2024-25 Insider Thread

[JTB]

3 minutes ago, JayBirdHawk said:

Other notes and intel from around the NBA

Atlanta Hawks: After trading Dejounte Murray, the Hawks are expected to keep Trae Young alongside new first overall pick Zaccharie Risacher. Atlanta has not held extensive trade talks with any team involving Young this offseason due to the organization's belief in their All-Star point guard.

 

Better late than never I guess 

https://clutchpoints.com/sources-lauri-markkanen-brandon-ingram-kyle-kuzma-trade-scenarios

 

I am starting to wonder if the approach is to stay semi competitive well enough to make the playoffs this season (so the spurs don’t fully benefit from us sucking ass) but have loads of cap space to use on next seasons free agency when Trae can opt out or opt in.

if you trade Hunter for an expiring contract and you keep Capela this season and just left him walk next off season that’s about 43 mil in cap space. Add Nance expiring contract and that’s another 11 mil.

so next season, we could potentially have 54 million in cap space IF we can find an 1 year expiring  contract (who’s at least a rotation wing player).

 

maybe that’s the new plan to retain Trae long term and truly be competitive. There are some good players in next years free agency if they do not get an extension…Ayton, Allen, Butler, Gobert, Porzingis, Randle, JJJ, Aaron Gordon…just to provide some familiar names.

[JTB]

17 minutes ago, JeffS17 said:

Were gonna be in those sweepstakes with that Lakers pick when they turn in a lottery record.  Wont be great odds but we’ll be in it nonetheless 

I hope so! That would be gold! 

[REHawksFan]

8 minutes ago, JTB said:

I am starting to wonder if the approach is to stay semi competitive well enough to make the playoffs this season (so the spurs don’t fully benefit from us sucking ass) but have loads of cap space to use on next seasons free agency when Trae can opt out or opt in.

if you trade Hunter for an expiring contract and you keep Capela this season and just left him walk next off season that’s about 43 mil in cap space. Add Nance expiring contract and that’s another 11 mil.

so next season, we could potentially have 54 million in cap space IF we can find an 1 year expiring  contract (who’s at least a rotation wing player).

 

maybe that’s the new plan to retain Trae long term and truly be competitive. There are some good players in next years free agency if they do not get an extension…Ayton, Allen, Butler, Gobert, Porzingis, Randle, JJJ, Aaron Gordon…just to provide some familiar names.

Losing Clint, Hunter's salary, and Nance next year doesn't open $43M. They'd still be near the Salary Cap if not fully over with Cap Holds. They are $50M over the Cap this year which is just under the Tax Line.  

Hawks don't really have a way to open up significant Cap space to sign a FA unless they trade Trae for expiring contracts or something like that, which would be franchise suicide. 

[bleachkit]

31 minutes ago, JeffS17 said:

Were gonna be in those sweepstakes with that Lakers pick when they turn in a lottery record.  Wont be great odds but we’ll be in it nonetheless 

Yea but two shots at it would be nice. 

[REHawksFan]

To put a finer point on it, the Hawks are $50M over the Cap this year. That means they'd have to lose $53M in salary just to sign a $3M vet minimum contract in FA (without using exceptions). 

Free Agency isn't really a viable option for them. 

[JeffS17]

15 minutes ago, REHawksFan said:

To put a finer point on it, the Hawks are $50M over the Cap this year. That means they'd have to lose $53M in salary just to sign a $3M vet minimum contract in FA (without using exceptions). 

Free Agency isn't really a viable option for them. 

Yeah, probably makes more sense to keep Hunter around for SnT opportunities next offseason.  Although JJ's extension which will be fat starts next year so clearing space now would be prudent, especially if we can get a pick back.

[Jdawgflow]

2 hours ago, Hawkmoor said:

Bye.  Nobody watches baseball.  I do but most folks I know don't.  It worked out better for Atlanta, Fulton County and that neighborhood.  Its been built up since Georgia State and others moved into that area and nobody has to hear them folks whine about coming into Fulton County to watch baseball.  The Braves brought zero to that area or folks in general.  Now there is housing all over that area and new business.

 

 

I do believe the Braves attendance last year was over 3 million.  So it seems millions watch them.  
 

I am really glad the area around the old Turner field/FCS has been revamped.  It desperately needed it.  And it has worked out great for Georgia State being able to add quality sports complexes near campus.

Seems like a win-win for everyone.

[JayBirdHawk]

45 minutes ago, JTB said:

I am starting to wonder if the approach is to stay semi competitive well enough to make the playoffs this season (so the spurs don’t fully benefit from us sucking ass) but have loads of cap space to use on next seasons free agency when Trae can opt out or opt in.

Trae's option year is in 2026-27, not next season. 

You also have to account for JJ's new deal.

[Marvin24Williams]

I was all for trading Hunter before but there is no deal out there that would make us a better team. We are pretty thin at SF…. Just keep him for the time being.

[AtLaS]

No reason to dump Hunter for a lesser player + a pick now.  He is under contract for 4 years, at LEAST wait until the deadline to see what we have with this team before doing that.  

By dumping him now that means we aren't trying to win this season.  When, not if, ZR, Dyson, Bogi, or JJ get hurt we are going to really struggle with depth again just like 2 seasons ago when we traded Heurter and Bogi was injured.  Or last year when JJ went down and we were playing Wes freaking Mathews at the 4, and lost like 9 of 10 games.  

His contract isn't even that bad, we aren't over the tax, he's nearly a 40% 3pt shooter, averaged over 15ppg and is a solid defender and is excellent depth insurance.  It makes absolutely zero sense to trade him before the season starts.

Not to mention, we don't even own our own '25 1st, so losing does nothing for us.  Any deal for Hunter will still be available at the deadline if we want to trade him then.  We need to try and win games.

[JayBirdHawk]

32 minutes ago, REHawksFan said:

To put a finer point on it, the Hawks are $50M over the Cap this year. That means they'd have to lose $53M in salary just to sign a $3M vet minimum contract in FA (without using exceptions). 

Free Agency isn't really a viable option for them. 

Salary cap is $141 mil. Hawks have $169 mil in salary...so $28 mil over the cap.

[REHawksFan]

3 minutes ago, JayBirdHawk said:

Salary cap is $141 mil. Hawks have $169 mil in salary...so $28 mil over the cap.

Yeah.....I was looking here.

https://www.spotrac.com/nba/atlanta-hawks/yearly

Looks like they included the 5 Cap Holds in their 24-25 calculations. I was just going with the $50M over from them.

The point still remains that if we are $28M over the Cap and lose $43M in salary between Clint, Hunter,  and Nance, we'd still only have $15M to spend. 

And that's not even including JJ extension. 

 

[AtLaS]

Compare Hunter vs OG Anunoby.  Their stats are nearly identical.  OG just resigned for a 43+/year max contract. OG also misses a ton of games.

I'll take Hunter at 20M per ALL DAY LONG.  

Y'all undervalue our players too much.  Dumping him for a protected 1st before the season starts tells me this team isn't looking to win at all.  And we don't even own our 1st rounder?  It's honestly one of the dumbest things we could possibly do.

[JayBirdHawk]

2 minutes ago, REHawksFan said:

Yeah.....I was looking here.

https://www.spotrac.com/nba/atlanta-hawks/yearly

Looks like they included the 5 Cap Holds in their 24-25 calculations. I was just going with the $50M over from them.

The point still remains that if we are $28M over the Cap and lose $43M in salary between Clint, Hunter,  and Nance, we'd still only have $15M to spend. 

And that's not even including JJ extension. 

 

If we are $50 mil over we are over the 2nd apron, so that's not happening  

[Threezus]

24 minutes ago, AtLaS said:

No reason to dump Hunter for a lesser player + a pick now.  He is under contract for 4 years, at LEAST wait until the deadline to see what we have with this team before doing that.  

By dumping him now that means we aren't trying to win this season.  When, not if, ZR, Dyson, Bogi, or JJ get hurt we are going to really struggle with depth again just like 2 seasons ago when we traded Heurter and Bogi was injured.  Or last year when JJ went down and we were playing Wes freaking Mathews at the 4, and lost like 9 of 10 games.  

His contract isn't even that bad, we aren't over the tax, he's nearly a 40% 3pt shooter, averaged over 15ppg and is a solid defender and is excellent depth insurance.  It makes absolutely zero sense to trade him before the season starts.

Not to mention, we don't even own our own '25 1st, so losing does nothing for us.  Any deal for Hunter will still be available at the deadline if we want to trade him then.  We need to try and win games.

Plus i think we all seen last year where he shines.  He was absolutely dominating people as a 6th man bench piece a good portion of last year.  He might struggle against starting 5's at times but he is better than most 2nd units out there. If Risa steps up and takes his starting position at SF.  I am really excited about our bench squad absolutely dominating other teams benches. 

PG - Bufkin
SG - Bogi/Daniels
SF - Hunter
PF - Nance
C - Capela/Onyeka 

Their aren't many 2nd units competing with that on a nightly basis and it could get us back into games or help us pull away most nights.    Bufkin, Daniels, Hunter, Nance, and Onyeka is a nightmare squad for anyone on defense to go against. 

[deester11]

16 minutes ago, AtLaS said:

Compare Hunter vs OG Anunoby.  Their stats are nearly identical.  OG just resigned for a 43+/year max contract. OG also misses a ton of games.

I'll take Hunter at 20M per ALL DAY LONG.  

Y'all undervalue our players too much.  Dumping him for a protected 1st before the season starts tells me this team isn't looking to win at all.  And we don't even own our 1st rounder?  It's honestly one of the dumbest things we could possibly do.

Undervalue? Hardly. Hunter is what he freaking is. I will say that 20 per is on par and nothing more. If Hunter is the difference in this team tanking or not, prepare for SA to enjoy our lottery pick. Just damn. 

[AtLaS]

2 minutes ago, deester11 said:

Undervalue? Hardly. Hunter is what he freaking is. I will say that 20 per is on par and nothing more. If Hunter is the difference in this team tanking or not, prepare for SA to enjoy our lottery pick. Just damn. 

Nice strawman, I never said we were tanking, I said trading Hunter before the season makes the team worse in 24-25.  Do you disagree?

Tell me who is better.  Hunter or Garrison Mathews?

There is no reason to do it now since we aren't even in the luxury tax.  If the team is average we can trade him at the deadline.  There will be teams looking to make a run (a la Knicks last year) and a player with Hunter's profile will be coveted.

[deester11]

3 minutes ago, AtLaS said:

Nice strawman, I never said we were tanking, I said trading Hunter before the season makes the team worse in 24-25.  Do you disagree?

Tell me who is better.  Hunter or Garrison Mathews?

There is no reason to do it now since we aren't even in the luxury tax.  If the team is average we can trade him at the deadline.  There will be teams looking to make a run (a la Knicks last year) and a player with Hunter's profile will be coveted.

Lmao Strawman...ain't nobody trading for Hunter anyway unless it's a giveaway so it's a moot point. You said undervalue my worldly fella. . No one on the hawks is undervalued. Some have more value to the hawks..it is why we typically hold on to players too long. 

[theheroatl]

Hunter is wildly inconsistent and played better off the bench with no pressure.

 

his ceiling is low and he is not nearly as good defensively as OG

 

not sure why we have to rehash arguments over and over

hawks aren’t doing anything.. they got their roster.. they just want to play now with Trae and Risacher.

 

They probably don’t even have a plan beyond this year and y’all debating lol

[deester11]

7 minutes ago, theheroatl said:

Hunter is wildly inconsistent and played better off the bench with no pressure.

 

his ceiling is low and he is not nearly as good defensively as OG

 

not sure why we have to rehash arguments over and over

hawks aren’t doing anything.. they got their roster.. they just want to play now with Trae and Risacher.

 

They probably don’t even have a plan beyond this year and y’all debating lol

The Hawks have this board arguing semantics. But it is what it is. Some people like what they're doing or envisioning. I'm waiting..but so far I don't like it. So I'm bytching about it. 

Edited July 10 by deester11