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The NBA's free agent period opens in less than three hours and already the rumors are flying. ESPN.com's Marc Stein reports that the Atlanta Hawks are a team whose name keeps coming up as a potential suitor for restricted free agent Greg Monroe.
Atlanta Hawks are one team that keep coming up as a potential suitor for Greg Monroe as he becomes restricted free agent at 12:01 AM
— Marc Stein (@ESPNSteinLine) July 1, 2014
Atlanta opened up potential cap space on Sunday when they dealt Lou Williams and Lucas Nogueira to Toronto in exchange for John Salmons. The final year of Salmons' deal only carries a $1 million guarantee. The Hawks and Salmons agreed earlier on Monday to extend his waiver deadline to July 10.
Atlanta has been rumored to have small forward Luol Deng at the top of their shopping list but will likely take a look at multiple targets.
Detroit has indicated that they plan to keep Monroe and may in fact overpay to do so. Still Andre Drummond is a keeper and Josh Smith's massive contract makes him very hard to move. The three failed to coexist as starters last season. Drummond needs to start and both Monroe or Smith would be very expensive options to bring off the bench.