The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
James' next decision could affect Hawks
Team has cap space to make it a player in some offseason deals.
LeBron James is chasing rings, so if he becomes a free agent this weekend he won’t sign with the Hawks, who are years away from contending for an NBA champi- onship.
In case that weren’t already obvious, James diplomatically crossed teams such as the Hawks off his free-agent list in the aftermath of Cleveland’s loss to the Warriors in the NBA Finals this
month. “Being a part of the startfresh mode is something that you definitely don’t want to be a part of,” he told reporters.
James has until Friday to decide whether to opt out of his contract with the Cavaliers and become a free agent. If he does so, the Hawks won’t be one of his suitors
but that doesn’t mean his choice of teams won’t affect them.
Two teams reportedly set to make pitches to James, the Sixers and Rockets, would need to create salary-cap space to sign him. The Hawks will have about $20 million in cap space they can use to take on high-salaried veteran players in trades for the price of draft picks, young play-
ers or both.
If the Sixers get a commit- ment from James, specula- tion about potential trades to clear cap room have centered on Jerryd Bayless, who will make $8.6 million in the final year of his contract in 2018-19. The Sixers own an extra first-round pick in the 2021 draft after they acquired it from the Suns (via the Heat) in a draft-night trade last week. Philadelphia also has several young players they could include in trades.
It would be harder for ilar to the trade he executed the Rockets to create the last summer that brought cap space to sign James outthe Hawks a draft pick in right. They may have to comexchange for absorbing sal- mit significant cap space to aries. That three-team trade retain promising young cen- with the Nuggets and Clip- ter Clint Capela, a restricted pers netted the Hawks a 2018 free agent, if he signs an offer first-round pick along with sheet with another team. Jamal Crawford and Diamond Also, two of Houston’s highStone. The Hawks subse- priced veterans, Ryan Ander- quently bought out Crawford son and Eric Gordon, will and last week used the draft be difficult to move because pick they acquired — No. 30 they have two years left on overall — to select Villanova their contracts. The Hawks forward Omari Spellman. are reluctant to take on veterEven if the Hawks don’t ans in trades who have mulexecute any deals with a team tiple years left on their deals. looking to clear cap space
Hawks GM Travis Schlenk for James, they could do so will look to make a deal sim- once ripples from his deci- sion spread throughout the league. The team James picks will look to build a roster to his liking, and the contend- ers that miss out on James also will look to improve. The Hawks can get involved in those kind of deals, too, with Kent Bazemore, Den- nis Schroder and Dewayne Dedmon likely to have some trade value for contending teams.
In January 2017, before Schlenk was hired, the Hawks made a trade that swapped a veteran for a draft pick and players with expiring contracts. The Hawks sent Kyle Korver to the Cavaliers for a protected first-round pick, Mike Dunleavy and the rights to Mo Williams. That draft pick will convey in 2019 or 2020 if it isn’t within the top 10.
Free agents: The Hawks will not extend qualifying offers to Malcolm Delaney, Josh Magette and Damion Lee by the Friday deadline. All three players will become unrestricted free agents.
Delaney spent two seasons with the Hawks. The point guard averaged 5.7 points, 2.8 assists and 1.8 rebounds in 17.8 minutes. He started five games. Delaney was lim- ited to 54 games last season due to injury.
Magette signed a two-way contract with the Hawks last season. He appeared in 18 games for the Hawks and averaged 2.6 points, 3.2 assists and 1.1 rebounds in 12.0 minutes. The point guard played most of the season in the G League with the Erie BayHawks.
Lee was signed the first of two 10-day contracts with the Hawks in March and for the rest of the season in April. The guard appeared in 15 games, including 11 starts, and averaged 10.7 points, 4.7 rebounds and 1.9 assists in 26.9 minutes.