Tag: Atlanta Hawks

Dejounte Murray got hurt during his Pelicans debut and it was an awful start to the Dyson Daniels trade

This is NOT ideal for Dejounte Murray and the Pelicans.

The Pelicans made a push this offseason, trading the promising Dyson Daniels to the Hawks for 2022 NBA All-Star guard Dejounte Murray.

While it seemed like a trade that could help New Orleans contend this season, the deal is already off to an incredibly bad start for the franchise. Unfortunately for the Pelicans, during his first regular-season game with the team, Murray was injured.

The guard suffered a fractured left hand during Opening Night against the Bulls. It is a difficult pill to swallow for the organization, who are now sadly without their starting point guard for an extended period of time.

According to Jeff Stotts, the expected recovery time is approximately between 15 and 17 and games.

So expect New Orleans to not have Murray for the first one-fifth of the season.

The good news is that CJ MCollum can play some point guard for the Pelicans if they wish.

Although he has a right knee contusion, backup point guard Jose Alvarado is also able to serviceably fill in for Murray as well.

But on the other hand, the player the Pelicans traded to acquire Murray looked outstanding during his first game with the Hawks.

Daniels was absolutely astonishing on both ends of the floor for Atlanta, beginning his tenure with the team by recording 15 points with 5 rebounds as well as 5 steals and 1 block. He added 2 assists as well.

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Former Duke basketball player signs massive five-year extension with his NBA team

Jalen Johnson, who spent the 2020-21 season with the Duke Blue Devils, reportedly agreed to a five-year contract extension on Monday.

Former Duke basketball player Jalen Johnson officially secured a massive contract extension on Monday.

According to ESPN reporter Shams Charania, the Atlanta Hawks gave Johnson a five-year extension worth $150 million ahead of his fourth NBA season.

Johnson played 13 games for the Blue Devils as a freshman in 2020-21, averaging 11.2 points, 6.1 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 1.2 blocks, and 1.2 steals. His best performance in a Blue Devils uniform came against Pittsburgh that January when he finished with 24 points and 16 rebounds, one of two career double-doubles. He scored 19 points and pulled down 19 rebounds in his debut against Coppin State.

The Hawks took him with the 20th overall pick in 2021, and he’s played 148 games for the franchise in the three years since. He emerged as a starter in 2023-24, averaging 16.0 points and 8.7 rebounds in 33.7 minutes per game. The 6-foot-8 forward also dished 3.6 assists and snagged 1.2 steals per game while shooting 51.1% from the floor.

The contract, which Charania also reported was fully guaranteed, keeps Johnson in Atlanta through the 2029-30 season.

2024-25 Atlanta Hawks: A quick preview

Despite the skepticism surrounding them, the Atlanta Hawks are shaping up to be one a potentially underrated team in the NBA this season. While many see their decision to trade Dejounte Murray as a sign of a rebuild, the reality is that the Hawks …

Despite the skepticism surrounding them, the Atlanta Hawks are shaping up to be one a potentially underrated team in the NBA this season. While many see their decision to trade Dejounte Murray as a sign of a rebuild, the reality is that the Hawks have taken a more strategic approach to roster-building. Trae Young, who is often over-criticized, remains the centerpiece of the team, and with Quin Snyder – considered one of the league’s top coaches – at the helm, the Hawks have the potential to exceed expectations.

Snyder’s coaching has already brought improvements, and as he enters his second full season, he’s poised to continue developing the young talent on the roster. Players like Jalen Johnson and Onyeka Okongwu are expected to take on larger roles, and the team added Zaccharie Risacher with the No. 1 pick and Dyson Daniels, both of whom bring versatility and two-way potential. Okongwu may even step into the starting lineup with Clint Capela in the final year of his contract, signaling a possible transition to a younger core.

However, despite the talent and Snyder’s leadership, the Hawks face tough competition in a stacked Eastern Conference. With several teams ahead of them in the pecking order, expecting more than a play-in spot this season may be a stretch. The development of their young players will be crucial to their future success, but for now, Atlanta’s best bet might be aiming for a play-in berth as they continue to build for the long term.

Dikembe Mutombo highlights: Remembering the greatest moments of his amazing career

Dikembe Mutombo was such a larger than life presence that it is hard to believe that he is gone.

Dikembe Mutombo was such a larger than life presence that it is hard to believe that he is gone.

The beloved big man, who died at 58, was one of the most memorable players in league history. His iconic finger was celebration made him an unforgettable presence in the basketball world.

He was an incredibly accomplished player who made eight All-Star appearances and won NBA Defensive Player of the Year four time in his career.

While there are so many highlights during his time on the court, here are a few of the all-time best moments he had in an NBA uniform:

Dikembe blocks MJ

Three consecutive blocks vs. Bucks

Four consecutive blocks vs. 76ers

Dikembe records 12 blocks in 1 game

Upsetting the Supersonics as a No. 1 seed

The late Dikembe Mutombo was also the star of the funniest commercial ever made

Dikembe Mutombo showed so much joy on and off the court.

Dikembe Mutombo was easily one of the greatest defensive big men to ever play basketball. He was also one of the funniest people on the planet.

Mutombo, who tragically died at 58, had an iconic celebration whenever he blocked a shot. His finger wag was one of the greatest taunts in sports history and we saw him pull it out during some iconic moments both on and off the court.

While many remember him for his impact on the game, others may recall that he was the star of a particularly memorable commercial. Mutombo starred in an ad for GEICO in which he blocked various everyday items into oblivion.

During this ad, which released in February 2013, he blocked shots in the real world. The idea is that the way he played the game, winning four Defensive Player of the Year awards, made him so genuinely happy.

He also used his catchphrases like “no, no, no” as well as “not in my house” and “not today” with his amazing laugh, shattering everything in his sight and running away with child-like joy.

This commercial was amazing and so was Mutombo. He will be missed dearly.

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Dikembe Mutombo is mourned by the NBA world after his death

Dikembe Mutombo was a legend larger than life and one of basketball’s greatest ambassadors.

Basketball Hall of Famer, four-time Defensive Player of the Year, and 8-time NBA All-Star Dikembe Mutombo is dead at the age of 58 after a battle with brain cancer. The tragic news about the larger-than-life big man was reported by The Athletic’s Shams Charania, shocking the basketball world with a devastating bombshell on Monday morning.

A native of the Republic of Congo, Mutombo turned in one of the finest careers in NBA history. He was a defensive ace for every team he played for, a prolific shot-blocker who amusingly made light of his highlight plays with an iconic “finger wag” celebration.

The finest team moment of Mutombo’s illustrious career might have been when he led the 1994 Denver Nuggets — the No. 8 seed in those Western Conference playoffs — to a stunning upset of the No. 1 Seattle Supersonics.

Mutombo was an incredible professional basketball player but an even better person. He was seemingly wearing a smile from ear to ear any time anyone saw him in public, bringing sheer, unbridled joy into any room he walked into. More importantly, Mutombo went to great lengths to use his huge platform to help improve living conditions in the Republic of Congo while also later working to improve basketball infrastructure in Africa in general.

Mutombo was a giant of the game in every imaginable way, and his loss is tremendous.

The NBA world mourned Mutombo after his death

AJ Griffin may leave basketball 2 years after he was a first-round pick in the 2022 NBA Draft

Griffin was selected No. 16 overall in the 2022 NBA Draft.

Once one of the top prospects in the entire world, AJ Griffin is reportedly considering stepping away from the game of basketball.

Griffin, who was a five-star recruit coming out of high school and the top-rated player in the state of New York, was a McDonald’s All-American. He played college basketball for the Duke Blue Devils and was named ACC All-Freshman in 2022.

While he missed part of his one-and-done season due to injuries, he was then selected by the Atlanta Hawks with the No. 16 overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft.

After averaging 19.5 minutes across 72 games as a rookie, Griffin did not get as much playing time for the Hawks during his second professional season. It ended with 8.5 minutes per game across just 20 appearances.

Earlier during the offseason, he was traded from the Hawks to the Rockets.

While he played in NBA 2K25 Summer League for Houston and appeared in the starting lineup each game he played, on Thursday The Athletic’s Shams Charania reported that Griffin is “seriously considering” stepping away from the sport.

The forward has battled various injuries and is the son of former Milwaukee Bucks head coach Adrian Griffin.

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Research: Lakers play the fewest back-to-back games of any NBA team

Back-to-back games have always been contentious for teams and fans alike. Teams worry about player injuries, while fans are disappointed when their favorites sit out. Over the past decade, load management has emerged as a strategy to address …

Back-to-back games have always been contentious for teams and fans alike. Teams worry about player injuries, while fans are disappointed when their favorites sit out. Over the past decade, load management has emerged as a strategy to address back-to-backs.

But who gets the short and long end of the stick when it comes to the NBA scheduling those games?

We looked up all regular season games since 2004-05 (when the league expanded to 30 teams) to find out. The main takeaway: The Lakers score a major win with the fewest back-to-backs in the league in the last 20 years at just 336. (For context, the Clippers had 382, which amounts to 2.3 more per season on average.)

Here’s the overall ranking:

76ers’ Paul George names Nets’ Nic Claxton as dynamic NBA big man

Brooklyn Nets center Nic Claxton is considered a dynamic NBA big man by Philadelphia 76ers star Paul George that could unlock Trae Young.

The Brooklyn Nets are moving forward with their plan to rebuild around some of their younger players as they try to find their next group impact players in the NBA Draft. One of the players that Brooklyn has invest almost nine figures in this summer is being recognized for his ability to contribute on the floor.

Philadelphia 76ers forward Paul George recently had Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young on “Podcast P with Paul George” and one of the topics discussed was how the Hawks could build around Young heading into the future. In the clip posted below, George mentions that what unlocks Young’s game is having a dynamic big man and the first name that comes out of his mouth is Nets center Nic Claxton.

“I think what unlocks your game so much is having a dynamic big… say you had like a Nic Claxton,” George said. While dynamic could have different meanings in terms of describing a basketball player, it seems that in this context, George means dynamic in terms of athleticism when he refers to Claxton.

“Dynamic roller, locks up, controls the paint, great screen-setter, you can just play shooters around you at that point,” George continued. To be clear, this conversation isn’t good George or Young suggesting that a trade happens so that Claxton and Young can play together, but it is notable that George’s first player that would be a good fit with Young is Claxton.

Heading into the upcoming 2024-25 season, Claxton will be coming in with some heightened expectations now that he is getting paid like the dynamic big man that George and others have dubbed him to be at this point of his career. Earlier this summer, the Nets re-signed Claxton to a four-year, $97 million contract, ranking him as the 12th highest-paid center in the NBA as of this writing.

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Hawks’ Trae Young offers candid assessment of 2024 NBA draft class

Young, speaking with Paul George, doesn’t believe there are very many franchise cornerstones in the most recent NBA draft.

In the weeks leading up to the 2024 NBA draft, the conversation centered on how there was no clear choice for the No. 1 overall pick and how it may lack future star power.

Atlanta Hawks point guard Trae Young agrees with that notion.

Young appeared on “Podcast P” with Paul George this week and discussed various topics, including the incoming rookie class. The former top-five pick surmised that many players drafted may not develop into franchise cornerstones.

To be honest with you, and no disrespect to the guys that got drafted, from the (outside) looking in – and some guys may surprise us – a lot of us look at them as role players coming in anyway. The last three No. 1 picks, you got Victor (Wembanyama), you got like Ant Edwards, you got some big-time names. None of these guys – whether it’s Reed (Sheppard), who’s going to be a hell of an NBA player, or Alex (Sarr), who didn’t play well in summer league, but who’s going to be a hell of NBA player – but a lot of these guys could be just role players.

The Hawks were awarded the top pick in the draft and selected Zaccharie Risacher, who last played with JL Bourg in France. Young revealed that he welcomed Risacher to the team shortly after the draft, though he hasn’t been in the gym with him yet.

Sarr, who was also in contention at No. 1, went to the Washington Wizards with the second pick, and Sheppard was selected third by the Houston Rockets. Young previously gave Sheppard a shout-out on X, formerly Twitter, after excelling in summer league.

The class, overall, had a productive showing last month on the court, though it is far too early to determine how the group will ultimately pan out in the long run. However, it is clear the players will have to prove themselves to their peers starting next season and beyond.

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