Hawks Waive Damien Wilkins.

by Jason Walker on Jan 5, 2011 2:07 PM EST

From the official statement:

The Atlanta Hawks today requested waivers on guard/forward Damien Wilkins, according to Executive Vice President/General Manager Rick Sund.

Wilkins has appeared in 13 games off the bench for Atlanta this season, averaging 2.5 ppg, 1.8 rpg, 0.7 spg and 0.6 apg (.464 FG%, .636 FT%) in 13.1 mpg. The University of Georgia product was originally signed by the Hawks on December 3, 2010.

Surprised? You shouldn't be despite Bill Walton's flowery words last night about the former legal troubles being resolved in the Hawks organization and therefore frees the Hawks up financially.

Not so much.

From the Real MC:

The move came five days before the date in which the team would have had to guarantee his salary for the remainder of the season if he were on the roster. With 13 players on the roster, the Hawks do not need to replace Wilkins' spot.

MC also notes the preponderance of players playing Wilkins' position, though one of them, Marvin, is just as injured as Joe was when Wilkins appeared on the roster. The Hawks can have up to 15 players on the roster, meaning that even with Pape Sy in Utah at the moment the Hawks could have kept Wilkins, but it would have meant spending the minimum for the full season! Egad! Can't do that!

Ultimately, the move is meh, Wilkins got way more credit for anything he did on the court and probably more run than a off-the-street free agent perhaps should have received, but just the same, if he was worth playing some key minutes late in games, wouldn't he be worth keeping around in case of injury, especially given the unknown state of Marvin's back?

Alas, Wilkins will have most likely have to settle for holding the unofficial record for the ratio of excitement from the home broadcast team to minutes on the floor during his (13) game stint. The previous record holder was Mario West.

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Comments

It's not like he isn't going to come back once 10-day contracts become availible.

by Bryant Singleton on Jan 5, 2011 2:20 PM EST reply actions

i see

that might give me pause on being angry

Atlanta will win a championship....someday

by maxxj3 on Jan 5, 2011 3:48 PM EST up reply actions

But they can only sign him for 2 of those.

Then they would have to sign him the rest of the way or cut him.

by Jason Walker on Jan 5, 2011 4:19 PM EST up reply actions

he was only getting a little over 200 grand this year anyway

Atlanta will win a championship....someday

by maxxj3 on Jan 5, 2011 8:18 PM EST up reply actions

way less than other bench warmers who play less

Atlanta will win a championship....someday

by maxxj3 on Jan 5, 2011 8:19 PM EST up reply actions

Oh boy! What are they doing??

Can't eat sushi in Utah, brother.....Landlocked

by dstdeelite on Jan 5, 2011 2:40 PM EST reply actions

questions that answer themselves for $500

Would it be to much to ask for this organization to actually add talent that will improve the team rather than making moves for the purpose of saving a few bucks?

by redwards95 on Jan 5, 2011 2:56 PM EST reply actions

I guess there will be no passing on family legacy here. It’s a shame. he had so much potential too. he played pretty well in Seattle for a while then disappeared

by Jeffrey Thompson on Jan 5, 2011 3:23 PM EST reply actions

shoot!

i actually like the guy, he works very hard and used all his minutes to the best of his abilities. I like mo evans but he isnt a backup sf by any means and we have enough sg’s now, but whatever the loss doesnt really hurt us. Mario west’s record shall live on!

by gooftroop on Jan 5, 2011 3:43 PM EST reply actions

oh speaking of mario west

have any of you seen what he has done in the d-league? he can shoot threes now! hes doing very well and hopefully can get back to the nba :)

by gooftroop on Jan 5, 2011 3:44 PM EST up reply actions

10 day contracts are upon us

So there’s still hope for us yet!

I’d love nothing more than to have West back with more game. West was never the problem, it was always the way in which he was implemented by Woodson. Frankly, he should have spent his first few seasons in the D-League to begin with much like most of our draft picks and undrafted signings. Now that we are actually utilizing the D-League, maybe we’ll see more improvement and use of these type of players.

I’m rooting for West, that’s for sure.

"You could spend the next fifteen seconds of your life watching a man and a tiger scream together, or you could be an idiot."
Fact.

by Jesse28 on Jan 6, 2011 11:21 AM EST up reply actions

Limiting LD's Options

Personally, I’m all for limiting the options that LD has. The fewer options at his disposal the more likely he is to actually settle on a playing time rotation.

by danielduello on Jan 5, 2011 3:45 PM EST reply actions

If Bryant's post from above is right

He probably will be back. But if he’s not back, this is one stupid move solidifying the hawks will trade defense for offense, which will lessen championship aspirations.

Atlanta will win a championship....someday

by maxxj3 on Jan 5, 2011 3:54 PM EST reply actions

how do you waive a player

before an important game?

Atlanta will win a championship....someday

by maxxj3 on Jan 5, 2011 4:06 PM EST up reply actions

Great just another $ and cents move by no good ASG

lose our best defensive forward while Marvin is injured. And then they send an email this week saying they are doing all they can to support fans. What an stupid move. While Wilkins did not get much playing time, he was helpful. Too sad

by ATLpaul on Jan 5, 2011 4:15 PM EST reply actions

+1

I wish Arthur Blank would just stop fooling around and buy the team already (hey, everyone has dreams). ASG is really killing the morale of the fans, which in turn will cause us not to show up at games. Wilkins provided perimeter and on the ball defense, something the team lacks besides Teague. Damn it’s hard being a Hawks fan with owners like ASG….

by Anonymous HawksGuy on Jan 5, 2011 4:30 PM EST up reply actions

btw...

why is Smoove looking passionately into Wilkins’ eyes in that pic. Looks rather “suspect” if you ask me, lol!

by Anonymous HawksGuy on Jan 5, 2011 4:33 PM EST up reply actions

He's trying to seduce him

into passing him the ball on the wing so he can shoot a 3

by frootbooty on Jan 5, 2011 4:43 PM EST up reply actions

he's checking his teeth

Making sure the ASG didn’t completely knock his teeth out while being waived.

Atlanta will win a championship....someday

by maxxj3 on Jan 5, 2011 8:13 PM EST up reply actions

He had 4 straight DNP's before Marvin was hurt

He wasnt providing anything from the bench

@KrisPTHoops

by Kris Willis on Jan 5, 2011 5:37 PM EST up reply actions

No

He SHOULD have played more I think, and how can u move him with marvin out? We are winning, though, so…but right before UTAH??

by mountain dawg on Jan 5, 2011 6:40 PM EST up reply actions

If anything I question the timing

I think there is a really good chance that he gets brought back as soon as on Monday.

@KrisPTHoops

by Kris Willis on Jan 5, 2011 7:07 PM EST up reply actions

That

And I highly doubt (though I’d love to see some numbers*) he was providing such solid defense as some speak of. More than Evans sure, but at this point that amounts to about as much of an excuse as “at least he’s not Mario”. It’s extremely weak at best.

*Yes, this is me being lazy asking for someone else to post them… I’m at work, sue me.

"You could spend the next fifteen seconds of your life watching a man and a tiger scream together, or you could be an idiot."
Fact.

by Jesse28 on Jan 6, 2011 11:25 AM EST up reply actions

Not Necessarily

Look around the NBA at the amount of players that were waived.

@KrisPTHoops

by Kris Willis on Jan 5, 2011 5:33 PM EST up reply actions

He might have been our best defensive forward

but he wasn’t even playing.

@KrisPTHoops

by Kris Willis on Jan 5, 2011 5:34 PM EST up reply actions

Neither is Jordan Crawford and (many nights) Jeff Teague. That doesn’t mean you cut them unless of course you are a cheap organization like Atlanta.

by redwards95 on Jan 5, 2011 7:25 PM EST up reply actions

So why did so many teams in the NBA make moves just like this today?

We are vastly overreacting to this move in my opinion. This is much different than having guys on rookie contracts. There is still a chance that Damien ends right back up on the team.

@KrisPTHoops

by Kris Willis on Jan 5, 2011 8:49 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs

hate it

he played hard, and solid d. and I do not like them getting rid of royalties kin. humf..

by mountain dawg on Jan 5, 2011 6:36 PM EST reply actions

Very expected

Surprised it wasn’t Etan Thomas. Every team does this. Stop finding excuses to throw a pity-party.

by axhfan on Jan 6, 2011 12:08 AM EST reply actions 1 recs

My guess is Etan's contract is already fully guaranteed.

@KrisPTHoops

by Kris Willis on Jan 6, 2011 6:35 AM EST up reply actions

This

Exactly. Powell and Thomas are still wasting space and dollars. Though, I guess one could point to that as just as much reason to keep Wilkins. Waiving players before there contracts are guaranteed is a viable business move to save a few dollars and to help keep salaries under the luxury tax, there’s absolutely no reason to be upset unless one of the above players could have also been waived instead of Wilkins. I’m assuming not since they didn’t, but that’s me giving yet one more opportunity for the ASG to fail me in their business making decisions.

"You could spend the next fifteen seconds of your life watching a man and a tiger scream together, or you could be an idiot."
Fact.

by Jesse28 on Jan 6, 2011 11:29 AM EST up reply actions