Report: Mike Dunleavy Jr. To Join Atlanta Hawks Tuesday
There’s an update to the Mike Dunavy Jr. situation. It turns out he will report to the Atlanta Hawks.
It’s nice when things get resolved without conflict. Yesterday, Marc Stein and Marc J. Spears of ESPN reported that Mike Dunleavy Jr. would not report to the Atlanta Hawks and would be seeking a buyout from the team. He was acquired by Atlanta from the Cleveland Cavaliers in trade involving Kyle Korver late last week.
Dunleavy was hesitant about joining the Hawks, hoping to become a free agent and sign with a contender instead. His failure to report would have created a sticky situation for Atlanta. They’d have had no choice but to fine him until he reported, or give in and waive him. It looks like all of that will be avoided.
According to Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical, Dunleavy will report to the Hawks after all.
Sources: After talking with Mike Budenholzer about role with Atlanta, Mike Dunleavy has made peace with joining Hawks. He'll report Tuesday.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) January 9, 2017
Sources: Once Dunleavy was convinced that Budenholzer wanted him, there was no more discussion of buyout. Significant respect between them.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) January 9, 2017
It’s encouraging to see how much respect around the league players have for Mike Budenholzer. Nothing has been publicly shared about his role, but this leads me to believe Dunleavy will get minutes in Atlanta. He should be a good fit for Budenholzer’s system. He’s not as proficient from three-point range as Korver, but he can still knock down outside shots.
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At his best, Dunleavy provides the Hawks with another shooter off the bench. For his career he’s a 37.6 percent shooter from outside. Last season he had a solid year for the Chicago Bulls, averaging 7.2 points per game on 39.4 percent shooting from deep.
Hawks coach Mike Budenholzer tells ESPN of the forthcoming arrival of Mike Dunleavy: "I feel great about it. ... He fits us."
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) January 9, 2017
This season he’s had a difficult time getting on the court for Cleveland. He’s only played 15.9 minutes per game over 23 games, averaging 4.6 points per game on 35.1 percent shooting from three-point range.
Next: Hawks Hoping To Make A Splash In Free Agency?
The Hawks take on the Brooklyn Nets Tuesday night in the final game of a four-game road trip.