HAWKS TRAINING CAMP ROSTER
Player; Pos.; Ht.; wt.
Pero Antic; F-C; 6-11; 260
Gustavo Ayon; F-C; 6-10; 250
Elton Brand; F-C; 6-9; 254
DeMarre Carroll; F; 6-8; 212
Jared Cunningham; G; 6-4; 195
Al Horford; F-C; 6-10; 250
John Jenkins; G; 6-4; 215
Kyle Korver; G-F; 6-7; 212
Shelvin Mack; G; 6-3; 207
Paul Millsap; F; 6-8; 253
Dennis Schroder; G; 6-1; 168
Mike Scott; F; 6-8; 237
Jeff Teague; G; 6-2; 181
Lou Williams; G; 6-1; 175
Non-roster invitees
Eric Dawson; F; 6-9; 236
Royal Ivey; G; 6-4; 200
James Johnson; F; 6-9; 248
David Lighty; G; 6-6; 216
Adonis Thomas; G-F; 6-7; 240
Damien Wilkins; G-F; 6-6; 225
Al Horford, like many Hawks fans, admits to some off-season angst.
Now the longest-tenured Hawks player, Horford enters his seventh NBA season at the top of a roster that underwent its second consecutive summer overhaul. There will be seven new contract players when training camp begins Monday under the guidance of first-year coach Mike Budenholzer. The current roster also is notable for the departures of long-time Hawks Josh Smith and Zaza Pachulia.
Horford is the last man standing. He is the only player or coach left from the core group that started the current run of six consecutive playoff appearances.
“There are big differences,” Horford said in an exclusive interview with The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “Last year we had some guys who had been together. Josh (Smith) and I were here. Jeff (Teague) was here. Zaza (Pachulia) was here. We had a core group of guys. Now, it’s gotten reshuffled completely. It is a big difference. It’s intriguing. It’s a new coach. There are a lot of adjustments that have to be made. It’s not going to be easy, but I think the quicker we are able to gel as a team, I think the more successful we are going to be.”
The Hawks entered the offseason with more than $33 million in available salary-cap space. They made runs at Dwight Howard and Chris Paul, the top unrestricted free agents. They declined to make an offer to Smith, an unrestricted free agent who signed with the Pistons. They signed Paul Millsap as the primary replacement for Smith, who compiled top-10 numbers in most of the organization’s all-time statistical categories in his nine seasons with his hometown Hawks.
There also was the matter of seven unrestricted and two restricted free agents. Kyle Korver was highly sought after on the open market, but re-signed with the Hawks. Teague got an offer sheet from the Bucks, and Horford was among those who sweated the Hawks’ decision to match the deal.
“More than anything, I have to trust in (general manager) Danny (Ferry) and his vision and where he is going,” Horford said. “Even though at times, as people and as players, we can get caught up looking at what is in front of us, and he might be looking two or three steps ahead. I might be upset with him like ‘Why did this happen? Why did this move happen?’ At the end of the day I do trust in his vision with this team and what he wants to accomplish. As a player I have to sit back and do my job.”
And what were those moves?
“I was on edge of course. I’m not going to lie to you. I questioned certain things like, ‘What is going on here?’ I was like, ‘We need to get Kyle back. We need to get Jeff back. What’s going on?’ I was definitely on edge about all the things. Once I realized how everything was going, I was like, ‘They have a vision. They know what they are doing. I have to trust them.’ I have to make sure that I get better and just get ready.”
Horford served as co-captain with Smith last season. The two shared the duties after Joe Johnson was traded as part of Ferry’s first-year overhaul. The two developed an undeniable chemistry throughout their tenure. Smith assisted on almost a quarter of Horford’s baskets last season.
Horford averaged 17.4 points per game last season after missing much of the 2011-12 with a torn pectoral muscle. He also averaged 10.2 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 1.05 blocks and steals. He became the first Hawks player since Dikembe Mutumbo in 1999-2000 to average a double-double for a season.
The two-time All-Star center understands that people may want to call the Hawks Horford’s team. He takes a different approach.
“I think it’s fair to ask,” Horford said. “People wonder. I’m the one that has been here the longest — which is crazy to me. I went to Florida, everybody knows that, and coach (Billy) Donovan always believed that it was always about the team. We are never focusing on one guy. That is the way I see it now.”
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