Atlanta Hawks waive Matt Costello

The Atlanta Hawks entered Sunday’s preseason game in Orlando with 20 players on the roster and it appears the team will move into Tuesday’s home tilt against New Orleans with, at most, 19 available players. Former Michigan State big man Matt Costello has been waived, per Chris Vivlamore of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Costello was inked to a two-year, non-guaranteed deal that included a Summer League stint and a training camp invite but, from the moment he arrived on the scene, he was seen as a long-shot to make the final roster. The 6-foot-9 forward appeared in only two preseason games, playing a total of 18 minutes, and while Costello brings a nice energy and competitiveness to the table, he probably does not boast the combination of size and skill necessary to stick as an NBA big man.

With the roster now sitting at 19 players, there are a few additional candidates to be waived in the near future. Point guard Josh Magette would seem to be the most logical candidate, with both Ryan Kelly and Will Bynum operating on training camp contracts.

The Hawks will complete their home preseason schedule on Tuesday before traveling to Omaha to take on the Bulls to wrap things up later in the week. Stay tuned.