Hawks bulk up big time in free agency

Just like that, the Atlanta Hawks transformed themselves into a playoff contender.

A team that averaged less than 25 wins the last three seasons added to its impressive young core with a whirlwind of free-agent signings, capped by the news late Tuesday that Sacramento would not match a fouryear, $72 million offer sheet to Bogdan Bogdanovic.

“It’s go time,” tweeted Hawks All-Star guard Trae Young, clearly excited by the bulked-up supporting case he’ll have around him in 2021.

“Let’s work!!!” Bogdanovic tweeted back.

Flush with cash heading into free agency after beginning a major overhaul three years ago, the Hawks quickly signed forward Danilo Gallinari (three years, $61.5 million) and guards Rajon Rondo (two years, $15 million) and Kris Dunn (two years, $10 million).

Then, after a proposed sign-and-trade that would have sent Bogdanovic to the Milwaukee Bucks fell through, Hawks general manager Travis Schlenk pounced at the opportunity to grab the 28-yearold Serbian guard with a lucrative offer that he figured the Kings wouldn’t be able to match.

He was right.

So capped a six-day transformation for one of the league’s backwater franchises, which began last Thursday with the selection of USC center Onyeka Okongwu at No. 6 overall in the NBA draft.

Adding Bogdanovic, Gallinari, Rondo, Dunn and Okongwu to a promising core of Young, John Collins, De’Andre Hunter, Kevin Huerter and Cam Reddish — all first-round picks the previous three years — suddenly makes the Hawks one of the Eastern Conference’s most intriguing teams.

Schlenk appears to have addressed the squad’s three biggest shortcomings: defense, 3-point shooting and depth.

Gallinari, who officially came aboard on a sign-andtrade with Oklahoma City that also netted the Hawks cash considerations and only cost them a conditional second-round draft pick in 2025, averaged 18.7 points and shot 40.5% from beyond the arc for the Thunder. NBA CANCELS ALL- STAR

GAME, GIVES INDIANAPOLIS 2024 EVENT >> Indianapolis will host the NBA All-Star weekend in 2024, the league said Wednesday, formally rescheduling the plans for that city to be the site of the league’s midseason showcase this season.

Cleveland will play host in 2022 and Salt Lake City will do so in 2023, both of those sites and years previously announced. The next open spot on the league’s All-Star calendar was 2024, which now belongs to Indianapolis.

The league said “public health conditions prevented the Pacers, the NBA All-Star Host Committee and the NBA from appropriately planning and executing fanfocused All-Star activities in Indianapolis that were envisioned for this February.”

Soccer

DEFENDINGCHAMPSMOVING

ON AS SOUNDERS OUST LAFC 3-1 >> Nicolas Lodeiro scored early in the first half, Raul Ruidiaz added a second midway through the second, and the defending champion Seattle Sounders beat depleted Los Angeles FC 3-1 late Tuesday in the opening round of the MLS Cup playoffs.

Lodeiro scored in the 18th minute to give the home side the early advantage, and Ruidiaz finally finished one of Seattle’s numerous chances with his eighth career playoff goal in the 66th minute.

Seattle will host FC Dallas in the Western Conference semifinals next week.

NHL ISLANDERS’ BOYCHUK RE

TIRES DUE TO LINGERING EYE INJURY >> New York Islanders defenseman Johnny Boychuk has decided to retire as a result of an eye injury sustained last season.

The Islanders on Wednesday announced Boychuk’s decision to end his 13-year NHL career after the player had numerous and extensive medical exams. The 36-year- old Boychuk required stitches and plastic surgery after being cut across his right eyelid by the skate of Montreal Canadiens forward Artturi Lehkonen on March 3.

It was the second injury to the same eye in Boychuk’s career.

Boychuck has two years left on a seven-year, $42 million contract he signed with the Islanders in March 2015. He spent six seasons with the Islanders.

Baseball

REDS, ROCKIES SWAP THREE

PITCHERS AND AN OUTFIELDER >> The Colorado Rockies and Cincinnati Reds swapped three pitchers in a four-player trade. The Rockies acquired righthander Robert Stephenson and minor league outfielder Jameson Hannah from the Reds for right-handed pitchers Jeff Hoffman and Case Williams, a minor leaguer.

Stephenson, 27, who starred at Alhambra High in Martinez, made 10 relief appearances for the Reds last season and 59 in 2019. In five seasons with the Reds, he was 10-13 with a 5.15 ERA across 104 appearances that included 22 starts.