Hawks hold out Belinelli as they seek to trade him

The Hawks are holding Marco Belinelli out of their game against Memphis on Tuesday night as they seek to trade the veteran guard, the team confirmed.

The Hawks still had a “few options” for trades that include Belinelli, according to a person with knowledge of the discussions. The team is holding out Belinelli to avoid the risk of injury before he is traded.

The NBA trade deadline is Thursday. Hawks general manager Travis Schlenk said earlier Tuesday that the team would prioritize acquiring draft picks and young players in any trades.

The Hawks acquired Belinelli from the Hornets in June as part of the Dwight Howard trade. He has value for teams looking to fortify their roster because he’s a proven 3-point shooter and is in the final year of his contract.

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