. That would at minimum give us some publicity and IMO increase ticket sales, which is good for ownership. I know the history that Dwight has, but getting back to the East with a solid coach might just right the ship.

But the main question is, can he be a team leader?

[jayu70]

Howard WITH Al AND Milsap I'm in. In lieu of either - pass.
I don't trust him. He'll be unhappy, locker room issues, bad knees and back and freethrows.

[reazun]

Maybe my memory is bad, but when has Dwight ever had locker room issues?

[td00]

Well, Bud is all about development, so does Malik Rose become the guy to take on the role of managing Dwight? Dwight is going to have to respect his coaching, and probably hasn't since Van Gundy.
To me, Splitter is a cheap backup along with Hump, so if its Al or Dwight, that should be our back 4.

Looks to me like Bud is going to develop and 3 from the draft, so that sounds like our plans for this year on the frontline.

[Rip2137]

I would pay Howard 18 before I paid AL 20+.

And if we add Howard you should want to move AL as Millsap is the better 4 (and better player).

[atlantabbq99]

I not only think that Millsap will be fine at SF but he will be an All Star SF. Budz has ever intention to get Horford and Dwight, but with that said, the Hawks should be open to looking for a Millsap trade if Horford and Dwight are locked in for 2017. Make a few calls, see what offers their are for Millsap. I wouldn't under sell Millsap, and if the Hawks can't get anything equal to Millsap's value, then I'm more than ok with keeping Millsap and making him into an All Star SF in Budz' system.

[jayu70]

[tweet]https://twitter.com/NekiasNBA/status/748200260695121920[/tweet]

[PandaKidd]

I am just not sure I can buy that. Id be shocked if he signed something that small. I still think hes going to get in the 18-20 million range from someone.

[jayu70]

I am just not sure I can buy that. Id be shocked if he signed something that small. I still think hes going to get in the 18-20 million range from someone.

I do to. I just don't see him getting $30+

[ATL Boy]

If the options in front of us are Al Horford 5 year supermax or Dwight Howard at around $20 mil per year for 3 years, I'd prefer Dwight in a no-brainer.


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[geeman]

[tweet]https://twitter.com/NekiasNBA/status/748200260695121920[/tweet]

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Atlanta Hawks Trade Breakdown


Change in Team Outlook: +3.8 ppg, -3.7 rpg, and +1.5 apg.



Incoming Players





Jimmy Butler
26 year old, 6-7, 220 lb GF from Marquette
20.9 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 4.8 apg in 36.9 minutes in 2015-2016




Outgoing Players





Paul Millsap
31 year old, 6-8, 246 lb FC from Louisiana Tech
17.1 ppg, 9.0 rpg, 3.3 apg in 32.7 minutes in 2015-2016





Chicago Bulls Trade Breakdown


Change in Team Outlook: -3.8 ppg, +3.7 rpg, and -1.5 apg.



Incoming Players





Paul Millsap
31 year old, 6-8, 246 lb FC from Louisiana Tech
17.1 ppg, 9.0 rpg, 3.3 apg in 32.7 minutes in 2015-2016




Outgoing Players

[jayu70]

[tweet]https://twitter.com/AdamHimmelsbach/status/748212250171875328[/tweet]

[Jamaaliver]

Atlanta Hawks Trade Breakdown
Incoming Players
Jimmy Butler
26 year old, 6-7, 220 lb GF from Marquette
20.9 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 4.8 apg in 36.9 minutes in 2015-2016

Outgoing Players
Paul Millsap
31 year old, 6-8, 246 lb FC from Louisiana Tech
17.1 ppg, 9.0 rpg, 3.3 apg in 32.7 minutes in 2015-2016

The problem with such a trade: CHI wants to get younger for a rebuild. We'd have to include a third team to include young players. (Something of this nature would have needed to be completed on draft night, ideally.)


I do think ORL would have given us a haul for Millsap, similar to what they gave to OKC for Ibaka.

And that likely could have been converted into J Butler easier than a 31 year old expiring contract to a rebuilding franchise.

[Rip2137]

Jamal, why do you want to move Milsap over Horford? Milsap is better, about to be cheaper and fits with a true big better. Is it you think AL would be more tradable if it doesn't work or just having bird rights?

[D21]

Howard WITH Al AND Milsap I'm in. In lieu of either - pass.

Exactly, it has to be the plan, and the only one.
If we add Howard, it has to be to try a super combo on C-PF spots, and try Millsap at SF with big guys like Horford-Howard at the same time.
In case Millsap doesn't succeed at SF, lets pay the three on both C-PF spots, and that's all.
16min of Horford-Millsap
16min of Howard-Horford
16min of Howard-Millsap

We can have a super frontcourt for an entire game, or use other options to play big with Millsap at SF.
I'm not sure it would work 100%, but at least, for the first time, we could see how it works for real and not just imagine.

It's time to try it and adjust later once you know if it works or not.
If Howard can come for 15M/yr, even 20M on a short deal, it's time to test it.

[PandaKidd]

Guys, the NBA is trending toward small ball, and you guys want to run 3 BIGs, 2 who cant create their own shot to save their lives, and 1 who couldnt hit a FT if his life depended on it.

Theres NO WAY the hawks strategy is to add all 3. YOU KNOW HOW OLD THIS TEAM WOULD BE LOL

Im telling you, you want NO PART of a
DS
KORVER
PM
AH
D12

NO PART WHATSOEVER.

The problem I see is also trading millsap would be tough since hes an expiring. I think D12 is just a backup insurance plan if Al walks.

[D21]

Guys, the NBA is trending toward small ball, and you guys want to run 3 BIGs...

It would be a possibility in case of opponents playing big, but essentially, the three can play on the C-PF spots.
Now if you let me choose between this and signing Durant at SF playing with Al and Paul, I will pick this last option

There a big problem : nobody thinks we can sign a star, even an old Howard.
By singing him, it can changes things. Or if we can't, it's now time to stop loosing days in search of a star each year, and try to sign second tier as soon as possible.
If the only players we can get are like the one we wanted once no superstar wanted to come here (Pau Gasol, Luol Deng...), then lets get these kind of guys on July 1st, and don't waste time on superstars

It should not be hard to convince him now : they preferred other teams, but ATL did better than these teams. So if they come,...