The Hawks and Knicks have expressed interest in unrestricted free agent Elton Brand.
The veteran center spent last season with the Hawks. He told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution following the season that he intends to play a 16th NBA season and has been working out in preparation for another year.
Brand, 35, signed a one-year, $4 million contract with the Hawks last year. He went on to be the only center on the team to be healthy all season. He averaged 5.7 points, 4.9 rebounds and 1.2 blocks in 34.0 minutes in 73 games (15 starts). He started eight straight games in February and March after the Hawks lost Al Horford, Gustavo Ayon and Pero Antic to injury. In those eight games, Brand averaged 32.1 minutes during the span, including a season-high 43 against the Knicks on Feb. 22. He also provided the Hawks with veteran leadership and finished 10th in the NBA’s Teammate of the Year voting last season.
The Hawks have Al Horford, Pero Antic and Mike Muscala under contract next season at center. Gustavo Ayon was not offered a qualifying offer and became an unrestricted free agent. The team selected Walter Tavares in the second round of last week’s NBA Draft but he will likely spend another year overseas to continue his development.
In 1,005 career games, the 6-foot-9 Brand averaged 16.6 points, 8.8 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.8 blocks. He is 88th on the NBA’s all-time scoring list with 16,661 points and is 21st on the all-time blocks list with 1,795.
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