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Reports: Lucas Nogueira contract to be bought out soon by Atlanta

After seemingly being ticketed for overseas play, the Hawks now look to be on the verge of buying out the contract of their other first round pick.

By Jason Walker
USA TODAY Sports

Alternate Headline: Danny Ferry -- International Man of Mystery?

Lucas Nogueira seems to be headed to Atlanta if the Sportando report submitted today is accurate:

Lucas Nogueira's buyout is close to being finished with Atlanta. Estudiantes came down a lot on the money and they can't risk him staying in Spain for one more year, which is what Atlanta is threatening.

The buyout was supposed to be $1 million after they signed a new contract the day before the NBA Draft, instead of $2M (the original price in the contract).

Atlanta managed to bring the price down even further.

We're trying to understand why Estudiantes can't risk Lucas staying another year, as they extended him just before the draft through 2015.

It could be Lucas was extended to protect a buy-out from an NBA team -- but why couldn't they risk him coming back if the Hawks would have to buy him out eventually (before 2015) to bring him over?

The other side is that Danny Ferry may have played the hand perfectly -- bringing a buyout down from 2M to under a million simply by making it public that Nogueira may not come over this year after all.

If Lucas comes over and is signed, he would become the 11th guaranteed contract after Pero Antic made it official this afternoon. With DeMarre Carroll looming and three non-guaranteed contracts on the books, the roster is filling up fast.

Lucas (aka Bebe) carries a ~1.4M dollar starting point to his rookie deal, when he signs and is officially playing in the NBA.

This tweet indicates that the Hawks and Lucas himself may be going dutch to the buyout:

GROUP QUESTION: What do you think Bebe's role will be with the team this year?

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