A “vacancy” sign still hangs outside Philips Arena.
More than a week after the Hawks created a roster spot at the NBA trade deadline, they have yet to fill the opening. Team management deemed it necessary to be able to add a player for the stretch run after the season-ending surgery to Tiago Splitter. They made runs at Anderson Varejao and Joe Johnson after they were waived, but each chose other teams.
The Hawks are concentrating on the buyout market to add a veteran player because an important deadline looms. March 1 is the last day a player who is waived is eligible for the playoffs. Players still can sign after Tuesday, but they can’t play in the postseason.
President of basketball operations and coach Mike Budenholzer said the Hawks will look to the buyout, international and NBA Development League markets for help. Signing an international or D-League player still is an option. Those players are postseason eligible even if signed after Tuesday’s deadline.
“That is what’s happening now,” Budenholzer said Friday of the buyout market. “At some point the D-League guys become part of the conversation. At some point the international players become part of that conversation. Just because (buyouts are) where we are in the timeline of different players and different teams making decisions about where they are, it doesn’t mean (international and D-League) guys aren’t discussed. (Buyouts) are more a priority or more on the front burner.”
While the work continues to fill the roster spot, Budenholzer has stressed that the priority for the Hawks is to add a quality player — at any position. Varejao would have filled a need at center. Johnson would have filled a need for a shooter. Don’t expect the Hawks to sign a center just because they are down a big man.
If they Hawks don’t add a center, they will have to adjust for the final 23 games of the regular season. Without Splitter, the Hawks have only starter Al Horford, Mike Muscala and rookie Edy Tavares at center. The Hawks sent Tavares to the D-League for a pair of weekend games, leaving two centers for Friday’s win over the Bulls and Sunday’s game against the Hornets.
Budenholzer said he is not concerned about the increased minutes for Horford, who has played a little more with Splitter out. Muscala now is the primary backup. He played 13 minutes against the Bulls, but averaged six minutes in the previous three contests. That included three minutes last week against the Warriors, who often play with a small lineup.
“I think it’s fair to say it’s a little bit of a concern,” Budenholzer said of the center position. “I think (Muscala) has played well. … We need more minutes from Muskie, and it’ll be important to us.”
The Hawks have also used small lineups with Paul Millsap at center and Mike Scott at power forward. Budenholzer acknowledged that will continue and also said there may be times when Thabo Sefolosha is used at power forward in certain rotations.
The use of an unconventional rotation is one reason the Hawks sent Tavares to the D-League despite the perceived need for another big man. The 7-foot-3 center has appeared in only 10 games this season.
“We are very aggressive in how we use the D-League, very aggressive in how we try to develop our young players,” Budenholzer said. “At the end of the day, we are just prioritizing Edy’s development and feel strongly about him getting game minutes and game opportunities. We would probably shift down (to a smaller lineup) before Edy maybe got in the game.
“Although it’s nice to have him there and he can come in and help us, I think it’s more of a statement in how much we believe in getting our guys minutes and playing opportunities.”
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