The Hawks signed forward Kris Humphries to a multi-year deal on Tuesday after he was bought out and waived by the Suns earlier in the week. He got a crash course in the Hawks’ system before Tuesday night’s game at the Warriors. Humphries was in uniform but did not play.
After the game, Humphries spoke with The Atlanta Journal-Constitution about several subjects including why he chose the Hawks, his expected role and why he added a 3-point shot to his game.
Q. What is your reaction to the events of the last 48 hours that landed you here with the Hawks?
A. It's an opportunity to play on a playoff team. I'm excited about it.
Q. Is that what made the situation here the most attractive to you?
A. Yeah, the interest (from the Hawks) and this is a really good team.
Q. One of the things the Hawks said they liked was that you can now stretch the floor to the 3-point line. What when into adding that to your game?
A. Everyone is doing it right? You have to adjust your game. That is the way offenses are going. I decided to put it in.
Q. How much work goes into adding something like that to your game?
A. You definitely put a lot of time into it if you want to be good at something. Summer time, getting shots, tons and tons of 3's up to get comfortable out there on the floor.
Q. Did you work with someone?
A. I've got guys in Minnesota. I worked with some of the guys in D.C. over the summer as well.
Q. I'm curious about picking up a new offense this late in the season. It's a lot of read and react. How do you expect that to go?
A. You look at most of their principles. Boston has run a lot of the same kind of actions. A lot of this is more reads and moving the ball, screening away, getting a two-man game on one side, picks, pops, rolls, spreading the floor with the 4-man and the 5-man. It's something I've been involved in so it should work out. I've played in this kind of system before.
Q. In this system, when they are running the floor, the 4 and the 5 are pretty much the same. Is that something you are comfortable with if you have to play some 5?
A. Yeah. I've played 5. I've played 4. I can guard both. I'm not really worried about that.
Q. And it was attractive to you to know you are here for more than a few games?
A. For sure. The fact that they wanted me here and made it work.
Q. How much did you know about the Hawks? Did you know anyone?
A. You know some guys. (Points to Mike Muscala). He's actually from Minnesota. I'm from Minnesota. You know some guys. Basketball is basketball. I've played against some of these guys for a long time.
