Hawks' Bruno Fernando: Contract guarantee date extended
Rotowire
Fernando and the Hawks intend to push back the guarantee deadline on his contract to July 10, Lauren L. Williams of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.
The Hawks and Fernando decided on a similar move prior to last season, and ultimately the center's contract was guaranteed. If the club decides to guarantee his salary this season, Fernando is set to make $2.7 million this upcoming year. The 25-year-old was a non-factor in the first half of 2023-24; however, after the All-Star break he saw an uptick in minutes, during which he averaged 7.8 points, 5.1 rebounds and 1.4 assists across 19.3 minutes.
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Hawks' Garrison Mathews: Stays in Atlanta
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The Hawks exercised Mathews' $2.23 million team option for the 2024-25 season Saturday, Michael Scotto of USA Today reports.
In his first full season with Atlanta in 2023-24, Mathews averaged 4.9 points, 1.4 rebounds, 1.3 three-pointers and 0.6 assists across 15.0 minutes in 66 regular-season games. While he doesn't project to see a major increase in playing time heading into Year 2 in Atlanta, Mathews' perimeter-shooting skills make him a valuable reserve. He connected on 44 percent of his attempts from downtown last season.
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Hawks' E.J. Liddell: Traded to Atlanta
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The Hawks acquired Liddell along with Larry Nance, Dyson Daniels and two futurue first-round picks on Friday in exchange for Dejounte Murray, Christian Clark of The New Orleans Times-Picayune reports.
Liddell wasn't part of the New Orleans rotation this past season, as he averaged just 0.5 points and 0.6 rebounds across 2.9 minutes in eight appearances. He will now compete for a roster spot as a depth frontcourt option in Atlanta.
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Hawks' Dyson Daniels: Dealt to Atlanta
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The Hawks acquired Daniels, Larry Nance and two future first-round picks from the Pelicans on Friday in exchange for Dejounte Murray, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reports.
As expected, the Hawks have dealt one of their two backcourt starters, and they will now shift to a younger look after selecting Zaccharie Risacher with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft. It's easy to forget Daniels was selected with the No. 8 overall pick in 2022, as he struggled to find consistent minutes due to injury and an influx of win-now talent on New Orleans' roster. Daniels, listed at 6-foot-7 and 199 pounds, is a versatile on-ball defender who can disrupt players across the board. On offense, he's shown playmaking upside, but he struggles shooting the ball. It's not a perfect fit next to Trae Young, but he's the right player to take a chance on during a soft rebuild.
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Hawks' Larry Nance: Shipped to Atlanta
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The Pelicans traded Nance, Dyson Daniels and two future first-round picks to the Hawks on Friday in exchange for Dejounte Murray, Shams Charania of The Athletic reports.
Nance averaged 5.7 points, 5.0 rebounds, 1.0 assists and 1.0 steals in 19.9 minutes across 61 bench appearances for the Pelicans in 2023-24. His role in Atlanta is unclear, as Clint Capela and Onyeka Okongwu will likely both feature ahead of him at center. Regardless, Nance has displayed versatility on the defensive end as well as an improved outside shot, converting 41.5 percent of 1.1 three-point attempts per contest last season.
Djurisic was selected by the Hawks with the No. 43 overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft.
An intriguing wing prospect with good size, Djurisic is firmly a developmental project for the Hawks. The 20-year-old Serbian will likely spend at least one more season overseas before potentially coming over to the NBA.
Risacher was selected by the Hawks with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, Shams Charania of The Athletic reports.
Risacher boasts a coveted 3-and-D skillset. He is listed at 6-foot-8 with plenty of length and knocked down 39 percent of his attempts from long range last season. While a versatile defender who can stroke it from three-point land is incredibly valuable in the modern NBA, Risacher's likelihood of living up to the expectations of the No. 1 pick will likely rely on his ability to produce off the dribble. He averaged less than one assist per game in 2023-24 for Mincidelice JL Bourg and had difficulties creating his own shot. The 19-year-old Frenchman may not have the upside of others in this class, but he profiles as an immediate impact player for the Hawks, who already have plenty of talent, including one of the league's best playmaking point guards in Trae Young. From Day 1, Risacher should be the favorite to start on the wing, but he'll have to beat out the likes of Bogdan Bogdanovic and De'Andre Hunter to secure the spot.
