The Hawks have agreed to a trade to acquire John Salmons from the Raptors in exchange for Lou Williams and the rights to 2013 first-round draft pick Lucas Nogueira, according to a person familiar with the situation.
The Hawks intend to waive Salmons in a move that will free up salary cap room. The Hawks will also receive a second-round draft pick in the deal that is expected to be completed Monday.
The move will free up salary cap space for the Hawks that can be used with the start of free agency on Tuesday.
Salmons, a 34-year-old guard/forward, has played 12 NBA seasons, playing last season for the Kings and Raptors. In 78 games he averaged 5.2 points and 2.1 rebounds.
Williams will make $5.45 million next season, which was to be the final of a three-year free-agent deal. Williams was the odd-man out in the Hawks’ guard rotation last season and was likely to be in the same position this season. Williams, who returned last season from a torn right ACL, did not play in a stretch of seven straight games in March as a coach’s decision.
The Hawks just added guard Lamar Patterson, a second-round pick, in last week’s draft. He joins a backcourt of Jeff Teague, Kyle Korver, Dennis Schroder and John Jenkins. The Hawks are also expected to extend a qualifying offer to restricted free agent Shelvin Mack, who played backup point guard last season.
Williams, from South Gwinnett High School, averaged 10.4 points in 60 games last season.
Teague responded to the news via social media by posting on Twitter: “I’m gone miss playing with my bro one of the coolest people and teammates I’ve ever came across #realone”.
Nogueira spent last season playing in Spain after the Hawks acquired him in a draft-night trade with the Celtics last season. The center missed two months of his ACB League season to come to the United States for treatment of tendinitis in both knees.
Nogueira became expendable after the Hawks signed Mike Muscala to a contract and the 2013 second-round pick spent a half season playing in Spain. The Hawks also just drafted 7-foot-3 center Walter Tavares in the second round. He will likely continue his development overseas next season but could be a future option at center for the Hawks.
