The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Plenty of work ahead for GM
Schlenk has big roster decisions to make.
A lengthy to-do list awaits Travis Schlenk. When he officially begins his duties as the Hawks’ new general manager and head of basketball operations Thursday, there will be franchise-altering decisions to make in the next two months. He inherits a roster with six unrestricted free agents, one restricted free agent and eight players under contract to varying degrees. The draft is June 22 and the Hawks have three selections, some of the 11 picks they have over the next three years. Free agency starts July 1.
Here’s a look at five of the roster decisions that face the Hawks and Schlenk:
1. Paul Millsap
This is clearly the biggest decision. Millsap is an unrestricted free agent and eligible for a maximum contract. Millsap can receive a projected deal of five years,
$205 million from the Hawks or four years, $152 million from another team. Millsap would be 37 years old and eligible for a projected salary of $46,662,000 from the Hawks in the final year of a maximum contract. There is a chance that the Hawks and Millsap will agree to a deal that doesn’t include the final-year maximum. There is also a chance he leaves and the Hawks receive nothing for the four-time AllStar after holding on to him at last season’s trade deadline. Remember Al Horford?
With a projected salary cap of $101 million, the Hawks have about $69 million in salary on the books for next season. A starting maximum Millsap salary would be $35,350,000. The Hawks hold Millsap’s Bird Rights and could go over the cap to re-sign him but there would be a lot less flexibility in filling out the roster with Millsap back in the fold. (The “Larry Bird rule” allows a team an exception to the salary cap when re-signing a veteran with over three consecutive seasons with a team.)
Millsap said he wants to return and principal owner Tony Ressler said the franchise will make “every effort imaginable” to keep their star.
Schlenk told a Bay Area radio station after he was hired from the Warriors that a large part of that organization’s success was manageable contracts. “One of the things we did in Golden State is we avoided signing bad contracts,” Schlenk said. “All the guys we signed in free agency were on deals that were moveable. If you sign a bad free agent contract and it’s a deal that can’t be moved, that can hold your franchise down.”
2. Tim Hardaway Jr.
Hardaway is a restricted free agent and due a big raise. He is on the books for $3.3 million next season but he will surely get an offer from another team that far exceeds that figure for a player who made such significant strides in his time with the Hawks. The Hawks gave up a firstround pick for Hardaway and by the end of this second season was starting in the playoffs.
Schlenk must decide how high the Hawks are willing to go to match an offer for Hardaway. In the current financial climate of the NBA, Hardaway figures to command at least $10 million, perhaps more.
Can the Hawks afford to spend that much on Hardaway when Kent Bazemore is due nearly $17 million next season in the second year of his four-year deal? That’s a lot of money to have tied up in two men who play the same position.
It is likely the Hawks will keep only one.
3. The NBA draft
Schlenk certainly knows the draft and who will be available from his time as the Warriors’ assistant general manager. The Hawks’ front office has long been at work doing their due diligence with pick Nos. 19, 31 and 60. Schlenk had a hand in the Warriors’ successful selections of Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green. Can he do the same in Atlanta?
There could be a chance to select a contributor at No. 19 and perhaps No. 31. The No. 60 pick would seem destined for the Hawks’ new NBA Development League affiliate.
There is also a matter of last year’s draft and the wings the Hawks selected. Taurean Prince advanced to the starting lineup by the playoffs. DeAndre Bembry was limited but the Hawks — or maybe another team — see potential. How Prince and Bembry fit in the Hawks’ future will impact the draft.
4. Free agency I
In addition to Millsap, the Hawks have five other unrestricted free agents come July 1. Ersan Illyasova, Kris Humphries, Thabo Sefolosha, Mike Muscala and Jose Calderon will be on the open market. Illyasova and Muscala seem candidates to return. Coach Mike Budenholzer will likely have a big voice in who returns with their ability to fit his style of play. The Hawks certainly need at least one player to back up Dwight Howard at center.
5. Free agency II
The Hawks will have salary cap space to add to the roster, especially if they lose Millsap.
If he does walk, the Hawks have a gaping hole at power forward. Millsap is one of the best available on the market. They could look at Blake Griffin (player option) or unrestricted free agents such as Serge Ibaka, Zach Randolph, Taj Gibson or Patrick Patterson.
Perhaps, with the abundance of draft picks, Schlenk could look to a trade. He will most certainly look to free agency to fill out the roster around the returnees.